Single AKB48 43rd [Kimi wa Melody] (2016/03/09)

Then maybe you should look into other Idol groups who are more "fair" in your eyes? I mean, they're out there. No one is forcing you to be in the 48G umbrella.

I really don't care if girls get shafted. It's show business. And when has Juri ever delivered enough to warranted being in an a-side? These girls should realize that they won't get their moment until the oldies leave. I know it's harsh, but that's how it works. There's no way on earth Okada Nana will be chosen over girls like Mayu, Jurina, Paruru, Nyan, etc. So until they leave, there's just not room for them.

As for SSK... the SSK single has ALWAYS stood alone. Ranking there does not correspond to ranking elsewhere. Why on earth would Aya or Kaotan have any place in an AKB single? Furthermore, the Amina thing has little to do with management. Sure, they didn't like her... but management aren't the ones that barely gave her a millisecond of screentime.

 

Hurts but true unless it's in my dream

 

You just described my feelings towards AKB in the last months...there's barely anything that surprises me anymore: between the fact they cannot let go of the graduates (can anyone tell ne if they are /actually/ crucial for KwM besides showing up on the PV and covers? They are not in lives, not even in events), plus that singles have become more and more forgettable (the last song I truly liked is Green Flash, I like BwT but it's also due of lives).

Like for example, I like this single. But what does it have of special? It's nothing that couldn't been released as a b-side, or without Maeda and co.

 

The point that I was trying to make about the theater girl songs not being popular was to say if AKB fans were really serious about seeing recognition for members not chosen for senbatsu or undergirls then why wouldn't they show support for the previous theater girl units like happens in SKE? It wasn't to say that "these girls are less popular so they shouldn't be in a song", obviously non-senbatsu/undergirls members are less popular. I still think they should bring them back as long as the song/PV isn't crappy. Team songs don't really help imo since they don't represent the non-senbatsu/ug members themeselves how a unit does and overall I think having team songs on every single would be a mistake since it's boring to me.

My impression has been for a while that AKB senbatsu is meant to appeal more to casuals and represent the brand the most, so has the members with the most fans and that management wants to push. That's why I've always thought the argument that "AKB members should be in senbatsu because they are sad if they're not" will not rlly hold weight since mgm made it clear that they are considering many other things than that. I'm not saying it works, mgm is probably wrong, but for eg, I think most ppl on stage are casual fans and most ppl on stage congregate in the AKB singles threads.

Since sister groups are on a smaller-scale of exposure they can be much more flexible, like old-school AKB. Since I became a fan I've personally preferred SKE, just caring the most for it's members and finding it more fun. I buy AKB singles as well because my favourite members get included, but over time I come to like some AKB members through association too lol. The sister group inclusion is what makes more people interested because they get to include their biggest names, but it's at the expense of the AKB non-senbatsu who mostly get nothing as we all know. In my opinion it makes it much worse that some of the pushed (AKB) members in 16nin senbatsu atm don't really set a good precedent, I just think a lot of the theater girls/UG would be a much better choice. But that's another story lol.

 

It's true. It must have been amazing to be a Kumazaki Haruka or Sugawara Maya fan when SKE announced the Senbatsu for Chicken Line, as well as Miyamae Ami before them.

 

Well I didn't follow the thread so have someone posted the photos from KwM booklet?

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I don't think this is true, SSK has never been promoted as anything but the popularity of a member, and their position in the post-ssk senbatsu. Every fan knows this going in to it, so there is no bait and switch. It is literally a determination of the senbatsu/other positions for the post-ssk single, and a determination of popularity (at least for the top-10 or so). It has never been advertised or looked at as anything other than that. Honestly the only member you can even try to say was "shafted" was Amina. And that is one out of how many? 600? members in 10+ years? Sae/Kaotan/Shibata are all sister group members and not sister group aces. Why should they get a spot in AKB senbatsu? Especially when most people don't even want the sister group aces to be in senbatsu. Tomu, it was her first time and she only barely got 16th, so lets stop with the whole "management screwed her over" until it happens again, and she is like Amina and gets top-10 and still nothing in any further singles.

Once again I will state my opinion, from SSK-rank, only Amina in 10 years has been f*cked over by management in further senbatsu selections.

They're not sold any bill of goods... Everyone who auditions (who is not completely stupid) knows that out of a hundred girls only 16-30 or so will make it into senbatsu, and of those 16-30 or so, probably 5 are from a sister group. So they have to compete with a hundred girls to get 10-25 spots. Unless they have never heard of AKB before, they already know this.

In the end I don't think it has to do anything with deserving a spot, it has to do with the fact that Miion and Sakura have gained enough fans from their push to be selected more often. While many members are pushed, if they fail to gain a lot of fans, they will be dropped (mako and naanya are the two most recent who this applies to).

Of course you could argue that the other members have not been as pushed as some members. But none of us knows how the "push" is chosen. Maybe it's potential? Maybe its sexiness? Maybe it is initial handshake results as a KKS? Nobody knows... But seeing as how the kami7 level members actually do bring in tons of money and recognition to the AKB brand, I don't see why this should change. There's other things wrong with AKB that should change first.

What is to be bored about? Senbatsu selection? I don't know about other people, but if the song is amazing for me, I could care less who is in it. Sure I get happy if a member I like is in the song, or a center, but is this not a music group? Their main function is to make music, and make music that sounds good to people. I am not bored with AKB because I like the music the make. That's it. I don't care if Sakura (my favorite member) or anyone else I really like (mayuyu, miruki, haruppi, yuihan, whomever) is not in the senbatsu. If I like the song then I like it. Because lets face it, when I am walking around listening to it on my iPhone, or driving in my car, I hear the music, I don't see my favorite members. So if the music is sh*t, I won't listen. If the music is great (like it has pretty much been for 10 years now) then I am happy.

Actually, looking at your two photos, the main difference is hairstyle. And the hairstyle nowadays is just more similar than it was in the original senbatsu. I don't see any special differences in faces.

 

Completely agree but that only applies to those who like the music but sadly a big part of the fandom don't like the music so they complain about the members since it's what they pay more attention to, because they need the visual aspect much more.

I think the group is pretty entertaining but also pretty unfair but I have been learning to accept how things are so I don't stress myself over management decisions, we can complain but nothing will change anyways .

 

Lol at people using Aya as an example of injustice when she got first row in SKE since Bukiyou Taiyou (with exception of 12gatsu)

And to people saying AKB's senbatsu selection is boring should look at the senbatsu from RIVER to Ponishu and from Beginner to GM5

 

So many arguments boil down to emotional positions on what's fair, just, deserving, etc.
I do understand that. I like a lot of girls who will probably never rank high in SSK or get much work outside the theater, even though I think they're amazing.

But the reality is there is nothing fair about this business. Management's job isn't to make sure everyone gets equal opportunities, or that the biggest talents get the biggest pushes, it's to find the most profitable members (or who they think they can make profitable, based on a lot of intangibles that are impossible to compare objectively) and milk those cash cows for all they're worth. Don't expect management to do more than that. That is their job.

Our job is just to love them (I say that in the least creepy and delusional sense) and encourage them. Instead of just looking at the negatives and complaining about everything, give your own push to the girls you like. Buy their stuff, vote for them when you can, share what you LOVE not what you HATE and increase their fanbase. We as fans actually carry a lot of weight in deciding who can rise up and make management take note.

And even if they never make it big as idols, they appreciate the efforts and the love of fans. That's supposed to be the whole point of the group: "Idols you can meet". It's about the personal connection they have with fans. I think that's the bottom line that people forget after too long in the fandom and start getting entrenched in the same bitter arguments and opposing view points about the business side of it.

 

if that's the recommendation that you're going to give to any 48G fans. almost all 48G must have jumpship already into other idol group. besides, I can support as many idol group that I want. it's not like being a fan of AKB is exclusive lol.

there's the jab of downplaying other members because they're not "deserving" because management said so. may I remind you that those girls are just another face in the 48G fandom until management pushes them into the moon.

then why did you suggest to vote more for you're favorite members so, it would help their career then? if you know it won't do anything to change the mind of the management.

lol, Amina is the only ever non-senbatsu member that ranked that high. only goes to show that the SSK is just a bait for fans to spend more money. if you look at it. non-senbatsu members doesn't stand a chance to go toe-to-toe with senbatsu members. exposure, management support, popularity. they all have the cards to rank high in SSK. Tomu is a different case. it's not like she's a SKE powervoted member. it's her own fans who voted for her to get in the top 16 even though management didn't push her enough to get that rank. and besides, how about Sakura. she was put in Uza even though she only rank 47th at the 2012 Senbatsu Election. you know why? because she's one of management favorite in HKT. something that Tomu doesn't have.

 

Wow I honestly couldn't agree more, even though as an overseas fan, this does seem hard...

It seems like a tough dilemma if we want AKB to be ideal. If we promote less popular members in senbatsu, we take away from other ones. If popular ones aren't featured so others can be, they won't be getting what they "deserve". etc. etc.

I don't really want to argue/debate or anything, but I really think that doing what you can to support them is the whole idea of an idol. Yes, all of them probably want to make it big and famous, but honestly ever single act of support counts. It's like whenever someone comes to support me at my own competitions. I don't always place high, nor do I have the most followers, but knowing that someone supports me is pretty amazing.

On topic: KwM is a meh, I like the black/white outfits more than the super color style that this director uses. Saw it coming, but still ;/. I personally like the HKT song, except for the bridge, which is awful. LALALA Message was a cute MV!!

 

I don't know if anyone has upload it yet but here's the booklet for the theater edition of Kimi wa Melody if anyone wanted to know what it looks like.

P.S. sorry for the bad quality but I don't have a scanner so this was the best I could do.

 

Thanks

Ha ha. I've said this before but I'm gonna say it again. Even when she's not the center, Aachan still managed to be the center lol

 

That is not baiting... A bait is when something is advertised as something that it is not. Kind of like lying about what something is. There has never once been a lie or a bait and switch about the SSK. Everyone knows what it is and what it is not. It determines the next single positions. Also, it is a part of a determination on who gets put into senbatsu or "pushed" afterwards, but only a part of the equation. What is the entire equation? Nobody here knows... But of course whenever a girl they like is in senbatsu they say "Wow! I'm so glad management can see her great qualities!!!" And whenever it is a girl they dislike "Unbelievable!! This is the bullsh*t management favoritism again!!!". lol smh

You mention she "only ranked 47th". What you don't mention is how she was the only HKT member to rank. Why is it that you didn't mention that? I'm actually curious...

And by the way, a paruru fan complaining about management favoritism is quite fresh...

 

That's true. It's so weird to see Aachan's picture again in AKB.

 

To be fair, back in 2012 I'm pretty sure Haruppi, Mio and Meru were Managements favorites, Sakura being in Uza was more like management acknowledging the fans that voted for her. Note that since them she never made management senbatsu (not including summer singles) again until Kibouteki Refrain, which by then she was already a Senbatsu member in the SSK, two years later.

In simple terms, most fans like the idea of seeing their idols start from the bottom as unknown, untalented newbie "ordinary" girls, and work their way up to popular talented superstar (in the idol world). It's a lot more fun to watch your favorite reach her goals gradually until she reaches the top, than it is to see your favorite get handed opportunities on a plate. All the girls work hard, it just comes down to who management picks as the girl they want to make a star. Unfortunately for fans of the girls who don't get that opportunity, they have to either accept the idea that their favorite might not ever be favored by mgmnt, find a girl that will be favored by mgmnt, or find another group where all the girls get equal opportunities (there is none). It's a sad reality but that's just how it is.

Anyway, I don't feel like going through tons of pages of war, so would anyone be kind enough to post or let me know what shows akb have appeared on to promote this single? I haven't seen any at all lol. Thanks in advance!

 

The members pictures from the booklet (I think xD)




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