Honestly a big part of not letting AKS get away with this is not buying the albums, the merchandise, the theater tickets, the concert tickets, and ESPECIALLY the handshake tickets. But it doesn’t really seem like fans are doing that. I guess we’ll see if fans buy handshake tickets for NGT or not with this new AKB single. If fan spending continues at the level it had been before the scandal, then WE AS FANS are the ones who let down Maho. Why would they make any changes if they see that what happened didn’t affect their business? They clearly don’t care about the girls as people and only as products.
The problem is that AKS has the perfect shield to try to soak up the damage; members. Fans will have a hard time hurting the girls they support just to maybe affect management. Add the "shikata ga nai" attitude of Japan and you probably won't see much change. https://i.imgur.com/6y1WXzH.jpg
Just to put things in chronological order (correct me if I'm wrong): NGT announces who will be part of theater shows on February 9th and 11th Seiji Reina (one of those who will perform) make her post about courage not paying in the long run Someone posted on 5ch about Maho's allies and how they are gonna graduate around June Maho, Riko, Rena and Mofu removed NGT from their bio/profile accounts Like others, I too think Maho gave all the chances to NGT to put things right. To not just make the right choice but also the profitable one, if they had half brain to use it. They didn't and now there's no turning back. NGT mngmnt failed, and like @sdn48oshi said, wotas failed as well. Not standing up, not changing AKS is the reasons their own oshi will keep working and living in an unsafe system... and for people who say to love their idols OH SO MUCH that's quite ironic and sad. @SaitoWinterStar As Riko fan as well, I feel you. But at least we know who she truly is. Someone not just to like, but to respect, as well. (I'm quite sad she may be too old for Takarazuka, because she seems born for it) @ukifune glad to see you around here, though at this point I can't share your open minded attitude anymore.
I think because it's not their decision to graduate. It seems to me that something moved inside NGT. Some days ago we were still to the point in which, regardless of her own words, the new NGT mngmnt hadn't personally met and talked to each members and then a rapid succession of events happened. Small as they seems. NGT/AKS is gonna milk all they can, and graduating Maho and Co before people take out the money for SSK would means lose them It's beyond to my understanding how people could still put their money in NGT anyway, but that is that
absolutely. i don't mean to give an impression that she should feel that way, but if i'm not mistaken it's kinda expected in japanese culture to "protect the hive" before yourself. which seems to be the attitude some members and certainly management, at least internally, are taking.
the girls can walk when they want. if the election theory is correct, why would they wait and actually enter?
@wetpantsu not sure that post is a big deal for many, I saw people being divided like usual. I won't be surprised if they'd be more focused on AKB senbatsu right now than not on how the rest of TG is reacting. @chrissirhc good question. Why would them at this point? The post was about how few allies Maho has at the moment inside NGT and about the supposed graduation, but I doubt who wrote it expected those 4 girls act so fast and so visibly. The only reason I can think of them staying unitl June would be because of some contract issue, but my knowledge of that is near to zero. I surely expect Riko's mom (the woman who listened Maho and cried with her) to want her daughter and Maho herself as far from NGT as possible ASAP; and since the girls seems to have taken a decision and a direction, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd find more ways to publicy go against NGT and AKS
Would they really want Maho on the SSK stage, free to say what she wanted to a national tv audience in prime time? Because I sure as hell would buy votes for her and I'd bet others would too. yes I know AKS gets most of the money but it might be worth it to give Maho a platform like that. I don't think there's evidence for that. The gist of it from twitter seems to be that Reina was one that sympathized with Maho but didn't want to go against management. That's what I thought too, maybe June is contract renewal time in NGT or something. If this was happening in the USA or Britain, Maho would already have a lawyer and a press agent hired to help her, I doubt she's even allowed to do that under her contract.
I agree, I fear there's no way for her to be in the elections, being it her decision or not. I'd be surprised if she applied, and I'd be even more surprised if she actually spoke about it if she ranked in. However, this is Japan and she might be apologizing again in front of the cameras for all the trouble she has caused. That was the point of my post So, if the group is dissolved, what'd be justice for the mob, I mean you? Maybe make Ayakani and Noe's addresses public so that they can be stalked? Send them to prison? Make a new group and make Mahohon the captain? If the group is dissolved there would be no justice for anyone. I've always mentioned that this mob would end up damaging Mahohon more than help her. If she graduates and (especially) if her friends are forced to leave with her it would just probe a point that trying occidental tactics in Japanese culture is just worthless.
Thanks! Her tweet was super vague and that's what I thought too. Just wanted to check what others thought as well.
You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools, But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live forever.
You've got to know when to hold 'em Know when to fold 'em Know when to walk away And know when to run
https://mobile.twitter.com/qc_bb/status/1092394200216276992 I am not sure if he had any evidence or just fantisized but this story can explain well Runa’s role in this incident. She regretted her mistake and decided to take hiatus. Though, the main target of Maho & her friends is not Runa but other official members who are totally ruthless. Nah, I do not want to spend money on that shit show to feed the dumb AKS. Instead, I hope fans can create an outside fund to support the girls after graduate. They may be under financial hardship now due to the hiatus (particularly Maho & Mofu who lived away from family). And after graduate, they have to start again from ground.
Can you imagine if Riko's mom - or any other parent of an NGT member (mainly Maho and anyone close to her) decided to actually stand up and testify? Hahaha that's very much wishful thinking. But think about how much that would say.
And now a source announced Mahohon is not graduating... https://twitter.com/qc_bb/status/1092532380001284097
Welp... most likely that decision is from AKS and some lawyers (idol contracts are cray). Hell, they may use this and try to make money off her with SSK coming up. Using the sympathy of fans to cash in. Idol Business 101
