What got me first interested with Nogizaka were both NogiDoko and Nogichuu. They got me hooked with being funny and good mix of personalities among members. You know it is good when you can re-watch them without getting bored IMO. The members were comfortable in talking with Bananaman and not too shy when asked to perform an action. Maybe they were desperate to get screen time lol... Something fun like Manatsu-Kuroishi or Wakasama's Hashi-kun will be nice to watch. Not sure about the radio involvement as I only know Maichun is currently involved with ANN.
I'm going to amend my previous comment and say that I think many talk-centric episodes together with someone on the level of Bananaman can get a member to a high professional level where they can go on any TV show on their own and hold their own, but to get to a special elite level may be different. And I do think that people like Kazumin, Machu, Ikuchan, and Manatsu are at a special elite level that's higher than just "high professional level." I think there are some elite or almost elite variety talk members in other generations, but these four can really carry entire scenes or basically steal episodes at another level.
True, I like the early years of Nogizaka when the members were more playful and willing to go for it. The newer members are more shy and elegant type, combined with their lack of good reactions in the shows make them less interesting to watch IMO. That's why I think they need a show to cast all of the members for more exposure.
To know better about 4th gen and now 3rd gen too, I'd recommend watching Nogizaka Skits. That's how I got to know 4th gen better. They have more space there.
I must say that Nogizaka under construction lost its "energy" since circa August 2020. I am a fan of Nogizaka, Keyakizaka, and Hinatazaka since January 2020 and I watched all their main variety shows and in my eyes, Nogizaka really declined a lot in that field. COVID hit of course so it's not really a wonder but like when I saw the first shows after they resumed Nogi under construction they really were optimistic again and it was actually more fun than those in the studio in the last months. Sakurazaka and Hinatazaka are much better in variety at the moment and I say that as somebody whose favorite group is Nogizaka. However, comparing Nogizaka Doko and Under construction in the past and today and I must say it declined in total. I have sort of this feeling that the 1st Generation members are busy and do not really need this show anymore and the 3rd and 4th Generation members joined a group that was already famous.[No hate I like them all] I wonder if they have a lot of stress right now from the management side or financial in general. Not sure if others already have seen it here however in the Documentary "Somewhere we can be ourselves (Yamashita Mizuki)" there is a clip from their Senbatsu announcement(26th) at the beginning and I must say most of them look like they are somewhere else with their heads and have completely other worries. But yes it was not very long but It was just a feeling I got from it.
I've been thinking along the same lines lately, actually with Nogizaka in general I just feel like there's something missing the last couple of years, specifically going back to all those graduations in 2018/19. The energy or pace - as they say - of the group has definitely changed. And I definitely prefer the OLD more rambunctious, fun energy the group had back when there were only 1st and 2nd gen. Nogidoko is still incredibly rewatchable, though.
Yes, Nogidoko is really rewatchable and really great compared to the episodes of the last few years for me. For example Nogidoko episode 19&20 (1st Single PR Campaign) I can really feel the passion and their positive energy. Maybe that is just normal nowadays because quite a lot of First Gens aren't in the group anymore. I mean when the First Generation didn't had all that they would have failed and there would neither be a second nor third or fourth generation. I really hope that it is currently just so bad because of COVID and that they will return with some interesting episodes as soon as it is back to normal. But when it continues like this I have the feeling that there is a good chance that it dies like AKBINGO!
I can agree that Nogichuu has declined, especially when so many 1st gen members have left the group. I don't really watch Nogichuu anymore after Maiyan and Nakada left because the synergy between members no longer the same. Members like Himetan, Noujo, Sayunyan and other 1st gen members made the show interesting IMO. Now, even Kaz as the mood maker no longer stands out in the show. Back then, they did not really have much outside activities, but NogiDoko/Nogichuu to express themselves to fans. On a side note, I am not that happy with the newer gen members and their activities during variety shows. Their expressions are not that good as compared to 1st and 2nd gen members even when they first started. More of the shy-type, unlike 1st gen members that were willing to try. Even during concert performances, I could see decline in terms of expression, vocal and choreography-wise when many original members for the songs have left the group like Inochi wa Utsukushii and SayoImi. Thinking about it, not selected for senbatsu but they still get to perform on stage as replacement to original members and maybe the struggle to compete for selection is not what it used to be as compared to 1st and 2nd gen members for the first few years. Nogi on autocruise mode since consecutive Kouhaku. It may even reach a time where I no longer support the group if all the 1st and 2nd gen members left the group.
@Dumb_General I think there's an element now that they don't have to prove anything, so that drive you see in the early single PR campaigns to earn peoples respect and love is sort of missing, these campaigns are also a lot less punishing than they were - there's no more standing under freezing waterfalls or climbing Mt Fuji and I couldn't see 4th gen doing anything as soul destroying as trying to hand out hankies to generally apathetic people in the street. And with the few 1st and 2nd gens bound to be leaving in the next couple of years it really feels like an ending. The last episode of Nogidoko I watched was the 2nd gen intro (ep84) and it's weird, like I swear a couple of those girls ONLY appeared in that episode and had graduated a year later - I think 2nd gen nonetheless were a good extension of what already existed where 4th gen feel almost like a separate group, and it's always going to suck the way they were kind of shunted to being undergirls but that did give us a lot of good under songs. I think my absolute favourite Nogidoko episodes are the seasonal ones, the Valentines and Halloween episodes were always hilarious, member birthday episodes, and I have a soft spot for some of the early instances where members went out and interacted with the public, like ep64 where they're out visiting fans at Christmas. I don't think they'd do stuff like that now, not because they're too big but because they were just more willing back then to GO for it and take on any challenge. Nogi's variety feels very. . . static to me, there's a lot of sitting around looking very pretty, where Hinatazaka and Sakurazaka are being absolute goofballs and are up for anything and go at it with gusto. It's how Nogi USED to be, but. . . aren't now, and that's a shame. But I think the same thing sort of happened with AKBingo - the chaotic, anarchic energy of the early years sort of gave way to lots of sitting around, talking. I'd hate to lose Nogichuu, but I am at a point where I have to remind myself to watch it , where the other two groups shows I can'rt WAIT to watch every week. @allen20 Seeing Kaz - my oshimen - basically becoming this background person has been painful, and I feel like her graduation is looing. She was as you say the mood maker and there's kind of nobody else like her, same with many of the 1st gens who have already gone - I think 1st gen were perfectly put together with a lot of strong personalities but with room to grow and you saw that over the years, Ikoma Rina pretty much grew up in front of us. I think one of the things I dislike about 4th compared to the other gens is that MOST - not all, but most - of them are too perfect, too fully formed right out of the gate - there aren't any rough edges and I don't see a lot of room for growth which is something I like to see in an idol/idol group, following someone and watching them grow - Kubo is a good example of this - rather than being this polished machine churning out singles that all sound a bit over-produced, safe and samey, which I think is where Nogizaka is going. So while 4th gen is full of pretty, polite girls who can sing and dance - none of them really have as strong personalities as the girls in 1st and 2nd gen did. There isn't an Ikoma or a Noujo and there DEFINITELY isn't a Kaz. I'd rather have girls who struggle and who are willing to be snarky to Bananaman and not take themselves too seriously.
@iainus Did you watch the 26th Single Campaign? It looked like it was some bad joke. Even more so if you compare it to the Fuji or Guam Campaign. Yes the 2nd Gen was thrown away. But the same thing happened with Keyakizaka with their shit management and they lost a lot of great first Gens. So sadly not very surprising... Hinatazaka has become variety-wise my absolute favorite at the moment. I guess for multiple reasons they just got rid of a lot of budget for the show and that is in my eyes a very very bad idea. If I remember correctly AKBINGO also comes back soon so that again shows that those shows are important. This is why it is weird for me that they do literally the same error like AKBINGO (with the sitting around). I guess it is not too far off to think that there will be Graduations even more so after the 10th Anniversary. I mean when you are doing the same thing for 10 years there might be a feeling that after such a long time it is time to do something new. Also Bananaman....10 years doing this. I mean if they had serious beef with the management they wouldn't have lasted for that long but it would not surprise me if they might also leave in the next 2 years.
Probably you can also say that Nogi's peak only lasted from 2016-2019. Nogichuu was still pretty good until 2019 in which Reika graduated and Manatsu became the new captain. By that time, many 1st gen members have left and down to 11 out of 36 members. NogiDoko had better concept and ideas to flesh out the characters from members. But we do know that NogiDoko was mainly senbatsu members that participate and 2nd gen members only able to get more showtime through Nogichuu onwards. I like the pairing of Kaz with Noujo, or Wakatsuki with Reika in NogiDoko/Nogichuu. I want that kind of comedy from either 3rd or 4th gen but seems none so far. Could really see the growth of Ikoma, Nishino and Asuka from back then. Even Maiyan used to do a lot of funny things back in NogiDoko until post-Nanamin in which she became the absolute ace of group with Nishino. They did do a lot of activities and not sitting around when 4th gen came like Nishino said but the members were kinda lackluster to watch. Honestly, I have seen some improvement from 3rd gen members in terms of variety show since they started but they are still far away from what 1st and 2nd gen could do. The chemistry between Bananaman with older gen members was too good. I am kinda predicting Bananaman will only stay until around 10th BDL
Bringing 1st gen and 2nd gen to compared with 4th gen because you dont want your beloved 3rd gen got some words. Nice play.
Compared to the early days, even they (the 1st and 2nd gen) just sitting around and talk with bananaman still more fun to watch. I bet it's about how their express opinions, the interaction between members, and the chemistry between members and bananaman are far better than nowadays.
I am not into much favor of 3rd and 4th gen members as compared to 1st and 2nd. Sorry about that if this was directed to me.
It's not nostalgia, in the old days girls had more personality, were really eager to reach the top... now new gen girls already come from a priviliged position where nogizaka as a brand already reached its popularity peak and feel too comfortable. Old girls had a special relationship with Bananaman, Nogizaka grew together with them... now this generation gap between new girls and old girls, and new girls and MCs is making everything colder. My opinion is that some people still pretend to like everything like in the old days cause they're fond to "nogizaka" as a whole thing and would like anything that comes from "nogizaka", even if it's becoming something totally different than it was years ago, but as long as it's "nogizaka", it's fine.
Well in my case I don't think it can be Nostalgia because I just got into Nogizaka in early 2020. However yes it is a very important factor. I watched all episodes in a relatively short period of time so there can be a lot of factors that come into play in my case which might make it worse in my eyes. But.... Just like @SteCola says You can say that the First and Second Gen have completely other struggles than the third and fourth Gen.When they established Nogi Doko was their only place...I think they also said that in the last episode of Nogi Doko (before it was changed to Under Construction). They were relatively unknown so I think the motivation to participate was much greater. Also of course the factor that it was their only show even before they had their debut single makes it different from today. For example, in their debut single campaign a Nishino Nanase getting rejected by pedestrians while handing out tissues. I doubt for example that 3rd and Fourth know this struggle. Or in their 5th Single Campaign surprising a High School Graduation Ceremony and wondering if they are even known to them. To make it shorter I think it's correct to say that The First Gen needed to build everything from scratch. They wanted to succeed and they did. Nowadays it is just completely different. The newer Gens joined an already established Group. Even if they themselves are unknown alone the name Nogizaka gets them way more work than the first Gens in their first years. I think that was also said in one of the Nogizaka Documentaries. Some First Gen member said there that back then they had long periods without work while the newer Gens have already a lot of work after a short period of time. So maybe the ability to have way more chances to get more known to the fans makes Nogizaka Under Construction more boring. But of course, there can also be a lot of other factors which I might overlook. It can also be that they get less funding for the show. Or Bad Cutting or Bad Script/Show Topic's. Newer Gens having no confidence while their Senpais are there...maybe. But this is only my Unpopular Opinion. For example, the first episodes after the COVID breaktime were very entertaining in my eyes.
