≠ME [not equal me]

I think Hitomi is the overwhelming favourite, followed by Saya with maybe Natsumi as an outsider. I don't think Momo has any chance, one of the least popular members and probably doesn't have the right look be chosen to centre a single. I'd also be surprised if it was Moeko, she's the closest thing the group has to a like for like replacement for Nanaka (see TIF last year), but that also makes it less likely they'd use her if wanting something different. Also Sasshi seems reluctant to give her leaders centre songs.

 

^ yeah, agree, it's most likely Hitomi since she is the most pushed/popular member right now. and since Nanka didn't fit song's image, it's most likely going to be the opposite of her cool character - something sweet or/and little devil-like. which, on the contrary, fits Hitomi perfectly.

 

wait, is that means they will performing 7th single today ?!!

 

Yep.

Centre is

Spoiler

Hitomi.

 

Where was it performed? Where can we see it?

 

First day of Ikonoijoy, the concert hasn't quite finished yet, but expect the mv will be released online within a few hours of it finishing.

 

Wait I think I didn't understand it right. Do they switch the center position with every single, like =LOVE now or did they choose another fixed center?

 

I don't think they've specified what they'll be doing.

 

IKONOIJOY 2023 “Water & Bubbles Party”


Lots of fun, water & Bubbles

Interesting stuff announced !

Spoiler: Announcements

IkoNoiJoy Puzzle Game
More details due to appear on homepage.

Special Guests appeared !!!

Lots of bubbles .. no really ... RELEASE THE BUBBLES !!



Hana's fear is right !

 

Here's the MV (with Hitomi center):


if the video does not show watch the video here

The title is given in Romaji as 'Omowase Burikko'.

 

Is Momo not popular? I pictured she was everything Japanese fans would love!

Hitomi is the perfect choice for this song, but honestly I don't find it good. Rather forgettable, album track quality... 3 disappointing singles in a row for me with Noimii sadly

 

I knew it would be Hiichan and as a Hiichan oshi, I won
Super-girly, idol-like and popular just like Maika so not surprising at all
But that is quite the concept change; more of an ikorabu concept but then again, Noimii's name does imply concept changes. Sayayan fits the concept too but Hiichan might be more center-material.
The only other one could have been Moeko because of her strong presence like Nanaka but since they wanted a new concept from what Sasshi was saying...

However...

I do agree with this, I certainly feel like Noimii's singles have dropped a bit in quality. All a-sides from their debut single to Chocolate Melancholy (for me) were instant favorites. After that, it's mostly been the b-sides carrying the singles for me.

 

Yeah sadly Momo never seems to sell well along with Kirari and Natsune.

Agree about the song and Noimii in general, since chocolate melancholy I've not been keen on the majority of their a and b sides.

 

Agree with both of you. Chocolate Melancholy was so good it doesn't help I guess, but even before, their A-sides were so so good. My favorite is their 2nd, which initially completely escaped me when in got out, yet now I can't stop listening to it.

I used to be all about Noimii and followed =Love just sort of as a result of it, but I just realized that it is absolutely the other way around nowadays. =love got so good! Surely things will change and Noimii will get back to its past quality someday.

(And still super shocked at Momo not being top-tier popular! Crazy!)

 

Chocolate melancholy is just too superior
that's not an idol song level

 

Daily Makeup with Sayayan:


if the video does not show watch the video here

From her Twitter, photos of her in Mirinya's costume from 'Poison Girl' which ≠ME performed at Ikonoijoy 2023:
https://twitter.com/tanizaki_saya/status/1685976684556857344

 

Natsu visited the AKB48 Costume Exhibition:
https://twitter.com/kawaguchi_natsu/status/1687444737840791552

 

Moeko, Mirei and Sayayan have nagashi somen and a BBQ:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

what a lovely and addictive song.
I think the song has a chance to get popular on tiktok if they promote it well

 

I agree with both of you as well. At first I thought it's because Su, Suki Janai and Hanikami Short are more idol-ish and less dark/intriguing than the rest, but Tenshi wa Doko e was more back to the roots but still didn't grab my attention as much. I'm still into ≠ME, but lately, =LOVE has been more interesting to me again than ≠ME, whereas for a long time now it was the other way around.