Single Nogizaka46 35th Single [Chance wa Byoudou] (2024.04.10)

I always thought it was a song written for Nogi fans meant to reassure us that even though the queen is graduating, Nogizaka will continue to provide us with happiness.

No, but, perhaps graduation songs don't have to be written for the graduating member? I personally feel that this one is a test for Yamashita. It's meant to show the pro in her, and she's winning. She's going to smile and give it her all until the end of her idol career. Though we all know this single isn't going as we'd like, Yamashita always the pro will tell us it's just another "fine" Nogizaka single.

 

You could argue things are getting worse with stuff like old concert footage being used as single bonuses, but the other examples listed aren't really strong.
- Konno started announcing senbatsus before the pandemic.
- All recent hit campaigns were shot on location, except the skipped #32.
- The 32nd and 33rd singles had real PVs.

Regarding long-term plans for Nogi’s general management, there literally isn’t one. At least not one they want to publicly tell investors. In April last year, Yahoo Finance published an interview with the presidents of Keyholder and its subsidiaries (which basically owns 50% of Nogi) where they said regarding future plans: In terms of managing Nogi, rather than having calculation or strategy, they’ll probably adjust naturally to go along with the fans.
Which is kind of bizarre as an official statement, but it’s actually something Aki-P has repeatedly said about his own idol groups before, including Nogizaka when it first began. So I don’t know whether this differs significantly from their pre-pandemic philosophy.

Spoiler: Yahoo Finance interview

Interview on the Wayback Machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/2023050...tail/7ff47b271547720746b5cf8379fb1a29c742db22

I wrote a summary of it at the time, that I never got around to posting on the forum:

• Yahoo Finance interviewed 3 business executives: the president of Keyholder, the president of Keyholder’s subsidiary North River which has a 50% equity stake in Nogizaka46 LLC (the other 50% being owned by Sony Music Labels), and the president of Keyholder’s subsidiary Zest which manages SKE48.
• Keyholder was very profitable last year (2022). Keyholder’s president attributes this to the return of TV/video production after the pandemic, a cost review at Zest that made existing content more profitable, and strengthening digital advertising, in addition to Nogizaka46’s numbers being strong as usual.
• They plan to continue streaming Lives, but not all of them. Streaming during the pandemic brought in lots of fans and was profitable. It’s profitable because once revenue reaches a certain level, everything above that is profit (because additional customers don’t incur additional costs).
• Post-pandemic, they want to hold more events and shows that please fans. In terms of managing Nogi, rather than having calculation or strategy, they’ll probably adjust naturally to go along with the fans.
• Since before the pandemic, they’ve been getting inquiries for concerts in Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, etc. There are lots of fans in Asia, so they want to expand into Asia. (This answer was from Zest’s president so it’s probably for SKE48. I wonder if he didn’t say China on purpose.)
• Keyholder produces variety programs, etc. for the Japanese market, but they’re planning to create some sort of comprehensive production system to create video content for global release.
• 5ki are popular and Keyholder has high expectations for Nogi.
• They want to use the new official rival group (Bokutachi ga Mitakatta Aozora) as a way to revitalize Nogi with friendly competition. If one group succeeds by doing things one way, the other group will have to do something else. The Keyholder subsidiary allfuz has investments in Ligareaz Management, which is the new rival group’s management company. Among other things, allfuz will be involved in casting and merchandising for the new rival group. (It looks like BokuAo flopped so this idea didn’t work out.)

Based on my understanding of Nogi’s song creation process, my best guess as to what happened this single is that management asked Aki-P to make “a grad single that doesn’t feel like a grad single” because they wanted Mizuki to go out upbeat and smiling as usual. Which in theory could work. Aki-P then kind of hijacked it by making it a very disco genre song, probably because he considers disco to be nostalgic music of his youth. But not enough of the fanbase is an old fart like he is to consider a not-particularly-unique disco song to be nostalgic or special enough for a graduation single. As far as I know, Mizuki has no personal connection to that style.

 

For my imaginary perspective, bluntly I would say that this single is Akip way to test the market. Whether wota likes this kind of retro song or not. Akip clearly said on article that he is focusing himself to create another hit song for AKB like KFC. Nogi will be a good tester as if it doesn't work, then akb would have 0 chances to make this kind of song becomes a hit. 35th feels like nogi stole a song from akb's dungeon. I can feel Akip is really serious want to safe AKB by giving them another hit song. Well, this is just my impression lol

 

I hope today, we will get information about the coupling songs' release and their MV.

 

5ki Newcomers Live (inlcuding all the solo performances) will be the bonus video of the 35th single.

https://www.nogizaka46.com/s/n46/news/detail/100200?ima=3021

if the video does not show watch the video here

At least I'm looking forward to this!!

 

They'll probably play all the songs on ANN and then the MV over the weekend. At least something came out today after days of silence.

 

Well at least we’ll get Teresa21.

 

you tube link for nogizaka 46 minute tv with under members. they will reveal the formation of unders and the MV


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Under MV spoiler intro from Nogi X.
https://twitter.com/nogizaka46/status/1775178918284427358
It sound retro, maybe this single use retro theme?

The member that walk last could be the center and she looks like Iroha.

 

Let's See... if my eyes are correct
Yakubo? > Miyu, Rei, Hina, Yan? > Satsuki, Ayame?, Nao > Mingo? > Aya > Aruno, Runa (with guitar) > Yuna (bicycle & basketball) > Rika? > Iroha

bit confused with yan and mingo.. also kinda not sure who is the first one...

with that said..
the center of this single could be
1. Yakubo ,
2. Iroha, Or
3. WCenter Yakubo and Iroha ( Since this under only has 4th and 5th gen this could be possible)

or its gonna be someone else and i am a clown trying to figure it from this teaser lol..

 

Konno started announcin senbatsu since 21st single

 

This is where we probably are reading way too much into a short clip, but i would add the girl in the brown blazer into the mix as a possible center. There are 3 girls who just walk on their own through the shot, the first one, the last one, and brown blazer girl roughly in the middle of the lineup-possible front row?

 

Under center most likely will be kanagawa or tsutsui base of members that is going to appear on tomorrow haishinchu

 

UG front 3 Satsuki , Ayame , Naonao

 

I'll be happy if it's Ayame or Iroha. Endo and Kaki are both established centers. Ayame is part of that trio but we all know she will never center an A-side. Imo, Under center would be the next big thing she can get. As for Iroha, this could be the push she needs to get over the hump. Well, anyone will do as long as the song is good. Please, let it be a good song.

 

I'm rooting for an Ayame Under center cause she's a favorite.

From the preview, if that's the song, I hope I like it -- at least view it more favorable than the title song.

I wonder if we'll get an Under Live announcement tomorrow? There's a sliver of time between Mizuki's grad concert and the Hong Kong show. It could be squeezed in for a couple of days, but the setlist may be impacted.

UNDER LIVE! UNDER LIVE! UNDER LIVE!

If I say it enough, it may bappen....

 

Naturally, those three have a senbatsu privilege. There is no proper condition to put them in 2nd or 3rd lane

 

Under formation... Ayamen center!



Let's go!

 

Nice. Very happy for Ayame.
I can also see in the formation the 6 members for next single Senbatsu: Ayame, Satsuki, NaoNao, Aruno, Saya and Aya.

But I need more time to think about that song & MV

 

Congratulation, Ayamen!