Ichikawa Miori (Miorin) / AKB48 10th Generation

Since there are people wanting to know more about Fresh Lemon, I figured I would post this article that details some of her past before being accepted by AKB.

Spoiler

Discharged from the agency... How My Mother's Love Supported Me When I Lost My Confidence

(Translated by Kyttyee)

In the year before I joined AKB48, I was in the spring of my second year of high school. Even so, I already had experience as part of two talent agencies before then.

The first time, when I was in fifth grade, I was discovered by a scout while walking in Harajuku with my mother. I was with this agency for about four years, during which time I entered in more than 100 auditions. It wasn't unusual to have two auditions per day, or 4 auditions per week.

My mother accompanied me to all my auditions. At the same time, she had to get up early to go to work, and rarely had a break. All of my legal procedures and paperwork were also left to her. Along with all the cleaning, laundry, and other housework, it must have really been tough for her.

However, I passed few auditions. I spent most of my time as extras in movies and stageplays, or appearing in small photos in magazines. However, I hoped that one day, luck would turn in my favor. That's how I cheered myself on.

Even so, when the renewal period for my contract came up, the agency informed us "We cannot renew her contract anymore."

Of course I was very shocked, but that evening I saw something even more shocking. After all the family members had gone to bed, I saw the tear-streaked face of my mother crying silently to herself...

While it was originally my own wish to make it in the entertainment industry, it seems that as she accompanied me through all my efforts, my dream naturally also became my mother's dream. In the end, her own time became wholly devoted to her daughter's dream.

The next talent agency that I joined, I didn't last even two years. With this one, I also did not receive a contract renewal.

In the train station on my way home from school, my phone rang, only for me to hear, "We regret to inform you that we do not believe we can sign the next contract." Dumbfounded by this sudden notification, I forgot about getting onto the train. Wah~ what should I do? How can I explain this to my mother?

When I got home, said to my mother, "I'm hungry." In short, I couldn't even bring it up with her (lol).

After that, on the days I was supposed to have my weekly lesson at the agency, I would leave the house saying "I guess I should go to the lesson," and then, wonder where I could kill time that day. I would go hang out at the same park every week, that's how the situation was. On one occassion, as I was leaving the house, I even tentatively suggested to my mother, "Incidentally, let's go shopping together." Hiding it forever would be almost impossible, sooner or later it would be found out. I knew that much.

However, because I did not want to make her sad, I would make up the next dance steps on my own to report back to my mother.

Two months passed like this. The day that I would have to tell my mother the truth drew closer and closer. Although I felt like I ought to tell her that I had been fired from the second talent agency, it was much easier to tell her good news after all. I finally faced her, and told her, "I passed for AKB!"

Then, talking very quickly, I told her about the bad news from the previous agency, and apologized for not telling her for the past two months.

To my mother who had always been supporting me up to now, although we had been in an "epic repayment battle," sure enough, success was finally achieved somehow.

However, my mother, having just heard news from both Heaven and Hell in the same moment, didn't know whether to be delighted or to be sad, to be angry or to praise me, and could only make a very complicated expression on her face (lol).

Even now, once in a while my mother and I will laugh together when remembering that day.

 

^ Oh crap... that made me cry a little bit; especially thinking about Lemon wandering around for 2 months not being able to tell her mom. I can kinda see why her agency would drop her though... Lemon is such a quirky girl IMO that they wouldn't know how to use her uniqueness properly... but in AKB48 uniqueness is an attribute. [rock]

 

Thanks a lot for your post.
I will bookmark it so i"ll read it properly later.

Thanks Sayumi4 for the answer.

Did Miorin write about Shiori graduation.
I think they were close so i hope she's not too sad .

 

Wow I never knew that about Lemon. It's definitely understandable as to why she was dropped by her agency. As aratafuru said she does have such a quirky personality and uniqueness to her that it does make sense, and in the article she said that she was mainly extras and such. It's such a sad thought to think that she walked around for two months trying to figure out how to tell her mom that she was dropped. I myself have walked around for a long time trying to figure out how to tell my mom things and it really just isn't a good feeling at all, I can hardly imagine what two months would feel like [sweat] . It's definitely interesting how she told her mom she passed AKB and was dropped at the same time. It's really nice to also see how close Lemon is with her mom.

Now on a happier note Lemon was AMAZING in the short pv for NMB's new single (I still can't spell it yet )! It's awesome that she made the covers for types B, C and the theater version. I'm so glad she wore her hair down and out of twintails the only thing that could have made her look even better would be if her bangs were swept off to the side! I am definitely liking her a lot more in the song, and she surprisingly seems to fit it really well! Now I can't wait for the full PV!

Lemon did write about Shiori graduating. I remember she said that she was very sad and wanted to squeeze her very tight. Here's a link: http://feelsocool48.tumblr.com/post/607 ... 9-09-21-43

 

Aww Miorin .
It made me a sad reading the entry but i'm sure she's fine now.

 

I'm sure she's doing much better now. Its always sad to think of a sad Miorin

Here's a few Lemon gifs I made from Kamonegikkusu! I wanted to make these even before the PV was over

Spoiler

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kbpu2LQgqrI/UjUBqS-yv2I/AAAAAAAABhA/cQIEXsz-N6E/s284/3mdo2.gif
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAAABhI/UQ0dTWXDMVI/w205-h163-no/3mdty.gif
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-...AAAAAAABhY/tPKKxAkeMRo/w199-h202-no/3mdyl.gif

 

Sorry for the double post (even though I've done it before )
Anyway I read that Lemon's going against Haruppi (I hope I spelled that right) in the first round. That will definitely make for one interesting match. I really do hope Lemon does well in Janken. Even though she has done so well in NMB's last two singles it really would be nice to see her in another AKB single even if she is in the back. Has anyone heard about costumes this year? I'd love to see her dressed like a lemon again that was really just too cute ! Anyway goodluck Lemon, make it into the senbatsu (please!)!

 

Lemon was so close to reaching Senbatsu...kinda heartbreaking, but at the same time she did make NMB's new single, so it's not so bad I guess.

 

Yeah I just went though and looked at the results, she did come really close. Well I'm just glad Lemon wasn't beat out in the first round. What made me smile was seeing her in a lemon costume again . Well she got close and theres always next year, plus she has has the NMB stuff too . Even though she didn't make Janken she still has the new Team N stage to look forward to which I can't wait to watch!

 

There are three videos of Kamonegix full MV on YOUKU under NMB48.. on two of them Miorin is on the front and gets a lot camera close ups. Its hard to decide which video I like best.

 

Would you mind posting the links here? I'd love to see them. I looked through Youku but I've had trouble finding them .

I found these on tumblr yesterday and Lemon is just too cute here
*credit to Furesshu

Spoiler

 

Would you mind posting the links here? I'd love to see them. I looked through Youku but I've had trouble finding them .

I found these on tumblr yesterday and Lemon is just too cute here
*credit to Furesshu

Spoiler

 

@Sayumi4: use this: http://www.soku.com/search_video/q_%E3% ... _orderby_2
(might have to use G chrome + youku unblock addon if it's region restricted)

 

Oh my that article on Fresh Lemon made me love her even more. She tries so so hard

I'm really looking forward to her time in NMB; maybe it will make her rise again in the election?

And her Janken leopard print lemon was fantastic. I can't stop thinking about it!

Also hope she doesn't cut yer hair like Sakura did. Her twintails (lol ^_^) are too adorable!

 

^I don't know what I would do if Lemon cut her hair. Her twintails are just too adorable on her and its really hard to imagine her without them. Though maybe just a bit shorter wouldn't be too bad but I really can't picture her at all with say Saes hair . Leopard print lemon was really just too awesome, definitely a way to show some NMB pride!

@oscarwilde thanks for the link. I really didn't notice anything to different about the pvs but perhaps I just wasn't being very observant.

 

I tried to copy the url but it didn't work. I never tried to copy link so I failed. Sotty!! How do you put a video on a post? Go to youku.com, go to search and enter NMB48. a page with a whole bunch of videos appear, go to second page and find the video that says 8th single. Hope that helps.

 

Ahh thank you I'll be sure to go and check that later.

For those who haven't seen this yet it's our leopard print lemon! We can only see her head here but nonetheless it's absolutely awesome and adorable. I really do like that she included NMB into her costume Lemon really does shine there! I think those might be strawberries on top of the lemon head but I'm not too sure



On a side note, if only Lemon were in a Kamonogikuusu b-side it would make picking a version to get so much easier

 

When I was watching the janken tournament I didn't understand the leopard print at first, but then I realized afterwards that it was based on NMB's logo, haha

Good to see her showing support for NMB too

 

Speaking of NMB here's a video of the girls giving their impression of Kamonagix i think.
I didn't mark Miori's time but she appears towards the vid.
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kX-5KrGZeuk[/yt]

 

I keep watching the new NMB single and marvelling at how well Fresh Lemon fits in with it, how good her dancing seems and how totally cute she is!!

It's not the sort of song I'd expect for her to shine in, but she does to me.

And Leopard Print Lemon still makes me laugh