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Fixed Center in Keyakizaka46?

Discussion in 'General Sakurazaka46 Discussion' started by oji-sama, Mar 31, 2016.

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Should Hirate Yurina be Keyakizaka46's Fixed Center?

  1. Yes.

    37 vote(s)
    28.5%
  2. No, another member.

    8 vote(s)
    6.2%
  3. No, dynamic center.

    85 vote(s)
    65.4%
  1. oji-sama

    oji-sama Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Nov 15, 2015
    Oshimen:
    kuranoonarumi
    Obviously its a little early in Keyakizaka's "career," for a lack of better terms, to determine anything yet. However, Ikoma Rina was center for 5-consectutive singles despite not being very popular relative to her co-members.

    In my honest opinion, no girl, no matter how popular, should be center more than twice in a row--especially early in the formation of a group. I think Hiratechi can center the next single, but a new single should be chosen for the third (Imaizumi Yui seems as if not more qualified to center than Hiratechi).

    Do you have any opinions on fixed center for Keyaki? Why do you think its good/bad?
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2016
  2. kanjo

    kanjo Stage48 Moderator Staff Member Stage48 Moderator

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2012
    Location:
    Ireland->Shimane
    Oshimen:
    Nishino Nanase
    I wouldn't mind if Hiratechi remains centre for the first two or three singles. But only if the coupling songs are diversified.

    Silent Majority has a tracklist like this
    1. Hirate centre and super focused on (MV)
    2. Hirate centre but not primary focus (MV)
    A. Hirate solo (MV)
    B. One song she's not in (MV)
    C. Hirate in a small unit
    Reg. Hirate centre with moderate centre focus

    In my opinion, this is a bigger issue than being a fixed centre (for a group just starting, that is).
     
  3. kazu55

    kazu55 Kenkyuusei

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    wakatsukiyumi
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    MacRedmoon
    No matter how good someone could be as a center, there's always possibility to get backlash if she remains as the groups face for consecutive(s). So I do think they should give others chance too on the second single. Yuiful maybe the strongest competitor for center now, and I hope there will be another competitors soon.

    But if there's nobody can't bear the pressure of center nor good enough as Hirate, I won't oppose the idea of her centering again. Why bother gambling if you had enough force?

    And as @kanjo said, keyaki need to be more diverse and not only focused on Hirate. Her early super push won't harmful now, but it's a different story if it continues.
     
    Last edited: Mar 31, 2016
  4. Plompk

    Plompk Kenkyuusei

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    Dec 21, 2014
    Oshimen:
    haradaaoi
    No.

    Hirate has done an excellent job so far as centre and I'd love to see her centre another single in the future, but it would be a huge disservice to the rest of the group if others didn't get a chance at that position.
     
  5. Midsummer Rain

    Midsummer Rain Kenkyuusei

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    Mar 26, 2016
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    Watanabe Risa
    No, I don't want a fixed center. It gets boring seeying the same girl everytime. Rotating centers makes things fresh and more exciting. Plus, there are some girls that should have the opportunity, too.
     
  6. Crossheart

    Crossheart Member

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    Well... Ske and nmb are examples of what happened with fixed centers for too much time better than Ikoma case... Even being Hirate-chana good center, another just desserts isn't good
     
  7. oji-sama

    oji-sama Kenkyuusei

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    In NMB's case, only Sayanee got popular, but in Keyaki, Berika, Yuuka, and Hiratechi have already established a (small) fanbase. That's why I think that the best comparison to make is between Keyakizaka and Nogizaka, not NMB/SKE.

    I'm not worried at all about Hiratechi being the only popular member. I'm also not worried about Hiratechi having a lot of anti's. But what does concern me is that Keyaki would be really boring if, as mentioned by @kanjo and @kazu55, the center distribution for each single is always a Hirate-focus.

    Looking at the poll that I put in the OP, no one has been in favor of a fixed single at all ;). Because the thread seems to be going down a one-sided path, I just want to bring up an argument in favor of a fixed Hirate center (for A-sides): she'll be a face to associate with Keyaki in the public. Silent Majority, a very Hirate focused MV, already has >2M views on YouTube and is drawing a lot of public attention. Thus, Keyakizaka is already being associated with Hirate.

    So what exactly are the benefits of this? For starters, its easier to remember a single member than the whole group, and it might be more strategic to continue a Hirate center for this reason. The same was done with Nogizaka. Ikoma centered the first couple of singles, she became popular, the group received attention, and finally, other members got their chance to shine.

    I'm opposed to a fixed center, so this argument might seem pretty half-assed. Even so, I'm curious to see what you guys have to say in response to this.
     
  8. SugarYumYum

    SugarYumYum Kenkyuusei

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    tashimameru
    They don't need to and shouldn't imo.

    AKB and Nogi are doing just fine without fixed centers and I'm seeing more groups outside the 48/46 family adopt the same rotating system. We're past the days where dominant centers were considered a necessary evil to provide a face for a group. Fans are too well informed and too connected nowadays to not be wise to the politics and accept the notion "there can only be one". Fans want variety. They want the feeling they have a say in who represents the product they like and they want to have hope that their oshimen even if she's not a "chosen one" could center a single one day.

    It puzzles me why Sony of all the mgmts would try this whole "so i herd u liek Hirate" thing with Keyaki when they experienced firsthand how a similar approach backfired with Ikoma. Luckily for Hirate, she seems to actually be popular so hopefully this push won't hurt her in the long term.
     
  9. piyochama

    piyochama Member

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    matsuijurina
    @oji-sama in the beginning, Milky could almost rival Sayanee in terms of fan base - and in fact she had a larger base from time to time. It's only recently (past 2 years ish) that Sayanee has jumped leaps and bounds over Milky in terms of popularity.

    JuriRena is a better example for what Keyaki should be like in terms of center, if - and only if - Hiracchi turns out to be as popular as they're hoping she is.
     
  10. YuNcHuNsA

    YuNcHuNsA Kenkyuusei

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    Dec 24, 2015
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    nishinonanase
    If they rotate the front five girls for the next five singles to be centre once per single, I wouldn't be opposed to it.
     
  11. EinhanderX

    EinhanderX Next Girls

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    Will just cast a vote here. Dynamic center are needed for power distribution. That's no doubt.

    True question should be, Who's the girl you deemed ready for next center and handle the pressure as good as Hirate currently?
     
  12. kazu55

    kazu55 Kenkyuusei

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    My wish is, we could see maybe 5 girls competing for center next year. Yeah stretches it a bit but for the first year the most important thing is to stabilize themselves, to choose what images they want to show, ojou-sama like nogi or just what are they now, young, wild, and free? And Kana Keyaki also still yet to come.

    I do think if management want to solidified keyaki base first, Hirate is the most safe choice, being said above she's already recognized as "keyaki's face". And if we talk about public recognition, almost sure she could be centering next single too. But if we talk about fandom perspective, we want others to get chance too. So the former will always win.

    Everyone is just going to vote their oshi. Because Silent Majority is not even released yet and we are still close to nothing to understand what character we want for next single. Will it be Hirate, Sugai, or even some Kana Keyaki member who is surprisingly good.
     
  13. piyochama

    piyochama Member

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    matsuijurina
    The 5 girls picked to have 18 slots. From @mchellelz: Imaizumi Yui, Sugai Yuuka, Hirate Yurina, Watanabe Rika, and Watanabe Risa's total slots have been increased to 18.

    Clearly, these 5 have the popularity to support being center.
     
  14. riduch

    riduch Kenkyuusei

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    hirateyurina
    fixed center would kill the group if that center left the group, so dividing the post would be reasonable. Duo rich princess, akanen and sugai sama, duo the cool, risa and manyaka, and the rest of gofukujin except watanabe rika should be given the center for the next singles alternately. Of course also not closing the emerging potential of members such as uemura rina and co like nanase did in nogi.
    But even if hirate be the center for the rest of her career assuming she would grad last as the youngest keyaki member, that's also okay for me
     
  15. Dante

    Dante Member

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    Can't agree more to this.

    I think Hiratechi's doing a great job at centering this single, so I won't mind her centering future singles as well. Not that I want fixed centers, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
     
  16. oscar6262

    oscar6262 Kenkyuusei

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    Oct 27, 2013
    Hirate is the Jurina of Keyakizaka46
     
  17. jujuchuu

    jujuchuu Kenkyuusei

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    itomarika
    I agree with this.

    I would also add that I think it would be a good idea to have only a select few girls rotate the center position. I think it would help their exposure to have a few recognizable personalities associated with the group like there was in the early days of AKB (and I think the current nogizaka is like this too). you could argue about Acchan all you want, but I think among the kami 7 there were more than just one or two girls who the public associated with AKB. it's not 100% like that anymore because I think too many girls are shuffled around, making it kind of confusing for those who aren't super fans.
     
  18. EinhanderX

    EinhanderX Next Girls

    Joined:
    Jun 2, 2015
    ^Which is all the more reason to find the Rena counterpart ASAP, perhaps add Kuumin too.
    Have as many notable face figure as possible within the group, before one girl nearly eclipse them all in the eyes of non-super fans.
    (Yup, I'm talking about how current Jurina and SKE revolves now. Keyaki should avoid that. Nogi did a good example)
     
  19. HogwartsHokage

    HogwartsHokage Kenkyuusei

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    odanana
    I don't mind Hirate centering the next single, but I do agree that the center should be switched every so often. I'm already ready for a Yuiful center, and maybe a Watanabe Rika center too. ;)

    And yeah, the cases of SKE and NMB are already enough; we don't need another group with a fixed center at this point in time.
     
  20. Escape48

    Escape48 Kenkyuusei

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    I have a question for you to ponder over, not as if I was questioning about some absolute truth, it's just a hypothesis:
    What if having a fixed center brought more success to the group? Would (you) people still be opposed?

    One of the arguments against it is that a graduation of the center leaves the group weakened. Maybe so, but that is (or will) not always be necessarily true, it will depend on the strength of the group number 2, 3 (say the kami/fukujin) girls as well. (They could also find better ways to prevent "early" graduations.)

    There are quite a few arguments for a fixed center, for instance :"better to have one star than several somewhat known"; "the group needs a face, which will elevate it"; "if it ain't broke don't fix it" :^^;: ; several idol groups reached the top with fixed centers (or that they wouldn't have gotten there without the center); the center can help the ones around to shine and having someone used to it will help, but if if changes the new one will be thinking about herself (or their own function/positioning) firstly; it can create a better positioning and balance; and others. (read here multiple arguments if you are interested).

    Now I don't quite feel I could answer the pool, since I don't quite know if having a fixed center is better and if Hirate is the best one for it. (I don't like that the option "No, another member" currently has 0 votes. What, they all suck?:tongue: They haven't got a true fanatical follower yet? :lol:)

    On the other hand, wanting it to be a dynamic just for the sake of being dynamic, or because it's fun doesn't seem like actual planning for the groups success. I agree that if the center changes every time then it starts to not matter much who it is, the position becomes special because few people can be there, there are fixed centers, there is an extra weight with the job and it's hard to get there. This would apply less, I think, with a trade the whole Senbatsu, and that is quite surprising (it would be a shocker on the first time, but after it would become just a mess, lose any "shocking" impact, but it would retain more meaning). This shows the importance that has been granted to the center.

    Maybe I'll have a clearer idea later, for now I will just "wait and see" :shifty:
     

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