[GENERAL] The Sakamichi Series group thread

I already mentioned this in the album thread, but I see Kumi centering the album title track as a way to say goodbye to the old Hinata senbatsu system. I would be very surprised if Yoko doesn't center the next single or if at least 4ki aren't included.

 

This is most likely the problem.

Wasn't it Sakurazaka having issues last year, but this year seems to have righted the ship? And now it's Hinatazaka's turn. Feels to me that S&F maybe stretched thin and can't balance the resources so that both groups find a stable, growing path forward.

I always wondered why they didn't create a new management team back at the debut of Hinatazaka?

 

That!!!

 

Hope this won't trigger Hinatazaka's mass graduation.

 

This a big issue that should already be solved by now. Sakamichi has Sony back, at this point each group should have their own individual admin. Is S&F planning to do administration turns with Hinata and Saku forever? Lol. If they want to see all sakamichi groups in Kouhaku again next year, then they will need to do more. Each year it gets harder to secure a spot.

 

Sad Hinatazaka out of Kouhaku.
Happy with Nogi and Sakura enter.

Spoiler

But, I am even happier because Ado-chan also will appear in Kouhaku for the first time.
I think she will perform Show. Maybe, Nogi and other artists will dance with it.

 

Kouhaku...
Happy for Nogi: I consider one of these places to be theirs already.
Very happy for Sakurazaka: Theirs, is a worthy win, a (re)conquer after an explosive come-back!
Very sad for Hinatazaka: They definitely don't deserve it, there is so much talent in there...
...and.................... Very exciting for the best newcomers! the top Quartet! the exquisite, fantastic, surrealistic, rebellious, pioneering AND international ATARASHII GAKKO NO LEADEEEEEEEEEERS!!!

(I hope some of the Sakamichi girls get the virus of new kind of - non-idolish - coolness from these 4...)

 

Hello, I'm not that active as before but I want to post the most I could in my free time.

So I'll go by expressing my thought about each Sakamichi group since we're a bit more than a month away before this year ends:

- Nogi: This is officially the fist year without 1st and 2nd gen in senbatsu and I think they've done very well, we've seen which members are the new the group pillars and those who are fixed into senbatsu and those who didn't. I also think management finally learned from its mistakes and continued without adding a new generation so soon. The group is definitely fine as it is now, but I know a new gen will be need in some moment so I think holding auditions next year so the new members start participating in 2025 is perfectly fine.

- Sakura: This group also did better than last year, Start over was a pivotal point for them. I'm so happy and hope they can keep up this momentum. I think the only complain I have is how the apparent abolishment of Sakura Eight isn't really benefiting BACKS members. In their last single I was expecting BACKS to offcially be like Nogi's Under which means having MVs for their song like Nogi's Under usually do, but It never happened, so I don't know what's the point in making them a separate unit from senbatsu if they're not going to have really a moment for themselves. It may be an unpopular opinion but I think the BACKS had more moments to shine when the Sakura Eight system was active. And let's be honest, these 2 last singles aren't significally different from the previous one because they keep focusing in the 1st and 2nd row.

- Hinata: I think this is the group I have noticed the least in this year, seeing some comments complaining about the deficiency in their management this year makes me think that's the reason. My biggest concern about them is when are they going to include 4th gen in senbatsu? Is it because they're so many to make an all member senbatsu of 30 members? Is it because they don't wantto start an under system like Nogi? S&F must decide which route they'll follow for the next release, if they don't included it'll be a new Kanji & Hiragana situtation like in 2017 and 2018. I mean, even Sakura whose new members came later are already included into senbatsu (despite still being a separate unit from their sempais as you can see in their different uniform), so what's the problem with Hinata? A wishful thought of mine to include all members in senbatsu without being big would be making a double A-side single in which there are different members in each song only having in common the front row members and the center. I know is very similar to the Sakura Eight system but here all members would be officially in senbatsu.

 

Sakamichi looking sooo good today, almost similar/uniform , all units uniform looking sophisticated and professional

 

Nogizaka46 34th single uniform


Nogizaka46 34th single "Monopoly" stage outfit


Ushio Sarina (Hinatazaka46) graduation ceremony dress


Habu Mizuho (Keyakizaka46/Sakurazaka46) graduation ceremony dress


This designer made those outfits. She also owns a vintage apparel shop called ALCATROCK.
Source: https://twitter.com/kimikatrock

After searching more about her, I found she also worked with Nogi from 2012 until now (she made Nogi debut outfit, Inochi outfit, and more) and Keyakizaka 2015-2020 (she made Sekai ni outfit and more). According to the article below, she is responsible for Sakamichi Series "image".
Source: https://soen.tokyo/fashion/feature/costume230814/