[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

Kira got very close to Akanen in such a short period of time. I'm sure she looked up to her an an older sister, and then just to basically lose her. I feel sad for Kira-chan.

 

Poor Kira - it was nice seeing their relationship become more public. I think that's something that I'm missing from S46 right now. They're all silly/weird girls with very funny member-on-member interactions/happenings - they should let those out more. Kira and Nen teasing each other (or rather Kira teasing Akanen and Akanen mad dogging her) was really refreshing and endearing.

 

Hmmm

https://twitter.com/keyakikmax/status/1467771558664220672

 

Stepping from outside the wiki editing thread to remind everyone that the Stage48 member ranking is going on right now:

http://stage48.net/forum/index.php?threads/the-2021-stage48-member-ranking.23720/

 

^Please get your votes in guys!!!

Nen and Pe are not on the members list anymore :'(
https://sakurazaka46.com/s/s46/search/artist?ima=4401

 

Filled all 20 places with Sakurazaka members but not expecting them to beat Nogi.

In other news, Sakurazaka46 performed 流れ弾 (Nagaredama) at Kohaku
https://twitter.com/UMEMOMOKA/status/1476871122356682760

Snippet (watch at YT itself):

if the video does not show watch the video here

 

I voted. Fairly last minute, but I voted. While my list was mostly Sakurazaka, there was pretty healthy Nogi representation and a couple members from Hinata and AKB. So I guess I’ll take the blame if Sakurazaka fails to “beat” Nogi.

 

Poking my head out of the faraway hideout of my hiatus to wish all sakurazaka forum denizens, a Happy New Year, good health and success! And of course, my wishes for all the happines in the world to all Sakamich group girls, current and past, in return to all the happiness they have given and continue to give us.

P.S. It saddens me to see the number and frequency of posts in the Sakurazaka forum dropping. I am closely reading this and keep in touch with all of you, so keep it alive and genki pls...

 

I thought that the nagaredema perfomance was very cool. The song has really been growing on me, at first I didn’t like it but seeing the performances I enjoy it a lot more.

And it makes me happy to see Ozeki perfomancing in it.


Also happy new year everybody

 

Akeome!

Hope that the pandemic will finally subside and allow people to fly to JP for events.

 

It's interesting that Sakurazaka has only 1 more member than Hinatazaka, so it's very reasonable to want an all member senbatsu for the 4th single. They would still be able to use Sakura 8 as their Fukujin system, and 14 members if they wanted to rotate for the b-sides, but the A-side could easily be a 23 member senbatsu.

 

Also been wondering about the number of posts dropping as compared to other groups. Saku46 is one of the coolest of the 46 & 48 family.

 

BACKS 3rd Single Live first day just ended! Unfortunately I missed the first half of the concert so I can't give a setlist, but will post when I find it!
Day two will also be streamed so please watch it!

 

Very proud of every member performing, I really liked the live

 

In case you (or any other readers) weren’t aware, they do a replay for all of the lives on Zaiko/Stagecrowd a couple hours after the end. I typically end up waking up in time to catch the second half live, then catch the first half(or just watch the whole thing) on the replay. It’s just a single replay, though. So if you miss that, that’s it.

Watching the replay now and Kira’s “Omotta Yori mo Sabishikunai” is kinda overshadowing everything else to some extent. I’d assume there’s maybe a generally mixed reaction to that performance, but I’m sure her fans all really appreciated it for what it was.

Additional thoughts:
- Uemura’s “Utsukushiki Nervous” was strong.

- it’s always great to watch Chuukemon work super hard.

- Marino centering “Dead End” felt like a personal gift from Seed & Flower to me. Thanks, lads. I hope 2022 is a comparatively big year for her.

 

Day two was also very thrilling! We got Karin performing Dead end! She mentioned wanting to perform it so I'm glad her wish was fulfilled! Koike performed Nagaradema! Admittedly, I prefer Onuma's crazy version from yesterday, but Koike brought some elegant fierceness to the song which I actually think represents the group better? Koike teared up a little during the encore, wishing that "BACK LIVE" would simply be referred to and viewed as a "Sakurazaka concert". I get the feeling both she and Karin were brought to Backs to give them a different kind of energy which makes them all yearn for the senbatsu/top positions even more. Everyone shined this weekend and I'm very excited to see what the rest of the year holds for them. A perfect way to start the year!

Day 1 setlist - https://twitter.com/sakuzakacentral/status/1479810118480916481
Day 2 setlist - https://twitter.com/sakuzakacentral/status/1480117298522329088

No announcements unfortunately, but i can feel the 4th single in my bones!!

 

day 1 and day 2 were amazing, I am so proud off all the members. I really love this group a lot. Some of my fav centers of backs live in no particular order; matsuda rina, ozeki, takemoto yui, koike minami

 

So I watched this backs live and the previous one. And I found things that I did like, and things that I really didn't.

The thing the I didn't like the most, is the members trying hard to have "cool", "crazy/artistic" expression, but otherwise looking awkward and cringe. What I think about it, is that not every girl has the ability to look cool and artistic in a good way, sponteous, without looking forced and cringe. Yurina was really good on that. And we know, it's not a fair comparision to put Techi here, but I think there are really good girls in Sakurazaka too, but mostly are currently on Sakura 8.

I know, these are the type of songs, glad at least we have more variety, and I think is the right thing to have members rotations as center, giving all of them the spotlight. But it could be a hit or a miss. If for the MVs it's mostly a hit I would say... for these BACKS live... not always unfortunately. At least for my taste. There were too many awkward moments for my taste.

It's not a critic to the group, I'm really loving Sakurazaka's direction and especially with 3rd single they've done a really good job and I'm loving different members, even if quite all of them are currently in Sakura 8.

 

That’s fine. I’ll agree not every member was perfectly suited for the song they centered. I’ll also agree that some performances were better than others. That said, I like Backs Live because of the novelty of the performances and because I get to see members I really like benefit from being in the spotlight. Additionally, I feel like there have been particularly strong performances from members who otherwise -don’t- get much time in the spotlight.

Hikaru is my oshimen and my favorite part of watching a Sakurazaka live is consistently her performing “BAN.” Naturally, I don’t get that in these Backs Live shows. Still, while it’s not quite the same to watch MatsuRi or Hikari (as much as I like them, and believe me I like them an awful lot) fill that role, it’s fun and exciting all the same to see their take on it.

Basically, to each their own. To be honest, although it goes against what Koike said, I don’t necessarily watch Backs Live the same way I would a normal Sakurazaka live. However, I really value and enjoy watching them all the same.

 

BACKS LIVE was amazing to me! I think it really shows that most of the girls are ready to enter (or return) Saku8, just waiting for S&F to make up their minds!!! My favorite was Onuma's Nagaredama, like wow, just wow (I know... Sorry to my oshi Miichan but Onuma's crazy energy really made me feel hyped). It's the way she was soooo fierce and yet you can just see a sliver of her fun personality shining through. She still has some way to go to become one of SKZ's future aces but she's getting there. Mark my words! Bookmark this message! The Onuma-revolution is happening! Aside from Onuma, I thought Chuke's NBF was so astonishing and she's really one of the top performers in SKZ for me - gosh the anguish expressions that she brought out are so haunting. I wonder when Rena is getting a photobook (and perhaps a spot in Saku8 next single? ) She was bringing grace and emotions and longing in her Guuzen performance, and she was giving me the nogi ojousama vibes too, so when she becomes one of the centers, I hope they will give her a regal majestic song. Overall, I'm also very happy with the amount of screentime that Miichan got. She was glowing on stage and it makes me so happy to see her

I'm very hyped for fourth single and the BACKS concert for that single now! I wouldn't mind if some Saku8 2nd row stable members move to 3rd just so they can get their chance to shine at BACKS concert (it is a selfish wish of mine to see Yuuka centering Nagaredama - I think she can bring the energy from when she centered Fukyouwaon again to the stage )

Editing to say that I also wanted to shout out to MARINO. I think the way she chose to perform Dead End was really to interesting and new, and without writing an essay on her artistic direction, I'm also looking forward to her growth ^^