[GENERAL] The Sakurazaka46 / Keyakizaka46 Thread

I love her voice.

 

Finally!

Is #7 the member we all have been secretly waiting for?
She's a girl with an edge, young yet confident-speaking, sure-footed.

Future captain? Probably.
Future pillar? I can bet on that.

And Mio must be pleasantly surprised that 3ki IS making a difference in other people's lives.

 

Well, she is 16.

So far, this 4ki audition is about hiring a back member & standby member ... and the future ace

personally I still like wako the best

average nogi 6ki age? 19,20,18,18,14,18,19,17,15,16,17 = 16.45
saku 4ki average age? 16, 20, 19, 17, 18, 19, 20 = 18.43

 

I feel that both Saku and Nogi should be comfortable with their current star power that they can afford to draft younger, while Hinata really needs aces NOW. Then again, while age is probably a factor, it's likely just one of many. Sometimes your best candidates just happen to be a bit older

 

#8 4ki Revealed!

Katsumata Haru, 21 years old
from Kyoto

We have a math girl who plays guitar!

Katsumata Haru Thread


if the video does not show watch the video here

Spoiler

A 21 year old debuting in 2025...WE WON!

 

So far this girl is the one who captures my eye the most.

Now I'm excited to see who is ninth.

 

Interesting bunch we got. As mentioned before, 3ki is probably the most balanced gen we have had.
We'll have to wait for a few SokoSaku episodes to get a better feel for this gen.

 

Doesn't she look similar with ioki mao? Can't wait also for 9th girl, should keep the best for last, right?

I do believe nogizaka and especially sakurazaka can afford that. (Can't say for hinata, I don't follow them).
But it's a bit different based on what we got so far.
Nogi needs new generation that can be a support of 5ki when 3 & 4ki is gone while also be the future ace. Reflected on their average age is 16.45.
Saku doesn't even need future ace, because their 3ki is still standing strong. But they lack total number of members. (They need back members) and if they're lucky, they can get 1-2 future aces to keep for longer plan. Also, if possible, they need a member that can perform right away as senbatsu member if the senbatsu line up become bigger (1-2 members). With current income, saku can afford bigger members

I still like 14 line up member better tho.

 

Shizuki's was the last video to be revealed and she's the current 3ki ace haha.

Next single's formation is going to be interesting. The timing of their reveal means that it is very likely that 4ki would be participating. (3ki was revealed in Jan 2023 and participated in Sakurasuki in Feb 2023.)

But if they all get added straight into BACKS means a 19 member BACKS if we stick to a 14 member senbatsu.

I do suspect they might balance things out a bit by increasing senbatsu, maybe a 16-17 split? This would allow Yuzuki to come back into senbatsu straight together with 1 other girl (Takemoto/Inoue/Matsumoto/Nagisa) without dropping anyone from the current senbatsu. (To be honest, for now I do think Ishimori will hover between 3rd row and BACKS so likelihood is that she rotate with Nagisa.)

I do think 3ki is strong enough that 4ki has time to grow before we introduce them into senbatsu, similar to what they did with 3ki. So another Shinzanmono this year? I'm excited to see how they perform.

So a likely single release in July? Just in time to tie in with the Tokyo Dome performances and for 4ki to appear for 1 song.

 

I am looking forward for another Shinzanmono! In my humble opinion, last year, 3rd gen super-charismatic Sakugirls literally "boollied" Nogis mighty 5th gen and Hinatas not yet fully cooked 4th gen. This is how much better they seemed to be both as a group and dance-wise (thanks to Takahiro Kami-sama's choreos).

This year I am expecting a more balanced Shinzanmono... Let's hope for a fierce competition between the three groups. This will make all girls better and us happier...

 

a likely release in June and before the Tokyo/Osaka dome? Omg, sounds like the next single is a graduation.....

Ok changing subject,
with 33 members in total now, it makes senses to have bigger senbatsu member just as Jae said. If 16/17. Either they put 2 4ki members or make them all a back member.

my scenario (17):
2ki: 5 perma + kira & zono (7)
3ki: 3 perma (shizu, airi, mio) + miu, itoha, yu, yuzuki, reina (8)
4 ki: wako and the last member girl

my scenario (16):
2ki: 5 perma + kira & zono (7)
3ki: 3 perma (shizu, airi, mio) + miu, itoha, yu, yuzuki, reina (8)
1 member from 1 ki or 2ki

Graduation:
2ki: all (13)
3ki: shizu mio airi (3)

 

3rd gen was strong but I don't think management has let them shine individually yet. They were testing the waters on 4th Arena Tour when Ishimori sang solo in front of an audience. Airi has proven at age of 13 she can perform solo in front of an audience when she was in ASH but management has not pushed her or she didn't wanted until she felt she was ready.

But now they add Neo and Haru to the collection.

Airi came from ASH and Neo from Sakura Gakuin and Haru from Starseed. Depends on their confidence since performing in front of a big audience is different from recording or sing casually. It's nerve wrecking.

Imaizumi was a different beast. She came from Smile Gakuen from the underground scene like Sakura Gakuin. Neo like Imaizumi has trained vocally a lot and since she has grown when she was in Sakura Gakuin there is some expectations from her.

Ishimori is an outlier just like Techi and Neru. They are rare to find. If you don't want to be a back-up vocalist you have to have some experience in previous life like performance school or underground idol group or what Haru came from.

 

#9 4ki Revealed!

Yamakawa Ui, 19 years old
Miyagi Prefecture

Yamakawa Ui Thread


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

My fav so far is 1 wako, 2 hina, 4 chihiro, 7 momomi, 9 ui (Not in order) so 5 out of 9. Pretty good

average age is 18.78.

 

Now that all the new members have all been shown, I'm even less certain than before.
I mean, I guess there's no one who really hit me as ace material for a reason or another, but there's a lot of raw (and less raw) potential.
Taking people who already have a solid experience in idol groups will surely have a positive impact as soon as mngmnt decides to put 4kis on tour, but I don't feel the others will be that much behind.

My three favorite so far are:

Chihiro, a bit because she's a KeyaSakuKid, but mostly because she's really cute.
Isn't it enough?
It’s also the first time I heard birds have a calming scent… the only bird I saw like that belong to my coworker, smell like hell and talk with a voice coming out straight from an horror movie lol
Also, the “horse” in her video isn’t a llama? lol
My only concern is that she may be one of the very quiet kids around others.

Momomi, because of the contrast she seems to carry: she's an athlete, and yet likes to knit, a bit of a tomboy and yet cute... I can't wait to see if she'll be a little like Miho was, I guess.
Also, she was influenced by Mio and that is a plus for me as well.

Just a question: can everyone enter a stadium like that in Japan? Just to run a bit and make videos? It feels like she's better than it seems, to me.

Wako, is still to be fully chosen, but in my personal ranking she's up there somewhere below Chihiro and Momomi.
I would pay for her to prove me absolutely wrong, but I don't think she'll be one of the stars of Sakura.
For some reason, she reminds me a bit of Hiragana's Mao and Rikopi (2kis' Riko) and feels like one of those variety members who always try and fail (a bit between Marina and Yuu, I guess).
What I like about this kind of idols is the authenticity they seems to posses.

This said, I think is almost a given Neo will probably be fans and mngmnt's next ace.
Sakura Gakuin video are quite telling and, I presume, she’ll bring some of her fans in as well. Yet, what hit me the most about her video, is the confidence she has playing violin at the airport. Just like that! And quite well too.

...I can barely practice Martial Art in my own garden without making a fool of myself lol
(About the ace-stuff though, I expected the same for Airi and look where we are today...)

The others have all something interesting going on, but I need more to really evaluate them.
For sure I can't wait for the dance smackdown in SokuSaku between TakeYui and Hiiro!
Yet, for members like Ui and Hiina, who I may end liking even more than the three up there, it feels like they'll need more time to come out fully.

This said, the funny thing about this kind of post is that it may be completely overturned when I see them starting to interact with each other and then with 2kis and 3kis lol
I can't wait to come back in 2 or 3 years and see nothing I wrote was even a bit near to reality

But I know our new kis are coming in a group that has great seniors in and created a good place to be and to grow.


So, welcome to the new gen,
I wish them and Sakura all the best

 

I´ve followed their introductions religously so I should have a lot to say but I´m still insecure. My top 3 by now are:

1. Sato Neo: I sense ace potential. She is technically a senpai to 3ki in terms of entertainment industry and based on the few clips I saw of Sakura Gakuin, they sing live and also had a variety show. Her resume is no joke.
2. Yamada Momomi: Like many said here, she has the aura. Plus, she is now the youngest so she might get some push.
3. Matsumoto Wako: Like someone said above, she might be the next Rikopi but I´m worried about Saku not valueing her.

Others:

• I believe Chihiro might become one of these members who has a dedicated following despite not being much commented like Berika. The fact that she has been a fan for a long time might appeal to some wota.
• Hiiro might surprise us with her dancing skills cause 8 years of dancing is no joke. However she might be overshadowed by Shizuki and Yu, 2 another veteran dancers that are popular with fans and management seems to like it as well.
• Hina seems to be one of the shy ones. It will be interesting to see her coming out of her shell.

"But you said you are insecure!" And I am, because I almost never guess my oshi in introductions, my impressions often change after omotenashikai and 1st variety show appearance.

• I didn´t care about Nagashima Rio and Ozu Reina at first, now they are in my top 3 Nogi 6ki
• Didn´t understand the initial hype Yuuzu got at first, now she is one of my faves
• Thought Hinata 4ki were weak. Nowadays I think they were the ones who improved the most and all of them managed to stablish their characters pretty well.
• Initially the one who caught my attention the most in Keyaki was Habu, I ended up becoming a Yuipon oshi.

This happens because I some girls catch my eye the most, my oshis are those who I follow as they move, they say something, I smile... For me, how an idol catch my attention is the decision factor. An idol might be very pretty and a good singer and be loved by many, but for me it´s about the entertainment and the magic. It´s hard to explain.

 

One more vote for Sato Neo as the ACE push by managament. She's talented and confident, if they want to airdrop any 4ki, it's her. But tbh I don't think she can rise to the level of 3ki ACE (Shizuki and Mio). Looking at 4ki I don't see anyone can surpass the ultimate Shiichan.

 

Oh neo is an ex idols? No wonder I feel an on and off for her... (the "innocent" is gone, same feel like #8, I feel most "youthfulness" in #7) no wonder too that her name is trending when she is introduced. She might get early boost of popularity. I need to see them perform to judge better, yet I still hold my first initial judgement. Only 5 of 9 catch my interest. I don't follow other jpop idols, so I don't know how good she was. But different from everyone, I don't really convince Neo to be the next sakurazaka future ace. But I am okay to be proven wrong in the future. My real life job is evaluating people (and business) so it's kinda fun for me guessing idols. Most of the time my fav pick usually becomes one of most popular. But different people has a lot of different taste, so some popular member like nagior aruno or airi or ikoma rina, who doesn't interest me a bit can also become very popular because a lot of other people might like them.

 

I didn't want to make this post but seeing all the aforementioned opinions about Neo, I would like to add this now. I know it may sound negative but believe me it is not, neither it has to do with the girl which is adorable! However, if you manage a group of people in a company with an established hierarchy philosophy, (so please exclude all western-type environments) and suddenly drop-in a newbie with a significant experience elsewhere, then trying to impose the niewbie vs the other members of the team might generate problems... In this case, I would hate to see Neo being airdropped just because of her prior experience: she has to prove it inside the culture and ambience of this group Sakurazaka46 and with the given comrades as members.

Looking at it from another perspective, in idols groups like Sakamichi (and maybe all others but I don't mention any other, as I am not knowledgeable), the aces are seldom the best singers, the best dancers, the best variety or the coolest. The aces are the girls with high sales, am I right? So pushing a girl based ONLY on her past experience might be simply "offensive" for olders girls that struggle AND are among the top in one field (singing, dancing, variety, looks, character etc.). If not offensive, then at least hypocritical (at least this is how I, personally, will take it).

 

This gen is really tall? But doesn't the costume looks a bit like a white version of Silent Majority with a collar.

https://x.com/k_skrzk46_kei/status/1915603979133727057?t=oiJShO7aAq-AiuDia5QXQw&s=19

Philosopy, you misunderstood me. This wasn't about pushing centers but rather about pushing individuals in Sakurazaka. Aces are centers and that's fine, but I think management needs to start to push individuals who are not as popular as the best selling members to shine with their skills like they did with Ishimori on 4th Arena Tour. I saw a Japanese comment last year who was against Shizuki to be center of "I want tomorrow to come" because she couldn't sing stable live in her solo part. He has a point though, when did Techi ever struggled her solo parts in the title track and B-sides. Shizuki got a difficult song for her easy vocal range. When she sings in unit she is also unstable. That can also explain why she never kept growing in popularity when she was exposed.

Sakamichi has big competition with Kawaii Lab's groups nowadays. Many of their idols come from the underground idol scene. It's for the better sake Seed & Flower doesn't rest on their laurels and push individuality in artistic vision as well.