Single Keyakizaka46 3rd [Futari Saison] (2016/11/30)

It is national HS boost - copies sold during national HS event, not HS application sales. They have 1 more national HS at end of February, expect a good jump on that week as well.

 

That makes sense: not buying to get in, but buying when you're there. Certainly the only obvious trigger would be the event. But those numbers! Nine thousand! Is this normal? How many people attend a K46 national event?

@kanjo -- An AKB fan attending his first K46 handshake event was amazed at the difference in age demographic: the middle school uniforms, the young faces. And the comparatively smaller number of middle-aged men.

Your reasons all make sense to me, except maybe for the spread of popularity among members. At a handshake event, or among idol fans, that's true. But I see Hirate as a key to their popularity with a wider public, and particularly to their popularity among younger and female fans.

There is renewed talk of the possibility of Imaizumi centering the next single. I think that would be underestimating Hirate's importance to K46's image and success. Zuumin has been happy recently, and in her blog post on 6 Jan talked about the mystical significance of the number four to her life. I expect her to get her first solo song.

 

(Besides the fact that I don't think she has the stage presence it be cut out for the position for a number of technical reasons) i think having Zuumin as center would be too big of an image change for the group. she doesn't have the "cool" or "stylish" image that's necessary for the spot in my opinion. Someone like Manaka, Risa, or Yuipon would be great, and (maybe when they've improved a little more) I could see Rika and Sugai centering, but I just can't see Zuumin there. I know this is an unpopular opinion (and maybe one that has something to do with the fact that I'm not a male), but I think her image/expressions are just not interesting enough at first glance. And that first glance is really important when you want to drive new fans to the group.

 

Agree that Zuumin is not a good center choice, at least for a cool song. Maybe she could center a cute song.

 

I agree with all this. I'd be interested to know the "technical" reasons, but you remind me of her appearance on the talent show Sing!Sing!Sing! when she was 15, where the judges said her voice was fine, but her expression was lacking and she should get more training and/or try to be an idol (at which she made a dismissive gesture). I do think they might have her centre a cute coupling song, but that's different from being centre. However, I am not really a Zuumin fan, so my perceptions might be skewed. I do think she deserves the chance to do a solo of some kind.

 

Oh, the irony.

 

I am a Zuumin Oshi so I'd love for her to get multiple chances and she's just so great and talented but I agree that with the creasing amount of pressure on K46 having Techi as the next centre not only would match their image but further strengthen their 'ace' idea and keep the public comfortable

 

I like zuumin, and I think if keyaki needs to replace hirate, the only option are zuumin or kobayui. but no now, not until early 2018

 

I would like a double center risa and manaka

 

I don't mind having Zuumin as a center, she has the talent... But not the charisma, and she's always more of a solo artist. Give her the chance to write her own song, supervised by the experts, and she'll be the happiest girl in the world.

As for Center, i'm down for a new center. It'd be nice to give Hirate a chance to rest in front row / 2nd row and push someone else as a new Center while all eyes are watching them right now. Maybe Pon, Berika, or even Zakuru or Yuukanen double center?

Also, if they plucked yet another 3rd row member to the front i got the feeling that they will be Uemu, Yone, Naako and the pushed 2nd rower would be Habu if not Pon.

 

Replacing Hirate with Zuumin (or anyone for that matter) would be a mistake. You don't switch Beyonce with Kelly Rowland, whatever the latter's talents.

 

Reading this made me think that they could also give her the solo center to teach her about being a team player, that despite being in the center of attention she's not there just for herself.

 

You need a national HS tix to get in by buying Type A-C. They likely buy more copies on that day, perhaps a Type which they did not previously buy. Attendance is definitely massive, easily several tens of thousands.

 

@kanjo -- I myself don't want to see competition emphasized in K46. That may work in other groups, but this group has so far seemed to reach its heights through cooperation, and I don't want that to be impaired in any way. Emulation yes, competition no.

But I also don't want to be unfair to Zuumin. I may have misinterpreted her smile to the panel as putting down the idea of being an idol when she actually was showing modesty in reaction to their flattery. It was hard for me to think otherwise because she has said so often that her real goal is to be a solo singer, rather than part of a group. I was definitely impressed by the self-control she showed in her reaction to the disappointment. I do think that I may be prejudiced against her partly because she could be a threat to Hirate, whom I consider such a special performer and personality.

@ZenigameX -- I would be tempted to doubt that huge number ("several tens of thousands") if I hadn't seen the reports seeming to indicate each handshake lasting well under ten seconds, and often under five. And lines taking over an hour even at that. I'm still impressed with sales of almost 20,000 in week eight. Unfortunately, it's hard to compare with other groups since I don't know where to find weekly records past week five, and even if I did would have trouble identifying handshake weeks.

However, in their last ten singles, I don't see any weeks 4 or 5 where AKB sold ten thousand, which is what Saison did in weeks 4 through 7. In their last eight singles, Nogizaka has done it in week 4 or 5 just over a quarter of the time (5/16 weeks). That is very heady company.

 

@ukifune to get into national handshake you have to bought several cds. an acquaintance of mine attended a national hs last year, and he has to bought 10 cds to get handshake with every member. So, if there are several thousand people bought min.10 cds, than it would explain the huge number.
But, i do think, the general public also take part on the huge sales increase.

 

Keyakizaka 3rd Single 'Futari Saison' 14th Round Handshake Sales​

Current rank. | (Previous rank.) | Slots sold out/available | (Sales increase) | Members' name

Spoiler: Previously sold out members

01. (01.) 24/24 (+00) Imaizumi Yui (Sold out 1st round)
01. (01.) 24/24 (+00) Hirate Yurina (Sold out 1st round)
01. (01.) 24/24 (+00) Watanabe Rika (Sold out 1st round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Sugai Yuuka (Sold out 2nd round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Nagahama Neru (Sold out 2nd round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Watanabe Risa (Sold out 2nd round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Kobayashi Yui (Sold out 2nd round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Uemura Rina (Sold out 2nd round)
04. (04.) 24/24 (+00) Shida Manaka (Sold out 2nd round)
10. (10.) 24/24 (+00) Moriya Akane (Sold out 3rd round)
10. (10.) 24/24 (+00) Koike Minami (Sold out 3rd round)
10. (10.) 24/24 (+00) Nagasawa Nanako (Sold out 3rd round)
13. (13.) 24/24 (+00) Suzumoto Miyu (Sold out 4th round)
14. (14.) 20/20 (+00) Harada Aoi (Sold out 5th round)
14. (14.) 12/12 (+00) Katou Shiho (Sold out 5th round)
14. (14.) 12/12 (+00) Saito Kyouko (Sold out 5th round)
17. (17.) 20/20 (+00) Satou Shiori (Sold out 6th round)
18. (18.) 06/06 (+00) Sasaki Mirei (Sold out 10th round)

19. (20.) 23/24 (+01) Ozeki Rika (No more open slot)
19. (19.) 23/24 (+00) Habu Mizuho (No more open slot)
21. (21.) 20/24 (+00) Yonetani Nanami (No more open slot)
22. (23.) 14/24 (+04) Saitou Fuyuka
23. (22.) 12/24 (+01) Oda Nana
24. (25.) 09/12 (+03) Kakizaki Memi (No more open slot)
24. (24.) 09/12 (+01) Takamoto Ayaka (No more open slot)
26. (29.) 08/24 (+05) Ishimori Nijika
27. (25.) 08/12 (+02) Kageyama Yuuka
28. (25.) 07/12 (+01) Sasaki Kumi
28. (25.) 07/12 (+01) Ushio Sarina
30. (30.) 04/06 (+00) Higashimura Mei (No more open slot)

na. (na.) *0/06 (+00) Iguchi Mao
na. (na.) *0/05 (+00) Takase Mana

526/603 (+19 since 13th round) Total [82.42%]
362/397 (+164) Last Single (Increase/decrease compared to 2nd Single 14th round)

Spoiler: FS HS 14th img

Source

 

I've been reading happy tweets from Japanese fans for Nijika and Fuuchan. I mean, just look at that '+05' and '+04'!!

 

10 seconds thing is for individual handshake. National handshake is literally a shake-and-go thing. The security will instantaneously hold your shoulder and move you away. But you can take advantage of people in front moving slowly and grab 3-5 seconds or so. For the record, Nogizaka's Hashimoto Nanami final national HS has a lane of 6 hours long queue.

There's no point comparing with other group because each group has their own different circumstances and events post-release. All we have to care is overall sales.

 

Great info. I admit I was fishing for it, lol.

Even as I studied the weekly sales, I was imagining that with AKB everything was probably sold out so fast there was little demand left to fill in weeks 4-5. And handshake event timing could be different.

And I can see how the numbers could add up -- but I'm imagining the timing of buying the CDs to get in to a national event might be more in advance than right in that week or on that day? Maybe that helps explain the extended Kouhaku bump up to 10K a week or so. But I'm still holding onto the idea of more general public sales.

Makes me feel great for them. You can just tell how sad their lack of sales makes them both. But I admit I was at least as thrilled by Memi's +3, and even Takemoto's -- both to sell-outs of their remaining slots (half the number Kanjis have to fill). In Hiragana, Katou and Kyonko (12/12) are the top sellers, followed by these two (9/12) and Mirei (6/6). Takemoto's Hustle Press gravure comes out Friday (i.e., in a few hours). The preview is getting good comment.

EDIT: Fuu-chan has just posted on her blog expressing extreme happiness, and thanks to all: fans and members. Reached her goal, and even sold out two lanes in Kyoyo.