Nagahama Neru (Neru) / Keyakizaka46 1st Generation

I'm just looking at one of yesterday's 2channel threads, and it happens to cover the very moment when the Hustle Press photos/interview linked to by CutePanda appeared on the web. The comments are favorable, in general:
-- "Here comes Neru-chan ━━━━(ﾟ∀ﾟ)━━━━!! https://hustlepress.co.jp/keyakizaka46_49/"
-- "Neru's cuuute!"
-- "the origin of her name is also from the word 練る neru" [note: this neru means "refine," "train," "exercise." Neri in the interview in Hustle Press says her mother wanted the syllable "-ru" at the end of the name and just worked her way through the Japanese alphabet until she came to "ne-" and liked the sound. So the name has the contradictory associations of sleepiness (the usual word neru 寝る="to sleep") and of working to refine something]
-- "From the interview, you get the impression that Neru really doesn't like her current self. She really has a complex." [note: Neru says she always felt like a hick and imagined herself as a celebrity living in Hawaii, and the daily life she might have. She also once said she imagined being something like a world leader.]
-- "Neru checks net interviews, etc. She seems upset that Oda Nana mentioned her." [note: Neru says she talks about movies with Nana, so I didn't get the impression she was upset about Nana saying in an interview that she wanted to go to movies with Neru. But Neru did read and notice it.]
-- "Neruru's so cute"
-- "Neru-chan's so cute it makes me shiver."
-- "Hustle Press's Neru is, as usual, even cuter."
-- "Neru's cuteness is miraculous"
-- "17 years old is the peak of cuteness"
-- "The greatest tanuki face in history" [note: "tanuki face" (i.e., a face like a a Japanese raccoon/badger) is something like the English expression "butter wouldn't melt in her mouth," and refers to someone who makes herself seem more innocent than she actually is. I love Neru, but I think that's somewhat true of the very smart Neru. And to me, Neru even looks a bit like an actual tanuki.
-- "Neru's interview was wild. Her great knowledge of subculture means she could walk off in any direction. Wanting to dye her hair red is a danger sign."
-- "Tanuki face and dyed hair go together, don't they?"
-- "Neru's love for the foreign is no small thing."
-- "Is Neru aiming for a future life as an overseas celeb?"
-- "Her complex about living in the country seems strong"
-- "Her mother, by choosing this unusual name, started her toward this life. As a child, she felt her name was strange, and not like other kids' names."

And so on. In the interview, Neru says she doesn't really like her singing voice, and points to the fact that many other members do comic impressions of her singing. I feel like telling her: "That's your style. You're entertaining people, not trying to be a perfect classical singer." To me, she's just as close to the right pitch as Techi. Techi just has a more positive style. Also in the interview, Neru says she has never liked her name, and wishes she had a nickname. Too late, Neru. Unless you want "Tanuki-chan."

 

Really loved her photo shoot (just like how I loved Techi's). She's so pretty it hurts. Can't wait for the second half.

Neru is the last of girls to get a photo shoot with hustle press. I'm hoping maybe in time the new girls can get photo shoots too.


edit: Oh and about the part where Neru says she doesn't like her singing voice, I actually love her voice. Sometimes when I think of her I can hear her song in my head

 

Fabulous UTB photos over in the Gallery. Thank you. I like these, too:



The first is a shot from today's blog post where Neru says how much she enjoyed the "sports day" on KeyaKake, shown last weekend. I like how she is embracing a group (a) from both teams and (b) all of whom seem to be of low popularity right now, as if to impart to them some of her own popularity. The lolling tongue is okay, too.

The second is from Techi's blog, an off-shot from a photo shoot featuring Techi and Neru separately, but shot at the same time by a photographer Techi says she likes. She says it was a fun and relaxed photo session and hopes the two can be photographed together. The shoot will be in the FLASH magazine that comes out 6/24 (Friday).

Techi and Neru really do seem very close, with Neru both the admirer and the dependable elder. It reminds me of an incident I wrote about earlier: "Neru recounted going out to a restaurant with Techi and coming home on the train, with Techi asleep against her shoulder. She said Techi seemed so adorable, and a feeling rose from her heart that she wanted to support and protect her, no matter what. She said it was the first time she had had a feeling like that, and she thanked Techi for inspiring it." This is showbiz, so it could just be a story, but it feels true.

 

Death by pictures.

 

This is SO cute XD Neru is adorable! It's kinda random and I wonder why she made this video, but it's super cute!

It's nice to see Neru's thread active, she's the member I noticed the first in Keyakizaka, maybe because she was introduced in a different way than the other members so I noticed her. She looks really cute, and I just read this thread to know more about her, she's interesting too, I like her interviews! I think she has the potential to become a popular idol. She's cute and simple but unique at the same time. Her photoshoots are nice too ^-^

 

Neru is now a Kennin with Kanji Keyakizaka46 and in Senbatsu (2nd row) for the next single

Sent with Tapatalk

 

Congrats to Neru, but still don't really understand with this Kana and Kanji thing..

 

I don't get how the system works really. We haven't seen much of Hiragana except for Neru and now she's 2nd row in senbatsu so I'm not sure if I like her being a kennin. She should have been moved to the main group imo. I mean she already performed with the main group and spent more time with them.

 

That's because the Kana group is still new and growing.

 

I remember something: When Neru entered, Tsuchida-san said something like "A group within the group"... in that sense, a kenin would make sense...
So... Hiragana it's a sub-group/unit?

 

If that's what it is why exclude her from the 1st single and act like she is a KKS/Under? I just think management made a mistake by giving them a name and not just calling them 2nd gen. This annoys me...

 

@VincentS -- I think I agree with you about giving a name to the second group. It just makes things more complicated. If they really are unders. But if they are a full second group -- and there is now enough personnel for two full 16-member senbatsu, full of popular members -- then it might make sense. Financially, lol.

I think Neru is in both because she belongs in the senbatsu but is useful to help acclimatize the Hiraganas. And having her with them means they have a contact with the main group and are not total outsiders. I just hope Neru doesn't get overburdened with work so that her schoolwork suffers.

I think I understand why they kept her out of the main group at first -- maybe to avoid anyone feeling that she was getting a special privilege (even if she was). I think they were excited about her from the start, and disappointed that her mother took her away. Now her separate role has a function in helping train the Hiraganas.

Here's a photo from yesterday's handshake event in Yokohama:

 

congrats to Neru !!! getting a 2nd row in 2nd single

 

I'm still confused about the whole kennin thing as well, but hopefully things will settle out once the rest of Hiragana Keyaki are ready to debut.

Either way, I'm happy that Neru got into senbatsu and in such a good position too.

 

Part 2 of Neru's hustlepress photo shoot,

I just want to say thanks and give praise to the hustle press gods......

(you can actually die from looking at pictures)

https://hustlepress.co.jp/keyakizaka46_50/

Mod edit: deleted oversized photo

 

It's also possible to die from reading the answers to a questionnaire. If they're from Neru, at least. Many thanks.

 

I request RCP, i'm dying

 

In her first handshake session on Sunday, Neru had her hair put up in a fake bob. She apologizes for telling fans who asked if she had cut her hair that she actually had! Here's a translation of part of her blog post. Includes a link to an instruction video on how to do a fake bob. Lol. And I think I may have found the shirt she's wearing, on a Vivetta page. Here's a photo from her blog post that I haven't included in my post:



"Squeezed between Mizuu and Yukka. Wah! Wah!"

 

From the blog of Itou Karin of Nogizaka46:



"Congratulations to Neru-chan on entering the senbatsu ♡"