Should Oshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

Ever since Ooshima Yuko got #1 popular spot, I noticed she is spokesman and leader of AKB48 whenever they are on a TV show. Not that she is doing a bad job of it, but I feel others are much better at the MC and Q&A stuff. Basically I'm saying being the most popular doesn't make one the best singer, best dancer, or best spokesman.

Am I wrong about this?

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

well im none to say if you are right or not but i disagree with you. (i think i went way off the point with what i wrote though lol)

starting from the point that our center girl is maeda atsuko. and Yuko is much better than acchan is pretty much everything lol (disclaimer: i like acchan and everything but she's as bland as a human can be and you know it.) so not really, i would prefer her much better.

Yuko is really good with everything related with MC and as representative of the group yet it's still weird to see her in such position because we are used to see her as 2#. (but that doesn't mean it doesn't fell great to see her in the center and doing the amazing work she does imo.)

as a leader, we already have one and that's takahashi minami. but she wasn't made to be a permanent center. she still gets the MC part for her sometimes and everything so it's not like akip doesn't give her what she deserves (because he totally does).

then we have mariko itano and mayu. and any of those is good enough to be a permanent center. i think the main problem itself is that we are always talking about a permanent center and that's one of the big flaws of akb imo because there's clearly no one good enough in everything to be a main center (in difference with SKE. and call me as biased as you want; but well, they have Jurina). i totally understand that it was done this way for people to recognize some members and now that akb is the hottest thing in japan that point was already reached and they should move to something else.

when i was posting this and thinking what to post i came up with that amazing idea of rotative centers. i suddenly really wanted to see a mariko center single, a mayu center single, and itano center and even a takahashi center single would work great if not done always. and haruna back as center (without acchan) would also be really really interesting to see.

and well there's also the point that heavy rotation was like MADE for yuko. it was a perfect song and acchan wouldn't be able to do it as well as yuko.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

YES SHE SHOULD TOTALLY BE.

Hahaha I'm so biased, but I think she does an amazing job at it. And I disagree with you; I love Acchan but I think Yuko is better in MCs and stuff like that. When Acchan was center, the one who did all the talking was Takamina anyways...

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

I've noticed that Yuko is just being Yuko, I swear. Yuko is usually the one talking on all the guest show and regular shows and there really haven't been any changes in akb for her other than being the center to Heavy rotation. I think you might just be imagining things, cause trust me usually when Atsuko doesn't talk all that much when she makes an appearance.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

I see no problem with Acchan keeping her usual center position. Yuko's great for center, too, but I feel like she might be too flashy. Acchan has set a precedent that the center isn't the best at anything, but rather a girl next door figure. So... possible senbatsu to take over the center position...

Acchan - Good!
Mariko - Too old
Takamina - Fit to be the leader, but not the center; too talented
Haruna - May be too pretty, but isn't pushed much as of late in singles
Sasshi - Too interesting; maybe for Idoling!!!'s center
Aki - Possible? And she's pushed enough

Yuko - Too flashy
Itano - Not versatile
Miichan - In my dreams
Sae - Too excited

Mayu - Too cute, but definitely versatile enough
Kashiwagi - I can totally see this happening
Kitahara - Not sure if she has enough going on
Kasai - Again, in my dreams

(If that made any sense to you, you get a gold star)

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

though i am known as an acchan hater, i would still want acchan to continue her work of being center right after heavy rotation.

acchan was raised to be the center girl almost right from the start. she knows what she is doing as a center girl, and damn she is good at it. there's just too many loose ends to the other girls that could be potentially used against akb. i'm not saying that acchan has been an angel all these years and has done nothing bad. all i'm saying is that if she did, then the management must have cleaned those up before they even got out to the public.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

A random RS will take over for acchan if acchan ever leaves. You read it here first.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

A random RS? That would be amazing if only just to read about everybody selfdestructing over the internet

And now, with a non-biased answer, I?m pretty sure Yuko isn't going to be center again EVER. Although she has been the center twice which is already quite a feat in AKB (she was center in Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou a million years ago, in case you forget)

The reason why I think Acchan is a good center (other than the things everybody mentioned already) is because as opposed to Yuko, who really wants to be an actress, Acchan doesn't seem to have plans to move out of AKB anytime soon.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

Totally agree with you. I love Yuko, but I would rather see her next to aachan. For me at least I am always looking for the girl that is next to or near aachan, to see who is getting a push, like Jurina. Aachan's knows what she is doing as the center girl, does it well, and should stay there, and let the positions either side of her go to Yuko and whatever girl is being pushed.

And good would l love to see tomo in one of those two positions.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

I think this should happen. No but really,

It may be bias since recently I've fallen in love with Acchan, but I've always accepted Acchan as the centre of AKB and it makes me kind of uncomfortable thinking about it going to anybody else (permanently). I used to like Yuko more but even then, I didn't really want her being the centre just because that's what Acchan IS. Acchan is AKB48. It may sound ridiculous to say that but I think that's what they've been trying to make us think from the beginning(...ish).

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

oshima yuko is great. she's funny, smart, and talented in pretty much everything we've seen her do; but that's why she wouldn't make a great center for akb. maeda atsuko is the quintessential "every-girl". she's not fantastic at everything, and has a number of uncharismatic traits, with members around her being more gifted in one way or another. but the public finds her to be the approachable, attractive balance between a normal girl and a super-star.

oshima yuko has an air of flawlessness; no one criticizes the way she behaves or does. while that's amazing and showcases her natural instincts as a showbiz pro, it -can- create a feeling of "i can't relate with her as much as _____".

that's why i really think the next front girl of akb will be someone we haven't seen before. i think akimoto wants someone who isn't naturally charismatic and charming, but someone inexperienced with potential that will have to work at it, like atsuko when she first started.

it's awesome that yuko got center for heavy rotation because i think she deserved it. now, if takahashi could be the center of a new single, i'd die of happiness .

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

Yuko does have strengths of her own.
For example I don't think Acchan would have pulled of that kind of lovely on stage interaction with H!P Ai Takahashi we experienced recently.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

As much as I love Yuko, I agree with Wendy: I kind of feel uncomfortable without Acchan has the centre. (Even though I loved HebiRote & think Yuko did great!) ... Acchan = AKB48. Y'know? So. I don't think I'd necessarily mind if Yuko actually became the centre, I'd just prefer if Acchan stayed as the centre.

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

I must be the only person thinking this, but I don't think Atsuko is AKB48. I'd love to see someone else be the center. I just... don't get why some people want the same person as the center all of the time. =/

 

Though I like Yuko, a lot, I think Acchan still fits the centre position better because I'm used to it and as someone pointed out, she's not too flashy /awesome.. she just blends in really.. That's the image I get from an AKB centre 'cos it's been like that from the start..

Basically: Acchan Knows Best being the centre position

but when you really think about it, during MC's or guest shows, nothing changed. Acchan wasn't such a talkative person to begin with and it was usually Yuko or Takahashi doing most of the talking before too.. So spokesman wise, I'm all ok with Yuko..
Leader wise, it's definitely Takahashi..

Acchan is the face, Yuko is the voice and Takahashi is the... body?!

 

^Takahashi is body, soul and (according to Acchan) papa =D

I love Yuko. She's right up there in my top 5. It's obvious that she has that charaismatic energy which is great for a spokesperson and leader. But the way I see it, much like Wendy, I'm way too used as Acchan being centre. Acchan may not 'technically' be AKB (at least I don't see it that way. It's not like someone say "AKB48" and I automatically think 'Acchan'. This of course, is untrue for some fans. Especially the more casual ones.), but the undeniable fact is, she's always known to be it's face and, that's something I've accepted a long time ago.
On the flip side, I do like what aakun suggested about rotative centers. It gives us more variety you know? And it gives the other girls chances at the spotlight. But sticking with Acchan as the permanent centre is of course, fine with me =)

 

Re: Should Ooshima Yuko be Spokesman & Leader?

Actually i've thought like this too, though it's not that i would love see someone else as a center, but more as i've never seen Atsuko as the face of the group, no one is really, i guess really it's all about Asuka to me.
And i don't see Takahashi as the soul of the group either, it kinda gets wierd to hear that especially when you think about all the other members on the group.

 

Acchan is the center from the beginning because she wore black when she's auditioned

So the next one should be someone in black either [nod]

 

but when you really think about it, during MC's or guest shows, nothing changed. Acchan wasn't such a talkative person to begin with and it was usually Yuko or Takahashi doing most of the talking before too.. So spokesman wise, I'm all ok with Yuko..
Leader wise, it's definitely Takahashi..

Acchan is the face, Yuko is the voice and Takahashi is the... body?![/quote]


I noticed that Yuko did talk a lot even when she wasn't #1. I've seen her more as a spokesperson than Acchan has. Also, who doesn't love squirrels?! Maybe except dogs...