Ever since Ebi48 closed down, I hadn’t done a new NMB ranking. Until I stumbled upon akbsort on Tumblr and used the ranker to rank all of the NMB members. And here’s my Top 5 NMB members.
My NMB Top 5 Ranking
5. Kawakami Chihiro (Chihhii)
4. Takano Yui (Yuipon)
3. Yamada Nana (Nana)
2. Yoshida Akari (Akarin)
1. Jo Eriko (Jo)
Chihhii has really jumped up my rankings and seeing her ice skate was a nice treat. Since Team M was originally formed, Yuipon has slowly but gradually found her way up my NMB ranking. And her hard work has paid off with more exposure and three straight singles making senbatsu. Nana, my original NMB oshi, is now captain of Team M and a concurrent member of SKE48 Team KII. And she’s still as amazing a performer as when I first start getting interested in NMB. I don’t even how it’s possible, but it seems Akarin gets prettier and prettier every time I see her. She definitely has quite the model aura about her.
With my oshi Shimada Rena’s (Shimarena) graduation coming soon, I felt like updating this blog once again. Probably just some more quick thoughts on my current 48g fandom state.
I’m currently on a Twitter and Tumblr hiatus due to Lent. The absence of both makes me realize how much I enjoy being part of the international NMB fandom and how I miss talking to other NMB fans about the group. I’d like to think I made a lot of online friends thanks to being part of the NMB fandom and I’m extremely grateful for that.
I still don’t like the whole grand reformation and I wish NMB was never shuffled. The “old” NMB teams were perfect as they were.
With the closure of my favorite 48 forum Everyday48, I’m still unsure if I’ll ever be active on a 48g forum again. I’ve occasionally visited Stage48 and I’m reminded of the good (and bad) times I’ve had there. But I still haven’t felt the urge to be anything more than a lurker there for the time being.
Nogizaka46 is on a roll. All the Nogizaka girls are so interesting and amazing and lately, I think the group has had the best music out of all the 48 groups. Out of the recent batch of 48g releases this last month, Nogizaka46’s Kizuitara Kataomoi is easily the best single. Also, it’s just absolutely fun following the group. It doesn’t feel like a hassle or annoyance like it does sometimes following AKB.
I’m starting to get into some non-48 idol groups. Thanks to the urging of people, I’ve ever so slowly gotten interested into Passpo, Super Girls, and GEM. And I’m hoping to find even more idols to enjoy.
Thanks for being the best oshi a fan could ask for, Shimarena. Wish you nothing but the best in your post-NMB life.
The 1st day sales figure of NMB48’s 7th single Bokura no Eureka are out and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. On its first day, the single has sold 420,906 copies. Previously, the best 1st day sales for a NMB single were the 280,367 copies sold of Junjou U-19 on its 1st day. Not only that, Bokura no Eureka is already the best-selling NMB single in terms of 1st week sales, surpassing last year’s summer single Nagiichi, which sold 375,785 copies in in its first week of release.
I am happily surprised that Bokura no Eureka managed to sell over 420K copies in one day, with the AKB senbatsu election less than two weeks ago. With all the money and time spent on the election, I was expecting a little bit of a lull on 48 single buying. I was still expecting good sales figures for NMB’s 7th single, but this exceeded even my expectations. Guess NMB wota (and myself) have more money that I previously thought.
Hoping that Bokura no Eureka continues to sell well. Maybe even hit that 500K spot in the 1st week. Congratulations, NMB48!
About a week late, but the results for AKB48′s 32th Single Senbatsu Election were announced last Saturday. I’m happy that my kami oshi Minegishi Minami (Miichan) managed to increase her votes by about 13,000 and grab the 18th position. She might have dropped from Senbatsu to Undergirls, but considering evertyhing that’s happened, that’s a pretty happy result for me as a Miichan oshi. We have a new center in Sashihara Rino (Sasshi) and after years of fans speculating about Shinoda Mariko’s (Mariko) graduation from AKB, Mariko finally announced it.
But of course, this post is going to be about how NMB fared in the election. The preliminary results was less than desirable, but I think the final results should be one that should please NMB fans. Former NMB48 Team N member Yokoyama Yui (Yuihan) received 53,903 votes, ranking #13 and making senbatsu. As for current NMB members, the group managed to get 9 members to rank in the Top 64.
Four NMB members ranked in the election for the first time. Team N’s Yoshida Akari (Akarin) and Team BII’s Yabushita Shu (Shuu) will accompany concurrent NMB member Ichikawa Miori (Miorin) and Team N member Ogasawara Mayu (Maachun) in Future Girls. And Team M ace Yagura Fuuko (Fuuchan) and Team N member Jonishi Kei (Keicchi) made their election debuts in Next Girls.
As for the five members who ranked last year (not including Fukumoto Aina), all the members managed to increase their votes and move up the rankings. Maachun jumped 6 spots from her ranking last year, after not ranking in the preliminary results. Miorin moved up a spot to the #57 position. Transferred Team M member Yamada Nana (Nana) nearly tripled the votes she received last year, leaping from Next Girls to Undergirls. And both Watanabe Miyuki (Milky) and Yamamoto Sayaka (Sayanee) moved from Undergirls to finally achieve Senbatsu status in the election.
Nice to see the NMB members ranking and moving up the election boards. Also, I’m quite pleased that Team M and BII were able to get some representation with Fuuchan and Shuu ranking. I’m hoping the following elections bring even more good results for NMB, like more members rankings and Milky and Sayanee jumping into higher (hopefully single-digit) senbatsu positions
Congratulations to all the Top 64 members in the AKB48 32th Single Senbatsu Election!
Last night (5/30), Yamamoto Hitomi (Hitomin) performed in her final Team M stage.
I’m not sure if she’s officially graduated from NMB, given that it seems members have handshake and other commitments way in advance. But anyways, it’s sad her days as a member of NMB are soon coming to an end. Another Team M member that left way earlier than I thought. My first real exposure to Hitomin was her awesome appearances on Geinin! and I’m really going to miss seeing Hitomin perform her gags. I think it’s safe to say there isn’t a member in the 48 family quite like Hitomin.
I wish Hitomin nothing but the best in her final moments as a NMB member and in her post-NMB life.
Pics from NMB48 theater manager Kaneko Takeshi’s G+ of Hitomin’s final stage performance after the jump.
On NMB48′s official YouTube channel, the short preview PVs for the 7th single Shirogumi and Akagumi tracks along with the short preview PV for the Namba Teppoutai Sono San have been uploaded this week. The Shirogumi track is titled Okuba, the Akagumi track is titled Yaban na Softcream, and the Namba Neppoutai Sono San track is titled Hinadande wa Boku no Miryoku wa Ikinainda. To be honest, my first impression is that this is one of the weaker singles in terms of B-side tracks.
The lineups for Shirogumi, Akagumi, and Namba Teppoutai Sono San:
Akagumi Team N: Ichikawa Miori, Koga Narumi, Kondo Rina, Watanabe Miyuki Team M: Okita Ayaka, Kawakami Rena, Kinoshita Momoka, Mita Mao, Yagura Fuuko Team BII: Kurokawa Hazuki, Kobayashi Rikako, Muro Kanako
Namba Teppoutai Sono San Team N: Shiroma Miru, Nishimura Aika Team M: Murase Sae, Yogi Keira Team BII: Akazawa Hono, Ota Yuuri, Kushiro Rina 4th Gen KKS: Shibuya Nagisa
I haven’t been the biggest fan of Shirogumi tracks in the past and Okuba doesn’t instill any new hopes of that changing. The song is a slow ballad that just never seems to drag and drag without reaching any kind of high point. It doesn’t conjure up lovely memories like 12/31 did. Okuba just seems like a snoozer and the PV (which has the girls as members of a choir group) doesn’t add much in terms of excitement, except for the a nice cameo by former NMB concurrent member Yokoyama Yui (Yuihan).
The Akagumi PV Yaban na Softcream is a lot more upbeat than the Okuba PV (and this case, a whole lot better). Just the topic itself (soft ice cream) makes one happy and to see a smiling Watanabe Miyuki (Milky) eating ice cream is jsut heaven. Also of note, Ichikawa Miori (Miorin) is featured as the welcomed, transfer student in the PV. When Miorin’s concurrency in NMB was announced, I didn’t know how she would fit in. But she seems to be fitting in well in NMB so far.
The last B-side is the Namba Teppoutai Sono San track Hinadande wa Boku no Miryoku wa Ikinainda. It seems to be dually led by Team M member Yogi Keira (Keira) and Team N member Shiroma Miru (Mirurun). The song isn’t anything spectacular, but the PV is what’s most memorable about Hinadande wa Boku no Miryoku wa Ikinainda. The PV is inspired by the old school idol style of the past and the contrast of the up-and-coming NMB girls being featured in a PV reminiscent of idols in the 1970s and 80s just works perfectly.
The new Shirogumi, Akagumi, and Namba Teppoutai Sono San songs will be featured in Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C of NMB48′s 7th single, respectively. NMB48′s 7th single, Bokura no Eureka, releases on June 19th.
The release for NMB48’s 7th single is less than a month away and finally we have a glimpse into the single. The title track for the 7th single is entitled Bokura no Eureka and the preview PV for the song has been uploaded on NMB48′s official YouTube channel.
First off, the senbatsu for the single: Team N: Ogasawara Mayu, Kotani Riho, Jonishi Kei, Shiroma Miru, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yoshida Akari, Watanabe Miyuki, Ichikawa Miori Team M: Shimada Rena, Takano Yui, Tanigawa Airi, Yagura Fuuko, Yogi Keira, Yamada Nana Team BII: Kato Yuuka, Yabushita Shu
This marks the 1st senbatsu appearances for AKB concurrent member Ichikawa Miori (Miorin), Team M member Takano Yui (Yuipon) and Team M captain (and my NMB oshi!) Shimada Rena (Shimarena). Also, this marks the return of Yogi Keira (Keira) to senbatsu for the 1st time since Junjou U-19. From the previous single Kitagawa Kenji, these four members replace the NMB-departing Yokoyama Yui (Yuihan), the soon to be graduate Fukumoto Aina (Ainyan), and Team N members Kadowaki Kanako (Kanakichi) and Kishino Rika (Rikanyan). I love Kanakichi and Rikanyan, but I’m thrilled that the balance of N members in senbatsu got leveled off finally.
As for the Bokura no Eureka PV itself, the setting has the girls stranded on a deserted island. We see Yamamoto Sayaka (Sayanee) walking around the wilderness with a wooden crossbow in tow and Miroin and Yagura Fuuko (Fuuchan) collecting fruits. We see the girls trying to band together like a tribe to survive and send out SOS signals to attempt to find a way off the island. Storyline-wise, this is probably the most intrigued I’ve been of a NMB A-side PV yet. For the song, I really enjoy the beat and sweet flow of Bokura no Eureka. I’m interested to see how the song is performed on stage, because the song doesn’t seem suited for dancing, but if there was an A-side NMB track meant for a cappella performance, I feel that Bokura no Eureka would fit well the most. I know it’s just my pure, crazy wish, but when I first heard Bokura no Eureka, I was imagining hearing it sung a cappella by NMB. I feel that it’s a quite a pleasant song to listen to.
So yes, I’m extremely excited for the next single. NMB48’s 7th single Bokura no Eureka releases on June 19th.
I’ve been trying to get my current thoughts on the 48 family into words, but I really have had a difficult time expressing myself lately. So rather than write one long, coherent post, this post will be mostly small, nonsensical ramblings on AKB.
My 48 experience has definitely changed since I first joined the 48 fandom over two years ago. Now I have a job and I just don’t have the time to follow the 48 family like I used to when I was a NEET.
I feel AKB48 has just become stagnant and uninteresting lately. The group seems to be lacking that mystique that lured me into the fandom in the first place. Among the future centers in waiting, I’m hoping that Shimazaki Haruka (Paruru) becomes the center of AKB48 in the future.
My kami oshi has been, is, and will always be Minegishi Minami (Miichan). I’m sure it’s been incredibly difficult for her the last few months and as a Miichan oshi, I will continue to support her. Vote for her in the next AKB election please!
I’m actually liking how the next AKB single Sayonara Crawl sounds and looks. It’s been awhile since I’ve felt that way about an AKB single. It really has.
Of course, my NMB fandom is still strong. I can’t wait for the 7th single to come out and I’m hoping that my NMB oshi Shimada Rena (Shimarena) makes senbatsu for the 1st time.
I probably have more thoughts, but I can’t think of them at the moment. Until next time, I guess.
NMB48 Request Hour Best Setlist Top 30 has took place today, April 18th, 2013.
The biggest announcements of NMB’s Request Hour came after the Top 30 was revealed. We got two promotions as both 2nd Gen KKS Koga Narumi (Naru) and 4th Gen KKS Nishimura Aika (Aika) were promoted to Team N. Since there was only 1 open spot in N at the moment (Ainyan hasn’t officially graduated yet), we also got a team member transfer as Yamada Nana (Nana) was transferred from Team N to Team M, which had an open spot available.
Really thrilled for Naru, as her promotion was a long time coming. I can’t say I know much about Aika, but congratulations to her promotion and having the distinction for being the 1st 4th Gen member to make a team. As for Nana being transferred to Team M, I’m still completely confused on how I feel about it. It’s like it hasn’t even sunk in yet that my two favorite NMB members are both in M now. I hope Nana fits in well in M, but it sucks that she got transferred before Team N got an original stage. Hey Aki-P, get NMB some original stages already, please. Stop playing around.
As for the actual Request Hour, I’m generally pleased with all the results (except Boku ga Mou Sukoshi Daitan Nara not ranking). Although Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo didn’t rank #1 like I wanted, Kesshou is a great NMB song and totally deserving of the top spot. I wished that I wish the event would have been streamed through G+, but I expected it wouldn’t. Hoping this gets a DVD release (or even better, a Blu-ray release).
purefuwa | nmbingo! 