Last night/this morning I stayed up to watch the live streaming of this year's general election.
IT WAS MY FIRST TIME WATCHING IT LIVE.
If you're unfamiliar with AKB48's...culture so to speak xD well basically every year since 2009, there's an election held where fans vote and members are ranked based on the number of votes they receive. It was really hard for me to understand this at first, but it's actually VERY INTERESTING. The top 16 members are "senbatsu" and they will be featured on the senbatsu single which is released around August. The #1 ranked member is featured the most in the music video of the song and is in the center of the performance of it.
2010 senbatsu single. Should be clear who the winner is haha
It's a complete tear fest, but this year, I didn't think it was all that bad. Members are interviewed/give a speech after they find out their ranking. Some times they're happy while other times they're very disappointed in themselves and are candid about it. Either way, there's crying involved in both the members and the fans. UGH THE FEELINGZ.
you'll even start making the same faces as them while you cry along
It was streamed live via AKB48's official Youtube channel. For my time zone, it started at 4:15 AM. UGH. Yeah, I didn't sleep at all last night. There were some parts I dozed off at, but I still was able to watch the majority of it.
This whole thing is amazing really because the fans get so into it. They wear jerseys with #48 on them, towels, and glow sticks so it's like a sporting event and I love it LOL.
The most annoying part of the stream was the commentary. The screen was divided between these three guys providing commentary and the actual stadium where the event was held. I was listening through my headphones and I realized that the commentary and the actual event were split in half on both speakers so I just left my left earphone in and poof the annoying commentary was gone xD
okay so, this election wasn't just for the members of AKB48 but also their sister groups SKE48, NMB48, AND HKT48. I thought it was unfair. Each group should get their own election, but I guess this way there's more hype involved idk.
I barely know all the members of AKB48 so of course I only knew one or two people from the sister groups who are none other than the leaders of the group LOL.
I was really disappointed in a few girls ranking SUPER LOW. The saddening part is that they've been in AKB48 for so long.
Okay this is actually VERY GOOD LOL. I love how this year former members could join in too. A pretty low rank, but the fact that she ranked even though she left the group AND had a "scandal" makes me happy lol. She's also a first generation member, joining the group since the very beginning.
LEGS senbatsu members!
Phew ok my reactions are finally done.
Actually, while looking up information for this post, I've come across a very helpful website in being in the know of akb happenings.
http://www.akb48wrapup.com/
Not sure if it's equally derpy as allkpop but I wish I found this site earlier xD ah well!
56. Iwasa Misaki (AKB48 Team A) 12,638
I thought that by having solo singles it would help her popularity but I guess not :/ was she in any "scandals?" or is it that people are just getting bored with her? She's so cute and she's been in AKB48 since 2008 and last year she ranked 33rd.
52. Sato Sumire (AKB48 Team A) 13,692
I honestly don't know much about her but I think she is soooo cute and she's been in the group since 2008 as well :/
51. Kikuchi Ayaka (AKB48 Team A) 13,944
Now that I'm looking back at past rankings, for Ayaka this actually shouldn't be that much of a surprise. Last year she stayed in the same spot and times before she didn't even rank at all. She was caught in a "scandal", fired, and then passed the auditions again so that obviously has something to do with it but still, she joined in 2007 :/
36. Kuramochi Asuka (AKB48 Team K) 18,435
UGHHH last year she was 22nd. In previous years she's been in that range too, but to drop this low ughh. She's so gorgeous. I forgot she just released a solo single so I need to check that out haha.
21. Kitahara Rie (AKB48 Team K) 33,121
I wasn't worried about her at all because I thought she was going to make it in the top but NOPE. Last year she was 13th and previous years she's pretty much been in the 13th position. Such a noticeable drop T_T.
20. Takajo Aki (JKT48 / AKB48 Team B) 33,129
I really really really really like her. She's just so appealing to me with her energy and whatnot agh. This year she dropped three spots from last year but I'm not too too worried because she's devoted to working with JKT48 and I think she has what it takes.
19. Umeda Ayaka (AKB48 Team B) 36,282
I love her voice ugh. She just made it into senbatsu last year but now she just missed it :/
18. Minegishi Minami (AKB48 Kenkyuusei) 38,985
OH MY GOD. FIRST TIME I GOT EMOTIONAL WHILE WATCHING THIS STREAM. I ACTUALLY TEARED UP RIGHT WHEN HER NAME WAS CALLED. When the camera showed Takamina crying I just UGH TEARS. Last year, she was 14, but after all that happened to her this year, and making it at 18 is wonderful. She was caught leaving her boyfriend's house and automatically the tabloids feed off of this "scandal." Members aren't allowed to have boyfriends so of course she broke a rule. Feeling worried about being fired and receiving backlash from fans, she shaved her head and apologized while crying through a youtube video. Gosh, seeing that video on my feed, I didn't know what to think. She had a shaved head so I thought she got cancer OMG but seeing how deeply she bowed I realized her shaved head was a sign of asking for forgiveness for something bad she's done. I'm glad she didn't wear a wig to the election because it shows that she's living with her decision and also I think she looks fierce with it. Reminds me of T.O.P. LOL.
(source: http://miichanidfc.tumblr.com/)
Miichan is all like, "LOOK, BITCHES." And Takamina crying always tugs at my heart.
SADLY I DOZED OFF AND DIDN'T HEAR MIICHAN'S SPEECH. Only the members ranked in senbatsu would give a speech right after their ranking was announced. For everyone else, they waited in a line and once that section was called off, then one by one everyone gave a speech.
aki, minami, ayaka
Okay guys now here's the important one. We're onto senbatsu members.
SADLY I DOZED OFF AND DIDN'T HEAR MIICHAN'S SPEECH. Only the members ranked in senbatsu would give a speech right after their ranking was announced. For everyone else, they waited in a line and once that section was called off, then one by one everyone gave a speech.
aki, minami, ayaka
(skipped 15 and 16 because I am honestly unfamiliar with those members xD)
14. Yamamoto Sayaka (NMB48 Team N) 51,793
She's GORGEOUS. Aside from that I'm totally fine with this position because she's already the face of NMB48 so this is a good balance.
13. Yokoyama Yui (AKB48 Team A) 53,903
I haven't looked much into her personality yet, so I still don't see what's all the buzz about her, but I'm not bothered by her popularity.
12. Shimazaki Haruka (AKB48 Team B) 57,275
For some reason I thought she was going to be #1 LOL or at least in the top 3. Thank goodness she's not because I think she still has a way to go. In fact, I honestly did not see any appeal at all in her at first but some people on tumblr have convinced me otherwise and make me want to give her a chance and support her. She's also been in the group since 2009 which is relatively long.
11. Itano Tomomi (AKB48 Team K) 63,547
Ah Tomochin. She dropped from being #8 last year. However, she is graduating this year and to rank pretty high like this is kinda good.
10. Miyazawa Sae (SNH48 / AKB48 Team K) 65,867
She improved by one spot compared to last year xD Sae is great and has been with the group since the good ol days so of course I love her. Her announcement of leaving AKB ro focus more on SNH really confused me though. She mentioned something about not wanting to be seen a certain way like she's not doing her best or something idk. I'll have to look more into that. She's a great addition to SNH though and I believe in her.
9. Kojima Haruna (AKB48 Team B) 67,424
agh went down two spots, but that's ok with me because she's Harunyan and I don't see how anyone could dislike her xD
8. Takahashi Minami (AKB48 Team A) 68,681
Dropped down two spots as well. I was hoping she'd be in the top three for once. I'm really hoping she doesn't leave any time soon! She's only 22 so I feel like at least another two or three years with the group would be fine D: too many people are talking about the possibility of her graduating.
7. Matsui Rena (SKE48 Team S) 73,173
Moved up three spots which is pretty cool. I don't have much to say xD
6. Matsui Jurina (SKE48 Team S) 77,170
Moved up three spots as well. I FREAKIN LOVE HER LOL. She's only 16 but she's one total badass and I swear she's actually a lesbian lolomg LOL.
5. Shinoda Mariko (AKB48 Team A) 92,599
Same spot as last year but I'm totally ok with this because I thought she would be a lower rank like 8 or something. I was afraid that people would be getting tired of her, but nope I was wrong :D She announced that she's graduating NEXT MONTH or in a month WHICHEVER. It's saddening because she's been with akb since the get-go, but she IS 27 after all. I personally think it would be ok to be in the group at this age still but for her I bet it's getting boring, so she needs a switch in her life. Whatever the reason, I'll still follow her!
And now the battle between the top 4.
4. Kashiwagi Yuki (AKB48 Team B) 96,905
I really thought Sasshi would be in this spot but I guess not xD
3. Watanabe Mayu (AKB48 Team A) 101,210
NOOOO. I CRIED. I WANTED HER TO BE NUMBER 1. Yuko has already been #1 twice and although I love her the most I felt like it was time for something different. Some people say Mayuyu is still missing something though. I don't follow AKB48 as much as I should so I could be missing the idea that she might be missing something LOL. I know she won't be leaving the group any time soon, so there's still a chance for her to jump even higher and once she gets the number one spot, it's gonna be a HUGE CRYFEST.
2. Oshima Yuko (AKB48 Team K) 136,503
OK I AM SUCH AN IDIOT BECAUSE I CRIED WHEN HER NAME WAS CALLED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT MEANT SHE WON LOL. The look on EVERYONE'S face was priceless because no one expected this. Yuko was laughing because she was in complete disbelief xD I feel like she's secretly super angry about this but that's gonna build up some lovable rivalry. When Acchan was still in the group she was essentially Yuko's rival and that made things exciting. I'm still worried about Yuko leaving soon but since she's more into acting and not so much into advancing towards being a solo artist, I think she'll still be in the group for another year or two.
1. Sashihara Rino (HKT48 Team H) 150,570
DUN DUN DUNNNN. Either people are SUPER happy that she won, understand why she won and are fine with it, or HATE that she won. I fall in the middle. People say she has a troll personality, but I haven't seen that at all so that goes to show you that I don't follow her much xD I'm willing to give her a chance. I'm actually more on the happy side that she won though. She was caught in a "scandal" removed from AKB and placed in HKT, but was able to turn that around and actually bring HKT more popularity and then rise to being the #1 ranked member. Good for her!
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