Praise for Keyaki Republic, and especially for Hirate Yurina

Hirate seems to be back in full form. That may not have been true for the Friday event at Keyaki Republic. But things seem to have been ratcheted up a notch for the Saturday performance.

First, I've got a few comments from members of the audience. Then I will translate this piece from the editor-in-chief of Rockin'on magazine, in which he praises Hirate and Keyakizaka to the skies.

First, some individual audience members:

-- In Garasu wo Ware, Hirate Yurina-chan was serious. This was the Hirate Yurina-chan I wanted to see. I was filled with emotion.

-- The final Garasu wo Ware from Hirate was fantastic. To be shown something like this left me speechless.

-- Hirate-san worked hard right to the end today!!! Garasu was so fine!!

-- Overall, today was better than yesterday, and Hirate seemed in better form today, too. In the final Garasu wo Ware, she was totally for real. I was shaking.

-- My feelings about Keyaki Republic. Yesterday, at the end Hirate Yurina was smiling, covered in bubbles. It seemed to me that she did not give everything she had. But today's sharp dancing in the Futari Saison solo was what I had wanted to see. And the head-banging in Garasu wo Ware was right on. Why did her switch turn on for the weekend? lol. Hirate Yurina is great.


Now for Koyanagi Daisuke, editor-in-chief of Rockin' On magazine:




"I watched this year's Keyakizaka46 Keyaki Republic show at FujiQ. I couldn't take my eyes off Hirate Yurina.

From the opening to the ending, from the costumes to the performance, there was nothing that was not as it should have been. It was totally esthetic. Everything they did was fantastic. There were nothing but wonderful scenes.

The unifying force was Hirate's charisma. It was as if all our different ways of breathing were almost forcibly brought into one esthetic. This in itself would be rare enough. It felt as if the outdoor live showed the kernel of the irreplaceable phenomenon that is unique to the amazing Keyakizaka46.

With her hair soaking wet, Hirate's sharp glance looked out from deep behind her bangs. Every time I saw it, my sense of urgency grew. On stage or through a monitor, I watched the entire live with my consciousness continually seeking out her form.

After last year's Keyaki Republic, the impression of something evanescent that disappeared the next day remained with me. This year, the performance seemed to be on a more solid base of intention. Its continual search for perfection gave me a feeling of real strength.

A Keyakizaka46 live makes a story by building up explosive "moments," like stringing together a series of instants. You could say that today's live was an extreme of this.

On August 4th, at Rock in Japan, Keyakizaka46 will take up the responsibility of being lead-off hitter for the whole four-day festival. I will see these girls again on the Glass Stage. I am so looking forward to it."

Now, Rockin' On runs the Rock in Japan festival, so it has an interest in pumping up its groups. And Koyanagi-san has endured a lot of criticism for bringing in idol groups to the event. This year, in addition to K46, Momoiro CloverZ and Morning Musume 18 will be there. But you can tell from his writing that Koyanagi-san really believes in Keyakizaka, and especially in Techi. And the rock audience last year was impressed, too. This may be why he has put them first, to kick off the festival.