Kakizaki Memi: Story from realsound.jp about her charm, and regretting her absence

Kakizaki Memi: Hinatazaka46's heroine? 

From being double centre with Nagahama Neru
to gaining the title of "First Burikko Queen"

Realsound 6 June 2019


Hinatazaka46 will release its second single, Doremisolasido, on July 17th. Amidst the excitement of the release of the title song, the one worry concerns Kakizaki Memi. Kakizaki was right in the middle of breaking out as a burikko character, but has now been missing for quite a while both from handshake events and from her place as a regular on the NHK ETV high-school course "Society and Information."

When Hinatazaka began, as Hiragana Keyakizaka46, she was double centre with Nagahama Neru, and has seemed like the group's heroine, so for her to be absent leaves a feeling something is missing. Here we will once again introduce Kakizaki's appeal.

Kakizaki is 17 years old and comes from Nagano. When Hiragana Keyaki was formed, she was the youngest member, at 14 years old. When she applied for the auditions, she was in first-year middle school. she had become enamored with Nogizaka46 videos she had seen on YouTube, and yearned to be like them.

Memi (r) comforting a nervous Neru backstage in 2016

Her catch-phrase when she joined was "Hiragana Keyaki's French doll." She liked cute things like lolita fashion and French dolls, and had a strong characterization as a little sister who liked to stick to members physically and not let go.

But on the Keyakizaka show Keyakitte, Kakenai? (TV Tokyo), Nagahama introduced her as "not a flatterer," and explained that she was someone who never lied, but just came straight out with what she felt. At that time, Moriya Akane was feared as "the sergeant," but Kakizaki said she'd like to take her on in arm-wrestling. She had a strong spirit of junior defeating senior.

Nagahama Neru blog: Summer; alone to Lauv's live in Osaka

Somen,   345

Nagahama Neru
2019.05.30


Good evening!


How are things going?
Now it's really gotten hot, eh.

I've finally
Made this year's air conditioning debut.
And somen debut, too!


Have you done other summery things?



A few days ago
I went alone to Osaka to see
Lauv's live!

I was unhappy that I would be working
On the days of the Tokyo and Nagoya performances.
This was the first time I'd gone on a long journey to see a live.

The live was so, so great
I was mesmerized and clapped and clapped.
I'm so glad I went to Osaka...!
I'm still immersed in the lingering memories.


Going by myself, I could only watch alone,
But the person beside me, a girl about my own age, spoke to me:
"Are you by yourself? I am, too!"

We spoke just a bit after that.
During the live she said to me:
"Look over here"....


I was surprised and pleased, quite in a flutter!

Interview: Saitou Kyouko and Kakizaki Memi (Hinatazaka46)

Interview from EX Taishuu magazine April 2019

Highlights:

• Kyouko was thrilled that Hiragana Keyaki got a new name. It will allow them to progress
• Memi was heartbroken to lose the name they had had for three years, even though she likes the new name. She doesn't sound that ambitious, just wants to perform happily
• seeing her burikko performances made Kyouko realize Memi had something special. She thinks Memi is the most idol-like member of the group
• Memi used to hate people calling her burikko, but finally accepted it
• Memi has no objection to performing in any row
• Kyouko works hard to be indispensable to everyone
• when Memi was made co-centre for Hiragana Keyaki's first song, she kept wondering why they chose her
• Memi loves Techi. She admires how Techi is straightforward with everyone and treats everyone the same, and wants to be like that herself
• Kyouko's ideal idol is Ooshima Yuuko. Memi's is Matsuura Aya
• Memi thinks rotating centres is better for an idol group; Kyouko isn't sure whether fixed or rotating is best
• in addition to its "happy aura," Kyouko wants Hinatazaka to bring a "mischievous feeling" to the Sakamichi Series. 

 

Nagahama Neru blog: Budoukan

Budoukan,   344

Nagahama Neru
2019.05.14


Good evening!

It's mid-May
And already totally warm.

May has a green image...

Days of the week have colours, too
And times and numbers also have colours.
I wonder if other people get the same feeling.


May 9-10-11
Were our Anniversary Lives at Budoukan.
They were over in a flash, but so much fun!

NIPPON

Nagahama Neru blog: Reiwa; photos with digital camera; answers to questions

Bob,   343

Nagahama Neru
2019.05.01


Hello.


We've burst into the Reiwa Era.
What was everyone doing yesterday
At the moment the date changed?


I can say "Reiwa,"
But I'm still not used to it.
I somehow feel a bit embarrassed...

Just a month ago,
There was no such word in this world.
But as soon as those unexpected kanji became the notation
We're seeing it all the time in magazine headlines
Society's powers of adaptation are amazing.

I'll leave that now.

But it's so exciting!
It feels like New Year's!



Here I'll post the photos I mentioned recently:

Nagahama Neru blog: Oze-chan takes over Kochi Hoshi radio; pics with a digital camera

Digital Camera,  342

Nagahama Neru
2019.04.30


Hello.

Yesterday was an individual handshake event in Yokohama!
Thank you very much
To everyone who came ٩( 'ω' )و

The Kochi Hoshi 3rd-generation main personality
Is Oze-chan!!
I really thank her. 

Oze-chan is so nice.
She speaks to everyone the same way, without distinction 
(It can be weirdly funny)
She's an elder sister with outstanding charm.
Kochi Hoshi looks like becoming a much more enjoyable show...

Takase Mana says Kakizaki Memi is fine

A tweet reports that, in handshake Monday afternoon, Takase Mana said that Memi is fine, and we should just wait for her return. They ate together on Sunday.

Makuhari Messe 6 May, session 2 handshake report
me: Um, I have something I would like to discuss with Manafi. For Memi's sake, is there anything you can tell us?
Fii: Just to wait. And that Memi is fine. I ate with her yesterday.
me: I see. Thank you for telling me!

のも(郵便屋さん)‏ @nomo_ganaota
5/6 幕張個握 2部 高瀬 3枚 握手レポ 自:まなふぃに相談があるんだけどさー。 芽実ちゃんのために自分たちに何か出来ることはないのかなー？ ふぃ:待ってるだけでいいんだよ！ それに元気だよ！芽実！ 昨日も一緒にご飯食べたし。 自:そうなんだ！ありがとう。教えてくれて！

Another handshake guest says they asked Ushio Sarina, who said they had all eaten together on Monday, including Memi and Kage-chan. (すぎや@gigaccha)


The last bit of info we got before this was a tweet from Memi's father saying he had been up a mountain with his daughter, gathering flowers and lichen for an art exhibition. Close inspection of the figure in the background of the first photo (click to enlarge) suggests it was probably his elder daughter, not Memi.