Keyakizaka46 shrine visit group photos -- Kanji and Hiragana -- with names

Keyakizaka46 -- Kanji and Hiragana, with all their generations -- made the group's traditional first shrine visit of the year a few days ago. It was to the Ookunitama Jinja shrine, in western Tokyo.

The visit was briefly reported on the Keyakizaka website, with more info in the manager's blog that goes out only to fanclub members in Japan.

This seemed to me a good opportunity to learn the new members a bit better, as well as to have a record of what the whole group looks like now. Group photos of Kanji, Hiragana, and of the two together.

First, Kanji Keyaki (click all images to enlarge):

back row (l-r): Inoue Rina, Tamura Hono, Seki Yumiko, Matsuda Rina, Fujiyoshi Karen, Matsudaira Riko; Oda Nana, Habu Mizuho, Koike Minami, Ishimore Nijika (with Koike's hand on her arm).

middle row: Takemoto Yui, Morita Hikaru; Uemura Rina, Watanabe Risa, Ozeki Rika, Saitou Fuyuka (leaning leftward, hair sharply parted).

front row: Satou Shiori, Hirate Yurina, Suzumoto Miyu, Nagasawa Nanako, Nagahama Neru, Watanabe Rika, Sugai Yuuka (in white jacket).

1 gens green, 2gens blue. missing: Harada Aoi, Moriya Akane, Yamasaki Ten.

Kakizaki Memi: Fan reaction to the Snow Princess blog post

There has been a lot of fan reaction to Memi's big blog post of photos of her by her sister. Twitter and 5channel have been active. Here is a selection of posts, translated from Japanese -- as well as some examples of fan-made covers for a prospective photobook.

"Kakizaki Memi suits the snow, I think. Even in that white and shining silver word, her smile is blinding" -- Nananero [Twitter nananero_n46, who made the cover]

• the blog's destructive power is awesome. I'm shaken.
• the blog has become something amazing. Thank you, Oneesan [=elder sister]. Looking at this blog post will help me bear the wait for a photobook.
• good work. I like the variation in expressions. Memi kneading the snowball...oshi
• isn't this somewhat better quality than a magazine gravure?

Kakizaki Memi blog: Lots of photos

Lots of photos  

Kakizaki Memi
2019.01.18


Good evening
It's Kakizaki Memi.

Happy New Year! 

Please be nice to me again this year! 

Nagahama Neru blog post: Miho's photobook, Neru's coming-of-age broadcast

Coming of Age Day,   327

Nagahama Neru
2019.01.12


Good evening.


Did you see Whisper of the Heart today?

I thought of how many times I went to the library back home
To watch it.
The feeling of nostalgia gave me a tug in the chest.



And also,
Miho-chan's photobook Hidamari
Comes out next eek.


I got a preview,
And it's a warm and adorable photo collection,

ChanMiho signed it for me! Happy

Nagahama Neru blog: Five films over New Year's; Goddess Pe-chan

Pe-chan,   326

Nagahama Neru
2019.01.09


Hello!


Around New Year's, I watched five films!

Yesterday, I watched A Cook at the South Pole.
Before that, I watched A Silent Voice.
And before that I watched Carol,
Ally, and Lion.

Oh, and I also saw Minion...
And I watched Begin Again for the second time...!


Please, everyone, tell me what films you recommend...



Supremely cute photos of Pe-chan.

Goddess...



It's very chilly out, be careful not to catch cold, eh.
Thank you for reading.

Nagahama Neru

________________________________________________

posted 2019/01/09   11:55h

For anyone who doesn't know, "Pe-chan" is Neru's fellow Keyakizaka46 member Watanabe Rika. Her nickname is the name of her cat, Pe.

Here are the Japanese names of the films Neru saw: 

A Cook at the South Pole -- 南極料理人

A Silent Voice -- 聲の形
Carol -- キャロル
Ally  -- アリー
Lion -- ライオン
Minion -- ミニオン
Begin Again -- はじまりのうた

Only the first two are originally Japanese.











 

Keyakizaka member popularity, as measured by inclusion in Japanese Twitter profiles

One way of gauging entertainers' popularity is to count how many times members are included in Twitter profiles. If you put someone in your profile, you probably really like them.

These Keyaki numbers are generated every month or so by a poster on 5channel, who counts only Japanese Twitter.

The top names by far remain Nagahama Neru, Hirate Yurina and Watanabe Risa. But when we look at the increase from late October's count to this count on the last day of 2018, we see good news for Hiragana, too. Risa is the top gainer, but the new Hiragana centre Kosaka Nao has gained more mentions than Neru (!), second only to Risa. And the members who stand beside her now, Kakizaki Memi and Watanabe Miho, are both in the top seven gainers.

The other big gainer I see is Suzumoto Miyu, who gained the sixth-most of any member.

Here are the full lists: first by absolute numbers, then by gains over the two months.


Mentions in Twitter profiles
[★=Gana 1gen ☆=Gana 2gen]
※()in brackets=increase 10/26 to year-end

14,452 Nagahama Neru (+315)
13,749 Hirate Yurina (+284)
12,036 Watanabe Risa (+398)

*7,745 Sugai Yuuka (+196)
*7,424 Watanabe Rika (+177)
*7,114 Kobayashi Yui (+149)
*4,751 Koike Minami (+157)
*3,877 Suzumoto Miyu (+268)
*3,540 Moriya Akane (+49)
*3,418★Saitou Kyouko (+176)
*3,149 Uemura Rina (+57)

Managers being recruited for Keyakizaka

Seed & Flower, the Sony company that manages both Keyakizaka groups, has announced that it is recruiting managers for the groups.

Experience favored but not required. Monthly salary Y300,000 (just under $3000). Hours of work 11am to 7:30pm. All social insurance fees paid, two days off a week, three-month trial period, transport costs paid, annual vacation after six months' employment.

English-speakers are not the target audience here, but I have translated the recruitment call, just to let people dream. I'll talk about it more after the translation.

_________________________________________________________

• Major recruitment call for staff of quickly advancing idol groups Keyakizaka46/Hiragana Keyakizaka46!
• Seeking candidates overflowing with ambition, with or without experience, who are interested in the entertainment world, and will convey excitement to fans.
• Those who will spare no effort in dealing with people and who take careful pains in doing their work are especially welcomed.
• Management and administrative personnel are also being recruited.
• Those with experience especially welcomed.

• Large recruitment of managers for Keyakizaka46/Hiragana Keyakizaka46!
• Those with experience especially welcomed.