That got me thinking: what is it about my oshimen that makes me want to vote for them? Broadly speaking, how did I even get this far in the first place, that I would even consider thinking about having oshimen and subsequently voting for them/her?
I want to talk about my oshimen (pl.). Undoubtedly, this is going to be a very frank and personal take on all of them.
Let's get rid of terminological issues first. In the grander schema of things, I have only one oshimen. In the strictest (and generally accepted) interpretation of things, there really should only be the one anyway. But if we were to further subdivide into each of the respective sister groups, for formalities' sake I would have four oshimen. One for each sister group. Of course, only one reigns supreme out of the entire 48 Group in my book. Specifically, this is the "kami-oshi".
Now, onto the girls proper.
HKT48: Chiyori Nakanishi ("Chori"). Team H.
A relatively new addition to the "oshimen stable". I never really decided on an HKT48 "oshi" until after I came back from my trip to Japan, because I still was not sure on who to pick. Not to mention they were all too "fresh" in my mind to even consider someone I would pick as my favorite out of the group. But I settled on one eventually, after some consideration within myself.
A strange choice perhaps. Not nearly as senbatsu-grade (or potential) like Haruppi or Sakura, or even Mio or Meru (as is the trend these days). None of that "cute HKT48 freshness" that the aforementioned (and a few others) possess. In fact, Chori is anything but cute. And no, just because one posts selfies with love hearts and other miscellaneous decor, airbrushed and all, in some "cutesy" pose does not automatically make her "cute". Not everyone can pull off and exhibit that "cute" look, not to mention that cuteness is entirely in the eye of the beholder. It may seem appropriate in the idol world to be "cute" but I don't see the idol world with that much of a rigid view.
But why Chori? First, let's backtrack a little. Just like a lot of fans (overseas), media exposure is usually the first real look at a member's character, her interests and so forth. Enter Hakata Hyakkaten, that (now finished) two-season HKT48 variety show. That, too, was my first real look at the HKT48 girls. Initially, it was Aoi (Motomura) that struck me first. Sakura just looked a tad too... "young" for my tastes, and I wasn't too keen on the "budding new ace" Haruppi. But even then, it was still early days; I hadn't made up my mind and although Aoitan certainly did look intriguing(ly cute) enough, I wasn't completely sold. Then there was Chori and Aanya, those two loud comedic princesses of HKT48. If you know me, I have a strong (but not exclusive) preference for characters that are funny, lively; those that make me smile and laugh. One look at my current rankings will tell you that. Immediately, those two had hit the spot.
Over the months gone past, in my head, I started to develop a "shortlist" of sorts. Nothing formal like writing it down somewhere, but more a random collection of observations and thought associations I had with each member that interested me in HKT48. Then I went to Japan and subsequently returned a few weeks after. Thus I made my decision: Chori it was.
There were really only three other members I had in mind: Haruppi, Aanya and Sakura. (Not saying I completely ignored the others - I mean, Cinnamon and Aoitan were rather endearingly cute in person for example - but these four struck out the most as possible "oshimen material". And Sasshi would be taking the easy way out, not to mention I wanted someone that was a bit more "fresh").
I didn't think Haruppi was someone that would be suitable for my tastes; I just didn't catch on to her semi-bubbly, lively character. She's a nice person, but "nice" gets you only so far. Then there was Aanya. What kind of surprised me was that she turned out to be less crazy than I had originally observed from media. A bit "softer", dare I say. Not to the point of a complete 180 degrees turnaround of course, but certainly not as eccentric as I had thought she would be. Still a fun person overall, and still the "Sasshi protege" but I was expecting a little bit more from the semi-Russian. To be honest, Sakura came close. Lively, receptive, bubbly. Hard not to like. But - yes I know this sounds a little shallow a reason and daft an argument - I just couldn't get over her appearance. Politely speaking, she looks just a tad too "fresh" for my liking. Bluntly speaking, "loli bait". Now I don't blame Sakura for this, but it's more of a preference thing that I just couldn't ignore.
In the end, it was a close call but Chori won the flag. Slightly brash, but with a slightly feminine touch. Not the prettiest in my book, but more than makes up for it with lots of character. Loud, talkative, just a bit crazy and certainly hilarious to watch at times. It's that sort of gag-type, slightly off-kilter and random person I tend to like. Of course, she has her "normal" side, which I don't mind too much. In fact, I wish she trolled more and was less reserved. But that aside, she's got the thumbs up - or rather, bro-fist - from me.
As I said, I like my trolls. Chori isn't that much of one, to be honest. Which, incidentally, leads me onto the next person.
NMB48: Miyuki Watanabe ("Mirukii/Milky"). Team N (AKB48 Team B).
Let me say this right off the bat. Milky is anything but cute, anything but bubbly. Her hundreds of selfies on Google+ be damned. She's not hot either. I suppose that gets rid of a majority of reasons why people tend to like Milky. Unfortunately, I didn't get to personally experience her legendary handshakes, but even if I did, that wouldn't have changed anything to be quite honest. Having gotten rid of some of the biggest factors behind Milky's popularity, why her?
Behind that seemingly deceptive big, wide grin lies one of the most genuinely hilarious characters to watch in the entire 48 Group, in my opinion of course. It's the face of a troll character that keeps me coming back for more, and pretty much the sole reason why I bought her photobook. Speaking of her photobook, it's the best expression of her jovial character - free-spirited, cheeky, silly and even with a tinge of "blackness". Watching her poke fun at other members' expense almost always makes me smile (I'm looking at you, Nana). Very apt, then, that she's inherited the nickname "Warukii". Personally, I don't see her "fishing tactics" as one designed to appease the inner wota's cutesy appeal, but I see it as her most widely recognisable expression of her aforementioned behavioural characteristics. Like someone that knows how to mess around with all the stock standard idol tropes, projecting herself as of a stock standard idol, but then also proceeds to inject some cheeky fun into it. Certainly, then, she is (rightly) the "boke" to the "tsukkomi" of Sayanee.
Actually, when I first got into NMB48, I started off with Sayanee. Milky came second, and the rest soon followed after her. Over the months that passed in the fandom though, Milky's character started to have a much bigger impact on me than Sayanee's. I can't pinpoint it down to one specific factor, but rather a combination of multiple factors: from TV and variety shows, to social media and elsewhere. Of course, Sayanee has a peculiarly eccentric character at times, as expressed through her own sense of humour, just like most of the Nambans do. But I like the parody, the troll, the satire. I don't suppose anyone will share the same sentiments as I do, however I do sense that essence in Milky. Grinning unabashed whilst dishing humourous dirt on Nana during NMB48 Geinin? Right up my alley, sir.
If you were to ask me, I personally feel Milky has slightly more going for her right now than her counterpart Sayanee. This is on an overall basis, mind you, not just one or two factors. Having said that, the two are really the NMB48 analogues of the Jurina-Rena debate up in Nagoya. A year or two ago, if I had to answer such a question, I would have said the reverse. Nevertheless, if we were to take an acid test of the current state of affairs right now, I see Milky's momentum as being the greater of the two. Even the official election guidebook this year has framed the pairs perfectly: the two aces, Jurina and Milky, and the two (in my own words) anchors, Sayanee and Rena. One spearheads the group's public image, the other solidifies the group proper. But as I have outlined above, on this occasion, I would pick the former.
A good thing, then, that Milky's serving double duty in both NMB48 and AKB48. Along with Jurina, it's a justifiably good move, if not merely for its strategic intent. More than that though, her being in mainline AKB48 gives us fans another reason to grin widely: the formation of the aptly named W Watanabe duo.
AKB48: Mayu Watanabe ("Mayuyu"). Team A (ex-Team B).
What better way to combine a troll type than with a cute, obsessive fangirl. Of course, Mayu has had plenty of "pairings" long before Milky existed anyway. First there was Mayu x Rabutan (now somewhat broken due to Watarirouka's inactivity of late). Then there was the Oshiri Sisters (now viewed with more intent and seriousness thanks to the forthcoming election). And of course, "MaYuki" (now frayed a little due to the recent Tokyo Dome shuffles). Seems reasonable, then, to infer that Mayu's character is adaptable with all sorts of pairings.
I've had a long history with Mayuyu. I won't dwell on the history of how I came to like her and why she was my first "official" oshimen, since I've already elaborated on it in a previous post. But I want to look back at the time then, and look at the current state of affairs now, both for me on a personal level and the entire fandom/group as a whole.
Mayu's grown up a lot. Back in those days of yore when I first signed up to this whole fandom, it was twintails or nothing. Cute CG idol was her name, and Watarirouka Hashiritai was her platform to acedom. Never mind that she was also a self-proclaimed otaku - that was a bonus which effectively sealed the deal for me. Whilst perhaps her role as Nezumi (in Majisuka Gakuen) was a bit of a breakout with regards, and in direct contrast, to her sugary image, she's never really deviated hugely from that "cute little girl" character.
Part of her growth could well be symbolised by "her bangs and her fringe". Along with the aforementioned twintails, they were a part and parcel of the signature "Mayuyu look" as I saw it. Yet although she was a determined person, it sometimes got the better of her: witness the 2010 election statements ("I'm not satisfied with 5th place!") or those infamous AKBINGO segments where she cried because she lost a game. Maturity had not yet fully developed. She was still very much, then, a cute little girl.
It wasn't until at least a year or two ago that we started to see some changes. Gone were the side bangs, and her fringe was gradually being trimmed. Then she got her first major solo single debut. We were starting to witness her post-Watarirouka maturity in action. By the time her second solo single came along, there was an immediately significant signal: she was to move on from her signature twintail look. A sign that she desired to shed her overly cute image in favour of someone more mature and refined. Enter her current long haired look as it stands today. Her mannerisms, too, progressed from merely someone who was just a cute, but utterly dynamic, little "CG idol" to a more mature, much more capable idol with a bit more flair and pizzazz. There were other changes to her image too: out came the anime-loving otaku, and in came her newfound obsession with the Takarazuka Revue. Even with all these progressive changes throughout the years, I feel that she still hasn't lost the heart of an obsessive teenage fangirl - just that her fangirling has shifted elsewhere. In any case, perhaps as a response to desiring broader public appeal, her popularity and fan demographic has improved. Still cute, but now with a more developed maturity and a refined image to go along with it.
That's not to say she's perfect, of course. Her dancing skills may be sharp but as the documentary served to highlight, there's competition in the form of Jurina. Although she has definitely grown throughout the years, she's still a generally introverted person. I wouldn't call her out as being unsociable - in fact, I'd argue she's broken out of her shell a little over the years - but loud she most certainly is not. Quiet, absolutely, but not to the near-apathetic levels of, say, Paruru. Or even the former Acchan. Being constantly in the media spotlight has helped her improve her communication and social skills, but there's still some ways to go, especially when you consider other members in the same league as her. In any case, she is most definitely on track to become one of the central pillars of the next-generation of AKB48, especially when the inevitable happens and Yuko graduates (oh, did I suddenly upset a few people?). The fact that she can now be compared side-by-side with Yuko in terms of group prestige, especially with regards to election odds, shows how far she has come since the days of the 1st-/2nd-gen oligopoly. But I think a further polishing of her image and being less introverted than even now can go a long way to gaining even more widespread support. After all, she may as well be the forthcoming next "image" of AKB48.
Perfect time to stay on the bandwagon, right? Well, suffice to say, I've moved on. It's most definitely not her fault though. She hasn't lost any of the original elements since the days when I first joined the fandom. In fact, I'd say that because she's grown so much in the group over the years, she's gained even more appeal for me since then. It's a material improvement over the formula that I grew so fond of. But it's also the appropriate time for me to consider change, especially considering there are over 200+ other odd members to pique my interest. And there was this one member, in particular, that threatened the entire equilibrium as far as my personal fandom was concerned.
SKE48 / 48 Group: Akari Suda ("Akarin", "Dasu"). Team KII (ex-Team S).
Trying to explain why people like a certain oshimen is a little like trying to explain why the Earth is round. "Because it just is". "Because people like her. Nothing more, nothing less". But I'll persist.
It's no secret that I've oshihened. But it was a long and arduous process internally. As far as it concerned my personal fandom, the latter half of 2012 was a bit of a transitional period.
My view was that "oshihening" was to be frowned upon. I mean, given how much investment I had originally made in Mayu (both emotionally and financially), it would be poor form to suddenly ditch her and go for another. I wouldn't go so far as to suggest it's like "cheating" in a real relationship, but there were elements of that in my view. Given my conservative way about going things, I didn't want to make myself look bad. Hence it was a constant internal process akin to a "tug of war" between two powers that be: one new-found love and the one that I really didn't want to let go of. In the eyes of the public, it was a game of denial and spin, not too dissimilar to any modern (Australian) Labor-Liberal Coalition political soap opera. Or farce, rather. You could see me as trying to "save face". It was always going to be Mayu, my "official" oshimen, the one that everyone knew, wota or not. Who, besides invested fans, knew about this Akarin person? Not many, relatively speaking. But I just couldn't ignore the fact that she was starting to take over my fandom heart. Slowly, but surely.
Again, most of the "history" of how she suddenly came into my fandom life I have already explained briefly. However, back when I wrote that blog piece, it was still the period of constant political denial. Having now shoved the long-standing Yukirin off the #2 perch, the threat to the queen started to become a reality. Everyone professed to know where my heart lay; I just shrugged it all off publicly. It was a case of the action not matching the words. But it was only because I couldn't bear to forsake my initial investment into Mayu, the one I've been with since the start of my personal fandom. What I realised in the end was that it was more wrong, and rather unhealthy, to keep on this pattern of denial within myself (and in public). In the end, I had to make a decision: the time is right to invest in new forms of growth and to move on. There was really no other choice. Therefore, at the start of this year, I officially oshihened.
So what about Akarin? To most new people that observe the group via media, she's either "that (or one of those, rather) handshake woman(/-en)" or "that really flexible girl in SKE48". But the way I see it, there are multiple levels to her personality and character. Not that she's suffering from any sort of bipolar disorder, but there's more to her than meets the eye.
The most immediately striking perception is that she's one of the biggest sugary narcissists I have ever seen (and met) in the entire 48 Group. Not just demonstrated in the thousands of selfies she's taken over the years, but also during live event (stages, concerts) MCs, often promoting herself to the slight chagrin of her fellow members and eliciting quite a few facepalms. (In good jest, of course, and if anything, it's more of a running joke anyway.) One particular SKE48-oriented "relationship chart" I saw nailed it in the head - not linked up with anyone in particular, except for an arrow that goes back to herself with the note "Likes herself". Of course, this apparent "pushy" narcissism is about all it takes for the average 48 Group Joe to make their judgement call: you either love her or hate her, there's rarely ever a middle ground. I obviously fall deep into the former camp, but I know just as plenty in the latter.
Delve a little deeper and, as made (in)famous by this following clip, you start to think she's just a little black-hearted. That sugary image comes at a price, right? Almost like a poor man's Yukirin. Surely it's all just a little bit pretentious, to the point that it's plainly obvious her fishing is, well, just all that and nothing else much beside.
In fact, I'll be frank: I'm actually worried that in the long-run, she'll be regarded as just a one-trick pony. Sure, she has many other minor facets (which I'll explain later) but in the media eye, she's just the handshake fisherwoman and a super flexible girl that managed to single-handedly one-up a few Olympic medalists along the way. In fact, beyond just "I want to become a solo idol" as far as short-medium term aspirations go, it's a little vague. Although the initial fear I had of not fitting into KII have now subsided for the most part, in the grander scheme of things, the reality is, she's seemingly squuezed into this vacuous black hole that lies between the "established senbatsu group" (Jurina, Rena and, to some extent, Churi) and the "next-generation aces of the 48 Group group" (Yuria, Non, Nao, Nannan). Whilst it's not problematic right now, time, and managerial strategy, will only tell where she will end up in the medium-long term.
Most people would have stopped at her blackness and called it quits by now. Well, that's unless you've already been hooked by her charms. The rewarding thing is, once you've got past all those seemingly negative perceptions about her, you get to the major reasons why she's now firmly cemented her place as my oshimen. And I imagine it may be some time yet before I even think about switching, or at least I may even consider graduating myself from this very fandom if she does likewise.
In short, you come for her sugar-dolloped fishing charms, but you stay for her depth of sincerity.
What one might view as pushy self-promotion, when you start read a lot of personal interviews and her own personal comments about various things in life, within and outside of SKE48 alike, you come to realise that she merely has a high degree of determination. Pushing herself to the limits. A sense of personal drive and commitment, without wanting to give up. No different to everybody else in the 48 Group, really - only that she attempts to make her star shine brighter than everyone else's. Sure, sometimes she does get a little too irrational in her thinking during moments of hardship (the manager and SKE48 shuffles highlighted this aspect pretty clearly) but then, I suppose most people do initially before taking some time to think over the implications properly. In any case, at least it gives her room to learn and grow because, especially since she's now in KII, there's plenty of opportunity for that to happen. But there's more.
To her fans and members (especially her kouhai) alike, she's incredibly kind and communicative. The 5th and 6th-gen kenkyuusei view her favourably and look up to her. Conversely, she often hangs around their G+ leaving encouraging comments, and writing about them on her blog if, say, they perform as unders in a stage performance that evening. If fans pose a question to her via fan mail, then she will try to answer it on her blog (and, this is just my assumption only, considering the volume of letters she gets, I suspect most (maybe not all) questions that are mailed to her get answered eventually in some shape or form). She tries her best to remember fans, particularly if they've done or given something memorable for/to her. It's that sense of belonging and warm sweetness about her, making you just a bit more included and perhaps even recognised. The type that makes you, and I'd go insofar to suggest she wants you to, see beyond her fishing. The type that wants you to come back to her handshakes not because you want to get fished for "sales" again, but because you miss that warm, slightly gentler character as a "regular customer". The type that makes you want to support her (although I guess this point speaks for everyone's oshimen).
This, to me, is the brilliance with middle-tier members like Akarin. Too popular, and you're swamped with hundreds more fans and her not having enough time (due to work commitments) to possibly recognise you out of the (tens of) thousands of individuals fans (and hundreds of letters, gifts, etc.) that she has. Too unknown like a Kenkyuusei, and although you're likely to get instant personal recognition, she's still relatively unfamiliar to a lot of people besides hard(er)core wota. (Of course, if you swing either extreme, be my guest - I'm not going to criticise your preferences. Just stating the reality). Really though, it's that sense of personal belonging as a fan that made me stayed; the events of April 2013 effectively sealed the oshimen deal for me. I'll be frank, I would never have gotten the same level of treatment if I went through exactly the same process with Mayu.
To top it all off, well, looks are in the eye of the beholder but hers hit my personal sweet spot. I lean towards the "cute but homey" sort of look rather than the "hot model" style (and fashion), and she pretty much delivers the former in spades. Slightly plump, but not too plump without veering off into the "stick" territory either. Whether with makeup (thankfully, frankly, she doesn't over-deliver in this department usually) or without, she's pleasing on the eyes without making you feel (too) guilty about clamoring for unrealistic (read: plastic) looks. A very sort of normal-looking person that you could foresee possibly existing in your own personal (real) life circles. And of course, her charming trademark smiles and giggles. Yes, once you get hooked, it's incredibly addictive.
As a bonus, but ultimately a minor point, for me, she's my age (albeit not to the ridiculous extent as another famous member I know...). Most people don't really care about this aspect with regards to oshimen - in fact, it's a moot point in choosing an oshimen (or rather, as some may view it, the oshimen that chose). But I prefer the image that leans on reality, rather than on the fantasy, as if she (or they) existed in my world in some parallel
Honestly, if I had stayed with Mayu for the long haul, and if I presumably never have ever gotten to know Akarin, I may have actually considered graduating from this fandom sooner. As it stands now, my "fandom lifespan" has been indefinitely extended, at least until Akarin graduates. Ultimately, I prefer compelling stories of growth - that's not to rain on Mayu's very own growth story as I have elaborated above, but you kind of want something that gives you even greater heights of return for your investment into the fandom.
And you know what? Akarin gives me a lot more happiness. It's that simple.
*Kudos if you know which anime this is referenced from
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