mAyKB48 (18/48): Chocolove From AKB48

Today we'll take a look at the disbanded subunit Chocolove From AKB48.

Chocolove was comprised of Miyazawa Sae, Akimoto Sayaka, and former member Nakanishi Rena, who  graduated from AKB in November of 2008. While they were the first subunit to release more than one single, hinting at the notion that they were meant to be the first permanent subunit, they nevertheless only produced music from June to November of 2007, with a DVD released later the same year.

Their music consisted almost exclusively of slow, melodic songs. The music is very simple, allowing for the members' voices to be the highlight of the group. Like Warota 7, Chocolove had a clear center in Rena, whose voice falls somewhere between the other two members. The three harmonize well and the overall sound, while maybe not as catchy as the other subunits I've reviewed, is certainly beautiful. Again, this would not be something I would listen to everyday, but it has its place. Here's a video of a performance from 2009.

The real reason I wanted to talk about this group is to illustrate how an early subunit of AKB48 functioned. First and foremost is the name. Chocolove From AKB48 was always promoted with that exact name. It would seem that Akimoto didn't feel a subunit could hold their own at the time without the AKB brand. AKB was still in its infancy, so it's possible that this was simply another way to promote the group as well.

Chocolove, perhaps more than any other subunit, was designed with the intention of highlighting the three girls' voices. I already discussed the way they did this through the music, but it is also evident in the marketing. Though Chocolove released a full CD called Dessert in November of 2007, its 12 tracks represented only 5 different songs. This is because three of the five songs were solos performed separately by each member. The remaining two songs were Chocolove's previous singles, which were released in three versions containing a solo from one of the members. Chocolove's marketing encouraged you to pick a favorite from the three performers and support them by buying the CD with their solo.

Choose!

If you're a fan of their music or one of their members, Chocolove's singles, CD, and DVD are still available at CDJapan. The special editions are sadly out of print.

mAyKB48 (15/48): Watarirouka Hashiritai 7

Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 couldn't be more different from DiVA. Though not thematically labeled, Warota 7 has produce some of the most sickeningly sweet music I've yet heard from any AKB subunit.

This subunit has a pretty complex history. In 2008, a one shot unit known as Okashina Sisters was formed to sing the ending theme of the anime Miricle Mimika. It's members included Oota Aika, Watanabe Mayu, and Nakagawa Haruka.

In October of the same year, Akimoto announced he would be reviving Ushirogami Hikaretai, a subunit of his 1980s idol super group Onyanko Club. Ushirogami is mostly remembered for singing theme songs for the anime High School! Kimengumi and only lasted a year before being disbanded. Akimoto revived the group by having Hirajima Natsumi join the Okashina Sisters and renamed them Watarirouka Hashititai.

February of 2010 saw Kikuchi Ayaka increase the membership to five.

Finally, in June of 2010, Iwase Misaki and Komori Mika joined and the group was renamed Watarirouka Hashiritai 7. Most recently, SDN48's Urano Kazumi has been transferred in to replace Natsumi following her scandal and subsequent departure from AKB.

Like their 80s counterpart, Warota 7 has produced a number of anime themes over their three year history, including songs for Blue Dragon, Fairy Tail, and Crayon Shin-chan. In fact, the members of Warota 7 were animated into two episodes of the Crayon Shin-chan anime, marking the first time members of AKB48 voiced themselves in a cartoon.

If you're looking for bubbly pop music, Warota 7 is the subunit for you. For what they seem designed to produce, they do an exceptional job. And while it may not be something I'd listen to on a daily basis, there is definitely a place for catchy, upbeat music in any collection. The membership roster is formed from some of the cutest girls in AKB as well. Here's a small sample from their newest single "Shonen yo Uso wo Tsuke!" I think it exemplifies the kind of music one can expect from this group.

If you'd like to learn more, I encourage you to look at their website (Japanese), official youtube channel, or pick up some of their merchandise from CDJapan .

mAyKB48 (12/48): DiVA- Vocal and Dance Subunit

With my five 推しメン posts out of the way, I'd like to turn the attention of my next few posts to the music of AKB48. While AKB48 has released several songs which I enjoy, like Beginner and River, a good deal of there music is simply too generic to keep my interest. That's why lately I've found myself attracted more to the subunits of AKB.

Yes, there are subgroups to this massive idol phenomenon and in many ways it makes sense to do this. By creating smaller groups, you can assure that the various personalities within AKB are working on projects they enjoy. Smaller groups are also more accessible to new fans, who may not want to learn anything and everything about the whole of AKB, but are more than willing to follow the careers of a few of their favorites. Furthermore, as many of the groups are themed, you ensure that you're providing your broad fan base with music tailored to their particular interests.

I've found one particular subunit which consistently puts out the kind of music I love: DiVA.

DiVA is promoted as AKB's vocal and dance subunit. Formed in early 2011, DiVA initially consisted of four members: Masuda Yuka, Umeda Ayaka, Miyazawa Sae, and Akimoto Sayaka. I'va already spoken at length about Yuka's amazing singing talent and maintain that she is one of best singers in AKB, but the remaining members are no slouches. Sayaka's voice is not only very strong, but quite distinct. She brings an almost haunting quality to each of the songs. Ayaka is likewise a talented singer and dancer, as evidenced by her private video. Sae has the weakest voice of the four, but fits right in as far as the style of the group is concerned. I also know that she is good friends with Sayaka and they were the first two approached about this project.

Shortly after their formation, it was announced that there would be open auditions for new members of DiVA, with the express aim of increasing the subunit to 10 people. This announcement was met with fan backlash, many of whom felt like the four original members would get lost amid the sea of newcomers. Others feared Akimoto would pull members from various AKB sister groups into DiVA and it would lose the qualities that made it unique. On December 20, 2011, this video was released on DiVA's official channel:

The new members were Inoue Yuina, Kasuya Satoko, Fukuno Ramu, Futami Yuuki, Furukawa Atsuko, and Yamagami Ayaka. All were unaffiliated with AKB beforehand and, even with their inclusion in DiVA, still aren't considered members. Each had been through an exhaustive screening process. Thankfully, most people's fears were assuaged when it was revealed that these girls were only meant to be backup dancers and that DiVA would operate in much the same way that Exile, a fourteen member group with four singers, does. As they are brand new, very little is known about these six other than the fact that they are exceptional dancers. If you are interested in learning more about them I would suggest watching the latest videos from DiVA's official Youtube channel, which just began a series of three minute introduction videos for each.

DiVA's sound tends to be dark and their style reflects the same. I've always been a fan of strong female vocals (two of my favorite bands are Nightwish and Sirenia) and this group doesn't disappoint. It's difficult to put into words exactly why I like them, but they have undeniable talent. Take a look at their latest video and see what I mean.

That song, by the way, is the closing theme of the recent Ultraman Saga film. Look who makes an appearance as Team U, a unit of the Earth Defense Force, in that movie.

Awesome! Anyway, I'm getting a little off topic now. Hope you enjoyed this look at one of the subunits of AKB. If you like what you heard, I encourage you to check out DiVA's official Youtube channel (linked above), their official website, or pick up one of their three singles from CDJapan .

mAyKB48 (11/48): The Collection- Books

Today I thought I'd share a part of our personal collection by discussing the AKB books and magazines my fiancee and I collected during our time in Japan.

First, let's take a look at the AKB48 Visual Books.

With one book per team, these provide a great introduction to the members of AKB. Each member gets a brief bio and a few pages of pictures. There is also a 48 question interview with each girl.

Lastly, the teams each voted for the best member in a variety of fields that range from "best singer" to 

"person who uses their phone the most." The only downside to these books is that they are a few years old and thus some of the information is out of date. I really feel they should release another set of these, especially since I know very little about the members of the most recent team, Team 4.

Next up is a pair of books comprised of pictures taken by AKB members of AKB members: AKB48 Yusatsu.

I like the candid nature of a lot of pictures in these books. I like the profesional photo books too, but it is refreshing to have something a little different. Each picture includes a little description of who is in the picture and who took it. It's fun to see some of the trends in the pictures, like how Oshima Yuko took most of the pictures of Kojima Haruna or how Kashiwagi Yuki and Watanabe Mayu are rarely seen apart from one another.

Next we have the 2010 and 2011 AKB48 Sosenkyo! mooks (magazine books). These are released each year following the senbatsu election and include pictures of the top 40 girls along with their thoughts about the election and their future goals. They also include information on AKB48's recent activities such as music videos and magazine appearances as well as interviews with the producer, Akimoto Yasushi. Another set of books that would make a great start to any collection.

The Limited Edition Kamigami Korin AKB48 is basically a photo book for the most popular members of the group. With the most popular girls getting 12 full-page pictures each, it quickly dwindles down until by the end of the book two members are sharing the same page. The quality of some of the pictures isn't great and it isn't considered an official AKB book. Still, if you want a photo book, especially if you are a fan of a less popular member, it's a decent purchase.

Individual member's photo books seem to be the bread and butter of AKB's print media. Once a member becomes popular enough, they are given a book specifically dedicated to them. You would find these books grouped together in displays at almost every bookstore in Japan. Here we have Amanda's collection of Oshima Yuko photobooks which includes Yuurari Yuuko, Yuko, Whose Are You?, and Yuko no Arienai Nichijo. Though not the biggest Yuko fan, I have to admit that her first photobook is probably the best of the ones we have, including not only a number of great pictures but also an article about her life and several interviews. I recall a bit of controversy with Yuko no Arienai Nichijo when it was first released as she does have a few topless pictures (all from the back or covered of course).

To date, Erena Ono has only released three photobooks (though The Return of Erena Ono is quickly approaching). I have her 14 year-old summer and graduation books, but am missing Kira Kira Power, which is sadly out of print. These two make a nice contrast with one another, being her first and last books under the banner of AKB. It is nice to see how she has grown and matured and the second book includes a few messages from Erena about her departure from AKB.

The remaining three photo books are for Yuki, Atsuko, and Mayu. Atsuko was my #1 oshimen for a long time, actually. It's surprising I don't have more for her. Again, I remember the cover of Mayu's book getting a lot of attention. And before I forget to comment on this, what is the deal with all the pictures of the girls eating something in their photo books? Seems like an odd thread that runs through almost all of them.

The magazines we have are pretty varied, so I'll just talk briefly about each one.

The May 2011 issue of Yanyan, an idol magazine, contained an interview and photo shoot with Miyazawa Sae and Minigishi Minami as well as some info on DiVA, which was just forming at the time. With two articles pertaining to Sae, how could I resist?

In much the same way, I didn't want to pass up this AKB48 special which highlighted Mayu and Yuki and also contained an article on DiVA.

CM Now is a magazine dedicated to commercials. This one was released during a time when a lot of AKB CMs were circulating, including ads for vegetable juice and the ice fruit commercials with the weird composite AKB girl.

Finally, we have the AKB middle school English guidebook. It was just too perfect to pass up. I kind of like the notion of celebrity school books and hope this helped get kids excited about learning, though I don't know how well something like this would do in America.

mAyKB48 (10/48): Review- Majisuka Gakuen

Majisuka Gakuen (Are You Serious? Academy) was a late night television series that originally aired January through March of 2010 on TV Tokyo. Spanning 12 episodes, it featured a cast comprised primarily of AKB48 members, with a few of the more popular girls from SKE48 and a handful of established actors rounding out the cast. As most girls used either their real names or nicknames derived from their interests or personalities, this series can be looked upon as yet another vehicle used to promote these idols outside of music.

The story follows Maeda Atsuko, a transfer student to Majisuka Gakuen, an all-girls academy where fighting is commonplace and students do as they please. Though initially appearing quiet and studious, Atsuko's true nature arises anytime someone asks "Are you serious?" After single-handedly beating a gang known as Team Hormon, Atsuko captures the attention of Rappapa, the most powerful and influential group on campus. What follows is a series of battles to the top, with Atsuko learning about friendship and facing the demons of her past along the way.

Majisuka Gakuen is not for everyone. It may not even be for all AKB48 fans. It suffers from a number of problems, mostly to due with the relative inexperience of AKB48 members in acting roles. Our protagonist Atsuko spends the majority of each episode sitting and speaking very quietly or doing chores at the nearby hospital (she wants to be a nurse.) It is not a challenging role and can be very boring at times. Her best friend Onizuka Daruma, portrayed by SDN48's Nachu, has the opposite problem as she speaks at length in an annoying accent. Meant to be the comedy relief of the series, Daruma only manages to come off as anything more than a nuisance in a handful of scenes. Rounding out the main cast is Atsuko's crew, which quickly forms from her defeated rivals in the first few episodes. Most of them deliver solid performances, though several tend to overblow the tough girl act. A few of the remaining performances stand out and most are passable, but several are either flat or ridiculously over the top.

Hope you like vacant expressions.

Another area that falls flat is the plot. To be perfectly honest, so much slang is used in this series that I have trouble understanding what is going on at times, and thus I miss some of the more subtle nuances. Even so, the series hits a peak too soon in terms of action and the last handful of episodes feel more like going through the motions than building up to a satisfying climax. Also, there is a point about two-thirds of the way through where we suddenly have magic. No explanation, just all of a sudden there are characters that move at super speed or read your memories by touching you. This isn't really a problem, I just wish some sort of explanation or lead in was given beforehand.

And no, I wouldn't really count this as a spoiler.

As a late night series, Majisuka Gakuen had more leeway with depictions of violence, and really it's the fights that were the main draw for me initially. I do feel the battles in this series suffered a bit by not having actors accustomed to fight choreography. Fights are often spliced together from several quick shots, making figuring out what exactly is happening difficult. Slow motion is used a number of times, leading to the feeling that punches aren't hitting with any kind of force.

Still, watching high school girls beat the crap out of each other is the kind of schlock that can make me overlook other negative aspects of the show. In much the same way that the Kamen Rider or Super Sentai series can have me coming back week after week just to see the giant monster fight in the last third of the show, Majisuka Gakuen kept me interested enough to see what new opponent Atsuko and her crew would have to beat down next. A lot of the fighters also had quirky gimmicks or habits that prevented the series from slipping into monotony.

Returning to the acting for just a moment, I'd like to highlight a few of the performances that I think are the best of the bunch.

First off, Oshima Yuko does a great job with her character. She plays the leader of Rappapa, who is slowly dying from some degenerative disease that I'm not sure is ever fully explained. This is a demanding role and a character who is honestly far more interesting than the protagonist. Yuko switches from elation to anger to deep sadness and does it all convincingly. With her thoughts frequently turning to the glory of her past, Yuko makes a nice foil to Atsuko. But where Atsuko forces down all her emotion, and thus becomes a stoic, emotionless girl, Yuko decides to live life to the fullest with the time she has left. When this is no longer an option, the pain and sadness she goes through is palpable and very well handled. This likely has to do with the fact that Yuko came into this role with the most acting experience, being a child actor before joining AKB.

I also feel Watanabe Mayu does a great job as the treacherous Nezumi. She has a small role throughout most of the series, but she manages to walk the thin line between adorable and creepy quite well. The sequel bait at the end of the series suggests she will have a larger role to play in the second season, which I have not yet seen.

But the single best performance has to go to Matsui Rena, who plays the completely psychotic Gekikara. She is the sole reason I feel Majisuka Gakuen hits a high point too soon. Episode 8 is the single most brutal and unnerving episode in the entire series. Gekikara's plan is to systematically beat all of Atsuko's friends to within an inch of their lives in an effort to make her angry. She tortures and displays her victims' bodies like trophies, taking and destroying their signature items to add insult to injury.

It is the one time where I felt like the fighting looks authentic. It is not stylized or overly choreographed, it is just a drawn out punching match against an opponent who loves violence. Also, Rena's performance is nightmare-inducing. I have no idea if she's had any acting experience beforehand, but she does an amazing job. Enjoy this clip:

If you're not already a fan of AKB, I'd highly recommend giving this series a pass until you familiarize yourself with the various members. Part of the series charm is seeing your favorite 推しメン in a role outside of the stage performances. For fledgling fans, there  are shows that give a better glimpse into the personalities and interests of AKB members. I'd recommend variety shows like AKBingo or Suiensa to get started. Still, if you want to watch these girls do something a little different or if you are a fan of the yankee high school genre, it may be worthwhile to at least give the series a look. I can't guarantee that you'll like it, but it has its moments. File this one under guilty pleasure.

Obligatory Sae picture!

mAyKB48 (8/48): Ono Erena- First 推しメン

When Amanda and I first started getting into AKB, we watched all kinds of videos to get a feel for what the group was about and to try and pick out our favorites. My first 推しメン began as a sort of knee-jerk reaction. I felt I needed someone to call my favorite and picked the cutest girl I saw. Little did I know that at the time Ono Erena was actually on her way out of AKB.

Erena was part of the second generation of AKB, joining Team K when it first formed in 2006. She remained there until her graduation from the group in 2010. Wishing to become an actress, she originally planned to move to England to study. The trip never happened and Erena chose instead to pursue a solo career. Her first single is set to be released this summer.

I took notice of Erena when she was actively studying English for her big move. As an English teacher in Japan, this naturally piqued my interest. Surprisingly, I can't find anything online where she speaks English, though I know she was regularly given the English parts of songs during stage performances. I would assume she pursued English more out of necessity than out of an interest in the language. 

Like Sae, Erena spends part of her introduction video showing the gifts and letters that she's received from fans. She also shows off some of her drawings. Erena combines a lot of the qualities I like about other members, but doesn't express them as strongly. She has a few anime that she enjoys, but has never struck me as a hardcore fan. She also clearly loves acting and singing. Unfortunately, I've only seen her in her role in Majisuka Gakuen. Her character only appears for the last few episodes, but she played her part convincingly. Another of her hobbies is photography, which she shares every week on her Nico Nico Douga show. 

Erena may not shine in one category over my other favorites, but there is something about your first 推しメン that makes them hard to let go. Erena is the only AKB member whose blog I regularly read. I'm a member of her official fan club and watch her weekly videos. I'm also really excited about her upcoming single. Her voice has grown amazingly strong over the years. She also wrote the lyrics for her debut song, which I appreciate.

My support of Erena shows that fans' support of their 推しメン need not stop once they leave AKB. If anything, I'm even more interested in seeing where she goes as an independent artist and (hopefully) actress. 

Now, enjoy these pictures of Erena with my other 推しメン:

Erena ans Sae

Erena and Yuka

Of course, Yuki and Mayu are in the same picture.

mAyKB48 (7/48): Kashiwagi Yuki- Attractive 推しメン

Today will be my last entry concerning a current member of AKB. Let's talk about Kashiwagi Yuki.

Yuki, also known as Yukirin, joined AKB with the 3rd generation in 2006. She was one of the original members of Team B alongside Mayu. Yuki has gone on to become the leader and most popular member of the team. She and Mayu have always had a close relationship. While there are lots of examples of pairings within AKB, theirs has always been my favorite.

Yuki's relationship with Mayu was probably what first got me to notice her. They are often classified as "child" and "adult" in terms of their personalities, with Yuki taking on the role of the adult. Here's another clip of the two of them, this time during a game of "honesty chess." Each girl is hooked up to a lie detector and must answer questions the other has prepared ahead of time. 

Yuki occasionally appears on the news delivering the weather forecasts. If you watch the complete episode of the clip above, however, you'd find that she doesn't really consider weather as a hobby or interest.

What keeps Yuki in my top five is the simple fact that I think she is attractive. Though she occasionally looks a little spacey in pictures, she is a very beautiful girl.

As far as her singing ability, I find her to be okay but not great. She is a part of the three member sub-group French Kiss if you want to hear her voice highlighted a bit more. Personally, their music isn't my favorite, but again it isn't because she sings poorly. She was also voted best dancer by the members of Team B, so it's clear that she has real talent as a stage performer.

Yuki may not share my interests or inspire me in any meaningful way as my other 推しメン do, but she has nevertheless stayed on my list for a while now, though admittedly not nearly as long as Sae or Mayu and always near the bottom.  Her interactions with Mayu always make me smile and I feel she fills a niche within my favorites that would be missed without her.

This girl!

mAyKB48 (6/48): Watanabe Mayu- Compatible 推しメン

Continuing down my list, let's take a look at my third favorite AKB member, Watanabe Mayu. And be sure to check out Amanda's 推しメン post on Oshima Yuko here.

Mayu, also known as Mayuyu, is a third generation member, joining the original Team B in 2006. She is one of my 推しメン because she is the AKB member I feel like I would get along with best. While I admire Sae's energy and adore Yuka's singing, I don't have much in common with either in terms of interests or hobbies. Mayu on the other hand is a die-hard otaku. She even chose to buy an anime CD over the release of the AKB subunit No Sleeve's single because she felt it was a "must buy" for her. This may not have won her any friends within the group, but I think it illustrates the intensity of her love for anime.

Mayu has been known to cosplay often, having dressed up as Sheryl Nome and Ranka Lee from Macross Frontier,  Ciel from Black Butler, and Mari from Evangelion among others. She is set to become a voice actress as well, portraying Chieri Sono in the upcoming AKB0048. Mayu made mention of this being the fulfillment of a dream during her acceptance speech for the role. Another of her otaku related hobbies is drawing manga. Here's an example of one of her four panel comics with a brief explanation given by Mayu.

In fact, one of her special abilities is drawing things in under 10 seconds.

It's around here that I tend to mention something minor that I enjoy about the member, so here is Mayu complaining about her dislike for vegetables. This is something I can totally relate to.

I don't think Mayu is a particularly strong singer or dancer, though I know some people are fans of her solo songs. It's not that she has a bad voice, but there is a certain quality to her singing that I don't quite like. Maybe it's just a little too high pitched. Still, she heads up one of the sub-units of AKB so she must be doing something right.

Even without her love for anime and hatred for vegetables, I think Mayu would make my top five. After all, there are several members with a love for anime that don't even come close. Mayu is one of the cutest members of AKB and is so delightfully quirky that I can't imagine not having her as one of my 推しメン. Here's one last short video to give you some idea of what I'm talking about.

Mayu strikes me as someone who would be a lot of fun to hang out with. In that respect, she may embody the concept of "idols you can meet" better than any other member (for me at least). Like Sae, Mayu has shifted around my rankings a bit, but has never dropped out of the top three, a place I think she will hold for a long time to come.

またね！

mAyKB48 (4/48): Masuda Yuka- Talented 推しメン

Today, I'll go over the reasons that Masuda Yuka is my second favorite 推しメン. Believe me when I say there are a lot of them.

Yuka has admittedly not been on my radar for very long, but she has already shot up my list for one major reason. Yuka is one of the best singers in AKB. I mentioned in my last post that someone has to be really exceptional for me to take notice of them and Yuka fits that bill in spades. If you don't want to take the fans' word for it, maybe the opinions of other members of AKB will sway you.

That's the Team B vote for best singer. Note that Yuka garnered 15 out of 16 votes, meaning every other member voted for her. Still it's probably best to show rather than tell, so here's a short clip of her singing alone.

What I find most interesting about that clip in particular is the reaction from the other members of AKB. They are all clearly impressed by the power and range of Yuka's voice.

Yuka joined AKB in Generation 2. She was a member of Team K before a shuffle sent her to Team B where she now performs. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a private video like Sae (that I can find). However, I have found this clip in which she gives a brief introduction by way of impressions.

Because of her early entry into the group, Yuka is one of the few AKB members from Osaka. Nowadays, people auditioning from that region (or any region outside of Tokyo) would likely be encouraged to try out for their closest sister group. Consequently, some emphasis is given to her Osaka accent, which I find rather cute, but the real draw of her upbringing for me is her love for takoyaki. Takoyaki is a popular dish in Osaka and one that Yuka has a borderline obsession with. In fact, "Takoyaki" is one of her nicknames and her catchphrase (as translated in the video above) is "with my bright smile and full of energy, I damn love takoyaki." I've mentioned elsewhere that Ariake prided itself on octopus dishes and that I acquired a taste for it during my time there. It's a small connection to be sure, but it's another detail about her that I enjoy.

Lastly, I feel that Yuka is one of the most attractive members in AKB.

Easy on the eyes, one might say.

I realize this is completely superficial, but look at that picture and tell me that AKB isn't selling sex on some level. This is yet another trait that is often pointed out by other members. One of Yuka's nicknames happens to be "Yuppai," an amalgamation of her name and the Japanese word for boobs. Yuka herself makes mention of her "dynamite body" in her ending for the second AKB 1/48 game, which I will no doubt talk about later.

Still, it was her voice that first attracted me to Yuka, so I feel it fitting to end this post with her most recent solo song "Stargazer." Enjoy!

mAyKB48 (3/48): Miyazawa Sae- Enthusiastic 推しメン

For the next few posts, I'd like to do a short introduction of my top five 推しメン. I'll share a few pictures, write a bit about why I like them, and add some videos I've run across that I feel summarize their personalities. First up is Miyazawa Sae.

When I first started looking into AKB48, I watched a lot of videos for individual members trying to get a sense of all their personalities. One who always stood out in my mind was Sae, currently the eleventh most popular member of the group and my #1 favorite oshimen. Known by her nickname Genking, a mashup of genki (energetic) and king, Sae is almost always cheerful and excited. In Japan, this personality type is known as "high tension."

It's really telling that her introduction video contains so much about her relationship with her fans. Not only does she show off some of the gifts she's received and keeps prominently displayed on her desk, but she talks about how she'll read fan letters when she's feeling sad and afterward feels better.

Though it seems odd to say about someone younger than myself, Sae is an inspiration to me. Working with kids everyday in Japan wasn't always easy and was often very tiring. Still, I would try my best to stay happy for the kids and upbeat about my job, drawing on her enthusiasm for her work. Though I realize this mutual appreciation is superficial at best, it is the main reason she has stayed so high on my list for so long.

Sae had the best ending on the dating sim AKB 1/48. True to her personality, both her good and bad endings were upbeat. She did a decent job with the acting and really made you feel like she was excited you chose her.

Sae's English introductions are always adorable. I don't think she studies English very much, but she tries her best. She really reminds me of my more enthusiastic kids. Due to her sporty nature, Sae is usually cast as the tough or tomboyish member of the group. This isn't a problem in and of itself, but I would like to see more portrayals of her feminine side.

If I were to be completely objective, I would have to admit that Sae isn't the strongest singer in AKB. Honestly though, this doesn't bother me for a few reasons. The first is that it's difficult to single out one person's voice amid the chorus that is the typical AKB song. The second is that I have no ear for music. You have to be either really good or really bad for me to take note of your ability. 

Sae is an example of how personality can play just as large a role in choosing an 推しメン as musical ability. Though my favorites have done some shifting around in the past, Sae is now firmly in the number one position and I don't see that changing anytime soon.