(I was originally meant to do this after the livestream ended but i had an assignment due in so it's been postponed until now OTL)

(I was meant to have this done the day after my assignment but I caught a cold AND had my senior ball so dammit it's been over a week now)

In case many people do not know the amazing news, just over a week ago Sashihara Rino ranked first for the third time (and second consecutive) in the AKB48 45th Single Senbatsu Sousenkyo with 243,011 votes (defeating her previous record of 194,049 votes). Sasshi has solidified her position as the wall of the Sousenkyo, and not even her closest rival, Watanabe Mayu, can take the top spot from her. Congratulations Sasshi!

 

If anybody has seen my posts from the previous two years, please know that I am not going to follow any of the patterns for this year, because I have a lot to talk about. Instead, I'm going to talk about each unit, summarise what I think about that unit, and give my opinions on the members. Here we go!

 

SENBATSU

Overall, I am very impressed with this lineup, because not only was the calling for this ranking one of the most interesting that I have ever witnessed, but because we are finally feeling the new generation of AKB48 rise. 2014 and 2015 disallowed for the transition from old to new to begin, but 2016 did me proud. And what a strong lineup the Senbatsu is this year. I just really hope that they don't make a KFC 4.0 because that concept is getting old af.

Now onto the members themselves (excluding Sasshi. Already talked about her):

I am so proud of Mukaichi Mion (#13), Okada Nana (#14) and Takahashi Juri (#15). They are the true faces behind the new generation and are showing that they can play alongside the big guns of the group. Hopefully in the next year or two, we can see Naachan and Jurichan leading AKB to victory, with Miion as the ultimate ace.

Nyan Nyan Kamen (#16) ... she was entertaining, what can I say? Everyone knew that Kojima Haruna was going to announce her graduation, but it still felt kinda sentimental at the same time. But back to the entertaining aspect of her gimmick, omg she brought Oshima Yuko out. I wish that I had a screenshot of Matsui Jurina's face during the entire thing. She was priceless.

Miyawaki Sakura (#6), Kodama Haruka (#9) and Muto Tomu (#10) are three other new gen members that I'm glad to see in this lineup. I honestly had hopes to see Sakura in the top three, but I guess I'm going to get that next year instead.

Kashiwagi Yuki (#5) was someone that I did not expect to drop as hard as she did. Sure, she only fell three placings, but when you were #2 in the previous Sousenkyo with 160,000+ votes, ranking at #5 with only 90,000+ votes isn't very pleasant. But, at the least, she seemed slightly relieved?

Kitahara Rie (#12) is someone that I love even more after the Sousenkyo. She really is taking her position as the captain of NGT48 seriously, and cares so much for the group. But damn her speech made me wanna go and give Ogino Yuka such a large hug (seriously, she was shaking from crying too hard).

Yokoyama Yui (#11) and Shimazaki Haruka (#8) are my two favourite members in AKB48, but I honestly don't have much to say about them, except that I'm proud that they changed their speech delivery for this year. Yuihan didn't have a heart attack, and Paruru talked for longer than two minutes. The same goes for Matsui Jurina (#3) and Yamamoto Sayaka (#4). Everyone AMORE!

Watanabe Mayu (#2) was who I was backing for the Senbatsu Center, even though I knew that Sasshi was going to keep her crown. I'm just very glad that Mayuyu took the result with a rather calm heart and didn't have a hissy fit *coughs*suda2k15*coughs*.

And for Suda Akari (#7) ... yeah ...

 

UNDERGIRLS

 

Yet another unit whose lineup I am impressed with. This is the first Undergirls unit in years that truly represents what the Undergirls is all about - the up and coming members of 48G (with a few older faces thrown in there for good luck). I'm honestly so interested to see what they have in store for a Minegishi Minami center.

Now onto the members themselves:

Minegishi Minami (#17) honestly deserved to rank in Senbatsu so much, but I am proud that she at least got the chance to center a unit, and that unit be Undergirls. Now she is going to become the last remaining 1st gen member, and I want to see what she can do with the rest of her days in AKB48.

I knew something would happen with Takayanagi Akane (#20) and her rank after the miracle that was last year's Sousenkyo. The SKE wotas seemed to be mass voting for both Suda Akari and Souda Sarina (#30) this year, whilst last year the SKE vote (or, more specifically, the Matsui Rena vote) went in favour of Churi and the SKE48 invasion. However, I'm very glad that she managed to get a reasonable placing this year - she could have done much worse.

Congratulations to my baby Komiyama Haruka (#21) for ranking for the first time this year, and in such an incredible fashion as well! I am so proud of her, and am so glad that her mini-push on KnBmB worked in her favour (seriously, I think she was on almost every song on that single).

Also wanna send out a massive shoutout to Yabuki Nako (#28) for ranking for the first time ever and on her birthday, too. Seriously, that is such an amazing birthday present, I can't even imagine how she must've felt when the crowd was yelling her name.

One person I am surprised to still see in this Undergirls lineup is Tomonaga Mio (#23). She was actually one of my picks to move up into Senbatsu this year, but instead she moved down two spots. Hopefully next year my prediction will come true, because even if her talent isn't that bearable (I love her, but let's be honest here, she cannot sing nor can she act), she is adorable and makes for a great ace.

My Undergirls beauties by far are Iriyama Anna (#18) and Shiroma Miru (#24). Seriously, their visuals slay hard. I honestly do hope that if both decide to put their names forward for next year's election that they make it into Senbatsu alongside Mio. We need even more fresh (okay, maybe Annin and Mirurun aren't that fresh) blood in that lineup.

One member of this lineup that I know was disappointed with her rank was Furuhata Nao (#29), and it wasn't because she had slipped slightly in rank. This is because I know how much she wanted to reach Senbatsu, and become that fresh SKE blood in that lineup. Knowing what I do about Nao, the sting of her rank would've stayed for a moment or two, but she would get back up and prove why she's one of the aces of Team KII.

To be honest, I really do not care too much about the rankings of Kojima Mako (#19), Oba Mina (#22), Kato Rena (#26), Kawamoto Saya (#27) and Oshima Ryoka (#32). Renacchi is one of my favourite members, too, but I really do not care much about her ranking. The only thing that I can take from these rankings is that Kojimako is being left behind in favour of Naachan, and that Sayaya is the draft member not to be messed with. Congratulations to them, though, for making Undergirls.

There are also two members in this lineup that I am not familiar with, and that is Okita Ayaka (#25) and Takeuchi Saki (#31). But congratulations to them as well, nonetheless.

 

NEXT GIRLS

In case you could not tell, this unit has become HKT48 central, with seven of the sixteen positions going to their members (the HKT oshi in me screams in joy about this feat, because these are my girls). This is a solid lineup, like the others, but it also seems like the unit that begins the whole "most of these members don't belong here" concept that you will see in the next two units, also.

Now onto the members themselves:

To be honest, we all know what a song centered by Yagura Fuuko (#33) is going to look like. She is one of my favourite members of NMB48, but they don't seem to be doing much for her apart from cute or feminine concepts. Although, I will give them credit for keeping her to these concepts, because she would not suit a dark concept at all *coughs*punkish*coughs*.

Matsuoka Natsumi (#46) is my kami-oshi in 48G and I am so proud of her for getting into Next Girls this year (the previous two years she's been stuck in Future Girls). I know that she was aiming for Undergirls center, so she was a bit disappointed with her result, but she's getting one step closer to her original goal.

Speaking of girls that I am proud of, my child Tomiyoshi Asuka (#42) finally got the chance to rank! I honestly think that her ranking was the moment that made me the happiest; not even the rankings of my top oshimen could outdo how happy I felt for Asuka. Let the Tomiyoshi revolution commence!

One member whose rank I was surprisingly happy about was that of Ego Yuna (#35). She has never been one of my favourite SKE48 members, and honestly I cannot understand her push apart from her looking cute and being the perfect , but I found myself smiling when she ranked. I might grow fond of her by this time next year. Three other members that I felt happy for in this sense are Yabua Shu (#39), Fujie Reina (#41), and Tanaka Miku (#45).

Congratulations Kuranoo Narumi (#34) for becoming the highest-ranked Team 8 member in history, and one of the only two members of the team to rank in the Sousenkyo. Many expected someone like Nakano Ikumi or Sakaguchi Nagisa (#70) to become the member that would rank high in Sousenkyo, but instead that honour went to Narumi instead.

Motomura Aoi (#36) came back with a vengeance after dropping all the way from Next Girls to #80 last year. I think HKT wotas wanted to make sure she was not forgotten by management after her fall, and her exclusion from the senbatsu of HKT's latest single (I love them, but the only thing I remember about that song was that it's about weddings and they are beginning a trend of can-can movements in their title tracks).

There are three members that I am very surprised to see in this lineup, which are Kizaki Yuria (#38), Fuchigami Mai (#40) and Tashima Meru (#43). I had the expecteation in my mind that they would all keep their spot within Undergirls - nothing more, and nothing less. So their drops in rank were very surprising for me. I won't lie, I almost cried hearing Meru's name being so low.

There are once again some members in here that I am happy for but could not care less about their rank, and those happen to be Sasaki Yukari (#38), Sutou Ririka (#44), Mogi Shinobu (#47) and Inoue Yuriya (#48). Congratulations, nonetheless.

 

FUTURE GIRLS

   

And now welcome to the unit that includes a center that I am not familiar with! I am sure that Futamura Haruka (#49) will do a splendid job as center, but the lineup she has with her is going to make this unit even more amazing. A very solid lineup that looks like another Next Gen group of members; definitely representing what Future Girls is all about.

Now onto the members themselves (excluding Harutamu):

There are several members within this unit that I did not expect to drop as hard as they did, or stay stuck around the Future Girls area. These are Moriyasu Madoka (#50), Kojina Yui (#53), Tani Marika (#55), Shibuya Nagisa (#56), Sakaguchi Riko (#59) and Kitagawa Ryoha (#64). A lot of these members I also really like too (Tani, Nagisa, Rikopi, Uha) so I'm slightly sad that they're stuck within the lower ranks of the Sousenkyo. Tani, like Mio, was one of my picks to enter Senbatsu this year, but instead she found a place in the fourth of five units. Hopefully they'll gain either momentum or redemption next year.

Before I was extremely proud of Asuka, there were three other members that garnered my pride, and these are Takeuchi Mai (#54), Ueki Nao (#58) and Sakai Mei (#63). They're finally gaining the love that they deserve, and I am so happy about this. I remember freaking out when I saw Meimei's name so high up in prelim rankings, and I flipped out when her name was called at the Sousenkyo. Same with Takeuchi-senpai and Naochan.

Someone who has been really catching my attention through the Sousenkyo is Iwatate Saho (#51). I didn't even know who she was before the 6th Senbatsu Sousenkyo back in 2014, and when she ranked I finally got the chance to be introduced to her. Now that she's ranked again, and at an even better placing than previously (#66, I believe), I think she is becoming one of my favourite Team 4 members.

Komada Hiroka (#60) is another member who catches my attention through the Sousenkyo, despite knowing about her previously. I freaked out when she ranked for the first time back in 2014, like Sahoho, and was quite saddened when she didn't rank last year. But now she has come back with quite an amazing placing too, and I hope HKT wota can make it stay that way.

Even though I felt bad about one of the next two members last year, this year I honestly could not care less about the rankings of Nishino Miki (#61) and Owada Nana (#62) except in the sense that they're becoming the forgotten aces of their respective generations. Miki is being left in the shadows whilst Mako and Naachan get that push to the front, and Naanya has completely lost her ace position to Miion. Hopefully they get their true redemption someday.

Like a few other units, there are two girls that I am not familiar with. Aside from Harutamu, this is Ota Yuuri (#52) and Okada Ayaka (#57). If I'm thinking correctly, they're both NMB members as well? My knowledge of NMB and its members sticks to the most popular or pushed, and those that only seem to perform in the theatre. But congratulations, nonetheless.

 

UPCOMING GIRLS

And to round off what I suspect would be an amazing single is yet another solid lineup, yet to be honest this does not scream "Upcoming Girls" to me at all (like all the other Upcoming Girls lineups that have come and gone). There are some members here that are definitely going to become major stars in the near future, whilst others are here simply because their fanbase has decreased and their journeys are reaching their end. Either way, I can't wait to see what Aki-P has in store for them.

Now onto the members themselves:

First of all, congratulations to Miyamae Ami (#65) for managing to graduate from SKE48 in style, by landing the centre position (and everyone in SKE freaking out about it). Although it was quite a large drop from her Next Girls position last year, it is still quite the feat, because not everyone can land a spot at the centre of a unit.

There are quite a few charmers in this group, which happen to be Kishino Rika (#66), Yamauchi Suzuran (#71), Akiyoshi Yuka (#72), Omori Miyu (#73) and Murashige Anna (#80). Even if you don't find them charming at this very moment, you will soon be hit with them and fall in love. One member's charms I have to point out in particular is Rikanyan's, who totally caught my attention when I somehow found myself going on dates with her in 1/149 Renai Sousenkyo. If you ever get your hands on that game, do the same. It's something you'll never regret.

There are two members here that I did not expect to have a heavy drop from their previous ranks, and they are Kimoto Kanon (#68) and Sato Sumire (#75). I gasped when each of their names was announced, because I did not expect to hear them be called so early. They both also happen to be two of my favourite SKE members (with Non as my 2nd favourite, after Jurina), so I hope they get their redemption next year, if they don't plan on graduating before that.

Kato Minami (#76) became the sole NGT48 representative (excluding Kitarie, of course) in the Sousenkyo, and I couldn't have been more proud for her. She just-so-happens to be my oshimen in the latest sister group as well, with so much appeal that nobody can compare to her. I seriously do not understand the reason why she never got the centre position in NGT songs and Okappa did, excluding the fact that the latter has short hair in her playing field.

Two members I love but think have run their course in Sousenkyo are Yoshida Akari (#77) and Miyazaki Miho (#78). I think all of us were expecting to see Myao reach a much higher rank due to her recent re-push, but she wasn't able to get higher than her rank from two years ago. Akarin, on the other hand, is someone that I thought would have gotten a bit higher based on her YouTube channel alone (which is great you should all go and check it out). I guess the odds aren't ever in her favour anymore.

Taniguchi Megu (#69) was a member whose appeal I never understood at first, but I guess it was her interactions with Naachan that made me so happy when she finally did rank this year. I can definitely see her becoming one of the front runners of 48G in the future; there is just something about her that is so attractive, but I can't put my finger on it right now.

Another member whose appeal I never understood was Sakaguchi Nagisa (#70), but in recent times I have gotten why she has been pushed to the forefront of Toyota Team 8 (or why that one wota last year bought 300 CDs to unsuccessfully vote for her). I hope she does well in upcoming Sousenkyos.

There are three members, as per usual, that I am not familiar with at all, and these are Kumazaki Haruka (#67), Kamata Natsuki (#74) and Hidaka Yuzuki (#79). Are they all SKE48 members? That may explain why.

 

OTHER THOUGHTS

Sorry about my extremely little rant about Okappa just before. I'm sure there's something else about her that makes her appealing to fans, but it just hasn't hit me yet. Probably will in the next two years. But other than that apology, I think I've made it clear which members are my favourites, and which members are not, which I probably was not meant to do at all.

 

And something that I've actually kinda ranted about on social media already is the following:

WHERE THE HECK DID ALL YOU TANO-OSHIS GO TO?

Yuka is one of my favourite members in the entirety of 48G, and out of all the almost-300 members that participated in this year's Sousenkyo, she was one of those members that deserved to keep her placing, or even do better than she usually would. I held hope for her even though she didn't rank in the prelims, and I even got a bit too excited waiting for her rank.

But it wasn't until the Undergirls began being called that I realised that she had not been called at all. And as Miichan was named the centre of Undergirls, I still held some hope that she had made it into Senbatsu.

Until I did some calculations, and realised that there was absolutely no hope of her getting into Senbatsu at all.

I was absolutely devestated.

I couldn't be as happy as I could've been for those that made Senbatsu, simply because all I could think about was Tanochan.

Especially when there was a shot (I think it was when Tomu was being called) where you could see her sitting next to Hirata Rina, trying her best not to cry because she remained unranked, whilst many of her other generation members (Miyu, Tomu, Juri, Yukari) were ranking.

What was it about her that made her lose so many votes that she didn't even rank?

Was it her stage plays? Was it the fact that she wasn't able to become a Senbatsu member for Tsubasa wa Iranai because of the newer members getting their pushes, despite her image being a perfect fit for the song? Was it her not being an orthodox idol?

I really don't understand why she lost so many votes that she didn't have the chance to rank this year.

If I have the chance to buy a few votes for next year's Sousenkyo and she decides to participate, I will sacrifice voting for my kami-oshi to help her earn redemption. Even if it gets her to #80, I will be pleased. I just don't want to see Tanochan upset ever again.

 

Now I can breathe easily knowing that I got all of that out of my system (there's still so much more that I feel towards this, but I cannot put it into words at all so this is the best that it's gonna get with me right now).

Well ... until next year, Fuji TV advertisements and all!