第2回 AKB48 紅白対抗歌合戦全場 Oogoe Diamond Acapella ver.
I was lying about the best song was Oshimeshi… LOL. UZA was awesome and cool tho, but it must be.
I really love this performance, since the members most of from team K (old and new)… this is precious. (o.O)
I am lazy for uploading it in YT since it will be banned soon after uploading it, so just
if Sae was there, it would be complete.
Want but indowebster doesn’t work for me. :(
放送博物館危機一髪 Part 1/4… I hope someone uploads the Sayaka version.
Glad to see that someone uploaded it so soon!
This actually contains both the Rena and Sayaka versions. At places where there is a choice, whoever uploaded this video chose Rena’s option first, and then Sayaka’s.
When you see a row of text at the top left corner of the screen containing a blue circle that’s the Rena option, and if there is a red circle then that’s the Sayaka option.
I’ll compile this and add it to the lj page later. :)
Housou Hakubutsukan Kikiippatsu (放送博物館危機一髪) English Subs
Synopsis : During the preparation of the exhibition to celebrate the 60th anniversary of television broadcasting at NHK Museum of Broadcasting, a ghost suddenly shows up. Nozomi, Rena’s character, who is in charge of the transmission from the museum for the commemoration program is entrusted by her sempai, Sayaka, with the mission to get rid of the spirit.
Housou Hakubutsukan Kikiippatsu : Direct Download (MediaFire) / Torrent
Since it is a multi-channel drama and that the main video file follows Sayaka’s path (3 short special scenes focusing on her side of the story), please refer to the link below to have the complementary scenes on Rena’s side
Nozomi clips : Direct Download (MediaFire)
LIST OF PERFORMING MEMBERS!
I wasn’t planning to go for this, but now that Sayaka is coming… I want to see her!
The Senbatsu General Election. Today is the deadline to run as a candidate for the general election.
Until the very last minute, I was thinking in my own way if I would participate, and while I was thinking about it, it also led me to start thinking of when the timing for my graduation would be.
These past 8 years, I’ve learned and felt a lot of things, and enjoyed the joys of my youth. Because of Akimoto Sensei, staff members, fans, fellow members, family, and other innumerable supports, Akimoto Sayaka is here now. I’m truly grateful.
However, my thoughts that I wanted to step up to a new world while keeping things I learned and experienced from AKB48 in mind, and that I wanted to gain more experiences in order to pursue my future dream to be an actress, got stronger.
Thus, after thinking thoroughly, I’ve decided to make an announcement at this point of the general election.
I, Akimoto Sayaka, will graduate from AKB48 without participating in the upcoming Senbatsu general elections.
translation: Tokyohive
I knew it was just a matter of time before she graduated. Not shocked by the announcement, but I’m still sad that she’s leaving…
I was introduced to AKB48 soon after Oogoe Diamond was released back in 2008. The only person I recognised then was Acchan, but as time passed and I got to know more about the group and its members, Sayaka caught my eye and eventually become my oshimen.
5 years after I got to know her, she announced her graduation from the group. I wasn’t surprised by the news, since I knew it was just a matter of time before she graduated, but that doesn’t stop me from feeling sad. AKB48 is after all the group where I first got to know her; where I got to see her shine and develop into the person that she is today.
I’m lucky to be able to see her development in AKB for these 5 years. For those who haven’t followed her for long, and for those who have supported her through the years, lets enjoy the time she has in AKB until the day she graduates.
This is the Akimoto Sayaka that I got to know and love, and this is what I remember about her…
Name: Akimoto Sayaka 秋元才加
Nickname: Sayaka (さやか), Saaya (さぁや), Okaro (オカロ), Mossan (もっさん)
Birthday: July 26, 1988
Place of birth: Chiba, Japan
Height: 166cm
Blood type: B
Family: father, mother (Mylene), younger Brother (Ryouta)
Her father is Japanese and her mother is Filipino.
Took the 2nd gen auditions for AKB48 on 26 Feb 2006, and debuted with Team K on 1 April the same year.
Catchphrase: 強く、気高く、美しく(strong, noble, beautiful)
Despite having 3 part-time jobs and being in 2 clubs before joining AKB, she continued to perform well in her results. There was a time when she was top 2 in her school.
Her aim was to become a pharmacist if she had not joined AKB (Engeki Life interview).
She came in second in the Shukan AKB midterm test (090918), and was the highest-ranked AKB member. She also came in first place in the Naruhodo High School test (120223), getting all the answers correct.
She also participated with the Mechaike test SP (110409) with Kojiharu and Sasshi. Of the remaining non-AKB participants, 4 were university graduates. Sayaka managed to place 4th in that test, ahead of announcer Takahashi Masa, who was one of the university graduates. She was amongst the top 3 in English and Science, and placed 4th in Japanese. Social Studies, however, was her weakest subject and she had to lowest score amongst all the participants for that (source).
When she participated in the Japanese version of Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader (110424), she got all 10 questions correct, only to miss the grand prize of a trip around the world because her answer was not exact enough.
She didn’t go to college, but I think she would have made it if she wanted to.
If you were to look at Wikipedia or some other info sites, Sayaka’s nicknames are listed as Sayaka or Saaya. Most of the members call her Sayaka, and I believe that Saaya is the nickname she wrote when she had to give her info for AKB (please correct me if I’m wrong on this). I hardly here anyone from AKB referring to her by that nickname, but Sayaka used it when singing her version of Mayu no tame ni (Saaya no tame ni) as requested by Nattsumi during AX2011 (video).
Her other nickname of Okaro was given by Oshima Mai. Sayaka’s name in kanji, 才加, looks very similar to オ(o) カ(ka) ロ(ro) in katakana. Maimai mistook Sayaka’s name as オカロ, and this ended up as Sayaka’s new nickname. Sayaka mentions this on her appearance on Hanamaru Market (120302). Okaro is usually used in writing, by rarely in speech.
Mossan is Kuramochi Asuka’s nickname for Sayaka, and she is the only one who refers to Sayaka by that.
And just for the info, Sayaka is referred to by the Chinese fandom as 大帅, while Sae is referred to as 小帅. There doesn’t seem to be an official reason, but it seems like these nicknames for Sayaka and Sae came about because their characters stood out from the rest of the AKB48 members (they were more forthcoming and such). Even their nicknames come in pairs, and they are referred together as 大小帅 or双塔, which is the Chinese equivalent of Twin Towers.
From Togasaki’s interview with flash:
2nd gen’s final audition was on 2006 February 26th, the final selection of 19 members from 54 girls. Total application numbers rose considerably from the previous round, a total of 11892 applicants.
“We had assistance from NTT DOCOMO and did telephone video audition. At that time, Akimoto-sensei and Natsu-sensei (dance choreographer) called the kids that they took notice of out of the qualified applicants to the front, and they were Akimoto Sayaka and Miyazawa Sae, it was a very deep impression.”
Within a hall in Shibuya, fates were led to a different route, these 2 were the representation of that. This was probably where the saying of twin towers began.
“The 2 of them had a pomp and dignified aura. They had a feel to them that was not present in 1st gen members. Miyazawa was just like a boy (laughs). Come to think of it, maybe Team K’s team colour was decided at the moment that their names were called out.”
She wore her jersey to the AKB48 audition, and when asked why by AkiP, she answered, “If I pass, no matter what I wear I will still pass.” (Engeki Life interview, 20111108 Sukkiri)
She sang HY’s “Song for…” for her audition (video).
Before the results of the 2nd gen audition were announced, the staff holding on to the paper containing the results dropped it. Sayaka saw that she was marked as having passed the audition. When the results were officially announced and her name was called, she acted as though she didn’t know about it before hand, since she thought that that clip would eventually be aired one day (which did end up happening). (Tech Insight, 120302 Hanamaru Market)
The AKB girls have been asked who their oshimen within the group was a couple of times. Sayaka’s name is rarely mentioned in response to such questions, but it is known that Suuchan (Sato Sumire) is a huge fan of Sayaka (good taste girl!).
(image credit: Krunchie)
You can see Suuchan’s collection of Sayaka’s photos in the 110921 episode of AKBingo, where they showed Suuchan’s place during the AKB Profiling segment. She mentions that Sayaka is her oshi at the end of the show, and has told Sayaka that as well (Listen? ~Live 4 life~ 120424). When Sayaka announced her graduation, Suuchan tweeted that Sayaka will always be her number one oshi.
This was AKB’s third single, back from the days when Sayaka had no problem getting into senbatsu. The songs touches on the topic of bullying, something that Sayaka had experienced in her younger days. Sayaka stood out from the others in many ways - (1) she was half-Filipino, (2) there was a time in her high school years when she weighed close to 70kg (110803 Waratte Iitomo!), and (3) she had also tried to appear like Amuro Namie. As a result, she was bullied by older boys, who would scribble bad things about her in the park, carve insults into her desk and so on. She has since learned to stand up for herself, and has written on the topic of bullying here.
She is not afraid to call out fans for their bad behaviour. There was a handshake event back in September 2011 where there were fans who made Reinyan and Tomo~mi feel bad. Another fan asked Sayaka to do something, and raised his middle finger at her when she refused. Sayaka got made and made him come back to apologise. She blogged about how she felt later, explaining her stand.
There was also another incident during Team K’s show on 4 May 2012. Some under-18 fans who were watching the show got really rowdy, and affected the concert. Sayaka scolded them for it (2ch).
I’m glad that there are idols like her who are not afraid to stand up against what is wrong.
Back to the song itself… it’s rare for solo lines to appear in AKB’s singles, especially the A-sides. Sayaka actually has a solo line in Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou, which I believe is the only solo line she’s ever had on an AKB A-side.
Interrupting the “about Sayaka” post series for my thoughts on watching her perform live.
I got to see her perform live for the first time on Saturday, when she came with some other members for the Tokyo Auto Salon. I didn’t get the mosh pit passes so I wasn’t able to get up close nor go for the high touch session, but I could still get a decent view of the members from where I was standing.
A lot of people who have met Sayaka in person have said that she’s even more beautiful that how she appears on TV, and I do agree with that opinion. The same can be said for a few other members as well, Chris being one of them. Ricchan and Tanochan are really tiny, especially when they’re next to the taller members like Sayaka, Shihorin and Suuchan.
My eyes were basically glued to Sayaka throughout the performance, as long as she was within my field of vision. It was such a treat to be able to watch her live, and I do think that she’s a great performer. I liked how she tried to reach out the the audience as much as possible. During the “I want you! I need you! I love you!” portions of Heavy Rotation, the members will point to the audience when they sing the word “you”. Everyone points to the front, but Sayaka would point to the sides of the stage as well, reaching out the the audience there.
Sayaka also notably got the loudest cheers throughout the show. When she did her self-introduction, she mentioned that it could very well be the last time she would be performing in Singapore with AKB, since she was going to graduate. She also asked her fans to continue supporting her even after she graduates. She received the loudest cheers of all the members then, but still did not hesitate to ask everyone to cheer louder. XD You could also hear in increase in cheers whenever she came to the center spot on stage during short moments in songs like Heavy Rotation. I remember that there was a short Sayaka call during the live - it wasn’t very loud, but I could still hear it from where I was, 3 rows behind the mosh pit. She definitely received a lot of love and support during her trip here.
There were a few other members who stood out to me too. Shihorin caught my eye a few times - she had good positions for a couple of songs, and a height advantage over most of the members, but it was her performance that stood out to me. I really like how she’s growing since her transfer to Team K, and I hope she continues to improve in her performance. I kept a lookout for Suuchan as well, since she’s one of the members that I like. I had a pretty good view of Naana as well.
Amongst the 3 new-gen members that I knew the least of (Ricchan, Juri, Tanochan), Tanochan was the one of stood out to me the most. I definitely think that she and Karen deserve to be pushed. Juri I totally did not notice during the live, and I not sure if it has something to do with the positions. Ricchan had very good positions during the live, so it was impossible not to notice her, but my impression of her hasn’t gone beyond “a cute face”. (Then again, the AnRiRe combi isn’t exactly one of my favourites…)
I do have a good number of photos, I’ll probably need some time to get them up. There were some fans filming the whole event as well, so there should be a good chance that it turns up somewhere.
I went to this because Sayaka was there. I’m really glad that I did, since it might be the only chance I ever get to watch her perform live. I’m glad that she came as well, so that us fans get a chance to see her before she graduates. I hope she felt the appreciation and love her fans had for her. A big thank you also to the guy who was initially standing in front of me but let me in front of him so that I could get a better view of the stage. Thank you for your kindness, especially since it got difficult to get a good view once the live started, and there was some rowdiness to our right. I hope your friend managed to get some good pictures of the live.
And if you’re a Sayaka fan, go and see her live if you get the chance to. The experience is definitely worth it!
Nemousu TV in New York (Season 3 Episodes 5& 6, 2009):
Some of the AKB48 girls went to New York, and while they were there, they had to film a special Nemousu version of their latest single then, RIVER.
The girls had to do an audition for Mike Fox and J.X. Carrera, who would then pick the girls that they wanted in their team for the PV. Sayaka ended up as the top pick for both directors, and she was the only one who got to choose which director she wanted to work with.
Nice to see her getting some recognition within the group, especially when she tends to get passed over for other members with a more idol-like image.
Sayaka’s good at many things, and not afraid of many things the other AKB girls are afraid of. However, she’s terrified of heights.
Her acrophobia was made known in the Nemousu TV Korea SP (081224), but that did not stop her from completing the tasks that she was challenged to do. In fact, she did well there and even the military trainer gave her a thumbs up.
However, things did not go very well for her in the Shukan AKB episode (100730) where Sayaka and some other AKB members were challenged to ride Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster that goes through the LaQua building. This was the first time I’ve seen Sayaka appearing so scared and crying so badly on TV. She also had to go up the Tower Hacker after that, and it certainly wasn’t pleasant.
That Shukan AKB episode wasn’t the only time she was given a challenge involving roller coasters though. In the more recent Bimyo~na Tobira Akb48 no Gachi Chare (120810), she was challenged to not react while riding on a roller coaster. She mentions that she can’t deal with roller coasters, haunted houses and bungee jumping, and eventually gives up on the challenge due to her phobia.
Sayaka is not someone who gives up easily when faced with a challenge, so to see her reacting to badly to roller coasters and even giving up a challenge really shows how bad her fear of heights is. No matter how many things appears to be good at, she is human after all, and has her own fears and weaknesses.
The relationship between Meetan and Sayaka is not something that is talked about much, but there are a number of events that show the kind of relationship that they share with each other.
When SDN48 was about to graduate, a number of members appeared on a SDN48 special episode of Mujack. Sayaka had a video message for Meetan, and she mentions 2 particular events that she remembers:
Meetan had a loli-face back when the 2nd gen auditions were held, and Sayaka asked her how old she was very casually. She thought that Meetan was younger than her, but when she heard that Meetan was 21 (Sayaka was 17 then), she felt bad for asking Meetan in that manner.
Back when Team K was formed, Erepyon and Oku Manami were the 2 youngest members of the team. The whole team was working hard, but had difficulty remembering the dance movies. Erepyon and Maachan were drawing bunnies on their lyrics sheets while saying “I can’t do it”. Sayaka scolded them, saying that if they couldn’t do it, they should go and practice instead of wasting their time drawing bunnies. Meetan told Sayaka that Erepyon and Maachan were just kids and she should have told them to practice in a better manner. Sayaka was surprised and cried. From that point on, she felt that they could become friends who could talk about anything. (120323 Mujack, 130409 Ariyoshi AKB Kyowakoku)
In 2008, Meetan was given a challenge to sell 10,000 copies of her solo debut single, or be forced to graduate (081127 AKBINGO!). Sayaka, who had gone along with some other girls to support Meetan during her last hug event, tried to keep her strong image, but eventually broke down in tears after the result was announced and she was asked to comment.
A more well-known incident involving both Meetan and Sayaka was during the AKBINGO new year SP in 2009. Meetan was pranked, and her cellphone was thrown into the hotpot. While Meetan was still shocked by what had happened, Sayaka reached into the boiling water and took Meetan’s cellphone out.
These are just some of the Meetan x Sayaka moments out there. We don’t get to see or hear about them together much as compared to members like Yuko or Sae, but as with the other members of the original team K, there definitely is a bond between these two.
There’s this incident that happened between Sayaka and Nontii that’s not well-known. It was mentioned back in 2010 during an episode of Goro’s Bar presents My Fair Lady (100310), and recently mentioned again on Ariyoshi AKB Kyowakoku (130408):
Back when Nontii was still in AKB, one of the songs the girls had to perform contained a move where they had to pump their fists into the air while sliding sideways. The stage is narrow, so everyone was always careful when doing that movement.
It was particularly crowded on stage during one of their concerts, and everyone reminded everyone else to be more careful. However, Sayaka put in all her effort in performing, and when she raised her fist, she hit Nontii’s front tooth and broke it. Nontii cried and rushed to the back stage.
Nontii was laughing while talking about the whole incident, but it must have really hurt back then. Sayaka felt really bad about the whole thing as well.
There aren’t many Nontii x Sayaka moments out there, but back in 2008, they formed the unit SA&KA, and dubbed a mini cartoon called Death Panda. Sayaka and Nontii sang the theme song, while Nontii did the narration together with a different Team K member in each episode. There was also a time when Nontii groped Sayaka when they were on Nemousu TV (080915).
By the way, Sayaka refers to Nontii as Kayo-chan.
It all started when Sayaka was in highschool… she lifted a 50kg barbell and the manager of the wrestling club told her to aim for the Olympics.
After she entered AKB, her strength became even more apparent, especially when compared to the other girls. She won easily against Myao and Shiichan in the AKBINGO! rope battle (100929), and also beat Nontii, who had previously beat all other representatives of the 48-family, in a round of wrestling (130408 Ariyoshi AKB Kyowakoku). Because of that win, she was proclaimed as the strongest member in AKB.
The most notable show of her strength was during 24H TV in 2010 (100829). In one of the related shows, there was a segment with Derek Poundstone, a known strongman competitor. In the set was a Thomas Inch dumbbell, which weighs 78kg and has a diameter of 6.3cm. The dumbbell is extremely difficult to lift due to its weight and thick handle, which makes it difficult to hold onto unless you have a very strong grip.
Mariko tried to lift the dumbbell with both hands but couldn’t move it, but when Sayaka was asked to do it, the lifted it with relative ease. Kojiharu, who was also on the set, as well as the other guests looked totally surprised.
Some of the guys then tried it, and it took him both hands and a lot of strength to lift the dumbbell slightly, and he commented that it was extremely heavy. Even 2 men together had problems lifting it. They then said that Sayaka was awesome.
She’s definitely someone you wouldn’t want to mess with.
