Nogizaka-chan do not disappoint on their birthday. It's gonna be the third Nogizaka 46 Hour Television Marathon from March 23 to 25. Be there or be square.
It plays before every live. Makes me ready and happy.
Today it should've been the 6th Year Birthday Live. It will happen in July. But today is their anniversary. Congratulations, Nogizaka-chan! Here's to many more!
My favorite song from 2017. I didn't like it too much at first, but I watched the Nogizaka46SHOW rendition over and over and over again until I did. Really, this song brings tears to my eye every time I hear it.
The 3rd Gen's that center, Yoda Yuki and Ozono Momoko, are the vanguard to the future. The 3rd Gens only were picked at the end of 2016. They debuted in December of that year. They've been fortunate for they have had songs on each of the 2017 singles as well as the album. The 3rd Gens have twice as many centers as 2nd Gens. They will have more in the future.
That falling piano line. The instrumentation makes me smile. Piano is Nogi's signature sound. I believe its for Ikuta, but their songs are piano-centric. This one makes like falling water. Or rain on a pond. Beautiful.
If you can, search out for the Nogizaka46SHOW version. So good, because it is the members and a decent choreography. The ending moves with the undulation is so fine. Beautiful is a word used with Nogizaka so much and this one deserves it.
Nogi gonna hit you with the W-Center to end all W-Center: Shiraishi x Nishino.
Influencer. Their big hit of 2017. Another perfect single. Seek it out. I hear they're on Spotify now. Maybe once they make Apple Music, it may be worth it.
Nanase's pony tail makes an appearance in Sayonara No Imi -- the meaning of good-bye. They all graduate. They will all graduate.
Nanamin's last song with Nogizaka, and the final graduation from 2016 although she did not truly graduate until the 5th Year Birthday Live in 2017. Nanamin was one of two members to have been in the fukujin for her entire Nogi career. The fukujin are the gods of fortune in Nogi, the top 7+ of the group. She was always one. She left on top. Shiraishi is the other.
This song is too sad, and I can't really listen to it too much as Nanamin's graduation is too much. Sayonara.
The legend of Siato Asuka, the youngest of the 1st Gen. She's the current Ace in waiting. Or rather she's considered the heir apparent. Slow going at the beginning. Made the first senbatsu, relegated to Unders for a few singles, back in senbatsu, she centers an Under, back in senbatsu to stay. Finally, this her first center.
And I was skeptical. But since this song came out in the summer of 2016, she's definitely grown to be a force in Nogizaka. Really. She's got it.
Ima Hashitai Dareka ga iru. Now, I have someone to talk to.
And this is where I come in to the Nogi fandom. The 13th single. Like the 11th it has lots of good songs on it -- top to bottom -- just great songs. And the title song isn't even the best. The Unders' Shitto no Kenri is perhaps the finest emotional song they produced. Once you hear Sukima you'll be in love with Nanase, too. Little did I know how much of a gateway drug this single was.
With this single, we get the double beauty power of a Maiyan-Nishino WCenter. Also, a front line with Misa-senpai (the sexiest Nogi) and MaiMai (the holy mother). Just straight loveliness.
Ikoma's last center. I was never too fond of the song. But it grew on me and I don't not like it.
She's graduating. It's surprising. Never would I thought that she would graduate. Also, Mahiro is graduating closing out the '95 group. Two are going. I predicted four. The graduations will come. I'm ready, but I hate it all the same.
Ikoma, the first face of Nogizaka, will be missed.
Life is beautiful. And so are the members of Nogizaka46.
To be honest, I don't think about how beautiful they are. They're just awesome all around.
This is the eleventh single. Nanase's last solo center. And such a great song. With one of their more complicated dance. Love the last parts of the MV where you get them dancing. They've given this song to 3rd Gen to perform which was gracious of the senpai. Goodness all around.
This one's been rocketing up my favorites list. I think the entire single is pretty phenomenal -- all songs are classic. Over all, it is a release I would advise you to buy. Like now. Or listen to on spotify.
Their 10th Single. Nogizaka's best song. IMHO. Ikuta center! She had just returned from a hiatus because of studying for finals. For real. She had to take time off so that she could make it into the university she wanted.
I did not show the 9th because it's not on VEVO. We could've gone to the official site, but then you'll need a babel fish.
"Kidzuitara Kataomoi" almost beat out the previous single to be my all time favorite. The 8th single and Nishino's first center. Such a beautiful song.
I made the mistake in the seventh single post. It wasn't the first story MV. That honor goes to the sixth. I did not post a video for that one, because VEVO doesn't have one. But if I did, you would've been witness to the second Nogi center, Shiraishi Mai, the most beautiful of Nogi members.
With Shiraishi gaining center, Nogizaka entered the Warring Centers Era. From the sixth to the twelfth single, Nogizaka would go through five different centers. Shiraish the beutiful. Miona the usurper. Nishino the beloved. Adorkable Ikuta. Ikoma the first. The one who won out though is Nishino. She centered three during this time. The Warring Centers Era is what I considered the golden Nogi age. They were fresh and rising. It came to an end with detente: Dual Centers. But Nishino still won. She never got bad songs. Ikuta may be my oshimen. Nishino is my love.
The seventh single is my favorite. This MV is the first of their story telling MVs. It's a very interesting one. I wish the bulk of it we could hear the song rather than the movie effects. The song is very good.
The selected members is great, too. Eto, Kawago, and Himetan's first senbatsu. Asuka returns. Hori is airdropped into center -- first 2nd Gen to center. She was only a member for 6 months. Surprise.
The "Nogizaka tte, Doko?" episode of this single's selection is also my favorite. Kashiwa played a great role -- her happy face before she graduated. I wish she had stayed longer. But the new senbatsu member's cried their eyes out so amazing. I wish you could see it. I wish I could see it again.
I didn't post Seifuku no Mannequin yesterday, because I already posted it in the past week and I didn't want to clutter my timeline.
The fifth single. Kimi no Nawa Kibou. Some consider this their best song. Lots of fans do and maybe they tell the more casual fans it is. It certainly is their most important. This is the song that they sang on their first appearance at Kouhaku.
This is Ikoma's last center of the early singles. After this she's done. And the fandom may have rejoiced. Not me. I love Ikoma so she could be center any time. Sadly, maybe the last.
I awoke around 2:30 this morning. Then I checked SHOWROOM to see who was going to do the Nogizaka46 in Asia show. Saito Yuuri. I couldn't keep awake. I passed out with her cheerful voice in my head...
Two Nogi idols show up at my house. Not sure why. We hanging. They end up cleaning the clutter.
I must confess I'm an idol fan. That I am a Nogi fan.
Saito Yuuri gives me that "No shit, Sherlock" look. She can guess from the posters hanging around my house, and from all the Nogi merchandise she put away. Yeah, about that...
Woke up and she was still genki. Rolled over and back to sleep. If only...
Oide, Shampoo! It gets machine translated as Here, Shampoo! But I don't think that is right.
Nogi's 2nd Single. One of my favorites from their early era, because of the closing lyrics. So fun to do the mix at the end. I wish I could do it at one of their lives...
Nogizaka46 is coming up on their 6th Year Anniversary. It's already been a tumultuous ending to their fifth year with two first generation graduation announcements (as of today). But us fans can look forward to their 6th Year Birthday Live... in July!
Traditionally, they would've held it on the 22nd of the month. It's the date of the release of this song, Guru Guru Curtain, their first single.
So as we countdown to the 22nd, let's just enjoy their songs. Forget about the graduations. Smile at the senbatsu members. And continue to support the group.
Mary and the Witch's Flower is the first film from some of the animators from Studio Ghibli after the chief anime director Hayao Miyazaki stopped making films. They had to do something. They did this.
The film is very similar to many of the Ghibli films you have watched. I'm not sure if that's on purpose. It is based on an English children's book which many of Ghibli films were: Arrietty, Howl's, Marnie. This one's based on a book called, "The Little Broomstick." A story of a young girl finding herself in a magical world. Sounds familiar right? There is flying, too! And a broomstick and cat familiar! Studio Ghibli is alive!
Now if you think that it was a good idea to follow the Ghibli template, you will like this movie. Many Ghibli fans will be pleased. I was a little. But I wish to see more from my anime. I think Studio Ponoc, the film makers, have a bright future. They can stick with the tried and true, but I know that they have something in them to make an anime masterpiece.
Overall, I'll watch most anime flicks that come to the States just because I want more of them to come to the States. You should, too. If this comes to a theatre near you, please watch it.
The Shape of Water feels like a referendum on the times we are living in. In particular, the antagonist feels like today's man. Doing what he wants and not caring for anyone else like a Republican. No need for women. No need for workers. All American. No to fish men.
The Shape of Water secured tons of award nominations. I'm very doubtful that it deserves it. It's decent, but the director has done better. I think it may win a few of those awards, but not the big one, Best Picture.
Might as well give you something to understand where we're coming from.
Nogizaka46's fourth single, Seifuku no Mannequin (制服のマネキン), "Mannequin in a school uniform." Up until this release, they weren't cool. Then they were. Ikoma centers. Too cool. Too cool.
I consider this song where they start becoming the idols they are today.
Hey, man. I sent you to Nogizaka46's site a few days too early. You had to read Ikoma's graduation blog post through a machine translation tool either Google or Bing. (When was the day when I ever had considered MicroSoft the lesser of two evils?) Well, go back there today and you will find that they'll do it for you inline. No need to let Google track your habits any more, unless they're the ones behind the translation. Then it's no fun for anyone.
