Mina's Little Adventure: Tokyo Day 1/2 (Akihabara)

It is only 5:19 (or 17:19) here, but I am exhausted from traveling and walking around.  Unfortunately the lady who sounds to be neighbor is chatting up everyone on her phone.  I can't tell if she is loud or if the walls are really thin.  Another small note is that the ice-cream truck jingle before announcements are also in Tokyo.  A complete side note is that we had one day that was not steaming hot on the farm (my last day) and I get mosquito bites on my neck, back, and both elbows!  I am thinking about dropping by the local family mart (which is basically next door and so it the post office) and picking up either a soda for some energy (if I decide to look for a place to eat) or just grab dinner there (because I'm tired and eating alone at a restaurant is a bit depressing).  I will talk about each host in detail later, and if you want their host number then email me.  Here is the break down of my day so far and some advice along the way for people interested in Tokyo.  (Some of the times are rounded down or up just because I'm lazy.)

9:00 ~ Leave Enzan Station (Yamanashi) for Takao
10:30 ~ From Takao transfer to train heading for Tokyo
11:00 ~ Get off at Shinjuku Station and transfer trains heading for Shinagawa
This cost me less than 2,000 yen, which is really cheap and what I would recommend if you have time to spare (if not take the express train that goes from Koufu and some other stops to Shinjuku station).

Tip: When in doubt (or whenever you are making a long trip) talk to the ticket people!  He got me one ticket for cheap from Enzan all the way to Shinjuku and printed out a sheet with the times and stops.

The great thing about Tokyo is the "green JR line" which goes around in the circle around the major stops.  I'll talk about this more when I get to navigating my way to Akihabara.

I got a bit lost (I used my iphones GPS for a moment to get directions and a map, which I used even after I turned off roaming because my tracker still followed me), but nothing that bad.  My tip is always check, especially if you have GPS on your phone because you can correct yourself early on (like if you cross the wrong street or make a wrong turn).

Tip: Check your cell phone plan.  Having things like iphones are great in case of emergencies, but you will need to keep your data roaming off except when you get the directions, turn it off right after.

I'm staying at the Shinagawa Guest House.  It was hard to spot, mostly because I was distracted by the fact that my directions (after putting the address in) wanted to take me to a different hotel on the corner of that street and I was trying to figure out how to find it without getting lost.  I had a giant suitcase and looked lost (in the rain I might add) so someone called the owner of the Shinagawa-shuku.  Taka-san went out and took me there.  I dropped off my luggage before heading out to Akihabara (because check in time isn't until 16:00).

Tip: If you can drop off your luggage plan ahead and pack what you need in your purse.  If you are staying during the raining season (June/ July) bring a compact-able umbrella and carry it around.

The great thing about the place I'm staying is that it is extremely cheap.  Most guide books have their inexpensive spots around 16,000 yen a night.  Mine only costs 3,500 yen for a single room (3,000 for a dormitory).  Like I mentioned before, it has a family mart and post office nearby. [I'm sending back my gifts ahead of time because it is weighing down my bag = too many friends and family.]  It is almost a straight shot from not only Shinagawa Station (10/ 15 minute walk), but really close to the Kitashinagawa Station.  I don't bother (save my cash).  The area is clean and has a lot of trees.  It is not too busy.  It is also inbetween Shibuya and Akihabara.  (That was really helpful for my upcoming task.)

Navigating the JR Line:
All you need for a short stay [major districts] is the green circle.  The kiosks will work fine.  There are multiple maps by the longer row of kiosks.  One will have English names (for those who aren't proficient  at reading kanji).  Look at the map (it will point to where you are but that isn't important), and find where you want to go on the green circle.  There will be a number next to it: that is how much the ticket costs.  A good thing to keep in mind are the other stops in that same direction because there will be two green trains going in opposite directions.  However, if you look around after purchased your ticket (some guide books lie about them only taking 1,000 bills or change) and entered the station (if you aren't sure of the process watch someone ahead of you/ you feed the gate your ticket and it pops out the other end) there might be little train lines (in the color of your train) with the names of the stops it makes in English before you go to the platform.  At Shinagawa it is on pillars in front of the stairs of the platform.  Keep hold of your ticket, you will need to feed the gate when you leave (but no poop for you).  What is great about the JR line in Tokyo is the virtual screens and the speakers which will say the stops in Japanese and English (you can also see the stops after you).  Avoid rush hour periods (think about work schedules!).  That circle will get you where you need to go for main stops.  I'm not bothering with smaller trains, so good luck.

14:00 ~ Arrive Akihabara
I leave from the Electric Town or whatever exit because I remembered it from reading about how to get to the AKB theatre.  I decide to walk around in hopes of finding the AKB48 store.  I magically go perfectly to the spot (by following main roads and spotting the AKB pillars).  I head up and was disappointed by the store (however the shop next to it was selling maid costumes that were over my budget).  There are plenty of places to buy AKB48 stuff.  If you walk around there are plenty of small shops selling photobooks, DVDs, photos, CDs, and other merch.  I wouldn't bother unless you want a big ticket item.

Tip: You want to buy a CD, DVD, or book CHEAP = Book OFF!  There is one near the station, but you have to walk around some buildings (you can spot it from the giant sign and figure out from there).  They have and idol section for CDs.  Discount DVDs and CDs, and manga for 105 yen each!  Beware: get there at off hours because the manga section will be packed with people reading manga (or hunt down one of the other book offs).  There were a ton of old Morning Musume albums for only 250 yen!  They were also selling the theatre edition of AKB48's 21st single for 300 yen, limited editions for 950 yen.  I didn't even bother looking at the photobook section because I had already purchased the ones on my list.

While I looked around at the smaller shops selling AKB48 things, I bought my two photobooks [the second travel one which are my favorite and Mayu's for my friend who also has a big butt].  I was starving (past one / 13 o'clock).  I wanted to eat a maid cafe, but I didn't want to just walk in (best decision or maybe not).  I made eye contact with a cute maid (who was wearing a proper, black & white uniform) and she offered me a flier and a coupon (should of read the coupon).  I asked if it was close by and she asked me "go?".  She walked me over and rode the elevator to the cafe.  This was my favorite part because we chatted in Japanese about things including AKB48 (her favorite is Mayu).  Unfortunately, she left after dropping me off to hunt down other people.  The cafe didn't have many people there and only about two or three maids working at a time. The menu had both Japanese and English.  Two maids approached me after I was seated.  One started to speak in English and I said that Japanese was fine (in Japanese), so the other continued on in Japanese.  I got some curry rice, because it is one of my favorite.  The maid who served it to me had us do this moe~ moe~ thing to make it taste better.  I missed the signs saying no pictures (but I was only taking pictures of the flowers and food).  I asked after I was finished to take a picture with the maid who spoke to me in English.  She seemed super happy about it, but I also think she was new.  (She said in Japanese that she was also studying it and was from Hong Kong.)  My picture didn't turn out as well as my friend's did when she went to a maid cafe.  I would say that I got better service in American joints because I didn't get a refill of my water without asking.  The curry was good, but as you expect overpriced 1200 yen (500 yen for the photo).  I was a bit disappointed and wished the place was more bustling because I was just eating my curry by myself.  After I left I walked around and hunted down Book OFF to browse before heading back to the station because there was only 10 minutes until I could check-in.

That is my day so far.  Big thumbs up to the photobook I got.  They went to sooo many places in the last year!  There are tons of picture and it features a large number of members.  The other I got for a friend who is Puerto Rican; do you get why it is funny?

Um. . . Why don't you like Me?

So as the giant 48 anything fan that I am, I applied for the foreigner seats almost two months ahead (May 4th for June 27th-28th).  It is the night before June 27th, no word.  When it was three/ four days until I leave for Tokyo I got concerned so I applied for tickets by means of girls/ junior high student seats.  Night before. . . also no word.  I'm starting to think I'm not going to see them while I'm in Tokyo.  I will probably go to Tokyo the day or two before my flight so it is not as much of a hassle traveling all the way from Ibaraki prefecture.  I'm going to poke around for Seibu Dome tickets (if I can find them I will see if they are good enough seats for the price).  The good news is that I'm a Japanese major, so going abroad for a year is part of the game plan.  That is why I'm not going to be depressed if I don't get tickets.  The only bad thing is their big concerts are in July, so I wonder if I will be there for that.  (Hey there is always the Top 100.)  I'll be in Tokyo for the first time (for only two days) so I will have plenty of things to do.  I was hoping to get tickets for Team B tomorrow because I like every song in that stage and then I can have all of Tuesday for Shibuya.  I should see what is fun to do in Shinagawa because I have to drop off my suitcase and check in later that same day.

Something Mina Has Been Working On:

Senbatsu Elections

I’m feeling strangely melancholy these past few days. I’m in Japan, but after my awesome weekend in Tokyo- meeting new people and seeing A-1 performed at the Tokyo Dome City Hall on June 12- I’m mostly just in the grind of studying Japanese really hard each day and not having the awesomeness of Tokyo to explore. I move to a home stay on Saturday with a local elected official and member of the Communist Party and I am going to start playing soccer with some folks at Shiga Prefectural University, so I expect things will pick up. As I am feeling a little unmotivated I am looking to procrastinate and put off doing my listening comprehension homework for this latest chapter.

So, as I am feeling a little melancholy, I think I’ll tackle what I’ve recently decided is a rather melancholy event- the Senbatsu Elections for AKB48. For those got lost and ended up reading this blog out of curiosity, the most absurd creation in all of this absurd existence, AKB48, has an annual election with its sister groups, SKE48 and NMB48 to determine which members of the group will be featured in the next AKB48 single. As the management of AKB48 determines the line-up for songs and singles in most every other instance, the general results of the final selection are of little surprise. Those featured in other recent singles and programs tend to do the best.

While the members of AKB48 likely treat the election process as a friendly competition, management is clearly using the process to make money at the expense of the members and their fans. There were several possible ways to vote in the election process and multiple votes were not prohibited. The only unrestricted access to multiple votes was through purchasing multiple copies of the current AKB48 single (which sold over a million copies in its first week of sales) and using the dual keyed ballots to vote online. I purchased two ballots myself, though reportedly some fans purchased hundreds if not thousands of ballots.

The financial exploitation of the fans in this instance is transparently obvious and as long as one maintains some sensible self restraint, there is little harm in the grand scheme of things in wasting some money on the votes. I personally think my two votes borders on the excessive, but I wanted to vote for two different members, the god Watanabe Mayu and the rock-scissors-paper champion of the universe, Uchida Mayumi. I voted for Watanabe because she is my god and deserves my unwavering faith and dedication. I voted for Uchida because she is something of an underdog and I wanted to participate in perhaps making her feel good. (This is also why I sent my only fan letter, thus far, to her. I figured a letter with stickers from the US&A would mean more to her than the infinitely perfect and generally worshiped Watanabe).

As the election results came out, I watched them appear on the AKB48 message board I belong to and I looked at some of the other fan comments. These comments left me quite disturbed. Several fans had highly negative things to say about those who did better than their preferred candidates. Others clearly carried a great deal of hate in their hearts for members of AKB48, while remaining engaged as fans. I really don’t care for these expressions of hate and anger. This to me seems to be the antithesis of what is good and decent about AKB48- the group is sweetness, joy, and love, in completely trivialized and commercialized forms- but love, joy, and sweetness nonetheless.

While the election only brought this disturbing hate to the surface, I still find I cannot abide the process itself. While I knew Watanabe would do well and I hoped more would recognize her divine perfection, I wanted Uchida to do well so that she would feel more appreciated. The problem here is that the members are pitted against each other and only the top forty results are reported. Last year Watanabe came in fifth with 20,088 votes, she placed fifth this year with 59,118 votes. Last year about 400,000 voted. This year more than 1,166,145 votes were cast. This year’s 40th place, Fujie Reina would have placed first two years ago with the total number of votes she received and about 22nd last year.

The good news should be that each member of AKB48 is receiving more support and love from the peoples of the world, but instead there is tension, stress, disappointment, and the potential for the overlooking of the actual accomplishments and successes of the members of the three groups. Uchida did not place, but likely received many more votes that highly popular members did two years ago. Instead she bravely wrote on her blog, “whatever place I would be in I'm still me[;] It won't change that I'm Uchida Mayumi to be able to enter the Senbatsu[.]” Though she did admit the next day to having cried over the results of the election and bravely added, “I have to head forwards! Since time won't wait-so being depressed is such a waste!” Uchida turned seventeen at the end of December of last year.

While one can admire the strength and determination of this young woman determined to do her best, work hard, and achieve results, as a conscientious fan of AKB48, one has to admit the entire election process is fatally flawed. As noted above, everyone received a great many more votes, and this is the real measure of their success. In the process of seeing the election results I found myself hoping for lesser known members that I like to place in the top forty so they would not have to be strong about losing as Uchida had to. But the difficulty here is that if Uchida placed, or a new favorite of mine in SKE48, Kimoto Kanon, then another member of the groups would not have placed in the top forty and she would be facing the disappointment and stress of the loss. I love all the members of AKB48 and am coming to love all the members of SKE48 and NMB48. None of them should have to suffer the pain of loss that Uchida did. And had my support of Uchida succeeded another member would have suffered that pain.

The reality of the situation is that all the members of the various 48 groups are quite blessed and talented and deserve the love and support of us all. The love, as expressed in total votes, for the members of all the groups has only increased and they should all feel great about that. In the end the election does little except help the capitalists sell more cds and bring pain and mortification to many hard working young women who deserve much better treatment.

I still have to ponder the meaning of this pointless suffering more, but as I write these words I am considering doing what little I can to organize a fan boycott of the election process. Again, if you really love these young women and support them, you can’t let even one of them suffer the pain of not placing at all. My thoughts might be different if we could hear the opinions of the members free from any potential retaliation by their capitalist employers, but until then I think I have to disapprove of the entire election process.

Japan Style - A Drink Taste Test

First off someone asked for some tips for Japan.  This varies based on where you are staying and what your plans are.  I've yet to stay in Tokyo, so I won't be much help there.  A friend recommended staying at the Shinagawa-shuku while I am in Tokyo and I already made a reservation.  It is on the cheaper end of things.  I different friend stayed at a different shuku in Tokyo.  It is better to have a small bag with you because you will be navigating by train and lugging around a big bag is a pain in the butt.  Most of the escalators are not being used to conserve energy, so use elevators when you have your travel bag.  Before you go print out directions from places like Google Maps; you can set the option for the least expensive.  If you can't read kanji use things like Jisho.org to find out how to say it.  Don't go for the English translation, but how to say it.  Then to purchase tickets you can go to a ticket desk and say which ones you want.  Express trains are good for long distance and if you are concerned about getting lost.  Local trains are less expensive, but be careful.  There are computer ticket kiosks which might offer English, they also take cash so you don't need a card or anything.  Ask around if you get lost at a station.  Since you are a foreigner just show them your tickets, but there are tons of signs around.  The most important thing is which line you are riding on and your stop.  It is better to use cash, so change as much as you can.  Debit and Credit take a percentage fee for overseas transactions.  I heard when friends were traveling in Europe credit is fine, but I think that isn't true for Japan.  I believe Capital One is the only credit that doesn't have fees.  Japan is mostly cash based society.  My travel book says most places will take credit in Tokyo, but my friend says she could only use at connivence stores.  I'm planning on only using my credit/ debit if I see a sign for it, besides that I will use it if I run out of yen.  You shouldn't travel with too much cash on your person.  Scandals are great, but a lot of places require you to take off your shoes so bring some in your bag/ purse just in case.  Now Japan has a good bus system, but it is different from ours.  If you can't understand Japanese I would recommend walking and using the trains.  The procedure for their bus is that you enter from the middle door and grab a ticket.  The ticket has your stop number.  There is a sign at the front of the bus with different numbers related to different stops.  There might be a sign below saying the fee is 10 yen or something.  You multiply the number related to your stop by 10.

Forgotten Segments from Mina's Update-
The Shuffle
I'm getting sick of people complaining about the shuffle. I love it even though I was a big fan of the original Team K. Each team developed a character and Akimoto only regrouped them to better suit that personality. It makes perfect sense because each team was mostly based around an audition which trainees added onto it. Doesn't anyone else think that wasn't a good set up to last forever. Give them time, things might change. It is what's best for AKB48, maybe not for original Team K, but I adore new Team K.

New Subgroups Boost Popularity for 'Unknown' characters
Those who got a new subgroup ranked higher in this election, with the exception of those who are typical senbatsu like Oshima Yuko. This is probably because newer fans got to know them, or casual fans saw them more.

Team 4 and 6 degrees of AKB48 related thoughts
Bloggers, including myself, tend to criticize more than praise. Now if Team 4 get their own original stage or even do revivals then I think this is perfect. For some reason Akimoto is sniffing out talent from every which direction. As expected many will go to Tokyo because they want to belong to the flagship instead of waiting to see if a nearby city will get their own group, although it would be easier to enter. Anyway, AKB48 has so much excess talent they don't know what to do with it. Unlike most idol groups they have a number in their name, so they must have 48 members. In a way the research students didn't count because they were just preparing for a spot to open up. This is a wonderful compromise. While this doesn't keep up with the 48 value, it doesn't give us the impression that they will have to wait until someone graduates.

The bigger issue is that no one wants original members to graduate, but everyone wants to appreciate the new talent available. Personally I would like to see them in teams (and they will probably still fill in for absent members). Another issue about the entire system is help solve the waiting issue. When I watch old concerts from years ago I spot newly added members from the shuffle dancing back up. It can take quite a long time for them to move up which contributes to the higher average age for AKB48 members. I don't care about that, but there is a graduate age, which means less time with them. I mean, it is basically impossible to be a full-fledged member at age 12.

Everyone has noticed (I hope no one is getting upset by me using such phrases - I don't mean it literally it is just a nice way to phrase a general thingy) the push Team 4 members. This isn't the worst thing in the world; they work just as hard as everyone else. I'm not going to say it is because of the long-looked over members like Nacchi; I've given up on that point. It is because the new members that have spent quite a long time, years even, as research students to be looked over not by one exceptional ace but a group of fresh, young faces just after they got promoted. I mean Sato Sumire is like 18!

What about Ucchi (Uchida Mayumi)? What was the point of deciding the single participation by rock-paper-scissors if nothing really came of it. Will Akimoto even do it again? Nothing really changed. Sure, more people know who she is and she did get her time in the spotlight. Well what about the general elections? Oshima was only center for that single. The difference is that while the election only decides the positions for said single, it confirms the popularity and dedication each member gets (at least within the fandom because casual fans tend not to vote); the other is based on luck and maybe strategy.

I think something more realistic is the idea that Kashiwagi could keep her number three spot onwards. The senbatsu has been changing. Before the top two were Takahashi and Maeda, Itano has moved in pushing some away from Akimoto's favorite. The centers for the last two singles were Itano and Maeda. And look, Itano dropped significantly in rank. Will Itano lose her newly gained number two/ three spot in regular senbatsu?

Jeez, everything reminds me of something else. Recall how Ono Erena's popularity or at least position in senbatsu decreased before she graduated. Shinoda has seen a drop and is getting close to the max age. I doubt she will go for joining SDN48. Should I have even gone there, she is one of the members that many are concerned about graduating. Two things people think predict graduation: popularity and age. We can tell from this past year that is a horrible assumption [Ono and Oku]. Now Itano is a possibility because she is at the right stage in her career to do so [think Goto Maki and Morning Musume]. However, I don't think Akimoto would be keen on the idea of letting either Itano or Maeda graduate. Although, he sure has done enough pushing to make it seem as if it is a possibility.

Japan Style - A Drink Taste Test
Pepsi Dry:
Tastes like Pepsi if it were dry, like if it was dry ice but in pepsi liquid form. I don't care for regular Pepsi (and it has been some time since I've had it), but Diet Pepsi is my favorite soda. Okay, second taste impression: similar to regular Pepsi, but doesn't have that crisp taste that Diet Pepsi has like I thought it would. Kind of like when I put dramamine in my mouth and while I get dome water it starts to dissolve a bit. I wouldn't say it is refreshing, more like flat. Although it does bubble. I won't be finishing this drink. I didn't see any Diet Pepsi. . . but they are so health conscience I doubt they wouldn't go for it. Then again there is this Pepsi Nuex (or something like that).

Crystal Lemon:
Since it is a hot, sunny day why not try what looks like lemonade.

Side Note: I find it peculiar that both drinks I've tried so far have the word dry on them (DryDo). (I've also seen a lot of sweat, which isn't attractive either for water.) Just saying.

First sip: I took it and started coughing so much I couldn't taste it. It is like my experience with sake. Wow, I'm still coughing. Okay maybe Japanese people like the flavor of grainy medicine as an aftertaste. I can taste the lemon, but the after taste is overpowering. If I take a long slurp I kind of like it, but I wouldn't buy this again either. I'm going to try to finish this one so I'm not wasteful. Oh, I should try mixing a little of the first with the second (that didn't happen). Sometimes the best elements of a drink is brought out by food, or the other way around. Pretzels: boy I love Snyder's sourdough nibblers. I guess it helps with the drink, at least trying to finish it.

Verdict So Far: I'm sticking to water unless I find some POG; I idolize POG as if it were a god. Only found in a place of worship, in this case, Hawaii.

Mountain Dew:
Wow, it is really similar to the original! There isn't any bad (in my opinion) after taste. I might get this again. I hope there is caffeine in here because I don't like regular tea (only ones from Bubble Tea/ Milk Tea) or coffee (only mochas).

Update by Mina!

I saw a group of teenage girls checking out this set up and pointing at the election poster five minutes later.

Well it has been a couple weeks in Japan!  Wow both Todd and I are in Japan and another one just got back not a month of two ago.  I have a couple posts in mind, but I've been busy plus there is only one internet cord for the WWOOFers (there are now four of us).  I have a Japanese drink taste test post already written on my iphone.  I am also planning to do a post about WWOOFing and my experience, my time in Tokyo, maybe a separate post if I see AKB48 in concert or on stage, things i noticed about culture and tips for staying/ traveling to Japan, an update for the Majisuka Gakuen 2 post, and whatever I come up with.  I'm still waiting to hear about my stage tickets.  Getting Super Enpou tickets for the dome shows, if they are available, won't happen because it will be past the one month limit.   I will still check out resellers and I've been checking the internet forums and such every so often.  Todd is also looking for them so if he has any luck he will pass along the tip.  Here is an AKB48 post that I typed up in my spare time:

A recent change of things?
Has anyone been noticing more live-vocals from AKB48? Not only have they've been appearing on Music Fair during their regular promotional circuit, you can notice it during performances like Music Satation and the Top 100 concert. It wasn't uncommon for stages to be performed live. Is Akimoto confident that messing up vocals won't hurt sales, or are their vocals so on point it is almost hard to spot. You almost need the mess ups or someone sticking out to know it isn't lip synced. I'm thrilled because as some of you might have noticed I've been struggling with this issue for a long time. I would still forgive them when it comes to large scale concerts where they have so many microphones to check. (I understand from my experience in the theatre and video news program during high school.)

This Year's General Election - An FU to Morning Musume?
I'm one that has been discouraging the fighting between Hello Project and the 48 Universe because I am (or is it was) a fan of both sides. Lately my interest has disappeared to the point that I will only go as far as watching their PVs (same as other groups like KAT-TUN). I'm in Japan right now and my host and their friends find it amusing that I listen to AKB48 and Arashi. During the senbatsu election one casual fan of the group (a friend from Tokyo who likes Tomomi Kasai but is bored with Tomomi Itano) mentioned that Morning Musume was over. He said something about their concerts that I couldn't fully understand. I didn't want to jump in that I'm a fan of them. In fact when it came up through my Facebook page that I was a fan I did confirm it, but I added that I'm bored with them at the moment. I don't have any pride in being their fan. I like most of the members, but the music they release I wouldn't buy. (C-ute looked the most promising but then they released their usual cute idol song; I liked the sexy dandy stuff they had been releasing recently. I do love the new Morning Musume members, but not the songs [Maji was good]. Dream Musume was a bust.) Sorry went off on a tangent.

How is this the election that flips the bird to Tsunku (more so than Hello Project itself - that is a better way of looking at it)? Well first, Sato Sumire may not have kept her senbatsu status from the 21st single, but she did make Undergirls. Ayaka Umeda, who not only belongs to the successful subgroup DiVA, is the center for the Undergirls coupling track. Now the most well known reject: Kashiwagi Yuki. She is the center for the subgroup French Kiss, she is the captain of Team B, and she sky rocketed to the number three spot! She definitely was the surprise this time around (but not that much considering she had the spot in the preliminaries).

Maeda Atsuko regaining her #1 Spot
To be honest I like them both, but I'm slightly more biased towards Acchan, so I didn't mind who got the spot. After Yuko defeated Acchan I was shocked. I became happy for Yuko who tries hard to appeal to fans. (Sometimes too hard, which turns me off and is the reason I had a period where I disliked Takamina and is why I still dislike Takahashi Ai.) However, I also thought there is only one place Acchan is suited for and that is the center. They are completely different in their approach to being an idol. Acchan doesn't try to be over the top; this can come off as she isn't trying or as sincere. I was completely for Acchan getting her spot back until I watched her appeal video. Now I didn't bother to fully understand what she was saying, just to see what she would do. It didn't look like she cared at all. Later I realized that she might of been tired because she is overworked. The number one spot only mattered to me once I saw Acchan's reaction to regaining it. It really moved me. (Her short Hana Kimi hair is cute by the way.)

Sad Face results:
Myao (The most disappointing results because she still should be in senbatsu)
Lovetan
Mii-chan (who I voted for)
Tomo~mi
Ucchi (She didn't rank even after being the champion and having a major part in Majisuka Gakuen)

Happy Face:
Matsui Rena
Matsui Jurina
Miorin
Acchan
Sasshi
and pretty much everyone who ranked in Undergirls or Senbatsu

Didn't Care Much:
Yuko
Mariko
Tomomi Itano
Harugon
Takahashi (Part of me wants her to get the number one spot at least once because she deserves it)
Haruna
Mayu

OK - B1A4

Everyone~
Please help us to make this video reach 1000000 PV before June 16th, okay?
You should watch this, this song really make me happy after I hear it~♥