belletagy: AKB48第6回選抜総選挙

昨日は、総選挙開票日です。
私にとって大事な日です。
この1年、まゆゆを見つけて、まゆゆを神推しになった。
もちろん、まゆゆ1位がほしいです。
去年、まゆゆは3位になった。
でも、まゆゆは1位がほしい。
だから、私たち、ファンの皆さん、精一杯頑張った。
昨日、開票日です。
第2位の発表前の時、私たちすごく緊張した。
「第2位は、HKT48チームH、指原莉乃」を発表とき、私すっごくうれしいです。
今でも信じられない。

まゆゆ、1位おめでとうございます。
1位はあなたにとってすごく大切な事ね。
まゆゆは私の神推し、よかったね、、

まゆゆ、本当に本当に本当におめでとう！！！
ずっと応援します。
大好き。

yesterday, was the senbatsu elections.
it's a day that was really precious to me.
in this past year, i've found mayuyu, and mayuyu has became my kami-oshi.
of course, i want mayuyu to get 1st place.
last year, she achieved #3.
but, what mayuyu wants is, to achieve #1.
therefore, we, as fans of mayuyu, did our best with all our might.
yesterday, was the day of the unveiling of vote counts.
before #2 was announced, all of us were extremely nervous.
when "In 2nd place, HKT48 Team H, Sashihara Rino" was announced, I was extremely happy.
even till now, i can't believe it.

mayuyu, congratulations on achieving #1.
getting #1 is something really precious to you, right.
i'm glad mayuyu is my kami-oshi、、

mayuyu, congratulations!!!
i'll always support you.
i love you.

------------------------------------------------

so yeah, above was what i wanted to express in japanese at the best of my ability. typing something that means so much to me in my non-native language isn't an easy thing. i did my best. but because i knew i missed out some of my emotions, i shall fully describe the entire event, in english, here.

yesterday, was my first sousenkyo (election). i'm glad i met some fans through s48, and i joined them to watch sousenkyo together. first time meeting them, but somehow there wasn't a huge air of awkwardness, it felt like i was with people whom i knew for a couple of days already (not awkward, but not casual enough to let go of all appearances lol). it must be due to the fact that the general consensus is for mayu to get #1. there were literally almost no sasshi fans (i think?), and even non mayu-oshis were supporting mayu, even in a casual way.

i'm glad the stream went by without any major problems, except the occasional advertisements and lag which we overcame halfway into the event. here, i want to give a special mention to the guys who sacrificed their data to stream the entire event (7-8hrs long) for us. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.

back to sousenkyo, since it's my first ever sousenkyo and since i'm a fan of the new gen girls, i'm really excited to see where my favourites will rank. i'm really, really glad many of them were able to rank, and especially naachan, my 2nd oshi, ranking at #51. it may not be the best rank, but having her rank at #51 with 15,873 votes for the first time ever was really satisfying. naachan, you'll climb up the ranks in the coming years! i believe in you and your fans. ♥

i'll complie a list of my favourite members, where they ranked and how many votes they got later on. but now, i'll move on to the highlight of the event: MAYU VS SASSHI FOR #1

given that all of us were supporting mayu, either in a hardcore way or a really casual way, all of us were wanting mayu to be #1. and when 2nd place was announed, the moment all of us heard "H", ALL OF US LITERALLY JUMPED UP AND SCREAMED. i don't know about the others, but i was too shocked and happy and everything felt like a blur, and suddenly tears just started flowing. my palms were super sweaty, i couldn't stop gasping and breathing hard, and seriously, everything just felt like a blur, like i was in some sort of dream. it was amazing.
[background info, sasshi is in HKT48 and mayu is in AKB48, so when we heard "H" for 2nd place, we knew mayu had won the elections]

up till now, i seriously can't believe what has happened. this little girl joined AKB at a young age of 12, has been labelled as the ace of the 3rd generation since her debut, has been in ALL akb singles (except janken ones) since she debuted and has been labelled as the ace of akb since acchan left. her face was everywhere, she centered a couple of songs, but year after year, she failed to achieve the #1 spot everyone wants. BUT, this year was different. we mayu fans/supporters made her #1.

occasionally i'd get sudden surges of emotions and i'd start getting teary-eyed and emotional. i still can't digest the fact that MAYU IS #1. like what was on the robe that was given to her, SHE IS THE QUEEN OF AKB48 (refer to picture below). that moment when she climbed up to the top spot, gazed at the scenery, and sat on the throne, was just amazing. i'll need to rewatch that moment a couple of times to fully digest the emotions.

and now, people can stop criticizing mayu for being a "failed center/ace" (or anything along the lines), since she has won the sousenkyo. people will stop saying she's incapable of leading AKB. we've proven it. her #1 win isn't a joke, she achieved history with it. GUESS WHAT?! mayu increased her votes from 101,210 (in 2013) to 159,854 (in 2014)!!!!!!!!!!! that's a huge increase for someone like mayu who has had a stable fanbase, and her fanbase isn't increasing as significantly as new members. granted, people could vote more than once, but still, that's a freaking huge jump anyone will agree.

i'd ramble on and on about how great and deserving mayu was, but there would be no end so i shall stop here. and like i said, here's a list of my favourite members, where they ranked and how many votes they had. i'll also add in their previous year stats.

80. Oshima Ryoka (9,561) | Unranked last year
67. Murashige Anna (11,586) | Unranked last year
66. Iwatate Saho (11,873) | Unranked last year
64. Matsuoka Natsumi (12,569) | Unranked last year
63. Uchiyama Natsuki (12,749) | Unranked last year
62. Nishino Miki (12,824) | Unranked last year
51. Okada Nana (15,873) | Unranked last year
38. Tashima Meru (18,875) | #55 last year (13,246)
32. Kato Rena (21,877) | Unranked last year
28. Takahashi Juri (23,612) | Unranked last year
27. Tomonaga Mio (23,766) | #59 last year (12,126)
16. Kawaei Rina (39,120) | #25 last year (26,764)
11. Miyawaki Sakura (45,538) | #26 last year (25,760)
9. Takahashi Minami (57,388) | #8 last year (68,681)
3. Kashiwagi Yuki (104,364) | #4 last year (96,905)
1. Watanabe Mayu (159,854) | #3 last year (101,210)

as you can see, all of my favourites generally increased ranks & votes, so i'm really happy! my first experience watching the sousenkyo was great as well.

i need to bring out this photo. this was mayu's expression when she was at the top, taking in the scenery. i wonder what she saw and how she felt..