For the next few posts, I'd like to do a short introduction of my top five 推しメン. I'll share a few pictures, write a bit about why I like them, and add some videos I've run across that I feel summarize their personalities. First up is Miyazawa Sae.
When I first started looking into AKB48, I watched a lot of videos for individual members trying to get a sense of all their personalities. One who always stood out in my mind was Sae, currently the eleventh most popular member of the group and my #1 favorite oshimen. Known by her nickname Genking, a mashup of genki (energetic) and king, Sae is almost always cheerful and excited. In Japan, this personality type is known as "high tension."
It's really telling that her introduction video contains so much about her relationship with her fans. Not only does she show off some of the gifts she's received and keeps prominently displayed on her desk, but she talks about how she'll read fan letters when she's feeling sad and afterward feels better.
Though it seems odd to say about someone younger than myself, Sae is an inspiration to me. Working with kids everyday in Japan wasn't always easy and was often very tiring. Still, I would try my best to stay happy for the kids and upbeat about my job, drawing on her enthusiasm for her work. Though I realize this mutual appreciation is superficial at best, it is the main reason she has stayed so high on my list for so long.
Though it seems odd to say about someone younger than myself, Sae is an inspiration to me. Working with kids everyday in Japan wasn't always easy and was often very tiring. Still, I would try my best to stay happy for the kids and upbeat about my job, drawing on her enthusiasm for her work. Though I realize this mutual appreciation is superficial at best, it is the main reason she has stayed so high on my list for so long.
Sae had the best ending on the dating sim AKB 1/48. True to her personality, both her good and bad endings were upbeat. She did a decent job with the acting and really made you feel like she was excited you chose her.
Sae's English introductions are always adorable. I don't think she studies English very much, but she tries her best. She really reminds me of my more enthusiastic kids. Due to her sporty nature, Sae is usually cast as the tough or tomboyish member of the group. This isn't a problem in and of itself, but I would like to see more portrayals of her feminine side.
If I were to be completely objective, I would have to admit that Sae isn't the strongest singer in AKB. Honestly though, this doesn't bother me for a few reasons. The first is that it's difficult to single out one person's voice amid the chorus that is the typical AKB song. The second is that I have no ear for music. You have to be either really good or really bad for me to take note of your ability.
Sae is an example of how personality can play just as large a role in choosing an 推しメン as musical ability. Though my favorites have done some shifting around in the past, Sae is now firmly in the number one position and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
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