#32: AKB48 2016 Sousenkyo Predictions

OPENING: Three 6 Mafia – Some Bodies Gonna Get It

Points of interest for this year’s election

• The first election to feature NGT48 members
• The first election to announce more members as 1st day results than actually will rank
• On March 23rd, staff members received an application from Nyan Nyan Kamen (にゃんにゃん仮面), which they believed was submitted by Kojima Haruna under an alternate alias. The application included inaccurate entries such as her birthday being on February 22nd, 2222. Kojima confirmed the next day that it was not her submission. On April 5, they officially accepted “Nyan Nyan Kamen” application. With the release from the members posters it was confirmed that Nyan Nyan Kamen is Kojima Haruna.
• Both Iwasaki Moeka and Shibata Yui applied for the election, but retired their applications after announcing their graduation (Iwasaki on April 3, Shibata on May 3).
• The total number of members participating this year was originally the same as the number of members who participated last year (272 members). This number was raised when Nyan Nyan Kamen’s application was accepted, and then dropped when Iwasaki Moeka and Shibata Yui graduated. Currently, there are now 271 members participating.
• Baito AKB Paruru Selection members Shigefuji Fuyuka and Hinode Yuka were not eligible.

Who is out:

• Team A: Ogasawara Mayu, Takahashi Minami, Maeda Ami
• Team K: Aigasa Moe, Ishida Haruka, Nakata Chisato
• Team B: Umeta Ayano, Kobayashi Kana, Takeuchi Miyu, Tanabe Miku
• Team 4: Nozawa Rena, Murayama Yuiri
• Team 8: Fujimura Natsuki, Yamamoto Ai, Iwasaki Moeka
• Team S: Oya Masana, Tsuzuki Rika, Yakata Miki
• Team KII: Ishida Anna, Takagi Yumana, Matsumura Kaori
• Team E: Kato Rumi, Shibata Aya
• Team N: Jonishi Kei, Nishimura Aika, Yamaguchi Yuki
• Team M: Kinoshita Momoka, Tanigawa Airi
• Team BII: Kinoshita Haruna, Watanabe Miyuki
• NMB48 Kenkyuusei: Shibata Yui
• Team H: Anai Chihiro
• Team KIV: Ota Aika
• Team Kaigai: Chikano Rina, Nakagawa Haruka, Miyazawa Sae

Panel Questions

Topic 1: General Election Talk

• What are your thoughts on this year’s crop of quitters and dropouts?
• Who is the most surprising non-participant? Of those who entered into this year’s election, who do you think should have thought twice since they have no chance of ranking?
• Do you know what kind of drugs and/or alcohol Kojima Haruna was taking when she submitted her entry? Do you want some? What are her chances of her alter ego ranking?
• Are you going to stay up and watch this thing or just do the sensible thing and sleep and watch the Internet explode in the morning?

Topic 2: Observations from the peanut gallery

• Which group will have the most number of ranked members and why?
• Which group will have the least number of ranked members and why?
• Which member(s) will make a significant gain in ranking?
• Which member(s) will have the biggest drop in ranking?
• How do you think NGT48 will do in their first official year as a group in this election?
• Biggest Yui meltdown? Kojina, Yokoyama O.G. or Yokoyama Team 8?

Topic 3: Pick a winner

• Who is 2016’s Ms. Irrelevant? (#8)
• Who takes the “Scandal Ranking” (#26) and what do you think this person’s scandal will be?
• Pick your center for each of the non-senbatsu group rankings
• Who will make the highest debut in the top 16?
• Jurina Kazoo
• Will Kodama Haruka finally reach the promised land of single senbatsu or will she once again be denied?
• Out of the top 5 in the preliminary rankings who takes the top prize? Or do you believe it will be someone unexpected?
• Last question, if you were to base the election on who will get an ugly ass painting who do you believe should win?

ENDING: AKB48 – 翼はいらない