AKB Scandals Thread

[boinsie]

On the one hand, I can see how the head-shaving could have been meant as atonement, like, "I love my hair and look how ashamed I am of what I did I'll sacrifice something I love to prove my seriousness", etc. But on the other hand, it also feels like such a loose-cannon thing to do. Like, "Not only was I going to be difficult to keep in your agency because of my staying the night at a boy's house, but now I've also drastically changed my physical appearance, which is something normally only done with management's OK. Who knows what crazy stuff I'll do next weekend!!"
On the other hand, since they're releasing official videos of her apologizing, it does seem moreso as though the agency is giving her another try. Likely she'll be on the down-low for a could of months, they'll modify her hair into more of a pixie-cut, and she (and no3b) will be able to come back.

But dang, look at that shoddy buzz-job.

[sb]

Her shaving her head could also gain sentiment from the fans. And heck, as a research student she really doesn't have to do anything. She can just lay low til peeps forget.

[AyuHikaru]

Shaving Your head is kind of common in Japan, isn't it? Like out of grief, I mean.

That is extreme of her to do though, when I saw the video it was quite shocking.

I've stated my opinion in the no boyfriend rule many many times over the course of many years (It's dumb and archaic and laammme) however, those are the rules right now and breaking them does mean you should be punished. I hate to say it, because I hate the rule, but they know the rules going in (And they know if they are going to have a relationship don't do anything as stupid as trying to spend the night at the guys house, omg so stupid) and to be in AKB means to follow those rules. It's the same as H!P it's the same as any idol group. It sucks and everyone but the wota know it sucks, but thems the breaks.

[Rm88]

Will wota ever change their mind about this rule?

"I'm a grown ass male and I'm sure this young, good looking, popular singer will abstain from romance/sex/whatever for me. If she doesn't, not only I stop supporting her, I'll rage about it."

I never let any fanbase make me feel bad about stuff I enjoy, but I sure as heck wouldn't want to be grouped with people who think that's okay. It's not even just a bit wrong, it's downright idiotic and crazy.

Man, girls who have been idol for ages like Berryz must be insanely good at hiding their romantic life

[wotakubrandon]

H!P in general have probably gotten good at covering the girls tracks lol.

[TotallyUncool]

I'm just going to quote a Facebook post by Brent Mills, a writer/digital publisher/American expat living in Japan who's got some pretty strong opinions and a take-no-prisoners attitude:

In other news (huge news in Japan)... AKB48 member Minami Minegishi shaves her head in an attempt to... I don't know what the fuck. But anyway, I'm assuming this has everything to do with her demotion in the group since getting caught having her brains fucked out (and liking it) recently Exile member Alan Shirahama. So the upshot is this... everyone who supports groups like AKB48 supports their enslavement by vile men like Akimoto who literally allows them to have no life, and their idiotic, childish acts of self-deprecation for acceptance into the group and by the general public (who seems to be nodding their head sagely at this foolishness). Below (and in the comment section) are images of a pretty young woman who, while granted doesn't have much talent on-stage, doesn't deserve to be tied to the back of a buggy and pulled through the streets of media coverage like a corpse -- willing or otherwise. This is sick. It needs to stop. DO NOT SUPPORT GROUPS LIKE AKB48!

And this comment by one of Brent's FB friends:

Being part of a POP GROUP does not make this girl, or her body, PROPERTY of any one else, and trying to enforce a 'rule' that she can't have consensual sex is inhumane, and borders on slavery ideology. To my mind, the men who created these rules literally governing a young woman's sex life are the ones at fault, not the girl for breaking them.

As far as I'm concerned, they're both right on the money.

[Rm88]

Man, if I were into AKB (and Mayuyu didn't exist) I'd oshi Minegishi just because of this bullcrap.

[Zunu]

Wait. What happened to the lack of hair?

[boinsie]

Man, if I were into AKB (and Mayuyu didn't exist) I'd oshi Minegishi just because of this bullcrap.

Wait. What happened to the lack of hair?

I assume that's a video from sometime previous. One of those "omg, we should have seen this coming, loook at that last GIF where she clearly wants to love NAO" kind of things.

[randompasserby]

I think that's probably an old gif ^^; ?
So yeah after reading around a little bit this just seems to be business as usual as when idols got caught in a scandal.. except for the shaved head and the public apology video.

At this point it really doesn't matter whose decision it was to shave her hair in the first place, they put her in front of a camera then gleefully showed it all to the public. Has there ever been any public apology videos from previous scandals? just a letter and official statement in writing should've sufficed if they felt the need to make an apology. All three combined together just screams low and underhanded publicity stunt on the whole company's part. Between this and Kasai's pb cover fiasco that somehow got approved all the way until the publisher takes issue with it, really makes me wonder what the hell the collective minds in ***48 empire management chain are smoking right now.