AKB48 Minami Minegishi 'scandal'

[Sephina]

So I figured this is the best place to discuss what happened recently.

One of AKB48's founding members Minami Minegishi(20) was photographed recently leaving her boyfriends house, after spending the night. The issue begins when ALL members of AKB48 are strictly prohibited (in their contract) from dating, or having any sexual relationships to 'preserve the illusion of availability to fans'. Past members have been kicked out after breaking this rule. When the label found out this happened:
This Youtube video on their official channel

Suddenly her hair is shaved, and they post an official video of her crying, and pleading for her fans to forgive her and begging to let her stay in AKB48.

While I agree that if you break your contract, then you should face penalties (monetary compensation, suspending activities, being kicked out etc.). However to humiliate another human like that just astounds me. I for one do not beleive that she volunteered to do any of that. I feel since she's a founding member she's being used as a scare tactic for newer girls. It's heart breaking to see a girl get punished for something like dating (at age 20), and being humiliated for being a normal human.

After the video was posted it was announced that she will have to start back at step one as a trainee for the group and work her way up, after devoting 8 years of her life to the group.

What is everyone's thoughts on this?

[User_4103036]

Yeah, even a swedish paper brought this up in an article.
I just think it's rude to have her done that, regardless of contract. This is even worse than the Johnny's Entertainment imo.

Way of wasting her life like that. I'd rather leave than train myself up again if I was humiliated like that(might be hard due to that contract but still, ew).

Japanese and their weird eyes on "available" statuses. stare

[Hyukfied]

The punishment is really harsh. Shaving her head, and going back to being a trainee. =/

[Like Fine Art]

♏

i wrote this on my friend's tumblr:

What happened to Minegishi Minami happened.

Your ranting and raving for the woman wont change anything. From what I’ve read and seen so far, the company is standing strong to their decision and are less likely pour pitiful emotions in response to her public disgrace.

The video was posted on her behalf, her shaved head was done on her behalf, her scandal was caused by her reckless actions. If it clearly says that you cannot date in your contract then don’t date if you want to keep your job, plain and simple.

I felt slightly remorseful about her video on AKB’s Official YouTube due to the fact that she force herself to make the video. BUT she should’ve thought first before she had done something like that. Giving her too much pity doesn’t make the situation any better.

If Minegishi wanted to be a free woman and date however and whoever she pleased, she should’ve quit. But it’s too late now…

On GENERATIONS’ Alan Shirahama’s behalf believe that he should receive a punishment just as cruel.

It’s surprising that his company simply said,”We leave his private life up to him. He told us they are just good friends and nothing more”, and they simply dropped it as that and it’s even more surprising to find that dating didn’t violate his contract.

Is the “No Dating” rule mainly subjected to females? Isn’t the Japanese entertainment business taking the (male) fans’ obsession over female idol groups, or as they call it “innocence”, too seriously? Good business is far more important than personal desire.

And it’s even worse that the coward didn’t even show his face to at least help save Minegishi based on his claim or at least apologize.

✞　穢れのない　優しさに　涙と眠りたい　✞

[Like Fine Art]

Hyukfied

The punishment is really harsh. Shaving her head, and going back to being a trainee. =/

♏

she shaved her head upon her own accord.

the shaving of the head is an act of contrition.

✞　穢れのない　優しさに　涙と眠りたい　✞

[User_4103036]

Sudden Recoil

♏

i wrote this on my friend's tumblr:

On GENERATIONS’ Alan Shirahama’s behalf believe that he should receive a punishment just as cruel.

It’s surprising that his company simply said,”We leave his private life up to him. He told us they are just good friends and nothing more”, and they simply dropped it as that and it’s even more surprising to find that dating didn’t violate his contract.

Is the “No Dating” rule mainly subjected to females? Isn’t the Japanese entertainment business taking the (male) fans’ obsession over female idol groups, or as they call it “innocence”, too seriously? Good business is far more important than personal desire.

And it’s even worse that the coward didn’t even show his face to at least help save Minegishi based on his claim or at least apologize.

✞　穢れのない　優しさに　涙と眠りたい　✞

Probably since we know males are way more attractive over there. rolleyes

[Like Fine Art]

Meshes of the Afternoon

Probably since we know males are way more attractive over there. rolleyes

please don't be that naive.

females are dominating japanese entertainment due to the fact that more than half of their fanbase are male. they build personal desires and connections to the idol stars thus putting more money into the system.

minegishi's scandal with shirahama didn't favor to the male fanbase (their money) and it broke her contract. she set up herself up and didn't think clearly before she did it. it's just good business when the act of innocence is being played.

it's a little weird that shirahama isn't saving minegishi's face, showing his face, or at least defending his claim to save minegishi's status.

✞ 穢れのない 優しさに 涙と眠りたい ✞

[User_4103036]

Sudden Recoil

Meshes of the Afternoon

Probably since we know males are way more attractive over there. rolleyes

please don't be that naive.

females are dominating japanese entertainment due to the fact that more than half of their fanbase are male. they build personal desires and connections to the idol stars thus putting more money into the system.

minegishi's scandal with shirahama didn't favor to the male fanbase (their money) and it broke her contract. she set up herself up and didn't think clearly before she did it. it's just good business when the act of innocence is being played.

it's a little weird that shirahama isn't saving minegishi's face, showing his face, or at least defending his claim to save minegishi's status.

✞ 穢れのない 優しさに 涙と眠りたい ✞

Wow, note the sarcasm before you write, please.

still stupid whether she did all this s**t on her own or they made her do it.

[xXxBlack_CrystalxXx]

They should be allowed to date if they want to.

[Noel Kawashima]

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

I don't really listen to J-pop but when I heard this, yes I felt bad because she shaved her head but she got herself into that mess.
The guy needs a just-as-cruel punishment, too, to make it fair.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

굳게 문을 닫잖아 열리는 이 찰나에 믿음 깨지듯 찬 물은 끼얹지는마.

[rei hotaru]

minami wasn't my oshi, so i don't feel as bad as virtually every other akb48 fan seems to feel.
it just sucks that she has to start all over. especially since she was a first-generation member.

[Sierra The Captor]

I don't see how it's fair for people to say that Alan deserves the same punishment considering the fact that he didn't FORCE Minami to shave her head. There was an article that said Alan apologized during a fanmeeting for 'causing trouble' and that's at least better than ignoring it since guys tend to get more leeways than girls when it comes to a scandal. At least around the fandom and some of my sister's Japanese friends, none of the fans or non-fans really cared that she was dating as long as it doesn't interfere with her work. They agreed what she did with shaving her head was thoughtless. She didn't think about the consequences and stress that might put people around her through.

At least the management didn't kick her out immediately just any other insignificant member. Since she's a Senbatsu member, they kept her, but demoting her to a Kenkyusei instead.

[Sole-Invernale]

When I first heard about this, I was like 'wow...' She worked and worked then had to go back to trainee status just like that. Bruh, that's a cold a** world.

My initial thoughts on the whole thing was that I did feel sorry for her for the fact that because she was caught trying to live her life and experience things someone her age should be doing. I sympathized with her on that note but at the same time, you're in the entertainment business and you can't be caught slipping. It's unfortunate that this had to happen but she read her contract and she knew the rules.

I was under the impression that the company made her shave her head... regardless, that's a bad situation to get caught up in.

[BelowTheHorizon]

This news hit right before the news of my oshimen graduating. This fandom can only take so many feels :.|.

While it's true that she did this on her own (management didn't force her to shave her head), I don't think this would have happened in the first place if she didn't know she was going to be punished. There seems to be an "unspoken" rule about no dating, which I think is unfair. I've heard that in Japan, shaving your head shows remorse...? Her extreme actions, although impulsive, were only done to apologize to fans.

Either way, I don't like seeing my babies shed tears :c. Just seeing her happy is enough.

[Comme des Garcons]

if any of you are from ebi or s48... ninja