{"id":1540,"date":"2010-05-21T22:58:40","date_gmt":"2010-05-22T05:58:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.intlwota.com\/chuodori\/?p=1540"},"modified":"2023-12-10T03:20:46","modified_gmt":"2023-12-10T03:20:46","slug":"getting-to-know-wasamin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/2010\/05\/21\/getting-to-know-wasamin\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting To Know Wasamin"},"content":{"rendered":"

A couple of months back Melos from the blog MELOS no Michi<\/a> asked me to do an entry for his “getting to know your idols” series.\u00a0 Specifically he asked me to do a writeup on Iwasa Misaki.\u00a0 I fretted over how I was going to do this piece for a few weeks before finally delving into it.\u00a0 In the meantime, Melos has had very little time to devote to blogging, so the article just sat there…<\/p>\n

Instead of wasting the effort I put into the post, Melos decided I should just put it on my own blog.\u00a0 So here goes!<\/p>\n

Iwasa Misaki\u00a0 AKA Wasamin!!!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Team:<\/span> A
\nName:<\/span> Iwasa Misaki (\u5ca9\u4f50\u7f8e\u54b2)
\nNickname:<\/span> Wasamin (\u308f\u3055\u307f\u3093)
\nBirthdate:<\/span> January 30th, 1995
\nBirthplace:<\/span> Chiba, Japan
\nHeight:<\/span> 156cm
\nBust:<\/span> 74cm
\nWaist:<\/span> 56cm
\nHips:<\/span> 80cm
\nAgency:<\/span> AKS
\nBlog:<\/span> –<\/p>\n

Singles Participated In<\/span>
\nHikoukigumo (Theater Girls)<\/p>\n

Stage Units<\/span>
\nB4: Kuchi Utsushi no Chocolate (RS Stage Ver.)
\nH2: Tonari no Banana (Revival)<\/p>\n

———-<\/p>\n

Iwasa Misaki (aka Wasamin) debuted with AKB48 in early 2009.\u00a0 She was only 13-years old at the time.\u00a0 But unlike some members she wasn’t exactly new to the entertainment world.\u00a0 She had been previously trained at Hajima Vocal Academy<\/a> in Tokyo, which explains her above-average singing abilities.\u00a0 But I will get to that later.\u00a0 She is a bit tough to write about from a historical perspective because at this point she has never been a member of a core team.\u00a0 That will finally change when she makes her debut as a Team A member this summer.\u00a0 But just because Wasamin doesn’t have a long history with the group doesn’t mean she hasn’t earned her placing as my favorite member of AKB48.\u00a0 So what is it about this 15-year old 7th generation kenkyuusei that I find so fascinating?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This post is really about “getting to know” Wasamin through my eyes.\u00a0 And the good news is she and I have had the chance to meet multiple times over the last year.<\/p>\n

Wasamin came to my attention last May during a Team K show.\u00a0 That weekend they were filming the PV for “Namida Surprise”, so there were many Kenkyuusei subbing for the regular members.\u00a0 It was the first time I noticed this adorable girl with the purest of smiles.\u00a0 Who was she?\u00a0 I knew she was an RS.\u00a0 But since I really didn’t pay attention to the trainees beyond Ishida Haruka (who charmed me in much the same way) I had no idea who she was.\u00a0 All I knew was that she danced with tons of enthusiasm and was totally attentive to her teammates during MCs.\u00a0 Oh, and that adorable smile.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

I returned to my hotel and immediately went online to find out who she was.\u00a0 I had her face embedded in my brain, so it was easy to pick her out of the member list.\u00a0 Her name was Iwasa Misaki, and she was 14-years old.\u00a0 FOURTEEN???\u00a0 I swear she carried herself on stage as if she was at least 16 or 17.\u00a0 This was dangerous territory for me.\u00a0 I am older than your average idol fan, and to get an idea of the type of idol I like my AKB48 oshimen in Ohori Megumi.\u00a0 I am also a big fan of former H!P member Kago Ai and Erika Yazawa from Idoling!!!\u00a0 If you aren’t sure who she is, look her up.\u00a0 You’ll get the idea of what I am talking about.\u00a0 Becoming a huge fan of a young fresh-faced idol was a little bit out of my comfort zone.\u00a0 So I kinda “backburnered” her for a while.\u00a0 But I never forgot…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Flash forward to the Fall of 2009.\u00a0 AKB48 had announced their participation at the New York Anime Festival.\u00a0 While I debated whether or not to go I scanned the list of members who would be in attendance.\u00a0 None of my favorites were there.\u00a0 I finally resolved to make the trip.\u00a0 But if I was going I needed someone to root for.\u00a0 Then I saw a familiar name at the bottom of the list.\u00a0 Iwasa Misaki…She was going to New York City!\u00a0 That’s who I’m going to root for!\u00a0 If none of my favorite members were going to be there, Wasamin would become my Oshimen for the weekend.\u00a0 I wasn’t alone in that plan either, as my friend Yumestarlet (from Stage48) also had the same idea.\u00a0 So the good news was Wasamin would have at least two fans cheering her on in New York.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And cheer we did!\u00a0 Yumestarlet even brought signs.\u00a0 We called her name as she walked through the Javitz Center, and we cheered for her at Webster Hall.\u00a0 The best part was that she noticed, leading to my first ever interaction with her.\u00a0 At the end of the show she kneeled down and thanked me for cheering for her.\u00a0 That was it, the golden moment where I fell in love with her!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was about this time that they announced the cast for AKB48’s upcoming play “Infinity”.\u00a0 I think most people were surprised by some of the cast selections.\u00a0 This was their first real play, and many of the Senbatsu members weren’t going to be part of it.\u00a0 Beyond the main characters, the cast was largely populated by lower ranked members and Kenkyuusei.\u00a0 There has never been any mention of the casting strategy that I know of.\u00a0 But I would imagine that they were picked based on acting talent and stage presence.\u00a0 For Wasamin, it would be the first time she would get to showcase all of her talents on a big stage.\u00a0 For those of you who have seen it you know what I am talking about.\u00a0 Beyond the two main players, her part was pretty much the biggest among the supporting characters.\u00a0 Not only did she play a very strong character with great intensity, she got to sing lead on Tomo Yo AND dance out front in many scenes.\u00a0 It was the scuttlebutt I heard all over the AKB48 Theater that week.\u00a0 “Wasamin is sensational in the new play!”\u00a0 Needless to say she exceeded all of my expectations when I finally got to see the show.\u00a0 I was so happy for her!\u00a0 So when we got to meet a member of the cast after the performance, naturally she was my first pick.\u00a0 Which was really saying something since some of my favorite members WERE in the cast as well.\u00a0 But I passed them up for Wasamin.\u00a0 When I got to the front of the line she was one of the few with nobody in front of her.\u00a0 She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, fully expecting me to pass her up.\u00a0 But I stopped in front of her and growled her name…WASAMIN!!!\u00a0 At first she looked surprised that I picked her.\u00a0 But as she handed me her photo and thanked me she suddenly gave me a different look…<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

My heart jumped into my throat when I saw that look of recognition on her face.\u00a0 She remembered me from New York!\u00a0 The funny thing is she might have been as thrilled as I was.\u00a0 Obviously she isn’t as popular as many of the other girls, and to have a foreign fan pick her as the girl to meet must have been a pleasant surprise.\u00a0 And since I cheered for her in New York she knew I was really a fan and not someone who randomly chose her.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

By the way, at this point the team shuffles had already been announced.\u00a0 So we knew that Wasamin was going to be promoted to Team A.\u00a0 If you watch the final Budokan DVD, you may have noticed that she showed no happiness or celebration when they announced her name.\u00a0 To me it is a testament to her maturity, which is why I have mentioned her age so many times in this article.\u00a0 She realized the gravity of the situation around her, and was consciencious enough not to celebrate while so many of her teammates were in obvious distress.\u00a0 Wasamin carries herself with a maturity far beyond her years.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Singing, dancing, acting and the quintessential “girl next door”.\u00a0 Oh, and she is drop dead adorable too!\u00a0 She is a “five-tool” idol, and people in the right places are beginning to notice.\u00a0 Not only was she recently cast in a play outside of AKB48, it was announced at Yokohama Arena that Wasamin was recruited by Ogie Productions.\u00a0 That is one of the big talent stables in Japan, and most of the AKB48 girls they promote are really popular.\u00a0 Not only that, she was chosen for one of the shuffle units the first night of the Yokohama shows.\u00a0 She wasn’t the lead girl, but she did a great dance solo in the middle of Renai Kinshi Jourei.<\/p>\n

Plays, Promotions, a genuine talent.\u00a0 This girl has it made right?\u00a0 RIGHT???<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the “WTF” portion of the post, as the recent AKB48 MIXI rankings revealed that Wasamin is ranked 55th in popularity by Japanese fans.\u00a0 55th???\u00a0 There are only 48 members on the core teams.\u00a0 So that means even many of the 9th generation kenkyuusei are more popular at this point.\u00a0 I know MIXI isn’t the “end all be all” for measuring the members, but it is a fairly accurate gauge of the girls’ popularity.\u00a0 And as far as the local fans voting her that low?\u00a0 I’m sorry, but those fans must not know their asses from their elbows.\u00a0 I’m not expecting her to be Senbatsu, but come on!\u00a0 Usually the girls this low are there because the consensus generally “dislikes” them.\u00a0 And it baffles me how she could be so unpopular.\u00a0 If they could only meet the girl who last month beamed at me and said “I am sooo happy to see you again” at the 2-shot event they would know what an awesome idol she really is.\u00a0 And oh yeah…She remembered me…again!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Later on we saw her walking backstage toward the break area.\u00a0 I caught her eye and that beaming smile immediately returned.\u00a0 She smiled and waved to me all the way back to the curtain.\u00a0 It was enough for my friends around me to say.\u00a0 “I think she wants to jump in your suitcase and go home with you!” (hahaha)<\/p>\n

Are you beginning to understand why I adore her so much?<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Perhaps it is the fact that she hasn’t been featured on any of AKB48’s television shows.\u00a0 I don’t remember ever seeing her on AKBingo! before, and I think her recent appearance on Shukan AKB was her debut.\u00a0 Surprisingly, most of the fans in Japan have never been to the theater, and only know the girls from the singles and t.v. programs.\u00a0 So in the future I hope she gets featured more on TV.\u00a0 If you look at her history, it seems as if the management does think highly of her.\u00a0 So I hope the future holds more tv appearances.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wasamin needs a pie in the face, STAT!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It is almost two months until the debut of the new Team A’s 6th stage.\u00a0 I’m sure Wasamin is already training hard for that fateful day.\u00a0 Her debut as a core team member of AKB48.\u00a0 She will be competing for attention with some major players in AKB.\u00a0 But I know Wasamin, or as I like to call her…”Awesomin”.\u00a0 I am confident she will find her niche and shine on her new team.\u00a0 And after she does finally become a popular member, I am sure she will still remember her American fan because she is just “that kind of girl”.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Wasamin Ganbatte!!!<\/em><\/p>\n

CK in California<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


\n <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A couple of months back Melos from the blog MELOS no Michi asked me to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32762,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[33,82],"class_list":["post-1540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iwasa-misaki","tag-akb48","tag-iwasa-misaki"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/05\/wasamin3-280x250.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1540"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38385,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1540\/revisions\/38385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mescallado.com\/chuodori\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}