[AKBanter] That elusive AKB 'MIX'

As an international fan, you've probably felt a little left out because you have no idea what you're chanting every time an AKB song plays. But here's something you might not have expected: most Japanese fans don't really know what the MIX means either!

As I searched through Japanese websites and forums for an explanation of the MIX, the only thing I encountered over and over again, word for word, was the following text:

虎の如く火の如く人の造らざる繊細な心も維新となれば海を飲み女を喰らふ
その振動を心の有るがままに化身し本来繊細な心を飛ばし刹那に思ふがまま除き去る
これ己に忠実
刹那な刻の流れに身を任せるのみ
これこそタカまりの心髄なり

This text is referred to as the "極意" ("main point") of the MIX, and I have yet to encounter any attempt to further explain the MIX. Based on my research, I think the reason for this is the unique history of the MIX.

History of the MIX
A lot of the posts I found on the MIX's history cite this page as their source. Essentially, the MIX originated from a group of 5 guys who called themselves 'EVEL'. It all began in the 90's, when EVEL would frequent concerts by heavy metal/hard rock groups. When EVEL got really hyped up and excited at these concerts, they would shout out random words. This was called doing a "MIX".

After that, the MIX continued to circulate among a small group of otakus, who began using it at the concerts of other artistes. As it went along, the MIX slowly began to become more and more unified, until it finally emerged as the set of formulaic phrases now used for AKB48. However, based on the reference to "maidens of the sea" (see below), I would assume that this particular form of the MIX was adapted specifically for AKB, or at least for female idols.

Translation/explanation of the MIX
I have to warn you, however, that the MIX is highly idiosyncratic, both in terms of content and grammar. I have tried my best to make the most sense out of it, but I think you can now understand why even Japanese fans are so vague about the MIX. Still, the fact that something created by a small group of hardcore otakus has formalized, caught on and spread across Japan and beyond, is just one of the more bizarre aspects of AKB48.

So. The "main point" text above can be broken down into smaller chunks, with each chunk corresponding to a phrase in each subset of the MIX. These 3 subsets are known as Standard, Japanese, and Ainu Zenkyou Original.

"Main point"	Standard	Japanese	Ainu Zenkyou Original1
虎の如く Like a tiger,	タイガー tiger	虎(tora) tiger	チャペ(chape)
火の如く like fire,	ファイヤー fire	火(hi) fire	アペ(ape)
人の造らざる if people can cause	サイバー cyber	人造(jinzou) man-made	カラ(kara)
繊細な心も維新となれば their delicate souls to be restored,	ファイバー fiber	繊維(sen'i) fiber2	キナ(kira)
海を飲み女を喰らふ then as I partake of the maidens of the sea,	ダイバー diver	海女(ama) female shell diver	ララ(rara)
その振動を心の有るがままに化身し these vibrations reincarnate my soul into its true form.	バイバー viper3	振動(shindou) vibration	トゥスケ(tusuke)
本来繊細な心を飛ばし刹那に思ふがまま除き 去るこれ己に忠実 My originally delicate soul soars, and in an instant, all is willed away except my fidelity.	ジャージャー ja-ja3	化繊飛除去(kasentobijokyo) all synthetic fibers are expelled	ミョーホントゥスケ(myohontusuke)
刹那な刻の流れに身を任せるのみこれこそ タカまりの心髄なり In the ebb and flow of that moment in time, I give up my body; this becomes the true height of my existence.	-	-	- 4

Notes:
¹ Ainu is a native language which only survives in Hokkaido, and the Ainu subset apparently came about because one of the EVEL members is from Hokkaido. I have not attempted to translate this subset... ><
² Notice the recurring kanji '繊' and '維'. That and the fact that fibers are delicate?? I'm stumped too.
³ These are probably just onomatopoeic.
⁴ For some reason, this last section is not incorporated into the MIX.

Also, a few other MIX elements that might require translation:
- よっしゃぁいくぞー(yossha ikuzo) = All right, let's go!
- もういっちょいくぞー(mou iccho ikuzo) = Let's go again!
- それそれそれ(sore sore sore) = There it is!

[AKBanter] One Thing I Love About Miyawaki Sakura

I wouldn't consider her my oshimen, but HKT48's Miyawaki Sakura is one of my favorite members, and there's one thing I particularly love about her. Although her voice can get unbearably screechy at times, she has such a wonderful way with words. Her acceptance speech at the AKB48 37th Single Senbatsu Election in 2014, when she was voted into senbatsu for the first time, is in my opinion, a masterpiece.

Here is the full transcription and translation:

"HKT48 チームKIV、AKB48 チームA兼任の宮脇咲良です。今回は投票してくださった皆さん、支えてくださった皆さん、応援してくださった皆さん　本当にありがとうございました！

えっと…　自分でもこんな11と言う素敵な順位頂いて　すごくびっくりしているんですけど、総選挙はすごく毎回緊張して、その度に思い出すのはファンの皆さんです。ファンの皆さんはいつも私を支えてくれて、嬉しい事は一緒に喜んでくれて、悲しい事は励ましてくれる　私にとって太陽のような存在です。いつも暖かい光で私を照らしてくれて、私はその光を受けて輝ける月だと思っています。太陽がないと月は輝けないので、ファンの皆さんがいないと　ここにいるHKT48の宮脇咲良はいないと思います。本当にいつも支えてくれてありがとうございます。

そして 、今回の雷名に「ライバルはどこだ？」って書いてのを見て、私のライバルは誰だろうと考えた時に　一人の人を思い出しました。私のライバルはさっしーです。あの、本当に人気も実力も知名度も全部お揃いているし、こんあこと言って、「なに言ってんだ」って思う方もいると思うですけど、私はHKT48 はさっしーを超える誰かがいないと大きくなれないと思っています。まだまだ未熟ですけど、いつかさっしーに「さくらがライバルだよ」って言ってもらえるように、今さっしーからたくさんの事を学んで、HKT48 が最強のアイドルグループになれるように　日々成長してきたいと思います。

今日は雨なんですけども、ピンクの合羽とピンクのなんか…旗？で味の素スタジアムが桜色に染まりました！今日は本当にありがとうございました！"

"I am Miyawaki Sakura from HKT48’s Team KIV and AKB48’s Team A. To all those who voted for me, supported me, as well as cheered me on, thank you so much!

Um, I’m really surprised to receive such a wonderful ranking as #11. I get really nervous whenever there’s a Senbatsu Election, but during those times I will think of all of you, my fans. You’re always supporting me, rejoicing with me in my happiness and comforting me in my sadness. That’s why you are like the sun, shining on me with your warm light, and I am the moon that shines by reflecting that light. The moon cannot shine without the sun; in the same way, I would not be where I am today, as Miyawaki Sakura of HKT48, without all of my fans. Thank you so much for supporting me!

Also, the tagline for this year’s Senbatsu Election is “Where is my rival?” When I read that, it made me wonder who my rival was. I could think of one person. My rival is Sasshi [Sashihara Rino]. I mean, she’s really popular and capable and influential, and some of you must be thinking, "What on earth are you talking about?" But if no one in HKT48 is able to surpass her, we will never grow. I know I’m still very immature, but I hope that one day Sasshi will say to me, “You are my rival.” In order for that to happen, I am learning a lot from her, and I will continue to improve myself day by day, so that HKT48 can eventually become the strongest idol group.

Although it’s raining today, all your pink raincoats and… flag things? have dyed the entire Ajinomoto Stadium the color of sakura blossoms! Thank you so much for today!"

Photo credit: officiallyjd

Well of course it was scripted, to a certain extent. But that's pretty much the only way to make good speeches, at the expense of some degree of immediacy. Anyhow, it's definitely better than how most members essentially repeat the first 5 lines or so, over and over again and in slightly different words.