Nogizaka46 MV Explained - Under

Under is from Nogizaka46's 18th single "Nigemizu" Type-B, released on August 9, 2017. The music video was released along with the CD and shipped in a DVD.

Music Video:

Key Personnel Involved:

Performed by:

Under Members (アンダーメンバー) (18 Members) (Kitano Hinako & Nakamoto Himeka Centers)

1st Generation: Kawago Hina, Kawamura Mahiro, Saito Chiharu, Saito Yuri, Nakada Kana, Nakamoto Himeka, Noujou Ami, Higuchi Hina, Wada Maaya

2nd Generation: Ito Karin, Ito Junna, Kitano Hinako, Sagara Iori, Sasaki Kotoko, Suzuki Ayane, Terada Ranze, Yamazaki Rena, Watanabe Miria

About the Song: Very emotionally charged and powerful song. Music is great with deep Piano drops and powerful Guitar riffs, nice and clean bass lines, excelling drums & precussion work and muted violins in the background. The members have done excellent work delivering it. Kiichan (Kitano Hinako) actually sang the opening lines which is brilliant! The first Guitar solo is simply phenomenal, the second solo was a disaster. The singing all round is simply outstanding and well executed. The 3 lines following the first Guitar solo are just simply amazing!! 

Lyrics: Akimoto Yasushi

Composer: Shirato Toru

Arranger: Endo NAOKI

Rating: 5 Stars out of 5

MV Theme:

Well, to be honest this MV in general it's just a compilation of Under stories, a freakishly long one, almost 6 mins long. How they were eliminated from the Senbatsu election, the pain, the struggle, the misery that follows and what it means means being Under. Simply put its an "Under" documentary presented as a song in Under 5 mins!!

Simply put, it is an emotional roller-coaster for those member who simply did not make the cut. Senbatsu is like competing in English Premier League (Football), if your not at the top then you are relegated and you have to earn you way back in!

This MV opens with member comments taken from Under Live X Mas in 2014. Typical documentary stuff, so there's nothing ooh-aah about it. Wait... Part of a Documentary made into a part of an MV? Err... Right! Its like the Who's Who of Under.. stating with the President of Under - Nakada Kana, followed by Yuutan (Saito Yuri), Sayu-Ranger (Inoue Sayuri), Bebitan (Ito Marika), Himetan (Himeka Nakamoto), Hinachima (Higuchi Hina), Kiichan (Kitano Hinako).

    

Being in Under can be really difficult. You actually end up performing more times than the regular members. And by no stretch of imagination these shows are big in capacity. It is a mere 100 - 500 or 1000 fans in small halls and arenas! That is really sad.

       

       

Next - Hashire Bicycle Senbatsu section. Quickly move into the first Senbatsu selection where few didn't make the cut. Oh Man, Eto Misa, Saito Asuka, Rotti, Noujo Ami, both Nagashima's, Kawago & Higuchi Hina, Saito Chiharu all shattered and in tears, disappointed because they didn't make it. Especially for Wakatsuki Yumi it was devastating, so when she was shown crying in the MV, she was actually crying because she thought she was not chosen to perform in a stage act called Principal. It was just a big misunderstanding in the end. Never-mind. 

On to the Kidzuitara Kataomoi Senbatsu section, and the million dollar question is who is the member who starts inconsolably crying at 2:05 to 2.13??? (referring to the two pictures posted just above). Well, that's the Seifuku that was used in the Seifuku no Mannequin Senbatsu. There were three Seifuku at that time and that gray Seifuku was worn by Ikoma Rina, Hoshino Minami, Ito Marika and few other. But I still didn't have any idea to who that girl was.
Finally I found an answer on Note.com. It was Ito Marika. Damn!! 

For Kidzuitara Kataomoi Senbatsu, they called out the last two rows first. A seemingly smiling and happy Higuchi Hina hides her disappointment as Nishino Nanase is announced as Center for the single.

Kitano, Noujo, Chiharu and Marika all look shattered.

Next is the training scene for the 2014 Manatsu no Zenkoku Tour (note the black t-shirt worn by Saito Asuka, Watanabe Miria and Sagara Iori). By now for Under 2014, Inoue Sayuri, Ito Marika and Saito Asuka became the lead and started performing at the front of the pack.  

        

Then another training scene. Just over the 3 minute mark we see a few 2nd Gen members - more prominently Ito Karin, Sasaki Kotoko and Ito Junna. Just behind the three.. Zukyunn its Akimoto Sensei.. err. Akimoto Manatsu over there. What is she doing among Under? Then moving onto Kiichan who is busy practicing dance moves.

       

Next is the Senbatsu selection for Taiyou Knock. By this time, it just beacme a procession. The same bunch kept getting left out. But this Senbatsu threw in a shocker, Hori Miona is relegated to Under. The definitive moment indeed, because for the first time an ex-center had been knocked out and pushed down to the lower ranks. Hori Miona is then shown training hard and practicing with the Under Members.

Next few clips from the concert. This includes Under Live 2016 and Under Live X Mas 2016.

      

At the 4 minute mark, Under member are seen waiting on the entrance steps to join on stage.

Nakada Kana is crying her heart out and being consoled by Shinuchi Mai who taps gently on her head. Higuchi gives a warm embrace to Watanabe Miria?

 Few Shots of Sasaki Kotoko and Himeka Nakamoto all alone. 

And the final one is Under Live 2017, which only has 12 members (by then a few had graduated). This MV closes with a Nogizaka46 slogan, taken from Under Live 2017. The members salute the crowd with a bow!

Nogizaka46 - Effort, Thanks, Smile - Under - Take a bow!