Kibouteki Refrain - The running Centers of AKB48

Today I will talk about AKB48's 38th single Kibouteki Refrain that was released on November 26th.

Unlike the last few years AKB48 won't release a fall and a Janken single this year. The 4th single of the year is another single with a very big senbatsu (32 girls). I already shared my thoughts about it in my post about the Janken Taikai. But again, I am really happy for a lot of a girls chosen for this senbatsu. Center is of course Mayuyu, but this time together with Sakuratan, who never even centered an HKT48 single. But I think it's nice to see a different face at the front and I'm really happy for Sakura. The main 16 girls, the media senbatsu, are our usual folks. It's nice to see Annin in action again and I guess it's no surprise having Ikoma Rina in the line-up. The lower senbatsu is where the real surprises start. There are a lot of girls who never were in an AKB senbatsu: Muto Tomu, Oshima Ryoka, Kawamoto Saya (draftie), Mukaichi Mion, Nakano Ikumi (Team 8), Shiroma Miru and Moriyasu Madoka. It's also the first Management chosen senbatsu for Tano Yuka, which is pretty cool (especially if you have watched her documentary). But yeah, since they are in the lower senbatsu, they won't appear as much on TV as the media senbatsu.. which is a bit mean if you ask me. But anyways, senbatsu is senbatsu..

Now about the song: Kibouteki Refrain is a pretty typical AKB song I would say. After two slower songs we finally get something more upbeat. At first it was an okay-ish song for me, but now I really love it. *-* The echos in the chorus are interesting and I just really like the sound of the song.

So yeah, let's take a look at the video now:

It begins with this. Yes, AKB48 exists since 2005.

Here we have the first center of the group, their soukantoku Takahashi Minami.
And she's running, holding this bag.

Takamina: OMG, this is so hard..

Are you able to run away from AKB? (or something like this)

The title of the song and even more running members appear.

They look pretty happy..

And they are chased by smiley tongue guys. WTF? xD

I can feel you Takamina, runnign with heals must be hard..

Well, at least she can give the bag to someone else..

Aaaand who is this person?

It's a drunk Acchan!!! This is the girl that centered almost every song until her graduation.
Lol, I accidentaly took this screenshot..

Here she looks better.
Acchan: Yo guys, I'm back!
And yeah, Takamina is dying in the background..

Acchan running into a supermarket..

Acchan: I hope no one will find me!

Well, her wish didn't come true.
But Acchan shows the superpower of a center.

Yeay, toast vs. tongue-guys. xD

And here she's already outside again..

Jurina: Yo Acchan, long time no see. Now gimme the bag!

Jurina who centered Oogoe Diamond and UZA (together with Yuko).

Bye, bye AKB. You will never see me again.

The dog, err I mean Jurina is running really fast.

Now she's arriving at Yoshiwara station.

Jurina: Those guys are so slow.
Lol, there are some funny things happening in the background.

Jurina: Hehehehe..

Next she throws the bag to Paruru...

... who runs out of the train really fast.

And the smiley tongue guys can't keep up with her.

Uuuuuh, Jurina looking badass. :3

Well, Paruru doesn't look as confident as Jurina did.

Paruru: Please, someone help me!

I will recognize this thumb everywhere!
Mariko-sama!!

Mariko looking fabulous..
Oh, and a very serious Mayuyu joins.

Paruru: I can't..

Lol, and no one thinks this is strange?

Who's that?

Yuko: Guess who's back!

Tomochin: It's too dangerous to swag alone!

Which one is the right bag?
And those were the Sayonara Crawl centers if anyone wodnered..

Everyone takes a bag and Mariko stays without a bag..

Mariko-sama: Well guys, I believe in you!

What happened to Tomochin's boobs? :o

Tomochin: I'm sorry, I have to go to the toilet..

Mayu still ahs the same expression from before..

Haha, Paruru being awesome.

And she runs away with many of these guys.

Mayuyu takes a short break..

.. while Yuko fights even more people.

Tomochin dropped her bag..

A snake????

Tomochin: *smirk* Well, I've got swag..

Uuuuuuh, the golden mics!

Mayuyu has them, but she doesn't look happy.

Meanwhile Yuko makes all the guys fall down.

A lolli???

Yuko: You don't like sweets? 

Sasshi: Yo, let me help you.

Mayuyu: Can I trust you?

...

Of course! KFC center, run!

Only after a short while Sasshi arrives at a school and is caught.

Sasshi: Damn, what do I do?

Kojiharu: Yo Sasshi, whaddup!
Wait, what's Nyan doing in a school?? o.o

Heart Ereki center gets the bag and the game goes on..

Lol, one of them is falling down.

Sasshi: My time will come again!

Kojiharu running through a school looks pretty funny.

Who's that?

Mayuyu is ready now!

Kojiharu: Mayu yu can do it!

Mayuyu: Bets joke evaaaar.. :'D

Mayu: Oh, you are finally here!

The two Kibouteki Refrain centers!
Sakura: Yes, let's rock the stage!

And here they are with the golden mics!

It's a real concert!
And I can spot Sae-chan, muhahaha.

The lower senbatsu memebrs are kneeling in front of the media senbatsu.

Here we can see the differences between the outfits of the two groups.
Well, I like both outfits, but I still don't really like that they make such a difference..

Ryouka, Tanochan and Miru.

Juri, Tomu, Miichan and Milky.

And here goes Sae-chan, And Ikumin on the far right.

Yukirin: Believe me, my time as center will come!
Akarin: I'm da best, hehe!

Nyan: I want you!

Paruru: I need you!

And Jurina's smile. *-*

Well, Jurina somehow is the hidden center, muhahaha.
Mayuyu & Skaura: WTH?

Sasshi being cute.

And we are finally able to see Rena-chan.

Baka-center, whaddup.
And Takamina. :')

Paruru is doing something wrong it seems.

Yeaaah.

Aaaah, Takamina. *-*

And here is Annin. :D

Sakura: This is my song!

This formation looks a bit strange..

Smile monster Akarin. xD
And Renachi looks not amazed in the background.

Ikumin is actually pretty tall isn't she?

Aaaaw, Sakuratan is so cute. :3
But looking behind her. LOL, Takamina. XD And Jurina also looks a bit funny.

Mayuyu: Everyone look at my perfect smile!

Kawaiiii :D

Are you already thinking about your graduation or why so serious? *cries*

Ikoma!! :D

Kojiharu

And Sayanee!

But what's that? The smiley tongue guys appear again.

Yuria: Don't panic and follow me!

What must the audience be thinking now? :o

Lol, at Tano. XD

They are outside again..

And Mayu & Sakura are still holding their mics.

And this is the end.

.
.
.

Wait, what? The song plays again.. Oookay..

Yukirin looking all classy while she's running.
And Akarin is hyperactive. xD

Rena. your falling behind the other media senbatsu girls. xD
Well, we all know she is really slow.

Jurina vs Sayanee.. Uuuuuh yeah xD

Sae-chan doesn't wnat to look into the camera.. *sigh*

But Ikumin looks cute.

Beautiful

And a last shot of the centers..

And then we have this awesome shot of Mauy & Sakura and the chasing guys.

But this looks funny.

Well, this is the real end now. And wow, that was a really interesting video. It was interesting to watch the different centers running away from these smiley guys and always giving a bag to the next girl. Well, seems like Janken centers didn't count, since Mariko didn't hold the bag and Ucchi didn't even appear. But the real question is: Who are the smiley tongue guys?
You can actually see this differently, but I think they represent the fans, who are always chasing the girls and who want to know everything about them..
Well, the downside is that only a few members were shown most of the time. Especially the lower senbatsu girls didn't get that much screentime. But it just showed again how hard it is to shine in such a big group. Which means, the center fight continues and we will see who can make it to the top next. :)  It was really nice to see the graduated members of the original Kami7 being back for one video, though they could have better released this next year (10th anniversary). Well, I guess even more graduated members will come back for that anniversary. ;D

So yeah, I really enjoyed this video. ^^