Founding members and now graduates of AKB48, Risa Narita, Tomomi Ohe, and Rina Nakanishi shot their “1st Graduation” Solo DVD’s right here in the Philippines!
On the scene where Risa cleans a car, the car has a Philippine license plate. It shows the text “Matatag na Republika” (Strong Republic), and the Rizal shrine.
On the scene in a Philippine public school classroom, you may notice, above Risa’s head, is a poster bearing the Philippine flag, and the Philippine map.
This shot from Risa’s Bonus Video reveals that the school shots were apparently taken at Gilutongan Elementary School.
Although Narita’s, Ohe’s and Nakanishi’s are three separate DVD’s, Narita’s and Ohe’s Limited Extra Videos show the two of them came together. Here, they say the Pancit Canton they’re having for lunch is delicious.
Where were these videos shot exactly? In the first minute of Tomomi Ohe’s Bonus Video, Narita and Ohe are shown together in the airport, and they mention the word “Cebu” many times…
Within the second to third minute of Ohe’s Bonus Video, Ohe shows us the Filipino words and phrases she has learned: “Kumusta?”, “Magandang umaga”, “Masarap” (“How are you?”, “Beautiful morning”, “Delicious”), and explains the meaning of “Kumusta”, “Maganda” and “Magandang umaga”.
Still in Ohe’s Bonus Video, she finds a tree decorated with “parols” cute. Ohe and Narita’s videos were shot during the Christmas season of 2008. (The three DVD’s were released first half of 2009, and yet almost a year after, there is no trace anywhere, not in the forums, blogs or websites, of the fact that they were shot in the Philippines. Hooray, if this is the first.)
An interview at the public school on Ohe’s Bonus Video shows the poster with the text “Taas Noo Kahit Kanino Tayo ay PILIPINO Sa Buong Mundo” (Hold Your Head High to Anyone in the World that We are Filipinos). On the other poster reads “Be proud you are a teacher the future depends on you.”
Rina Nakanishi purchases ingredients for her cooking scene in her DVD, and in this scene, the shopkeeper says “Salamat” (Thank you).
Nakanishi walking around in a Philippine public market, that is such a dream come true! (Of course, the dream involves me bumping into her and talking about AKB48 and Chocolove, among many other things.)
Nakanishi purchases “Tamago” (Japanese for egg) but since she pronounces the translation in it’s katakanized form, she pronounces it e-gu, to which the shopkeeper asks “Itlog?” (egg). She buys four, and for some reason, the shopkeeper is insistent to talk in Filipino, as he asks “Apat?” (four).
In Nakanishi’s Limited Extra Video, she explores what is apparently her hotel room, where she encounters some common Filipino snacks, among which are packs of Cebu Dried Mangoes.
Still in the Limited Extra Video, Nakanishi also cleans a car with a Philippine license plate.
Also in Nakanishi’s Limited Extra Video, a common brand of Philippine bottled water with the text I love (heart) Philippines is at the right of the screen.
Although they didn’t come together, Nakanishi’s beach shot was at the exact same beach of Narita’s, and I believe, Ohe’s.
Ever since the first gravure solo DVD I saw, Atsuko Maeda in Phuket (MU-BOU-BI), I have been hooked on watching AKB48 members’ solo DVD’s. Acchan’s video was funny and enjoyable, and it was like taking a vacation with her. Although I haven’t seen all, none of the ones I have seen so far has surpassed the quality of Acchan’s, but the others have been quite good too. The production value and music background of Reina Fujie’s was great, Rina Nakanishi’s is another virtual date, Tomomi Ohe is just cute, and seeing the parts where Erena Ono acts naturally is fun as always, but so far nothing has beaten Acchan’s scene with the stewardess and her meal (Chicken with pasta or chicken with rice?). I watched that scene countless times and it still makes me smile. Maeda is cute that way.
I should warn that these three “1st Graduation” DVD’s are more daring than the typical AKB solo DVD; you have to remember that Narita, Ohe, and Nakanishi are already graduates, so they can afford to venture in areas the typical AKB member wouldn’t dare do.
So, three founding members of AKB have been to the Philippines. I would love it if they would send more. It would be a dream for me to see an AKB member right here in the Philippines, whether I know of their arrival and intentionally go to them, or I just bump into them somewhere, either accidentally, or I pretend to accidentally bump into them. (“Hey, I know you!”) No, I will not suddenly sing to them Aitakatta, but I will recite to them everything I know about them (“You were in this subunit for your first stage, and for your second…”) Please, Aki-P and AKB Management, send more, and please contact me and I shall provide as much help as I possibly could! The good kind of help. Seriously!
Every AKB girl should go to the Philippines, but it should be obvious which AKB supergirl should definitely come back to her second country! You know, that half-Filipino powerhouse captain of Team K we fondly love, Sayaka Akimoto! As I said in a previous post, it would be nice if she would have her first photobook shot in the Philippines. And as I said before too, don’t forget to let me come along.
Yuko Oshima’s “To Yukoto” solo DVD also shows her in Guam’s Little Manila. How about going to the real Manila? I certainly would love it even if she came alone, but if she can, don’t forget to bring Sayaka and the rest of the girls!
