“神7”, the term which can be traced back it’s roots to the birth of AKB48, Dec 8th 2005, the day AKB held it’s first Revue stage at AKB theater in Akihabara, Tokyo, with only 7 fans and 65 staffs in the audience floor.
As 1st and 2nd election had the same members in top7, 神7 has started to be used to describe these top7 members to honor original 神7, the 7 fans.
But this term gradually changed it’s meaning and these days basically has the same meaning as 超Senbatsu (members who are considered that they will never lost their position in top-10 in the elections no matter what disadvantage they would have).
In 2011, the 3rd election saw the first non-神7 member who made the astonishingly great leap, namely Yuki Kashiwagi, making 神7 renamed to 神8, though it’s rare to actually hear someone speaks this new word…
As 1st and 2nd election had the same members in top7, 神7 has started to be used to describe these top7 members to honor original 神7, the 7 fans.
But this term gradually changed it’s meaning and these days basically has the same meaning as 超Senbatsu (members who are considered that they will never lost their position in top-10 in the elections no matter what disadvantage they would have).
In 2011, the 3rd election saw the first non-神7 member who made the astonishingly great leap, namely Yuki Kashiwagi, making 神7 renamed to 神8, though it’s rare to actually hear someone speaks this new word…
Now, though it’s too early to say, we are about to welcome the new bloods to 神XX according to the early result, which clearly shows that Rena Matsui has come to the point that she is no longer only the Ace of the local group, but she is now one of several Aces (means 神XX) of whole 48 families, and that Rino Sashihara is not a hype!! In addition to these 2 girls, Jurina has made the jaw-dropping jump as she got about 3 times more votes than the last year’s early result.
But probably the main reason that everybody hesitate to keep using 神7 to describe 超Senbatsu is that they can’t dare to let Tomochin excluded….(?) Though it’s hard to prove this, yeah, everyone loves Tomochin if they know her personality.
So as several members are expected to place before Tomochin in this election, fans of Tomochin was quick to start the threads on 2channel to persuade fans of other members that AKB48 then again will have to add 2or 3 new members to 神.
“
Please increase the number of 神XX to 9 for Tomochin!!I’m even considering that we’d better to expect it’s gonna be 10 or 11!“
You know…. this is gonna be the last time we approve this!!“I have a question. Why we should save Itano by even abandoning the original,and symbolic word, 神7?“
Because Tomochin’s ranking in the election determines how many 神 AKB has.“lol Tomochin is ultra awesome!!“Yes, you made a point. If Kojiharu ranked down to below 7, then I don’t think people change the number of 神XX so that we can include her in 神.“It’s not Itano but what we are trying to save are your souls. Didn’t you feel that?“So if Itano ended up in 64th, then we would have 64 神?“It’s no brainer. It’s our basic manner to draw the line to separate 神 and the rest according to Tomochin’s position so that we can always include her in 神.“I thought 神7 is the word created by Gravure magazine Playboy Japan for it’s AKB48’s pictorial…“But before we start this talk, I have to point out that there’s another 神 below Tomochin in the early result…? (<- Kojiharu)“I think it’s her plot to make a speech on the final day of the election that she has only prepared the comment for 11th lol“But she is not the criteria. No matter what happens, Tomochin is the criteria to decide who are 神s.“I think the person who started this thread don’t understand the thing.No matter which position she ranked, or even though she graduates, nothing will ever change. 神7 members will be 神7 members forever.“Itano has by far less Ota fans compared to other top members, but still she can keep this position. In this sense I think I can say she is 神.This shows the great number of fans cast their 1 or 2 votes for her.“No…… if we go with 神9, then Kojima-chan can’t be included in 神….“Kojiharu always ranks up from the early result in the end.“It’s not for Tomochin. It’s for us and the world. Everyone want 神Tomochin.“I’m confused………… Is my understanding correct that Tomochin = 神 (and all other 神 can be replaceable)?“
(Extra)
“Okay let’s run through the roots of this word.“So what is 神7?”1. First started to be used among Ota to honor the 7 audiences who attended AKB48’s first stage.2. Before the 2nd election, Playboy Japan published the Gravure featuring top7 members in the 1st election and dubbed them 神7.3. Top7 of the 2nd elections was dominated by the same 7 members.4. Ota started to use 神7 for the 7 members as Playboy Japan did in the Gravure.5. In the 3rd election, 5 members of 神7 lost to Yukirin with a large lead.6. Ota stopped using 神7 as it’s considered to be old and pointless after the 2nd election.7. Playboy Japan couldn’t dare to give up to use 神 for its copy, and started use 神8 instead 7.“
From 2channel7s threads 板野友美のためにも神9へ拡大を!!, また今年も神の枠が広がるのか・・・
So without a single doubt everyone, including non-AKB48 fans, loves Tomochin!! I don’t want to be too factious but I still believe that someone made a mistake in the vote counting, making her ranking unfairly low in the last election and this year’s election.
But since Tomochin is a very peaceful person, she didn’t want to blame anybody!!