Talking About Boku-Ao

"Oh? Another idol group just like the others?" That was my first impression.It was mid-July 2023. The music video for "Ao-Zora ni tsuite Kangaeru" (Thinking about the Blue Sky) popped up in my YouTube recommendations. Since I was already subscribed to the Nogizaka46 channel, it wasn't exactly a surprise that the algorithm found me.I ignored it for a while, but it kept showing up so persistently that I finally clicked on it, thinking, "Fine, let’s see what this is about." This was at the beginning of August (I like to tell myself it was August 3rd—there’s a reason for that, but I’ll save it for much later).My initial reaction was, "Well, okay, I see." A center who felt very typical of an Akimoto-produced group. Flanked by two girls who clearly had incredible potential as idols. A very straightforward song with straightforward choreography. There was an overall sense of being unfinished, even a bit unpolished. I wondered if they were aiming for a nostalgic vibe. But honestly, the thing that struck me most was: "Everyone’s name is so hard to read!" So many "sparkly" names.But before I knew it, I was back watching the music video again the next day. At the time, there were only a few other videos, like summaries of their training camp, but I watched them all. Every single day. Over and over. Naturally, I subscribed to the channel. I think the subscriber count back then was around 9,800. Those "difficult" names? I memorized them in a heartbeat. I even created X, TikTok, and Instagram accounts just to keep up with new information. TikTok is actually pretty interesting, isn't it?Looking back, I wonder why I fell for them so fast and so hard. At the time, I think it felt like I’d found a treasure that belonged only to me.The thing that left the deepest impression on me back then was the sight of Toa-chan crying when the center position was announced. Oh, man... that scene gets to me. Even now, it’s my favorite. Just moments before, she looked so relaxed, like she was thinking, "I wonder who’s going to be picked?" She was completely off guard. Then, the next second, she goes from total shock to that tearful face. Every time I watch it, I can’t help but think, "I know, I know. You’re thinking, 'No way, I can't do this!' right? But don't worry. You’re going to be just fine."The members who first caught my eye were Karen, Anna, and Mocchie. But very quickly, my heart settled on Nana. I remember finding out that Nana would be appearing on All Night Nippon X toward the end of August. I knew I had to listen, and I remember how happy I was when they announced during the broadcast that she’d be the group leader.Why her? Of course, I love her face and her voice. But think about it—in the music video for "Ao-Zora," isn't Nana’s scene just... different? Why is she the only one in a local diner eating ginger pork? If I recall, those scenes were supposed to represent the most memorable moments from their school days. I wonder what kind of memory that was for her.I think it was her expression in a brief shot during the training camp digest that really did it. If you could put words like "earnest" or "devoted" into a visual form, they would look like her face in that moment. And then she has that mischievous side, too. Her expressions are just so honest. Later, I read on the staff blog that the female staff were already talking about how cute Nana was during the auditions. I thought, "Yeah, that makes total sense."Then came their debut day at the end of August. A YouTube Live at noon, followed by a TikTok Live in the evening. I watched the YouTube one at the office. They sang in a chorus style—and that was it. But they were still so new; there wasn't much else they could have done yet. Seeing glimpses of their confusion and their determination... that was enough for me.

https://medium.com/@bloom0803ba/1eb7704ece5b#J-Idol #Boku-Ao #Boku-ga-Mitakatta-AozoraThis text and podcast are based on essays about the Japanese idol group, Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora (commonly known as Boku-Ao), written by a fan living in Kyushu, Japan, and originally posted on the Japanese platform "note." The author resides in Kyushu and shares their personal journey with the group. AI was used for translation, and voice synthesis software was used for the audio.Someone once wrote on X: "A true 'Otaku' lives on whatever money is left after spending on their favorite idol. A 'Fan' spends on their idol whatever money is left after paying for their life."If that’s the case, I’m undoubtedly just a "fan." Still, I find myself wanting to write about Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora. Just as a fan. I want to look back and capture what I was thinking and how I supported Boku-Ao during those times.First, let me explain. Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora—commonly known as Boku-Ao—is an idol group that debuted in the summer of 2023. They are generally known as the official rival to Nogizaka46.What I’m about to share will be based mostly on my own memory. Because of that, some facts might be a bit off, or the order of events might be reversed. But please know from the start that I have absolutely no intention of attacking the members, the management, other fans, or any specific individual.Also, you’ll probably notice some inconsistencies in how I write the group’s name or the members' names. Sometimes they’ll be in brackets, sometimes not. Sometimes in Kanji, sometimes in Hiragana. I might use nicknames, or I might use their last names. To be honest, it’s a reflection of my own shyness—a middle-aged man feeling a bit self-conscious about calling these young ladies by their nicknames, then suddenly snapping back to reality. Please bear with me on that.To give you an idea of what kind of fan I am: I’ve never participated in online "Meet & Greets" or handshake events. As of this writing, the only real-world events I’ve attended were the "One-man Live Vol.1" in June 2024 and Nana’s event in Kagoshima in August of the same year. I watch almost everything they stream on YouTube and other platforms. I generally like all the members, but if you asked who my favorites are, I’d say Nana and Eren. Though, that does change from time to time.From the next post onward, I’d like to write about when and how I discovered Boku-Ao and how I became a fan. I plan to follow the timeline every few months or by each single release. For a while, I’m aiming to post about twice a week.Honestly, I don’t expect these posts to be read by many people. For now, I’m not planning to link this with X or any other social media. I’m only using the bare minimum tags like #Boku-Ao. So, the chances of this catching the eye of anyone who isn’t specifically searching for "Boku-Ao" are quite low.As of early December 2024, Boku-Ao’s popularity isn't that high yet. That’s why, if Boku-Ao becomes much bigger someday, and a fan happens to find these articles after searching for them, I’ll be happy if they think, "Oh, so this was part of the atmosphere around Boku-Ao back when they debuted." That would be enough for me.