MNL48 Weekly Blog: The First Handshake Event

Last Sunday, November 25, 2018, I witnessed a historic event in the history of Philippine J-idol industry. MNL48 – sister group to Japan’s AKB48 – held its first official handshake event in Movie Stars Cafe.

Few events in MNL48 history had been anticipated more than the first handshake event. More than just continuing a “tradition” in the 48 Groups, the event itself is huge in terms of its meaning. It is the first time since the First Fan Meet that many MNL48 fans will converge in one location in an event that is purely for MNL48.

The stakes are high especially for the staff and MNL48 operator HHE: mess it up and everyone will look at MNL48 as that sister group that botched an important event. I could only imagine the pressure on the staff to deliver, especially since most of them have not gone through an actual handshake event.

Their worries are shared by a lot of fans. We want them to succeed. We’ve witnessed how the group struggled to gain recognition in a country that loves to pre-judge things and people before they do their thing. We saw many wotas write-off MNL48 as a “glorified cover group” (thereby throwing a shade on JKT48, BNK48, Team TP and Team SH as well…and no, there are no exceptions when you make a statement like that), despite knowing that this is exactly what international sister groups are for in the first place.

Yes, we wanted it to succeed, just as much – or maybe even more than – the staff and the members. We wanted it for the girls. We wanted it for ourselves.

And succeed it did. Despite the fact that the location seemed less than ideal for a handshake event, and that there were some last-minute clarifications regarding the lanes (if you happen to stand in line in a lane with two members, you will have the chance to interact with both of them, not just your chosen one) which was made after several fans have already finished their turn, not to mention the fact that there are definitely a lot of areas for improvement, the day was a huge success.

There is something special about that day. Something electric going through the crowd. Is this the “high” that wotas experience during events? Or is this something different, something new, brought about by the unique circumstances in which MNL48 came into being? I know how palpable the fans’ passion can be, as I witnessed in the Manila Idol Matsuri. The feeling was near to this, but somehow different, more intimate and festive. Obviously AKB48’s own handshake events work like a well-oiled machine in a far larger space and with highly trained and experienced staff, and no doubt some fans would prefer that kind of orderly proceedings. But on the other hand, for a first event, I feel that it is important that we let the new fans feel the festive atmosphere, and the intimacy brought about both by our interactions with our idols, and the close proximity of the various groups that make up the fandom.

It was like, all the various fan groups – with their own agendas, cultures, and baggages – got together for one event for the first time since the start of the audition almost a year ago. And I mean truly got together, for although the event did not wipe away any ill-feeling some of us may still have, it allowed us to express our feelings, our hopes, and our gratitude to these girls who’ve been working hard for us.

As someone who has been covering MNL48 both as news and in my blog, I can see the gradual improvement both of the girls and of the staff. Their registration, which I once pointed out to be an issue, has steadily improved. Obviously they need more staff during major events like this one, as well as having a more refined system for verification. But the line did move, and it was held up only on the ticket verification (where the handshake tickets needed to be stamped). I personally appreciate how improved the baggage counter was as well as the security checks.

There was enough space in the baggage counter to hold our bags, and there were enough staff keeping it secured. I did not go through the normal process of registration due to my press pass so I cannot really ascertain whether there was any inconvenience at all. I did see that the people are steadily coming inside so in that regard, it was all fine at least.

The Venue
Movie Stars Cafe has got to be the most flexible of all restaurants I’ve been into. The place was arranged into “live event” mode with enough space in the middle to hold the increasing number of people who came to watch the performance. There was some space at either side of the stage. However, it was only later when the staff directed other fans to go to the sides for a better view. I don’t know if the original plan was to keep everyone in the middle, or they assumed we will occupy the place. So maybe in the next event, we can release the stage set up so that fans can be informed where they can go to during the performance.

I like Movie Stars Cafe because it has top-notch facilities like a clean comfort room, ready access to food and drink, not to mention good air-conditioning. But while it is perfect as MNL48’s temporary Theater, it isn’t really equipped for things like Handshake Events. We made it through Sunday, but I have a feeling that next event will attract more people, and then what will we do? It was perfect for last Sunday’s festivities as it managed to house the fans who attended. But with MNL48’s crowd increasing with each event, there’s a real need for HHE to plan ahead and rent a much bigger space.

When the venue was announced, the fans were concerned with how crowded it will be. But it did its job just fine. There was enough leg-room to go around, and there’s even food if you want it (without the wondrous okonomiyaki last Coslandia though). Hopefully for the next event, we can maintain the strong showing.

The Performance
MNL48’s strength is in their live performances. Their well-practiced routines and their refined movements set them apart from other local idol groups. Their performance in the Handshake Event is also one of the two highlights of the day. I always felt that MNL48 will truly be unleashed if everyone gets the chance to perform for the fans. Events like these present that opportunity, and boy did the they grab it.

https://youtu.be/R_lpLR_LCso

But I guess it’s a two-way affair: the girls also draw their energy from the fans. It was their largest – and loudest – audience yet. Manila Idol Matsuri had a lot of people in the audience, but a segment of those are not really fans of the group. The mall shows attract a lot of people, but they’re mostly mall-goers, and – in the case of Abby in Vista Mall Daang Hari – the whole family clan. With multiple members actually crying during the performance, it seems that the fans’ cheers got into them.

It is this give-and-take relationship between the idols and the fans that makes this fandom special. We can all argue about the merits and drawbacks of certain decisions by the management. We can argue all day about things they’ve done or should have done. But when the Overture starts, the feeling when people come together is indescribable.

In true AKB48 fashion, there was a big reveal during the Handshake Event. It was already announced in one of the mall shows by Talent Management Head Gio Medina that the MV of MNL48’s second single “Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie” will be shown during the event. And so it was, and people had a fun time. But nothing beats seeing the new senbatsu perform the song.

The MV of “Aitakatta-Gustong Makita” was first shown to the press, most of whom aren’t familiar with Japanese-concept idol groups. But this MV was fittingly shown to the fans who gave it the love it deserved. I stopped taking videos of the event and danced right then and there!

However, I have to point out that some fans brought really large placards and tarpaulins (and even letter balloons). I get it that Filipinos have a long tradition of bringing tarpaulins and placards of their favorite celebrities during events, but they blocked the view of the stage from behind. MNL48’s own camera-man had to look for a platform for elevation because all those stuff were blocking his line-of-sight. I had to abandon the tripod I borrowed for the event because it wasn’t high enough, and had to resort to using my mono-pod instead.

In AKB48 events, placards are normally discouraged in consideration to the people at the back. The idea is for all the fans in the event having a clear view of the performances. I do concede that some of those placards are very creative. It’s just that they can really obstruct the view of those at the back.

The Handshake Event
After the performances, there was a short period wherein all the fans were told to move backwards, and the staff transformed the area into a proper handshake lane. The “staff” in the lanes being the performers of Movie Stars Cafe. Excitement was brewing especially since the first batch of members included the fan-favorite, Faith.

Around this time, I was resting in the media lounge (actually, one of MSC’s VIP lounges converted for the purpose), and allowed the event to proceed. It was then that I heard the announcement that fans going to a lane with two members will now get the opportunity to interact with both of them. Several fans already finished their turn when this happened, so maybe in the future, better coordination should be made to avoid any awkward moments.

I had a total of four tickets, and so I had to choose which lane I’d go to carefully. The previous night, Ruth suddenly spam-liked my Instagram posts. She already did that once before, and I was surprised to see the notifications flooding. However, I liked the gesture (who wouldn’t?), and I took it as her trying to fish people into going to her lane.

She shares a lane with Madie, so I was happy to interact with two members. Ruth gripped my hand tightly and asked who I was. I told my name, and she recognized me (or at least, she acted like she did). That was a surreal moment, but it took me too long to react and wasn’t able to shake Madie’s hand properly as I had hoped. I hope Ruth really did recognize me because it made me very happy.

My second ticket went to Ash. The same girl I really supported throughout the audition. I missed having conversations with Ash (she was a Facebook contact before they had to deactivate) because the girl can be surprisingly deep. I remarked how tall she’d become: she was a 19 year-old looking like a 15 year-old when I first saw her. Now she’s blossomed into a beautiful young lady.

My next ticket went to Kay who had Hazel with her. She recognized me from the previous week and she seemed very happy to see me. I was really happy to hold her hand too. I couldn’t remember what I said to Hazel, but to be honest, everything can be a blur because I was really looking forward to Kay. Next time, Hazel, I’m going to make it up to you.

I had a tough time choosing whose lane I’m going to for my final ticket. There’s Sela, Sheki, and Abby all on the same batch, and I really wanted to go to all of them. Sheki not only transitioned from a singing diva to an idol, she took the mantle of center and carried it well. Very well, in fact. There were many times her singing skill really carried the group, and she has set the bar very high for whoever gets chosen in the third single, or the next election.

Abby hails from Bacoor, so there’s a bit of a hometown loyalty for me there (even though I’ve lived in Molino for only a year now). But she is also one of those who transitioned into an idol even though she looks more like the standard Pinay celebrity. And of course, there’s that cute little “jejemon” episode where people were able to locate her old FB account from 2010 and unearthed her “jeje” posts. Arf! Arf!

And then, there’s Sela, the girl with the face of an angel who suddenly decided being a walking meme is a good idea. One of MNL48’s Top 3, Sela has a strong following, due to her good looks and charm. She also has some singing and dancing skill which helps. I eventually settled on Sela since I also rooted for her during the audition and also liked her personality.

Sela is pretty good at interacting. She knew how to handle herself when a fan tells her she’s really pretty (which I did), in a way that it’s not embarassing and awkward. In short, I had a great time with her and felt that choosing her for my last ticket was justified.

It is amazing to note that these three – Abby, Sela, and Sheki – came into the audition likely without any real idea as to what they’re getting into, and now they’ve become real idols. I guess letting in normies was a good idea after all.

https://youtu.be/AYBn_G6ox7I

But there’s a feeling though, that five seconds is too short a time for interaction. I had no problems with five seconds, but maybe we can try doing it in ten seconds next event? I’ve personally have no problem with the five second rule (and it also works into making the fan get more tickets for more time), but increasing the time will surely be welcome.

Freebies!
During the event, I received a lot of “freebies” from fans and family of some members. I received a T-shirt as well as a book-mark and key-chain from Kay’s mom. I also received a tarp and other freebies from Sela’s fans. There were others who were giving away stuff featuring the other members but sadly, I wasn’t able to get them.

As I mentioned, HHE was also kind enough to provide us with a media lounge. This is where we rest, store our equipment, and eat during the event. It was the first time HHE did this and it was a nice touch. Honestly I am grateful at just being invited to cover the event at all.

Further Observations
Besides the above-mentioned need for a much-bigger space, there are also some stuff that I feel could be improved upon. I like it that they’re trying to implement perks to the VIP members of the Fan Club. That’ good. But maybe they could execute the line a little better next time.

There are also a surprising amount of “senior” fans who came to the event (likely the relatives of the members). I think HHE can do a solid and provide them with a place to sit down because the grind is pretty tiring, and we’ll have to consider their welfare. There is plenty of space to sit down, but just in case we get bigger numbers next time, it is best to be prepared.

Final Thoughts:
MNL48’s first handshake event attracted 500 attendees. It featured one of the best performances of the group to date, as well as having the liveliest audience of the group ever. It has a growing fan-base independent of – but still related to – the established wota groups. More importantly, it was a display of the fans’ passion and love for the group and its members.

So what’s next?

MNL48’s second single, “Pag-Ibig Fortune Cookie” was announced during the event to general acclaim. The staff now has a first-hand knowledge of how to hold a handshake event, and if the number of views of PFC’s MV is any indication, people are starting to get really interested.

Those things and more should be enough to convince HHE to try and “take the plunge” and invest heavily into producing good shows for the group, to hold a proper mini-live for the fans, and increase the group’s appearances. Yes, I understand that it is a huge risk because MNL48’s popularity seems to come at a steady pace instead of being an instant smash hit. But I really believe this new single is a winner, and more and more people are starting to appreciate what the group is.

Before MNL48, Japanese-concept idols are a fringe fandom, and in many ways, it still is. Many wotas couldn’t understand why an AKB48 sister group would try to appeal to non-wotas. But since they debuted, we’ve witnessed a boom of indie idol groups trying to appeal to a circle of few but proud fans. Yes, 500 attendees doesn’t seem much on paper, but no other local idol group today can bring in 500 mostly dedicated fans with many others not being able to come due to schedule conflicts or distance.

AKB48 also had to start from humble beginnings and work their way into being a powerhouse. But unlike here, the idol industry in Japan had been established and thriving long before they came and blew it wide open. MNL48 had to come in to an almost non-existent industry with some fans being more territorial than velociraptors. The odds had always been against them. Now at least, it is starting to become even.

It was a long and arduous road getting here, and I know that there’s going to be a lot more challenges coming our way. MNL48 needs to stay on course, soldier on, keep the faith, never give up, and they will be just fine.