(SOCK-uRAH GOCK-uWEEN)
http://www.sakuragakuin.jp/
http://www.generasia.com/wiki/Sakura_Gakuin
Thanks to BABYMETAL, I now have a new obsession
Sakura Gakuin is a J-Pop idol group formed in 2010. Sakura Gakuin literally means "Cherry Blossom Academy" and the group also acts as a school for the girls. When they graduate from Junior High they "graduate" from the group and then are replaced by younger members. There are usually 8-12 members in the group at any given time and their ages have ranged from 10 to 15.
The school theme is central to the concept of the group. They elect their own Student Council president, perform concerts in their school uniforms, have graduation ceremonies for their departing members and release DVD's with videos of their classroom activities. Also, since school clubs are very popular in Japan, the members of Sakura Gakuin have formed their own clubs where a few of the members create a sub-group with its own unique (but still usually school related) theme like the science club, school paper club, cheerleaders etc. Seven sub-groups have been created so far of which BABYMETAL is one.
Normally when a member of a sub-group graduates the sub-group is discontinued. An exception was made with BABYMETAL and Suzuka was allowed to stay with BABYMETAL even though she graduated from Sakura Gakuin last year. Because of BABYMETAL's skyrocketing popularity, it's not even officially considered a sub-group of Sakura Gakuin anymore. Yui and Moa, the other two from BABYMETAL, are still in Sakura Gakuin and will be until next year when they graduate too.
My original plan was to release these in one post but I see now that will be impossible. So I will split these up to make it easier. The first post will have all of the main group's official music videos. Next will be videos of the various sub-groups. Then some of my favorite live performances will be in post three. In the fourth post I'll put some of the DVD extras and talk show appearances that I think are really funny. And last but not least, I'll put other goodies for superfans like me who can't get enough Sakura Gakuin in the last post.
Class of 2010
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Back left to right - Airi, Nene, Raura, Ayami, Suzuka, Ayaka | Front left to right - Hinata, Moa, Yui, Marina
Class of 2011
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Back left to right - Ayaka, Nene, Suzuka, Raura & Airi | Middle left to right - Rinon, Marina, Ayami, Hana & Hinata | Front left to right - Yui & Moa
Class of 2012
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Left to right - Nene, Hinata, Hana, Marina, Yui, Yunano, Saki Ooga, Mariri, Suzuka, Raura, Rinon, Moa
Class of 2013
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Back left to right - Rinon, Saki Ooga, Yui, Raura, Nene, Hana, Hinata | Front left to right - Aiko, Moa, Marina, Saki Shirai, Yunano
Class of 2014
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Back left to right - Saki Shirai, Hana, Rinon, Yunano | Front left to right - Saki Ooga, Moa, Megumi, Sara, Yui, Aiko
Spoiler: |
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Sakura Gakuin - Hello! IVY [2010]
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Sakura Gakuin - message [2010]
The YouTube video is in 720 but is only part of the video. My release is the whole video but in 360. The one I downloaded appears to have already been taken down.
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Sakura Gakuin - Verishuvi [2011]
This is one of my favorite songs! It's very upbeat and catchy, you just need to give it a chance. It's also the first video with Rinon and Hana.
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Sakura Gakuin - FRIENDS [2011]
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Sakura Gakuin - Pictogram [2011]
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Sakura Gakuin - Tabidachi no Hi ni (On The Day of Departure) [2012]
Last video with Ayami, Ayaka & Airi
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Sakura Gakuin - WONDERFUL JOURNEY [2012]
First video with Saki Ooga, Yunano & Mariri
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Sakura Gakuin - Song for smiling [2012]
One of my favorites! This was the first SG video I saw and well... 3 weeks later, here I am...
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You'd be hard-pressed to find a cuter video on the whole internet
Sakura Gakuin - My Graduation Toss [2013]
Last video with Suzuka & Mariri
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Sakura Gakuin - Hana★Hana [2013]
First video with Saki Shirai & Aiko Yamaide
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The group named after Cherry Blossoms finally made a song about flowers and it happens to be one of their catchiest. ("Hana" means "flower" in Japanese.)
Now available in BEAUTIFUL HD!
Sakura Gakuin - Ganbare!! [2013]
Running around Tokyo for a relay race?
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Sakura Gakuin - Jump Up ~Chiisana Yuki~ [2014]
Last video with Marina, Raura, Nene & Hinata
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That's it for now! The new school year has just started (in Japan they go from May to March) so there will be more coming. The last two members have just joined so we will get to see them perform for the first time.