Miyawaki Sakura's 41st Single Senbatsu Sousenkyo Speech / Jun 6, 2015

I'm Miyawaki Sakura, from HKT48's Team KIV and kennin with AKB48's Team A. Everyone that supported me this year, thank you very much.

*bow*

Last year, I received a splendid ticket toward my dreams from the fans that said Rank 11 on it. Clutching that ticket in my hand, I was able to ride the train named senbatsu. The place that senbatsu brought me to was an extremely shiny, sparkling place overflowing with dreams.

But, more than anything, the pace at which senbatsu pushed forward was so quick that as I chased after it, after my seniors who were shimmering radiantly, I could see nothing but my own inexperience and immaturity. 

As you could expect, I was immensely troubled, but I didn't even really understand what exactly I was agitated by. In this way, as my days spent by myself in Tokyo increased, I found myself alone and tormented each and every day.

But this year, as the sousenkyo proceeded, I realized that I wasn't actually alone in facing it. If I looked around, I could see so many fans standing there and fighting together with me. With that, my feelings changed. Thank you so much, everyone.

Also, right now, as a sister group to AKB48, HKT48 is walking on the path that our seniors already prepared for us. However, as enjoyable as it is to journey on that road, I don't think we can continue to just rely on the seniors.

In Majisuka Gakuen, there was the phrase "Open up your own path." From here on, we can't only proceed on the course that our seniors scoped out for us. Rather, we have to advance by clearing our own route.

Saying that, next year, I want to sit on the throne reserved for Rank 1 and create a new AKB that no one has ever seen before.

I know that for me who's still a beginner to say this will be extremely conceited and rude, but I want to destroy AKB. It's not that I want to demolish the AKB that my seniors have built up, but I believe that to start creating something new you must first break the old...

Um...what was it I wanted to say...

From now on too, as I constantly think about what areas I'm lacking in, I want to proceed forward step by step with everyone. Really, thank you so much for today.