>>108037002Serious Topic & Current State of Activities
Recent Atmosphere: The speaker (Astel) acknowledges recent sad news (graduations/terminations) and a decrease in major events, such as the cancellation of the "Countdown Live" and the all-star group concert.
Decreased Freedom: Compared to the past, the "degree of freedom" within the agency (Holostars/Cover Corp) has noticeably decreased.
Commitment: Despite frustrations and acknowledging that fans want to see more flashy events, he has no intention of quitting unless something extreme happens. He is aware of the disconnect between effort and visible results.
Self-Initiative: He realized a year in advance that there would be no official group concert this year. Consequently, he decided to organize his own live performance.
Financial Burden: These self-organized events are almost entirely self-funded. He cannot sustain this pace annually without support.
Ultimatum: His stance is: "If management won't do it, I'll do it myself." However, he admits he currently lacks the financial power to do a live band performance every year; he estimates he needs around 500,000 subscribers to make that sustainable.
Management Relations & Feedback
Growth Pains: He compares the company's growth to DisneySea, noting that it took 10 years for that park to become truly popular. He asks fans to look at the situation with a long-term perspective (6-7 years is still relatively young).
Feedback System: He encourages fans to keep sending feedback to management. Even if it seems ignored, the company does read it.
Merchandise Improvement: In 2025, merchandise quality improved significantly because they established a dedicated team. Previously, he and a staff member (Shinobu) just decided things on a whim. Now, female employees and dedicated staff provide professional market research and variety.
The Corporate "Maze": In the early days, he could simply ask the CEO (Yagoo) or his manager (Shinobu) for approval directly. Now, getting approval involves navigating a "corporate maze" of various departments, which slows down decision-making.
3D Concerts & Restrictions
Frequency Reduction: Previously, he could perform two 3D live concerts a year (Birthday and Anniversary). This has been restricted to one per year.
Choice of Event: He negotiated to prioritize his Anniversary over his Birthday. He reasons that the Anniversary celebrates "Astel" and his connection to the fans, whereas the Birthday is personal.
Budget Ceilings: There are strict budget/resource "ceilings" based on channel subscriber counts. Even if a talent wants to work harder or invest more to surpass the previous year's quality, they are often blocked by these tiered restrictions.
"Giving Up" Mentality: He admits to "giving up" more frequently before even asking. Because he has gained experience, he can predict what will be rejected by management, leading to self-censorship of ideas. He wishes rules were used to maintain safety rather than crush positive ideas.
Information Leaks (NDA) & Isolation
Extreme Caution: The speaker discusses a severe fear of "information leakage." The definition of a leak is ambiguous, leading to paranoia.
Communication Breakdown:
Fear of Talking: Talents are afraid to talk to each other about work in the studio because discussing upcoming projects (even with fellow group members) can be considered a breach of confidentiality.
Resulting Silence: Conversations have become superficial (e.g., "What movie did you watch?") rather than supportive work discussions. He jokingly notes that he hasn't sent a DM to some members since 2022.
Surveillance: He feels that management listens to all conversations in the studio, which stifles natural interaction.
Historical Context: He recalls the "old days" where member Hanasaki Miyabi would accidentally leak info, but it was forgiven because it was internal. Now, with external sponsors and strict corporate agreements, leaks cause real financial damage, necessitating the strictness.
Lack of Peer Support: Because they cannot discuss work struggles due to secrecy rules, members cannot support each other mentally. He doesn't know who is depressed or struggling until it is too late.
Proposed Solution & Future Outlook
Venting Sessions: He has proposed a "twice-a-year" meeting where all managers and talents gather in one room to air grievances and "release the poison."
Goal: To prevent graduations/resignations before the decision is made. He believes that once a talent decides to quit, it is impossible to stop them; the intervention must happen before they reach that breaking point.
Current Status: He has been suggesting this for three years, but it has not been implemented.
Final Message: He asks fans to continue supporting them and to be patient as they try to navigate the strict rules while finding ways to entertain.
