Hitagi Senjougahara wins Korean Moe Presidency
Landslide victory over Kurisu Makise
By JR Salazar
October 8, 2012
A packed crowd at the Jamsil Arena in Seoul Special City celebrated a momentous victory for supporters of the Monogatari Party. Hitagi Senjougahara was elected as the seventh Moe President of the Republic of Korea, defeating Kurisu Makise of the Steins;Gate Party by a landslide, 266-132.
Crab plushies were lifted and waved in the air, as were flags of the Monogatari Party's logo and colors. Banners and signs of encouragement were held with messages such as "Redemption!", "Staple Stable!", "Hitagi, No. 1 in Korea!", "I Love You", "This Is Our Night!", "Gahara Is Korea!" and "OPPAN GAHARA STYLE!"
The crowd were chanting her nickname, "Gahara! Gahara! Gahara!" numerous times during the rally.
Three hours prior to the event, Senjougahara received a phone call from Makise indicating that she had conceded the race. Later in the hour, she also received a phone call from the current Moe President, Homura Akemi. Akemi will transfer power to Senjougahara on New Year's Day 2013. The duration of this term lasts the entire calendar year.
"I am very proud of Hitagi," said her husband, Koyomi Araragi, "and I am happy beyond belief. I love her to death and I support everything she does. I am confident that she will lead Korea to untold success."
"I suppose this is a way for the voters to allow her a second chance and give her the ascendancy after her heartbreaking defeat to Mio Akiyama two years ago," Akemi said at a press conference at Blue House. "This is her time, and she is ready."
"As soon as she defeated Snow Black in the semifinals I knew the race was decided," said Hiroko Funakubo, an observer representing the Saki Party. "The general election was going to be a formality because of the circumstances surrounding her failed bid in 2010.
"Destiny would not abandon Ms. Senjougahara this time."
It is not known how this will affect her efforts in Japan. Senjougahara is facing Saki Party heavyweight Nodoka Haramura in Round 3 and this victory could damage her hopes of progressing in the Moe Prime Minister of Japan race. However, securing the East Asian Double is not unprecedented, as Suiseiseki (2006) and Taiga Aisaka (2009) have been successful in securing this honor.
Korean entertainer Park Jae-Sang, also known as PSY and a supporter of Senjougahara, fired up the crowd with a number of songs, including Right Now, Champion, and his signature hit, Gangnam Style. At 12:30 a.m. KST, Senjougahara entered the Jamsil Arena, escorted by Araragi and his two sisters Karen and Tsukihi; Meme Oshino and his sister Shinobu; Mayoi Hachikuji; Suruga Kanbaru; Nadeko Sengoku and Tsubasa Hanekawa.
Following her victory speech, Senjougahara performed, for the final time, her campaign anthem, "Staple Stable."