General News Thread

[Jul3]

New French Kiss song

"Omoidasenai hana"

https://soundcloud.com/maddie4848/french-kiss-omoidasenai-hana

Ending theme to Akicha's drama "Savepoint"

[YKT]

Oricon Album Ranking for the first half of 2014
June 17, 2014 @ 11:57 pm

Check out the TOP25 of Oricon's album ranking released for the first half of 2014 below to see if your favorite artists made the cut!
 
[Album TOP25]

1. "Tsugi no Ashiato" - AKB48 : (1,036,751)
2. "Anna to Yuki no Joou (Frozen) Original Sound Track" - Various Artists : (754,407)
3. "HUMAN" - Fukuyama Masaharu : (329,285)
4. "THE BEST / BLUE IMPACT" - Sandaime J Soul Brothers from EXILE TRIBE : (323,798)
5. "HIT! HIT! HIT!" - Kis-My-Ft2 : (277,330)
6. "TREE" - Tohoshinki : (263,080)
7. "RAY" - BUMP OF CHICKEN : (259,141)
8. "Ballada" - Amuro Namie : (254,944)
9. "Music" - EXILE ATSUSHI : (253,366)
10. "Shinsekai" - Yuzu : (218,707)
11. "Midnight Memories" - One Direction : (185,602)
12. "One Song From Two Hearts" - Kobukuro : (182,862)
13. "Heartful Song Covers" - May J. : (179,105)
14. "LOVE&PEACE" - Shoujo Jidai : (170,898)
15. "Sexy Second" - Sexy Zone : (159,720)
16. "COLORFUL POP" - E-girls : (149,580)
17. "× to ○ to Tsumi to" - RADWIMPS : (139,224)
18. "Tales of Purefly" - MAN WITH A MISSION : (106,444)
19. "Flower" - Flower : (103,559)
20. "GIRL" - Pharrell Williams : (102,645)
21. "DOOR" - JUJU : (100,123)
22. "SUPERNAL LIBERTY" - Mizuki Nana : (97,541)
23. "Singing Bird" - Inaba Koshi : (96,071)
24. "Awa no youna Ai datta" - aiko : (95,501)
25. "already" - Not yet : (85,844)

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/06/oricon-album-ranking-for-the-first-half-of-2014

Oricon Single Ranking for the first half of 2014
June 17, 2014 @ 11:55 pm

Oricon has released the single ranking for the first half of 2014.

Below are the TOP 25 songs that made it, check it out!

[Single TOP 25]

1. "Labrador Retriever" - AKB48 : (1,764,489)
2. "Maeshika Mukanee" - AKB48 : (1,151,372)
3. "Suzukake no Ki no Michi de 'Kimi no Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru' to Itteshimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa Dou Kawatteshimaunoka, Bokunari ni Nannichi ka Kangaeta Ue deno Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no youna Mono" - AKB48 : (1,086,491)
4. "Bittersweet" - Arashi : (591,130)
5. "GUTS!" - Arashi : (582,995)
6. "Kizuitara Kataomoi" - Nogizaka46 : (538,090)
7. "Mirai towa?" - SKE48 : (502,835)
8. "Dare mo Shiranai" - Arashi : (497,374)
9. "Takane no Ringo" - NMB48 : (443,069)
10. "King of Otoko!" - Kanjani8 : (388,826)
11. "Sakura, Minna de Tabeta" - HKT48 : (322,186)
12. "Eejanaika" - Johnny's WEST : (302,797)
13. "Hibiki" - Kanjani8 : (263,553)
14. "Shareotsu/Hello" - SMAP : (249,582)
15. "Hikari no Signal" - Kis-My-Ft2 : (244,549)
16. "AinoArika/Ai sureba Motto Happy Life" - Hey! Say! JUMP : (235,627)
17. "Tana kara Botamochi" - Busaiku : (202,837)
18. "Ride With Me" - Hey! Say! JUMP : (190,193)
19. "101-kaime no Noroi" - Golden Bomber : (180,893)
20. "King&Queen&Joker" - Sexy Zone : (167,271)
21. "Yes we are/Koko kara" - SMAP : (165,025)
22. "Egao no Kimi wa Taiyo sa/Kimi no Kawari wa Iyashinai/What is LOVE?" - Morning Musume '14 : (160,798)
23. "In Fact" - KAT-TUN : (145,872)
24. "Snow Magic Fantasy" - SEKAI NO OWARI : (139,406)
25. "Toki wo Koe Sora wo Koe/Password is 0" - Morning Musume '14 : (132,225)

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/06/oricon-single-ranking-for-the-first-half-of-2014


Mod note: all news and pics regarding 2014  Team Surprise should be posted at the following thread http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=33320.msg1283494#msg1283494

[Jul3]

At today's theatre show, Yogi Keira announced her graduation from NMB48.

She said she wants to concentrate on her studies and to pursue her dream of becoming a Hollywood actress.

[YKT]

"Vote for the AKB48 song you want to see on Music Station!

TV Asahi's popular music program Music Station is now holding a campaign for fans to vote for the AKB48 songs they want to see most in an AKB48 special medley.

On the show, they will perform "Labrador Retriever" and one more song from three possible candidate songs, which include "Koisuru Fortune Cookie" with Takahashi Minami as the center, "Flying Get" with Sashihara Rino as the center, and "Heavy Rotation" with Watanabe Mayu as the center.

Voting begins on June 27, 2014 at 6pm JST (until 9:00 pm) on the program's homepage.

The result will be revealed during the group's performance on Music Station 2-hour special on the 27th (to be aired live at 8:00 pm ~ 9:48pm)."

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/06/vote-for-the-akb48-song-you-want-to-see-on-music-station

Music Festival
Sentimental Journey
48G members x Matsumoto Iyo

[Jul3]

Voting begins on June 27, 2014 at 6pm JST (until 9:00 pm) on the program's homepage.

Link to the page where you can vote: http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/music/sec/votelive/index.html

[Jul3]

SKE48 KKS started a new stage today

Similar to the AKB48 Waiting Stages and Hakata Legend, this is a stage comprised of various pre-existing songs.

M01. Matsumurabu! (Matsumura Kaori single)
M02. Shoujo wa Manatsu ni Nani wo Suru? (Gomen ne Summer c/w)
M03. Oki Doki (SKE48 single)
--MC--
M04. Nagisa no Cherry (A2nd, Noguchi Yume, Ogino Risa, Kamata Natsuki, Ida Reona )
M05. Wagamama na Nagareboshi (K5th, Aoki Shiori, Matsumura Kaori)
M06. Kokoro no Hashi no Sofa (K6th, Sasaki Yuka, Takeuchi Saki, Ida Reona)
M07. Namida no Shounan (A2nd, Goto Mayuko, Yamada Juna, Inuzuka Asana, Kamata Natsuki, Ogino Risa)
--VTR--
M08. Gomen ne, Summer (SKE48 single)
M09. Hanabi wa Owaranai (Pareo wa Emerald c/w)
--Encore--
EN1. Kamoku na Tsuki (Kataomoi Finally c/w)
EN2. Pareo wa Emerald (SKE48 single)
--MC--
EN3. SKE48

[muppet]

ANA and AKB48 family have been collaborating
For some time now with the 'DreamChallengers'
series. After an event in March in Hong Kong, the next
event is set for July 29 in Shanghai



Here is a page from the website where SNH48 members
Talk about their trip to Tokyo:

http://www.dreamchallengers.com/en/story/episode01.html

Make sure to watch the clip on the above page, which shows SNH48 members
GuanHui Chen, ZhiYi Dong, Min Tang, ZheHan Wu, and YuGe Zhang...

As they travel to various sites in Tokyo... 

[Jul3]

"AKB48 Summer Festival" at Makuhari Messe. You just need a Labrador Retriever limited edition handshake ticket to enter...

11:30-12:15 Kashiwagi Yuki solo live
14:15-15:00 AKB48 karaoke
17:00:17:45 Watanabe Mayu solo live
19:45-20:30 Four members TBA solo live

http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11904910034.html

The whole summer festival is also on the 9th and 10th, when the individual handshake meeting is. No little details yet but the announcement is here: http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11902790159.html

[Jul3]

^ some of the summer festival on the 10th will be livestreamed, and some of the janken prelims on the 8th: http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv188250323

[Jul3]

"AKB48 Summer Festival" at Makuhari Messe. You just need a Labrador Retriever limited edition handshake ticket to enter...

11:30-12:15 Kashiwagi Yuki solo live
14:15-15:00 AKB48 karaoke
17:00:17:45 Watanabe Mayu solo live
19:45-20:30 Four members TBA solo live

The 4 members have been confirmed as:

Kojima Haruna
Takahashi Minami
Yamamoto Sayaka
Sashihara Rino

http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11905654721.html

[Jul3]

2014/08/07 Wonda Live - Makuhari Messe

Special live for 10,000 winners

M01. Daiji na Jikan
M02. Koisuru Fortune Cookie
M03. First Rabbit
M04. Kimi no koto ga suki dakara
M05. Iiwake Maybe
--MC1--
M06. Kurumi to Dialogue (Team A)
M07. Oogoe Diamond (Team A)
M08. Korogaru ishi ni nare (Team K)
M09. Bacchikoi K (Team K)
M10. B Garden (Team B)
M11. Yobisute Fantasy (Team B)
M12. Chime wa Love Song (Team 4)
M13. Seishun Philosophy (Team 4)
--MC2--
M14. Heart Gata Virus (Kojima Haruna, Takahashi Minami, Kashiwagi Yuki, in yukata)
M15. Rappa Renshuuchuu (Watanabe Mayu)
M16. Temodemo no Namida (Yokoyama Yui, Shimazaki Haruka)
M17. Yuuhi wa Miteiruka
--MC3--
M18. UZA
M19. Manatsu Sounds Good
M20. Ponytail to Shushu
M21. Everyday Kachuusha
M22. Sayonara Crawl
M23. Daiji na Jikan
--ENCORE--
EN1. Ai no Sonzai
--MC4--
EN2. Kokoro no Placard
--MC5--
EN3. Mae Shika Mukanee (with Oshima Yuko)
EN4. Heavy Rotation (with Oshima Yuko)

Note the Mayu solo, Heart Gata Virus in yukatas, and Yuko appearing!

[Jul3]

https://twitter.com/tkmn_world/status/497445322784645120/photo/1

[Jul3]

2014/08/07 Wonda Live - Makuhari Messe

Special live for 10,000 winners

M01. Daiji na Jikan
M02. Koisuru Fortune Cookie
M03. First Rabbit
M04. Kimi no koto ga suki dakara
M05. Iiwake Maybe
--MC1--
M06. Kurumi to Dialogue (Team A)
M07. Oogoe Diamond (Team A)
M08. Korogaru ishi ni nare (Team K)
M09. Bacchikoi K (Team K)
M10. B Garden (Team B)
M11. Yobisute Fantasy (Team B)
M12. Chime wa Love Song (Team 4)
M13. Seishun Philosophy (Team 4)
--MC2--
M14. Heart Gata Virus (Kojima Haruna, Takahashi Minami, Kashiwagi Yuki, in yukata)
M15. Rappa Renshuuchuu (Watanabe Mayu)
M16. Temodemo no Namida (Yokoyama Yui, Shimazaki Haruka)
M17. Yuuhi wa Miteiruka
--MC3--
M18. UZA
M19. Manatsu Sounds Good
M20. Ponytail to Shushu
M21. Everyday Kachuusha
M22. Sayonara Crawl
M23. Daiji na Jikan
--ENCORE--
EN1. Ai no Sonzai
--MC4--
EN2. Kokoro no Placard
--MC5--
EN3. Mae Shika Mukanee (with Oshima Yuko)
EN4. Heavy Rotation (with Oshima Yuko)

Note the Mayu solo, Heart Gata Virus in yukatas, and Yuko appearing!

8 mins Oricon footage:



News vids:





For setlists of the Mayu and Yuki solo lives at the summer festival today, please see their threads:

Yuki: http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=13724.msg1290883#msg1290883

Mayu: http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=20248.msg1290878#msg1290878

[Jul3]

Anai Chihiro, Kodama Haruka and Moriyasu Madoka are doing handshake(?) events in Hong Kong and Taiwan

Taiwan 25/8  - https://www.facebook.com/AKB48.officialshoptaiwan/posts/830713683613995
Hong Kong 26/8 -  https://www.facebook.com/Akb48OfficialShopHongKong/posts/919965508030359

[Jul3]

"AKB48 Summer Festival" at Makuhari Messe. You just need a Labrador Retriever limited edition handshake ticket to enter...

11:30-12:15 Kashiwagi Yuki solo live
14:15-15:00 AKB48 karaoke
17:00:17:45 Watanabe Mayu solo live
19:45-20:30 Four members TBA solo live

The 4 members have been confirmed as:

Kojima Haruna
Takahashi Minami
Yamamoto Sayaka
Sashihara Rino

http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11905654721.html

Clips of all the solo lives here:

[t-motion]

SKE48 Team KII Kinoshita Yukiko and Kato Tomoko announce their graduation!




last stage:
  - Kato Tomoko in September
  - Kinoshita Yukiko in November

[JFC]

^
Following up on the above.

SKE48's Kato Tomoko and Kinoshita Yukiko to graduate from the group
August 26, 2014

It's been announced that SKE48 Team KII's Kato Tomoko and Kinoshita Yukiko will be graduating from the group.

This announcement was made on August 25 during Team KII's stage performance 'Ramune no Nomikata' at SKE48 Theater. Kato explained, "I will belong to an agency in Tokyo. It's a versatile agency that has a lot of people working in variety. I felt strongly about moving to Tokyo and doing what I want to do. I worried thinking about many things, but there are no good chances like this. That is why I decided to accept it." She will be an active member of the group until the end of September. However, she will not be participating in 'The 5th AKB48 Janken Tournament' which will be held on September 17 at Nippon Budokan.

Meanwhile, Kinoshita commented, "After distancing myself from SKE48, I want to become better at dancing! I want to enter more and more auditions! I want to expand my horizons and find myself!" She will be a part of SKE48 until the end of November.

Kato entered SKE48 as a 2nd generation member in spring of 2009. Since then, she's been a member of Team KII for over 5 years. Recently, she was chosen as the 8th 'Miss FLASH 2014' becoming more active in gravia. As for Kinoshita, she entered the group as a 3rd generation member in fall of 2009. She was promoted to Team S in February of 2010, and was selected as a senbatsu member for the single "Aozora Kataomoi" released in March. She also became one of the Next Girls after ranking in 40th during 'AKB48 37th Single General Election' held in June.


Source: natalie

LINKS
- http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/08/ske48s-kato-tomoko-and-kinoshita-yukiko-to-graduate-from-the-group
- http://natalie.mu/music/news/124522

[MaYukiIsLife]

Akimoto Yasushi announced his graduation as producer and lyricist of AKB48~

The first day (8/22/2013) of AKB48′s Tokyo Dome concert has already proven a shocker. After the performance of Koisuru Fortune Cookie a tearful Minami Takahashi took the stage solemnly to announce the graduation of Yasushi Akimoto. The girls present on stage were shocked, a few burst into tears, and Rena Matsui fainted. As a tearful but confident Yasushi Akimoto took the stage, he thanked Takahashi for her years of service and delivered the following speech:

“I, Yasushi Akimoto, am a 55 year old man and have been doing this since I was in High School. This was my life. It was a big decision. And I will make a second important decision. I am going to graduate.

I have caused some troubles because of my mood swings, but thanks for everyone’s help, I am here today. To be in Tokyo Dome was a dream since I was 14.

Now this dream has come true, at 55 years of age, I have to work hard towards my next dream.

I have worked hard for the past 41 years. I have to move onto my next dream at the age of 55. I am anxious and worried because I don’t know what will happen. But for the kouhai, I have to take the first step towards this. I leave the future of AKB48 in Minami Takahashi-sans capable hands. Thank you.”

No details have yet been decided on Akimoto’s formal graduation date.

[Jul3]

^ Err.... I think that was a hoax from over a year ago...

[JFC]

Akimoto Yasushi announced his graduation as producer and lyricist of AKB48~

The first day (8/22/2013) of AKB48′s Tokyo Dome concert has already proven a shocker. After the performance of Koisuru Fortune Cookie a tearful Minami Takahashi took the stage solemnly to announce the graduation of Yasushi Akimoto. The girls present on stage were shocked, a few burst into tears, and Rena Matsui fainted. As a tearful but confident Yasushi Akimoto took the stage, he thanked Takahashi for her years of service and delivered the following speech:

“I, Yasushi Akimoto, am a 55 year old man and have been doing this since I was in High School. This was my life. It was a big decision. And I will make a second important decision. I am going to graduate.

I have caused some troubles because of my mood swings, but thanks for everyone’s help, I am here today. To be in Tokyo Dome was a dream since I was 14.

Now this dream has come true, at 55 years of age, I have to work hard towards my next dream.

I have worked hard for the past 41 years. I have to move onto my next dream at the age of 55. I am anxious and worried because I don’t know what will happen. But for the kouhai, I have to take the first step towards this. I leave the future of AKB48 in Minami Takahashi-sans capable hands. Thank you.”

No details have yet been decided on Akimoto’s formal graduation date.

That article is from 2013 (note the date that is mentioned about WHEN the announcement was made).

Also, one may want to read this: http://ishimaru-style.tumblr.com/post/58979103650/akimoto-yasushi-sensei-is-graduating

Basically, some troll took an article that was written about Acchan's graduation announcement and subbed in Aki-P's info.