General News Thread

[YKT]

Let the hype/circus begin...   

Second Matsui Jurina emerged at HKT's 2gen audition

http://www.akb48wrapup.com/2012/06/second-matsui-jurina-emerged-in-hkts.html


I found this scan on baidu

[YKT]

So called 2channelers came up with this nifty list from http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/special/2012/musicrank0620/index01.html

Amazing when you note how they ranked in the end 
 

1 真夏のSounds good！ / AKB48 / 1,780,949
2 GIVE ME FIVE！ / AKB48 / 1,434,398


5 片想いFinally / SKE48 / 592,681
6 アイシテラブル！ / SKE48 / 544,000

8 ナギイチ / NMB48 / 433,421
9 純情U-19 / NMB48 / 376,302




14 ぐるぐるカーテン / 乃木坂46 [nogizaka46] / 209,053
15 おいでシャンプー / 乃木坂46 [nogizaka46] / 201,870








24 シンクロときめき / 渡辺麻友 [Watanabe Mayu]/ 155,803

26 西瓜BABY / Not yet / 152,346
27 それでも好きだよ / 指原莉乃 [Sashihara Rino]/ 147,660

[SomethingWild]

Help me find some info (in English) about NotTV please: http://www.nottv.jp/special/akb48_antadare/?wapr=4ff2deb4

[Melchizadek]

^ AKB48 unveils their regular NOTTV program “AKB48 no Anta, Dare?”: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/04/akb48-unveils-their-regular-nottv-program-akb48-no-anta-dare/

On April 1st, AKB48’s Kitahara Rie (20), Yokoyama Yui (19), Katayama Haruka (21), and Nakatsuka Tomomi (18) arrived at Roppongi Hills in Tokyo to attend a commemoration event for Japan’s first exclusive broadcast program for smart phones, NOTTV.

At this event, AKB48 members announced that they will have a regular program titled, “AKB48 no Anta, Dare?” (every weekday, 5 to 6 P.M. JST), through this mobile channel starting on the 2nd. It was also revealed that for this program, 30 of their fans will be gathered at their very own AKB Cafe and there, one of AKB48’s members will appear in this cafe as a part of a live segment of this program.

At this event, Kitahara stated about this program with, “I want it to be a long-term program,” and told of her aspirations for this new show. In addition, Katayama commented, “Perhaps we will hold a surprise event during our live segments,” giving fans more reason to have high hopes for this upcoming program.

[SomethingWild]

This may be my best bet to see some more members. I applied for the show yesterday, but only 30/200 get in.

Show was Harukyan, Harugon, Shihorin and Chiichan and some of the @Home maids. Very funny. I caught the live broadcast in the AKB Cafe while eating JuriMama's (as it says on the menu) spaghetti! Good times, good times.

[winner]

Kyoraku announced an AKB48-themed pachinko game:
http://www.kyoraku.co.jp/product_site/2012/akb48/

[Jul3]

Saitama Super Arena Concert DVDs will be released September 5th

The concert seems to be renamed [前田敦子 涙の卒業宣言！in さいたまスーパーアリーナ ～業務連絡。頼むぞ、片山部長！～] which adds Maeda Atsuko Graduation Concert to the Gyoumu Renraku part...

http://akb48-dvdcatalog.com/ssa2012/
http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-11298735812.html

Boxset for 18,900 Yen, 7xDVD, photobook +5 photos
Individual days for 5,980 Yen, 2xDVD + 1 photo
Digest for 4,980 Yen, 1xDVD + 1 photo

(I couldn't find the thread for this concert... it must exist though...)

[YKT]

AKB48 and Johnny's Dominate Japanese Commercials

Nihon Monitor published the report for the highest number of commercials a female celebrity appeared in for the first half of 2012. Without doubt, popular idol group AKB48 dominated the first spot. They took the overall number 1 spot from the "Bashful Prince" professional golfer Ryo Ishikawa.

The number 1 spot belong to three AKB48 members, Tomomi Itano, Mariko Shinoda and Atsuko Maeda. All three girls have 17 different companies that they are endorsing. The second spot was also taken by an AKB48 member, Minami Takahashi with 16 companies. While the 3rd spot are occupied by child actress Mana Ashida and Rino Sashihara who recently transferred to HKT48 from AKB48; both are contracted to 15 companies.

Aya Ueto once dominated this ranking fell to fifth place with 12 companies. While relatively new actress, Ayame Gouriki took 9 commercials and the media are touting her as the next actress to dominate the chart.

On the male celebrity side, Ryo Ishikawa took number 1 spot with 14 companies. All Arashi members made it into the chart. Korean actor Jang Geun Suk made it to number 4 with seven companies. Korean actor Bae Yong Jun entered the chart in 2004. But since then Jang Geun Suk is the only Korean celebrity to make it into this chart.

Rankings:

Female Celebrity Endorsement Ranking
1) 17 Companies
Tomomi Itano (AKB48)
Mariko Shinoda (AKB48)
Atsuko Maeda (AKB48)
2) 16 Companies
Minami Takahashi (AKB48)
3) 15 Companies
Mana Ashida
Rino Sashihara (AKB48)
4) 14 Companies
Aya Ueto
Yuki Kashiwagi (AKB48)
Haruna Kojima (AKB48)
5) 11 Companies
Emi Takei
6) 10 Companies
Sawa Homare
Becky
7) 9 Companies
Yuki Amame
Haruka Ayase
Ayame Gouriki
Miyu Honda
Mayu Watanabe (AKB48)
8 Companies
Sasaki Nozomi
Yui Yokayama (AKB48)
ROLA

Male Celebrity Endorsement Ranking
1) 14 Companies
Ryo Ishikawa
2) 10 Companies
Sakurai Sho (Arashi)
Fuku Suzuki
Osamu Mukai
3) 9 Companies
Masaki Aiba (Arashi)
Takuya Kimura (SMAP)
Kazunari Ninomiya (Arashi)
Jun Matsumoto (Arashi)
4) 7 Companies
Satoshi Ohno (Arashi)
Katori Shingo (SMAP)
Taichi Kokubun (TOKIO)
Takeru Sato
Masahiro Nakai (SMAP)
Tomoya Nagase (TOKIO)
Jang Geun Suk
5) 6 Companies
Hiroshi Abe
Ichiro Suzuki
Jun'ichi Okada (V6)
Shun Oguri
Kusanagi Tsuyoshi (SMAP)
TAKAHIRO (EXILE)
Masaharu Fukuyama
Matsuoka Shuzo
Junpei Mizobata
Tatsuya Yamaguchi (TOKIO)

Source: Nihon Monitor via jpopasia

http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4013129.html


AKB48 Producer Yasushi Akimoto To Collaborate With Magazine "Shukan Bunshun"

Shukan Bunshun had published two scandalous articles about two AKB48 members. One was Minami Takahashi's mother arrested for committing a lewd act with an underage boy.

The other one was more recent with Rino Sashihara's ex-boyfriend talking about their past romance and releasing photos. These two stories greatly damaged AKB48's innocent image. AKB48's general producer Yasushi Akimoto has now decided to use AKB48's concert publishing rights to exchange with the publisher. In return, the publisher has to stop writing any stories that might damage the image of AKB48. This exchange has been labeled in the entertainment industry as an "evil reconciliation".

AKB48 already has 8 singles that sold over 1 million copies. They are constantly making money and was one of the highest earning musical acts in the world in 2011. Shukan Bunshun's two published article were damaging to AKB48. Akimoto knows that there will be much more, and even heard that the magazine are holding on to more Rino Sashihara pictures; some that are worse than the ones posted. If Akimoto could not tell the publisher to be quiet about it, then he might as well work with them.

It has been reported that the two parties will reconcile on the terms of AKB48's Tokyo Dome concert in August and Atsuko Maeda's official graduation. The publishing rights of these two events will be given to Shukan Bunshun's publisher Bunshun to print and publish. There were news that AKB48 had already reconciled with other magazine companies including FRIDAY and FLASH, that is why those magazines had dropped writing any news regarding AKB48.

With AKB48's Tokyo Dome concert in August and Maeda's graduation, both news are extremely big and any publisher with information on it will sell very well.

Source:
jpopasia

http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4004879.html

[t-motion]

SNH48 Audition begins!
The starter ceremony:  Umeda Ayaka, Kikuchi Ayaka, Fujie Rena representing AKB48


source: http://twent.chinayes.com/Content/20120712/kfliwhoqu4xc0.shtml

[Jul3]

14th gen:



http://www.akb48.co.jp/about/members/

[YKT]

arsencoffee translated the following https://plus.google.com/u/0/113474433041552257864/posts/3QhMdP9VnGM

Akimoto Yasushi. 16:45 – Mobile – Public

 That’s right.
 I had meeting with AKB48 overseas team,
 and we’re thinking to create “Studying Abroad System”.
 JKT48 at Indonesia, SHN48 at Shanghai, TPE48 at Taiwan, etc.
 In each expanding group,
 we’re going to have member studying abroad there.
 I’m sure that they will teach something, and also will learn something.

AKB48 members,
 are there any of you who want to study abroad?
 The period is from around half a year to one year.

[SomethingWild]

AKB48 unveils their regular NOTTV program “AKB48 no Anta, Dare?”

My full report of the show (including pics from G+) can be found in: SomethingWild's Adventure in Japan

[WindCaliber]

Shukan Bunshun had published two scandalous articles about two AKB48 members. One was Minami Takahashi's mother arrested for committing a lewd act with an underage boy.

The other one was more recent with Rino Sashihara's ex-boyfriend talking about their past romance and releasing photos. These two stories greatly damaged AKB48's innocent image. AKB48's general producer Yasushi Akimoto has now decided to use AKB48's concert publishing rights to exchange with the publisher. In return, the publisher has to stop writing any stories that might damage the image of AKB48. This exchange has been labeled in the entertainment industry as an "evil reconciliation".

AKB48 already has 8 singles that sold over 1 million copies. They are constantly making money and was one of the highest earning musical acts in the world in 2011. Shukan Bunshun's two published article were damaging to AKB48. Akimoto knows that there will be much more, and even heard that the magazine are holding on to more Rino Sashihara pictures; some that are worse than the ones posted. If Akimoto could not tell the publisher to be quiet about it, then he might as well work with them.

It has been reported that the two parties will reconcile on the terms of AKB48's Tokyo Dome concert in August and Atsuko Maeda's official graduation. The publishing rights of these two events will be given to Shukan Bunshun's publisher Bunshun to print and publish. There were news that AKB48 had already reconciled with other magazine companies including FRIDAY and FLASH, that is why those magazines had dropped writing any news regarding AKB48.

With AKB48's Tokyo Dome concert in August and Maeda's graduation, both news are extremely big and any publisher with information on it will sell very well.

Source:
jpopasia

I don't like the sound of this. It sounds extremely shady.
It gives me the impression that Akip would forsake his own rules so one of the more
popular members won't get caught in a scandal, and he could lose money or face. I
dislike the double standard. 

[Serafis_CZ]

Well, it's more like classic damage control. If they can pay their way out of this shit, it will be just another tool to maintain innocent image... apart to standard "no boyfriend rule". You can't help to the girls who were already damaged by previous scandals but you may be able successfully prevent more scandals from emerging. I have no problem with this

[WindCaliber]

Well, it's more like classic damage control. If they can pay their way out of this shit, it will be just another tool to maintain innocent image... apart to standard "no boyfriend rule". You can't help to the girls who were already damaged by previous scandals but you may be able successfully prevent more scandals from emerging. I have no problem with this

Yeah, I see what you're saying, but basically what I'm getting out of this is:
Okay, I'm going to pay lots of money so the girls making ME money won't get
caught breaking MY rules, and I won't be put in an awkward position. :|

[YKT]

AKB48 65 DVD Titles are Listed!!

AKB48's 65 DVD titles are listed!
These products were available exclusively at the AKB48 official site.
Now they become available to order at CDJapan!

Each DVD comes with an original clear folder.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/rcms/jpop/akb65titles.html

[SomethingWild]

^Oh wow, that is pretty epic. Even the 'Baby Baby Baby Buy-able Bikini Box' is listed 

I'm sure this will annoy various fans who purchased these items using expensive shopping services.
This makes the items less collectible and valuable in a way. Still, I'm excited all these great DVDs are now available to the general public.

[YKT]

Wasamin, SDN48, Diva, Warota,  French Kiss, Tomochin, no3b,  Sasshi, Mayuyu, Not Yet, Acchan, Nogizaka46, NMB48, SKE48 and AKB48 in bold

Yearly Top 105

Singles

*1 1,808,846 *,**1,893 Manatsu no Sounds good! / AKB48 12/05/23
*2 1,436,519 *,***,272 GIVE ME FIVE! / AKB48 12/02/15
*3 *,647,368 *,***,275 Wild at Heart / Arashi 12/03/07
*4 *,614,710 *,***,823 Face Down / Arashi 12/05/09
*5 *,592,947 *,***,*** Kataomoi Finally / SKE48 12/01/25
*6 *,567,847 *,**1,690 Ai Shite Love Ru! / SKE48 12/05/16
*7 *,550,741 *,**1,961 Your Eyes / Arashi 12/06/06
*8 *,445,480 *,***,701 Nagiichi / NMB48 12/05/09
*9 *,376,302 *,***,*** Junjou U-19 / NMB48 12/02/08
10 *,310,526 *,***,345 We never give up! / Kis-My-Ft2 11/12/14


11 *,307,736 *,**2,304 Ai Deshita. / Kanjani∞ 12/06/13
12 *,290,971 *,***,*** SUPER DELICATE / Hey! Say! JUMP 12/02/22
13 *,275,640 *,***,371 Inori ~Namida no Kidou/End of the day/pieces / Mr.Children 12/04/18
14 *,244,710 *,244,710 Chankapana / NEWS 12/07/18
15 *,236,636 *,***,382 SHE! HER! HER! / Kis-My-Ft2 12/03/21
16 *,234,978 *,**1,809 ALL NIGHT LONG / EXILE 12/06/20
17 *,218,406 *,***,985 Oide Shampoo / Nogizaka46 12/05/02
18 *,209,053 *,***,*** Guruguru Curtain / Nogizaka46 12/02/22
19 *,195,434 *,***,*** Good Luck / BUMP OF CHICKEN 12/01/18
20 *,193,793 *,**3,399 HEAT / Kim Hyun Joong 12/07/04

21 *,187,166 *,***,*** GO FOR IT, BABY -Kioku no Sanmyaku- / B'z 12/04/04
22 *,183,566 *,***,331 Opera / SUPER JUNIOR 12/05/09
23 *,178,427 *,***,757 Sakasama no Sora / SMAP 12/04/25
24 *,176,348 *,***,362 Ikiteru Ikiteku / Fukuyama Masaharu 12/03/28
25 *,168,134 *,**1,196 TO THE LIMIT / KAT-TUN 12/06/27
26 *,168,023 *,***,*** I, Texas / Yamashita Tomohisa 12/02/29
27 *,167,608 *,***,952 Suika Baby / NOT YET 12/05/30
28 *,165,148 *,***,*** Boku no Hanbun / SMAP 11/12/21
29 *,164,489 *,**1,754 Kimi wa Boku da / Maeda Atsuko
30 *,163,463 *,***,260 Beautiful / 2PM 12/06/06

31 *,160,870 *,**8,458 ANDROID / Tohoshinki 12/07/11
32 *,160,791 *,***,*** STILL / Tohoshinki 12/03/14
33 *,157,481 *,***,489 Speed Up/Girl's Power / KARA 12/03/21
34 *,157,409 *,***,295 Synchro Tokimeki / Watanabe Mayu 12/02/29
35 *,150,792 *,***,248 Soredemo Suki da yo / Sashihara Rino 12/05/02
36 *,147,508 *,***,*** Kawatta Katachi no Ishi / KinKi Kids 12/01/11
37 *,141,184 *,***,336 Lady Diamond / Sexy Zone 12/04/11
38 *,134,456 *,**3,524 LOVE CHASE / Yamashita Tomohisa 12/07/04
39 *,127,531 *,**4,339 Sakura/Shuppatsu / Hikawa Kiyoshi 12/02/08
40 *,122,586 *,**6,286 PAPARAZZI / Shoujo Jidai 12/06/27

41 *,121,547 *,***,*** KISS KISS/Lucky Guy / Kim Hyun Joong 12/01/25
42 *,115,763 *,***,*** Pedicure day / no3b 11/12/28
43 *,115,420 *,***,*** Spring of Life / Perfume 12/04/11
44 *,114,065 *,***,*** Haina / NYC 12/05/25
45 *,113,528 *,***,*** Seasons / Akanishi Jin 11/12/28
46 *,110,132 *,***,*** Wonderful Cupid/Glass no Mahou / NYC/Nakayama Yuma 12/01/04
47 *,107,945 *,**1,604 One・Two・Three/The　Matenrou Show / Morning Musume. 12/07/04
48 *,105,734 *,***,*** Ue kara Mariko / AKB48 11/12/07 (Overall total: 1,304,598)
49 *,*95,647 *,***,*** CHASE / L'Arc～en～Ciel 11/12/21
50 *,*94,059 *,***,*** 10nen go no Kimi e / Itano Tomomi 12/04/25

51 *,*90,507 *,***,*** Makeoshimi Congratulation / SDN48 12/03/07
52 *,*85,011 *,*85,011 Romance Privacy / French Kiss 12/07/18
53 *,*84,659 *,**3,274 Otome Sensou / Momoiro Clover Z 12/06/27
54 *,*83,901 *,***,*** Sit! Stay! Wait! Down!/Love Story / Amuro Namie 11/12/07 (Overall total: 161,519)
55 *,*81,782 *,**1,748 Hitori Nagaragawa / Mizumori Kaori 12/04/04
56 *,*80,843 *,***,*** Shounen yo Uso o Tsuke! / Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 12/05/30
57 *,*79,505 *,***,*** Synchrogazer / Mizuki Nana 12/01/11
58 *,*79,183 *,***,*** Oppa, Oppa / SUPER JUNIOR DONGHAE & EUNHYUK 12/04/04
59 *,*78,329 *,***,*** Baribari BUDD / V6 12/02/15
60 *,*77,953 *,**1,464 Puripuri♥SUMMER Kiss / SUPER☆GiRLS 12/07/04

61 *,*77,417 *,***,*** Lost the Way / DiVA 12/03/21
62 *,*75,406 *,***,*** Go my way / Sandaime J Soul Brothers 12/03/07
63 *,*74,661 *,***,790 Mouretsu Uchuu Koukyoukyoku Dainana Gakushou 「Mugen no Ai」 / Momoiro Clover Z 12/03/07
64 *,*73,268 *,***,*** Yes / Acid Black Cherry 12/01/18
65 *,*71,417 *,***,*** Where you are / CNBLUE 12/02/01
66 *,*71,119 *,***,902 Time Space EP / Mizuki Nana 12/06/06
67 *,*69,885 *,***,*** Kudokinagara Azabu Juuban duet with Mino Monta / SDN48 11/12/28
68 *,*69,787 *,***,*** Yasashiku Naritai / Saito Kazuyoshi 11/11/02 (Overall total: 117,486)
69 *,*69,083 *,***,*** 7th Trigger / UVERworld 12/03/28
70 *,*67,601 *,***,262 sherlock / SHINee 12/05/16

71 *,*67,380 *,***,*** BABY BORN&GO/KINJITO / UVERworld 11/12/14
72 *,*66,646 *,***,*** CRISIS / Acid Black Cherry 11/12/21
73 *,*64,691 *,***,*** Go Round/YEAH-OH / Amuro Namie 12/03/21
74 *,*63,127 *,**2,299 One day / 2AM+2PM ‘Oneday’ 12/07/04
75 *,*62,774 *,***,*** Roly-Poly / T-ARA 12/02/29
76 *,*61,306 *,***,*** Haru Uta / Ikimonogakari 12/04/25
77 *,*61,146 *,***,*** Hitotsu / Nagabuchi Tsuyoshi 12/02/01
78 *,*59,759 *,***,388 Bible / Glay 12/05/23
79 *,*59,584 *,***,*** MAMORE!!! / Idoling!!! 12/01/18
80 *,*58,474 *,***,*** Still Love You / AAA 12/05/16

81 *,*57,621 *,***,*** Naisho no Hanashi / ClariS 12/02/01
82 *,*57,073 *,***,*** Be Mine / INFINITE 12/04/18
83 *,*55,592 *,***,450 Nemurihime / SEKAI NO OWARI 12/05/30
84 *,*55,024 *,***,828 Cho HAPPY SONG / Berryz Kouboux°C-ute 12/06/20
85 *,*53,676 *,***,*** SAKURA, I love you? / Nishino Kana 12/03/07
86 *,*52,232 *,***,*** Baby Baby / Yusuke 12/03/07
87 *,*52,149 *,***,662 Watashitachi / Nishino Kana 12/05/23
88 *,*51,360 *,***,552 to the beginning / Kalafina 12/04/18
89 *,*51,119 *,***,463 Kazoku ni Narou yo/fighting pose / Fukuyama Masaharu 11/08/31 (Overall total: 306,681)
90 *,*50,781 *,***,*** The Everlasting Guilty Crown / EGOIST 12/03/07

91 *,*50,691 *,***,*** Mujin Eki / Iwasa Misaki 12/02/01
92 *,*49,893 *,***,*** 2012Spark / Porno Graffitti 12/02/08
93 *,*49,232 *,***,*** Renai Hunter / Morning Musume. 12/04/11
94 *,*48,862 *,***,*** Sexy Zone / Sexy Zone 11/11/16 (Overall total: 260,670)
95 *,*48,813 *,***,678 with you / Yuzu 12/05/23
96 *,*48,647 *,***,*** SAILING / AAA 12/02/22
97 *,*48,043 *,**3,421 Yoake no Blues / Itsuki Hiroshi 12/04/25
98 *,*46,096 *,***,*** Kimi wa Jitensha Watashi wa Densha de Kitaku / ℃-ute 12/04/18
99 *,*45,391 *,***,*** THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA MASTER 002 Futaba An (Anzu no Uta) / Futaba An (CV: Igarashi Hiromi) 12/04/18
00 *,*44,999 *,***,*** FLY HIGH / w-inds. 12/02/22

01 *,*43,865 *,***,514 Shine / Ieiri Reo 12/05/16
02 *,*43,817 *,***,*** Kimi no Shinwa ~ Aquarion Dai 2 Shou / AKINO with bless4 12/02/15
03 *,*43,231 *,***,*** Kokuhaku/Bokura no Ashiato / supercell 12/03/07
04 *,*42,952 *,***,595 Kokuhaku / Hirai Ken 12/05/30
05 *,*42,230 *,***,*** 1,000,000☆Smile / SUPER☆GiRLS 12/04/18

http://aramatheydidnt.livejournal.com/4065498.html

[Rust]

Rumours regard the senbatsu for SKE's next single:

Team S:
Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena, Ooya masana, Yagami Kumi, Suda Akari, Kizaki Yuria, Nakanishi Yuka (7)

Team KII:
Takayanagi Akane, Hata Sawako, Furukawa Airi, Ogiso Shiori, Mukaida Manatsu, Yakata Miki (6)

Team E:
Kimoto Kanon (1)

Kenkyuusei: Suga Nanako, Matsumura Kaori (2)

& I believe Ishida Anna (KII), Kaneko Shiori (E), Matsumura Rina (KII) are out.

There's also some reasons listed in the source for the inclusion & exclusion of members. Most of the "major players" left off seems to be due to weak handshake sales; while Nakanishi, Matsumura, Manastu, & Yakata benefited from their strong showing in the senbatsu election.

The source seems to be pretty sure of Nanako's inclusion it seems, based on a g+ post, & the reason for her inclusion is due to strong handshake showing (for her generation? not too sure what it means.) Not sure how much truth is there to it but it information I guess.

Wasn't sure where to post this, as it seems like rumours
Move if necessary mod.

Sourch: http://d.hatena.ne.jp/tomakomai01951/20120730/1343656580

[Jul3]

Included within AKB48's new album 1830m is a voting card for vote for a song which so far has not got a PV to have a PV made for it. This PV will then be included within the December single. I believe you can vote for all PV-less coupling songs, stage songs, but not subgroup or sister group songs. I may be wrong on that bit...

http://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/akb48/news/f-et-tp0-20120801-993046.html

Edit: Should have written here the voting dates. You can vote from 15th August up till 20th September...