Watanabe Miyuki crowned AKB48's new Janken queenSeptember 18, 2014On September 17, AKB48 held their annual event 'AKB48 Group Janken Tournament 2014 ~Kobushi de Kachitore! 1/300 Solo Debut Competition~' at Nippon Budokan. This year, Watanabe Miyuki (NMB48 Team BII, SKE48 Team S) was crowned the winner. Unlike the past janken tournaments, the winner of this year's tournament was promised a solo debut. Watanabe, who defeated Kojima Haruna (AKB48 Team A) during the final round, expressed, "I feel that I am finally able to repay everyone who has supported me. I don't think a solo debut is easy, but I will do my best." The members who placed 2nd to 16th will be the senbatsu members for the coupling track. At the end of the event, it was also announced that AKB48's 38th single will be released on November 26. Watanabe Mayu and Miyawaki Sakura will serve as the centers for this single. [Results of the Janken Tournament]Winner:Watanabe Miyuki (NMB48 Team BII, SKE48 Team S)Runner-up:Kojima Haruna (AKB48 Team A)Best 4:Kawamoto Saya (AKB48 Team B), Iwatate Saho (AKB48 Team 4)Best 8: Owada Nana (AKB48 Team B), Miyazaki Miho (AKB48 Team K), Nagao Mariya (AKB48 Team K), Kotani Riho (NMB48 Team N, AKB48 Team 4)Best 16:Kashiwagi Yuki (AKB48 Team B, NMB48 Team N), Azuma Yuki (NMB48 Team M), Arai Yuki (SKE48 Team KII), Tomonaga Mio (HKT48 Team KIV, AKB48 Team B), Okada Nana (AKB48 Team 4), Sato Kiara (AKB48 Team 4), Nakanishi Chiyori (AKB48 Team A), Uchida Mayumi (AKB48 Team K)===[38th Single Senbatsu Members]Watanabe Mayu / Miyawaki Sakura / Matsui Jurina / Shimazaki Haruka / Sashihara Rino / Iriyama Anna / Takahashi Minami / Shiroma Miru / Kojima Haruna / Kawamoto Saya / Matsui Rena / Kizaki Yuria / Moriyasu Madoka / Kawaei Rina / Muto Tomu / Suda Akari / Kashiwagi Yuki / Kato Rena / Yokoyama Yui / Owada Nana / Takahashi Juri / Yamamoto Sayaka / Mukaichi Mion / Miyazawa Sae / Kojima Mako / Ikoma Rina / Minegishi Minami / Tano Yuuka / Watanabe Miyuki / Oshima Ryoka / Kodama Haruka / Nakano Ikumi Source: natalie
To those who came to this performance,To the wonderful birthday committee who prepared this fantastic birthday celebration,And to those watching on DMM, I want to express my gratitude to you.Seeing the penlights for my unit song, “Dakishimeraretara”, and seeing the flags being waved around, that made me really happy. Thank you very much.This marks the fourth birthday that you have helped me celebrate. I have had many memories, whether it’s making you guys worry to put a show on, or having good times laughing.For everyone who has been cheering me on so long, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys make me proud. No matter what, you guys always cheer me on and we have fun times laughing at handshake events, and without really realizing it, those are the memories that have really supported me.I want to repay you guys even more than now. After all, all idols graduate eventually, and as I think about that I think that in my life, my time as an idol is coming to a close. With that, I think about how there is not that much time remaining to be with the fans. It’s pretty lonesome to think about, but with this life, I want to continue to repay the kindness of the fans forever and ever.That’s all I have to say. Thank you very much.When I become an old lady, I wonder… if there is a handshake event, would you still visit? When I’m an old lady, everyone else will be grannies and grandpas too, and I feel that we’d still be able to be good friends… I’ll be counting on you guys to take care of me for as long I live!-Watanabe Miyuki
Watanabe Miyuki to make her solo debut on Christmas EveNovember 3, 2014NMB48 and SKE48 member Watanabe Miyuki, who was this year's winner of 'AKB48 Group Janken Taikai 2014', will be making her solo debut on December 24.This announcement was made on November 3 during AKB48's handshake event at Makuhari Messe. While previous janken winners Uchida Mayumi, Shinoda Mariko, Shimazaki Haruka, and Matsui Jurina became the center for AKB48's singles, this is the first time that the winner was awarded with a solo debut. Following Itano Tomomi (OG), Maeda Atsuko (OG), Iwasa Misaki, Watanabe Mayu, Sashihara Rino, Matsui Sakiko (Pianist), Kasai Tomomi (OG), Kashiwagi Yuki, Takahashi Minami, Kuramochi Asuka, and Matsumura Kaori (SKE48), Watanabe will be the 12th member from the AKB groups to make her solo debut. She is the first from NMB48 to make this accomplishment. Besides the title track, Watanabe's solo debut single (currently untitled) will include a song sung by members who placed 2nd to 16th in the janken tournament with runner-up Kojima Haruna as the center. During the handshake event, it was also announced that AKB48 will release their 6th album (currently untitled) on January 21. Furthermore, AKB48's annual event 'AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 1033' will be held from January 21 to 25 at Tokyo Dome City Hall. While they performed 200 songs last year, they are expected to perform all 1033 songs in order of ranking.Source: Oricon