Japanese girls group and idol phenomenon AKB48 will be performing at the 25th MIPCOM Opening Cocktail Party at Majestic Hotel on Monday, 5 October, in the presence of most prominent variety show producer in Japan and inventor of the format, Yasushi Akimoto. MIPCOM, the world’s entertainment content market, will take place in Cannes from 5 to 9 October.
AKB48 is also a new business model that Yasushi Akimoto will introduce during a conference held on Tuesday 6 October in the presence of the group.
AKB48, and more generally Jpop, is like miso soup, at first the consistency and the taste seem strange, but once you tried it, you love it !Why have you chosen Akihabara district for the daily shows ? To tell the truth, it wasn't my first choice. I first thought of Shibuya, Harajuku, Aoyama, trendy spots, but I couldn't find any place that was satisfying enough for me to host the daily live of the group. 4 years ago, Akihabara was a very popular district of Tokyo, that gave off a true energy, I finally thought it would fit perfectly with my expectations.Are the AKB48 girls more accessible than the other idoles ?I don't really know if accessible is the right term. the public can indeed see them regularly, everyday if they want, but not as far as approaching them. The girls seem close and accessible, but they are nevertheless on the stage. What is important above all, it's that their fans keep supporting, and cheering for them so that the girls can fulfill their dream. Isn't it complicate to manage a daily live ?At first, it was really hard indeed, all the more we only had one team in place, that performed everyday, even on Sundays. Now we have A,K and B, even a fourth team named SaturDay Night 48, SDN48. It is no more like the early stages, and it works very well.Are AKB48 the heiress of Morning Musume ?Not in my point of view. At least I don't see the coexistence of several groups of girls in that angle. I just think it's better for the public to have a choice, and that it's really important, like in sport, that different teams can play in the same category, and may the best win. AKB48 allows that.