(Group) The AKB48 Thread

[SomethingWild]

With all the second generation dropping out soon, we'll soon be left with exactly five member in each old generation (excluding sister groups, overseas groups and Urano Kasumi):

First generation
- Itano Tomomi
- Kojima Haruna
- Shinoda Mariko
- Takahashi Minami
- Minegishi Minami

Second generation
- Akimoto Sayaka
- Umeda Ayaka
- Oshima Yuko
- Kobayashi Kana
- Matsubara Natsumi

Third generation
- Kashiwagi Yuki
- Katayama Haruka
- Tanabe Miku
- Nakaya Sayaka
- Watanabe Mayu

Fourth Generation
- Kuramochi Asuka
- Ooya Shizuka
- Sato Amina
- Nakata Chisato
- Fujie Reina

[muppet]

This AKB Idoling!! colab (see below) is now four years old.  Fans had different reactions, some positive, some negative.

My take is that when the various idol groups appear together in concerts,
variety shows etc, then the music genre as a whole benfits.

The collaboration projects are not diminishing, in fact we see an increase in music, variety,
and film projects,etc. where rather than cast members from just one group,
four or five idol groups have representation.

Even withing larger groups, such as Hello Project and the AKB48 family,
you see a lot of mixing and matching from the various sub groups.
For example, it's a lot fun to see W Watanabe (Milky and Mayu) together,
or W Takahashi (Takamina and Juri), and from the H!P side- a
chance to see Berryz Kobo and C-ute performing
as one group is a big plus for fans.

And, of course, we know a lot about the fandom amongst the girls themselves-
Yuki Kashiwagi worships Rika Ishikawa, we all know that....but a lot of these girls
in the various idol groups, first got the idea that they would like to try out
for an idol group when they were young kids watching events, such as Pararu and her mom
going to a Morning Musume concert.

It's not just fans who like this collaboration trend, I think the artists
have a lot of fun as well. And it seems that Marty Friedman really has a
lot of fun!!!!!!!

So wishing that this trend continues in 2013, and Happy New Year
to all of the good fans here at JPH!P for all of your positive vibes
and merrymaking!!!

Okay girls, Sing, SING, SING!!!!   
   

AKB Idoling!!! - Chu Shiyouze! (Chu Dakedaze Ver.) 【PV】

[nik11]

Wow, with all the things happening in AKB right now, Mii-chan's scandal, Tomochin's grad announcement, and probably more to come before the general elections, I wonder how AKB is going to stand tall and keep running to the top. Its gonna be interesting, as long as my oshis are still there, I will continue to support AKB.

I feel bad for Yuko though, I think she wants to graduate the most but she has to build up her juniors first, much respect for this girl

[RenX]

Honestly, every time there's a 1st - 3rd gen member announcing graduation, I always feel bad for Yuko. I keep thinking she must be hurt at that. She must have kept this question for a long time, "When will I graduate?" I feel bad for her most when Acchan announced graduation, her reaction, just so hurting to me.

I really hope Aki-P will let her graduate sometime this year.

[Jul3]

Short interview with Takamina, Yuko and Yukirin, translated by http://miroku48.tumblr.com/post/42131308819/interview-to-takahashi-minami-oshima-yuko-kashiwagi

(M = Takahashi Minami; Y = Oshima Yuko; YK = Kashiwagi Yuki)

M: before to take part to the interview, I minded to think like: “today I’ll be asked various things, so I’ve to do it properly!”, but then I came to cry! (laughs) When I talk with Takahashi (Eiki) director it always reminds me like: “that’s right!, at such intervews I come to cry every time”…
Y: (laughs). About me, because it’s an interview about the movie, intead of talk with the director as a member I’m more like: “in Japan there’re girls/guys who’re waiting for such an idea and method”, I’ve a feeling we faced to it with the awareness that it would be good if many, many people will know about AKB48.
YK: actually, until that interview, when I had to think about AKB’s future I couldn’t express anything into words. But then, when I thought: “is it ok?”, real intention came out seriously. I wonder if it won’t be good if this time the movie will talk about ourselves completely.
M: it’s however a movie which let you to look back to this dark year, also knowing about members we don’t know and their feelings, knowing about the whole AKB48. Basing on them, this year we’ve to do it, we should accomplish to things, in order to can overcome them we’ve to get our streinght, that’s what I think. And in order to achieve it, we’ve to instruct young members, we’ve to bring up their potential one by one.
Y: when Takamina General Supervisor talks about young members’ training, you can only agree with her words. It’s because I just follow the General Supervisor! If we’re talking about individual streinght, this year both Yukirin and Takamina have a solo debut, am I right?
YK: it was the first of my dreams, that’s why I want do it with earnest. Right now I started to starring in a drama ([Mielii no Kashiwagi]) and having shooting for it, and get used to such a exchange is a little bit hard.
M: about me, my solo debut was my most important dream too, that’s why I think it’ll become a big junction. And it’s for this right reason that… I’ve no other choise but work so damn hard!
Y: last year the one and only image of AKB48, Acchan (Maeda Atsuko) graduated, but Akimoto (Yasushi)-sensei was like: “there won’t be a time for Oshima Yuko to graduate until there won’t be a next Oshima Yuko”… I wonder how it will turn out (laughs).
M: I wonder if I came to hate AKB48 even a little bit… I love everyone. And right because I love everyone too much, I come to think like: “if I do such a thing won’t it(n://the group and everyone) get better?”, but captain and General Supervisor is just a way to be called.
YK: about me, feelings that I’m having now is that I still want to take advantage of AKB48, something which I learned with solo. That’s why AKB48 is going to work harder than ever as well. Until now when my work got over I came back home directly, but it was since last year that it seems I started to go out and have a meal with members, and I also changed my way of thinking. Nowadays, I’m quite ok to meet with Mii-chan (Minegishi Minami) and Sashihara (Rino) and “let’s go and eat tasty things!”, that’s the most enjoyable thing in private life.
M: for Yukirin this has been a very big change but, that’s somehow sad! (laughs). I’ve not a private life at all as well, but… But, at (Yokoyama) Yui-chan’s 20 birthday party we charged up, right? “I’m all alone~”, she said so we came to talk like: “let’s go to have a meal together!”, but everyone are rapidly grouping together.
Y: we became about 10 people, didn’t we? It was a good thing that we didn’t think about it in advice, but everyone wanted to celebrate it all together (n://on that right moment). I went on a Hong Kong travel with Noro Kayo (original member) and I had fun. We went to shopping, we had a foot massage, we ate YUM CHA, we had a night cruising…
YK: that’s good!, enjoyment is overflowing (laughs). I’ll get a more “out door” personality too this year!

http://miroku48.tumblr.com/post/42131308819/interview-to-takahashi-minami-oshima-yuko-kashiwagi

[SomethingWild]

I feel like I'm at a crossroads with my AKB48 fandom.

There are a LOT of things that irk me about the way the group is run. Senbatsu, ignored election results, shameless promoting of members who don't always deserve it, ignoring girls who do deserve extra attention, etc. etc.

I'm struggling with the following. If I buy a CD to support the group, I also support the things I don't like and thus maintaining the flawed system. However, if I don't buy a CD it will also hurt the girls I do want to support.  It's keeping me up at night. lol

[Datalanche]

I have similar feelings but moreso than disagreeing with an ideal of the group, I'm just tired of all the time, bandwidth, and drive space it's consuming. I think I am ready to streamline my fandom a bit. I try to watch way more than I could ever have time for. I think I just want to focus on my core shows now. If something is super epic and worth checking out I'm sure I will hear about it from people.

I am feeling the punch on the wallet too, though. I need to quit buying so many magazines, but there have been so many AWESOME spreads this year. Music-wise I really wish AKS would get their stuff in international iTunes stores. I might have to go to an album-only approach soon simply because of space. That would help but digital also kills a lot of the fun, like photos and stuff. Hard choice to make for sure.

As for the hobby itself, I still have a lot of fun with AKB48. There are some things that do bug me but I'm trying to simply focus on what I like now.

[Jul3]

2013/10/27 National Handshake Event in Nagoya Setlist:

1. Heart Ereki
2. Heavy Rotation
3. Glory Days (Muto Tomu, Fujita Nana, Suzuki Shihori)
4. Candy (Nozawa Rena, Hirata Rina, Nakata Chisato)
5. Only Today (Team A)
6. Tenohira ga Kataru Koto
7. Sayonara Crawl

Yuruyuru Karaoke: (click on names for links to the original songs on youtube)

Babyraids - Koyomi no Uede wa December (Maeda Ami, Muto Tomu, Fujita Nana)
Houkago Tea Time (K-ON!) - Don't Say Lazy (Yamauchi Suzuran, Natori Wakana, Oya Shizuka, Iwasa Misaki, Oba Mina)
Takarazuka - Utakata no Koi (Watanabe Mayu, Kobayashi Marina)

8. Koisuru Fortune Cookie

Announcement: Request Hour Setlist Best 200

Later on there were performances of:

Hashire! Penguin (Takakjo Aki centre)
Zannen Shoujo (Kawaei Rina, Takahashi Juri, Morikawa Ayaka)
Dakishimeraretara (Iriyama Anna, Sato Sumire(?), Tano Yuuka)

[SomethingWild]

Time for the annual member count. Let's see what's left of what AKB48's old generations (in the broadest sense of the term).

1st Generation
- Kojima Haruna
- Minegishi Minami
- Takahashi Minami

2nd Generation
- Kobayashi Kana
- Miyazawa Sae --> SKE48
- Oshima Yuko
- Umeda Ayaka --> NMB48

3rd Generation
- Kashiwagi Yuki
- Katayama Haruka
- Nakagawa Haruka --> JKT48
- Oota Aika --> HKT48
- Tanabe Miku
- Watanabe Mayu

4th Generation
- Fujie Reina
- Kuramochi Asuka
- Nakata Chisato
- Ooya Shizuka

5th Generation
- Chikano Rina --> JKT48
- Ishida Haruka
- Kitahara Rie
- Miyazaki Miho
- Sashihara Rino --> HKT48
- Uchida Mayumi

6th Generation
- Nonaka Misato
- Takajo Aki

7th Generation
- Iwasa Misaki
- Kikuchi Ayaka
- Maeda Ami
- Matsui Sakiko
- Sato Sumire --> SKE48
- Suzuki Mariya + SHN48


- 27 girls left in the first seven generations

[rabyo]

I want Aki-p allow Takamina can graduate fom akb because  Takamina was general manager wil get more anti-fan and increase burden work for her.
but in fact I remember Takamina said that Aki-p mustn't she  graduate from akb from S.D.K. program

I wonder Why sucessor as General director must to be member only?
I think somefan don't want Yui or sayanee ,Miichan have to more increase burden for them.
So I think Aki-p have to hire outsoure if Takamina doesn't want as General director anymore when she graduated from akb.
what do you think?

[SomethingWild]

I wonder Why sucessor as General director must to be member only?

Takamina has been the leader character since the very start of AKB48. She grew into the role naturally.

Becoming general director is an honorary title, as well as ensuring her future involvement in the group.

So I think Aki-p have to hire outsoure if Takamina doesn't want as General director anymore when she graduated from akb.

Why wouldn't she want to be general director anymore? There is no sign of that whatsoever.

Being part of the management of AKB48 as well as continuing in the variety circuit (Shin Domoto Kyoudai, Mu-jack) sounds like a dream position to be in after her graduation from the group.

[muppet]

AKB Minegishi Team 4 shining brightly!


With thanks to AKBbutterfly

[Jul3]

This was an interesting English language article by a Japanese who was originally writing a book on Japanese politics:

"The National Decline that Lifted AKB48 to the Top"

http://www.nippon.com/en/column/g00171/

[muppet]

Be all that you can Be!

Join the AKB48 Navy!

Where hard work, talent, and
Awesomeness might
Just see an Ensign


Rise through the ranks
All the way to
Rear admiral!!



An early Naval History tape, see if you
Can spot Admiral Watanabe!

[123SillyBlast]

John Oliver briefly talked about AKB48 last night on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. You can download the show here if you're interested.

[Jul3]

AKB48 are in The Independent, a UK Newspaper:

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/meet-akb48-pop-sex-and-schoolgirl-schtick-make-for-controversial-success-9603720.html

[Jul3]

I found this interesting. Turns out Jake Adelstein (author of Tokyo Vice) has written a book entitled "AKB48: A Microcosm Of Dark Corporate Japan. Sexual exploitation of child labor is sooo cute.".

Here is a review of it: http://www.japansubculture.com/akb48-a-microcosm-of-dark-corporate-japan-child-labor-is-so-cute-book-review/#.U9NmlTX5YZ0.twitter

[kuro808]

I found this interesting. Turns out Jake Adelstein (author of Tokyo Vice) has written a book entitled "AKB48: A Microcosm Of Dark Corporate Japan. Sexual exploitation of child labor is sooo cute.".

Here is a review of it: http://www.japansubculture.com/akb48-a-microcosm-of-dark-corporate-japan-child-labor-is-so-cute-book-review/#.U9NmlTX5YZ0.twitter

Point: Sex Sells especially with women

[muppet]

I found this interesting. Turns out Jake Adelstein (author of Tokyo Vice) has written a book entitled "AKB48: A Microcosm Of Dark Corporate Japan. Sexual exploitation of child labor is sooo cute.".

Here is a review of it: http://www.japansubculture.com/akb48-a-microcosm-of-dark-corporate-japan-child-labor-is-so-cute-book-review/#.U9NmlTX5YZ0.twitter

This comment, from above review, is telling (and I mean telling, in a negative sense) :
Shohei Sakakura, author of “AKB 48 and the Black Companies (AKB48と日本のブラック企業)” – is one of those rare Japanese with the mindset of a western intellectual.

The poster is　Japan Times' Kaori Shoji　（author and free lance journalist), and am not trying to pick a fight with this experienced journalist, but defining the mind set of a western intellectual is difficult enough, and then to decide who is among the few Japanese who have such a mind set, seems a bit arrogant.

[muppet]

Completely not timely, and appropriate to
nothing, a darn fine tribute to Team 4 (ver. 2)

Thanks to YouTuber Tyson C.!




AKB48 初代峯岸チーム４ 長い光