[GENERAL] The AKB48 Thread

The AKB Group has fomally been "divorced" (for lack of a better word), with exception of some groups belonging to a same parent group but the rest arent ...

It is probably one big reason why they make an AKB only single in the first place.

And the reason why SSK might not be so compelling to the companies and sponsors

 

2023 oricon rankings for 48 groups (if anyone can find the sale numbers, thanks in advance)

• 13th: Doushitemo kimi ga suki da - AKB48
• 17th: Aidol nanka janakattara - AKB48
• 20th: Suki ni nachatta - SKE48
• 28th: Iki wo suru kokoro - STU48
• 35th: Nagisa Saiko - NMB48
• 42nd: Kimi wa motto dekiru - HKT48
• 51st: Kimi wa nani wo kokai suru no ka ? - STU48
• 61st: Wataridoritachi ni sora wa mienai - NGT48
• 67th: Anosa, iya betsu ni - NGT48

https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/2/
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/3/
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/4/
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/5/
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/6/
https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/y/2023/p/7/

 

Fancam of the other day Idol Festival


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

So rewatching the recent Nemousu TV episode (season 41, Dec 21 episode),
I found these introductions interesting:

They introduced 17ki as having the "Traditional Idol" image like the second coming of original Team A.
While 18ki is introduced as having athletic image as well as strong bonds like the revived original Team K.

video clip--> https://streamable.com/onjt2a
btw if you wanna watch/read the rest of the episode I put some summary in 18ki thread here--> link

I know fans have been talking on those similarities a lot but this is the first time I see those mentioned in an official AKB show.

Regardless, do you guys think it's a good idea to cast the shadow of the past glory on current members to make them more relatable to fans?
Or should they be left to make their own legacies since they have their own charms?

Like how many members were candidates of "the next Mayuyu"?

 

@donjonnie honestly? I think they plan to create Teams A, K and B again with 17ki, 18ki and 19ki respectively.

 

Not bad theory, but not enough members to create the teams again with those gens and 16nin stage, but I agree that at some point in the future management probably will revive the team system.

 

Even the original A, K and B went through a bit of rearrangement. Not everyone else graduated and they will have to go somewhere. But would Yuiyui not be the ace of her team?

 

Oh yes, you can put some senpais to fill the spaces, 26 available without announcing graduation right now, but too many veterans there and who knows how long they will stay

 

AKB48 will perform Idol Nankaja Nakattara at the 1am timetable)
https://www.tbs.co.jp/cdtv_livelive/

No Namida Surprise (The End of Era)

 

As announced in the New Year's Eve performance at AKB48 Theater:
Mukaichi Mion will step down from being the 3rd General Manager/Soukantoku,
and also appointed Kuranoo Narumi as the 4th General Manager/Soukantoku.



Miion will still be Soukantoku until Yukirin's graduation concert on March 16, 2024.
Naruchan will take over as the Soukantoku after that, starting with the concerts on March 17, 2024.

https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12834715894.html

Clip:
https://twitter.com/Macaroni4879494/status/1741374640860418249
https://twitter.com/HEARTSTATION648/status/1741368882022199445

-------------------------
Also, right before the New Original Stage in Feb 24,
There will be a new Yuiri-produced 16-members stage with Feb 13 debut/shonichi date.

clip:
https://twitter.com/Macaroni4879494/status/1741371522361811098

 

Congratulations to Naru, she's suited for this position & I'm sure she'll do a good job.
But two things: First, I thought (hoped) they would finally retire this position. Second, why not a "newer" member like Taguchi? Didn't she rank 1st in the member poll for possible next soukantoku?

Nonetheless, it's interesting this happend, because I wanted to post later in the 2024 prediction thread, that I think no 15th Gen member will be left by the end of '24, EXCEPT maybe Mion due to her position.

 

AKB48 returns to the Kouhaku Utagassen!

 

Manaka don't want the position. And yes i agree they should retire this position, because the most useful thing for it is just to be a sandbag for the management whenever a scandal surfaces. Especially because AKB don't have a theater manager anymore.

 

What is even the point of the position when all the 48G are independent from each other?

 

I thought they would end this position. Now that all sister groups are independent from each other, i don't see a point of still having a GM and i thought they would switch to "captain" like Nogizaka has.

Anyway, congrats to Naru! She deserves this title.

But i guess this is grad flag for Mion, my bet is that she will graduate by the end of 2024 at best(won't be surprised if she leaves by summer 2024).

 

Maybe they should change the name to AKB48 Captain just like other 48group did and give the girl more impact instead of making concert setlist and being management punchbag.
My first choice for the position was Naamin, not because she’s my kamioshi but she actually want the position (it’s like years ago but still) and have leadership experiment, and “fresh” enough. Seems like staff don’t want to give her this after the captaincy of Team B so yeah now she’s graduating.
I’m not sure this position will be a hit or miss for Naru. She will be Top 3 HS seller after Yukirin graduated, and looking at Mion the position only bring more haters (and also out of center candidate or even frontline forever).

 

I think she is the best choice! In UNLAME project she brightly demonstrated her leadership skills on the screen. Caring and attentive with a strong will. Congratulation!

 

@nagekinohina on twitter, whom I follow for theatre updates/translations, talked about this yesterday on their twitter too and I agreed with what was said. The captains assigned at the last team shuffle (Mukaichi Team A, Manaka Team K, Nanami Team B and Narumi Team 4) were sort of a test for the next soukantoku.

Mion was already soukantoku, so we can disregard her. Manaka "failed" the test in management's eyes because she went on hiatus because she couldn't handle school, senbatsu and captaincy all at the same time; it was her last year in school as well, usually one of the most challenging - and also, there is a clip of Manaka where she's asked about the soukantoku role on SHOWROOM and she says she doesn't want that responsibility.

We don't know how early Mion discussed passing on the baton with management and/or members, but Naamin announced her graduation a few months ago already, so she "failed" the test by announcing her graduation 3 months ago today.

That only leaves Naru.

 

If you right about that, its kinda sad that this time soukantoku was chosen with the process of elimination method, because it just feels like that there are no members that have the potential to receive such position or want to be in that position.

Potentially speaking like most people said Manaka is the best to be the next soukantoku, that bts of Last team K concert made me realize how great Manaka is as the leader, this might be a stretch but i see takamina on her sometimes. I know that she herself doesnt want it, but management should just discard that kind of things like what they did to Takamina at first, by suddenly appointing her to become the whole 48group soukantoku.

Well I dont have problem with Naru being soukantoku, I still think she will do a great job, but because she has been in the group long enough I dont think her having that position wont last for long. Also as a bonus we have Center and soukantoku combi from the same generation again in the group, AtsuMina, YuiParu, and finally YuiNaru. Lets go tokyo dome !!

Sent from my SM-N975F using Tapatalk

 

Just management don't want Naamin for the position, I don't think the big decision like soukantoku changing hasn't been discussed for at least half a year, from when Mion first told her decision to staff until it actually happened.
Naamin started thinking about graduating after the 61st single selection, and she made up her mind when Team B disbanded, the only thing holding her back at that time was the captaincy. If they (Management and also Mion) wanted to give her the position, they would have offered her and stopped her from graduation. In my opinion, Naamin failed because she's one of the "spoiled children" in management's eyes, she complained about staff on mail, weverse, even publicly on SHOWROOM. Absolutely not an obedient child. Everything is just my own opinion, maybe it's Naamin herself don't want the position.

About Naru, I wonder how long she would stay? She's 23 and it's her 10th anniversary this year, it's not common for an idol to stay until 13-14th year. Maybe until a member from 17&18ki "mature" enough to take the position, that would be more than 3 years from now on. Good news is we still have Naru for at least 3 years, thanks god an HS top seller still around. I got a Naru photo in 62nd single Theater edition, what a sign.

A fun analysis about current Captain of all Japan48 and Sakamichi:
Group - Name - Debut year - Year Active when received the position

• AKB48 - Kuranoo Narumi - 2014 - 9 years 11 months
• SKE48 - Saito Makiko - 2009 - 8 years
• NMB48 - Kojima Karin - 2016 - 2 years 4 months
• HKT48 (Currently only have Team Captain)
• NGT48 - Fujisaki Miyu - 2018 - 4 years
• STU48 - Imamura Mitsuki - 2017 - 2 years 10 months
• Nogizaka46 - Umezawa Minami - 2016 - 6 years 5 months
• Sakurazaka46 - Matsuda Rina - 2018 - 2 years 11 months
• Hinatazaka46 - Sasaki Kumi - 2016 - 2 years 1 months