Do you or someone you know want to join AKB48, but...

Perhaps you live in the US, UK, Australia, etc?

Short Solution: Join me and my friends in requesting to AKB48's contact email that auditions should be brought to the US, Canada, UK, etc! PM me if you need help with saying something in Japanese. We've all gotta do our best, and have guts! People who don't wanna be members can help too!

Details: It has been a dream of mine to join AKB48 But there is no way me and many others can go to Japan, due to one condition or another! Even so, as we all know, AKB48 girls never give up, and always try their best. We have to prove we will try our best too! Even if we can't go to Japan right now, there are other ways...
With this in mind, I decided a great idea would be for everyone to kindly request to AKB48's contact email to bring AKB48 auditions to the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and other places!! I know a lot of people would say to just wait for Yasushi Akimoto to make a group in the US or such, but I honestly don't want to join an American AKB48 sister group...it's simply my preference in J-pop. (And I know Japanese, but I don't think knowing it before-hand should be essential because of AKB48's theme of 'watching the idols grow') I was thinking if they hold auditions here (in the US, or UK or other places), the winners can receive a plane trip to Japan or something. We could have a chance!
One person contacting them will most likely get ignored. But if multiple people contact them (with the help of Google Translate if you don't know Japanese), we'll surely be at least acknowledged!! We can /not/ just give up hope-- we have to try! There's nothing to lose! I mean, if they see how many girls around the world want to join, why wouldn't they at least consider it? The benefits of foreign girls becoming idols:
- Already know another language. If we're from the US, UK, Canada or Australia, we most likely know English, the language of ~moneh~ there are a million benefits to knowing English. =D
- Exotic features like blue eyes or curly hair get fans quickly. >w>
- We would be seen as dedicated and "never-give-up" kinda people for trying our best even though we are countries away from Japan!
It wouldn't hurt to send one email to them~ Even if you don't want to be a member...wouldn't you be excited to see girls from your country joining the group? Because ~you~ requested to them to bring AKB48 auditions to your place? X3 Please root on us foreigners with big dreams!! As for you girls who do want to be a member-- you gotta have guts! Follow your dream and contact them!!
To email them:
I don't know if they have any translators or something, and if you know that they do, fantabulous!! ^0^ Me and my friends already emailed them in Japanese though. Be sure to make the title something they won't just look over-"Please bring AKB48 auditions to America!" (アメリカにAKB48のオーディションを持参してください！) is a good one. If you really don't know anyyy Japanese, and must rely on Google Translate or something else, be sure to make your sentences simple so the translator doesn't totally mess up what you're trying to say. (°▽°/)
~EDIT~ Or if you don't want to use Google Translate, PM me and I can help translate your email ^^ I've been taking Japanese for quite a few years now, I'm not perfect but I can have entire conversations ^w^
Okay, I'm done now ^^ Japan's not the only place with idol potential. We can't give up! Everyone, please help and spread the word so one day, AKB48 auditions can be where you are!! ♫Thank you for your time❣♫
~ Paupau

 

It would be nice if they brought auditions to the USA or Canada especially!

 

I agree!! I mean, I really believe there's a lot of potential here!! ^▽^!

 

I'm pretty sure they would come to the US before they even think about Canada

 

I think it would be great if they put in auditions for the US ~and~ Canada together, to kind of enlarge the number of applicants. Since over here, AKB48 is a lot less known, US and Canada together would probably equal the amount of applicants that audition from Japan alone. I'm sure if we ask, they'd join the US and Canada auditions together!! ^^ But you gotta ask, pretty please? If you need help with your Japanese, I think I'm gonna have people PM me what they want to say in their emails and I'll help translate it >w< We can do it!!

 

Edited a bit ^u^ I just thought of this idea, so I'm hoping to spread the word! ! [kiss] (hehe, cute smilie)

 

It would be awesome if they brought Canada and the US together for that. I know I wouldn't pass

 

Whaaaat?!? Why do you say that? DD:

 

I'm in UK D: Would be cool if I could join tho I'd probably suck at dancing and looking happy lmao. I think they'd rather go to the USA than the UK. Really wanna join them even tho I get stage fright etc and I don't know japanese. Do you think they'll actually bring auditions to Uk and USA?

 

I wouldn't mind if they brought auditions to Europe (i.e. Finland). I would definitely audition. My Japanese sucks but I'm a fast learner when it comes to languages + besides English and my native Finnish I can speak French, Italian and Spanish (language skills gotta have some count if there were AKB auditions in Europe, so...)
And my singing voice is good, if I may say so myself, and I'm taking lessons to get better. Dancing... well, I'm not Hyoyeon, but I don't have two left feet either.

 

I don't think they will bring auditions outside of Asia, at least not in the near future [wonder]

 

Yeah, it's not going to happen.
However, it is quite tempting to try it... And there's nothing to lose... The concept of AKB48 was a risky thing in the first place, so why wouldn't they try something completely new? I don't think there are any typical idol groups including members from western countries, are there? But maybe they would create something like a one-shot project, let's say they have some girls from overseas joining for a special concert and related promotion, AKBINGO Specials and stuff like that...

 

You can apply for the auditions via video. As all you are doing is sending an application in. You don't have to be in Japan for that. That's how Hirari applied. She was living in America when she applied for the 12th gen, and then moved to Japan after she got place.

It should be noted, they'd probably expect some Japanese ability.

 

I want to join AKB48 but I in Perth, Western Australia (just moved 7 months ago, I'm real from Indonesia). I hope they want to make a sister group in there or audition. If I can talk to Yasushi Akimoto , I want to say "Please make a sister group of AKB48 in Australia or AKB48 audition in Australia!"

Are some of there know, are AKB48 have fans from Australia?

 

So how are you going to participate in concerts, variety shows and such without knowing Japanese? The language and all its nuances isn't something you can just learn or pick up right away. How will you negotiate your contract and deal with agencies in Japan? Or talk to the other girls you're working with? A translator can't be around all the time, that costs money too. Or will you write the Japanese you want to say on your hand like Melody at SSA so you don't forget it? >_>

Further, how will you communicate with your fans? They won't all be able to learn English to accomodate you any more than Jpop fans here all learn Japanese. Is your dream to join AKB as a curiosity or as a real member who is taken seriously? Because foreigners can only be the former in that setting.

Also, I'm pretty sure that foreigners who don't have some kind of Japanese nationality already can't stay longer than 3 years in Japan for work currently. That may be able to be circumvented but who knows.

It's all well and good if an AKB sister group is created outside of Asia. I'd be all for an attempt at that, though it would never work because of the way things are run outside of Asia (business, management plus the usual attitude of young girls in America). Bottom line is, AKB is a Japanese group for Japanese fans, even if they try branching out to a Western market that formula within the main group likely won't change no matter how much foreigners beg to be let in.

I'm not trying to be the meanie dream-crusher here but I'm being totally realistic. I went through a weaboo phase like that when I was younger too (and am totally ashamed of it). I'd give up on those notions now. If you want to become a translator or some other job that a foreigner can actually do in Japan and eventually work with AKB, that would be a more realistic goal imo.

note: questions are rhetorical, they don't actually require answers

 

Eh sorry. This is my first post here, but I've been a long-time lurker. Heh.

Anyway! I actually am Australian (white Australian) and have recently auditioned for the 6th generation of SKE48. But I will start from the beginning!

The predominant reason why I wanted to join SKE48 is because after seeing the KII stage in Singapore in September 2011, I felt really inspired to join them, and as a dancer (street dancing is a hobby, in other words, heh), my interest was really piqued by their enthusiasm on stage. Actually, my friends in Singapore (both Singaporean and Japanese) pushed me into making a petition to gather signatures to try and get an audition based on popularity (kind of like Mariko-sama). To be honest with you, it started out as just a silly joke, but pretty soon I collected over 400 signatures from Japanese ex-pats in Singapore and from people in Japan (I went to Nagoya in January to study for 6 weeks). I really just went around to shops, asked friends etc. and I didn't once get a negative response (most of the time I was in seifuku, so I usually got comments like "you look like you're already an AKB/SKE member!"). Whilst I was in Nagoya, I wrote a letter to management and asked if I could submit my petition, but I never heard back. Granted, it probably was a little random. That was in January of this year.

I went back to Australia, but have since moved to Nagoya on the 18th of September, but because applications for the 6th gen closed on the 15th, I emailed the SKE staff and politely asked if along with my written application I could submit a video via YouTube as I didn't own a camera (2 photos were required upon online or in-person submission). They replied to me this time and allowed me to apply, as well as letting me submit my short video which was just a 2:30 video in Japanese detailing who I was, about my attempts earlier in the year, and why I wanted to join SKE48. Anyway, I received an email back from the staff and they said they were glad to receive my video and were happy with it and that I would be under consideration.

Unfortunately I haven't heard back, so I assume that I didn't get through to the first round for whatever reason. More than likely due to my age as I just turned 22 and that was the cut-off. Also potentially because I am not half-Japanese or have no asian descent. The girl who joined the 12th gen of AKB via video link, Hirari, was already Japanese, so she had the advantage of permanent residency et al. This may also be a factor. Either way, I live here in Nagoya permanently now in a dorm with all Japanese girls who are supporting me and tell me to keep trying. I even made friends with some of the staff at the 7/11 near me who all say they will Oshi me. Maybe it's time for another petition.

But in all seriousness, I think I will just give up now. Maybe I can just go work in the SKE shop. Then I can still see my Oshimen, Furukawa Airi everyday...well in photos.
Sorry about the long post, and although it's a little fragmented, just thought I'd detail my experiences.

Also, off topic but I've just added my Google + link to my signature and I intend to use it a lot more now that I'm in Japan, so if anyone wants to add me or ask me anything about SKE or auditions, or just whatever, then by all means, check it out. Cheers!

 

Is it really true that to audition, you have to be between the ages 13 and 18?

 

My sister once tried to audition in JKT48 but her resume was rejected. o_o
And that time, she wasn't in Indonesia.

 

I know 3 girls from my regional that want to join JKT48 3rd gen audition,, i really want them to be JKT members

 

I created this account just to comment on this XD Someone said that "Blue eyes and blonde hair" Thats right, that does attract attention in Japan. Although it doesn't always work this way. However Japanese people would be picky about it, this is coming from a Japanese person. In the end AKB48 is going to stay Japanese centric, you might be able to be half or etc, but realistically AKB48 won't accept girls who don't at least LOOK japanese. First off they are Japan's current largest and most famous girl group, they are going to want to keep in that way, full of girls that ARE japanese. Not to be mean really. Another thing is, if you can't speak at least at a conversational level, you're useless. It takes money to hire a Japanese tutor and on top of that there are many girls that CAN speak Japanese and ARE Japanese, its less of a hassle that way. Above that, bringing you to Japan is another hurdle. If you are Japanese theres a good chance you already have a citizenship, if not you can still get one, a pain in the butt, but possible. If you're NOT Japanese they would need to get you a working Visa, because if you ARE NOT Japanese you can not have a citizenship. Even people born in Japan, regardless of how many generations your family may have been there, if you do not have at least 1 parent that IS japanese a citizenship is pretty impossible. If you are below legal age you need a guardian, again if you are not Japanese they need to get a visa for a parent or whoever will be acting as a legal guardian. Another thing about that, you would also be unable to own property or a house etc. Although its illegal to do so, some places will not rent a place out to someone who is not Japanese. It IS racist and wrong, but its not a surprise if it happens.


I know what a lot of girls are going to say, there are many girls who are not japanese or half but don't look Japanese that have become famous. That is also true. Take a moment to think about it though, those girls are not part of large group and usually go solo. The non japanese looking or not japanese at all idols that are part of groups tend to be males, not females. I have yet to see a girl with blonde hair a blue eyes that is famous as a singer in Japan, that is working in Japan. The best chance you have to become a model there first. I come off a little strong but I wanted you all to at least understand this much, and hopefully I have not offended anyone. ^^