[GENERAL] The AKB48 Thread

It's not just "many followers" though. Just look how many outside jobs she has, she's the busiest AKB member nowadays. She is the most popular, even if that doesn't bring much attention to the group itself.

 

Just check Theater attendance in 2022 and You'll know that You know nothing John Snow

 

About the same as the current face of the group, Yuiyui

These two are the most popular members right now.

 

That's a fair comment. Hopefully this is a sign of UMJ having confidence in AKB rather than King dropping them and please god it will mean some more marketing and promotion for the group.

I'd love to hear the full unvarnished story of 2008 from the parties involved -Akimoto, TGSK, Defstar, King Records. Fat chance of that ever happening I know but I think it would be fascinating.

 

I don't know what to think with the move to Universal though.
HKT48 are just one artist among their many, and from what I saw on matome, the NMB48 album sales could be better.
Promotion wise they are not doing anything more amazing than LoL records.

There are the in person handshake events but those were to be expected to be back a day or another with the easing of pandemic restrictions.
Wait and see I guess.

 

Yuasa Junji, AKB48's Chief CD Producer, has announced his 'graduation' today via Twitter:
https://twitter.com/yuasajunji/status/1630199701088894982
https://twitter.com/yuasajunji/status/1630205926308454400

DeepL translations:

 

Sayonara, Yuasa-san. The only guy who actually liked Sakaguchi. Right when the boss of Iwashita no Shinshonga was showing interest.

https://twitter.com/yuasajunji/status/1630228570764189696

His stage won't end until April. Probably. He deserves to be the center of 47 no Suteki na Machi e in the senshuuraku. I wish @nigamushiotoko would make a video with the best moments of his career and this song.

 

Does changing label means I don't have to deal with issue like this anymore?

Spoiler: My screenshot kinda big

 

These still belong to their original label, so ...
and since you bring the stage albums question, and Sashi's HKT48 stage is still nowhere to even start pre production. I can only worry for A7 and eventual new AKB48 stages.

 

I unfortunately doubt it since Baby Baby Baby has never been on there, and probably never will.

 

Oh I know. I wasn't joking (much). A significant part of me would like to just drop the group and move on. But I can't. Not quite yet.

 

The concert on 4/29 now has an official title - "AKB48 Haru Konsaato 2023 〜 Sukida! To Sakebou 〜" :
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12791463991.html

Yet another round of ticket sales has begun for this and the Eito concerts on 4/30.

(I think "Sukida! To Sakebou" means "Let's shout 'I love you!'")

 

What exactly the A&R do? For BNK48, the A&R department is where the private manager tagging along the artist belongs. But, I learnt that A&R is huge different in Korea, it works as the music hunter and correspondent between the music producer and executive producer.
You calling him CD producer and how he associates to King Records makes me think it's more of the latter, he works in music production side. But, is not that Akimoto's job?

 

Aki-p mainly produces (funds) the group.

 

Taken from his 48pedia entry https://48pedia.org/湯浅順司 via DeepL Translate:

"Yuasa Junji (30 December 1982) is the President of Sizuk Entertainment K.K.. Former director of King Record's 2nd Creative Division and Production Department, and former chief producer of AKB48 and A&R."

"'A&R' is an abbreviation for 'Artist and Repertoire', and is in charge of discovering, contracting, and nurturing artists, and discovering, contracting, and producing songs that suit the artist at a record company."

Therefore he actually belongs to Sizuk Entertainment and he has a profile page there:
http://sizuk.co.jp/topics/profile/

There it says in his biography:
"2013 - Leaves King Records amicably and establishes Sizuk Entertainment Co.
As a subcontractor, I will continue to work for King Records.
I didn't know anything about running a business, but with your help, I've managed to wobble along, thank you very much."

So it seems he worked there as a subcontractor for King Records and the group's move to Universal has ended that. Entering his name into our Wiki search comes up with a number of songs he worked on as well as Team 8's 4th Stage.

 

Still unclear to me what is his work exactly but, he works mainly on music side.
At first I thought, perhaps, AKB would get better music production. Then, the darn terrible mixing/mastering Japanese songs of IZ*One came to mind. NMB also has had some songs of very shitty music production. Perhaps, it will go the contrary and the music production quality will even get worse. Welp.

 

Oricon article on Tomu's grad con
https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2269391/full/
Kuramochi Asuka and Fujita Nana made guest appearances, as well as the chairman of Tomu's agency, Ikushima Hiroshi

Setlist

1. 1994nen no Raimei
2. Saishuu Bell ga Naru
3. Scrap & Build
4. Oogoe Diamond
5. Kibouteki Refrain
6. Hajimari no Yuki
7. Subete wa Tochuu Keika
8. Tomodachi de Irareru Nara
9. She's gone
10. Junai no Crescendo
11. Oshibe to Meshibe to Yoru no Chouchou
12. Utsukushiki Mono
13. Kurumi to Dialogue
14. Kaiyuugyo no Capacity
15. Ishi
16. Arashi no Yoru ni wa
17. Sasameyuki Regret
18. Viva! Hurricane
19. Kimi to Niji to Taiyou to
20. Show fight!
21. Kondo Koso Ecstasy
22. Dareka ga Nageta Ball
23. Halloween Night
24. LOVE TRIP
25. Sentimental Train
26. Korogaru Ishi ni Nare
27. Hikoukigumo

Encore

1. Ano Hi no Jibun
2. Maeshika Mukanee
3. After rain

 

Aren't Sasshi's stage songs are already done? I remember reading somewhere that the songs and costume design are done. I completely forgot that A7 have no studio recording release yet lol we also need Team surprise 4th wide release. I wonder if we can just re record the stages with current member (kinda like taylor version of her album)

I like how after ishi all the song other than her ssk song are weather related

 

If I recall correctly, everything is done (but probably not the recording and I believe that's what @lionel90 meant), they even revealed one (some?) of the songs at Murashige's graduation stage and the costume as well. Mercury/Universal doesn't seem too interested though.

 

From memory Sasshi also said that the parties couldn't find a financial agreement.
I guess that stage is going to stay forever in a locker. Hope the long awaited AKB48 ones don't undergo a similar destiny.