[GENERAL] The AKB48 Thread

Anyone know where to watch produce48

 

The truth is that the entire singles history starting from Heart Ereki until BwT is probably the worst era in their singles catalogue. There was not a single good A-Side in the entire of 2014.

 

Nah, Suzukake Nanchara was fun, even if it was just a copy&paste of Hebirote.

Green Flash is indeed the lowest point in their discography. A horrible song through and through. Thank god Bokutachi came afterwards and saved us.

 

Suzukake is one of the worst songs in the entire akb discography.

It is also easily the worst Janken song. Esp after even pressure it was such a downer

 

There are so many things wrong with Placard from the chaka chaka noise in the backing track, the terrible brass parts, the BAI YAI YAI's, the fact that they were so determined to make it a viral thing like KFC and it just wasn't happening!

Refrain wasn't terrible it just sort of suffers from being "Generic Idol Song". What puts me off it really is the chorus which is kind of the most important hook of the song! I think Refrain could have been a better song with more refinement but the 48 group was churning out so much at that time that deadlines just had to be met.

I agree with you and David that Labrador is the best of the 3. I thought so back then and re-listening just confirms it for me. Labrador has a wistful dreamy quality that sets it apart and the string arrangement on the track is really good.

 

The 12/1 edition of TV Tokyo BIZ looking at digital transformation in business with Maho, Harupyon and Orin:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

INITime Music (12/2/24)

Credit to uploader
DEAD VIDEO

 

Official member portrait photos have been updated:
https://www.akb48.co.jp/about/members

EDIT: ‘Nidome Tabi’ with Maho and Ayamin in Miyazaki Prefecture (plus comments from Manaka):


if the video does not show watch the video here

SECOND EDIT: Reopening ceremony today for the Theater with Takamina as a special guest:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

An official almost 36-minute-long video of the members' reactions to the Theater refurbishment:


if the video does not show watch the video here

EDIT: An 8-minute TBS Entertainment News report of the reopening ceremony (won't embed, click on link):


if the video does not show watch the video here

SECOND EDIT: 5-minute report from ANN News:


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

Aki-P's thoughts about the renewal and new stage
From NikkanSports interview
https://www.nikkansports.com/entertainment/akb48/news/202412080001489.html

(Translated assisted by ChatGPT, inform me if there's any errors!)

Yasushi Akimoto Appears at the Renewed AKB48 Theater: "The Second Chapter of AKB Begins" - Q&A Session


On December 8, Yasushi Akimoto (66), the general producer of AKB48, attended the newly renovated AKB48 Theater in Akihabara, Tokyo. Prior to the premiere of the newly written performance "Koko Kara da" (From Here), the first in approximately nine years, he spoke with the press.

The AKB48 Theater originally opened on December 8, 2005, as the group’s dedicated venue in Akihabara. Due to aging facilities, a full renovation was undertaken starting in September of this year. The theater reopened on the 19th anniversary of its founding. During the premiere of "Koko Kara da," 16 members performed all 16 songs written by Akimoto for the show. Below is Akimoto's Q&A session. [By 玉利朱音]

Thoughts on the renovated theater:
"I feel like a new chapter, the second chapter of AKB, is starting. Everything, including the chairs, is more comfortable now. While it feels fresh, I also hope there are elements that remain unchanged."

What was your focus when writing the songs for the performance?
"AKB has its legendary past, and now it’s about creating a new legend. The theme of 'Koko Kara da' is rooted in that idea. While writing the lyrics, I thought about the current state of AKB and what the current members could achieve. Following the same old formula doesn’t make sense, but there are things that must be preserved. Striking that balance was the most challenging part."

What were your considerations for selecting the songs?
"Choosing the songs was the hardest part. I must have listened to over a thousand songs, selecting those that fit the theme of a theater performance. A theater song is different from the title tracks of a CD release. Theater songs allow for more creativity, and they also tell a story across 16 tracks. Initially, I was asked to limit it to 12 songs to keep it shorter, but AKB’s performances have traditionally included 16 songs. I felt that reducing it to 12 would leave the audience feeling unsatisfied, so I stuck with 16."

Did adding four more songs increase the workload?
"Of course, it significantly increased the workload. But wouldn’t it feel disheartening to hear people say, 'It was better in the old days'? It’s like at a soba or eel restaurant—people often say the predecessor’s cooking was better. I want to avoid that perception."

Did you attend the open dress rehearsal (genepro)?
"No, I intentionally avoided it. Even yesterday, I didn’t attend. The thrill of the unknown, like during the general election era, is the essence of AKB. Watching the performance for the first time alongside the audience is what I wanted to experience."

Why did you choose to watch the premiere with the audience?
"The AKB48 Theater is a space created together with the audience. I wanted to see their reactions firsthand because that informs the next steps. In the past, during a performance where the final song 'Sakura no Hanabiratachi' (Cherry Blossom Petals) ended with confetti falling and the stage going dark before the encore, the audience started chanting 'Mop! Mop!' when the manager came out to clean. You can’t anticipate such moments unless you’re there to see them. I believe fans will create new traditions in this revamped theater too."

General Manager Narumi Kuranoo (24) mentioned aiming for the Tokyo Dome. What are your thoughts?
"Having a goal gives you something to strive for. Back in November 2005, I gathered the members and told them, 'You’re going to the Tokyo Dome. You’ll appear on Kōhaku and win the Japan Record Award.' No one believed me, but it all came true. That’s why I hope the current members—who joined after AKB’s golden era—believe in the possibility of the unexpected. Sometimes, miracles happen, and people think, 'Who would’ve thought they’d make such a comeback?'"

Will you share such words with the members after the performance?
"Yes. After watching, I plan to share my thoughts and emphasize that they are the ones who will create a new golden era. They carry the baton passed down from their predecessors and have the important role of passing it to the next generation."

As AKB48 approaches its 20th anniversary, what are your hopes for the current members?
"It’s about how they pass the baton. AKB has successfully handed it down over the past 19 years, and now it’s their turn to continue that tradition. Of course, the members and staff work hard, but they’ve also been fortunate to have this continuity."

What do you envision as the golden era?
"From my perspective, I recall something Aku Yuu (阿久 悠) once said: 'Recent music doesn’t echo through the streets anymore.' Nowadays, everyone listens with headphones. In the past, hit songs would play through speakers in places like pachinko parlors or cable networks. For AKB’s second golden era, I imagine a time when everyone is singing their songs at karaoke. It’s not about sales or chart rankings—it’s about being widely embraced. When that happens, they’ll reach the Tokyo Dome again."

 

It's December, it's time for members to make a wish to Gunji-santa!!
(Context: Members post their wishes to be "granted" by Gunji-san, one of the main theater staff)

Images : https://imgur.com/a/AJAjGxX

source:

Spoiler

[HIDE]
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12878129008.html
https://x.com/Team4_2001_0228/status/1866398363530539247
https://x.com/Team4_2001_0228/status/1866398322287861913
https://x.com/Team4_2001_0228/status/1866398270433751163
https://x.com/Team4_2001_0228/status/1866398249738973410
https://x.com/Team4_2001_0228/status/1866398223289696661

[/HIDE]

Casual translations by myself, apologies if there's any inaccurate ones:

Komi : Lots of Ice cream and snacks everyday please!
Yuiri : I wanna see the STAFF Stage again!
Saho : I wish for a foot massager machine!
Yuiyui : Please put some Myofascial Release (筋膜リリース) massaging tools in the dressing room! #BeYUItiful
Miion : I wanna see Gunji-san and Ringo-san's Zenza Boys! (She wants them to perform zenza lol)
Seichan : I want to eat lots of delicious chocolate!

Kururun : I'll be happy if there are vitamin and energy drinks in the fridge~
Erii : I want Gunji-san to appear somewhere in the new stage!
Harupyon : I want to see the stage from the audience seat!
Orin : I want to see STAFF Stage..!!
Ayamin : I want some Gyutan (bento) and Starbucks ♡
Manaka : I want a lot of Moko Tanmen (bento)! Spicy ones please!

Shitao : I wanna be Gunji-santa!!
Hiyuka : I wish to eat a BIG BIG tart cake!
Naruchan : I wish to try being a theater staff for one day!!
Serika : I want to see "Illumination"! Please make a shiny sparkly photo spot!
Remitan : I want to eat Iekei Ramen in the dressing room ♡
Ayane : Mr. Gunji-Santa, I want to try doing solo theater performance. Please.

Yukitan : Please fill the fridge with fruits!
Mahopyon : On days with theater show, please call in the trainer staff!!
Zukky : Allow partial recording of theater show for a limited time!
Nonchan : I wish for a lot of snacks and juices (especially carbonated ones)!
Eriko : I want to go and watch theater show! (I want to see 16-member show!)
Aichan : I want to record a room tour video of the new theater!

Kairi : I want to drink Tapioka (Bubble tea)! (pic is decorated with her doodles characters - TapiGorou, TapiTarou etc)
Itomomo : I want to keep Alpaca in the theater!!
Yuichi : Please let me do a [Solo] ENERGETIC dance!!
Meimei : I want to do the Ping Pong Challenge! (Because I want to take photos. With Miion-san). Gunji-san, as always, thank you very much!!
Sarii : I want to eat a lot of Ice Cream ♡
Kawayui : I want to eat Rikyu (利久) (Gyutan) bento!!

Masaru : I want to keep a dog ♡ Also I want to play MomoTetsu (Momotaro Densetsu game).
Hotechan : I wanna play MomoTetsu with everyone!
Yukinee : I wish for cinema's popcorn in a large quantity ♡ (salty taste ones)
Yunachan : 1) I want to appear in Zenza!! 2) I want to watch a theater show! Mr. Gunji-Santa, please ♡
Sorara : I wish to have hair iron, curling iron (コテ) and dryer in the office!
Mizumin : I wish to present Mizushima Miyuu's original cookies to fans! I want to become Santa too and make everyone happy!

Some very good suggestions like Zukky's and Mizumin's!
Most of the girls are just hungry as usual though

seems like we are still missing 6 more members from the photos I got. Saechan, Kasumin, Kohi, ChanHina, Azu, and Yumemin.

EDIT:
Found them:
ChanHina: I want to do Zenza and stage shows with all 18th gen!
Kasumin: I want to try doing Oyatsu show (doing 3 shows in one day) !
Saechan: I want to do Solo zenza!
Azu: I also want to see a stage performance with all members I love at the theater that I love.
Kohi: I want to perform a solo song!
Yumemin: I want to make a Christmas tree!

better sources:
https://x.com/ia_opaopa/status/1869751679379505538

 

Why do the offical profile pages have such low res photos? Meanwhile, Showroom now has the updated photos in a bigger size.
https://campaign.showroom-live.com/akb48_sr/#/rooms/akb48/0

Direct links:

Spoiler

岩立 沙穂（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a1ee49fd69023ab610c3ca5464f39b6ce67898b_l.png
村山 彩希（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...21e4a0cd900dd9d7c6e9534054282fff38c7416_l.png
込山 榛香（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...632402dba3ca220288ff84135d22fee31078bc2_l.png
福岡 聖菜（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...42e39a379b389d55bba86c397b74a28e8649652_l.png
向井地 美音（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...89b102427a499cf1dacd3069fe5a7bbd30a951d_l.png
小栗 有以（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...84dd07db5c2ffff14558dad9c580278b4550436_l.png
倉野尾 成美（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...29003666d807b4b5d28f0e73c8ae64c53ce99be_l.png
坂川 陽香（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a46d8f8aea8a9705284e4646fe947e2d96d941d_l.png
下尾 みう（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a8ec132b7ca7b4c3f2b890edb96d97438e40531_l.png
髙橋 彩音（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...efed3ce674741c7bce459a344e9d5d478ef56bf_l.png
徳永 羚海（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...7751f80f07b2aa4690fedc7e2d7729f96f355a4_l.png
永野 芹佳（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...e27014c68f552dd27928f6f54d69128c8847f70_l.png
橋本 陽菜(AKB48)
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...8aac94d6dca66734334bdad84c94bf41e78d3e0_l.png
千葉 恵里（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...203ec283d6f16776ffdb17a2c4f502a7b3cf73d_l.png
鈴木 くるみ（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...eb1fa1ec983e76b905bc39e7dc6b3dd2b86b774_l.png
田口 愛佳（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...9888d0ab89422b7561ae3d0ebe62f056b2799e3_l.png
長友 彩海（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...4cfd7abd781bb09615e90fe79f001f5f52934c0_l.png
武藤 小麟（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...3266d989cfd526c3056f37c3f1414906a53de9a_l.png
山内 瑞葵（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...d847d6ef7af1935e3f07cb72e8ddc4bb7338b28_l.png
大盛 真歩（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...88975bf0f1fa5f45e0789a9fb7fd9c9dc8cdc4c_l.png
太田 有紀（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...1b4e4477b7e197539ecf76b0c44413f9f490641_l.png
佐藤 綺星（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...9f1e4c83b2543d858464ee5da84b52fc32b9fcd_l.png
橋本 恵理子（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...83898b095cca873df7896fb601fcbf37b1b720c_l.png
畠山 希美（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...651ab2a2e5b4f5399d62f8dd0cb035cb75e0a1d_l.png
平田 侑希（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...ae175b3a87e18be986c53f0e12ecc0fb642d9fc_l.png
布袋 百椛（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...89ed27663d3739cff24d1b279806025fecd204b_l.png
正鋳 真優（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...1f4064a69375362ac3fc40753616767d5144f6a_l.png
水島 美結（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...6a7c3210c07375db72d417f77889e87cfa95551_l.png
山﨑 空（AKB48）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...2cc7dd483c082c3c8a481ceaf5ad810e7482e8f_l.png
秋山 由奈（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...bce917ed14a868a36d55a8daf80282015368c12_l.png
新井 彩永（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...ba8b423239f6f6a676afa9df746b17344a8dc7d_l.png
工藤 華純（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...5f829eb2dec04321b8cc3f232fce11edffbc303_l.png
久保 姫菜乃（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...37d853495fdc32ecdc1de044f54dc312ad53398_l.png
迫 由芽実（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...804ec6d1dfaf57a73d8bdbc409e4a88c9c97221_l.png
成田 香姫奈（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...08f4586a5a5b57f8417404e900892fa67eb2122_l.png
八木 愛月（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...887197ec15d8e1b4bd13c3026762867465e9dd6_l.png
山口 結愛（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...9282c8287b69e230358a71fced4364a37ca5cfe_l.png
伊藤 百花（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...e734e72da9c1bf5b54c16a9a3a610b3a8151eb5_l.png
奥本 カイリ（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...b457feac01dd5a56777e980155ab8235539139c_l.png
川村 結衣（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...321b30d73b3c5b3e1fb67dbc1925920d9906dff_l.png
白鳥 沙怜（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...9fc4930b84302324415218ff196a5b2f279d628_l.png
花田 藍衣（AKB48 研究生）
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...db7216e9c6d929c1f5ce51b3beb630ff51e0176_l.png

 

Technically both are the same file or more like a server script while the actual original image, font or code are saved somewhere.
The profile images are served dynamically so when you load and view them it's not the actual files rather it's being generated on the fly.

The showroom pages seems to use large with _l suffix, while the thumbnails uses _m for medium:
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a1ee49fd69023ab610c3ca5464f39b6ce67898b_m.png
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a1ee49fd69023ab610c3ca5464f39b6ce67898b_l.png

so when you try loading _s for "small" it also works as they have also set it up for this:
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a1ee49fd69023ab610c3ca5464f39b6ce67898b_s.png

or any other random or gibberish letters will throw an error.. say try and go for "tiny" with _t:
https://static.showroom-live.com/im...a1ee49fd69023ab610c3ca5464f39b6ce67898b_t.png

now as to why they decided to use low res version on the members index, possibly for faster loading time.

 

Japanese girl group f5ve have just released a vlog (with English hardsubs) of recent activities which includes making TikTok videos with Yuiri and Miion (at 2:51-4:00):


if the video does not show watch the video here

I don't recall seeing the TikToks before but they were released in September - these are the official YouTube versions:


if the video does not show watch the video here

if the video does not show watch the video here

EDIT: The 20th Gen members will be unveiled at next Friday's Theater performance:
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12878495104.html

SECOND EDIT: There'll be some sort of announcement on the official YT channel at noon JST tomorrow (12/14):


if the video does not show watch the video here

 

20th generation, 65th single-or both?

 

The Staff X post about the video has the hiragana character 'す' added in brackets:
https://x.com/AKB48_staff/status/1867556352706720030

This has led to some fan speculation that 'す' (which is 'su') could refer to SUZUKA of UNLAME which is being disbanded soon - might she be transferring to AKB?

 

I doubt it’s a new single when the album hasn’t even been released yet

Oh that would be great!

 

if the video does not show watch the video here

"AKB48 Official LIVE ch" is changing name to "AKB48 no Su wo Dasu Channel" (Su wo dasu means to reveal ones true self) so I guess this will be similar to Hello! Project's OMAKE CHANNEL where they post content from behind the scenes and other types of YT content kinda like the Sakamichi groups are doing too.

 

The first video to the renamed channel has just been posted - Azu invites Erii to visit Sanrio Puroland with her:


if the video does not show watch the video here