Will Akimoto-San ever extend AKB out of Asia?

Oh when I saw this thread I thought it was for something different like "will AKB ever perform outside of Asia (again)? Like doing a tournée in Europe, that would be great eheh!

As for them extending out of Asia, @icehism has a point. Giving the example of Portugal, the country where I live, they wouldn't be considered a pop group. Like first of all, I'm pretty sure the girls couldn't go around doing gravure until they reached their 18s lol (while japanese got that young gravure thing), and sometimes there will appear some children groups here, but they're really children oriented. A group like AKB would probably fall in the so called Portuguese Pop, aka Pimba (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pimba), which is not very well seen around here - it's those kind of music you may have fun dancing but the rest of the time you would just say you were ashamed to be portuguese (true story).

 

Maybe he will extend outside of Asia... but not in English-speaking countries...
JKT48 also sung some English version...
Akimoto-san will not do a franchise that will sing the same language as current franchise already did...
So, countries that using languages unrelated at all with Japanese, Chinese, Indonesian and English will have higher chance...
That to say, my country don't have chance anymore to have own group (because Indonesia have JKT48 and Indonesian language is technically same with Malaysian even though the language is different a lot... and we Malaysians ended up using English in conversations with Indonesians as we can't understand each other's language)

 

I would really love to see a non-Asian 48 group, but I know for sure that could never happen in any western country. Westerners simply don't seem to understand the whole concept and I don't know if they could even enjoy that type of music. I think many would feel guilty about it even if they did. The cute, innocent songs would be viewed as something targeted at little girls and the not so innocent songs, well... no. If you just look at the comments made by western media anytime AKB48 is mentioned, you'll realise they don't understand AKB whatsoever. 'Exploiting and sexualising young girls for money' is all they see. It really irritates me, because if I had kids I would much rather have them listen to AKB48 than watch and be influenced by some of those American Disney Channel shows and artists. So there's a lot of hypocrisy there as well.

 

- Off-topic (kinda) -

So I was just wondering why I you say this. Because if it's about some of the people that pursue solo careers after leaving Disney and then go all crazy like Miley Cyrus... well it's not that everyone that leaves AKB is a saint (you have AV artists that once were from AKB lol ). Anyway I understand what you say, and I agree with you, when you say that they just don't understand this concept: they just think it's an exploit of young girls.

 

I believe it is very tough to extend AKB48 outside Asia but maybe Europe and America are possible.As long as there is a city with high population and many guys who like cute girls and willing to spend to buy Cds and products.

 

I'm not saying AKB is perfect, but if we're talking about influence on young girls, I think if we compare them with artists and shows that kids in the west are being influenced by, young girls could learn more from AKB than from those shows that teach no values and make it seem as if having a boyfriend and being pretty is the most important thing in the world. The often disrespectful and reckless behaviour and appearance of these stars outside of their work isn't exemplary either.

I wasn't necessarily talking about people like Miley Cyrus or Amanda Bynes, although you could use their situation as an argument as well, since unfortunately more often than not you will see former child stars go crazy in the end, while you don't see many Japanese idols shaving their head (Edit: lol, I just realised... but I was thinking of something like what happened with Britney Spears several years ago), flashing certain body parts, twerking publicly and ending up as alcohol/drug addicts. Even if a few of them do end up on the wrong path, I doubt it really has something to do with them having been an idol.

All in all, my point is that there's obviously something wrong with the way young artists are being treated in the west and how kids are being influenced nowadays, therefore western media should look at what's happening in their own backyard and the problems with their own youth before pointing fingers at other societies like Japan.

But yeah, we've gone a bit off topic now.

 

I feel that I need to comment that I owe 100% of my AKB48 fandom to Sugar Rush being included on Wreck-it-Ralph. I knew absolutely nothing about the band, had never even heard of them, until I got dragged to that movie. 15 months later I'm in their theater in Akihabara going nuts. So it's not fair to say it had no effect.

I don't think AKB48 will ever be popular in the United States. Americans just don't like girl groups, J-pop, or really any music that isn't in English. I lived in the US for 29 years, and I think I only heard 1 or 2 Japanese songs on the radio, ever.

I sometimes have dreamed about a HWD48/LVGS48/NYC48 or other USA48 (cool name, btw ;0) featuring some blonde-haired, blue-eyed, ample-bosomed center. That might have some success, but wouldn't be anything like AKB is in Japan. The character would be totally different.

gotbild got some flak for his "pedo" comment (and I see why, that's not what AKB is about) but he does have a really good point. Americans would never tolerate a group with middle-schoolers in bikinis/lingerie who sing songs about losing their virginity and having sex with their teachers. There would be a public outcry. Even I sometimes have to be careful when mentioning my fandom to other westerners because they associate a certain creepiness to the group and their fans.

I think Akimoto had a worldwide vision for the group at one time, which is why there were the New York and Paris concerts. But there really was a lack of support following that. Even though I disagree with Criss on the specifics, I don't disagree with his main point. AKB hasn't had a large increase in US fans despite their efforts. They had a concert in Washington D.C in 2012 or 2013, too, and it really didn't make a splash.

At this point, I don't think Akimoto cares about getting a larger US presence, I think this is proven in the fact that besides Sugar Rush, you cannot get any music by AKB48 on the US itunes store. True story: early in 2013, when I had newly discovered AKB48 I really wanted to download some of my favorite songs, i.e. Manatsu no Sounds Good and Everyday Kachuscha, but you could only get Sugar Rush and the album Kamikyokutachi (minus Baby! Baby! Baby!, one of the best songs on that album. Why?!). I left a comment on the Sounds Good MV on the group's official youtube channel asking them to put that song on US itunes. It quickly got 70 likes and was a top comment, but the comment was later removed. Kamikyokutachi was also removed from the US itunes store after (not that I'm saying there's a connection.) I never understood that move. I can get every Perfume and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu song I want on US itunes store. It's almost like Aki-p wants less US fans.