Team

Teams are what are used to separate members of AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48 and JKT48 up. By using 'Teams', stage shows can have a low number of members. Teams are named after the letters used in their group's name. Kenkyuusei is sometimes referred to as a Team, but is not officially. Teams also have Team Captains, and Teams usually have a number of around 16 members.

In the case when a Team's name has already been taken up, roman numerals are used to signify which number of letter that team is.

Each Team has their own captain, that can or not be the center of this Team.

Currently, the only situation where Teams weren't used, were in SDN48 and Nogizaka46, where members were separated by using generations instead. Even without Teams these two groups have their own captains, with Noro Kayo being the SDN48 captain and Sakurai Reika the Nogizaka46 captain.

Sometimes, there are special groups made within the AKB48 Group, such as single coupling song groups, like Team PB and Team YJ. Special teams, such as Team Undecided and Team Unknown, are also used for when a member is either transferred or promoted, but there either is no team spot available, or they haven't been allocated to a team yet.

Currently, a special Team, Team Kaigai is being used for AKB48 members who are temporarily transferred to sister groups abroad.

AKB48

• Team A - (Captain Takahashi Minami)
  • Original Captains
    • Takahashi Minami (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Shinoda Mariko (from 2012 Team Shuffle to July 21, 2013 (her graduation))
    • Yokoyama Yui (from July 21, 2013 to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team A - (Co-Captain Nakamura Mariko)
• Team K - (Captain Yokoyama Yui)
  • Original Captains
    • Akimoto Sayaka (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Oshima Yuko (from 2012 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team K - (Co-Captain Kitahara Rie)
• Team B - (Captain Kuramochi Asuka)
  • Original Captains
    • Kashiwagi Yuki (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Umeda Ayaka (from 2012 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team B - (Co-Captain Oya Shizuka)
• Team 4 - (Captain Minegishi Minami)
  • Original Captains
    • Oba Mina (from the beginning to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Temporary Captain - Shimada Haruka (Oba Mina was suspended for months because of her scandal)
• Team 4 - (Co-Captain Kizaki Yuria)

SKE48

• Team S - (Leader Miyazawa Sae)
  • Original Leaders
    • Hirata Rikako (from the beginning to October 23, 2012 (her graduation))
    • Nakanishi Yuka (from SKE48 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team S - (Co-Leader Sato Mieko)
• Team KII - (Leader Furukawa Airi)
  • Original Leader - Takayanagi Akane (from the beginning to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team KII - (Co-Leader Oba Mina)
• Team E - (Leader Suda Akari)
  • Original Leaders
    • Umemoto Madoka (from the beginning to SKE48 Team Shuffle)
    • Matsui Rena (from SKE48 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team E - (Co-Leader Umemoto Madoka)

NMB48

• Team N - (Captain Yamamoto Sayaka)
• Team N - (Co-Captain Jonishi Kei)
• Team M - (Captain Yamada Nana)
  • Original Captain - Shimada Rena (from the beginning to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team M - (Co-Captain Okita Ayaka)
• Team BII - (Captain Kamieda Emika)
• Team BII - (Co-Captain Umeda Ayaka)

HKT48

• Team H - (Captain Anai Chihiro)
• Team H - (Co-Captain Matsuoka Natsumi)
• Team KIV - (Captain Ota Aika)
• Team KIV - (Co-Captain Miyawaki Sakura)

JKT48

• Team J - (Captain Devi Kinal Putri)
• Team KIII - (Captain Shinta Naomi)

SNH48

• Team SII - (Captain Mo Han)
• Team NII - (Captain Xu YanYu)