1336 replies to this topic

[droopy10]

After I move back from Fukuoka they decide to do this,

Still another group to cheer for and maybe I just might know a future member...

[Ganbacchae! It's Alright!]

I wounder if they are trying to do 48 different XXX48 groups. Perhaps they'll do one group of each of Japan's 47 different prefectures and then have one group as a general all of Japan group (JPN48) or even a group in a foreign land (CHN48, VTM48, CAN48)... But then again, they have SDN48 which would make that two groups from Akihabara. So, maybe he'll make 47 regular groups for each prefecture and then have SDN stand alone? Hmm... Anyway, you can never have enough '48 as far as I'm concerned. May their numbers be many and their reign last hundreds of years.

[mixedmedia]

I would guess unless your talent is so amazing, Japanese ability would be necessary to learn the dances and songs and do all the PR stuff they do unless you want to be stuck in the back or something. But those eligible might as well apply just for the experience?

Off topic: I could see other 48 groups in other parts of Asia but not sure how it would translate to the western world but that's a whole other topic regarding crossover and other issues that can be discussed somewhere else.


This kind of plays into the "idols you can meet" concept since even Osaka is kind of far for a fan in Kyushu to go if they want to see a theater show, never mind Tokyo or Nagoya. On one hand, there are fans overwhelmed or over it, thinking they need to learn about more girls, but for local fans they get their own nearby version of AKB48.

I do wonder how much further this can go though. Maybe another group in Hokkaidou and one in Tohoku after they recover, but any more than that seems counter-productive (more than it currently is anyway).

For the time being, I guess old Team A, K or B stages can be used for the new teams but eventually, each team should have their own stages and each group should have their own singles. That's a lot of songs that have to be written!!! Never mind all the units that seem to popping up as well.

I don't see this any different than what Johnny's does, except they give their groups different names. In my limited knowledge, most of the groups now are just younger versions of SMAP.

[Aim_Aim]

Do you have to be Japanese or have Japanese blood to audition? Because if not, I'm totally going to audition. And if you do have to be Japanese, boo for foreign fans not getting any love.

[Medusa]

i'm not much fan of akb48, what does number 48's significance? what does it have to do with these groups?

Because there's 48 members. :3

There is three teams per xxx48, for example AKB48 is Team A, Team K and Team B and each of the haves 16 members (16x3 = 48). But I don't know why the number is 48 and not for example 77. So I don't know if there is any official symbolism to it.

^ I was wondering that too. Maybe it's Akimoto's lucky number?
But I did some math, and in 2005, when AKB48 was formed, Akimoto was 49. Coincidence? Possibly. Perhaps "AKB49" just didn't sound good, or he was in denial about his age, so he made it "AKB48". Haha, I really have no idea.

For information, in fact, number 48 in here, from the start was made not to reflect the number of members. (Only that, in its development course, the member will be 48 when the teams A, C, B respectively numbered 16 members. So there is a presumption that 48 reflects the number of members).

48 This is the name of the business unit (Office 48) from Yasushi Akimoto's friends, AKB48 producer. Office 48 is a diverse business. Business Idol is just one of many of their business.

Why is it called 48?
This is because, a friend Akimoto (producer AKB48), that if you read the kanji individually, it could mean also the number 4 and 8.

[Erin.]

^ Ooooohhh, that makes sense! Thanks!

[ｋｉｒｉｋａ☆]

O.o New AKB unit? There's so many idols now

[prettycatchy]

I'm going to audition.

For anyone else thinking about auditioning, here are pics (from Stage48) of the form that explains what is what.
Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3

For the Pic 1, I have no idea how to write my name in Kanji, but I can write it in furigana though. So I'm just going to type my name normally in the kanji box and write it in furigana.
Kaigai (overseas) --> 海外 (it's at the bottom of the prefecture/overseas section)

I wonder if they are going to take people from overseas, since they have an option for it. @.@

EDIT: Stupid question but when they say furigana, should I write my name in katakana or hiragana? >.<
EDIT2: My postal code has letters and numbers in it... What do I do?

[Malachite]

^ If you don't have kanji in your name then you should write katakana in both boxes.

[MinaLyn]

After you audition, are you supposed to get an email? I applied, but I know you get an email with some other companies.. were you supposed to get an email, or should I do it over again? Does anyone know?

[AiLove09]

So I'm half Japanese and auditioned...however, I forgot to put my dad's name on the form...opps!

[goratnik]

May ended, auditions gone. Anything?

Adding to "WTF 48" topic, Akimoto was really 48 when setting business (concept work, finances, everything - I can't imagine even him doing this in just month or two), so first guess was even more than right

"WTF is Office48" now, a bit mysterious company comparing to fame of its "products". Any explanations?

[Blu-Cherri]

...office48 is a regular agency. It has a few old TeamK girls under its banner
DiVA + kana. Also has graduates Maachan and Ayunee.(I think nonti and rinatin were also in office48 before moving to their current agencies)

[ｌａｌａ]

1st gen audition finished, only 24 people passed
http://twitter.com/#!/s_egg/status/89976623679549440
http://twitter.com/#!/akb48journal/status/90117847954620416

[anhh]

[Undirrast]

^ Thanks ^^

To summarize what Aki-P said in the 2nd video, it doesn't matter if your bad at dancing or singing, there are 3 rules to becoming an idol:
1. Don't give up
2. Never give up
3. Never never give up

I knew Shinoda dropped out of audition, but I wasn't aware that Mayuyu initially dropped out of audition as well... Look at these 2 (plus one more, Takamina) right now, it's really astonishing that Aki-P (or maybe someone else?) could actually pick talents like this, how far they actually look into the future.

[Snapple]

Aki-P is a flippin genius. He's also giving hope to a lot of girls who want to be idols there.

[Blu-Cherri]

Oooh I liked the look of 41! Glad she made it ^^

[Dantea]

Part of me hopes this group will just gtfo. I'm really tired of all these 48 groups, not because they're slaughtering any and all other girl groups, but because the girls who are not promoted might as well not have auditioned in the first place. I don't resent the front girls, for the most part, but I resent the hell out of Akimoto for putting all the girls through the abject HUMILIATION that is the senbatsu elections. The girls who don't make it into the top 40 get to do jack squat, and adding even more girls to the mix just makes the girls already in the 48 groups have to exhaust themselves further to achieve their dreams.

But, I also felt this way about NMB48, and they've really grown on me. I like them better than SKE now. Who knows, maybe this group will change my mind. But somehow I doubt it.

[Krusha]

Even if there wasn't a senbatsu election, there would still be girls who "get to do jack squat".

It depends on many things. It depends on the girl, it depends on management, it depends on agency, it depends on TV shows (who do they want/choose for their show), it depends on fans (who do they like).

As for the girl, it's very easy: You don't have to be a good singer. You don't have to be a good dancer. You don't have to be super model pretty. What you have to have is personality, and more importantly, you have to dare to step out of your comfort zone, and put yourself in the spotlight.

Not everybody dares to do this. But those who do gets to showcase themselves. A girl like Chiichan or Micha for example have wonderful qualities, but these two are shy and silent. Where do you see them? What do they do? It's mainly the theater shows, otherwise it's rare to see them somewhere else. This is an important job of course. Do not underestimate that of being a good performer in the theater. This is the heart of AKB48. But perhaps fans wants something more from them or other girls. But not everybody can be a Tomochin or a Sayaka or a Yuko etc.

Something that does baffle me, is the case of Chikarina for example. Great singer, great dancer, hot body, pretty, extrovert, super happy. Yet very low on mixi rankings, and does not make top 40 in senbatsu. I guess she's just not popular. "Why" eludes me...

But to say that she shouldn't have auditioned in the first place is something I object to, and probably something she too objects to. She does get to do things, and she does appear here and there.

The idol world is not some sort of utopian democracy, or a kids-race, where everybody are #1 ("Yay we're all winners!! Woo!"). There will be super popular girls, popular girls, in the middle, below, not so popular girls and girls that are virtually ignored. Might not be so fun, but it's reality. Nothing can change it.


I can add something to this:

In the world of Japanese entertainment, there's many facets, many levels. A hierarchy if you will.

Of the struggling idols in the 48 groups, they are at the top level of where idol groups are, solely because the 48 groups are the most popular and dominating ones. If they were in say H!P Eggs, they would be much, much lower. If they were in Doki Doki Dream Campus or one of the idol groups at this level or below, they would be virtually unknown. These are groups that hardly even enter the Oricon Top 30. So, to be a low level 48 member is much better. It means you have opportunities. You have chances to make an impact.

Outside the sphere of these types of idols, theres also IV and U15 idols.

Some of the most popular U15 girls are girls who can't even compete against the low level idol girls of above (even if they have PB's, DVD's etc.). They are popular, but within a niche market that is extremely limited, both in scope and longevity. And in the world of IV and U15 there's countless of girls who struggle hard to make it there, a place where being on the top don't really mean much in general compared to the sort of idols we're into here on H!O.

So, having made it to AKB48 or NMB48 is a very good thing, even if you're not a front girl. You have a lot of opportunities. And even if you don't make a career for yourself outside of/after the group, you at least were in a popular idol group.


What concerns senbatsu when it comes to AKB48 my personal opinion is that it should be AKB48 girls in AKB48, SKE48 girls in SKE48, NMB48 girls in NMB48 etc. Not because I hate a group or some girls (I love all of them a lot, and I buy their releases) - I know some have this as reason for what I just mentioned, but not for me.

Anyways, the only issue I have with more 48 groups is that it possibly means more expenses for me, in addition to the fact that it gets basically impossible to follow everything.... So there's that...