AKB48

AKB48
AKB48 performing in Osaka, Japan, 2009. From left to right: Yuko Oshima, Mariko Shinoda, Yuki Kashiwagi, Haruna Kojima, Jurina Matsui (SKE48), Erena Ono, Minami Takahashi, Atsuko Maeda, Mayu Watanabe, Tomomi Itano, Aika Ota, Sae Miyazawa
Background information
Origin	Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan
Genres	Pop
Years active	2005–present
Labels	AKS Co., Ltd. (Japan) DefStar Records (Japan) You, Be Cool!/King Records (Japan) Gold Typhoon (Taiwan) Subunits' labels: Avex Trax Nayutawave Pony Canyon Nippon Columbia EPIC Japan
Associated acts	SKE48 SDN48 NMB48 JKT48 HKT48 TPE48 OJS48 Nogizaka46 no3b Watarirouka Hashiritai French Kiss Not Yet DiVA
Website	AKB48's on YouTube akb48.co.jp
Members
Team A Details Team K Details Team B Details Team 4 Details
Former members
Former Members

AKB48 is a Japanese idol group. AKB48 is a newly formed idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto. He searched Akihabara to find members who are innovative, because the area has been energetic recently. They are very popular in Japan.

Concept

The team deputed in January 2009. There are 47 members in total. They have a specific stage/theater called "AKB48 theater" (Japanese:AKB48劇場) in Akihabara, and perform there everyday. The reason for this is because Akimoto wanted to change the idea of idols. Idols usually are presented in an unrealistic way in the media, so Akimoto's idea was to show idols as real people whom fans could interact with.

Name

AKB is a short form for Akihabara. During the first phase of this project, the name "Akihabara 48" was decided. It is popularly thought that the number 48 means the number of members, but instead it refers to the name of the group's President's office; "office48". The office is located in Chiba Prefecture, and in Japanese pronunciation, "Chiba" and "48" sound similar.

Members

AKB48 consists of 3 teams called "Team A", "Team K", and "Team B". All members belong to one of these teams. Each team holds individual performances at their stage/theatre "AKB gekijou". Each team has 16 members.

"Senbatsu Member"

Due to the large number of members, only a few members are picked by their producer when making media appearances. The members picked are called "senbatsu members". Senbatsu members have "earned" the privilege of representing the group during media appearances, and are usually decided by election.

Election

There are two big election to decide who sing new song. We can get election post paper When we buy specific CDs or related goods to AKB48.

AKB48 Second Election

It is a latest elction of AKB48 from May 25th to June 8th 2010. Top 21 in this election can get the right to sing 17th single CD "Heavy Routation". Top 12 called "Media Senbatsu". They can promote new information on media.

Discography

• Chance no Junban
• Beginner
• Heavy rotation
• Ponytail and Chou chou
• Aitakatta
• Juunen-Zakura
• Namida Surprise!