@kaishun

Yes, I hope she comes back, I like Risa [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Akimoto is fiddling with Nogizaka46 again, he should worry more about his flagship AKB !

kasai tomomi is going to graduate how you guys think about this ?

@kaishun

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo, not Tomo-mi as well !!!

@Kaishun - I was shocked to see my tumblr exploding with news that Chyuu is graduating. I was not expecting this at all at this point, especially with her solo debut and everything. Maybe she wants to continue doing solos.

Part of me thinks its because of the crap she's been getting from the TV show scandal. Apparently she quitted a Reality TV show where she had to live on 10000 yen for a whole month. Some people thought it was a publicity stunt and she was supposed to quit. But she apologized for quitting.

...Or maybe it's just getting to the point where AKB's earlier gens start graduating.

There's no actual set graduation date yet, but hopefully, it doesn't come too soon.

oh no, i just found out about chiyuu's graduation.
to be honest, i figured it would happen soon.
this has been a horrible year for the 48 groups.


(does this mean i have to change my kami oshi?)

Takamina's solo debut single is set to be released in the spring of 2013, but the song will be used in a drama called "Saki" in early January! I'm so excited for Takamina's solo.
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Also, no3b is releasing a new single called "Kirigirisu Jin" sometime in February!
and then the New AKB48 single as well as Yukirin's solo music coming out that month.
So much new music coming our way!

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The 48 family is really dominating the Japanese Music scene and also it's good to see that the domestic artist are really dominating compared to their foreign counterparts.

no3b- Kirigirisu Jin MV
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Just preordered Kirigirisu Jin Ver. B. Now I just have to wait until mid-January.

AKB48 won The 54th Kagayaku! Japan Record Awards!
More informations [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

In Tuesday AKB48 will release all their stages. It will be great day but my wallet will die xD

And something about Chiyuu's graduation. Management doesn't put her in Team Surprise and UZA despite she had 12th place in senbatsu sousenkyo and finally her single didn't sell very well in Japan at all. The first generations graduating from band and new ones replace them. Sad but true.

yeah. It's pretty crazy that there are only like 5 (correct me if I'm wrong) 1st generation members left.
I guess you gotta keep putting in new people to keep AKB running, and give the newer girls a lot of attention, so that when the earlier generations all graduate, people will keep following AKB for the newer members, who will eventually become the popular members.

Akimoto-san said that he won't let Takamina graduate until he has found her successor. The same probably goes for a lot of other earlier members.

It's kind of weird to imagine AKB 10 years from now. What will the music sound like? Who will be the most popular? What will everyone who graduated be doing? Will past members have a family? Will they still show up in the media?

Anyway, although I got sucked into the world of AKB48 just earlier this year (in March), I'm glad I did. I got to experience the release of Manatsu no Sounds Good, Gingham Check, Uza, and Eien Pressure, I got to see a few Guiness World Records broken, I got to see the announcement of SNH48, I got to watch the announcement and graduation of Acchan, I got to see a new subunit, I saw my first Senbatsu Sosenkyo live, and Janken Taikai, and Tokyo Dome, HKT's first single, singles from other 48 groups, scandals, graduations, Majisuka Gakuen 3, and topping charts and winning awards. I'm probably missing a bunch of stuff, but I'm looking forward to 2013 and what AKB and the other 48 groups have in store for us.

@yoshinator54

It is harder for me as I have been a fan since 2006, but nobody can expect girls to stay forever even though we want them to.
But I have huge faith in Akimoto, he has been in the business since 1981 and was running his first 55 member girl group 'Onyanko Club' since 1985, there is little he does not know about Japanese idols.
'Morning Musume' still pay tribute to 'Onyanko Club' with their Nyan nyan pose now !

I too feel a little sad about Tomomi Kasai, Sasshi is still just as popular after all her scandal but all Tomo-mi did wrong was run away from a silly reality TV show...it is not fair !
Now they have won the Japan Record Award for the second year running, I am so proud of them and will be a fan as long as there is an AKB48.

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A little something I made

looks like "So Long!" will be the title of the new sakura/ graduation-themed single (February 20th release)

This summer, I'm looking forward to voting in the next senbatsu .clap.
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I came across this on tumblr, I have no clue if this is real or not, but if it is, I'm getting the DVD version with Sugar Rush in it. Also 3b made me laugh.

I looked on CDJapan and saw that those were the actual tracks.

Track Listing
1.So long !
2.Waiting room (Under Girls）
3a. Ruby (Shinoda Team A)
3k. Sunset Marie (Oshima Team K)
3b. You Stepped On Dog Poo Over There Right? (Sokode Inu no Unchi Funjyaukane?)(Umeda Team B)

4-6 are the instrumentals as usual

DVD Content
1-3 Corresponding music videos
4a. 2nd Kouhaku footage
4k. 2nd Kouhaku Red Team Digest
4b. 2nd Kouhaku White Team Digest
5. Sugar Rush PV (Type B Exclusive)
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I'm guessing the song used in the background is "So Long!" because the lyrics and music sound like a graduation song, talking about making memories and stuff.

meetan is officially off the market! congrats to her!
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oh my god, nine members are graduating from ske48.
kuwabara mizuki, takada shiori, hiramatsu kanako, ueno kasumi, kobayashi emiri, yagami kumi, akaeda ririna, ogiso shiori, hara minami. (kanakana T.T)

2013 is looking like it's going to be as bad as 2012.

@february-heavenly

I know [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
And people are saying 'Morning Musume's new single is rubbish !
Akimoto and Tsunku seem to be losing it !!!

Graduations are bittersweet. It's just one of the things that we are going to have to deal with in this fandom. I think one of the best and worst things about the 48 groups is that members can graduate once they feel like they are ready to take on their goals.The 48 groups are like a launchpad to help girls achieve their goals. I'm starting to see the 48 group as an incubator or like a school to greatness (for the most part). For example, recently, Tomo~mi decided to graduate because her solo debut came, and she saw it as an opportunity to start doing more solos and try new things (at least that's what she said)...and Acchan became an actress! Anyway, good luck to the 9 SKE members that will be graduating and I hope that they each can reach their goals and fulfill their dreams. I'll definitely miss Kuumin (SKE oshi) though. Also, I don't think anyone would be disappointed if they ever decide to go back to SKE.

Here's the short version of the MV for "Sore wo Seishun to Yobu hi" sung by the 9 graduating members.

^ no more sad news my friends.

HKT48 announced that they will release their major debut single on March 20! I can't wait <3 I wonder who will be center, who will be in senbatsu and many other things : )
Haruppi:

We’re currently recording the CM song for Lotte Ghana Milk Chocolate, ‘Onegai Valentine’. I’m happy that it’s going to be on our debut single! It’s a very cute and catchy song and is great for people who hope to convey their feelings this Valentine’s day!

Meru-chan:

The CD debut we’ve all been dreaming of has been decided. I’m so excited! I want lots of people to discover the youth and freshness of HKT48 and see that we’re different from the other 48 groups.

old stuff (to avoid double posting)

Spoiler:

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Did you guys see this Tony (and everyone else)???
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Apparently, Miichan was caught sleeping over at the home of a dancer from Exile's brother group, Generations. Hopefully, she didn't end up doing anything that would force her to graduate AKB...Hopefully her top spot on AKBingo's Lucky girl ranking is true.

update:
read more here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

update:
I saw this video right when I woke up...I am at a loss for words, but I will continue to keep supporting Miichan
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Miichan's apology
translation:

Spoiler:

She was demoted to KKS (Kenkyusei/ Trainee)
Togasaki-san's message reguarding Miichan's scandal and punishment:

Spoiler:

Her demotion goes into effect on February 1st, which is the day AKB48's documentary No Flower Without Rain comes out.

update:

Mariko's blog (a few members go to Miichan's house to cheer her up):

Spoiler:

I'm happy they went to go cheer her up, as she is in a difficult situation. I'm still shocked that this even happened...Miichan really is a strong person.

update:
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she is officially a KKS

oh my god. poor miichan. she's not even an oshi of mine, but this hit me really hard.
i don't even know what she said in the video exactly, but it made want to cry. T.T

it really sucks that they're making her start all over. wasn't she a first generation member?
it things like this that make me wish this stupid no-dating rule didn't exist. so many members have gotten in trouble because of it.

stay strong, miichan! you have loads of fans supporting you!
(ps. even though you did it as an apology, i like your shaven head.)

february-heavenly wrote:
i don't even know what she said in the video exactly, but it made want to cry. T.T

it really sucks that they're making her start all over. wasn't she a first generation member?
it makes me wish that this stupid no-dating rule didn't exist. so many members have gotten in trouble because of it.

yup, she was a 1st Generation. I'm sick of that rule too.
By the way, I put up the translation underneath the video in the spoiler tab.

yoshinator54 wrote:
By the way, I put up the translation underneath the video in the spoiler tab.

thanks for the translation. it makes me angry that she's sincerely apologizing for something that, in my opinion, shouldn't be apologized for. people date; it's not something that you should be punished for. (and speaking of punishing them for dating, i just love all the inconsistency in the level of harshness/unfairness in the punishment. it's like each member that's had a scandal that involves dating gets something completely different than the next member.) i understand that she's an idol and has certain "rules" to abide by, but if the no-dating rule wasn't there, there would be way fewer scandals in the group.

it makes me even angrier that they're making her start all over again. this is something she's been devoted to since it started, and you're just going to knock her back to square one?

i really like the 48 groups, but it's really easy to see all the crap that goes on within the groups. it's just not fair.

Mmmm, I dont know where to start because Miichan is my oshi.
I saw the article in the Shunkan Bunshun yesterday and I really hoped it was not true, but
then today I saw that video.
So a girl of 20 ( an adult in Japan ) stayed the night at Shirihama Alan of GENERATIONS
place, no problem except that girl happens to be a member of AKB48.

I know rules are rules and Akimoto had to punish her and yes he could have thrown her out.
But it has taken 7 years of hard work for her to reach 14th in the 2012 Senbatsu and now
she is busted back to research student rank, the lowest.
I am glad she is a lot braver than I am and I was touched that Mariko and some of the other
girls went to Miichan's place to show they will not abandon her and neither shall I.

I dont blame her or Shirihama, just this stupid old fashioned rule !
She is still my oshi and I care about her just as much as I did before.

NO WAY! .omg.
Omg this is too much Miichan! What a harsh rule they have. .waaa.

I see both sides of the rule (I may get blasted for this but...oh well)

1st of all, I dislike the rule and I feel that it is really inconsistent in punishments and not very fair and I feel like they should be able to do whatever they would like in peace without the media following them around everywhere.
I feel that these tabloids, etc. should not even exist and have no business interfering with someone's private life.


but on the otherside, the rule is there for several reasons...

1st of all, Japan is built on high standards, morals, and traditions.
Japan's traditions, standards, and morals maybe different from western cultures or anywhere outside of Japan and it may seem really weird and crazy.

A lot of 48 group members join those groups knowing of the rule, so when they decide to join, they are signing up to give that up until they graduate. (AKB and the 48 groups aren't the only ones with this rule. There are several hundreds of idol groups that have the same rule)
This rule has pretty much been around since the beginning of idol so that is the idol standard.

dating can cause someone to go off track. I feel like it would be hard for idols to be committed to a relationship and be involved in something as big as AKB48.

The thing about idol groups is that it creates an illusion. People grow fond of idols since they are always in the media, etc. People start to see idols as daughters, sisters, etc. Many people have a protective feeling towards idols or fantasies about their idols. That is the reason why there is such things as oshimen. They want to push their favorite idols towards success. People don't want other things getting in the way.
That is also the reason why people get concerned with things like this (scandals, etc)

idols are supposed to be role models, because of their level of popularity and constantly being in the eye of the public. If they are constantly in and out of relationships or engage in risky behavior, it can create a bad image for them. The gender roles in Japan is what sets the standard for girls and women.

The rule can also be preventing things like pregnancies and things of that nature. I mean how can you continue being an idol if you're gonna have a baby? Really, the rule is kinda for their own good.

In conclusion, Akimoto-san is running a business. What's being marketed is the 48 group concept and the idols. He is marketing them with their image.

think about it: Would you be as interested in AKB48 if they didn't have that "idol image"? or would you just listen to a few CDs and move on?
I think pretty much all of us bought into the image, that's the reason why we enjoy watching shows like AKBingo, Kousagi Dojo, Majisuka Gakuen, you name it. I mean, sure AKB and their sister group's music is awesome (that's why I listen to them) but
How popular would AKB48 be without that image?

The music and the choreography are already made for them, and he exposes them to the media so they can gain more popularity and reach their goals. His target audience are people in Japan. The Japanese have known of this rule At the same time, he is almost like the strict Asian parent figure who just want the best for them but at the same time, have rules for them to follow.

...sorry I kinda went off topic there and things are kinda unorganized, but anyway...

In my opinion, if they got rid of that rule, I think a lot of people in Japan, especially the wotas/ hardcore fans would freak out.

Anyway, my views on Miichan has not changed at all (in a good way) plus I've gotten used to her short hair. I feel like KKS will be getting a little more publicity this year though.

I was listening to Hanbunko - no3b Miichan solo while I was writing this.

yoshinator54 wrote:idols are supposed to be role models, because of their level of popularity and constantly being in the eye of the public. If they are constantly in and out of relationships or engage in risky behavior, it can create a bad image for them. The gender roles in Japan is what sets the standard for girls and women.

that answers one of my questions, thanks

and who thinks their standards and morals are crazy and weird, that's badass.