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[Angel Wings]

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As their name implies, AKB48 currently consists of 48 members divided into three teams: Team A, Team K and Team B. Each group contains 16 members.

The group has their own theatre in Akihabara (a district in Tokyo) where they perform once every weekday, and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are 2000yen for men, and 1000yen for women and children. The special prices for Himawari-gumi shows are fixed at 3000yen for men, and 2000yen for women and children.

So far, Akihabara48 have released eight singles - two under an indies label, and six under the major label DefSTAR Records - three unit singles, six albums, six DVDs and four photobooks.

Members Oshima Yuko, Kojima Haruna, Ono Erena, Noro Kayo, Minegishi Minami, Maeda Atsuko and Kasai Tomomi will be in a movie called Densen Uta with actor Matsuda Ryuhei. Goi Michiko will be singing the themesong 'Boku no Hana' for the movie.

Recently, 18 new members were added to the group as AKB48 SEED, with girls taking lessons and appearing in the background for a possible chance to join the main group.

While they have been working separately until now, Team A and Team K teamed up (along with four members from AKB48 SEED) in July to perform regularly as Himawari-gumi. This arrangement is temporary, and individual girls are still identified as being part of their original teams.

History

In July 2005, Akimoto Yasushi held an audition for a new theater based idol girl group. Of the 7,924 girls that applied, 45 passed the first round of auditions. Finally, only 24 girls were chosen to be in the group. In December 2005, the group debuted in the theater with only 20 girls, later known as Team A. In January 2006 Shinoda Mariko joined the group to become the newest member of Team A to date. Uemura Ayako and Usami Yuki of Team A both graduated during 2006.

In December 2005 a new audition was announced, this audition was held in cooperation with Japanese telecom company NTT DoCoMo. It was the first audition ever where the applicants had to send in their audition video with their mobile phones. 19 of the 11,892 applicants were chosen to join AKB48, but in the end only 18 girls joined the group to become Team K in April 2006.

In October 2006, a new audition was announced to form Team B, resulting in the arrival of 18 new members in December 2006.

AKB48 released its debut single Sakura no Hanabiratachi in February 2006, which made it to #10 on Oricon charts and sold 22,011 units in its first week - surprising for a group on an indies label. In August 2006 they signed a major label contract with DefSTAR Records, a part of Sony Music Entertainment. Their first single under DefSTAR Records, Aitakatta, was released on October 25, 2006 and got to #12 on Oricon.

In December of 2006, the first change was made to the three teams; taking members Urano Kazumi, Watanabe Shiho and Hirajima Natsumi from Team A to Team B. Orii Ayumi graduated from the group shortly after this, though appeared in the unit Crayon Friends from AKB48 after her graduation.

On January 31st, 2007, AKB48's fourth single (second under DefSTAR Records) Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru was released; reaching #7 on Oricon charts (their highest rank to date). There has been speculation that the PV and lyrics to this song are an allusion to enjo kosai - volountary underage prostitution - though this has not been confirmed. Their next single, Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou, featured a theme of bullying throughout the lyrics and PV.

In April 2007, Team B were added to AKB48's official website; albeit with five fewer members than had originally been announced. This brought the group's numbers down from 53 to 48 - the first time since its creation that the member total reflected the group's name.

Members Imai Yu, Hoshino Michiru and Takada Ayana graduated at roughly the same time during June 2007. However, Takada was the only one of these to appear in the PV to the group's sixth single BINGO!, which was released on July 18th, 2007.

Members

TEAM A
* Itano Tomomi
* Kawasaki Nozomi
* Kojima Haruna
* Komatani Hitomi
* Maeda Atsuko
* Masuyama Kayano
* Minegishi Minami
* Nakanishi Rina



* Narita Risa
* Ohe Tomomi
* Oshima Mai
* Sato Yukari
* Shinoda Mariko
* Takahashi Minami
* Tojima Hana

TEAM K
* Akimoto Sayaka
* Hayano Kaoru
* Kasai Tomomi
* Kobayashi Kana
* Masuda Yuka
* Matsubara Natsumi
* Miyazawa Sae



* Noro Kayo
* Ohori Megumi
* Oku Manami
* Ono Erena
* Oshima Yuko
* Sato Natsuki
* Umeda Ayaka

TEAM B
* Hirajima Natsumi
* Inoue Naru
* Kashiwagi Yuki
* Kikuchi Ayaka
* Katayama Haruka
* Matsuoka Yuki
* Nakagawa Haruka
* Nakaya Sayaka



* Noguchi Reina
* Oota Aika
* Saotome Miki
* Tanabe Miku
* Urano Kazumi
* Watanabe Mayu
* Yonezawa Rumi

Graduated Members

* Usami Yuki (March 2006)
* Uemura Ayako (June 2006)
* Orii Ayumi (January 2007)
* Hoshino Michiru (June 2007)
* Imai Yu (June 2007)
* Takada Ayana (June 2007)
* Watanabe Shiho (October 2007)

Units

* Honegumi from AKB48 (ほね組 from AKB48)
* ICE from AKB48
* Crayon Friends from AKB48
* Chocolove from AKB48

Selected Members

* Skirt, Hirari

Seven members of Team A were selected to participate in the A-side to this single; however, the rest of Team A were also present in the PV and sang backup vocals. The seven members leading this single were collectively nicknamed Sukahira Seven. They were as follows:

Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Nakanishi Rina, Narita Risa, Oshima Mai, Takahashi Minami

* Aitakatta

20 members from both Team A and Team K were selected to participate in the A-side to this single. They were as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Narita Risa, Ohe Tomomi, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami, Tojima Hana.

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Matsubara Natsumi, Miyazawa Sae, Noro Kayo, Oshima Yuko, Ono Erena, Umeda Ayaka

* Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru

14 members from both Team A and Team K were selected to participate in the A-side to this single. They were as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Masuda Yuka, Miyazawa Sae, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko

* AKB48 JUMP & CRY

18 members from both Team A and Team K were selected to participate in this photobook. They were as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Masuyama Kayano, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Hayano Kaoru, Kasai Tomomi, Miyazawa Sae, Noro Kayo, Ohori Megumi, Oku Manami, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko

* Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou

16 members from both Team A and Team K were selected to participate in the A-side to this single. They were as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Masuda Yuka, Miyazawa Sae, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko, Sato Natsuki

* BINGO!

18 members from all teams have been selected to participate in this single; however, the rest of the group (totaling 46 members) also featured in the PV and sang backing vocals. The leads are as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Masuda Yuka, Miyazawa Sae, Oku Manami, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko

Team B: Hirajima Natsumi, Kashiwagi Yuki, Watanabe Mayu

* Boku no Taiyo

14 members from all teams were selected to participate in this a-side. They are as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Miyazawa Sae, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko

Team B: Watanabe Mayu

* Mirai no Kajitsu

13 members from all teams were selected to participate in this campaign song and b-side. They are as follows:

Team A: Kojima Haruna, Nakanishi Rina, Oshima Mai, Shinoda Mariko

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Kasai Tomomi, Masuda Yuka, Miyazawa Sae, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko, Sato Natsuki, Umeda Ayaka

Team B: Watanabe Mayu

* Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka?

10 members from all teams have been selected to participate in this single. They are as follows:

Team A: Itano Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Maeda Atsuko, Minegishi Minami, Takahashi Minami

Team K: Kasai Tomomi, Miyazawa Sae, Ono Erena, Oshima Yuko

Team B: Watanabe Mayu


Baragumi and Yurigumi

On November 4th, 2006, it was announced that the members of Akihabara48 would be rearranged into two groups: Baragumi ('rose group') and Yurigumi ('lily group'). No more official announcements have been made on this matter since then, and it is widely believed that this idea has been scrapped.

The two groups are as follows (☆ denotes a girl who has changed teams or graduated since the announcement was made):

* Baragumi

Team A: Hirajima Natsumi☆, Kojima Haruna, Komatani Hitomi, Masuyama Kayano, Minegishi Minami, Oshima Mai, Takahashi Minami, Urano Kazumi☆, Watanabe Shiho☆.

Team K: Akimoto Sayaka, Imai Yu☆, Kasai Tomomi, Kobayashi Kana, Matsubara Natsumi, Noro Kayo, Ohori Megumi, Ono Erena.

* Yurigumi

Team A: Hoshino Michiru☆, Itano Tomomi, Kawasaki Nozomi, Maeda Atsuko, Nakanishi Rina, Narita Risa, Ohe Tomomi, Sato Yukari, Shinoda Mariko, Tojima Hana.

Team K: Hayano Kaoru, Masuda Yuka, Miyazawa Sae, Oku Manami, Oshima Yuko, Sato Natsuki, Takada Ayana☆, Umeda Ayaka.

Discography

Singles

1* 桜の花びらたち (Sakura no Hanabiratachi) 2006.02.01
2* スカート、ひらり (Skirt, Hirari) 2006.06.07
3* 会いたかった (Aitakatta) 2006.10.25
4* 制服が邪魔をする (Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru) 2007.01.31
5* 軽蔑していた愛情 (Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou) 2007.04.18
6* BINGO! 2007.07.18
7* 僕の太陽 (Boku no Taiyou) 2007.08.08
8* 夕陽を見ているか? (Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka?) 2007.10.31


Unit Singles


Honegumi from AKB48 ほねほねワルツ (Honehone Waltz) 2007.02.21
Chocolove from AKB48 明日は明日の君が生まれる (Ashita wa Ashita no Kimi ga Umareru) 2007.06.06
Chocolove from AKB48 メールの涙 (Mail no Namida) 2007.08.29

Albums

1a チームA 1st Stage「PARTYが始まるよ」 (Team A 1st Stage - Party ga Hajimaru yo) 2007.03.07 1,196
1b チームA 2nd Stage「会いたかった」 (Team A 2nd Stage - Aitakatta) 2007.03.07
1c チームA 3rd Stage「誰かのために」 (Team A 3rd Stage - Dareka no Tame ni) 2007.03.07
1d チームK 1st Stage「PARTYが始まるよ」 (Team K 1st Stage - Party ga Hajimaru yo) 2007.03.07
1e チームK 2nd Stage「青春ガールズ」 (Team K 2nd Stage - Seishun Girls) 2007.03.07
1f チームK 3rd Stage「脳内パラダイス」 (Team K 3rd Stage - Nonai Paradise) 2007.03.07

DVDs

* [2007.01.31] ファーストコンサート「会いたかった～柱はないぜ!～」in 日本青年館ノーマルバージョン (First Concert Aitakatta - Hashira wa Nai ze! In Nihon Seinenkan Normal Version)
* [2007.01.31] ファーストコンサート「会いたかった～柱はないぜ!～」in 日本青年館 シャッフルバージョン (First Concert Aitakatta - Hashira wa Nai ze! In Nihon Seinenkan Shuffle Version)
* [2007.03.21] チームA 1st Stage「PARTYが始まるよ」 (Team A 1st Stage - Party ga Hajimaru yo)
* [2007.03.21] チームA 2nd Stage「会いたかった」 (Team A 2nd Stage - Aitakatta)
* [2007.03.21] チームA 3rd Stage「誰かのために」 (Team A 3rd Stage - Dareka no Tame ni)
* [2007.03.21] チームK 1st Stage「PARTYが始まるよ」 (Team K 1st Stage - Party ga Hajimaru yo)
* [2007.03.21] チームK 2nd Stage「青春ガールズ」 (Team K 2nd Stage - Seishun Girls)
* [2007.07.18] 「春のちょっとだけ全国ツアー~まだまだだぜ AKB48!~」in 東京厚生年金会館 (Haru no Chotto Dake Zenkoku Tour - Madamada da ze AKB48! in Nihon Kouseinenkin Kaikan)
* [2007.11.28] チームA 4th Stage「ただいま恋愛中」 (Team A 4th Stage - Tadaima Renaichuu)
* [2007.11.28] チームK 3rd Stage「脳内パラダイス」 (Team K 3rd Stage - Nonai Paradise)

Photobooks

* [2006.02.18] AKB48 Welcomebook vol.1
* [2006.03.01] 密着!「AKB48」~写真集 Vol.1 the・デビュー Micchaku! "AKB 48" Photo Album Vol. 1 The Debut
* [2006.06.15] AKB48 Welcomebook vol.2
* [2007.03.03] AKB48 Jump&Cry―篠山紀信写真集 AKB48 JUMP & CRY

[hikkichan]

Wow... quite the write-up you have there.

They won me over with "Aitakatta"... I think I still have a few Hi-Vision performances of it on my recorder... That, and I enjoyed the Crayon Friends unit.

[masterelr]

Wasn't expecting them to have their own thread because the one created some time ago died pretty quickly.
But...yeah I like them and hope there will be more discussions around.

[Entranced Shift]

Wow, I got curious so I looked them up on youtube. From the videos I saw, that's some music I can get into. I'm sure the comparison is out there, has anyone put them and Hello!Project up for comparison?

[kansaiman]

Thank you Angel Wings for the info. I have two of their DVD's and 2 of their cd's. I have friends who have seen them in their theater. I hope to soon.

[Bloo48]

I love this group!
My favorite is Acchan, also remember that the teams changed.
Indeed the single will be on February 15th, after the great success that tube River! ^^