AKB48 YouTube Channel
Both Kodansha and Sony have been pretty stubborn about AKB48 videos on YouTube. Thankfully, after years of wait, AKB48 launched their own official YouTube channel last Wednesday.
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Heavy Rotation
AKB48's new single features a fan voted lineup
Heavy Rotation is AKB48′s 18th single. Days before its release last week, it was reported that over 650,000 copies had been shipped to stores. However many remained skeptical, believing surely that their last single’s sales were inflated by the voting campaign. The numbers are in now and AKB48 breaks the record again with 527,336 copies sold in its first week.
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Ponytail to Shushu
AKB48's new summer themed single
Ponytail to Shushu is AKB48′s newest single after their recent chart topping album Kamikyokutachi. First press versions of the single contain the ballot cards for this year’s member election. As a result, Ponytail to Shushu has sold more than 500,000 copies since its release last week, making it the best selling CD this year (after Arashi’s Monster). It also takes the cake for the highest first week sales for any female artist ever.
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Kamikyokutachi
On April 2010 AKB48 released Kamikyokutachi (神曲たち) to major success. Kamikyokutachi (which literally translates to God Tunes) is their second major album after 2008′s “Best Of” set list. It sold a godly 300,000 copies within its first week and charted number one on global charts.
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Sakura no Shiori
The new AKB48 single is due in a few weeks time on the 17th of February. Like any good fan, I’ve already pre-ordered it to complete my collection of AKB48 singles. This time the title is called Sakura no Shiori (Sakura Bookmark) and it will be their 17th single. What’s special is that apart from a Theater-exclusive version there will be 2 different normal versions of the single.
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RIVER
AKB48's new single sweeps away the charts
AKB48′s latest single River was released on October 21st. I had pre-ordered my copy but it took me a while to get it since Yan helped to collect it. He needed to get a couple of singles from Ikimonogakari. River is probably AKB48′s most popular single right now, having sold more than 200,000 copies so far. It’s currently Japan’s second most sold single this year by any female artist.
Iiwake Maybe
Iiwake Maybe is AKB48′s 13th major release. It is especially notable for a variety of reasons, the first being that is featured a fan elected lineup of the top 21 girls for 2009. It was also voted AKB48′s most popular song last year. Due to continual use of Iiwake Maybe’s uniforms in performances and press, the outfit also remains AKB48′s most iconic getup.
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Namida Surprise!
Namida Surprise! (涙サプライズ!/Teary Surprise!) was AKB48′s 12th official single (the first two indies are generally neglected) and their 14th overall. The single was notable for being the first to include a voting card for fans to elect their favorite AKB48 members. The Top AKB48 Girls voted in would be chosen to perform their subsequent single, Iiwake Maybe.
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10nen Sakura
10nen Sakura/10年桜 (pronounced Junen Sakura) is AKB48′s 10th major single and the 13th overall. The normal single was released in March 2009 by King Record’s You, Be Cool! (an office dedicated entirely to AKB48), while the theater edition was released by the New King Records label.
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Oogoe Diamond
AKB48's big break
Two months after signing onto King Records, AKB48 released their 11th physical single, Oogoe Diamond (大声ダイヤモンド). The single was special in that it was the first to feature Matsui Jurina, the front girl of AKB48′s new Nagoya based spin-off, SKE48. The 11 year old Jurina, even took the center position for the single, displacing AKB48′s own cover girl Maeda Atsuko for the first time in history, to the displeasure of many AKB fans.
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Baby! Baby! Baby!
In July 2009, while in the midst of changing record labels, AKS (AKB48′s management) released Baby! Baby! Baby! as a digital download for NTT Docomo phones only. Making it AKB48′s 3rd indies and their only digital single.
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Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008
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Romance, Irane
AKB48's 9th single toys with fans hearts
Romance, Irane (Romance, I Don’t Need It) from the second set of Himawari group songs, was released as AKB48′s 9th single in January 2008. The single sold a total of 23,209 copies during its 5 weeks on the Oricon charts. Despite the title, the songs lyrics voice the conflicting thoughts of a girl uncertain about love, rather than a declaration of independence.
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Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka?
Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka? (夕陽を見ているか？/ Are You Watching the Sunset?) is AKB48′s 8th single and their second as part of the combined Himawari group. It’s a bittersweet but comforting melody appropriate for its fall release, the lyrics reflect upon daily troubles and shortcomings, while motivating the listener to press on.
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Boku no Taiyou
To counter busying schedules, it was decided in June 2007, that all three AKB48 teams were to be dissolved into a single group. And on the 1st of July, the newly formed Himawari (Sunflower) group began performing their new stage, which took the name of it’s main song, Boku no Taiyou.
Boku no Taiyou (僕の太陽) was released as AKB48′s 7th single and the theme song for the anime adaption of the Australian novel Deltora Quest. Boku no Taiyou translates literally to “My Sun”, though it is suggested in the video that it was meant to transliterate as “My Sunshine”.The song itself is pretty standard pop fare, with cheery motivational lyrics. Not that it’s a bad thing
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Boku no Taiyou (僕の太陽) was released as AKB48′s 7th single and the theme song for the anime adaption of the Australian novel Deltora Quest. Boku no Taiyou translates literally to “My Sun”, though it is suggested in the video that it was meant to transliterate as “My Sunshine”.The song itself is pretty standard pop fare, with cheery motivational lyrics. Not that it’s a bad thing
BINGO!
AKB48's impressive show of numbers
On July 18th 2007, AKB48 released their next single BINGO!. It would be the first release to include the recently formed Team B into the mix. 18 members across the 3 teams were selected to participate in the single and all 46 girls (at the time) joined in the filming of BINGO!’s music video.
Most of BINGO!’s Senbatsu were familiar faces by now. Newcomer Watanabe Mayu joined the other girls in white at the forefront. Kashiwagi Yuki and founding Team A’s Hirajima Natsumi were the other two representatives for Team B. BINGO! would also be the only time where Oku Manami, AKB48′s youngest member was featured as a Senbatsu member.
Most of BINGO!’s Senbatsu were familiar faces by now. Newcomer Watanabe Mayu joined the other girls in white at the forefront. Kashiwagi Yuki and founding Team A’s Hirajima Natsumi were the other two representatives for Team B. BINGO! would also be the only time where Oku Manami, AKB48′s youngest member was featured as a Senbatsu member.
Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou
AKB48′s next single, Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou (軽蔑していた愛情) continued with their new gritty image but one upped the last by touching upon not just one but multiple taboo topics. The song (which translates to “Scorned Love”) voiced a school girl’s experience with the problematic Japanese education system, school bullying, teen suicide and even lesbianism.
Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou’s PV would be the first of many AKB48 videos to be directed by the experienced, Takahashi Eiki. At the start of the video, we see Oshima Yuko on the edge of a rooftop. Scenes from what seems like the aftermath of a tragedy, are juxtaposed against flashbacks and insidious messages, to visualize the song’s lyrics.
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Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou’s PV would be the first of many AKB48 videos to be directed by the experienced, Takahashi Eiki. At the start of the video, we see Oshima Yuko on the edge of a rooftop. Scenes from what seems like the aftermath of a tragedy, are juxtaposed against flashbacks and insidious messages, to visualize the song’s lyrics.
Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru
The birth of a new type of pop idol?
Now part of DefStar Records, AKB48 began producing singles on a 3 month basis. Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru (制服が邪魔をする), was the surprising followup release to AKB48′s major debut. Translated as “The uniform is getting in the way”, Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru drew public attention with it’s controversial music video.
This time only a select group of 14 members appear and sing in the single’s release. The Senbatsu were made up of familiar faces from past singles, with the exception of Team K’s Masuda Yuka. By this time, Narita Risa had been completely phased out in favor of Shinoda Mariko.
This time only a select group of 14 members appear and sing in the single’s release. The Senbatsu were made up of familiar faces from past singles, with the exception of Team K’s Masuda Yuka. By this time, Narita Risa had been completely phased out in favor of Shinoda Mariko.
Aitakatta
AKB48's own anthem
Following Skirt, Hirari AKB48 got their break when they signed up with Sony Music Entertainment’s DefStar Records. And in October 2006, the group released their first major single, Aitakatta (会いたかった/I wanted to meet you).
A total of 21 girls were chosen for the single, consisting of both founding members, as well as new faces from the newly formed Team K. Most of the original Sukahira Seven stand at the forefront of Aitakatta but despite the previous concept of keeping a core team of leads, Narita Risa and Nakanishi Rina were pushed back in favor of Shinoda Mariko and Oshima Yuko.
A total of 21 girls were chosen for the single, consisting of both founding members, as well as new faces from the newly formed Team K. Most of the original Sukahira Seven stand at the forefront of Aitakatta but despite the previous concept of keeping a core team of leads, Narita Risa and Nakanishi Rina were pushed back in favor of Shinoda Mariko and Oshima Yuko.
Skirt, Hirari
AKB48's second indies
Four months after Sakura no Hanabiratchi, AKB48 released their second indies single, a cheeky song from their stage performances called Skirt, Hirari (スカート、ひらり, Skirt Flutter).
Skirt, Hirari is significant in that it was the first AKB48 single where only a core group of girls would perform. This first Senbatsu (select) team consisted of 7 members: Kojima Haruna, Narita Risa, Maeda Atsuko, Takahashi Minami, Itano Tomomi, Nakanishi Rina and Oshima Mai. The girls were referred to as the Sukahira Seven (abridged from Skirt Hirari) and were meant to be the designated leads of AKB48. Here they are identifiable by the red uniforms.
Skirt, Hirari is significant in that it was the first AKB48 single where only a core group of girls would perform. This first Senbatsu (select) team consisted of 7 members: Kojima Haruna, Narita Risa, Maeda Atsuko, Takahashi Minami, Itano Tomomi, Nakanishi Rina and Oshima Mai. The girls were referred to as the Sukahira Seven (abridged from Skirt Hirari) and were meant to be the designated leads of AKB48. Here they are identifiable by the red uniforms.