About AKB48

AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group. As of November 2014 AKB48 currently consists of 138 members divided into five teams: Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4 and Team 8. Team A contain 24 members, Team K contain 21 members, Team B contain 23 members, Team 4 contain 23 members, while Team 8 contain 47 members. Unlike other idol groups in Japan, AKB48 are theatre-based and have their own theatre in Akihabara, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan where they perform once every weekday, and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. The theatre is set up on the 8th floor of Don Quixote. In December 2005, the group debuted in the theatre with only 20 girls, later known as Team A. 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. Their debut single dropped in February 2006, which made it to #10 on Oricon charts and sold 22,011 units in its first week. By far, all title songs released as a single has been made a tie-up song for a tv show, a movie or for a commercial. On December 31 2007, 46 members of AKB48 appeared on the 58th Annual Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time. They sang as part of the Akihabara performance, they became the most number of people in a single group to be on stage at one time. AKB48's 13th single '10年桜' (Junen Sakura) which was released on March 04 2009, made into number three of Oricon chart on the first week, becoming the first single for AKB48 to sell over 100,000 copies. AKB48's latest single 'ポニーテールとシュシュ' (Ponytail and Chou Chou or Ponytail to Shushu) was first on Oricon weekly singles sales and has sold over 600,000 copies so far. AKB48 has several spin-off groups, including Diva, ノースリーブス (No Sleeves), 渡り廊下走り隊 7 (Watarirouka Hashiritai 7), Not yet and フレンチ・キス (French Kiss). AKB48 also have "temporary" spin-off groups, including AKBアイドリング!!! (AKBIdolling!!!), Queen & Elizabeth and ナットウエンジェル (Nattou Angels). AKB48 also have the sister groups SKE48, SDN48 and NMB48. There also a group called OJS48. But in 2011 it was announced 3 new groups: HKT48 (in Fokuoka, Japan), JKT48 (the first 48 group outside of Japan, in Jakarta - Indonesia) and SNH48 (second 48 group outside of Japan, in Shanghai-China) AKB48's Team A. Their team color is Pink. Ichikawa Manami (まなみ Manami) Iriyama Anna (あんにん Annin) Iwata Karen (カレン Karen) Katayama Haruka (はーちゃん Haachan) Kikuchi Ayaka (あやりん Ayarin) Kawaei Rina (りっちゃん Ricchan) Kojima Natsuki (なっつん Nattsun) Kojima Haruna (こじはる Kojiharu, はるにゃん Harunyan) Shimazaki Haruka (ぱるる Paruru) Takahashi Minami (たかみな Takamina) (Captain) Takita Kayoko (田北香世子) Tatsuya Makiho (まき Maki) Nakata Chisato (ちぃちゃん Chiichan) Nakanishi Chiyori (ちょり Chori) Nakamura Mariko (こまり Komari) (Co-Captain) Nishiyama Rena (西山怜那) Fujita Nana (なぁな Naana) Furuhata Nao (なお Nao) (SKE48) Maeda Ami (あーみん Aamin) Matsui Sakiko (さきこ Sakiko) Miyawaki Sakura (さくら Sakura) (HKT48) Muto Tomu (とむ Tomu) Morikawa Ayaka (あーや Aaya) Yagura Fuuko (ふぅちゃん Fuuchan) (NMB48) AKB48's Team K. Their team colour is Green. Aigasa Moe (もえちゃん Moechan) Abe Maria (あべまる Abemaru) Ishida Haruka (はるきゃん Harukyan) Iwasa Misaki (わさみん Wasamin) Uchida Mayumi (ウッチー Ucchii) Kitahara Rie (きたりえ Kitarie) (Co-Captain) Kojima Mako (こじまこ Kojimako) Kodama Haruka (はるっぴ Haruppi) (HKT48) Kobayashi Kana (かな Kana) Gotou Moe (後藤萌咲) Shimada Haruka (はるぅ Haruu) Shimoguchi Hinana (下口ひなな) Suzuki Shihori (しほりん Shihorin) Suzuki Mariya (まりやんぬ Mariyannu) (Team Kaigai - Team SII) Tano Yuka (たのちゃん Tanochan) Nagao Mariya (まりやぎ Mariyagi) Matsui Jurina (じゅりな Jurina) (SKE48) Miyazaki Miho (みゃお Myao) Yamamoto Sayaka (さやか Sayaka) (NMB48) Yumoto Ami (ゆあみ Yuami) Yokoyama Yui (ゆいはん Yuihan) (Captain) AKB48's Team B. Their team colour is Blue. Ikoma Rina (いこまちゃん Ikomachan) (Nogizaka46) Izuta Rina (いずりーな Izuriina) Uchiyama Natsuki (なっきー Nakkii) Umeta Ayano (うめたん Umetan) Oshima Ryoka (りょーちゃん Ryoochan) Oya Shizuka (しいちゃん Shiichan) (Co-Captain) Owada Nana (なーにゃ Naanya) Ogasawara Mayu (まーちゅん Maachun) Kashiwagi Yuki (ゆきりん Yukirin) Kawamoto Saya (川本紗矢) Kuramochi Asuka (もっちぃ Mocchi) (Captain) Takajo Aki (あきちゃ Akicha) Takahashi Juri (じゅり Juri) Takeuchi Miyu (みゆみゆ Miyu Miyu) Tanabe Miku (たなみん Tanamin) Tomonaga Mio (みお Mio) (HKT48) Natori Wakana (わかにゃん Wakanyan) Nozawa Rena (レナチャン Renachan) Hashimoto Hikari (ひかり Hikari) Hirata Rina (ひらりー Hirarii/Hillary) Fukuoka Seina (せいちゃん Seichan) Yokoshima Aeri (横島亜衿) Watanabe Mayu (まゆゆ Mayuyu) AKB48's Team 4. Their team color is Yellow. Iwatate Saho (さっほー Sahhoo) Okawa Rio (りお Rio) Omori Miyu (みゆぽん Miyupon) Okada Ayaka (あやか Ayaka) Okada Nana (なぁちゃん Naachan) Kato Rena (れなっち Renacchi) Kizaki Yuria (ゆりあ Yuria) (Co-Captain) Kitazawa Saki (さっきー Sakkii) Kotani Riho (りぽぽ Ripopo) (NMB48) Kobayashi Marina (まりんちゃん Marin-chan) Komiyama Haruka (こみはる Komiharu) Sasaki Yukari (ゆかるん Yukarun) Sato Kiara (きぃちゃん Kiichan) Shinozaki Ayana (あやなん Ayanan) Shibuya Nagisa (なぎさ Nagisa) (NMB48) Takashima Yurina (ゆーりん Yuurin) Tsuchiyasu Mizuki (みずき Mizuki) Nishino Miki (みきちゃん Mikichan) Maeda Mitsuki (みつき Mitsuki) Minegishi Minami (みいちゃん Miichan) (Captain) Mukaichi Mion (みーおん Miion) Murayama Yuiri (ゆいりー Yuirii) Mogi Shinobu (もぎちゃん Mogichan) Team Kaigai is a AKB48 special Team for the Study Abroad Program members. They are temporary members of a international sister group (JKT48, TPE48 or SNH48). They will return to AKB48 after 6 months~1 year out. Nakagawa Haruka - JKT48 (Team J) Chikano Rina - JKT48 AKB48's Kenkyuusei (Research Students (研究生)) There are currently no AKB48 Kenkyuusei.