HKT48 Kenkyuusei Abe Kyoka To Graduate

HKT48 Kenkyuusei Abe Kyoka has announced her graduation on December 26th. She wants to pursue a career as a model. Her last stage show will be a performance of HKT48's Himawari-gumi stage [Pajama Drive] on December 30th.


Kyoka is a 1st Generation member, so she has been with HKT48 since the group made its first appearance in 2011. Before joining the group, she already gathered experiences in modelling. After her graduation, two 1st Generation Kenkyuusei will be left in HKT48: Imada Mina and Fukagawa Maiko.


Abe Kyoka's G+ entry about her graduation
Original Message

Good evening.
I, Abe Kyoka, will graduate from HKT48.
The [Pajama Drive] show on the 30th of this month will be my last stage show.
I am sorry that this is such a sudden announcement.
But this does not mean that I have given up on my dream. My dream since kindergarten has always been to become a model. I auditioned for HKT48 because I wanted to get at least a step closer to my dream.
But recently, I came to think it might also be good to quit here and start again from scratch.
Because this is a dream I want to come true no matter what, I worried a lot. This is the answer I came up with after lots and lots of worrying.
I joined as a 1st Generation member, and I learned a lot here in HKT48. I don't regret joining here.
To those who supported me: I am sorry, I can't give back to you. During my birthday show last year I said I want to give back to my fans. But I couldn't. I am really sorry. I can't do it right now, but one day I will certainly give back to you.
There is not much time left, but I will treasure every single day left and do my best at tommorow's last [Nounai Paradise] show and the [Pajama Drive] show at the 30th.
There is only a short time left, but please support me.

Sato Amina Announces Graduation

AKB48 Oshima Team K member Sato Amina has announced her graduation during the theater show on December 22. She wants to pursue a career in voice acting. A date for her graduation is yet to be decided.

Amina has been in AKB48 for more than 6 years and is known for having been a big fan of the group before joining. She debuted as a 4th Generation Kenkyuusei in mid-2007, was promoted to Team A in 2008 and later shuffled to Team B and then K. Amina made Senbatsu for the first three election singles [Iiwake Maybe], [Heavy Rotation] and [Flying Get] and was a voice actress for the AKB48 anime AKB0048 and hence also a part of the subunit NO NAME.




Sato Amina's blog post about her graduation
Original Message

I, Sato Amina, will graduate from AKB48 in order to advance on my way to becoming a voice actress.
I surprised you with this sudden announcement, didn't I?
But I have made my decision. I don't have any regrets.
Now I can only move forward!!!!
The date of my graduation is undecided but I will let you know when it's decided!
I am going to enjoy my time left in AKB to the fullest!
I love you all.
I love you very much

Another early generation member leaves...Well, we knew the day would come. I wish Amina all the best.

AKB48 5th Album [Tsugi no Ashiato] Tracklist

AKB48's 5th Album [Tsugi no Ashiato] will be released on the 22nd January 2014. There will be 4 types of this album, a Type A Limited Edition 2CD+DVD, Type A and B Regular Edition 2CD and a Theatre Edition 1CD. The first CD is identical on all types but the Theatre Edition has an exclusive track. The Theatre Edition sales are now over but included 2-shot photo tickets with a member of your choice, so was very popular.

Disc 1 contains the singles [Manatsu no Sounds Good!] through [Koisuru Fortune Cookie], also including their Theatre Edition coupling songs. The other disc contains a mixture of new songs, previously unreleased songs, and a few existing songs. There are a total of 15 new songs. The previously unreleased songs are [After Rain], from [Documentary of AKB48: No Flower Without Rain], the opening and closing themes of [Majisuka Gakuen 3] and Akimoto Sayaka's graduation song.

Below are the full tracklists, including member line-ups of the new songs and where the other songs originated from:

AKB48 5th Album
Tsugi no Ashiato
次の足跡
22 January 2014

Type A Limited Edition 3,400yen	[CD1] 01. Koisuru Fortune Cookie 02. LOVE Shugyou - (Sayonara Crawl) 03. Sayonara Crawl 04. Tsuyoi Hana - (So long !) 05. Ano Hi no Fuurin - (Gingham Check) 06. Eien Pressure 07. Aozora Cafe - (Koisuru Fortune Cookie) 08. UZA 09. Kimi no Tame ni Boku wa… - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 10. Watashitachi no Reason - (Eien Pressure) 11. So long ! 12. Gingham Check 13. Manatsu no Sounds Good! 14. Otona e no Michi - (UZA) [CD2] 01. After Rain - (Documentary of AKB48 - No Flower Without Rain) 02. Gugutasu no Sora - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 03. Boy Hunt no Houhou Oshiemasu - (Kizaki Yuria, Sashihara Rino, Shimazaki Haruka, Yagura Fuuko) - NEW 04. JJ ni Kuritamono - (Umeda Ayaka, Kitahara Rie, Kuramochi Asuka, Takahashi Minami, Takayanagi Akane, Yamada Nana) - NEW 05. Shower no Ato Dakara - (Kashiwagi Yuki, Kojima Haruna, Matsui Rena) - NEW 06. 10 Krone to Pan - (Kodama Haruka, Fujie Reina, Furuhata Nao, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yokoyama Yui) - NEW 07. Kakushin ga Moterumono - (Team A) - NEW 08. Team Zaka - (Team 4) - NEW 09. Tsuyosa to Yowasa no Aida de - (Akimoto Sayaka, Oshima Yuko, Kobayashi Kana, Umeda Ayaka, Miyazawa Sae, Ohori Megumi, Kasai Tomomi, Noro Kayo, Masuda Yuka, Matsubara Natsumi) - (Akimoto Sayaka's Graduation Song) 10. Boku wa Ganbaru - (Iriyama Anna, Kawaei Rina, Takahashi Minami, Yokoyama Yui, Watanabe Mayu, Oshima Yuko, Kashiwagi yuki, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka) - NEW 11. Eien yori Tsuzuku you ni - (OKL48) - (Eien Pressure) [DVD] Air-handshake meeting AKB48 Group members
Type A Regular Edition 2,700yen	[CD1] 01. Koisuru Fortune Cookie 02. LOVE Shugyou - (Sayonara Crawl) 03. Sayonara Crawl 04. Tsuyoi Hana - (So long !) 05. Ano Hi no Fuurin - (Gingham Check) 06. Eien Pressure 07. Aozora Cafe - (Koisuru Fortune Cookie) 08. UZA 09. Kimi no Tame ni Boku wa… - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 10. Watashitachi no Reason - (Eien Pressure) 11. So long ! 12. Gingham Check 13. Manatsu no Sounds Good! 14. Otona e no Michi - (UZA) [CD2] 01. After Rain - (Documentary of AKB48 - No Flower Without Rain) 02. Gugutasu no Sora - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 03. Boy Hunt no Houhou Oshiemasu - (Kizaki Yuria, Sashihara Rino, Shimazaki Haruka, Yagura Fuuko) - NEW 04. JJ ni Kuritamono - (Umeda Ayaka, Kitahara Rie, Kuramochi Asuka, Takahashi Minami, Takayanagi Akane, Yamada Nana) - NEW 05. Shower no Ato Dakara - (Kashiwagi Yuki, Kojima Haruna, Matsui Rena) - NEW 06. 10 Krone to Pan - (Kodama Haruka, Fujie Reina, Furuhata Nao, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yokoyama Yui) - NEW 07. Kakushin ga Moterumono - (Team A) - NEW 08. Team Zaka - (Team 4) - NEW 09. Tsuyosa to Yowasa no Aida de - (Akimoto Sayaka, Oshima Yuko, Kobayashi Kana, Umeda Ayaka, Miyazawa Sae, Ohori Megumi, Kasai Tomomi, Noro Kayo, Masuda Yuka, Matsubara Natsumi) - (Akimoto Sayaka's Graduation Song) 10. Boku wa Ganbaru - (Iriyama Anna, Kawaei Rina, Takahashi Minami, Yokoyama Yui, Watanabe Mayu, Oshima Yuko, Kashiwagi yuki, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka) - NEW 11. Eien yori Tsuzuku you ni - (OKL48) - (Eien Pressure)
Type B 2,700yen	[CD1] 01. Koisuru Fortune Cookie 02. LOVE Shugyou - (Sayonara Crawl) 03. Sayonara Crawl 04. Tsuyoi Hana - (So long !) 05. Ano Hi no Fuurin - (Gingham Check) 06. Eien Pressure 07. Aozora Cafe - (Koisuru Fortune Cookie) 08. UZA 09. Kimi no Tame ni Boku wa… - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 10. Watashitachi no Reason - (Eien Pressure) 11. So long ! 12. Gingham Check 13. Manatsu no Sounds Good! 14. Otona e no Michi - (UZA) [CD2] 01. Smile Kami Kakushi - (Tentoumu Chu!) - NEW 02. Tanin Gyougi na Sunset Beach - (Ota Aika, Suda Akari, Yamauchi Suzuran, Watanabe Mikuki) - NEW 03. Haste to Waste - (BKA48) - (Sayonara Crawl) 04. Watashi Leaf - (Matsui Jurina, Iriyama Anna, Kawaei Rina, Kato Rena) - NEW 05. Stoic na Bigaku - (Ichikawa Miori, Oba Mina, Kimoto Kanon, Miyawaki Sakura, Yabuki Nako, Yabushita Shu, Watanabe Mayu) - NEW 06. Ponkotsu Blues - (MG3 cast) - (Majisaka Gakuen 3) 07. Ichi Ni no San - (Oshima Yuko, Takajo Aki, Nagao Mariya, Furukawa Airi, Minegishi Minami) - NEW 08. Kyohansha - (Team K) - NEW 09. Douki - (Shimazaki Haruka) - (Majisaka Gakuen 3) 10. Kanashiki Kinkyori Renai - (Team B) - NEW 11. Yume no Kawa - (Gingham Check)
Theatre Edition 2,000yen	[CD] 01. Koisuru Fortune Cookie 02. LOVE Shugyou - (Sayonara Crawl) 03. Sayonara Crawl 04. Tsuyoi Hana - (So long !) 05. Ano Hi no Fuurin - (Gingham Check) 06. Eien Pressure 07. Aozora Cafe - (Koisuru Fortune Cookie) 08. UZA 09. Kimi no Tame ni Boku wa… - (Manatsu no Sounds Good!) 10. Watashitachi no Reason - (Eien Pressure) 11. So long ! 12. Gingham Check 13. Manatsu no Sounds Good! 14. Otona e no Michi - (UZA) 15. Chireba Inoni... - NEW

Team M Tour Dates Announced

It was already announced during NMB48's 3rd Anniversary Concert on October 13th that Team M would have its own tour in 2014. Now the dates for this tour have been revealed.

Team M will perform 7 concerts at 6 venues in February and March all over Osaka Prefecture with a two-day final in the Orix Theater in Osaka City.

The dates are:

February 25th
Kishiwada Municipal Namikiri Hall, Kishiwada

February 26th
Osakasayama Culture Hall SAYAKA Hall, Osakasayama

February 27th
Sakai City Public Hall, Sakai

March 17th
Kaizuka City Hall Cosmos Hall, Kaizuka

March 18th
Izumisano Municipal Culture Hall Ebuno Izuminomori Hall, Izumisano

March 19th
Orix Theater, Osaka

March 20th
Orix Theater, Osaka

48Groups Dominate the Oricon Yearly Charts Again

Oricon has released its yearly ranking and once again AKB48 took the top spots. The year's best selling single is [Sayonara Crawl] followed by the other three AKB48 singles released this year before the release of the ranking ([Suzukake Nanchara] was released too late to be counted in). [Eien Pressure], already released last year, also makes an appearance on #48.

The sister groups also have good ranks with SKE48 taking #7, #8 and #11 and NMB48 on #9 and #12. HKT48 did not make the Top 20 but took #23 and #24. A few solo/unit singles also made it to the Top100.

Official rival Nogizaka46 did nicely as well, with their singles ranking on #13, #14, #21 and #22.

In the yearly album ranking, NMB48 took the 5th spot with their first album [Teppen Tottande].

 48/46-related ranks in the 2013 Oricon Yearly Charts
Singles
#01 Sayonara Crawl-AKB48
#02 Koisuru Fortune Cookie-AKB48
#03 Heart Ereki-AKB48
#04 So long!-AKB48

#07 Choco no Dorei-SKE48
#08 Utsukushii Inazuma-SKE48
#09 Bokura no Eureka-NMB48

#11 Sansei Kawaii!-SKE48
#12 Kamonegix-NMB48
#13 Girl's Rule-Nogizaka46
#14 Barrette-Nogizaka46

#21 Seifuku no Mannequin-Nogizaka46
#22 Kimi no Na wa Kibou-Nogizaka46
#23 Melon Juice-HKT48
#24 Suki!Suki!Skip!-HKT48

#48 Eien Pressure-AKB48

#50 Hirihiri no Hana-Not yet
#51 Shortcake-Kashiwagi Yuki

#69 Jane Doe-Takahashi Minami

#85 Rappa Renshuuchuu-Watanabe Mayu

#89 Timemachine Nante Iranai-Maeda Atsuko

#93 Kirigirisu Jin-No Sleeves

#96 Birthday Wedding-Kashiwagi Yuki

Albums
#05 Teppen Tottande-NMB48

AKB48 34th Single [Suzukake Nanchara] 1st Week Sales

AKB48's 34th single [Suzukake no Ki no Michi de "Kimi no Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru" to Itteshimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa dou Kawatteshimau no ka, Boku nari ni Nannichi ka Kangaeta Ue de no Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no you na Mono] finished its first week in the Oricon charts and ranked first in the weekly ranking selling 1,033,336 copies .

The single sold 916,912 copies on its first day, which were good first day sales for a Janken single, but the rest of the week did not turned out as well as usual for AKB48. Weekly sales are behind last year's Janken single [Eien Pressure]'s (1,073,499) and also slightly behind [So long]'s (1,035,986), making them the lowest first week sales for AKB48 since [Sakura no Ki ni Narou] back in early 2011. Nevertheless, AKB48 broke the million-in-first-week mark for the 14th time in a row.

Meanwhile, in the Soundscan charts, the four regular type of this single took positions 2 through 5, selling a total of 203,190 copes between them. From the difference between this and Oricon, we can estimate the Theatre Edition sold 830,146 copies.

JKT48 News Recap

JKT48 Second Anniversary Concert

JKT48 will hold their second anniversary concert titled "Thank You For Being My Friend" on 21st December 2013. The concert will be held in two time period, there will be noon and night show. For details, click here.

Concert DVD released
JKT48 have released their DVD concert "Let Us Introduce Ourselves : JKT48". There will be also a 2-shot event for the fans who purchase two DVDs. For further info and setlist, click here

Renai Kinshi Jourei Sensuuraku 
JKT48 Team J's current setlist, Renai Kinshi Jourei will come to its last show on 28th December 2013. There's still no announcement yet about the next Team J stage. The sensuuraku ticket can be applied through JKT48 website.

JKT48 Special Tour Package
JKT48 will have a special priviledge for the Japanese fans. There is a special tour package for them who want to visit and watch JKT48. For details, click here

3rd AKB48 Kouhaku Utagassen Setlist

On December 17, AKB48 and their sister groups held their own Kouhaku event for the third time. Members from the 48groups competed against each other divided into two teams: the White Team with captain Yokoyama Yui and the Red Team with captain Watanabe Mayu. The White Team won with 8 out of 11 votes.


Red Team (Akagumi)
Captain: Watanabe Mayu
Vice-Captains: Takahashi Minami, Sashihara Rino, Minegishi Minami
AKB48: Izuta Rina, Iriyama Anna, Iwata Karen (did not perform due to illness), Oshima Ryoka, Kawaei Rina, Kobayashi Marina, Takahashi Juri, Takahashi Minami, Tano Yuka, Matsui Sakiko, Morikawa Ayaka, Watanabe Mayu, Abe Maria, Kitahara Rie, Sato Amina (did not perform due to illness), Nagao Mariya, Maeda Ami, Ishida Haruka, Iwasa Misaki, Umeda Ayaka, Oba Mina, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kato Rena, Kojima Natsuki, Takajo Aki, Takeuchi Miyu, Tanabe Miku, Natori Wakana, Nonaka Misato, Fujie Reina, Aigasa Moe, Kitazawa Saki, Takashima Yurina, Maeda Mitsuki, Nozawa Rena, Minegishi Minami, Komiyama Haruka, Tsuchiyasu Mizuki, Mukaichi Mion, Yumoto Ami
SKE48: Oya Masana, Nakanishi Yuka, Matsui Jurina, Shibata Aya, Suda Akari, Takayanagi Akane, Azuma Rion, Kimoto Kanon
NMB48: Kadowaki Kanako, Jonishi Kei, Shiroma Miru, Watanabe Miyuki, Takano Yui, Tanigawa Airi, Yogi Keira, Yabushita Shu
HKT48: Ota Aika, Sashihara Rino, Miyawaki Sakura, Murashige Anna, Akiyoshi Yuka, Okamoto Naoko, Tani Marika, Fuchigami Mai

White Team (Shirogumi)
Captain: Yokoyama Yui
Vice-Captains Oshima Yuko, Yamamoto Sayaka, Nakamura Mariko
AKB48: Kikuchi Ayaka, Sasaki Yukari, Sato Sumire, Suzuki Mariya, Yokoyama Yui, Uchida Mayumi, Oshima Yuko, Kuramochi Asuka, Kobayashi Kana, Shimada Haruka, Suzuki Shihori, Chikano Rina, Nakata Chisato, Hirata Rina, Fujita Nana, Miyazaki Miho, Muto Tomu, Ichikawa Miori, Omori Miyu, Oya Shizuka, Katayama Haruka, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka, Nakamura Mariko, Yamauchi Suzuran, Iwatate Saho, Uchiyama Natsuki, Umeta Ayano, Okada Ayaka, Okada Nana, Kojima Mako, Shinozaki Ayana, Nishino Miki, Hashimoto Hikari, Murayama Yuiri, Mogi Shinobu, Ichikawa Manami, Owada Nana, Sato Kiara, Fukuoka Seina
SKE48: Ishida Anna, Kizaki Yuria, Furukawa Airi, Umemoto Madoka, Furuhata Nao, Matsui Rena, Kitagawa Ryoha
NMB48: Ogasawara Mayu, Kotani Riho, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yoshida Akari, Yagura Fuuko, Yamada Nana, Kato Yuka, Shibuya Nagisa
HKT48: Anai Chihiro, Kodama Haruka, Matsuoka Natsumi, Motomura Aoi, Moriyasu Madoka, Okada Kanna, Tashima Meru, Tomonaga Mio

Setlist
3rd AKB48 Kouhaku Utagassen
Dec 17, Tokyo Dome City Hall

M01. Uza (Senbatsu with the group World Order)
---MC---
M02.Kimi no Koto ga Suki dakara　(Center: Kato Yuka; Shirogumi)
M03. Akagumi Diamond (Oogoe Diamond) (Center: Murashige Anna; Akagumi)
M04. Makokii  (Warukii) (Kojima Mako; Shirogumi)
M05. Rappa Renshuuchuu (Kawaei Rina; Akagumi)
M06. Naminori Kakigoori (Okada Nana, Nishino Miki, Tashima Meru, Tomonaga Mio; Shirogumi)
M07. Kimi dake ni Chu! Chu! Chu! (Center: Takahashi Juri, Oshima Ryoka, Tano Yuka, Kimoto Kanon, Shiroma Miru, Yabushita Shu, Miyawaki Sakura; Akagumi)
---MC---
M08. Dear J (Kizaki Yuria; Shirogumi)
M09. Tomodachi Yori Daiji na Hito  (Minegishi Minami; Akagumi)
---MC---
M10. Futari wa Dekiteru (NEW SONG!)  (Kojima Haruna, Kitagawa Kenji; Shirogumi)
M11. Yuuwaku no Garter (Kashiwagi Yuki, Suda Akari, Watanabe Miyuki; Akagumi)
M12. Ue kara Mariko  (Center: Nakamura Mariko, Ichikawa Miori, Furukawa Airi, Kotani Riho, Anai Chihiro, Yamauchi Suzuran, Umemoto Madoka, Kikuchi Ayaka, Yamada Nana, Sato Sumire, Muto Tomu; Shirogumi)
---MC---
M13. Yoyaku Shita Christmas  (Matsui Sakiko, Takeuchi Miyu, Azuma Rion (on the piano); Akagumi
---MC---
M14. Hashire! Penguin (Kitagawa Ryoha, Furuhata Nao, Shibuya Nagisa, Yagura Fuuko, Yoshida Akari, Kodama Haruka, Matsuoka Natsumi, Moriyasu Madoka; Shirogumi)
M15. Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll  (Center: Kitahara Rie, Umeda Ayaka, Oba Mina, Nagao Mariya, Fujie Reina, Shibata Aya, Takayanagi Akane, Ota Aika, Takajo Aki, Akagumi)
M16. Mushi no Ballad (Kuramochi Asuka; Shirogumi)
M17. Temodemo no Namida  (Iriyama Anna, Kato Rena; Akagumi)
M18. Hajimete no Jelly Beans  (Owada Nana, Shimazaki Haruka, Yokoyama Yui; Shirogumi)
---MC---
M19. Kimi no Na wa Kibou (Watanabe Mayu, Nogizaka46's Ikuta Erika on piano; Akagumi)
---MC---
M20. Heart Ereki  (Center: Matsui Jurina; Akagumi)
M21. 12/31  (Yamamoto Sayaka with guitar; Shirogumi)
---MC---
M22. Sashiharabu (Matsumurabu) (Sashihara Rino; Akagumi)
M23. Mujin Eki  (Matsui Rena; Shirogumi)
---MC---
M24. Shinkokyuu  (Takahashi Minami with OJS48; Akagumi)  
M25. Nagisa no Cherry (Oshima Yuko, Backdancers: Iwatate, Kizaki, Yagura; Shirogumi)
---MC---
E01. Erande Rainbow (Tentoumu Chu)
E02. Kamonegix (NMB48)
E03. Sansei Kawaii! (SKE48)
E04. Melon Juice (HKT48)
E05. Suzukake Nanchara (AKB48)
E06. Heavy Rotation (ALL)
Result Announcement: Akagumi 3-8 Shirogumi
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Kokuritsu Kyougi-jo (National Stadium) Concerts: 2014/03/29 AKB48 Solo Concert, 2014/03/30 AKB48 Group Concert,
Saitama Super Arena Concerts: 2014/04/04 SKE48 Concert, 2014/04/05 noon HKT48 Concert, 2014/04/05 evening NMB48 Concert
E07. Koisuru Fortune Cookie (ALL)

AKB48 34th Single [Suzukake Nanchara] 1st Day Sales

On December 11th,  AKB48 released its 34th single [Suzukake no Ki no Michi de "Kimi no Hohoemi wo Yume ni Miru" to Itteshimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa dou Kawatteshimau no ka, Boku nari ni Nannichi ka Kangaeta Ue de no Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no you na Mono]. The single sold 916,912 copies on its first day making AKB48 once again the top in the Oricon Daily Charts.

Sales have declined by about 100,000 copies compared to the previous single [Heart Ereki]'s first day sales of 1,020,800 but compared to last year's janken single [Eien Pressure]'s 840,043 copies, sales went up.

Suga Nanako and Yano Azuki Will Graduate From SKE48

On December 7th, SKE48 members Suga Nanako and Yano Azuki announced that they will leave the group this month. Team E member Suga Nanako will have her final graduation show on December 22nd and Kenkyuusei Yano Azuki a day later on December 23rd, but both will still participate in a few handshake events in early 2014. Both girls want to focus on their studies.

Suga Nanako is a 5th Generation member. She joined SKE48 in late 2011 and was promoted to Team S in August 2012 and then became a Team E member after the SKE48 shuffle this April. She made SKE48 senbatsu constantly since the 10th single [Kiss Datte Hidarikiki]. Yano Azuki is a 6th Generation member who joined SKE48 this year. 

These graduation annoucements come only two weeks after two other SKE48 members, Niidoi Sayaka and Kitahara Yuna, announced their graduations.
You can read their messages about the graduations below.  

Suga Nanako's Comment
Original Message

I, Suga Nanako, will retire from my activities in SKE48 at the end of this month. It is a very sudden announcement and I am sorry about that but since I will become a third year high school student from now on and want to study properly, I made this decision. This is my third year since I joined SKE48. From the time I joined many people cheered for me, many members, the staff, my family supported me, and so I could continue my activites until now. Thank you. I want to continue with all my power until the end, so please support me.

Yano Azuki's Comment
Original Message

I am 6th Generation Kenkyuusei Yano Azuki. I will retire from my activities in SKE48 at the end of December. I made this decision because I want to focus on my studies.
While continuing my activities I bumped into many walls. Nevertheless, during these activities there were a lot of opportunities where I was able to come into contact with work I had always admired and my admiration for it became even stronger. From now on, I want to make this kind of work my future dream, and will advance straight ahead on the way I believed in. I am sorry that this is such a sudden announcement. Thank you to all the fans who supported me and to all SKE48 fans. I want to cherish the time I have left and want to work with even more effort than before.

48Group New Team Stages To Be Rescheduled

Recently it was announced that Team S' 5th Stage scheduled for November 30th had to be delayed. The new shonichi date for this stage has now been revealed: it will be on February 27th, 2014.

But this is not the only news concerning new team stages. Team H's new stage, the first original one for HKT48, planned to start on December 22nd has been delayed too. A new date has not been mentioned.

Additionally, new stages for the other teams will have to undergo schedule changes as well. 


I guess many people expected this to happen. I did, but it is still disappointing. Why did they even bother to announce exact dates for all new stages even though it was clear they could not keep them?