AKB48 Team 8 Makes Theater Debut

On August 5, AKB48's Team 8 made its theater debut in the AKB48 theater. 16 out of the 47 members were selected to perform the Shonichi show, a remake of AKB48's very first stage [Party ga Hajimaru yo]. The setlist can be found below.

Team 8 was first revealed to the public in April. Since then they have held several local events in various parts of Japan. Following the AKB48 theater debut they also tour the other 48 Group theaters with changing performing members.

Recently Team 8 member Okubora Chinatsu, the Gifu representative, graduated but a replacement has already been selected: Hattori Yuna (13) was revealed as new Gifu member at the end of July.


AKB48 Team 8 1st Stage [Party ga Hajimaru yo]
Performing Members: Mougi Kasumi (Fukushima), Yoshikawa Nanase (Chiba), Sato Shiori (Niigata), Nakano Ikumi (Tottori), Abe Mei (Shimane), Tani Yuuri (Hiroshima), Shitao Miu (Yamaguchi), Hamamatsu Riona (Tokushima),  Gyouten Yurina (Kagawa), Takaoka Kaoru (Ehime), Fukuchi Rena (Saga), Iwasaki Moeka (Nagasaki), Kuranoo Narumi (Kumamoto), Yoshino Miyu (Oita), Shimoaoki Karin (Kagoshima), Miyazato Rira (Okinawa)

M01 - Party ga Hajimaru yo
M02 - Dear My Teacher
M03 - Dokuringo wo Tabesasete
-----MC-----
M04 - Skirt, Hirari (Kuranoo Narumi, Takaoka Kaoru, Tani Yuuri, Nakano Ikumi, Mougi Kasumi)
M05 - Classmate  (Abe Mei, Gyouten Yurina, Shitao Miu, Miyazato Rira, Yoshino Miyu)
M06 - Anata to Christmas Eve (Shimoaoki Karin, Hamamatsu Riona)
M07 - Kiss wa Dame yo (Iwasaki Moeka, Sato Shiori, Fukuchi Rena)
M08 - Hoshi no Ondo (Kuranoo Narumi, Nakano Ikumi, Mougi Kasumi, Yoshikawa Nanase)
-----MC-----
M09 - Sakura no Hanabiratachi
M10 - Aozora no Soba ni Ite

-----ENCORE-----
EN1 - AKB48
EN2 - Skirt, Hirari
EN3 - Sakura no Hanabiratachi
EN4 - AKB48 Team 8 Special Medley (Iiwake Maybe ~ Ponytail to Shushu ~Labrador Retriever ~ Koi Suru Juuden Prius)
EN5 - Kokoro no Placard

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Team 8 Okubora Chinatsu Leaves AKB48

As announced on June 18, the newly formed Team 8 has now already one graduation. Okubora Chinatsu who represented Gifu Prefecture left the group that day because she had difficulties balancing her work in AKB48 with her schoolwork.

The Team 8 members began their activities only two months ago. Since the team is supposed to have a member from every prefecture in Japan new auditions will now be held in Gifu Prefecture. Girls aged 12~20 who live in Gifu can apply until July 4th.


Okubora Chinatsu's Message
Original Message

Hello to all fans,
I am Gifu Prefecture representative Okubora Chinatsu. I am sorry for doing so after such a short time, but I have to tell you that I have decided to retire from being an Team 8 member. Since we started our activities a bit more than 2 months have passed, but for me there are a lot of things which, due to my AKB48 activities, I could not do the way I would want to do them for example balancing work and school. And I began to think that if this goes on I could not be myself in front of the fans...In parts I also felt that since I have already started (AKB48) I want to do my best at it, so I worried a lot but please let me retire now from my activities as Team 8 member. I am sorry for this selfishness.
Since I am the represantative for Gifu prefecture, I cause a lot of trouble with this (decision) to all those who supported me in my home region and all fans, but from now on I will cheer for Team 8 as a fan. I will do my best in my own way, so I'd be happy if you continued to support AKB48 and Team 8.

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SKE48 Iguchi Shiori and Kaneko Shiori Announce Graduation

On April 8th, two SKE48 members announced their graduation: Team E's Iguchi Shori and Kaneko Shiori. Both girls will have their graduation show on April 22nd. Their last activity in SKE48 will be a handshake event on April 29. It was also announced that this handshake event will be the last activity for Deguchi Aki too who had already announced her graduation last month and will have her final theater show on April 21.

Iguchi Shiori is a 2nd Generation member. She debuted in 2009 and became a member of the original Team KII but was demoted to Kenkyuusei at the end of 2010. In August 2012 she was promoted again to Team KII and shuffled to Team E last year.

Kaneko Shiori joined as part of the 4th Generation in 2010 and became part of Team E at the end of the same year. She made senbatsu three times, for [Oki Doki], [Kataomoi Finally] and [Aishiteraburu]. Last year she ranked #63 in the senbatsu election. According to her graduation announcement she wants to continue in the entertainment industry.



Iguchi Shiori's graduation announcement
Original Message

Here is Team E's Iguchi Shiori. I joined SKE48 when I was 14 and have been part of it for 5 years. Now I decided to graduate SKE48.
I wanted to announce it to you as quickly as possible that is why I chose to do it via the official homepage. I felt more and more strongly that I want to do what I want to do from now on and so I decided to graduate.
I plan on telling you more details via the blog etc. Please continue to support me, Iguchi Shiori!

Kaneko Shiori's graduation announcement
Original Message

I am sorry that this announcement is so sudden. I, Kaneko Shiori, decided to graduate my beloved SKE48 at the end of April. This year I was able to graduate high school without problems and in spring I became a university student. I came to Nagoya when I was in my third year of junior high and now is my 4th year in SKE48. I thought now is the right timing to take a new step forward. I want to appear in fashion magazines! That is my goal. Because of that I plan to continue activities in the entertainment industry. I want to look for a place where I can shine more.
It took me a long time to reach this decision and I worried a lot, but I put a lot of thought into this decision.
I plan on writing more about my feelings on the blog etc. I'd be glad if you read it.

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AKB48 Team 8 Members Revealed

A while ago, AKB48 announced that they would create a Team 8 sponsored by Toyota. On April 3, the members for this new team were introduced to the public for the first time.

47 girls, one for each prefecture, passed the auditions. They were selected from about 10,000 applicants. The average age is 14,4. The oldest member is 19, the youngest 12.

The concept for the new team is "idols who come to meet you" so from May on the new team will hold events all over Japan. Then sometime in the fall they will start a Toyota campaign.

It was also announced at the presentation event, that the new Team 8 members can participate at the Senbatsu Election!


AKB48 Team 8
Hokkaido- Sakaguchi Nagisa (13)
Aomori- Yokoyama Yui (13)
Akita- Tanikawa Hijiri (13)
Iwate- Sato Nanami (14)
Yamagata- Hayasaka Tsumugi (12)
Miyagi. Sato Akari (17)
Fukushima- Mougi Kasumi (16)
Ibaraki- Okabe Rin (17)
Tochigi- Honda Hitomi (12)
Gunma- Shimizu Maria (16)
Saitama- Takahashi Ayane (16)
Chiba- Yoshikawa Nanase (15)
Tokyo- Oguri Yui (12)
Kanagawa- Oda Erina (16)
Niigata- Sato Shiori (16)
Yamanashi- Hidaritomo Ayaka (15)
Aichi- Fujimura Natsuki (16)
Shizuoka- Yokomichi Yuri (13)
Gifu- Okubora Chinatsu (15)
Mie- Yamamoto Ai (18)
Toyama- Hashimoto Haruna (13)
Ishikawa- Kita Reina (14)
Fukui- Chou Kurena (13)
Nagano- Kondou Moeri (16)
Osaka- Nagano Serika (13)
Kyoto- Oota Nao (19)
Hyogo- Yamada Nanami (15)
Wakayama- Yamamoto Ruka (13)
Nara- Oonishi Momoka (16)
Shiga- Hama Sayuna (12)
Tottori- Nakano Ikumi (13)
Shimane- Abe Mei (13)
Okayama- Hitomi Kotone (13)
Hiroshima- Tani Yuuri (14)
Yamaguchi- Shitao Miu (13)
Tokushima- Hamamatsu Riona (18)
Kagawa- Gyouten Yurina (15)
Ehime- Takaoka Kaoru (13)
Kochi- Hirose Natsuki (16)
Fukuoka- Moriwaki Yui (16)
Saga- Fukuchi Rena (17)
Nagasaki- Iwasaki Moeka (13)
Kumamoto- Kuranoo Narumi (13)
Oita- Yoshino Miyu (13)
Miyazaki- Yaguchi Moka (12)
Kagoshima- Shimoaoki Karin (13)
Okinawa- Miyazato Rira (12)

The youtube news channel MAiDiGiTV has put up videos of the presentation event showing the new members:
Hokkaido - Fukushima
Ibaraki - Nagano
Osaka - Okinawa

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AKB48 Team 8 Announcement

On day one of the AKB48 Request Hour 2014 Setlist Best 200 concerts, Team 8 was announced.

Auditions will start from the 24th January 2014 and one candidate will be chosen from each of Japan's 47 prefectures. This team will be sponsored by Toyota and the concept is "idols who come to meet you".

Official audition blogpost.
Official audition website

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