New Team B [Pajama Drive] Shonichi

On April 28, another one of the new teams started its new stage show. Team B performed the shonichi of [Pajama Drive]. This show is a revival of Team B's own 3rd and first original one which has already been redone several times: by Team E, by AKB48's Kenkyuusei, overseas by JKT48 and currently also by HKT48.

Out off the 23 members of new Team B 16 performed, among them also Nogizaka46 concurrent member Ikoma Rina who made her AKB48 theater debut. The two girls who already performed [Pajama Drive] as Team B's 3rd stage, Watanabe Mayu and Kashiwagi Yuki, were given new units.


AKB48 Team B Stage [Pajama Drive]
Performing members:
Ikoma Rina, Uchiyama Natsuki, Ogasawara Mayu, Oshima Ryoka, Oya Shizuka, Owada Nana, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kawamoto Saya, Kuramochi Asuka, Takajo Aki, Takahashi Juri, Takeuchi Miyu, Tomonaga Mio, Hashimoto Hikari, Hirata Rina, Watanabe Mayu

M01 - Shonichi
M02 - Hissatsu Teleport
M03 - Gokigen Naname na Mermaid
M04 - Futarinori no Jitensha
-----MC1-----
M05 - Tenshi no Shippo (Uchiyama Natsuki, Owada Nana, Kawamoto Saya)
M06 - Pajama Drive (Oshima Ryoka, Takahashi Juri, Tomonaga Mio)
M07 - Junjou Shugi (Kashiwagi Yuki, Takeuchi Miyu, Hirata Rina)
M08 - Temodemo no Namida (Ikoma Rina, Watanabe Mayu)
M09 - Kagami no Naka no Jeanne D'Arc (Ogasawara Mayu, Oya Shizuka, Kuramochi Asuka, Takajo Aki, Hashimoto Hikari)  
-----MC2-----
M10 - Two Years Later
M11 - Inochi no Tsukaimichi
M12 - Kiss Shite Son Shichatta
-----MC3-----
M13 - Boku no Sakura

-----ENCORE-----
EN1 - Wasshoi B!
EN2 - Suifu wa Arashi ni Yume wo Miru
-----MC4-----
EN3 - Shiroi Shirt

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AKB48 Nonaka Misato Announces Graduation

AKB48 Team B member Nonaka Misato has announced her graduation during a broadcast of AKB48 no Anta, Dare? on February 28. Details about her graduation have yet to be announced. After the broadcast Micha commented on her blog about her decision. A translation of the post can be found below.

Micha joined AKB48 in 2008 as part of the 6th Generation. During AKB48's first shuffle in 2009 she was promoted to Team K and later shuffled to Team B. Unfortunately she never was a prominent member of the group, but in 2012 AKB48 named their 47 prefectures tour after her calling it Nonaka Misato, Ugoku. ~47 Todoufuken de Aimashou~. After her graduation, Takajo Aki will be the only 6th Generation member left in AKB48.


Nonaka Misato's blog post about her graduation
Original Message

Hello.
Yesterday during the live broadcast of 'AKB48 no Anta, Dare?' on NOTTV I announced my graduation. I am sorry for this sudden announcement.
I have been thinking about graduation for a while now. I also have consulted Akimoto-san and my manager. It is not a graduation I have decided because of the recent shuffle.
This is my 6th year since joining AKB48. I think I really was able to change through joining AKB48. The time I have spent in my beloved AKB48 is really special and precious (^^). I won't talk about memories yet! The date of my graduation is not yet decided and I still have time, so until the day I graduate I want to learn a lot and make many memories.
To all those who always support me...I am sorry for surprising you. When I remind myself of the smiles and memories I made with everyone I spent my time with until now, I feel lonely...But we still have time! Let's laugh a lot together. I love you all.
I will do my best until the end. Please support me.
Nonaka Misato

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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?

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AKB48 Draft Meeting Results

 

On November 10th, all 48 groups held the first AKB48 Group Draft Meeting. Team captains together with four other representatives of their team picked new team members from a pool of 29 candidates.

After the candidates performed [River] and [Aitakatta] in groups and were questioned by hosts and the team captains, the actual draft took place. 20 girls were drafted. The most were picked by Team KII which chose 5 girls while Team S, N, M and H decided to draft only one.

Two girls were picked by several teams: Sutou Ririka by Team KII, Team E and Team N and Kawamoto Saya by Team B, S, KII, E  and H. The decision which team gets them had to be made by lottery which left Sutou with N and Kawamoto with B.

The drafted girls will now enter into negotiations with the respective teams and they still have the right to decline joining the team until December.

The girls who were not picked will be automatically in the final audition round if they decide to participate in the next AKB48 group auditions


The final results are:

Team A:
1st Round: Nishiyama Rena
2nd Round: Takita Kayoko

Team K:
1st Round: Gotou Moe
2nd Round: Shimoguchi Hinana

Team B:
1st Round: Yokoshima Aeri
2nd Round: Kawamoto Saya

Team S:
1st Round: Matsumoto Chikako

Team KII:
1st Round: Goudo Saki
2nd Round: Takatsuka Natsuki
3rd Round: Suzuki Nene
4th Round: Arai Yuki
5th Round: Souda Sarina

Team E:
1st Round: Koishi Kumiko
2nd Round: Takatera Sana
3rd Round: Fukushi Nao

Team N:
1st Round: Sutou Ririka

Team M:
1st Round: Takei Sara

Team BII:
1st Round: Iso Kanae
2nd Round: Naiki Kokoro

Team H:
1st Round: Yamamoto Mao

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More Details on Komori Mika's and Matsubara Natsumi's Graduation

As previously reported, Umeda Team B member Komori Mika announced her graduation on May 9. A few days earlier on May 5, Matsubara Natsumi had announced her graduation during the [Omoidaseru Kimitachi e] performance of K3rd [Nounai Paradise]. At the time of the announcement the graduation dates were undecided, but now the dates for the girls' last activities have been revealed.

Komori Mika's last theater show will be on June 3, only about a week from now. One day later on June 4, Matsubara Natsumi will  have her graduation show. But these shows won't be their last activity in AKB48 because both girls will participate in the handshake event on July 7. This will be their last handshake event and the last chance for their fans to say goodbye.

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Komori Mika Also Announces Graduation Tonight

AKB48 Umeda Team B's Komori Mika has also announced her graduation tonight during the show in the AKB48 Theater, just mere minutes after SKE48's Hioki Miki and Itou Akane announced theirs at the SKE48 Theater. The reason she gave for graduating is that she wants to go overseas to study. Currently her graduation date is undecided.

Komori Mika was from the 7th Generation of AKB48 Kenkyuusei, where she was the first ever kenkyuusei to enter Senbatsu in AKB48's 12th Single Namida Surprise!. She debuted on December 2008, and got promoted on 21st May 2010 to Team B, later joining Watarirouka Hashiritai 7 on June 2010. This is her 4th year in AKB48.

Komori Mika did not apply to be a participant of the AKB48 32nd Single Senbatsu Election, but ranked 30th, 32nd, and 64th during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Senbatsu Elections. Her withdrawal from AKB48 would mean that Watarirouka Hashiritai will be 1 member short of 7.


Komori Mika's graduation speech (Translation by Bilingual48)
https://plus.google.com/103388469578205010447/posts/AALYisirsqZ

I, Komori Mika, am graduating from AKB48.
I started thinking about my future when the new senbatsu election system was announced.
I've been here for 4 years, and I was thinking about approaching the future the way I have always been, then I realized the path I want to take is not the same as AKB48.
I want to see more of the world, and when I graduated high school I wish I had worked harder.
I graduated with the determination to study abroad, which has been one of my dreams.
I moved here from Aichi when I was in 8th grade, and I have learned a lot from everything good and bad I went through.
The experiences from these 4 years are not something easily obtained and they are my treasures.
I am here today because of the support from all the fans, staff, family, friends and members.
I am going to go after my new goal.
I haven't decided what will happen when I go abroad, but I would be grateful if you will keep supporting me.
I also haven't decided on details of the graduation, so I will go out giving my best and keeping up my smiles to pay back all the support I have received from you. Please keep watching over me.

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AKB48 Zenkoku Tour 2013 Team A and B Setlists

AKB48 have finally started continuing their 47 prefecture National Tour of Japan [Nonaka Misato, Ugoku. ~47 Todoufuken de aimashou~]. This was started in April 2012 and 16 dates were completed between then and October 2012. No concerts had taken place since the Team Reshuffle. The first 2013 dates started with Shinoda Team A in Kagawa on 25 March 2013 and Umeda Team B in Yamaguchi on 26 March 2013. Like all dates on the tour, Nonaka Misato made an appearance since the tour is named after her.

The next two dates on the tour are Umeda Team B in Aomori on 1 April 2013 and Oshima Team K in Yamaguchi on 3 April 2013. For listings of all concerts and releases, don't forget to check the MELOSnoMichi calendar. For a list of all concerts performed on the tour, click here.

The setlists for both the concerts so far is below. The unit songs are identical to the current waiting stages, and a lot of the group songs are taken from them as well. Please note that only 16 members of each team appear at each concert.


Shinoda Team A in Kagawa
2013.03.25

M01. AKB Sanjou!
M02. Juuryoku Sympathy
M03. Iiwake Maybe
M04. Oogoe Diamond
---
M05. Skirt, Hirari (Tano Yuuka, Takahashi Juri, Kawaei Rina, Iwata Karen, Watanabe Mayu, Morikawa Ayaka, Oshima Ryoka)
M06. Junai no Crescendo (Kasai Tomomi, Yokoyama Yui, Nakatsuka Tomomi)
M07. Kuroi Tenshi (Nito Moeno, Iriyama Anna, Kikuchi Ayaka)
M08. Tenshi no Shippo (Takahashi Juri, Kawaei Rina, Oshima Ryoya)
M09. Ame no Pianist (Sato Sumire, Takahashi Minami, Matsui Sakiko)
M10. Glass no I Love You (Watanabe Mayu, Tano Yuuka, Iwata Karen, Morikawa Ayaka)
---
M11. Ruby
M12. Give Me Five!
M13. Happy A!
M14. UZA
M15. RIVER
M16. Ponytail to Shushu
M17. Tadaima Renaichu
M18. Only Today
M19. Tenohira ga Kataru Koto
---
EN1. Flying Get
EN2. First Rabbit
EN3. Hikoukigumo
EN4. Heavy Rotation

Umeda Team B in Yamaguchi
2013.03.26


M01. Shonichi
M02. Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara
M03. Virgin Love
M04. Seigi no Mikata Janai Hero
---
M05. Kimi no C/W
M08. Dakishimeraretara
M07. Imoide Ijou
M08. Gomen ne, Jewel
M09. Namida ni Shizumu Taiyou
---
M10. Flying Get
M11. Sokode inu no unchi fun jau ka ne?
M12. Nagiichi
M13. Yobisute Fantasy
M14. Single Medley (Eien Pressure, Iiwake Maybe, Gingham Check, Oogoe Diamond)
M15. Yuuhi wo Miteiruka?
---
EN1. UZA
EN2. RIVER
EN3. Team B Oshi
EN4. Tenohira ga Kataru Koto
EN5. So long !
EN6. Tanpopo no Kesshin

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Kashiwagi Yuki 2nd Solo Concert Setlist + Photos

Kashiwagi Yuki held her second solo live concert at Tokyo International Forum Hall A on 17 February 2013 to a crowd of 5,000 people. This follows her first solo concert to 2,000 people last year on 13 July 2012, which is now available on DVD and Bluray.

It appears the live band were the same as her 1st concert, however, this time, she did not perform any cover songs, just songs from AKB48, her sub-unit French Kiss and songs from her solo debut single [Shortcake].

SETLIST:

01. Kuchi utsushi no Chocolate

02. Enkyori Poster

---MC1---

03. Shonichi

---MC2---

04. Dragon Fruits no tabegoro

05. GIVE ME FIVE! (Yukirin drum performance)

---VTR--- Yukirin making shortcake

06. Shortcake

---MC3---

07. Sakura no ki ni narou Acoustic Ver. feat. Oshio Kotaro

08. Soredemo nakanai

09. Kazanbai

---VTR--- Band Introduction

10. Jealousy Punch

11. Class kai no ato de

12. Mirai bashi

---MC4---

13. Temo demo no namida

14. Gingham Check

---ENCORE---

15. Eien Pressure

---MC5---

16. Iiwake Maybe

17. Romance Privacy

---DOUBLE ENCORE---

18. Yokaze no Shiwaza

I love Yukirin's solo works and her first concert bluray was stunning. This setlist looks great too, although she still didn't play her solo song from the [Saisho no Mail] Theatre Edition which I love. In her first concert she played piano live for one segment and in this one drums, keeping up her live instrument playing. I have a lot of respect for Yukirin for playing and singing live, coming from AKB48 where they aren't used to that. Looking forward to the Bluray releases and hope it matches her first concert!

Credit for setlist and picture links: seigus@jphip

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AKB48 Three Part Drama Special [So Long!]

AKB48 will release a three-part drama special entitled [So long!]. Each part will feature one of the three teams and last one hour. The drama will air on three consecutive nights, from the 11-13 February 2013 on NTV. [So long!] is also the title of their forthcoming 30th single, released on the 20th February 2013.

The Team A episode will focus on Watanabe Mayu and Shinoda Mariko in a ballerina high school. The Team K episode is a tale of rivalry between Oshima Yuko and Matsui Jurina. The Team B episode is set in a school, with the theme being around graduation, focussing on Shimazaki Haruka as a student and Kojima Haruna as a teacher.

   

I'm looking forward to this drama, and it will no doubt help to establish the new teams more amongst fans. It is also interesting how they have chosen one "older" member and one "younger" member of each team sho is seen as a centre there. Note that the older member in each case is the team captain apart from Kojiharu instead of Umechan for Team B.

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AKB48 7th Anniversary Theatre Show Setlist

AKB48 celebrated their 7th Anniversary with a special performance at their theatre. This included all current AKB48 members and kenkyuusei, as well as SNH48 members Miyazaya Sae and Suzuki Mariya. Former AKB48 and SDN48 member Ohori Megumi performed in one of the songs, and also announced that she will be getting married to Kanazawa Tatsuya.

To start with, the three Teams each performed their new team songs from the [UZA] single. There was then a song by all the members who are primarily in sister groups but also hold a role in AKB48. Then songs were performed by each generation in turn, starting with the newest, and ending in the first generation. Since Nonaka Misato is the only remaining sixth generation member, she did not get a solo, but performed with two other members, and the aforementioned surprise appearance of former member Ohori Megumi. The set finished with AKB48's latest single [Eien Pressure] and their debut single [Sakura no Hanabiratachi].

AKB48 7th Anniversary Theatre Show
8th December 2012

M01 -  Kodoku na Hoshizora (Shinoda Team A)
M02 -  Scrap & Build (Oshima Team K)
M03 -  Seigi no Mikata Janai Hero (Umeda Team B)
M04 -  Heavy Rotation
---MC---
M05 -  End Roll (Kotani Riho, Matsui Jurina, Ishida Anna, Watanabe Miyuki)
M06 -  Kibou ni Tsuite (14th gen)
M07 -  Ougon Centre (13th gen)
M08 -  Oogoe Diamond (12th gen)
M09 -  7ji 12fun no Hatsukoi (11th gen)
---MC---
M10 -  Yuuhi wo Miteiru ka? (10th gen)
M11 -  RIVER (9th gen)
---MC---
M12 -  Tanpopo no Kesshin (7th gen)
M13 -  Himawari (Nonaka Misato, Akimoto Sayaka, Matsubara Natsumi, Ohori Megumi)
---MC---
M14 -  Only Today (5th gen)
M15 -  BINGO! (4th gen)
M16 -  Shonichi (3th gen)
M17 -  Sasae (2nd gen)
M18 -  Skirt, Hirari (1st gen)
---MC---
M19 - Eien Pressure
M20 - Sakura no Hanabiratachi

Congratulations AKB48 on seven years! This looks like a great setlist, showing the generations of the group. And many congratulations to Meetan on her engagement!

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All 20 AKB48 Stages to be Released on CD as [Studio Recordings Collection]

All of the AKB48 stages will be released as studio recordings on CD on 1st January 2013 under the [Studio Recordings Collection] banner. Each will cost 3,000 yen and contain 2 CDs, the 2nd contain the instrumental versions of the songs. A total of 20 stages will be released, 6 from Teams A, 6 from Team K, 5 from Team B, 2 Himawari-gumi and 1 from Team 4.

Stages which have been performed by more than one team will get released in separate CDs for each team's version. It has not been yet stated whether these will be the original recordings or which which of the two casts will be used for the two Himawari-gumi stages. This is the first time some of the stages have been released on CD, although some are re-releases. All recordings will be re-mastered.

Here are all the stages which will be released:

Team A:
1st Stage: [PARTY ga Hajimaru yo]
2nd Stage: [Aitakatta]
3rd Stage: [Dareka no Tame ni]
4th Stage: [Tadaima Renaichuu]
5th Stage: [Renai Kinshi Jourei]
6th Stage: [Mokugekishi]

Team K:
1st Stage: [PARTY ga Hajimaru yo]
2nd Stage: [Seishun Girls]
3rd Stage: [Nounai Paradise]
4th Stage: [Seishuu Bell ga Naru]
5th Stage: [Saka Agari]
6th Stage: [RESET]

Team B:
1st Stage: [Seishun Girls]
2nd Stage: [Aitakatta]
3rd Stage: [Pajama Drive]
4th Stage: [Idol no Yoake]
5th Stage: [Theater no Megami]

Himawari-gumi:
1st Stage: [Boku no Taiyou]
2nd Stage: [Yume wo Shinaseru Wake ni Ikanai]

Team 4:
1st Stage: [Boku no Taiyou]

Below are all of the covers, apart from for Team 4 which has not been revealed yet:

Team A:

Team K:

Team B:

Himawari-gumi:

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New Team B Waiting Stage Shonichi Setlist

New Team B were the last team to perform their new [Waiting Stage] after the team shuffle. They performed their set on 3rd November 2012.

The included members for this shonichi were:

Ishida Anna, Ishida Haruka, Ichikawa Miori, Iwasa Misaki, Umeda Ayaka, Oba Mina, Kashiwagi Yuki, Katayama Haruka, Kato Rena, Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka, Takeuchi Miyu, Fujie Reina, Minegishi Minami, Yamauchi Suzuran, Watanabe Miyuki

Missing Team B members:

Oya Shizuku, Nonaka Misato, Komori Mika, Tanabe Miku, Nakamura Mariko, Kojima Natsuki, Natori Wakana

The full setlist is below, with the original appearance of the song in brackets and the shonichi members for the unit songs.

SETLIST:

M01 - Shonichi (B3)
M02 - Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara (RIVER c/w)
M03 - Virgin Love (K2)
M04 - Seigi no Mikata ja Nai Hero (UZA c/w)
------MC1-----
M05 - Kimi no c/w (Team Surprise, Shimazaki Haruka, Ichikawa Miori, Takeuchi Miyu)
M06 - Dakishimetara (K5, Kojima Haruna, Kato Rena, Fujie Reina)
M07 - Omoide Ijou (S3, Minegishi Minami, Umeda Ayaka, Katayama Haruka)
M08 - Gomen ne, Jewel (K4, Watanabe Miyuki, Yamauchi Suzuran, Ishida Haruka, Iwasa Misaki)
M09 - Namida ni Shizumu Taiyou (Team Surprise, Kashiwagi Yuki, Oba Mina, Ishida Anna)
------MC2-----
M10 - Flying Get (single)
M11 - Kiss Shite Son Shichatta (B3)
M12 - Nagiichi (NMB48 single)
M13 - Yobisute Fantasy (Ue Kara Mariko c/w)
------MC3-----
M14 - Yuuhi wo Miteiruka? (H1)
------ENCORE-----
M15 - Team B Oshi (B5)
------MC4-----
M16 - Gingham Check (single)
M17 - Tanpopo no Kesshin (B4)
------DOUBLE ENCORE-----
M18 - UZA (single)

New Team B's setlist looks quite fun to me. I'm glad they did their new team song and the last janken single team song, just like K did but A skipped, and nice that an NMB48 song is there. It is great to see the inclusion of Team Surprise songs as they have never been performed before.

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