Team S Captain Hirata Rikako Announces Her Graduation

Team S Captain Hirata Rikako announced her graduation from SKE48 earlier this evening, during her 23rd-year-old birthday show. Her reason for leaving was to chase her dream of becoming a reporter.

It is currently unknown when Rikako's graduation date is, or if she will leave immediately. With her graduation, Team S has dropped to 13 members, and there are only 41 full team members left in SKE48. It also begs the question of who the new Team Captain will be. This is the first time any Captain has graduated.

Hirata Rikako's graduation blog post
Step
Translated by HoneyRoastedPeanuts

I have an announcement to make.

I've decided to graduate from SKE48. I told everyone at the end of today's show - the fans, who I love so much, in this theater that is so important to me.
For about one year, I've been thinking about making this next step towards my dream of becoming a reporter. There's still lots I've got to learn on the road but I'll do what I can so I can keep on showing you my smile.

The day of my graduation hasn't been decided yet. I will let you know once there's a date.

A lot has happened in those four years. I'm proud of having met the fans and my dear friends in the group. I've just gotten 23 and I'm walking forward.
Please keep supporting me as well as SKE48 while I do my best. I won't lose against wind or rain.

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SKE48 at Tokyo Idol Festival 2012 Setlist

SKE48 performed twice at the Tokyo Idol Festival 2012 on 4th August 2012. Their first time performing at the prestigious event, they did two half-hour sets at two different stages, the first set, which was filmed for FujiTV, took place indoors at the Hot Stage, and the second outdoors at the Smile Garden.

Tokyo Idol Festival Homepage: http://www.idolfes.com/2012/index.html

A large amount of other idol acts also performed at the festival across multiple stages, including Tokyo Girls Style, Sakura Gakuin, BABYMETAL, Passpo☆, Super☆Girls, Dorothy Little Happy, and many more...


Tokyo Idol Festival 2012
Participating Members:
Team S: Oya Masana, Kato Rumi, Kinoshita Yukiko, Suda Akari, Nakanishi Yuka, Matsui Jurina
Team KII: Abiru Riho, Ishida Anna, Ogiso Shiori, Takayanagi Akane, Furukawa Airi, Yakata Miki
Team E: Kobayashi Ami, Shibata Aya, Hara Minami, Yamashita Yukari


Hot Stage Set List:
M01 - Oki Doki
M02 - Pareo wa Emerald
M03 - Omoide Ijou (Matsui Jurina, Kinoshita Yukiko, Oya Masanya)
M04 - Wimbledon e Tsuretette (Takayanagi Akane, Yamashita Yukari, Hara Minami)
M05 - Gomen ne, Summer
M06 - Kataomoi Finally
M07 - Aishiteraburu!

Smile Garden Set List:
M01 - Oki Doki
M02 - Pareo wa Emerald
M03 - Gomen ne, Summer
M04 - Kataomoi Finally
M05 - Aishiteraburu!

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[AKB1/153: Renai Sousenkyo] Scheduled for December Release

Good news for those who like AKB48's Dating Simulation game series AKB1/48, Bandai will be releasing a 3rd game on December 20th, 2012. But this time it's no longer just AKB48, but will include their sister groups SKE48, NMB48 and HKT48 as well, and the title of the new game is [AKB1/153: Renai Sousenkyo].


AKB1/153: Renai Sousenkyo
AKB1/153: 恋愛総選挙
AKB1/153: Love Election
Official Website: http://akb1-153.channel.or.jp/


AKB1/153 will be released on both PSP and PS Vita. Like the previous games, your goal in the game is to try to get a date with the members. Just that this time you have 3 times more members to deal with, dumping 152 members just for 1 single girl. Only full Team members as of June 2012 will participate in the game, which means Acchan is still included, but there won't be any Kenkyuusei members.




Limited Edition: 14,679yen

• Game software [AKB1/153]
• [AKB48] Making Of DVD (4 disks, 400 mins)
• [SKE48] Making Of DVD (3 disks, 400 mins)
• [NMB48] Making Of DVD (2 disks, 200mins)
• [HKT48] Making Of DVD (1 disk, 100mins)
• [AKB48][SKE48][NMB48][HKT48] Special Swimsuit Photobook (over 150 pages)
• Photos (10 pcs)
• Download content codes
• Special box

Regular Edition: 7,329yen

• Game software [AKB1/153]
• Photos (3pcs)

Check out some screenshots from the game below! (Click for higher resolution)

It's a good call that Bandai decided to add in the sister groups for the 3rd edition of the game. I was kinda getting tired of dating the same 48 members lol

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AKB48 Kenkyuusei Selection Inspection 2012 Results

Yesterday, a Selection Inspection for the 12th and 13th Gen AKB48 Kenkyuuseis was held a the AKB48 Theater. The 6th so far and the first since 2010, it's intention was to check on the improvement on the girls. Their on-stage performance as well as punctuality, work ethic and general attitude will be factors in this. Those not up to Akimoto Yasushi's standards are sent packing.

Source: http://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/theme-10000546619.html

The results of that selection has just been revealed just minutes ago. 5 members did not make the cut, all of them from 13th gen. All 5 of the 12th gen members passed.

RESULTS
IN: Aigasa Moe, Iwate Saho, Umeda Ayano, Oshima Ryoka, Omori Miyu, Okada Ayaka, Kitazawa Saki, Saeed-Yokota Erena, Sasaki Yukari, Shinozaki Ayana, Takashima Yurina, Hirata Rina, Mitsumune Kaoru, Muto Tomu, Murayama Yuiri, Mogi Shinobu
OUT: Amemiya Maika, Kita Shiori, Hasegawa Haruna, Moriyama Sakura, Watanabe Nene


It's a reasonable amount, 3/4 managed to survive the cut. But still any loss to the group is dreadful. Being in the army and away from the fandom for quite a while, I must admit that I do not know much about the girls that were kicked out. Watanabe Nene stood out a little, but the rest I didn't really take notice. KKS selection are really tough and I can understand why they did this because with no graduations, KKS are piling up which makes me angry at the fact why they would take so much girls if they were to be cut in the end anyways. I feel so bad for them.

Eguchi Aimi's name was not included in the official list, which only mentioned those who passed the selection. Does that mean she was (finally) eliminated too? She has a 0% attendance rate in the theater LOL

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AKB48 27th Single [Gingham Check] Covers + Tracklist

The tracklist of AKB48's 27th single [Gingham Check] is out along with the covers. We have the songs by Senbatsu, Under Girls, Next Girls and Future Girls but in addition to that a new song in Type A [Yume no Kawa] and the Waiting Girls song in the theater edition.

All the songs from Type A and B will get their own PVs. The regular edition of the single comes with 1 photo out of 32 from Senbatsu and Under Girls line.

AKB48 27th Single
Gingham Check
ギンガムチェック
29 August 2012

Type A Limited Regular 1,600yen	[CD] 01. Gingham Check 02. Yume no Kawa 03. Doremifa Onchi (Next Girls) 04. Ginham Check (off vocal.) 05. Yume no Kawa (off vocal.) 06. Doremifa Onchi (off vocal.) [DVD] 01. Gingham Check (Music Video) 02. Yume no Kawa (Music Video) 03. Doremifa Onchi (Music Video) 04. 27th Single Senbatsu General Election Documentary
Type B Limited Regular 1,600yen	[CD] 01. Gingham Check 02. Nante Bohemian (Under Girls) 03. Show Fight! (Future Girls) 04. Gingham Check (off vocal.) 05. Nante Bohemian (off vocal.) 06. Show Fight! (off vocal.) [DVD] 01. Gingham Check (Music Video) 02. Nante Bohemian (Music Video) 03. Show Fight! (Music Video) 04. AKB48 Group Members [Self Taken Picture Courses] 05. AKB48 Group Members [Self Taken Picture Gallery]
Theater Edition 1,000yen	[CD] TBA

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AKB48 27th Single [Gingham Check] Covers Revealed

The covers for AKB48's 27th Single [Gingham Check] have been revealed. The members for this single were chosen by fans voting in the 2012 General Election. Oshima Yuko won the most votes, becoming the centre for this song, as she was in 2010's election winning single, [Heavy Rotation]. As the elected number one, Type A of [Gingham Check] features her alone on the cover. Type B features the top 16 members by vote, who perform the lead track. The only difference between the Limited and Regular Edition covers in the colour of the writing. The Theatre Edition cover has yet to be revealed. The members are all wearing blue and white gingham checked dresses. The single will be released on the 29th August.

Limited Edition Type A & B

Regular Edition Type A & B

As expected, this single shows the election winning girls, however, I wasn't expected a Yuko solo cover. The dresses, in gingham check, are quite stylised like the song is, and both remind me of Nogizaka46. AKB48's last single [Manatsu no Sounds Good] featured a difference in style between the Limited and Regular Edition covers, so I'm a little disappointed that they are the same for this single.

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New SKE48 Zebra Angels Internet Variety Show

SKE48's Zebra Angels are back for the 3rd year round, with a new internet variety show [Nobukobu to Zebra Angel no Kyuin x2 Variety!!] starting 5th December 2012. It's membership has also increased from 5 last year, to 8 this year.

Official Website: http://www.kyoraku.co.jp/zebra_angel/

The new Zebra Angel members are (Team S) Deguchi Aki, Takada Shiori, Kuwabara Mizuki, (Team KII) Furukawa Airi, Sato Seira, (Team E) Kobayashi Ami, Umemoto Madoka and (Kenkyuusei) Kito Momona. They are also joined in the cast by comedians Heisei Nobushi Kobushi.

Episode distribution is limited to the web and also pachinko-related events.

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NO NAME 1st Single [Kibou ni Tsuite] 1st Day Sales

The 1st day sales for the debut single, [Kibou ni Tsuite], from AKB48 subunit NO NAME are out. NO NAME consists of the seiyuu (voice actors) from the anime series [AKB0048]. They sold 18,442 copies on day one, placing #3 in the Oricon Daily sales charts. Second place Mizuki Nana, sold 23,921 copies. The anime series itself has proven successful enough to spawn a second season, coming in 2013.

Quite low first day sales for NO NAME. Compared to all other AKB48 related releases this year, this is only higher than Wasamin's solo single and DiVA's latest (although that was released a day earlier than is standard and sold a lot more on day two). This also sold quite a lot less than the Team Dragon one-off sub-unit.

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Fans to vote for an AKB48 song to be made into a PV.

Akimoto Yasushi expressed his desire, in this Google+ post, about producing a PV for an AKB48 song that does not currently have one. Whilst he had his own preferences, others wanted different songs to receive a music video. Therefore, he has decided to put it to a fan vote.

A voting card will be included within copies of AKB48's forthcoming album, [1830m] to vote for which song you want a PV produced for. Songs from sister group and sub-groups will be excluded from the vote. The voting period will be open from 15th August until 20th September. A PV will then be produced for the winning song, which will be included within the AKB48 single to be released in December.

Update: It has now been announced that this will be called AKB48 [Music Video Request 2012].

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SKE48 10th Single + 1st Album Announcement

 

Today at the end of Team E's stage performance, SKE48 announced they will be releasing their 10th single and 1st album on the same day, September 19th, 2012.

The CD+DVD version of the album will include 63 new solo PVs - one for each of the members. These will not be new songs but older songs chosen by the members themselves for their solo. The CD will include all their singles up to [Kataomoi Finally], some original songs and covers of some AKB48 songs. The CD+DVD version is priced at 5,040yen and will include 14 songs, whilst the CD only version will include 15 songs.

Finally!! I thought they'd never announced the 10th single. And oh my god, solo and PVs for each song, this is just epic.

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