NMB48 2nd Anniversary Special Live Team N Setlist

To commemorate NMB48's 2nd anniversary Team N performed a special show in the theater on October 8. Originally, the Shonichi of N3 was scheduled for this date, but because N3 had been delayed, Team N performed a special setlist.

Some non-Team N members joined Team N for some of the songs and Yokoyama Yui also made an appearance in the theatre to perform [Kitagawa Kenji], NMB48's 6th single. The PV of the single was also shown for the first time.

The 2nd Anniversary Special Lives will continue with New Team M on October 9, and Team BII the following day.



NMB48 2nd Anniversary Special Live Team N
Date: 8th October

M01 - Mikazuki no Senaka
M02 - Nande ya nen, Idol 
M03 - NMB48
 -----MC-----
M04 - Renai no Speed (Yamamoto, Watanabe, Yamada, Fukumoto, Ogasawara, Jonishi, Shiroma)
M05 - Uso no Tenbin (as above)
M06 - Sunahama de Pistol (Namba Teppoudai Sono Ichi: Kotani, Matsuda, Hikawa, Murakami, Yagura, Yogi, Katou, Yabushita)
M07 - Skirt Hirari (Shinohara, Shiroma, Kinoshita H, Yoshida, Kondo)
M08 - Bird (Kishino, Yamada, Yamaguchi)
M09 - Tengoku Yarou (Ogasawara, Kadowaki, Fukumoto, Jonishi; Backdancers: Kotani, Yoshida, Matsuda, Kondo, Kinoshita H, Shinohara)
M10 - Warukii (Watanabe; Backdancers: Kobayashi, Ishida, Nakagawa, Takayama)
M11 - Jungle Gym (Yamamoto)
M12 - Mattemashita, Shingakki (1st Akagumi)
M13 - Boku ga Maketa Natsu (1st Shirogumi)
 -----MC-----
M14 - Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo
M15 - Oh my God!
M16 - Junjou U-19
M17 - Nagiichi
M18 - Virginity
 -----MC-----
M19 -Seishun no Laptime

----ENCORE-----
EN1 - Korogaru Ishi ni Nare
EN2 - 10nen Zakura
EN3 - Kaze wa fuite iru
 -----MC-----
EN4 -Yakusoku yo (Team N, Yagura, Murakami, Hikawa, Yogi, Kato, Yabushita)
EN5 - Kitagawa Kenji (Senbatsu)

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NMB48 Team M Ota Riona to graduate

On October 4, just one day after Fujita Runa announced her withdrawal from NMB48, another Team M member has announced to leave. First generation member Ota Riona will graduate from the group to focus on her studies. A graduation date will be announced on a later date.

On September 28 Jo Eriko graduated, on October 3 Fujita Runa left and now Ota Riona will go too. This makes three Team M girls in only a few days.Is this a coincidence or does it have to do with the announcement of New Team M on October 9?


Ota Riona's translated message
 Original Message

I have an announcement for you.
I, Ota Riona, will graduate from NMB48.

Two years ago I passed NMB48 (the audition) as a 1st Generation member. My whole family was very happy.

I was also chosen for the Shonichi of the "Dareka no Tame ni" stage show on January 1st, but I could not get into Team N. As a 1st Generation Kenkyuusei, frustrated, I learned a lot of positions. I remember the time when all 1st Generation Kenkyuusei said "Let's all be promoted together". I was very happy when I was chosen as a Team M member in January this year.

I chose a high school in Osaka and came alone from Gifu to Osaka. Because I was working hard by myself, I was also worrying about balancing my studies, and three months ago I started to think about graduating.

My dream is to become a singer and actress. For now, I want to focus on my studies, make time to find myself once again, and then move towards my dream from scratch again.

I am really thankful that I was able to make a lot of precious experiences normal girls cannot make in my two years in NMB48. The 8 months I was able to be active in Team M were a lot of fun. Thank you really. I love NMB48.

Because I have not given up on my dream, I want to continue doing my best in my own pace from now on too.

Lastly, to the fans who have supported me, staff, all members: thank you for everything.

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Nogizaka46 4th Single Senbatsu Revealed

The senbatsu for Nogizaka46 4th single was announced on today's [Nogizakatte Doko?]. The release date and title have not yet been set. The senbatsu is:

Ikuta Erika
Ikoma Rina
Hoshino Minami
Sakurai Reika
Hashimoto Nanami
Shiraishi Mai
Matsumura Sayuri
Akimoto Manatsu

Noujou Aimi
Saito Asuka
Wakatsuki Yumi
Inoue Sayuri
Fukagawa Mai
Ichiki Rena
Nishino Nanase
Takayama Kazumi

Instead of a kami 7, there is a hachifukujin, eight "lucky gods". These members will get the media spotlight. These are the first eight members in the above list, those not in italics.

One surprise is Akimoto Manatsu, above, who withdrew from the group to study shortly after its formation. She makes her reappearance here and it straight into the hachifukujin. She has stated her surprise at this selection and is anxious to how the fans will treat her but wants to do her best to be recognised as a Nogizaka46 member and accepted by the fans.

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All Current AKB48 Stages to Finish in October, [Waiting Stages] with New Teams to Start in November

It was announced at the handshake event today in Iwate prefecture that all four of AKB48's current stages will end this month. The senshuuraku of each of the four stages are:

Team A - [Mokugekisha] - 29th October 2012
Team K - [RESET] - 24th October 2012
Team B - [Theater no Megami] - 22nd October 2012
Team 4 - [Boku no Taiyou] - 25th October 2012

From 1st November 2012, the New Teams announced during the Tokyo Dome Team Shuffle will perform [Waiting Stages]. These will consist of a selection of existing AKB48 songs. These Waiting Stages will continue until new stages are ready for the new teams. Only 16 members from each of the three new teams will participate in each performance. With these members rotating from show to show. Read the member lists for the New Teams A, K and B here.

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SKE48 4th Anniversary Concert Setlist

SKE48 celebrated their 4th Anniversary by holding a special concert at Zepp Nagoya on the 5th October 2012. Of note is that graduated members returned to participate in unit song, these are marked in bold in the setlist below. The concert can be bought on the download service DMM.com which sells SKE48 Live On Demand performances (in Japan only). New dual AKB48/SKE48 member Kitahara Rie only appeared via videolink.

SKE48 4th Anniversary Concert
5th October 2012
Zepp Nagoya

M01 - Kiss Datte Hidarikiki
M02 - Gomen ne, Summer
M03 - Aozora Katamaoi
M04 - Tsuyokimono yo
---MC---
M05 - Omoide Ijou (Furukawa, Ishida, Yakata, Yamashita Moe)
M06 - Kono Mune no Barcode (Kimoto, Tsuzuki, Kato R, Ono Haruka)
M07 - Pajama Drive (Matsui J, Umemoto, Kinoshita, Mano Haruka)
M08 - Namida no Shounan (Kuwabara, Matsui R, Takagi, Hiramatsu, Goto, Maeda Eiko, Ichihara Yuri)
M09 - Okami to Pride (Suda, Akaeda, Mori Sayuki)
M10 - Wimbledon e Tsureteitte (Furuhata, Ueno, Kobayashi A, Takai Tsukina, Mori Sayuki)
M11 - Classmate (Uchiyama, Saito, Kito, Iguchi, Takai Tsukina)
---MC---
M12 - Temodemo no Namida (Oya, Ogiso, Nakamura Yuka)
M13 - Choco no Yukue (Kizaki, Yagami, Sakai, Matsumoto, Shinkai Rina, Hirata Rikako)
M14 - Cross (Hara, Matsui J, Suga, Wakabayashi Tomoka)
M15 - Kagami no Naka no Janne D'Arc (Hirata, Nakanishi, Sato S, Deguchi, Takada, Yamada Erika)
M16 - Mangekyou (Matsui R, Yamada Rei, Abiru, Hata, Kaneko (Matsushita Yui, Ono Haruka)
M17 - Onna no Ko no Dairokkan  (Sato M, Mukaida, Yamashita, Shibata, Takeuchi, Hirata Rikako, Shinkai Rina)
M18 - Ame no Pianist (Takayanagi, Isohara, Kato T, Yamashita Moe, Matsushita Yui)
---MC---
M19 - Hula hoop de GO!GO!GO! (Team S)
M20 - Shikatte yo, Darling! (Team KII)
M21 - Mitsubachi Girl (Team E)
M22 - Sono Saki ni Kimi ga ita (Team KKS)
---MC---
M23 - Aishiraburu
M24 - Katamaoi, Finally
M25 - Oki Doki
M26 - Pareo wa Emerald
M27 - Banzai Venus
M28 - 1!2!3!4! Yoroshiku
M29 - Tegami no Koto
---VTR--- (Kitahara Rie)
M30 - Nakama no Uta
---ENCORE---
M31 - Rakuen no Kaidan (Team KKS)
M32 - Kizashi (Team E)
M33 - Seifuku no Me (Team KII)
M34 - Saka Agari (Team S)
M35 - Hanabi wa Owaranai
---MC---
M36 - Kaze no Fuiteru
M37 - SKE48

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"Create-your-own" Undergirls Photobook

7net shopping has launched a "create your own" Undergirls photobook. For 3,150 yen, you can design, via their website, a 48 page photobook choosing the images from a selection of exclusive photos, and arranging them how you wish, given a variety of page layouts. There are approximately 80 photos per member, and a few featuring combinations of members. Despite having a large selection of images, you can only select from a few pre-set covers, shown below.

As the covers take up two pages, you are left with 46 pages to fill with photos from their selection. You can have as many as 4 photos per page, one photo per page, or even have landscape photos as a double-page spread. For those looking to build a single member solo photobook, be warned that there are too many photos to have each of them maximum size, so some compromises will need to be made. The screengrab below is an example of the website constructor.

Watch the CM for this new Undergirls photobook below:

The members featuring in this photobook are the Undergirls from the 27th single senbatsu election, those ranked 16-32:

Takajo Aki (Team A)
Yamamoto Sayaka (NMB48 Team N)
Watanabe Miyuki (Team B / NMB48 Team N)
Akimoto Sayaka (Team K)
Sato Amina (Team B)
Kuramochi Asuka (Team A)
Shimazaki Haruka (Team 4)
Takayanagi Akane (SKE48 Team KII)
Hata Sawako (SKE48 Team KII)
Masuda Yuka (Team B)
Oya Masana (SKE48 Team S)
Yagami Kumi (SKE48 Team S)
Suda Akari (SKE48 Team S)
Furukawa Airi (SKE48 Team KII)
Kizaki Yuria (SKE48 Team S)
Ogiso Shiori (SKE48 Team KII)

Official website: http://www.7netshopping.jp/all/static/akb48undergirls_pod.html

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Team M Member Fujita Runa quits NMB48

On October 3rd, it was announced that Fujita Runa, member of NMB48's Team M, will leave the group immediately. Her Google+ account and participation in the NMB48 blog will stop in a few days too.

Fujita Runa has been suffering from lower back/hip pain for a while because of which she had to reduce her work in NMB48 and now decided to quit completely.

Runa joined NMB48 as a 2nd Generation member in summer last year and also was an original member of Team M, formed in January this year. She is the third Team M member to leave, after Kodakari Yuuka and Jo Eriko.

Below is the translation of her message to the fans.


Fujita Runa's comment.
Original Message

 To my beloved everyone
I am sorry for causing you a lot of worries.
My lower back/hip has been hurting and I also went to the hospital but it is not yet completely healed. Because it would be sad to cause you more worries and trouble I decided to withdraw from my activities in NMB48.
Until now I thought and worried a lot. 'I don't want to quit'...I feel that too. But if my back does not heal now, I cannot move forward.
I love you all, the members and NMB48. I really do.
Since I joined NMB48 I have been able to make a lot of experiences. Stage shows, handshake events, two-shot events, other events, the Janken tournament. Out of all that I love the stage shows, the handshake and two-shot events, I was happy to be able to meet you and I had fun.
For me, who likes to talk, those were great events.
Having been able to meet you, that is my treasure.
What saved me during sad times, hard times, frustrating times and times when I wanted to cry　or was about to give up, were you all and the members.
There were several times when I read the blog comments and thought, crying, "I'll do my best".
Really, thank you for supporting this me until now.
The words I absolutely wanted to say at last, are "thank you" to you all and the members.
I am grateful to everyone I met. From now on I'll let my back/hip heal properly, and because I also have high school entrance exams, I'll do my best at studying too.
"I will, the way it suits me," do my best, without forgetting these words you taught me, so that I won't lose to you.
I love the 2nd generation members. I love Team M. I love NMB48.
Really, thank you for everything.

All the best to Runa for her recovery.

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Matsui Sakiko album release mini-live

To mark the release date of her solo debut album, Matsui Sakiko held a mini concert on the 3rd October 2012 at Tokyo's Kioi Hall. 800 people attended from over 2500 applicants. Her album Kokyuu Suru Piano is the first solo album from any AKB48 member.

At the event, Sakiko performed four songs from the album:

Kokoro no Fumen
Utau Ketsueki ~Utsui Ken no Kaatsu Training no Theme~
Everyday, Kachuusha
Aitakatta

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AKB48 28th Single [UZA] Tracklist Revealed

AKB48's 28th single will be titled [UZA] and released on the 31st October 2012. This song features a voting ticket for Request Hour Set List Best 100 2013 and will have songs featuring the new teams.

[UZA] was first revealed during the 29th single janken tournament and is a dark, electronic song, that some call AKB48's yearly "cool" single.

The senbatsu for this single includes janken queen Shimazaki Haruka and, for the first time, HKT48 member Miyawaki Sakura. The song is a double centre led by Oshima Yuko and Matsui Jurina.

Senbatsu members:
Shinoda Mariko (Team A)
Takahashi Minami (Team A)
Watanabe Mayu (Team A)
Yokoyama Yui (Team A / NMB48)
Oshima Yuko (Team K)
Matsui Jurina (Team K / Team S)
Itano Tomomi (Team K)
Kashiwagi Yuki (Team B)
Watanabe Miyuki (Team B / Team N)
Kojima Haruna (Team B)
Shimazaki Haruka (Team B)
Minegishi Minami (Team B)
Matsui Rena (SKE48 Team S)
Yamamoto Sayaka (NMB48 Team N)
Sashihara Rino (HKT48 Team H)
Miyawaki Sakura (HKT48 Team H)

There will be three CD+DVD types of this single, one for each team. Each of the three new teams, revealed in the Tokyo Dome team shuffle, will get a song and PV. This will be the first appearance of the new teams. The theatre edition will feature a kenkyuusei song.

As before, there will be both limited and regular editions of the CD+DVD types. The limited includes a ticket to a national handshake event, whereas the regular includes a photo (one of 32 types). Both limited and regular CD+DVD editions include a voting ticket for Request Hour Set List Best 100 2013. The theatre edition does not include a voting ticket, but includes an individual member handshake ticket and a photo (from a different set to the CD+DVD types).

The [UZA] PV will be directed by Joseph Kahn who directed the [Gingham Check] PV as well as many music videos for famous American pop artists. However, a new [Gingham Check] PV will be included on the [UZA] DVDs, directed by Takahashi Eiki.

AKB48 28th Single
UZA
UZA
31 October 2012

Type A 1,600yen	[CD] 01. UZA 02. Tsugi no Season (Undergirls) 03. Kodoku na Hoshizora (New Team A) 04. UZA (off vocal.) 05. Tsugi no Season (off vocal.) 06. Kodoku na Hoshizora (off vocal.) [DVD] 01. UZA PV 02. UZA PV (Dance Version) 03. Tsugi no Season PV 04. Kodoku na Hoshizora PV 05. Gingham Check PV (Takahashi Eiki ver.)
Type K 1,600yen	[CD] 01. UZA 02. Tsugi no Season (Undergirls) 03. Scrap & Build (New Team K) 04. UZA (off vocal.) 05. Tsugi no Season (off vocal.) 06. Scrap & Build (off vocal.) [DVD] 01. UZA PV 02. UZA PV (Dance Version) 03. Tsugi no Season PV 04. Scrap & Build PV 05. Gingham Check PV (Takahashi Eiki ver.)
Type B 1,600yen	[CD] 01. UZA 02. Tsugi no Season (Undergirls) 03. Seigi no Mikata Janai Hero (New Team B) 04. UZA (off vocal.) 05. Tsugi no Season (off vocal.) 06. Seigi no Mikata Janai Hero (off vocal.) [DVD] 01. UZA PV 02. UZA PV (Dance Version) 03. Tsugi no Season PV 04. Seigi no Mikata Janai Hero PV 05. Gingham Check PV (Takahashi Eiki ver.)
Theatre Edition 1,000yen	[CD] 01. UZA 02. Tsugi no Season (Undergirls) 03. Otona e no Michi (Kenkyuusei) 04. UZA (off vocal.) 05. Tsugi no Season (off vocal.) 06. Otona e no Michi (off vocal.)

I admit that initially I did not like this song, with its generic US pop style and auto-tuning. But over time it has been growing on me. The PV looks quite funny, with many people drawing parallels with the director's previous work on the Backstreet Boys "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)". I am glad that Shimazaki-san is in the single, but Sakura is a curious addition, especially given the style of the song. It will be interesting seeing the new teams in action for the first time.

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NMB48 Team N 3rd delayed again

  
Team N's 3rd Stage Show, its first original one, has been delayed yet again. The Shonichi (start of performance) had been scheduled for October 8 but was now postponed to a yet unknown date due to "lack of preparation". Team N will instead do a "special show" on October 8.


Team N 3rd had originally been scheduled for May 12, but was later postponed to August and then October. So this announcement is already the third delay. Will we even get the show this year?


I am not really surprised but still a bit disappointed. Why do they even bother to announce new dates when they delay the show anyways?

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