NMB48 6th Single called [Kitagawa Kenji]+ Senbatsu Members out

NMB48 performed its 6th single [Kitagawa Kenji] for the first time on September 24. Kitagawa Kenji is a staff member of AKB48. The single will be released November 7.

Senbatsu Members are:
Team N: Ogasawara Mayu, Kadowaki Kanako, Kishino Rika, Kotani Riho, Jonishi Kei, Shiroma Miru, Fukumoto Aina, Yamada Nana, Yamamoto Sayaka, Yoshida Akari, Watanabe Miyuki
Team M: Tanigawa Airi, Yagura Fuuko
KKS: Kato Yuka, Yabushita Shu,  
Team yet unknown: Yokoyama Yui

In: Yagura Fuuko, Yokoyama Yui
Out: Kinoshita Haruna, Jo Eriko

So Yui is already in NMB48 Senbatsu. I guess her team will be announced during the 2nd Anniversary Shows October 8-10. Jo out is not surprising since she will graduate in a few days. Other than that not much has changed. Still an overwhelming number of Team N members. As much as I like Team N, some more M girls should be given a chance. By the way, funny song title.

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HKT48 2nd Generation Revealed, to Perform [Party ga Hajimaru yo] Stage

HKT48 have revealed their 2nd generation. At the HKT48 Theatre today, the 23rd September 2012, they introduced themselves and performed the song [Aitakatta]. For the 2nd generation, 21 members were selected from the 34 who passed the auditions three months ago on 23rd June 2012.

The 2nd generation members of HKT48 will start performing the stage [Party ga Hajimaru yo] starting from the 30th September 2012. This stage was the first stage ever performed by AKB48, being the first stage performed by both Team A, and Team K, as well as SKE48's Team S and NMB48 kenkyuusei.

You can view the full profiles of all 21 members of the HKT48 2nd generation at the official site: http://www.hkt48.jp/profile/

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Itano Tomomi launches social networking site [Teamtomo]

AKB48's Itano Tomomi has launched her own social networking website [Teamtomo], which can be found at http://teamtomo.com

As explained on the site itself:

"Welcome to Teamtomo! This site is the new community for the limited people who love Tomo, so you should not enter if you cannot believe your loyalty into Tomo."

"Teamtomo is the social network in order to share contents like photos, links, news and your own creation about Tomomi Itano, Japanese famous female artist.

This site is designed and operated as a part of Revolver Community, that is developed by Revolver Inc.

Please feel free to upload your own contents as far as you are law‐abiding citizens, and show off your passion onto Tomo. Let's enjoy!"

You can sign up with the site itself, or login using your Facebook account. For those only looking for new official content, Tomochin herself, as well as staff, have posted new pictures, including the ones below. You can choose to follow certain users and have others follow you, like any other social network. However, the focus is solely on hundreds of pictures of Tomochin and comments on them. You can easily link any post you see on [Teamtomo] onto other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter as well.

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Watanabe Mayu to voice character and sing theme song of anime film [Nerawareta Gakuen]

Watanabe Mayu will be a seiyuu (voice actor) for the anime film [Nerawareta Gakuen], to be released 10th November 2012. This is directed by Ryosuke Nakamura and based on a science-fiction novel by Taku Mayumura. Mayuyu will also sing the theme song [Sayonara no Hashi]. It is unknown whether this will be released as a single.

Mayu will voice the character Suzuura Natsuki, a girl who has psychic abilities. The film revolves around a transfer student, Ryoichi Kyogoku, who joins a junior high school in Kamakura. His father orders him to use his telepathy skills to control the students minds and take over the school. Only one boy, Kouji Seki, is unaffected by the mind-control, and must free the other students.

The international premiere of this movie will be on 20th October in Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of the Scotland Loves Anime Film Festival.

Watch the trailer for [Nerawareta Gakuen], including a clip of Mayu's song [Sayonara no Hashi] here:

Official website: http://www.neragaku.com

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New HKT48 TV Show [HaKaTa Hyakkaten]

HKT48 will have a new TV show lasting for 12 episodes entitled [HaKaTa Hyakkaten]. This will start on the 7th October 2012 from 2am on Nippon Television. The following episodes will start at 1:30am and will last for half an hour each.

Sashihara Rino will host the show, which will feature AKB48 members including Oshima Yuko, Kashiwagi Yuki, and Shinoda Mariko choosing their HKT48 oshimen.

HaKaTa Hyakkaten
HaKaTa 百貨店
TV Network: NTV
Schedule: Weekly, 12 episodes
Air Time: Sunday 25:30 ~ 26:00
Broadcast starts: 7 October 2012 (first episode start time 26:00)
Official Website: http://www.ntv.co.jp/hakata/

I'm sure many will lament Sasshi hosting this, but this could be a really interesting show, and a great way to get to know more HKT48 members, and introduce them to the country, as this is their first national TV show. Having the AKB48 members there will help more people watch it and pay attention to HKT48.

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NMB48 Dates for N3, New Team M and Team BII announced

September 20 was the last performance of NMB48 Team Ns 2nd Stage [Seishun Girls] and during the show three important dates were announced. On October 8, N3, the first original stage for Team N, will finally start. On October 9 there will be a show to reveal the New Team M and the next day, October 10, Team BII will perform its first show.

All these special shows are held to commemorate NMB48's 2nd anniversary.


A lot to happen in NMB48. Looks like N3 is finally on its way, which makes me happy but the annoucement of a "new" Team M confuses me a bit. Will they only replace Jo Eriko or shuffle around? Also I wonder if Yokoyama Yui will be part of any of the new teams, since it was already announced she'll join NMB48.

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NMB48 Team N 2nd Stage [Seishun Girls] Senshuuraku announced

 

The Senshuuraku (final performance) for Team N's 2nd Stage [Seishun Girls] has been announced to take place September 20. Team N has been performing the stage since May last year. A DVD release is already set for September 25, shortly after the final performance.

A new date for Team N's 3rd Stage, originally set for May but already postponed twice, has not been announced. Will we finally get it now?


The whole thing just reminds me of KII's way to their original stage... But the Senshuuraku is only about a week from now, and I really hope this means they will start the 3rd stage soon.

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Matsui Sakiko's Piano Album [Kokyuu Suru Piano] Tracklist

Matsui Sakiko's debut solo piano album [Kokyuu Suru Piano] will be released on 3rd October 2012. The full tracklisting has now been revealed. The album contains seven renditions of AKB48 singles, a Mozart piece, and three original songs by Hattori Takayuki.

The first of the new songs [Kokoro no Fumen] was used as the backing music for the Nissin Cup Noodle CMs featuring various AKB48 members, and the Mozart piece was used for the Aisu no Mi CMs.

The limited editions include a ticket to a special event. Three events are planned, a release event at Kioi Hall on the album's release date 3rd October, plus a special event at a venue to be decided on 28th October, and finally a birthday premium event in December

The album's covers were designed by the AKB48 Art Club. The CD+DVD cover is an illustration by Sato Natsuki, and the photo direction of the CD only cover is by Ishida Haruka.

You can listen to four songs on the album's official website.

Matsui Sakiko
Kokyuu Suru Piano 
呼吸するピアノ
3 October 2012

CD+DVD 2,800yen CD Only 2,000yen

[CD] 01. Kokoro no Fumen 02. Aitakatta 03. Flying Get 04. Utau Ketsueki ~Utsui Ken no Kaatsu Training no Theme~ 05. Everyday, Kachuusha 06. Tamashii no Idou ~Gugutasu-min no Theme~ 07. Beginner 08. Ponytail to Shushu 09. Heavy Rotation 10. Sakura no Ki ni Narou 11. W.A. Mozart Piano Sonata No. 18 in K. 576 [DVD] 01. Tamashii no Idou ~Gugutasu-min no Theme~ (Music Video) 02. Utau Ketsueki ~Utsui Ken no Kaatsu Training no Theme~ (Special Footage) 03. Making Of Footage

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NMB48's Jo Eriko Announces Her Graduation

NMB48 Team M ace Jo Eriko has announced her graduation. The reason is that she could concentrate on her school as next year Jo will be entering middle school. Jo has been worried about her studies for quite a while now.

Her graduation performance has been set for September 28th.

Jo's G+ post:

今日、劇場公演でNMB48の卒業
を発表しました。
Today I announced my graduation at the theater.

皆さんの期待に答えれなくて
すみませんでした。
I'm sorry I couldn't live up to everyone's expectation.

卒業しても私は私の夢を諦めて
いません。
I'm graduating but I won't give up my dreams.

これからもNMB48と城恵理子
の応援宜しくお願いします。
After this, please keep on supporting NMB48 and me as well.

本当にありがとうございました。
Truly, thank you very much.

I didn't expect Jo to graduate this early but then she's still a student first then an idol. She joined NMB because she idolized Acchan and while her studies might be a primary reason, I also feel like Acchan's graduation also had some impact in her. I wish Jo all the best in her future studies as well as her life to come.

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Matsui Sakiko's Piano Album Titled [Kokyuu Suru Piano] + Covers

Matsui Sakiko's debut piano album which releases on October 3rd has been titled [Kokyuu Suru Piano]. The covers have also been unveiled. They were done by AKB48's art club: Ishida Haruka did the CD+DVD covers while Sato Natsuki did the CD only cover. Check them out!
                                             
                                             CD Only                                             CD+DVD

Can't wait for Sakippe's album, also I love the cover Nacchi did. So artistic.

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