Tag: AKB48

Given the ubiquitousness of AKB48 and its various members on advertising campaigns, music releases and television screens, you wouldn't think that Yasushi Akimoto needs a tax break. But that's what ...

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has made a political song and dance out of his apparent efforts to create a "a society in which women shine". However, it seems not everyone got the memo that female ...

The results have been announced of a survey by Video Research of five commercial TV broadcasters in Kanto (the area including Tokyo and Yokohama), Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe etc) and Nagoya. The ...

Two things Japan is famous for just came crashing together big time: idols and robots. AKB48's fans have become notorious for spending vast amounts of time and money on merchandise and tributes to ...

A recruitment campaign ad fronted by a sweet-looking, innocent pop music idol? Only in Japan. "You and Peace" declares Haruka Shimazaki, the 20-year-old pop singer and member of idol group ...

Two members of AKB48, Japan's largest music idol group, have been attacked by a fan with a saw at a "hand-shaking" event. On Sunday May 25th, the 24-year-old male attacker injured popular members ...

As previously reported on JapanTrends, AKB48 has recruited a new older female member for its ranks as part of a spring and summer campaign for Papico, an ice cream product by Glico. There was some ...

While the Japanese media always seems to be dominated by upbeat reports of the "millions" of sales that AKB48 ostensibly achieves, the real story of the Japanese music industry is one of serious ...

Have our worst dreams come true? After ASEAN, will the Opening Ceremony for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games feature a battalion of skimpily clad, underage girls representing Japan?! This nightmare ...

Fancy joining AKB48? It was announced yesterday that the idol mega group is now recruiting a new member to join the ranks for a limited time only. The newbie will be over 30 years old, a stark ...

Do you ever get the desire to shoot one of the ubiquitous AKB48 girls? Yes, we know we are not alone in our antipathy towards the hyper-manufactured bubblegum Akiba idol "music" group. Well, ...

AKB at the ASEAN summit... Did we think we'd see the day? It's come, also confirming that they (or their successors) will almost certainly be main stage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games opening ...

Can't get enough of your favorite (ex-)AKB48 starlet? Now you can a take a flight "inside" her vessel. Okay, enough with the puerile references, though AKB48 is hardly a stranger to dubious ...

With the recent release of their 32nd single, "Koi suru Fortune Cookie," AKB48 has once again proven their monopoly in Japan's music industry. After hitting the physical and digital shelves on August ...