Anime AKB0048 is an outstanding Anime, but it might be a bit puzzling for those who don’t usually watch AKB48 in their original language. The more you know about AKB, the more you can enjoy AKB0048. I hope that this post will help you to enjoy Anime and AKB48 to the fullest and deepen your love and interest for these two international phenomena, Anime and AKB, which both originated in Japan.
Your sweat become songs, and your tears becomes stars.
AKB0048 will come to meet you traveling over the space.
AKB0048 Episode 1 “Unerasable Dream” (movie link)
Start!
In the new world, entertainment of any sort is censored and prohibited by the police.
The object in background looks like a tank but actually it’s an armored vehicle which will also appear in an upcoming live concert scene.
The sign says “NO IDOL!”
It’s kinda funny, but it helps describe the world’s view on entertainment in this Anime.
They are doing this nonsensical thing 100% seriously.
Amazing.
The girls are almost caught by censorship police.
This scene introduces the idea that the army is AKB’s enemy.
It also implies one more important thing-
The relation between Chieri and Nagisa.
Just like in the scene where mice run past them, Chieri is scared and holds onto Nagisa.
This repeated action means that no matter how much their relationship changes as the story goes on, their fundamental relationship will always be based on the idea that “Chieri will be afraid of something and Nagisa will protect Chieri.”
I think that this is the hidden line of the whole Anime, and the story will involve this relationship in the end.
After they managed to escape from the army, Yuka tossed vegetable juices to Chieri and Nagisa.
Look carefully, you’ll notice while Yuka handed juice to Chieri, she threw it at Nagisa.
“Throwing something to pass it to someone” is a popular depiction of mutual trust.
So, this scene tells that Yuka put a lot of trust in Nagisa.
It’s really elegant to put this important description in this little scene!
Orine is afraid of live concerts and Yuka tries to help her relax.
Orine tends to fear anything she isn’t familiar with, or another explanation is that she is very conservative.
But holding a lantern implies that she will take a role to light up the road for AKB0048?
Once they’ve nearly reached the end of the coal mine rail, they starts to hear the voice of Overtune, the No.0 song, which signals that the live concert or Revue has started.
The voice of this overtune says “AKB0048”!
All AKB groups overtune is voiced by a man by the name of Taz. Is this song also voiced by him?
I felt like it was a Mix-like sound but I couldn’t figure out what they were chanting.
After the tunnel, there’s a live concert venue!! This dramatic transition is awesome!!!
It’s like the world in front of your eyes suddenly opens up 360 degree!!
I want to watch this on a theatre screen!!!
But this crowd….. how many people are gathered here!? Too many…
It looks like censorship doesn’t work after all…
This live venue is the ruins of an ancient coal mine, and the original floor shape of the coal mine is used as seating for the audience!!!
This flying stage is completely created by CG, and it is naturally named “Flying Get”.
The center part is a stage (maybe when it’s not used it’s stored inside?)
There’s also a huge screen display.
There are also large speaker-like objects underneath the wings.
Since the concept of AKB0048 is “idol who comes to meet you”,
They chose their first song symbolically in order to embody this concept for the first song.
“Aitakatta”
Aitakatta~, Aitakatta~ YES!!!
Live scene is all CG using VFX.
It’s absolutely stunning !!!
On the upper deck of Flying Get are Hologram images of members!!!
From this angle it’s like Hentai Paradise!!!
At first only Chieri openly expresses her excitement.
As she said in the previous scene, she has attended a live concert before.
Where and which concert did she go to? Will this be revealed in later episodes??
Ota holding penlights of various designs.
Sayaka, Sae, Mayuyu, Tomochin,
Kojiharu, Yuko, Acchan, Takamina, Yukirin
I have no idea who other members are…
Maybe it’s Chuu, to the left of Sayaka? Sassy next to Kojiharu?
Aitakatta Dash~~~~!!!
“Aitakatta” is of course the song that describes the concept of AKB48,
and also describes AKB0048’s concept in this Anime.
They started to emulate Yuko’s pose!! This finger pose is in the actual choreo.
Did you notice how short Takamina looks next to Sayaka?
No, uh, I mean…
Did you notice how the design of their neckties are different? 😉
Some parts of the stage will be separated from the main ship and members are flying over the audience on this vehicle.
During the show they use these vehicles for the performance, and they also use the vehicles as means to escape from the army’s attack during the concert.
Radar detected unmanned enemy forces!!
3 operators and *Mariko in the center.
Mariko has 2 spirits floating beside her.
The depiction of the operating room is super elaborate…
*Takamina called her Mariko-sama, though her actual name is Tsubasa
7 launch hole on the upper deck of Flying Get.
Over the song “Shojyo Tachiyo”, Guardian Angels fly!!!
Costume change~~~~!!!!
This costume change effect is so cute~^^!
BTW her ribbon also changed!
Though it’s not the same as the actual costumes for Shojo Tachiyo, their coloring is similar.
DES (Group which takes the harshest position against idols) launched NO IDOL MISSILES!!
lol
Flying Get covered the whole venue with barrier to protect their stage and fans.
Yuko winked at camera(?)
This Yuko frequently does Camera Appeal… just like real Yukirin…??
It’s for TV viewers as well as Nagisa and the other protagonists of this Anime.
I think that Yuko will be the key element to link Nagisa and her friends to AKB0048.
What the guardian angels are shooting at DES armies are not missiles,
because they only stop their movements.
Maybe they shut down their remote controlling system because these enemy machines look remotely operated?
I think this is Sae although on official AKB site, she has different hair color…
Another armies (not DES) appeared from tunnel and shot rocket launchers??
Noooo. It’s shooting nets!
Even though they are part of the army like DES, they seem to not be using assault weapons…
What Yuko threw at them also wasn’t lethal, it was a flash grenade.
Even though it looks they are fighting fiercely, they actually care about not hurting their enemy.
4 members are surrounded by enemies.
Though I have no idea how they reached this FLYING stage…
Sayaka’s rolling kick!!!
LOL It’s really like Okaro…
The member who saved Sayaka is Kojiharu.
Although her looks are the most different from the real member’s,
her funny character remains the same.
Though Sayaka said to Kojiharu, “NyanNyan!!”,
I’ve never heard Sayaka call Kojiharu, NyanNyan. Have you ever heard it?
Green spirit(?) comes to little girls.
Chieri called this Kirara, and somehow she knows this already. How?
In this scene Karen-chan’s (Nagisa) voice is so impressive.
“They are singing to the music!!! They are shouting to the music!!!”
4 Kiraras flying around 4 girls.
Nagisa = Purple
Chieri = Green
Yuka = Yellow Green
Orine = Red
The member who noticed that Kirara was around the 4 of them was Yuko.
Electric Ribbon Attack by Takamina!!!
lol
Yuko gave 4 girls this pose and brought 4 Kiraras back.
You can find the hint of this pose from the video below.
This Kirara came back out to the girls.
It was the first one who approached Nagisa and Chieri.
We want to be AKB0048…. we will!
The determination of 4 girls.
I love to see the exciting progress of this story.
Kirara is at the tip of Chieri’s right hand.
Though Kirara was shining when it’s near Nagisa, Kirara chose to be with Chieri.
Or did Kirara actually want to be with Nagisa?
After Flying Get disappeared into the sky, the title of the Anime appears.
This also displays the concept of the group AKB0048.
4 years later, Nagisa appears on a bicycle on her way to school in the middle of the row of workers.
This implies “Buried in the mass of the public”?
A teacher says “Due to live concerts of AKB0048, entertainment is being allowed in this star (Lankastar) gradually.”
The flag displayed on the wall is the flag of Lankastar?
“AKB0047 audition for 77th KKS starts!!!!”
The textbook is “History for junior high school student?”
Kirara~~!
Orine is working in the factory.
Without parents, she can’t go to junior high school, so she is making a living by herself.
The director of the film claimed that there is no intentional relation between Orine and her voice actor Nakayan but for me and for everyone watching, it’s obviously intentional lol
While Yuka’s cellphone has hologram function, poor Orine still has this oldschool style phone.
Yuka gets mad at Nagisa because she touched Yuka with hands after she had BotaMochi by hands.
This BotaMochi is what Orine was presented her colleague in the factory.
Though she is poor, she gave it to her friends.. What a nice girl Orine is…
Orine is washing her face at a faucet.
Detail information of AKB0048 audition.
Acchan is not in these members….
Is there some special reason? Acchan also didn’t speak anything at the concert scene.
「だってあの時の優子が会いたいって言ってくれてるんだよ！
会いに行かなくちゃ！！」
“We gotta go to meet them!!”
Without a doubt, she is the protagonist of the story.
Though the director said he didn’t set any character as a protagonist but it’s so obvious that Nagisa is the center of this story.
The memorial place for them.
It looks so abandoned compared to 4 yeas ago.
This place may be the sacred place for 3 girls plus Chieri.
Yuka is singing 初日 / Syonichi
初日 of course means the first day that a member performed the stage.
In simple word, it’s a debut day.
The song sings the impression of the first stage after a long period of training, and every AKB fans love this song.
It’s a first song of team B’s 3rd Revue Pajama Drive.
Nagisa sings Aitakatta.
Only “Yes!!!” sounds energetic.
Wikipedia: Haruka Shimazaki
In September, she was at the final stage of audition, but she was poort at singing. She chose Hatsukoi Dash by Warota for singing part of the audition. She didn’t sing at all but only shouted Mayuyu’s chant phrase “Let’s go” with full power. She was asked “You don’t go to Karaoke?” by AkiP and answered “I don’t.” Then she passed the audition. She later said “Looking back from now, I have no idea why I passed the audition with such performance and anwer”
Yuka declared she wants to succeed the name of Mariko.
Then Orine declared her will to succeed the name of Sassy…. lol
It’s the most unlikely member she will succeed….
“Sensei, wills of girls are gathering from all over the space. Please give us sacred lyric!”
In this Anime, alter ego of AkiP becomes super computer or something like that.
It implies there’s no one who could succeed AkiP and his brain has preserved as the super computer??
The setting is a Shinto Shirine. Because the director said “AKB is modern spiritualistic medium.”
Motomiya (Nagisa’s family name) family’s breakfast is based on Acchan’s breakfast.
The costumes members dressed in are what AKB48 wore in TV show EXILE Damashii last summer.
This has a double meaning.
Nagisa herself who are bind to thread and can’t fly freely.
And AKB48’s song Tobenai Agehachou
Lankastar to Akibastar
via Rankasei orbit station and Between Stars orbit station.
What SAA means???
Yuka shouted to Nagisa, who lost her determination after she realized her father will oppose to her challenge for AKB0048.
「ださ、ビビリ、ださ、ださ、ださ～～～！！！（泣）」
Amina’s acting was outstanding in this scene.
Yuka also has hurting moment.
The boy’s voice is played by Harukyan.
Amina is amazing in this scene, too.
Following her father’s death due to the accident in a coal mine, her mother who had been in poor condition died.
This tragedy is described in only 30 seconds….
Orine greets to the machine she was making at the factory.
“Some day, when Sakura bloom, let’s meet again here…”
This phrase reminds me Junen Zakura, though there’s seemingly no hidden relation between them.
Or…. Orine will die????
「私の、私たちの夢、ここから始まった、、、夢。」
“My… and our dream… The dream started from here…”
They met AKB0048 at this place, filmed their audition video.
Lying on this sacred place, dandelions are surrounding Orine.
This scene of course is based on the song Tanpopo no Kesshin.
It’s lyric has a line “Besides the rail, there’re dandelions.”
Orchestra version os Aitakatta….
The music describes Nagisa’s quietly burning desire that she wants to be AKB00 with her frineds.
「諦めたポスター、ポツーンって空いた場所、埋まらない隙間、、、わたし、やっぱり、、！」
“Abandoned poster, solitary void left there, the space never be filled…… I… I want…!!”
Sample of butterflies displayed in the entrance.
Like ornament displayed in Nagisa’s room, it’s a symbol of Tobenai Agehachou?
Tobenai Agehachou: Butterfly which can’t fly.
Nagisa’s mom gave her a Chuchu, which Nagisa was longing to put on.
Her mom secretly knows that poster has a special meaning for Nagisa and she wanted to wear Chuchu like AKB0048 members in the poster.
This Chuchu is handmade by her mom.
This scene implies the Chuchu will play a role to help her bond with people.
「私は、私は、ＡＫＢが、００４８が、大好きだ～～～！！」
This scene makes everyone high, Nagisa is pedaling a bike at a full speed shouting her hope over the tune 希望について / Kibou ni Tuite by NO NAME.
This scene has many essence of AKB.
Riding on bicycle at full speed -> Iiwake Maybe
Sukida~~ Sukida~~~~ -> Ogoe Diamond
Overcome the worry and rush to the train heading to the audition venue -> Saisyu Bell ga Naru
But, though it’s easy to point out several elements, this scene is better to be understood as the symbol of collective image of AKB. So it’s may be difficult to choose one song as an inspiration of this scene, but if one song can be chosen, it must be none other than Aitakatta.
自転車全力でペダル
Pedaling a bike with full energy
こぎながら坂を登る
Running up the steep
風に膨らんでるシャツも
Fluttering shirt with winds
今はもどかしい
are fretting
やっと気づいた
Finally realized
本当の気持ち
My true feeling
正直にゆくんだ
Be honest to yourself
たったひとつのこの道を走れ！
Run this road, the only road of you!
好きならば好きだと言おう
If you like, say you like
ごまかさず素直になろう
Don’t fool yourself, be honest
好きならば好きだと言おう
If you like, say you like
胸の内 さらけ出そうよ
Open what you hold in your heart!
This is, this scene is the A.K.B!
If someone ask you what’s AKB, then you don’t have to explain to her, just show her this scene!!
This scene is that impressive…
When asked where’s Nagisa, her mom answered she’s still sleeping.
Mom…
I think her father somehow realize in the bottom of his heart, he wants to support Nagisa.
Choreo of this scene from the ending is from Beginner.
「大好きだ～～～～～！」
“I love it~~~~~!!”
When Orine’s hand couldn’t grab Nagisa’s hand, when we thought it’s over…. Yuka hold Nagisa’s hands….
Crying….
3 trails meet together….
To be next stage!!!
….
This is… this Anime is amazing!!
I guarantee you that you don’t have to be Anime Ota to enjoy this Anime!! (I know nothing about Anime.)
And… AKB’s Seiyu Senbatsu….
Amazing!!!
Needless to say, Amina and Nakayan are doing fantastic job,
But Karen-chan is also great… Sure she is not as smooth as other members,
but her voice has a soul, and even it sounds not professional, her voice arouse empathy of audience.
When Nagisa is happy, we feel happy. When she is sad, we feel sad.
She has truly outstanding talent to convey her emotion over her voice!!!
And..
She is only 13 y/o!!!!!
Hope many people will be more interested in AKB48 through this Anime, as it’s already subtitled in many languages. If you haven’t watch the video, then you should watch it! It’s sure superb!
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