This week in the world of AKB48 (SNH48 debut, NMB48 new team, Maeda Atsuko and more!) : 10/10/2012 – 16/10/2012

Welcome to the 2nd weekly update on AKB48WrapUp where we will be summing up the movers and shakers of the past week in the world of AKB48. As the release of Uza draws nearer and the beginning of a slew of new AKB48 project is at hand, there has never been a better time to be a 48 group fan.

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First up this week, SKE48s Request Hour Setlist Best 50 was held featuring 313,444 votes over 150 songs. Overall, the 1st place this time belongs to Hazumisaki by Undergirl B members which dethroned 2 time 1st placer Kareha no Station and also marks the first time a coupling song has topped a request list. Needless to say, the crowd reacted to hearing the intro to Kareha no Station in 3rd place with awe preceding Omoide Ijo ranking 2nd. Find out more about the Request Hour Setlist in these two posts:

Day 1

Day 2

Featuring the unexpected champion: Hazumisaki

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SNH48s first generation members have been decided!

The 3 month audition process which wrapped up on the 14th of October has finally revealed the resulting outcome. The 1st generation features 26 members out of the 38,000 auditions which took place.

Controversy has risen due to group managers rejecting Japanese media from it’s unveiling event to remove the “Japanese factor” despite being the sister group of AKB48. This raises the question of whether the Japanese fans who potentially fuel most of the hype will have any exposure to SNH48 and if the group will feature in global 48 group events such as the request setlist. The managing team also made a statement that SNH48 would become the national idol unit.

In classic 48 group style, the new girls will be undertaking secret training for their first performance in January next year.

As usual, you can find the source post here.

Estranged from its Japanese fans, SNH48 gets a huge launch party

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Recent AKB48 graduate Maeda Atsuko has won the award for new best actress at the 4th TAMA Cinema Awards for her role in Kueki Ressha alongside other winners including best actor Yakusho Koji, best actress Kiki Kirin and Miyazaki Aoi.

This is quite a turnabout for Acchan after recent drama involving the overpublicised scandal that saw Maeda plaster over media in a mostly negative light. Fans however, decree that the scandal may be just what she needed to move away from the stigma of being an “idol” and more towards that of someone more human.

Not to mention, this is quite a big turnaround for her as an actress after being voted 10th in the most hated actress poll in Shuukan Bunshun (as always, anything from Shuukan Bunshun should be taken with a grain of salt) and often open to criticism for her acting. Check out the rest of the post here on AKB48WrapUp.

Maeda Atsuko in her award winning performance for Kueki Ressha

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NMB48s new team, BII was announced and has performed at the NMB48 theatre. The team performed a couple of stage songs, classics including Sakura no Hanabiratachi and newer songs including their new single “Kitagawa Kenji”.

Speaking of the new single, the members for the 6th Shirogumi and Akogumi have been announced with details for their respective songs released. Find out more details in this post.

Team BII and some trademark idol poses.

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AKB48 Team B member Kitahara Rie is featuring in a new show “Terrace House” in which 6 men and women from different walks of life star in a reality style show where they begin to live with one another. Kojima Haruna also likened the show to an overseas drama (Jersey Shore anyone?)

Needless to say, members of the house were surprised at the appearance of Kitahara Rie.

See some of the heavily captioned photos of the first episode of Terrace House in this post.

Kitahara Rie featuring in Terrace House

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In other news:

• The numbers are in once again for Gingham Check which clocked in at 1,279,151 sales total down from Ue Kara Mariko which sold about 1,300,000
• Be sure to take a look at Kenkyuusei Togo Soras final message to fans.
• Check out this post regarding a poll on whether or not Uza has the coolest PV ever. You know its true.
• Photos from AKB48’s Handshake and 2Shot event promotion for 1830m – Day 2
• Akimoto Sayaka says today’s AKB48 is too far from it’s fans.
• 2013 Calendar Senbatsu announced!

And before we go, a quick congratulations to Yokoyama Yui who has recently celebrated her 2nd anniversary since being promoted to team K!

Yokoyama Yui before Tokyo Dome – Full post here!

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As always, leave comments below about the weekly activities of AKB and their sister groups or feel free to leave us some feedback.

Have a great week.

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