27th August At AKB Theater Will Be Atsuko Maeda’s Last Stage As A Member Of AKB48

Tommy Kono May 24, 2012

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Atsuko Maeda will wrap up 6 years of her history as the Center of Japanese idol group AKB48 on 27th August this year at AKB Theater in Akihabara.

On the final day of Minogashita Kimitachie 2 Revue concert series, it’s announced that AKB48‘s upcoming Tokyo Dome concert will be held from 24-26th in this August. As AKB48’s producer Yasushi Akimoto previouly stated, Acchan will graduate on the following day of TD concert, which means 27th August at AKB theater will be her last stage as a member of AKB48.

The biggest surprise was made during the encore call from fans…. as fans start chanting, the stage screen starts to play the footage of Minami Takahashi visiting the HQ of Yomiuri Newspaper, the owner of professional baseball team Yomiuri Giants, whose home venue is TD, and the largest news agency in Japan. She met the chairman of the company Tsuneo Watanabe, one of the most powerful business person in Japan. During the conversation of the two, Mr. Watanabe revealed the schedule of AKB’s TD concert.
While Takamina was taken a back, saying “I’m sorry….. I haven’t heard this until now….”, Mr. Watanabe assured her and AKB48’s success in the upcoming concert, stated “Stadium will be filled with over 40 thousands fans…. total over 100 thousands fans for 3days will share this memorial moments with you. This is gonna be the biggest concert in the history of Japan!!“.

Standing on the stage in front of 2 thousands of fans, Acchan, dressed in the costume she originally wore in 2005, the first stage of AKB48, said “I will show my performance many times until the last moment, and I hope these stage will remain in your memories..

Today’s stage A1st Party ga Hajimaruyo is the oldest setlist of AKB48, which was originally performed on 8th Dec on 2005, the first stage of AKB48, and mainly performed by 1 and 2gen members.

Cast for A1th Party ga Hajimaruyo in Minogashita Kimitachie2 Revival Revue concert series: Haruna Kojima, Rino Sashihara, Mariko Shinoda, Aki Takajo, Minami Takahashi, Atsuko Maeda, Natsumi Matsubara, Tomomi Itano, Ayaka Umeda, Yuko Oshima, Minami Minegishi, Sae Miyazawa, Yui Yokoyama, Tomomi Kasai, Rie Kitahara, Yuka Masuda

As AKB48’s official blog is titled “~Road to TOKYO DOME~”, TD concert has been a dream goal of AKB48 since the beginning of the group in 2005. Captain of team A, the only team of AKB48 back in 2005, Minami Takahashi said “The schedule of AKB48’s first Tokyo Dome concert was announced. On the following day, Acchan will graduate AKB48, so you may think this will mark the end or turning point of AKB48. But we will change this goal into the starting point, and I hope AKB48 will keep growing with you.”