AKB Members Recognition Ranking

Tommy Kono May 7, 2012

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Through the group’s name, AKB48 is widely known to almost the entire population of Japan as well as their dedicated fans spread out through a number of countries. However, even for fans with more than 1 year of career as AKB Ota, it’s difficult to remember all the names and faces of members of AKB48. That means that if you ask the public who they recognize among the ranks of AKB48, there will be a drastic difference between recognition of Media Senbatsu members and members who rarely appear in mainstream media. This trend proves that AKB is the most hierarchical idol group in existence, which reflects the structure of the idol world as it exists today.

From two channel “National Recognition Ranking Of AKB members (with 100 point Atsuko Maeda as a reference point of comparison)“

“
Acchan 100
KitaRie 50
Suzuran 10
Nakamata (Shiori Nakamata) 1

Please complete the ranking of the rest members!! Acchan is 100.
“
Recent broadcast of BINGO conducted a survey like this for team 4 members like Ohba (Minarun) or Shimaba (Haruu), but it was too high compared to the reality!
And I think Tomochin is more widely recognized than Yuko.
A lot of people mix up Yuko with Takamina.
“
Maybe it’s puzzling for AKB Ota, but
Sayaka 100
“
Minegishi, Sae 65
“
Kojiharu 75
Mariko-sama 80
“
The coach of Pro Baseball club Yumiuri Giants, Mr.Hara could say the names of Acchan and Takamina.
“
If Acchan is 100, I think KitaRie is about 20 or below.
Most of ordinary people know Acchan, but people who know KitaHara are almost all AKB Ota.
“
Tentative ranking

100 Acchan
95 Rino Sashihara, Sayaka
90 Mariko, Yuko, Tomochin
80 Minami Takahashi
75 Kojiharu
70 Yukirin, Mayuyu
65 Minami Minegishi, Sae Miyazawa
60 Shizuka Ohya
50 Rie Kitahara
45 Akicha, Kaoru Mitsumune
40 Yui Yokoyama
30 SayaNee, Jurina, Chuu
15 Milky, Mocchii
10 Suzuran, Fresh Lemon (Miorin)
5 Amina, Yuka Masuda, Myao (Miho Miyazaki)
1 Shiori Nakamata

According to your opinions, I put numbers to main members.
“
I think Yuihan’s position and Chuu’s should be the opposite.
“
I think Kaoru’s place will be somewhere between Siichan and KitaRie since she is playing a supportive role of popular Drama Ataru.
“
Okay revised tentative ranking became like this,

100 Acchan
95 Rino Sashihara, Sayaka
90 Mariko, Yuko, Tomochin
80 Minami Takahashi
75 Kojiharu
70 Yukirin, Mayuyu
65 Minami Minegishi, Sae Miyazawa
60 Shizuka Ohya
55 Kaoru Mitsumune
50 Rie Kitahara
45 Akicha
40 Chuu
30 SayaNee, Jurina, Yui Yokoyama
15 Milky, Mocchii
10 Suzuran, Fresh Lemon (Miorin)
5 Amina, Yuka Masuda, Myao (Miho Miyazaki)
1 Shiori Nakamata

I want to make this more detailed…. Need me your opinions!
“
Sashiko is about as same as Kojiharu.
Takamina may be higher a bit.
Minagishi is more popular than 2 members at 70.
“
If Takamina is in this position, you can decrease the points of 90 and 95 members.
“
Yuttan (Yuka) can have at least 15.
“
Don’t you think Kaoru is overrated? She is about 40, I think.
“
Tentative Ranking

100 Acchan
99 Yuko
95 Rino Sashihara, Sayaka
94 Mariko
93 Tomochin
90 Minami Takahashi
85 Kojiharu
75 Minami Minegishi
74 Mayuyu
70 Yukirin
65 Sae Miyazawa
60 Shizuka Ohya
55 Kaoru Mitsumune
50 Rie Kitahara
45 Akicha
40 Chuu
38 Yui Yokoyama
35 SayaNee
30 Jurina
20 Mocchii
15 Milky
13 Suzuran
11 Fresh Lemon (Miorin)
10 Myao (Miho Miyazaki)
9 Amina, Yuka Masuda
1 Shiori Nakamata

I revised again. How do you think? Personally, I think Sae-chan deserves this position…
“
I think except 神8, Sayaka, Sashiko and Minegishi, most people don’t recognize them…
“
Really? Is Minegishi so popular???
“

100 Acchan, Yuko
95 Tomochin, Mariko
90 Sayaka, Rino Sashihara
85
80 Minami Takahashi
75 Kojiharu
70 Yukirin, Mayuyu
65
60 Minami Minegishi
55
50
=======Wall========
40 Sae Miyazawa
30 Rie Kitahara, Chuu
25 Jurina, Rena
20 SayaNee, Nana Yamada, Miyuki Watanabe
15 Yui Yokoyama, Akicha, Kaoru
10 Mochii, Miorin, Suzuran
5 Amina, Yuka Masuda, Myao
1 Shiori Nakamata

I think it’s gonna be like this.

As for NMB members, most of people saw their faces through TV Ads but don’t know names.
W-Matsui (Jurina and Rena) are I think hard to differentiate each other for ordinary people, but most people knows their family name because they’re W-Matsui.
“
Mayuyu has more media exposure these days after she turned 18 y/o.
“
Ranking (of Warota members)

80 Mayuyu
15 Lovetan, Harugon
10 Kikuchi, Komorin, Wasamin
5 Cindy
“
If Acchan is 100, then Yuko, Mariko and Tomochin is also 100.
Those faces and nicknames are widely recognized throughout the nation.
Coming next are Kojiharu, Sayaka and Sashiko, maybe they are 90
Then Takamina at 80

Familiarity drastically goes down from this point and Mayyu, Yukirin and Minegishi may be at 60.
Most people don’t care the rest members except Ota.
“
100 Acchan, Yuko
90 Mariko, Tomochin
80
70 Takamina, Kojiharu, Sashiko
60 Sayaka, Minegishi
50
40
30 Yukirin
20
10 Mayuyu, Rena, Jurina
0 Others

I think most people know names and faces of 4 members at 100 and 90.
If they are the people who watch TV frequently, then they naturally know 5 members at 70 and 60.
Honestly the rest members are not known to general public at all.
“
I think Mocchii may be well known to Baseball fans!!
“
At this point, Wasamin is known as Enka singer rather than AKB member.
She made appearances in NHK’s Kayokyoku Concert twice,
and also in other 2 music program, totaled about 30 appearances on TV.
She has been constantly holding Live events and steadily increasing her popularity!
“
I think Sayaka is more popular among general public than Kojiharu and Takamina.
“
My classmates pretend to be AKB Ota but they only knows names of Media Senbatsu members.
When we talk about not well known members such as Suzuran, they’re gonna beg me for help.
“
Ordinary people can’t even distinguish Yuko and Takamina.
“
They’re not ordinary people but people who saw AKB for the first time. And initially I was like them like everyone else.
Those people aren’t not only interested in AKB but entertainment in general, but we can’t say they’re ordinary.
“
100 Acchan, Yuko
95 Tomochin
90 Mariko, Sashiko
85
80 Sayaka
75
70 Takamina, Kojima
65
60
55
50 Yukirin
45 Mayuyu
40 Minegishi
35
30 Sae
25 KitaRie, Chuu
20 Takajo, Rena
15 Jurina
10 Mochii, Shiichan, Yuihan
5 Wasamin, Paruru, Kaoru
1 Others

Making appearance in TV music show as a Senbatsu member, co-starring midnight TV programs such as AKBINGO, or ARIYOSHI, those things never increase each member’s popularity.
I made this ranking based on,
1. Whether they make an appearance in TV programs which general public watch
2. Whether they star TV commercials solo
And because it’s recognition or familiarity, not popularity, I gave Tomochin, Sashiko and Sayaka good scores.
“
I think your ranking is almost perfect except Sashiko, who may be at lower position.
It’s only recently that she’s started making regular appearance in Waratte Iitomo, and Sayaka has a more distinctive face.
I think older generations can’t remember Sashiko’s face!
They tend to remember unique faces but Sashiko has a really plain face!!
“

From my point of view, it is difficult to tell, but when I was in Japan 3 years ago, the members who had the most exposure in mainstream media were definitely Tomochin and Mariko, who starred in TV ads for E-Mobile and So-Net, respectively. It’s hard to see Acchan’s face on TV if I don’t watch music programs, and I watched those infrequently. But for me, a girl who has left the biggest impression among all AKB members is Jurina. I first saw her in the TV program which featured SKE’s audition for 1st gen members. When AkiP first saw her performance, he (and the other staff present) appeared as if they were in awe of her, and afterward excitedly commented to the camera “I found a rough diamond (diamond in the rough)…!!!”. However, it’s not only AkiP but everyone, including me, who were very impressed by the 11 y/o girl who had and still has a charismatic aura like super Saiyan.