^
By wider audience you mean anime fans who are non AKB fans? I think there's alot of high expectation and skepticism from anime fans, especially the hardcore ones, concerning this anime. Being Japan's national idol is one thing but able to make a good anime is another. But since AKB name is attach to this, people who aren't anime fans might watch this too.
anyway if it's just for fans only, they wouldn't spend so much money casting popular seiyuus. Fans would just be happy hearing the girls' voices.
It's hard to tell right now before the show start out anyway...especially with this lack of information <__<
Even if it's just targeting their fanbase, they can still pull in 3-4% viewership (same with their AKBINGO nightly show) which is pretty well for a non jump/original anime and air at late night.
My only concern about this is...despite the people they hired I wonder how serious they are about this anime because there hasn't really been a promotional attempt for this show at all. AKB is practically omnipresent in Tokyo promoting everything from coffees to shoes with posters practically all over Shibuya, even taking over the 109 just for their music video collection DVD release, poster all over train station, actually taking over train stations just to promote candy
http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/03/akb...nirs-of-tokyo/, Harajuku etc but I hasn't heard or seen any billboard for this show....They seem pretty lazy promoting this project compare to their other releases but they obviously spend alot on this...