2012-02-05, 05:43
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Link #41 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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Great opportunity for girls who wanted to be voice actors or love anime. here is a pic of mayuyu today. 
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2012-02-05, 08:09
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Link #42 |
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Senior Member
 Author
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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^
As always, she's really game for this.  Given that she's often in pigtails, no surprises for me if Mayuyu decides to cosplay as Yuriko Omega. ------------------ http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/02/akb...to-their-fans/ Again, I can only shake my head at the commenters (pro- and anti-AKB heatedly debating again), but if I have to say something about this, well... I'll never know if the so-called "no dating rule" exists but I think Akimoto should set in some proper guidelines whenever the girls peruse social networking sites (oh, wait, maybe there might be some rules like this right now): one slip of the tongue or a mistaken picture upload, and then kiss your career goodbye. But I bid good luck to those two girls, wherever they'll try to do something after their team stint.
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Last edited by sa547; 2012-02-09 at 13:55. |
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2012-02-08, 20:13
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Link #43 |
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うるとらぺど
Join Date: Oct 2004
Age: 44
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 So Takahashi's mother was apparently arrested for having a illicit relationship with a 15-year old boy according to this report. But how true do you think this ? The group is currently about the hottest thing in Japan and there will be people scheming to cash in on their popularity by any means possible. Now, on a positive note here :-  The Nakanishi siblings annouched their retirement from their deviant choice of career on their latest release. Let us hope for the best endeavour in whatever they choose to do next. Rina Nakanishi had mentioned something about "vocal training" in the blog under her alias, so it will appear she was looking for a come back. It remains to see how successful she will be after her strange choice of detour this past year or so. |
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2012-02-09, 10:18
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Link #44 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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It seems that the 15 year old was going around boasting about his relationship with the mom, so I do think the mom is a victim of her daughter's fame. But still, I just wished she had enough common sense to not sleep witha 15 year old. Yamaguchi Riko posted a message for Takahashi on her blog, and I thought that was sweet of her. I do hope Yamaguchi, her sister and Takamina have good things ahead. |
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2012-02-09, 11:19
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Link #45 |
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#1 Akashiya Moka Fan
Author
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Where magic is real
Age: 35
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So... I'm trying to give this huge group a chance (I actually found out about these gals thought Tokyopop and the newsletter they put out), and was wondering if any of you guys could give me some recommendations of stuff to take a look at? I've tried a couple, but with 16 girls on stage, it can be a little tricky to stay focused...
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2012-02-11, 03:09
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Link #46 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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Before that I couldn't tell apart one from the other. here is a preview i dont know where you can get a English version though... Watching Nemousu TV has helped too. Nemousu in Australia Basically, its best to watch them do something in groups of up to six, and start from there. You can also follow them on Google Plus too. They have english translations there... |
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2012-02-11, 05:51
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Link #47 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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Or try variety shows or dramas, that's how I get into them first.
Maeda Asuko and Oshima Yuko are both active in drama scene. Maeda 's Q10 and is pretty good and Oshima is great in Reinoryokusha Odagiri Kyoko no Uso and Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu. Majisuka Gakuen, while a terrible drama in itself, is weirdly enjoyable, kind of like those B-rated movies. It was also the drama that I get to learn most of the individual. Spoiler for Long Quote:
That kind of sucks, I hope it doesn't effect Takamina too much. Hate to say this, these things might happen all the time, but you just have to pay extra attention when your daughter is a public figure and one of the faces of the most popular idol group right now. I'm all for large age gap relationships, but is it really that hard for her (the mom) to find a 18 year old to sleep with? As for Nakanishi siblings, the jury still out on that. AV retirement is like pro sport retirement, they come back all the time. A lot of time is when they start to loose their popularity and they use retirement as get the focus back on them.
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2012-02-13, 08:20
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Link #48 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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Apparently the newspapers and TV shows did not cover the news too much because a) it is not Takamina but her mother and a 15 year old who are both not public figures. b) Akanishi Jin and Kuroki Meisa got pregnant and married so everyone rushed to cover that story. |
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2012-02-16, 05:06
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Link #50 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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But the problem is neither Kuroki nor Nakanishi reported the pregnancy and marriage to wither agents. So now they are expected to have to pay compensation to companies like Suzuki who are using Kuroki for the TV ads. |
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2012-02-16, 05:21
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Link #51 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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I can see the Agency getting pissed, Kuroki was just gaining steam this past year and half and is arguably on verge of breakthrough as a top talent (singing or acting wise). If this is true, it could derailed everything that she did.
Anyway back on AKB. I started watch more AKB only variety like Akabino and Nasuhodo High School. The more I watch, the more I like Takamina now. She might not be the cutest or the prettiest among the core members, but she really shines through in those shows that makes her looks attractive and cute.
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2012-02-22, 10:48
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Link #52 |
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Senior Member
Author
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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All right, Give Me Five! is out now, including the 34-minute PV (longest to date; watched it and quite an interesting look into the life of "irregular" night high school students -- the types who don't want to attend regular high school for many reasons, including victims of bullying, working on their own, or those who have to work for much of the day at the family shop).
Also, that girl, bar none she's still the Ace of Aces: http://www.tokyohive.com/2012/02/akb...obook-bukiyou/ She reminds me of one of my lady classmates back in the day...
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2012-02-23, 01:58
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Link #53 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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Really, the more I watch the shows about them or the variety shows they are involved in the more I fall in love with them. The fact that many within the group are ACG otakus themselves are bonus and what's surprising to me is that many of top members are all different then your usual stock idols image.
Atsuko is awesome, but right now my favorite is definitely Takamina, it hard to believe that in the beginning, she was the only member in the Kami 7 that I didn't like. BTW, Give Me Five! is another good song. I continues the typical AKB style with a nice chorus section that are both catching and emotional moving.
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2012-02-23, 06:02
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Link #54 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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I went and watched the 2nd AKB documentary movie, and my god, I am even more interested in the group.
They showed a good portion of the Seibu Dome live concert and how Acchan was hyperventilating and barely could perform, Yuko was also collapsing/ hyperventilating from the stress and heat, and takamina was also almost collapsing but went on stage to buy time for Acchan to recover, and ran the whole Seibu dome stage to keep the crowd happy. Many critics thought the movie was groundbreaking in that it showed behind the scenes moments that conventional idols would usually hide, like being elected first in the election, but purposely shooting the moment from behind the stage, so you could see that the castle stage and all the glamour up there is just props and nothing but wooden panels. I think any AKB fan should watch it, but only after you enjoy the glits and glamour of the group first…. Anyhow… Sashihara is signing up with Samantha Tabatha and will be on the cover of JJ. Sooo many people are complaining, but I think it’s just plain funny. I used to think Sasshi was really ugly, but she has polished off very well these days. |
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2012-02-24, 03:14
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Link #55 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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Sasshi's got that next door girl quality in her, that really are similar to other top member. And her dame-quality actually turn into a moe point for her similar the way Takamina is.
But really, when you look at, the top members in AKB all got their own weird personality and moe point and most of them are simply weird or have personality that doesn't match their given image (another moe point). Anyway speaking of documentary, I've also just finish watching the 2 hr TV special on Kin-SMA that air during new year. While many I already know, but to see it from the members eye. The special focused on the history, especially the original 5+ Mariko, from beginning to when they become first female group to ever won Japanese Record Award (Japan's Grammy) and the original memebers simply broken down. Really, when you look at it. The 5 originals and Mariko that are left on the team now all have their mental problems or quirks. It's not they never thought about quitting, when the time was bad, they just don't know what they can do if they quit or don't have the courage to quit. With that been said, it easily understandable why they would keep saying that the group like a big family especially among the first 2 generations. Not only that, just to think that at time they started the old original left KojiHaru was only 17 and even the 1.5 gen Mariko was just 19 with A-chan, TakaMina, and Tomochin all just 14 and Minegishi just turning 13. Not that I'm saying that Gen 2 and 3 didn't go through hardship, because they did and a lot also happen in the 2 and 3rd year, but they didn't have to go through the period where they have to perform in front a literally empty stage that gets as few as 7 in a 250 capacity theater. Nor did they when through doing 3 straight performance on weekends just hoping getting that 1 extra customers or have to personally go out before performance and give away already cheap 1000 yen (about $8-9 U.S. dollars) tickets. It incredible what they when through as they seeing their member getting smaller and smaller as more originals left and most of them are still in middle schools. They cling on the little Akiba/otaku fan crowd they have and slowly climb their way up. It also allows you to see that their success of past 2 year are really and culmation of the first 4 years of foundation building. They might not be the best singers nor the best dancer. But they know how to perform and catch your eye. Their stage experience of performing 400-500 stages for early members really shows on their live performances and PVs. Also compare to other group, their coordination and percision are also much better even compare to groups like SMAP and Arashi or ev, dare I say it, Exile. I still remember that about just over a year ago (2010) at end of the year Music Station Super Live Special, one of the biggest end of year event. Of all people, A-Chan make rare mistatke and tripped on her heel as she was kneeling down during a move. She quickly recover, keep her composure and finished the performance before the camera caught a little tear as they finished. What was even more amazing was that the rest of group didn't get shaken up and all kept their facial expression as nothing went wrong yet you can see them subtlety cover for Maeda to allow her get back on her feet. It that moment you realized that compare to their contemporary, they have much more performing experience and they performances isn't just out of blue.
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2012-02-25, 03:59
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Link #56 |
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Senior Member
Author
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philippines
Age: 47
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http://kotaku.com/5887919/girl-group...killing-itself
At first, the DPJ seemed to had their anti-suicide campaign sound wrong, which even made PM Noda feel uncomfortable. But then the DPJ fixed the gaffe by changing the slogan and asked the girls their help by endorsing it... and they agreed to appear on posters. What better way to spread the message than AKB? This'll give the team an added real positive PR bonus to their public profile, apart from helping out earthquake survivors and other acts of generosity.
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2012-02-25, 04:32
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Link #57 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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The cause is great and the girls did great job as they always do, but for some reason I want to beat the crap out of who ever wrote that article.
He obviously had knows nothing about the group's background or he won't be calling the girls as bubblegum girl band or their music trivial. Anyway, I sort of understand why they would do this. PR is one thing, but knowing some of their histories, there are quite a few of them that has withdrawn issues and bipolar personalities, especially the earlier generations but they went through them and get to the place they are, I can see members feels sympathetic. After all, with what they've being through in the earlier year, there are not many people knows more about light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel or hopes they they do.
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Last edited by Undertaker; 2012-02-25 at 04:57. |
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2012-02-26, 02:40
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Link #58 |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Half Australia, Half Tokyo, Bits and pieces in US
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"bubble gum" is the least appropriate word for these girls. thats for sure.
When you see the bashing they get on line and pressure to perform plus a killer schedule, i can barely understand how the main members can even be who they are. Let alone many of them seeming obviously socially awkward and probably depressed/ bipolar/ having anxiety attacks etc. I think they are the toughest batch of girls I have seen lately. I just wish more people knew that. Mariko only gets 3 hours sleep if that, and keeps updating twitter, blog and googleplus religiously. She did lose her hair because of the stress and now looks like a stick figure because she is so skinny. Not to mention acchan... I think at first glance using AKB for anti-suicide campaigns is a dumb idea, but if the group/ management has the guts to show the vulnerable side of the girls and really reach out to the fans, they could make a difference. I sometimes worry about what they will be left with after the boom is over though. |
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2012-02-26, 08:51
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Link #59 | |
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Imouto-Chan♥
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: England
Age: 30
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 Omg, I love GIVE ME FIVE! I so need to buy this single.. roll on payday!
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2012-02-26, 23:36
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Link #60 | ||||
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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If AKB is a group that just formed 3 years ago and got popular for last 2 year, fine. But the problem is that the group was formed over 6 years ago and stayed underground for over 3 years, call that as bubblegum is not really appropriate. Especially now after they won the Japanese Record Award and all the media is not trying to cover their early years and barrow record/practice tapes that AKB kept themselves, any self-respecting media members that has done some research will know about that and won't use that word to describe the group. Quote:
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The way I'm looking at is that AKB and related group was also slowing turning themselves into a farm system for idol industry. Every member in AKB48 used to belong to Office 48, once they got popular they start to transfer those rights to different agencies to the point now that members in 48 projects are really a farm for other digger agencies to scout and bid on. While 48 project provides the training and performance opportunities in their theaters. Keep in mind that even 3 years ago while they are still in mediocrity they are at least self sufficient. They still have their stage performances, so even if the media craze is over, I can still see the keep going like how Broadway shows are still on. Which is way after AKB started to get hot 2 years ago they opened up more theaters in major cities to form its own show/group such as SKE48 in Nagoya, NMB48 in Osaka, and the new HKT48 in Fukuoka. The third voting also shows that SKE and NMB are growing in their own popularity even without main AKB members performing showing that 48 project is marketing idol in a way that is more similar to a sport team than just idols which I believe can success in long term. Besides their stage ticket right now, while hard to get (and requires lottery drawing), are dirt cheap at 3,000 yen or about $36 where front row seat is just 5 feets away from the stage. Really, It's more interesting that once these curently core member start to leave what would happen. As of right now the core member are excelling in their own territories. Maeda and Oshima are excelling in acting scene. Takamina is great as MC for variety shows and her connection in music industry is growing and with her singing ability is also gaining approval from some top level artists. Mariko/Tomochin/Kojiharu are doing great at fashion and model area. Mayuyu is doing columns in magazines and heading into VA/manga industry. None of them currently seem overwhelmed by their field or lack ability to stay in the receptive industry. But Morning Musume is still fairly relevent and this is after their golden year member all left around 04 or 05. AKB right now is hotter and much better prepared due to their stage system so I really think that even once the craze end, they won't really disappear. Quote:
BTW, I start to listen to some of their older song and match them up with their time line and history and try to translate them better. After doing that... I concluded: Akimoto is a genius lyric writer. He was not kidding that the songs are either representative of the girls emotional state at time or the challenges they faces and included message he want to tell them. (especially the early members) A lot of those song might be romance or friendship related but when you break down the lyrics the messages are all there. No wonder he is widely acknowledged as one of the great writer and cultural personal in Japan BTW there are also 2 new oversea group that started late last year and this year. JKT48 in Indonesia last year and TPE48 this year in Taiwan. And three official merchandise shops in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taipei,Taiwan.
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Last edited by Undertaker; 2012-02-27 at 00:29. |
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