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But that's how the way things works isn't it? It's all just bunch of numbers game...

Yeah, Yudou and Youku are pretty useful (for me anyway), while they do block IP in some video, it can easily be solved with a little plugin on Chrome...

Anyway, take you time. While I don't expect everyone to like them, I do want people's misconception (especially in West) to change. I mean a lot of western people got this misconception about the group with Heavy Rotation MV, Pucchi Kiss CM, bloody Beginner MVs.

Heavy Rotation MV in particular is featured in English wiki page as a controversies that made to CNN coverage and various articles on English blogs for it's sexual content that deem as inequlalit. But in reality, eastern people didn't give a damn about it in terms of sexuality. Was is unusual? Sure, but most Eastern Asaisn only thought was that the MV is cute and it was one the the best liked MV at time and objectifying women was never an issue. Not to mention that it was directed by a famous female directer in Japan, and the fact that the song had just as many female fans than male fans if not more. Which also leads to that the misconception that AKB fans are all male when the closest data shown that that its fan spread is about 55:45 in gender (male/female) and around 15% of their fans are over 50s. (though I seriously doubt they are buying the CDs, and are fan due to the TV shows they appears as guest on)

I would have understand the argument behind AKB Business Model, but even than the most of their marketing strategeies were nothing new in other hobbies-related/luxury items industry like toys, trading cards, videogames, anime, manga, etc.

The only thing that really stood out was when their 8th single "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" actually violated Japanese business laws with their distributing and marketing method. But that was the call on the record company (DefStar) side not AKS (AKB's management) as AKS has been operating at break even point at time. And with that event, DefStar void the contract and effectively push AKB back into loss state. Though that event also changed direction of the way AKB operates since then which basically turns them into a talent training, farm system for large agencies.

Haha, that reminds me of that Kids React show on Youtube, when one kid said that if you had a lot (of members), viewers are bound to find one they like.

I watch Japanese RAWs. To a degree, I can do Chinese too.

As for the links you posted, I might take a look at them when I have free time.
(Lol, Tudou. I was introduced to that site by one of my sister's friends when I was in China last year. Don't really use it though.)

Agree, but like I said, that documentary serves more of an entry point to the endless hole that is AKB.

The message is really simple though, in AKB Akimoto created a group that unlike ones before who are able to communicate to the fans and allows fans to see them grow from nothing into star.

What got me into this group was 4 year ago in a late night drama "Strange Cases of Shiori and Shimako" (I think), in that drama, as the #2 role, Maeda Atsuko out shine the main role. Before then, I did know of AKB, but my image of them was a poor-men's version of Morning Musume, which I had no interest.

Since then I start to watch more drama and varieties with AKB members in them they they all had some sort of demeanor that other many teen celebraty lacks which got me start to follow them and try out their music. Then as more I learned about the history ad how their songs ties into that history and what the members are like it was too late. This is the first time in my life I've like an artist enough that not only did I bought the CDs, I even bought concert DVDs and documentaries.


Anyway, Akimoto rarely appears on TV. He's busy enough as is as one of the most powerful man in Japanese entertainment even without AKB, even AKB members themselves hardly sees him and only older members get to communicate with him on consistent basis. But as that documentary mentioned, almost every song had a message Akimoto wanted the fans to know and is a reflection to the members/group's state of mind at time. That is even more apparent in their stage songs and sub units songs.

Besides, their music had a lot of variety in them and once you add stage songs into that list, it almost impossible to to find a song you won't enjoy. The AKB Thread has some links posted on their stage music or older lessor known singles.

BTW, can you read or Chinese or watching Japanese raw?

If you are still interested, they have 2 official documentary out, "DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued" and "DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 Show must go on" these documentary covers the year 2010 and 2011 the two years their popularity explodes and gives you inside on how the older member that and now left views these situation.

When I watched they, I was surprised by their maturity, you can also watch the speeches of their yearly election, it also shows a lot about who they are individually.

To be Continued:
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/MvOqMQvnzwA/

Show Must Go On:
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNDA1MzcyMjA0.html

I recommend "To be Continued" more than "Show Must Go On", while deserving so and understandable, there are just a bit too much emphasis on the aftermath of Japan Earthquake last year.

AKBingo 20100707/0714 History of AKB Q&A:

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/OUjRge3WmP8/
http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/jdKyz6X4_kY/

Finished watching them (not much to do anyways), but it wasn't bad. Too much dramatization and showing girls on TV cry, but documentaries are always interesting to watch (to a degree, depending on the topic). I'd prefer an hour of Akimoto talking about his ideas over the AKB's private life stories though.

RDF2050 posted a link here in the AKB thread:

http://forums.animesuki.com/showthre...82#post4254182


It's a fan translated TV special that aired at the beginning of the year after they won Japane's top music award, the Japan Record Award.

Obvious it had some dramatization, but it depict most of the external challenges the group faced and gone through so give it a shot if you are interested it's only about an hour and half.

As for internal and individual struggles, that's something you do after dive into this endless hole.