[AKB48] ★Welcome to Japan's Most Sophisticated Show in the 4th Thread★

[Ranma Matsuri]

Shiichan's situation is weird... because looking at her photos you see this really pretty girl but whenever she's on video it's like... eeeeggadddd. She photographs really well but sadly that isn't the case on film.

Aamin looked pretty good to me though. :x

NGL, the full PV actually made me tear up some. xD It's so simple and sweet and I love the symbolism of having the two eldest members as teachers standing by and watching over the younger generations as they compete... even Miichan and Kojiharu had a calm seniority to their characters. Mariko is seriously so perfect as center ;^; . She just has this quality to her that brings a unity to the group in a way I personally haven't seen outside the theater. AKB48 singles tend to feel like a showcase for the girls on top but this... I dunno, it's beautiful really. I say people start petitioning Aki-P to make her permanent center until she leaves... the same method got her into the group in the first place, it could work.

[NintendoHTF1242]

So I play this game called League of Legends. It's a free RTS game with over 80+ different "champions" you can play. You can also do special interactions with the characters. One is letting them dance. Nearly all the dances are a reference to something (one character does Thriller by Michael Jackson, another one does the Techno Viking)

But this one character in particular does one I immediately recognized



Awesome, right? =D

[dreamland2.0]

OMG lol that's awesome!

[Polyrhythm]

LMAO I don't play LoL but that's hilarious.

[dreamland2.0]

Ue Kara Mariko is the most flawless single released this year.

[Mary-Tina]

VSK (new masked/mysterious rock idol band) has revealed their cover of AKB48's 'Heavy Rotation'

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by Mary-Tina

VSK (new masked/mysterious rock idol band) has revealed their cover of AKB48's 'Heavy Rotation'

Oh no... Oh no...

[adantatu2]

^^I really like it

[Amrai-chan]

There was a video with previews to the rest of their covers as well. It's okay. I feel like when it comes to AKB covers a lot are pretty good but the vocals kind of bother me. I've heard metal covers and it sounded too 80s metal to me. Then there was also this punk cover.

[Polyrhythm]

Best Hebirote performance ever (despite the lack of Erepyon....)

[Bigtop]

Don't expect that they're going to sell a million copies in just a single day unlike their past two singles...

[bondingo]

^ I swear to god, I never understand your posts. They're always so random, abrupt, and weird.

And they very well may with Mariko as center. She's extremely popular, and this song seems to have had more of a push here than Kaze.

[PoetGirl]

new single is just perfect!

[dreamland2.0]

^Yay! Glad you think so too!

And yes MAYBE not a million in a day but it is an EXTREMELY high possibility of over a million overall.

@bondingo: Please share anything else interesting about AKB in Japan if you can! You can only learn so much from an international fandom.

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by dreamland2.0

And yes MAYBE not a million in a day but it is an EXTREMELY high possibility of over a million overall.

That was something that I wanted to clarify here - sales are going to go over a million, but I'm guessing they won't get a million in a single day...

...and I was right: 959,280. http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/d/2011-12-06/more/1/

[dreamland2.0]

Ue Kara Mariko's first day sales - #1 (obviously) with 959,280 sold!
Oh yessssssssss!!!!!!!

[Bigtop]

Take that, AKB48 haters:

AKB48 breaks records and has their 4th consecutive first week million selling single

AKB48’s 24th single “Ue Kara MARIKO” has come in as the 5th highest selling single in its first week. This track sold 1,199,000 copies, naturally making it the number one single for the week of December 19th. AKB48 has also created a historic first, being the first artists ever to sell four consecutive “First Week Million” singles. Additionally, all five of their singles this year have sold one million copies.

In September, AKB48 held their “2nd Janken Tournament” at the Nippon Budokan, where the eldest member, Shinoda Mariko (25) took the center position for the first time. It’s great that Shinoda and 16 other members who became part of the “Janken Senbatsu” based on luck were able to sing this song and achieve this big record.

AKB48 has had five consecutive million selling singles, as their hit track from February “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” has sold 1,079,000 copies and altogether they have sold six total million singles when you include their song from 2010; “Beginner”.

AKB48 has surpassed Pink Lady, Amuro Namie, Hamasaki Ayumi (yes, our own Ayu), and Utada Hikaru (whoa, really!?) to become the top female artists with the most million selling singles. The group is currently tied with Morning Musume for having the most number one singles for a female artist; which is 11. AKB48 is currently tied with GLAY with 5 consecutive million selling singles. GLAY has held the record since February 22, 1999, with their single “Winter, again”; that’s 12 years and 10 months.

“Ue Kara MARIKO” is the first single without the group’s ace Maeda Atsuko; who has been in every single since their indies debut back in February 2006. Other popular Senbatsu members like Oshima Yuko and Takahashi Minami were also absent from the single.

AKB48 has already announced that their next single will be released on February 15, 2012 and will be a sakura themed song.

–

[Highest First Week Sales]

1. AKB48 “Flying Get” (August 24, 2011) – 1,354,000 copies

2. AKB48 “Everyday, Kachuusha” (May 25, 2011) – 1,334,000 copies

3. AKB48 “Kaze wa Fuiteiru” (October 26, 2011) – 1,300,000 copies

4. Mr. Children “Na mo Naki Uta” (February 5, 1996) – 1,208,000 copies

5. AKB48 “Ue Kara MARIKO” (December 7, 2011) – 1,199,000 copies

–

[Female Artists With A Million Singles Sold]

1. 6 singles – AKB48 “Ue Kara MARKO (December 19, 2011)

2. 5 singles – Pink Lady “Monster” (September 4, 1978)

2. 5 singles – Amuro Namie “CAN YOU CELEBRATE?” (March 10, 1997)

2. 5 singles – Utada Hikaru “Can You Keep A Secret?” (March 5, 2001)

2. 5 singles – Hamasaki Ayumi “H (independent, July 1st, HANABI)” (November 25, 2002)

==

Source: Oricon via tokyohive

Also a new sakura-themed spring single in the works... Here comes the pattern once again...

[Polyrhythm]

I'm getting sick of the "pattern" but I do love their Sakura singles.

[~Amy~]

Why is Mariko Shinoda so popular? o.o

[dreamland2.0]

^She has lots of modeling/cm gigs and is considered a fashion leader in AKB so she has lots of female fans. She is quite mature, stylish and pretty, and funny too and is also kind to the members. However for this single she won the 'rock paper scissors tournament' and that's why she is the centre for this single.