AKB48 (short for Akihabara48) is a Japanese all-female idol group based in Akihabara, Tokyo, where they have their own theater in Don Quijote. The group, established in 2005, is produced by Akimoto Yasushi and signed under EMI Records Japan/Universal Music Japan, originally from DefSTAR RECORDS/Sony Music Japan and You! Be Cool!/King Records. In addition, the group also has trainees called Kenkyuusei, and an international transference team, Team Kaigai. They hold the record for highest overall single sales for a female group on the Oricon charts and also hold the Guinness World Record for world's "largest pop group".
The group also has five sub-units: No Sleeves, established in 2008, Watarirouka Hashiritai 7, established in 2009, French Kiss, established in 2010, and Not yet and DiVA, both established in 2011. Many (former) members have debuted as soloists while part of AKB48: Kashiwagi Yuki, Fujita Nana, Ohori Megumi, Itano Tomomi, Maeda Atsuko, Watanabe Mayu, Iwasa Misaki, Takahashi Minami, Matsui Sakiko, Kasai Tomomi and Kuramochi Asuka. Some former AKB48 members debuted as soloists after their graduation: Oshima Mai, Hoshino Michiru, Ono Erena, Hayano Kaoru, Oku Manami, Sato Amina, Masuda Yuka, Goto Moe and Cho Kurena.
AKB48 also has sister groups (both Japanese and international except the now independent SNH48), addressed under the term of AKB48 Group. Meanwhile, its rival groups are Nogizaka46 and its sister groups Sakurazaka46 and Hinatazaka46, adressed under the term of Sakamichi Series.
Some notable members of AKB48 include Miyawaki Sakura, Yabuki Nako and Honda Hitomi, all who are former members of the group. The former two members previously held concurrent positions while they were members of AKB48's sister group HKT48.
Members[]
Click here for a full list of current and graduated members.
Japanese Sister Groups[]
Active[]
- SKE48 (SaKaE48 | Nagoya Sister Group in Sakae, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan)
- NMB48 (NaMBa48 | Osaka Sister Group in Namba, Osaka, Japan)
- HKT48 (HaKaTa48 | Fukuoka Sister Group in Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan)
- NGT48 (NiiGaTa48 | Niigata Sister Group in Niigata, Niigata, Japan)
- STU48 (SeToUchi48 | Setouchi Sister Group in Setouchi, Okayama, Japan)
Disbanded[]
- SDN48 (SaturDay Night48 | Mature Sister Group of AKB48 in Tokyo, Japan)
- OJS48 (OJiSan48 | Osaka, Japan | Security Guards of AKB48)
International Sister Groups[]
Active[]
- JKT48 (JaKarTa48 | Indonesian Sister Group in Jakarta, Indonesia)
- BNK48 (BaNgKok48 | Thai Sister Group in Bangkok, Thailand)
- MNL48 (MaNiLa48 | Filipino Sister Group in Manila, Philippines)
- AKB48 Team SH (AKihaBara48 Team SHanghai | Sister Group in Shanghai, China)
- AKB48 Team TP (AKihaBara48 Team TaiPei | Taiwanese Sister Group in Taipei, Taiwan)
- CGM48 (ChianG Mai48 | Thai Sister Group in Chiang Mai, Thailand | Chiang Mai Sister Group of BNK48)
- KLP48 (Kuala LumPur48 | Malaysian Sister Group in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Disbanded[]
- TPE48 (TaiPEi48 | Taiwanese Sister Group in Taipei, Taiwan; Rebranded to AKB48 Team TP)
- SHY48 (SHenYang48 | Sister Group of SNH48 in Shenyang, Liaoning, China)
- SGO48 (SaiGOn48 | Vietnamese Sister Group in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
- MUB48 (formerly MUM48 (MUMbai48) | MUmBai48 | Indian Sister Group in Mumbai, India)
- DEL48 (DELhi48 | Indian Sister Group in Delhi, India)
Independent[]
- SNH48 (ShaNgHai48 | Independent Chinese Sister Group of AKB48 in Shanghai, China) (Independent in June 2016)
- BEJ48 (BEiJing48 | Sister Group of SNH48 in Beijing, China)
- GNZ48 (GuaNgZhou48 | Sister Group of SNH48 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China)
- CKG48 (ChongKinG48 | Sister Group of SNH48 in Chongqing, China)
- CGT48 (ChenGTu48 | Sister Group of SNH48 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China)
Rival Groups[]
Active[]
Inactive[]
Disbanded[]
| To see more of AKB48 you can visit their main page on AKB48 Wiki |
|---|
