AKB48

AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group. AKB48 currently consists of 67 members divided into three teams: Team A , Team K and Team B. Team A and K contain 22 members, while Team B contain 23 members. Unlike other idol groups in Japan, AKB48 are theatre-based and have their own theatre in Akihabara (a district in Tokyo, Japan) where they perform once every weekday, and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. The theatre is set up on the 8th floor of Don Quixote.

In December 2005, the group debuted in the theatre with only 20 girls, later known as Team A. A new audition was announced, this audition was held in cooperation with Japanese telecom company NTT DoCoMo. It was the first audition ever where the applicants had to send in their audition video with their mobile phones. 19 of the 11,892 applicants were chosen to join AKB48, but in the end only 18 girls joined the group to become Team K in April 2006.

Their debut single dropped in February 2006, which made it to #10 on Oricon charts and sold 22,011 units in its first week. By far, all title songs released as a single has been made a tie-up song for a tv show, a movie or for a commercial. On December 31 2007, 46 members of AKB48 appeared on the 58th Annual Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time. They sang as part of the Akihabara performance, they became the most number of people in a single group to be on stage at one time.

AKB48's 13th single '10??' (Junen Sakura) which was released on March 04 2009, made into number three of Oricon chart on the first week, becoming the first single for AKB48 to sell over 100,000 copies. AKB48's latest single '???????????' ('Ponytail and Chou chou' or 'Ponytail to Shushu') was first on Oricon weekly singles sales and has sold over 600,000 copies so far.

AKB48 has several spin-off groups, including Diva, ???????-? (No Sleeves), ??????? 7 (Watarirouka Hashiritai 7), Not yet and ??????? (French Kiss). AKB48 also have "temporary" spin-off groups, including AKB??????!!! (AKBIdolling!!!), Queen & Elizabeth and ????????? (Nattou Angels).

AKB48 also have the sister groups SKE48, SDN48 and NMB48. There also a group called OJS48. But in 2011 it was announced 3 new groups: HKT48 (in Fokuoka, Japan), JKT48 (the first 48 group outside of Japan, in Jakarta - Indonesia) and TPE48 (second 48 group outside of Japan, in Taipei)

AKB48's Team A:
Their team color is Pink.

Iriyama Anna (???? Annin)
Iwata Karen (??? Karen)
Izuta Rina (????? Izuriina)
Kasai Tomomi (???? Tomo~mi)
Kawaei Rina (????? Ricchan)
Kikuchi Ayaka (???? Ayarin)
Kobayashi Marina (?????? Marin-chan)
Kotani Riho (??? Ripopo) (NMB48)
Matsui Sakiko (?? Sakiko)
Morikawa Ayaka (??? Aaya)
Nakamata Shiori (???? Shiorin)
Nakatsuka Tomomi (????? Tomochan)
Nito Moeno (??? Moeno)
Oshima Ryoka (?????? Ryoochan)
Sato Natsuki (N, ??? Nacchi)
Sato Sumire (????? Suuchan)
Shinoda Mariko (????? Mariko-sama, ???? Maririn) (Captain)
Takahashi Juri (??? Juri)
Takahashi Minami (???? Takamina) (AKB48 Captain)
Tano Yuuka (????? Tano-chan)
Watanabe Mayu (??? Mayuyu)
Yokoyama Yui (???? Yuihan)

AKB48's Team K:
Their team colour is Green.

Abe Maria (??? Maria)
Akimoto Sayaka (??? Sayaka, ?????Akigori)
Chikano Rina (????? Chikariina)
Fujita Nana (??? Naana)
Itano Tomomi (???? Tomochin)
Kitahara Rie (???? Kitarie)
Kuramochi Asuka (???? Mocchi)
Kobayashi Kana (?? Kana)
Matsubara Natsumi (????? Nattsumii)
Miyazaki Miho (??? Myao)
Masuda Yuka (?? Yuka)
Maeda Ami (???? Aamin)
Muto Tomu (?? Tomu)
Matsui Jurina (???? Jurina) (SKE48)
Nagao Mariya (???? Mariyagi)
Nakata Chisato (????? Chiichan)
Nakaya Sayaka (???? Nakayan)
Oshima Yuko (??? Yuuko) (Captain)
Sato Amina (??? Amina)
Suzuki Shihori (???? Shihorin)
Shimada Haruka (??? Haruu)
Uchida Mayumi (???? Ucchii)

AKB48's Team B:
Their team colour is Blue.

Umeda Ayaka (????? Umechan) (Captain)
Ishida Haruka (????? Harukyan)
Komori Mika (???? Komorin)
Kashiwagi Yuki (???? Yukirin)
Kojima Haruna (???? Kojiharu, ????? Harunyan)
Oya Shizuka (????? Shiichan)
Iwasa Misaki (???? Wasamin)
Katayama Haruka (????? Haachan)
Fujie Reina (????? Reinyan)
Nonaka Misato (??? Micha)
Tanabe Miku (???? Tanamin)
Minegishi Minami (????? Miichan)
Oba Mina (???? Minarun)
Nakamura Mariko (??? Komari)
Kato Rena (???? Renacchi)
Ichikawa Miori (???? Miorin)
Shimazaki Haruka (??? Paruru)
Yamauchi Suzuran (???? Ran Ran)
Takeuchi Miyu (???? Miyu Miyu)
Kojima Natsuki (???? Nattsun)
Natori Wakana (????? Wakanyan)
Watanabe Miyuki (???? Milky/Mirukii) (NMB48)
Ishida Anna (??? Anna) (SKE48)

AKB48's Research Students (Kenkyuusei).

Omori Miyuu - 12th Generation (???? Miyupon)
Sasaki Yukari - 12th Generation (???? Yukarun)
Hirata Rina - 12th Generation (???? Hirarii/Hillary)
Eguchi Aimi - 12.5 Generation (??? Aimi)
Aigasa Moe - 13th Generation (????? Moechan)
Iwatate Saho - 13th Generation (???? Sahhoo)
Umeta Ayano - 13th Generation (???? Umetan)
Okada Ayaka - 13th Generation (???? Ayayan)
Kitazawa Saki - 13th Generation (???? Sakkii)
Shinozaki Ayana - 13th Generation (???? Sahhoo)
Takashima Yurina - 13th Generation (???? Yuurin)
Murayama Yuiri - 13th Generation (???? Yuirii)
Mogi Shinobu - 13th Generation (????? Mogichan)
Hashimoto Hikari - 14th Generation (??? Hikari)
Kojima Mako - 14th Generation (???? Gojimako)
Maeda Mitsuki - 14th Generation (??? Mitsuki)
Nishino Miki - 14th Generation (????? Mikichan)
Okada Nana - 14th Generation (????? Naachan)
Uchiyama Natsuki - 14th Generation (???? Nakkii)