AKB48 – SoraNews24 -Japan News-

While there are already a number of musical artists who achieved fame through YouTube, no one yet has done it quite like GILLE, a mysterious Japanese singer who became an online sensation for her English covers of Japanese pop songs.

GILLE first gained attention after uploading a cover of AKB48’s “Flying Get” (see below) to YouTube in February 2012. The video became an instant hit and has since drawn over 2.8 million views from 163 countries. She was then signed to Universal Music Japan in March and recorded her first full-length album, “I AM GILLE”, which was released on July 18.

English covers of Japanese songs are also nothing new, but GILLE nails it better than anyone has with lyrics that retain the meaning of the Japanese song without sounding awkward against the original rhythm and tempo. It doesn’t hurt that she has an impressively versatile voice either.

Despite her talent, GILLE initially tried to maintain anonymity by never showing her face in her videos, hoping to reach people with her voice “irrespective of [her] nationality or appearance.”

However, GILLE’s Japanese nationality was revealed in an announcement that the “Flying Get” cover had been endorsed by AKB48 executive producer Akimoto Yasushi in late June.

During a televised interview earlier this month (she again appeared as a silhouette), attentive Japanese fans were able to put another piece of the puzzle when they noticed she spoke with an accent particular to Miyazaki prefecture.

Unable to hide her identity any longer, GILLE stepped out of the shadows on July 17, the day before her CD release, and revealed herself as TAHSA gee, a Miyazaki-born singer who studied music at a university in Los Angeles.

While she may not be the enigma she once was, GILLE continues to humbly hide her face from the public, even during live performances. Not that the public seems to mind: “I AM GILLE” debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes music chart and her videos continue to rack up thousands of views per day.

Now all that remains to be seen is if GILLE’s renditions of Japanese pop music can help the genre break through the English-speaking mainstream market. The competition is tough, that’s for sure.

To keep up with GILLE, be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. You can also purchase her debut album “I AM GILLE” from Amazon or digitally from iTunes.

Source: YouTube, Aramatheydidnt!, GILLE Official Site

▼ The video that started it all: “Flying Get”

▼ The AKB48 version for comparison

▼ Another AKB48 hit: “Ponytail and Chouchou”

▼ Which is better?

▼ She does English songs as well! “Party Rock Anthem”

▼ Adele – Rolling in the Deep

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Origin: Mysterious Singer “GILLE” Finds Fame on YouTube with English Covers of J-Pop Songs, Releases Debut Record Under Universal
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AKB48, the darlings of the Japanese pop scene, may have danced one step over the line sweet Jesus with their newest commercial for Puccho candy. The commercial first aired on 25 August and seems to have drawn a collective “yuggghhh” from the nation.

In it the girls dance away brandishing the product as only they can do. Except this time, all but one of their bodies have been digitally replaced by 5 and 6 year olds.

The commercial was intended to be a parody of “Song Sisters” who were basically singers on children’s TV programs. Typically there is a young adult woman singing about where strawberries come from, unicorns or something while several children dance around them and have a gay old time.

In this commercial Yuko Oshima takes the role of the Song Sister which leaves the other members to fill the tiny shoes of the children as they all dance to AKB48’s new song Gingham Check. The idea itself certainly doesn’t seem so creepy but it’s in the execution that cute turns unsettling.

The problem is that the digital effects used to create these girls are a little too crisp, creating what people on twitter have referred to as a “gross” and “physiologically disturbing” “malformed dwarf dance.” Perhaps if they had used a more hokey, 70’s style split screen the cuteness could have been saved.

It just goes to show how volatile a thing “cute” can be. One false move and you wind up weirding everyone out, just ask Pedobear.

Source: Itai News (Japanese)

▼A behind the scenes look at the commercial

▼Here’s a good example of the type of program the commercial is parodying

▼Maybe if they had seen this previous effort by Tim and Eric with Rain Wilson they would have reconsidered their concept

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Origin: New Candy Commercial Featuring an Infantized AKB48 Hits a 9 on the Creepy Meter
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

Perhaps the reason that so much fuss is made over the Japanese sex industry is that, in almost every other aspect of its society and culture, Japan is considered to be such an immensely safe, polite and altogether nice place to be.

The country whose tourists are often reputed to be among the most polite and agreeable, and where your lost mobile phone or wallet usually finds its way back to you, Japan would not be anyone’s first guess when asked “Which country has a booming, recession-defying porn industry?”

Be that as it may, the Japanese AV (adult video) industry, whose revenue comprised more than 20% of worldwide sales according to a 2006 survey, continues to grow every year. And with that growth comes an increasing number of young women who aspire to work in the industry, as reported here on RocketNews24 just a couple of weeks ago.

But with so many girls taking a shot at being AV stars and entering into this seemingly glamorous but equally shady profession, how do they go about their daily lives unnoticed? And what becomes of AV stars who leave the industry?

In an interview with Atsuhiko Nakamura, author of books such as “The Nameless Women” and interviewer of literally hundreds of AV actresses, Shuplay News uncovered some startling facts about the sex industry in Japan, in particular the life of the women who become involved in making adult movies.

“Many girls enter the AV industry each year, but not necessarily all for the same reasons;” Nakamura comments, “some do it entirely for the money, while others are just comfortable with the idea of having sex in front of people and see it as any easy job. It just works for them.”

The Japanese AV industry reportedly sees an astounding 6,000 newcomers each year. But surely the risk of being seen on a video would be enough to dissuade any self-respecting young woman from doing such a thing?

“With the huge number of girls working in the industry, cases of AV actresses being recognised while going about their daily lives are quite rare,” says Nakamura, adding “there are plenty of cases of former AV girls who are now happily married and enjoying normal lives.”

In many cases, girls do a short spell making XXX videos, and then, perhaps having earned enough to support themselves financially, or simply deciding that they have had enough, choose to leave and pursue a more orthodox lifestyle. After all, few people actively working in the porn industry are seen out shopping with their kids or taking part in PTA meetings without those around them raising a few eyebrows…

But it is here that many retired AV models hit a wall, says Nakamura, describing what he calls the “AV-nō” (lit. Adult Video brain”); the “AV Mindset” that many girls find themselves unable to shake off.

“A lot of girls find themselves unable to return to regular jobs after working as an AV model;” explains Nakamura, “they have worked in an often lucrative business, some for many years, so to go back to a standard job for a much smaller salary is not easy”, he tells. “Around two thirds of retired AV models end up in the sex industry, working in hostess bars or even working as prostitutes in ‘soap-land’ bath houses.”

It would seem that, of those thousands of girls initially seeking an easy, well-paid life as a porn-star, literally thousands of them become trapped in the sex industry afterwards.

The “AV Mindset” that Nakamura speaks of has two distinct sides to it; while there are some retired AV models who lack the skills required to work in regular jobs, and who find themselves in the strange position of feeling more comfortable in environments like hostess bars, there are also women who, despite wanting to stop making sex tapes, are unwilling to return to an everyday lifestyle and lose all the trappings and relative glamour that came from their wealthy AV lifestyle.

Nakamura compares this way of thinking to writers who, at the peak of their game being paid hundreds of dollars for articles, suddenly have the rug pulled out from under them and are forced to work for just 20 or 30 dollars per piece.

“Some writers refuse to do it out of pride or shock. Some, on the other hand, simply can’t afford to go back to that and look for more lucrative work elsewhere.”

Just over two years ago, former AKB48 idol Rina Nakanishi was reported to have become an AV model (link Not Safe For Work) after her sudden departure from the popular group. While some suggested that, with such a huge existing fan-base, she would see incredible success, others- perhaps more reasonably- argued that, once the novelty of seeing a former pop star perform sexual acts had worn off, Nakanishi would be left out in the cold, disgraced and jobless.

The Japanese sex industry may well be one of the biggest in the world, but it’s clearly very dangerous ground to play in.

Stay in school, boys and girls.

Source: Shu Play News

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Origin: “What Happens to Japanese Porn Stars After They Retire?” Inside the Mind of an Adult Video Model
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Our correspondent Kuzo has been extra busy recently eating single noodle udon, disgusting ramen, and encountering thousands eerie of dolls. However, when he returned home, he was welcomed by a large envelope with the return address: Kawaii (Cute) Ward, Fukuoka.

Could it be? Earlier he had applied for special resident status of the Japanese administrative district of all that is cute. Now it looks like he has his answer.

Kawaii Ward is a fictional district of Fukuoka city created in a promotional campaign to highlight its unique position as producer of “the cutest women of Japan.” According to the city, Fukuoka has more people working in the beauty industry and higher annual household spending on beauty goods or services than other regions in the county. It’s status as an Asian hub city with a combination of hearty food and cosmopolitan atmosphere doesn’t hurt either.

However, Kuzo had no idea what it meant to be a “special resident.” He thought about what kind of cute information and pictures were waiting inside. As he anxiously opened the envelope, kittens and teddy bears floated through his mind.

Inside he found documents inside a clear plastic sleeve. On the sleeve a picture of Kawaii Ward Mayor and Fukuoka native, AKB48’s Mariko Shinoda, was printed. Among the documents was his Certificate of Special Residency, order confirmation, and Mayor Shinoda’s card, all emblazoned with the official symbol of Kawaii Ward – a pink ribbon.

Listed on the certificate was his Resident Name (nickname), Resident ID Number, Date of Joining, and Address. The bottom is stamped with the official seal of the Kawaii Ward Mayor’s Office.

On the card he could read the “Operational Policies” of Kawaii Ward.

1)    To build Kawaii Ward and all residents
2)    To promote the fashion industry
3)    To spread cuteness at home and abroad

Setting down his documents, Kuzo felt better – cuter. In fact he began to feel like a puppy wagging its tail beside a plate of pink cupcakes. Yes sir, things were going to be different from now on!

Then the phone rang. It was RocketNews24 again. They wanted him to go to Angola and eat some fermented spiders.

Original Story and Photos by Kuzo

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Origin: Our Reporter Accepted as Special Resident to “Cute Ward,” Welcomed by Mayor Mariko Shinoda of AKB48
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What could be better than seeing a cute girl dressing as a member of AKB48 and dancing around in a uniform? A cute girl dressing as an AKB48 member firing military-grade weapons, apparently.

The following video and images come from Hyper Douraku, a Japanese gun enthusiast website that has teamed up with otaku favourite and “image” DVD (footage of girls in skimpy outfits in various poses) star Mii Aihara.

Dressed in a variety of hugely impractical outfits from AKB48 to Resident Evil‘s Jill Valentine, Mii heads down to the firing range to squeeze off a few rounds as part of the website’s “Guam Shooting Tour 2012.”

Why? We have no idea. But we still found ourselves watching bizarre video after bizarre video on the site.

That Mii girl clearly knows a thing or two about guns! As well as loading her own ammo before trying out the rifle, she manages to fire round after round without blinking an eye. To look at her you’d think butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she’s clearly trained any ready to take on the world at a moment’s notice.

Quite what the other visitors to the firing range thought when they spotted this girl in her elaborate outfits is anyone’s guess, but we’re fairly sure that few gun fans are used to sights quite like this…

Battle Royale, anyone?

Time to shoot some zombies…

Ummm…

Bringing style to the battlefield…

“Even when she doesn’t have pockets, Mii can carry a weapon.” Oh dear.

But the website isn’t just about skimpy outfits, no, no! There are some genuine gun-related tips to be found here, too!

Perhaps concerned for Mii’s safety in the evening, the team provided the model with a handgun to go with her nightdress. Quite why she’d need to kill silently, we have no idea, but this led the team to wonder “Could a pillow be used as a makeshift silencer?”

A few trigger pulls later, a nightgown-wearing Mii confirmed that yes, yes it could!

Finally, Mii took the time to leave a few words for her fans, thanking them for visiting the site and taking the virtual tour of Guam with her.

“I had a great time,” she says. “If any of you ever find yourselves in Guam, you should definitely include a trip to fire off a few live rounds in your schedule!”

A perfectly normal, everyday sentence if we ever read one…

Source: Hyper Douraku

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Origin: Weird Cosplay: When AKB48 and Resident Evil Meet AK-47 Assault Rifles
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AKB Fan gets upset

Whether it’s sports teams, animation or girly pop groups, when it comes to fandom, there are distinct levels of dedication. And when the hardest of hardcore fans feels betrayed by the object of their affection, they make it clear. Sometimes, they even record a video message and upload it to YouTube.

Already viewed some 50,000 times, the following video was uploaded yesterday by an enraged AKB48 fan after reading the news that 21-year-old band member Yuki Kashiwagi was allegedly present at a goukon dating party with members of Japan’s Olympic men’s soccer team.

“That’s not so scandalous, is it?” you may ask. Well, let’s find out how this young man feels about the whole affair.

The video starts off fairly sedately with the young man pointing his camera lens at his computer screen which displays images of recent tabloid press articles exposing Kashiwagi’s involvement in the midnight dating party. After a little soul-searching, however, he explodes with anger:

This “scandal” comes just days after fellow AKB48 member Minami Minegishi shaved her head in recompense for having a secret boyfriend- something that goes against the group’s strict code of ethics (as single men infatuated with the band members may not bother spending money on their idols if they’re already taken?). Whether or not we’re witnessing a real fan expressing genuine sentiment in this video is unclear, but AKB48′s fans are renowned for their passion and being outspoken whenever they feel betrayed by “their” band members.

Addressing Kashiwagi as “Yuki-rin” (“rin” is suffix often added to girls’ forenames in order to express closeness and affection, not unlike “chan”), the male fan begins his video by asking calmly, “Is this really you?”

video part 1

Turning the camera on himself, the forlorn fan addresses Kashiwagi again: ”Is it you? Why do you [AKB48 members] betray us fans like this?”

video part 2

Looking straight down the lens, he reminds the band member that AKB members are forbidden from dating, before berating her for her uragiri back-stabbing conduct in attending the dating party.

video part 3

“Why did you do this? You say ‘I’m different; I don’t do that kind of thing. Follow me around all day- you’ll never see me doing anything bad like that!’ That’s what you said. It doesn’t make sense…”

Seemingly unable to contain his anger, the young man screams at the camera “okashi yo!” (“this isn’t right” or, more literally,”it’s strange”).

video part 3

A genuinely heartbroken fan or an imaginative attempt at satire? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Source: ハムスター速報

Video: jtshibata

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Origin: “Backstabber!!!” Fan Sends Enraged Message to AKB48 Band Member for Attending Dating Party
Copyright© RocketNews24 / Socio Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Major correspondence education company U-can has confirmed it received a threat over Twitter indicating a possible sarin gas attack. Recently, the company has used the idol group AKB48 in its commercials and promotional materials- something that the person who wrote the threat apparently did not approve of.

Twitter user @onz9 wrote:

“Saying AKB needs to take these kind of courses is calling them stupid. Well, that’s stupid! On behalf of the AKB fans, I hereby swear to wrap the head office of U-can with sarin gas.”

The writer’s choice of the word 巻く (maku, meaning”wrap”) is a bit odd, but perhaps this is simply a play on words since it sounds exactly the same as the word for “spray”, which uses a different kanji character, and this is a subtle attempt to avoid getting into trouble? Preceded by the formal statement “I hereby swear”, however, the tweet certainly sounds like a genuine intention to actually carry out this criminal act.

No matter how you feel about AKB48 or U-can or their collaboration, it goes without saying that it is not worth making death threats over. That being said, as we’ve seen before, AKB’s fans can certainly be a little on the sensitive side at times.

The police are currently looking into this matter, and we will keep you posted of further developments.

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Origin: AKB Fan Threatens Sarin Gas Attack Over Commercial
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AKB burger

On Wednesday this week, the above image of an alleged “healthy option” burger from Akihabara’s AKB48 Cafe was uploaded by a Japanese Twitter user. Despite supposedly costing a whopping 700 yen ($US7.57) and being advertised as being “packed full of ingredients”, the burger was one of the saddest things we’ve ever seen on a plate.

Netizens were quick to scoff at the culinary effort and the image was quickly shared thousands of times as people began wondering just how far the people behind AKB48 would go to make a bit of extra cash. As it turns out, though, the original post was neither entirely fair nor accurate.

The photo shows what the Twitter user described as a “packed full of ingredients healthy burger”, which they claim was served at the official AKB Cafe in Akihabara.

akbshop

Catering to diehard fans who enjoy surrounding themselves with AKB48 sights and sounds while shoveling official food into their chorus holes, the AKB48 Cafe & Shop was opened in 2011 just outside Akihabara station in Tokyo, and remains successful even to this day, with fans and tourists alike frequently stopping by to get their fix of happy smiley J-pop. Although some of the cafe’s other menu items – including “Yuko Oshima’s avocado cream cheese pasta” and “Mariko Shinoda’s curry panda plate” – look fairly appetizing and are available in decent portion sizes, the “healthy option” burger that appeared on Twitter this week looked positively grim. Heck, we know a guy who could demolish that thing in a single bite.

When the image surfaced online, it was soon shared thousands of times, along with such comments as:

- “I’m off to McDonald’s or Mos Burger, guys…”

- “‘Lots’ of ingredients, eh?”

- “Maybe this one’s a little too healthy? Good old AKB!”

- “The ally of any dieter!”

- “That actually looks cheaper to make than a McDonald’s burger!”

But hold on there, cowboy! Everything was not quite what it seemed. As word began to spread that the AKB48 Cafe was taking its customers for chumps, and popular bloggers and news sites around Japan started discussing and sharing the image even further, a representative from the cafe came forward to put the rumours to rest, stating in no uncertain terms that they ”do not have any such item on our menu.”

It would appear that the original photo was simply an unflattering shot of what appears to be a “sakusaku guruguru” (lit. “crunchy and round”) burger. While it in itself is hardly the greatest example of what a good hamburger ought to be, the menu makes no claim to it containing “lots of ingredients” or being healthy. Furthermore, the burger comes with a drink for the asking price of 700 yen, which, although not the best value meal ever, is not an unreasonable asking price for food at an official cafe, and certainly no more expensive than a typical maid cafe, of which there are thousands in the Akihabara area.

▼ The “sakusaku” burger, with drink

akbset

▼ With crunchy fried onions

akbburger inside

▼ Another example of the kind of thing you can find at the cafe.

AKfood2

Of course, we can’t really blame people for jumping to conclusions when it comes to fans being taken for a ride (even we at RocketNews24 were gathering information and putting an article together on the subject at one point yesterday). “Packed full of ingredients healthy burger” sounds exactly like something that the AKB48 Cafe would offer up to its customers, and it’s not unknown for official cafes and stores to offer sub-par food and products at inflated prices. But as we saw just last week when one bright spark played on the AKB48 name and the reputation of their fans to earn himself a tidy sum, it just goes to show that the Internet is a powerful tool when it comes to rumour, and, just like a nasty smell released in a tightly-packed train car, it doesn’t take long before it’s is absolutely everywhere.

Be careful what you tweet, kids.

Title image via: suzuki_buffalo

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Origin: Tweet about Rip-Off Burger at AKB48 Cafe Goes Viral Despite Being Entirely False
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akbtororo01

Yuki Kashiwagi, from the popular pretty-girl singing group AKB48, appeared in a recent video that became instantaneously infamous for being uncomfortably erotic. How anyone can be surprised by the groups not-so-subtle eroticism after watching the music video of them making out in their underwear is beyond me, but reading the responses to this two-minute clip, you’d think that Yuki recently joined the porn industry! As it turns out, this video is an official AKB48 release and in no way restricts underage viewers from watching it. So what sort of G-rated film has sent so many minds to the gutter?

In short, the video depicts Ms. Kashiwagi preparing and eating a bowl of tororo, grated yam. For those who have never seen tororo, it’s a thick liquid, white, sticky, and a little bit slimy in texture. Sound like something else you can think of? There’s a reason that viewers got a little hot under the collar from watching this clip. It looks a lot like she’s gulping down spoonfuls of man-juice! Apparently, the occasional shots of Yuki’s cleavage didn’t ease the sense of eroticism either.

Here’s a sampling of what Japanese fans had to say about the video:
“Can she do that?”
“This is so not cool.”
“This video is official, yeah? They took it too far.”
“Some say erotic, I say it’s vulgar.”
“Way too nasty! LOL”
“I’m saving this.”
“Has Yuki Kashiwagi seen tororo? She must have known what this looks like.”
“Oh, that poor girly…”

On any other day, Yuki Kashiwagi would be classified as one of the more hardworking members of AKB48. Her determination to take on new challenges has made her quite popular with the fans. We’re not quite sure what she was trying to accomplish by releasing this sort of video, but it certainly succeeded in grabbing attention and sparking debate.

Now there’s just one more thing that the Internet wants to know: Was there a fully conscious effort on the part of AKB48’s management to make this tororo tasting video look erotic? Whether this video was Yuki’s own idea or a vulgar move decided by her manager could have a big impact on how many fans stick with her in the wake.

References: YouTube / AKB48

▼ This video is 100% work safe, but good luck explaining that to your boss.

akbtororo02

akbtororo03

akbtororo04

akbtororo05

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Origin: AKB48′s Yuki Kashiwagi Sparks Debate over “Vulgar” Video, Just as Planned?
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It is believed that AKB48’s Tomomi Itano will be leaving the massive pop unit to pursue her solo career sometime around August this year. Itano has also released her fourth single as a solo artist, entitled “1%”, on 12 June.

To help promote the song, the Tomomi Itano 1% Dance Trial 2013 is underway in which anyone can upload a video of themselves dancing to 1% on YouTube for a chance to perform alongside the idol in her next video.

The event has already drawn the likes of professional dancers, internet personalities, and of course Mr. Sato.

■ I can perform with Tomo-chin!

Upon hearing about the dance contest Mr. Sato jumped at the idea of getting close to his beloved Tomo-chin. However, used to being discriminated against, our reporter checked out the rules of entry to see why he couldn’t take part.

Entry was surprisingly easy. All he had to do was study the sample video available on YouTube to learn the basic moves. He didn’t have to mimic the moves exactly and he was free to add his own choreography.

When he finished his own video Mr. Sato would just have to post it as a video response to the sample video. Also by filling out the entry form they would know how to contact him after his guaranteed success. The only thing Mr. Sato had to do was learn to dance.

■ This dance is freaking hard!

As Mr. Sato attempted to undulate his belly he could feel his vertebrae grinding against one another. “Ahk, dancing sucks,” he thought. Then he got an idea to check out some of the other entries to get ideas.

Around 150 people had entered videos for the chance to dance with Itano. Some Japanese YouTube heavyweights like megwin and Koji Seto (below) came out dancing up a storm.

Even professional choreographers submitted videos, like this one including Kenzo from the group Da Pump.

“Ah come on!” moaned Mr. Sato. How could he compete with pros? He realized that attempting to dance like them would end in failure. He’d have to find a different style.

■ Yuru-kyara

Scrolling through the entries Mr. Sato noticed a rather large number of costumed mascots known as yuru-kyara have participated. There was Yoichi from Otawara City, Shima Nekko out of Shimane Prefecture, and the pirate cat Kuron representing the Hakodate Kurofune festival.

Mr. Sato’s head picked up slightly and with wry smile he thought, “This is it.” If he could fuse the yuru-kyara technique into his own dance, he would have something completely original for the contest.

It was time to begin recording…

After uploading the video and finishing his application form, Mr. Sato sat back in his now incredibly worn Dragon Quest slime costume and sipped on a glass of elephant poo coffee beer. He dreamt of winning the contest and finally being able to use one of his patented pick-up lines on Tomo-chin.

Will Mr. Sato move onto the next round and become one step closer to Tomomi Itano? Tune in around the middle of next month when the results are announced…

Original Article by Hobo-Tsuda (aka Slime Sato)
Source: Tomomi Itano 1% Dance Trial 2013

▼ Tomomi Itano lays out the challenge to all of Japan.

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Origin: Dance contest underway to co-star in AKB48 member’s video, Mr. Sato throws hat into ring
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mayu 2

The passion and loyalty of J-Pop group AKB48′s fans is well documented online, with incidents of disgruntled individuals threatening sarin gas attacks over trifling matters such as the group’s involvement in particular advertising campaigns, and grown men tearing up whenever one of the more popular members is caught breaking the group’s code of conduct by having a secret boyfriend.

Most of the time these eruptions amount to nothing, and we have all learned to ignore them for the most part, but an incident that occurred this past weekend has prompted an explosion of AKB fan rage online, with many openly declaring their desire to kill a well-known presenter for ‘kicking’ leading member Mayu Watanabe in the head during a live broadcast.

In his role of “Exploding Father” for a live broadcast of the variety show Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!, comedian and presenter Koji Kato was seen to “kick” 19-year-old AKB48 member Mayu Watanabe — or Mayuyu to her fans — while she knelt before him on a set designed to look like a traditional Japanese living room.

Here’s the animated GIF that’s currently doing the rounds online.

mayu gif

Looking at this image alone, you might well be shocked at the force of the kick. But seen in real time, this “kick” is actually more of a push, and would probably not have hurt in the slightest. Watanabe can also be seen smiling the entire time, very likely in on the act from the beginning, having already been spun around by her legs and made fun of for the best part of five minutes while the group’s own music plays in the background.

▼ “Father” clears a space and spins the singer around by her legs.

mayu spin

▼ The group clap along and the audience cheers.

mayu spin 1

▼ Watanabe falls to her knees in a mock display of gratitude.

mayu thanks

After being spun around and thrown to the floor, Watanabe kowtows before an exhausted, bald cap-wearing Kato in an act of fake humility, thanking him for the honour he has bestowed upon her. Kato then walks over and simulates kicking the band member’s head, making a ‘boom’ sound for comic effect, while the other cast members feign shock and attempt to placate him.

Here’s the video in full, though you need only watch the first 10-15 seconds to get the message.

Whether this was all part of the show or not, dozens of AKB fans positively exploded on Twitter and bulletin board sites immediately after it was broadcast:

▼ “Die die die die die die!”

mayu tweets

Even if you don’t read Japanese, there’s very little to process here: it’s mostly just 加藤 Katou (the presenter’s name), 死ね shine (the imperative form of ‘die’) and 殺す korosu (the verb “to kill”), written over and over again.

▼ “I hate that guy!” “I’ll kill him!” “Die!”

mayu tweet 2

▼ “Die, Kato, die, die, die!”

mayu tweet 3

Now, even we love a little bit of fan rage every now and again–seeing people make fools of themselves by writing irate comments online is always worth a chuckle–but perhaps this is taking fandom a bit too far? Maybe some of these guys are just upset that Kato got to manhandle one of the cuter members of the group and their anger is merely borne out of mere jealousy?

Of course, there’s a chance that the above Twitter users could simply be a bunch of comic geniuses like the young man who duped the country with a fake rage video late last year and make a tidy profit in the process, but we’re sad to say that’s probably not the case.

Take a deep breath, guys. We’re sure little Mayuyu is just fine.

Source: Vippers, Hamster Sokuhou (Japanese)

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Origin: ‘Die die die die die die!’ Fans rage after variety show host ‘kicks’ AKB48 starlet
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On 22 August, four youths between the ages of 15 and 17 were apprehended for robbing and injuring a man in the streets of Tokyo. While in custody one of the teenagers confessed they had taken the man’s money because they “wanted to get some special attack uniforms [tokkoufuku] and go to an AKB48 handshake meet.”

Well, that certainly clears up everything!

On 11 August, as a 27-year-old male graduate student was leaving a convenience store, he was approached by the four teens. The boys took his mobile phone and the drink he had bought inside the store. They also demanded that he “get out the money.” The man reportedly suffered minor injuries during the confrontation.

According to police, the suspects were hoping to attend an AKB48 handshake event where fans are able to meet the members of the idol group for a very limited time and, well, shake their hands.

Of course going to such an event you’d have only a few fleeting moments to catch the eye of these lovely ladies so dressing right is key. That’s why these youngsters wanted to get some slick special attack uniforms.

Special attack uniforms are outfits resembling the uniforms of kamikaze forces from World War II. They’re stereotypically enjoyed mainly by Japanese biker gangs (bosozoku) and other rambunctious youths.

A special attack uniform consists of a slim-fitting jacket either long or short which is embroidered with various words or phrases constructed phonetically but in unorthodox ways from kanji characters.

Sure they did the crime, but who among us wouldn’t do the same in their place? Much like how Jean Valjean stole a loaf of bread to feed his family, these lads stole a man’s drink to buy some matching clothes for their favorite pop group. They really didn’t have a choice under the circumstances…

Source: Sponichi AnnexTop Image: Amazon 1, 2
Inset Image: Amazon
Video: YouTube – vcjtes

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Origin: Four teenagers mug man to buy special attack uniforms for meeting AKB48
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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It really warms your heart to see more Japanese celebrities show their support for cosplay. It’s one of the flashier hobbies that anime fans can boast and is getting more popular by the day. Cosplay websites abound with fashion tips and suggestions for various costumes styles, poses, and makeup options for just about every conceivable costume on the market.

But AKB48 star, Haruka Shimazaki, might want to do a bit of rethinking before offering up her own anime makeup (AniMake for short) suggestions, as her most recent attempts caused a despairing cry to ring out from among her adoring fans…

This week Haruka’s followers waited with bated breath to get a look at her newest message from the AKB Video Center official YouTube channel, excited to see some cute pictures of their favorite idol in popular anime get-ups. In the past, she’s tried a few different costumes with varying degrees of success.

Her first attempt last May was Hatsune Miku, where she felt the need to add blobs of colored eyeliner to the bottoms of her eyelids in what we must assume was an attempt to make them appear both greener and more gigantic. The overall look wasn’t any cause for concern. Passable, and from a distance the strange extra green and white didn’t stand out too badly.

Then she tried Asuka Langley Soryu from the popular Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise. However, she decided to add crazily large eyelashes to her bottom lids, making her look like she got into a fight with a plastic surgeon. Not only did the effect do nothing to make her look more like an anime character, let alone the character she was cosplaying, but it also made her eyes look misshapen and creepy.

This time, though, fans had high hopes for her Sailor Moon cosplay. After all, how could someone mess up such an iconic character?

This is how:

The video starts by showing the makeup artist applying copious amounts of black eyeliner to just about everywhere around Haruka’s face except her eyelids. From there, we’re shown the final product: a strange reproduction of Usagi’s anime eyes drawn out on Haruka’s cheeks, brow, and eyelids.

Anguished cries that she’d gone “too far” and “robbed everyone of the happiness of simple costume play” were abound on the message boards when her new video of cosplay tips hit the net on September 1. Some found it funny. Others were crushed that the starlet would think that this much makeup was remotely attractive. Most just LOLed at the scary attempt to replicate a 2-D anime style on a flesh-and-blood human.

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After such an outcry, will the intrepid cosplay-enthusiast try her hand at another character? Will she take her AniMake even further next time, or decide to tone it down now that her fans are making their rather grossed-out opinions known?

Only time will tell. In the meantime, let’s hope she doesn’t get any backlash from the real princess of the moon kingdom.
Reference: YouTube

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Origin: Fans of AKB’s Haruka Shimazaki despair over freaky Sailor Moon makeover
Copyright© RocketNews24 / SOCIO CORPORATION. All rights reserved.

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Saga Prefecture lies in the northwest corner of Japan’s island of Kyushu. This past week, in an unusual attempt at self-promotion, the Saga Prefectural Office uploaded a video of hundreds of workers from its various divisions happily dancing to the new AKB48 single, Koi Suru Fortune Cookie (Love Fortune Cookie). With more than 480,000 views on YouTube so far, the up-beat video certainly beats a boring old poster campaign!

Every Sunday night, Fuji Television airs a program called AKB Eizou (Video) Center. For one of the show’s primary segments, they invite viewers to submit their own videos in accordance with a given theme for a chance at being aired on TV. Select submissions are not only given a two-minute snippet of televised fame, the full clip is also added to AKB48’s official YouTube channel!

Saga Prefecture submitted their dancing music video both as a fun side-project and to give the people of Japan a happy introduction to all of the different departments managed by their government. Luckily for them, the charming dance clip made the cut, and now appears on AKB48’s official channel.

Approximately 60 prefectural departments and their associated staff members are featured in the three-and-a-half-minute video. Bright-eyed workers both young and old wear their biggest smiles as they dance in sync to the up-beat pop song. Even the prefecture’s mascot characters gathered together for the recording, and the prefectural governor in particular displays a great deal of excitement for the song and dance.

▼ In case it wasn’t obvious, the governor is the man in the middle.

saga dance03

So, if you’re looking for a nice little pick-me-up as we struggle towards the end of the working week, Saga Prefecture’s rendition of Koi Suru Fortune Cookie will certainly raise your spirits, while also giving you a well-rounded sampling of the many kinds of people who keep Japan running smoothly. Enjoy!

▼ Watch the video here or on AKB48′s official YouTube channel!

▼ In case you can’t watch the video right away, here’s a few stills from the merry music video.

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Source: Net Lab (Japanese)

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If you were out and about one day and a foreign student randomly came up to you and asked you to dance to some Japanese pop song you’d never heard in your life, would you do it?

Four exchange students from Japan managed to get hundreds of people in Singapore, locals and tourists included, dancing to the catchy tune of Japanese idol group AKB48′s Koi Suru Fortune Cookie in various public places such as tourist spots and popular food establishments. If you’re planning a trip to Singapore, or have never heard of this tropical getaway, this informative video is a must-watch!

Just in case you’re wondering “Where the hell is Singapore?”, well as a native allow me to tell you that it is a little island country snuggled up next to Malaysia, in Southeast Asia. Although the majority of the population is Chinese, the multi-racial city is not part of China, as many Westerners used to mistakenly think. We can’t really blame them for the confusion since the sunny island, though an independent country, is tinier than even Tokyo, one of the smaller prefectures in Japan.

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In Japan, what usually comes to mind at the mention of Singapore is, the Merlion, thanks to its many cameo appearances in Japanese commercials and anime. It is a symbolic icon of Singapore, but incidentally one of the world’s most disappointing tourist attractions, according to the Japanese. Well, it really just is a water-spitting statue, so what can you expect?

In hope of introducing Singapore to Japan and the rest of the world, the group of enthusiastic Japanese undergraduates put together this three-minute music video that features various attractions on the island, capturing the nation’s colorful culture and community at popular spots including Marina Bay Sands and Orchard Road, as well as local food centers that “the guidebook doesn’t tell you about”.

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Anyway, we’ll save the details and let the video do the talking instead. Watch out for the epic dolphin show at 1:40!

▼ AKB48′s Koi Suru Fortune Cookie (Singapore version)

Behind the scenes, the four-man crew including Takanori Ito, Yuya Takeuchi, Yu Iiyoshi and Yuncheol Kim reportedly spent four weeks planning, filming and editing the video. The catchy and info-packed clip has gotten over 50,000 views in a week on YouTube.

As Madonna says, music makes the people come together! Kudos to the production team and the passionate souls for dancing their hearts out! Hundreds of smiles packed with cheerful song and dance; tourism info-videos don’t get more enjoyable than that! Somebody needs to pass the baton and get this creative feat going in all the cities in the world!

Source/Images: YouTube
Reference: The Straits Times, Yahoo! News Singapore

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Recently the walls of the RocketNews24 office have been echoing with giddy squeals of “Eeeeeee… Takamina!” at a rate of about once per hour. In between, we have been treated to a middle-aged man’s song-stylings of AKB48’s single Koisuru Fortune Cookie.

It all started last year when our reporter Mr. Sato had entered a dance contest to meet graduating AKB48 member Tomomi Itano, but despite his best efforts he lost out. Now, he has his sights on Minami Takahashi (“Takamina”) and the chance to see her and other members in an exclusive show only available to the winners of a contest held by Japan’s Wonda Coffee.

■ Always an AKB48 fan, never an AKB48 attendee

Mr. Sato had long been a fan of AKB48 and idols in general. As a young adorable cherub himself, he always felt that this genre of music spoke to him in a way that his uglier colleagues and friends just couldn’t comprehend.

However, his one life regret was that he has never attended a live AKB48 event despite working only across town from where they perform. The demand for tickets is so great that he could never get a hold of any. He would have to book in advance, and when your job involves eating copious amounts of food resulting in copious hours in the bathroom, it’s hard to plan ahead.

■ The contest

Japanese coffee producer Wonda may have provided a way for him to get there after all. By collecting stickers adhered to cans of their brand of coffee, he could enter to win access to a special event to which no tickets are sold. “Thish ish mai chansh,” he mumbled through a mouthful of bean paste from his suicide cake.

As any eternally poor lottery player will tell you, the key to winning is to get in as many entries as possible. Winners are announced weekly, so Mr. Sato would simply have to drink as much coffee as possible in that time frame to win. But where would he get the supplies he needed?

■ Office supplies

Mr. Sato explained his plan to his editor, and told him that he would require 100 cases of Wonda coffee to see Minami Takahashi live. While our editor agreed that unleashing Mr. Sato on AKB48 would indeed be entertaining, 100 cases was a tall order and the space it would take up could interfere with other work.

“Alright, I’ll give you 10 cases,” he replied, and placed an order. Mr. Sato’s face stretched to a big bean paste encrusted grin and he skipped out of the office singing “Yeah-eee yeah-eee yeah!”

■ Come and they will build it

Shortly after Mr. Sato arrived at the office to find 10 cases of Wonda coffee piled at his desk. “Just make sure you keep out of everyone’s way, okay?” his editor warned. Mr. Sato mumbled a “yes” with his gaze fixed on the coffee. It wasn’t 600 liters of water, sugar and milk he was looking at, though. This was the rich, dry-roasted road to Minami.

As his editor walked off, Mr. Sato snapped out of his daydream and started barking at all his co-workers. “You! Start making the foundation with these cans of black coffee. And you, prepare the café au lait for some flying buttresses!” Then clapping his hands he said “We have a temple to build people! Right here, in the center of the office.”

Mr. Sato had known that the center of the office was a power spot and his conduit to the gods of coffee. By lunch, Mr. Sato stood sipping on his fifth Wonda Morning Shot and with a twitching left eye watched as his co-workers put off their articles to help him finish his temple.

■ The Temple of Coffee

With the temple complete, Mr. Sato sat in the middle and absorbed the spiritual essence of the coffee gods. “Please! Please help me get near Takamina! I beg of you!” he wailed while rocking back and forth clutching his smartphone.

About 20 liters of coffee later, Mr. Sato remained in the temple… except when he had to go to the bathroom every seven-or-so minutes.

“Workinginthedivineatmosphere [gasp] ofthetempleofcoffee [gasp] Iwilldomybestexcept [gasp] duringbreakstoenjoyyourcoffee,” he would continuously blurt out. Strangely he hadn’t mentioned AKB48 or Minami Takahashi at all since his 24^th Wonda Gold.

As of this writing Mr. Sato had not won a ticket to the exclusive AKB48 event, but he has until 7 August to claim one, and winners are announced on the Monday of every week. Quite frankly we’re not totally sure he’s going to make it until then, so if you’re an idol fan and want a chance to get in on this exclusive event grab a can of Wonda coffee and check out their contest website for entry. Mr. Sato would have wanted it that way.

Source: Wonda & AKB48 Special Campaign (Japanese)
Video: YouTube – AKB48

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Starting this April in arcades everywhere, darlings of the idol scene, AKB48 will be making their debut in an arcade game. Unfortunately for fans they are also zombified and require you to take aim and unload on them with your handgun.

It’s called Sailor Zombie AKB48 Edition, and as the name suggests it features members of the pop squad dressed up in adorable sailor outfits. Also as the name implies, the cuties are reanimated corpses who desire to eat your brains.

Luckily, you’re strapped with a plastic “vaccine gun” that can cure the ladies of their undead strife. And you know you want to start plugging away once they get into that old Thriller routine.

This zombie army is represented by Yuko Oshima, Mayu Watanabe, Yuki Kashiwagi, Rina Kawaei, Anna Iriyama, Mako Kojima, and Miki Nishino. All of them are beautifully rendered in 3D, aside from their complexions.

If you happen to be in Chiba next week (14 & 15 February) you might want to head down to the Makuhari Messe Convention Center for a sneak peak of Sailor Zombie AKB48 Edition. The rest of us in Japan will have to wait until April.

It’s truly an interesting game from the idol group though. Can AKB fans squeeze the trigger between Oshima-san’s doe eyes? Meanwhile, can AKB48 detractors resist shooting out the streetlights to save the idol septet? Sailor Zombie AKB48 Edition makers NEX Entertainment and Namco Bandai are hoping no on both counts, because that means more coins in the machine baby!

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Yasushi Akimoto is a nationally recognized figure in Japan’s music industry as both an accomplished songwriter (he wrote Hibari Misora’s famous swan song, “Kawa-no Nagare-no You-ni”) and producer behind the vast girl group AKB48 and its predecessor, Onyanko Club. He is even reported to be friends with Japan’s prime minister, Shinzō Abe. On March 17, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Committee acknowledged his prowess by naming him a member.

AKB48 Producer Akimoto to Produce 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony

“I’d like to help make the Olympics and Paralympics ones everyone will have great memories of,” Akimoto said upon his appointment. “I remember being pulled by the hand by my father to go see the 1964 Tokyo Olympics back when I was six.” Along with photographer Mika Ninagawa, who shot the music video for the AKB48 song “Heavy Rotation”, he will produce the opening ceremony.

The news was largely greeted with delight by the Japanese public, especially the younger demographic. Yet even before Akimoto was formally appointed, an Internet backlash made itself heard. A petition on the site Change.org started by Gee Kawai called for the committee to reconsider its decision. Kawai claims that there is a “silent majority of Japanese who are apprehensive of a future entertainment industry that emphasizes artists without talent who only push marketing and personal branding and set up special interests and exclusive economic zones.” While acknowledging that Akimoto boasted of “various glittering accomplishments,” he writes that an objective interpretation of Akimoto’s projects leads to his appointment symbolizing “the Japanese entertainment industry’s further decline” and “a decline in quality of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.” The petition has so far garnered over 11,000 signatures and aims for at least 100,000.

AKB48 Producer Akimoto to Produce 2020 Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony2

Other noteworthy members named to the Olympic committee include Kōji Murofushi, gold medalist in hammer throw at the 2004 Olympics; Ayumi Tanimoto, gold medalist in women’s judo at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics; and Rie Tanaka, silver medalist in women’s artistic gymnastics at the 2010 Asian Games (not to be confused with the voice actress of the same name). Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motor Corporation, is the committee’s vice chief.

[Via Asahi Shimbun, Japan Today, Change.org, Sanspo.com, and Hachima Kikou; Images from Google+ and Hachima Kikou]

More from Anime News Network

At 4:55 p.m. today, the company behind many of Japan’s larger idol groups, AKS, released a statement regarding an attack on members of AKB48 and event staff during a handshake event in Iwate Prefecture this afternoon.

Members Rina Kawaei (19) and Anna Iriyama (18), as well as a male member of the venue staff, are said to have been injured, with a 24-year-old male taken into police custody.

UPDATE: The Japan Times reports that the attacker, an unemployed man from Towada, Aomori Prefecture, has been named as 24-year-old Satoru Umeta, who remains in police custody.

Group member Rina Kawei’s right thumb was cut and broken in the incident while Anna Iriyama suffered a cut to her right little finger, which was also broken during the scuffle. Both girls received small cuts to their heads, while a member of the event staff suffered lacerations to his left hand.

Original report:

The incident took place at one of the group’s many meet-and-greet, or “handshake events,” this time being held at Takizawa City, Iwate Prefecture. According to reports, a 24-year-old man was waiting in the line to meet the girls when he suddenly pulled out a serrated blade and started slashing at the young idols.

Management company AKS released this statement on the AKB48 website, blog, and other sources.

“Today, Takizawa, Iwate: At a handshake meeting in Iwate Sangyo Bunka Centre Apio for the 33rd Single Electric Heart and 35th Single Mae Shika Mukanee, AKB48 members Anna Iriyama and Rina Kawaei along with one member of the organizers’ staff were attacked by a blade-wielding fan. They suffered injuries to their hands.
Currently, Iriyama, Kawaei and the staff member are being treated in hospital.
None are in a life-threatening condition.
We deeply apologize for any concern this may have caused to fans. As soon as Iriyama, Kawaei, and the staff member’s conditions are known in more detail we will report again.”
(AKS)

AKB fans have taken to the various news sources’ comments sections demanding to know the name of the assailant, which is currently being withheld. Police have only said the man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Other fans were also keen to learn the name of the male staff member who was injured in the incident, assuming that he was wounded when trying to help the girls.

Still details are highly sketchy at the moment and we’ll report more as it becomes clear.

Source: AKB48 Official Blog, Yahoo! Japan News (Japanese)

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AKB48 general manager Shinobu Kayano wrote on her official blog early Tuesday that the idol group’s members Anna Iriyama (18) and Rina Kawaei (19) were released from the hospital. Kayano confirmed that the injured male part-time staff member is also at home recuperating from his injuries and that she is grateful for his bravery while protecting Iriyama and Kawaei from their attacker.

According to Kayano, Iriyama and Kawaei will strive to return to their activities with AKB48. However, security measures will be increased in the future.

Both idols underwent surgery on Sunday. Kawaei suffered a laceration and bone fracture in her right thumb, while Iriyama suffered a fracture in her right pinky finger and a laceration to the head. The male staff member suffered cuts to his left hand.

The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Satoru Umeta, wielded a saw and attacked both performers at a handshake event in Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture on Sunday. He allegedly admitted to the charge of attempted murder on Iriyama and Kawaei after he was arrested.

Source: Sports Nippon Annex via My Game News Flash
Feature image AKB48 Official Blog

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Newsflash: AKB48 members attacked by saw-wielding “fan” at handshake event【UPDATED】

AKB48 idols Anna Iriyama, Rina Kawaei released from hospital