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Where do idol events go from here? AKB48 attack forces rethink on how...
In the wake of the saw attack on two members of AKB48 and one man working with the venue, many readers of the news couldn’t help but think, “It was just a matter of time before something like this...
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AKB48 resumes handshake events with new security measures
Idol group AKB48 will resume hosting handshake events starting on July 5 with a large handshake event at the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center. The official website for the group explained that...
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AKB48 recruits new part-time idols – for US$10 an hour
The popular idol group AKB48 announced at the AKB48 Group Summer Festival on Sunday that they are recruiting new “part-time” members — for 1,000 yen (about US$10) an hour. Typically, potential AKB48...
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GMO’s pretty employees rival AKB48 with big smiles and short skirts
Submissions for AKB48’s Kokoro no Placard Video Awards are open, and the first company to submit their entry is GMO Internet Group, who reveals a startling high number of pretty ladies working for...
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Queen Serenity negligee and pajama uniforms for core Senshi set to join...
We recently got a sneak peak at the second batch of Sailor Moon lingerie from merchandiser Bandai and intimate apparel maker Peach John. But while the two companies were generous with photos of what...
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Who’s still buying physical media in Japan? Top 20 singles lists for the year...
With a large music market and some of the world’s highest prices for physical releases, Japan has been very slow in adapting to digital distribution. Rights holders are finally warming up to the idea,...
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New Fukushima school gets uniforms designed by the AKB48 costume designer
The new Futaba Future School, a combined junior and senior high school set to open in Hirono, Fukushima Prefecture this April, is getting some pretty snazzy uniforms. They were designed by Shinobu...
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American teens watch J-pop music videos for the first time【Video】
We here at RocketNews24 love all things Japan and Asia so much that sometimes it comes as a slight shock when the rest of the world doesn’t share our passion. Still, with the advent of the internet...
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Former AKB48 idol’s crowdfunding campaign includes date rewards
The former AKB48 idol Anna Mori is crowdfunding her first photobook after recently turning 20 years old (the “age of majority” in Japan, similar to turning 18 in the U.S.) and quickly raised 2,000,000...
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AKB48 founder plans Japan48 idol group for Olympics, Phillipines spinoff
AKB48 founder and producer Yasushi Akimoto announced the formation of the Niigata-based idol group NGT48 at the “AKB48 Request Hour Set List Best 1035″ event in Tokyo on Sunday. His aim in creating...
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Cross-dressing talent Matsuko Deluxe: AKB opening the Tokyo Olympics “would...
Larger-that-life columnist and talent Matsuko Deluxe is well-known for her sharp tongue, particularly where pretty ladies are concerned. This week the target of her ire is idol groups like AKB48. On a...
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Man who attacked AKB48 members with saw at handshake event is jailed for six...
Hugely popular idol group AKB48 was founded on the premise of “idols you can meet” and over the years they’ve stuck to it, hosting numerous handshake and meet-and-greet events on top of their live...
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Little Maria! One of the finalists for the AKB48 draft this year is just 11...
Japan’s 140-member supergroup AKB48 is holding its second annual draft next month, in which sub-teams will choose new members from a draft of 48 young hopefuls. And among the finalists is one of the...
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Is AK48’s Chinese sister group even cuter than the original? Our reporter...
Ever heard of SNH48, AKB48’s second sister group outside of Japan? Based in Shanghai, China, the idol unit has been active since 2012, releasing a total of eight singles to date. These singles are all...
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AKB48 not just popular in Japan – Belgian politician lobbying for first...
The most famous idol group in Japan, AKB48, has a lot of fans all over the world. Not only do they perform to sold-out venues within Japan, but they have also held packed concerts in the US and other...
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Japanese salarymen and OLs make company-wide music video of AKB48’s...
For the past two years AKB48 has asked fans and company staff to submit their own music videos to their newly released singles, and their latest track, “Halloween Night”, is no exception. While the...
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Prepare to be outraged: Japan votes for its “100 Best World Class Songs”【Videos】
The long-running Japanese music program Music Station recently held a nation-wide survey polling 10,000 people on what they thought were Japan’s most world-class songs. Respondents told the TV show...
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Government’s Cool Japan Project to fund AKB48 sister group in Philippines
It’s been recently announced that AKB Group, the idol conglomerate responsible for AKB48, NMB48, SKE48, HKT48, NGT48, JKT48, and SNH48, will be adding another serial number to the roster in the form...
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Justin Bieber kisses two of Japan’s most popular idols, breaks the hearts and...
Two pecks on the cheek, far, far more angry idol otaku. Last month, Justin Bieber asked people to pray for Japan, under the mistaken belief that some tragedy had recently befallen the country. Still,...
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J.J. Abrams reveals that he wanted an AKB48 idol in the cast for Star Trek
The famed Hollywood director was ready to set his phaser to “idol.” With his involvement as a director and producer for both the Star Wars and Star Trek movie franchises, J.J. Abrams already his...
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