AKB48



AKB48 is an idol group consisting of, you guessed it, 48 members. However, currently the group holds more than 48 members, with even more members scattered in sister groups.

Now has an anime.

"Just before your very eyes A river is flowing Broadly, such a great river Darkly, deeply, even so The current is fast, even so Do not be scared, OK? Do not wander off That’s right, the opposite side is there So more, believe in yourself."
 * Adults Are Useless: Implied in the lyrics to "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou".
 * Anti-Love Song: "Romance, Irane", though it's rather perky!
 * Artificial Human: Eguchi Aimi. The fans found out she was created off the other members' looks.
 * Beach Episode: The PVs for "BINGO!", "Ponytail to Shushu" and "Everyday, Katyusha" all take place at the beach.
 * Bloodier and Gorier: The group's drama, Majisuka Gakuen. For a drama based on an idol group, one would think that it'll be something light and happy, right? Definitely wrong.
 * Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Their first five singles were about cherry blossom petals, fluttering skirts, the longing to meet someone, implied underage prostitution, and bullying and suicide. Enjoy!
 * Cat Smile: Tomomi Itano
 * Cherry Blossoms: A lot of their songs are about this; "Sakura no Hanabiratachi", "10nen Zakura", "Sakura no Shiori", and "Sakura no ki ni Narou" just to name a few!
 * Darker and Edgier
 * The PV for "Beginner" was apparently supposed to be much more violent than the standard idol fare PVs but was not used in the end, though the dance shots were kept and the shots of the members getting violently killed off in a technological atmosphere complete with blood and shots of them being crushed under various devices were fortunately cut out. But for you nightmare fetishists here's a CM of the original!
 * Some of their older songs are darker and edgier as well, such as Keibetsu Shiteita Aijou and Seifuku ga Jama wo Suru. Definitely not your usual idol group.
 * Does This Remind You of Anything?: Hrm, let's see a group of idols under management of one guy complete with subgroups and soloists? You must mean Hello! Project! Although, Hello! Project/Morning Musume was inspired by the 80s idol group Onyanko Club, which was created by Akimoto Yasushi, a.k.a. AKB48's producer.
 * Fan Service: Heavy Rotation's PV is packed with it from girls in lingerie to girls dressed as cats to girls kissing each other... you get the point.
 * Hotter and Sexier: The basis of SDN48.
 * Humiliation Conga: The kind of punishment the girls had to go through when they failed to complete the moe contest...
 * Loads and Loads of Characters: Naturally, with sister groups across Japan.
 * Lying Creator: The case of Eguchi Aimi. Akimoto Yasushi, AKB48 producer, announced that he had found the ultimate AKB48 girl at NMB48's second generation audition, instantly adding her to AKB48 as 12.5th generation. Turn out, she was unreal.
 * Music for Courage
 * The inspirational lyrics to "River".

"I can't do anything I can't do it well And so? We're still young I can't do anything I can't do it right away That's why we have possibilities"
 * Also, the lyrics for "Beginner".


 * Panty Shot: The PV for "Skirt, Hirari". It's evident even in the title!
 * Paying Their Dues: Although the group had been around for a few years, success didn't really come until they released River making a slew of number one hits follow.
 * Pillow Fight: "Heavy Rotation" features the girls pillow fighting in their underwear.
 * Playing to The Fetishes: "Heavy Rotation" is made on this.
 * Rock-Paper-Scissors: The lineup for the 19th and 24th singles were decided by this.
 * Romantic Two-Girl Friendship: The two girls in the lyrics of "Oshibe to Meshibe to Yoru no Chouchou" are implied to have this.
 * Scenery Censor: Taken to an extreme level of hilarity in the intro to "Ponytail to Shushu".
 * School Uniforms Are the New Black: Combined with Impossibly Cool Clothes. The members usually wear a lot of uniform-themed costumes in concerts and PVs.
 * Spiritual Successor: To Onyanko Club; both groups have the same producer.
 * Surprisingly Good English: Half-Filipino, Half-Japanese Sayaka Akimoto in this video. Obviously her mother taught her the language well.
 * Teacher-Student Romance: The lyrics for "Dear My Teacher".
 * Translated Cover Version: Though not officially released the group did perform a pretty good English version of "Oogoe Diamond" in New York.
 * Zettai Ryouiki: Naturally.