Asahi's new canned coffee - Wanda Gold Black - commercial features AKB48 members, including Yuko Oshima, Mayu Watanabe and Haruka Shimazaki. Despite how you usually see them on TV (cute young girls), you will find them acting like grown-up mature women in the commercial.
But this commercial will be bittersweet for AKB fans. It comes after the shocking news announced on Japan's traditional year-end music program, "Kohaku Uta Gassen" ("red and white singing competition") in which Yuko Oshima, who has always been one of the most popular AKB48 members, announced that she is "graduating" from AKB and will leave the group sometime in 2014.
At 25, she is one of the oldest members of the group, and maybe she is ready for a boyfriend.
We are not sure if this will be her last TV commercial as an AKB48 member but if you are her fan, you don't want to miss the commercial.
Source: AkihabaraNews
© Japan Today
20 Comments
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slumdog
Why is the 'adult' in quotes? Aren't they really adults?
sighclops
@Mirai Hayashi
Don't believe the hype. They're all in relationships - guaranteed. It's just a fallacy created by a middle-aged fat otaku to keep the dream alive for other fat otakus.
I boycott anything endorsed by this ridiculous act!
gogogo
"graduating" .... face palm
lostrune2
Why wouldn't they? They're old enough to live on their own, so why wouldn't they act ma....... oh, wait, forgot about that.........
Cortes Elijah
Graduated at 25? Wow she must be simple.
Nessie
Gotta love the scare quotes on "adult."
sighclops
@tmarie
"getting busted" would also translate to "carefully orchestrated publicity stunt"
This is Japan!
Thunderbird2
Yes, I wondered at the 'adult' in quotes too. Is that to propagate the myth that all of the girls are under age or something? A quick Google search shows most of them are over 18. Teams A. K and B have 15 girls under the age of 18 out of 62. Team 4 is made up mostly of under 18s, a majority of them being 16. The youngest member is 14.
Now, when you see the videos of the girls performing, which team is it?
sighclops
@Thunderbird
I heard that they rotate the members regularly. Not that I could care less about them though lol
nath
Going by the headline .... I perhaps was not the only one expecting something a little more racy?
bass4funk
Ready? If she's not, then she must be a very, very late bloomer. Either way, the commercial doesn't make me want to run to my nearest vending machine to get some cold canned brew.
Mirai Hayashi
25 yo, and in a stupid girls band that don't allow you to have a relationship...what a waste.
Magnus Roe
Came to comment section for comments discussing this fine coffee. Was disappointed. :p Suppose it's a step above Nespresso since you can just throw away the can?
nath
Lovely.
Icecreampoliticsfova
On TV, you're usually seeing the most popular members from all teams (A, K, B, team 4).
If a popular member is busy at the time the TV show is recorded, a less popular member will perform as an 'under'.
Popularity is measured by their rank in the annual election among other things.
There is quite a fight online and within AKB about who gets on TV and who ranks in the election.
Haruka Shimazaki and Mayu Watanabe are currently fighting over the number 1 spot in the election.
But there are many other popular members in AKB.
By the way, I am Haruka Shimazaki-oshi.
To oshi somebody means to support her by voting in the election and following her career.
tmarie
**@Mirai Hayashi
Don't believe the hype. They're all in relationships - guaranteed. It's just a fallacy created by a middle-aged fat otaku to keep the dream alive for other fat otakus.
I boycott anything endorsed by this ridiculous act!**
But if they get busted, looked forward to being dumped or better yet, shaving your hair to say sorry.
nath
All 5 teams plus their sister acts both from in Japan as well as outside have a nice spread of ages and talents.
plasticmonkey
While we all agree that the ultimate purpose for women is to find a boyfriend or husband, the timing of such a move is best left to her handlers.
Marilita Fabie-Fujisawa
Eeeuuuwwww
djv124
Awesome commercial! To have Yuko and Parruru in the same ad is a dream come true! Yuko you will be sorely missed! Nice to see the AKB family dominating everything in Japan, even stuff like this.