Since 2009,Japanese idol girl group AKB48 has held a popularity contest called or “General Election” where fans can vote for their favorite members, including one for the coveted top position.
However, AKB48’s management agency AKS, headed by producer Yasushi Akimoto, announced Wednesday that the event will not be held this year.
The announcement was made on Akimoto’s official blog. In the post that surprised fans, Akimoto said: “AKB48 will continue its daily efforts to become a group that fans will want to support from the bottom of their hearts.”
On that same day, AKB48 released their latest single “Jiwaru Days” to commemorate the graduation of HKT48 member Rino Sashihara, who was voted the most popular member of the group for three consecutive years.
© Japan Today
18 Comments
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Yubaru
What?!?!?!?!...... Best news of the year so far!
oldman_13
They're still around?
zones2surf
As a general matter, this would fall in the "meh" category.
However, it is actually very surprising that they have done this. And, I have to wonder if there is more to this than they are letting on.
With rabid / fanatical fans, I wonder if they have realized that these sort of competitions can create an atmosphere that leads fanatical fans to cross the line in their actions.
Just an observation.
Aly Rustom
What Yubaru said.
Chico3
I second what Yubaru said.
Cricky
Really?
Kaerimashita
This is a disaster!! how will we know who the most talented, beautiful, charming, sexy and all round fabulous bijin is? Are AKB losing their touch?
Samit Basu
There are many reasons for this.
Member retirement : Tops two aces, Sashihara Rino and Watanabe Mayu retired from AKB, leaving no viable competition to Matsui Jurina.
Member defection to K-Pop : Miyawaki Sakura(3rd in 2018), Yabuki Nako(9th in 2018), and Honda Hitomi(82nd in 2018) transferred to IZone, while Takahashi Juri(12th in 2018) and Takeuchi Miyu "retired" to sign with K-Pop agencies. Two more "named" members are reportedly in negotiation to defect to K-Pop as well. Basically, the Produce 48 contest backfired and instead of bringing up the AKB's performance level to K-Pop standard, it opened the eyes of AKB idols to a whole new world, who now dream of defecting to K-Pop if able. And those defecting to K-pop are obviously the cream of AKB crops, not the usual.
NGT48 Fiasco : NGT48 fiasco is still ongoing and AKS is busy fixing NGT48 at the moment.
Promotion of Next Generation : The root cause of AKB's steadfast decline in popularity is that the General Election doesn't allow new faces to rise in rank and gain popularity, since die hard fans vote for their favorite idols year after year. So by not holding the General Election, AKS buys time to promote the young guns and attract new fans.Kaerimashita
Samit
You are an AKB EXPERT
yoshisan88
I guess this is the main reason. I am no AKB fan but a few year ago there was news on some less popular members saying unless those older members graduates, there is no way they can move into higher position in the group.
starpunk
“AKB48 will continue its daily efforts to become a group that fans will want to support from the bottom of their hearts.”
If their biggest fans include some of those older 'gents' as some of you dudes have indicated, is it really 'from the bottom of their hearts' or something else?
In the music and entertainment industry - it's time to highlight the TALENTS out there!
rainyday
Must have been something Earth shatteringly major that went down to cause this. Did one of the members get caught holding hands with her boyfriend or something?
Lost-in-Nagoya
I don’t know what’s is more shocking to all good citizens of the world: the tragedy of not having the general election thing, or to discover that there are experts in the field. Posting in English.
Mocheake
Say it ain't so, Joe! That is the highlight of my year. What am I ever going to do now!
Loki520
That is, truly, a sad, sad thing...
plasticmonkey
Ugh.
lostrune2
Lol, let them all compete in a "Japanese Idol" TV series and leave their critiques up to the judges and all viewers!