So CnJ's NINKI rating is 3 points higher than Beginner's was. Probably due to the post-Beginner hype but still is a good sign.

ugh, I need to see those team PV's like NOW.

Let's not forget...NINKI means nothing *cough*utada*cough*

Yeah, I know. What happened with Utada? (haven't been paying attention)

EDIT: Just wikipedia'd it. Eh, the sales weren't bad... were people expecting a million seller? Then, I'm not sure AKB and Utada are comparable since you know... one of them actually promotes their stuff. :innocent

^ Her NINKI was over 500 but the album only sold like, 200,000 in the first week.

^Okay, gotcha.

Just started to listen to Beginner not long ago and I fall in love with the song!!
Such a nice and addictive song!! :D

By the way, has the uncensored version of the video available to download in HQ yet?
All I cound find is the phone recorded video and concert screens.
I'm sooo desperately looking for that version in HQ if it's already released somewhere! :p

^ Yeah I'm sure that it's going to sell less than Beginner :no but maybe the lots of b-sides will help

I think that it will be released in the next album or video compilation, as for now there is no such HQ PV

Love Jump! PV

http://p.you.video.sina.com.cn/swf/q...934&tHostName=

It's so adorable. omg :heart I love their nursing outfits. Yuki and Mayu (unsurprisingly) got the most screentime but they're the only Team B members I care about (besides Kasai) anyway so it's all good. XD

Btw, was it just my dirty mind or was there some suggestive MayuxYuki going on there? :lech

Also, Yoyaku Christmas:

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI3NDAxMTQ0.html

Eh... I'll save this one and Kurumi for when I get the single.

I see, thanks for answering for me.
Hope to get a clear uncensored video in the near future :D

The Christmas video is adorable, but the songs on this single are just so...typical to me. None of them stand out at all :(

^Yeah, I understand what you mean. The only 'surprising' track imo was Kurumi to Dialogue. ALIVE and Love Jump! are both so extremely Team K and Team B-ish (respectively) it's impossible not to know which song belongs to who. Chance no Juuban runs in the same painfully idol-ish vein of PtS, and Yoyaku Christmas is well, what you'd expect it to be just from the title.

I don't think it's a bad thing though. I consider this single to be a sort of belated introduction. Now that they're "it", they're letting Japan know who they are and what they're about. The Team songs reflect each team's strengths and characteristics perfectly. Chance no Juuban has the typical AKB48 sound and Yoyaku has the regular senbatsu with the regular promo tie in. So it's a good balance if anything.

Omg, I just realized we still haven't heard anything about the kenkyusei song! What was the title again....? lol Oh, Fruits Snow! It's been completely forgotten. xD

^You mean, the Undergirls and Theater Girls? There's none for this single but I guess that's because they'll be in the Team PV's anyway... not featured as much as the more popular members of course but they should still get a little screentime.

We are getting Lots of AKB in this year FNS Kouhaku!

and I believe this is their first time in FNS Kouhaku :D Congratulations!

That sure is a lot...and don't forget Beginner, too!

Dammmnnn. AKB48 x SNSD? HELL YEAH! :luv2

^It's not really times they just sing their songs one after another.
But it was still pretty cool to see two of my fav girl groups on the same stage!!

Oh I know but I love them both too so it's still pretty kewl. :3

Okay guys, I've been refreshing s48 for like ten minutes now and it keeps saying it's busy. You know what that means... KnD and ALIVE must have leaked. xD

Edit: False alarm, that was just Google Chrome being retarded. =___=;

Lots of AKB and Go Hiromi at FNS Kouhaku. I approve.

Sorry if this was posted before, I have to make sure it was posted in the AKB thread because it's so awesome!

In the past November 8th, Music Japan broke its routine in order to air a whole episode specially dedicated to AKB48 fans "MJ Presents AKB48 Request Special". The episode includes every single performance of the group in NHK hall; including MJ and Kouhaku Uta Gassen peformances. Every single title song was featured (Except for 8th and 9th Single title songs, they were not requested by the show to perform these songs at that time). The order of the performances was choosen by fans.

Hehe it is neat, my downloads almost finished!!
It's a great way to watch their old performances!

So SKE finally got a Team E. However 4 KII members were demoted to Research Students. I don't really follow SKE but that is not cool. I was thinking of getting to know them too.

anyone has link to download akb48 at fns kayousai,,,
thx,,

On Hey hey hey they said they want to perform at Tokyo Dome. (I think anyways)
It will probably happen. I'm sure they could fill it quite easily!!!

Got my single today and just finished watching Kurumi to Dialogue PV... omg, guys I was freaking at how awesome it was. Seriously. Freaking.

I loved the concept, the song, the choreography... usually I hate those PV's with simplistic backdrops but I didn't even care it just added to the sexy effect of it. Particularly loved the ending... Acchan. :heart Wasn't enough Mariko for my tastes but the part with her and the diamond was hilarious. xD

Here it is: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI3OTQzMjg4.html

hmm I was expecting more screentime for the other girls....... Kurumi to Dialogue is basically regular senbatsu - Yuko + Rino

What's the bonus picture like Ranma?

I just won 3 versions on ebay!! I must support Mayuchi!!!!!!!

Mid day sales
23,412

For comparison.

77,821(*7.30) 568,095 AKB48「Beginner」
55,226(*6.16)　340,487　AKB48「ヘビーローテーション」
26,963(13.14)　354,403　AKB48「ポニーテールとシュシュ」
15,994(14.35)　229,528　AKB48「桜の栞」
*4,818(18.22)　*87,795　AKB48「RIVER」
13,492(*4.25)　*57,456　AKB48「言い訳Maybe」

lul. Looks like it's gonna be their lowest first week since Sakura no Shiori. No surprise there.

YIKES!!! :thud

What in the world is going on!?

Maybe it's because some fans are NOT happy with the member selection? (There's only TWO members from the Beginner senbatsu that are in the Chance no Junban senbatsu, and neither of the Team K's senbatsu members from Beginner were in Chance no Junban! Maybe that's to blame why it's NOT as successful as the past three singles...)

And I heard on Twitter that the Chance no Junban handshaking event got cancelled? Hmm...could anyone verify on that?

That's the spirit!!! :D

The drop is probably because some might not be happy with the member selection.

It's AKBs 5th Anniversary today <3

Obviously I agree. :yes

There are some fans who are for it because they want a new feeling of AKB48 (as they might be tired of the current senbatsu), but maybe most are speculating they are not in support of it because it's a "mere chance of luck" that you're going to senbatsu in this single (sorry, no voting - it's all determined by some kind of scissors-paper-stone tournament that is responsible by the girls themselves and NOT the fans), and at the end, only TWO members from the Beginner senbatsu made it to the Chance no Junban, with NONE of the Beginner Team K senbatsu members making it and relegating to the B-side...

And, for me, the covers, by my standards, don't look too professional very much...

ALIVE PV: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjI4MjA3NjY4.html]

:thud I have no words. I need Type K like now.

Sale figures are nothing surprising. This was a irregular single minus the regular top girls, minus handshake event tickets and with an underwhelming song and video to promote it so yeah... of course all of that had an effect on sales. It's a shame though because the Team songs really made this single for me, it kinda felt like they were the "real" A-sides. I hope Aki-p decides to do this again.

I'm gonna laugh my ass off if the next single (which will be business as usual, RS + tickets) picks up where Beginner left off and goes to sell a million in 1st week. xD


This was the CDJ/NEOWING bonus picture: :love

My jpopsuki account was disabled because my ratio was 0.60 and I downloaded FNS Kouhaku just to watch AKB x Go Hiromi collaboration T_______T

ALIVE seems to be the best team song and PV :yes

Very old.

Devastating.

Uhh...

*1　471,242　AKB48

Yep, a decrease but higher than Heavy Rotation. Predicting huge drop soon.

I think 470k is really good, in reality I was expecting less...

Only two? But what about Maeda Atsuko, Kasai Tomomi, Kojima Haruna, Takajo Aki

Expect another 500,000+ single there again! Quite surprised by that...

I meant from the Beginner senbatsu, sorry...

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME THE BONUS PICTURE WAS OF SAE AND NOW I'M TRYING TO BID ON A SAE PICTURE FROM EBAY FOR LIKE $13.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

done raging but I'm seriously mad now xD

The sales are great!

^LOL Maybe this is a sign you should start ordering your singles through an Oricon counting online retailer? Just saying... :innocent jk :P

417K? I was honestly expecting something in the 200K-300K range. (feels like such a pessimist xD ) So it looks like they have another 500K~600K single, if the drops happen at their usual pace it should beat Hebirote's 1st week sales. Good job Janken senbatsu. :)

What'd you mean "Uhhh..." ? O__o

LOL I was totally going to order through CDJ but then I saw they ran out of first press ;________;
Plus technically the copies from ebay were bought before right so they kind of count xD

That portrait picture was so-so. :shakehead

^Nothing with Sae is so-so :rolleyes

@Bigtop: orly? I thought it was pretty cool myself and she looks badass. I was expecting like last time to get a photo of a undergirl I didn't even know so I'm quite happy to get Sae. :P

Lol, tru dat. tru dat. xD

Btw, big news everybody:

Yesterday was AKB48's 5th anniversary and they held a special stage at their theater with graduates coming back to perform with their former teams. A big announcement also occured:

Say hello to AKB56. :roflmao

hahahaha oh noes I will have to change all my tags xD

Uhh...WHAT THE~!? :thud

(I'm referring to NOT AKB48 but now AKB56...how will they change some trade names starting in 2011?)

Man, I think we might want to make a bit more room - because the 48-person concept for AKB48 is already broken...

What the f? 0_o

It's been broken before. It's been consistent lately.

The setlist of the performance yesterday:

1. Party ga Hajimaruyo (Itano, Urano, Orii, Kawasaki, Kojima, Komatani, Sato Y, Takahashi, Tojima, Narita, Hirajima, Hoshino, Maeda Ats, Minegishi, Watanabe S)
2. Seishun Girls (Akimoto, Kobayashi K, Umeda, Oshima Y, Miyazawa, Masuda, Oku, Ohori, Takada, Kasai, Matsubara, Hayano, Sato N, Imai, Noro)
3. Shonichi (Oota, Kashiwagi, Kikuchi, Watanabe M, Nakaya, Kohara, Hirajima, Katayama, Matsuoka, Nito, Tanabe, Saeki, Yonezawa, Urano, Saotome)
4. Anata ga Itekureta Kara
----------------------
5. Fruits Snow (Team Kenkyuusei)
6. Love Jump (Team B)
7. ALIVE (Team K)
8. Kurumi to Dialogue (Team A)
9. Yoyakushita Christmas (Yoyaku Senbatsu)
10. Chance no Junban (Chance Senbatsu)
11. Sakura no Hanabiratachi

@Bigtop: lol Don't freak, the AKB56 thing is just a joke. They won't actually change their name, that'd be marketing suicide. XD Besides they didn't always have 48 members, from what I can gather the line-up has only recently been stable since the team shuffle.

I wonder what they'll actually do with these girls though, are they really going to put on them on the established teams after they went through the trouble this year of 'evening' them up? Are they just going to be *official* substitutes for the main girls?

Or is Aki-P finally going to make a Team 48? :roflmao

Perhaps they'll finally transfer Shinoda to SDN....she'd be amazing there.

Okay I don't see Nakanishi Rina nor Oshima Mai, I'm sad :no

No....Ono either. :bsigh

Chance no Junban 2nd day sales update: 526,022

Over 500k is good ;) Though I'd feel mortified if the next single end selling less than this...

Cool beans. If the drops go as usual, we're definitely looking at 600K by the end of the week.

The next single will have Handshake tickets, first press limited editions 'Beginner style', and the regular top girls back in place. As long as the song and PV doesn't totally blow chunks, I think it'll do just as well if not better.

Plus since it's in February, there's a 50/50 chance it'll either be a graduation song or a generic first date type song and Japan eats those ***** right up.

The big question is: will it match Beginner's sales with the same marketing tactics (minus the awesome song and video)?

AKB56???
That's not a group, that's an army!

^ :roflmao :roflmao :roflmao

LOL
they can do a military themed video again.
Though I wouldn't mind a Graduation type song again!!

AKB is on Billboard Hot 100 of the year at number 3 with Heavy Rotation. For single sales of the year they are at 7 with Heavy Rotation and 10 with Beginner.

^Yay!!!

I've just realized I've been calling it Chance no Juuban this entire time when it's actually Junban :doh

O___o How's it possible that Hebirote is ranked higher when Beginner sold more... ? idgi But good for them! xD

^ I think Billboard rankings are not based in sales only, I think it's a combination of sales + airplay like World Music Charts.

Attention Tomochin fans! Itano Tomomi will be releasing her solo debut CD on 2011 :D

To be exact: "Dear J", releasing on January 26, 2011 (along with YUI, Tohoshinki)
http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-7140

I wonder how it will turn out.

I wonder how much it will sell??
I don't know how's her voice?? I thought it was just okay. Seems like it will be auto tuned a lot if it's a dance song LOL xD

Tomochin is really pretty....not a fan of her singing but she seems popular enough to be successful....I hope she beats Tohoshinki :P (or more like....what's left of them :laugh)

ooooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOO

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KIZM-90081

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KIZM-90083

okay we already knew about it but still
oooooOOOOOOoooooOOOOOoooo

I think Shiny Summer was a disaster, but this time she will definitely get a decent production team

lololololol some kind of parapara routine. But her voice doesn't sound too bad.
I expect something much more epic for Dear J :laugh

Was just major fangirling over the Happy Music performance of Chance no Junban with Sae in it!!!!!!!!
OMG Sae and Mayuchi in a senbatsu performance!!!!!!!!!!! *flails*
*flails some more* Sae was in the Music Japan performance tooooooooooooo!!!!!! *dies*

No Sleeves (Takamina, Kojiharu, Minegishi Minami) are releasing their self-titled debut album on January 1st (1.1.11)
It includes a no3b version of Heart Gata Virus!! :heart :heart :heart
http://i488.photobucket.com/albums/r...Imagen13-3.png

Tracklist:
01. Relax
02. Kisu no Ryuusei
03. 3seconds Remix
04. Heart Gata Virus (no3b ver.)
05. Bye Bye Bye
06. Jun'Ai no Crescendo
07. Christmas Present Remix
08. Lie
09. Tane
10. Next heaven

* Different DVD bonus content for each album edition.

edit1: PV for Tomomi Itano's debut solo single was already filmed http://blip.tv/file/4509616

edit2: In other news. SKE48 got their own mixed member

yah No sleeves!!!!! I've been watching Mendol I love their music!!
And what's that girl mixed with? she looks pretty Japanese to me :laugh

I beat european , england maybe or asian indian

Yay I hope No Sleeves' album is good.

some things about Chance no Junban sales I stole from stage48 wiki:

First week sales: 596,769
Position: #1

* Chance no Junban's First week sales updated akb's record of half-million first week sellers to 4. (Ponytail to Shushu~ current.)
* this single made AKB48 the first Female idol group in japan to have 6 consecutive 1# Singles since an Onyanko Club streak, approx. 23 years ago.
* for a 5 consecutive 1# single streak occurring during the same year, it was the first time happening in the female artist category since 1978 (32 years ago).
* Chance no Junban placed as 8th in the Oricon Yearly Single Ranking for 2010 (this position was accomplished just with the single's first week sales, since it was released during the last Oricon Week for the year 2010)

Whoa, that still is really HOT!

wow.. i think the yearly single will be filled with AKB48 stuff.

Hopefully it will be.

omg omg help guys I cannot for the life of me figure out who this is!!!!!!!

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1120/76166807.png

^SKE48's Matsui Jurina

....who btw should not be in any AKB singles :grumpy. Seriously I don't get her appeal....and she's already the center of SKE

but the true WTF moment comes with Matsui Rena....that girl is just......weird.

^but you see it is not her!! She's in it later and her hair is completely different but it really looks like her I know.
lol I'm scared of Rena after watching Majisuka Gakuen.

see here's Jurina here:
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/3691/85794567.png


unless it's because they changed her hair for the other part of the PV...... omg so confused~~

That's Jurina lol. They just changed her hair for the dance parts.

ah okay okay xD well she should get bangs because she looks really cute like that :)
oh and thank you polyrhythm!!!

ahhh I caved in and watched the new team PVs
Team K :Q______________________
OMG so amazing.....................

Finally preorders are up, gawd... not that I can preorder anything now but still... :laugh

So happy and excited for Tomochin's single. :heart I wanna blindly order all versions but my wallet can't possibly handle it so I'll have to wait and choose one. ;__;

I'm going to wait for previews.

Yay yay CD Japan shipped my group calendar already!!!!!!!!
I think I'm just going to rip off Sae's picture and put it on my wall right away :laugh

Great choices for the medley. LOL! They played the PV for Heavy Rotation lmao....must have been distracting....I hope they come back to LA this summer so they can sing Heavy Rotation :lech

JapanesewordsMAYBE is a nice song! I'm gonna download that single!!!
thanks for the performance

iiwake Maybe is their best single song IMO.

I swear there are few things cuter than Yuko starting off Hebirote. :heart I loved her, Tomochin's and Sae's hairstyles for this performance, Acchan's isn't new but she should always keep it styled that way because it suits her so well.

Great performance, not much of a fan of Aitakatta (or any of their pre-2009 singles lol) but it still was a good choice of medley and the girls were so energetic throughout. Would've been great to have been in that audience.

For me, RIVER is their best single A-side and the best full single is Hebirote.

lol they should have the PV playing in the background too... if they're lucky, some outraged parents will be in the audience. Their popularity here would skyrocket. :roflmao

ヘビーローテーション I love this song, I hate the choreography
会いたかった it's always good to see Aitakatta in an AKB medley
言い訳Maybe this one was LIVE! and everytime that AKB performs live I say to myself 'Yuko can't sing, she shouldn't be allowed to sing live' but I'm glad they performed live once again! :heart

Here is the performance again:




Heh I've been meaning to get Sayaka and Sae's calenders. I saw previews and they both looked awesome.

Things could get really interesting next week...

uhhh I really doubt they are going to perform together. xD
just they're going to perform Christmas songs one right after another.
AKB will probably perform Yoyaku shita Christmas