AKB48 "Sister Groups" - SDN48, SKE48...

[tsukinobyouin]

So last night Pi Kago sent me hilarious photos of some of the girls in SDN48 - short for "Saturday Night 48" which is from what I can tell the old ladies version of AKB48. Sure to be a hit with the pedo-wota crowd that generally goes for AKB.



I now see there's a SNE48, via the uploads section. So what's going on with all these groups? Are there more? Are the forming a massive H!P like federation of groups with 48 in the name despite not actually having 48 members? Are they doing well? Do any of you like them?



And what's up with the "Under" members of SDN48?

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Nachu is the best thing to stem from anything with a -48 suffix.



But SDN48 is supposed to be their sexy adult group. They have a cabaret club theme, which is why they're all wearing super tight dresses and feather boas.



I don't know much beside that. I don't think anyone really knows what they're aiming for. It seems like the only off-shoot group of AKB48 that actually makes sense is SKE48.

[EmEl]

By "SNE48" do you mean SKE48? They're just the AKB48 for Nagoya, so that you don't have to go to Tokyo to see a show. They've been around almost a year, but now just released their own single (even though some members of SKE48 have been in AKB48 singles already...) If you don't mean SKE48, then I have no clue.



As for the SDN48, my uninformed guess when I heard about it was that they're starting this now so that they can make an Elder Club for the popular girls when they get too old to be in AKB48 itself.



Also, according to Japanese labor laws, minors can't work past 8 or 10 or something, so I guess this allows late night shows when the theatre can't be used anyway.



Maybe the "Under" girls are in training? Like their versions of the AKB Seed group?

[koolmon]

[quote name='EmEl' post='67238' date='Aug 12 2009, 02:16 PM']Maybe the "Under" girls are in training? Like their versions of the AKB Seed group?[/quote]

In SDN48's case, the Under part means understudy for a girl who is out sick or has prior engagements.

[strawberryjam]

Originally, I thought SKE48 was a horrible idea, but AKB48 in the first place was about idols you can meet. After seeing AKB48 in France, I really got this close feeling that I don't think I would get with MM (though I'm not sure of it since I never seen MM). So I think SKE48 is good for people in Nagoya. I would surely support an idol group in my town! Though, I know it would never work out. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... nceman.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />



Anyways, AKB48/SKE48/Whatever, is really a lot about performing, so it makes me like them a lot. For whatever reason, I love concerts. And it's confusing with so many girls now, but I think they really do push the good one's. Some girls have only been in AKB a year, but you can really tell they're confident in performing and are just really good at it. The 12 year old front girl of SKE is actually really polished.



SDN48 doesn't seem like a bad idea to me either. Also, there's a cute Chinese girl! I have no information on her. If Akimoto is copying Tsunku, like if he scouted her in China... I doubt it though. Either way, whatever. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... iggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':dance:' /> She's CUTE!

[EmEl]

[quote name='strawberryjam' post='67249' date='Aug 12 2009, 06:37 PM']The 12 year old front girl of SKE is actually really polished.[/quote]

That's because she's secretly 19. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... ek3run.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' />

[Special Needs Tricycle]

Yeah, I'm not believing that Jurina is 12 for a second. They're pulling an Ayaya with her and it's really obvious from the start. :X



I do like that Aino girl from SKE though. She's creepy-cute.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='EmEl' post='67238' date='Aug 12 2009, 05:16 PM']By "SNE48" do you mean SKE48? They're just the AKB48 for Nagoya, so that you don't have to go to Tokyo to see a show. They've been around almost a year, but now just released their own single (even though some members of SKE48 have been in AKB48 singles already...) If you don't mean SKE48, then I have no clue.[/quote]



Whoops, should have double checked. <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lesson:' /> Yes, I meant SKE48. I guess that's kind of nice to have a local group, though it seems kind of odd to just have one for Nagoya - you'd think they'd have a Kansai group, if anything.

[EmEl]

I'm sure the inner workings of the empire are planning for just such an expansion. I think there were rumblings of a Fukuoka group followed by Osaka and Sapporo at least. Now seems like the best time to do it with the AKB machine growing so huge, but I guess most companies are done in by over-expansion, so slowly is most likely the best choice. Besides, every Japanese girl can't be an idol, right? There's only so many!

[Special Needs Tricycle]

I've heard that the reason for SKE48 being formed is that the building that was originally their theater was going to close down and it was offered to Akimoto for very cheap. That might explain it.



EDIT: Akimoto was offered to start a production in Nagoya along with the renewal of the Sunshin Sakae, when he was thinking of making his "48 project" a nationwide project. He had a couple of offers even from outside of Japan, so he decided to use Nagoya as the place to move on with the project. Akimoto has said that selected members from both AKB48 and SKE48 may release a single, rather than releasing two different singles.



There you go.

[Ap2000]

I was googling for SDN48 and this was the second link at google.at:

http://igsquerum.mzbs.de/einrad/album/slides/SdN-48.html



haha



SDN48 really sounds like they have a hostess club theme going on (at least judging from their homepage), except for the girls just dancing/singing, instead of doing dirty stuff. (as far as we know... <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /crazy.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':crazy:' /> )

I'm not really surprised they picked up Ohori, she seems to fit into a sexy group and except for 2~3 (ESPECIALLY THAT GYARU UNDER-GIRL) they really all are good looking.

[tsukinobyouin]

[quote name='EmEl' post='67266' date='Aug 12 2009, 11:31 PM']Besides, every Japanese girl can't be an idol, right? There's only so many![/quote]



Well if the groups didn't have so many members, maybe there'd be some girls left in Japan to join! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':frown:' /> I'm not entirely sure why they don't just have AKB48 tour around the country rather than make a whole bunch of new groups, but maybe that would take away from the "girls you can meet" aspect that strawberry was talking about.



[quote name='Ap2000' post='67269' date='Aug 13 2009, 12:00 AM']...except for 2~3 (ESPECIALLY THAT GYARU UNDER-GIRL) they really all are good looking.[/quote]



I actually think the majority of them look like new halfs <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... hatthe.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':crazy:' /> And not in an awesome Haruna Ai kind of way.

[EmEl]

[quote name='TnB' post='67285' date='Aug 13 2009, 07:50 AM']I'm not entirely sure why they don't just have AKB48 tour around the country rather than make a whole bunch of new groups, but maybe that would take away from the "girls you can meet" aspect that strawberry was talking about.[/quote]

I think it would take away. At first, their appeal was their daily shows. But, if they were to start touring Japan now that they're huge, they'd be no different from other groups. I like the idea of a bunch of local groups, and I think I'd like it and understand it more if I actually lived in Japan.

[Ap2000]

[quote name='TnB' post='67285' date='Aug 13 2009, 02:50 PM']Well if the groups didn't have so many members, maybe there'd be some girls left in Japan to join! <img src='http://mm-bbs.org/public/style_emoticon ... /laugh.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':crazy:' /> I'm not entirely sure why they don't just have AKB48 tour around the country rather than make a whole bunch of new groups, but maybe that would take away from the "girls you can meet" aspect that strawberry was talking about.[/quote]



Money.

[EmEl]

Here's a commercial showing them in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE5UGUALS6I



Yes, I'm only posting this because I believe the song is called "Black Boy"