News Roundup

News Roundup #9: Rainy day edition

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In some parts of the world, it snows like crazy — and in others it rains a lot. Rainy or snowy weather aside, please enjoy an AKB news summary!

Let’s try something different: a handy table of contents!

Nogizaka46 members on the cover of BOMB magazine, March 2016

The included members are Nishino Nanase, Ikoma Rina, Saito Asuka, and Kitano Hinako:

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Majisuka Gakuen 5 now available on Blu-ray / DVD

It goes on sale January 26, 2016, and includes the usual extras: random photos, a booklet. It also has a two-part behind-the-scenes making-of type of thing, but the special disc also includes an unreleased episode. Product image:

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And the announcement video (this is Youtube, so it is blocked in the US. Sorry):

Tano Yuka mistaken for a non-Japanese

Translation: “I was getting on the elevator. There was someone else there, and he made a hand gesture like, ‘Going down?’ I said to him: ‘Yes, I’m going down’. He replied, ‘Oh, you speak Japanese. haha’. How many times has this happened to me now…”

NGT48 to be part of NHK’s upcoming Winter Sports Week program

This looks to be a sports show that will be airing in February 2016. It doesn’t say much about the role of NGT48, other than they will be participating as a “support group”.

Kojima Haruna embraced by Saito Takumi on cover of An-an magazine

With the headline that says, “Let’s get erotic!”, it’s bound to make some people look! These photos are from the Feburary 10, 2016 issue of An An magazine (via modelpress):

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Komiyama Haruka to be focus of new TBS Documentary

Japanese TV network TBS has been known to create TV documentaries focusing solely on a single 48-group member; a previous documentary was about Kitahara Rie. Possibly it is the same producer.

The news was announced during a theater performance in Akihabara:

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AKB48 performances 365 Nichi no kami hikouki on Music Station

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According to 2ch, it’s also been several years since Miyazaki Miho appeared on Music Station. I guess things are looking up for her!

NGT48 to be part of ceremony for 30-year-olds in Niigata

This seemed a little… strange. While there is Coming of Age Day in Japan, which celebrates people who have turned age 20, there is also a celebration for people turning 30 years old, in Niigata. In an unusual turn of events, NGT48 members are scheduled to appear:

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Now I feel the place will be overrun with 30-year-old wota!

AKB48 Team 8 car navigation system available for purchase

Considering their sponsorship by Toyota motor company, it’s not an unusual product for Team 8 to be promoting. The car navigation also comes at a premium price of 164,410 yen ($1350 USD at today’s rate).

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No one ever said being an idol fan was cheap!

Takahashi Minami releases new “Graduation Photo Diary”

This is a little different from a standard photo book. Rather than typical off-site and overseas photo shoots in strange places that are typical of idol photo books, this will be comprised of photos taken by Takamina herself.

That sounds good, until you get into one further detail: the pictures will be a selection of 800 photos that she has already posted on 755 and Twitter. So, you maybe have seen a lot of these already.

The photo book goes on sale on February 24, 2016, and is titled, “Utsurina Utsurina”.

Goto Moe has a complex about her height

Goto Moe talks a little bit about her height complex, as she is a little taller compared to her other members.

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Of course, this is by Japanese standards; she is only 162cm.

Oya Shizuka slims down for gravure shoot

Oya Shizuka got skinnier by 11kgs. She posted some before and after photos from Twitter. It’s a real big change!

Before:

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After:

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Nogizaka46’s Wakatsuki Yumi appears MacFan magazine

The March issue of Japanese magazine MacFan features Wakatsuki Yumi. In it, she tries out a mobile application made by Adobe, and gives her impressions:

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These photos come courtesy of Adobe’s official Japanese Twitter account:

Sato Sumire stars in new movie “Match Shojou”

The movie is scheduled to be released on May 28th, 2016. It is based on a manga that is currently being serialize in Young Ace magazine. The basic premise is: there is something called the “mousou match” which make your dreams a reality in exchange for some of your life span (it sounds like something from Death Note, right?).

Sumire plays the leading role, and some spooky looking promo images were released:

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Witness Mukaichi Mion and Suto Ririka “dark girl” makeup

This happened on a recent episode of “AKB to xx”. There are no words for this:

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Nogizaka46 confirmed for Sizebook shoe app collaboration

During the last news roundup, it was rumored the Japanese shoe company Sizebook was recruiting Nogizaka46 to promote their new application that helps your find perfectly fitting shoes. Sizebook twitter mentioned an unnamed idol group at the time, and Japanese netizens guessed that it was Nogizaka46. It was confirmed later on by size book and subsequently picked up by the media:

Bye for now!

Author: reika

I’m writing about useless and stupid things a lot, and I like to laugh. My policy is 一期一会。It means treasure your meeting with everyone!

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  • Payuyu Fortyeight

    i did not notice riripon with that heavy makeup on..

    • reika

      Me too!

  • Sam

    I swear, Tano Yuka looks a lot like a latin girl.

    • reika

      lol, yes, there are many members who do have outside Japanese appearance. I felt about Iriyama Anna at first!

    • Isaias Rodriguez

      Yes,she does. XD First time I saw her I thought she was Half Hispanic/Latino and half Japanese but I learned quick that was not the case.