AKB48 Group (Japanese: AKB48グループ, Hepburn: AKB48 gurūpu), or AKB48 sister groups, shortened to 48 Group or 48g, refers to the sister groups of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. Based on the same concept "idols you can meet", it currently consists of five sister groups in locations across Japan and seven (DEL, SGO, MUB excluded) sister groups in major Asian cities overseas from Indonesia to Thailand. The Japan-based sister groups not only release their own singles, but also perform on some of the AKB48 singles and events. They also send participants in the AKB48 annual events such as the AKB48 general election. The sister groups outside Japan release local-language versions of the AKB48 singles.[1][2] In their early development, they are often supported by temporary, concurrent members of AKB48, such as Jurina Matsui and Miyuki Watanabe.[3]

AKB48 Group
Background information
OriginEast Asia
Japan (6, former: 1)
China (1, former: 1)
Taiwan (1)
South Korea (former: 1)
South Asia
India (former: 2)
Southeast Asia
Indonesia (1)
Thailand (2)
Philippines (1)
Vietnam (former: 1)
Malaysia (1)
Genres
Years active2008–present
MembersCurrent groups
Past membersFormer groups

History

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AKB48's first sister group, SKE48, was formed in 2008 with its theater in Sakae, Nagoya.[4][5] SDN48 ("Saturday Night"), NMB48[6] ("Namba") and HKT48[7] ("Hakata") were later formed. NGT48 was launched in 2015, and is located in Niigata.[8] STU48, the latest Japanese sister group, was announced during the AKB48 rock-paper-scissors tournament on October 10, 2016. It is based on the seven prefectures adjoining the coast of the Seto Inland Sea and they performed on a ship for a while.[9] Following the assault on NGT48 member Maho Yamaguchi, the management of AKB48 faced severe public criticism.[10] In response, it was announced to significantly change AKB48 management structures, with individual companies independently running each of the Japanese groups.[11]

In 2011 AKB48's first sister group outside Japan, JKT48, was announced; the group is based in Jakarta, Indonesia.[12] JKT48 was followed by SNH48 based in Shanghai, China.[13] On June 6, 2016, AKB48 announced it had suspended its partnership with SNH48 due to the latter's contract violations.[14] Following the statement, SNH48 declared that it had been completely independent from AKB48 from the beginning and SNH48 management had never made any form of partnership with AKS.[15]

On October 12, 2016, AKS announced the "AKB48 China" project; two members were selected and participated in Produce 101 China. The first group of the project, AKB48 Team SH, was launched in early 2018 and audition began in April 2018.[16]

The creation of the TPE48 was announced on October 10, 2011, in AKB48's official blog.[17] At that time, AKS cooperated with Yoshimoto Kogyo Taipei Branch and expected to start audition in 2012. However, the two sides failed to reach a consensus in the preparation work, and thus they were discontinued after the second half of 2012. Three new overseas sister groups were announced in March 2016: BNK48, based in Bangkok, Thailand; MNL48, based in Manila, the Philippines and TPE48, based in Taipei, Taiwan.[18] On July 30, 2018, AKS canceled a joint venture and license agreement with TPE48's management and created AKB48 Team TP.[19] The formation of CGM48, named after and based in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as a domestic sister group of BNK48 was announced in Chiang Mai on 2 June 2019.[20]

On December 27, 2017, Yui Yokoyama, the general manager of AKB48, announced the formation of MUM48, based in Mumbai, India, through a Showroom live broadcast.[21] AKS cooperated with Rashmi Raj Media Pvt. ltd, and audition began in early 2018.[22] However, the group's official site was closed in July 2018.[23] On June 19, 2019, DEL48 and MUB48, based on India's New Delhi and Mumbai respectively, were announced.[24] The group went on an indefinite suspension in November 2020 and later disbanded in July 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25][26]

On June 21, 2018, AKS announced the formation of SGO48, based in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam.[27] On December 5, 2021, it was announced SGO48 will disband after their 3rd anniversary on December 22, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[28]

On January 1 2024, the formation of KLP48, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was announced in AKB48's official social media accounts and KLP48's official page. They are set to debut in August 2024.[29]

AKB48 Group also has their "official" rival group, the Sakamichi Series, also produced by Akimoto Yasushi. The Sakamichi Series consists of groups Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, Hinatazaka46, and Yoshimotozaka46.[30]

SNH48 Group is also known to be a big rival against AKB48 Group: [citation needed] After creating their own sister groups BEJ48, GNZ48, SHY48, CKG48, CGT48, IDOLS Ft and JNR48, the group got more recognition in China. Their single "Forest Theorem" was bought 200,000 times in just a few minutes.[citation needed]

Produce 48 and Iz*One

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Produce 48

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On June 15, 2018, AKB48 groups participated in the Korean reality competition show Produce 48, which acted as the third season for the Mnet series Produce 101. The show brought in 96 girls from South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan to compete for a spot in a 12-member girl group that would promote in both Korea and Japan for two and a half years.[31] Of those 96 contestants, 57 were from Korean talent agencies while 39 were from the AKB48 group.[32][33] On August 31, 2018, the show's final episode aired and the final contestants were chosen to debut in a new group named Iz*One. Among the 12 members chosen to debut were AKB48's Hitomi Honda, HKT48's Nako Yabuki and Sakura Miyawaki.[34]

Iz*One

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Iz*One was an immediate success, with their debut showcase at the Olympic Hall selling out within minutes.[35][36] On October 29, 2018, the group's first extended play COLOR*IZ was released, and sold over 34,000 units (as reported by Hanteo Chart), setting a new record for the highest number of albums sold on the first day of a Korean-based girl group's debut release.[37][38][39] The music video for the lead single "La Vie en Rose" achieved more than 4.5 million views within 24 hours of its release on YouTube, making it the most-watched debut music video by a Korean act in 24 hours.[40][41] Since their debut, the group has earned multiple awards, including Best New Artist at the Mnet Asian Music Awards.[42]

On November 11, the group was scheduled to release their first studio album.[43] However, the release was postponed due to the Mnet vote manipulation investigation,[44][45] which revealed that the Produce 48 producer Ahn Joon-young had selected the twelve members of Iz*One from the top 20 just before the airing of the finale.[46] As a result, Iz*One's showcases, promotions, and several guest appearances were cancelled or put on hold,[47][48][49][50][51] which included the release of their concert film, Eyes on Me: The Movie[52] and their Japanese promotions.[53][54] On January 6, 2020, the members' agencies and CJ ENM reached an agreement to resume the group's activities.[55][56] In April 2021, they officially disbanded and all 12 members returned back to their respective agencies.[57]

Current groups

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List of AKB48 groups based in Japan
Group name Band color Years active Teams
(if split)
Location
(Japan)
Management company Parent company Notes
AKB48 Pink 2005–present Regular, Kenkyuusei/Trainee Akihabara, Tokyo DH, Co., Ltd.[58] The main group
SKE48 Orange 2008–present Team S, Team KII, Team E, Kenkyuusei Sakae, Nagoya, Aichi Zest, Co., Ltd. [ja][59][60]
First sister group
NMB48 Leopard Pattern 2010–present Team N, Team M, Team BII Kenkyuusei Namba, Osaka Showtitle Kyoraku Yoshimoto[62] The only Japanese sister group to hold their own Senbatsu General Election
HKT48 Black 2011–present Team H, Team KIV, Team TII, Kenkyuusei Hakata, Fukuoka Mercury, Co., Ltd. Sproot, Co., Ltd.[63] Shareholders:
NGT48 White – Red 2015–present 1st Generation, 2nd Generation, 3rd Draft, Kenkyuusei Niigata, Niigata Flora, Co., Ltd. Team Nlll and G were disbanded
STU48 Blue – White 2017–present 1st Generation, 3rd Draft, Kenkyuusei Setouchi Region STU, Co., Ltd. [ja] Setouchi Brand Corporation[64] Currently has no permanent theater
List of AKB48 groups based outside Japan
Group name Band color Years active Teams
(if split)
Management company Location Notes
JKT48 Red 2011–present Regular, Trainee IDN / JKT48 Operation Team (PT Indonesia Musik Nusantara) Jakarta, Indonesia First overseas sister group
BNK48 Orchid 2017–present Team BIII, Team NV, Trainee Independent Artist Management (iAM) Bangkok, Thailand Also has a sister group, CGM48
MNL48 Blue 2018–present 1st Generation, 2nd Generation, 3rd Generation, 4th Generation Hallo Hallo Entertainment Inc (HHE) Manila, Philippines The only sister group that debuted with exactly 48 members
The only group to fire their members if they didn't rank in Senbatsu General Election
AKB48 Team SH Pink White 2018–present Team SH, Trainee Shanghai Sengyu Culture Development (AKB48 China) Shanghai, China Replaced SNH48 in China
AKB48 Team TP Mango 2018–present Unit Tic Tac Toe, Unit Peek A Boo, Trainee Good Luck Taipei, Taiwan Formerly TPE48
CGM48 Mint 2019–present Team C, Trainee Independent Artist Management (iAM) Chiang Mai, Thailand First domestic sister group of BNK48
KLP48 Green 2024–present Regular 48 Entertainment Sdn. Bhd. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Debuted on August 16, 2024

Former groups

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List of former AKB48 groups based in Japan
Group name Band Color Years active
with AKB48 Group
Teams
(if split)
Location Notes
SDN48 Teal 2009–2012 1st Generation, 2nd Generation (later 2nd+3rd Generation)[a] Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan Shows for fans age 18 and up.[65] Disbanded in 2012
List of former AKB48 groups based outside Japan
Group name Band Color Years active
with AKB48 Group
Teams
(if split)
Location Notes
SNH48 Light Blue 2013–2016 Team SII, Team NII, Team HII, Team X, Trainee[b] Shanghai, China Declared independence from AKB48 in 2016, still active
SGO48 Lotus 2018–2021 Trainee Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam FanDebut on December 22, 2018. Disbanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnam.
Iz*One Pink White 2018–2021 - Seoul, South Korea Formed from Produce 48
DEL48 Orange - White 2019–2020 Trainee Delhi, India 1st generation members selected. Indefinitely closing following cessation of operations during by COVID-19 pandemic in India.
MUB48 Green - White - - Mumbai, India Formerly MUM48.[21] Indefinitely closing following cessation of operations during by COVID-19 pandemic in India.[66]

AKB48 Group timeline

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AKB48 Group timeline

Distribution map

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Geographic distribution of sister groups of AKB48 inside Japan
Geographic distribution of sister groups of AKB48 outside Japan
Geographic distribution of former sister groups of AKB48

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ For SDN48, the 3rd Generation members were combined with the 2nd Generation to form the "2nd+3rd Generation" stage team
  2. ^ For SNH48, the team listing also include teams and sister groups formed after the divestment from AKB48

References

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