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[GENERAL] The AKB48 Thread

Discussion in 'General AKB48 Discussion' started by Kyobu, Jun 16, 2007.

  1. noTKMNnoLIFE

    noTKMNnoLIFE Kenkyuusei

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    The problem is AKB isn't just a group, it's a brand. It's THE brand. It's how the general public knows the 48G by. If they released singles without the SG stars it could drastically affect sales and make AKB, and therefore all groups, look weak. There goes your 1m sales streak, here comes all the media fallout about AKB dying, and it's a downward spiral into obscurity.

    ...at least that's what the concern would be. There's always talk about making AKB a super group and splitting up/renaming the current AKB to keep the streak going, but personally, I think if AKS had the balls to risk that sales streak just once with the right song and image, and loaded up on young AKB pushes, Team 8, and a small number of established AKB stars, they could keep the sales streak alive and even bring some much needed freshness and excitement to AKB. Then you could keep the SG inclusion to SSK and other special singles, maybe add another 48G special release too.
     
  2. marioworldakb

    marioworldakb Under Girls Stage48 Donor

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    tbh the main market of customers are the wotas not the public anyways >__> Really doubt how the casuals would affect too much on the numbers.
     
  3. Reveen

    Reveen Under Girls

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    You can ONLY keep the sales streak going by having sister groups doing AKB handshakes. And why should Sayaka (for example) do 30 slots of AKB handshakes and not appear on the A-side, that's ludicrous.
     
  4. noTKMNnoLIFE

    noTKMNnoLIFE Kenkyuusei

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    I know it's about the wotas, that's why I said it could drastically affect sales. Could. But I think AKB has the potential right now with Team 8 and their current stars to make it work. Only with the right song though, like I said. Don't underestimate the power of a hit song to turn those casuals into new fans. Look at what Heavy Rotation and KFC did for the group.

    As per the last reply, I disagree that it's impossible. But really, even if they lost the streak, that wasn't supposed to be the point. The point is I think they have the strength right now to do AKB-only releases and build something new and exciting from it. They would still have the other 48G special releases for the big SG HS attractions.
     
  5. Tchu

    Tchu Kenkyuusei

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    Sayanee wasn't involved at all with #SukiNanda and she still participated in the hand shake events. And she sold all her slots in the first round as usual. I agree it is ludicrous but I think this shows that in the future they could get away with an AKB only single in which sister groups participated in the hand shake events. Fans would complain but buy it anyways.
     
  6. Reveen

    Reveen Under Girls

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    She excluded herself from SSK, that was a one off.

    that would be beyond unfair and inequitable. If sister groups had to do AKB handshakes and not be in the single then AKB members should do sister group handshakes and not appear on the singles.

    You can't guarantee that. Sister group fans might stay away from the AKB single and spend more on the sister group singles, especially if the members kicked up a fuss.
     
  7. oji-sama

    oji-sama Kenkyuusei

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    All of this AKB is dying talk... is pretty much BS. First, AKB sales on Billboard are pretty good (although decreasing slightly). The drastic decreases in Oricon are mostly due to stricter enforcement of policy (at least that's what is safe to assume because Billboard numbers don't change as much as Oricon numbers from single to single.) I'm too lazy to back that up rn, if someone wants to dig through Oricon and Billboard (Soundscan) sales for me from each single thread I'll appreciate it. Also, I could be wrong about this, but I'm 70% sure I'm correct lul

    Basically, Oricon policy tries to see how many copies are bought, excluding purchases for over 20 copies of a single, IIRC. So yeah maybe it's true that AKB's popularity (number of people in fanbase) is decreasing or maybe general public is buying less singles than usual. But in case you haven't noticed, this doesn't matter AT ALL. Say a company is making 200 dollars everytime they release a product. They don't give a flying f**k if that money is from 2,000 people or just 1 person... all they care about is the money that they are making. Granted, AKB's gross sales have probably decreased a bit, but they are definitely staying in a comfortable range.

    Another argument that I sometimes see is that AKB has more members and slightly less sales. Maybe that's true but, again, it doesn't really matter. The investment that they spend in lower tier, complete nobody members is probably next to nothing. Naturally, the return on these members is also next to nothing.

    So no, hell no, AKB is not doomed. They're making enough money to continue running the group relatively efficiently (even if management senbatsu selections are absolute crap). Heck, the quality of AKB productions actually seems to be increasing (by that I mean things like camera work in Suki Nanda PV is better than in some older singles). If you really want to see a doomsday level problem, see sister groups. SKE sales today are just plain crap compared to what they were in their peak days. Even this can be explained, though, by the fact that there are more sister groups and the same overarching group of fans distributes their money differently.

    TLDR: AKB will survive because management is getting cash.
     
  8. marioworldakb

    marioworldakb Under Girls Stage48 Donor

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    Yeah and I quote myself from this thread too.

    How long were those songs ago? Yeah, it was the good ol' days. Anyways it's not that I don't agree with you. It's just we don't have good songs like those anymore unfortunately meh. So it dun really matter what senbatsu they put out at this point, at least to the public.
     
  9. antares

    antares Kenkyuusei

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    The AKB-sister group problem is very complicated. You cannot consider sister-groups as a stand-alone entity; it is an extension of AKB to a new location to draw local fans. But the places can vary a lot in term of wealthness, jobs, media... If there is no connection to AKB, how many jobs, shows, and spotlight a Hakata, Niigata, or Setouchi-based group can have? When AKS creates a branch, it has to give it an equal chance as the others; otherwise no-one will stay.

    Currently AKB needs sister groups to draw the local fans, as well as getting more potential girls. It is an important factor keeping AKB single sale although many old-girl fans left. The sister-groups sacrifice their releases and HS sale to support AKB, thus they have right to ask for return from AKB. The sister group girls also needs AKB to find spotlights, jobs and popularity.

    We can differentiate the girls into 4 types:
    - Popular sister-group girls: These girls seem to have the most advantages. They earned popularity with AKB-support. They appear everywhere. They have more jobs in Tokyo than in their hometown. AKB needs them to boost sale; sister group needs them to stay relevant. On one hand, they should share spotlight to other girls by reduce their appearance in AKB, or in their group singles. On another hand, they deserve what they get.
    - Popular AKB girls
    - AKB theatre girls: they have no spotlight, no chance in their own single. But they are living in Tokyo, thus having a lot of job opportunities and a good income.
    - Sister-group theatre girls: they have chance to appear in their group single. But since each group releases 1-2 singles per year now,and each can sell ~300k, it is not much an advantage. Then, they have no-to-few jobs, shows and income. The hope of rising to type-1 is an important factor keeping them to stay.
    There are also pushed sister group girls, whom staffs want to convert from type-4 to type-1.

    If AKB excludes the sister group girls from their single?
    - AKB sale will drops dramatically. It will create a buzz, resulting in loss in investment, cooperation, media, and fan supports. If AKB survive the drop, they may stay low and come back eventually. Their sale will be 300-500k per single, with only 2-3 releases per year. However, the AKB girls have more chance to shine, and AKB can have a healthier future.
    - Sister-groups in wealthy regions (SKE, NMB) can rise a bit. They can have more releases, higher sale and operation freedom. Though, their popularity goes down, and the top girls will lose a lot.
    - Sister-groups in rural areas (HKT, NGT, STU) may rise for a while (similar to the other sister groups). However, after years, these groups will go down and eventually disband due to lack of income and media support.
     
  10. noTKMNnoLIFE

    noTKMNnoLIFE Kenkyuusei

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    You're right, those songs are rare, but I'd argue that the reason we get generic forgettable songs now is because AKS knows they can make the same money no matter what crap they put out, as long as they have a strong allstar senbatsu. If they went AKB-only, they would have to actually try again lol.

    And like I said in my last comment, the sales streak isn't even a big deal to me. That was just about management's worse case scenario worries. Even if they lost it, I think they would still do well enough to make good money and finally bring AKB into a new interesting era.
     
  11. marioworldakb

    marioworldakb Under Girls Stage48 Donor

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    I think everyone by now knows that's not a big secret anymore [hehe]

    And I quote myself here again from that thread XD

    hmm idk where to start for your comment XD

    Buuuuuut lets start by defining what counts as rural areas lol (Any prefecture population less than 1mill? Or city development wise?) Cuz I think I will let you go with Niigata and 4 of the 7 prefectures in Setouchi. But definitely not Fukuoka.

    And like someone has mention before in other threads as well as you have mentioned which I agree that the current AKB needs sister group more than the other way around. Therefore new groups such as NGT and STU have government or company/organizations will happily sponsor them so I think they dun really need much AKB influence to boost their spot light, jobs or popularity. Same with Team 8 situation.

    Residing in Tokyo doesn't always mean more job opportunities though? I'd say the chances are about the same whether they are in AKB or sister group theater. In general life just sucks to be in that category.

    If we are discussing the "Ifs" then I would agree your first point. Second point half-half. And disagree with the third.
     
  12. Mana

    Mana Under Girls

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    - Team 8 don't have to disband. They don't get much promo in AKB singles, it's true, but the solution would be to give them their own singles. They're a really good team and could form a great group on their own. it would be really really stupid to ruin this...

    - AKB sales make it look like they're still doing well but they have so many more members, so many more versions, so many more events. This costs money. Let's not forget other sources of money like commercials & concerts, things that AKB lost and keep losing now. they obviously don't have the same amount of commercials as they used to have, and while you can say "as long as singles sell millions, management doesn't care if it's from 2000 people or 20 people" but when it comes to concerts? 20 people can't make a concert sold out, they need the "quantity". AKB can't have big concerts or tours anymore and it won't get better. so yes AKB is not over, but they're definitely declining and it will continue like that, really it can't be helped, it would happen sooner or later.

    - Removing sister groups from AKB would not only make their sales go down, but also make them lose lots of media attention and lower their amount of Tv apparitions and media coverage, for obvious reasons... if we look at AKB-only, the only relevant members are Mayuyu and Yukirin, one is graduating soon and the other one won't stay there for long. if they do AKB-only single, sales go down, media presence goes down, and from there it won't go up anymore. but if management really takes this risk, I don't think the current AKB new gens have what it takes to carry the AKB name... Just my opinion. it would be a waste of AKB's name since it's so known in Japan, and yet management will stop making money from it, LOL. unless they let Team 8 lead it because they are actually refreshing and have lots of potential and I think they could do very well as a real group.

    That's my two cents :flower:
     
  13. Chrissel

    Chrissel Member Stage48 Donor

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    You guys realize we have the same discussion almost every month now? [hehe] Just go back a couple pages and you have all the arguments again for you to read ^^
     
  14. ForrestFuller

    ForrestFuller Senbatsu

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    lol Only on Stage48.
     
  15. marioworldakb

    marioworldakb Under Girls Stage48 Donor

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    What do you expect?

    Oh you want some news about how Index Osaka is gunna be abolished by 2023-2024?

    DJoHEHfUQAAPzg2.jpg

    Or news about how the new Oricon counting sales system is gunna affect AKB sales? Pretty sure these are too boring for you guys ^ ^

    https://www.oricon.jp/files/2017/09/2017090801.pdf

    jk

    I'm still reading these trying to figure out the infos
     
  16. noTKMNnoLIFE

    noTKMNnoLIFE Kenkyuusei

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    Sorry we don't all live on Stage and read or participate in every discussion. :p

    But I'm game, let's start a fresh new discussion that's never been done. How about the Janken tournament. Is it rigged or no?
     
  17. Mana

    Mana Under Girls

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    LMAO now this is a discussion I haven't seen for a while. I almost miss it [hehe] They should make a pushed member win this year so we can start this talk :fear:
     
  18. wlerin

    wlerin Next Girls

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    No, not only on Stage48.

    Pretty much everywhere, in every fan community. And this latest single seems designed specifically to feed the discussion and rile up the fans.
     
  19. Rurouni

    Rurouni Stage48 Moderator Staff Member Stage48 Moderator

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  20. PetalidiStelle

    PetalidiStelle Kenkyuusei

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