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AKB's becoming more and more famous... do you like it?

Discussion in 'General AKB48 Discussion' started by Shoudou, Oct 28, 2009.

  1. chiuchimu

    chiuchimu Member Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2010
    ^ I don't know but I think she said she read it in a magazine. I can't read kanji myself but I'll ask her for more details when i see her.
     
  2. toddvanzetti

    toddvanzetti Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2010
    If this was a US situation, the next step is action figures and then total crash and burn.

    I'm not sure how I'd feel about AKB48 action figures. Maybe Majsuka Gakuen action figures.

    A Nezumi figure with 'super special Machiavellian plotting action!' would be awesome. I would love to have a special edition 'Atsuko blood spattered' talking Gekikara figure with biting action.

    OMG! I so want these figures now.

    OK, I ask all of you to pray to AKB48 for deliverance.

    Also, I hope they don't crash and burn before Mayuyu turns 26. That would annoy me.
     
  3. TomoChiyuu

    TomoChiyuu Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Location:
    "SoCow"
    I have no problems with having more and more new fans, there are people out that that likes akb48 just because they are "可愛い", but AKB48 is an idol group after all, and they need the support of fans to operate and of course the more the better :]
     
  4. RTBandGeek4ever

    RTBandGeek4ever Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2010
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Do I like it? I love it! :D . Having AKB48 being more and more popular mostly means good things. Think about how far AKB48 can expand. viewtopic.php?f=17&t=2306

    1) How long have you being a AKB48 fan?

    Less than half a year: 39.1%
    Around one year: 29.1%
    Around two years: 16.6%
    Around three years: 9.2%
    From the year they started (2005): 6.0%

    When I first saw this, my mind was blown. Since they started, till now the numbers exponentially grew. Like me, I'm part of those 39.1 percent that found out about AKB48 this part of the year. With statistics like this, it's able to show us the unlimited possibilities and distances AKB48 could travel. Just by thought, without statistics, I could tell AKB48 blossomed and boomed this year with all the new songs like Beginner and what-not. I hope AKB48 the best of luck the rest of this year and their ever expanding industry! ♥ :)
     
  5. ame-rin

    ame-rin Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2009
    Location:
    イギリス
    I think it's a good thing, cause
    1 you see them EVERYWHERE
    2 they are really mainstream so i can say to japanese people that im an akb fan and they don't think it's like a really weird geeky group or osmething
    3 you see them EVERRRRRRRYWHERE :D x1000
     
  6. chiuchimu

    chiuchimu Member Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2010
    ^ Yeah you see them everywhere, but now its hard to see the popular ones together.

    Of late, I haven't seen in a single show these girls together;
    Acchan
    Yuko
    michan
    Kasai
    Takamina
    Kojiharu
    yukirin

    Berfore, they would always be on together sand it was great laughs.
     
  7. sinub801

    sinub801 Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2010
    It's absolutely good to be more & more popular for me.
    After all, I wouldn't know & fell in love with them if they weren't popular.
    So, just spread the love and let AKB makes every one happy [rock]
     
  8. mitsubachi

    mitsubachi Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2009
    Location:
    YOKOHAMA
    Oshimen:
    Isogai Kanon
    I really do not like this growing of popularity.
    Last time about 18 people of 20 in Japan know who are AKB48 and even know some girls in it. Just a little before when AKB wasnt that known one could have a feeling of being some special fan of some special thing, especially if one lives abroad. And noone cared about if you like them or not. But nowadays when there's an AKBoom, one looks like a typical crazy poppy-boy like being a fan of Moonlight or Justin Beiber in US. This popularity also made a much of hatred toward AKB48 from the most of Russian asianatics especially some jrock freaks and kpop-fags.
     
  9. Betazu

    Betazu Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Mar 1, 2010
    Location:
    WM HQ
    Why should you care about what some freaks and fags think? Don't even bother yourself with their hatred towards AKB48 because they'll hate any artists especially idol groups that threaten their favourite artists/idols popularity. As for us AKB48 fans being compared to a typical crazy poppy-boy fans i say [flip] ...we know who we are and why we like and love AKB48. We don't need other people to make us feel bad about being fans of AKB48.
     
  10. oddball

    oddball Member

    Hmm, bit of a tough question this one...

    In some ways I suppose it dosn't matter wether AKB is really famous or not to the individual fan, if you like the group you like the group regardles if only a few thousand come to watch them or tens of thousands, I mean If your oshimen is an undergirl who suddenly gets pushed to being in the senbatsu, are you going to stop supporting her becasuse she's popular now? No probably not and I tend to think of the whole of AKB in the same way.

    Becoming ore famous has it's benefits for the group aswel I think, they definatly have more power both talent wise and finacially now giving us a much better production value in stages, concerts, the girl outfits e.t.c.which can only benefit the group overall, plus we have more and more oppertunity to see the girls away from the group as they are noe regualrs on T.V. and radio and are getting used more and more in drama's and movies recently.

    There are of course downsides to this as well, many of these girls are stars now rather than idols, I mean it is very rare to see whole teams be at stage performances now as many of the girls have commitment to other things (though some of this is for school work which is totally undestandable) Also you wonder if them becoming more popular has forced them to loose their 'egde' this got talked about alot of course with the 'Begginer' PV that never was becuase it may offend ceratin fan groups, aI just wonder if it had been released by AKB a year earlier if they would of had problems releasing it?.....

    Do I like AKB becoming more popular? Well I suppose yes and no is my answer to this, I like the group, not their popularity so would support them whatever but I can see how them becoming more and more famous could be disliked, especially by fans who have been fans since the early days who may feel as though their special thing may have been taken away from them. I would say that AKB becoming more popular is a good thing as all most of us want to do is watch the girls and the more popular they are, the more chances we have to do that!
     
  11. Kinenbi

    Kinenbi Member Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2007
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Twitter:
    kinenbi
    Hmm, this question should be easy to answer. It is, after all, a pretty basic question. However I have conflicting feelings when I try settle on yes and yes alone.

    When I started becoming their fan they were basically unknown within my friend group. My ex thought they were too young and even I doubted their longevity. Skirt, Hirari wasn't a big hit at the time after all, but I stuck with them to see if something even better would come out and I was officially hooked with Seifuku. Back then Kinokuniya never had their stuff and I couldn't find their goods in our Book Off here in LA. I liked it though because I was one of the only people to like these girls! I was special! (Or so I thought.)

    Now though everyone seems to like them, I see them everywhere, I feel like I'm following a big cult now almost when I go to a Japanese bookstore. "Ooh look, AKB is on this cover, they have this single!" etc etc. Now I can get many goods that weren't available. I just don't feel that special all of a sudden, but I guess that's the price I pay.

    So yes, it's good that they're super popular because I like collecting things.
    But no too, because I don't feel like I'm apart of something super exclusive anymore.
     
  12. AnthonyTcK

    AnthonyTcK Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2010
    Location:
    Belgium
    i've know AKB48 for some years but never got into it, like searching up all the shows with subs, trying to know all the members and stuff like that so i think you can still say i'm a newbie.

    but i can totally feel with your thoughts, i'm like that too since i live in Europe.
    it's great that the girls are getting more popular and selling more but when everybody knows it, it won't be that special anymore. now that sounded too selfish right? but i really dislike when those "fans" only like them for the face but don't understand what the girls have gone trough.
     
  13. xxdelta

    xxdelta Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2009
    Location:
    London, UK
    Oshimen:
    kizakiyuria
    I think its a good thing they are getting more famous. Fame = more merchandise, more tv exposure and more AKB in general.
    I guess the bad side is that the girls must be working really hard for all this, just hope they are taking care of their health.
     
  14. Jurinavenclaw

    Jurinavenclaw Future Girls

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2010
    Location:
    Laguna, Philippines
    Oshimen:
    Matsui Jurina
    There really should be no problem if the girls are becoming more popular, unless of course if their health is being compromised. I can see where fans, specially those who have been fans for a long time, are coming from. Many fans are passionate about AKB and might have this feeling of superiority for being a fan since the beginning. As the girls get popular though, casual fans who are not as passionate as the others will come around and will not treat this AKB thing that much. And it is annoying for passionate and serious fans to see casual fans. Ok, I think I'm getting a bit confusing now. Point is, fans who really care for the girls should have no problem with the growing popularity. It only makes the girls more successful and will probably make their reign as the top group longer. AKB 48 cannot survive for so long if only die-hard wotas are supporting them, they need the casual support of the general public of Japan as well. As for international fans, I think most of us are serious enough.
     
  15. Trickfew

    Trickfew Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2010
    Location:
    Puertollano (Spain)
    I discover AKB48 and the end of this year, i ignored the existence of this group, but thanks to Youtube, i had the opportunity discover a group of cool funny girls, never in my life had seen anything like this, these girls have conquered me and that i have no idea of speaking japanese, i do not worry that more or less popular, to me what music i like is his
     
  16. TomoChiyuu

    TomoChiyuu Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2010
    Location:
    "SoCow"
    Yeah I agree with you on this :\
     
  17. `icha-chan`

    `icha-chan` Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2010
    Location:
    New Zealand
    I'm happy they're really famous!! I love how the girls are well known! But right now, I don't want them to become more popular. They're already really famous and what other people already said, I don't want their health to go downhill D:
     
  18. karles48

    karles48 Member Stage48 Donor

    Joined:
    May 6, 2010
    Location:
    Republic of Catalonia
    On the one side I like it:
    ...it makes me proud to support such a famous group
    ...it makes more probable that they visit Spain someday (or a near country)
    ...they worked very hard from the bottom to achieve it
    ...the more famous the group, the more difficult that it disappears
    ...
    But on the other side, there are reasons to dislike it too:
    ...it lost the 'romanticism' of a smaller group
    ...all the merchandising is more expensive
    ...it's more difficult to attend a show, a concert,...
    ...those fans who have supported the group from the beginning may be set aside a little
    ...it attacts many fans who only regard them as a 'bunch of cute girls' or don't behave as the girls deserve
    ...many famous groups died from success
    ...
     
  19. AteOneZero

    AteOneZero Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2011
    Location:
    Singapore
    While there are definitely pluses to AKB48 being more popular, the downsides aren't totally non-existent.

    The good:
    - The girls can have a shot at a similar career due to experience once they graduate (such as Maimai)
    - AKB48 starts to perform in more countries around the world, this lets foreign fans have a chance to meet their idols face-to-face, rather than through a screen
    - The girls might be more motivated to work harder in order to bring AKB48 to the absolute top (Rappapa?)
    - Their popularity brings them many new fans, some whom might even go crazy with swag buying
    - More merchandise will be available

    The bad:
    - The girls we like might graduate, but if they do well even once they've graduated then I suppose we should be happy instead (Maimai T_T)
    - Japanese fans might not be as happy because they don't get to see their favourite girl as often
    - Girls might work themselves to exhaustion, or instead might become more complacent and performance starts lacking
    - The new fans start neglecting their own financial situation (it's bad for them, not really for the girls, but I'm pretty sure the girls wouldn't want that to happen because of them)
    - Pricing might skyrocket in the future

    By the way, I made my good points reference to the bad points.
     
  20. dubjk

    dubjk Kenkyuusei

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2011
    i think for me, as with other previous/current groups that i followed, my main concern is how when they've become really famous, they would somehow inevitably deviate from where they started. i somehow get this uncomfortable feeling that "they arent what they use to be". at that point, either i accept the fact that the change has become their new norm, or they would unfortunately cause me to lose interest.

    it's almost like raising a child; the group starts off small and you watch/support them. over time they start gaining achievements and you feel happy and proud of them. Once they've grown into a successful group, you are happy for them. as others have mentioned, with all their successes, over time it loses its mystique or romantic nature.

    that being said, it could be that im not too fond of "change" in general, and it would be impossible to ask them to become static and unchanging. [worried]
     

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