Generation AKB48 18th Generation

I think the costume showed their image (or concept) well. 17ki debuted with Oogoe Diamond, a typical idol song, and their visual is more like "sister next door" so they have the bow tie which is cute. In contrast, 18ki costume replaces it with a tie, which shows a cooler image. They debuted with 6 songs, 3 of which were dance songs (Nemo Hamo, Namida, Dance Remix) and 1 solo vocal performance bringing the image of skillful and good performers. Also you can't find the "cute idol visual" like Sorara or Hotechan in 18ki, they are not "sister next door" anymore they are "professional idol".

 

I attended the 18ki group hanashikai today I had two tickets so I looped once. my thoughts!!

kasumin - wow she's so fun. definitely the one most natural to talk with. such a pro. she is going up on my list!!
kohi - she used 3 languages when I talked to her. japanese, korean, and english that was funny. she was happy when I complimented her singing
yuna - sweet girl, very vanilla stuff
hina - cute as a button. I told her I want to try her cooking she said... "tell me your address, i'll come" . . . . #1 AZATOI SHE IS!!
yume - so fashionable!! I threw back her catch phrase, asking can I see her in my dreams she gave me a wink and said "we will meet in your dreams surely!!!"
yuichi - cute kid! she called herself YUIYUI during our first slot so I called her that on my second loop... she is now the one true yuiyui funny note, she said "konichi-hello!" after i introduced myself
sae - cute, she tried to use some english!
azu - I almost fainted. I for sure let know that she was cute and I liked her

that was way more fun than I thought it would be. such wonderful girls!! It was interesting going straight from member to member, but I managed to keep myself on track!!
I highly recommend everyone to visit them

 

^Sounds good fun, maybe I should buy some more tickets for the talks in July.

Platinum FLASH has tweeted that purchasers of the Early Summer issue of the magazine at Akihabara Shosen Book Tower will receive one of 8 types of photos of 18ki members:
https://twitter.com/paopaoPap/status/1662786239341404163
https://twitter.com/paopaoPap/status/1662792353533534209



They've also uploaded 8 short comment videos which I've posted to each member's thread otherwise they can be viewed together on the magazine's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@flash5853/videos

 

Article from Smart FLASH with photos and an interview with Yuna, Saechan and Azu:
https://smart-flash.jp/akbsp/236942/1/1/





I've run the interview through DeepL Translate:

 

Ippachi Room #5 (unofficial)

if the video does not show watch the video here
featuring Kohi, Kasumin, and Yuichi.
As Chihougumi, started the show by introducing a bit about their hometowns.
The first challenge is still testing their bond, whether they remember what their genmates posted on twitter.
I like how Yuichi is often clearly very confident but not very accurate
She even got her own tweet wrong thus got -10 score lol

The new group challenge is the Kanji Study challenge:

There are 8 Levels of difficulty, from 5th grader to University level Kanji characters.
All 8 of 18ki have to clear one level each. This time they cleared level 8, 6 and 1.

Next episode on June 6 will feature Yumemin, Yunachan, and Hinano! The [Hatsukoi yo, konnichiwa] trio from debut performance.


https://twitter.com/SHOWROOM_jp/status/1663500193336274946
https://twitter.com/akb_trainee48/status/1663528337715916800

===========================
Shorts for FLASH

if the video does not show watch the video here

=======================
The rest of individual photos from FLASH website linked by David above

 

https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12805281024.html


https://twitter.com/chicappa_sai/status/1663485986586902528


Six Team 8 members are going to perform at the mini Chikkapa Matsuri ver.4.0 two days in a row (07/22~23). The venue is the Fukuoka Toyota Hall Skala Espacio.

 

FLASH Special Magazine (FLASHスペシャル 2023年初夏号)
On Sale May 31
some pics I found of the 18ki section:



Last time with 17ki they had a reason to give Aichan a full page instead of half since there were 11 people,
but this time they just go full page with Saechan even with even number of members.
Seems like it's pretty clear who's gonna be pushed in this gen

Off shots from member's twitter:

Spoiler: sources

https://twitter.com/saechan_akb48/status/1663531187279912961
https://twitter.com/yunachan_akb48/status/1663665755819495430
https://twitter.com/kasumin_akb48/status/1664256826614108160

========================================
Other recent pair/group pics from their SNS:



===========================

Tenkaichi HADO-kai will continue but now with a new name:
AKB48 Chou Tenkaichi HADO-kai (AKB48 Super Tenkaichi HADO-kai)!
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12805423053.html

Now it's generation-based instead of the AKB4 teams.
18ki will be doing the exhibition matches this time!

First match will be on June 20,
with these 18ki representatives:
Akiyama Yuna, Kudo Kasumi, Narita Kohina

Read more details about HADO here:
http://stage48.net/forum/index.php?threads/general-the-akb48-thread.180/page-1423#post-1797072

==============================
There was a section on AKB48 Saikin Kiitayone (May 30 Episode)
about behind the scenes of the Budokan Concert.
One part was about 18ki's Iiwake Maybe performance
Screenshots:

Their enjin (group huddle) call was a simple "[Names] + 18ki (juuhachiki) ikuzo!"

Full show watch here ---> Link

===========================
Twitter followers count:
May 11 --> now June 2

• ChanHina 　3366→4816（＋1450）
  
• Saechan　 4213→5489（＋1276）
• Yuichi　 3555→4838（＋1238）
• Azu　 3264→4378（＋1114）
• Yunachan 　3576→4580（＋1004）
• Kohi　 3154→4070（＋916）
• Yumemin　 3085→3928（＋843）
• Kasumin　 3042→3864（＋822）

 

Ippachi Room #6 (unofficial)

if the video does not show watch the video here
Featuring Yumemin, Yunachan and ChanHina!

The Hatsukoi Trio!

The "testing the bond" game this time has changed: Guess what the Ranking is about!
One member will make a ranking of 18ki members based on the clue from the box,
while the other 2 need to guess what is this ranking about!

For Example:

The Ranking is (by Yunachan) :

1. Kasumin
2. Yuichi
3. Yunachan
4. Saechan
5. Azu
6. Yumemin
7. Kohi
8. ChanHina

Can you guess what kind of ranking it is?

Answer : Ranking of "people who seems to be easy to talk with during the first meeting"
Kasumin was very friendly and talked with Yuna during the first day, while ChanHina was reserved and didn't talk at all, thus this ranking in Yuna's head.
---------------------------
Now it's your turn, can you guess what Yumemin and ChanHina's rankings are about?
Yumemin's ranking (Hint: It's about doing something together)

1. Saechan
2. Kasumin
3. ChanHina
4. Yunachan
5. Kohi
6. Azu
7. Yuichi
8. Yumemin

Spoiler: answer

"Who would you bring to a deserted island" Ranking!
Yumemin is confused at first, wanting to bring them all if possible haha.
Saechan seems to know a lot of things, including maybe survival skills, while Yuichi seems like she'll be lost somewhere.
Yuichi, Azu and Kasumi reacted to this ranking on twitter:
https://twitter.com/kasumin_akb48/status/1666021355383570433

ChanHina's ranking (Hint: school-related, and about being responsible)

1. Yunachan
2. Kasumin
3. Kohi
4. Saechan
5. ChanHina
6. Yumemin
7. Azu
8. Yuichi

Spoiler: answer

"Who would you want to be your Homeroom Teacher" Ranking!
Yunachan is very reliable and smart at teaching things, Kasumin can make a boring/difficult subject fun. At least that's how Hinano sees it.

--------------------
Next part, the Kanji writing challenge!
Yunachan is very good at this! Meanwhile ChanHina CONFIDENTLY challenged level 5.

In the end, they completed level 2, 4, and 7 today.
Leaving level 3 and 5 for Azu and Saechan.

Next episode will be on June 12.
feat Saechan, Kasumin, and Kohi!

Pics:

https://twitter.com/SHOWROOM_jp/status/1666025189975666692
https://twitter.com/akb_trainee48/status/1666000129923620864

======================
On June 3, some 18ki members went to Collab Cafe for direct CD Handovers!
Kasumin and Yuichi


Saechan and Hinano


==========================
POPFES is this weekend (June 10), hopefully we get a lot of good contents or pics there.
It's kinda dry lately, not even showroom.
Well at least we can see them singing in OO48.
Meanwhile, some of their pics together from SNS:

 

Finally some contents to know more about the 18ki girls!
AKB48 Eizo Souko's [100 things about.....] - 18ki girls part 1
「AKB48 100のコト」

From today, Jun 9, Yuichi, ChanHina and Yunachan's episodes are released!
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12806783428.html

Snippets from youtube:

if the video does not show watch the video here

=======================
More details on tomorrow's (Jun 10) POPFES
https://twitter.com/popfes2023/status/1667107280826040322

18ki will be the closing act, performing at 19:15 - 19:45 !

 

POPFES2023 @Toyosu PIT (Jun 10)
Performance by AKB48 18ki Kenkyuusei



*Kasumin is unwell and therefore not performing

Setlist

• M00. overture
• M01. Ano Natsu no Bouhatei あの夏の防波堤 (Azu and Kohi(?) center)
• M02. Kimi no Koto ga Suki Dakara 君のことが好きだから (ChanHina and supposedly Kasumin(?) center)
• M03. BINGO! (Supposedly Kasumin center)
• MC1 Self-Introduction
• M04. Kibouteki Refrain 希望的リフレイン (Yumemin and Kohi centers)
• M05. #Sukinanda # 好きなんだ (Kohi Center)
• M06. Doushitemo Kimi ga Suki da どうしても君が好きだ (Yuichi Center)
• MC2
• M07. Iiwake Maybe 言い訳Maybe (Sae center)
• M08. Hikoukigumo ひこうき雲
• MC3 About today's impression

Note again:
*Kasumin is unwell and therefore not performing
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12807088079.html
Not participating in upcoming Ippachi ROOM on June 13 too, will be replaced by Yuichi.

FFFF POPFES is quite a cursed event, last year Aichan also can't perform due to Kiichan getting COVID
I wonder if Kasumin got COVID too? Really bad timing, hopefully she's not beating herself too much over this.

18ki girls doing the "pass me" pose of Kasumin in this pic, as a reminder that 18ki = 8 people.


But they did so many great new songs!
Hopefully we can see some footage somewhere!

According to fan reports:
Yuichi centers DouSuki.
Everyone performed well and stable even though this was their first ever Festival performance.
Saechan had her hair cut? It's more bob now.



Pics from the event




source:
https://twitter.com/sonakason/status/1667484480716804097
https://twitter.com/TaNa_yuyuita/status/1667490816905076743
https://twitter.com/mi_ha_ac/status/1667487370747453440
https://twitter.com/akb_trainee48/status/1667506564784349187
Kohi's showroom, link

=============================
According to this fan tweet,
https://twitter.com/megurenbatofes/status/1667139769623797760

Gathering from their mail/showroom/twitter,
Their preferred lightstick colors are: (note: I'm not sure if these are official)

• Azu - Pink x Purple
• Yuna - Blue x Purple
• Kasumin - Red x Green
• Sae - Yellow x Yellow
• Kohi - Purple x Yellow
• Yuichi - Red x Orange
• Yumemin - undecided between white x white or white x blue
• ChanHina - undecided

Please inform if you know the undecided ones!

 

Usually wearing Achan's IiMa costume, and now a bob cut? I have a feeling who's going to center the next single..

 

My desire to see 18th gen perform in a full stage has only grown bigger. I hope OO48 doesn't interfere with that.

(eff oo48? jkjk)

 

AKB48 Eizo Souko's [100 things about.....] 「AKB48 100のコト」- 18ki girls part 2

From today, Jun 13, Kohi and Azu's episodes are released!
https://twitter.com/AKBG_eizosoko/status/1668453134811922433

Snippets from youtube:

if the video does not show watch the video here
==============================

haha hopefully we'll see more pics of her in Bob cut, I'm still not sold on that being better than the longer hair she had before!
Actually we'll see her in IPPACHI Room later today so it's a nice coincidence!
Also yes, it surprised me, usually KKS are not allowed to change their hairstyle that much, right?
Rule change? or special occasion like Yukinee's blonde? We'll see....

=========================

Same here!
Sadly all the events they are scheduled for so far has no livestreams, we can only hope the staffs can use the footage from POPFES somewhere later.

=========================
Oh also apparently Aichan and Kiichan visited them during POPFES preparation and provided some Ice Creams as nourishments
Source: showrooms and mobames

 

No Ippachi Room broadcast today due to members bad health condition (Arai and Yamaguchi)
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12807497768.html

 

Ouf, there goes the chance to see Saechan's new hair haha.
But seriously perhaps they had cluster infections? Even the mails have stopped coming for today for all of 18ki.
Hope for speedy recovery and more info on what is happening.

 

There was a report a few days ago in 'Nikkei Asia' of a flu epidemic currently in Japan:
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/He...ic-hits-Japan-amid-lower-immunity-after-COVID

Spoiler

Unseasonal flu epidemic hits Japan amid lower immunity after COVID
School closures pick up across country after disease spreads at festivals

ATSUKO SANO and TATSUHIRO YUKI, Nikkei staff writers
June 10, 2023 09:56 JST

TOKYO -- A number of schools across Japan have been closed due to mass infections of seasonal influenza. The unseasonal outbreaks are thought to have been caused by the recategorization of COVID-19 as a "category 5" disease under the Infectious Disease Control Law, along with the relaxation of infection control measures.

Some experts have warned that the number of flu vaccinations has fallen since the outbreak of COVID-19, and general immunity against the flu has weakened.

According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of patients reported at approximately 5,000 designated medical institutions nationwide from May 22 to 28 was 1.62 per medical institution. This year, the number of cases peaked in the first half of February (12.91) and has gradually decreased since. However, the number continues to exceed the "prevalence" standard of one case.

Usually at this time of year, the influenza prevalence has subsided. There were zero cases in 2020 to 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past decade, only in 2013 did the number exceed one (1.21). The number of cases increased from the previous week in 14 prefectures, with high figures in Miyazaki (7.07), Nagasaki (4.14) and Ehime (3.67). Across the country, 325 schools and other facilities decided to close or keep some students home, 4.5 times more than the two weeks earlier. This was the second consecutive week that the number exceeded 300, and the first such case since the week of March 20-26.

In mid-May, a mass outbreak of the flu occurred after a sports festival at a high school in the city of Miyazaki. "It is possible that the sports festival was the catalyst for the spread of the infection," said the city official in charge of the response. At the festival, the students were competing closely with each other in events such as "15 people, 16 legs," and cheering loudly.

The number of infected patients at the school has been gradually increasing since early May. A sports festival was held on May 12, and four days later about 490 people, including 15 faculty members, were confirmed to be infected. School officials decided to close the school for about a week. "We haven't seen a mass outbreak like this in recent years," said the city official.

A mass infection also occurred at a high school in the city of Oita after a sports festival in early May. Of the approximately 2,000 students at the school, about 500, or one in four, were affected, leading the school to close. "Up until now, we have only had to close a few classes at most," said the school's vice principal, and he added that the school is calling on students to take basic infection control measures such as wearing masks and thoroughly washing their hands.

These kinds of influenza outbreaks are occurring in many places. A total of 30 facilities in Tokyo also closed classes from May 22 to 28. "The number of infection cases is not going down," cautioned an official at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Infectious Disease Information Center. "This is an unprecedented wave of infections."

Yu Kurahara of the National Hospital Organization Kinki-Chuo Chest Medical Center noted that "immunity against the virus has declined because of the lack of influenza outbreaks and decreased vaccinations due to infection control measures during COVID-19." He believes that the timing coincided with many people removing their masks due to the reclassification of COVID-19, leading to the spread of influenza at schools.

Kurahara said that influenza usually subsides over the summer, so the same infection control measures taken for COVID-19 are not necessary, but "there are many school events like sports festivals in May and June, and the risk of infection is likely to increase." As preventive measures, he said, "it is important to wash your hands frequently, gargle and wear a mask."

I don't know if this epidemic has hit the 18ki members but hopefully they'll be well again very soon.

 

18ki June 2023 Photo sets!
Previews :

For more cute samples check here ---> https://shop.akb48.co.jp/selection/list/3658

==================
Update on 18ki's health condition:
Due to being unwell, these 18ki members will not participate in Jun 17-18 Individual Hanashikai in Makuhari Messe:

• Arai Sae
• Narita Kohina

Sad for them to miss their first ever individual hanashikai. But as always, health is priority.
source : https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12808043842.html

As for the others:

• Azu was the only one who tweeted that she's in full healthy mode.
• Kohi tweeted that she misses Eriko, which probably means she's quarantining somewhere else outside the share house.
• While Hinano tweeted that she's alive () and hasn't left her house for 4 days, so no pics.
• Yuichi tweeted that she has somehow recovered and sent some pics.
• Kasumin tweeted that she's now healthy and posted a long message on her feelings of missing the POPFES
• Yumemin didn't tweet but sent mails and it seems like she has recovered and back to activity
• Saechan and Yunachan.... no info

EDIT : Update on Jun 17:
https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12808125916.html
https://twitter.com/yuichi_akb48/status/1669887927386804224
Yuichi is suddenly getting unwell on the day of the hanashikai, and had to rest.
Therefore Yuichi will not participate in the Individual Hanashikai as well.

On the other hand Yunachan tweeted that she's recovered and ready for the hanashikai with her new blue clothes


==================================
Meanwhile,
AKB48 Eizo Souko's [100 things about.....] 「AKB48 100のコト」- 18ki girls part 3

From today, Jun 16, Saechan, Kasumin, and Yumemin's episodes are released!
https://twitter.com/AKBG_eizosoko/status/1669540549739831304

Snippets from youtube:

if the video does not show watch the video here

With this all of their [100 things about...] episodes are out!
It's challenging to translate so hopefully some dedicated fans would do it!

 

Important notice in tomorrow's ippachi room, doki doki

https://twitter.com/akb_trainee48/status/1670703262973198337

 

It was just announced in Ippachi Room. All of the 18th generation kenkyuusei will have Tadaima Renaichuu shonichi stage on July 2nd, 2023 at 18:00

https://ameblo.jp/akihabara48/entry-12808632148.html
https://twitter.com/s_egg/status/1671090622713987073
https://twitter.com/HEARTSTATION648/status/1671094136349540353

 

if the video does not show watch the video here