Sakamichi Series
Sakamichi Series (Japanese: 坂道シリーズ [sakamichi shirīzu], Chinese: 坂道系列 [bǎndào xìliè]) refers to a Japanese idol group franchise that began with Nogizaka46 in 2011. Nogizaka46 was posed as an official "rival group" of AKB48. Over time new groups debuted as Nogizaka46 sister groups, forming the Sakamichi Series. The Series currently consists of four groups.
History
The first group, Nogizaka46, was formed on August 22, 2011. They released their debut single Guru Guru Curtain on February 22, 2012.
The second group, Keyakizaka46, was formed on August 21, 2015. Its name was initially announced as Toriizaka46, but this was changed to Keyakizaka46 before debut. On July 16, 2020, it was announced that Keyakizaka46 would change their group name and rebrand, with the new name being Sakurazaka46. The change went into effect on October 14.
The third group, Yoshimotozaka46 was formed on February 21, 2018. It is very different from the other groups of the Sakamichi Series, as it contains both male and female members of various ages, and most members are professional entertainers. Unlike the other groups, Yoshimotozaka46 is named after the Yoshimoto Kyogo company, which manages many Japanese comedians, as well as NMB48 and Produce 101 Japan group "JO1". Yoshimotozaka46 released their first single, Nakasetekureyo, on December 26, 2018.
The fourth group, Hinatazaka46, was formed on February 11, 2019. They were initially a sub-group of Keyakizaka46 called Hiragana Keyakizaka46, but became independent and changed their name in 2019. They released their debut single, Kyun, on March 27, 2019.
In the summer of 2018, a joint Sakamichi Audition was held and 36 of those that auditioned were accepted. Of the 36, 21 were immediately accepted into one of Nogizaka46, Keyakizaka46, and Hinatazaka46. The other 15 were grouped as Sakamichi Kenshusei (Sakamichi Trainee 坂道研修生) in 2019. On February 16, 2020, 14 of the trainees were assigned to the three groups, with five going to Nogizaka46, six going to Sakurazaka46, and three going to Hinatazaka46. The remaining member withdrew from consideration.
On October 29, 2021, it was announced that Yoshimotozaka46 would suspend its activities from February 2022 and would enter "hibernation" due to Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic.
Current groups
| Group name | Color | Years active | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nogizaka46 | Purple | 2011 - |  Tokyo, Japan |
|
| Sakurazaka46 | White - Pink | 2020 - | Tokyo, Japan |
Previously called Keyakizaka46 |
| Hinatazaka46 | Blue | 2019 - | Tokyo, Japan |
Previously a subgroup of Keyakizaka46 called Hiragana Keyakizaka46 from 2015 to 2019 |
Former Groups
| Group name | Color | Years active | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keyakizaka46 | Green | 2015 - 2020 | Tokyo, Japan |
|
| Yoshimotozaka46 | Orange | 2018 - 2022 | Osaka, Japan |
On hiatus since February, 2022 due to Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic |
