Undergirls

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The Undergirls (アンダーガールズ, or Under Girls) are an special group/team of girls that since the term was included in the 1st Senbatsu Election, take charge of the main B-side of most of the AKB48 Singles and recently also SKE48, SDN48, NMB48 and Nogizaka46 (also under the name Under Members) Singles.

History

The Undergirls were introduced in the 1st Senbatsu Election, where the girls that ranked from 22# to 30# were given the chance to sing the B-side track of the single (Iiwake Maybe) that the Senbatsu elected (21#~1#) were going to sing.

Previous to this, all the original B-sides were also done by the Senbatsu of that single, what now gave the chance to a lot of other girls to actually take part of a single release (with most of the them doing it for the first time).

The first Undergirls generation, consisted of 9 girls and sung the track Tobenai Agehachou, which also got a PV, marking the first time an AKB48 B-Side got a Music Clip.

Later on for the next single RIVER (that also introduced the Theater Girls), the Undergirls concept was used again. With the difference that this time, the manager decided the members making an almost completely different selection of girls compared to the first generation.

The Undergirls weren't used in the following single (Sakura no Shiori) and made a comeback in Ponytail to Shushu, being used in all singles until GIVE ME FIVE!, when Undergirls were replaced by Special Girls, to then return on Gingham Check.

The Undergirls concept is not used on Janken singles, such as Chance no Junban and Ue Kara Mariko. On Kaze wa Fuiteiru, the Undergirls were divided on three groups: Undergirls, Undergirls Baragumi and Undergirls Yurigumi.

Undergirls on SKE48

For SKE48's 3rd Single Gomen ne, SUMMER, the Undergirls concept was implemented with SKE48 for the first and only time.

In difference with AKB48, 2 different groups of Undergirls were used in the same single (Undergirls A and Undergirls B). Both groups featured an small group of girls and different songs Undergirls A was an Exclusive-track and Music Video of Type-A as Undergirls B were of Type-B.

Undergirls on SDN48

SDN48 started using the Undergirls concept since the their first single, also implementing the Undergirls A/Undergirls B concept SKE48 started.

Undergirls on NMB48

NMB48 started using the Undergirls concept on Junjou U-19. Unlike AKB48, SDN48 and Nogizaka46, the Undergirls don't have a PV.

Undergirls on Nogizaka46

Nogizaka46 started using the Undergirls concept on Guru Guru Curtain. The Undergirls, also known as Under Members, have a B-Side on one of the single types, including a PV.

Undergirls Generations (AKB48) Members bolded are Centers

( Undergirls Participation Table (AKB48))

1st Generation

Tobenai Agehachou (Iiwake Maybe) (9 Members (22#~30#))

2nd Generation

Kimi no Koto ga Suki dakara (RIVER) (16 Members)

3rd Generation

Nusumareta Kuchibiru (Ponytail to Shushu) (16 Members)

4th Generation

Namida no SeeSaw Game (Heavy Rotation) (18 Members (22#~40#))

5th Generation

Boku Dake no value (Beginner) (22 Members)

6th Generation

Guuzen no Juujiro (Sakura no Ki ni Narou) (18 Members)

7th Generation

Hito no Chikara (Everyday, Katyusha) (29 Members)

8th Generation

Dakishimechaikenai (Flying Get) (18 Members (22#~40#))

9th Generation

Kimi no Senaka (Kaze wa Fuiteiru) (19 Members)

10th Generation

Nante Bohemian (Gingham Check) (16 Members (17#~32#))

11th Generation

Tsugi no Season (UZA) (16 Members)

12th Generation

Waiting Room (So long!) (22 Members)

13th Generation

Bara no Kajitsu (Sayonara Crawl) (16 Members)

14th Generation

Ai no Imi wo Kangaete Mita (Koi Suru Fortune Cookie) (16 Members (17#~32#))

Undergirls Generations (SKE48)

1st Generation

Shoujo wa Manatsu ni Nani wo Suru? (Gomen ne, SUMMER) (Undergirls A, 7 Members)

Hazumisaki (Gomen ne, SUMMER) (Undergirls B, 8 Members)

Undergirls Generations (SDN48)

1st Generation

Eros no Trigger (GAGAGA): (Undergirls A, 11 Members)

Sado e Wataru (GAGAGA): (Undergirls B, 12 Members)

2nd Generation

Tengoku no Door wa Sankaime no Bell de Aku (Ai, Chuseyo): (Undergirls A, 12 Members)

Awajijima no Tamanegi (Ai, Chuseyo): (Undergirls B, 12 Members)

3rd Generation

Onedari Champagne (MIN.MIN.MIN): (Undergirls A, 12 Members)

Awajijima no Tamanegi (MIN.MIN.MIN): (Undergirls B, 16 Members)

4th Generation

Yaritagariya-san (Kudokinagara Azabu Juuban duet with Mino Monta): (Undergirls Team G, 12 Members)

Kamujatan Bojou (Kudokinagara Azabu Juuban duet with Mino Monta): (Undergirls B, 10 Members)

Kashaasa de Jihaku suru (Kudokinagara Azabu Juuban duet with Mino Monta): (Undergirls B, 9 Members)

5th Generation

Kurikuri (Makeoshimi Congratulation): (Undergirls A, 12 Members)

Ue Kara Natsuko (Makeoshimi Congratulation): (Undergirls B, 15 Members)

Undergirls Generations (NMB48)

1st Generation

Baatari GO! (Junjou U-19): (26 Members)

2nd Generation

Rifujin Ball (Nagiichi)

3rd Generation

Chotto Nekoze (Virginity)

Undergirls Generations (Nogizaka46)

1st Generation

Hidari Mune no Yuuki (Guru Guru Curtain):

2nd Generation

Ookami ni Kuchibue wo (Oide, Shampoo):

3rd Generation

Namida ga Mada Kanashimi datta Koro (Hashire! Bicycle):

4th Generation

Haru no Melody (Seifuku no Mannequin):

5th Generation

13hi no Kinyobi (Kimi no Na wa Kibou):

6th Generation

Senpuuki (Girl's Rule):

Undergirls & Theater Girls as Popularity level used by the Fandom

The Undergirls are usually given most of the spotlight after the Senbatsu in a single release, making the other Single-exclusive group (the Theater Girls) feel as the "least important" group of girls for the manager.

The Theater Girls were introduced in RIVER, a single that was promoted as "first single ever where all the 48 girls of the group take part". with Senbatsu still being "the most important" selection of girls, the Undergirls were used once again and a new group named the Theater Girls was introduced. Unlike the Undergirls, the Theater Girls didn't get a new original song and got to cover an AKB48 Stage Song instead. The original Theater Girls music video was filmed in the AKB48 Theater as a "performance music clip", instead of an "original PV" like the Undergirls and Senbatsu get.

Since the Type-A and Type-B releases were included in AKB48 Singles, the Theater Girls started to take part of only one of the editions, compared to the Undergirls that appear in both as the main b-side of the single. Not only are Theater girls songs only one one edition, but the Theater Girls do not necessarily appear in all the singles in the first place. For Senbatsu election singles, Theater girls are not present.

In the fandom, fans will often classify girls as "Senbatsu" "Undergirl" or "Theater Girl", referring more to popularity-level instead of how often they appear in Senbatsu, Undergirls, or Theater Girls. Often, when AKB48 management decides to "push" a new member, they will have the girl go directly to the Undergirls lineup in order to promote her more to the fans.