Center
The term Center (センター） is used to describe the main member in that single's senbatsu. The 'center' gets center position in the formation of the members, and also gets most media exposure for that single.
The 'center' format is not always used in singles, so the center could be shared between two people - known as a W Center （Wセンター）- or the single could have no center and fairly distribute the position between different members. Contrary to some beliefs, center doesn't necessarily refer to one girl or the girl with the highest amount of focus in promotional videos. Center usually refers to the girl/s whom the dance formation gives greater focus on. The latest single Sayonara Crawl proved that even a four member shared center spot can be a possibility, with the majority of the dance formation giving equal focus on four different members. While center was used since the early days in AKB48, there was less focus on the term and not as much public and media attention. Since 2012, center has had a bigger impact than it used to, with different girls battling from each group to earn this title.
In order to vary the center, the center position can be won at the Senbatsu Sousenkyo, and also at the Janken Taikai.
AKB48
Senbatsu
Coupling Songs
Undergirls
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tobenai Agehachou (飛べないアゲハチョウ) | Yonezawa Rumi |
| 02 | Kimi no Koto ga Suki dakara (君のことが好きだから) | Takajo Aki |
| 03 | Nusumareta Kuchibiru (盗まれた唇) | Maeda Ami & Matsui Rena |
| 04 | Namida no SeeSaw Game (涙のシーソーゲーム) | Ota Aika |
| 05 | Boku Dake no value (僕だけのvalue) | Ota Aika |
| 06 | Guuzen no Juujiro (偶然の十字路) | Yokoyama Yui & Kimoto Kanon |
| 07 | Hito no Chikara (人の力) | Sato Amina & Nakagawa Haruka |
| 08 | Dakishimechaikenai (抱きしめちゃいけない) | Umeda Ayaka |
| 09 | Nante Bohemian (なんてボヘミアン) | Takajo Aki |
| 10 | Tsugi no Season (次のSeason) | Kawaei Rina |
| 11 | Waiting Room | Kawaei Rina & Tashima Meru |
| 12 | Bara no Kajitsu (バラの果実) | Okada Nana, Kojima Natsuki, Kojima Mako |
Theater Girls
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Hikoukigumo (ひこうき雲) | Yonezawa Rumi |
| 02 | Boku no YELL (僕のYELL) | Nakagawa Haruka |
MINT
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kimi ni Tsuite (君について) | Maeda Atsuko |
| 02 | Kiss Made 100 Mile (キスまで100マイル) | Maeda Atsuko |
DIVA
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Nakeru Basho (泣ける場所) | Akimoto Sayaka |
| 02 | Area K (エリアK) | Akimoto Sayaka |
SKE48
Senbatsu
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Tsuyokimono yo (強き者よ) | Matsui Jurina |
| 02 | Aozora Kataomoi (青空片想い) | Matsui Jurina |
| 03 | Gomen ne, SUMMER (ごめんね、SUMMER) | Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena |
| 04 | 1!2!3!4! YOROSHIKU! (1,2,3,4, ヨロシク!) | Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena |
| 05 | Banzai Venus (バンザイVenus) | Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena |
| 06 | Pareo wa Emerald (パレオはエメラルド) | Matsui Jurina |
| 07 | Oki Doki (オキドキ) | Matsui Jurina |
| 08 | Kataomoi Finally (片想いFinally) | Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena |
| 09 | Aishiteraburu (アイシテラブル!) | Matsui Jurina |
| 10 | Kiss Datte Hidarikiki (キスだって左利き) | Matsui Jurina, Matsui Rena |
| 11 | Choco no Dorei (チョコの奴隷) | Matsui Jurina |
Coupling Songs
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Shoujo wa Manatsu ni Nani wo Suru? (少女は真夏に何をする?) | Kinoshita Yukiko |
| 02 | Darkness | Matsui Jurina |
| 03 | Bike to Sidecar (バイクとサイドカー) | Matsui Rena |
| 04 | Sore wo Seishun to Yobu Hi (それを青春と呼ぶ日) | Yagami Kumi |
Shirogumi
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cosmos no Kioku (コスモスの記憶) | Matsui Jurina |
| 02 | Sotsugyoushiki no Wasuremono (卒業式の忘れもの) | Matsui Jurina |
| 03 | Tokimeki no Ashiato (ときめきの足跡) | Matsui Jurina |
| 04 | Bazooka Hou Hassha! (バズーカ砲発射!) | Matsui Jurina |
| 05 | Hanikami Lollipop (はにかみロリーポップ) | Matsui Jurina |
| 06 | Aun no Kiss (あうんのキス) | Shibata Aya |
| 07 | Taiikukan de Choushoku wo (体育館で朝食を) | Hiramatsu Kanako, Ishida Anna |
| 08 | Fuyu no Kamome (冬のかもめ) | - |
Akagumi
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Seishun wa Hazukashii (青春は恥ずかしい) | Matsui Rena |
| 02 | Dareka no Sei ni wa Shinai (誰かのせいにはしない) | Matsui Rena |
| 03 | Papa wa Kirai (パパは嫌い) | Matsui Rena |
| 04 | Hohoemi no Positive Thinking (微笑みのポジティブシンキング) | Matsui Rena |
| 05 | Koe ga Kasureru Kurai (声がかすれるくらい) | Matsui Rena |
| 06 | Nante Ginga wa Arui no Darou (なんて銀河は明るいのだろう) | Matsui Rena |
| 07 | Tori wa Aoi Sora no Hate wo Shiranai (鳥は青い空の涯を知らない) | Kinoshita Yukiko, Kaneko Shiori |
| 08 | Oikake Shadow (追いかけShadow) | - |
NMB48
Senbatsu
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Zetsumetsu Kurokami Shoujo (絶滅黒髪少女) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 02 | Oh My God! (オーマイガー!) | Yamamoto Sayaka, Yamada Nana |
| 03 | Junjou U-19 (純情U-19) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 04 | Nagiichi (ナギイチ) | Yamamoto Sayaka, Watanabe Miyuki |
| 05 | Virginity (ヴァージニティー) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 06 | Kitagawa Kenji (北川謙二) | Yamamoto Sayaka, Watanabe Miyuki |
| 07 | Bokura no Eureka (僕らのユリイカ) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
Coupling Songs
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Seishun no Lap Time (青春のラップタイム) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 02 | Mousou Girlfriend (妄想ガールフレンド) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 03 | Nemuku Naru made Hitsuji wa Detekonai (眠くなるまで羊は出て来ない) | Shinohara Kanna |
Shirogumi
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Boku ga Maketa Natsu (僕が負けた夏) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 02 | Kesshou (結晶) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 03 | Doryoku no Shizuku (努力の雫) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 04 | Saigo no Catharsis (最後のカタルシス) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 05 | Bokura no Regatta (僕らのレガッタ) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 06 | Hoshizora no Caravan (星空のキャラバン) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
| 07 | Okuba (奥歯) | Yamamoto Sayaka |
Akagumi
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Mattemashita, Shingakki (待ってました、新学期) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 02 | Hoshokusha tachi yo (捕食者たちよ) | Jo Eriko |
| 03 | Migi e Magare! (右へ曲がれ!) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 04 | Boku ga Mou Sukoshi Daitan Nara (僕がもう少し大胆なら) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 05 | Sonzai Shitenai Mono (存在してないもの) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 06 | Renai Higaitodoke (恋愛被害届け) | Watanabe Miyuki |
| 07 | Yabanna Softcream (野蛮なソフトクリーム) | Watanabe Miyuki |
Namba Teppoudai Sono Ichi
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Sunahama de Pistol (砂浜でピストル) | Kotani Riho |
Namba Teppoudai Sono Ni
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Fuyushougun no Regret (冬将軍のリグレット) | Yagura Fuuko |
Namba Teppoutai Sono San
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Hinadande wa Boku no Miryoku wa Ikinainda (ひな壇では僕の魅力は生きないんだ) | Yogi Keira |
HKT48
Senbatsu
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Suki! Suki! Skip! (スキ！スキ！スキップ！) | Tashima Meru |
Coupling Songs
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Onegai Valentine (お願いヴァレンティヌ) | Tashima Meru |
| 02 | Seifuku no Bambi (制服のバンビ) | Kodama Haruka, Sashihara Rino, Miyawaki Sakura |
Umakuchi Hime
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Ima ga Ichiban (今がイチバン) | Kodama Haruka |
Amakuchi Hime
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kataomoi no Karage (片想いの唐揚げ) | Miyawaki Sakura |
JKT48
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | RIVER | Melody Nurramdhani Laksani |
Nogizaka46
| # | Title | Center |
|---|---|---|
| 01 | Guru Guru Curtain (ぐるぐるカーテン) | Ikuta Erika, Ikoma Rina, Hoshino Minami |
| 02 | Oide, Shampoo (おいでシャンプー) | Nakada Kana, Ikoma Rina, Sakurai Reika |
| 03 | Hashire! Bicycle (走れ! Bicycle) | Ikuta Erika, Ikoma Rina, Hoshino Minami |
| 04 | Seifuku no Mannequin (制服のマネキン) | Ikuta Erika, Ikoma Rina, Hoshino Minami |
| 05 | Kimi no Na wa Kibou (君の名は希望) | Ikuta Erika, Ikoma Rina, Hoshino Minami |
| 06 | TBA | Matsumura Sayuri, Shiraishi Mai, Hashimoto Nanami |
Teams
AKB48, SKE48, HKT48, NMB48 and JKT48's teams also have centers.
