Team

Teams are what are used to separate members of AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48 and JKT48 up. By using 'Teams', members can be categorized more easily. Also, instead of the entire group performing a theater show, only one team is assigned to perform. This allows fans to focus on a certain group of members and give the girls days off. Kenkyuusei are sometimes referred to as Team Kenkyuusei, but is not official.

Teams are named after the letters used in their group's name. In the case when a Team's name has already been taken up, roman numerals are used to signify which number of letter that team is. For example, both AKB48 and SKE48 have the letter "K" in their names, so instead of forming a Team K in both AKB and SKE, the AKB team is called Team K and the SKE team is called Team KII.

Each Team has their own captain, who may or may not be the center of the Team. Traditionally, teams have 16 members, but since the 2012 Tokyo Dome Shuffle, there is no limit to the amount of members that can be on a team.

The only groups that do not use teams are SDN48 and Nogizaka46, where members were separated by using generations instead. Even without Teams, these two groups have their own captains, with Noro Kayo being the SDN48 captain and Sakurai Reika the Nogizaka46 captain. SDN48 was disbanded in 2012, however.

Sometimes, there are special groups made within the AKB48 Group, such as single coupling song groups. An example of this is Team PB or Team YJ. These teams were only temporary and for marketing purposes, the members within them stayed part of their original teams as well. Other temporary teams, such as Team Undecided and Team Unknown, are used when a member is transferred or promoted, but there either is no team spot available, or they haven't been assigned to a team yet.

Currently, a special Team, Team Kaigai is being used for AKB48 members who have been transferred to sister groups abroad.

AKB48

• Team A - (Captain Takahashi Minami)
  • Original Captains
    • Takahashi Minami (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Shinoda Mariko (from 2012 Team Shuffle to July 21, 2013 (her graduation))
    • Yokoyama Yui (from July 21, 2013 to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team A - (Co-Captain Nakamura Mariko)
• Team K - (Captain Yokoyama Yui)
  • Original Captains
    • Akimoto Sayaka (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Oshima Yuko (from 2012 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team K - (Co-Captain Kitahara Rie)
• Team B - (Captain Kuramochi Asuka)
  • Original Captains
    • Kashiwagi Yuki (from 2009 Team Shuffle to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Umeda Ayaka (from 2012 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team B - (Co-Captain Oya Shizuka)
• Team 4 - (Captain Minegishi Minami)
  • Original Captains
    • Oba Mina (from formation to 2012 Team Shuffle)
    • Temporary Captain - Shimada Haruka (Oba Mina was suspended for a few months because of her scandal)
• Team 4 - (Co-Captain Kizaki Yuria)

SKE48

• Team S - (Leader Miyazawa Sae)
  • Original Leaders
    • Hirata Rikako (from formation to October 23, 2012 (her graduation))
    • Nakanishi Yuka (from SKE48 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team S - (Co-Leader Sato Mieko)
• Team KII - (Leader Furukawa Airi)
  • Original Leader - Takayanagi Akane (from formation to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team KII - (Co-Leader Oba Mina)
• Team E - (Leader Suda Akari)
  • Original Leaders
    • Umemoto Madoka (from formation to SKE48 Team Shuffle)
    • Matsui Rena (from SKE48 Team Shuffle to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team E - (Co-Leader Umemoto Madoka)

NMB48

• Team N - (Captain Yamamoto Sayaka)
• Team N - (Co-Captain Jonishi Kei)
• Team M - (Captain Yamada Nana)
  • Original Captain - Shimada Rena (from formation to AKB48 Group Daisokaku Matsuri)
• Team M - (Co-Captain Okita Ayaka)
• Team BII - (Captain Kamieda Emika)
• Team BII - (Co-Captain Umeda Ayaka)

HKT48

• Team H - (Captain Anai Chihiro)
• Team H - (Co-Captain Matsuoka Natsumi)
• Team KIV - (Captain Ota Aika)
• Team KIV - (Co-Captain Miyawaki Sakura)

JKT48

• Team J - (Captain Devi Kinal Putri)
• Team KIII - (Captain Shinta Naomi)

SNH48

• Team SII - (Captain Mo Han)
• Team NII - (Captain Xu YanYu)