NGT48
NGT48 (short for Niigata48) is a Japanese Idol Group produced by Akimoto Yasushi, and the 4th active, domestic sister group of AKB48. The group was announced at the end of AKB48 Request Hour Setlist Best 1035 2015 and will have their own theater in Niigata (Niigata Prefecture). The group's theater performances are planned to start on October 1, 2015.
The 1st generation audition application period started on April 10, 2015 and lasted until May 18, 2015. Girls between ages 11 and 23 were eligible to apply and the audition had a total of 5,850 applicants. The 22 winners were announced on July 25, 2015.
On March 26, 2015 during the AKB48 Spring Shuffle 2015, Kitahara Rie was transferred from AKB and appointed as the captain of the group while Kashiwagi Yuki was announced as a Kennin.
On May 3, 2015 it was announced NGT48 would be participating in the AKB48 Group Draft Kaigi 2015. The representing members will be Captain Kitahara Rie, Kennin Member Kashiwagi Yuki and Theatre Manager Imamura Etsuro. On May 10, two new members, Nishigata Marina and Ogino Yuka, joined NGT48 from the AKB48 Group Draft Kaigi 2015.
