loveandcoffee's (of http://akb48songs.blogspot.com/) English translations of Togasaki's (AKB's theater manager) blog posts, regarding the possible changes to AKB's lineup, posted on AKB's official website:
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February has come in the blink of an eye.
Today (at the handshake event, T/N) a lot of people have come to the "manager room" and asked me about AKB48's team formation, so I would like to explain it to the fans.
① Question: "Is it true that you will dispose of 8 members from the current number of 56 team members?"
Starting from the basic principle, we have no intention of "dismissing" anyone, not even one member, unless they provoke problems so big they would require "dismissing" at all costs.
This year, even from last year, I have often mentioned on this blog that we want to "go back to our starting point".
The "starting point" AKB48 is aiming to get back to is "Idols you can meet".
At the moment, like you all know, the media senbatsu members have drastically less chances of appearing in theatre shows, and the theatre is mostly for Kenkyuusei shows and SDN48 shows.
Of course, thanks to Kenkyuusei and SDN having so many shows, we are growing up with big vigour, but we are not able to arrange the Team shows that should be at the core of "AKB48 Theatre".
As a result, the attendance request for those Team shows we perform once in a while is over 100 requests per seat, and there are too many people who have never attended a theatre show.
In order to improve the current situation we have no other choice but reform the teams, and this time, from the 72 members AKB48 is made of, including Kenkyuusei, we will chose 16 members per team and they will perform as
"regular members"
from now on at the theatre.
The members who don't make it to the regular teams will be
"under (substitute) members"
The kenkyuusei members will be kenkyuusei just like they are now, and will continue improving themselves aiming to be a regular member one day.
Also, it will be possible for Kenkyuusei to be promoted to under team.
We will change to this system and arrange theatre shows with a good balance between all the teams, and I think that this way it will be possible that
"we go back to our starting point"
which is
"idols you can meet"
who work hard and sweat everyday at the theatre.
Moreover, since being a regular member won't be a permanent position, I believe this will increase friendly competition between the girls that will make them grow up.
At the moment, the environment AKB48 is operating in has changed so much it can't absolutely be compared to the time when the theatre had just opened, and things that weren't obvious before happened, while we were more and more in danger of things that were obvious before becoming impossible.
So from now on we will do our utmost best in order to be able to show to all the fans a situation where girls for whom AKB is the most important thing "are always doing their best efforts to chase their dreams", polishing the feeling they felt when they first stood on a stage.
AKB48 will keep running, so please keep watching warmly over us...
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Posted the next day:
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I have received a lot of questions about the "regular team" "under team" thing I have explained yesterday.
First, at the present time we still haven't decided about when we will introduce this system nor have we appointed the members.
I have received some questions saying the member list was already out, but it is not so, so please do not worry.
At the present time we still haven't decided in detail about the regular team, so I cannot really say much about it, but there is one thing I can tell you.
I believe the introduction of this system will lead to a project thanks to which the AKB48 members can increase their friendly rivalry and improve even more.
I have engaged in this project since before the theatre even opened, but I feel that because of last year's sudden AKB48 craze, the chances to remember what our basic mental condition should be have decreased.
"Basic mental condition"
I would like to make it so that the fans can feel the girls' earnestness in "I will absolutely make my dream come true!" from the theatre stage.
Moreover, right now we are also carrying out the first level of screening for 12th gen auditions, but "AKB48" is absolutely just the name of a project, and even if one makes it into kenkyuusei, if she doesn't make any efforts to make her own dream come true, her dream will absolutely not come true.
Scanning through the papers we have received, I have noticed that a lot of auditioneers say
"My dream is to stand on the same stage as my beloved ___-san"
"My dream is to join AKB48"
I am extremely happy that joining AKB48 now can be seen as a "dream", but all the members in AKB are working hard to make their dreams that lay beyond AKB come true.
This world is not so easy as to make a "dream" come true just by joining us.
After you've joined us, how much effort are you willing to take?
This is the most important thing.
Our "AKB48" project is somehow similar to high school baseball.
Starting by the original members who joined the then unknown baseball team "AKB48", they did their utmost best to practice, did efforts, and had matches.
They lost a lot of times in the beginning but now they have come so far that everyone considers it a "golden team".
This has been possible not because the team members were part of "AKB48", but because each member resisted the harsh training by the coach, Akimoto-sensei.
Even a high school baseball team, the more it becomes regarded as a golden team, the more members want to join it.
Right now, starting from original members to 11th gen kenkyuusei, "AKB48" has 72 members.
And AKB48's regulars are 48 members.
I think it's obvious that a team has to choose 48 regulars out of 72 club members.
Moreover, even if one hasn't been chosen as a regular, it's not like the road to her dream has stopped.
She can always do her best and improve herself from a backup player's position, aiming to be a regular.
But there is one big difference with high school baseball, and that will be that everything's not over in the summer of the third year.
Every member has an equal chance to join the regulars, as long as they have kept working hard for it.
Since the theatre opening, Akimoto-sensei has said many times
"if AKB48 stops, it will die"
Every member has understood the meaning of these words, and by friendly rivalry, they believe that their dream will come true.
Lastly, I love AKB48.
To make my beloved AKB48 an even stronger team and to be able to show its fruits on a big stage, what is absolutely necessary is the members' efforts and your understanding and support.
Please, keep cheering for AKB48.
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Posted with loveandcoffee's permission
9 years ago
