INFORMATION:
AKB48 (which stands for "Akihabara 48"), is a product of the mind of producer Akimoto Yasushi. The idea of the group was to build it into one with 48 members. The group is divided into 3 teams: Team A, Team K, and Team B. The group also has several subunits, such as Honegumi, ICE, Crayon Friends, and Chocolove. The whole appeal of this group was to draw in otaku who frequent the Akihabara area. This group actually has their own theatre in Akihabara, where performances are held every single day of the week. There are also other tie-ins with the group, such as being able to purchase time to speak to your favorite member via a video conference. This unit may very well go down as one of the best business ventures in the Japanese music industry. Several members have also graduated from the group: Usami Yuki, Uemura Ayako, Orii Ayumi, Hoshino Michiru, Imai Yu, and Takada Ayana.