AKB48

AKB48 is an idol girl group created by lyricist and television writer Yasushi Akimoto, who serves as the producer of the group.

The girls are divided in five groups: Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4 and Team 8. The letters are an acronym for Akihabara, a popular neighbourhood in Tokyo known as “Otaku Mecca” and it’s in this neighbourhood that the theatre, in which the girls perform daily, is located.

Just like various other idol groups, the members change once in a while as a girl "graduates" from the group. The girls are also split up in various other units, usually relating to a special kind of theme.

Right from the start, the group has been a big success in Japan, with most of their releases charting quite high on the Oricon charts. AKB48 has also made a name for themselves in foreign countries, with performances in the United States, France, Russia and Singapore.