In "I Don't Really Care" News: Japanese Girl Group AKB48 Holds Annual Election...
2017 has brought Japanese girl group AKB48's ninth annual Senbatsu election. The premise is management can swindle fans outta money by making them vote for their favorite member of the[Japanese]
(Why specify Japanese? Because AKB has sister groups in China, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, with a group coming Taiwan, and an alleged group coming to Mexico. These groups for the most part cannot compete in the Japanese elections unless they were formerly a member of one of the seven Japanese groups - members are sometimes shipped to one of the overseas groups to help it get off the group. The Chinese sister groups (SNH48, BEJ48, GNZ48, SHY48) and the Indonesian group (JKT48) each hold their own elections for their girls. Also, the girls from AKB
's "official rivals" groups (Nogizaka46 and Keyakizaka46) are not allowed to enter with the sole exception of Nogizaka member
Ikoma Rina who once had to be a member of both her group and AKB48's Team B for a year. She subsequently ranked at #14 (out of 250+ girls) in the 2014 elections.
48 groups. These groups include AKB48 (the mothership), SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, and STU48.
There were a few scandals and drama that plagued this year's election, which made it all the more interesting.
[Drama]
[1. Popular members sit out]
1. Popular members sit out
This year, many popular members elected to sit out of the elections. This included last year's #4 ranked Yamamoto Sayaka (queen), #5 ranked Kashiwagi Yuki (who probably didn't enter after last's year embrassment), #9 ranked Kodama Haruka, #10 ranked Muto Tomu and #18 ranked Iriyama Anna. This, combined with the fact that other popular members graduated or will graduate and chose not to participate (last year's #8 ranked Shimazaki Haruka, #16 ranked Kojima Haruna, and #37 Kizaki Yuria) meant that there was 20 spots open (out of 80 ranks shown) for new girls to ranked.
TL;DR: A lot of girls didn't compete this year
[2. NGT48 voting fiasco]
2. NGT48 voting fiasco
There are a multitude of ways to vote for your favorite girl in the 48G elections. One way to do so is by entering a code you'd buy into a mobile app. Every group (AKB48, SKE48, NMB48, HKT48, NGT48, and STU48) has their own mobile app where fans can vote for a girl from that particular team. When the 1st day voting results can in, there were a disportional amount of votes for girls from NGT48. NGT is a newer group, having been announced in 2015, debuting in 2016, and releasing their first single in 2017. It's not hard to imagine that the girls would not have extreme popularity amongst voters, or at least enough to rank very high. However, when the first day votes can in NGT's Ogino Yuka was ranked #1 with 55k votes. It seemed highly implusible that a girl who wasn't very popular would score 55k votes after one day of voting (and impossible, since every vote would need to be hand entered). Other NGT girls showed abnormal openings, leading fans to be believe that there was a glitch in the NGT mobile app that assigned members more votes than they got. A few fans even recorded themselves abusing the glitch to get their favorite member more votes! In the end, both AKS (the management company of all of the 48G groups) and the actual polling company said their was no glitch and Ogino and the other NGT girls earned their votes fair and square. Ogino would finish as the #5 ranked girl in this year's elections, the highest debut ranking for a girl in years.
TL;DR: NGT48 members accused of having benefited from glitch in voting system
[3. Actual Event is Cancelled]
3. Actual Event is Cancelled
The reading of the election results is a huge events for the 48G and their fans. Each girl is given the chance to give a speech when they rank, and there is a concert for the groups and skits during the show. The entire event takes place for hours and can generate a lot of money for both the management company, the local economy, and the TV station that airs it. This year's event was to be held in Okinawa, an small southern island prefecture. However, as many fans already knew, Okinawa is hit by monsoon season around this time of year, meaning the island is hit by heavy and unpredictable rain. The management company also knew this and decided whatever payout they would get by holding the event in Okinawa outweighed the very high possibility that it would rain. 10,000 tickets were sold to the event, and hotels in the town around the event were packed with visitors. Of course, two days before the event management found out that there was to be a huge storm the
day of the event. So obviously, the event was cancelled, pissing off both fans and the girls who flew into Okinawa for the event. Most of the girls were scattered around the country since management started cancelling their flights to the island. They ended up holding an event inside a 700 seat venue where they read the names of the girls off, with some fans being lucky enough watch the event in a covered tent.
TL;DR: Actual concert event rained out, poor planning leads to thousands of pissed off nerds
[4. Sashihara Rino will not participate elections next year]
4. Sashihara Rino won't participate in SSK anymore
In a surprise to no one, Sashihara Rino wins her fourth SSK crown; this is also her third consecutive win. Rino also announced that she will not participate in any more SSK, she tired of duffing all her competitors. She received almost 100k more votes than the #2 ranked girl, Watanabe Mayu.
TL;DR: Queen Rino is tired of curb stomping Mayu Watanabe
[5. Watanabe Mayu announces her graduation]
5. Watanabe Mayu announces her graduation
Popular member of AKB48's team B Mayu Watanabe announced her graduation (aka she's leaving the group) at the event. Mayu is the only member to rank in the top 5 in every election. She also won first place in 2014 election, and finished in second place this year. Mayu has also had succesful solo music career. Mayu is considered to be one of the most important members in AKB48 so her leaving is considered to be a huge loss. However, here announcement was overshadowed by the announcement that another member made at the event.
TL;DR: Mayu is tired of being curb stomped
[6. Sutou Ririka Is Getting Married]
6. Sutou Ririka Is Getting Married
This year's #20 ranked member Sutuo Ririka of NMB48's team N announcded that she is getting married. She gave no more details and said she'd discuss her options with NMB's "adults" but wanted y'all to know that she's getting hitched. This is a big deal since AKB48 and related groups are BIG on their no dating policy (if y'all have even heard of this group and aren't weebs then it's because you heard of my bitch Minami Minegeshi's head shaving when she got caught dating) so she not only managed to get around her dating ban, she dated long enough to get engaged. Members of the 48G were pissed, and a few girls shaded Ms. Ririka in their speeches. No word if she's leaving NMB48, but fans are calling for her head.
TL;DR: Rirka wants y'all to know she's getting hitched
On to the actual election results:
[Top 80 Girls]
[Upcoming girls #80-#65]
80. Matsuoka Hana - HKT48 Team TII : 15,396 votes
79. Toyonaga Aki - HKT48 Kenkyuusei : 15,598 votes
78. Takahata Yuki - SKE48 Team E : 15,804 votes
77. Kado Yuria - NGT48 Kenkyuusei : 15,990 votes
76. Goto Moe - AKB48 Team B : 16,097 votes
75. Omori Miyuu - AKB48 Team 4 : 16,162 votes
74. Mogi Shinobu - AKB48 Team K : 16,393 votes
73. Hiwatashi Yui - AKB48 Team A : 16,492 votes
72. Obata Yuna - SKE48 Team KII : 16,511 votes
71. Kato Minami - NGT48 Team NIII : 16,641 votes
70. Miyajima Aya - NGT48 Kenkyuusei : 16,930 votes
69. Sakaguchi Nagisa - AKB48 Team 8 : 17,303 votes
68. Sato Sumire - SKE48 Team E : 17,320 votes
67. Nagano Serika - AKB48 team 8 : 17,662 votes
66. Tani Marika - SKE48 Team E : 17,744 votes
65. Ota Nao - AKB48 Team 8 : 17,757 votes
[Future Girls #64-#49]
64. Kitagawa Ryoha - SKE48 Team S : 18,052 votes
63. Kumazaki Haruka - SKE48 Team E : 18,299 votes
62. Motomura Aoi - HKT48 Team KIV : 18,363 votes
61. Ichikawa Miori - NMB48 Team N : 18,814 votes
60. Shibuya Nagisa - NMB48 Team M : 19,263 votes
59. Matsuoka Natsumi - HKT48 Team H : 19,372 votes
58. Arai Yuki - SKE48 Team KII : 19,467 votes
57. Tanigawa Airi - NMB48 Team N : 19,752 votes
56. Takeuchi Saki - SKE48 Team KII : 19,919 votes
55. Mutou Orin - AKB48 Kenkyuusei : 20,356 votes
54. Ueki Nao - HKT48 Team KIV : 20,640 votes
53. Yamaguchi Maho - NGT48 Team NIII : 20,818 votes
52. Komiyama Haruka - AKB48 Team 4 : 20,910 votes
51. Oguri Yui - AKB48 Team 8 : 21,296 votes
50. Tanaka Natsumi - HKT48 Team H : 21,472 votes
49. Sakaguchi Riko - HKT48 team H : 21,643 votes
[Next Girls #48-#33]
48. Okita Ayaka - NMB48 Team BII : 22,264 votes
47. Kubo Satone - AKB48 Kenkyuusei : 22,895 votes
46. Goto Rara - SKE48 Team E : 23,225 votes
45. Taniguchi Megu - AKB48 Team A : 23,304 votes
44. Kamata Natsuki - SKE48 Team E : 24,108 votes
43. Sasaki Yukari - AKB48 Team A : 24,276 votes
42. Iwatate Saho - AKB48 Team 4 : 24,303 votes
41. Nishigata Marina - NGT48 Team NIII : 24,401 votes
40. Tashima Meru - HKT48 Team H : 24,458 votes
39. Murase Sae - NMB48 Team BII : 24,585 votes
38. Tomiyoshi Asuka - HKT48 Team KIV : 24,996 votes
37. Yabuki Nako - HKT48 Team H : 25,364 votes
36. Ego Yuna - SKE48 Team KII : 25,731 votes
35. Tomonaga Mio - HKT48 Team KIV : 25,733 votes
34. Fuchigami Mai - HKT48 Team KIV : 25,900 votes
33. Kato Yuuka - NMB48 Team M : 25,988 votes
[Under Girls #32-#17]
32. Fukuoka Seina - AKB48 Team B : 26,444 votes
31. Moriyasu Madoka - HKT48 Team KIV : 27,384 votes
30. Kuranoo Narumi - AKB48 Team 8 : 28,037 votes
29. Kawamoto Saya - AKB48 Team 4 : 28,118 votes
28. Tanaka Miku - HKT48 Team H : 28,355 votes
27. Ota Yuuri - NMB48 Team BII : 28,457 votes
26. Oba Mina - SKE48 Team KII : 28,554 votes
25. Takakura Moeka - NGT48 Team NIII : 28,623 votes
24. Kojima Mako - AKB48 Team 4 : 29,699 votes
23. Nakai Rika - NGT48 Team NIII : 29,903 votes
22. Oya Masana - SKE48 Team S : 30,236 votes
21. Kato Rena - AKB48 Team B : 30,282 votes
20. Suto Ririka - NMB48 Team N : 31,779 votes
19. Minegishi Minami - AKB48 Team K : 34,688 votes (smh)
18. Matsumura Kaori - SKE48 Team KII : 34,977 votes
17. Mukaichi Mion - AKB48 Team K : 35,201 votes
[Senbatsu #16- #1]
16. Yoshida Akari - NMR48 Team M : 35,540 votes
15. Takayanagi Akane - SKE48 Team KII : 38,576 votes
14. Furuhata Nao - SKE48 Team KII : 38,576 votes
13. Honma Hinata - NGT48 Team NIII : 41,230 votes
12. Shiroma Miru - NMB48 Team M : 41,491 votes
11. Takahashi Juri - AKB48 Team 4 : 42,663 votes
10. Kitahara Rie - NGT48 Team NIII : 45,684 votes
09. Okada Nana - AKB48 Team 4 : 48,143 votes
08. Soda Sarina - SKE48 Team KII : 52,475 votes
07.
Yokoyama Yui - AKB48 Team A : 58,314 votes
06. Suda Akari - SKE48 Team E : 63,124 votes
05. Ogino Yuka - NGT48 Team NIII : 73,368 votes
04. Miyawaki Sakura - HKT48 Team KIV : 82,803 votes
03. Matsui Jurina - SKE48 Team S : 113,615 votes
02. Watanabe Mayu - AKB48 Team B : 149,132 votes
01. Sashihara Rino - HKT48 Team H : 246,376 votes (Group Center)
Because I'm unfortunate enough to care about this for yet another year, I'm making a post. At least all of the drama made it worth it! 48 Fam discussion post/ J-pop post.
Sources: 1, 2, and me