AKB0048

AKB0048 (stylized as AKB∞48) is a 2012 Japanese science fiction musical comedy anime television series based on the idol group AKB48. The anime is produced by Satelight, with Shōji Kawamori as chief director. The first season aired in Japan between April and July 2012 whilst the second season aired between January and March 2013.
Plot.
At the start of the 21st century, an interplanetary war broke out. Earth's ecosystem was severely damaged, and humanity was forced to flee the planet, hence begin a new history with the Star Calendar starting from the year 0000. In several planets of this new society led by a totalitarian government, the Deep Galactic Trade Organization [DGTO], things that "disturb the heart" like music and art are forbidden. The legendary idol group AKB48 is later resurrected as the interplanetary troupe AKB0048, made up of girls who carry on the title and spirit of the original members. Since the government sees the existence of the idol group as illegal, the idol group cannot hold their concerts officially. AKB0048 also changed their concept from "idols you can meet" to "idols who see fans". Held as heroines by some and labeled as terrorists by others, they take up arms to bring their music to their fans wherever they are. The story follows a group of young hopefuls as they train to become the next generation of AKB0048.
First stage.
Four years prior to the story, Chieri Sono, while visiting Lancastar with her father, invites Nagisa Motomiya, Orine Aida and Yuuka Ichijo to watch AKB0048's dangerous performance at the planet's mining site as they battle the DES soldiers which attracts and inspires them to join the idol group. Four years later, Star Calendar Year 0048, Nagisa, Orine and Yuuka pass the idol group's first found audition and thus embark on a journey to Akibastar, the homeland of AKB0048 despite Nagisa's father's disapproval of joining the idol group. Meanwhile, Chieri escapes her father who does not approve of her in the same way as Nagisa's father and joins Nagisa, Orine and Yuuka. Also joining are Makoto Yokomizo, the timid girl, Suzuko Kanzaki, a bespectacled girl and Sonata Shinonome, an energetic young girl. All of them pass the second round audition conducted by Tsubasa Katagiri, the manager of AKB0048 and are chosen as the 77th generation trainees.
Arriving at Akibastar, the chosen 77th generation trainees settle down. Joining them are 75th generation trainees, Kanata Shinonome who is Sonata's sister and Mimori Kishida who is Kanata's teammate. Kanata's relationship with her sister is hostile at first because she does not want the latter to risk her life, but soon she comes to accept her as part of the idol group. And so, the trainees undergo a life of concert performance training, singing and dancing, although sometimes they have a monthly day off. All the choreographies are planned by Mr. Ushiyama, a cross dressing man. Inside AKB0048, the trainees come into close relationships with successors Minami Takahashi the 5th (Shiori Arisawa), Yuuko Ooshima the 9th (Hikari Kimishima), Mayu Watanabe Type 3, Sayaka Akitomo the 10th (Akira Igarashi), Yuki Kashiwagi the 6th (Ayako Kuroki), Haruna Kojima the 8th (Chiharu Sakuragi) and Sae Miyazawa the 10th (Youko Asamiya) as they train and perform concerts together and meet fans at both handshake events and concerts held at entertainment-banned planets. Orine meets her hater, who is hostile to her at first but slowly gives her constructive suggestions to help her improve.
Takamina once begins to self-doubt when the kiraras choose Kanata as the ideal successor of Minami Takahashi. So she loses her form and becomes injured while fighting the DES machine. The group performs at Tundrastar, but Takamina forces herself to perform although being forced to be replaced by Kanata and at the end of the concert catches the succession fever in the process, but has recovered since then. After AKB's meeting, a gravure shoot for all the members, including the understudies is held at Atamistar. Tsubasa meets up with the camerawoman, Mikako Minamino, who is the former successor of Minami Minegishi and a former Center Nova. Minami declares she is against the idea of the Center Nova position being resurrected. When the idol group holds its concert at Lancastar, the DES know about it already and enforces stronger control over Lancastar; the WOTA (hardcore fans) protect the idol group along the way. Nagisa's father is caught by the DGTO authorities at the same time. Nagisa becomes worried about her father and soon loses her voice. The concert is held despite the threats and Nagisa's loss of voice but is interrupted in the middle by a DES attack. AKB suddenly hear Acchan's voice, the last Center Nova and with Acchan's voice the idol group is persuaded to fight on. WOTA rescue Nagisa's father and Nagisa later regains the voice back after she finds confidence in herself. Meanwhile, the Kirara are so impressed by Takamina's determination during the concert that they choose her as Minami Takahashi's rightful successor again. But as the DES attack becomes too intense, the concert ends earlier, and the group is forced to move out of Lancastar, heading to their next stage.
Next stage.
In the year since the 77th generation joined AKB0048, the Deep Galactic Trade Organization [DGTO], a totalitarian galactic government and its national armed force, Destroy Entertainment Soldiers [DES] have stepped up their attacks on entertainment. AKB0048 continue their next stage and performs the concert at Atamistar. Manager Tsubasa announces to bring back the general elections and the Center Nova position. The same night after the concert, Chieri, Ayako and Sonata were caught by the DES to be tried in a High Court in Kasumigastar, the DGTO's capital, but are later freed by the rest of AKB0048 with the help of WOTA. The trial itself made Chieri famous throughout the galaxy and receives more work (such as photoshoots). Chieri's father starts developing artificial Kiraras while Tsubasa becomes curious as to how they were able to break into Kasumigastar so easily earlier. The understudies are now thrown into a new competition directly against the successors especially when the general election is approaching.
Soon later, the results of the general elections are announced with Hikari (Yuuko) announced winner of the top 10 list along with other successors in their respective rankings. Also included in the top 10 list were 77th generation trainee Chieri Sono in 6th place and 75th generation trainee Mimori Kishida in 10th place. The elected members are chosen for a concert on Baltistar, a planet completely under the entertainment ban. Meanwhile, the 77th generation trainees are chosen to infiltrate a nearby military base to undercover and investigate reports of people visiting the base and discover a hidden illegal casino there. The girls target the nuclear reactor hidden in the base, shut down the casino and escape with Higashino, the DES guard helped them in the process. Some time later, the Kirara of Succession show the original Atsuko's image, foretelling that someone may succeed her soon. Mikako is brought in as the group's official camerawoman as the group rehearse for a concert. After the rehearsal, Mimori comes down with a succession fever and Nagisa is chosen to stand in for her in the concert after Mimori collapsed during the break.
Mimori recovers from her fever and debut as a successor, inherited the name of Mariko Shinoda the 8th. Mikako unknowingly informs Chieri's father of the three conditions required for initiating the Center Nova phenomenon. Knowing this, the latter orders his company Zodiac, under the DES to go after an element known as Dualium that is hidden in Akibastar by launching a DES Force attack there one day when AKB hold another concert, putting the city into chaos and forcing AKB to struggle against the DES. AKB retreat from Akibastar due to escalating battle. During DGTO's occupation of Akibastar, AKB0048 barely manage to escape the DES in their ship and arrive above a strange planet to be repaired because it sustained the DES attack. The trainees are sent to gather data on the planet they landed on and in the process meet with the creatures there. A new bond of friendship is made as they defend the planet together and defeat the Zodiac machines that came out of the blue to attack the planet for dualium but sacrificing the nature there. Chieri and Nagisa later sneak on board of one of Zodiac's ships, taking them to Sagittariusstar so that Chieri can confront her father face to face. Chieri finally reaches her father and is told to exhibit her singing skills but witnesses her father assassinated by a person unknown in front of her when it just seems as if the former became friendlier towards her again. Chieri was sad and distraught over the death of her father. Nevertheless, she and her teammates show their fighting spirit to reclaim Akibastar. Back in Akibastar, the people there want AKB0048 dead because DES made them feel betrayed. Despite this, Chieri, Nagisa and the others combine their feelings with the nameless emotions across the galaxy and fight back with love and music, getting the DES to withdraw, the people forgave AKB0048 and returned peace to Akibastar with Nagisa promoted as Atsuko Maeda the 14th and Chieri as the new Center Nova.
Characters.
The story focuses mainly on a group of girls who are in AKB0048. In the Japanese dub, they were voiced by actual members from AKB48 and its sister groups, and are grouped as NO NAME to sing the opening and closing credits. The Successors are veteran members who are titled after members of the original AKB48 troupe, but their roles are performed by professional voice actresses. The other characters are also voiced by professional voice actor and actresses. In contrast to the Japanese dub, in the English dub they are all voiced by professional voice actors and actresses.
Successors.
The Successors are members of AKB0048 whose stage names are based on AKB48 members along with their ordinal numbers.
Media.
Manga.
Prior to the anime's release, four manga series based on original concepts began serialisation in Kodansha's "Nakayoshi", "Bessatsu Friend", "Magazine Special" and "Bessatsu Shonen Magazine" publications during December 2011 and January 2012. These manga are titled "AKB0048 Episode 0", , and .
Anime.
The anime by Satelight aired its first season in Japan between April 29, 2012 and July 22, 2012. The series began release on Blu-ray Disc and DVD from June 27, 2012, with a Director's Cut of the first episode included in the first volume. The opening theme is by No Name (Mayu Watanabe, Sumire Satō, Amina Satō, Sayaka Nakaya, Sawako Hata, Mao Mita, Karen Iwata, Kumi Yagami, &amp; Haruka Ishida) while the ending theme is by No Name. The second season aired between January 5, 2013 and March 30, 2013 and was simulcast by Crunchyroll. The opening theme is by No Name whilst the ending theme is Sentai Filmworks have licensed the series in North America. Section23 Films released the first season on DVD and Blu-ray on September 3, 2013 and the Second Season on February 4, 2014.
Chris Beveridge describes the TV series first season like ""Footloose" meets "American Idol" meets "The Facts of Life".".
Video game.
A collectible card game, "AKB0048 ARcarddass", was released in late 2012 for iOS and Android devices, utilising augmented reality to scan special AR Carddass cards. This game is no longer in service as of 2015.