AKB48 to hold concerts at Universal Studios Japan every day starting in July

bad move ...it will attract the wrong crowd and further promote the dunbimg down of young impressionable girls

This is the best news I've heard all week! I am very excited to see AKB contribute to Universal Studios and offer such an incredible, taxing performance schedule for anyone visiting USJ! Good for them, and lucky for all the people who go there and want to see great idol music and smart, intelligent girls spreading positivity and not negativity through their music. It's girls like them that make other people who just want to say negative things about them look really immature, especially considering all they are doing is showing love to all the people who come to watch them play. A lot of who, I might add, are YOUNG GIRLS, CHILDREN, and FAMILIES. YOOOOSH IKUSSHOOO!!!!

Only in Japan...

It isn't a film studio either.

Once the AKBs come along, the park will be full for the day and no need for other customers. Very efficient.

Better check those fans for knives.

YOOOOSH IKUSSHOOO!!!!

What language is that?

And it's OK, we know you're kidding but don't you bore yourself sometimes?

I haven't been to USJ in about 7 years or so but I heard recently has been crazy crowded and sometimes they have to stop people from entering because it reaches capacity. With the new Jurassic Park roller coaster and influx of tourists from Korea, China, Taiwan and Thailand, this will make USJ impossible to enter.

So now that USJ (as the park is also known) has taken care of fans of Japanese animation and video games, next come >>Japanese idols, as J-pop megagroup AKB48 will be giving concerts every single day in the park, starting in July.

The park is slowly turning into a Cool-Japan Funded Park, promoting Japanese product, including mini-skirt under-age looking like girls, if the trend does continue like this it should drop the affiliation to the US movie studio.

I went one time, and have never seen so many people at an amusement park. I can't imagine why they need to spend the money for AKB's to squeeze even more people in the park.

One more reason not to go there.

Won't that sort of overexposure cheapen their image?

Won't that sort of overexposure cheapen their image?

I thought ABK already hit rock bottom a couple yrs ago?

such an incredible, taxing performance schedule for anyone visiting USJ

Very taxing, I'm sure. Remind me not to go.

I can't think of a better way to draw a large group of 30 - 50 STH men who have money to burn due to their social awkwardness, so they can't land a real girl and spend their time in some sort of self-delusional fantasy world such as USJ.

Peter, I think it's a very huge misconception that AKB draws that kind of demographic you are implying. If you would take a few minutes and watch the USJ promo video for AKB's recent visit, you'll see in the audience that the overwhelming majority of the people there to see AKB were young teenage girls, families, and of course, your teenage boys. The only ojisans I saw there were with their kids, looking bored out of their mind.

I think AKB performing there is a really good thing. The girls work very hard and do their best to put on a great performance that is all about being positive. I think that positivity will be really good for USJ. I just hope the girls don't get too tired from so many concert performances all in a row. Ganbatte AKB!

you'll see in the audience that the overwhelming majority of the people there to see AKB were young teenage girls, families, and of course, your teenage boys.

You're seeing exactly what they want you to see.

Peter's comment is pretty accurate, although the pervs aren't like to vebture all the way over to Osaka when they can just visit some maid cafe of see other wanabee AKB idols acts anywhere else.

Weird. Just 3 years ago they did a series of videos at Tokyo Disney Resort for its 30th Anniversary.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hft94wRgMpM&list=RDhft94wRgMpM

Traitors! Hahahaha

Wc626:

Did you watch the videos? By all means, check them out yourself. I'm not "seeing what I want to see," not at all, and don't appreciate the implication of this kind of statement either.

Peter's comment isn't accurate in the least. I've been following AKB for many years now, and honestly, it's the biggest misconception the general public has about the group. It's simply not true, and also, it's rather offensive to imply an entire fanbase of a musical idol group are "pervs" or sociall awkward. What's more, USJ is doing a great, great thing by having AKB there on a daily basis. I am happy for AKB and USJ's partnership, and I think that is the issue that should be focused on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hft94wRgMpM&list=RDhft94wRgMpM

ahhhhhhhh my ears!

I do admit, I painted with a very large brush. However, one large demographic for AKB48 is the type of person described.

Peter:

Show me the actual statistics you are pulling from by saying this, because I can tell you from attending several concerts, handshake events, and owning almost their entire library of concert dvds, I've seen nothing but a balance of teenagers, girls, families, children, and only the occasional ojisan or 30-something guy who looks like your classic otaku. I think what you said might have been true only in the beginning of AKB's ten year history, but it certainly hasn't been the case for the past six years or so. AKB attracts all types of people, which is exactly why they are doing the performances at USJ. If people just watch them, they'll realize they aren't lascivious or suggestive and their fans are normal people who enjoy happy, positive music, that is sometimes flirty, but always fun.

This is going to ruin the park for far more people than it makes happy. I think it's just an excuse for the jacked up ticket costs, but it's going to end up attracting people who think they're getting a cheap concert instead. Leave the people who want to see quality shows and parades in peace, and keep AKB to concert halls for middle aged pervs, please.

So? Is JT getting a kickback from Akiyama for promoting them? I mean really, AKB's days are FINALLY numbered....I hope.

AKB's days are doing absolutely amazing. They are stronger than ever and show no signs of slowing down. There are almost 500 members, three new sister group expansions overseas, and over a million cds sold for this year's upcoming sousenkyo election. Their latest single broke the million sales mark easily, and their members are dominating magazine covers, variety shows, their own programs, and they are still a powerful musical force in the music industry. They are the only group who can do 100 concerts at USJ and not even break a sweat and still send their other members to do stadium concerts, daily shows, and anything else they want to do. How is that for numbers? Ha ha. These girls are unstoppable!

"Show me the actual statistics you are pulling from by saying this, because I can tell you from attending several concerts, handshake events, and owning almost their entire library of concert dvds"

Many male AKB fans would have a 'handshake event' at home with a collection like that.

It's like if Disney put their stable of Disney starlets into their Disney parks for the daily Main Street parade

Hannah Montana, Selena Gomez, Lizzie McGuire, High School Musical, etc.

@djv124

They are the only group who can do 100 concerts at USJ and not even break a sweat and still send their other members to do stadium concerts, daily shows, and anything else they want to do.

Well, when you have a team of salarymen writing your songs (yes, that's what happens) and do nothing more than learn a few repetitive moves & mime on stage, 100 concerts would probably be easy, yes. Just accept the fact that Akimoto's groups have no talent.

Peter Qinghai, don't care about the comments from djv124! dvj124 belongs to the same portion of 30-50's men that you described in your first comment...

Thank God I'm going next week!!

Never been a fan of such theme parks but i now have another reason not to go.

Gogogog, ref:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hft94wRgMpM&list=RDhft94wRgMpM Although I like some of AKB's songs, that link was horrendous, its so cheesy its bad on every level!! Iam sure it will appeal to 5-6 year children, but no one else.

Thank goodness my daughter never had an AKB phase she is more into western music and the flavour of month Idol kind.

The only ojisans I saw there were with their kids, looking bored out of their mind.

I wonder why that was.