The downfall of J-pop? How the AKBG's biz model & culture get adapted in China

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Rika-Chicchi

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The election manifesto of a 5th-generation member in SNH48's 2nd team who's transferred from & the former captain of their old 5th team, for the current SNHG General election, in which she makes a guided tour around the various parts of their exclusive theater's backstage, released today:


The young looking but actually older girl is also a member of their newest subgroup formally debutting shortly.

Another one, of a 4th-generation member in their 4th team for the same election, also released today:


The charismatic & eccentric girl has been hit by a couple of scandals recently (not gonna detail them here), mostly of her own making due to her personality, which, on the other hand, also contributes to her creativity, as seen in her above election manifesto. She's also a member of the abovementioned subgroup.

A poster of the the same election, featuring the #8-ranked member returned from the last election, who's a 1st-generation member in & the current deputy captain of their 1st team:

https://wx3.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dgy1g51phceg94j20u01hc7wh.jpg

The veteran is also a member of their elite subgroup 7SENSES. :)
 
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Rika-Chicchi

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The SNHG groups are entering the final week counting down to the announcement of the final results of their current General Election & all their theater performances will be suspended for the week. Members of SNH48's sister groups around the country will fly to the home city of SNH48 for the joint final rehearsals of the concert preceding the announcement. There'll be two days of joint group vote-thanking activities over there in the following days too.

What I'm most interested in isn't the results of the election, but what they'll also announce on their future development & any further organizational restructuring, which'll point to the direction they're heading toward in the coming year & beyond - will their downsizing continue amid the economic downturn? How'll they cope w/ the upcoming graduation of the 1st- &, in just a year afterward, 2nd-generation members of SNH48, both being the soul, face, & backbone of the group? Will the leading next-generation members of the group be ready to take over? There'll be a number of serious internal & external challenges to them in the year ahead, including the ones mentioned above, & it's interesting to see how they'll respond to them. :)
 
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Rika-Chicchi

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A pictorial announcement of the upcoming birthday special theater performance for the "sexy queen" of SNH48's 1st team, her birthday items, etc., released today:

https://wx2.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dgy1g4tlezr9doj20u06fl4qr.jpg
Behind-the-scenes footage of her shootings for those items, released today:

Sina Visitor System

A poster of the current SNHG General Election, featuring the #6-ranked member returned from the last election, who's a 2nd-generation member in & the top dancer of SNH48's 2nd team:

https://wx2.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dgy1g578peva8yj20u01hc7wh.jpg

The talented girl (she's hiding her talents w/ her arms in the poster, tho XD ) is also a member of their elite subgroup 7SENSES. :)
 

Rika-Chicchi

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A poster of the current SNHG General Election, featuring the #5-ranked member returned from the last election, who's a 1st-generation member in & a former captain & former deputy captain of SNH48's 1st team:

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dgy1g58gwbok36j20u01hce81.jpg

The expert gamer is their current highest ranking 1st-generation member. :)

[EDIT]
The SNHG groups are entering the final week counting down to the announcement of the final results of their current General Election & all their theater performances will be suspended for the week. Members of SNH48's sister groups around the country will fly to the home city of SNH48 for the joint final rehearsals of the concert preceding the announcement.
Some pics of BEJ48/GNZ48 members starting their rehearsals right after arriving at the training venue from the airport - their time is pretty tight:

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/006c99bxly1g58z76ci9hj334022oe81.jpg

^ Various beverages & icecreams are sold at the venue. XD

https://wx4.sinaimg.cn/large/006c99bxly1g58z777ukrj334022okjl.jpg

^ And snacks too lol (their main meals will also be served right there by outside catering).

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/006c5eFZgy1g58riri6k4j31900u0u0y.jpg

Note that the above pics show only parts of the vast venue.
 

Rika-Chicchi

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[Re: The latter part of the preceding post] More rehearsal pics, featuring members of all the three SNHG groups participating in the election & reposted on a Japanese fansite today (click the pics to view them in their original large size):

上海SNH48第六回総選挙コンサートに向け、姉妹グループも集結してリハーサル中 – SNH48分室 Unofficial

A poster of the current SNHG General Election, featuring the #4-ranked member returned from the last election, who's a 2nd-generation member in SNH48's 2nd team:

https://wx4.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dgy1g59lef0jimj20u01hc7wh.jpg

The "big brother" is also a member of their subgroup HO2. :)
 
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Rika-Chicchi

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The SNHG is currently participating w/ their various brands/IPs in the China stop of a global licensing expo - a report about it on a Japanese fansite today (click the pics to view them in their original large sizes):

上海SNH48運営が2019ライセンシング・エキスポ・チャイナに出展 – SNH48分室 Unofficial

^ The 1st pic shows some of their various brands, including even their investment arm, being displayed at their booth.

They've now become a multimedia company w/ in-house productions/services of music, TV dramas, movies, variety shows, net content, e-commerce, video streaming, apps, anime, games, etc., in-print mag publishing, & of course, the making & running of idol groups (both male & female ones), lol as well as the training/management of artists on various fields, & having their businesses in entertainment, fashion, & investment. Their different products, IPs, & operations also support & enhance/promote each other. :)
 

Rika-Chicchi

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A glimpse of the stage of the upcoming SNHG concert for their current General Election, shot by an SNH48 member during her rehearsal at the venue today:

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/b5d68da5ly1g5ci1rskw9j22c02c0b2a.jpg

^ Note that both SHY48 & CKG48 are missing there - the former is in effect gone now & while the latter is still alive & kicking in the southwestern region, it doesn't participate in the election.

A poster of the current SNHG General Election, featuring the #2-ranked member returned from the last election, who's a 2nd-generation member in SNH48's 2nd team:

https://wx3.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dly1g5b75abhbaj20u01hc1kx.jpg

The former deputy captain of the team has got some classy & high-quality TV/movie jobs in the past year, which matches her educational level & personal image. :)
 

Rika-Chicchi

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A performance of the title theme of the current SNHG General Election by members of the various SNHG groups at their concert today - note that the founding 1st-generation members of SNH48 were donning the group's very 1st formal uniform worn when they debuted years back:


Those founding members will graduate soon, & this' probably their final big stage as a member of the group.

[EDIT 1]
^ The top ranking 16 SNHG members returned from the last election rendering a special extended version of their earlier single:


[EDIT 2]
^ A moving moment - the founding members singing a number in their debut stage:


^ Some of them look tearful during the performance.
 

Rika-Chicchi

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^ GNZ48 performing their current latest single:


[EDIT 1]
^ Their 1st team performing the title number of their current stage:


[EDIT 2]
^ The 16 SNHG members of the Next Girls ranking group returned from the last election performing their earlier single:

 

Rika-Chicchi

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^ The 2nd team of SNH48 performing one of their current stage numbers:


[EDIT]
^ The 2nd team of GNZ48 performing one of their current stage numbers:

 

Rika-Chicchi

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The final results of the current SNHG General Election, announced tonight:

https://wx4.sinaimg.cn/large/a04b2a1dly1g5eryuuklfj21hc3zm7wk.jpg

^ Just some quick notes:

- As expected, a number of SNH48's 1st-generation members have got high rankings, as this' their last election before their graduation.

- Many next-generation members of SNH48 are also ranked in high positions, which greatly helps in the group's current urgent generation transitions.

- Several long-time top 2nd-generation heavyweight members in the powerful 2nd team of SNH48 are missing from the results as they've intentionally abandoned their electioneering works, probably for facilitating what's mentioned in the above two points to happen - they'll also graduate in a year after the 1st-generation members.

- The sister groups of SNH48 have performed pretty well too, narrowing their distance w/ SNH48 quite quickly.

- The 5th- & 6th-generation members of SNH48, whether those having remained in the group or transferred as founding members of the sister groups, are starting to take shape as the new backbone of the entire SNHG.
 

Rika-Chicchi

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The 1st team of SNH48 performing one of their current stage numbers at the SNHG General Election concert yesterday:


^ Those violin parts are performed by a famous Japanese otaku-violinist who's their fan & has covered some of their stage numbers in violin previously, including this one, which video I've also linked here in the past.

[EDIT]
^ A view of the venue from the "mountain top":

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/006c5eFZgy1g5ffsz14p6j31400u0wn8.jpg

Some glimpses from the 1st day of the SNHG's joint group vote-thanking event today:

https://wx1.sinaimg.cn/large/006c5eFZgy1g5g0gf86agj315o2bdb2a.jpg

^ Top pic: a member of GNZ48's 2nd team meeting a fan at her booth; latter two pics: parts of the group's allocated area.
 

Rika-Chicchi

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An official report on the SNHG General Election event yesterday, released by GNZ48 today - it's written from the POV of the group, of course lol (right-click the pics to view them in their original large sizes):

大型女子偶像组合GNZ48——GNZ48官方网站

^ The pics include photos of the elected top 3 SNHG members & posters of all the group's elected members.

The group has got the most number of members elected as well as the most number ranked in the top 16 positions among all the sister groups of SNH48, but failed to get the highest position among all the sister groups as it did in the last election, which instead is got by the group ace of BEJ48 this time, w/ the ranking even as high as #3 - a huge record & breakthrough for the sister groups! :oh my: Moreover, its group ace (who got that highest position last time), while elected, can't even make it to the top 16 as she did last time w/ the ranking of #11 & is only ranked #23! ::eeklez:

[EDIT]
^ Another one, w/ additional info, pics of the event's concert part, & photos of all the elected "God 7" (top 7) SNHG members:

大型女子偶像组合GNZ48——GNZ48官方网站
 

Rika-Chicchi

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Rika-Chicchi

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A media report on the SNHG General Election final results announcement event a couple of days ago:


[EDIT]
^ The current 2nd highest ranking member of BEJ48 in the election, from their 2nd team, posing w/ her trophy of the election & a fan featuring herself at her booth in the vote-thanking event these two days:

https://wx3.sinaimg.cn/large/006c99bxly1g5h2gj9f67j321z32zqv8.jpg

^ The multi-talented girl is donning the current formal uniform of the team.

A view of the stage for that event, shot during their final rehearsals days ago:

https://wx2.sinaimg.cn/large/006c5eFZgy1g5gmbm911hj31900u0qix.jpg
 
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Rika-Chicchi

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^ Some glimpses of the vote-thanking event last two days:


[EDIT]
The current 2nd highest ranking member of BEJ48 in the election, from their 2nd team, posing w/ her trophy of the election & a fan featuring herself at her booth in the vote-thanking event these two days:

https://wx3.sinaimg.cn/large/006c99bxly1g5h2gj9f67j321z32zqv8.jpg

^ The multi-talented girl is donning the current formal uniform of the team.
That fan is produced by her fanclub, not an official item. lol
 

Rika-Chicchi

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Rika-Chicchi

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One of the two belated official reports from BEJ48 on that SNHG General Election event last weekend, released today (right-click the pics to view them in their larger sizes):

资讯_中国大型女子偶像组合BEJ48——BEJ48中国官方网站

As I've mentioned here lately, their awesome group ace has got the #3 ranking in the election - an unprecedented feat achieved by members of SNH48's sister groups. And she even wants the #1 position in the next election, as she declared in her speech at that event! :oh my:

[EDIT]
^ More comprehensive statistical analyses of the election in this long Chinese blog entry today:

https://www.weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309404401268952006935

And a coverage on some parts of that blog entry on this page of a Japanese fansite:

上海SNH48第六回総選挙「餃子ランキング」総括 – SNH48分室 Unofficial