STAFF:
Chief Director: Shoji Kawamori (Super Dimensional Fortress Macross, Macross Frontier, Aquarion)
Director: Yoshimasa Hiraike (Amagami SS, Working!!)
Series Composition: Mari Okada (Ano Hana, Hanasaku Iroha, Toradora, Black Rock Shooter)
Script: Mari Okada
Original creator: Shoji Kawamori
Character Design: Risa Ebata (aka "Mikan Ehime"; Macross Frontier, Prism Ark)
In an era when entertainment is outlawed, there is an idol group that offers underground guerilla concerts despite the danger. The name of that female group is AKB0048.
Until just before the annihilation of Earth, AKB48 shined as legendary idols.
This is the story of the super galactic idol team that inherited that name.
In the beginning of the 21st century, a world war erupts over interplanetary travel technology. Humanity inflicts large-scale devastation upon the ecosystem and forces itself to make a mass exodus from Earth. In the year Star Calendar 00, a new era begins as humanity migrates to a self-imposed exile in space.
Before long, the (provisional) "Super Galactic Alliance" institutes a "Entertainment Prohibition Law" to control "entertainment and music which corrupts people's minds." Except for certain areas (zones of absolute entertainment defense), any form of entertainment is strictly punished. One by one, idols disappear, and people's minds are enveloped in darkness.
And so, people who were once called "idols" are now thought to be entirely extinct. However, there was an idol group who have arisen: AKB0048. They rise up as "illegal idols" who inherit the light and spirit of those legendary members of AKB48.
However, malevolent forces attack these girls who have overwhelming influence. The (provisional) Alliance government judges them as "terrorists" and cracks down on them. To protect their stage, their fans, and the citizens, the girls will take up arms and fight.
"As long as there are fans who are waiting for us, we fight even if we suffer and fall. And then, we will keep singing!"
And so, it is now Star Calendar 0048…
In this fateful year, the story begins for the 77th class of trainees who are to be chosen as new stars.
VOICE CAST:
Legacy Performers:
Acchan / Maeda Atsuko – Sawashiro Miyuki (Bakemonogatari, Black Rock Shooter, High School of the Dead)
Yuuko / Oshima Yuko – Kanda Akemi (Clannad, Negima!)
Yukirin / Kashiwagi Yuki – Horie Yui (School Rumble, Fruits Basket)
Mayuyu / Watanabe Mayu – Tamura Yukari (Galaxy Angel, Nanoha)
Kojiharu / Kojima Haruna – Noto Mamiko (Hell Girl, Maria-sama ga Miteru)
Takamina / Takahashi Minami – Shiraishi Ryoko (Hayate the Combat Butler)
Tomochin / Itano Tomomi – Ueda Kana (Fate Stay/Night, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Japan version)
Sae / Miyazawa Sae – Nakahara Mai (Mai-Hime)
Sayaka / Akimoto Sayaka – Kawasumi Ayako (Fate/Zero, Fate Stay/Night)
Research Students:
Aida Orine (13) – Nakaya Sayaka (AKB48 Team A)
"If it is fine with you, could you xxxx with me?"
From the 77th batch of interns. She has a well-bred personality and often follows behind Nagisa and Yuka. Suprisingly likes to work with mechanics and is quite good at it. Can sometimes blush easily and when she gets nervous her gestures can get exaggerated. Likes to eat.
Ichijo Yuka (14) – Sato Amina (AKB48 Team B)
"I am the happy cheerleader captain for everyone!"
From the 77th batch of interns. She is of the type who talks in straightfoward manner and also a bit short-tempered, but she can also be kind to people. Always carrying a big bag with her, and she stores many different things inside. She knew Orine and Nagisa since they were small kids. She often takes the lead and drags the two along with her.
Kanzaki Suzuko (14) – Hata Sawako (SKE48 Team KII)
"I will not lose to anyone for my love for AKB"
(loves to eat potato chips with chopsticks) From the 77th batch of interns. She is bespectacled and normallly quite quiet, but she is also an idol otaku who knows 0048's history very well and often explains 0048 to other people. She takes great care to a signature she received from a certain person.
Kishida Mimori (17) – Sato Sumire (AKB48 Team B)
"Did some pheromone come out??"
(likes cherries but not Japanese cherries)
From the 75th batch of intern. She is tall and has good body proportion, and she is proud of that. A sexy character. Somehow likes to speak in sweet tone like by adding "Nou~~~" or "Dakara~~~" at the end of sentence but she is not really being disingenuous. Also somehow likes to pose in sexy ways.
Shinonome Kanata (15) – Ishida Haruka (AKB48 Team B)
"Be calm, be precise, and be bold"
From the 75th batch of interns. She is always serious and works hard. She has a slightly inflexible character. She is from the same batch as Mimori and is a close friend of her. She is able to speak honestly about her feeling to Mimori. She is the elder sister of Sonata and she basically considers her as an annoyance. When the two sisters argue, it can get quite tense.
Shinonome Sonata (10) – Yagami Kumi (SKE48 Team S)
"I will go to the top with everyone! Yo!"
From the 77th batch of interns. The youngest intern and the shortest, but has very high sports capability.... and she is a bit of a wild and naive child. Likes to give strange nicknames to others but they never quite stick. She is the younger sister of Kanata and really likes her a lot.
Sono Chieri (13) – Watanabe Mayu (AKB48 Team B)
"Let there be shape for dream, and light for singing voice."
From the 77th batch of intern. She is cool in character and sometimes speaks in a harsh tone, but she is also extraordinarily committed and passionate. She also happens to be from a blue-blooded family of big enterprise. She adored 0048 since she was a child and she holds grand dream which she would not tell anyone.
Motomiya Nagisa (13) – Iwata Karen (AKB48 Research Student)
"Even if I trip over, I will send my energy to you!"
From the 77th batch of intern. She can sometimes be absent-minded, but she holds an honest admiration towards 0048. She often gets too laidback and makes Yuka angry. She was not too good at singing but since she was picked as intern she started to get better.
Yokomizo Makoto (16) – Mita Mao (NMB48 Team M)
"Negative dash! I will show you the sincere Makoto!"
From the 77th batch of intern. She can easily get scared and is a timid person. She is the type that gets worried the plane may fall down when she rides in a plane. She really loves 0048 but she often gets many worries and concerns about her being a member of it. She thinks she has not got a nice body figure and wishes that she can look more feminine when the moment requires so.
Sources: Character/Cast info. Story outline. Official site. Preview.
Little bits have been posted before, thought I'd pull it all together with the new stuff. Starts the 29th of April, so ready for amazing or trainwreck, I'm good either way.