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Uza (song)
"Uza" (stylized in Japanese as "UZA", meaning "Annoying" and pronounced "oo-zah") is the 28th major single by the Japanese female idol group AKB48, released in Japan on October 31, 2012. Background The single was first announced on Yasushi Akimoto's Google+ and the title song premiered live on September 18, 2012, at the AKB48's rock-paper-scissors tournament at Nippon Budokan. This is also the first single without ace Maeda Atsuko, and this is also the first senbatsu participation of Sakura Miyawaki. Mayu Watanabe was originally one of the centers, along with Jurina Matsui, however due to heavy choreography involved in this song, Yuko Oshima, a more experienced dancer, later replaced Watanabe's center position. It was released in four versions: Type-A, Type-K, Type-B, and Theater Edition. The music video for the title song was directed by Joseph Kahn, the director of the music video for " Gingham Check". Track listing Type-A Type-K Type-B Theater Edition ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with its own theater and performing daily so fans could always see them live (which is not the case with usual pop groups giving occasional concerts and seen on television). This "Idols You Can Meet" concept includes teams which can rotate performances and perform simultaneously at several events and "handshake" events, where fans can meet group members. Akimoto has expanded the AKB48 concept to several girl groups within Japan, and internationally in Mainland China, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia. AKB48 have been characterized as a social phenomenon. They are among the highest-earning musical acts in Japan, and are the List of best-selling girl groups#Be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maeda Atsuko
is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the idol girl group AKB48, and was one of the most prominent members in the group at the time, regarded as the group's "absolute ace", "immovable center", and the "Face of AKB." After graduating from AKB48 on August 27, 2012, Maeda has since then continued with a solo singing and acting career. Career AKB48 Maeda was born in Ichikawa, Chiba. At age 14, she became a member of AKB48's first group, Team A, which was composed of 24 girls and debuted on December 8, 2005. In 2009, Maeda won the first edition of AKB48's annual general elections, which are described as a popularity contest. As a result, she was the headlined performer for the group's 13th single, " Iiwake Maybe". The following year, she placed second overall, but still had a significant choreography position in the lineup for " Heavy Rotation". Later that year, AKB48 employed a rock-paper-scissors tournament to determine the top spot of AKB48's 19th major sin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haruka Shimazaki
is a Japanese actress, singer, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48. Her supposed apathetic attitude toward idol fans led to the popularity of the buzzword in Japanese media. Since graduating from AKB48 in 2016, Shimazaki has worked as an actress, including roles in '' Hiyokko'', ''Nisekoi'', and '' Tonde Saitama''. She also started her own YouTube channel on March 30, 2020. Career Haruka Shimazaki was born in Saitama Prefecture, and began her entertainment career in 2009 by successfully auditioning for AKB48 in the 6th Kenkyūsei Audition (9th generation AKB48 audition). Her official nickname, Paruru, was coined by then fellow member Rumi Yonezawa. In the AKB48 17th single senbatsu election, which took place from May to June 2010, Shimazaki ranked 28th, the highest of all trainees. In June 2011 it was announced that she would be promoted to a newly created Team 4. In the AKB48 27th single senbatsu election, which took place from May to June 2012, Shimazaki ranke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuki Kashiwagi
is a Japanese singer. She was a member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48, NMB48 and NGT48. She auditioned for AKB48 on December 3, 2006, and was a member of AKB48's Team B. She was previously the captain of Team B before she was replaced by Ayaka Umeda as the captain. She was also a member of AKB48 sub-group French Kiss. Her talent agency is Watanabe Productions. Her nickname is Yukirin. In the annual AKB48 general elections, Yuki has consistently ranked among the group's top members. She placed ninth in 2009, eighth in 2010, third in 2011 and 2012, fourth in 2013, third in 2014, second in 2015 and fifth in 2016. Career Kashiwagi was born in Kagoshima, Japan. In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48 and made it to the final judging but had to resign because her father objected and could not go to Tokyo. She later auditioned for idol group Morning Musume but was not selected. She joined AKB48 after an audition again on December 3, 2006, and made her debut as a member o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Haruna Kojima
is a Japanese entrepreneur, actress, model, and former singer. From 2005 to 2017, she was a member of idol group AKB48 under Team A. In 2018, she founded her own brand, "Her lip to". Career Kojima was born in Urawa-ku, Saitama, Saitama Prefecture, and started her career as a member of Angel Eyes, an idol group. After Angel Eyes disbanded in 2001, she remained in contract with Stardust, but later switched to Ogi Production. Kojima participated in the first AKB48 audition in July 2005, which she passed along with 23 other participants, because the application was just taking a self-image by a mobile phone and e-mail it, and assuming that she "could take 10-time prettier one, and just sent". Although she voluntarily applied for the audition and passed, she was still looking at then-AKB48 project in a suspicious way, and tried to skip the very first dancing lesson because of her then-part-time job, but eventually participated it in response to the persuasion by Tomonobu Togasak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tomomi Itano
is a Japanese recording artist, songwriter, dancer, model, and actress. She is a former member of the Japanese idol girl group AKB48. She was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2011 she debuted solo with a single titled " Dear J", which was followed the same year by " Fui ni" (number 1 in Japan), and later by " 10nen Go no Kimi e" (2012) and " 1%" (2013). Life and career 2005–2013: Early career beginnings and AKB48 In 2005, Itano joined the Japanese idol girl group AKB48 as part of the first team, Team A. She also modeled for the women's fashion magazine '' Cawaii!'', and released her first photo book titled ''T.O.M.O.row'' in April 2009. In early 2010, she played Shibuya in AKB48's TV Tokyo drama '' Majisuka Gakuen''. She had a recurring role on ''Kamen Rider W'' as Queen, alongside fellow AKB48 performer Tomomi Kasai, until the show ended in late 2010. Together, they made up the sub-unit Queen & Elizabeth. In AKB48's 2010 general election, she placed fourth overall. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Minami Takahashi
is a Japanese idol, singer, tarento and a former member of the Japanese girl idol group AKB48. She is in Team A of AKB48. She became the first of AKB48 and its sister groups. In an interview with Nippon Television in June 2010, AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto says she is the "eldest daughter of the 48 sisters". She is also regarded as "soul of AKB", and her motto "Making efforts will be paid" has inspired many members of AKB48. She is commonly part of the main lineup of AKB48 singles. She was a member of the AKB48 sub-group no3b, alongside fellow AKB48 graduates Minami Minegishi and Haruna Kojima. She has a business alliance with Mama&Son Inc. Career Takahashi was born in Hachiōji, Tokyo. In August 2005, she became one of the 30th HoriPro Talent Contest's 15 final candidates, but she did not win the competition's Grand-Prix prize. In October 2005, she participated in the first AKB48 audition and beat 7,924 other applicants to be chosen as one of the 24 founding members o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mariko Shinoda
is a Japanese singer, actress, fashion model, and former member of the Japanese idol group AKB48, in which she was the captain of Team A. Career In October 2005, she auditioned for AKB48's first generation roster but failed the audition. Shortly after her audition, Shinoda began working AKB48's theater café – then known as Akihabara 48 – as a café attendant serving customers and handing out promotional flyers on the street. Shinoda became quite popular among patrons who soon learned of her failing her audition. To show their support, patrons began submitting her name on hand-written ballots for the weekly performer polls. Yasushi Akimoto, general producer of AKB48, took notice of her popularity and gave her a chance to join AKB48 on the condition that she learn the group's 12 songs and dances in four days. She became AKB48's first non-generation, or "1.5 generation", member with her debut on Team A on 22 January 2006. Her first single as part of the main group was on " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yūko Ōshima
is a Japanese actress and former member of idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments, she sang on the title tracks for all of AKB48's singles since '' Aitakatta'' in October 2006. She placed among the top two of the annual AKB48 general elections from 2009 to 2013. Oshima is currently represented with Ohta Production. Biography Oshima was born in Yokohama, and was raised in Mibu, Tochigi Prefecture. Her mother is from Hokkaido. Oshima is 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 American. Her parents divorced 6 months after her family moved to Mibu. Oshima lived with her father while she only saw her mother once after the divorce. In 1996, she signed as a child actor with Central Kodomo Gekidan. In 2005, she began working as a junior idol in a short-lived idol project Doll's Vox, which was produced by The Alfee vocalist Toshihiko Takamizawa. I ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Japan Times
''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by on 22 March 1897, with the goal of giving Japanese people an opportunity to read and discuss news and current events in English to help Japan participate in the international community. In 1906, Zumoto was asked by Japanese Resident-General of Korea Itō Hirobumi to lead the English-language newspaper '' The Seoul Press''. Zumoto closely tied the operations of the two newspapers, with subscriptions of ''The Seoul Press'' being sold in Japan by ''The Japan Times'', and vice versa for Korea. Both papers wrote critically of Korean culture and civilization, and advocated for Japan's colonial control over the peninsula in order to civilize the Koreans. The newspaper was independent of government control, but from 1931 onward, the pa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joseph Kahn (director)
Joseph Kahn (born Ahn Jun-hee, ; October 12, 1972) is a Grammy-winning South Korean-American film and music video director. Kahn has worked with various artists such as Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Eminem, Backstreet Boys, Imagine Dragons, Lady Gaga, Rob Thomas, Snoop Dogg, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Ava Max, Mariah Carey and Destiny's Child. Early life Kahn was born Ahn Jun-hee () in Busan, South Korea. His family spent part of his childhood there and in Livorno, Italy until moving to Jersey Village, Texas, a suburb of Houston, when Joseph was seven. After graduating from Jersey Village High School in 1990, Kahn went to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts but dropped out after a year. Returning to Houston, began to direct hip hop music videos. Career Music videos Kahn's videography spans thirty years. In the mid-1990s he directed music videos for artists including Aaliyah, Ice Cube, Backstreet Boys and Snoop Dogg. In 2003, Kahn won his first Gram ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yuko Oshima
is a Japanese actress and former member of idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments, she sang on the title tracks for all of AKB48's singles since '' Aitakatta'' in October 2006. She placed among the top two of the annual AKB48 general elections from 2009 to 2013. Oshima is currently represented with Ohta Production. Biography Oshima was born in Yokohama, and was raised in Mibu, Tochigi Prefecture. Her mother is from Hokkaido. Oshima is 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 American. Her parents divorced 6 months after her family moved to Mibu. Oshima lived with her father while she only saw her mother once after the divorce. In 1996, she signed as a child actor with Central Kodomo Gekidan. In 2005, she began working as a junior idol in a short-lived idol project Doll's Vox, which was produced by The Alfee vocalist Toshihiko Takamizawa. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
