AKB48's most awaited 3rd Senbatsu General Election is finally done and the results have been tallied. Team A member, and upcoming solo artist, Atsuko Maeda reclaims the #1 spot after being narrowly defeated by Yuko Oshima last year.
As expected, this year’s election dwarfed last year’s, with a total vote count of more than 1 million votes with "Everyday, Kachuusha's" record breaking sales. The top 40 AKB48 members received a combined total of 1.08 million votes, compared to 354,000 for last year’s top 40. The election itself encompasses AKB48 members and research students (70 total), SKE48 members (57 total), and NMB48 members (25 total), for a total of 152 people in all.
Like the last time, the top 12 are appointed as the “Media Senbatsu” (for promoting the new single) and the top 21 will participate on the single’s title track. #22 through #40 are the “UnderGirls,” who will be included on the single’s various B-sides. The "untitled 22nd single" will be released this August 24th.
AKB48 Center
Media Senbatsu
– “I’m truly happy. I’m so grateful for all the cheering and support I’ve received.”
Senbatsu
– “I heard so many things, but for us your love is in votes. Thank you for all the love.”
– “Third place… wow. Looking at the members around me doing their best, I feel like I need to be more ambitious.”
– “I was incredibly nervous, but I’m so happy to be supported by this many people. Thank you.”
– “I’ve been listening to the cheers of my fans, and now they’ve reached my heart.”
– “Really, thank you!”
– “My votes increased, and I hope I can take another step forward.”
– “Last year, I was really happy about being in fourth place. My rank went down to eighth this year, but… I want to do my best.” People in the crowd are mad as hell.
– “Really, thank you so much. Last year, I was 19th, and I didn’t think I would make it into the media senbatsu.”
– “Everyone, please cheer me on after this. Thank you.”
– “Last year I was at the incredible rank of ninth place. I’ve already spent time looking back at last year, and I hope to look forward with a level head now.”
– “Since I was thirteen last year, I was aiming to raise my rank by one, and I’m really happy I was able to do that.”
Undergirls Center
– “I’m happy about my rank, and I’m also happy that I received more votes than last year.”
– “As senbatsu drew closer, I got really nervous, as I was hoping to get one rank higher than last year, but I feel incredibly happy due to the people supporting me.”
– “I was only aiming to raise my rank by one, which didn’t happen. However, I’m so happy at the increased number of people supporting me.”
– “I feel so happy. I’m sorry for making my supporters worried. Please support me after this too.”
– “Really, thank you so much.”
– “Thanks to all of your support I was able to stand on stage with a smile.”
– She was absolutely sobbing… or trolling.
– “I’m grateful to all of you for making it into senbatsu.”
Undergirls
– “I’m happy to be standing on this stage. I’m so happy thinking that it’s because of each person’s ticket that I’m standing here.”
Source: Natalie, Eiga.com, Oricon via tokyograph & tokyohive
– “I’m happy with where I am, but it’s painful not to make it into senbatsu. Akimoto-sensei, you know how it is, please give us a speech.”
– “I ranked better last year, but thank you for supporting me!”
– “Thanks so much, it’s unbelievable that I’ve been 26 for three years in a row.”
– “Thanks so much for cheering for a talentless person like me for four years.”
– “Last year I was sad to be 31, but I’ll still be myself.”
– “I’ll show you a sparkling me.”
– “Thanks for putting me on a new starting line!”
– “Thanks for voting for me!”
– “Third time’s the charm. Please support me.”
– “I want to be a fresh lemon!”
– “I was anxious because I was 40 in the early results. I wanna be a super girl that everyone loves!”
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