Acchan’s debut solo single Flower was released yesterday and is more or less set to hit the no.1 spot next week thanks to the impressive first day sales that saw 102,483 copies fly off the shelf, over double the amount that SHINee managed to sell. Naturally there was a heavy drop today but still saw Acchan hold onto the no.1 position selling 28,571 copies (10k more than SHINee). The only way SHINee can claim that no.1 spot is if Acchan’s sales drop like a lead balloon for the rest of the week but I can’t see that happening. It’s possible that Acchan could sell around 200k by the end of the week.
Congratulations Acchan, your single deserves to sell well. It’s a good positive start to your solo career.
Oricon has recently disclosed which music act has made the most money for the first 6 months of the year and it’s no surprise that the Top 2 money spinners have been AKB48 and Arashi but which act came on top?
Just about pipping Arashi to the post, AKB48 have made 6.66 billion yen (hope that’s not a bad sign – 666!) – equivalent to $82.6 million USD. Arashi came close behind with 6.59 billion yen ($81.7 million USD). The other 4 acts which have done very well in Japan includes 2 Korean groups. At no.3 come EXILE with 4.68 billion yen ($58 million USD) then comes Namie Amuro with 2.7 billion yen ($33.4 million USD) and finally comes the Korean artists – Girls’ Generation 2.6 billion yen ($32.2 million USD) and KARA 2.15 billion yen ($26.6 million USD).
Well done AKB48. Aki-P is rolling in the money and probably thinking to himself how he can make even more!!
Remember last year when 25 members of AKB48 dressed up as various vegetables to star in a CM for a healthy vegetable drink? Well now they’re back in a new CM for the Kagome drink “Yasai Ichinichi Kore Ippon” and the CM is called “Kore Ichi/AKB48 Yasai Slider”.
This time round they’ve decided to add 5 more members to 30 and those taking part in the CM are Acchan, Takamina, Jurina (SKE48), Mayuyu, Yuko, Mariko, Tomochin, Kojima, Kitarie, Yukirin, Sae, Akicha, Chiyuu, Miichan, Myao, Yokoyama, Ami Maeda, Gekikara (SKE48), Mocchi, Mikapon, Suuchan, Moeno, Sasshi, Lovetan, Sayaka, Mukaido Manatsu (NMB48), Akane Takayanagi (SKE48), Kanon Kimoto (SKE48), Sayaka Yamasato (NMB48) and Miyuki Watanabe (NMB48). As you can see from the list above, there’s a number of members from SKE48 and NMB48 included in the CM as well. As for which member represents which vegetable I don’t know yet. I’ll find out the list and update this post.
There are 2 different versions of the CM – one for women and one for men. The one geared towards women features a group of them having a chat around a table with one taking a sip of the Kagome healthy drink which changes to showing Acchan and the other Yasai Sisters going down a spiral slide. The male CM version has one solitary man taking his lunch break and taking a sip of the drink – the rest of the CM is the same as the other one. Check out both versions of the CM below.
EDIT: Many thanks to G1618 who has very kindly provided me with the list of which vegetables each member represents:
Maeda Atsuko: Tomato
Takahashi Minami: Cabbage
Matsui Jurina: Carrot
Watanabe Mayu: Red pepper
Oshima Yuko: Spinach
Shinoda Mariko: Onion
Itano Tomomi: Eggplant
Kojima Haruna: Brocolli
Kitahara Rie: Purple yam
Kashiwagi Yuki: Pumpkin
Miyazawa Sae: Asparagus
Takajo Aki: Water cress
Kasai Tomomi: Lettuce
Minegeshi Minami: Komatsuna
Miyazaki Miho: Jute
Yokoyama Yui: Beet
Maeda Ami: Napa Cabbage
Matsui Rena: Celery
Kuramochi Asuka: Parsley
Komori Mika: Ashitaba
Sato Sumire: Ginger
Nito Moeno: Kale
Sashihara Rino: Radish
Ota Aika: Petit Vert
Akimoto Sayaka: Burdock
Mukaida Manatsu: Red shiso
Takayanagi Akane: Red cabbage
Kimoto Kanon: Chingensai (Baby Bok Choy)
Yamamoto Sayaka: Green peas
Watanabe Miyuki: Yomogi (Japanese mugwort)
