Akihabara is located in Chiyoda District, northeast of Tokyo, with a strategic location and convenient transportation. Since the last century, Akihabara has become one of the world's largest electronics streets. Later, the electronics street began to transform after sales declined, and ACG culture quietly flourished here.
Today, Akihabara has become a holy place in the ACG world. In the past two years, cultures including Cosplay, maid culture, and idol development theater have taken Akihabara as their starting point and gradually expanded their influence.
Nowadays, these subcultures, including "cute" culture, have gradually moved towards the mainstream and become more well-known. The current Akihabara can be said to be at a changing point of the times.
At last year's NHK Kohaku Uta Festival, a group called "Akihabara Circle" appeared on stage to show the world their thriving Akihabara culture.
However, now, one of the members of the "Akihabara Circle", AKB48, has not been having a good time recently.
The sales of the single released in the second half of last year reached a new low. Although they have the name Kohaku, in the final analysis, it is just because their theater is set up in Akihabara and they are classified as one of Akihabara culture. They are famous. Shiro is just a side dish on the platter.
At the beginning of this year, I got NTV’s first title program, and it wasn’t a good schedule. It started at 25:59 on Thursday night, and then it was only an hour earlier. Apart from the drunken uncles who want to watch erotica shows, the only people who watch this late-night program are probably their die-hard fans.
However, they don’t have many loyal fans.
Recently, the record company has been in trouble again. Although AKB48 has a huge reputation, has gone abroad for exchanges, and is famous, the sales of records have not increased...
"Is the contract terminated again..."
Yasushi Akimoto, who created AKB48 with one song, is so tired that he can't hold his chest with his hands.
But even so, he still wiped his black-rimmed glasses carefully, arranged his suit meticulously, and pulled the waistband of his pants up to his protruding belly to make himself look more energetic. Since this record company is not good, we can only hold on to another thigh. I heard that the eldest lady is coming today.
But he never imagined that the eldest lady was actually here, taking his pretty face among a group of otakus calling passionately and observing secretly.
"These two pillars...were they erected here intentionally?" Nao Fujiwara said in Minakami Hayato's ear.
Mizuna Hayato looked around and smiled: "Those two seem to be load-bearing pillars and cannot be removed. I don't think they are intentional. Maybe they are poor."
Fujiwara Nao nodded uncertainly and continued to stare at the little idols on the stage who were wearing short skirts and exposing their thighs, singing and dancing with all their strength. They hugged the towering mountain peaks and stood out from the crowd under the dark stage.
Turning around, I saw Hayato Minato holding a light stick and watching the excitement. Nao Fujiwara stepped on him angrily: "Are you still an idol otaku?"
"You should do as the Romans do." Mizumi Hayato smiled and said, "Look at how embarrassed you are standing here. I just told you to buy it and you didn't buy it."
"I think you are stupid..." Nao Fujiwara took two steps to the side in disgust.
Minakami Hayato smiled nonchalantly and looked up at the young girls on the stage. Some of them looked familiar... Minakami Hayato tried his best to remember the AKB idol who was an idol nerd on the set and followed him to popularize science.
But no matter what, they are bound to be popular in the future.
"I don't know where you get your confidence, but... Mita said that although it is difficult, you can give it a try. It just so happens that Sony wants to find someone to take over." Fujiwara Nao said.
Mizuna Hayato: "Please let me become a shareholder!"
Fujiwara Nao glanced at him and did not object: "Let's talk to Akimoto Yasu first."
Soon, AKB48’s daily performance came to an end.
"Let's go."
Following Nao Fujiwara, Hayato Minakami met the man considered a genius by countless people - Yasushi Akimoto.
After a few pleasantries, Fujiwara Nao got straight to the point.
"We just watched AKB's performance, which was pretty good. To be honest, I heard that Sony is planning to give up on you."
"Oh? I wonder where Fujiwara-san heard this?" Akimoto Yasu said with a smile.
"Naoki Kitagawa said it himself."
"..." Qiu Yuanyasu's mouth twitched.
Kitagawa Naoki is the director of Sony Music. When King Records, a subsidiary of Sony, chose to sign a contract with AKB48, he personally went to negotiate with the director. Now it is also the director's decision to abandon AKB48.
But Akimoto Yasushi's loss of composure only happened for a moment. He soon regained his previous composure and said with a smile: "My office is too small, so it may not be suitable for discussing important matters."
As he said that, he looked at his watch: "It's already this time. I've made a reservation at a nearby store. I wonder if Fujiwara-san and Minakami-san can have a meal together?"
"Ah, that's right." Akimoto Yasushi said this and looked at Minakami Hayato with a smile: "If possible, I will call some of the mainstays in AKB and let you see if the future partners have potential."
"?" Mizunami Hayato was stunned, why are you talking to me?
Unexpectedly, Fujiwara Nao also glanced at him, nodded and agreed: "Okay, let's get to know each other."
The few idols that Yasushi Akimoto called over became the famous "God Seven" of AKB48, which were the top seven in the first-generation AKB selection general election.
Maeda Atsuko, Oshima Yuko, Kojima Hina... Looking at the names one by one, Minato Hayato's memory finally matched their names and appearances.
Well, among the "Seven Gods" at this stage, Kojima Harina is probably the only one who is slightly in line with Minakami Hayato's appetite.
The seven little idols just listened to Qiu Yuanyasu saying that they wanted to meet an important guest. They were all kinds of uneasy. Some of them even thought of some disharmonious scenes. Unexpectedly, they saw a beautiful woman with extraordinary temperament, and another Very familiar handsome guy.
"Mizumi-kun?!" Oshima Yuko shouted directly.
"Yuko!" Takahashi Minami quickly covered her mouth.
"Haha, that's what little girls do when they see a handsome guy, don't be surprised." Akimoto Yasu said with a smile.
"It's okay." Fujiwara Nao shook her head calmly, and instead carefully looked at the seven people standing in a row opposite: "They are the seven most popular people in AKB currently."
"Maybe." Yasushi Akimoto smiled: "They all had the longest queue to shake hands after the performance, but there is no specific ranking."
"Then why not hold a general election?" Hayato Minakami responded casually.
"General election?" Akimoto Yasushi and Fujiwara Nao looked at Minakami Hayato at the same time.
"Um..." Mizuna Hayato was stunned for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "It's just a casual comment. You talk first. Don't pay attention to me."
