AKB NO

In AKB, theres no saying no/nothings

impossible!
AKB48 () A AKB48
4 2 3
AKB48
1 AKB

Maeda Atsuko (Acchan) passed the first audition, and has continued to stand on the
theatres stage since the first day of AKB48. These 4 years, she has continued to
lead the way not just as Team As centre, but as the centre of all of AKB48. She,
who had no experience in the show business, and was a quiet and normal Gr.8 (?)
student, is now a 3rd year high school student. Her development has been in sync
with the development of AKB48. In the Senbatsu Sousenkyo that took place this
summer - a popularity vote by the fans - she achieved first place with a big lead. On
the stage during that announcement, she said while crying, Ive decided to
dedicate my life to AKB. She, who seems to take things at her own pace, and
seems introverted - indeed, where is her burning passion? Where does she want to
be-?

Its OK if I join a group with a lot of people

Maeda-san, you have a mysterious air about you.

Maeda Its often said about me that people dont know what Im thinking about.
The members say that about me too. Even though weve been together for four
years, they say that they dont know what Im thinking about.

At those times, what are you thinking about?

()
MC

Maeda It could be that Im not thinking about anything at all (laugh). Im the type
that acts without thinking at all. There are a lot of members who properly think
about what interesting things they should say during the MCs between songs at the
theatre, so once in a while I reflect on how much trouble I cause them during times
like that. I think that thats one of my flaws....

Do you think that you should fix it?

AKB

Maeda I have tried participating more actively. But, I think that by now its already
come to the point of Acchan is like that, thats good enough. Of course, other than
that, its also thanks to the members. I think of myself, Ah, not good enough, but
after all, theres people here who help me. Even though people may say that
theres something different between Maeda Atsuko and the Maeda Atsuko of AKB,
theres nothing different. Im really just that way. Im very thankful to the fans and
the members who have accepted/forgiven that.
AKB48 A

Maeda-san was a Gr.8(?) student when you first auditioned and was accepted as
a Team A member. What prompted you to try out for the audition?

Maeda I tried out for it after seeing a poster that only said Produced by Akimoto
Yasushi, so I think that to me Akimoto-sans name was a big deal. I watched a lot
of TV, so I knew about things like Onyanko Club. It appeared a lot of TV, right, and
they were described as things like nostalgic idols. Probably, I wouldnt have
auditioned if Akimoto-sans name wasnt there. Its not the best way to put it, but I
wasnt acting myself since I saw the poster (laugh).


Did you look up to idols?

AKB

Maeda I never wanted to be an idol. But starting from kindergarten, Id always be

envious of the people who appeared on TV. Watching kids of about the same age
appear on shows like Ponkikki and Tensai Terebi-kun, I thought that it looked
really fun.because I was hooked on TV (laugh). But I wasnt the type of child who
voiced those kinds of ideas, and I thought that it wasnt something that I could
become, so I always hid my feelings. The first audition that I wanted to try out for
was AKB.
AKB

Half of the 1st audition AKB members had experience in the show business or
auditions, it seems, so you were a rare case, werent you?

Maeda Gr.8, its a time when one would have a lot of interest in a lot of things,
right? I too, was just beginning to be able to talk to my mother about the things that
I wanted to do. The audition poster I saw too, by coincidence, when I was with my
mother once. I didnt have the courage to even say that I wanted to audition for it,
but my mother said Do you want to try it out? Thus, I was easily able to audition
for it. My mother and my father are both the type who supports me no matter what.

Did you never think of joining Morning Musume?

AKB

Maeda No, no, no! Morning Musume existed on a completely different level. And I
didnt have the courage to join a group in the middle, after theyd spent numerous
years building themselves up. AKB was a group that was just starting, and when I
joined, nothing had been decided yet. At first, it was even said that we might all do
a production together, and I thought maybe if I joined, I would be able to become an
actress. I thought maybe it would be OK if I joined a group with a lot of people. I
think those were the thoughts going through my head at the time.

One person mingling into a crowd of forty-eight people (laugh)? Was the first
audition tough?

Maeda Honestly speaking, I didnt like it. Why did I audition? I thought. There
were a lot of girls at the auditioning hall, and they were forming groups and such;
the feeling of girls (implying cliques?) was overwhelming. Ah, its impossible! I
thought. There were a lot of people older than me too, and some like Kojima Haruna
looked really grown up. Why are there such grown-up people here?!, and I
thought that I was totally in the wrong place. And I couldnt talk to anybody, or
about anything. And under the influence of that, I couldnt sing the [auditioning]
song at all. Ah, its already over! I thought. The moment my number was called
was unbelievable. When I caught sight of my mothers happy face in the hall, I was
so relieved.

From the beginning, theres been no trick to working hard

except working hard
A st

It seems that in the first audition, 24 people were accepted, but in the first
performance of the Team A 1st stage, there were only 20 people. What happened to
those four?

Maeda There were some who quit by themselves. Huh? They arent showing up
anymore, are they? Just like that, they disappeared. Natsu-sensei (choreographer)
was very strict; some people were fired just because they were absent without
leave once. Natsu-sensei said something like If you cant do it, then leave! every
day.

So then why did Maeda-san work so hard?

Maeda When our positions were decided, my name was put up for one of the front
positions. In Sakura no Hanabiratachi, our first song with dance moves, Natsusensei said, The positions have been decided. Only five people got microphones. I
was really happy that I was among them, and the happiness of that moment didnt
die away. Thinking carefully, I consider myself competitive. The positions and such
were things that everybody was working hard to getEven though I dont really want
to be in front, I think deep in my heart, I too want to be in that spot, and so I worked
desperately for it. Even I dont really know whether I want to be in front or not
(laugh).
A

AKB

For Team A, and for AKB, the opening day was on December 8 th, 2005.

Maeda There were so many members who cried out loud, and everybody
encouraged each other. To that, I only looked on dazedly. I was so nervous that I
couldnt make sense of anything. The first performance, there was an audience
(editors note: including related persons, there were 72 people). But for the second
performance and the third performance and so on, the numbers kept going down. I

think there were only about 8 people. Each day was full of anxiety. How many
people will show up today? This is horrible. There are more of us than there are of
audience members. Isnt it better to quit? We all cried together and encouraged
each other. Thinking back on it now, it seems cute. So the first time we had a full
house - when all 250 seats were filled (February 8 th, 2006) - we were so happy.

Going from eight people to a full house, the sense of unity and teamwork really
developed, didnt it?
A K

A K
Maeda And, three months after Team A was formed, we heard that the Team K
auditions were going to start, which we didnt like at all. Weve worked so hard all
the way up to this moment! Why are they adding more people? Even though itd
been decided in the very beginning that our numbers would increase, we worried
that we would lose our place. But the audition took place anyway, and the new
team was formed. Ill work hard to not lose to our senpai! They had really strong
willpower, which I think really acted as a stimulus for everybody. I, too, thought,
Ah, I cant lose to them. So at first, Team A and Team K were rivals.
AKB
Maeda-san is AKBs irreplaceable centre, but has anybody told you why?

Maeda Apparently, at first it was because Natsu-sensei said that she wanted to put
me into the unit song Skirt, Hirari. I heard afterwards that seemingly Akimoto-san
hadnt even noticed me at all (laugh). In the beginning, I wasnt interested at all
(laugh). At that time, my hair was just completely straight, and all one-length. Even
now Akimoto-san says that Maedas hair was like a helmet (laugh).

Ive heard that at first, you didnt like being in the centre.

2nd

A
2nd
Maeda Yes, I thoroughly hated it. During the 2 nd stage (April-August 2006), I was
put in a unit song named Nagisa no Cherry, but at that moment I just hated it so
much, I burst into tears. In that song, members of the same age such as Minegishi
(Minami) and Hiroshima (Natsumi) had to dance behind me. They were just as
competitive as me, so even though we didnt really fight about it, I still heard them
complaining about it. Whenever we talk about the old times in Team A, everybody
says that those times were the most trying. We say things like I dont want to
recall the 2nd stage.

Well, since its such a rare occasion, lets talk about it.
1st
2nd

Maeda I feel like there wasnt a single good memory (laugh). But I think that its
changed a lot since them. For the 1st stage, everybody was on pretty equal footing.
Starting with the 2nd stage, everything changed completely. Natsu-sensei
announced clearly that XX and XX are the centres. At that time, I think I too felt a
lot of pressure. We still didnt know how we fit in yet, so we didnt know what to do.

How did you overcome that situation?

2nd

Maeda At the last performance of our 2nd stage, Akimoto-san said to us, Please tell
each other everything that youre thinking. On the stage of our last performance,
in front of all our fans, we were all made to say At that time, I felt this way. For
example, things like I didnt like being behind Acchan. I too spoke my mind and

said I didnt want to do Nagisa no Cherry. For us, that was an important moment.
It took a weight off our shoulders, and also allowed our fans to understand what we
were thinking.
3rd

After the last performance on August 11th, 2006, the 3rd stage began on the 20th,
and on the 30th, your major debut single Aitakatta was released.
CD

AKB

Maeda Regarding the major debut, I couldnt feel anything except surprised. I
didnt even really know anything about what releasing a CD would mean; it was
more like, Huh? I didnt know anything. I think its only been recently that Ive
started to know more about a variety of things. I had a period when I said no to
everything too. During that time, I was allowed to star in a movie for the first time
(Ashita no Watashi no Tsukurikata (How to Become Myself)), but I really didnt like
it. It was terrifying, and I was so lacking in self-confidence. Even at the studio itself,
all I kept saying was things like I want to return to AKB as soon as possible.
Performing at the theatre was my only joy.

Even though you were disinclined to everything, you still wanted to try new
things, didnt you?
AKB

Maeda From the start, Id joined AKB because I wanted to become an actress, so I
think I did want to try new things, but I was just so lost about what I should have
done that I became disinclined to doing anything. But even though I kept saying
no to everything, there was still nothing to do but go through with them anyway. I
think that that was crucial to my development and growth. I probably never

thought, Even if I try it, its impossible anyway. In any case, try doing it, try
working hard. It was like that with Natsu-senseis lessons too; if I worked hard, it
was her way to properly acknowledge it. Theres no secret to working hard except
working hard. I think that that idea has been there since the beginning.

Could it be that itll just end this way?

A B [sic]

From the last half of 2007 to the first half of 2008, Team A and Team B (sic)
joined together to form Himawari-gumi. Was it a big change?

MC

Maeda I think it was as big a change as this times new team formation. Everybody
likes their own team the most, and that feeling was so strong that we were in such a
frenzy, it was almost as if a tornado had hit us. No, no, no, no, everybody cried,
and it was almost as if we would be separated for life. But no matter what was said,
wed all been pretty close since lessons started, so it was actually quite easy
(laugh). From the fans point of view, starting from the Himawari-gumi MCs, I
started to talk more. Being with Oshima YukoYuko is the kind of person who does
anything (laugh). I think Yuko led me along quite well.

Did you not talk before?

Maeda I think I wasnt able to talk. I didnt want to talk. I think I was really bad at
having to be the centre of attention. So even for things like our self-introductions, it
took me a long time to get used to it. I was embarrassed so I didnt do a
catchphrase, and I never even thought of trying to make one up. Thinking back on it

now, it actually makes me seem even stronger. Im OK without one! It actually

made me more conspicuous, didnt it? (laugh)

You performed in the Kouhaku Gousen at the end of 2007, but what was it like
before and after that?

AKB
Maeda We were invited to perform in the Kouhaku, so we started to think that wed
worked hard enough. So the next year was really tough. In 2008, we didnt get to
perform in Kouhaku, and we ourselves and the staff as well often said, Is it all just
going to end like this? Probably that was because our will power was weakening at
that time. What happened to AKB in 2008 again?

Baby! Baby! Baby!

In February, the 2008 version of Sakura no Hanabiratachi was released. There

was a small gap because of the change in record companies, and in June, the single
Baby! Baby! Baby! was released, and in October, Oogoe Diamond.
SKE48
AKB
AKB

AKB 2008

SKE48

Maeda Before Oogoe Diamond, I remember that SKE48 was formed. At that time,
I was a bit separated from AKB because I was working on the drama Shiori to
Shimiko no Keika Jikenbo; it was a time when I didnt know anything about AKB
events. After spending four months filming that drama, in the summer, I appeared
in another drama (Taiyou to Umi no Kyoshitsu). At that time, I didnt feel the
influence of AKB as strongly. During Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008, that was
when I felt the most like What should we do now? Maybe we cant progress any
further than this. I feel like it was a time when we thought that way. Starting from

Oogoe Diamond, Lets do our best again! and I remember that everybody
worked together. I think SKE48s Matsui Jurina being chosen for Oogoe Diamond
was a big event.

AKB
If I saw AKB now, I would definitely want to join
SKE48

SKE48s Matsui-san joined in as a double centre beside Maeda-san, who had

always been the centre. Frankly, how did you feel?

Maeda Its not that I was particularly composed, but I didnt really take it to heart
since we arent even of the same age. But it was talked about among the fans way
more than I had predicted, and we were compared. When I found that out, I was a
bit surprised, and I started to worry. I thought, What should I do. At that time
too, Akimoto-san got angry at me many times. If you continue on this way, Matsuisans going to take your place. During that time, I myself struggled and worked
hard. Starting from the time of Oogoe Diamond, Akimoto-san started to ask me
about my will each time. How are you? He would send an e-mail. How are you?
Can Maeda do it?

How did you answer him?

Maeda I can do it! I want to do it! Up until that point, Id felt that Even though
Im in the centre, everybody doesnt think about me anyway. But starting from
Oogoe Diamond, I feel like Ive started to understand the meaning of my own
place little by little.

What about the Senbatsu Sousenkyo (July 2009)?

AKB

AKB

Maeda The meaning of being in the centre has become clear to me because of it. It has
led me along. At first I thought, Why do we have to do a popularity vote? But as a
result, I think it has become a huge plus for AKB. For myself as well, having been able to
find out that fans are acknowledging me little by little - that made me happy. But
normally, elections and such dont happen, do they (laugh)? Thats what AKB is like:
doing things that normally arent done.

Being full of surprises, is it tough [being in AKB]?

AKB NO AKB

Maeda In the past, I did feel troubled, but now weve all learned to just have fun
together. It could be that theres nothing to do other than have fun, but other than
that, theres also the fact that theres no saying no in AKB (laugh). AKB is something
developed from Akimoto-sans insight. Akimoto-san doesnt say anything to us,
whether it be good or bad. After [the basic outline], please act based on your own
better sense. And also, he sees through everything we do. Even though we dont
know where hes watching us from, we cant hide anything from him. Nobody can lie
to Akimoto-san.

But in the end, its a relationship built on trust, right?

Maeda Akimoto-san says that to us a lot too, Up until now, doing the things that
Ive asked you to do, have you ever failed? And hearing it put that way, the answer
is that we havent. So, In any case, trust me, and we say, Yes! And that is how
weve continued all the way until this moment.

AKB

Starting from Oogoe Diamond, I think that the way that everybody views AKB
has changed a lot. How do you yourself feel about that?
AKB 10

PV

Maeda Through that song, a lot of kids of our age came to know AKB, and the next
single Juunen Zakura (March 2009), was also featured in a school setting, which I
think was influenced by Oogoe Diamond. When Namida Surprise (June 2009)
was released, I thought that we had advanced to another level. The filming for the
PV was so fun, and we were very pleased with it as well.
RIVER
How did Maeda-san interpret the lyrics of RIVER (October 2009)?

Maeda We felt strongly that those lyrics were aimed at us. We often say amongst
ourselves that we cant allow ourselves to just slack off in our current surroundings.
Starting from the very beginning, thats been what has gotten us here. In that sense
as well, Im very glad that I joined at the start and have been here for these four
years. Im glad that Ive been able to see everything take place. So recently the
members have been saying, Its weird these days (laugh). Continuously having to
start early, and waking up at 5 or 6 each morning has made everybody keep
complaining about being sleepy, but even during those times, the members have all
said, But what if its only for the present, waking up this early? They joke around
and say, In two or three years time, maybe we wont have any early gatherings at
all.

AKB
In what ways do you feel the current popularity of AKB?

Maeda I dont know (laugh). We dont think weve become incredible people, and
nothings really changed at all. What happened? Its incomprehensible to us too.
Ive had the chance to have a lot more kids of my age, regardless of their gender,
say that they like me, and Ive had a lot of people leave comments on my blog, but
it just makes me think, Really? (laugh)Maybe its because nothings really
changed? I think that Im not any different from other kids of my age.
AKB
But looking at AKB, it makes one feel excited, doesnt it?
AKB
AKBINGO!
AKB

Maeda Thats true. Looking at AKB objectively now, I think that I would think, I
definitely want to join this group! Watching the members, I always think that its
very fun. Even just watching the on-air events such as AKBINGO! (Nippon Terebi)
and Shuukan AKB (Terebi Toukyou), I would definitely want to join after seeing
them try so many different things.

Maeda-san said that theres no difference between you and kids of your age, so
they must think the same way too, right?

Maeda Thats true, isnt it?! Ah, since I think that way, then there must be people
that think that way too, right? But, right now its sort of impossible to believe
(laugh).

Even though youre also busy with solo work and such outside of AKB, we would
like to continue to see Maeda-san performing at the theatre as you do now.

MC


AKB48

Maeda From the beginning, Akimoto-san said to us that we definitely had to

perform whenever we could, so now weve come to take it as a matter of course.
Its not that its become a routine in a bad sense, but rather that since weve gotten
used to it, it wont ever seem like a chore. If we have fun during the MCs, then the
audience and our fans as well will definitely have fun too. Its a place where
everybody, including the audience, can laugh together. I want to stay there forever.
As long as I am in AKB, I want to continue to perform at the theatre for my whole
life.