AKB48 Official Shop in Shanghai Opened!

Following the opening of Official Shops in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan, one more AKB48 overseas Official Shop opens in Shanghai!

Announced on tokyohive:

On November 22nd, AKB48 members Kitahara Rie, Miyazawa Sae, and Yokoyama Yui held a handshake event to commemorate the opening of their official shop in Shanghai.

As their first handshake event in Shanghai, the members appeared in their cute AKB48 outfits and greeted the 1,000 fans in Chinese.

“AKB48 Official Shop Shanghai” is AKB48’s forth overseas shop following the Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan branches. This shop was made in the image of AKB48 Theater in Akihabara, and features a variety of items including t-shirts, posters, towels, and other official goods.

Additionally, to celebrate the opening of the shop, the official goods are now available for purchase on their online store throughout China.
tokyohive

Source: tokyohive|Model Press

SDN48 Special Cafe Event & Shop Visit

Following the SDN48's 2nd Stage this coming Saturday, it was announced on AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page that there would be a special cafe event on Sunday (9th October) with three SDN48 members,陳屈 (Chen Qu), 近藤さや香 (Kondo Sayaka) and 伊東愛 (Ito Mana), in two sessions, 12:30pm and 5pm.

Tickets would be on sale this Saturday (8th October) 12pm at the AKB48 Official Cafe Singapore and could be either purchased at SGD35 or redeemed with a completed AKB48 point card (limited amount available). Drinks would be served during the event and food vouchers would be given to redeem a meal after the event, which would be valid for two weeks (till 23rd October).

Tickets for overseas fans are also available via balloting:

Overseas fans can apply for tickets by sending in an e-mail with the subject: ‘SDN48 cafe Event Application’ to contact@akb48.com.sg with the following details:

Name:
E-mail:
Contact number:
Passport number:
Preferred Session:

Applications will close on 07.10.11 (FRI) 11:59 and successful applicants will be notified by 07.10.11 (FRI) 23:59. Collection of these balloting tickets will start on Saturday 12pm. Please produce your-email and passport as proof of identity when collecting the tickets. Uncollected tickets will be sold 20 mins before the start of each event.

(from AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page)

It was also announced that the three SDN48 members, Chen Qu, Sayaka Kondo and Mana Itou would also be visiting the Official Shop from around 5pm onwards. A minimum spending of SGD20 is required during the session to have the point card stamped by the SDN48 members.

I think I can't make it to get the tickets this Saturday... T_T My boss want me to work at least from 12pm to 4:30pm... She actually wanted me to work till 9pm but with some bargaining I managed to be able to work just half a day with a lie (a white lie I would say =X) so that I would still be able to go for the second time slot of the concert. Damn the boss. I did go according to the contract by telling in advance that I can't work on the 8th! Am already damn pissed that I am unable to go for both time slots (2pm & 6pm) and if she changes her mind and say I must work whole day, I am going quit with no hesitation! (Since I actually should not be working for now as I am still studying in Polytechnic and that I got the job in the first place is to get extra income to spend on my fandom, not to obstruct my fandom!) Sorry if this sounds childish >[

Takahashi Minami's Special Visit to AKB48 Official Cafe & Shop Singapore

What I have been fearing (not scary kind of fear but fear of what would happen to fans in Singapore and overseas) totally came through. It was announced on the AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page yesterday midnight that 高橋 みなみ (Takahashi Minami), leader of Team A and AKB48 in overall, would be visiting the AKB48 Singapore Official Cafe and Shop next week Monday (3rd of October)!

More details are yet to be announced.

I bet there would be a real epic scene of Takamina fanboying/fangirling going on all the way during her arrival at the airport, her visit to the Official Cafe & Shop, and her departure from Singapore at the airport. Sad that I would not be able to catch all the action as I would be working on the 3rd. =[

UPDATE (29th September):

From AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook Page,

CAFE EVENT
There will be three events at the cafe. The door open timings are as follows:

Session 1 - 15:15
Session 2 - 16:30
Session 3 - 17:45

Ticket sales will start on Saturday 01.10.11 12pm at the AKB48 Official Cafe Singapore. Fans can either purchase their tickets at SGD35 each or redeem a limited number of tickets using a completed AKB48 point card with 20 stamps. Limited quantities of tickets are available for redemption.

Overseas fans can apply for tickets by sending in an e-mail with the subject:
‘Minami Takahashi 高橋みなみ cafe Event Application’
to contact@akb48.com.sg with the following details:

Name:
E-mail:
Contact number:
Passport number:
Preferred Session:

Applications will close on Saturday 11:59 and successful applicants will be notified by Saturday 23:59. Collection of these balloting tickets will start on Sunday 12pm. Please produce your-email and passport as proof of identity when collecting the tickets. Uncollected tickets will be sold 30mins before the start of each event.

The duration of each session will be approximately 45 minutes. Each ticket comes with a Calpis drink and an entree dish. The Calpis soda drink will be served during the event and the entree dish can only be redeemed after the event through the same event ticket. The redemption period for this dish will be only two weeks and end on 17.10.11.

Please note that each customer is only allowed to purchase a maximum of two tickets only, for one chosen session, and may not purchase multiple sessions for each customer. This is to allow as many different fans as possible to attend the event.

SHOP EVENT
After the cafe events, Minami Takahashi 高橋みなみwill be having a hand shake session with fans in the shop at 1830. Starting from 01.10.11 (SAT), the first 50 fans who purchase more than SGD20 worth of goods, excluding Singapore Exclusive AKB48 Photo Sets, will be entitled to one handshake session coupon.

Exclusive Takahashi Minami T-shirts would also be on sale on the 3rd of October and pre-orders would begin on the 1st of October. Only limited quantities of sizes S to XXl would be available.

UPDATE (3rd October):

( From AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page)

Omg... Just look at the crowd... I wasn't able to be there... TAT

Sashihara Rino's Special Visit

Managed to print the pictures, paste them on the board and use the gold marker bought earlier in the morning. Wasn't able to complete the 'さしこ' (Sashiko) LED panel in time though.

Rushed down to *Scape straight after to queue early for the Official Shop Special Visit by Sasshi.
(More information on Sashihara Rino's Special Visit to *Scape in my previous post here)

One would need to spend a minimum of SGD20 in the official shop before the handshake session with at least one Sashihara Rino merchandize

Bought a set of Sasshi pins with a couple of AKB48 pens, and managed to be 3rd in queue for the handshake session/official shop special visit. And just for today, I took down my Akicha pins on my bag and pinned up these Sasshi pins. (Very sorry Akicha >_< Just for today only)

 Was already super excited upon seeing her coming down the escalator. The crowd outside the official shop were also getting high.

During handshake session, I dare say mine took the longest as all the other fans who went in the shop for the hand shake with Sasshi only had around at maximum 3 seconds each - handshake with exchange of a couple of phrases. What happened when I went in was totally unforgettable. I held the Sasshi board I made (which is about 75x50cm) in front of me while walking and immediately, Sasshi was surprised and gave comments like 'Amazing/Wow!', 'Thank you very much!', 'I will work harder in the future!' (in Japanese of course). Thus my handshake session was lengthen all the way to about 10 seconds! >w< She still even continue saying 'すげい!' ('Impressive!') while I exited the shop.

Soon after the handshake session, we were told that Sasshi would be giving us a high-touch (high-five) when she comes out of the shop.

Usually, as she walks down the line, for each person would be like one high-touch and maybe at most a couple of phrases. When she reached me, she gave me a high-touch first, commented on my board again saying 'Amazing! Good Job!' with a thumbs up and followed by a second high-touch. OMG... I am so going to rank her higher up in my favourites list! >w<

さっしー大好き!! (I love you Sasshi!!) >w<
Hope that you could come Singapore again!

Super SKE48 Festival

Took a short nap after reaching home from the airport and before heading down to *Scape. Reached *Scape at around past 11am to chat with friends. (More information on this weekend events in my previous post here)

Took some photos of some changes in *Scape, which was there for some time already actually, while waiting for the SKE48 Special Shop Visit and SKE48 & AKB48 Music Video Screenings to start. Wasn't able to go for the Cafe event as I wasn't able to get money to buy the tickets in time

The poster showing the member list for tomorrow's concert

Flowers from fans to congratulate Team KII on their first overseas stage

Changed to Japanese language a little while later

I entered the AKB48 Official Shop with some of my friends to take a look at the goods and started chatting with one of the staff for a while. As we were chatting, two SKE48 girls entered the shop and some of us were like 'eh? Isn't that... Shawako??'. It seems that the shop visit had started and the first two girls for the special shop visit were Hata Sawako and Goto Risako (can't really remember clearly but I think should be Risako). We were like so called the 'first customers' to be able to see Shawako and Risako in the store even though we were just talking with a staff inside. We were of course asked to get out by one of the managers shortly after since we are not intending to buy anything. XD

We were queued outside the shop awhile later to receive high-touch (or high-five) from the girls as they come out from the shop. Went into the theater for the screening soon after.

Not much PVs were screened actually. A few PVs were just looped again and again, both AKB48 and SKE48 PVs. When they played the 'Beginner' PV (Original version - supposedly uncensored) I was initially rather excited but well... those gore parts were censored out with pixel blur. Kind of spoiled the whole feel of the PV but since the screening is open to all, can't be helped though.

Through the period of the music video screening more SKE4 girls visited the store and my friends and I like were coming in and out of the theater rather frequently for the high-touch with the girls

The screening started to play the AKB48 2011 Request Hour Best 100 LIVE at SHIBUYA AX when I was about to set off for my grandparents house, and it was followed by a stage performance by the cafe girls from the Official Cafe, and from what I heard, commentary by the SKE48 girls of the performance.

AKB48 Sashihara Rino visiting *Scape on 6th September!

It was announced on the AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page that 指原 莉乃 (Sashihara Rino) of Team A from AKB48 would be visiting *SCAPE on 6th of September (Tuesday) from 1pm to 2pm. Details of the visit are yet to be announced.

The announcement was totally a pleasant surprise! This would be the first time a Media Senbatsu member would be visiting Singapore since the launch of AKB48 Theater Singapore and second time in general, where the first time was 渡辺 麻友 (Watanabe Mayu) last year during STGCC (Singapore Toy Games and Comics Convention). I wonder what would be in store for us at *Scape. Heard that she's coming Singapore mainly for filming or something like a photo book shoot.

UPDATE (3rd September):

Latest Update!
13:00 - 06.09.11 (TUE)
指原 莉乃 Rino Sashihara Special Café Visit!

Each S$35 Session Ticket include:

1 x special food voucher for 1 meal item
(Any Pasta or Omu Rice / Curry)*

1 x complimentary drink during café event.

Customers with fully stamped point cards, may redeem their cards for one session ticket. Limited to the first 20 point card holders only.
Tickets on sale at the AKB48 Official Café Singapore from 12pm 04.06.11 onwards!

*Special Food Voucher is only valid till 06.10.11
Terms and Condition Apply.

(From AKB48 Singapore)

UPDATE (5th September):

Surprise Update! 06.09.11 (TUE) 指原 莉乃 Rino Sashihara will also be visiting the AKB48 Official Shop in Singapore from 13:30 onwards! To enter the shop and interact with her, customers must purchase official Rino Sashihara goods when in the shop. This opportunity applies to the first customers to enter shop within 20mins. Thank you! ^^

(From AKB48 Singapore)

OMG!! I must not miss the Shop visit! Since I cannot get the cafe visit tickets in time, I shall 'meet-and-greet' her at the shop visit with my board! If I can finish it up in time that is. =_=

Super SKE48 Festival This Weekend!

"Here's the consolidated update! There's really no reason not to head down to *SCAPE this weekend!

Super SKE48 Festival! 03.09.11 (SAT)

SKE48 fans, here’s what we have installed for you!

1. SKE48 & AKB48 Music Video Screenings
From 2pm onwards till 7pm, come by with your friends to enjoy a non-stop video marathon of all your favorite music videos from both SKE48 and AKB48! Taking place at the *SCAPE Warehouse, this is a free event for all to enjoy! ^^

2. SKE48 Special Café Visit!
There will be 2 Sessions for the day!

Session 1 ~ 12:00 Featuring SKE48 Members:

阿比留李帆 Riho Abiru
小木曽汐莉 Shiori Ogiso
古川愛季 Airi Furukawa

Session 2 ~ 15:00 Featuring SKE48 Members:

松本莉奈 Rina Matsumoto
赤枝里々奈 Ririna Akaeda
石田安奈 Anna Ishida
向田茉夏 Manatsu Mukaida

Each session ticket is S$35.00 and will include one food menu item, and includes many fun filled activities. Session tickets on sale from 6pm 01.09.11 (THU) at the AKB48 Official Café Singapore!

3. SKE48 Special Shop Visit!
Catch various SKE48 members throughout the day on Saturday at the AKB48 Official Shop! The members will be making many appearances throughout the day at the Shop! More details to be announced!

Don’t forget! There’s also Sunday’s performances by SKE48’s Team KII! Get your tickets here! http://www.akb48.com.sg/

Are you ready? See you all at *SCAPE for an incredible SKE48 weekend! 1!2!3!4! ヨロシク!

AKB48 Official Cafe Singapore Event Terms and Conditions apply:

1. Each customer may only purchase ticket(s) for one session. To ensure that everyone gets a fair chance to attend the cafe events, each customer is only allowed to purchase tickets for one session. You may, however, purchase multiple tickets per session.

2. Groups of more than five (5) will be allocated seats in designated areas of the café.

3. Recording devices, such as (but not limited to) DSLRs, Compact Cameras, Video Cameras are not allowed during the Cafe Event. However, customers may take photos using their mobile phones.

4. The AKB48 Official Cafe Singapore is not HALAL certified. All food served is not HALAL.

5. AKB48 Singapore’s decision(s) are final and will entertain no correspondence. It also reserves the right to amend any of the rules or implement additional rules without prior notification."

This weekend is really going to be so awesomely packed with SKE48 that I think I guess I would be stuck at *Scape for almost the whole of the weekend! Hope I can just get enough money before the cafe session 1 tickets and the 6pm concert tickets run out T_T I want to meet-and-greet Shiorin.... Shawako and Akane too!
Anyways, even if I can't get the money to buy the tickets in time I am so going down to *Scape for the two days! XD

More information of the SKE48 2nd Stage in my previous post here.

UPDATE (3rd September):

'SKE48 Special Shop Visit!
Throughout SAT 03.09 - Catch Team KII SKE48 members as they make their rounds at the AKB48 Official Shop Singapore! Simply purchase S$20 worth of products and above to have your point card stamped by SKE48 members! Terms and conditions apply.'

(From AKB48 Singapore)

Trip to AKB48 Singapore Official Shop #3

Today was actually the first day of photo sales for the July Singapore Theater sets. I went down today, not for the photo sets as I don't have the spare cash, but to collect three Rena photo sets from a friend. (From another friend this time) One of the photo sets I ordered through my friend's friend was missed out during the ordering thus I only got two sets in the end.

As I only got 2 out of the 3 that I ordered (paid on the spot), I now have some spare cash for the moment thus I decided to get one more of the 'Marutto AKB48 Special 2' magazine to see if I can get the Maria Abe photo, so that I can complete the magazine's 'photo set'. The magazine comes with randomly one out of three different photos and from the past two that I bought on Wednesday and Thursday, I got the Aamin and Paruru+Miyumiyu+Ranran photo.

I received the Paruru+Miyumiyu+Ranran photo again, so I traded it away for the Maria photo!

I also got the Akicha 'Chance no Junban' photo today from someone for not a bad price =3

AKB48 Singapore Theater July Photo Sets

Announced near midnight yesterday, there would be photo set sales this weekend, where there would be 70 July sets available on each day (Team A x 20, Team K x 20, Team B x 20, Team 4 x 10). As usual, each person can only buy 1 set and a purchase of a merchandise would be required.

With the increasing number of local Akicha fans/photo collectors, I really have to wish myself good luck even more and 'work extra hard' in order to get a full set now. >_< I struggled so much just to get 3 pieces for the June set and until now I still can't find the remaining missing piece!

Marutto AKB48 Special 2 Magazine #2

Went down to the official shop today after making a trip to the bank to deposit some money. This time from the Marutto AKB48 Special 2 magazine, I got the exact photo I wanted most out of the three types.

Paruru+Miyumiyu+Ranran! <3

Now I am thinking if I should go down tomorrow or on Saturday to try my luck again to see if I can get the Maria photo, to complete the set of 3!

Marutto AKB48 Special 2 Magazine

(Photo from AKB48 Singapore Official Facebook page)

It was announced on the AKB48 Singapore Official Shop yesterday that the 「まるっとAKB48スペシャル2」(Marutto AKB48 Special 2 Magazine) would be on sale from today at $14.60, which would include a random Singapore exclusive photo of members taken in Singapore (total there would be 3 types of photo), with limited copies. Each customer would only be able to buy one copy.

Went down today before work to grab a copy, along with a SDN48 Singapore 'LIVE' file to obtain one chop on my point card. Received the Aamin photo from the magazine.

 Miyumiyu's and Ranran's pouting are so cute! >//< Paruru is also so cute in this shot!! >w<

eh... a random wave to a taxi driver by Maria? o_o

Paruru and Miyumiyu! <3

Shall try my luck again tomorrow to see if I can get the Paruru+Miyumiyu+Ranran or Maria photo!

Went down to collect my Akicha file

Won this file through an event on a AKB48 forum that I frequent visit, Girls of 48. In the competition, one is required to eat as much don as he/she can through out the whole of July and post a picture of the each don on that event's thread. One valid picture earns the person one point. The accumulated points is then used at the start of August to bid for the files one wants, from a list of files featuring different AKB48 members. My oshi is Akicha so I poured all my points there, and well, seems that there was not competition for the Akicha file, I won it straightaway.

Collected the file from two of the global moderators of the forum at *Scape this afternoon. Thanks to the administrator for the event and thanks to the two moderators for passing it to me! ^^

Went into the AKB48 official shop to just look around, while still pondering whether to get the Oya Masana and Ogiso Shiori photo sets and in the end, I went ahead to get the Oya Masana set first. =X oops!

This month's SKE48 costume is very pretty ^^ 'Pareo wa Emerald' (literally emerald-colored pareo)!

June Photo Set Sales (Part 3)

Last week Saturday was good, Sunday was bad, and today for the last final wave of the June photos, I decided to hang my Team A charm on my bag, in hope of better luck XD Amazingly, it worked! Today was so much better than even last week Saturday!!

Bought the AKB48 Theater Vol. 4 - AKB48 3rd Stage 3pm time-slot photo. Sadly the 7pm one was sold out. I am more prominent on the 7pm one as I sat more front...

... plus I was blocked by a certain bigger sized guy who jumped with two hands in the air =_= Blocked my Paruru board.

Anyways, today luck was really on my side! Maybe thanks to the Team A charm that I hung up? ^w^ The first photo of the pack (which can be seen directly without opening - the thing is at the counter one can only say the Team the person want and the counter take for him/her, so it still need depend on luck for what the first piece is) was...

... Akicha!!!

OMG! I was totally jumping with joy! XD It was then followed by Shinoda Mariko, Nakaya Sayaka, Oya Shizuka and Nakagawa Haruka.
Did a lot of trading here and there and I guess I made quite some loses, some small gains too, but I got what I want in the end so it's okay. Mainly traded to help people complete their sets or at least near complete.

What I end up with for today,

Traded two Akicha June photos over thus now only left one to complete this June set!

Didn't really intended to collect Haachan but since I have two already from last week and through helping others complete their set (or near complete) I got one more, I decided to find the remaining piece to complete this set ^^

Got one of the Nakayan photos from my own pack, another from a friend for free, and another from the random trades I had. Now only left one more to complete this set!

Thanks for the photo! ^^

Got both of these Wasamin photos (SG Theater June photo and Chance no Junban photo respectively) through trading. Don't have much of her photo as I have been struggling just to complete my Akicha, but once I get any Wasamin photos, it most would be stuck with me XD

 Sasshi photo <3 Very fond of this one. She's getting more and more pretty by month and in this piece in particular, she looks very kawaii~~ >//<

Got this Shiichan (Oya Shizuka) photo from my pack and through trading, I got another exact same one. That exact same one was then traded away for... I forgot =X for one of the photos mentioned above but forgot which one.

This Harugon photo is also from my pack and quite a lot people wanted to trade with me for this photo, but sadly they don't have what I want or interests me =X

Still have been very desperate, finding where the last piece of my Akicha photo June set is but to no avail. Most people who bought Team A went off early and those still lingering around are mostly holding to Team B and Team 4 photos. =[ According to a friend, there would only be 5 sets of each AKB48 member and since 4 people have completed their sets, and I already have three, there should be just left a single remaining Akicha June photo out there, don't know with who. I just have to see if I am lucky enough to find that person so I can make a deal with him/her to get my remaining missing Akicha June photo.

I wish myself all the best! >.<

Did not buy any SKE48 photo sets today as those that I mainly want, Rena, Jurina and Kuumin were all fully sold out last week. Still pondering on Oya Masana and Ogiso Shiori though. =X

The second wave and third wave of June photo sales respectively:
June Photo Set Sales (Part 1)
June Photo Set Sales (Part 2)