AKB48 38th single announced, Watanabe Mayu and Miyawaki Sakura centers

AKB48 announced their 38th single (untitled) at the end of their Janken Taikai (Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament) held September 18th 2014. The 31 senbatsu members were revealed for the first time with co-centers Watanabe Mayu and Miyawaki Sakura (first time center position). The single comes on 4 pairs of editions scheduled for release on November 26th 2014 – read on for more details….

~ single titled – Kiboteki Refrain ~

AKB48 held their 5th annual Janken Taikai (Rock-Paper-Scissors Tournament) on September 18th 2014 with Watanabe Miyuki defeating Kojima Haruna in the final match. Unlike past tournaments that formed a single with the winner as center, Milky’s reward is a debut solo single with Kojima leading the top 15 on the coupling track.

Fans normally get treated to a preview of the next single during the Janken Taikai but this year only the member selection was announced. Additionally, timing of the 38th single differs from past being released a month later at the end of November. AKB48 releases one less single this year which is probably a good thing as the Senbatsu Sousenkyo single, Janken single, and this one in-between made for three major releases in less than 4 months.

38th single centers: Watanabe Mayu (AKB48)(left), Miyawaki Sakura (HKT48/AKB48)(right)

38th single members*

AKB48
Team A: Kojima Haruna, Shimazaki Haruka, Takahashi Minami, Mutou Tomu, Iriyama Anna
Team K: Kojima Mako, Tano Yuuka**, Yokoyama Yui
Team B: Oshima Ryouka, Kashiwagi Yuki, Kawamoto Saya, Takahashi Juri, Owada Nana
Team 4: Kato Rena, Kizaki Yuria, Minegishi Minami, Mukaichi Mion
Team 8: Nakano Ikumi

SKE48
Team S: Matsui Jurina, Miyazawa Sae
Team E: Suda Akari, Matsui Rena

NMB48
Team N: Yamamoto Sayaka
Team M: Shiroma Miru
Team BII: Watanabe Miyuki

HKT48
Team H: Kodama Haruka, Sashihara Rino
Team KIV: Moriyasu Madoka

Nogiazaka46
Ikoma Rina

*bold indicates first time selected to participate in a senbatsu for single lead track.
**Tano Yuuka participated on the 4th Janken Taikai single – finished #7 in the tournament.

AKB48’s 38th single comes on 4 pairs of editions (details subject to change). The Limited editions include a handshake event ticket. Full track list, jacket covers, and more details coming!

AKB48 – 38th single (untitled) – release date November 26th 2014

Limited A [CD+DVD] (¥1524)	Regular A [CD+DVD] (¥1524)
[CD] track list A undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage	[CD] track list A undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage
Limited K [CD+DVD] (¥1524)	Regular K [CD+DVD] (¥1524)
[CD] track list K undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage	[CD] track list K undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage
Limited B [CD+DVD] (¥1524)	Regular B [CD+DVD] (¥1524)
[CD] track list B undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage	[CD] track list B undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage
Limited 4 [CD+DVD] (¥1524)	Regular 4 [CD+DVD] (¥1524)
[CD] track list 4 undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage	[CD] track list 4 undecided [DVD] music videos + bonus footage

AKB48 Official website

Natalie (source)

Shai about 10 years ago.

After losing most of the old aces, they definitly are on a bit of a downswing now.
Time will tell whether they will have a Senbatsu-group as good as it was in 2012 again.

We’ll see 2 or 3 years from now, when the young members have matured a bit.

Wouldn’t mind Ikoma sticking with AKB though, she’s adorable and I’ve not enough time and money to follow Nogizaka too much.
davidtg about 10 years ago.

Yeah – I didn’t even think about it not being 16… even watched the announcement during the Janken Taikai and still didn’t get that was a big group until you pointed it out.

Number of possibilities: trying to find who will be the aces going forward and maybe the 16-member senbatsu will be gone for now as they try to not break their 1+million selling singles streak that is definitely in jeopardy…

They haven’t done a x-mas song single so it could be another ballad type. And Yeah trying to do another Koisuru Fortune Cookie with Kokoro no Placard didn’t do much for me either – but I did like that they all had English placards for their new costumes.
Shai about 10 years ago.

I even miscounted, as you didn’t list the double-center with the others, so we have 31 Senbatsu this time. Odd number, seems like one oerson is missing, doesn’t?

Anyway, I hope this will be a nice upbeat song and not something for Christmas. Lasst single was a bit boring in my opinion. Catchy as the tune might be.
davidtg about 10 years ago.

Sure seemed like it was 16 members….. but clearly not. Reminder to actually count next time.

Article updated. Only bold type on those who havn’t been selected for a lead single except as noted.
Shai about 10 years ago.

How is this a 16-member Senbatsu, when there are 29 members involved?
davidtg about 10 years ago.

Thanks for stopping by and you’re right – Kazaki and Takahashi Juri participated on Labrador Retriever and Manatsu no sounds good, additionally Kazaki participated on Sayonara Crawl. These singles lead-up to the senbatsu sousenkyo and have double or more than the regular 16-senbatsu members with 32 & 36 members.

I’ll note this in the article.

But this is their first time in a 16-member senbatsu selected for a single which is pretty significant for them and their growing popularity with fans. I actually just watched them last night as I finished up Majisuka Gakuen 3 so I appreciate their expanding presence within AKB48.
Tepid-Prince about 10 years ago.

I mean “Shouldn’t there be….”
Tepid-Prince about 10 years ago.

Shouldn’t their be less bold written names? I’m thinking “Manatsu no sounds good” off the top of my head to name 1 lead single with some of the bold written members in senbatsu (like Kizaki Yuria, Takahashi Juri.)

AKB48 38th single announced, Watanabe Mayu and Miyawaki Sakura centers

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