History Series / AKBingo

** Maeda Atsuko, legendary [=AKB48=] center and one of the most famous entertainers in Japan, is a ''Literature/{{Twilight}}'' fan and is starstruck like any other teenage girl when she and Shinoda Mariko meet Creator/RobertPattinson in a mission to turn him into a fan (they succeed). She is flustered again later in a Shōjiki Shōgi match when her continued infatuation with him is exposed.

** A year later in episode 367, she (as Nanatas), Iwatate Saho (as Sahoru), and Muto Tomu (as Tomuris) formed an alien idol unit called Saint Cosmo, produced by Kitahara Rie. They supposedly have NoGender and came to Earth to [[WhatIsLove learn about love and feelings]], and have superpowers such as "[[TelepathicSpacemen Cosmo Telepathy]]" and the infatuation-inducing "[[CupidsArrow Cosmo Gun]]".

* SenpaiKohai: As is the norm in Japanese society, seniority is observed to some degree in the group. Many members are uncomfortable addressing their seniors without ''-san'', even if the latter have allowed it. Members have also revealed that some rooms are only used by seniors in some of the theaters.
** Several episodes, such as 303-304 and those featuring the Popularity High-Low segment, are meant to reveal how much the seniors know about the juniors they're supposed to nurture.
** In episodes 544-545, the junior and senior members are required to talk using casual language during their excursion and their meal allowance of 30,000 yen is reduced by 500 yen for each violation (e.g. saying ''hai'' or adding ''-imasu'' and ''-desu'' suffixes). They [[spoiler:ended up down to 4000 yen (mostly due to the junior members, who are hardwired to speak politely to seniors), won a couple thousand back by completing a challenge, and then repeatedly break the rule ''again'' and have to give up almost half of the steak they bought with the cash]].

From April 2022 to March 2023, another revival titled ''[=AKB48=] Sayonara Mouri-san'' was launched on Nippon TV, hosted by Shimofuri Myojo (Seiya and Soshina) and former Music/AKB48 member Minegishi Minami. Its goal was specifically to "update the ''[=AKBingo!=]'' formula" for Japan's Reiwa era. It was replaced by the reality talent show ''Out of 48'', which pitted [=AKB48=] members against both each other and non-members for the opportunity to join a new group, while retaining their [=AKB48=] membership.

On episode 555, broadcast on August 20, 2019, it was announced that the show would end in September, following a string of cancelled AKB shows and events that year (''[=AKB48 Show!=]'' on NHK, ''All Night Nippon'' radio show, Senbatsu Elections, Janken Tournament, etc.). Episode 560, the final episode filled with highlights from the show's 11-year run, was aired on September 24. This was all due to new management at AKB.

In January 2021, a revival of the show, titled '''''AKBINGO NEO''''', was announced. The participants were decided through special events in the mobile game ''[=AKB48=] Dobon!'', in which fans (and the members themselves) played to contribute points to support their favorite members. The first episode was aired on March 30 on BS Nippon (Nippon TV's satellite channel) and two more episodes were aired as special programs that year.

In April 2022, another revival titled '''''[=AKB48=] Sayonara Mouri-san''''' was launched on Nippon TV. It's planned to be a regular show like the original and hosted by Shimofuri Myojo (Seiya and Soshina) and former Music/AKB48 member Minegishi Minami.

* KansaiRegionalAccent:
** Frequently used by members who hail from that region, such as Yokoyama Yui and most of Music/NMB48. Yokoyama's Kyoto-ben is particularly regarded as appealing and she makes good use of it in the love simulation segments.
** It was revealed in a Shōjiki Shōgi match that Ogasawara Mayu, who transferred to [=AKB48=] from [=NMB48=], would fake a Tokyo girl accent when shopping in Shibuya, to the disgust of the spectating [=NMB48=] members.

** In episode 270, Takashima Yurina remarks that Okada Nana might be [[FormalCharactersSpeakKeigo rich since she speaks in keigo to her mother]].

** In episode 270, Takashima Yurina remarks that Okada Nana might be this since she speaks in ''{{keigo}}'' to her mother.

** Okabe Rin, Team 8's Ibaraki representative, scolds people who pronounce her home prefecture as ''[[TohokuRegionalAccent Ibaragi]]'', including her seniors, even though many Ibaraki natives pronounce it that way. Takahashi Juri, who's also from there, doesn't seem to mind.

'''Yokoyama Yui (Team 8)''': My face always looks [[TohokuRegionalAccent rounda']] in pictures. What should I do about this?\\

* TohokuRegionalAccent: In episode 369, the one-shot idol unit Ringo Hoppe ("Apple Cheeks"), a duo of Aomori natives Nishiyama Rena (Team A) and Yokoyama Yui (Team 8)[[labelnote:*]] ([[OneSteveLimit not the General Manager]], who is from UsefulNotes/{{Kyoto}})[[/labelnote]] produced by Miyazaki Miho (Team A), are a "rural idol unit" who assume a CountryMouse persona and speak in their native dialect.
** It was revealed in a Shōjiki Shōgi match that Yokoyama keeps a note about the Tohoku dialect, implying that either (a) she is embarrassed of her native accent and takes deliberate measures to avoid slipping into it, or (b) she doesn't actually have an accent despite coming from the region and is faking it as her {{Gimmick}}; most people suspect the latter. In any case, she'll happily use the accent for comedic purposes.

* SurprisinglyGoodForeignLanguage:
** English: Akimoto Sayaka (half-Filipina), Nozawa Rena (lived in Australia), SKE's Goto Rara (went to international school). Oda Erina also sings Music/CarlyRaeJepsen's "Call Me Maybe" in episode 387 with decent pronunciation, but she hasn't shown her overall proficiency.
*** Some of the segment titles are surprisingly catchy by native speaker standards.
** Chinese: Ma Chia-Ling (Taiwanese), 3rd Draft's Sato Shiori (three-quarters Chinese)
---> '''Macharin''': 我騎踏車來了! (''Wǒ qí tà chē láile!'', "I came by bike!")
*** In episode 534, Komiyama Haruka alleges that Macharin was shocked when Shiori spoke Chinese in episode 493, as she felt that her gimmick had been appropriated.
** Indonesian: Nozawa Rena (transferred from [=JKT48=]), Nakagawa Haruka (transferred ''to'' [=JKT48=])
---> '''Noza''': ''Waduh, cape deh!'' ("How tiresome!")
** French: Iwatate Saho.
---> '''Sahho, episode 399, regarding Komiyama Haruka''': ''Elle est c'est bavarde.'' ("She's very noisy.")\\
'''Komiharu''': [[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels I'm not a granny (''baba'')!]]\\
'''Sahho, this time regarding Nishino Miki''': ''Ma mère déteste elle.'' ("My mother hates her.")\\
'''Mikichan, in English''': [[MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels Thank you!]]
*** Kizaki Yuria claims to speak it too in episode 367, although nobody really believes her due to her ''baka'' character.
*** After their concert in Paris in 2009, during which the members failed to communicate properly due to the language barrier, a pair of native French speakers are invited to teach them a few phrases in a series of episodes.
** Korean: Miyazaki Miho.
** Spanish: Iriyama Anna (moved to Mexico in 2018 to star in a telenovela and still lives there as of 2019).

* ExcitedShowTitle

* ChristmasCake: Since idols are usually in their teens to early twenties, members aged above 25 are often teased about their age and loss of youthful cuteness.
** Ohori Megumi and Kayo Noro are regular victims in early episodes. Nobody dares to tease Shinoda Mariko, though.
*** Kashiwagi Yuki savagely teases Ohori Megumi's age and her need to put on more make-up compared to the teenage members (Yukirin herself is 17 at the time) during a TrashTalk battle. As it turns out, she's still with the group in her late twenties and is often given [[ATasteOfTheirOwnMedicine the same treatment]] by her juniors.
** Kashiwagi Yuki takes offense when Oguri Yui did an imitation of her greeting but added her age (then 25) at the end. She intends to remain an idol until she's 30.
---> '''Yukirin''': I ''never'' mention my age in my greeting!
*** In a Nihongo Nadeshiko word guessing game, Yahagi Moeka's clue about Yukirin is "auntie".
*** In episode 541, the Bucchake Baseball team she leads is called Kashiwagi Otsubonés ("haughty boss lady"), which she dislikes.
** In episode 523, since she's already 27, SKE's Suda Akari confesses that she habitually judges all the men around her to see whether they're dating material. She considers the men in the studio [[spoiler:all eligible partners... except Paradise]].
** In episode 530, SKE's Matsumura Kaori laments that she languished as a trainee (''kenkyuusei'') for ''five years'' (the record in 48 Group, and she earned the title "Lifetime Honorary Kenkyuusei" after she was finally promoted) and only became a full member after she had turned 25 and lost most of her youthfulness (and at one point, [[PrematurelyBald lots of her hair]]). She also reveals that [[IWasQuiteALooker her prime]] was when she worked as a cabaret club girl in [[UsefulNotes/{{Tokyo}} Kabukicho]] before joining SKE, and that one of the show's crew was a regular (and generous) customer. WRH then proceed to escort her to reunite with said former customer after 10 years.
---> '''Muramoto''': I never imagined that we'd reunite a former cabaret girl with her customer in ''AKBINGO!''

* SempaiKohai: As is the norm in Japanese society, seniority is observed to some degree in the group. Many members are uncomfortable addressing their seniors without ''-san'', even if the latter have allowed it. Members have also revealed that some rooms are only used by seniors in some of the theaters.

** In episode 452, a Kyun-1 seduction contest held at a boys' dormitory in Tokyo, Muramoto noticed that SKE's Kitano Ruka has a large bust. After she mentioned that she's a [[BuxomIsBetter G cup]] (American E cup), the judges immediately attempt to give her around another 70 points, which Muramoto nullifies.

* ShesGotLegs: In episode 369, Shimada Haruka formed an idol unit called Bikyaku Sensation (Beautiful Legs Sensation), consisting of Abe Maria and NMB's Watanabe Miyuki and Yoshida Akari, with an average leg length of 79.6 cm.

Episode guides are available from [[http://stage48.net/wiki/index.php/AKBINGO! Stage48]], [[https://www.thetvdb.com/?tab=seasonall&id=265431 TheTVDB]], and the [[https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/AKBINGO! Japanese]] Wiki/{{Wikipedia}}. There are also many, many episode recaps you can look up.

'''Muramoto''': Yes, you brought this DarthWiki/DarthVader to life!

* CryCute: Happens occasionally, especially with younger, inexperienced members.
** In episode 403, Hayasaka Tsumugi cries because Muramoto teased that she had EmptyEyes.
** In episode 417, Kuranoo Narumi cries after Muramoto asserted that success in the group is mainly based on cuteness to justify his bias for Oguri Yui.
---> '''Naru''': I believe that AKB isn't about how you look, but how hard you work...
** In the 2017 Lucky Girl Ranking, [[spoiler:Takahashi Juri]] breaks down after she is declared the bottommost rank.

'''''[=AKBingo=]!''''' is a [[LongRunner long-running]] Japanese television VarietyShow featuring [[IdolSinger idol group]] Music/AKB48, aired with that title from October 1, 2008 until September 24, 2019. The show aired weekly on Creator/NipponTelevision. In each episode, members from [=AKB48=] and sometimes the sister groups participated in activities that included quizzes, games, interviews, and news.

'''''[=AKBingo=]!''''' was a [[LongRunner long-running]] Japanese television VarietyShow featuring [[IdolSinger idol group]] Music/AKB48, in the air with that title from October 1, 2008 until September 24, 2019. The show aired weekly on Creator/NipponTelevision. In each episode, members from [=AKB48=] and sometimes the sister groups participated in activities that included quizzes, games, interviews, and news.

* FortuneTeller: The show has invited several psychics, mostly around the first three years of its run. In the annual New Year Lucky Girl segments, comedian and palm reader Shimada Shuhei ranks the members by their projected fortune for the year (and every year notes that the number of hands he had to read [[LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters keeps increasing]]). A few members are skeptical, although most seem to take his reading seriously.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Each episode features around twenty [=AKB48=] girls plus the two [=MCs=] and occasional guest stars. In New Year episodes, representatives from all sister groups are also invited, usually totalling around 40 girls. There are several regulars, but most of the girls don't appear in every episode.

* CastCalculus: In episodes 533-534, comedian Yamazaki Kei attempts to categorize the numerous characters into four genres which roughly correspond to the FourTemperamentEnsemble: Classic-type idols (Phlegmatic, the archetypal IdolSinger personified by Watanabe Mayu), which most idols aim to become when they start out; variety (Sanguine, [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] PluckyComicRelief {{Covert Pervert}}s like HKT's Sashihara Rino); dark (Melancholic, [[DeadpanSnarker sharp-tongued]] with lots of {{Angst}} and InferioritySuperiorityComplex, like NGT's Nakai Rika); and popular with women (Choleric, [[TheFashionista fashionable]] and independent female role models, like Kojima Haruna).

* CastCalculus: In episodes 533-534, comedian Yamazaki Kei attempts to categorize the LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters into four genres which roughly correspond to the FourTemperamentEnsemble: Classic-type idols (Phlegmatic, the archetypal IdolSinger personified by Watanabe Mayu), which most idols aim to become when they start out; variety (Sanguine, [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] PluckyComicRelief {{Covert Pervert}}s like HKT's Sashihara Rino); dark (Melancholic, [[DeadpanSnarker sharp-tongued]] with lots of {{Angst}} and InferioritySuperiorityComplex, like NGT's Nakai Rika); and popular with women (Choleric, [[TheFashionista fashionable]] and independent female role models, like Kojima Haruna).

----> '''Kitarie''': I would love to see that from Aoki-san's [[PantyShot point of view]]. What a lucky guy.

** Nishino Miki takes this UpToEleven as described in the HystericalWoman entry.

** "''Majime''"[[labelnote:*]](usually translated as "serious" or "by the book", with connotations of earnestness and perfectionism)[[/labelnote]] Okada Nana, TheComicallySerious. Taken UpTo11 in episode 268 when the narrator names her, in captioned GratuitousEnglish, "[[SheIsTheKing King of マジメ]]".[[labelnote:*]]In case you couldn’t guess, the katakana reads "''majime''".[[/labelnote]]

In April 2022, another revival titled '''''[=AKB48=] Sayonara Mouri-san''''' was launched on Nippon TV, and is expected to be a regular show.

On January 2021, a revival of the show, titled '''''AKBINGO NEO''''', was announced. The participants were decided through special events in the mobile game ''[=AKB48=] Dobon!'', in which fans (and the members themselves) played to contribute points to support their favorite members. The first episode was aired on March 30 on BS Nippon (Nippon TV's satellite channel) and subsequent episodes have been announced and aired on an irregular basis.

* PassingTheTorch: After the graduation of Acchan and Yuko, for some time the show is focused on finding the most worthy successors of the popular senior members (i.e, the original Kami 7) in their specialties, such as singing skills, leadership skills, and fashion sense.
** Shortly after [=AKB48=] 9th Generation debuted, a series of episodes, billed ''[=AKBeginner!=]'' after the group's 18th major single "Beginner", heavily features them as the next big thing.[[note]]Especially after the entire 8th Generation ended up resigning or being dismissed for various reasons, with not a single one becoming a regular member.[[/note]]
** Miyazaki Miho has a series of episodes where she coaches the newer members in the show's iconic segments (which unfortunately turned out to be one of the show's last episodes).

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Episode 370 is dedicated to interviewing two pairs of members, Mukaichi Mion/Mogi Shinobu (Mogion) and Okada Nana/Murayama Yuiri ([=YuuNaa=]), who claim to be in a relationship.[[labelnote:*]]In 2020, they started a [=YouTube=] channel creatively called the [=YuuNaaMogiOn=] Channel.[[/labelnote]] Episode 376 continues this with Kato Rena/Nishino Miki and Muto Tomu/Omori Miyu ([=TomuPon=]). Naachan and Miion in particular are revealed to be [[ClingyJealousGirl jealous]].
--> '''Komiyama Haruka''': When Mogi-san was crossdressing [during the 6th Janken Tournament], I took a twofie with her. Miion was cosplaying as a character from ''Unfair''[[note]](a TV and film series Miion has starred in since she was a child)[[/note]] with a gun, and when she saw us, she pointed her gun at me with a serious face! I got the message, moved away from Mogi-san and waved at her, but she didn't lower the gun.\\
'''Yuirii''': If I doze off while waiting for something, Sahho will suddenly kiss me on the lips.\\
'''Naachan''': When I heard about this, I wanted to tear Sahho apart! She shouldn't do such things without consent!
** Years earlier, Takashima Yurina referred to Okada Nana as her "future wedding partner" in episode 285.
** In episode 384, Naachan ([[CrosscastRole crossdressing]] as Okada-kun) confesses her love for a shy Yuiri in a Delusion Drama, after a failed attempt to bait her into an IndirectKiss with a drinking straw.
** Naachan's ''Shoujiki Shogi'' match against Iwata Karen reveals that Karen has a crush in the group. Turns out it's Naachan herself, since another member has heard Karen said during episode 270's fashion show that she wanted to date Naachan when she saw her on the runway.
** In episode 381, Miion [[DeathGlare glares]] jealously at Yuirii and a crossdressing Shinobu when they're simulating a head-patting scenario.

** In the group battle episodes with Music/Nogizaka46, Ikuta Erika performs her own song on the ukulele about AKB Team K, in which she expresses her admiration for AKB's #3 team (after Teams A and B).