AKB48

AKB48 is a Japanese all-female idol group based in, , where they have their own theater in Don Quixote. The group, established in 2005, is produced by Akimoto Yasushi and signed under, originally from DefSTAR RECORDS/Sony Music Japan. Currently the group consists of five teams: Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4 and Team 8. In addition, the group also has trainees called Kenkyuusei, and an international transference team, Team Kaigai. They hold the record for highest overall single sales for a female group on the Oricon charts and also hold the Guinness World Record for world's "largest pop group" and usually averages over 100 members with dozens active at any time.

Members
For a list of all AKB48 members click here

Sub-units
The group also has five sub-units
 * No Sleeves
 * Watarirouka Hashiritai 7
 * French Kiss
 * Not yet
 * DIVA

Special sub unit

 * AnRiRe

Soloists produced
The following members and former members have debuted as soloists:
 * Iwasa Misaki (2012)
 * Watanabe Mayu (2012)
 * Kashiwagi Yuki (2013)
 * Takahashi Minami (2013)
 * Fujita Nana (2015)
 * Kuramochi Asuka (2013)
 * Itano Tomomi (2011)
 * Kasai Tomomi (2012)
 * Maeda Atsuko (2011)
 * Oshima Mai (2010)
 * Ono Erena (2012)
 * Hayano Kaoru (2012)

AKB48's sister groups

 * HKT48 (Fukuoka Sister Group)
 * NMB48 (Osaka Sister Group)
 * NGT48 (Niigata Sister Group)
 * SKE48 (Nagoya Sister Group)
 * STU48 (Setouchi Sister Group)

Disbanded AKB48 related Group

 * SDN48 (Disbanded "Mature" Sister Group)
 * OJS48

Active

 * BNK48 (Thai Sister Group)
 * JKT48 (Indonesian Sister Group)
 * MNL48 (Filipino Sister Group)
 * AKB48 China (Upcoming chinese sister Group)
 * AKB48 Team TP (New Taiwanese Sister Group)
 * SGO48 (upcoming Vietnamese Sister group)
 * MUM48 (upcoming indian Sister group)

Former

 * TPE48 (Taiwanese Group)
 * SNH48 (Chinese Sister Group) (Become independent in 2016)

Rival groups

 * Nogizaka46
 * Keyakizaka46 (Sister group)
 * Yoshimotozaka46 (upcoming Nogizaka46 related group)