2012 Year in Review - Introduction

2012 has been one of the most pivotal years in AKB48's entire history. To simply suggest the year can be summarised as members going in and out, debuts galore, new releases making big bucks and garnering widespread popularity, is merely understating it all. Instead, 2012 is the point in which AKB48 looks back at its decorated, but rocky, pathway to stardom, and also where AKB48 looks forward to exploiting new opportunities and scaling new heights.

Over the coming few articles from now until the new year, I will attempt to recap and review some of the key "themes" that defined 2012 for AKB48 and its sister groups. I don't intend to dissect every little detail and event, big or small, that happened in AKB48-dom during 2012, but it's more of a summative look at the year from specific perspectives. It may still be early days yet (as of writing), but it's time to get the ball rolling.



Part 1: "Million". Click here.
Part 2: "Global"
Part 3: "Departures"
Part 4: "Succession"