Atsuko Maeda History
I want to let others people know more about these awesome woman who just turn 20th last July, so she's officially an adult now. Omedetto Acchan!
Here is an Atsuko Maeda profile.
Name: Maeda Atsuko (前田敦子)
Nickname: Acchan (あっちゃん), Daamae (だーまえ), Mamemoyashi (豆もやし)
Birthdate: July 10th, 1991 (Blood Type: A)
Birthplace: Chiba, Japan
Height · Weight (B/W/H): 161cm, **kg (B:76cm/W:60cm/H:83cm)
Team: Team A
Generation: 1st Gen
Subgroup: Team Dragon from AKB48
Agency: OhtaPro
Blog: Maeda Atsuko Official Blog
for more info you can visit here : http://stage48.net/wiki/index.php?title=Maeda_Atsuko
Ok, everyone can found that info by just searching at google. So, I don't want to make you guys more bored with the info. What I want to tells is the story about Atsuko Maeda history at beginning.
How Atsuko Maeda know about AKB48? Before AKB48 exist, Atsuko know and follow the audition just only by seeing a poster about Idol group who produced by Akimoto Yasushi. She shown the interest to join the audition, but she don't have guts to said I want join the audition. Just only till her mother ask her to try join audition, so finally Atsuko decide to follow the audition. At the audition, even though her mother accompany her but Atsuko was worried and already want to give up because there was a lot of girls at the first audition, it's shown to us how shy Atsuko is. Funny girl, but in the end her number is called. This the starting point the journey of Atsuko Maeda in AKB48 group.
The first audition, 24 people were accepted, but doesn't mean by through the audition everything is becoming more easy. The AKB48 choreography Natsu-sensei is a strict person, she's the one who in charge whit every progress-men about the girls and she can just fired any girl who not qualified her standard. Natsu-sensei famous word is "If you can't do it, then leave!". That word was yelled everyday by Natsu-sensei when the girls keep try with their best. Girls positions were decided, only five people who got microphones for "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" song and Atsuko Maeda is one of them. At that time the relationship between girls is more like rival rather then a friend. That's make Atsuko quite struggle with her position, remember she's only a shy girl who don't have much confident, but that's not gonna stop her, she keep worked desperately everyday and not only once Atsuko keep continuing her practice even though the training is over. Actulaly at first Akimoto Yasushi (AkiP) didn't notice Atsuko Maeda at all. Only until Natsu-sensi tell Akimoto that she wanted to put Atsuko into the unit song "Skirt, Hikari." Even Akimoto-san says that "Maeda's hair was like a helmet."
At the 1st stage, every girls was on pretty equal footing but when 2nd stage, everything changed. Natsue-sensi announced some girls got center position, Atsuko Maeda was put in a unit song "Nagisa no Cherry" as the center, but at that moment she really hated it so much and actually she don't want it. Like I said, at this time the relationship between girls is more like rival. The members of the same age with Atsuko like Minegishi Minami and Hiroshima Natsumi had to dance behind her of course don't like it, maybe they think "How come Atsuko get center position and I don't !?" actually they don't really fight about it, but they keep complaining, that's give Atsuko lots of pressure. Until at the last performance of 2nd stage, Akimoto-san tells to the girls, “Please tell each other everything that you’re thinking.” Great move by Akimoto-san, cause finally every members can share what are they struggling, some members said said “I didn’t like being behind Acchan.”, and of course Acchan also share her struggle, she said “I didn’t want to do ‘Nagisa no Cherry’.” with a sobbing. Everyone laugh when hearing the statement, but that was an important moment for everyone, each girl finally can understand what are they struggle.
Atsuko get very first role at a movie "Ashita no Watashi" (How to become myself) as Hanada Hinako, at that time she's only 16th and just like ordinary people, she also have a problems. She was just so lost about what she should have done that she became disinclined to doing anything. But even though she kept saying "no" to everything, there was still nothing to do but go through it with her best. That was the crucial to Atsuko development and growth, what she keep hold on to herself is what Natsu-sensi lessons "There's no secret to working hard except working hard."
Atsuko Maeda name is getting known, she gets more solo jobs at dorama and movie and she always get center position at every AKB48 single. I think that's one of the reason why there is some fans who hate her. Some haters said "why my oshimen not get more push!?" "why Atsuko always get push from management!?" Remember, she's not the one who ask center position, the management is the one who decide it and also because Atsuko have lots of fans. Management can do whatever they want, just like when "Ooge diamond" release, Matsui Jurina (SKE48) face suddenly appears as the cover jacket and get center position just like that. At that time fans start to comparing between Matsui Jurina and Atsuko Maeda, actually Atsuko never think Jurina as the rival but fans did. Akimoto Yasushi several times tells Atsuko, "If you continue on this way, Matsui-san's going to take your place" That's make Atsuko more confuse. Akimoto-san keep challenge her "How are you?", "Can Maeda do it?" in the end Atsuko answer the challange "I can do it, I want to do it!" Starting from "Ooge Diamond", Atsuko started understand the meaning of her own place as the face of AKB and the crucial of center position little by little.
As the face of AKB48 and as one of represented 1st generation I think she's get lots of pressure. The expectation from the fans and also from other AKB members. The more famous Atsuko Maeda is the more sentiment she get from AKB fans. Hatters keep hate, especially when AKB48 Sosenkyo held for the first time at 2009, the situation becoming more stance. In the end Atsuko Maeda get 1st position and get center position for "Iiwake Maybe". That first election also becoming another step for our girl realize how AKB48 much it meant for her.
On 2010 and 2011 AKB48 Sosenkyo (election) is held again, at 2010 Oshima Yuko get 1st position and Atsuko Maeda at 2nd position and at 2011 Atsuko Maeda get 1st position and Yuko get 2nd position. Yeah, there is a rank, win or lose. But actually that doesn't change anything about the relationship between AKB48 members, from my point of view actually the fans who make everything became stance. That's why every time Sosenkyo is held there is always pro and contra between AKB fans. As for me, honestly I don't like the election. Akimoto once explain the reason why he held the election, because many fans always complaining "why there is no rotation position?, why Maeda always get center position?" so with the election Akimoto-san give the change to fans to select her own favorite member and who get the position for next single.That's why I always said "don't blame to the girl, if you want just blame the management and all fans who vote the girl !"
The 3rd election already past and last June, 22th Atsuko release her solo single "flower", the single get top of the Oricon Weekly Charts, selling 177,000 copies. It has been four years and nine months since the last female artist topped Oricon with their debut single, the previous was actress Sawajiri Erika's "Taiyou no Uta" and now Atsuko is filming another new dorama Hanazakari no Kimitachi e ～Ikemen☆Paradise～ 2011 (Hanakimi 2), it's a remake from successful dorama Hanakimi 1 at 2007 starring by Hirokita Maki. The remake isn't success like before, but still Atsuko acting skill is praise by many people.
Well, I think that's all I can share about Atsuko Maeda, is the story end here ? of course NO, I'm sure her career will keep rising and there is always many fans who will keep support her. I can make sure me is one of them. GANBATTE Acchan...!!! (ノ ＞＜)ノ
