All Ashore! STU48 Sails into Tokyo Idol Festival 2017!

| 48 / 46 Group | Posted by Melody on Aug.16.2017

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Expectations were high for STU48, the newest addition to 48 Group family, as they dropped anchor at Tokyo Idol Festival 2017 on the evening of August 5th for their first performance in the Kanto area! With only one original song in their catalog so far, their set list kept fans in suspense until the very end…

The Overture got the crowd excited as STU48 took their positions on stage in their white and blue striped outfits which matched the marine concept of the group, the first one that will perform regularly in a theater…located on a boat! The familiar chimes and guitar intro of the AKB48 classic “Aitakatta” rang out from the speakers, the audience happily dancing along and the girls waving at them from both sides of the stage.

STU48 paused after this fitting first song to introduce themselves to the Tokyo 48 Group fans who came out to cheer on their debut. Led by their captain Nana Okada, who also happens to be the sub-captain for AKB48’s Team 4, TIF2017 chairperson Rino Sashihara was also present, as she holds a manager and member position in STU48 as well. Sashihara initiated a short talk by introducing member Fuu Yabushita, calling her “Little Sister”: Yabushita’s older sibling Shu recently graduated from being one of the most popular members of NMB48. “This is our first time performing in Tokyo, I want it to leave the biggest impact!”, Fuu Yabushita said excitedly with a bright smile. To which Sashihara responded with a laugh, joking on how “the Yoshimoto (note: NMB48’s management agency known for representing many famous comedians) vibe is strong in this one”.

They went on to perform their first original song, “Setouchi no Koe”. With Yumiko Takino in the center position, the audience fell dead silent to enjoy this ethereal ballad, their imaginations traveling to the beautiful beaches of the Setouchi prefectures.

The atmosphere then suddenly changed as STU48 seemed to have chosen the perfect setlist for their first Tokyo live! Hina Iwata took the center position for AKB48’s “Iiwake Maybe”, the audience cheering loudly during the introduction. Yumiko Takino joined in the center for another fan favorite, summer single “Ponytail to Shushu”, lifting the mood higher and higher. The rock undertones of HKT48 single “12-byou” were then followed by election single “Flying Get”, Nana Okada standing in the leading spot. The performance ended with a blast from the classic “Oogoe Diamond”, the fans excitedly screaming the “Suki!” calls at the top of their lungs.

As the group was about to leave the stage, an announcement surprised all attendees: STU48 will perform on a concert tour in all 7 of the Setouchi area prefectures, starting in September! This includes performances in the Yamaguchi, Hiroshima, Ookayama, Hyogo, Ehime, Kagawa and Tokushima prefectures.

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Despite its fresh and rather unknown members and only featuring one original song, STU48 managed to lift everyone’s spirits with a carefully chosen setlist of fan favorites and upbeat songs, making their first Tokyo performance at TIF2017 a huge success. The newest 48 Group production affirmed their position as a very promising unit to keep an eye on in the near future.

Photos by Nathan Gey

Set List

00 Overture
01 Aitakatta
02 Setouchi no Koe
03 Iiwake Maybe
04 Ponytail to Shushu
05 12-byou
06 Flying get
07 Oogoe Diamond

Related Links

STU48 Official site: http://www.stu48.com/

STU48 Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/STU48_official_

STU48 YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa8GISK9_hsZ8aEJEL1u1Sg

Author

Melody

Webdesigner slash idol enthusiast living in Tokyo. Resident token foreign wota and accidentally unofficial international PR for Chubbiness. Former AKB48 fan. Loves shopping, food and Grey's Anatomy a little bit too much.

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