generasia:Featured article for 2022 week 52
NGT48
NGT48 is a Japanese idol group produced by Akimoto Yasushi. NGT48 is named after Niigata city of Niigata Prefecture, where the group is based. The group are under EMI Records as of 2020. They made their theater debut in January 2016.
The group's members were part of the cast of a television series adaptation of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, which premiered from May 20th on BS Sky PerfecTV!. The group also recorded the theme song for the series, titled "Kimi wa Doko ni Iru?," which was included on the Theater Edition of the 44th single by AKB48, "Tsubasa wa Iranai", which was released on June 1, 2016.
Their debut single, "Seishun Dokei", was released on April 12, 2017 under Ariola Japan. In 2018, Yamada Noe and Hasegawa Rena participated in the South Korean competition show Produce 48, representing NGT48. Hasegawa placed 71st and was eliminated during the first round; Yamada placed 41st and was eliminated during the second round.
After then-member Yamaguchi Maho's assault in December 2018, after which she had claimed that the management had done nothing to address other NGT48 members allegedly involved in assisting her attackers, in April 2019, the NGT48 management dissolved the team system, with all current members unified according to generations.
Their eighth single, "Wataridori-tachi ni Sora wa Mienai", is released this week on December 28th.
