New Idol Group "Aoba-zaka46" Launches Member Search
Listen to the story
A new Japanese idol group called Aoba-zaka46 has officially been announced, and it has now started looking for new members.
Aoba-zaka46 will be part of the popular "Sakamichi" family of idol groups, which already includes Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46.
The group will hold auditions to find talented young performers who want to become idols.
According to the announcement, girls who pass the audition will join Aoba-zaka46 as members for a temporary period of one year.
After that one year of activity, the members will not stay in Aoba-zaka46. Instead, they will be given an assignment to one of the three existing groups: Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, or Hinatazaka46.
To promote the recruitment, a special visual was released showing well-known idols from the three groups, including Kazu Inoue, Hikaru Morita, and Nagisa Kosaka.
These idols are already popular members of Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and Hinatazaka46, and their presence in the promotional image is meant to attract attention to the new group.
The idea of a group that exists for only one year before its members move to other groups is unusual. It has surprised and excited many fans of the Sakamichi series.
Fans on social media have already started discussing who might apply and what kind of performers will be chosen.
Details about the exact audition process, requirements, or schedule have not been fully shared yet, but the recruitment has officially begun.
Vocabulary11 words
- idol group
- a group of young singers and dancers who are famous
- audition
- a test to see if someone can join a group
- temporary
- lasting for a short time only
- assignment
- the act of giving someone a place or role
- recruitment
- the process of finding new people to join something
- visual
- a picture or image used to show information
- promote
- to help make something known to people
- existing
- already there; already made
- unusual
- not common; different from normal
- apply
- to ask formally to join or take part in something
- series
- a group of related things, like groups or shows
Quiz
Answer key
1. A new idol group in the Sakamichi family 2. They will move to Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, or Hinatazaka46 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A new Japanese idol group called _____ has officially been announced.
Aoba-zaka46 will be part of the popular "Sakamichi" family, which already includes Nogizaka46, Sakurazaka46, and _____.
The group will hold _____ to find talented young performers.
Girls who pass the audition will join Aoba-zaka46 as members for a temporary period of _____.
After that year, members will be given an _____ to one of the three existing groups.
A special _____ was released showing well-known idols from the three groups.
The image included idols such as Kazu Inoue, Hikaru Morita, and _____.
The idea of a group lasting only one year is _____.
Fans on social media have started discussing who might _____.
Details about the exact _____ process have not been fully shared yet.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think the group created a group where members stay for only one year?
- Do you think this idea will make more people want to audition? Why or why not?
- How do promotional images with famous idols help attract attention to a new group?
- Would you be interested in an idol system like this? Why or why not?