Who is the most successful AKB48 member?

[Sour Patch]

I don't know much about Akb48. Can someone fill me in on how successful the girls are in Japan.

 

How much money do the most popular members make in Japan?

Who is the most successful former Akb48 idol?

Do former members have successful careers in Japan? 

[Larme]

1. Can't really give you an answer, idk that much on how much members make

2. I'd say Yuko Oshima, Maeda Atsuko, and Tomochin

3. Some do, others don't. I think it really just depends on how well you're promoted while being in the group, and if you're already exposed to non- AKB activities (like how Tomochin was already known as a fashionista and was popular among girls while in AKB)

[vader]

How much money do the most popular members make in Japan? - sasshi is current the most people and and ranking from a couple years ago said she makes about 68,000,000 yen.

 

Who is the most successful former Akb48 idol? not really sure tbh, the only graduated members i follow are ricchan & acchan and they're both doing pretty good. Ricchan esp she gets a frequent amount of roles in dramas and films

 

Do former members have successful careers in Japan? they do pretty well but they don't make the same amount as when they were idols 

[-Amethyst-]

Probably Maeda, Shinoda (was) and Oshima (most popular members)

[Alex97]

Most succesful right now would probably be Sashihara Rino, she earns a lot of $$$$ from here MC gigs, TV appearances etc.

 

As for graduated members, I honestly dont know since I don't follow everyone (I only follow Matsui Rena who I know does dramas, movies, regular and guest shows, stage plays etc going on for her these days).

 

They do find success but that's up to the person and by luck too I guess. Some went to acting, some to voice acting, some to the fashion industry, some to live a normal life as a regular employee, someone even being an illustrator. But yeah, I think you get the gist xD

[Furumarion]

- We don't really know exactly how much the popular members make, but I assume they're earning well.
Ex-member Ricchan said that her income was higher when she was in AKB, and she's been in several

tv drama/movies just this year alone.
 
- Acchan, Yuko, Sayaka, Ricchan etc.
By income, it's probably Kawasaki Nozomi, she's earning millions on her business. There's also Uchida Mayumi

who owns a yakiniku restaurants.
 
- They're doing pretty good I guess, it depends on the member. Some becomes actress, some in musicals, others
become announcers etc.

[mochichan]

Q U E E N S A S H I

 

 

-There's actually no official report. Only numbers I seen so far are rumors or not officially confirmed. It just depend on how much solo works they get. Usually the ones that make the most are ones belong to outside bigger agencies that get them solo works outside of AKB. The most likely ones are Sashi with literally over 200 TV shows appearances or something, then Mayuyu, Sayaka. Kojiharu made alot of money with her fashion stuffs too if you count recent grads.

 

-Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko recent dramas have been well received from what I heard. Akimoto Sayaka have done well too despite not being top popular while in the group. Uchida own her own restaurant and hiring ex AKB members too. There's SKE member that became fashion designer that have her clothes in Larme

 

-It depend on how many solo works they get after. The most popular members tend to have fanbase/recognition or if they have agency tend to do better. There are alot of members that quit afterward and go to colleges instead

[jell0]

Current or past member? 

And successful in terms of name recognition / brand / love or in terms of money / outside work / variance of work? Or both? 

 

 

Um.. 

 

In terms of brand recognition* regardless of idol wota or not (past or present): 

 

Maeda Atsuko 

Takahashi Minami 

Oshima Yuko 

Shinoda Mariko

Kojima Haruna

Itano Tomomi

 

And to a lesser extent 

 

Iriyama Anna

Kawaei Rina

 

*IMO, brand recognition is harder these days because while I'm sure tons of people know *of* the Kami-7 of like 2010-12, I don't think as many non-wota/Jpop enthusiast/whatever know of the current Kami-7 or the ones of the last few years. Like if I went on the streets of Tokyo w/ a funny mic and asked ppl "tell me Kami-7" they would say the Kami-7 of like 2011. So I think that people know the above but new people who didn't follow the group right pre-post Tokyo Dome might say differently.

 

Also, since the AKB current + past member count can ONLY grow, someone who joins in 2018 would need to fight for the space in the general public's attention span with every member who has EVER had an affiliation with a group that ended in the digits '48' (and LBH 46), AND the public's desire to pay attention to the 48G/46G as a whole. So individually it will probably decrease over time. 

 

In terms of fanbase / idol love-power (IDK either I just made that term up) (present only)

 

Watanabe Mayu

Kashiwagi Yuki

Yamamoto Sayaka 

Matsui Jurina 

Suda Akari + most of the SKE members who made or have made sousenkyo senbatsu 

Shimazaki Haruka

 

 

In terms of success at a straight up lucrative entertainment career (past and present):  

 

Kojima Haruna

Shinoda Mariko

Sashihara Rino 

Matsui Rena 

Maeda Atsuko

Oshima Yuko (correct me if I'm wrong I haven't followed her in a while) 

Akimoto Sayaka (but not sure if of recent) 

 

And to a lesser extent 

 

Minegishi Minami 

Kawaei Rina

 

IMO, most of the members have not had a lot of sustained outside work, especially now that AKB is no longer a stepping stone type of place but a destination in and of itself. It's not as common to see members cross-pollinate entertainment mediums. 

 

Because AKB is an ever rotating group it's REALLY hard to quantify / track who has had the best track record. For one thing, it was once supposed to be a 'school like' system where you found where in the entertainment world you fit, and then you moved on. Now, it's a national idol / pop group.

 

Also, the group itself enjoys some change in popularity / noteriety with the general public, and you have individual members who've had more or less opportunities w/o the brand name of AKB attached than others depending on their management structure. It's hard to track because Shinoda Mariko circa 2012 brand recognition is probably higher than 2016 Watanabe Mayu brand recognition because she had more outside work and her image was more active outside of that of being an idol BUT Shinoda Mariko brand recognition circa 2017 is probably a different story. There are a LOT of variables that are constantly changing. 

 

Really, this list should really look more like a matrix but ... I'm tired  maybe at some point. 

 

These lists are just off the top of my head so feel free to add / refute / discuss.

[thesedays]

Haruna Kojima, honestly.

 

Yuko Oshima is probably the most successful one in terms of general mainstream recognition but Kojima Haruna actually has a huge fanbase and has found a niche as fashion icon/influencer and is very appealing to the very lucrative young female target. It's what AKS tried to do with Mariko Shinoda and Tomomi Iitano but failed. She is the only one whose stock will probably not go down despite not being in the group anymore.

 

While Haruna is miles away as the most successful imo, Yuko Oshima and Maeda Atsuko are the most recognizable and have actually found consistent jobs in the acting world and enjoyed some success. From the current members, Rino Sashihara is by far the most successful.

 

Tomomi Iitano, Mariko Shinoda and Mayu Watanabe are very recognizable to the public but I don't think they really have found a niche or are particularly successful in anything they do. I honestly don't think any of the others is particularly big/recognizable outside the idols/AKB core-base.

[Ron Swanson]

Honestly I think the most successful members would only come from AKB's peak, so any of the members people mentioned already ^.