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t footage used was compiled to make the film DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued. Produced by Shunji Iwai and directed by Yuri Kanshiku, the documentary follows the girls at major concerts, fan events, and all the behind-the-scenes hard work that has culminated in AKB48 being one of the largest and popular groups in Japan today.

From Onyanko Club to Morning Musume, female idol groups have permeated the airwaves, television sets, and movie screens of Japan for decades. Subscribing to almost a religious fervor, fans of these groups—who are predominantly male—have supported them from humble begins to worldwide recognition. But what was once viewed as entirely a subgenre of otaku culture has now expanded—idol groups have now gained prominence throughout Japan, breaking through the stereotypical notion that they are solely developed for Japanese otaku. The influence of idol groups has even allowed them to perform outside Japan, most notably in America with Morning Musume performing at Anime Expo 2009 and AKB48 appearing a mere two years later. For anyone who has some knowledge of idol groups within Japan though, image is everything. From the way they dress, to how they express themselves publically, idols groups are not to become “too real” to their audiences—they are to be presented purely as a symbols of innocence, fun, and cuteness. Becoming too real may destroy the artificial image of perfection, which could lead to a lapse of music sales, sponsorships, and most importantly, fans. What Yuri Kanshiku’s film DOCUMENTARY of AKB48 to be continued attempts to showcase is how despite the constructed image that dominates AKB48, they are in fact just a culmination of hardworking regular girls with dreams and aspirations.