Minami Takahashi

is a Japanese television personality and singer, best known as the first of idol girl group AKB48 and its network of sister groups. Nicknamed , she is also a member of the subgroup no3b alongside fellow AKB48 graduates Minami Minegishi and Haruna Kojima – all three are currently affiliated with Mama&Son Inc.

Career Takahashi was born in Hachiōji, Tokyo. In August 2005, she became one of the 30th HoriPro Talent Contest's 15 final candidates, but she did not win the competition's Grand-Prix prize. In October 2005, she participated in the first AKB48 audition and beat 7,924 other applicants to be chosen as one of the 24 founding members of the group. According to Tomonobu Togasaki, the manager of the AKB48 Theater, she had two unofficial advantages going for her, in that both her birthday (8 April; 1991-04-08) and her height (148 cm) contain the number "48". She debuted with Team A on 8 December 2005.

In 2008, no3b members, including Takahashi, appeared in the TV Tokyo drama Men Dol. She starred as Nami/Kai in this television series.

On 23 August 2009, Takahashi was officially announced as the captain of AKB48's Team A.

Three years later, on 24 August 2012, with Mariko Shinoda replacing her as the captain of Team A, Minami Takahashi was promoted to be the General Director of the entire AKB48 enterprise, including all sister groups.

Takahashi appears regularly in the AKB48 singles as one of the group's key singers. In addition, Minami frequently represents AKB48 on TV programs such as Music Station, and in other of the group's publicity events. She was also scheduled to take part in the AKB48's 3-day live concert event titled , which was to have been held on 25–27 March 2011 at the Yokohama Arena but was cancelled due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Minami Takahashi at the opening ceremony for the 4th annual Tokyo Detention House Exhibition, October 2015. On 25 August 2012, the second day of AKB48 Tokyo Dome Concert, it was announced by Max Hole that Takahashi would make her solo debut with the company, through its Nayutawave Records label. The single, titled "Jane Doe", was released on 3 April 2013. It is the opening theme song for the Fuji Television TV drama Saki, which stars Yukie Nakama. She also released the single "Hito no Tobira" for the 2013 film The Smurfs 2 in which she provides the Japanese voice of Smurfette.

On 8 December 2014, the 9th Anniversary of AKB48 Theater, it was confirmed by Takahashi herself that she would officially leave AKB48 exactly one year later, or 8 December 2015, the 10th Anniversary of the AKB48 Theater. Yui Yokoyama will then succeed her job as the General Director of AKB48.

On 25 October 2015, during the handshake and autograph event at Pacific Yokohama had announced the details of AKB48's 42nd Single and Request Hour 2016. The 42nd Single will be released on 9 December 2015. She will be the Center which will be her final appearance on an AKB48 single.

On 26 to 27 March 2016, her graduation concert titled "Congratulation Takahashi Minami Graduation "148.5 cm Have Seen a Dream" in Yokohama Stadium" was held at Yokohama Stadium, with her last theater performance on 8 April 2016.

On 8 April 2017, Takahshi held her own birthday party titled "Minami Takahashi 26th Birthday Live 2017❤︎199104080127❤︎26❤︎" with the members of no3b reunited.

Since her graduation, Takahashi has been hosting her own radio show "Takahashi Minami no [Korekara Nanisuru?]" (Takahashi Minami's "What are you going to do now?") on Tokyo FM airing every Monday-Thursday at 1:00 p.m. to 2:55 pm, as well as having a solo singer career.

Image In an interview with Nippon Television in June 2010, AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto named Takahashi the "eldest daughter of the 48 sisters". She is also regarded as "soul of AKB", and her motto, , has inspired many members of AKB48.

Personal life On 1 May 2019, Takahashi announced her marriage to a non-celebrity man 15 years her senior.

AKB48 general elections Ranked 5th in the 2009 general election Ranked 6th in the 2010 general election Ranked 7th in the 2011 general election Ranked 6th in the 2012 general election Ranked 8th in the 2013 general election Ranked 9th in the 2014 general election Ranked 4th in the 2015 general election

Discography

Solo singles

Year Title Chart position Oricon sales Billboard JapanHot 100 Firstweek Total* 2013 "Jane Doe" 2 1 85,493 103,066 2017 "Kodoku wa Kizutsukanai"

Solo albums

Year Title Chart position Oricon WeeklySingles Chart

Singles with AKB48

Year No. Title Role Notes 2006 Ind-1 "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" A-side, Center Ind-2 "Skirt, Hirari" A-side, Center 1 "Aitakatta" A-side, Center 2007 2 "Seifuku ga Jama o Suru" A-side, Center 3 "Keibetsu Shiteita Aijō" A-side, Center 4 "Bingo!" A-side, Center 5 "Boku no Taiyō" A-side 6 "Yūhi o Miteiru ka?" A-side 2008 7 "Romance, Irane" A-side 8 "Sakura no Hanabiratachi 2008" A-side, Center 9 "Baby! Baby! Baby!" A-side 10 "Ōgoe Diamond" A-side 2009 11 "10nen Sakura" A-side Also sang on "Sakurairo no Sora no Shita de". 12 "Namida Surprise!" A-side 13 "Iiwake Maybe" A-side Ranked 5th in 2009 General Election 14 "River" A-side, Center 2010 15 "Sakura no Shiori" A-side Also sang on "Majisuka Rock 'n' Roll". 16 "Ponytail to Shushu" A-side, Center Also sang on "Majijo Teppen Blues" 17 "Heavy Rotation" A-side Ranked 6th in 2010 General Election. Also sang on "Yasai Sisters" and "Lucky Seven". 18 "Beginner" A-side 19 "Chance no Junban" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Yoyakushita Christmas"; and "Kurumi to Dialogue" as Team A. 2011 20 "Sakura no Ki ni Narō" A-side – "Dareka no Tame ni – What can I do for someone?" – charity single 21 "Everyday, Katyusha" A-side Also sang on "Korekara Wonderland" and "Yankee Soul". 22 "Flying Get" A-side Ranked 7th in 2011 General Election. Also sang on "Ice no Kuchizuke". 23 "Kaze wa Fuiteiru" A-side 24 "Ue kara Mariko" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament; She sang on "Noël no Yoru"; and on "Rinjin wa Kizutsukanai" as Team A. 2012 25 "Give Me Five!" A-side (Baby Blossom), Selection 6 Played lead guitar in Baby Blossom; She also sang "Sweet & Bitter" as part of Selection 6. 26 "Manatsu no Sounds Good!" A-side Also sang on "Chōdai, Darling!". 27 "Gingham Check" A-side Ranked 6th in 2012 General Election. Also sang on "Yume no Kawa". 28 "Uza" A-side Also sang on "Kodoku na Hoshizora" as New Team A. 29 "Eien Pressure" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Totteoki Christmas". 2013 30 "So Long!" A-side Sang on "Ruby" as Team A. – "Tenohira ga Kataru Koto" – charity single 31 "Sayonara Crawl" A-side 32 "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" A-side Ranked 8th in 2013 General Election. 33 "Heart Electric" A-side Nicknamed Linda. She also sang "Kiss made Countdown" as Team A. 34 "Suzukake no Ki no Michi de "Kimi no Hohoemi o Yume ni Miru" to Itte Shimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa Dō Kawatte Shimau no ka, Bokunari ni Nan-nichi ka Kangaeta Ue de no Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no Yō na Mono" B-side Did not sing on title track; lineup was determined by rock-paper-scissors tournament. Sang on "Mosh & Dive" and "Party is over". 2014 35 "Mae Shika Mukanee" A-side 36 "Labrador Retriever" A-side 37 Kokoro no Placard A-side Ranked 9th in 2014 General Election. 38 "Kibouteki Refrain" A-side 2015 39 "Green Flash" A-side Raps in this song with Sayaka Yamamoto. Also sang "Majisuka Fight", "Haru no Hikari Chikadzuita Natsu" and "Hakimono to Kasa no Monogatari". 40 "Bokutachi wa Tatakawanai" A-side Also sang "Deai no Hi, Wakare no Hi" & "Kimi no Dai Ni Shō" & "Barebare Bushi" 41 "Halloween Night" A-side Ranked 4th in 2015 General Election. Also sang "Ippome Ondo" "Yankee Machine Gun" & "Gunzou" 42 "Kuchibiru ni Be My Baby" A-side, Center Also sang "365 Nichi no Kamihikōki", "Yasashii Place" and "Senaka Kotoba" which is her graduation song. 2016 43 "Kimi wa Melody" A-side Marked as a 10th Anniversary single.

Albums with AKB48 Set List: Greatest Songs 2006–2007 Kamikyokutachi Set List: Greatest Songs Kanzenban Koko ni Ita Koto 1830m Tsugi no Ashiato Koko ga Rhodes da, Koko de Tobe! 0 to 1 no Aida

no3b

Stage units

Team A 1st Stage: Party ga Hajimaru yo 4. Skirt, Hirari 8. Hoshi no Ondo Team A 2nd Stage: Aitakatta 1. Nageki no Figure 5. Glass no I Love You 7. Senaka Kara Dakishimete 8. Rio no Kakumei Team A 3rd Stage: Dareka no Tame ni 4. Bird 8. Seifuku ga Jama o Suru Team A 4th Stage: Tadaima Renaichuu 6. Junai no Crescendo

Team A 5th Stage: Renai Kinshi Jōrei 7. Renai Kinshi Jourei (Takahashi Team A 1 version) 8. Tsundere! (Takahashi Team A 2 version) Team A 6th Stage: Mokugekisha 7. Itoshisa no Accel Team A Waiting Stage 9. Ame no Pianist (original unit) 4. Kioku no Dilemma (new unit) Himawari-gumi 1st Stage: Boku no Taiyō 7. Higurashi no Koi Himawari-gumi 2nd Stage: Yume o Shinaseru Wake ni Ikanai 5. Bye Bye Bye

Team Surprise 1st Stage: 6. 1994-nen no Raimei 8. Oteage Lullaby 14. Dessan Team Surprise 2nd Stage: 3. Yume wo miru nara 7. Hell or Heaven

Filmography

Movies

Year Title Role 2007 Densen Uta 2011 Documentary of AKB48: To Be Continued Herself 2012 Documentary of AKB48: Show Must Go On 2013 Documentary of AKB48: No Flower Without Rain 2014 Documentary of AKB48: The Time Has Come 2015 Attack on Titan Scout Soldier

Dramas

Year Title Role 2006 Densha Otoko Deluxe Herself 2008 Kei Niimi Nami/Kai 2010 Majisuka Gakuen Minami Ono Herself Minami Takahashi 2011 Majisuka Gakuen 2 Female Investigator 2015 Majisuka Gakuen 4 Minami Majisuka Gakuen 5 2016 Hitomi (Ep.25 – 8)

Video games

Year Title Role 2019 Grimms Notes Hahn

Animation

Year Title Role 2019 Beyblade Burst GT Ichika Kindō

Musicals

Year Title Role 2009 MC

Solo Concerts

Year Title ! 2015 2016 2016 2016 2016 2017 2017

Solo Events

Year Title Role 2016/04 MC 2016/04 MC 2016/06 Artist 2016/06 2015/06 Guest 2016/08 MC – Kore nani 2016/09 Ambassador 2016/10 MC 2016/10 Artist 2016/12 Artist 2017/01 Guest 2017/03 Artist 2017/04 Guest 2017/05 Guest 2017/06 2017/07 Special Supporter 2017/08 Guest 2017/09 Guest 2017/09 Ambassador & Artist 2017/10 Artist 2017/11 Artist 2017/11 2017/12 MC

Radio

Year Title Role 2009–2016 MC 2016 – MC 2017 – MC

Television programs

Year Title Role 2008 Herself 2008 Herself 2008–2016 AKBingo! Herself 2008–2010, 2014–2015 Herself 2009 Herself 2009–2010 Herself 2009–2012 Herself 2010–2011 Pon! no3b 2010 AKB600sec. Herself 2010– Mujack! Herself (MC) 2010–2016 Herself 2011 Documentary of AKB48 – The future 1mm ahead Self (concurrently as a narrator) 2011–2014 Herself 2012–2014 Herself 2012–2013 Herself (MC) 2013– Herself (MC) 2014–2018 Herself (MC) 2016–2017 Herself (MC) 2016– Herself 2017–2018 Herself (MC)

Other media Essays (22 December 2015, Kobunsha)

Photobooks B.L.T. U-17 summer (7 August 2008, Tokyo News Tsushinsha) (22 September 2010, Kodansha) (24 February 2016, Kobunsha)

Calendar (1 November 2016, PHP)