Standing out in a group with more than fifty people is difficult, yet she does it with ease. We’re continuing a recurring theme here on nandake..? boykun introduces his first Miss Right Now.
As if you didn’t know already, Miss Right Now is none other than AKB48’s crazy little fireball, Oshima Yuko. Joining the group in 2006, she is a second generation and founding member of Team K. She has participated in all of the group’s singles to date and is one of the most popular members, having landed the top spot in the all-important annual elections in 2010. Earlier this year saw her placed in her own sub unit Not yet, with three fellow members. However, AKB48 was not the start of her entertainment career. You can find her acting in dramas from way back in 1996.
If you are a fan of AKB48, you are obliged to pick one member as your “Oshimen”, or the one who you support the most. It is a question the girls themselves would ask anyone who is interested in the group. With so many members and personalities in the group, one would think it is difficult to pick; and it is. But for me, one member stood out the most, and she was Yuko.
The one who gained my interest in AKB48, Ms. Oshima is pretty well known by fans as the most versatile member. A Jack of all trades of sorts, Yuko can be seen trying and doing various things on TV. She can obviously sing; perhaps not the best in the group, but has vocals good enough to get by. Her dancing could be argued as one of the best in AKB48, a skill she definitely shows off in Not yet. Basic idol skill sets aside; she is one of the most athletic members of easily the most athletic team (Team K). One of her hobbies is snowboarding, something I’ve picked up in recent years. She’s a lot better than me. And in the most recent PV of her sub-unit Not yet, Yuko quickly picked up surfing to add under her belt. She’s also a sneaker head, and plays bass. Isn’t that fun?
As far as her looks go, it wasn’t what attracted me to her. To be honest I don’t find her cute or sexy like other AKB48 members. Now of course, she can be very cute. With big eyes and profound dimples, what’s not to like. And she can be super sexy, just check her photo books. But what really attracted me to Yuko was her crazy personality. It is very well known that she is funny; hilarious, in fact. Appearing on TV, she would often do things her fellow members would never even think of doing, like making intensely stupid faces. Stories of Yuko running around in her underwear or being generally perverted around her comrades often come up during group talks in AKB48.
Do idols really act like this? Probably not. Yuko is not your conventional idol. Although there are a few offbeat members in AKB48, Yuko definitely takes it to the extreme, like a man trapped in a girl’s body.
My “Oshimen” has very little shame; doesn’t get easily embarrassed unlike your run of them mill idols. This lets her do pretty much whatever the hell she wants, and it’s fun to watch. When it comes down to it, Yuko is awesome. She’s not just the crazy girl in the group, but a genuine entertainer.
Yuko’s official blog: http://ameblo.jp/oshima-y/
Ota Pro profile: http://www.ohtapro.co.jp/ohta_pro/profile/OhshimaYuko/
AKB48 official site: http://www.akb48.co.jp/
