AKB48 Oshi Certification Book

Recommended only for the most obsessed of fans

Celebrities write about their favorite idols in this new AKB48 mook. The AKB48 Oshi Certification Book features a column on each individual member, with insights written or taken from interviews with other famous talents. Visually, this is a pretty bland mook. Its target audience thus limited to fans that are looking for a different type of coverage or those who must absolutely collect everything AKB48.

Was passed this a few weeks ago to review as usual. So let’s take a look inside.

Cover.

Back.

Apart from the cover, only a handful of pages appear in full color. Those looking for your typical gravure/photo mook will be sorely disappointed. Anyone without a solid comprehension of the Japanese language will also have trouble fully appreciating its contents.

Only a handful appear in full color.

A few color pages at the front and back of the book.

All 48 members and the kenkyuusei are featured in their teams though.

It’ll also be a much more enjoyable read with some familiarity with the Japanese media outside of the idol world. It was sort of amusing to see who they managed to find/convince to talk about the individual girls, rigged or not.

Writeups from celebrity fans.

Along with some easter eggs.

Some familiar faces.

Is it any wonder that Japan's most twisted contemporary artists is a Yuko fan?

Gyaru model Kanno Yui.

Wait what?

Kenkyuusei were less fortunate.

Couple of pages from behind.

Probably one of the only reasons for non-native speakers to still get this book.

Oshi Certificates. Apparently.

Instead of the usual poster, this particular magazine comes with an “Oshi Certifaction”. I guess you’re supposed to choose from one of the paper cutouts to paste this sticker seal on it declaring your favorite member. It’s a gimmicky bonus that may possibly appeal to some of AKB48′s younger fans but is otherwise passable.

Sticker for you to paste on your member of choice.

How they look like.

Other side.

If you happen to fall under this book’s target audience, you can find it for sale at 952 yen (SGD$14/USD$11) here at CDJapan. The low price point being its only saving grace.