@JAM EXPO: Official Book and Twitter Reactions

Sunday’s performance at @JAM EXPO in Yokohama Arena was JKT48’s first in Japan without its parent sister group AKB48. This can be considered a milestone because it may mean that JKT48 is finally being trusted by AKS management to appear on its own without the other 48 groups.

The response to this performance has largely been positive. For most of the attendees of @JAM EXPO, they have never seen a live performance of the Japanese 48 groups. Fans of underground idol groups generally shun AKB48 and its sister groups, but perhaps JKT48 is “foreign” enough for them to welcome JKT48’s performance at @JAM EXPO.

JKT48 performed twice, on a smaller Blueberry Stage and the main Strawberry Stage. It’s safe to say that Blueberry Stage was perhaps the best location for curious viewers to get to know the girls better because the closed room of 300 capacity provided a more intimate environment for idols and fans. On the other hand, the Strawberry Stage exposed JKT48 to more people for the first time. Their placement in the line-up before PASSPO☆ on both stages also helped with exposure because the group has one of the largest fan followings among underground idol groups.

@JAM EXPO 2014 Official Book

We are JKT48!!

Urgent visiting Japan from Indonesia!
A super big idol who first joins @JAM comes on stage!!

JKT48 comes to Japan to join @JAM EXPO 2014 that is the largest scale ever. This time Haruka Nakagawa introduces JKT48 members to idol fans who have never known them!

With 100% full power, no! We’re going to perform with 1000% power!

JKT48 performs AKB48’s songs in Indonesian language. You may find our charms and power which are different from that of AKB48, I hope you enjoy it. We have many members, some are still young and some are senior. We are active as if we are one family, so we cannot lose to any groups in terms of teamwork!

This time we have been looking forward to performing in this concert! This is my first time to join a concert as a JKT48 member, we’re going to perform with 100% full power, oh no! but with 1000%! And we would like you, many people in Japan, to watch JKT48, then if you feel “awesome” I will be so happy. Please support us!

Short introduction by Haruka Nakagawa

Shania: Always cheerful and always tries her hardest. She got the center position for the first time in new single!

Melody: Her presence is like a mother of JKT48. Good mother, but strict.

Yupi: Still childish! Straight bangs are her charm point.

Viny: She always gets good reputation in handshake event. Her popularity is awesome!

Ve: A young lady who likes fashion. Shy person a little.

Nabilah: Even though she looks like this, still a junior high school student who loves rabbit. Precocious kid, but she is like a comedian.

Naomi: Team KIII captain! She is gentle, but has funny character actually.

Chikarina: She joined JKT48 two months ago. It’s tough, but she works hard to learn Indonesian language.

Kinal: Team J captain! She is cheerful and unifies members perfectly.

Beby: Good at dancing, and she is very smart!

Tata: Cheerful and chatty. Her talk does never end.

Dhike: Natural airhead. We’re just not on the same wavelength. LOL

Jeje: She has perfect pitch, she can play any musical instrument! However, once she starts to talk…

Ikha: Smile is her charm point. She makes everybody happy!

Vanka: So cute like a doll! But she is eccentric as well.

Twitter Reactions

JKT48チラッとみたけど、mc日本語喋っとった！恋チュンと心プラ、ジャカルタ仕様やった！

I caught a glimpse of JKT, but they spoke Japanese in her self intros! KFC and KnP were Jakarta version!

恋するフォーチュンクッキーはJKTのverがやっぱ一番可愛いと思ったのを再確認

[Today I] could re-confirm the the JKT ver. of Koisuru Fortune Cookie is the cutest!

今日JKT48が、大穴でクソ楽しかった！48Gのライブ童貞は卒業しました

Today I watched the JKT48, they were so fun to my complete surprise! And there goes my 48 group live virginity…

あとJKT48、経営手法が本当すごい。アイドル業界で音楽をモジュール化するとか効率良過ぎ…可愛いコを揃えて既に成功してる歌とダンスで複製。初見のグループなのに曲殆ど知ってるとか。隣にいたパッセンも途中まで地蔵だったのに、終盤はコール入れてた。ああやってパッセンが他に移るんだね。

Then, about the JKT48. Their management style is really amazing… Modulization of music in the idol world…it’s just too effective. Gather a bunch of cute girls, take songs and dances that already successful and reproduce them… You might see them for the first time, but you already know the songs. The Passen[-ger, name for PASSPO☆ fans] next to me was still the whole time, then starting cheering towards the end. That’s how Passens switch to other groups…

JKT48が横浜にいるということは、僕とシャニア・ジュニアナタさんが同じ陸続きの地面を踏んでいるということで、これはもう精神的に繋がっている。

JKT48 being in Yokohama means that I and Shania Junianatha are on the same undetached strip of land…thus, we are spiritually connected.

生JKT48観た。向こうの言葉で歌ってるし、それぞれの名前が長くて全く入ってこない。なんかこんな筈じゃ無かったと勝手に悲壮感を感じてしまった。ごめんよJKT48(´Д` )

I saw the JKT48 live. They’re singing in their language, their names are too long and won’t enter my head… “It shouldn’t have gone like this”… I felt depressed… Sorry JKT48… (´Д` )

JKT48を初めて見たけど、可愛い娘多いね
アジアンビューティーってやつ(*^_^*)

I saw the JKT48 for the first time today, there sure are lots of cute girls in this group!
Asian beauties, I guess (*^_^*)

JKT48でファーストラビット流れた瞬間の高まり具合が半端なかった♪

When JKT48’s First Rabbit started the whole place just went wild♪

JKT48メンバーきれいすぎて泣きそうになった。ジェジェヤバい！！

JKT48 members are just TOO pretty! Jeje’s just…wow!!

ブルーベリーステージJKT48は最前よりちょい後ろにいた沸くしか↑↑みたいな男性のみなさんが地下のノリをがっつり持って来て、前方に突っ込んだりリフトしたりやり放題（一部の人たちですけども）女の子2人組がビビって抱き合ったり、現地ヲタみたいな人が厄介を睨んだりと、だいぶアレでした

In the Blueberry stage, some guys close to the front row during the JKT48 show were all like “let’s go wiiilllddd”, all underground [idol] style, rushing to the front, lifting each other on their shoulders (well only some guys mind you), they just did what they wanted… Two girls there were scared and hugged each other, a native [Indonesian]-looking guy was staring at them angry… It was kinda, yeah, you know…

JKT48って？

ジャカルタ？

JKT48 is..?
Jakarta?

今日初めてJKTの仲川さん見たけどさ
AKB時代と違って凄く頼れるお姉さんになってた
２年っていう月日であそこまで成長したって思ったら勝手に感動したよ

Today I saw Nakagawa-san in the JKT for the first time,
but compared to when she was in the AKB she looked like such a dependable “older sister”…
Thinking of how much she grew in just 2 years moved me..!

昨日のアットJAMで初めてJKT見たんですが、みんなかわいいですね！で、一際目を引いたのがユピちゃんだったというわけです。
注目して行きたいと思いまーす(^O^)／

At yesterday’s @JAM I watched the JKT for the first time, but they’re all really cute! And the one that caught my attention the most was Yupi-chan. I’ll keep an eye on her!

AKBバージョンの心のプラカード、2回ぐらいしか聴いた事ないから、JKTバージョンの方が原曲っぽく受け入れられるし、インドネシア語の語感が曲のリズムにピタっとハマってる。これは洋楽だ

I only listened to AKB’s Kokoro no Placard twice, so the JKT version feels like the original, and Indonesian language’s rhythm feels like it matches it so well. This is Western music.

いや、しかしJKTは可愛いよ。しかも若い子多すぎるし、ジャカルタ恐るべし。

Aah, anyway, the JKT are really cute. And there are many young members too. Can’t look down on Jakarta!

JKTの勢い落ちてるのね。いつまでも日本リリースの曲の現地語バージョンじゃいかんでしょ・・・

The JKT’s momentum is falling, huh. They can’t just keep releasing Indonesian versions of songs released in Japan…

あと、動くシンディ・ユフィア(ユピちゃん)、ヤバい！くっそかわいい！！ボクの団扇めがけた手を振ってスマイル、失神するかと思った！w あれただの天使だよ #＠JAMEXPO2014 #JKT48

Another thing, Cindy Yuvia (Yupi-chan) is…too much!! So f’n cute!! She saw my fan and waved smiling…I was about to faint!! An angel, that’s what she is!

See if you can find the JKT48 members!

Photos courtesy of @JAM. Official book translation by Japarta. Twitter translation by Wotaliano.