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| NMB48 to Disband Teams in Major Overhaul Ahead of 15th Anniversary |
NMB48 just dropped some major news at their summer special “NMB48 Tenshi no Utopia Kouen 2025 with BAND” held in Osaka on 24 July – and yep, it’s a proper turning point.
After over a decade rolling with the traditional three-team system (Team N, Team M, and Team BII), the group has announced the complete disbandment of the team structure starting October 2025. That’s right – the team names we’ve known for years will soon be part of history.
The announcement came right after an electric 17-song setlist with full live band accompaniment – a first for NMB48 in an entire concert. From the powerful opener OUR STORY to the emotional encore Eien no Melody, the girls pulled out all the stops.
Theatre manager Kaneko Tsuyoshi then took the stage post-show, flanked by all the members, and made it official:
“We’ll be moving to a new system. The current teams will be dissolved, and three new types of performances will take over.”
Those new performances include two freshly themed stages – simply called “Stage A” and “Stage B” – and a nostalgic revival of the classic “Koko ni Datte Tenshi wa Iru” stage in November, all with 16-member formations per show.
👑 Who’s the Next Captain? It’s Up to the Members
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With Kojima Karin stepping down, the captaincy torch is up for grabs. From 1–30 August, members can apply to run as the next NMB48 Captain.
The final list of candidates will be revealed on 31 August, and a member vote on 9 October will decide who’ll lead the group for the next year. Fresh leadership, fresh vibes.
🎂 Mark Your Calendars – Big Concerts Incoming
Here’s the stacked concert schedule coming up in the last quarter of 2025:
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15th Anniversary Concert – 8 November at Orix Theater
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Kojima Karin Graduation Concert – 9 November
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Kawakami Chihiro Graduation Concert – 23 December
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Christmas Special Concert – 24 December
Kojima Karin, in her heartfelt message, said:
“As we turn 15, we’re stepping into a brand new chapter. Please continue to support us!”
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🎯 Why Scrap the Teams Now?
While shocking to some fans, the move isn’t entirely unprecedented – JKT48 made a similar shift during their post-pandemic restructuring.
According to Kojima Karin herself, the team structure wasn’t offering equal theatre exposure for all members, and the new system is meant to bring back a stronger sense of unity for future projects.
With 15 years under their belt, NMB48 clearly isn’t afraid to shake things up. From nostalgic revivals to live band theatre shows and a captain voted in by members themselves – the group’s aiming for flexibility, fairness, and a fresh creative spark.
Big changes ahead, but one thing’s certain: this next era of NMB48 is going to be one to watch.