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Yasushi Akimoto Loses to His Own AI as AKB48 Omoide Scroll Wins Battle

Yasushi Akimoto Defeated by His Own AI in AKB48 Song Battle
AI Beats Yasushi Akimoto as ‘Omoide Scroll’ Becomes First AI-Produced AKB48 Single

The unthinkable has just happened in the AKB48 universe: Yasushi Akimoto – the man behind hundreds of iconic 48 Group hits – has lost to his digital doppelgänger.

On 15 September, Nippon TV aired the special ~Akimoto Yasushi × AI Akimoto – AKB48 New Song Production Battle~, where the legendary lyricist went head-to-head with an AI trained on his decades of writing style, comments, and song structures. 

The challenge? Both would create a brand-new AKB48 single, and fans would decide which one entered the group’s official discography.

The Two Songs

“Omoide Scroll” Beats “Cécile” to Become First AI-Produced AKB48 Single

  • “Cécile” (セシル) – written by the real Yasushi Akimoto. A retro-flavoured French pop-inspired number centred on themes of admiration between women. Akimoto hand-picked AKB48’s current General Manager Kuranoo Narumi as the centre, saying she “inherits the DNA of Takahashi Minami” and represents the essence of what AKB48 should be.

  • “Omoide Scroll” (思い出スクロール) – crafted by AI Akimoto. Built as a fresh Reiwa-era heartbreak song, the AI didn’t just handle lyrics and melody but also analysed member interviews with emotional analysis tools. From that data, it chose 19th-generation newcomer Ito Momoka as centre, highlighting her emotional storytelling as the perfect match for the song.

Voting Results

AKB48’s “Omoide Scroll” Released on Streaming at 17:00 JST

Fans were given five days to vote via the programme’s special site and YouTube. The final tally was close but decisive:

  • “Omoide Scroll” (AI) – 14,225 votes

  • “Cécile” (Human) – 10,525 votes

That means for the first time ever, an AI-produced track is officially part of AKB48’s discography. 

“Omoide Scroll” went live on streaming platforms at 17:00 JST, 15 September 2025, making history in the idol industry.

Aki-P’s Reaction

Yasushi Akimoto admitted he was “disappointed” after pouring his energy into “Cécile.” 

Yasushi Akimoto losing to his own AI for AKB48 Omoide Scroll

On air he joked, “How am I supposed to react to this?” while his AI counterpart calmly reasoned, “Maybe the real me wanted to show something new by losing this time.”

Veteran entertainer Hiromi and former AKB48 member Sashihara Rino, who were present in the studio, comforted him, encouraging a rematch. 

Yasushi Akimoto laughed it off but still showed frustration, remarking that AI’s ability to mine “the maximum common denominator from data” was both fascinating and unsettling.

For AKB48, celebrating its 20th anniversary with Oh My Pumpkin! this year, this contest wasn’t just a gimmick. It opened the door to how AI might reshape idol production: from lyric writing to member selection. 

“Omoide Scroll” proves that fans are open to AI-backed creativity – at least when the result feels authentic to the group’s emotions and storytelling.

An update:

“Omoide Scroll” was composed and arranged by real people! Only the lyrics, Senbatsu, and Centre selection were created by AI Akimoto.

Composer: Shibasaki Ayumi & Fi'Ne
Arranger: Fi'Ne
Guitar: Futatsugi Gentaro

Watch AKB48's Omoide Scroll: 

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