Produce 48 - Week 3 - Japanese AKB48G highlights and lowlights - Yabuki Nako goes viral, Murakawa Bibian improves, Matsuoka Natsumi on the other hand...

We have watched the first three episodes of “Produce 48” and have seen many of the Japanese trainees not fairing so well and a number of them being ranked F. But week three, we got to see some interesting competitions.

While HKT48 ace Miyawaki Sakura and SKE48 ace Matsui Jurina are expected to do well, which Japanese AKB48G idol has really shined so far on the show?

So far, the judges have been impressed with HKT48’s Yabuki Nako. She went from being ranked F to being bumped up to A.

In week 3, she was able to not only surprise judges by singing the high part for GFRIEND’s “LOVE WHISPER”, she has remained positive and all smiles throughout the show and has been seen working hard.

But it was the tabulation of the votes that mattered. Will Yabuki’s team win or lose?

The result for the “Love Whisper” competition was very interesting, especially when Yabuki Nako’s scores were shown. And it’s important to remind everyone that for “Produce 48”, it’s the Korean audience that are voting.

And it’s supposedly the highest votes ever for a person in the show’s history (including Korea’s “Produce 101”). After the episode, Nako’s performance won over new fans.

The other member that is doing very well is Takeuchi Miyu. Already winning hearts with her Korean covers on her YouTube channel, she is also impressing judges with her vocals.

For probably the biggest surprise on the show is HKT48’s Murakawa Bibian. While Yabuki Nako went from an F to an A, judges saw potential in her. Murakawa was really struggling to make it on stage, she is showing that she’s a fighter and doing what is necessary to be on stage. But she’ll need to do better and keep it up as the competition is tight!

The other one that is working hard and getting the attention of the judges is AKB48 member Honda Hitomi. The judges are starting to see her improvement of learning the dance moves and songs, but we’ll see if she can keep it up!

So far, AKB48’s Kojima Mako is holding up well on the show and has been winning over Korean audiences.

While AKB48’s Nakanishi Chiyori is getting known for her facial impressions, she’s become more the comedian Japanese trainee that makes people laugh. But she is also working hard. It’s just that it’s going to be even more competitive and the comedy can only go so far for on this show.

AKB48 veteran Miyazaki Miho and also a big K-Pop fan is also holding up well for herself.

As for NMB48’s Shiroma Miru, after not doing so well and not learning the dance moves as quickly, she’s proven to be a fighter and is trying her best.

Unfortunately, HKT48’s Matsuoka Natsumi is not receiving all that much love. While her performance of an AOA track was nicely done, there is a bit of confusion online about a scene in which Matsuoka wanted to be center, but because she didn’t know the song that well, she knew that she wasn’t the right fit. But unfortunately, people took that as a sign of cockiness on her part.

The other is when she suggested that the center be selected by rock, paper, scissors in reference to AKB48’s “Janken senbatsu” competition. While the comment is meant to be cute and understandable for Japanese audiences and those who know AKB48 internationally, because this is a Korean program, the comment was seemed as demeaning of the position of center.

So, there are some cultural differences that happened and unfortunately, that scene is evident by the downward votes of her eye-contact video.

As for those in the F group, Trainer Yoon Jung is trying to get them to do their best, as she really wants to see them push themselves to be on stage. But at least a few of the girls got a taste of it in week 3 but there chances are slim, but anything can happen.

Still, you have to give AKB48’s Chiba Eri, SKE48’s Asai Yuka, Team 4’s Asai Nanami and the others in their team some respect, even though they are seen as the weakest trainees.