Credit to Czarina Doyle for making the Photoshop even better!
Idol group extraordinaire AKB48 caused a bit of a stir earlier this year when the group added a new, completely computer-generated member; but now AKB48 is taking its digital wizardry to the next level, creating a website that allows fans to create digital babies with the young women of AKB48.
For those of you who don’t know, AKB48 is a popular idol group in Japan made up of dozens of young Japanese ladies that has topped the pop charts for almost three years running.
Yesterday, the group announced a promotional deal called “AKB Official Net.” AKB Official Net costs ¥1,480 ($19US) a month, and provides you internet service and tons of exclusive AKB48 goodies.
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNC9NQVTPDA']
One of those goodies is an online tool to digitally combine your face with the face of one of five members of AKB48 and create an approximation of what your future lovechild would look like.
The website for AKB Official Net features AKB48 star Yuko Oshima smiling serenely at the camera asking “Would you make a baby with me?” while breastfeeding. “WTF” is an understatement.
You too can create an ungodly abomination!
And while the baby-making service is nice and all, you might be wondering what else the paid service actually provides. What do you get with the 1,480円/month AKB Official Net?
- Internet service
- An official @akb48.ne.jp email address
- Access to special AKB48 pictures and videos
- Advance tickets to AKB48 events
AKB Official Net proves once again that A. AKB48 knows no shame and B. It really knows its fanbase. What AKB48 otaku wouldn’t jump at the chance to have a digital lovechild with their favorite high-school aged idol?
This deal also shows that you can slap one of the thousands of faces of AKB48 onto any product imaginable and it will sell like hotcakes. What can we expect in the future? AKB48 promotional deals with other utility companies? AKB48 vacuum cleaners? Or maybe, most unexpected of all, music from AKB48?
With everything that AKB48 has been doing recently, I feel like the group is reaching Spaceballs-levels of merchandising.
“AKB48 the flame thrower!”
The offer opens up today, so all of you AKB48 fanboys and girls can head over to http://www.akb48.ne.jp/ and make your very own otaku babies… though, first you’ll need to be a member of the ISP :(
Oh, here’s a little omake:
[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEzEftX-Gdk']
Spoiler alert, cats shouldn’t be breast fed by humans, especially males. That doesn’t make any sense.
P.S. Want a similar app for Tofugu? Tell us on Twitter.
P.P.S. More than a little disturbed about breastfeeding Mother Koichi? Complain on Facebook.