Vernalossom

Vernalossom
Native name	株式会社Vernalossom
Formerly	AKS
Type	Kabushiki gaisha
Industry	Service industry
Founded	Tokyo, 2006
Headquarters	Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan
Key people	Natsuko Yoshinari (President)
Brands	AKB48 Group members outside Japan
Services	Artist management
Owner	Natsuko Yoshinari
Website	vernalossom.jp

Vernalossom Co., Ltd. (株式会社Vernalossom, Kabushiki-gaisha Vernalossom), formerly AKS Co., Ltd. (株式会社AKS, Kabushiki-gaisha AKS), is a Japanese talent agency, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company is involved in various entertainment-related activities, including music, film and merchandise production.

AKS was the company managing the Japanese idol groups AKB48, SKE48,^[1] HKT48,^[2] and NGT48. It was also the company that managed the Japanese activities of South Korean and Japanese idol group, Iz*One.

AKB48 employs a so-called "transfer system". All the participants who pass the auditions are contracted by AKS for a while. Having started her career as a member, an artist within a predetermined time period should receive a contract offer from another artist management company.^[3] It is done until the 10th generation. After that, all members in the next generation are managed directly by AKS.^[1]

In 2019, SKE48 was acquired by KeyHolder, the holding company of the talent agency Zest.^[4] It was also announced that Yasushi Akimoto is no longer part of AKS management and is only involved as the creative producer.^[5]

In 2020, AKS was restructured into Vernalossom and transferred operations of the three remaining Japanese idol groups to three newly formed business entities.^[6] AKB48 would be managed by DH, HKT48 by Mercury,^[7] and NGT48 by Flora,^[8] while Vernalossom would retain control of the AKB48 sister groups outside Japan.^[9]

Artists[]

Current artists[]

Units[]

Talents[]

Former artists[]

AKB48 (Transfer to DH, Co. Ltd.)
SKE48 (Transfer to Keyholder/ZEST, Co. Ltd.)
HKT48 (Transfer to Mercury, Co.Ltd.)
NGT48 (Transfer to Flora, Co.Ltd.)
SDN48 (2010 - 2012)
IZ*ONE (2018 - 2021)

Notes[]

a.^ However, some members of the next generation of AKB48 have also been transferred to other agencies for the purpose of individual activities, for example: Mion Mukaichi at Mama & Son. For HKT48 and NGT48 were managed by AKS itself.

References[]

^ "お知らせ" (in Japanese). AKB48 TOKYO DOME までの軌跡. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
^ "会社情報" (in Japanese). HKT48. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
^ "【前編】AKB48"非選抜組"仲谷明香が語る「光と影」～総選挙の日、前田敦子の隣にいた私". Eltha (in Japanese). 9 March 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
^ "アイドルグループ「SKE48」を買収したKeyHolderってどんな会社". M＆A Online. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ "指原莉乃、ＮＧＴ山口問題現状語る　秋元Ｐに相談も". Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). 6 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
^ "AKS becomes Vernalossom, AKB48, HKT48 and NGT48 new operating companies announced". Neo-Tokyo 2099. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ "ＡＫＳ、ＨＫＴ運営をＭｅｒｃｕｒｙに事業譲渡 - ＡＫＢ４８ : 日刊スポーツ". nikkansports.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ "ＡＫＳがＮＧＴ４８運営を新設会社「Ｆｌｏｒａ」に事業譲渡早川支配人は退任 – 東京スポーツ新聞社". 東スポＷeb – 東京スポーツ新聞社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
^ "ＡＫＢ、ＨＫＴ、ＮＧＴもＡＫＳから独立国内４８グループ今後は地域密着がカギ – 東京スポーツ新聞社". 東スポＷeb – 東京スポーツ新聞社 (in Japanese). Retrieved 3 February 2021.