Biography
AKB48 アンダーガールズ (AKB48 Undergirls) is an AKB48 unit initially created after the first General Senbatsu Election (選抜総選挙, Senbatsu Sousenkyo) by the 9 girls who ranked from 22~31, meaning they were the closest girls to make it into senbatsu that time.
for every single, AKB48's producer and manager selects a certain amount of girls to sing, promote, and basically be the face of the group for that certain period of time. for AKB48's 13th Single, fans were given the chance to vote for their favorite members and select all the 21 members to form that singles' senbatsu.
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the 9 girls that were the closer to make it into senbatsu (those who ranked from 22~30) were chosen to sing the c/w song of the single, and the name given to the unit formed was "AKB48 Undergirls".
Later on October, AKB released their 14th single "RIVER". and once again, the coupling track was sung by a different selection of Undergirls, making it the second generation of this unit.
for AKB48's16th Single a new selection of Undergirls was created, and approximately 1 year after the first election, a second senbatsu election was announced. this time once again, those girls to be the closest to make it will sing the c/w song, creating the forth generation of undergirls. this time the undergirls will be those girls placed form 22~40. making it the largest undergirls line-up so far, consisting of 18 members.
1st Gen (Iiwake Maybe) Members: (9-member unit) 米沢瑠美 (kyuu-Team B, Yonezawa Rumi) | 高城亜樹 (kyuu-Team A, Takijyo Aki) | 大堀恵 (kyuu-Team K, Ohori Megumi) | 増田有華 (kyuu-Team K, Masuda Yuka) | 平嶋夏海 (Kyuu-Team B, Hirajima Natsumi) | 指原莉乃 (kyuu-Team B, Nito Moeno) | 片山陽加 (kyuu-Team B, Katayama Haruka) | 松井玲奈 (Team S, Matsui Rena)| 松原夏海 (kyuu-Team K, Matsubara Natsumi)
2nd Gen (RIVER) Members: (16-member unit) 佐藤亜美菜 (Team B, Sato Amina) | 高城亜樹 (Team A, Takajyo Aki) | 藤江れいな (Team K, Fujie Reina) | 奥真奈美 (Team B, Oku Manami) | 倉持明日香 (Team A, Kuramochi Asuka) | 多田愛佳 (Team A, Oota Aika) | 片山陽加 (kyuu-Team B, Katayama Haruka) | 指原莉乃 (Team A, Sashihara Rino) | 仲川遥香 (Team A, Nakawaga Haruka) | 仁藤萌乃 (Team K, Nito Moeno) | 石田晴香 (Team B, Ishida Haruka) | 菊地あやか (Team K, Kikuchi Ayaka) | 小森美果 (Team B, Komori Mika) | 佐藤すみれ (Sato Sumire) | 前田亜美 (Team A, Maeda Ami) | 松井玲奈 (Team S, Matsui Rena)
3rd Gen (Ponytail to Shushu) Members: (16-member unit) 岩佐美咲 (Team A, Iwasa Mizaki) | 多田愛佳 (Team A, Oota Aika) | 片山陽加 (Team A, Katayama Haruka) | 倉持明日香 (Team A, Kuramochi Asuka) | 指原莉乃 (Team A, Sashihara Rino) | 前田亜美 (Team A, Maeda Ami) | 秋元才加 (Team K, Akimoto Sayaka) | 菊地あやか (Team K, Kikuchi Ayaka) | 仁藤萌乃 (Team K, Nito Moeno) | 藤江れいな (Team K, Fujie Reina) | 奥真奈美 (Team B, Oku Manami) | 小森美果 (Team B, Komori Mika) | 佐藤亜美菜 (Team B, Sato Amina) | 佐藤すみれ (Team B, Sato Sumire) | 松井玲奈 (Team S, Matsui Rena) | 矢神久美 (Team S, Yagami Kumi)
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.