AKB48 to play yankees in drama "Majisuka Gakuen"

Idol group AKB48 will star in a TV Tokyo drama series this winter. Titled "Majisuka Gakuen," the show was planned and written by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto.

The drama will revolve around adolescent "yankees," or delinquents. Although all of AKB48's members are planned to appear on the show, the main character will be Atsuko Maeda (18), who was voted #1 by fans in the group's "senbatsu" election earlier this year. Maeda has already acted in multiple films and dramas, and was recently announced as a cast member in NHK's 2010 taiga drama "Ryomaden," playing a niece of protagonist Sakamoto Ryoma (Masaharu Fukuyama).

"Majisuka Gakuen" will air in TV Tokyo's "Drama 24" time slot (Friday nights at 12:12am). The show premieres on January 8. The official website has already opened.

tokyograph