AKB48's newest single "Gingham Check", featuring its 16 senbatsu members, sold over 1.18 million copies in its first week and took the #1 spot on the Oricon weekly chart for September 10th. This is AKB48's eighth consecutive million-selling single since "Sakura no Ki ni Narou" (released in February 2011) and their ninth million-selling single in total. It is also the first single with Oshima Yuko featured in the center position to sell more than one million copies.

"Gingham Check" is the first single released after Maeda Atsuko graduated from AKB48 on August 27th. With Oshima returning as center for the second time in two years, the record sales is an excellent new start for AKB48.

With "Gingham Check", AKB48 has beaten their own record of seven consecutive million-seller singles in the first week of sales. Continuing their streak of five million-selling singles last year, AKB48 released three more in 2012, "GIVE ME FIVE!", "Manatsu no Sounds good!" and now, "Gingham Check". The group makes history by being the first with more than three million-selling singles released over a span of two years.

AKB48 now has fourteen #1 singles since "RIVER", released in 2009. They have also renewed their record of most number of consecutive chart toppers and most number of total chart toppers from a female group. It's been 16 years and 3 months since B'z's eight consecutive million-selling singles, and AKB48 is tied with Mr. Children for second place for the most number of consecutive million-selling singles. B'z is in first place with thirteen singles selling more than a million copies.

AKB48's newest album "1830m" released on August 15th is ranked 2nd in this week's album ranking. With total sales of 975,000, it is only time before their album becomes a million-seller as well.

Source + Image: Oricon