is a fictional Japanese singer. As a collaboration between the Japanese girl group AKB48 and confectionery company Ezaki Glico, she was created and featured in June 2011 as a promotional model for Glico's Ice no Mi ice cream product. Eguchi is a CGI composite of various features of seven members from AKB48."AKB 48 newest member Aimi Eguchi is a 'virtual idol . Channel NewsAsia. June 20, 2011.
History
Eguchi was announced as the group's newest member in June 2011. According to an official profile she was 16 years old, born on February 11, 1995, and from Saitama, north of Tokyo. She was featured in the Japanese magazine Weekly Playboy, and appeared in a television commercial for the confectionery company, Ezaki Glico. Suspicions arose amongst AKB48 fans and on June 19, 2011, Glico finally admitted that Eguchi was a fake created by the company, disappointing many fans.New Japanese Pop Idol Shocks Fans With News–She’s Not Real Singularity Hub, 22 June 2011"Japanese Scientists Build a Perfect (and Fake) Pop Star". Time. June 24, 2011. , she is no longer listed on the official website as a trainee. - list is subject to change from graduations and transfers Yukari Sasaki, the member who voiced (and in concerts, portrayed) Eguchi, also eventually departed from the group in early 2024.
CGI contributors Atsuko Maeda (eyes) Tomomi Itano (nose) Mariko Shinoda (mouth) Yuko Oshima (hair/body) Minami Takahashi (outline) Mayu Watanabe (eyebrows)
References
External links Aimi Eguchi in Weekly Playboy