AKB0048

In a dystopian future where music is deemed illegal, AKB0048, successors to the idol group AKB48, rebel against the government to bring music to people's hearts. In the year 0048, three thirteen year old girls, Nagisa Motomiya, Orine Aida and Yuuka Ichijō, decide to audition to become members of AKB, although Nagisa has trouble singing due to the restrictions placed upon her by her father. As the girls hear they've passed the first round of auditions, Nagisa becomes downhearted as she wouldn't be allowed to go. However, after hearing about Yuuka's and Orine's reasons for wanting to join AKB, Nagisa decides to join Yuuka and Orine and head off to the auditions.

As Nagisa, Orine and Yūka travel on the ship headed for the auditions, they meet fellow auditioners Suzuko Kanzaki and Makoto Yokomizo, along with a stowaway named Sonata Shinonome. They soon learn that Chieri Sono, the daughter of a corporate CEO who had introduced them to AKB in their childhood, had apparently run away from home and boarded the ship to the auditions. Whilst searching for her, Nagisa encounters a strange kid who tells her she should turn Chieri in if she wants to survive the auditions. Just then, the ship comes under attack from the anti-entertainment force DES who come to capture the auditioners. Just as the girls are about to be captured, AKB0048 arrive to take on the forces. As Nagisa gets caught whilst retrieving a ribbon her mother gave her, the kid from before rescues her, revealing herself to be none other than Chieri. Chieri gets trapped under a chandelier, but Nagisa refuses to leave her behind.