© Kodansha / Photography by Toshiaki Kitaoka
Appearing in the BOOK Corner of King’s Brunch on February 14!
Atsuko Maeda, known as AKB48’s “absolute center,” gained popularity as a national idol who symbolized an era and is now forging a new path as an actor.
Having marked the 20th anniversary of her entertainment career last year, she released her memorial photobook Atsuko Maeda Photobook Beste (pronounced “Besute”), which she says will be her last, on February 13. It is her first photobook in approximately 14 years, since 2012. The photobook will also be featured in the BOOK corner of the February 14 broadcast of King’s Brunch.
The shooting location selected was Vienna, Austria, in Central Europe. The work was carefully photographed throughout as she toured the city, alive with history, art and music. Under the theme of “adult love” for a woman in her thirties, it captures in Vienna’s light her dignified beauty and the poignant expressions that waver between dreamlike time with the person she loves and reality.
“I hope people will immerse themselves deeply in adult romance”
The theme of this work is “adult love.” It aims for an intimate and delicate world in which two people spend time alone with someone dear to them, making readers think, “I would like to experience love like this.”
Maeda commented: “I hope people will immerse themselves deeply in adult romance while looking through the photobook. While shooting it, I myself began wanting someone I like. Vienna was a wonderful city that made my fantasies grow: ‘I want to come here with someone I like,’ and ‘If someone brought me to a place like this, I would definitely fall for them.’”
True to her words, “As my final photobook, I want to give it everything I have without regrets,” highlights include her poignant, sensuous expressions and her attempt at more daring exposure than in her past photobooks.
The latest information is being shared on the official X account!
To commemorate the release of the photobook, the official X account for the Atsuko Maeda photobook, @atsuko_book, has also been opened. Advance cuts, additional cuts and the latest information will be posted in sequence.
Profile
Atsuko Maeda
Born July 10, 1991, in Chiba Prefecture. She debuted in 2005 as a first-generation member of AKB48 and took the stage at the AKB48 Theater. From the group’s indie debut in 2006, she served as center for approximately five years, gaining national popularity as its “absolute center.” After graduating from the group in 2012, she has continued her work as an actor. She marked the 20th anniversary of her entertainment career in 2025.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atsuko_maeda_official/
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Atsuko_100
Official website: https://maedaatsuko.com/
Bibliographic Information
- Title: Atsuko Maeda Photobook Beste
- Photography: Toshiaki Kitaoka
- Release date: February 13, 2026
- List price: ¥3,300, tax included
- Format: A4
- Pages: 144
- Published by: Kodansha Ltd.
Photo Credit
© Kodansha / Photography by Toshiaki Kitaoka
Source: PR TIMES
