Yuko Oshima

Yuko Oshima (大島 優子, Ōshima Yūko, born October 17, 1988 in Tochigi Prefecture) is a former member of Japanese idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She is also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. Outside of singles that involved rock-paper-scissors tournaments, she has sung on the title tracks for all of AKB48's singles since "Aitakatta" in October 2006. She has placed among the top two for the annual AKB48 general elections from 2009-2013.

Oshima was born in Yokohama, and was raised in Mibu, Tochigi Prefecture. Her mother is from Hokkaido. Oshima is 3/4 Japanese and 1/4 American. In 1996, she signed as a child actor with Central Kodomo Gekidan. In 2005, she began working as a junior idol in a short-lived idol project Doll's Vox, which was produced by The Alfee vocalist Toshihiko Takamizawa. In 2006, at the AKB48's second audition to form Team K, she was selected out of a pool of 12,000 applicants to join the team. In April, she began working full-time with the group, which debuted with the single, "Aitakatta", in October 2006.

On August 24, 2012, AKB48 announced a reorganization of the teams, and appointed Oshima to be the captain of Team K.

On December 31, 2013, Oshima announced on Kohaku Uta Gassen that she would be leaving the group.

Oshima has placed in the top two in the past five AKB48 general elections. In 2009 she placed second overall, losing only to Atsuko Maeda. In 2010, she received the most votes and became the center performer in the single "Heavy Rotation". In the 2011 general election, she placed second to Maeda once again. In the 2012 general election, she placed first with 108,837 votes. for the 2013 general election, she was voted second overall with 136,503 votes and lost to Sashihara Rino with 150,570 votes.

Singles with AKB48

Singles with Not Yet

Singles with SKE48

• "Skirt, Hirari" (スカートひらり)

• "Kinjirareta Futari" (禁じられた二人)
• "Fusidara na Natsu" (ふしだらな夏)

• "Nakinagara Hohoende" (泣きながら微笑んで) (Solo Unit)

• "Boku to Juliet to Jet Coaster" (僕とジュリエットとジェットコースター)

• "Confession"

• "Gomen ne Jewel" (ごめんねジュエル)

• "End Roll"

• "Kokoro no Hashi no Sofa" (心の端のソファー)

• "Glory Days"
• "Higurashi no Koi" (new units)

Films

Dramas

Variety shows

• AKBingo!
• Shūkan AKB (週刊AKB)
• AKB48 Nemōsu TV (AKB48ネ申テレビ)
• AKB とＸＸ！ (AKB48とＸＸ！)
• Hoko x Tate
• Naruhodo High School
• AKB48 kousagi (AKB子兎道場)
• AKB48 SHOW!
• Woman On The Planet

Photobooks

• [2001.07.10] Charm (with Tajima Honami) ISBN 4883026280
• [2003.10.18] かがやくきもち (Kagayaku Kimochi) ISBN 4821125765
• [2008.12.19] ゆうらりゆうこ (Yuurari Yūko) ISBN 9784812436936
• [2009.10.17] 優子のありえない日常 (Yūko no Arienai Nichijou) ISBN 9784847042089
• [2010.08.25] 君は、誰のもの? (Kimi wa, Dare no Mono?) (aka Oshima Yuko L.A.) ISBN 9784334901752
• [2011.06.17] 優子 (Yūko) ISBN 9784063895735
• [2014.09.18] 脱ぎやがれ! (Nugiyagare! Photographed by Mika Ninagawa) ISBN 9784344026285

Magazines

• smart, Takarajimasha 1995-, since 2011

Radio shows

• AKB48 Ashita Made Mō Chotto. (AKB48明日までもうちょっと。)
• AKB48 no All Night Nippon (AKB48のオールナイトニッポン)