AKB48's Unique Element

Unlike Hello Project where all the idols are signed to one agency, members of SKE, AKB, and SDN48 can be signed to a number of different talent agencies.  For many idol groups the push within the group and their outside work is decided by basically the same group of people.  The members of these three groups are automatically signed into the in-house management: AKS.  However, other agencies can still show interest and the girls can choose to transfer to a different agency.  During the Yokohama Arena Concert a number of agency promotions were announced.  If the girls choose to change it can also give insight to fans about the girls' future.

For a foreign fan that is not confident in her Japanese skills trying to gather information about each agency is difficult.  Some of their websites are easier or harder to navigate.  I could not find a number of members that were announced during the concert, ecspecially for Hori Pro.  This either means I just didn't find their profiles or they did not sign to this agency. 

Announced Transfers Ogi Pro Iwasa Misaki, Matsubara Natsumi, Nonaka Misato, Komori Mika Hori Pro Nito Moeno, Ishida Haruka, Ohori Megumi Watanabe Pro Oya Shizuka, Kuramochi Asuka, Sato Natsuki Atelier Duncan Katayama Haruka, Sato Amina Ohta Pro Sashihara Rino, Kitahara Rie, Noro Kayo Mousa Uchida Mayumi, Tanabe Miku Dress Code Nakatsuka Tomomi, Suzuki Mariya Someday Matsui Sakiko Artist house Pyramid Yonezawa Rumi Flos 2 Maeda Ami

My Confirmation Check Ogi Pro ALL Hori Pro  None Found Watanabe Pro ALL Atelier Duncan ALL Ohta Pro ALL Mousa ALL Dress Code Couldn't Find Website Someday None Artist house Pyramid ALL Flos 2 Couldn't Find Website

My Very Little Knowledge About Each Agency:

Ogi Pro
This is the major home of sub-groups.  The agency has control of both major units of AKB48: no3b and Watarirouka Hashiritai.  Both of these groups are very successful and get a lot of work.  However, this agency is not spectacular in terms of solo work.  The best case scenario for these girls is that Ogi forms another unit because you don't see Kazumi Urano being super busy. 

Hori Pro 
This is one of the biggest agencies that I'm going to talk about, possibly the largest.  They have members from AKB48 and SDN48, plus Mai Mai!  I could not find any of the girls, but I heard Ohori was already in a good agency.  Maybe someone else might have better luck. 

Watanabe Pro
If you haven't yet heard, they have already formed a new unit (French Kiss) including some of their new talent.  This appears to be an overall good agency.  Yuki Kashiwagi has been doing well.  They have a ton of comedians.  They also have Nachu from SDN48!  All three have comic elements so I think they will do well here.

Atelier Duncan
I've already heard that this is bad for the girls.  They are the only two members from AKB48 there.  Both have been pushed as Undergirls by the producers, and fans have little hope now.  I didn't really see much potential here which is disappointing because I love them both dearly.

Ohta Pro
This is the agency you want to be in!  They had Acchan, Yuko, and Erepyon already.  All three do very well outside of the group.  All of the girls seemed thrilled to be signed here during the announcement, as they should be. 

Mousa
I don't know what to say about this agency. . . considering they only have four profiles.  All of the profiles are of members from AKB48, and none are close to the front.  I mean all of them are theater, possible Undergirls later.

Someday
I only found Mariko Shinoda's profile.  Although they have few profiles, I recognized quite a few.  Mariko does really well outside of AKB, but I didn't see any other members.

Artist house Pyramid
This also looks like a small agency, but they Yukari Sato, a graduate of AKB48 (Team A)/ member of SDN48.  Yukari has done well with gravure modeling, which I see as a possibility with Rumi.