AKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jōrei

AKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jōrei
Cover of the first tankōbon volume as published by Kodansha
AKB49〜恋愛禁止条例〜 (AKB49〜Renai Kinshi Jourei〜)
Manga
Written by	Reiji Miyajima
Published by	Kodansha
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Magazine
Original run	August 2010 – March 2016
Volumes	29

AKB49: Renai Kinshi Jourei (AKB49〜恋愛禁止条例〜, AKB49 Ren'ai kinshi jōrei^?) is an ongoing shōnen manga series based on the Japanese female idol group AKB48. This series is illustrated by Reiji Miyajima, and based on the original work by Fakutori Motoazabu. The story is told through the eyes of the 12th generation Kenkyūsei member Minoru Urayama. Real AKB48 members also appear occasionally in the story as supporting characters.

AKB49: Renai Kinshi Jourei was first serialized in the 39th issue of the Weekly Shōnen Magazine on 25 August 2010. It was also released in the tankōbon format, with 29 volumes being released as of March 2016.

In 2014, the first five volumes were adapted for a stageplay. The play ran for a week in September 2014 with various members of the 48 group family making up the cast.

The story follows Minoru Urayama, a highschool boy who has no dreams. Minoru's crush, Hiroko Yoshinaga, dreams of becoming a member of the idol group AKB48. In order to help her with her auditions, Minoru secretly enters with her, cross-dressed as a girl named Minori Urakawa. His plan works and Hiroko is picked, but much to his dismay so is his girl alias, Minori! The story then follows Minori (Minoru) and Hiroko as they overcome the numerous trials of the idol world while Minoru tries to keep his secret from getting exposed and get Hiroko to the very top.

The main male character in the story and a 12th generation Kenkyūsei member of the female idol group AKB48. He is also known by his female name "Minori Urakawa" in this story. 167 cm tall, Minoru has a younger sister.

Initially, Minoru had no interest in AKB48, and because of this, was laughed at by his classmates who were big fans of the group. However, in order to help Hiroko, his classmate whom he had a secret crush on, Minoru cross-dressed and participated in an audition together with her. Unwittingly, after he helped Hiroko pass her audition, he was selected by AKB48's producer Yasushi Akimoto to become a member of the group. Almost nobody suspected that he was a male, because he had a face that looked "pretty". He was often mistaken for another AKB48 member Sae Miyazawa by Yuko Oshima. Only member Mayu Watanabe suspected that he was a boy, though she was convinced by his explanation that he looked like one because he worked in a butler cafe. Unknown to everyone including Minoru, Producer Akimoto also knew that Minoru/Minori was a male, but because he felt that Minoru made up for the traits that other girls were lacking, Minoru was allowed to remain in the group.