The all-female idol group AKB48 is participating in a murder mystery campaign to promote Ezaki Glico's Ice no Mi candy. Detective Conan (Case Closed) manga creator Gosho Aoyama is writing the story based on an original plan by Yasushi Akimoto (6 Angels, Oh! My Konbu). AKB48 members are starring in a series of "AKB48 Murder Case" television commercials as part of the campaign.

In the story, AKB48 members discover the body of fellow idol Rena Katō. Atsuko Maeda appears as a detective and volunteers to handle the case. Katō leaves the cryptic messages "N" and "23K.24AB," and all 89 current members of the idol group become suspects.

The first of five commercials will premiere on television in Japan on June 25. The campaign's manga will debut in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine on July 4.

The virtual AKB48 "member" Aimi Eguchi already appeared in an Ice no Mi commercial last year.

Sources: Oricon, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web

Update: The manga series will be nine chapters long, and Masaki Gotō will provide the art. Thanks, Manganews.