The Newest AQBI Entity Is Bizarrely Familiar

/ Homicidol Maniac

A year ago, we were all still getting used to the post-Bellheart reality of There There Theres taking over the raven wings, MIGMA SHELTER just getting started with Kanra (re-christened YONEKO) in the lead, and Ayano setting off solo as CLOCK & BOTAN. It was pretty weird — Bellring Girls Heart had been one of those seminal chika scene entities, long-lived and possessing a singular, definitive set of look+sound. Of course even more tumult was to follow, but did anybody expect that the stable would continuously re-coalesce? I didn’t.

And yet, that’s what happened! Since Ayano’s new group project was announced, folks have waited for an idea of what was in store. We don’t know much yet, but now we do know (most of) the members. Thank you, Am I Bored?, for the note!

Say, those girls look very familiar …

Gu-Gu LULU (Twitter) is the name, and an April debut is the game. Joining Ayano are:

  • Anna, ex of Guso Drop
  • Hachi, ex of LIVING DEAD I DOLLS
  • and former Koutei Camera Girl / O’CHAWANZ departee Nonorule remmell

Plus one additional to-be-announced member; given how the group has come together so far, I’d love to go out on a limb and say that it’ll be an ex-Necroma member (Karen! Hotaru!), but I’d actually prefer to be completely surprised despite having no real expectations.

I didn’t read deeply enough into the streams to see if CLOCK & BOTAN will continue, or if Ayano’s all-in on captaining her own idol ship, but heck, AQBI managed to go from one (legendary) unit to four in about a year and a half, and with ultimately only the loss of KANREKO to show for it. Not too shabby at all.