Any idol fan knows that Tokyo Idol Festival is the biggest, hottest idol event of the year and not just because of Japan’s sweltering summer temperatures. TIF has always been a place for groups to shine for all of their fans, new and old. But this year, what if we took the Tokyo out of TIF? Say hello to the TIF ASIA TOUR KICK OFF!

https://twitter.com/TIP_TIF_staff/status/1432266919638290434

That’s right, a whole livestream showcase of over 40 groups from around Asia! The basic premise is that idols really are everywhere, so TIF are going to (digitally) go everywhere to show that off. AKB’s sister groups will be premiering some of their songs in their native languages and then those 40 groups will show you a little something!

Oh, and the livestream ticket is 500 yen, about $5USD. This is quite possibly the best investment you could ever make in your life, so don’t pass up the opportunity. If you’re still not convinced by good prices and good idols, we here at Homicidols have a selection of groups that we think you’ll love. It’s not nepotism, it’s knowing your audience! That’s what we’re calling it anyway.

No long winded instructions are needed, just surrender your money to the throes of capitalism and you’ll be able to watch over 40 idols. The stream has an archive too, so don’t worry about timezones!

So without further delay, here is your quickfire guide to some of the best that the Australiasian supercontinent has to offer!

A-Muse

Starting out with anime song and Love Live covers, A-Muse project have become a self-managed idol group out of Australia with enough charm and energy to fill the entire country.  They’ve released three original songs this year with their own unique takes on an electronic j-pop style sound, and best of all their new single REVOLT//REVIVE is out NOW!

Fingers Cross

Thailand’s premier Shoegaze style group who’ve been making a lot of buzz recently! They have a cassette tape coming out shortly and a wealth of past material to dig into. We interviewed their manager about why they chose to include Thai protest footage in a recent live dance video here.

AKIRA-KURØ

Do you like some good ol’ fashioned idol ROCK? AKIRA KURØ are the group for you then, with pounding drums and heavy guitars, their music is the perfect anthem for feeling angsty at home alone or taking down corrupt governments. They aren’t afraid to be loud and in your face about what they stand for, which you can check out in their music video for ViVA LA RESiSTANCE below.

Siam☆Dream

With the goal of wanting to combine Japanese pop culture and Thai culture into an idol group, Siam☆Dream make lovely sounding pop-rock music with an even lovlier array of members. They’re explosive, sparkling and most importantly: very cute. Their song “Long Distance” is an absolute earworm of a song to boot, which you can check out here.

Nekiru

A firecracker in the Korean live idol scene, Nekiru (short for Ne, Kiiteru? or “Hey, You Listening?”) combine pounding synths with a lightning fast BPM to show you the darker but still kind of sweet side of idol. Soha and Nyaryu’s love of Japanese idols and subculture really shines through, which you can experience with fancams (it’s not just Kpop that has those!) from some of their recent performances. Just listen to those fanchants!

Kizuna Simulation

The first group in the Korean alternative idol movement to have a music video, Kizuna Simulation ebb closer to traditional Jpop style sounds but hey, it’s “alternative” for Korea! Said music video is also beautifully shot, so check it out here!

Sonoki

Adorable and angsty blended together, Sonoki (short for Sokono Kimi Ni) perform a lot of covers with a whole lot of style. There’s definitely a few fans of Zenkimi who’ll appreciate this here, right?

Hibana

Another group from the same office as Nekiru, To Hermitage, Hibana are an energetic twopiece who mostly perform covers of some of the Japanese songs you know and love but have a few original songs too. You can chcek them out along with Nekiru and Sonoki in this live recording, with the now graduated third member Mashu in tow.

MyoU

The super cute soloist from Korea, MyoU boats an adorable wardrobe that matches her sugary sweet personality and dancing skills! An eclectic blend of J-fashion and jpop, what’s not to love? Her cover of a classic Dempagumi song is a great introduction so you can experience her in all her glittering glory.

POLARIS☆

Hailing from Vietnam, POLARIS☆ have the real DIY, can-do, but most importantly, fun attitude that makes chika idols really come together for a unique experience. They have a following in Japan too, even having performed at previous online TIF stages! Their music video for “Corona Ahahahahaha” is an amazing showcase of their style and sense of humor below.

So that’s it for the Homicidols recommendations for tomorrow! There’s even more idols waiting to meet you in the digital world too, so close this article, open up Zaiko and buy that ticket! And hey, you might be seeing some more of these names in future articles too, we’re cooking up some fun things behind the scenes here!