Goodbye BiSH: A Retrospective

BiSH officially disbands today, June 29th, following their last live at the Tokyo Dome. Like the members in their final official portrait (see the banner image above), the most commercially successful unit in the history of WACK ends their existence virtually unrecognizable (other than Atsuko’s glasses) from the fierce punks with all the naïve promise in the world who were booted from the 2015 Tokyo Idol Festival. While our attention on BiSH has waned over recent years as their music leaned more and more mainstream, our affection for the group and it’s multi-talented members has never wavered. Unfortunately, neither has our disappointment that BiSH, in their eight years of existence, never performed an overseas live.

It is hard to not to fantasize about what could-have-been with a BiSH that didn’t sign to AVEX and subsequently focus the entirety of their attention on expanding their appeal at home at the expense of international ambitions. But then again, a BiSH that didn’t sign to a major domestic label could not have evolved into the significant force in J-Pop music, fashion, and culture that they ultimately became. As Cal reminds me: 

“BiSH ARE one of the most popular groups in Japan with a diverse range of punk and pop rock songs who changed the world for the better.”

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Chris Graduates from Team Homicidols

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the graduation of Chris, aka Toxicbreakfast, from Team Homicidols, effective immediately. Cheki tickets for Chris will not longer be honored, and we’ve already spent the money so refunds are not available. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Since we didn’t have a white-sheet-of-death graduation announcement prepared, here’s the notice from Twinkle☆Stars regarding the departure of Yuria Shirota.

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Nonamera Joins the New KAQRIYOTERROR

KAQRIYOTERROR  has announced a new four-member lineup that includes an unfamiliar face along with someone you just may recognize.

https://twitter.com/kaqriyoterror/status/1519291536537956352?s=20&t=IfK4HX19A2Xto1AUCW1V-Q

Yes, that’s Nonamera , a founding member of the then-so-named Kaqriyo Terror Architect who previously withdrew from the group in January of 2019. We also know Nonamera as a burgeoning soloist, member of the currently suspended FRUN FRIN FRIENDS  and “our Queen“.   Continue reading

Oshiloss 2021: A Short Tribute

As a final farewell to 2021, we compiled this short tribute to some of the idol units we lost but will remember forever.

An Invitation to Kurofune-chan’s Party

Fear of missing out is a big drive for idol fans, so naturally we’re here to beat you around the head with a hammer that says “FOMO” written in large, comical letters. THIS IS A ONE TIME ONLY GROUP: A collective of current and former idols from around the world, meeting for one night only. Every group has a story, but Kurofune-chan as a collective are like an entire storybook! Let’s open the pages right away then, shall we?

Say hello to Kurofune-chan!

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All Good Things Explode: BURST GIRL Announce Dissolution

In the latest episode of “COVID Ruins Everything”, BURST GIRL’s international debut has been postponed to never.  The strongest and most crazy punk idols have unexpectedly announced that they will be disbanding two weeks from now on the third of October. While three years and eight months is not a bad run for a fully self-produced, self-managed idol unit, for many of us (and the world at large), the end is coming far too soon.

Like many of you, we eagerly jumped on the BURST GIRL bandwagon from the moment of their creation having known Boss Rei, Miyako, Rinchama and Yurapico from the legendary indie-punk unit and Heaviest Idol in The World, Guso Drop.  When manager and producer Daichi-san announced Gudro’s disbandment because he couldn’t figure out how to make money with the group, the four idols must have decided they could do a better job than that, and took things into their own hands.  Continue reading

YOU’LL MELT MORE! Break Out and Celebrate 47 Cities in the East!

We’re fast approaching a new era for Yurumerumo! as Kechon (A founding member!) and Chiffon (A member since 2013!) prepare to graduate in October! Let’s face it, it’s a seismic shift for this legendary idol unit as it passes the torch to an entire pack of “Pupil More”s. Nani and Nerun, who only joined last year, are going to be the veteran members! So the next year of YMM! will be one of growth and finding their footing as the unit steps up into something new and also continues the legacy of the past.

So here we have the first live-action MV featuring all the fresh new upstarts, and what is quite possibly the final video for Chiffon and Kechon.  The song is called “47 Cities in the East” and it’s just what we love about this group. Let’s watch!

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GANG PARADE Broke Up, But GTTB Are OK

Well now. After a year of delays it finally happened and GANG PARADE are finally just another memory for all of us. But just because it’s a memory doesn’t mean it’s gone – the new GO TO THE BEDS song from their upcoming EP BLOOD COMPACT has a melody that you might have heard LAST time…

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Yukueshirezutsurezure: The End of Not Secured, Loose Ends – Memoir of a Gunjo

I have been having a harder time than anticipated processing the disbandment of Yukueshirezutsurezure on January 2nd. I had previously survived the graduation of Shidare and, just over a year ago when Komachi, the final remaining original member (and my long-time kami-oshi), disappeared for over a month without a word, I assumed that she was nearing retirement herself. So, almost a year ago, I had begun emotional preparations for this prospective eventuality. Apparently I was not as effective as I thought. 

This is primarily due to when, half-way through 2020, Tsurezure released Paradox Soar, their freshest and most progressive album in years. On it, they explored new musical genres and, I thought, had well positioned themselves for a post-Komachi Tsurezure under the extraordinarily capable leadership of Mei Yui Mei. That album, on my short list for Best of the Year, buoyed my expectations for the group. These mislaid hopes meant that, when the imminent dissolution of the group was announced at the end of November, the crash of disappointment was from a much more traumatic height. Continue reading

A WACK Way to End Christmas

If somebody ever told you that Christmas is about togetherness and family, they lied to you and you should stop talking to them. Christmas is about gifts, sometimes expected, sometimes unexpected. The culmination of the PARADISES audition gave us the expected Christmas EP featuring some of the WAgg girls and also the unexpected results:
1. Utauuta will be promoted to PARADISES
2. Tsukino Usagi will join trainee group WAgg for 6 months
3. Yuina Empire, formerly of EMPiRE, BiS2nd, BiS and CARRY LOOSE, will join WAgg

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