Banner Image: PSYCHOdelic.
It was a pretty normal week in the world of underground, alt, and indie idol which, upon reflection, made me sad since it was also the week of ASP’s last live. When Watanabe announced the end of WACK and dissolution of all of it’s groups over the course of 2026, I assumed we would be in for 12 raucous months of noisy endings. Instead, a little over four months into the year, the members of ASP are deleting their social media accounts and vanishing with a whisper.
While ASP never quite reached their full potential as the spiritual (not literal) successor to BiSH, diverting instead over the past few years into more pop territory, they were still a very significant contributor to the genre with some serious accomplishments. In the past few years they played the Budokan, held a UK tour, and dropped one of the best double-sided singles of the decade in I HATE YOU / Blueberry Gum. It would have been satisfying to see them break a few things on their way out with a nice explosion at the end. Instead of a conflagration, we got a last live at O-West.
Zenbu Kimi no Sei da. is heading back to Europe this summer for a show in Germany in early June. Tickets are on sale now.
Stalwarts of the Nagoya punk idol scene, lonlium landed the ending theme for a TV show.
Sect cross Charlie’s Angels with magical girls as they play occult detectives in their new MV.
BABYMETAL mirror unit METALVERSE have released their first digital single. As expected of a group produced by KOBAMETAL, it is a stellar piece of pop metal.
We always love NaNoMoRaL and want to hear from them more often.
“Otome no MAGiC HouR,” the new song from Kingsari, is addictive enough that this Live MV should come with warning label.
Usagi Eyes are celebrating their 1st birthday by releasing their 1st MV in support of their 1st album which drops next week.
For ten years this unit has been a steady reminder of the key assignment in life: Task have Fun.
The venerable Lion net girl who have outlasted all of the other units with “Lion” in their name, released a new album.
YOLOZ blast us with this loud ray of sunshine.
yosugala dance out an upbeat MV their new digital single.
Drawry. released this MV for “Draw a line” and now their name makes a bit more sense.
Chalca hold a dance practice session where any lunch order including a red sauce is explicitly banned.
kamisama no iu tori is one of the few units where you can choose your oshi and religion and the same time.
NANIMONO continue their quest for the title of cutest unit ever.
Would you trust any drinks served to you by Millifair?
When Title Mitei goes mainstream, we can always say that we knew them when they were just a quirky little unit from Hokkaido.
Oshiloss Corner
As previously mentioned, ASP IS OVER after performing their last live on May 4th.
XUDAN will disband its current line-up on June 29th.
Seira Kurosaka will be leaving NO❤︎AF in August.
Oshifound Corner
Meet PSYCHOdelic, the latest unit from Circle Lychee with a theme of Blood-Splattered Idol: Cute × Cruel. All of the members except for Miri are former trainees with Circle Lychee Jukusei. Additional experience in the line-up is noted below:
- Ame Satsuki (ex. Izayoi Polaris)
- Cyan Sea
- Rimu Meido
- Ama
- Qui Hakanai
- Hau Tsumiki (ex. maumau)
- Eve Nekota
- Emu Amai (ex. Kurai Sekai)
- Miri Narumiya (ex. Kurai Sekai)
They debuted and dropped their first MV last Friday, May 1st, just barely missing the deadline for inclusion in the last Weekender. They have since also released a new song.
They look like they will be fun:
PASSPO☆, one of the most dearly missed units in indie idol history, has announced a one-night reunion with all members this coming August and a Campfire campaign to help support it.
