Featured Image: RAY.
It was a brutal week, having to return to the realities of work after spending last weekend in a reality distortion bubble crafted by JIEMEI, THEΔRAREz, and a small horde of kaigai idols in LA. I pushed through, and we’re back at the weekend again where I can now relax and plot my next escape to the Idol World where all of the meetings are off-kais and the only deadlines are for VIP line-ups. Here’s a few upcoming options:
MAD JAMIE hits Europe next weekend for an extensive tour
GARUDA and YURAPICO are heading to the Netherlands and Germany in late August.
YURAPICO will then be heading to Missouri in September.
YAMIKUMO fired out an MV in support of the release of their first full album, Yamiochi. The most surprising thing about the MV is that the members don’t burst into flames in the sunlight.
RAY continue to push the art idol envelope with a self-introduction MV featuring social-media-linked QR codes obscuring the members’ faces. It’s a move straight out of the dots Tokyo playbook, inserting a critique on the conventions of idol image and the ubiquity of social media into a hypnotic piece of idol performance that also serves as an advertisement for the members and their Twitter accounts. It’s simple, brilliant, and feels important.
Is Aisagasu Eyeshadow idol or not? We’re not sure, but we do know that’s she’s dropping some of the fiercest tracks of the year, so we’re just going to keep including her until someone puts a gun to our head and makes us stop.
A – o, Let’s go! Quubi continues the most productive year of their existence following their relocation to Tokyo.
Our favorite Nagoya punks, CYCLONISTA, chuck out a maxi single.
Culture core idols NARUKAMI belt out an MV for “IZANAGI” off of their stellar new EP.
NaNoMoRaL sing a poignant song to the people they’ve never met.
FOKALITE released the B-Side of their upcoming single on streaming.
The former members of Akatsuki soldier on with their buzzy new unit ACEQUAD.
tonalia release their “Motif of Happiness” to help celebrate their third anniversary.
Osaka’s ELEVYZ released a high energy , double-sided single.
Here’s ELEVYZ agency-mates MAGMAZ live and belting out a song about the importance of getting back up when you’re kicked in the dirt.
No one can sing an emotional song about ice cream quite as well as CYNHN.
Oshiloss Corner
Ruko Tsubomi has announced that she will be leaving CHICKEN BLOW THE IDOL on August 31st as the unit enters hiatus to recruit new members. For her part, Assa Kazahana, the last remaining member, has pledged that she is determined to make the next CHIKIBLO better than ever before.
Gokigen Teikoku are disbanding for what feels like the 18th time. They are ending their current line-up and incarnation as a “girls air band” on September 12th. ☆Zebrana☆ and Ao Sushikuwasero will be leaving the group, but Ichiho Shirahata will stick around to be a part of the next Gokigen system.
Con will graduate from SiLENT←NOiSE on October 21st.
Oshifound Corner
Several videos from the last live of Minna no Kodomochan were released this week to remind us of all that we have lost.
The new line-up for YOUR ADVISORY BOARD has been unveiled. Fuka Aizawa is the only continuing member from the previous system. They debut on September 9th.
Have a Good Weekend!!
