Sukeban Deka ( スケバン 刑事 （ デカ ） , lit. "Delinquent Girl Detective") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Shinji Wada . It was serialized in Hana to Yume from 1975 to 1982 and collected into 22 volumes. Sukeban Deka has been adapted into three live-action television series, an original video animation (OVA) series, and three feature films , the last of which was released as Yo-Yo Girl Cop in 2006. It has also inspired four spin-off manga: Sukeban Deka If ( スケバン刑事ｉｆ ) , a short story collection published in 2004, and Toki o Kakeru Sukeban Deka ( 時をかけるスケバン刑事 ) , Re: Sukeban Deka ( Re:スケバン刑事 ) , and Sukeban Deka Pretend ( スケバン刑事 Pretend ) , three ongoing series that premiered in Monthly Princess in 2021.
182-445: Onyanko Club ( おニャン子クラブ , Onyanko Kurabu , "Kitty Club") was a large all-girl Japanese pop idol group in the 1980s. Some members of the group participated in spin-off groups, such as Nyangilas , Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi and Ushirogami Hikaretai . Many of the latter two groups' songs were used as theme songs of the popular 80s anime series High School! Kimengumi and Tsuide ni Tonchinkan . Several big-name idols stemmed from
364-474: A double feature with film Sorobanzuku starring Japanese comedy duo Tunnels , who also was a regular on Yūyake Nyan Nyan . The group's film includes scenes from the concert at Yokohama Stadium , rehearsals and backstage . In partnership with the show Yūyake Nyan Nyan , teen magazine Seventeen ran its annual idol/model audition entitled “1986 Miss Seventeen with Onyanko” in August. The winner of
546-454: A "graduation ceremony" for Nitta, Nagoya, Fukunaga, Yoshizawa and Yamamoto was held. It was recorded earlier as on the same day the group was having concerts at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo as part of the second nationwide concert tour. On 25 and 26 September, which were the final dates of the tour, Nitta, Nagoya, Fukunaga, Yoshizawa and Yamamoto concluded their activities as Onyanko Club members with
728-460: A "massively popular gang girl series", and has sold over 20 million copies in Japan. Erica Friedman of Yuricon classified it as "one of the three classic girl-gang series" along with Hana no Asuka-gumi and Yajikita Gakuen Dōchūki . Moreover, Friedman said Sukeban Deka influenced both and is "the origin of the whole girl-gang madness that filled the 1980s". She also stated the series paved
910-438: A closeness between idols and fans, some talent agencies offer meet-and-greets in the form of handshake events , where fans have the opportunity to shake hands, take a photograph, and speak briefly with the idols. AKB48 's business model created more opportunities for fan interactions with their "idols you can meet" concept. An example of this are their elections, where fans can vote for their favorite member, thereby including
1092-530: A darker image than that of the idol scene norm. Beginning in the mid-to-late 2010s, the Japanese idol industry crossed over with K-pop with the third Korean wave in Japan, which was sparked partially from positive reception of the Japanese members of the South Korean group Twice . In the years that followed, several Japanese and South Korean companies collaborated to form K-pop influenced groups for
1274-470: A day at Nippon Budokan. The concert at Nippon Budokan was recorded and aired on Fuji TV on 5 April as well as released as a video by Pony Inc. in May 1986. On the same day as the final date of the concert tour, Nyangilas ' first single "Watashi wa Rika-chan" was released by Warner-Pioneer . The subgroup's members were Aki Kihara, Mika Nagoya, Rika Tatsumi and Mako Shiraishi. Prior to the subgroup formation, there
1456-686: A demand for idols over the industry's growth. Work schedules for idols have been criticized for being excessive, as idols are expected to work even when sick. Miki Gonobe from Nikkan Sports noted that idols generally do not have a labor union and agencies see no need for one, as they view idol activities akin to extracurricular activities at school. She voiced concerns about young girls becoming idols at an early age, especially elementary school students. In addition, Sasetsu Takeda of GQ Japan criticized some idol managements for intentionally preventing their talents from taking time off, mentioning it "strange" that idols are only notified of their assignments
1638-472: A global consumer base, such as Iz*One , JO1 , and NiziU . Passionate male fans of idols are colloquially referred to as wota ( ヲタ ) , derived from the word " otaku ." Beginning in the 1980s, they formed cheering groups known as bodyguards ( 親衛隊 , shin'eitai ) to support idols at concerts and public appearances. During these events, the wota perform wotagei , an organized sequence of fan chants and dancing to show appreciation for
1820-454: A group are often given a farewell concert known as "graduations" ( 卒業式 , sotsugyō-shiki ) . The term originated from the idol group Onyanko Club , as the group's youthful concept drew similarities to an after-school club, and the fact that Miharu Nakajima 's final single before retirement was released around graduation season in Japan. Prior to the 1980s, the terms "retirement" and "disbandment" were used. "Graduation" saw usage again in
2002-486: A host of the program, had been provoking Dump Matsumoto , a female professional wrestler who is well known as a heel , by abusing her over the phone. On April 19, while he was provoking her as usual, Matsumoto suddenly burst into the studio with a Shinai in her hand. Kataoka fled around the studio, then timidly repeated his apology to her. Seeing this, Onyanko Club members Sayuri Kokushō , Mika Nagoya , Satomi Fukunaga , and Sonoko Kawai broke into tears. This happening
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#17327985647432184-531: A member of the House of Councillors , having been elected from the Tokyo at-large district on July 10, 2022. Shizuka Kudo went on to have chart-topping hits in the 80s and 90s. Rika Tatsumi graduated from Tokai University and launched a career as a sales representative at Pony Canyon promoting artists' releases including Kudo's in the Tokyo and Nagoya areas. Japanese idol An idol ( アイドル , aidoru )
2366-411: A mix of video game livestreaming , entertainment, and music. The idol system has been criticized for its strict rules, intense work schedules, and offering idols little control over their personal lives. The system has been likened to salarymen in Japan who are unable to disobey their employers. Labor rights activist Shohei Sakagura stated that idols get very little revenue and are ill-prepared for
2548-523: A model for other pop idol industries, such as K-pop . Sub-categories of idols include gravure idols , junior idols , net idols , idol voice actors , virtual idols , AV idols , alternative idols , underground idols, Akiba-kei idols, local idols, bandols, and Japanese- South Korean idols . An idol is a type of entertainer whose image is manufactured to cultivate a dedicated consumer fan following. Talent agencies commercialize idols by recruiting preteens and teenagers with little or no experience in
2730-738: A music school established by Masaaki Hirao, who was a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and music producer in the Japanese pop music industry, and took vocal lessons in the pre-Onyanko Club years. It was one of the reasons why she had many lead vocal parts in the group's earlier recordings. Compilation album Merry X'mas for You was released by CBS/Sony records on 5 December. It contains six songs and consists of newly released song "Merry X'mas for You" sung together by CBS/Sony Records artists Sonoko Kawai , Sayuri Kokusho , Sanae Jounouchi and Minayo Watanabe as well as Epic/Sony Records artist Marina Watanabe , and five previously released songs, each sung individually by them. The album reached number three on
2912-545: A rehaul in Seiko Matsuda 's public image. Namie Amuro , who gained fame as the lead singer of Super Monkey's , found popularity among young girls who emulated her appearance. At the same time, Speed also found a fan following. However, neither Amuro nor Speed referred to themselves under the idol label. While idols appeared less in mainstream media, the popularity of Onyanko Club from the 1980s led to an increase of idol groups with large numbers of members debuting in
3094-412: A release event entitled "Sweet Little Sixteen" for the album was held at Nippon Budokan on 15 February with a total of about 10,000 attendees who pre-ordered the album and won tickets to the event. Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi 's compilation album ∞ {\displaystyle \infty } ( Unlimited ) was released by Canyon Records on 11 March. The album consists of all of its six singles,
3276-849: A result of reported injury and concerns over possible stampede, the event was canceled at the last minute before a scheduled start time. In the same month, the group's member Sonoko Kawai (number 12) made her appearance as a supporting character in the episodes 11 and 12 of Fuji TV's live-action TV series Sukeban Deka . Subsequently, it was announced on Yūyake Nyan Nyan that Kawai's first solo single would be released in September. The single " Namida no Jasmine LOVE " and its B-side "Koi no Chapter A to Z" were premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on August 12 and August 19, respectively. The B-side features four Onyanko Club members as backing vocals: Sayuri Kokusho, Mika Nagoya (number 9), Mamiko Takai (number 16) and Sanae Jōnouchi (number 17). In late August, producers of
3458-557: A six-volume aizōban edition between March 3, 1987, and April 29, 1987, and a twelve-volume bunkoban edition between March 23, 1995, and June 21, 1995. The last reprint was done by Media Factory , who published twelve collected volumes between August 23, 2004, and July 23, 2005. Wada published two Sukeban Deka short stories set in a parallel universe in the October 1998 and May 1999 issues of Hakusensha 's Melody magazine. He published two more installments in
3640-504: A solo career as an entertainer in the future and wanted to live an ordinary life as a high school student like most people do. By the end of 1986, singles of the group, its members, "graduated" members and subgroups topped the Oricon 's Japanese single chart in 36 weeks out of the 52 weeks in the year. Out of the total 46 singles that topped the chart during 1986, 30 singles were Onyanko Club-related ones. All of their studio albums released in
3822-535: A specific concept appealing to certain audiences. The popularity of young female singers can be traced back to Sayuri Yoshinaga in the 1960s, as well as the Takarazuka Revue and theater shows from the Meiji era . In 1962, Johnny Kitagawa founded Johnny & Associates and created the group Johnnys , which is retroactively considered the first idol group in Japan. He is also credited with pioneering
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#17327985647434004-410: A specific concept appealing to different audiences. To celebrate the diversity of idols, AKB48, Shoko Nakagawa , and Leah Dizon performed a medley called "Special Medley: Latest Japan Proud Culture" at the 58th Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2007, introduced as " Akiba-kei idols" with each act described as a different sub-genre of idols. The idol industry experienced a rapid growth in the beginning of
4186-420: A total of 96,673 attendees in the whole tour. Tickets of the first concert tour didn't get to general sale as they were sold out to fan club "Konyanko Club" members only. On 21 March, Kawai's third single " Aoi Stashion " was released by CBS/Sony Records. It topped the single chart for two consecutive weeks and eventually became the most successful single out of all of the group's and member's singles released while
4368-493: A total of about 6,500 attendees, 1,500 of whom were lining up overnight for entry. The single debuted at number one on the single chart. Onyanko Club member number 17 Sanae Jounouchi's first solo single "Ajisai Bashi" was released by CBS/Sony Records on 11 June. The single was categorized as enka , which is a Japanese music genre and considered as traditional Japanese popular music as opposed to other music genres influenced by Western pop and rock music. It debuted at number one on
4550-485: A total of some 200,000 attendees. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 30 March, a "graduation ceremony" for Kihara, Kokusho, Utsumi, Tatsumi and Takai was held. On 4 and 5 April, which were the final dates of the tour, Kihara, Kokusho, Utsumi, Tatsumi and Takai concluded their activities as Onyanko Club members with the group's concerts at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya , Tokyo. The concerts were recorded and released as
4732-681: A video by Pony Inc. in May. Also on 3 June, live album Onyanko Sailing Yumekoujyou '87 LIVE of the concerts was released in three formats: vinyl , cassette and compact disc, which were released by Canyon Records, Epic/Sony Records and CBS/Sony Records, respectively. The album in each format contains a slightly different set of tracks. As a new school year started in April, Onyanko Club B-Gumi members Mitsuko Yoshimi, Miyuki Sugiura and Kumiko Miyano, who all became high school students, were advanced to Onyanko Club on 6 April. Yoshimi, Sugiura and Miyano were assigned numbers 49, 50 and 51, respectively. Prior to
4914-495: A way of having a long-term relationship without the prospect of supporting a family or dealing with awkwardness outside of a controlled environment. The idol fan culture idealizes the idea of moe , where vulnerability is seen as an attractive trait. Using idols from Johnny & Associates as an example, male idols appeal to female fans by representing a pseudo-romantic ideal for them. However, there are some female fans, particularly in Japan, who prefer to put themselves in
5096-512: A year. Beginning in the 1980s, companies would compete to secure contracts for idols in dramas, which led to the current four-season television cour in Japan. Variety, talk, and music shows also became popular, in part for featuring idols as guests or the stars of the show. The idol industry has crossed over to anime and video games. Using a media mix strategy, various multimedia projects have used fictional idols to market Japanese pop culture and anison music. The series Creamy Mami,
5278-482: Is a type of entertainer marketed for image, attractiveness, and personality in Japanese pop culture . Idols are primarily singers with training in other performance skills such as acting, dancing, and modeling. Idols are commercialized through merchandise and endorsements by talent agencies , while maintaining a parasocial relationship with a financially loyal consumer fan base. Japan's idol industry first emerged in
5460-499: Is considered one of the highlights of the program. In less than three weeks from the launch of the show, six members were caught in photos taken by a photographer of tabloid magazine Shūkan Bunshun while they were hanging out and smoking in a kissaten (Japanese-style café) near Fuji TV's old headquarters in Shinjuku , Tokyo . They stopped appearing on the show from 18 April. Eventually, five of them were officially dismissed from
5642-469: Is the style of the Mizuchi sisters' eyes, an example being Reimi Mizuchi, whose eyes would often shift to show off a more villainous appearance, or would narrow like a snake's. Saki Asamiya is given a chance to delay her mother's execution by working as an undercover cop and infiltrating Takanoha High School to investigate some mysterious deaths among the student body. Once there, she comes face-to-face with
Onyanko Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
5824-533: Is their relationship with fans, and they are marketed intentionally by talent agencies to have a high emotional connection with their consumer fan base. Fans are built as active supporters into the narrative of the idol's journey to become a professional entertainer, viewing them as siblings, daughters/sons, or girl/boy next door types due to how easily they can relate to the public. One documented example are fans of female idols, typically consisting of men from 30 to 40 years of age, who seek interactions with them as
6006-591: Is written and illustrated by Saori Muronaga. It premiered in the February 2021 issue of Monthly Princess on January 6, 2021. The second, Re: Sukeban Deka ( Re:スケバン刑事 ) , is written and illustrated by Ashibi Fukui [ ja ] . It premiered in the March 2021 issue of the magazine on February 5, 2021. The third, Sukeban Deka Pretend ( スケバン刑事 Pretend ) , is written by Sai Ihara [ ja ] and illustrated by Shingi Hosokawa. It premiered in
6188-504: The Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. In the late 2000s, Vocaloid software Hatsune Miku was received positively among amateur music producers, who used her as an avatar to perform their compositions, influencing Akiba-kei music. In the early 2010s, idol-themed multimedia projects, such as Love Live! , The Idolmaster , and Uta no Prince-sama , became popular. Professor Marc Steinberg suggested that
6370-437: The Oricon 's Japanese album chart. In the meantime, television advertisements featuring Onyanko Club member number 40 Akiko Ikuina for Japanese convenience store Lawson 's chicken nugget product "Karaage Kun" were premiered on-air on 8 December. In the advertisements, song "Heart ni Bokin wo" was used. At that time, it was generally expected by fans that the song would be released as Ikuina's debut solo single because her name
6552-500: The 1960s and became prominent in the 1970s and 1980s due to television. During the 1980s, regarded as the "Golden Age of Idols", idols drew in commercial interest and began appearing in commercials and television dramas. As more niche markets began to appear in the late 2000s and early 2010s, it led to a significant growth in the industry known as the "Idol Warring Period." Today, over 10,000 teenage girls in Japan are idols, with over 3,000 groups active. Japan's idol industry has been used as
6734-716: The 1980s to be known as the "Golden Age of Idols", in part due to Japan's economic bubble and growing commercial interest in them. Several figures who defined the Golden Age of Idols are Seiko Matsuda , Akina Nakamori , Kyōko Koizumi , and Onyanko Club . Television programs in which idols appeared often enjoyed high viewer ratings. Dentsu also created the "CM idol" business model , where idols were able to gain fame by singing and appearing in commercials. Onyanko Club, in particular, shifted public perception of idols from professional stars to ordinary schoolgirls who would gain experience throughout their career. They were also
6916-409: The 1980s, uses idols' public image as a marketing asset. As the career of idols are dependent on their image, contracting offices create their image based upon trends in the market and with the intent of generating as much revenue as possible. Along with promoting products, commercials are also a cross-platform to promote idols at the same time by keeping both brand and idol product in the forefront of
7098-454: The 1990s during the revival of idol groups when Tsunku , who produced the group Morning Musume , used the term as a euphemism regarding one of the members leaving the group. An idol having a "graduation" ceremony is seen more favorably than terminating a contract or voluntarily withdrawing, as the latter two terms are negatively connoted with scandals. The diversity of Japan's idol industry has created several sub-category markets, each with
7280-495: The 1990s, performing under independent record labels. These idols became known as underground idols. Because of the lack of publicity over idols on television, many turned to the Internet. Johnny & Associates observed the popularity of former Shibugakitai member Hirohide Yakumaru's success as an MC on variety shows, which prompted them to develop and market their current acts with distinct public personalities. Groups from
7462-465: The 2010s, and the media coined the nickname "Idol Warring Period" ( アイドル戦国時代 , Aidoru Sengoku Jidai ) to describe the phenomenon. Lawyer Kunitaka Kasai cited the Internet as a reason for the rapid growth of idols, as anyone can upload videos onto websites, and AKB48's business model encouraged this even further through creating more opportunities for fan interactivity. The 2013 television drama Amachan also inspired more idol groups to appear,
Onyanko Club - Misplaced Pages Continue
7644-477: The 52nd Onyanko Club member. Within the following two months it turned out that she was the last member to join the group. Onyanko Club's eighth single " Katatsumuri Samba " was premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 28 April. Front vocals for the single were Harumi Tomikawa, Shizuka Kudo, Mitsuko Yoshimi and Miyuki Sugiura. Ushirogami Hikaretai's first single released on 7 May and Onyanko Club's eighth single released on 21 May both by Canyon Records debuted at number one on
7826-467: The August 5, 1975 ( No. 15) issue of Hana to Yume magazine. Later, Sukeban Deka became a serial , starting in the January 5, 1976 ( No. 1) issue of the same magazine, released in 1975. Disappointed by the fact he could never end a complete serial before, Wada planned earlier in production a dramatic final scene in which the protagonist would die. The last chapter of this original planning
8008-455: The February 5, 1979 ( No. 3) issue, announced as a "new series". The manga ran regularly in Hana to Yume until its December 5, 1982 ( No. 24) issue. Since the original serialization, Sukeban Deka has been printed in four different collected editions; the original twenty-two volume tankōbon publication started on April 20, 1976, and ended on April 25, 1983. Hakusensha released
8190-523: The Kazama Sisters , which featured the characters in a more traditional plot and gave conclusion to their series. Two feature films of the TV series were made, followed by a sequel 18 years later. Released in 1991, the original video animation (OVA) follows closely the events of the first volumes of the manga. It is drawn in the style of the manga, particularly the character designs. One such example
8372-467: The Magic Angel was the first notable anime series to use a media mix marketing strategy, where Takako Ōta would provide the voice to the main character and portray her at music events; the series was used as a vehicle to launch her singing career. The first fictional idol to cross over to mainstream media is Lynn Minmay from Macross , whose 1984 single, " Ai Oboete Imasu ka ", charted at #7 on
8554-652: The March and April 2003 issues of Media Factory's Monthly Comic Flapper magazine. Media Factory later collected the chapters in a tankōbon volume titled Sukeban Deka If ( スケバン刑事ｉｆ ) , which they published under the MF Comics imprint on June 23, 2004. In 2021, almost a decade after Wada's death, Akita Shoten launched three spin-off manga series in Monthly Princess magazine. The first, Toki o Kakeru Sukeban Deka ( 時をかけるスケバン刑事 , lit. "The Delinquent Girl Detective Who Leapt Through Time") ,
8736-458: The OVA was "a middle of the road release". Helen McCarthy in 500 Essential Anime Movies states that the characters "are nicely drawn", the blossoming relationship between Saki and Sanpei "is handled convincingly", and that "teenagers will relate to the story's themes of betrayal, powerlessness, and being an outsider". Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy's The Anime Encyclopedia description of
8918-521: The Oricon's Japanese single chart. It was the first instance in the chart's history that a single in the category of enka went straight to number one on the single chart in the first week of release. As of 2023 the single remains as the only debut single in the category of enka that debuted at number one on the single chart. Nyangilas ' second single " Jibun de Yuunomo Nandesukeredo " was released by Warner-Pioneer on 21 June. It went straight to number one on
9100-507: The Oricon's LP chart. A week later, Onyanko Club's fifth and final studio album Circle was released as a double album on August 5 by Kirigirisu Records, a label established for the group and owned jointly by Canyon Records, For Life Records, CBS/Sony Records and EPIC/Sony Records. The first disc consists of 14 newly released songs: four songs sung individually by the group's four members who made their solo debut earlier, seven songs sung individually by seven "graduated" members, one song sung by
9282-529: The Oricon's album chart. Meanwhile, Watanabe's first single was released by CBS/Sony Records on 16 July and debuted at number one on the single chart. The group's second nationwide concert tour entitled "Onyanko Panic" began at Yokohama Stadium in Yokohama , Kanagawa on 19 July. In the stadium concert, the group announced on stage that five members Eri Nitta, Mika Nagoya, Satomi Fukunaga, Akie Yoshizawa and Kumiko Susan Yamamoto (number 32) would "graduate" from
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#17327985647439464-432: The September 2021 issue of Monthly Princess on August 6, 2021. The television series, though technically one series made up of three seasons, are essentially self-contained and separate, aside from sharing the same basic themes and premise, and starring popular Japanese idol singers in the main roles, each one replacing the previous as the new Saki Asamiya, taking on her cover identity and yo-yo weapon. Sukeban Deka ,
9646-418: The TV series aired from 7 November 1985, to 23 October 1986. The single peaked at number eight on the single chart. In November, producers of Yūyake Nyan Nyan teamed up with producers of Nippon Broadcasting System ’s radio show Miyake Yuuji no Yangu Paradaisu (Yuuji Miyake’s Young Paradise) and held a special audition on Yūyake Nyan Nyan to look for new Onyanko Club members who would be campaign girls for
9828-486: The advancement, they participated in Onyanko Club's third nationwide concert tour in March and April and made their concert debut. Onyanko Club's third subgroup Ushirogami Hikaretai started performing its first single " Toki no Kawa wo Koete " on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 13 April. Its members were Shizuka Kudo , Akiko Ikuina and Makiko Saito. It was formed as a successor to Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi , which disbanded on
10010-553: The afternoon show on the 20th was broadcast live on Fuji TV. The whole evening show on the 20th was recorded and released as a video by Pony Canyon on 31 October. By the time of the disbandment, 43 of 71 singles of the group, its members, "graduated" members and subgroups topped the Oricon 's Japanese single chart. Members who had their solo singles and/or albums earlier and the subgroup Ushirogami Hikaretai continued to expand their activities with more music releases and media appearances. Several members had their first solo singles after
10192-433: The atypical level of violence and sex for a shōjo manga. She also noted the mix of shōnen and shōjo art style, and concluded that it is a shōjo that can appeal for the shōnen public. Carlos Ross, writing about the OVA for THEM Anime Reviews , stated that Sukeban Deka "is Asian action drama faithfully translated into the cel medium, and done well, to boot." Chris Beveridge, writing for Mania Entertainment , felt
10374-564: The audition "1986 Miss Seventeen with Onyanko" held in August, as well as Mayumi Yamazaki (B-Gumi number 5), who won a weekly audition on the TV show Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 25 September. The group made its television debut on the show on 29 September. Onyanko Club member number 36 Marina Watanabe 's first solo single " Shinkokyu-shite " was released by Epic/Sony Records under the name of "Watanabe Marina with Onyanko Club" on 8 October. Two Onyanko Club members Shizuka Kudo (number 38) and Akiko Ikuina (number 40) were selected as backing vocals for
10556-428: The audition was Noriko Kaise, who was assigned number 41. Makiko Saito, Toshie Moriya and Naoko Takada, who all were runners-up of the audition, also became Onyanko Club members and were assigned numbers 42, 43 and 44, respectively. They made their television debut on the show on 29 September. Fukunaga's second solo single " Heart no Ignition " was premiered on the weekly show Yūshoku Nyan Nyan on 12 September. The song
10738-408: The availability of having home television sets gave audiences greater accessibility of seeing idols at any time compared to going to theaters. Momoe Yamaguchi , Junko Sakurada , Saori Minami , and Mari Amachi , some of the idols recruited through television, were some of the more popular figures of this era, along with groups such as Candies and Pink Lady . Saori Minami, who debuted in 1971,
10920-435: The beginning, the group consisted of nine high school girls and two high school graduates, namely Sayuri Kokusho (number 8) and Satomi Fukunaga (number 11). They were selected from participants in two special episodes of Fuji TV's weekly late-night show All Night Fuji. The two episodes entitled All Night Fuji: High School Girl Special ( オールナイトフジ女子高生スペシャル , Ōru Naito Fuji Joshi Kōsei Supesharu ) were produced as pilots of
11102-791: The center position in the group's choreography and thus receives the most focus. Another example is the leader, usually relegated to the oldest or most experienced member in the group, who acts as an intermediary for the members and the staff. Idols are seen as role models to the public, and their personal lives and image can sometimes be tightly controlled by their talent agencies. Common restrictions include not being allowed to smoke or drink in public, or pursue romantic relationships. Idols generally perform in elaborate costumes for specific performances. Costumes are created for each song in their promotion cycle, as well as graduation events, and some groups have their own in-house costume designer. AKB48 , in particular, has had over 1,102 costumes created for
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#173279856474311284-426: The cities except Tokyo, one to four "graduated" members made guest appearances and performed a few of their own songs. On 12 August, Ushirogami Hikaretai 's second single " Anata wo Shiritai " was released by Canyon Records. The single and its B-side were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV's anime High School! Kimengumi . It debuted at number two on the single chart. Two days before
11466-441: The company began gaining more attention, drawing in fans from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and their marketing success led to many other idols doing the same. In the mid-1990s, there was an increase in young idols in the elementary school age, which the media described as the "Chidol (child idol) Boom." The term "chidol" was coined by journalist Akio Nakamori in the magazine Weekly Spa! In the 2000s, "chidol" saw fewer usage, and it
11648-533: The concert tour was recorded and released as a video by Pony Inc. in January 1987. Kokusho also had a concert at Ryougoku Kokugikan in Sumida , Tokyo on 24 December as the final show of her first solo concert tour entitled "Dash Kokusho!" It was recorded and released as a video by CBS/Sony Home Video in April 1987. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 25 December, a "graduation ceremony" for Mami Yumioka (number 34), Takako Okamoto (number 35) and Maki Takabatake (number 39)
11830-459: The consumers' minds. Pitches for commercials are often made with a specific idol who matches the company's image in mind. Idols contracted to particular brands are expected to uphold the brand's image and may not work for competing brands or networks; the agreement extends to magazine advertisements, online videos, and appearances in dramas. Idols may also provide the music or jingle for commercials. The idol industry makes approximately $ 1 billion
12012-411: The course of their careers and with support from their fans. Despite being trained in multiple roles in entertainment, idols in Japan are not expected to meet the high standards of performances that professionals in their fields do. Because of their manufactured image, idols are generally not regarded as authentic artists. Likewise, many young Japanese artists pursuing careers in acting or music reject
12194-479: The daily TV show since winning the aforementioned audition until she graduated from her high school in March 1986 as a result of the school's restrictions on her show business activities. For the same reason, Harumi Tomikawa also was not allowed to appear on the TV show from January to May 1986 even though she was able to participate in the group's certain activities, such as photo shoots, recording sessions and concert performances. Onyanko Club's third single " Jā ne "
12376-440: The disbandment. On 21 November 1987, Onyanko Club member number 48 Kayo Agatsuma's first solo single "Private wa Dangerous" was released by CBS/Sony Records. It reached number nine on the single chart. Onyanko Club B-Gumi member number 5 Mayumi Yamazaki's first solo single "Hitomi wo Mitsumete" was released by Polydor Records (Japan) on 1 April 1988. Ushirogami Hikaretai member Akiko Ikuina 's first solo single " Mugiwara de Dance "
12558-530: The early 2000s. When AKB48 debuted in 2006, the group used a school concept and the members have performed in various stylized costumes based on school uniforms. Since then, other groups have used stylized school uniforms as costumes, such as AKB48's sister groups, Sakura Gakuin , and Sakurazaka46 , with some modifications to suit the groups' image and choreography. In 2017, Nihon Tarento Meikan noted that stylized school uniforms being used as costumes gained popularity through AKB48 due to their unique designs,
12740-407: The early 2010s, the diversification of the idol industry led to several acts mixing pop music with other musical genres such as alternative rock and heavy metal ; this was pioneered by Bis and Seiko Oomori and was given the sub-category " alternative idol " by English-speaking publications. They have also been known for utilising shock value to gain public and media attention and making use of
12922-606: The end of a late arc unrelated to the Mizuchi sisters, the series produced an early ending in which Saki seemingly died in a burning building along with her enemy Remi Mizuchi. The popularity of the first series allowed it to be followed up by Sukeban Deka II: The Legend of the Girl In The Iron Mask ( スケバン刑事II 少女鉄仮面伝説 ) in November 1985. This sequel starred Yoko Minamino , as Saito chose not to return in order to focus on her singing career. In accordance, although
13104-428: The entertainment industry, and market them as aspiring stars. Idols are marketed for their image, attractiveness, and personalities. An idol's main objective is to "sell dreams", offering fans a form of escapism from the troubles of daily life. Idols are predominantly singers, but are also often trained in acting, dancing, and modeling. This style of recruiting and training was pioneered by Johnny Kitagawa ,
13286-653: The fall and winter of 1985, Kawai expanded her solo activities with her second single " Ochiba no Crescendo " released on 21 November and her first solo album Sonoko released on 5 December both by CBS/Sony Records. She also started appearing as a supporting character in Fuji TV's drama TV series The Mirror of Janus (ヤヌスの鏡), which was adaptation from the manga series, aired from 4 December 1985, to 16 April 1986, and had her first solo concert at Gold Hall at Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Shinagawa , Tokyo on 28 December. The concert
13468-486: The fans directly into the members' individual success. Because idols share an intimate relationship with their fans, fans may feel "betrayed" if idols reveal unfavorable parts of their personal lives that are different from the image they present, or break the illusion that they are there exclusively for fans. Idols often appear in advertising, with 50–70% of commercials in Japan featuring an idol. The "CM idol" business model, conceptualized by advertising agency Dentsu in
13650-402: The film sold more than a million copies in Japan. Vartan was heralded for her youthful, adorable looks and musical talent, leading the Japanese entertainment industry to assign the word "idol" to singers who shared a similar aesthetic. Television greatly impacted the popularity of the idol phenomenon, as beginning in the 1970s, many idols were recruited through audition programs. In addition,
13832-459: The final date of Onyanko Club's concert tour earlier in the same month. Like Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi's singles, the first single of Ushirogami Hikaretai and its B-side, with music composed by Tsugutoshi Goto and lyrics written by Yasushi Akimoto , were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV 's anime High School! Kimengumi . In the meantime, Wakako Suzuki won a weekly audition on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 17 April and became
14014-474: The first feature movie of the franchise was released, Sukeban Deka The Movie , which acted as a crossover between II and III (it also starred Ayako Kobayashi, the winner of a national audition grand prix), but it didn't help the franchise to recover its success. Ninja Girl Romance had its last episode in October 1987, and it was only followed by the feature film Sukeban Deka the Movie 2: Counter-Attack from
14196-442: The first group to introduce a "graduation system", where older members would eventually leave the group while newer inexperienced members would join, with the system being named such as the group drew similarities to a school club. Onyanko Club also led to idols becoming closely associated with television due to the popularity of their variety show, as the visual component became important to the overall enjoyment of their music. At
14378-449: The first in popularity, lasting 42 episodes and bringing the possibility of a third installment. After the closure of the second season, Toei conceived an independent spin-off named Sukeban Ninpucho ( スケバン刑事 ) to air before Sukeban Deka III . It would be based around ninjas , taking inspiration from Sho Kosugi 's ninja cinema and Shinji Wada's own manga Ninja Flight , as well as from Star Wars . However, early into production it
14560-408: The first series from 1985, starred Yuki Saito as the titular character Saki Asamiya. Saito's own song " Shiroi Honō " was used as the theme song. Actress Yasuko Endō played Ayumi Mizuchi. Lasting 24 episodes, the series adapted the first part of the manga and was relatively faithful to it, only changing minor points, though it deviated more towards its conclusion. Unlike the manga, where Saki died at
14742-426: The first single's front cover insert were printed with the name before Kazuji Kasai, a producer of Yūyake Nyan Nyan, decided to change it to Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi, which was part of the song's lyrics written by Akimoto. The first single peaked at number five on the Japanese single chart. On 21 October, Onyanko Club's second single " Oyoshi ni Natte ne Teacher " was released by Canyon Records. It debuted at number two on
14924-421: The first time in the group's recordings, such as "Dare no Seikana" sung by Iwai, Kudo and Ikuina and "One-side Game" sung by Shiraishi, Ikuina, Kaise and Saito as front vocals. Five days after the release of the group's fourth album, Marina Watanabe 's first solo album MARINA was released by Epic/Sony Records on 26 February. Both albums topped the album chart. Prior to the release of Watanabe's first solo album,
15106-540: The founder of Johnny & Associates , and has since been used in other pop idol industries such as Korean idols in K-pop . Idols often spend time isolated from family and friends while enduring busy work schedules, with some agencies withholding job assignments from their talents and notifying them of work on short notice to prevent them from taking time off. Some talent agencies do not rigorously train their idols and market them as amateurs who will gain experience over
15288-420: The group in April. Kokusho, Utsumi and Takai would move on to pursue their solo careers while Kihara and Tatsumi decided to retire from the music and entertainment industry. Onyanko Club's seventh single " No More Ren'ai Gokko " was premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 9 January. Front vocals for the single were Harumi Tomikawa, Ruriko Nagata, Yukiko Iwai and Mako Shiraishi. Released by Canyon Records on 21 January,
15470-706: The group in September. Nitta, Nagoya, Fukunaga and Yoshizawa would move on to pursue their solo careers as a singer and/or actress while Yamamoto decided to retire from the music and entertainment industry and finish college. On 21 and 22 July, the group had more stadium concerts at Hankyu Nishinomiya Stadium in Nishinomiya , Hyogo . For the second tour, they subsequently performed in Hiroshima , Nagoya , Shizuoka , Fukuoka , Niigata , Fukui , Nagano , Sendai and Sapporo in August and in Tokyo in September. On 21 July, Onyanko Club's fifth single " Osaki ni Shitsurei "
15652-641: The group since 2017. The outfits worn by female idols are generally described as "cute", while outfits worn by male idols are described as "cool." Among many idol groups, school uniforms have been used as a standard costume. The integration of school uniforms in the idol industry originated from Onyanko Club , who debuted in 1985 with a concept based on school. Following their disbandment in 1987, other groups began adopting school uniforms as costumes, such as CoCo and Ribbon , two groups put together by Fuji TV 's audition programs, followed by Seifuku Kōjō Iinkai [ ja ] in 1992 and Morning Musume in
15834-473: The group was active. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 31 March, a "graduation ceremony" for Nakajima and Kawai was held, which was recorded earlier as on the same day the group was having two shows a day at Nippon Budokan in Chiyoda , Tokyo as part of the nationwide concert tour. On 1 April, which was the final date of the tour, Nakajima and Kawai concluded their activities as Onyanko Club members with three shows
16016-443: The group without announcement as a result of underage smoking as of 25 April; one member was not smoking in the incident. The group's debut single " Sailor Fuku o Nugasanai de " was premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 3 June. Lead vocalists (hereinafter referred to as "front vocals") for the single were Eri Nitta (number 4), Miharu Nakajima (number 5), Satomi Fukunaga and Kazuko Utsumi (number 13). Released by Canyon Records on 5 July,
16198-621: The group's concerts at Nippon Budokan. Also, the subgroup Nyangilas disbanded as a result of Nagoya's departure from Onyanko Club. The concert on 26 September was recorded and aired on Fuji TV on 3 November as well as released as a DVD in October 2003 by Pony Canyon . In September, Onyanko Club B-Gumi, which was a junior version of Onyanko Club and consisted of junior high school girls, was formed. "B-Gumi" means "class B". The members were Mitsuko Yoshimi (B-Gumi number 1), Miyuki Sugiura (B-Gumi number 2), Kumiko Miyano (B-Gumi number 3) and Hiroko Tominaga (B-Gumi number 4), all of whom were runners-up of
16380-559: The group's dating ban to similar dating bans for baseball teams competing at the Kōshien , where dating is seen as a distraction from preparing for tournaments. On the other hand, critics have suggested a dating ban is implemented in order to sell a fantasy of idols being accessible to their fans and disagreed with them for being inhumane. The Japan Times noted that aside from talent agencies, idol fan culture has contributed to this, especially with male fans of female idols; male fans buy into
16562-554: The group's recordings, such as "Suki ni Nattemo Kurenai" sung by Aki Kihara, Mika Nagoya and Rika Tatsumi (number 15) and "Ren'ai Omimai Moushiagemasu" sung by Harumi Tomikawa, Sanae Jounouchi and Ruriko Nagata. The group's first nationwide concert tour began at Hokkaido Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Sapporo , Hokkaido on 16 March. Subsequently they performed in Hiroshima , Nagoya , Sendai , Osaka and Tokyo and had 14 shows in total with
16744-472: The group, and Nagata filed a counter lawsuit for libel and resigned several days later. On February 10, 2020, the Tokyo District Court dismissed his claims and ordered him to pay ¥1.1 million to the woman in damages. Most idols are not allowed to form romantic relationships or must obtain permission from their agencies to get married. Yasushi Akimoto , the producer of AKB48 , likened
16926-434: The group; one of the best known being Shizuka Kudo . The group was produced by Hiroshi Ishida and Kazuji Kasai, both of whom were producers of Fuji TV's show Yūyake Nyan Nyan. The group made its television debut on the first episode of Fuji TV 's daily live television variety show Yūyake Nyan Nyan ( "Sunset Meow Meow" , 夕やけニャンニャン ) on 1 April 1985. The show was aired from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. In
17108-548: The idea of " moe ", which fetishizes weakness and submissiveness while asserting "complete control" over the girls' sexual independence. Several idols who were confirmed to have been dismissed, suspended, demoted, or forced to leave their groups following reports of them dating or having sexual relations include Mari Yaguchi , Ai Kago , Aya Hirano , Rino Sashihara , and Minami Minegishi . Minegishi, in particular, caught international media attention after her apology video went viral, causing international criticism over
17290-410: The idol label in their bid to be seen as professionals. Music from idol singers is generally categorized under J-pop , though talent agencies may label them under the sub-genre "idol pop" for further distinction. Many idol singers find success as groups rather than individually. Within each idol group, the members are sometimes given distinct roles. One example of a role is the center, who occupies
17472-480: The idol system commodifying youth, the industry is criticized for putting minors at risk, most particularly junior idols , who are aged 15 years and younger. Idol swimsuit photo books are often sold in the same sections as pornographic titles. In 1999, Japan banned production and distribution of sexually explicit depictions of minors, which outlawed photo books depicting nude junior idols. Multiple junior idol distributors closed after possession of child pornography
17654-571: The idol trainee system, where talents would be accepted in the agency at a young age and train not only in singing, but also dancing and acting, until they were ready for debut. However, the concept of an idol was not defined by mainstream Japanese media until in November 1964, when the 1963 French film Cherchez l'idole was released in Japan under the title Aidoru o Sagase ( アイドルを探せ ) . Many Japanese audiences took interest in Sylvie Vartan , whose song " La plus belle pour aller danser " from
17836-581: The idols' accessibility may cause fans to be unable to distinguish between fantasy and real life. Talent agencies have also been criticized over offering inadequate protection towards idols after several incidents of violent attacks on female idols such as the saw attack on Anna Iriyama and Rina Kawaei , the stabbing of Mayu Tomita , and the assault of Maho Yamaguchi . Idols are often sexualized, especially female idols, some of whom also work as gravure idols and have suggestive swimsuit photo shoots that are published in magazines targeted towards adults. With
18018-476: The idols. Fan chants where an idol's name is called after each bar is sung was popularized by Mari Amachi 's fans in the 1970s. Because mainstream Japanese media exercises self-censorship over taboo, controversial subjects, fans are influential in circulating under-reported news through social media. Idol fan culture has introduced several slang terms into the Japanese public, including: A notable trait of idols that sets them apart from typical celebrities
18200-627: The majority of them being "local idols" who performed in specific rural communities. Several independent idol groups also crossed over into mainstream, such as Dempagumi.inc , Dorothy Little Happy , and Rev. from DVL , the latter of which gained mainstream popularity after a photo of then-member Kanna Hashimoto went viral. Since 2010, the biggest idol concert festival, Tokyo Idol Festival , has taken place. More than 200 idol groups and about 1500 idols performed, attracting more than 80,000 spectators in 2017. During 2014, about 486,000 people attended AKB48 and Momoiro Clover Z 's live concerts, which
18382-419: The management of her group, AKB48, as well as the Japanese idol industry. A talent agency filed a lawsuit against a 17-year-old former idol singer for accepting an invitation to a hotel room from two male fans, which had caused her group to disband within the first 3 months of their debut. In September 2015, Judge Akitomo Kojima, along with the Tokyo District Court , ruled in favor of the talent agency and fined
18564-407: The music and entertainment industry and go to college for becoming a dental hygienist while Kawai would move on to pursue her solo career as a singer and later a singer-songwriter. Japanese word "sotsugyou (卒業)", which means "graduation (from school)", was used by the group for the first time in the Japanese pop music industry to describe departure of members from an idol group or a band. The reason for
18746-433: The night before. He also condemned the idol industry for not providing talents access to better mental health resources, as idols are often suspended or dismissed for publicly showing they are stressed out of concern that they may cause fans to feel worried or upset. In March 2018, Ehime Girls member Honoka Omoto died by suicide, with her family launching a lawsuit against her talent agency in October 2018. Allegedly, Omoto
18928-453: The popularity of idol-related media mix projects may stem from the managerial aspect found in life simulation games, with The Idolmaster being the first notable idol franchise to include this. These franchises set the fans in the active contributing role of the "producer" and regularly involved interactivity, as input made by the players were crucial to the idols' success. The growth of idol-related media mix projects in anime and video games
19110-546: The powerful Mizuchi sisters, who moved in and have taken control after her previous expulsion. Two games based on the TV series were made at the time: Sukeban Deka II , developed and published in 1987 by Sega for the Master System , and Sukeban Deka III , developed by Shouei System and published by Toei Animation in 1988 for the Famicom . Both were only released in Japan. The original manga has been described as
19292-487: The process, Yoko would be given the name of her presumably dead predecessor, Saki Asamiya, and a similar yo-yo weapon. Sukeban Deka II contained connections to the first series, as Hiroyuki Nagato returned periodically to his role as the Dark Director, while Nishiwaki was revealed to be a former coworker of Kyoichiro Jin. However, in a departure from both the first series and manga, where Saki worked alone most of
19474-407: The public after retirement. In public, idols took steps to play a distinct character and uphold an illusion of perfection, such as maintaining a virginal image. Other examples include being told not to use restrooms in public and answering interview questions about their favorite food with feminine-sounding answers such as "strawberries" and "shortcake." The influence idols had on television led
19656-634: The public became disillusioned with the idol system. By the 1990s, public interest in idols began to wane, as audiences lost interest in singing and audition programs, particularly due to a shift in attitudes caused by Japan's economic collapse . The media coined the term "Idol Winter Period" ( アイドル冬の時代 , Aidoru Fuyu no Jidai ) to describe the stagnation of the idol industry beginning in 1990. More young people yielded aspirations to be defined as an artist instead of an idol. During this decline, public perception of idols again shifted from inexperienced amateurs to strong, independent women, in part due to
19838-421: The public. Independently managed idol groups offer even less protection, with idols given ambiguously worded contracts that keep them in their companies for years, while offering almost no pay and compensation for transportation and costuming fees. Lawyer Kunitaka Kasai stated management may be poor, especially among independent idol groups, because they were established by people with a lack of experience to fill
20020-451: The radio show. The winner of the audition was Mutsumi Yokota, who was assigned number 28. Minayo Watanabe , Chiaki Mikami and Yuko Yajima, who all were runners-up of the audition, also became Onyanko Club members and were assigned numbers 29, 30 and 31, respectively. Note that in November, the program was only aired for about 10 days due to the broadcast of 1985 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup and 1985 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Cup . In
20202-408: The release of Ushirogami Hikaretai's second single, Onyanko Club's ninth single " Wedding Dress " was premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 10 August. Front vocals for the single were Harumi Tomikawa, Ruriko Nagata, Mako Shiraishi, Mutsumi Yokota and Tomoko Fukawa. Released by Kirigirisu Records on 21 August, the single debuted at number two on the single chart. After two years and five months of its run,
20384-558: The role of an external observer. For them, the absence of other women is a way of watching the male idols interact with one another and imagining their interactions to be similar to yaoi . Fans spend money on merchandise and endorsed products to directly support their favorites, comparing it to spending money on "loved ones"; some express feeling happy that they were able to make someone they admired happy. Dedicated fans may give up their careers and devote their life savings to supporting and following their favorite members. To foster
20566-487: The rule by quitting school. Members also had to take their time off from appearing on the daily TV show and participating in other activities of the group during their respective schools' midterm exams and final exams as well as during times for exam preparation. Moreover, having to give priority to their studies over the group's show business activities resulted in significant restrictions on several member's activities. For example, Mutsumi Yokota had to refrain from appearing on
20748-574: The same day, Onyanko Club member number 15 Rika Tatsumi's first and last solo single "Sonna Tsumorija Nakattanoni" was premiered on the show as well. Takai's fourth single released by Canyon Records and Tatsumi's first single released by Warner-Pioneer both on 18 March reached number one and number 34 on the single chart, respectively. Two days later, a "graduation ceremony" for four Onyanko Club members Toshie Moriya, Naoko Takada, Yumiko Yoshida (number 45) and Sanae Nakajima (number 46) as well as two Onyanko Club B-Gumi members Hiroko Tominaga and Mayumi Yamazaki
20930-408: The same time they were perceived as more humorous and cheerful than other members. Among the panelists, Yasushi Akimoto , who later wrote lyrics of all of Nyangilas' songs including its album songs, supported the idea, and eventually producers of Yūyake Nyan Nyan decided to make it happen with Shiraishi added, who they thought would make the subgroup more appealing to wider audiences. The first single
21112-482: The same time, male idols gained popularity, with acts from Johnny & Associates normalizing idols singing and dancing at the same time. However, fewer male idol acts from other companies achieved the same success as Johnny's idols due to the company's CEO, Johnny Kitagawa, controlling the media and pressuring certain programs not to invite male idols from competing agencies, as he would continue to until his death in 2019. Around 1985, idols soon became unpopular after
21294-487: The series did base most of its storylines in the second part of the manga, Minamino portrayed an original character named Yoko Godai, a mysterious girl from Kansai forced to wear iron masks for most of her childhood. Yoko was liberated from the mask by a police agent named Nishiwaki ( Keizo Kanie ) that offered her a place in the Sukeban Deka program, and she accepted in exchange for help to find her disappeared dad. In
21476-408: The shadows for centuries, intending to shroud and dominate the world in darkness. Transformed into a trio of kunoichi , they battled Koji Kashin and his army, aided by their mentor Kazuya Yoda ( Nagare Hagiwara ) and the agent Reia Kido ( Satomi Fukunaga ). Towards the end of the story, it is revealed that Yui has a twin sister named Sho, who was taken by Koji Kashin and given psychic abilities. Sho
21658-419: The short skirts, and the neatness of the uniform. The uniforms found popularity with men, as they represent their "eternal longing" and nostalgia for high school, while only gaining popularity with women in the 2010s through anime. Idols are typically expected to change careers after aging out of the industry, with female idols typically changing careers at age 25 and male idols at ages 30–45. Idols who leave
21840-456: The show Yūyake Nyan Nyan and aired on 23 February and 16 March 1985. Yūyake Nyan Nyan had a segment where five candidates participated in a five-day long audition for becoming a new Onyanko Club member. Most of the Onyanko Club members except the first 11 members and other members who joined the group through the 1986 Miss Seventeen Contest were admitted to the group by winning the audition. Every day since April 15, 1985, Tsurutarō Kataoka ,
22022-426: The show Yūyake Nyan Nyan teamed up with producers of the live-action TV series Sukeban Deka and held a special audition on Yūyake Nyan Nyan to look for a new Onyanko Club member who would play a main character in a sequel to the TV series. The winner of the audition was Akie Yoshizawa , who was assigned number 25. A day before the release of Kawai's first single, a release event entitled "Nyan Touch Love Party" for
22204-421: The show Yūyake Nyan Nyan was ended with an extended two-hour live broadcast on 31 August. Most of past Onyanko Club members except dismissed members made their appearance on the final episode. Also, a "graduation ceremony" for the 19 remaining members was held. On the same day as the show's finale, Shizuka Kudo 's first solo single " Kindan no Telepathy " was released by Canyon Records. It debuted at number one on
22386-514: The single chart and became the subgroup's fifth consecutive single to reach number one on the chart. The single and its B-side were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV 's anime High School! Kimengumi . On the same day as the release date of the subgroup's last single, Onyanko Club's fourth studio album Side Line was released by Canyon Records. The album features songs in which newer members, such as Shizuka Kudo, Noriko Kaise and Makiko Saito, had solo vocal parts for
22568-405: The single chart for two consecutive weeks. On 21 April, Onyanko Club's fourth single " Otto Chikan! " was released by Canyon Records. Front vocals for the single were Satomi Fukunaga, Kazuko Utsumi, Sanae Jounouchi, Ruriko Nagata and Mutsumi Yokota. It topped the single chart. Fuji TV 's weekly live television variety show Yūshoku Nyan Nyan starring the group and featuring presenters, one of whom
22750-548: The single chart, making all of Nyangilas' singles number-one singles. On 25 June, Mamiko Takai 's first solo single " Cinderella-tachi e no Dengon " was released by Canyon Records while she still was the member of Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi . It debuted at number one on the single chart. Onyanko Club member number 29 Minayo Watanabe 's first solo single " Hitomi ni Yakusoku " was premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 2 July. A release event entitled "The First and Last Touch in Budokan" for
22932-422: The single chart. Satomi Fukunaga 's first solo single " Kaze no Invitation " was released by Canyon Records on 21 May. Prior to her performance of the song for promotion on Yūyake Nyan Nyan since the mid-May, it had already been premiered two months earlier during the group's first nationwide tour in March. On 25 May, a release event entitled "Satomi Invitation" for the single was held at Yomiuri Land EAST with
23114-450: The single chart. Sayuri Kokusho , Minayo Watanabe , Marina Watanabe and Akiko Ikuina went on to have successful careers as an actress, singer and/or TV personality throughout the remainder of the decade and 1990s, appearing on variety TV shows and films. Sanae Jounouchi continued having music releases constantly and a successful career as an enka singer. All of them are active in the entertainment industry as of 2023. Ikuina later became
23296-405: The single chart. On 1 November, Yoshizawa's first solo single " Naze? no Arashi " was released by For Life Records under the name of "Yoshizawa Akie with Onyanko Club". Four Onyanko Club members Aki Kihara (number 6), Mika Nagoya , Harumi Tomikawa (number 14) and Ruriko Nagata (number 18) were selected as backing vocals for the single. Although their backing vocals actually were not recorded in
23478-607: The single chart. On 1 March, Yoshizawa's second single "Kisetsu Hazure no Koi" was released by For Life Records. It topped the single chart for two consecutive weeks. The B-side of the single is "Kaiin Bangou no Uta", which literally means "The Song of Membership Numbers". It was performed by and recorded with all 22 remaining members of Onyanko Club at that time. The song is credited to Onyanko Club and consists of four choruses and 22 verses , each verse sung by each member individually about herself for approximately 14 seconds. The music of
23660-471: The single chart. On 7 May, Yūyake Nyan Nyan 's 500th episode was aired. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 15 June, it was announced that Onyanko Club would disband after its final concert in September and that Yūyake Nyan Nyan 's final episode would be aired on 31 August. In the following month, Marina Watanabe 's fourth single "Natsuyasumi Dakeno Side Seat" was released by Epic/Sony Records on 15 July. Two weeks later, Minayo Watanabe 's fifth single "Amaryllis"
23842-439: The single chart. The group concluded its activities with its final concerts at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Shibuya , Tokyo on 19 and 20 September. They had two shows a day on the 19th and three shows a day on the 20th. At the final concerts, 11 "graduated" members reunited with the remaining members on stage and performed a few of the group's songs together toward the end of each show as well as "graduated" members' songs. Part of
24024-466: The single debuted at number 34 on the Oricon 's Japanese single chart (the national single chart) and peaked at number five in its sixth week of release in August. A day before the single's release date, a release and handshake event was scheduled at Sunshine City in Ikebukuro , Tokyo. The event was expected to have an attendance of about 500 people. However, over 4,000 people showed up at the site. As
24206-422: The single debuted at number one on the single chart. On the same day as the single's release date, Takai's first solo album Itoguchi , which contains her first three singles released in the previous year, was released by Canyon Records. It debuted at number one on the Oricon's Japanese album chart. Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi 's sixth and last single " Kashiko " was released by Canyon Records on 21 February. It topped
24388-511: The single was held at Nippon Budokan with a total of about 12,000 attendees on 5 July. On 10 July, Onyanko Club's third album Panic the World was released as a double album by Canyon Records. It consists of the original studio album with 10 newly released songs and a greatest hits compilation album with 11 songs previously released by Canyon Records, CBS/Sony Records, For Life Records and Warner-Pioneer. The double album reached number three on
24570-481: The single was held at Yomiuri Land EAST in Inagi , Tokyo on August 31. Released by CBS/Sony Records on 1 September, Kawai's first single debuted at number five on the chart and topped the chart for the following two consecutive weeks. On 21 September, the group's first studio album Kick Off was released by Canyon Records. The album was directed by Hiroshi Watanabe (music producer) and contained 10 songs whose music
24752-402: The single, the members were pictured on the back cover of the 7-inch single and always performed with Yoshizawa on Yūyake Nyan Nyan and in the single release events as well as Onyanko Club's concerts. The song was used as the ending theme of Fuji TV's live-action TV series Sukeban Deka II: Shōjo Tekkamen Densetsu for the episodes 1 to 15. Yoshizawa played one of the three main characters of
24934-401: The single. It debuted at number one on the Oricon's Japanese single chart. In the chart's history at that time, she became the youngest female singer at her age of 15 years and 11 months who had a debut single that went straight to number one on the single chart in the first week of release. This record was not broken for 14 years and five months. Onyanko Club's sixth single " Koi wa Kuesuchon "
25116-399: The single. Released by CBS/Sony Records under the name of "Kokusho Sayuri with Onyanko Club" on 1 February, the single debuted at number two on the single chart. In February, it was announced on Yūyake Nyan Nyan that the group's two members Miharu Nakajima and Sonoko Kawai would "graduate" from the group in April. Nakajima, who was graduating from high school in March, decided to retire from
25298-409: The sixth single's B-side and four previously unreleased songs. It topped the album chart. With a little less than a month before Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi would disband as a result of Takai's departure from Onyanko Club, Takai's fourth solo single " Kagerou " and another Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi member Yukiko Iwai 's first solo single " Tenshi no Bodyguard " were premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 9 March. On
25480-410: The song was composed by Akira Mitake , who composed many of the group's and members' songs. The lyrics of the song was written by Akimoto. On 10 March, the group's second studio album Yume Catalogue was released by Canyon Records. It topped the Oricon's Japanese album chart. The second album features songs sung by various combinations of members, some of whom had solo vocal parts for the first time in
25662-520: The sports genre in anime due to a similar competitive nature and team-building the characters face, as well as being linked to the Odagiri effect for featuring attractive people of the same gender interacting with each other. The idol fan culture is heavily tied to anime and manga , and most fans of anime are also fans of idols. The idea of " moe ", which was popularized by anime, can be projected onto both idols and fictional characters, linking
25844-611: The story, Yui, the youngest of the Kazama sisters and known as the Great Sukeban in Miyazaki, was sent to Tokyo by her foster parent, the monk Osho Taian ( Hiroyuki Tanaka ). She joined her long lost sisters, Yuka ( Yuka Onishi ) and Yuma ( Yuma Nakamura [ ja ] ), at Seiryu Academy and together, they inherited the family's ninja art. Their mission was to confront Koji Kashin, a mysterious entity who had been lurking in
26026-628: The subgroup Ushirogami Hikaretai and two instrumentals. The second disc contains 12 newly released songs sung by various combinations of the group's members. The double album reached number two on the Oricon's album chart. The group's fourth and final nationwide concert tour entitled "Onyanko Club Kaisan Kinen Zenkoku Jyudan Final Concert" began at Hokkaido Kosei Nenkin Kaikan in Sapporo , Hokkaido on 1 August. Subsequently they performed in Hiroshima , Fukuoka , Nagoya , Fukui , Nagoya (the second visit), Kooriyama , Niigata , Nagano and Osaka in August and in Tokyo in September. At concerts in each of
26208-407: The time, Sukeban Deka II added two sidekicks for the main character: Yukino Yajima ( Akie Yoshizawa ), the refined heiress of a rich family from Kyoto who was also a Japanese martial arts expert, and Kyoko "Marble Okyo" Nakamura ( Haruko Sagara ), a street-wise Osaka native who excelled at street fighting and the usage of marbles as weapons. Despite those changes, the series actually surpassed
26390-418: The tutelage of officer Kyouichiro Jin, she is given a metal yo-yo that doubles as a weapon as well as a police badge, and is made to infiltrate high schools around Japan to investigate and stop criminal activities. Her first destination is her former school, Takanoha High School, where Saki's place has been taken by the three Mizuchi sisters and their ring of illegal activities. The creation of Sukeban Deka
26572-491: The two. Some may prefer fictional idols due to them never disbanding, leaving groups, or getting into scandals. A 2005 study by the Nomura Research Institute revealed that idol fans were the third largest group of otaku interests, following comics and anime . In the late-2010s, the idol agency influenced the business model of VTuber agencies such as Hololive and Nijisanji —which focus on
26754-438: The use of the Japanese word was that the group and its activities were revolving around a concept that it was a student club that engaged in show business activities as extracurricular activities. As one of the rules for Onyanko Club members, they had to attend high school and maintain good grades to be able to remain in the group. There were members who were dismissed from the group by producers of Yūyake Nyan Nyan in violation of
26936-416: The way for series such as Revolutionary Girl Utena and PreCure . The series' popularity has proven to be longstanding as the TV drama's DVD rerelease sold 130,000 copies in 2005, which prompted Toei to produce the third live-action film. By 2013, it still had impact on popular culture with the TV drama ending inspiring the anime ending of Kill la Kill . Regarding the content, Friedman commented on
27118-542: The woman to pay ¥650,000 , stating that the dating ban was necessary for idols to "win the support of male fans." In January 2016, a similar lawsuit filed with the Tokyo District Court ruled in favor of a 23-year-old former idol, with Judge Kazuya Hara stating that the dating ban "significantly restricts the freedom to pursue happiness." Since handshake and other related events allow fans to be in close proximity with idols, critics also believe that marketing
27300-428: The women stated that they had performed the request anyway. Sukeban Deka#Television series A 16-year-old sukeban (delinquent schoolgirl) named Saki Asamiya is offered by the police to become an undercover detective to escape prison. She initially refuses, so the police blackmail her by offering to pardon her mother, who is on death row for killing her husband, eventually forcing her to accept. Put under
27482-595: The work force after leaving their groups, as many of them spend their academic years learning poor job skills. In addition to this, Rob Schwartz from Billboard addressed that Japanese mainstream media outlets rarely bring attention to controversies and allegations of power harassment due to self-censorship on what they are allowed to write. Sasetsu Takeda of GQ Japan wrote that talent agencies dismiss idols regardless of their popularity, sometimes intentionally blocking job offers in order to pressure them to leave, all while declaring that they are "resting from illness" to
27664-448: The year were successful on the Oricon's Japanese album chart as well, with the group's second album Yume Catalogue , Nitta's first solo album ERI and Kawai's two albums Siesta and Mode de Sonoko all having reached number one on the album chart. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 5 January, it was announced that the group's five members Aki Kihara, Sayuri Kokusho, Kazuko Utsumi, Rika Tatsumi and Mamiko Takai would "graduate" from
27846-599: Was "Yuuyu", was released by Canyon Records under the name of "Yuuyu with Onyanko Club" on 25 March. Three Onyanko Club members Ruriko Nagata, Mutsumi Yokota and Tomoko Fukawa were selected as backing vocals for the single. It debuted at number two on the single chart. On 28 March, the group's third nationwide concert tour entitled "Onyanko Sailing Yumekoujyou" began at Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka . They subsequently performed at arenas in Fukuoka , Nagoya and Tokyo. The whole tour drew
28028-577: Was Kawai, was launched on 2 May. It was aired from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Friday and was very similar to Yūyake Nyan Nyan in their contents except that the weekly show was intended to promote Musukko Club , which was an all-boy idol group and intended as a boy version of Onyanko Club. The weekly show was short-lived and lasted until 19 September. In the same month, Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi's third single " Zousan no Sukyantee " and Kokusho's second single " Natsu wo Matenai " were released by Canyon Records and CBS/Sony Records, respectively. Both singles topped
28210-429: Was a segment on Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired in November 1985 where the show's hosts and panelists had a debate over whether Kihara, Nagoya and Tatsumi should form a subgroup and have their own songs for release. Although the three members were up for the idea, at that time it was generally perceived that they were not good singers or exceptionally popular members compared to other members, such as Sonoko Kawai and Eri Nitta. At
28392-660: Was also seen as an attempt from the Japanese government to market Japanese pop culture overseas through the Cool Japan initiative. Music produced by voice actor idols and fictional idols have crossed over to mainstream music charts, with Billboard Japan launching the Billboard Japan Hot Animation Chart on December 1, 2010, exclusively for anime and video game music releases. Fictional idols have been treated like real-life celebrities. Idol-themed anime and video game series have been compared to
28574-617: Was composed by several musicians, such as Jun Sato, Ken Takahashi, Etsuko Yamakawa, Kiyonori Matsuo and Tsugutoshi Goto , who all composed and arranged most of the group's and members' songs thereafter. All lyrics of the album were written by Yasushi Akimoto . The album reached number two on the Oricon's Japanese album chart and remained in the top 100 for 30 weeks. On 30 September, the group's first subgroup Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi made its television debut on Yūyake Nyan Nyan . Its members were Mamiko Takai and Yukiko Iwai (number 19). The official fan club "Konyanko Club" run by Fujipacific Music
28756-537: Was credited as the singer for the song in the ad and also because the version used in the ad was sung by Ikuina only. However, it later ended up being re-recorded/re-produced as the group's song and released as one of the eleven songs on Onyanko Club's fourth studio album Side Line in early 1987. As part of her first solo concert tour entitled "E-AREA", Nitta had a concert at Nippon Budokan on 18 December. A concert at Nakano Sun Plaza in Nakao , Tokyo on 3 November for
28938-540: Was cursed to stop growing physically at the age of 10 and initially opposed Yui but later learned of their kinship. Yui herself rarely used the Saki Asamiya moniker and showed a very different personality compared to Saki and Yoko, and the series was more focused on fantasy than serious urban crime drama. Despite a strong premiere and an ambitious length of 42 episodes scheduled in advance, Sukeban Deka III rapidly lost its momentum and didn't do well. During its airing
29120-420: Was decided to merge both Ninpucho and III into a single series. The result was the official third season, Sukeban Deka III: Ninja Girl Romance ( スケバン刑事III 少女忍法帖伝奇 ) . Launched in October 1986, it starred Yui Asaka as another original character after Minamino declined to return. Yui Kazama, a country girl from Kyushu who was recruited by the Dark Director and given the role of the third Saki Asamiya. In
29302-808: Was eventually replaced by the term " junior idol " to legitimize them as part of the idol industry as well as removing the focus on their age. The 2000s saw the rise in popularity of idol groups again after Morning Musume 's debut in 1997 and the formation of their musical collective , Hello! Project . Around the same time, there was an increase in gravure idols , who competed in magazine and photo book sales. In addition, anime voice actors , such as Yui Horie , Nana Mizuki , and Yukari Tamura , were also marketed as idols to promote both their activities and singing careers. While idols briefly experienced another decline after 2002, AKB48 debuted in 2005 and later became known as nation's idol group. The public image of idols had diversified, with each idol group having
29484-461: Was held on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 20 March. Their "graduation" was not announced in advance, and also their specific reasons for leaving the groups were not revealed. Although some of the members continued to pursue their careers in the music and entertainment industry, they eventually faded out from the industry or went under the radar except Yamazaki, who had four solo singles released between 1988 and 1992. The first solo single of Iwai, whose nickname
29666-417: Was held. All the three members decided to retire from the music and entertainment industry. Few months before, they already were set to leave the group as they were not pictured on the cover of the group's single "Koi wa Kuesuchon" released in early November. Okamoto later said in an interview that she initially was interested in the music and entertainment industry but felt she didn't have confidence in pursuing
29848-400: Was launched on 1 October. The number of fan club members peaked at about 190,000 during its operation. On 5 October, Onyanko Club had its first concert entitled "Kick Off" at Hibiya Yagai Ongakudo in Chiyoda, Tokyo . It was recorded and released as a video by Pony Inc. in the following month. On the same day as the first concert, Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi's first single " Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi "
30030-456: Was made illegal in Japan in 2014. However, junior idol content currently stands on legally ambiguous ground due to open interpretations of child pornography laws in Japan . In 2017, through a survey conducted by the Japanese government, 53 out of 197 women contracted with talent agencies stated that they had been asked to take part in pornographic photo or video shoots of which were not previously disclosed nor included in their contracts. 17 of
30212-502: Was noted by scholar Masayoshi Sakai to be the turning point of when teenage stars became popular in mainstream media. Music was produced by a shared climate of songwriters and art directors seeking a step towards a depoliticized youth culture. Idols grew in popularity over the 1970s, as they offered audiences escapism from political violence and radical student movements. Idols at the time were seen as ephemeral because of how short-lived their careers were, and how they would disappear from
30394-532: Was recorded and released as a video by CBS/Sony Home Video in March 1986. Premiered on Yūyake Nyan Nyan on 16 December 1985, and released by Canyon Records on 1 January 1986, Onyanko Club member number 4 Eri Nitta 's first solo single " Fuyu no Operagrasu " debuted at number one on the single chart and remained number one for the four consecutive weeks. The number of its sales exceeded that of any of Onyanko Club-related singles released earlier. On 21 January, Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi's second single " Banana no Namida "
30576-429: Was released by CBS/Sony Records on 29 July. Both singles topped the chart. "Amaryllis" became Minayo Watanabe's fifth consecutive single that debuted at number one on the chart. In the chart's history as of 2023, she is the only female singer who has the five consecutive number-one singles since her solo debut. Released by Canyon Records on 29 July, Yukiko Iwai 's first solo album Yuuyu Kousen debuted at number one on
30758-436: Was released by Canyon Records on 1 November. Front vocals for the single were Yukiko Iwai , Ruriko Nagata, Mako Shiraishi and Akiko Ikuina . The single and its B-side were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV 's anime Anmitsu Hime aired from 5 October 1986, to 27 September 1987. The single topped the single chart. Onyanko Club member number 13 Kazuko Utsumi's first solo single "Aoi Memories"
30940-449: Was released by Canyon Records on 21 February. It was named after Japanese word "jā ne (じゃあね)", which is a casual way of saying "goodbye", and was a farewell song to Nakajima, who was leaving the group in April. Moreover, it was originally planned to be released under the name of "Nakajima Miharu with Onyanko Club" as her first and last solo single. However, Nakajima suggested releasing it as the group's third single. It debuted at number one on
31122-572: Was released by Canyon Records on 7 November. The single and its B-side were used as part of the soundtrack to Fuji TV's anime Touch , which was adaptation from the manga series. The single debuted at number three on the single chart. Prior to joining Onyanko Club, Utsumi used to be a child actress in the 70s and early 80s and made many one-off appearances on TV drama series and live-action series, such as Kamen Rider Super-1 (episode 3) and Chojin Barom-1 (episode 32) to name few. She also attended
31304-498: Was released by Canyon Records. Front vocals for the single were Harumi Tomikawa, Yukiko Iwai , Tomoko Fukawa (number 33) and Marina Watanabe (number 36). The single went straight to number one on the single chart. Onyanko Club's movie Onyanko the Movie: Kiki Ippatsu! starring all members as the group was released in theaters nationwide by Toho Pictures on 23 August. It was directed by Masato Harada and played as
31486-416: Was released by Canyon Records. It debuted at number one on the single chart and was used as the ending theme of Fuji TV's anime High School! Kimengumi . In the same month, Onyanko Club member number 8 Sayuri Kokusho started performing her first solo single " Valentine Kiss " on Yūyake Nyan Nyan . Two Onyanko Club members Mako Shiraishi (number 22) and Minayo Watanabe were selected as backing vocals for
31668-437: Was released by Canyon Records. The single and its B-side were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV's anime High School! Kimengumi , which was adaptation from the manga series. One of the reasons why Takai and Iwai were selected for the subgroup was that their images matched the anime's two girl characters named Kawa Yui and Uru Chie. Originally the subgroup was named "Kiwi-Gumi". 30,000 copies of
31850-423: Was released by Pony Canyon on 21 May 1988. The single and its B-side were used as the opening theme and ending theme, respectively, of Fuji TV's anime Tsuide ni Tonchinkan , which was adaptation from the manga series . It reached number eight on the single chart. Another Ushirogami Hikaretai member Makiko Saito's first solo single "Yaritai Houdai" was released by Pony Canyon on 21 July 1988. It reached number 28 on
32032-401: Was released on April Fools' Day , which was intended as a joke, and went straight to number one on the single chart, keeping popular Japanese boy band Shonentai 's much anticipated second single off from the number-one spot. Tatsumi later said that as both singles were released by the same record label, the boy band's A&R executive got mad at her and her bandmates, saying that the boy band
32214-557: Was serialized in the December 20, 1977 ( No. 24) issue, and was followed by an epilogue in the January 20, 1978 ( No. 2) issue. Following Sukeban Deka 's conclusion, Wada started a new serial, Pygmalio [ ja ] , in the March 20, 1978 ( No. 6) issue of Hana to Yume . However, after one year of serialization, the series was poorly-received by readers, and Wada stopped it to restart Sukeban Deka . Wada dubbed it as "part 2", and Sukeban Deka resumed in
32396-468: Was supposed to get the number-one spot. Nitta's second single " Koi no Rope wo Hodokanaide " was released by Canyon Records on 10 April. Originally its B-side " Pink no Ribbon " was decided to be a A-side. However, Nitta objected to it, and as a result Tsugutoshi Goto , who was the composer and arranger of both songs, had to revise "Koi no Rope wo Hodokanaide" for making it suitable for the A-side. It topped
32578-593: Was the highest record of all female musicians in Japan. Momoiro Clover Z has been ranked as the most popular female idol group from 2013 to 2017 according to surveys by The Nikkei , There were more than 10,000 teenage girls who performed as idols in Japan in 2017. In 2019, there were over 3,000 female idol groups. From 2013 to 2018, boy band Arashi was ranked as the most popular artist overall in Japan according to Oricon polls of 20,000 people. Other male idols also found success as underground idols, as well as anime media mix projects and 2.5D musicals . In
32760-493: Was the result of a misunderstanding between the author Shinji Wada and the editors at Hakusensha . Wada was developing a high school drama, but the publisher expected a detective story starring a high school student. At an impasse, Wada decided to combine the two concepts. Wada first published a pilot chapter titled "Kōsha wa Moete Iruka?" ( 校舎は燃えているか？ , lit. "Is the School Building Burning?") in
32942-440: Was used as the ending theme of Fuji TV's live-action TV series Sukeban Deka III: Shōjo Ninpō-chō Denki for the episodes 1 to 8. Fukunaga played a supporting character in the episodes 1 to 20 of the TV series, which had a total of 42 episodes aired from 30 October 1986, to 29 October 1987. Released by Canyon Records on 1 October 1986, the single peaked at number two on the single chart. On Yūyake Nyan Nyan aired on 26 September,
33124-486: Was working 10 hours a day at the expense of her studies and when she had asked to leave the group, a staff member threatened her with violence while Takahiro Sasaki, the head of her managing company, told her she would have to pay a penalty fee of ¥1 million . In June 2018, a former member of Niji no Conquistador filed a lawsuit against Pixiv representative director, Hiroaki Nagata, and the group's management companies for voyeurism and sexual harassment during her time with
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