Tokyo girls style

On January 1, 2010, TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE was officially announced on the avex trax site. Not much had been released about this group at all -- at the time, there was an article on BARKS discussing how this was avex's first female dance and vocal group in seven years. But the biggest thing that caused speculation was the fact that they were being compared to groups such as drm, EARTH, but especially sWEETS.

                                                                      1st single KIRARI

This created a mixed uproar in J-pop communities. There were reactions ranging from absolute anger and rage, to indifference and needing to hear how the group sounded, to automated support because of the group's background. We had leaked names and images of the five girls, but there still wasn't much to go on.

Above all else, most beginning fans will remember the sudden assumed rivalry between S/mileage fans and Momoiro Clover fans, given that all these groups were on different labels and around the same age. It appears as if this rage has mostly calmed down, with TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE members themselves saying that they considered S/mileage to be like their big sisters.

                                                2nd single GANBATTE ITSUDATTE SHINJITTERU

avex trax had already set up an official YouTube channel for the girls, as well as MySpace and a Twitter, although not all were released on the website at first. The girls began actively blogging starting January 6, beginning with talking about their day and the hard work at training and eventually adding more details, such as answering questions from fans. Each entry began featuring cute photographs of the girls. These, coupled with the random facts we could learn by just reading, began to lure more people in.

                                                                   3RD SINGLE ONNAJI KIMOCHI

t was still more than a month until anyone heard the group sing. Staff uploaded a couple of videos of them dancing up to their YouTube account, which proved to many that these girls meant business. Speculation was almost bursting over by the time February 11 came around -- TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE's first live performance. This still left overseas fans completely deaf and blind to the girls' performance levels. Japanese forums blew up with mixed reactions to these five young girls. Speaking as an overseas fan myself, I was about to boil over with anticipation from waiting.

                                       4th single HIMAWARI TO HOSHIKUZU/KITTO WASURENAI

The official YouTube page uploaded a montage video, alternating the video between the girls performing live and working, set with a back-track of their first song, KIRARI. Some were still mixed about this group, but a group of fans were already hooked.

                                                         5TH SINGLE LOVE LIKE CANDY FLOSS

Over the past year, this group has expanded to broadcasting concerts live via Ustream, released four singles, and climbed the Oricon chart, landing all of their singles in the Top 10. They've gone from five small-town nameless girls to five of the biggest uprising stars in Japan. While their faithful fanbase may still be small, it's growing with an extreme loyalty. Like their first single, they really are chasing their dreams and making their own wishes come true.

                                                                                     MEMBERS

Nickname: Aachan
Birthday: 15 December 1997
Blood type: O
Birthplace: Osaka
What is New Year's to you?: I like the happy feeling that a whole year has passed! I get presents!
What do you do with your New Year's Gift?:Use it! (Last year I bought a game!)
Things she'd like to try with TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE: Come into contact with various artists.
Chocolate she'd like to make: Double milk chocolate taste! When you bite into white milk chocolate, the double milk chocolate taste is condensed! The fragrance will also be good and it will be tasty! As for the shape, the Tokyo Girls' Style clover flower is good!
Instruments played: Piano
Favourite word: Yume (dream)
Favourite colour: White and pink
Favourite character: Carebears
Favourite dessert: Mango dessert
Fun thing to do in the train: Seeing the views along the way (and the mountain)
Biggest want: New glasses and Mokomoko backpack
Favourite place: Little sister's bedroom
Pet: Appun (toy poodle)
Favourite artist: BoA, TVXQ
< Thing she always wanted to do: Make a PV
Favourite clothing maker: RONI, FANTAJIA
Favourite food: Potatoes, pancakes, grilled monja, Hiroshima grill
Favourite sushi: Homemade baked egg and cucumber roll
Favourite pastry: A dozen Alfort chocolates to relieve fatigue
Makes you feel better: When I play with my dog
Secret dream: To write and sing my own song
Important words: "Because everyone is here, I'll become happy, Thank you everyone, I am thankful."

MIYU YAMABE

Hitomi arai

Nickname: Hiichan, Hitomin
Birthday: 10 April 1998
Blood type: O
Birthplace: Miyaki Prefecture
What is New Year's to you?: Mom lines us up and gives us the fortune bags that she bought.
What do you do with your New Year's Gift?:Save it.
Things she'd like to try with TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE: Want to be on a television program and sing. First, she wants to perform and sing on stage, and then she wants to appear on 'Talk Corner'.
Chocolate she'd like to make: Strawberry chocolate! I like strawberries very much... Strawberries are pink. Therefore, Tokyo Joshiryu likes pink! With the strawberry flavoured chocolate, we would like to make the house of the candy where the five girls of Tokyo can live together!
Height: 134cm (4' 5")
Person she admires: Both parents
Hobby: Snowboarding
Special skill: Light Festival Dance, PARAPARA
Favourite class: Physical education, art class
Favourite sport: Sprinting, swimming
Favourite artist: Koda Kumi
Favourite saying: 元気! ("Genki!") [I'm well!]
Favourite character: Hello Kitty
Specialty Food: Sausage with egg chinese fried rice
Favourite thing: Sushi
Favourite topping on sushi: Hamburg
Favourite fruit: Strawberry
Job you want to try: Model
Dance lesson shoes: Pink Air Force
Favourite Artist: Koda Kumi, Ayumi Hamasaki, Namie Amuro
Favourite stuffed animal: Osaru (Monkey)
Goal for the future: Be a singer that lots of people love
Person you want to meet: TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki
Favourite place: my room
Pets: A cat

YURI NAKAE

Nickname: Yuri
Birthday: 28 June 1997
Blood type: O
Birthplace: Osaka
What is New Year's to you?: I like mochi rice cake! Even though it is stick and clogs the throat, I like eating the grilled food with everyone in my family.
What do you do with your New Year's Gift?:Save it.
Things she'd like to try with TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE: See and study various artists in a performance.
Chocolate she'd like to make: Strawberry mille-feuille (pastry) chocolate! The strawberry is sweet, so the taste is less crowded when it is mixed with the chocolate into a parfait!
Special skill: Bushido, Martial Dance, sword battle
Pets: A dog, Leon
Favourite colour: Purple and black
Favourite character: Buufu
Favourite artist: TVXQ/DBSK/Tohoshinki
Favourite flower: Lily
Collects: Stuffed animals and hats
Feature: #1 in Woman's Kuishinbou
Uses which hand: Left-handed
Favourite TVXQ song: "Asu wa Kuru Kara"
Favourite hat: Beret
Favourite food: Baked noodle, chinese-style noodles
Often sings at karaoke: TVXQ songs
Favourite place to be after practise: Karaoke bar
Favourite fruit: Melon
In your top 3 delicious foods: Homemade sushi
Favourite dance genres: Jazz, hip hop
Respects: Family members
Secret dream: Going into movies or dramas

MEI SHYOJI

Nickname: Mei
Birthday: 2 July 1997
Blood type: O
Birthplace: Yamagata Prefecture
What is New Year's to you?: I like to write New Years cards! I like receiving New Years cards from lots of people! I like looking at the various pictures inside the New Years cards! 
What do you do with your New Year's Gift?:Save it.
Things she'd like to try with TOKYO GIRLS' STYLE: Want to appear on a-nation. She wants all of her seniors to stand on stage with her.
Chocolate she'd like to make: White milk chocolate flavour. It is childish, because we would like the pure feeling to feel forever important. We could mix our favourite fruit with a chocolate parfait. This love x love will bring us happiness 2000 times. (^-^)v
Favourite thing to do: Dance
Favourite dessert: Ice cream
What do you drink to perk yourself up?: Mr. C and Oromin (soda tastes fresh)
Favourite character: Family Osaru
Favourite food: Strawberry flavoured food
Favourite game: My DS collection
Favourite colour: Pink
Favourite number: 2
Favourite shop: General store
Favourite flower: Sunflower
Pillow you need to sleep everywhere: Hello Kitty pillow
What makes you feel better?: Stuffed catepillar
T-shirt used in dance lessons: en4th
Goal: To have the five of us on the A-nation stage
Personality trait: I'm a very sore loser?!
Addicted to: Mugen Series
Respects: MAKO-sensei, TRF (SAM, ETSU, CHIHARU), 7DOWN8UPPER (SHINJI)
Favourite charisma: Michael Jackson
Image she'd like to become: Dividing my heart into the people around me, being strong, the kind kind of person who is uplifting
Favourite series: Ichigo GUUZU (Strawberry goods)
Person she'd like to become: Someone who can give energy and courage to many people
Favourite Yamagata food specialty: Baked soba (buckwheat noodles)