Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 2

In the first part of this list, I covered the newer groups of Stardust Planet. Now it's time for the Stardust Sisters: Momoiro Clover Z, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, and Team Shachi.

*It's probably obvious, but the Stardust Sisters are named as such because the three of them are sister groups to each other.

☆ Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 2 ☆

Team Shachi

"Rose Fighter" and "Rocket Queen"

This was the year Team Syachihoko carved out their own identity. The little sister group of Momoiro Clover Z and Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, they've pretty much been Mini Momoclo since their debut. After Ito Chiyuri graduated from the group in Oct. 2018, the remaining 4 members rebranded as Team Shachi. They began dressing in monochrome costumes with their member colors acting mainly as highlights. They also added a horn section, the Brass Min, which changed the group's sound.

This year, they acheived a career first. Their MV for "Rocket Queen" featuring gameplay of a video game collaboration with Mega Man surpassed 1M views. 2019 was definitely the year that Team Shachi stepped out of their older Sister's shadow. From this point on, they will be charting their own destiny.

Rose Fighter was a special release used as the re-debut of the group under the new name and formation. It's a great example of the new direction Team Shachi has taken.

A collaboration with Megaman, this is the official video featuring the group, guest rapper MCU, and the 87 member strong Chuetsu High School marching band!

Momoiro Clover Z

"The Diamond Four", "Road Show", and "Stay Gold"

In their 11th year, Momoiro Clover Z show no sign of slowing down. They released their self titled 5th studio album, their first since 2016, starred in their first stage play, and take the lead in a brand new Variety Show featuring various Stardust groups traveling all over Japan.

After the graduation of long time member Ariyasu Momoka in Jan. 2018, Momoclo started referring to themselves as the Diamond Four. This is the lead track for the 5th album and features a hefty amount of rapping. The lyrics refer to the members themselves and include allot of references to Momoclo's history, inside jokes, and other things that long time fans will be familiar with.

A stand out from the 5th album, Road Show is basically an EDM hype song and has been the new opening number for Momoclo concerts throughout 2019.

Momoclo finished off the year with this epic release on their 20th single. Stay Gold is arguably the strongest single release of all the Stardust Planet groups. It's another departure for Momoclo and has a wistful melody that leaves a lasting impression.

Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku

"Trendy Girl", "Pandora", and "Jump"

While Momoclo may have had the strongest single release, 2019 was definitely Ebichu's year. They released the most material of any Stardust Planet group including two studio albums. They also celebrated their 10th Anniversary, so it was a big year all around for them. It's really hard to choose between releases, but I think these four do a good job of representing their range.

Trendy Girl is Ebichu's 13th Single. It's deceiving when you first listen to it. At first, it sounds like so many other song, but the melody and arrangement go a long way toward establishing it's own identity. It's great for repeated listens.

Pandora was a special pre-release for Ebichu's 6th studio album, "playlist". It's a return to the Heavy Metal side of the group.

Wrapping things up is Jump, the lead promotional track from "playlist". It's a bit of a departure from what Ebichu have done recently. It's a powerful song with an anthem like quality featuring a rather unconventional MV even by Ebichu's standards.

And that brings the Best of Stardust Planet 2019 list to a close. I hope this gives a good idea of what the division has to offer and helps as a starting point for anyone interested in exploring these groups further.Overall, 2019 was a very strong year for releases. Here's hoping 2020 is just as great!

Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 1

Stardust Planet is the Idol Division of Stardust Entertainment. It's flagship group is Momoiro Clover Z. With a total of 12 groups, it can be challenging to keep up with all the releases throughout the year. With this in mind, I decided to take a look back and pick out what I thought best represented Stardust Planet in 2019. Because there were so many releases, I thought it would be best to split the list into two parts.

*Disclaimer: I excluded some groups either because they didn't release anything of note this year or they're too new and haven't released much yet. I also only included releases that have official MVs with the full version of the song. This means I excluded short versions and any releases without an MV.

Honorable Mentions

Amefurasshi is a newer group and haven't had any official releases yet, but they've put out a bunch of songs for sale at live events with accompanying live MVs. The members were originally part of 3BJunior, Stardust Planet's trainee group. When they disbanded, Amefurasshi was born. Their concept is supposed to be like an ameba, continually changing. It's anyone's guess what they'll evolve into, but the group has two of the best vocalists in the entire division, Aira and Moeka, so keep an eye on them in the future. The MV for "Rain Makers!!" was released on Jan. 1st 2019, so it seems fitting to include it here.

☆ Best of Stardust Planet 2019 - Part 1 ☆

Takoyaki Rainbow

"Digital Native Generation"

Takoyaki had a pretty quiet year. They released a full album and one single, but the lead track from the album isn't very memorable. The single makes up for their lack of output and the MV has a humorous yet poignant take on modern communication.

Hachimitsu Rocket

"Chuuken Hachiko"

Hachi were also pretty quiet this year. They only released two singles, their 4th being the standout between the two. The title of the song is taken after the famous dog who waited every day at Shibuya Station for his deceased master over a span of 10 yrs.

Iginari Tohoku-san

"Bubble Poppin"

After 4 yrs, Iginari finally released their first official MV. Bubble Poppin serves as the only real summer song released by a Stardust Planet group in 2019. At 9 members, they're the largest group in the division.

Sakura Ebis

"Kira Kira" and "214"

SakuEbi have set themselves apart from most other Stardist Planet groups. Their image and musical style is more artistic and experimental. They recently changed their name to Ukka in order to differentiate themselves from Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, the senior group that mentored them during their trainee days.

Tokimeki Sendenbu

"Victory Story" and "Shape Up"

This was a big year for TokiSen. They're the first of the newer Stardust Planet groups to break away from the pack. They made their major debut on Avex and their first and second singles on the label charted at #3 and #2 on Oricon respectively. Keep an eye on them in the future as they continue to rise.

And this concludes Part 1! Stay tuned for Part 2 with the Stardust Sisters!!!

This New Idol Unit is Helping to Revitalize the Nuclear Ghost Town of Namie.

When the Tohoku Earthquake shook northeastern Japan on March 11th, 2011, it generated a Tsunami which devastated the coastal area of Fukushima. This triggered the meltdown of two Power Plants, one in Daiichi and the other in Daini. As radiation levels rose, a state of emergency was declared and nearby residents were evacuated. In the years that followed the aftermath of the disaster, many towns have been rebuilt and life has returned to normal. However, the town of Namie has never been the same.

After the meltdown of the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, all 100,000 of Namie's residents were evacuated. When radiation levels had fallen to a safe level in September 2015, the government allowed the people to return on a permanent basis. Despite reconstruction efforts, very few have made the decision to return. The public lost trust in government officials over the benefits of nuclear power. Their fears of radiation have become too deeply rooted and many have already built new lives elsewhere since the evacuation. As of June 1, 2019, Namie had a population of zero, making it a true ghost town.

Enter the "Namie Women's Association" (JA Namie for short), the new Idol Unit from Stardust Planet, the Idol Division of Stardust Entertainment. The abbreviation takes the first letter of "Joshi-hatsu (from Girls)" and the English word for "Kumiai (Association)".

(L to R - Hana, Moeka, Chiho, Arin, Aira, Luna, and Yuduki)

Produced and led by Momoiro Clover Z's Sasaki Ayaka (nickname: Arin), the group was formed in an attempt to encourage people to return to Namie. Joining Arin in the 7 member Unit are all four members from Amefurasshi and two members from B.O.L.T, both new groups in Stardust Planet.

Their image color is taken from the town's flower "Cosmos". The group aims to convey the current situation in Namie through the unique stance of girls. Their motto is "I hope it reaches you with the wind from Namie". JA Namie made their debut on November 24th at the Tokaichi Festival, an annual event held in the town which was dedicated to it's reconstruction this year. Momoiro Clover Z also performed to help bring in fans from all over Japan.

They performed an originally song titled "Namie no wa". The song starts around 3:15.

From this point forward, the Unit will perform once a month exclusively in the town of Namie. After performing with Momoclo at the Festival, Arin said that they had consulted with the people of the town on what kind of Unit to make. She went on to say that she wanted to work so that she can feel closer to Namie. We'll have to wait and see if the group has any impact on the situation or if Namie is destined to remain a ghost town.

Debut at the Tokaichi Festival

JA Namie Official Site

Momoiro Clover Z's Epic Stage Sets

Momoiro Clover Z is known for putting on great live shows. After seeing what their management company, Stardust Promotion, came up for their Summer concert this year, I thought I'd take a look back at some of the epic sets that have graced Momoclo's stages the years.

Tohjin-sai

Starting in 2014, they raised the bar for their annual summer concerts by adding themes. They incorporated elements from traditional Japanese culture and mythology and were subtitled "Tohjin-sai (桃神祭)". This is a stage mix from all 3 concerts.

The theme of 2014's concert was a "Japanese Festival". A 20 meter (65 foot) Shinto Shrine was erected in the center of the stage. It was estimated to have cost 500 Million Yen (about 4.5 Million dollars). 630 people from festival organizations all over the country gathered to help create the best Summer Festival in Japan.

They also included a bridge on both sides.

The stage lit up at night.

Tojinsai 2016 ~ Onigashima ~

Onigashima is the mythical land of Ogres that was visited by the folk character Momotaro. The real life location is the island of Megijima. Here's some background from Wikipeidia:

"Momotarō was born from a giant peach, which was found floating down a river by an old, childless woman who was washing clothes there. The woman and her husband discovered the child when they tried to open the peach to eat it. The child explained that he had been bestowed by the Gods to be their son. The couple named him Momotarō, from momo (peach) and tarō (eldest son in the family).

When he matured into adolescence, Momotarō left his parents to fight a band of Oni (demons or ogres) who marauded over their land, by seeking them out in the distant island where they dwelled (a place called Onigashima or "Demon Island"). En route, Momotarō met and befriended a talking dog, monkey and pheasant, who agreed to help him in his quest in exchange for a portion of his rations (kibi dango or "millet dumplings"). At the island, Momotarō and his animal friends penetrated the demons' fort and beat the band of demons into surrendering. Momotarō and his new friends returned home with the demons' plundered treasure and the demon chief as a captive. "

You can just make out some Oni drummers in the background.

The members entered the stage through the door underneath the giant Oni.

There was also a water show using fountains.

And they rode a Dragon.

Performance of "We Are Born"

MomocloMania

Starting in 2018, MomocloMania took over as the title for their summer concerts. The inspiration for the name came from the WWE's annual WrestleMania event that started back in 1985. Officially titled "MomocloMania 2018 - Road to 2020-", they based the theme for the concert around Extreme Sports and featured events like Skateboarding, BMX, and 3x3 Basketball.

(*The theme of Momoclomania is specifically "the integration of Idol and Sports")

(**In 2017, Momoiro Clover Z started adding "Road to 2020" to their concerts in anticipation of the 2020 Olympics and began incorporated athletic themes into their live shows and MVs)

The centerpiece of the stage set was a replica of Mount Rushmore featuring the heads of the 4 members.

In addition to the athletic events, Momoiro Clover Z also collaborated with Samurai Rock Orchestra. Tamai Shiori starred in Samurai Rock Orchestra's "Muscle Musical" which was an acrobatic stage production of the Wizard of Oz that actually wasn't a musical. Because of her experience with the troupe, she stepped in to participate.

This is a digest video from the concert.

For the second year under the MomocloMania banner, MCZ raised the bar yet again. Titled "MomocloMania 2019 - ROAD TO 2020 - Shijou Saidai Pure Kaikai Shiki (The biggest pre-opening ceremony ever)", the stage set resembled a Roman Colosseum, complete with 4 giant Gladiator Helmets at the top.

The helmets were designed with a unique lighting rig so the eyes flicker in time to the music. They opened up to reveal each member as they were introduced, and they road down to the stage from inside them.

The concert also featured 217 cheerleaders, a 38 member marching band, and 47 Japanese dancers. Special guests included Former Takarazuka Revue performer Hinami Fu and Pro Wrestler the Great Muta.

Hinami played the Goddess of Victory in the story that unfolds during the concert.

Unfortunately, only one official video has been uploaded from the concert so far and it doesn't showcase the stage very well, so I'll end the retrospective with this.

Understanding Stardust Planet's New Variety Show

Stardust Planet started a new Variety Show this month. Titled "Momokuro to Iku! (Go With Momoclo!)", the show is being advertised as an "emotionally connecting road movie". Every week, 1 member from Momoclo and 1-3 other Stardust Idols will travel to a specific region of Japan and showcase things unique to the area. Sounds like they'll be visiting all 47 prefectures.

In addition to discovering new things, I think it's also meant to bring the Stardust groups closer together. In an article I read, Honoka (Team Shachi) says how all the groups only get together about once or twice a year, so it's great to travel in a random combination like this and talk about various things. Shiori (Momoclo) also mentions it's a rare opportunity for the three of them to get together like this and share their interests. I believe there is an additional purpose to the show. Stardust is holding another huge concert next year similar to Summer S with all the Stardust Planet groups. Momoiku is probably intended to bring attention to all the newer groups that fans aren't that familiar with in anticipation of the event. Something like this is a long time coming, so I'm glad they're finally giving more exposure to the division.

I originally intended to just give a brief summary of the 1st episode to help people understand the show better, but once I started translating, I couldn't resist digging deeper and I decided to make a full blog post on it. I won't be able to do something like this for every episode, but I'll probably pick one from each team up and do a write up for it. Without further ado, on with the show!

All 4 members of Momoclo are gathered around a table with a giant map of Japan. The Cheif Producer of BS Nippon Television (BS日テレ) enters the room. He thanks them for coming. Reni asks if the map has any significance, and the producer proceeds to tell them why they're here. Led by Momoiro Clover Z, this new program travels all over Japan with Stardust Idols! He also explains the "Road Movie" concept for the show. They will share with viewers notable products from the places they visit throughout Japan!

The members think about where they want to go. I don't know how it was decided, but they end up going to Kanagawa. Kanagawa is a coastal prefecture just south of Tokyo, and part of the Greater Tokyo Area. Yokohama is the capitol of the prefecture.

Shiori arrives at Koshigoe Station (腰越駅前) at 7:30 am. Even though map later points to the coast line of Kanagawa, the sign at the station indicates she's on Enoshima Island (江ノ島方面) which is off the Shonan coast. After introductions to the crew, Shiori comments: "Is is starting today? I'm a bit nervous. I don't know what to do."

Shiori is joined by Team Shachi's Akimoto Honoka and Batten Showjo Tai's Kiyama Ai. She comments on how they traveled from Nagoya and Fukuoka respectively. Shiori asks if Honoka or Ai have been to Kanagawa before. It's the first time for both of them.

A staff member gives them their mission:

"Report on the best items you found at the place you went to.

You can't return until you clear everything!"

The penalty comes as a shock to the members.

They're then given a card with a clue about what they need to find:

"Give a good reporting on a Koshigoe Specialty

Get that small thing!"

This will be the first of 5 episodes reporting from Kanagawa.

We then see the Momoiku! Rule Table, reiterating what's already been said:

1. To clear the theme, you must GET the product.

2. You can't go home until you clear all the themes.

3. The members must personally investigate.

4. ????????

The theme must be the item they have to get each episode which is hinted at with wording like "small thing".

(*Edit: After receiving some feedback, I thought I should clarify what it means to "GET" something. In Japanese culture "GET" simply means acquiring an item, but it also has a great feeling of success)

After exploring the area for a bit, the group finds a bakery. Ai goes inside to ask if they can enter. Once they receive permission, Shiori reads the card to the employee who informs them that a small specialty is "Shirasu (しらす)" which translates to Whitebait. Shiori is shook.

(*Whitebait is a collective term for the immature fry of fish, typically between 1 and 2 inches long. Such young fish often travel together in schools along the coast, and move into estuaries and sometimes up rivers where they can be easily caught with fine meshed fishing nets. Some countries use up to 23 species of immature fish, including the fry of eel, plaice, whiting, herring sprat and bass, along with shrimp, crab, octopus and even jellyfish)

They've received a heavy hint!! After getting the hint, there is a short profile on the bakery. They seem to use allot of lemon in their baking. After receiving a money purse, the 4th rule is revealed. This free pocket money is 5000 yen. It will most likely have to last them over the course of their stay in Kanagawa.

They present a program sticker present for the store before going outside. After enjoying their purchases, the team is still on stage 1.

After following the instructions of the bakery employee, they turn the corner and get a surprise when they see how close the ocean is.

Honoka: "Is that the sea already?"
Shiori: "I can see the sea!"

They approach an older man and look for more info on the item then need to get:

Shiori: "Do you know where we can get Shirasu around here?"
Older Man: "It's probably still too early."

After coming up short at an empty store front, Honoka spies a sign for the fishing port, so they decide to go straight to the source. They approach a fisherman and ask about Shirasu. This part is a little confusing. He says they fish for Octopus, but I think I'm still missing something. Judging by their reactions, it seems like they weren't expecting him to say that.

I think the members aren't entirely sure what's considered Shirasu, so they don't know if this will count. It's a small item, so the group decides to ask the staff if this is considered Shirasu.

The staff member asks: "Are you sure you want this as your final answer?"

Shiori responds: "But our final answer is our first answer", lol.

It's acceptable! Octopus is one of many creatures that are served as whitebait, but doesn't seem particularly common in Japan, so I'm still a little confused. I may have to translate this section again.

Fisherman: "The boat is leaving to fish the Shirasu right now"
Honoka speaks up: "Why don't we ride on it!"

This triggers the following title:

"A bold request from Honoka!!"

The fisherman approves their request. But before we get to the boat trip, random product placement time! Kanako, Arin, and Reni ate too much gyoza and are lamenting that they have stomach aches. Shiori doesn't seem to be feeling well either and reaches inside her backpack. She has something that will do the trick, "Ohta Isan" Ohta brand stomach medicine. It must be expensive because she doesn't seem to want to share, lol.

Back in Kanagawa, Shiori, Honoka, and Ai have suited up for their fishing expedition. 

The boat goes to check some traps that they already set. The girls help pull up the traps and Honoka is a natural. Ai takes her turn and pulls up a big octopus in her trap. The Fisherman comments that it's #1 for the day.

The girls comment that they've caught some Gonzui (ゴンズイ), which is "Striped Eel Catfish". The title card comments that Honoka must only be able to speak to Gonzui since that's mostly what they

find in the traps she pulls up. Honoka is the only left who hasn't gotten an octopus. She tries yet again, but instead gets a "Gomodoki (ゴモドキ)" which is an armored catfish. In total, they caught 20 octopus.

(*Edit: Going back to the "GET" criteria, I don't know if the team achieved a goal or not in this episode. Their answer was acceptable, but it's not clear if they advanced to the next stage. As the above picture shows, they "GET" octopus, but I don't know if this really counts towards obtaining Shirasu. Since octopus is only an ingredient in Shirasu, I suspect they won't achieve their goal until they have the final product in their hands. I'm sure everything will become clear over the following episodes)

And that concludes this episode. The adventure continues in episode 2:

"The long cherished fishing of Shirasu.

The girls finally get to taste the item of their quest."

The first episode can be watched in it's entirety here:

I hope this helps anyone interested in watching the show to understand it a little better. I haven't settled on a format for these write ups yet, so it's a bit rough. The next one should be a little more polished. Until next time!

Momoiro Clover Z, Natalie 5th Album Interview - Part 2

"Seeing yourself at 30"

--In March, Momoclo made a surprise appearance at "S ★ Spicy Last Live", an event for Stardust's Older Sister Unit. At the event, Kanako told Kurita Moe "It's cool to be an Idol at 30 yrs. old" (*There's a link to the article covering this event). This year, the oldest member, Reni, will be 26, so Momoclo could realistically reach that age.

(*S ★ Spicy is a stardust Idol Group representing the "Charm of Older Women" and treated as the Older Sister Unit for all Stardust Idols. They've never been part of 3Bjunior or Stardust Planet, but were active as a general Section 3 music artist. The group debuted in 2009 and there have been 4 Generations in total which they call Phases. The event was S ★ Spicy's 10th Anniversary and final performance before disbanding. Kurita Moe was one of two remaining members in the group and 30 at the time)

Shiori: I'm starting to see myself at 30 yrs. old.

Reni: Because 2 out of 4 of us are "around 30".

Kanako: Iya! I'm still 25 this year.

Shiori: Isn't "Around 30" after 26? I still have 6 yrs left until I'm 30.

(*I put "around 30" in quotation because Reni uses the abbreviation "Arasa (アラサー)" which means around 30. It's become a popular way to convey a general age without being specific. There are versions for all other milestone ages like "around 40", "around 50", etc. The model Gisele popularized it mid last decade)

Reni: That's so convenient for everyone. They won't admit it, but we're all essentially "around 30".

Arin: That's not it! (laughs)

--I think your sense of time will become faster from now on. In all honesty, are you worried about getting older?

Kanako: My 20's turned out differently than I imagined, but I'm looking forward to growing older.

--Did you think your 20's would be more adult?

Arin: I heard the rumors. "Even when I'm in my 20's, things don't change much". When I was a child, I thought "I want my 20's to come as soon as possible". But once I got there, I thought "Nothing really did change".

Reni: That rumor is true.

--I don't think you'll change that much at 30. This goes especially for the 4 of you.

Arin: I want 40 to come as soon as possible.

--Why is that?

Arin: 30 is too real (laughs). I want to be like a Mother who has overcome their obstacles.

(*I'm not exactly sure what Arin means here. She uses the term "ひと波越えた". I got confirmation that it means “to overcome or go through ones problem/obstacle”, but I'm still unsure of the context. Maybe because 40 is a milestone and by that point you've overcome allot of obstacles. If you had children young, they'd almost be adults by then)

Kanako: I recently asked a friend who's the same age as me "why isn't it completely different?"

Reni: I want to hear this one.

Kanako: "Why don't I feel like an adult at all?", "Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing?". My friend said it's because the image of the old Momoclo is strong in people's minds. I'm not aware that I haven't changed, but together we can stay this way. I'm scared it will continue like this into my 30's and 40's.

Reni: It would be really scary if I was still like this at 40 (laughs).

Shiori: I think Reni-chan will be.

Reni: Iya, I don't think any of us will change (laughs).

Arin: I think if we were living separately, the 3 of us would be more like adults, but Reni-chan would still be like this.

Reni: What an image! (laughs) I might be like a madam!

(*I think Reni's saying she would be like a refined lady)

"The Diamond Four" had the same impact as "Kaitou Shojo"

--Please tell us about the songs included on the 5th album "Momoiro Clover Z". "The Diamond Four" was used in the title for the performance at the Tokyo Dome. Now, it's also being used for the lead single which was composed around rap as it's core and finished as a pop tune. When I watched the video, I expected a more aggressive song, but it's very bright.

(*The MV for "The Diamond Four" is embedded here)

Reni: Did it defy your expectations in a good way? I thought we were going to do a much more mature song. It was a different melody than I imagined, but it's a really good song.

Kanako: Some of us have the feeling that the lead single from an album is a song that runs ahead (*I think Kanako just means that the lead single gives an impression of the upcoming album and sets the tone). I think I've been able to enjoy making this song as the lead single because of all the various experiences I've had growing into adulthood. Up till now, it was like a strong call to "Follow Me!", but "The Diamond Four" has a more relaxed atmosphere, so now it's more like "Let's get allot of people involved and dance together happily". That's our new color, so I want to get our fans involved at the lives.

Shiori: When I first heard it, I though it was similar to when we released "Ikuzze! Kaitou Shojo". When we made our major debut with Ikuzze!, I hadn't listened to it much. However, gradually it became a song I couldn't get out of my head. The Diamond Four had a similar impact. Through practicing, recording, and shooting the Music Video, it has a melody that can't be forgotten.

--I see.

Shiori: Also, with "Kaitou Shojo", the history of Momoclo has been shaped by the lyrics little by little almost like a pun, and "Mononofu" has casually been added to the lyrics. Various aspects of ourselves are included in the Rap because it's something that's rare for us to do, so I think it's fun to listen to while looking for something that feels like a Hidden Mickey.

(*A Hidden Mickey is a representation of Mickey Mouse that has been inserted subtly into the design of a ride, attraction, or other location in a Disney theme park,  Disney properties, animated film, feature-length movie, TV series, or other Disney product)

--There have been several Momoclo Rap songs. How was it recording this one?

Reni: I struggled a bit. The first recording just wouldn't end. Because of my personal struggle, it deepened my love for this song. If we had recorded this song 5 yrs after we formed, I don't think we could have finished it. With the exception of The Diamond Four, we can sing all our other songs because we've been preforming them for 10 yrs. We can firmly send out our new color in this song.

"The joy of working with the same generation"

In addition to "The Diamond Four" you recorded a variety of song for the album. Do you have any favorites or ones that impressed you?

Reni: Yes, there's allot of good songs. However, I'd especialy like you to listen to the 13th song, "The Show". It's the first time I've tried to cover an Enlgish song translated into Japanese. It changes the way we sing, and I think it's a song that shows the unique flavor of Momoclo.

Shirori: For me it's 2 songs, "Revival" and "More We Do". Both songs were composed by people from our generation. It makes me realize that we're getting older.

--"More We Do" is a number that was composed by CHAI, right?

Shiori: Up to this point, most of the people who've written songs for us were older, so it feels fresh. Being close to our age, there's allot of things that come through in that song. The staff and co-stars around us, the people we work with have gotten closer to our age, and I have the pleasure of creating things with people from the same generation.

(*When Shiori says co-stars, I believe she means other talent that they work with, like on Variety Shows. It's also possible she means people who appear as extras in MVs and other projects)

--There used to be some conflict between the members who were children and the staff who were adults. Your Producer, Kawakami Akira, shook things up in many ways. But all 4 children have disappeared. From now on, I think there will be more opportunities to work with younger people.

Reni: It's scary.

Arin: It's surprising that, starting this Spring, people the same age as me will become new members of society.

(*I assume Arin's referring to College Graduates)

Reni: When I hear Arin talk about people who are younger, I wonder "Is she okay not having gone to school?".

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/momoclo21/page/2

Momoiro Clover Z, Natalie 5th Album Interview - Part 1

"14 Songs that you can sing because you have become adults"

Momoiro Clover Z's 5th Album "Momoiro Clover Z" has been released.

The self-titled album was released on the group's 11th Anniversary. In addition to the 5 songs that were released consecutively from last August - December, the album includes 8 new songs and 1 bonus track. Through a variety of songs that convey the image of "Show", you can feel that Momoclo have become adults. "The Diamond Four" is a pop tune with a rap composition, "More We Do" was composed by Chai, "Lady Mei" was provided by GLIM SPANKY, and "Momokuro no Norikazu Nippon Banzai" is a remake of the an older song "Momokuro no Nippon Banzai" (2011). Music Natalie talks with the 4 members about recording the album.

"There's so many things, I can't understand the flow of time"

--It's been a year since the release of the Best Of album "Momo mo jyu Bancha mo Debana" and your one man live in Tokyo Dome. There must have been allot going on during this period. Can we take a look back?

Reni: During the period when we were holding the "Momoiro Clover Z Japan Tour: Springtime of Life" throughout 47 prefectures (from April 2017 - December 2018), time moved really fast. Every weekend I was doing a live, and it always felt like the weekend came very soon. It feels like time passes more quickly as the years go by. During this time, there was also the Annual Spring concert "Momoclo Big Spring" in Kurobe city. I couldn't believe it had already been 1 year since we held the concert in Higashiomi!

Arin: I have the impression that we held allot of lives over the past year. Whichever month I look back on, I have allot of memories of those lives. More and more, I think that our time revolves around live performances.

--In addition to the big annual Summer and Winter concerts, You starred in your first musical, and all of Stardust's female Idol groups met/came together in one place for "Summer S".

Kanako: Ah, "Summer S" is also an event this year!

(*Summer S took place last year, so I think Kanako means "It was an event within this past year".  In the interview, they're talking about everything that's happened since around the 10th Anniversary concert, so Summer S was part of that time frame)

Shiori: Since last August, there was a plan to continuously release songs for this album, so the number of songs we've released as 4 members has increased. I think that Mononofu have some new favorites, and there were allot of opportunities to get their feedback on the new songs, so it was a fun and fulfilling year.

--Momota-san, looking back over the past year, do you feel anything?

Kanako: There was allot of overlap with the 10th Anniversary, so it was one thing after the other.  There was allot going on before we even reached the 10th Anniversary, and we collaborated on various things afterwards, so I think there was allot of celebrating. Because of this, I felt like I've lost all sense of time. The work I did this morning already feels like the old days, and even a week feels condensed. I realized that I can do allot of different things in one year.

--Like Takagi-san was saying, did it feel like time was moving faster than before?

Kanako: Yes, it did.

Shiori: It felt like a week went by in no time.

Arin: When I was in Elementary School, I'd think "It's still August!" (laughs).

Reni: Me too! When I was a student, I felt the passing of every day, so I kept my own regular cycle. But after graduating High School, more often I can't keep track of time.

"Agreeing to spend the night together in a Japanese Style Room"

--On the new album "Momoiro Clover Z", I heard that "Momoclo has become adults" is one of the themes. Among the members, do you feel that you have "become adults"?

Kanako: The subject of beauty comes up increasingly in our conversations. Recommending beauty methods, make up tools, face lotions, etc. Recently, we've been talking about whether or not to moisturize before applying make up. Our conversations are like "which lotion do you use?", so I think we've grown up a little. We're just like OL's (laughs).

Shiori: When I went traveling, I used to bring back pastries or other foods for souvenirs, but now I bring makeup goods.

Arin: You change the most in your teens and twenties, right? The way you look and how you think. I think it's a big deal to have experienced these changed together over the last 10 yrs. However, we haven't changed in some ways.

--Where do you think you still have childish tendencies?

Shiori: Being tempted by sweets (laughs). When one of the staff says "I'm going to buy tapioca", we all say "Yeah!" (laughs).

Arin: After working one day, I was tired and went to the dressing room. When I opened the door, I saw that some tapioca was there, and went "Kya!" and grabbed it right away (laughs).

Kanako: "There's tapioca there!" (laughs).

Reni: We're still interested in things that children like too. Recently, I've become addicted to riddles. It's not easy for adults to solve riddles (laughs).

Shiori: Reni-chan got hooked on them because she appeared on a Radio Program.

Kanako: Also, when we stayed overnight in a single room, Reni-chan got a little scared.

Reni: It was a Japanese style room...Suddenly the TV screen turned off even though I didn't touch it at all. I started getting scared and called the Manager and asked them to come to the room. He checked various things and found out it was because of the timer setting.

Shiori: It seemed like she was crying allot.

Reni: I was panicking and couldn't sleep.

Kanako: It's been a long time since we experienced "The problem of not being able to sleep at the Hotel". Shiori-san already overcame that.

Shiori: However, Reni-chan signed an agreement that stated "When we stay in a Japanese style room, let's stay in it together." It's because we like watching horror movies.

Reni: I'm the type that regrets watching them.

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/momoclo21