A new idol group is coming in March 2023 from KAWAII LAB. , to promote Japan’s growing idol culture to the world.

So far, four members have been announced ahead of the group’s debut concert. The group name and details of their debut concert have just been revealed!

Following IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, the third idol group born from KAWAII LAB. has been announced as CANDY TUNE. The name is meant to evoke the image of both kindhearted girls and catchy melodies and harmonies.KAWAII LAB. will continue to focus on its concept of promoting Harajuku culture to the world.

The four members announced so far are Mizuki Kirihara, Rino Fukuyama, Natsu Minami, and Nanako Ogawa. More members will be announced in the near future.

Clockwise from top: Mizuki Kirihara, Nanako Ogawa, Rino Fukuyama, Natsu Minami

CANDY TUNE’s debut concert titled KAWAII LAB. SESSION ~CANDY TUNE~ will be held on March 14 at Spotify O-EAST! IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, both created by KAWAII LAB., will also perform, with the members of CANDY TUNE performing on the same stage as their seniors for the first time.

FRUITS ZIPPER released the new song Happy Chocolate on February 1, 2023. Happy Chocolate was written by Shou Yamamoto, who previously wrote the group’s smash-hit second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, which currently has over 600 million views on TikTok.

In this new report, we sat down to interview the members about their new song Happy Chocolate. Read on to see more about the new track’s cute choreography, highlights of the lovey-dovey music video, and much more!♡

–What kind of a song is Happy Chocolate?

Luna: “This Valentine’s Day song is packed with tons of cuteness. It’s one of those songs you’ll catch yourself humming to and can’t get out of your head! My favorite lyrics are “I want to reward myself with my love,” and “I want to reward myself starting today!” I want to reward myself every day for my hard work.”

–What were your first impressions of the song?

Amane: “I thought it sounded so cute and happy. When I heard that it was a Valentine’s Day song, I was shocked that it was already that time of year!”

Mana: “I couldn’t get the chorus out of my head, and even before I learned the whole thing, I was humming it constantly. I instantly thought that when the song was released, it would be stuck in people’s heads for a while!”

–The Happy Chocolate dance is super cute. What do you focus on to make it extra adorable?

Karen: “The video is full of us eating chocolate, and the trick making that extra cute is to focus on how you take a bite!”

Noel: “I think it’s pretty easy to make a dance cute if you dance with lots of chocolate in mind! When you’re dancing, think about how sweet chocolate is, how much you love it, and how yummy it is! ♡”

–Tell us your favorite part of the Happy Chocolate music video!

Yui: “I hope everyone enjoys this music video with all of us eating chocolate together!
There is a cutout with a hashtag somewhere, so be sure to take a look at it and see what it says.🥰 Personally, I hope you don’t miss the face about 3 seconds before the end of the music video!” ♡ (Laugh)

Suzuka: “I love the scenes where everyone is dressed up cooks making chocolate.♡
In the first take, everyone was really cooking without paying attention to the camera. It was a real FRUITS ZIPPER moment (laugh).
Our outfits are so cute too! ♡♡
Also, look at the rings on my fingers, they are so cute!”

–Do you have any messages for the fans?

Yui: “I think this song is an interesting and extremely cute pop song. I think FRUITS ZIPPER shows off so many kinds of kawaii♡ It’s NEW KAWAII!” ♡ (Laugh)

Happy Chocolate is a wonderful song that will not only make your heart pound this Valentine’s Day, but will also bring you plenty of happiness!

Please listen to it! 🥰”

Karen: “Sweet, sweet, sweet, sweet, please fall in love with Karen!”

Happy Chocolate will be performed live for the first time at the FRUITS ZIPPER 1st One Man Tour 2023 -WINTER- ♡BE AT THE HEART♡ concert. Only general tickets are on sale for the expanded capacity show at Namba Hatch in Osaka on February 5 and the tour’s final show at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo on February 12, so grab them while you can!

The popular idol group FRUITS ZIPPER has released its long-awaited new single Happy Chocolate, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

The group hopes the song will become the new Valentine’s Day anthem. Happy Chocolate was written by Shou Yamamoto, who previously wrote the group’s smash-hit second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, which currently has over 600 million views on TikTok.

The light-hearted track is a love song following a woman celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Fans who watch the music video may recognize Sako Makita’s signature choreography. The artist also choreographed the dance for Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, and the new video completely captures the adorable aura of the FRUITS ZIPPER members. The music video premiered at 20:00 on February 1.

Happy Chocolate will be performed live for the first time at the FRUITS ZIPPER 1st One Man Tour 2023 -WINTER- ♡BE AT THE HEART♡concert on February 3. Tickets are completely sold out for the ReNY Limited show in Nagoya on February 3, the men-only WWW X show in Tokyo on February 9, and the women-only performance on February 10. VIP tickets for the extra capacity Namba Hatch performance in Osaka on February 5 and the tour finale at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA in Tokyo on February 12 are also sold out. Only general admission tickets are available for these two shows.

From February 1 to February 14, a limited-time FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine pop-up shop is being held on the 5th floor of Laforet Harajuku. Fans will be able to purchase exclusive items, see the group’s costumes, and leave notes on a giant board for the members to see. Don’t miss it!

For the latest FRUITS ZIPPER news, follow the group on Twitter （@fruits_zipper）.

Laforet Harajuku will host a pop-up shop inspired by the up-and-coming idol group FRUITS ZIPPER from February 1 until February 14! The FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop will be found on the 5th floor MAKE THE STAGE area.

FRUITS ZIPPER debuted in April 2022 and embodies a simple concept: “From Harajuku to the World.” The group’s second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro exploded in popularity on TikTok, pulling in over 600 million views. In February, the girls will embark on their first solo concert tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. This is the first FRUITS ZIPPER-inspired limited-time shop, and during the event, visuals of the group’s members will be displayed in the show windows found on the first floor of Laforet Harajuku.

◆About the FRUITS ZIPPER Valentine Pop-Up Shop

When entering the venue, fans will be greeted by a 5-meter-wide board where visitors can write and attach their messages to the FRUITS ZIPPER members on heart-shaped cards. Costumes that the members have worn on stage will also be on display, allowing fans to see each stitch up close.

Exclusive items featuring new photos of the members will be on sale at the pop-up shop. Fans can enjoy seeing the girls in their own personal style, and these items will only be available during the event! Starting February 4, tour merch for the group’s upcoming solo concert series will also be available for purchase.

◆Collaboration with Fruit Sandwich Specialty Store ‘Fruits Box Daikanyama’

Last year’s popular collaboration with Fruit Box Daikanyama, a well-known fruit sandwich shop, is happening again in 2023! Fans can find the Collaboration Gift Box for sale, including seven baked meringue goods each featuring one of the member’s colors. The box also comes with snapshots of the members, and for a few lucky fans, these snaps might be signed! The idol group and sandwich shop have also teamed up to create the Collaborative Lucky Grab Bag Lottery, including popular FRUITS ZIPPER goods and original items from Fruits Box Daikanyama. The lucky first-prize winner will receive a special set of all available February tour merchandise in all sizes.

◆Member Appearance Planned on Valentine’s Day

On February 14, the final day of the pop-up shop, the members of FRUITS ZIPPER will make an appearance! Guests will be able to participate in the first-ever hands-on event with the members, so keep an eye out for more details!

Stay up to date with the latest FRUITS ZIPPER news at the official Twitter page (@FRUITS_ZIPPER).

FRUITS ZIPPER Pop-Up Shop Exclusive Goods

Random Photo – Valentine pop-up ver. (21 varieties): ¥330 (Tax Included)

Random Pin – Valentine pop-up ver. (7 varieties): ¥500 (Tax Included)

Random Purikura Stickers – Valentine pop-up ver. (14 varieties): ¥600 (Tax Included)

In March 2023, a brand-new idol group from KAWAII LAB will be born, furthering the project’s aim to introduce Japanese idol culture to the world. The first two members of the mysterious group were revealed in December 2022 and two more members have just been announced.

Following Rino Fukuyama and Mizuki Kirihara, gravure model Natsu Minami and experienced idol Nanako Ogawa have joined the new group. The number of members has not yet been revealed, but more additions to the group are expected to be announced ahead of the girl’s March 2023 debut.

The group’s name and debut concert details will be announced in the future.

Following the stunning success of both IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, we’re looking forward to seeing KAWAII LAB’s third group!

<Member Comments>

Natsu Minami

“Nice to meet you! I’m Natsu Minami, but you can call me Nattan.
I’ve worked as a model in the past, including some gravure shoots. From this point on, I’m going to use what I’ve learned to improve my singing and dancing, so look forward to it!

This is my first time taking lessons like this and participating in recording sessions. I’ve worked alone in the past, but the other members have been so supportive and I love them already! I’ll do my best to show you all how much I’ve grown when we debut!”

Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: 156cm
Birthday: March 17, 2001
Talent: Making clothes
Hobbies: Photography, cosplay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nattanntan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattanntan/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nattanntan

Nanako Ogawa

“I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by girls who have experience as idols and who have such amazing potential. I can’t believe I’m here.

Now that I’m spending time with these incredibly strong members each day, I can’t wait until we make our debut!

I’ll do my absolute best to devote myself to this group in my own way, so I hope you’ll support me!”

Birthplace: Hokkaido
Height: 160cm
Birthday: October 1, 1999
Talents: Figure skating, finding ♡ in my everyday life, memorizing choreography quickly
Hobbies: Taking selfies, fortune telling, social media, watching mukbangs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/__nchisan__
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__nchisan__/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@__nachisan__

The Winter 2022-2023 issue of the revived fashion creator magazine Zipper went on sale on December 23.

This issue focuses on this winter’s must-know trends and is packed with coordination tips, outfit plans through spring, snapshots, hair and makeup tips, and much more.

Zipper ended its 24-year history in December 2017. In March 2022, ASOBISYSTEM teamed up with DONUTS Inc. to revive the magazine as a quarterly release. The fashion magazine, popular with Gen Z, is known for sharing details aspects of Harajuku culture and will continue to share more from the creative center of Tokyo for years to come.

Standard Edition (Cover: Nagisa Saito)

Another Edition (Cover: FRUITS ZIPPER）

In March 2023, a brand-new idol group from KAWAII LAB will be announced, furthering the project’s aim to introduce Japanese idol culture to the world. Two members have been announced ahead of the group’s debut.

Rino Fukuyama and Mizuki Kirihara have been announced as members, both having former idol experience. It’s unclear how many members the group will have in total, but more details are expected to be revealed in the coming months.

We’re looking forward to seeing what KAWAII LAB’s third group will be, following the stunning success of both IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER.

<Member Comments>

Rino Fukuyama

“I’m Rino Fukuyama, also known as Rinomaru, and I’m happy to announce that I’ll be a member of a new idol group from KAWAII LAB. It still feels like a dream, and I’m so excited to work in a totally new environment.
Lessons have already started, and seeing the incredible potential of the other members has me so excited to see what’s to come. Honestly, I think we’re going to be one of the strongest groups out there, so be sure to stay tuned!
I’m looking forward to taking on all kinds of new challenges. We’re all going to make our dreams come true, so please support us!”

Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: 155cm
Birthday: December 24
Talents: Dance, Choreography, English (Spent time abroad)
Hobbies: Watching girls’ basketball, Cosmetics

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aksb_rino
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rinomaru_/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rinomaru_

Mizuki Kirihara

“I’m so happy that I’ll be an idol in this new environment with these wonderful members.
I hope everyone will support me as I do what I love and strive to become more expressive and strong.
We’re getting ready to show you so many different sides of ourselves, and we’ll be sure to never lose our sense of gratitude.
I’ll pour everything I have into this and will make my dreams come true, and in the future, I want to show those who support me so many unique things!”

Birthplace: Ibaraki Prefecture
Height: 148cm
Birthday: February 21, 2003
Talent: Dance
Hobbies: Music, Leaning languages (Korean, English)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kirihara_mizuki
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirihara_mizuki/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kirihara_mizuki

<Comment from KAWAII LAB. Producer Misa Kimura>
“I’m so pleased to announce that a new group is on the way from KAWAII LAB. As always, I’ll do my very best to make KAWAII LAB the best it can be–a place where these girls can be serious about their idol careers and bring audiences the biggest possible thrills. Between IDOLATER, FRUITS ZIPPER, and this new group, I hope you’re looking forward to what’s coming from KAWAII LAB!”

FRUITS ZIPPER will hold a solo concert at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on February 12, 2023. The idol group’s representative track Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro has pulled in over 600 million plays on TikTok. 

The group debuted in April 2022 with the concept ‘from Harajuku to the world.’ Within their first year, FRUITS ZIPPER has attracted fans from around the world, holding their first overseas event in Thailand in October.

On December 31, the girls took to the stage in Tainan, Taiwan for the Tainan Christmas and New Year’s Eve Party. Many popular Taiwanese artists, including W0LF(S), the Korean idol group EPEX, and Aaron Yan from the boy band Fahrenheit performed at the event which attracted over 100,000 people.

Aaron Yan announced FRUITS ZIPPER as they headed to the stage and the audience quickly burst into excited cheers. While many in the audience had never heard of the idol group before, their curiosity was piqued by the sound of local fans. 

After performing RADIO GALAXY, the members introduced themselves one by one in Chinese, much to the delight of the audience. 

The group then performed Sekaiwa Kimikara Hajimaru. The music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on December 25 and has pulled in over 60,000 views to date. Soap bubbles floated and sparkled throughout the venue during the song, and to show their cool side, the girls then switched to We are Frontier, a fan favorite.

Aaron reappeared for the next MC section, interviewing the FRUITS ZIPPER members. “People in Taiwan are so incredibly kind,” said Noel Hayase. “They have been so nice to me and it’s made me so happy.” When asked how she felt about so many people in the audience knowing the song Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, Suzuka Chinsei answered with a smile. “We’re so happy that so many people love FRUITS ZIPPER and our music. You’ve given us so much love, and we’ll keep giving that love back through our music. We want to reach the whole world, the whole universe!” She finished by saying “I love you” in Chinese. 

As expected, the girls finished their set by performing the song Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro. When the familiar intro began playing, the audience erupted in cheers, and fans danced together during the chorus. Again, soap bubbles filled the venue and the audience was transformed to match FRUITS ZIPPER’s kawaii style. As the song came to a close, the girls said goodbye in Chinese. 

The event was broadcast live on the Taiwanese TV channel TVBS and was streamed live on YouTube, pulling in 30,000 viewers during FRUITS ZIPPER’s performance.

Only eight months following their debut, FRUITS ZIPPER performed live in front of 100,000 people, with 70,000 in attendance and 30,000 viewing virtually. Given their incredible success in Taiwan, 2023 is sure to be a big year for these budding idols!

Photo: Harry Huang

Culture-Holic group IDOLATER is known for exploring the boundary of music, fashion, and other unique aspects of culture through an idol perspective. 

Last time, we chatted with the members about their new costumes. Today, we sat down to discuss the newest artist photo. 

All About IDOLATER’s New Outfits:https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/ja/664662

―Tell us about shooting the new artist photo!

Ririka: The image was shot by the ocean, and I think it really compliments the new outfits!

Ayu: This was shot at Kujukuri Beach in Chiba. It was the first time we’ve shot something outside Harajuku, and it was so fun to take the bus with everyone and eat lunch together…it felt like a field trip! (Laugh)

―It’s a simple shot. That’s rare for an idol group.

Ayu: It is! The sky and the beach really matched our new costumes. It looks so stylish.

Fuka: The photo is cool and fashionable, which suits our new look!

I think it’s hard to find an idol artist photo with such a perfect distance between the camera and the members. It really implies that an idol isn’t only cute, but also in vogue and cool. That’s what IDOLATER is going for.

―Were there any difficulties during shooting?

Yukino: It was super cold shooting so close to the ocean. I had a really hard time, probably because it was my first time with my stomach showing, and my tummy gets cold easily! Honestly, the hardest part was starting the day at 5:30AM. But it was still fun shooting at Kujukuri Beach, including the trip itself!

Kurumi: It was my first time on an ocean shoot, so I was worried about getting my outfit dirty! I walked more carefully than usual. It was cloudy when we started shooting, but it started to clear up, which made it hard for me to open my eyes because it got so bright.

―Do you have a message for the fans?

Yukino: Thank you so much for supporting us! I’ve received so many wonderful compliments on the new artist photo from fans, and I’m glad you like our new costumes and makeup. I think it turned out well, and I hope you’ll keep cheering us on going forward!

Kurumi: What do you think of the new photo? It’s different from the last one, isn’t it? I hope you could see a new side of us. We’ll keep showing you tons of unique parts of ourselves in the future!

Ririka: Thank you so much for your support. 

This is my first new outfit since joining IDOLATER, and I hope it shows off both the cool and the cute aspects of the group. Please keep cheering me on!

This is the last in the IDOLATER interview series for 2022.

Look forward to more IDOLATER content from MOSHI NIPPON in 2023!

The Metaverse Music Festival, a virtual event organized by the global Web3 platform Decentraland, took place starting on November 10, 2022, featuring a number of Japanese artists. 

FRUITS ZIPPER was one of the performing acts, appearing on the MetaTokyo stage on November 11 and November 12.

According to data from MetaTokyo, a total of 20,000 viewers from 101 countries around the world watched the performances, including those from the United States, Canada, Japan, Spain, Germany, and Brazil.

This spring, the idol group FRUITS ZIPPER released the track Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, which racked up over 600 million views on TikTok. The music video has amassed over 5.5 million views on YouTube, and despite having just debuted, the girls performed at all major idol festivals over the summer.

In November, the group’s second solo concert at Shibuya WWW X was a major success. In February 2023, the girls will begin the FRUITS ZIPPER 1st LIVE TOUR 2023 WINTER scheduled to conclude at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA on February 12. The group will also perform at a New Year’s Eve event in Tainan, Taiwan. Keep an eye out for them in 2023!

FRUITS ZIPPER, an up-and-coming idol group from ASOBISYSTEM’s KAWAII LAB project, has a simple concept: “From Harajuku to the World.” For the past year, the girls have been transmitting what they call ‘NEW KAWAII’ from Harajuku, an area known for fashion and individuality, to their growing fanbase.

Recently, we sat down with the members to chat about their first year as idols since debuting in April 2022.

ーWhat has the past year been like as members of FRUITS ZIPPER?

Manaka Mana

“The past year has been a year of love. I’ve learned so much about myself and see my own weaknesses more than I ever have before!

I’ve been able to encounter emotions I wasn’t even aware that I could, and I’ve even been able to recognize and verbalize a lot of new dreams and goals for the future!

Thank you so much!”

Noel Hayase

“The past year has been the most packed year of my life. There was something to do every single day–it was so hectic and so fun! I could only think about how thankful I was to be part of FRUITS ZIPPER. I’m sure that we’ve all become stronger over the past year, and I want to keep working hard and expanding our activities more in the coming years!”

Amane Tsukiashi

“Every day seemed to fly by. I met and talked with so many people, and I was finally able to do the job I had always dreamed of doing.”

ーYou performed in Thailand this year, highlighting your slogan of ‘From Harajuku to the World.’ Can you tell us any fun stories from that time?

Yui Sakurai

“I was so happy to see how many people knew about FRUITS ZIPPER–it was more than I could have ever imagined! So many fans told me how happy they were to meet me and it made me so thrilled!

There were some fans who came from Japan too, and they joined the Thai fans to become Team Yui! I really felt like we had shared Harajuku with the world at that moment. ♡

I hope that we’ll keep expanding this way and visiting fans around the world. 

It was such a warm and special day.”

Luna Nakagawa

“This was my first time performing overseas and I was nervous about how the audience would react. We weren’t well-known in Thailand, after all–but when we started singing Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, everyone sang along!

The concert was so warm and the fans were so sweet, I immediately forgot that it was my first big overseas performance. I was full of adrenaline and it just turned out to be so much fun.

That concert is still my best memory. I can’t wait to go back to Thailand to perform again.

Since our motto is ‘From Harajuku to the World,’ I hope that we can keep expanding to other countries soon!”

ーDo you have any goals for the next year in terms of overseas activities?

Suzuka Chinzei

“I want to do a European tour!

I’m still studying German, but I’d love to try out my communication skills! 🥺 (I guess I could do that here too, but…)”

Karen Matsumoto

“I want to be friends with more overseas fans! 💖

Honestly, I’d love to become like Kyary, an idol who is now recognized all over the world!”

ーGive a message to your fans both in Japan and abroad!

Manaka Mana

“In 2023, I hope that I can spend more time with fans from around the world in person! I want to become stronger and care for those important to me while growing my natural gifts!

I hope you’re all looking forwards to a powered-up FRUITS ZIPPER!

Let’s make 2023 a great one!” 🤍

Noel Hayase

“Even though we’ve only just debuted, we’ve already been so blessed, invited to perform in Thailand and to spend New Year’s Eve in Taiwan. How have we been abroad so many times already? I want to keep the momentum going, spread my wings and aim for an even bigger stage! To all the international fans, just wait! We’ll keep bringing Harajuku to the rest of the world!”

Popular dance and vocal unit Atarashii Gakko! performed at the Head in the Clouds music festival on December 3 in Jakarta, Indonesia, and December 8 in Manila, Philippines. Local fans showed up in droves for the incredible show.

The Head in the Clouds music festival is organized by the record label 88Rising, and the event took place in Los Angeles in August. The label is known for representing Asian artists, with YOASOBI also appearing at the two shows in Jakarta and Manila.

The Jakarta show was attended by around 20,000 people, making it as large as the United States show. The members of Atarashii Gakko!, with their addictive energy and impressive talent, quickly became a talking point among fans not only in the audience but around the world.

In addition to the recent shows in Jakarta and Manila, Atarashii Gakko! recently embarked on a five-show US tour, including a solo performance at the Crunchyroll Expo in San Diego in July. Keep an eye out for what these girls will do next!

Photo: Lindsey Blane