Onyanko Club
Encyclopedia
was a large all-girl Japanese
pop
idol
group in the 1980s. The group gave a new approach to the idol formula with its 52 official members and three unofficial members. Some members of the group participated in several subgroups such as Nyangilas
, Ushirogami Hikaretai
, and Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi
, with the latter two groups providing most of the soundtrack to the popular 80s anime
series High School! Kimengumi
.
The group debuted on 1985-04-01 on their own Fuji TV variety show
Yūyake Nyan Nyan with eleven high school girls selected from participants in the Fuji TV aired in February that same year. The group disbanded on 1987-09-09 with a final concert. There have been several reunion appearances, including one on a recent episode of Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ. Several big-name idols stemmed from the group, one of the best known being Shizuka Kudō
.
The same formula was used by the more internationally familiar group Morning Musume
, and people regularly compare Onyanko Club to Morning Musume
. They even gave a small tribute to Onyanko Club at the end of their member "roll call"-esque song "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari" when they do the classic "Nyan Nyan" pose. The song is similar to the series of three "Kaiin Bango no Uta" songs released by Onyanko Club.
Sources:
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(aka "Yuyu"), and released six singles and three albums, from 1985 to 1987.
and Makiko Saito, and released five singles, two studio albums and one live album, in 1987 and 1988.
students at the time. Onyanko Club had a rule against smoking, as well.
About two weeks after the airing of the first episode of Yūyake Nyan Nyan, the weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun published photos of Mika Okuda, Michiko Enokida, Kayoko Yoshino, Aki Kihara, Mamiko Tomoda, and Mayumi Satō (all under age 20, the legal age for smoking in Japan) smoking at a local kissaten
after leaving the studio. After the April 18th episode, these members were removed from appearances on the show, and were officially fired on April 25. After this, fans of the show referred to this group as the and the .
Despite being in the photograph, Kihara was reinstated as a member of the group several days later. Additionally, only Satō's skirt could be seen in the photo, and her face was not visible. She did not return to the group, though.
Fuji TV reacted very swiftly, and there was not much protest when they fired the members of the group as they weren't very well known then. Due to the scandal, the show was moved from Mondays to Fridays at 5:00 pm, which was considered a poor time slot. It was also only broadcast locally rather than nationally. Shortly after the scandal, however, Onyanko Club's debut single, Don't Make Me Take Off My Sailor Suit, was released, and the show became so popular they expanded the broadcast area very quickly. The topic of the Smoking Group was made a taboo subject at that point.
The members of the Smoking Group have appeared on a recent DVD release of performances from the first few months of Onyanko Club's existence.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
group in the 1980s. The group gave a new approach to the idol formula with its 52 official members and three unofficial members. Some members of the group participated in several subgroups such as Nyangilas
Nyangilas
is a Japanese idol Jpop band created in 1986 as a four member sub-group Onyanko Club. Their first single, Watashi wa Rika-chan, featured Rika Tatsumi with the lead vocals...
, Ushirogami Hikaretai
Ushirogami Hikaretai
Ushirogami Hikaretai is a Japanese idol Jpop band, created in 1987 and disbanded in 1988, third sub-group of Onyanko Club, consisting of three of its members: Akiko Ikuina, Makiko Saito, and Shizuka Kudo who also begins as a soloist in 1987 with a huge success after the band's break-up...
, and Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi
Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi
was a two-member Japanese pop music group created in 1985, consisting of Yukiko Iwai and Mamiko Takai. While members of this group, Iwai and Takai were also members of Onyanko Club, a large pop group considered a precursor to groups such as Morning Musume. Onyanko Club sang back-up vocals on some...
, with the latter two groups providing most of the soundtrack to the popular 80s anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series High School! Kimengumi
High School! Kimengumi
is a manga series written by Motoei Shinzawa which ran in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1982 to 1987. The title literally translates to High School! Funny-face Club or High School! Weird Face Club. An anime TV series and movie based on the series were also released...
.
The group debuted on 1985-04-01 on their own Fuji TV variety show
Variety show
A variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is an entertainment made up of a variety of acts, especially musical performances and sketch comedy, and normally introduced by a compère or host. Other types of acts include magic, animal and circus acts, acrobatics, juggling...
Yūyake Nyan Nyan with eleven high school girls selected from participants in the Fuji TV aired in February that same year. The group disbanded on 1987-09-09 with a final concert. There have been several reunion appearances, including one on a recent episode of Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ. Several big-name idols stemmed from the group, one of the best known being Shizuka Kudō
Shizuka Kudo
is a Japanese singer and pop idol born in Hamura, Tokyo. She debuted as member no. 38 of the Onyanko Club in May 1986 and went on to a successful solo career with 11 no.1 hits.-Biography:...
.
The same formula was used by the more internationally familiar group Morning Musume
Morning Musume
, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
, and people regularly compare Onyanko Club to Morning Musume
Morning Musume
, sometimes referred to as is a Japanese idol girl group, whose act generally revolves around singing and dancing to upbeat melodies. They are the lead group of Hello! Project, which is managed and produced by Tsunku, who composes nearly all the lyrics and melodies of their songs...
. They even gave a small tribute to Onyanko Club at the end of their member "roll call"-esque song "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari" when they do the classic "Nyan Nyan" pose. The song is similar to the series of three "Kaiin Bango no Uta" songs released by Onyanko Club.
Members
Listed in order of joining Onyanko Club. Members 1-11 were original members of the group when it started on 1985-04-01, and were randomly assigned member numbers. Subsequent members of the group were assigned numbers based on the order in which they joined. Members 12-16 joined during April that same year.- Mika Okuda (original member, left the group on 1985-04-25 due to the Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal, first member of Onyanko Club to appear nude in a magazine (Playboy Japan October 1988))
- Michiko Enokida (original member, left the group on 1985-04-25 due to the Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal. Not to be confused with actress Michiko Enokida who appeared in tokusatsuTokusatsuis a Japanese term that applies to any live-action film or television drama that usually features superheroes and makes considerable use of special effects ....
shows, such as Kidou Keiji JibanKidou Keiji Jibanis a Japanese tokusatsu television series; part of the Metal Hero Series produced by Toei, aired by TV Asahi in Japan from January 30, 1989 to January 29, 1990 with 52 episodes and a feature movie aired on July 17, 1989....
.) - Kayoko Yoshino (original member, left the group on 1985-04-25 due to the Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal)
- Eri NittaEri Nittais a Japanese singer, actress, lyricist, and tarento. She made her professional debut as the fourth member of the all-female singing group Onyanko Club in 1985. She made her solo debut with the hit song on January 1, 1986...
(original member, in the second "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, married an employee of Fuji TV, took a break from entertainment but is now working in the field again) - Miharu Nakajima (original member, in the first "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, married the manager of the owaraiOwaraiis a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
group TunnelsTunnels (owarai)The are an owarai duo with a long history composed of Tokyo born and . Both of them attended where Ishibashi, the taller of the two, participated in baseball, and Kinashi participated in soccer....
) - Aki Kihara (original member, in the fifth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, member of Nyangirasu)
- Mamiko Tomoda (original member, left the group on 1985-04-25 due to the Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal)
- Sayuri KokushōSayuri Kokushōis a Japanese actor, singer, and tarento. She was an original member of Onyanko Club. She works for the talent management firm Sony Music Artists. Her debut single, Valentine Kiss, is the most popular Valentine's Day song in Japan.- Brief biography :...
(original member, in the fifth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, still working in entertainment, currently living with her ex-husband) - Mika Nagoya (original member, in the second "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, member of [Nyangirasu)
- Mayumi Satō (original member, left the group on 1985-04-25 due to the Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal)
- Satomi FukunagaSatomi FukunagaSatomi Fukunaga , is a former japanese idol, singer and actress in the 1980s. She made her debut in 1985 selected as a member of Jpop female band Onyanko Club, which she quits one year later to start a solo career...
(original member, in the second "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, has put out four singles, married after retiring from entertainment) - Sonoko Kawai (in the first "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, married bassistBassistA bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Tsugutoshi Gotō after retiring from entertainment) - Kazuko Utsumi (debuted as a child actorChild actorThe term child actor or child actress is generally applied to a child acting in motion pictures or television, but also to an adult who began his or her acting career as a child; to avoid confusion, the latter is also called a former child actor...
in 1974, in the fifth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, announced the publication of a nude photobook after Onyanko Club broke up) - Harumi Tomikawa (had been a member of Onyanko Club the longest when the group broke up (smallest member number))
- Rika Tatsumi (married in 1991, currently the editor of a magazine)
- Mamiko TakaiMamiko TakaiMamiko Takai is a japanese idol from the eighties, who began in 1985 with Jpop girl band Onyanko Club, and its first sub-group, duo Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi with co-worker Yukiko Iwai...
(married Yasushi AkimotoYasushi Akimotois a Japanese television writer, lyricist, record producer, professor and vice president at Kyoto University of Art and Design. He also created some of Japan's top idol groups, Onyanko Club and the AKB48 franchise.- Career :...
in 1988 and retired from the entertainment business. Yasushi later became a producer of AKB48AKB48AKB48 is a Japanese female idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto.The group has achieved enormous popularity in Japan. Its ten latest consecutive singles topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart...
) - Sanae Jōnouchi (member when the group broke up, currently an EnkaEnkais a popular Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern enka, however, is a relatively recent musical form which arose in the context of such postwar expressions of modern Japanese nonmaterial nationalism as nihonjinron, while adopting a more...
singer, married a television producerTelevision producerThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
in 2004) - Ruriko Nagata (member when the group broke up)
- Yukiko IwaiYukiko Iwai (Onyanko Club), also known by the nickname , is a Japanese singer and actress born 1968-05-26 in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.Iwai was a member of the all-girl pop group Onyanko Club , and she was the shortest of all the members at 150 centimetres . She was also half of the pop group Ushiroyubi...
(member when the group broke up, worked for a time under the name "Yuuyu", married in 1998 and retired from the entertainment business) - Yōko Teramoto (left the group in September 1985)
- Tamaki Gomioka (left the group in September 1985, made her solo debut in 1988 with , suddenly retired from entertainment shortly afterward)
- Mako Shiraishi (member when the group broke up, member of Nyangirasu, began working for Jaguar Japan after graduation, mother of four children)
- Kaori Hayashi (currently lives in Osaka PrefectureOsaka Prefectureis a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...
) - Fumio Mita (currently lives in Hiroshima PrefectureHiroshima Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
, was member 611 of the Momoko Club (a 1980s variety show on TBSTokyo Broadcasting System, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
), currently studying theatreTheatreTheatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) - Akie YoshizawaAkie YoshizawaAkie Yoshizawa , true name Akie Hattori , is a former japanese idol, singer and actress in the 1980s...
(made her acting debut as Yujino Yajima in Sukeban Deka II: Shōjo Tekkamen Densetsu, retired from entertainment in 1992) - Yoshie Akasaka (was a member for one week, was member 2142 of the Momoko Club)
- Aki Matsumoto (was member 1861 of the Momoko Club)
- Mutsumi Yokota (member when the group broke up, was a Young Paradise campaign girl (along with Minayo Watanabe), currently a yogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
instructor) - Minayo Watanabe (member when the group broke up, still working in entertainment, mother of two children)
- Chiaki Mikami (joined after winning the Triangle Blue audition)
- Yūko Yajima (joined after winning the Young Paradise campaign girl contest)
- Susan Kumiko Yamamoto (in the second "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, the only half-Japanese member)
- Tomoko Fukawa (member when the group broke up, sister of Shibugakitai member Toshikazu Fukawa)
- Mami Yumioka (in the third "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, joined after graduating from junior high school on 1986-03-14)
- Takako Okamoto (in the third "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, joined at the same time as Mami Yumioka)
- Marina WatanabeMarina Watanabeis a Japanese actress, singer, and TV-personality. She was born in Ota, Tokyo, Japan, and is currently married to Jun Nagura of the comedy trio Neptune...
(member when the group broke up, still works in etnertainment, married owaraiOwaraiis a broad word used to describe Japanese comedy as seen on television. The word owarai is the honorific form of the word warai, meaning "a laugh" or "a smile". Owarai is most common on Japanese variety shows and the comedians are referred to as owarai geinin or owarai tarento...
conte group NeptuneNeptune (Owarai)is a three-man Japanese conte group consisting of two boke, , and - usually referred to as , and one tsukkomi, . Their trio name comes from the Kinnikuman character, Neptuneman.-History:...
member Jun Nagura in 2005) - Kaori Ōnuki (appeared on stage one day after joining Onyanko Club, was member 1809 of the Momoko Club, currently a tarentoTarentois a Japanese rendering of the English word "talent" and is used as a catch-all term for mass media personalities who regularly appear on television. Detractors of the phenomenon have referred to it in an English sense as "famous just for being famous" because many that fall into this career line...
and modelModel (person)A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
) - Shizuka KudōShizuka Kudois a Japanese singer and pop idol born in Hamura, Tokyo. She debuted as member no. 38 of the Onyanko Club in May 1986 and went on to a successful solo career with 11 no.1 hits.-Biography:...
(member when the group broke up, was member 480 of the Momoko Club, currently a singer, had a shotgun wedding with SMAPSMAPSMAP is a Japanese boy band formed by Johnny & Associates. While originally consisting of six members, the current group members are Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori...
member Takuya KimuraTakuya Kimura, nicknamed , is a Japanese singer and actor. He is also a member of the Japanese idol group SMAP. Most of the TV dramas he starred in produced high ratings in Japan...
) - Maki Takabatake (in the third "graduating group" of Onyanko Club)
- Akiko IkuinaAkiko Ikuinais a Japanese entertainer. She was born on April 28, 1968 in Koganei, Tokyo, Japan. She is a left hander but she writes with her right hand. She joined the group Onyanko Club in 1986.-TV programs:* 1996-2003 Obun in Abarenbō Shōgun...
(member when the group broke up, made her solo debut after the group broke up, became a regular member of the cast of Abarenbō ShōgunAbarenbo Shogunis a Japanese television program on the TV Asahi network. Set in the eighteenth century, it showed fictitious events in the life of Yoshimune, the eighth Tokugawa shogun. The program started in 1978 under the title Yoshimune Hyōbanki: Abarenbō Shōgun...
for several seasons, currently on vacation from working as an entertainer due to marriage and children) - Noriko Kaise (member when the group broke up, participated in the Miss Seventeen Grand Prix)
- Makiko Saitō (made her debut after the group broke up, participated in the Miss Seventeen Grand Prix, married in 1998 and retired from entertainment)
- Toshie Moriya (in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, participated in the Miss Seventeen Grand Prix)
- Naoko Takada (in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, won a special award in the Miss Seventeen Grand Prix)
- Yumiko Yoshida (in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club)
- Sanae Nakajima (in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, was member 1319 of the Momoko Club, had a role in Uchū Keiji Gavan as a child)
- Yuriko Yamamori (member when the group broke up, accepted into the group on her second try)
- Kayo Agazuma (made her solo debut after the group broke up, currently in entertainment, sister of idol Naomi Serizawa, has been married and divorced)
- Mitsuko Yoshimi (member #1 of B-Gumi, winner of special prize in Miss Seventeen contest, was member 1956 of the Momoko Club)
- Miyuki Sugiura (member #2 of B-Gumi, winner of special prize in Miss Seventeen contest, became a race queenRace queenis a Japanese term for a type of promotional model found as part of a pit crew in certain kinds of motor racing, such as F1 races. The equivalent British term is "Pit babe".-History:...
after leaving Onyanko Club, currently a model) - Kumiko Miyano (member #3 of B-Gumi, winner of special prize in Miss Seventeen contest, joined a group named "Kiss" after Onyanko Club broke up, currently in entertainment)
- Wakako Suzuki (the last member to join Onyanko Club)
Sources:
Additional members
- Hiroko Tominaga (member #4 of B-Gumi, winner of special prize in Miss Seventeen contest, in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club)
- Mayumi Yamazaki (member #5 of B-Gumi, in the fourth "graduating group" of Onyanko Club, made her solo debut after Onyanko Club broke up, became a gravure model, worked with Yellow Cab for a short time, now a housewifeHousewifeHousewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
and a lecturer on Hawaiian quiltHawaiian quiltA Hawaiian quilt is a distinctive quilting style of the Hawaiian Islands that uses large radially symmetric applique patterns. Motifs often work stylized botanical designs in bold colors on a white background....
s) - Yolinda Yan (was a trainee member of Onyanko Club, only non-Japanese member. Later became a popular cantopopCantopopCantopop is a colloquialism for "Cantonese popular music". It is sometimes referred to as HK-pop, short for "Hong Kong popular music". It is categorized as a subgenre of Chinese popular music within C-pop...
singer in her native Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, active from late 80s to mid 90s)
Sources:
Singles
- / (1985-07-05, 7A0502 (EPExtended playAn EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
))- Featuring Nitta (#4), Nakajima (#5), Fukunaga (#11), and Utsumi (#13). Debuted at #5 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 17 weeks.
- Featuring Nitta (#4), Nakajima (#5), Fukunaga (#11), and Utsumi (#13). Debuted at #5 on the Oricon
- / (1985-10-21, 7A0530 (EP))
- Featuring Nitta, Nakajima, Fukunaga, and Utsumi. Debuted at #2 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 15 weeks.
- Featuring Nitta, Nakajima, Fukunaga, and Utsumi. Debuted at #2 on the Oricon
- / (1986-02-21, 7A0555 (EP))
- Featuring Nakajima for A side, B side features all the members at the time. Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 9 weeks.
- Featuring Nakajima for A side, B side features all the members at the time. Debuted at #1 on the Oricon
- / (1986-04-21, 7A0575 (EP))
- Featuring Fukunaga, Utsumi, Jōnouchi (#17), Nagata (#18), and Yokota (#28) (solo parts performed by Fukunaga and Nagata) for A side. B side performed by Utsumi. Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 8 weeks.
- Featuring Fukunaga, Utsumi, Jōnouchi (#17), Nagata (#18), and Yokota (#28) (solo parts performed by Fukunaga and Nagata) for A side. B side performed by Utsumi. Debuted at #1 on the Oricon
- / (1986-07-21, 7A0607 (EP))
- Theme song from the TohoTohois a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
film - Featuring Tomikawa (#14), Iwai (#19), Fukawa (#33), Watanabe (#36) for A side. B side performed by Utsumi. Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 9 weeks.
- Theme song from the Toho
- / (1986-11-01, 7A0646 (EP))
- Opening and ending themes for Anmitsu HimeAnmitsu Himeis a manga series by Shosuke Kurakane.The story was originally produced in 1949-1955.In 1986-1987, Izumi Takemoto retold the original manga series, releasing it under the same title.- Live-action television dramas :...
anime series. - Featuring Nagata, Iwai, Shiraishi (#22), Ikuina (#40). Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 7 weeks.
- Opening and ending themes for Anmitsu Hime
- / / (1987-01-21, 7A0676 (EP), 10P3042 (cassetteCompact CassetteThe Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
)- Featuring Tomikawa, Nagata, Iwai, and Shiraishi for A side. B side features the entire group at the time. The "Onyanko Message" is found only on the cassette. Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 6 weeks.
- Featuring Tomikawa, Nagata, Iwai, and Shiraishi for A side. B side features the entire group at the time. The "Onyanko Message" is found only on the cassette. Debuted at #1 on the Oricon
- / (1987-05-21, 7A0718 (EP))
- Featuring Tomikawa, Kudō (#38), Yoshimi (#49), and Sugiura (#50) for A side. B side features Nagata, Shiraishi, Kaise (#41), Agazuma (#48). Debuted at #1 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 5 weeks.
- Featuring Tomikawa, Kudō (#38), Yoshimi (#49), and Sugiura (#50) for A side. B side features Nagata, Shiraishi, Kaise (#41), Agazuma (#48). Debuted at #1 on the Oricon
- / (1987-08-21, 7A0758 (EP))
- Featuring Tomikawa, Nagata, Shiraishi, Yokota (#28), and Fukawa (#33). Debuted at #2 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 7 weeks.
- Featuring Tomikawa, Nagata, Shiraishi, Yokota (#28), and Fukawa (#33). Debuted at #2 on the Oricon
- / (2002-11-20, OCCA-70026 (CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
))- Featuring Nitta, Kokushō (#8), Utsumi, Jōnouchi, Iwai, and Watanabe. Debuted at #48 on the OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts, remained charted for 5 weeks.
- Featuring Nitta, Kokushō (#8), Utsumi, Jōnouchi, Iwai, and Watanabe. Debuted at #48 on the Oricon
Sources:
Albums
- 1985.09.21 : Kick Off
- 1986.03.10 : Yume Catalogue
- 1986.07.10 : Panic the World (2 cds)
- 1986.12.05 : Merry X'Mas For You (mini-album)
- 1987.02.21 : Side Line
- 1987.08.05 : Circle (2 cds)
Compilations
- 1986.12.21 : Non-Stop Onyanko
- 1987.06.03 : Sailing Yumekoujou (live)
- 1987.03.05 : 家宝(2 cds)
- 2002.12.18 : Mini Best
- 2007/07/18 : Onyanko Club Singles Complete
Ushiroyubi Sasaregumi
was the first sub-group with members Mamiko Takai and Yukiko IwaiYukiko Iwai
is a Japanese voice actress who is best known for her voice role as Ayumi Yoshida in Detective Conan.- Roles :*Detective Conan - Ayumi Yoshida*Uninhabited Planet Survive! - Luna*GetBackers - Kakei Sakura*Narcissu: Side 2nd - Yuka Akishima...
(aka "Yuyu"), and released six singles and three albums, from 1985 to 1987.
Nyangilas
was the second of three off shoot groups within the Onyanko Club. They had the shortest run with only two singles and one album. Members consisted of Aki Kihara (6), Mika Nagoya (9), Rika Tatsumi (15), and Mako Shiraishi (22).Ushirogami Hikaretai
consisted of members Akiko Ikuina, Shizuka KudoShizuka Kudo
is a Japanese singer and pop idol born in Hamura, Tokyo. She debuted as member no. 38 of the Onyanko Club in May 1986 and went on to a successful solo career with 11 no.1 hits.-Biography:...
and Makiko Saito, and released five singles, two studio albums and one live album, in 1987 and 1988.
Shūkan Bunshun Smoking Scandal
The was an underage smoking scandal involving six of the original eleven members of Onyanko Club, all of whom were high schoolHigh school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
students at the time. Onyanko Club had a rule against smoking, as well.
About two weeks after the airing of the first episode of Yūyake Nyan Nyan, the weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun published photos of Mika Okuda, Michiko Enokida, Kayoko Yoshino, Aki Kihara, Mamiko Tomoda, and Mayumi Satō (all under age 20, the legal age for smoking in Japan) smoking at a local kissaten
Kissaten
A is a Japanese-style coffee shop. Kissaten are particularly popular among students and business people for breakfast.By law kissaten are able to serve sweets and tea, but almost all will also serve coffee, sandwiches, spaghetti, and other light refreshments, as well as curry rice or set meals at...
after leaving the studio. After the April 18th episode, these members were removed from appearances on the show, and were officially fired on April 25. After this, fans of the show referred to this group as the and the .
Despite being in the photograph, Kihara was reinstated as a member of the group several days later. Additionally, only Satō's skirt could be seen in the photo, and her face was not visible. She did not return to the group, though.
Fuji TV reacted very swiftly, and there was not much protest when they fired the members of the group as they weren't very well known then. Due to the scandal, the show was moved from Mondays to Fridays at 5:00 pm, which was considered a poor time slot. It was also only broadcast locally rather than nationally. Shortly after the scandal, however, Onyanko Club's debut single, Don't Make Me Take Off My Sailor Suit, was released, and the show became so popular they expanded the broadcast area very quickly. The topic of the Smoking Group was made a taboo subject at that point.
The members of the Smoking Group have appeared on a recent DVD release of performances from the first few months of Onyanko Club's existence.
External links
- Encyclopedia Idollica, a 1980s J-popJ-pop, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
idol resource - The Onyanko Club, Discography