Momoiro Clover Z (MCZ) released their new single today, August 2, a few days before their live Momokuri Natsu no Bakawasagi 2017 – FIVE THE COLOR Road to 2020, to be held in Ajinomoto Stadium Takai in Tokyo from August 5 to August 6.
As the title of their tour suggests, the Japanese idol girl group has been having a fascination with colors since day one. The name itself suggests a color, the pinkness of the Japanese Momo flower or the peach flower.
Apparently, the members of the group has absorbed the concept of the colors more that each member has acquired a signature color for herself.
Kanako Momota, The Red Clover
Photo by Dj Ph. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Being the leader of the group, no other color can be associated with Kanako Momota other than red. The color also best illustrates her introductory chant, “Pitfalls of love dimples,” when translated to English.
Momota was born on July 12, 1994 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. At the age of three, Momota started taking gymnastics classes and dance lessons. Since she has a talent in dancing, her mother decided to take her to the open auditions for the Stardust Promotion, a talent agency in Japan. Maybe because of the power of the red clover, she won the auditions and signed the contract.
In 2008, during the time when the agency still has low budget, Stardust formed an idol group, including Momoto, who only did performances on the streets of Yoyogi Park in Shibuya.
The “Shrimp Jump” is Momota’s trademark stunt and now considered as the highlight of their live performances.
In 2013, Momota was on the 12th spot for the most popular Japanese idol.
Shiori Tamai, The Yellow Clover
Photo by Dj Ph. Licensed under Creative Commons.
“The spoiled crybaby, everyone’s little sister” has been Shiori Tamai’s introductory chant. But the tears had never stopped her baby face from conquering the color of happiness, which is yellow.
Tamai was born on June 4, 1995 in Kanagawa Prefecture. She also joined Stardust Promotion in the same year as Momota, and became an official member of MCZ.
Aside from being a member of MCZ, she also used to be a voice actress for the character Dream Beast of the Nippon Television series Akumu-chan in 2012 and 2014.
Even though she admitted that she didn’t have any specialty, she is still referred to as a genius with a great potential by her manager, Akira Kawakami.
Ayaka Sasaki, The Pink Clover
Photo by Dj Ph. Licensed under Creative Commons.
With pink being the color represented by the group’s name, the pink should have the personality and the looks that can definitely embody this color. And it seems like Ayaka Sasaki never failed the fans with this, especially with her introductory chant, “I am a playful and little bit sexy idol of Momocio.”
Ayaka Sasaki was born on June 11, 1996 in Kanagawa Prefecture and the youngest member of MCZ. She joined the group in November 2008 together with two other former members, Yukina Kashikawa and Akari Hayami.
She also made a solo appearance in Quick Japan in 2012. In 2014, Ayaka became a voice actress for the film Saint Seiya Legend of Sanctuary.
Aside from her performances with MCZ, she also had a solo concert in Yokohama, Japan last September 19, 2016, called the AYAKA-NATION 2016.
Momoka Ariyasu, The Green Clover
Photo by Dj Ph. Licensed under Creative Commons.
The color green has always been associated with freshness and with Momoka Ariyasu’s trivial personality, as represented by her introductory chant, “Silly little giant.”
Ariyasu was born on March 15, 1995 in Kyoto Prefecture, but grew up in Saitama.
At a very young age, she started as a baby magazine model and later on, she became a talent of the Carotte C&T and started her career as a commercial model. But in 2008, she left the Carrote talent agency and eventually joined Stardust Promotion. She became a member of Power Age, an all-female idol group in 2005, but the idol group disbanded three months after she joined the group. She was later on was added as the 6th member of the then MCZ on July 2009.
Reni Takagi, The Purple Clover
Photo by Dj Ph. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Holding on to the introductory chant, “electric girl,” Reni Takagi has proved that her sophistication with a tinge of beauty and boldness entitles her to the color purple.
Takagi was born on June 21, 1993 in Kanagawa. Since she is the eldest group member, she was the first leader of the group, but was later on replaced by Kanako Momota.
Since she is an introvert, her mom used to enroll her to different seemingly-extroverted classes like cheerleading, jazz dancing, and acting, to help with her shyness.
Aside from being a member of MCZ, in April 2012, she had her own radio show entitled, “Takagi Reni no King Rock."
Backed with the flashing hues of red, yellow, pink, green and purple, the girls of Momoiro Clover Z has proved, through all these years, that their career has been the most colorful among all idol groups in Japan. And forever will be.
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