E-girls

E-girls
E-girls at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards Japan
Background information
Genres	J-pop
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Rhythm Zone
Associated acts	Exile Dream Happiness Flower Dance Earth Party Ami
Website	e-girls-ldh.jp
Members	see Members
Past members	see Former members

E-girls is a 20-member, Japanese, collective girl group signed to record company Rhythm Zone and managed by LDH and Avex Trax. It features all the members of the groups Dream, Happiness, Flower, and two original members who debuted as part of the group. They are the sister unit of the Japanese boy-band, Exile. The group name stands for Exile Girls Unit and Girls Entertainment project.

History

2010-2011: Pre-Debut

In 2011, Exile held a nationwide audition event called "Exile Presents Vocal Battle Audition 3: For Girls". The televised competition was held to find members for LDH's dance-only four member group, Flower, and to find members for a new dance and vocal group, Bunny. Exile's Hiro announced the "Girls Entertainment Project" or E-Girls (later changed to E-girls) would consist of all members from Love, Dream, Happiness, and Flower, although Love's disbandment was announced before E-girls' first performance.

Bunny was not originally formed as part of E-girls, and was to debut separately in 2013, but they have never carried out any activities of their own except for one live performance at Vocal Battle Audition 3 titled "Why?".

2011-2012: Debut and "Follow Me"

Following their formation in 2011, E-girls consisted of 21 members, which included all the members of Dream, Happiness, and Flower at the time. They released their first single, "Celebration", on 28 December 2011. In 2012, for the release of their second single, "One Two Three", two new members joined the group, Reina Kizu, and Anna Suda, both being members of EGD (EXPG girls dancers) a dance group of Exile Professional Gym (Exile's Dance Academy). The single was released on April 18, 2012.

Before they released their third single, "Follow Me", the group consisted of a total of 31 members (with Dream's Sayaka Yamamato and Happiness' Mimu Hioki on hiatus) due to the addition of Bunny and more EGD members. The increase in number led to a new system for the release of their next single in which the girls were required to undergo a period of training and afterwards, the girls who excelled and fit the image of the single would be chosen to participate. 16 girls were featured on the single jacket cover and music video. The single was released on 3 October 2012. Dream's Sayaka Yamamoto officially left the group on 31 March 2012. Mimu Hioki officially left the group in October 2012.^[1]

2013: Lesson 1 and rise of popularity

In late 2012, three members from Bunny left E-girls, and all of the 28 remaining members were featured in the single "The Never Ending Story", on which their name was changed from E-Girls to E-girls. It was released on 20 February 2013. In the music video, they introduced a new member, Momoka Nakajima, the girl reading the book. On 13 March 2013, a new single was released, titled "Candy Smile", featuring 12 members. On 17 April 2013 the group released their first studio album, Lesson 1. It ranked at number 1 on Oricon's weekly albums chart, selling 57,337 copies in its first week.

In May, Anna Suda and Ruri Kawamoto, both from EGD, joined Happiness. Some months later, Reina Kizu from EGD left E-girls. Momoka Nakajima officially joined E-girls in September, replacing Reina Kizu. All 29 members were featured in the single "Gomennasai no Kissing You", released on 7 October.The single is E-girls best-selling physical single.^[2] It won the MTV Video Music Awards Japan for best choreography.^[3] On 11 October 2013, LDH announced a new member of E-girls, Marina Watanabe, being part of EGD. A week later, it was announced that Elina Mizuno had left both E-girls and Flower to focus on her actress career, with Marina Watanabe as her replacement. On the same day, their seventh single, "Kurukuru" (クルクル), was announced featuring 18 members on the jacket covers and music video. The group gained considerable momentum in 2013, appearing on year-end shows and being invited to Kōhaku Uta Gassen.^[4]

2014: A Perfect Day for Love Letters, second album and first tour

On 5 January 2014, Dream's Aya Takamoto was appointed as the leader of E-girls. 10 members of the group, Shizuka, Kaede, Karen Fujii, and Anna Suda, Shuuka Fujii, Nozomi Bando, Harumi Sato, Kyoka Takeda, Anna Ishii, and Nonoka Yamaguchi, each starred in one episode of the drama A Perfect Day for Love Letters Based on a manga of the same name. Broadcast started on 6 January. The opening theme song of the drama, "Diamond Only", was released as their eighth single on 26 February.

The group later released their second album, Colorful Pop on 19 March, and made their first national tour in July and August, titled "E-girls Live Tour 2014 'Colorful Land'".^[5][6] On 7 April, Mayu Sugieda left both Happiness and E-girls. Two weeks later, on 20 April, Kyoka Takeda left the group to focus on her studies and her acting career. On 12 June, LDH announced that the group would be releasing three singles consecutively, one per month. The first single, "E.G. Anthem: We Are Venus", was released on 9 July, and included all members and all vocalists singing. Since this release, the members from bunny and EGD were mixed into one unit, simply titled as the name of the group, E-girls. The names Bunny and EGD were also removed from their official website. The second single, "Odoru Ponpokorin", was released on 13 August, and included only 14 members in the music video and jacket covers. The song was used as the opening theme song of the TV anime Chibi Maruko Chan. The third single, "Highschool Love", was released on 10 September, and included all members on it. The song was used as the theme song for the Fuji TV's drama "Great Teacher Onizuka".

E-girls were invited to Kōhaku for the second time.^[7]

2015: E.G. Time, second tour, E-girls Pyramid, and Ami Solo Debut

The group released their third album, E.G. Time, on 1 January 2015. They held their second national tour, titled "E-girls Live Tour 2015 'Colorful World'",^[8] in February and March. On 27 January, LDH announced a new system for the members line-up, called "E-girls Pyramid". Following the same system used for "Follow Me", the girls undergo a series of reviews configured annually. The members who need more training get classified as Rabbits (high school age or older) or Bunnies (junior high school age or younger). Members Yuzuna Takebe, Misato Hagio, Rio Inagaki, Risa Ikuta, Momoka Nakajima, and Marina Watanabe therefore returned to the training period at Exile Professional Gym, reducing E-girls to 20 members. On 29 April, It was announced on both Dream's and E-girls' official websites that Dream member Ami would be debuting as a solo artist in summer of the same year. Ami was also given an official website.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Members

Current members

Dream members Shizuka Nishida (西田 静香, Nishida Shizuka) Stage name: Shizuka Aya Takamoto (高本 彩, Takamoto Aya) (Leader) Stage name: Aya Ami Nakashima (中島 麻未, Nakashima Ami) Stage name: Ami Erie Abe (阿部 絵里恵, Abe Erie) Stage name: Erie

Happiness members Sayaka Nagatomo (長友 さやか, Nagatomo Sayaka) Stage name: SAYAKA Kaede Dobashi (土橋 楓, Dobashi Kaede) Stage name: 楓 Karen Fujii (藤井 夏恋, Fujii Karen) Miyuu Ariiso (有磯 実結, Ariiso Miyū) Stage name: MIYUU Yurino (鈴木 結莉乃, Suzuki Yurino) Stage name: YURINO Anna Suda (須田 アンナ, Suda Anna) Ruri Kawamoto (川本 璃, Kawamoto Ruri)

Flower members Shuuka Fujii (藤井 萩花, Fujii Shūka) Manami Shigetome (重留 真波, Shigetome Manami) Mio Nakajima (中島 美央, Nakajima Mio) Reina Washio (鷲尾 伶菜, Washio Reina) Kyoka Ichiki (市來 杏香, Ichiki Kyōka) Nozomi Bando (坂東 希, Bandō Nozomi) Harumi Sato (佐藤 晴美, Satō Harumi)

E-girls members Anna Ishii (石井 杏奈, Ishii Anna) Nonoka Yamaguchi (山口 乃々華, Yamaguchi Nonoka)

Former members

Sayaka Yamamoto (山本 さやか, Yamamoto Sayaka) (Dream) Mimu Hioki (日置 美夢, Hioki Mimu) (Happiness) Runa Yamamoto (山本 月, Yamamoto Runa) (Bunny) Mira Watts (ヴァッツ 美良, Vattsu Mira) (Bunny) Miyuu Oishi (大石 美優, Ōishi Miyū) (Bunny)

Reina Kizu (木津 玲奈, Kizu Reina) (EGD) Elina Mizuno (水野 絵梨奈, Mizuno Erina) (Flower) Mayu Sugieda (杉枝 真結, Sugieda Mayu) (Happiness) Kyoka Takeda (武田 杏香, Takeda Kyōka) (Bunny) Chiharu Muto (武藤 千春, Mutō Chiharu) (Flower)

Undebuted members

Rabbits members Yuzuna Takebe Misato Hagio Rio Inagaki Risa Ikuta Marina Watanabe Mizuki Hanayama Rio Nishizumi Nanako Ono Yuuki Hagiwara Sae Gushiken

Bunnies members Momoka Nakajima Chino Ishii Kokoa Naka Miyu Ogawa

Bolded members are vocalists.

Discography

Albums

^[13][14]

Album details	Peak chart positions	Sales (Japan)	RIAJ Certifications
	JPN [15]
Lesson 1 Release: 17 April 2013 Label: Rhythm Zone Formats: CD, digital download	1	172,638	Gold (100,000+)[16]
Colorful Pop Release: 19 March 2014 Label: Rhythm Zone Formats: CD, digital download	1	171,506	Gold[17]
E.G. Time Release: 1 January 2015 Label: Rhythm Zone Formats: CD, digital download	1	257,996	Platinum (250,000) [18]
"—" denotes items which were not released in that country or failed to chart.

Singles

^[13][14]

Release date	Title	Chart position		Sales (Oricon)[19]		Album
		Oricon Weekly Singles Chart [20]	Billboard Japan Hot 100 *[21]	First week	Total
28 December 2011	"Celebration!"[22]	7	39	18,720	26,666	Lesson 1
18 April 2012	"One Two Three"[23]	12	10	18,123	23,167
3 October 2012	"Follow Me"[24]	2	2	30,008	47,039
20 February 2013	"The Never Ending Story"[25]	2	5	40,055	49,272
13 March 2013	"Candy Smile"[26]	6	13	34,764	40,301
2 October 2013	"Gomennasai no Kissing You" (ごめんなさいのKissing You)	2	3	73,332	102,891	Colorful Pop
20 November 2013	"Kurukuru" (クルクル)	2	3	69,087	79,200
26 February 2014	"Diamond Only"	2	8	72,808	76,839
9 July 2014	"E.G. Anthem: We Are Venus"	2	5	49,207	61,236	E.G. Time
13 August 2014	"Odoru Ponpokorin" (おどるポンポコリン)	5	9	31,777	40,955
10 September 2014	"Highschool Love"	2	4	61,046	73,353
26 November 2014	"Mr.Snowman"	2	3	43,653	54,546
20 May 2015	"Anniversary!!"[27][28]					TBA

Music videos

^[29][30]

• "Celebration!"
• "One Two Three"
• "E-Girls Anthem" (from Exile Live Tour 2011 Tower of Wish: Negai no to (「E-Girls Anthem (from Exile Live Tour 2011 Tower of Wish ～願いの塔～)」)
• "Follow Me"
• "The Never Ending Story: Kimi ni Himitsu o Oshieyo (「The Never Ending Story ～君に秘密を教えよう～」)
• "Just in Love"
• "Candy Smile"
• "Gomennasai no Kissing You" (「ごめんなさいの Kissing You」)
• "Kurukuru" (「クルクル」)
• "Diamond Only"
• "Rydeen: Dance All Night"
• "Gomennasai no Kissing You Eiga Shazai no Osama Endingumubii Supesharuedishon" (「ごめんなさいの 〜映画「謝罪の王様」エンディングムービー・スペシャルエディション〜」)
• "E.G. Anthem: We Are Venus"
• "Odoru Ponpokorin" (「おどるポンポコリン「)
• "Odoru Ponpokorin" Animation Clip (「おどるポンポコリン ～Animation Clip～」)
• "Highschool Love"
• "Mr.Snowman"
• "Move It! Dream & E-girls Time"
• "Anniversary!!"

Tours

Name	Year	Country	Date	Additional performances
"E-girls Live Tour 2014 'Colorful Land'"[31]	2014	Japan	18 July 2014 - 11 August 2014	19 July 2014, 25 July 2014, 12 August 2014
"E-girls Live Tour 2015 'Colorful World'"[8]	2015	Japan	14 February 2015 (Valentine's Day) - 29 March 2015	29 April 2015 (Saitama Super Arena)

Awards

MTV Video Music Awards Japan

Year	Recipient	Award	Result
2014	Gomennasai no Kissing You	Best Choreography	style="background: #99FF99; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="yes table-yes2"|Won

MTV Europe Music Awards

Year	Recipient	Award	Result
2014	E-girls	Best Japanese Act	style="background: #FDD; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="no table-no2"|Nominated

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to E-girls.

• E-girls Official website (Japanese)
• LDH Official website (English)