LADYBABY is an idol group sponsored by cosplay brand Clearstone. The trio is composed of Kaneko Rie, Kuromiya Rei and Richard Margarey, better known as Ladybeard, a pro wrestler.
The group also has sub-members like Shizu Mizuno, a poodle named Marx, and Mikity Honmono, leader of gay idol group Nichohalo. Honmono is in charge of all LADYBABY’s choreography, something he also does for famous idol groups such as Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku and BELL RING Shojo Hearts. This strange combination shows once again that Japan is the best place to take a strange concept and transform it in a pop cultural phenomenon.
LADYBABY’s first single, Nippon Manju, was released on July 29th. In just one month, the song’s video received six million views on YouTube. Like Ladybeard said in a video message for CD Japan, Nippon Manju, is a present to the world, and shows you everything Japan has to offer: hot springs, cuisine, cute girls and more.
For people who have been to Japan and are little bit “otaku”, the video for Nippon Manju will probably make you feel very nostalgic. It is filled with shots of all the shops and streets you may have visited: Akihabara temple, the famous Don Quijote Akihabara with its cosplay corner, Takeshita Dori with all its crepe and fashion stores, Dear Stage bar (home of Dempagumi.inc and Moso Calibration), and Village Vanguard, where you can buy many things you probably didn't even know existed.
This catchy song will probably stay with you for a long time after you listen to it. Nippon Manju could be compared to BABYMETAL’s first single Doki Doki ☆ Morning, but if the first was just an attempt to mix metal and pop and become what we know now, LADYBABY’s song is more like an ode to Japanese pop and consumerism. This mix of pop and metal is probably the more suitable type of music for Ladybeard, and for a debut single by a non-conventional idol group.
We mustn’t forget that this single has two songs. With ULTRA LUCKY, what we have is a really energetic pop song, Like the first, we have a catchy and fun song about probably the most popular topic in Japan: food. Ladybeard even has a solo part perfectly adapted for a “kecha”, an otaku cheering move where you stretch out your arms towards the idol singing, then bring them back towards you in a sweeping underarm motion. This is performed as a sign of affection.
With these two songs, LADYBABY show that the group probably won't walk in the footsteps of BABYMETAL, even though it is our hope they'll achieve the same success.
Below you can watch the music video for Nippon Manju:
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