Phantom Siita - Shoujo no Hi no Omoide

We may live in strange times, but surely nobody had Ado forming an idol group on their 2024 J-Pop bingo card. The most famous anonymous person in Japan did, indeed, take time out from her own meteoric rise to launch idol project Phantom Siita on their own rapid ascent.

The defining characteristic of Japan’s pop idols are their overwhelming cuteness and all-round agreeableness. Phantom Siita however, in a slightly contrarian, self-deprecating way have chosen a different path. If idols are beautiful butterflies then Phantom Siita have declared themselves to be moths. Their name is derived from the scientific names of the beautiful but poisonous Monarch butterfly (Parantica sita) and the pale and plain Swallowtail moth (Epicopeia hainesii). Phantom Siita’s beauty and menace is captured in a retro horror concept and their nostalgic ‘sailor fuku’ costumes might remind western audiences of Wednesday Addams, the cute but morbid big sister from the Addams family.

The five members of the group were selected through a nationwide audition call that sifted through 4,000 hopefuls. Hisui is the only one with previous idol experience (she was part of local Ehime group WELIT) and she is joined by newcomers Miu, Moka, Mona and Rinka. They got to work straightaway, releasing a string of singles during 2024, which are collected on their debut EP, Shoujo no Hi no Omoide (Girlhood Memories), with a new track included for good measure.

Shoujo no Hi no Omoide is a dark treat, like a box of Valentine’s chocolates lovingly laced with arsenic. The opener, Kimi to xxxx Shita Dake drips with blood and gothic horror. While it wasn’t their debut single, it may well turn out to be their career-defining, signature song. It’s written by popular vocaloid producer Kikuo, whose song Aishite Aishite Aishite Ado famously covered, leaving the songwriter stunned and amazed at what she’d done with his creation. He’s the perfect match for Phantom Siita, with a back catalogue featuring songs with dark and strange themes, such as Dance of the Corpses, Kara Kara no Kara (Emptiness, Emptiness, Emptiness of Emptiness) and Hole-dwelling.

The lyrics conjure grisly images, set against tongue in cheek humour. The “chu chu chu” line is a cheeky pun that could be the ‘gitaigo’ onomatopoeia for a vampiric slurp, or a cute little kiss, striking a fine balance between ‘kawaii’ and ‘kowai’, cute and scary.

The vocals have Ado’s fingerprints all over them. Heavily influenced by her own unique style, they incorporate her full range of tricks from husky tones to high-pitched harmonies to unhinged screeching. She’s clearly a hands-on producer, directing her dark minions with the precise phrasing and expression in line-by-line detail. The extensive audition process has certainly paid off. Despite their youth and relative lack of experience, they’re able to pull off the vocal gymnastics required of them.


Ado has stuck to her ‘utaite’ roots, bringing in a variety of Vocaloid producers to contribute songs, so the EP moves effortlessly between a variety of sounds and styles. Their debut single Otomodachi is like the theme to a gothic fairy tale and the woozy, distorted piano gives Masho Shoujo a creepy, unsettling feeling.

Otome Shinju is an upbeat jazzy number, as if Sheena Ringo was consumed with lovesick murderous intent, while Hanabami is the most straightforwardly pop idol song here. The new song, HANAGATAMI, is a gorgeous swooning ballad, with a clean, classical arrangement and sweeping violins, it stands in complete contrast to the rest of the EP. The tragic lyrics keep them on theme and Phantom Siita’s performance is brimming with emotion.


Bringing the EP to a close, Zoku Zoku changes flavours yet again. Exploring the dark and dangerous side of love, it’s busy, bustling Latin-pop rhythms are more Shakira than Ado.

Shoujo no Hi no Omoide is a fun-filled ride around Phantom Siita’s world of horror and they’ve set themselves a high bar to meet in future with Kimi to xxxx Shita Dake. Ado seems to have lavished genuine care and attention on this new project though, so surely these moths will avoid the flame as they spread their wings.