Stereopony
Encyclopedia
, is a Japanese rock
band
that formed in Okinawa, Japan
in 2007, consisting of Aimi (lead guitar
/lead vocals), Nohana (bass guitar
), and Shiho (drums
). They are signed onto Sony Music Japan's Sony Records music label.
Nohana
Shiho
Former members
" was the 17th ending theme for the anime
series Bleach
. The single was released on November 5, 2008. It ranked No. 25 on the Oricon
weekly singles chart as well as winning second place in Rocochoku's Newcomer Competition in the same month.< Their second single was "Namida no Mukou", released on February 11, 2009, which was used as the second opening theme for the second season of the Mobile Suit Gundam 00
anime series. Their third single, "I Do It", is a collaboration with fellow Sony Music Japan singer Yui
, and was released on April 22, 2009. Yui's musical producer Hisashi Kondo produced and directed the single.
On March 21, 2009, the girls performed at SXSW 2009 in Austin, Texas
. A few months later, Stereopony released their debut album Hydrangea ga Saiteiru. It debuted at No. 7 on the Oricon weekly album chart. The song "Seishun ni, Sono Namida ga Hitsuyou da!" from the album was featured in a Japanese Lipton
iced tea
TV commercial. Shortly after, the band went on their first tour, A Hydrangea Blooms. Along with the tour goods, there were 50 signed Score Band books in each venue for purchase. In August 2009, Stereopony released their fourth single "Smilife". "Smilife" was used as the theme song for the 2009 anime film Yatterman: Shin Yatter Mecha Daishūgō! Omocha no Kuni de Daikessen da Koron!. Their fifth single, "Tsukiakari no Michishirube
", was released on November 4, 2009. "Tsukiakari no Michishirube" was the opening theme to the 2009 anime series Darker than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini
. It was their second single to reach the top ten Oricon singles chart, peaking at No. 8. Stereopony's sixth single "Hanbunko" was released on September 17, 2010. It was the band's first cover
; the song "Hanbunko" was originally released by Bivattchee
in 2002. Stereopony's seventh single, "Over Drive", was released on May 12, 2010 and was used for the opening theme for the Japanese drama Pro Golfer Hana.
In June 2010, Stereopony released their second studio album
Over The Border and returned to the United States to perform at AnimeNEXT
, the first anime convention
the band performed at in the United States. Over The Border was released on June 9, 2010 and ranked No. 12 on Oricon. Stereopony's national tour, Stereopony TOUR 2010 'Over The Border (that was planned to start on July 26) was postponed due to Shiho's aggravated tendinitis. Their eighth single, "Chiisana Mahō
", was released on December 8, 2010, and the title song was used as the first opening theme for the anime Tegami Bachi: Reverse
. On January 14, 2011, fellow all-girl rock band Scandal announced on their official Twitter
account that Stereopony and Scandal would be performing at Shibuya-AX
with supporting acts from ByeByeBoy, Cossami and Hi-Lab. This collaboration, was scheduled for March 11, 2011. However, due to the "2011 Tōhoku earthquake
", the performance was postponed to June 26, 2011.
Stereopony performed at Anime Boston
2011 as special guests at the Hynes Convention Center
on April 23. They played a wide selection of songs from both albums and their latest single, as well as a cover of Green Day
's "American Idiot
". Shortly after returning from their appearance at Anime Boston, the group announced they would be providing the theme song to the 2011 film . Stereopony attended a press release event for the upcoming film, for which they are providing the theme song.
Stereopony collaborated with the band Kariyushi58
to produce the single released on August 10, 2011. Stereopony contributed the song on the Zone
tribute album
released on August 10, 2011; "Akashi" is a cover of Zone's 2002 single. On July 16, 2011 Aimi officially started an Ameblo blog
. The band's tenth single, , was released on September 28, 2011. The music video
for "Arigatō", released on September 1, 2011, features film actor Abe Hiroshi; he is also on the cover of the version B release of the single. Stereopony will release their third studio album More! More!! More!!! on December 7, 2011.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
that formed in Okinawa, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 2007, consisting of Aimi (lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
/lead vocals), Nohana (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and Shiho (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). They are signed onto Sony Music Japan's Sony Records music label.
Members
Aimi- Full name:
- Born: September 4, 1990
- Hometown: NahaNaha, Okinawais the capital city of the Japanese prefecture of Okinawa.Naha is a coastal city located on the East China Sea coast of the southern part of Okinawa Island, the largest of the Ryukyu Islands...
, Okinawa, Japan - Guitar: Fender 60's Telecaster Candy Apple Red
Nohana
- Full Name:
- Born: September 16, 1989
- Hometown: ShimabaraShimabara, Nagasakiis a city located on the north-eastern tip of the Shimabara Peninsula, facing Ariake Bay in the east and Mount Unzen in the west, in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyūshū, Japan.-History:...
, NagasakiNagasaki Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki...
, Japan - Guitar: Fender Deluxe Active P Bass Black
Shiho
- Full Name:
- Born: October 18, 1990
- Hometown: NagoNago, Okinawais a city located in the northern part of Okinawa Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 60,598 and the density of 288 persons per km². The total area is 210.30 km². The city was founded on August 1, 1970, and hosted the G-8 Summit in 2000.-...
, Okinawa, Japan
Former members
- Saki Shinjō
Pre-debut
Before their major debut, the band was named Mixbox. Under that name, the girls won the grand prize at the 2007 Young People Music Festival. Later, they renamed the band Stereopony and took part at the 2008 Okinawa Sound Stage with the song that was supposed to be released as their debut single on September 24, 2008 but was canceled. The band gained their first opportunity on the Japanese rock radio program School of Lock!.Major debut
They were officially announced of their major debut in June 2008. Their song "Hitohira no HanabiraHitohira no Hanabira
"Hitohira no Hanabira" is the first single by the Japanese rock group Stereopony. It was released on November 5, 2008, under gr8! Records. The main track, "Hitohira no Hanabira", was the 17th ending theme for the anime series Bleach....
" was the 17th ending theme for the 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 Bleach
Bleach (manga)
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
. The single was released on November 5, 2008. It ranked No. 25 on the Oricon
Oricon
, 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...
weekly singles chart as well as winning second place in Rocochoku's Newcomer Competition in the same month.< Their second single was "Namida no Mukou", released on February 11, 2009, which was used as the second opening theme for the second season of the Mobile Suit Gundam 00
Mobile Suit Gundam 00
is an anime TV series, the eleventh incarnation of Sunrise's long-running Gundam franchise consisting of two seasons. It is directed by Seiji Mizushima and written by Yōsuke Kuroda, and features character designs by Yun Kōga. The twenty-five episode season was officially announced by Sunrise...
anime series. Their third single, "I Do It", is a collaboration with fellow Sony Music Japan singer Yui
Yui (singer)
, stylized as YUI, is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, composer, actress, and radio personality. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she played live at various locations in her home town before being noticed by Sony Music Japan when she was 17 and released her debut single months later...
, and was released on April 22, 2009. Yui's musical producer Hisashi Kondo produced and directed the single.
On March 21, 2009, the girls performed at SXSW 2009 in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. A few months later, Stereopony released their debut album Hydrangea ga Saiteiru. It debuted at No. 7 on the Oricon weekly album chart. The song "Seishun ni, Sono Namida ga Hitsuyou da!" from the album was featured in a Japanese Lipton
Lipton
Lipton is a brand of tea currently owned by Unilever.-History of Lipton Tea:Lipton was created at the end of the 19th century by a grocer, Sir Thomas Lipton, in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1893, he established the Thomas J. Lipton Co., a tea packing company with its headquarters and factory in Hobo ken,...
iced tea
Iced tea
Iced tea is a form of cold tea, often served in a glass with ice. It may or may not be sweetened. Iced tea is also a popular packaged drink. It can be mixed with flavored syrup, with common flavors including lemon, peach, raspberry, lime, passion fruit, and cherry...
TV commercial. Shortly after, the band went on their first tour, A Hydrangea Blooms. Along with the tour goods, there were 50 signed Score Band books in each venue for purchase. In August 2009, Stereopony released their fourth single "Smilife". "Smilife" was used as the theme song for the 2009 anime film Yatterman: Shin Yatter Mecha Daishūgō! Omocha no Kuni de Daikessen da Koron!. Their fifth single, "Tsukiakari no Michishirube
Tsukiakari no Michishirube
is the fifth single by the Japanese rock group Stereopony under label of gr8! Records on November 4, 2009. The single's main track "Tsukiakari no Michishirube" is the opening theme for the anime series Darker than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini.-Track listing:# #...
", was released on November 4, 2009. "Tsukiakari no Michishirube" was the opening theme to the 2009 anime series Darker than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini
Darker than Black: Ryūsei no Gemini
is an anime television series, created, directed and written by Tensai Okamura and animated by Bones. It is a sequel to the anime series Darker than Black which premiered in October 2009 and ended in December 2009. Though details of the sequel series were leaked beforehand, it was officially...
. It was their second single to reach the top ten Oricon singles chart, peaking at No. 8. Stereopony's sixth single "Hanbunko" was released on September 17, 2010. It was the band's first cover
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
; the song "Hanbunko" was originally released by Bivattchee
Bivattchee
was a contemporary Japanese rock band with several albums. This band liked to focus on the greater good of children and just children in general. Most of the themes for their songs focused on the community, seeing every day as the last, and how people should act upon it. Through the mellow music,...
in 2002. Stereopony's seventh single, "Over Drive", was released on May 12, 2010 and was used for the opening theme for the Japanese drama Pro Golfer Hana.
In June 2010, Stereopony released their second studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
Over The Border and returned to the United States to perform at AnimeNEXT
AnimeNEXT
AnimeNEXT is an annual three-day anime convention held on a weekend in the New York / New Jersey metropolitan area, and is the ninth largest convention in the US. The first event was held in 2002 in October, but later moved to June in 2004...
, the first anime convention
Anime convention
An anime convention is an event or gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture. Commonly, anime conventions are multi-day events hosted at convention centers, hotels or college campuses. They feature a wide variety of activities and panels...
the band performed at in the United States. Over The Border was released on June 9, 2010 and ranked No. 12 on Oricon. Stereopony's national tour, Stereopony TOUR 2010 'Over The Border (that was planned to start on July 26) was postponed due to Shiho's aggravated tendinitis. Their eighth single, "Chiisana Mahō
Chiisana Mahō
"Chiisana Mahō" is the eighth single by the Japanese rock group Stereopony. It was released on December 08, 2010, under Sony Records. The main track was the first opening theme for the anime Letter Bee Reverse.-CD or CD+DVD Tracklist::...
", was released on December 8, 2010, and the title song was used as the first opening theme for the anime Tegami Bachi: Reverse
Tegami Bachi
is a ongoing shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Hiroyuki Asada. This manga is set in the fictional land called "AmberGround", where a artificial sun only illuminates the capital of the land, Akatsuki...
. On January 14, 2011, fellow all-girl rock band Scandal announced on their official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that Stereopony and Scandal would be performing at Shibuya-AX
Shibuya-AX
Shibuya-AX is a concert hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, near the Yoyogi National Gymnasium.It is the only purpose-built concert hall or "live house" in the Tokyo metropolitan area that can accommodate 1,500 people...
with supporting acts from ByeByeBoy, Cossami and Hi-Lab. This collaboration, was scheduled for March 11, 2011. However, due to the "2011 Tōhoku earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
", the performance was postponed to June 26, 2011.
Stereopony performed at Anime Boston
Anime Boston
Anime Boston is an annual three-day anime fan convention held in the spring in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The convention features a number of events which include a masquerade, an anime music video contest, video programming rooms, an artists' alley and art show, karaoke, game shows,...
2011 as special guests at the Hynes Convention Center
Hynes Convention Center
The John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center located in Boston was built in 1988 from a design by architects Kallmann, McKinnell & Wood. It replaced a previous building, also a convention center, regarded as "ungainly." The 1988 design "attempted to relate in scale and materials to its...
on April 23. They played a wide selection of songs from both albums and their latest single, as well as a cover of Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
's "American Idiot
American Idiot (song)
"American Idiot" is a song by the American punk rock band Green Day. It was released as the first single from their album of the same name.Released in 2004, the single peaked at #61 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Green Day's first Billboard Hot 100 chart entry , helping revive the band's career...
". Shortly after returning from their appearance at Anime Boston, the group announced they would be providing the theme song to the 2011 film . Stereopony attended a press release event for the upcoming film, for which they are providing the theme song.
Stereopony collaborated with the band Kariyushi58
Kariyushi58
is a Japanese four-man pop group from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, and a headliner of the Utanohi music festival. Their sound contains many elements of traditional Ryukyuan folk music. The name is a portmanteau of the Okinawan かりゆし, meaning "harmony" or "happiness", and 58, the number of the local...
to produce the single released on August 10, 2011. Stereopony contributed the song on the Zone
Zone (band)
Zone was an all-female pop rock band started in Sapporo, Japan in 1999. Although it initially started as a dance group, they turned to an all-female band. Zone has been categorized in a new genre called "bandol"...
tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
released on August 10, 2011; "Akashi" is a cover of Zone's 2002 single. On July 16, 2011 Aimi officially started an Ameblo blog
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
. The band's tenth single, , was released on September 28, 2011. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for "Arigatō", released on September 1, 2011, features film actor Abe Hiroshi; he is also on the cover of the version B release of the single. Stereopony will release their third studio album More! More!! More!!! on December 7, 2011.
Discography
Studio albums (2009)- Over The Border (2010)
- More! More!! More!!! (2011)