Sunmyu
Sunmyu (さんみゅ～) was a Japanese idol girl group managed by Sun Music Production. The group was formed in 2012 and officially disbanded on March 1, 2020.
The group's project was launched in 2011, with member selection taking place from 2011 to 2012. Sunmyu made their major debut in January 2013 with the single "Kuchibiru Network," a cover of the late Yukiko Okada's representative song modernized for contemporary audiences. The group name "Sunmyu" (さんみゅ～) was derived from their agency name, Sun Music, coined by Hideyoshi Aizawa, who was chairman of the Sun Music Group at the time.
Sunmyu was particularly notable as Sun Music Production's first idol group project in approximately 21 years, marking the agency's return to idol management since Michiyo Nakajima. Sun Music had previously produced legendary 1980s idols including Seiko Matsuda, Yu Hayami, Yukiko Okada, and Noriko Sakai.
The group's catchphrase was "Bright, energetic, and refreshing! The first pure white idols of the 21st century" (明るく、元気に、爽やかに！21世紀最初の純白アイドル). Their concept centered on reviving the "1980s orthodox idol style," distinguishing them from contemporary idol groups that emphasized intense choreography and stylish costumes.
Sunmyu achieved notable commercial success with multiple singles charting on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart:
- Their best-charting single was "Togetoge" (トゲトゲ), which reached #5 in October 2015
- "Hajimari no Melody" peaked at #9 in March 2015
- "Haru ga kite Bokutachi wa Mata Sukoshi Otona ni Naru" reached #12 in March 2014
- "Junjō Mermaid" peaked at #13 in July 2014
The group released one studio album, "Mirai chizu" (未来地図), which reached #43 on the Oricon chart in August 2014.
Starting in September 2014, Sunmyu became known as "Disaster Prevention Idols" (防災アイドル) following their participation in a disaster prevention campaign event. They collaborated with the Tokyo Fire Department on a disaster prevention song called "Sonae areba Urei Nancy" (ソナえあればウレいナンシー), based on Yu Hayami's hit song "Natsuiro no Nancy". They were appointed as image characters for Tokyo Fire Department's Disaster Prevention Week poster in 2015.
Final Members and Disbandment
At the time of disbandment in March 2020, the group consisted of five members:
- Ayana Kinoshita (木下綾菜) - Orange color
- Yayoi Kobayashi (小林弥生) - Green color
- Sena Niihara (新原聖生) - Red color
- Misuzu Nishizono (西園みすず) - Blue color (Leader)
- Mami Noda (野田真実) - Pink color
The group had been operating as a five-member lineup since 2017. On November 6, 2019, it was announced that all members would graduate from the group on March 1, 2020. The official reason stated was that each member wanted to pursue their individual dreams beyond group activities. Their final performance, titled "Sunmyu FINAL LIVE, Yume de Aimashou" (Dream to Meet You), was held on March 1, 2020, at Yamaha Ginza Studio.
Leader Nishizono Misuzu commented that while the members were choosing new paths, their core values remained unchanged, stating they wanted to "do what they want to do with both hands full". The group name was retained, leaving open the possibility of future revival.
After Sunmyu's disbandment, two former members, Sena Niihara and Mami Noda, formed a new group called Mellow Mellow in 2017, which later disbanded in 2024.