Get to Know BEYOOOOONDS -An introductory course by yours truly- 25 replies to this topic Started by TicTacAnyone , Aug 04 2019 03:52 AM ·

[TicTacAnyone]

Since I know a lot of people are just now starting to get into BEYOOOOONDS due to their major debut, I thought I'd give a little info I've picked up here and there about the girls. Of course, this isn't every little fun fact, again, just some things I've noticed/watched along the way.

We've discussed before, but BEYOOOOONDS (that's with 5 o's) is currently split into 2-3 groups. 

 

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CHICA#TETSU (Philosophical Girls):

Ichioka Reina (leader) (currently 20)
Shimakura Rika (currently 18)
Nishida Shiori (currently 16)
Eguchi Saya (currently 16)

Ame no Mori Kawa Umi (Rain, Forest, River, Ocean):

Takase Kurumi (leader) (currently 20)
Maeda Kokoro (currently 17)
Yamazaki Yuhane (currently 16)
Okamura Minami (currently 14)
Kiyono Momohime (currently 14)

---no group yet---:
 

Hirai Miyo (currently 19)
Kobayashi Honoka (currently 18)

Satoyoshi Utano (currently 18)


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BEYOOOOONDS is self-described as a "different idol group." Such as their name implies, they want to go beyond all other groups with their own charm by including acting, interesting costumes, and fan interaction. Their name, when put in hiragana, also resembles "pyon" (jump), and that's why they do a small jump as they do their group introductions.

Now, into each member (spoiler box for each.)

Spoiler

Ichioka Reina:

Spoiler

 

You may remember seeing a young Ichioka as she auditioned for the MM 11th gen "Suppin Utahime" audition. She joined KSS after failing to pass, and there she stayed for just under 6 years.... taking the spot as the KSS with the 3rd-longest tenure, and the only KSS that stayed for 5 1/2 years and still got to debut in an H!P group (sans 1st gen S/mileage.) She did quite a bit of backup dance work for C-ute's concerts during that tenure.

 

While in KSS, looks-wise, she was known for her super long, thick hair and her thick eyebrows. Upon debut she cut her hair to a bob and trimmed her brows. She's known among other members as sort of an airhead/fuwafuwa/my-pace kind of girl. Oh also, she's a huge train freak... which makes her first song with CHICA#TETSU a sort of easter egg (....it's about trains.) Well-liked by wota for her persistence in KSS (a la Kaede.)

 

Shimakura Rika:

Spoiler

 

 

Auditioned for MM'16, but failed and joined KSS... After being in KSS for over a year, she was selected to join CHICA#TETSU and BEYOOOOONDS. She won the Best Performance award at her second Kenshuusei Shindan Test as well, singing Fiesta! Fiesta! She is well-liked by both members and wota alike; Yamazaki Yuhane, especially, is in love with her. Her nickname among members and wota is Rika-sama. She also is known as a bit of an airhead and jokester... and she gets nervous easily... but gives off a regal vibe, similar to Yamaki Risa. You can point her out by the dimple on her left (our right) side.

 

 

Nishida Shiori:

 

Spoiler

Nishida joined KSS towards the end of 2016. She was a popular KSS that was known for her performances and alluring aura. She is said to be true to her Kyoto roots as a well-mannered, charming but mysterious young lady. She gets lost in the streets easily, but is a member you can trust with getting advice from. On stage, Nishida is known for her singing and overall mesmerizing performance skills. Also, she's taken dance classes for years as well. She won Judge's Character Award for her cover of Golden Chinatown at 2018's Shindan Test. 

 

 

Eguchi Saya:

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

She also joined KSS in 2016 at the beginning of the year with Shimakura Rika. Like other recent KSS, she has been dancing for a number of years now, but she's new to singing. Not too much is known about her yet, but she can play the jaw harp... which she used as an appeal skill on TV. Her friends describe her as funny and someone who just jumps into things. She seems to be known for her looks and figure among the wota. She was worried and startled about how tall she suddenly grew last year. Here's a video of her and Nishida singing a duet.

 

Takase Kurumi:

Spoiler

 

Kurumi was a local idol starting at the age of 12 until 15, when she joined KSS in early 2015. She was featured in seven plays plays over the next three years, becoming a sort of regular.... Among fans, she is known for projecting a pure, honest, grounded personality and for having stable skills. She won the Judge's Singing Award along with the Runner-Up of Best Performance at 2016's Shindan test for Moonlight Night... Missing a 3-way tie for first by just 3 votes. Some may call her the quintessential idol. Cries easily. Wota have compared her looks and figure to Fukuda Kanon.

Maeda Kokoro:

 

Spoiler

 

She failed the MM 12th gen audition and so she joined KSS in early 2015. Similar to Reina, she did a lot of work backing up C-ute. She won Judge's Best Dance award at her third Shindan test in 2017. Maeda is known for her improvement while in KSS, especially at the end of 2018/beginning of 2019, where all her skills seem to have really sparked. Because of her height, body type, and haircut, she is portrayed as the boyish character... however, she is actually known to be more girly personality-wise. She has the best of both worlds in that way--she is a little childish for her age, silly, and cute... but also can knock the wind out of you with a karate move and make you swoon with her gakuran. I think she may soon rise up a lot of people's list of favs with her stage presence.

 

 

Yamazaki Yuhane:

 

Spoiler

 

Yuhane auditioned for MM'16 but failed, and so she joined KSS late 2016 with Nishida. By 2017 she began appearing in Pizza-La commercials for over a year with other H!P members. Among wota, she is known for her eccentric expressions and for her singing ability; she won the Judge's Singing Award at her first Shindan test with Magic of Love (J=J ver) in 2017. You can expect to see a lot of her from here on out--a number of wota were expecting her to be the ace of whatever group she joined, and some still think she will generally be an ace/face of the group. While known for being silly and weird, she is not a loud outspoken extrovert.

 

 

Okamura Minami:

 

Spoiler

 

Welcome to your newest imouto character! Similar to a puppy, Okamura is known for being energetic, spoiled, clingy, lovey and overall, well... a little sister! She does not seem to be the reserved type. She was a local idol in Osaka, as well a model. She joined KSS at the beginning of 2017. Okamura isn't the type of idol that gets embarrassed easily and she'll go all-out--all with a smile so big, her eyes close. Second youngest of BEYOOOOONDS. Didn't win any awards at her two Shindan tests. You may see her called Miimi/Mimi as well. A bit of a "burikko," but the type of cutesy girl that is healing to be around.

 

 

Kiyono Momohime:

 

Spoiler

 

If you pay any attention to KSS at all but haven't heard of Momohime, I.... I just don't know what to say. A very popular KSS from the time she joined early 2016. Within 4 months of joining she had her first Shindan test and tied with Kasahara for first place for Best Performance. She didn't do any plays her first year in, but she did take a very eye-catching role as the MC for the Hinafest lottery draws, a spot left open by another popular previous KSS, Hamaura. Although she is the youngest in BEYOOOOONDS, she is known by other members are being one of the most well-rounded, serious, mature members. She takes every role, line, dance, and character that she is given, seriously. A true working idol.

 

Hirai Miyo:

 

Spoiler

 

This is my personal thought, but I think a lot of people will start to think of Hirai as a sort of break-out hit. She's got a personality that I don't think we have in H!P right now--it's this sort of cool girl who takes whatever she likes and just rocks it. A very onee-chan type figure. Mature and composed, but not too cool to not try hard at what she does. She's an excellent dancer that has a very hip-hop base to her dancing (she's been dancing for 14 years.) Watching her introduce herself and the other two audition winners to the rest of BEYOOOOONDS for the first time, she stood confident and composed. She's the girl who raps at the beginning of DNA. She already has been added to the Dance Club. Oh also, she was already in university when she got selected as an audition winner--how cool is that? I mean just look at her!


 

 

 

Kobayashi Honoka:

Spoiler

 

Honoka (you may see her called Hono/Hono-tan/Honorin/Koba) is known for her pro piano playing skill--so if you see a girl you don't recognize playing piano at an H!P con, it'll probably be her. She also played the keyboard guitar in DNA. Not too much is known about her personality yet, but the fans seem to just be drawn to her. Personally, I'd compare her aura to Aiai in that way.

 

 

Satoyoshi Utano:

 

Spoiler

 

Another professional dancer, Utano has participated in numerous dance team competitions over the years. She also has already been added to the Dance Club. Her dance is more contemporary, compared to Hirai's hip-hop. You may see her called Uutan by wota, and it seems like she may be the most popular of the three audition winners. Fans like her for her talking skills, fresh face, and dance skills. Known by members for being hard-working and extroverted (acting similar to a puppy.) 

 

[Farrah]

I'm really curious to see if the subunits start promoting songs of their own or if they'll always just release things as BEYOOOOONDS.  The Chica Tetsu girls are noticeably a little older than everyone else so I'd love to see them release something more mature.

[DonJuan]

I always forget how "old" the CHICA#TETSU girls actually are. Reina is the oldest in Beyooooonds, Rika is the same age as the Only You girls. I definitely thought Shiori and Saya were younger than 16.

...then again Beyooooonds had been in limbo for quite some time lol.

[WonderBuono]

Awesome introductions. There are so many members right at the beginning it’s going to take a long time for me to pick out any of them in a video, but this helps!

[Shoujo Q]

A little more in depth info on a few of our former idols that reside in Ame no Mori Kawa Umi.

 

Takase Kurumi was part of a local Tochigi based idol group called, Tochiotome25 (とちおとめ25), for three years before joining the Kenshuuusei as a sole generation member. 

She was a member from 2011 till graduating in June of 2014. She was part of 4 singles before graduating. They can be found through King Records (MVs).

 

Okamura Minami was a child model starting sometime in 2011. In 2014 she joined a local Osaka dance and vocal group called SunRisa (サンリーサ).

She also auditioned to become a fashion model in a girls magazine called Dream Girls. She left SunRisa in October of 2016.

(I found one clip (she sings Momoiro Kataomoi) of her for you but there's more if you poke around Youtube.)

 

Kiyono Momohime may be the youngest, but when it comes to being an idol, she's been in it for awhile. You might even call her a veteran. She was part of two idol groups prior to joining the H!P Kenshuusei. 

First was Amorecarina (アモレカリーナ). She was part of the Tokyo branch, which has since disbanded. She joined sometime in 2014 and left in 2015.

(Solo performance (which I'm sure made the rounds when she joined as a kenshuusei) while in Amorecarina)

(Performance as part of Amorecarina)

She was also part of the duo, Juri♡Puri (じゅり♡ぷり) with another Amorecarina member sometime after they both left the big group.

(Performance as part of Juri♡Puri)

[TicTacAnyone]

Yes, a lot of the AmeKawa girls have pervious idol experience :) 

 

Edited and added the three audition winners--not a lot is known about their personalities yet, but I think we will start to get a better picture after BEYOOOOONDS debuts and starts releasing their DVD mags and stuff (which is soon.) 


If I were to just go off of everything I've read and watched (which I did a lot of the past few days to try to get a good grasp on their personalities and how wota view them), I'd list these girls as the current most popular members of BEYOOOOONDS.... according to J-wota. In no order,

 

-Yamazaki Yuhane

-Takase Kurumi

-Satoyoshi Utano/Hirai Miyo

-Nishida Shiori

 

 

^Normally I'd add Momohime, but I feel like I haven't seen a lot of fans talk about her in comments and such yet.

[Shoujo Q]

I feel like all the singles gave most of the girls a chance to shine. Saya REALLY stood out in Go Waist and I love her for it. She gave me Chinami vibes.

[TicTacAnyone]

I feel like all the singles gave most of the girls a chance to shine. Saya REALLY stood out in Go Waist and I love her for it. She gave me Chinami vibes.

 

The fans seemed to love it as well--I saw a lot of comments calling her Princess Sayarin?! Lol!

 

But to be honest, there's not a single member I dislike. This hasn't happened for me in a group in a few years!

[TheParuProject]

But to be honest, there's not a single member I dislike. This hasn't happened for me in a group in a few years!

Saaaame. I've only ever felt this way about 5-member Juice=Juice. With BEYOOOOONDS, their individual likeability ranges from love to indifference for me, which is great. Usually I latch onto one girl while steering clear of the rest lol.

[DonJuan]

Some recordings:

 

Nippon no DNA

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=Y7yNNT8fhPs

 

Takase Kurumi (short hair) and Shimakura Rika (long hair).

Kurumi definitely has a bit more "idol" going on, but Rika's rhythm is on point.

 

Go Waist

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=ke8qwxCMgR0

 

Nishida Shiori (shoulder length hair) and Eguchi Saya (longer hair).

Shiori is the "cutie" of Beyooooonds (with Okamura Minami - both have pink-ish colours to match lol - Shiori deep pink, Minami lighter pink). Saya might seem a bit stern but she's pretty competent.

[TicTacAnyone]

If Saya is one of your worse singers, your group is in a pretty good spot imo

 

Also Rika's "saikouhou" really sends me.... it just sounded so good to me idk why but it hit just right.

[TicTacAnyone]

PS--Posting this here in case anyone wants to see how BEYOOOOONDS' members are athletically :)

 

Here's Nishida's solo acapella intro from the summer con.

[DonJuan]

I know Beyooooonds are not new anymore but to give y'all some more content... here are some acapella performances:

 

Shimakura Rika - Manatsu no Kousen https://youtu.be/g5osDaiMNuY

Yamazaki Yuhane - Oshare! https://youtu.be/m7DKXOhJllg

Okamura Minami - Chocolate Damashii https://youtu.be/DrgESFAW0aQ

Yamazaki Yuhane (with Maimi) - Arashi wo Okosunda Exciting Fight! https://youtu.be/laXsXHnB9rU

Nishida Shiori and Eguchi Saya - Sekai Ichii HAPPY na Onna no Ko https://youtu.be/3iKgRab7NPw

Shimakura Rika and Yamazaki Yuhane - Zukyun Love

 

To be fair I just wanted to link Rika's Manatsu no Kousen. Hah.

[TicTacAnyone]

Shimakura Rika - Manatsu no Kousen https://youtu.be/g5osDaiMNuY

 

To be fair I just wanted to link Rika's Manatsu no Kousen. Hah.

 

When I watched that cover the day it dropped, I was so impressed. I already liked her singing, but that cover was just *chef's kiss*

[Saya]

She’s got a bit of a nasal tone going on though. It would sound much better if she could drop where she’s producing those notes from and sing from her diaphragm/a lower place in her body. She’s able to do a bit, I heard flashes of it, but it might have been unintentional. Her voice breaks a bit because she’s singing too high in her body.

But then again it is just a casual acapella so she might have been singing casually!

[TicTacAnyone]

She’s got a bit of a nasal tone going on though. It would sound much better if she could drop where she’s producing those notes from and sing from her diaphragm/a lower place in her body. She’s able to do a bit, I heard flashes of it, but it might have been unintentional. Her voice breaks a bit because she’s singing too high in her body.

But then again it is just a casual acapella so she might have been singing casually!

 

Yeah she's definitely not perfect, but I think she just has this interesting vocal color :)

 

I think if we heard a proper recording ver of this cover it'd definitely sound better... Especially since she said she was nervous singing out in public for the video, lol. O-Swing is a lower song, and she does well with that one

[Shoujo Q]

Every time I think Kobayashi Honoka can’t get any better, she surpasses herself once again. She’s like the true representation am idol for me.

Listen to her cover of ManoPiano that she flipped into her own version, https://youtu.be/0UIHVn6fC38

For those who have Instagram, her whole mini event was archived. https://www.instagra...id=vthozvprx7dd

[DonJuan]

Not gonna lie, I think Honoka had the biggest "glow up" in the group (though the group was pretty strong from the very beginning).

She looked really shy in the beginning, a bit reserved, and I honestly wondered if she was really in it for the idol business or if she wouldn't do better as a classical musician. But she's so charming, her singing is decent (definitely not the best, but she's not tone deaf), and her expressions have become really good (imo one of the most important parts of an idol).

 

She's climbed up in my rankings and is definitely one of my favourite Beyooooonds members.

[JPope]

Honoka has been in my top 3 BYNDS members from the get go, and I'm happy to see more and more people taking notice of more than just her piano playing.

[DonJuan]

I'm here to finally bring some more Beyooooonds news!

 

Satoyoshi Utano will appear in a drama for the first time: https://mdpr.jp/news/detail/2263044

It's the medical drama she has talked about in Beyooooonds' school at home lessons (Kasouken no Onna) Obsession does pay off! (Now waiting for Miimi to join Nishina Center )

 

According to JKandaPopBana on twitter "she plays a high school-aged rock climbing victim who ends up being killed by Okubo Kayoko’s character.". Apparently the show is like the CSI series.

 

I was a bit worried about Beyooooonds. They had the Tokyo Idol Festival going on, but considering it went without live audience I wasn't sure if the impact was as strong as usual. But since the stay at home school it's become rather quiet about them. (I know I know the stage play but honestly I hate stage plays since they're mostly low quality and keep the group from doing more fun and visible activities.)

[Shoujo Q]

They uploaded a digest from Beyooooonds Last musical on their page. This is pretty much all we got from them last year aside from their online content And that one CM tie in.
https://youtu.be/c8Q573ZX5D0

[DonJuan]

While the new single announcement has me hyped, I'm still thirsty for more Beyooooonds content. Therefore I thought I'd link some of my favourite performances to go back to.
 
Their LIVE BEYOOOOOND1St concert tour on Youtube.
Their Premium Seat on bilibili.
Kiyono Momohime's Kosui cover (on JMelo). Uploaded by JPope I think?

Toei Oedo Sen no Roppongi Eki de Dakishimete a capella cover

Teki a capella cover

Megane no Otoko no Ko a capella cover (complete with Kokoro in a box)

Vitamin me a capella cover

 

Can't wait for their new single, honestly.

[JPope]

Kiyono Momohime's Kosui cover (on JMelo). Uploaded by JPope I think?

 

 

Yep, that's me! The only other version I could find was incomplete, so I did the world a favor and rectified that situation.

[DonJuan]

You certainly did! I think watching it the first time made me realize how great a singer Momohime is and how much better she can still become.

 

Might go a bit off-topic (once again) but...

 

After some years of debuting, eh, not-so-great performers I think H!P has definitely put more focus on overall ability in the last few years (compared to focusing on dance the years before that).

 

Looking at debuts:

 

2018:

- Pretty much all of Beyooooonds, but especially Yuhane, Momohime and Miyo, while Rika and Shiori can be pretty good, too (Kokoro as well, though I think her biggest appeal is her stage presence and being always in on-modus, not her singing).

- Ise Layla

2019:

- Matsunaga Riai (and Yume is not that bad, she just doesn't stick out yet)

- all of MM's 15th gen. Homare hasn't shined as much yet, but I have high hopes for her.

2020:

- Matsumoto Wakana.

 

They also had some ehhh additions of course (Oota, Hashi-Rin) and lost some power members (Karin, Funakki, all of Kobushi), but there hasn't been a situation like Oharu in some time. I think the closest might be Satoyoshi Utano, but she makes up for it with great dancing skills and not being half as awkward as Oharu.

[JPope]

You're right about all of that, but I think it goes even further. I noticed around 2017 that the level of singing was noticeably improving across H!P (although it mostly passed right over Tsubaki), which makes me believe that a top-down decision was made to toward that effect. The number of girls who have made real strides since 2017 seems greater than usual to me. With some exceptions, it always seemed like once an H!P idol hit 18, they were pretty much all they were ever going to be, but that's not the case anymore. I've cited Haga's improvement a lot recently, but even Sakura took a major leap forward around that time, and has not stopped improving since. H!P seems like it's becoming a place where bad singers become average, decent singers become good, and good singers become great, all of which explains is why I'm so high on Momohime and Wakana.

[DonJuan]

Good point. Other people also mention Ikuta in this (though I don't 100% agree). I feel Masaki has also improved a lot in the last few years - before she was raw emotion with very visible good and bad days, nowadays she's a lot more constant.

Also, as you mention Sakura, I think the one who really took the next step was Sayuki. Especially in the earlier days of Juice she was straining a lot, leading to her vocal cord nodules in 2016. But nowadays? Personally I'd put her above Sakura, but that's probably just my subjective opinion (Sakura is still amazing of course). I think she puts more emotion into the songs? But yeah, my point was that she was another one that improved a lot.

 

Getting back to Beyooooonds, someone subtitled Honoka's interview on tinytiny on why she decided to become an idol. Let's all thank Honoka's father for helping her!

She also talked about a point that I think not many girls think about when they join the idol business: Jobs. She mentioned that as a pianist, even after going to university it wasn't certain that she'd get a job. Now she can combine playing the piano with being an idol. Considering her jobs in Beyooooonds, but also playing piano for other Up-Front acts, joining an agency in general has opened a door for her.