Passpo

PASSPO☆
Origin Japan
Genres Idol, Rock, Pop, Punk
Years active 2009–present
Labels Platinum Passport (management)
Jolly Roger (2010–2011)
Universal J (2011–2015)
Crown Records (2016–)
Associated acts Pre-dia
palet
Band-Maid
3mini
Silent Siren
Puchi Passpo
Website www.passpo.jp
Members Negishi Ai (Leader)
Fujimoto Yukimi (Sub-Leader)
Iwamura Natsumi
Masui Mio
Mori Shiori
Anzai Naomi
Tamai Anna
Makita Sako (On hiatus)
Past members Sakuma Kaho
Makoto Okunaka

PASSPO☆ (ぱすぽ☆ Pasupo, word play for passport) is a Japanese idol rock girl group under the Platinum Passport (プラチナム・パスポート) brand of Avex Group's subsidiary Platinum Productions Inc. Their first major single, "Shoujo Hikou", reached number 1 at the Oricon charts on May 16, 2011.[1] They also are producing a group called Puchi Passpo (ぷちぱすぽ☆), a 5-girl group heading to be the representative group of Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

History

The group formed in 2009 after ten girls were selected from the Minna de Tsukuru Idol Unit contest in Akihabara. The group was named "PASSPO☆" soon after and they use the theme of travel in the group's concept. For example, the members of group are called "the crew" while the leader is called "captain" and the sub-leader is called "chief purser" with each member having their own color. Meanwhile, their live events are called "flights" while those who are attendance are usually called "the passengers". Also, their songs incorporate the travel theme and the group releases three versions of their singles, each name Business Class, First Class, and Economy Class, with different material inserted in each version.

PASSPO☆ released their first single on March 2010, entitled "Let It Go!!", under the indie label Jolly Roger. A month later, PASSPO☆ went on their first tour named "PasTour". The group also starred in their own variety show, Attention Please☆ on TV Kanagawa. By the end of the year, the group released their first album, entitled TAKE☆OFF.

At an event on January 2011, PASSPO☆ announced that they signed to the label Universal Japan. The group made their major debut four months later with the single "Shoujo Hikou". Their first single reached #1 in the Oricon chart (making them the first idol group in Japan to debut at #1). They also released their first major album, entitled CHECK-IN, in December. However, Sakuma Kaho was the first member to graduate as she graduated from the group on December 30 at the group's last live show at Zepp Tokyo.

On June 25, 2012, Passpo took part in Yubi Matsuri, an idol festival produced by Rino Sashihara from AKB48. The concert was held at Nippon Budokan before a crowd of 8,000 people and featured such girl groups as Idoling!!!, Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, Super Girls, Tokyo Girls' Style, Nogizaka46, Buono!, Momoiro Clover Z, and Watarirouka Hashiritai 7.[2][3]

From April 6 to September 28, Passpo aired a variety show with Jinbo Satoshi on TV Tokyo called Passpo no Shaku-Uma TV, when the 9 girls are dressed as baseball players, and the famous actor was the teacher. Passpo sold their highest number of singles (5), with the highest amount of selling in the history of the group (around 88,500 copies). On October 16, "Growing Up" was released. "Growing Up" was a 'mature' for the group, with a friendship theme. With the videoclip, the nine girls won their individual videos about the most important moments for them (Passpo is also known in Japan for its strong sense of friendship).

At the beginning of the year 'Okunaka Makoto left the group, leading to their "official house" in Shibuya, the SHIBUYA-AX, being closed. "Perfect Sky" was released on March 26. On July 2, Passpo started a new show called "Muriyari Passpo" (Forced Passpo), when the girls will show the 'natural' side of the group.

After "Perfect Sky", on August 20, they released "Himawari" and a new digital single, called "Shiny Road". Their fifth album, Tracks, along with a single of the same name, was released on December 10. For New Year Passpo played the Tokyo Dome City Hall to end their National Tour (in celebration of the 5th year of the group). In a 6-hour non-stop show they performed all 68 of their singles to more than 3,200 people. They sang 20 songs in a medley, and 48 songs are played in full, without intermission. Band member Okunaka Makoto announced she was leaving the group after the show.

Members

Member Name Nickname Place of birth Color More info
Negishi Ai (根岸愛) Aipon (あいぽん)
Oppai (おっぱい)		 Saitama Captain (Leader), Main keyboard (band version)
Fujimoto Yukimi (藤本有紀美) Yukkii (ゆっきぃ)
L-size (Lサイズ)		 Tokyo Chief Purser (Sub-Leader), Main Guitarrist (band)
Iwamura Natsumi (岩村捺未) Nachu (なちゅ)
Iwamura-san (岩村さん)		 Kanagawa Oldest member
Masui Mio (増井みお) Miomio (みおみお)
Mio-kun (みおくん)		 Tokyo Group stylist, Bassist (band)
Mori Shiori (森詩織) Morishi (もりし)
Gen-san (元さん)		 Tokyo Main vocal (group and band)
Anzai Naomi (安斉奈緒美) Naomin (なおみん)
Naomi-san (なおみさん)		 Saitama Second Guitarist (band version)
Tamai Anna (玉井杏奈) Annya (あんにゃ)
An-chan (あんちゃん)		 Tokyo Newest member
Drummer (band version)

Former members

Member Name Nickname Place of birth Color More info
Sakuma Kaho (佐久間夏帆) Musshu (むっしゅ)
Muku (むく)		 Fukuoka Graduated at December 30, 2011
Okunaka Makoto (奥仲麻琴) Makkochan (まこっちゃん)
Maco (まこ)		 Saitama Graduated at January 1, 2015
Makita Sako (槙田紗子) Sakotee (さこてぃ)
Saco (さこ)		 Kanagawa Graduated at December 30, 2015

Discography

Singles

# Title Release date Oricon
Weekly
Singles
Chart		 Sales
(Oricon)		 Album
First
week		 Total[4]
Independent (Jolly Roger)
1 "Let It Go!!" March 31, 2010 129 1,000 1,002+ Take☆Off
2 "Hallelujah" (ハレルヤ) July 14, 2010 98 1,000 1,100+
3 "GPP (Girls Pajama Party)" October 20, 2010 96 1,000 1,500+
4 "Go On a Highway" 99 - -
5 "Pretty Lie" 94 - -
6 "Departure" (Mini-album) December 15, 2010 - - -
Major (Universal J)
1 "Shoujo Hikou" (少女飛行) May 4, 2011 1 42,706 43,534+ Check-In
2 "Vivi Natsu" (ViVi夏) August 24, 2011 3 40,283 43,537+
3 "Kimi wa Boku wo Suki ni naru" (君は僕を好きになる) March 7, 2012 17 11,205 12,346+ One World
4 "Next Flight" June 13, 2012 11 7,735 9,838+
5 "Natsuzora HANABI" (夏空HANABI) August 15, 2012 17 7,445 8,976+
6 "WING" October 3, 2012 4 9,446 10,761+
7 "Sakura Komachi" February 13, 2013 6 15,531 19,909+ JEJEJEJET!!
8 "STEP&GO / Candy Room" May 22, 2013 14 13,169 17,883+
9 "Truly" June 26, 2013 7 12,042 16,769+
10 "Mousou no Hawaii" July 31, 2013 12 12,311 15,408+
11 "Growing Up" October 16, 2013 9 17,250 18,587+
12 "Perfect Sky" March 26, 2014 7 21,967 22,328+ TRACKS
13 "Himawari" August 20, 2014 7 24,796 25,450+
Major (Crown Records)
14 "Mr. Wednesday" February 24, 2016 TBA TBA TBA
15 "Bachelorette wa Owaranai" July 27, 2016 TBA TBA TBA

Albums

# Title Release date Oricon
Weekly
Albums
Chart		 Sales
(Oricon)
First
week		 Total
Independent (Jolly Roger)
1 Take☆Off December 8, 2010 168 1,000 1,000
Major (Universal J)
1 Check-In December 7, 2011 14 9,597 9,597
2 One World November 14, 2012 26 3,890 TBA
3 JEJEJEJET!! December 11, 2013 14 6,346 7,000+
4 TRACKS December 10, 2014 6 12,300 14,000+
5 POP-UNIVERSAL MUSIC YEARS / POWER-UNIVERSAL MUSIC YEARS December 2, 2015 6 TBA TBA

DVDs

# Title Release date
1 Passpo☆Stage "Sakura Iro" (ぱすぽ☆Stage『サクラ色』) May 3, 2010
2 Attention Please☆ DVD-Complete Box (アテンションプリーズ☆ DVD-COMPLETE BOX) August 25, 2011
3 Attention Please☆ Director's Cut Edition (アテンションプリーズ☆ディレクターズ・カット版) August 26, 2011
4 "Kiss=Suki" (キス=スキ; Kiss=Love) December 7, 2011
5 "PASSPO☆ Flight 2015" March 25, 2015

Books

Photobooks

Others

References

  1. ↑ "A風アイドル・ぱすぽ☆、女性グループ初の初登場首位デビュー" (in Japanese). Oricon. May 10, 2011. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ 指原莉乃「ゆび祭り」で豪華コラボ版「ヘビロテ」実現 (in Japanese). Natalie. 2012-06-26. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  3. ↑ "指原莉乃プロデュース「第一回ゆび祭り」、DVD&Blu-rayでの発売が決定!" (in Japanese). My Navi. 2012-11-02. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  4. ↑ "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2012-03-16. (subscription only)
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