By NucleARtyom January 8, 2024

codomomental bulletin #57

On December 31st, there was a big New Year’s Eve codomomental livestream, which featured the first online performances of Futatsuna and louplull, as well as Seireki13ya, TOKYO TEFUTEFU, and Not Secured, Loose Ends.¹ There were also talk segments, and I tried to summarize the most interesting information from them.

First of all, Futatsuna unfortunately didn’t perform with their full lineup – the “purple” member was missing from the livestream. According to Chimura Shifumi, she was the victim of a spell that turned her into a cat, but they’re already working on breaking it. At the same time, Nobuhide Imamura emphasized that the group’s current lineup is still being finalized – that’s why the members still don’t have Twitter accounts, and at the time of the stream they hadn’t even been given names, so while there seems to be an intention to continue working with this lineup, it’s still subject to change, and the group’s current performances are essentially a test run to try out the lineup and give the newcomers real-world experience.

Speaking of newcomers. Let’s talk about the “blue” member first. First of all, she’s done this kind of activity before, and she admitted that she messed up on something. Recalling her past activities, she also stated that she was forced to do them back then rather than doing them of her own free will.

She has no friends, but describes herself as a “positive loner.” At home, she often talks to her pets, of which she has quite a few: a hedgehog, a cat, and a reptile in a terrarium.

I wanted to change. I wanted to change my life in codomomental. I don’t like myself and I don’t like it. I want to love myself. I want to get rid of my awkwardness at least a little bit.

As for the “white” member, she too has done similar activities in the past, and in evaluating them now, she realizes that she didn’t try hard enough, that she set the bar too low.

I love performing and I wanted to be on stage again.

I want to love myself, but I tend to spoil myself too much and I don’t like it, so I hope that in 2024 I will stop doing that and be able to love myself.

The group’s costumes were designed by the members themselves under the guidance of Chimura.

All of the members (including Chimura) will have a pseudonym (referring to the group’s name, which translates to “pseudonym” or “nickname”) in addition to their first and last names.

And the group’s lyrics, according to Nobuhide Imamura, are filled with the theme of searching for something.

Apparently the group is gradually starting a full-fledged activity, as they are starting to perform at joint concerts. One such concert took place on January 4, and two more are scheduled for January 12 and January 31.

Now let’s move on to louplull. As we know, the concept of the group is described by the phrase “To confine [within yourself] dangerously sweet thoughts.” Actually, this was Nobuhide Imamura’s original idea – this image of incredibly sweet thoughts confined in the depths of someone’s mind seemed very cute to him. And the name of the group is a fusion of the words loup (“wolf” in French) and English “lull,” which describes the concept of the group’s music, which is so sweet that it can lull even a cruel wolf.

The group’s test debut took place in late 2021, but a full debut was hindered by the ongoing pandemic, and eventually the director decided to rebuild the group. By the time he personally took over the management of “Tefutefu,” he thought that Nonno would be a good fit for the group. According to Imamura-san, Nonno had “forgotten her cuteness” at that time. That is, she was too used to the activities of “Tefutefu,” and although she always had the potential to express something cute, she gradually became rougher and rougher to fit the style of the group. The director didn’t like this and decided to invite her to join louplull.

According to Nonno herself, she feels that louplull will allow her to give herself more fully to the activities of TOKYO TEFUTEFU, as she now has a place where she can freely express the sides of herself that she is embarrassed to show in “Tefutefu.”

As for the second member, a reading of her surname has recently been revealed – so we now know her full name – Ibu Memesu. The surname “Ibu” (韋蕪) consists of two kanji: the first has essentially no meaning and is mostly used phonetically to convey the “i” sound in Japanese names, while the second means “turnip.”

Nonno: “First of all, Memechi is very, just incredibly serious. She’s also very hardworking – so much so that it makes me want to work even harder. There’s also something a little strange about her, but she doesn’t even realize it.”

This is Memesu’s first time being an idol. She loves idols and is a big fan of codomomomental music (especially “Zenkimi”), which impressed her with its concepts and lyrics, so she decided to participate in the audition, but she didn’t expect to pass.

Nonno: “There was a moment when we were working together on the costumes and she told me so passionately about her love for codomomomental.”

Memesu: “I watched music videos and everything and was amazed by this world.”

Nonno: “There are a lot of different idols, right? But she said she wanted to join codomomental even though it was her first time and she didn’t know the industry at all. And when she said that, I was so happy and loved her right away.”

Great❕ How did you celebrate the New Year❔

In 2024, the fourth year of “Tefutefu” begins, and louplull should also begin real activities.

I want to approach all these challenges with a positive attitude, I’m not afraid of failure, I won’t miss opportunities, and in 2024 I will prove that my being here makes absolute sense❕

Concentration~~ ⊂( の ̫の )⊃三²

From Tokanai Nonno’s Twitter.

On December 30th, Seireki13ya held a two-hour preview of a new version of “yocto asterism,” “exa asterism.”³ This song was notable for the fact that its chorus contained direct references to the members’ fictional constellations. After the formation of the new lineup, the group didn’t perform the song for a long time, and now the updated version of the song has finally been presented. Remarkably, the new lyrics don’t differ much from the old one, and the first chorus, which contains direct references to the five original members of the group, remained completely untouched. Only the second chorus, which now refers to the four current members, and the third chorus, which now refers to both the original and current members, have been significantly revised.

First of all, I suggest that we remember the original lineup of the group and the names of their fictional constellations:

Sono Homare – “The Sounds of Rain.”
Shiki Towa – “The Whispers in the Lonely Night.”
Nene Komochi – “The Dawn Mischief Girl.”
Fuwa Akane – “The Hot Milk.”
Ama Mauru – “The Bedwetting (all questions to Kisaragi Megumi – it was her idea).”

And now, the current lineup (I changed my translation of the new members’ constellations based on the images used in the song):

Nene Komochi – “The Dawn Mischief Girl.”
Yui Urari – “The Night Waiting [for someone]”.
Who Runo – “The Drops [of tears] in the Night Air.”
Yowa Minai – “The Bonds Between [two] Fates.”

And here is my translation of the song:

Side Effects. Is what I’m seeing now reality?
It’s a world line with constantly intersecting geometry.
Is this feeling jamevu? I don’t pretend to know.
The universe of girls has complex expressions.
Where is the utopia? Everyone is desperately wandering.
On the 13th night we will break out of the history of the stars, won’t we?
Dystopia? Count on me. Because I can smile.
No matter where this place is, you and I should be here.

Let’s leave behind the things we don’t understand. Don’t worry about them.
Because right now there is something I will never let go of. Deep behind my eyelids…

The sounds of rain rumble despite the time.
The dawn is called and the mischievous girl radiates pride.
I sip hot milk and fall to my knees.
Peace, freedom, a smile. High up in the sky.
I whisper, you must hear me.
I will gently embrace love along with sadness.
Never forget that I’m always here.
Ah, morning. Wet bed… Is this a dream? An illusion.

Noct or Nacht, whatever it is,
It’s not the black color that attracts me, it’s the mystical scent.
Forbidden feelings mix with the innocent.
There are complex colors in the universe of girls.

Let’s leave the things we don’t understand. There’s no need to touch them.
But to be forgotten by you is death to me.
You may not understand. But this is the meaning of my existence.
And while embracing this selfish and strange desire…

I need nothing, so let me hear your voice.
Because I will bind fate and life together.
When you are tired, I’ll wait for you in the night,
Overflowing with the light that comes from my heart.
Touching the air, covered with drops,
I realize that the true essence of love is kindness.
In the final search for my place of belonging, I have found the same answer as you.
It is here, and it is the truth. Dream Eater.

Let’s leave the things we don’t understand. There’s no need to touch them.
But for me to forget you is to lose my honor.
Let’s leave the things we don’t understand. Don’t worry about them.
Because right now there are so many things I will never let go of. And those feelings are blossoming.

The sounds of rain rumble, the night of waiting is embraced with fragility.
The dawn is called and the mischievous girl radiates pride.
I sip hot milk and fall to my knees.
Embracing the night air covered with drops, I send up a prayer.
I whisper, you must hear me.
Love and sadness bound together = it is you.
Never forget that you always have me.
Ah, morning. Wet bed… It’s a dream… An illusion…

It’s also worth noting a few moments where, in addition to the choruses, the lyrics have been slightly altered, creating a sort of narrative:

Original: “There are not so many things I will never let go of. I close my eyes…”.
New version: “Because right now there is something I will never let go of. Deep behind my eyelids…”.

Original: “Because there are not so many things I will never let go of. Between you and me…”
New version: “Because right now there are so many things I will never let go of. And those feelings are blossoming.”

By connecting the past and the present, it will follow us into the future💭💫

There was a time when I thought I wouldn’t be able to sing this song again, and the fact that it could once again become a song for us to frolic to together is thanks to your support for Seireki13ya. Thank you ⭐️⁴

I was so happy that tears came out. This song, which gathered so many feelings and brought back memories, also became something new for us. I want you to listen to it often and love it.⁵

The world line where Seireki13ya exists thanks to the fact that there are “Night Minions” is something that is incredibly lovely and eternally important to me✨⁶

From Nene Komochi’s Twitter.

The Night Waiting constellation has become a part of everyone now…🎀

I wish I could be your light🪄✨⁷

I sang thinking of all the constellations🪄✨⁸

I really cherish both the past and the present, so I intend to sing this song with a lot of love⸜(* ॑꒳ ॑* )⸝⋆*⁹

“But to be forgotten by you is death to me.”

I think there’s a lot of meaning in us singing this line together 🪄✨¹⁰

From Yui Urari’s Twitter.

A song filled with “Seireki’s” feelings of leaving nothing behind, carrying everything into the future, and moving forward🫧
This is such a beloved and dear treasure! Please listen to it live, it will be hot֊ ̫ ֊💠¹¹

I want to make “Seireki” bigger and bigger, I want to move forward with you, cherishing both what we’ve carried on and what we’ve born – these were the feelings I sang this song with֊ ֊ ̫ ֊ ֊ ֊

Let it reach you🫧¹²

From Who Runo’s Twitter.

From now on we will perform it many times and grow together🔥🌟

I’m really happy to be able to carry these lyrics and constellations that I love into the future. I want to bring this song to all of you〜⟡꙳¹³

This is a very important song to me that I sang while thinking about the past, the future, and my beloved Seireki13ya◜~◝♡¹⁴

From Yowa Minai’s Twitter.

That’s all I could write, I just didn’t have any other words for “exa asterism!”¹⁵

I was hoping that this song would be the perfect self-introduction, and when I finished it, I involuntarily let out a “Yay!”¹⁶

From GESSHIRUI’s Twitter.

Fukumoto Emi, a codomomental designer who works closely with Seireki13ya, drew an illustration in honor of the song’s preview:

いばしょをさがしてたはて、から
ゆめくい、のところ
好きすぎてらくがきしちゃった#エクサアステリズム #星歴13夜 pic.twitter.com/CC9OQbOIJY
— フクモトエミ (@nicole16g) December 30, 2023

I’ve also translated a very funny, touching and interesting part of the New Year’s Eve livestream, where you can learn how far Komochi’s workaholism goes, how Urari got rid of her agoraphobia, what dreams Runo fulfilled last year and how Minai became human (and more!):

As Nobuhide Imamura said on the aforementioned stream, 2024 promises to be a very intense year for “Seireki.” And he also promises to personally take over the management of the group. There are also apparently a lot of new songs in the works, one of which was already performed on the New Year’s Eve livestream, and another (titled “Past Time Link”) was available for a limited two-hour preview on December 5th. This bulletin has already become quite big, so I’d like to talk about it next time.

On December 31st, TOKYO TEFUTEFU celebrated their third anniversary.

Three years ago today, TOKYO TEFUTEFU fell into this world while soaring.

And the fact that we, who were trembling insecurely at that time, were able to spread our wings so wide and soar so high is undoubtedly thanks to you – thanks to “mirages.”

So let us continue to dream and realize our dreams together in the fourth year and beyond!¹⁷

To be honest, these three years have not only been fun, there have been moments when I have felt depressed, but in those moments “mirages” and our members always surfaced in my mind.

The people I cherish.

Let’s be together in our fourth year.¹⁸

I will not stop, I will not let this happen, no way.¹⁹

From Yuzuriha Ouhi’s Twitter.

3 years ago, I didn’t think any of this would become so important to me. Sometimes the time dragged oppressively, and sometimes it flew so fast, and sometimes I wanted to run away so badly. And all the while, my support was “mirages.” Thank you for giving me the choice to stay here and keep going. I feel happy. May we continue to experience new vistas together.²⁰

From Mary Lust’s Twitter.

In addition to the general codomomental audition, a specific audition for Zenbu Kimi no Sei da has been announced, aimed at recruiting new members in anticipation of the group’s comeback. The deadline for applications is January 31st.²¹

According to the members’ words from “Zenkimi’s” talk livestream on December 27,²² despite a surprise performance at a recent event, there will be no more concerts until the group’s full comeback, which will take place on March 15. The group will resume their activities at the CLUB CITTA’ venue (the same venue that hosted the cheki session after the group’s Budokan show), and the concert itself is called “untitled,”²³ which, like the title of the Budokan show, also refers to the group’s biggest hit, “MudaiGasshou” (“Untitled Choir”). The girls claim that they are very serious about relaunching the group and see it as a fresh start, and that the selection of new members will be done with great care in order to accept those who are really comfortable with this kind of activity.

A small snippet of the rehearsal with the candidates for the role of new members has also recently appeared on Twitter:

2024.03.15(金)
川崎CLUB CITTA' 再始動
🎫 https://t.co/YjEd31yN4V

❤️‍🔥 Audition詳細&応募https://t.co/edMesqrgZW

新メンバー【内定や候補】も含め随時"ぜんぶ君のせいだ。"化計画進行中っ❣️ pic.twitter.com/3ilTM6d7BK
— ぜんぶ君のせいだ。 (@zenbukiminosei) January 5, 2024

A Kisaragi Megumi birthday event has been announced for January 11th.²⁴ There will be a talk and even a small acoustic concert featuring Megumi herself, Seireki13ya, TOKYO TEFUTEFU, Not Secured, Loose Ends, and Yokoi Takayuki (Zenkimi Band’s support guitarist). The talk portion will also be streamed online.

Higaminari Yuchiomi revealed at the New Year’s Eve livestream what motivated her to participate in the codomomental audition. She wanted to become an idol and was “looking for a place that wouldn’t compromise on vocals,” and after seeing many audition advertisements and listening to the music of many groups, she was attracted to the music of Zenbu Kimi no Sei da and Shounen ga Milc.

codomomental bulletin #57

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