=Love
OriginJapan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2017 (2017)–present
LabelsSacra Music
Members
  • Emiri Ōtani
  • Hana Ōba
  • Risa Otoshima
  • Kiara Saitō
  • Maika Sasaki
  • Hitomi Takamatsu
  • Shōko Takiwaki
  • Iori Noguchi
  • Sana Morohashi
  • Anna Yamamoto
Past members
  • Nonno Satake
  • Nagisa Saitō
Websiteequal-love.jp

=LOVE (イコールラブ Ikōrurabu, pronounced "equal love", stylized as =LOVE) is a Japanese idol group composed of voice actors from the Yoyogi Animation Academy. The twelve-person group is produced by former AKB48 and HKT48 member Rino Sashihara and is signed under Sacra Music.

History

2017

On 28 January 2017, Rino Sashihara announced during a press conference that she plans to creating an idol group with voice actors from Yoyogi Animation Academy with the goal of "surpassing Yasushi Akimoto", the creator of established idol groups such as AKB48 and Nogizaka46.[1] Auditions for the group began two days later.[2] On 29 April 2017, it was announced that thirteen people passed the auditions and the group would be named "=LOVE".[3] One member, Mai Chōnan, dropped out after the announcement, bringing the final number of members to twelve.[4]

The group's first live performance came at the 2017 Tokyo Idol Festival, a venue they would continue to visit for the next two years. During their performance, =LOVE debuted their upcoming self-titled single, "=LOVE".[5] The single was released on 6 September 2017, where it reached 8th on the Oricon Singles Chart[6] and 14th on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[7]

On 6 December 2017, they released their 2nd single, "Bokura no Seifuku Christmas".

2018

Between 15 and 18 February 2018, =LOVE appeared in their first stage play, a 2.5D musical based on the media franchise Kemono Friends. They also held their first overseas performances in Taiwan, first on 18 March at the Megaport Music Festival in Kaohsiung,[8] then a solo live on 25 March at the Syntrend Creative Park in Taipei.[9] They also performed at the Japan Expo in Paris on 6 July.[10][11]

On 16 May, they released their third single, "Teokure Caution".

On 2 August, it was announced that member Maika Sasaki would be taking a break from group activities. Thus, she would not participate in the upcoming fourth single.

On 17 October, they released their fourth single, "Want you! Want you!".

On 9 December, Maika Sasaki resumed group activities after four months of hiatus.

2019

On 24 February 2019, Sashihara unveiled =LOVE's sister group, ≠Me (pronounced "not equal me", stylized as ≠ME). The sister group also has twelve members from Yoyogi Animation Academy and is produced by Sashihara.[12] The two groups performed together at the 2019 Tokyo Idol Festival, where ≠Me unveiled their own self-titled debut single.[13]

On 24 April 2019, they released their 5th single, "Sagase Diamond Lily".

On 19 August 2019, it was announced that the group's center, Hitomi Takamatsu would be on hiatus due to health issues and would not participate in the upcoming 6th single.

2020

On 15 April 2020, a special track, "Tsugi ni Aeta Toki Nani wo Hanasou Ka na" , by =LOVE and ≠Me was released. This was Hitomi Takamatsu's first appearance since her hiatus.

They released their 7th single, "Cameo", on 29 April 2020 with members Emiri Ōtani and Nagisa Saito as double centers.

On 6 September during their "3RD ANNIVERSARY PREMIUM CONCERT", where Hitomi Takamatsu officially resumes activities.

In November 2020, they released their 8th single, "Seishun Subliminal". This is Hitomi Takamats's first single after her hiatus and Nonno Satake's last.

2021

On 1 February 2021, it was announced that Nonno Satake will be graduating from the group. Her graduation concert was on 6 March.[14]

The group's first album, "Zenbu, Naisho.", was released on 12 May 2021.[15]

They released their 9th single, "Weekend Citron", on 25 August.[16] They performed on Music Station for the first time on September 17.

They released their 10th single, "The 5th", on 15 December.

2022

On 29 March 2022, =LOVE's second sister group, ≒Joy (pronounced "nearly equal joy", stylized as ≒JOY),[note 1] was unveiled. As with ≠Me, this group initially had 12 members.[17] However, former Last Idol member Ozawa Aimi was announced as the 13th member of the group on 28 June 2022.[18]

They released their 11th single, "Ano ko Complex", on 25 May.

The group's 12th single, "Be Selfish," was released on 28 September, 2022.[19] The title track, "Be Selfish," was the group's first music video to have been made outside Japan, with filming and production being carried out by a Korean team based in South Korea.[20]

On 25 September 2022, during their 5th anniversary performance, Nagisa Saitō announced her graduation from the group.[21][22][23] Her graduation concert was held on 13 January 2023.[24]

Members

Current members

  • Emiri Ōtani (大谷映美里)
  • Hana Ōba (大場花菜)
  • Risa Otoshima (音嶋莉沙)
  • Kiara Saitō (齋藤樹愛羅)
  • Maika Sasaki (佐々木舞香)
  • Hitomi Takamatsu (髙松瞳)
  • Shōko Takiwaki (瀧脇笙古)
  • Iori Noguchi (野口衣織)
  • Sana Morohashi (諸橋沙夏)
  • Anna Yamamoto (山本杏奈)

Former members

  • Nonno Satake (佐竹のん乃)
  • Nagisa Saito (齊藤なぎさ)

Timeline

  • Blue (vertical) = Singles
  • Red (vertical) = Albums

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak
chart
positions
Oricon[25] Billboard[26]
Zenbu, Naisho. (全部、内緒。) 11

Singles

Title Year Peak
chart
positions		 Certifications Album
Oricon[25] Billboard[27]
"＝Love" 2017 814 Zenbu, Naisho.
"Bokura no Seifuku Christmas" (僕らの制服クリスマス) 34
"Teokure Caution" (手遅れcaution) 2018 33
"Want You! Want You!" 22
"Sagase Diamond Lily" (探せ ダイヤモンドリリー) 2019 22
"Zurui yo Zurui ne" (ズルいよ ズルいね) 11
"Cameo" 2020 23
"Seishun "Subliminal"" (青春“サブリミナル”) 15
"Weekend Citron" (ウィークエンドシトロン) 2021 22 Non-album singles
"The 5th" 24
"Ano ko Complex" (あの子コンプレックス) 2022 24
"Be Selfish" 12
"Kono Sora ga Trigger" (この空がトリガー) 2023 24
"Natsumatope" (ナツマトペ) 15
"Last Note Shika Shiranai" (ラストノートしか知らない) 13

Notes

  1. ↑ ≒ is used as an approximation sign in Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

References

  1. ↑ "指原莉乃、声優アイドルプロデュース「秋元康を超えたい」". Oricon (in Japanese). 30 January 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "指原莉乃：声優アイドルをプロデュース 発掘オーディション開催へ「野生の勘で選びたい」". Mantan Web (in Japanese). Mantan. 30 January 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "指原莉乃：プロデュースしたアイドルユニット「＝LOVE」お披露目 選考時「興奮して鼻血出た」". Mantan Web (in Japanese). Mantan. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "指原莉乃プロデュースアイドル、合格者13人お披露目 グループ名も発表". Modelpress (in Japanese). 29 April 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "指原初プロデュース「=LOVE」初ステージ 9・6CDデビュー発表". Oricon (in Japanese). 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "=LOVE". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "Hot 100 [2017/09/18 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  8. ↑ "超萌美少女進港開唱！=LOVE 與 DESU.RABBITS 攜手征服邊男女！". MeMeOn (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. ↑ "=LOVE強勢登陸台北三創 3月7日全網售票系統同步開賣". ATC Taiwan (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1 March 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "=LOVE put on an exciting performance at JAPAN EXPO 2018 in Paris". Neo-Tokyo 2099. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  11. ↑ "TOKYO IDOL FESTIVAL 2018: JAPAN EXPO PARIS GUESTS SPECIAL EDITION". Bonjour Idol. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  12. ↑ "イコラブ姉妹グループ「≠ME」が初お披露目 指原P「私よりかわいい」". Oricon (in Japanese). 24 February 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  13. ↑ "=LOVEの姉妹グループ≠MEが「TIF」でデビュー「人生の1ページを皆さんと一緒に」". Natalie (in Japanese). 4 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  14. ↑ "佐竹のん乃 卒業に関してのご報告". ＝Love Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "＝LOVE ファーストアルバム「全部、内緒。」 5月12日(水)に発売決定！". ＝Love Official Website (in Japanese). 3 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  16. ↑ "8/25発売！=LOVE 9thシングル「ウィークエンドシトロン」アートワーク公開！". ＝Love Official Website (in Japanese). 30 June 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  17. ↑ "指原莉乃プロデュースの新グループ、12人組「≒JOY」誕生 3年ぶり3組目". Oricon. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  18. ↑ "≒JOY小澤愛実が見せた、わずか3週間でMV登場の驚異的な適応力！ (2022年6月28日)". エキサイトニュース (in Japanese). 28 June 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  19. ↑ "DISCOGRAPHY | ＝LOVE（イコールラブ） オフィシャルサイト". equal-love.jp. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  20. ↑ "＝LOVE 初の海外（韓国）でのMV撮影を敢行した、12thシングル表題曲「Be Selfish」MVを解禁！「野口衣織」が表題曲では初の楽曲センターを担当。". プレスリリース・ニュースリリース配信シェアNo.1｜PR TIMES. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  21. ↑ Nagisa Saitō [@saitou_nagisa] (25 September 2022). "みなさまへ。" (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 November 2022 – via Instagram.
  22. ↑ Nagisa Saitō [@saito_nagisa] (25 September 2022). "みなさまへ。" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 November 2022 – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ "＝LOVE齊藤なぎさ、グループ卒業発表 理由も説明" (in Japanese). Modelpress. 25 September 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  24. ↑ "「＝LOVE」齊藤なぎさ、23年1月13日に卒業コンサートを開催 同日が最終活動日に（ENCOUNT）". Yahoo! Japan News (in Japanese). 26 October 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  25. 1 2 "=Love | Oricon Style". Oricon. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  26. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  27. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Certifications Search Results: =LOVE (Physical Format)" (Enter "=LOVE" into the "アーティスト" (Artist) field) (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
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