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Wednesday, 13 May 2020

Returning to The Fairies Who Melt Like Ice: Another Introduction to elfloat (Updated On September 3rd, 2020)

'An Introduction to' is my passion-project where I research and compile a profile of a group I am interested in, regardless of their tenure or music style. If I like it, they are probably going to be subject to my research methods at some point or another. Ultimately, my goal here is to create a heavily document post that includes the member profiles, a brief history of the group, and a little bit more if possible.

My reason for publishing these profiles is pretty simple: it gives other fans a window into what a group is about, and is easier for me to find down the line when I either need to look back at something, or for when I'm in need of updating my past research.

I also do this because, believe it or not, I actually find it fun.

With that said, today's group was actually one of the more frustrating that I have tackled, and it's all due to the lack of readily-available information, because all past blogs, old tweets and websites have since been deleted, and not all of it has been archived. Despite all of that, I persisted and did all I could, even if I feel that what I have done is not enough.

Internal frustrations aired, let's get into today's Idol Introducion. Returning to the land of the fairies who melt like ice, let's take an updated look at elfloat and see what they're up to, today.

*Despite excessive research, this post and its contents may be incomplete / incorrect, so I apologise in advance. I am in no way an expert on elfloat or idols in general, and I will never claim to be (unless it's for Houkago Princess). This article was simply made out of my passion and love for research and idols, and is my way of sharing something I enjoy with other fans. I did all I could in this post, and hope that you find it useful in the future. Finally, if any mistakes are found, please let me know. I am still improving with my editing, and appreciate your help. Thank you in advance.


The Origin Story

Prior to the groups inception, the company blue clover Co., Ltd began in 2012 as a music video production company that created high quality content at a low cost. Based in Shibuya and headed by CEO Nishiyama Yūsaku, the company gained a good reputation for its services, and would eventually branch into other forms of video production, such as live and CM works, and even live house management down the line. Most importantly, however, the company would go on to create its own sub-branch that focused on idol production.

It was in n May of 2014 that elfloat (エルフロート) became the first group to debut under the blue forest label. With an initial focus on costumes, lyrics that expressed a different world and a diverse range of music, elfloat were quick to gain success after their live debut, and down the line would be noted for their energetic and intense dance style that takes over the stage. Unsurprisingly, elfloat were considered to be the Ace unit of blue forest, and were the longest running group to come out of the company.

Since their first performance, elfloat has gained and held the status of being a Super Live Idol group, and will perform over 300 lives a year. Including solo and one man shows, the group continues to make a name for themselves, continually proving to be a successful, recognisable group regardless of their indies status. Of their live success, elfloat were able to attract 1,200 attendees to their Zepp Tokyo live in May of 2017, and have also held one-man lives at places such as Akasaka BLITZ and Shibuya O-EAST.

And despite their cute appearance and graceful demeanour, elfloat's music style is extremely diverse when it comes to its genres, and include styles such as pop, new wave, heavy metal, visual and club music. Not including two of the groups songs, former producer Nishiyama has acted as the mastermind behind all of the groups songs in terms of composing and producing their material, and has also written the lyrics for about 90% of their works.


As of May 6th, 2020, elfloat and its sister group, I.D.And Fly LooM, are acting as independent idol groups, and are under the joint-company, YMIdes. Though the announcement was intended for June of 2020, both groups revealed their departure from blue forest earlier than expected due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which had halted all live activities.

The decision to depart from the company suggested to all members of blue forest by former producer, Nishiyama Yūsaku, with positive encouragement towards pursuing a new challenge. After multiple discussions and a lot of consideration, both groups chose to move forward as self-produced idols, and began preparations for this new venture with Nishiyama's aid.

With the departure of both groups, it can be assumed that blue forest has ceased all operations and will no longer produce idols. All social media accounts and websites related to the sub-branch have either been removed, or transferred to YMIdes. It must also be noted that Nishiyama Yūsaku's twitter account is no longer available, either.

Now in their sixth year, elfloat continue to improve and establish themselves within the underground idol circuit. Though 2020 faces a brand new challenge for the group, it does not look like elfloat are slowing down any time soon, and will most likely continue to hone their skills as performers so that they can create memorable live performances.

On September 3rd, 2020, elfloat announced that the group would dissolve on October 30th, 2020 during the graduation live for Mio.

elfloat's concept is that they are 'fairies who melt like ice'.


Member Profile

Adding to this (because I couldn't find a way to shove these into the above description), I would like to include a few additional facts about the groups member system:
  • The group has never exceeded four members, and it is their small formation that is key to their notable choreography. Because they can move freely about the stage, their choreography can create a bigger impact.
  • Their most stable lineup occurred from July 2015 until April 2018, and saw no graduations or additions to elfloat.
  • All of the members have roles or attributes to further their identities as fairy characters.
  • After a member graduates, Twitter accounts are typically terminated.
Rika

Name: Rika (リカ)
D.O.B: October 7th
Blood Type: O
Height: 153cm
Image Colour: Yellow
Likes: Dreamland, Tinkerbell and Peter Pan
Favourite Food: Nuts, chocolate, gummies
Role: 3rd Leader, Miracle Fairy
Generation: 3rd
Tenure: April 2018 - Present

Twitter









Bio:

The current leader of the group, Rika joined elfloat on April 29th, 2018, days after Mizuki's graduation. Her reason for auditioning is because she liked the idea of being on stage. After being accepted into the group, Rika realised that she lacked physical strength when it came to practising for live shows. After four songs, she would feel nauseous, so elfloat's producer at the time, Nishiyama, would order her to stand on the stage whilst chewing gum for two weeks straight, as a way to get her to build up her endurance. It worked, and Rika was able to continue training without many issues after that.

Rika feels that her long hair is one of her charm points, whilst Nishiyama and other members stated that one of Rika's most notable qualities is that she is always smiling, and that she has a good atmosphere, allowing people to feel comfortable around her straight away.

In August of 2019, Rika became the groups 3rd leader after the graduation of Maaya, and as of May 2020, Rika is now a self-produced idol alongside fellow member, Mio. Upon the announcement that elfloat would no longer be under the blue forest label, Rika thanked Nishiyama for his guidance, training and the care he gave all of the idols within the company. She also noted that he had guided all of the members to value their beliefs, and was actively encouraging them to challenge themselves in various ways.

When she auditioned for elfloat, Rika liked the song Like A Tinkerbell most, as she is a fan of Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. She also claims that she attends Magic School in the morning, and has stated that she would like to go through life with a smile.

She helped write the lyrics for the elfloat song Oton! Okan! Dokan! alongside Mio, and also wrote the lyrics for her solo track, Mahou no Chocolate. She also produced the accompanying music video for her song.

Her favourite costume is elfloat's green fairy outfit.

Personal Thoughts:

Because I'm only just getting back into elfloat after a 5-year absence, I didn't know much about Rika until I really started diving into this post, but I will say that I think she is a very sweet, hard-working girl, and very refined in her looks. I also like her voice a fair bit, and think that her solo song represents the style of elfloat perfectly.

She is also extremely cute, and despite her difficult start within the group - no physical strength, a slight lack in confidence regarding her abilities, etc. - I do think that she has grown considerably and become a mature figure who seems to have a strong bond with both elfloat and I.D.And Fly LooM members, as well as the staff who worked for blue forest. In fact, I think its this strong bond that makes it a little hard to believe that she's the leader... I just see both members working in harmony together.

Of the two current members, I do think that Rika is my favourite (though I am basically just a fan of the entire group at this point). She just has this pleasing air about her, and I like her voice a great deal, too. I look forward to how much she will grow now that she is a self-produced idol, and I hope that I continue to follow her journey as an idol now that I am getting back into elfloat (lol).

Name: Yuzuki (ユヅキ)
D.O.B: February 14th
Blood Type: -
Height: -
Image Colour: Pink
Likes: -
Role: 3rd Leader, Miracle Fairy
Generation: 6th
Tenure: June 2020 - Present












Bio:

The first member to join after elfloat worked under a self-produced company, Yuzuki was inveiled as the newest addition to the group on June 25th, with her debut performance set for July 1st, 2020. Currently very little is known about Yuzuki.

Former Members

Moka

Name: Moka (モカ)
D.O.B: February 16th
Blood Type: B
Height: 159cm
Image Colour: Yellow
Tenure: May 2014 - November 2014
Generation: Original Member










Bio:

An original member of elfloat, Moka was also the groups original center, however began to lack confidence in herself when she began to feel that she wasn't popular enough, despite being given the center position by management. After 6 months of feeling conflicted with herself, Moka decided to graduate from elfloat.

Despite her own anxieties, Moka felt that elfloat had grown considerably as a group despite their 6 month run.

Moka graduated from elfloat on November 24th, 2014.

Airi

Name: Airi (アイリ)
D.O.B: August 25th, 1995
Hometown: Osaka
Blood Type: O
Height: 152cm
Image Colour: Pink
Special Skill: Creating magic with a smile
Tenure: May 2014 - May 2015
Generation: Original Member








Bio:

An original member of elfloat, Airi was active for one year, and graduated during the groups second one-man live and first anniversary as a group. She chose to graduate in order to return to a normal life. During her time in elfloat, she was the only member given access to blog on the now defunct staff blog.

Airi and Ririka were both close to one another, and when Ririka graduated from the group two months later, Airi made a guest appearance and performed with the group one more time.

As a fairy, Airi's power was getting photosynthesis from the sun, and her skill was creating magic with her smile.

Ririka

Name: Sakura Ririka (佐倉 りりか)
Stage Name: Ririka (りりか)
D.O.B: November 8th, 1996
Blood Type: A
Height: 160cm
Image Colour: Purple
Tenure: May 2014 - July 2015
Generation: Original Member
Affiliated Groups: Kimi ga watashi dake no ōji-samadattara (March 2017 - November 2018)







Bio:

An original member, Ririka was active within elfloat until her graduation one year and two months later on July 29th, 2015. During her time in elfloat, she was close friends with Airi, who would make a guest appearance at Ririka's graduation live.

Though it is unknown if Ririka took a break from activities for two years or not, she would re-emerge within the idol world once again. In March of 2017, Ririka was unveiled as one of the members of the group Kimi ga watashi dake no ōji-samadattara, which she was active in until November of 2018. A month later, the group disbanded.

Of the former elfloat members, Ririka seems to be the only one who has worked in another idol group outside of blue forest.

Ririka's special skill was making friends with animals, and her fairy hobby was collecting nectar.

Mizuki

Name: Mizuki (ミズキ)
D.O.B: March 19th, 1995
Blood Type: A
Height: 156cm
Image Colour: Red
Hobbies: Looking up at the starry sky
Special Skill:
Tenure: May 2014 - April 2018
Role: 1st Leader
Generation: Original Member
Affiliated Groups: un pixie poupee (March 2019 - April 2020)






Bio:

An original member, as well as the original and longest running leader of elfloat, Mizuki was a popular and beloved member of the group before her graduation on April 29th, 2018. Throughout her tenure, she would oversee the groups most stable lineup and witness the groups growing success. She was known for her sharp and flexible dancing, and was respected amongst the blue forest idols.

After a year of absence from the entertainment industry, Mizuki returned to blue forest with former Diamondollfy members, Shiraishi Yuno and Aikawa Sayu, and would debut in a new group. The decision was made after all three members realised that they had missed performing and their fans, and ultimately felt unfulfilled in their daily lives because of this. With their desire to continue performing, the group was named un pixie poupee. They worked under the concept that all of the members were idols who worked and lead everyday lives. The group performed on Wednesday's, Saturday's and Sunday's.

In March of 2020, Mizuki announced that she would leave un pixie poupee shortly after Shiraishi Yuno announced her decision to retire from the entertainment industry. Instead of continuing with the group, Aikawa Sayu also announced her graduation, and the group disbanded on April 24th, 2020. Due to the global pandemic, however, the live was cancelled, and the members gave their individual graduation messages to fans on TwitCast.

During her time as a blue forest idol, Mizuki was the oldest, and felt that she had to behave in a  strong, firm way because of her age, but that she enjoyed having a big sister character when she became a member of un pixie poupee.

Mizuki is currently the only elfloat member to have had red as her image colour, as all other member colours have been variants of blue, pink and yellow. Mizuki is also said to have continued caring about elfloat and its members even after her graduation.

Sakura

Name: Sakura
D.O.B: March 7th
Blood Type: Type: B
Height: 150cm
Image Colour: Purple
Role: Littlest Fairy
Tenure: April 2018 - September 2018
Generation: 3rd
Affiliated Groups: Real Light (August 2016 - June 2017)








Bio:

Formerly an original member of the blue forest group Real Light, Sakura joined blue forest and her original group on August 10th, 2016, alongside fellow member Yumi, and was active in the group until her graduation on June 12th, 2017. Almost a year later on April 8th, 2018, Sakura returned as a new member of elfloat.

Prior to joining the group, Sakura had attended the groups live shows as a customer and enjoyed watching them perform.

After 5 months with the group, Sakura withdrew from elfloat due to personal reasons. She is currently the only member not to have graduated from the group.

Sakura is the shortest member in the groups history.

Momo

Name: Momo (モモ)
D.O.B: June 30th, 1998
Blood Type: A
Height: 164cm
Image Colour: Light blue
Role: Naughty Fairy
Tenure: February 2015 - December 2018
Generation: 2nd









Bio:

On February 17th, 2015, Momo joined elfloat as their new member, and was the first addition to the group since its formation. She officially began her activities in March that same year, and during her time in the group was noted for her height and long arms.

Nishiyama noted that Momo was someone who never wanted to change, and would often get close to a membet, before abandoning them for another member. When Rika first joined elfloat, Momo was close to her and would often say that missed her and wanted to go out to eat rice with Rika, but soon after, Momo quickly became attached to Maaya and left Rika alone.

Momo graduated from on elfloat on December 25th, 2018 during the groups Christmas and graduation joint live at TSUTAYA O-EAST.

She is the tallest member in the groups history, and despite joining elfloat before Maaya, Momo was not given the position of group leader.

Maaya

Name: Maaya (マアヤ)
D.O.B: January 11th
Fairy Age: 210
Blood Type: O
Height: 153cm
Image Colour: Pink
Role: 2nd Leader, Cheerful Fairy
Tenure: May 2015 - August 2019
Generation: 2nd
Affiliated Groups: Clover Girls (March / April 2015 - May 2015)







Bio:

The second leader, Maaya originally started out as a trainee within blue forest, and was one of the first members to join Clover Girls. She made her stage debut with the trainee unit on March 12th, 2015, and was then promoted to elfloat on May 24th, 2015.

During the first year of her tenure within elfloat, Maaya considered Momo her rival, as both were similar in age. Because of this, Maaya would often listen out for who had more fan calls during their duets when performing.

In an interview, Maaya said that she sees herself as an idol filled with humanity; she has her ups and downs, cries when conflicted, and deals with her emotions openly. She has also stated that despite facing the pressure and anxiety that came with becoming an elfloat member, she was happy.

Maaya graduated from elfloat on August 19th, 2019.

Though she is not good at cooking or sports, Maaya is extremely talented when it comes to drawing. At live venues, she would often draw the members of elfloat on chalk boards, as well as their logo, and was very detailed and precise.

Maaya currently has the longest tenure in the group, and was active for 4 years and 3 months.

Nana

Name: Nana
D.O.B: September 29th
Blood Type: A
Height: 163cm
Image Colour: Purple
Role: Dull Fairy
Tenure: September 2019 - December 2019
Generation: 5th

Twitter







Bio:

On September 1st, 2019, Nana joined elfloat as their newest member, but would soon graduate on December 11th, 2019 due to her mental and physical health.

During her time as an elfloat member, Nana realised that she had no confidence in herself, and would often wonder if she should even be in the group. She became irritated, and when she saw that her lack of confidence and irritation was not improving, but instead getting worse to the point where it affected her mental and physical balance, Nana started to worry. She could no longer do the things that she was able to do before, and felt that she was bothering the other members and management because of this.

After being ill for two weeks, Nana expressed her concerns with management and the other elfloat members, and decided that she could no longer continue with her activities as an idol. The announcement was made on December 9th, 2019, and Nana graduated two days later, expressing that the time spent in elfloat and meeting the fans was a happy and important time for her.

Nana was active in elfloat for 3 months and 10 days, and currently holds the shortest tenure within the group.

Personal Thoughts:

I don't aim to make a habit out of writing personal comments for members that graduated before my interest in elfloat re-emerged, but holy crap, I really feel for Nana. I understand some of her feelings far too well, and I'm sad that she left this soon into her time as an idol. With that said, she has my utmost admiration for knowing when to stop, and for recognising the signs that she was not doing well.

I hope she's okay, and I hope that she is doing everything in her power to get better.

Mio

Name: Kinomoto Mio (木ノ本みお)
Stage Name: Mio (ミオ)
D.O.B: February 16th
Fairy Age: 200
Blood Type: B
Height: 163cm
Image Colour: Blue
Role: Mistress Fairy
Likes: Dogs
Generation: 4th
Tenure: January 2019 - September 2020
Affiliated Groups: Rilly (August 2018 - January 2019) (Transferred)

Twitter







Bio:

Initially a Rilly member, Mio joined blue forest after successfully passing auditions for a new group, but would eventually be transferred to elfloat 5 months later, in January of 2019. Though Mio was surprised and confused by her transfer, she has continued to work hard within the group.

An idol fan since she was a child, Mio was a fan of AKB48's Kami 7 - especially Maeda Atsuko and Oshima Yuko -, and aspired to become an idol just like them. She also liked singing and dancing, and had taken dance classes in Elementary school, so when she found the audition for Rilly, Mio took the chance, even though she was hesitant to do so; at the time, everyone around her was moving on to higher education or getting jobs. Thankfully, she had her parents' acceptance of her auditioning, as they understood her ambition to become an idol.

The first member to be accepted into Rilly, Mio was alone for 2 weeks, and at the time wondered if she would have a solo debut instead. She felt lonely during this point, but upon the addition of more members, Mio was noted to have cared for them, and was even considered for leadership, though it was given to another member. After transferring to elfloat, Mio would watch her former group during live shows and rehearsals and cry, but not out of sadness, but out of pride.

When she auditioned for elfloat, Mio was already aware of the group and its sister unit, Diamondollfy, and was a fan of their music. She is also a dog lover, and has always liked dancing in public.

She helped write the lyrics for the elfloat song Oton! Okan! Dokan! alongside Rika, and wrote the lyrics for her solo song, Ne! Ne! Ne!. Mio also produced the music video for her song.

Mio's favourite elfloat costume is the purple outfit.

On September 3rd, 2020, Mio graduated from elfloat.

Personal Thoughts:

When I started the post, Mio was actually the member I leaned towards more, simply because the abundance of information that was available. That said, I still think she's a great member, and can't help but get such a good vibe from her... she seems like such a fun and genuine girl, and her smile just makes me feel happy, too! I love that.

Mio seems like the playful member of the two, and though I think that both elfloat members have their serious and playful qualities about them, Mio might actually be the serious one of the two. Still, everything she writes seems to be out of excitement and happiness, and I like that a lot about her. It feels like everyday is a positive one with Mio, and that's the kind of idol I want in my life.

Ah, screw it; I like Mio a lot, too! I'm just gonna haka-oshi the whole group, at this point. Not that that's difficult, considering there's only two members... but they are both great, and they both have good points.

So, yeah... I like Mio, and I'm glad that she joined elfloat, because she is a good member, and she brings a little something to the group alongside Rika. They make a great duo, and I look forward to seeing her grow as a self-produced idol.


Discography

Known for creating music that caters to a wide demographic, elfloat have four albums and five singles, three of which were only distributed through live events or the official blue forest webshop, and are now out of print. The group also has a handful of unreleased songs, which are currently available to download for free.

All four of the groups albums are considered 'Best of's'.

Personal Favourites: Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~, Borderline ~Mōsukoshi dake Yūki~, Hatsukoi Remind, Vampire Castle, Shinkuno Tulip.

Albums

amethyst (1st Album)

Release Date: January 20th, 2016

Track List:
  1. Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~ (エルフショット ~あなたと出逢えた軌跡~)
  2. Seiri NIGHT (精霊NIGHT)
  3. PAIN ~AI no Akashi~ (PAIN ~AIの証~)
  4. Daichiyuki (だいちゅき)
  5. Vampire Castle (ヴァンパイアキャッスル)
  6. Kiseki no hata (奇跡の旗)
Tourmaline (1st Album)

Release Date: January 20th, 2016

Track List:
  1. Rise of Alice (ライズオブアリス)
  2. Borderline ~Mōsukoshi dake Yūki~ (ボーダーライン~もう少しだけ勇気~)
  3. Omoi Straight (想いストレート)
  4. White Angel (ホワイトエンジェル)
  5. Like A Tinkerbell (ライクアティンカーベル)
  6. Tokiori Mermaid (時折マーメイド)
Fairy tale (fantasy) (1st Best-of Album)

Release Date: February 20th, 2018
  1. Fairy on Earth (SE)
  2. Tokiori Mermaid (時折マーメイド)
  3. Kindan no Shall We Dance (禁断のShall We Dance)
  4. Rise of Alice (ライズオブアリス)
  5. Vampire Castle (ヴァンパイアキャッスル)
  6. Like A Tinkerbell (ライクアティンカーベル)
  7. Spirit NIGHT (精霊NIGHT)
  8. White Angel (ホワイトエンジェル)
  9. Akai tsuki ga mieru made (赤い月が見えるまで)
  10. Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~ (エルフショット ~あなたと出逢えた軌跡~)
  11. Bugendai Fantasy (無限大ファンタジー)
Fairy tale (real)

Release Date: February 20th, 2018

Track List:
  1. Yume Shirube (夢導)
  2. PAIN ~AI no Akashi~ (PAIN ~AIの証~)
  3. Princess Peach ~Nemuri-hime~ (プリンセスピーチ~眠り姫~)
  4. water tree
  5. Akai tsuki ga mieru made (rock version) (赤い月が見えるまで (rock version))
  6. Moon Agent (ムーンエージェント)
  7. Daichiyuki (だいちゅき)
  8. Omoi Straight (想いストレート)
  9. Borderline ~Mōsukoshi dake Yūki~ (ボーダーライン~もう少しだけ勇気~)
  10. Heart wall (ハートウォール)
  11. Kiseki no hata (奇跡の旗)
Singles

Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~ (1st single, out of print)

Release Date: September 29th, 2014

Track List:
  1. Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~ (エルフショット ~あなたと出逢えた軌跡~)
  2. PAIN ~AI no Akashi~ (PAIN ~AIの証~)
  3. Elfshot ~Anata to deaeta kiseki~ (Instrumental ver.)
  4. PAIN ~AI no Akashi~ (Instrumental ver.)
*Very little information regarding this single is available now. Its release date and track list can't be obtained unless you A) own the single, or B) manage to make out the details in blurry-ass pictures. Thankfully, I already own this single, so I had little issue finding the details.

White Angel (2nd single, out of print)

Release Date: February, 2015

Track List:
  1. White Angel (ホワイトエンジェル)
  2. Borderline ~Mōsukoshi dake Yūki~ (ボーダーライン~もう少しだけ勇気~)
  3. White Angel (Instrumental ver.)
  4. Borderline ~Mōsukoshi dake Yūki~ (Instrumental ver.)
*The same issues that arose with the first single also apply here, however this single is worse. There are no official covers on the internet any more, I only just managed to find the release month thanks to an old audition page for the group, and overall this was a pain in the ass to search for.

Rise of Alice (3rd single, free live distribution, out of print)

Release Date: March, 2015

Track List:
  1. Rise of Alice (ライズオブアリス)
*Once again, the same issues from the above singles apply to this one, except this one was damn near untraceable, that's how well it's been buried. Hell, I actually forgot that this single existed until I was 80% done with this post, until I accidentally stumbled upon it via the Wayback Machine in the hopes that I would find an image for White Angel. It was that short-lived, I don't even recall this single being announced. Heck, I'm also pretty sure that this was what broke me during my research, because Jesus Christ, I feel nothing but absolute contempt for this single and how annoying it was to find nothing on it, basically. Now I feel bad for thinking that the second single was a bitch to uncover, because no, it's this that had me in near tears. ARRRRRGH!!!!
**Don't research too hard, kids.

Tokiori Mermaid (4th single, first to be distributed nationally)

Release Date: February 28th, 2017

Type A (Mizuki ver.):
  1. Tokiori Mermaid (時折マーメイド)
  2. Kiseki no hata (奇跡の旗)
  3. water tree
Type B (Momo ver.):
  1. Tokiori Mermaid (時折マーメイド)
  2. Moon Agent (ムーンエージェント)
  3. Princess Peach ~Nemuri-hime~ (プリンセスピーチ~眠り姫~)
Type C (Maaya ver.):
  1. Tokiori Mermaid (時折マーメイド)
  2. Yume shirube (夢標)
  3. Akai tsuki ga mieru made (赤い月が見えるまで)
*Was 1st place on the Oricon chart for first day sales, and is also considered their first single release; it isn't, at least not in my eyes. So, yeah. It's the 4th single.

Tōshindai Utopia (5th single, 2nd to be distributed nationally)

Release Date: November 13th, 2018

Maaya ver. (pink):
  1. Tōshindai Utopia (等身大ユートピュア)
  2. Elf to mame no ki (エルフと豆の木)
  3. Shinku no Tulip (深紅のチューリップ)
Momo ver. (blue):
  1. Tōshindai Utopia (等身大ユートピュア)
  2. Elf to mame no ki (エルフと豆の木)
  3. Ichirin Ai Shoka (一凛哀傷歌)
Rika ver. (yellow):
  1. Tōshindai Utopia (等身大ユートピュア)
  2. Elf to mame no ki (エルフと豆の木)
  3. Like A Tinkerbell (ライクアティンカーベル)
Limited / Venue Only Releases

Kindan no Shall We Dance ~beauty and the beast~

Release Date: May 24th, 2017
  1. Kindan no Shall We Dance ~beauty and the beast~ (禁断のShall We Dance ~beauty and the beast~)
*Given to those who reserved their tickets for the groups Zepp Tokyo solo live on May 24th, 2017.


Music Videos

Over the years, elfloat has amassed a considerable amount of songs, and have produced a fair amount of MV's to accompany them. Sadly, a lot of these music videos have since been privated or taken down, especially their earlier releases.

As of September 2019, elfloat have five music videos available to watch.

Personal Favourite: TRIPPER ~issho ni miru yume~


Mahou no Chocolate by Rika

Her first solo song, Mahou no Chocolate is a cute home-made video filled with sweets, chocolate and live performance clips, and feels like a comforting, happy treat for the fans. It's adorable, and I like how warming the video itself feels. Rika herself is rather charming here, and I like that this video is basically made up of all the things that she enjoys: sweet things, performing, and elfloat.

Given the current state of the world, it makes sense to see Rika create her video at home, but I like the attention to detail she has given it, as well as the variety. She makes use of all her elfloat costumes, positions the camera in different angles, and even makes use of some visual affects with some flowers overlaying her solo shots. It's great to see that she has a basic understanding of what makes a music video interesting, and how she managed to include so many things despite not having that much to work with.

It's a nice little video, and I enjoy the warmth and happiness it creates. It fits Rika well, and the pacing matches the overall tone of the song.


Ne! Ne! Ne! by Mio

Mio's song is a lot cuter, and the music video that she created for it reflects that. Bright, a little bit silly and visibly more energetic, Mio's personality shined in her self-produced video for Ne! Ne! Ne!, which includes a guest appearance from her pet dog.

Much like Rika's PV, Mio gives us enough variety to keep us entertained, but includes a lot more movement in what she creates by creating a vlog-style atmosphere thanks to the movement of the camera, shots of her playing with her dog, eating and more. It's definitely less idol and more personal, but that's what I enjoy about it. It's such a relaxed, funny music video, and I can't help but smile when I watch it.

I actually laugh at certain points when I watch this music video, and it's all thanks to how chilled out Mio seems her. She isn't too bothered about letting herself go, and that allows the MV to feel a lot more entertaining, I think. It's just so different to what I had expected, but I really enjoy the overall quality of it, and how relaxed it makes me.

I think the addition of the border is nice here, giving it a coherent look so that everything is tied together, however I do think that Ne! Ne! Ne! feels more like a home movie than what Rika's did, and that's not a bad thing; Mio's creative style is different, and it shows, but it also gives us a window into what she loves most: her dog. And that's really freakin' cute, if you ask me.

It's good, and just adds to Mio's charm. She really is a fun, cute member, and I loved seeing her interactions with her little doggo.


White Snow Princess

This is certainly one of the groups cuter, more idol-like songs that fits with their fairy theme, and I honestly love it. It's an adorable track, and the accompanying music video only enhances that cuteness.

My only concern is how they're going to avoid the copyright issues they will inevitably face with the use of those Snow White And The Seven Dwarves clips.... >_>

Anyways, this is a cute music video, and I love the use of those slides, to kind of offset that whole fairy telling aspect. It reminds me of a pupper theatre, and has such a nostalgic feel to it that I really enjoy. Pair that with the location they play and dance in, and we have a really adorable music video that has the perfect fairy tale setting.

Now I feel all nostalgic for my childhood, ahaha...

It's adorable, and certainly in-keeping with the groups fairy theme.


Okami Shounen

One of their cooler songs, Okami Shounen's music video sees the members in wolf attire, whether it's of the fluffy or onesie variant. Of course, the tone of this video is incredibly different to White Snow Princess, which had a bright and cute appeal to it, whilst Okami Shounen is a lot darker in style, and makes use of waving lights, red hues and shadows. It's pretty damn cool, and really makes me appreciate this cool and dramatic side to elfloat.

Of course, there seems to be a little less variety here in terms of sequences. Yes, there is a lot of movement, and the playfulness of each member as the wolf is really endearing to see, but due to the style of PV and the location, there is little room to really change it up. With that said, I can see a fair few people enjoying this PV a little more. It's a change of pace, there are a variety of camera angles and plenty of movement, and the antics of elfloat are simply entertaining.

It's a good video, and I enjoy it a great deal, but I could do without the onesies.


TRIPPER ~issho ni miru yume~

Instead of having a full-on elfloat PV, we have a collaborative PV with fans and the members of elfloat, and it is pretty damn good, if you ask me. I guess I'm just a sucker for things like this, but I do think that having one of these PV's once in a while is a nice little 'thank you' to the fans, and shows the groups appreciation for all the fans do for them.

It's a lot of fun, and I like that we see a variety in what the fans are doing. Whether it is waving a pen light, dancing out in the open or singing in their car, it's nice to see the different ways in which a fan is... well, a fan. Whether you're gaming, driving, cycling or waving a penlight, you can be a fan anywhere, which is the ultimate goal of this PV: wherever you are, you can still listen to elfloat's music and support them. It's amazing.

Oh, and that appearance from Mizuki? Yeah, I damn near teared up. That's a powerful and sentimental statement right there, y'all.

It's a great video, and I love it. More Idols should do this, if you ask me.


Lyric & Live Videos

It might come as a surprise (it won't), but looking for substantial live show clips for elfloat is a bit of a chore, and I am so annoyed at how I've come up short here. Still, I shouldn't be that shocked; it's elfloat, for crying out loud, and as a fairly prestigious group, it makes sense that there would be rules about recording and posting live performances on the net, especially at one-man or solo lives. Still, it's fairly annoying that there is so little of their content on YouTube when it comes to live performances; they're lack of content makes it feel like they're as unknown as some of the smallest indies groups that you can find hardly any info on, and that honestly frustrates me.

Well, it is what it is, and what we have here is what we get, but to pad out this part of the post, I will instead offer up some Lyrics videos, as well. Because why the heck not?

Enjoy~

Personal Favourite: Puripuripurin a la Mode


Oton! Okan! Dokan!


Puripuripurin a la Mode












To end this already bulky post, I would like to say that I am frustrated with the abundance of deleted info that I can no longer access, and would further like to mention how much of a bitch this document was to update. I blame myself entirely, of course, because it was my decision to ultimately leave my original introduction to the group in limbo, but damn, I'm still mad. The company really didn't have to go and delete a lot of information, did they?

Okay, it's actually up to the company what they do with stuff like that, and I do think that elfloat's former company were great at maintaining their websites, blogs and such, but I'm simply angry at myself. Still, I managed to collect a fair amount of information and data, some of which I was fairly sure I wouldn't be able to access any more, but I am also pretty sure that I am missing a lot more information, and that annoys the heck out of me. I love knowing stuff, and above all I love to collect as much information as I can about a group when I'm in the moment, so to have a lot of that information knowingly withheld from me... yeah, it drives me crazy. But that's the price I have paid for sitting on this update for so long, and I'm now reaping the seeds I have sown.

Honestly, there was a point where I considered just never updating the elfloat profiles, but because I've been looking forward to doing another one of these Idol Introductions lately, and also due to the fact that I've been listening to elfloat's music lately, I decided to re-update this one, but with a whole new post. So if my other one is deleted any time soon, you know why; it's because this one is here.


Okay, enough is enough; I'm done here, and despite all my griping, I did have a lot of fun re-creating a past Idol Introduction, and enjoyed my time discovering things about elfloat that I didn't know, or had perhaps forgotten. Yes, this has been one of the more frustrating Introductions I have tackled, but it was honestly worth it.

Ultimately, though, I am glad it's over.

I hope that you enjoyed this post, and I hope that you have learned a little more about elfloat today thanks to it. Hopefully you will take a look at what elfloat has to offer, or perhaps research your own group in your spare time. Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy yourself and continue to enjoy whatever it is that your idols do.

Still, I do hope that you follow elfloat after this, and ultimately become their fans. The current lineup is a great duo of girls, and their music is honestly worth it. The only part I would say isn't worth it, is how fast they take videos down for older releases. Urrrgh...

Right, this is the end. Until the next post my lovelies, thank you for reading, and I hope that you stay happy and healthy, take care of yourselves, and think of yourself and others. And finally, thank you for giving elfloat a chance.

Much love and kindness,
Chiima~


Sources

Articles:

Yuijon Blog (26.11.2014)
Livedoor Report (26.05.2017)
Submarine123 (24.05.2015)
Get News (26.05.2017)
The TV (09.08.2017)
Pikonyan (30.04.2018)
Hayaken 80 (19.09.2018)
Reaction 721 - Impression of Mizuki (28.04.2019)
May The Metal be with us (08.01.2020)
Pop n' Roll TV (29.03.2020)
Idol Report (06.05.2020)

Interviews:

Utaten Interview (05.05.2017)
Reaction 721 - Elfloat Interview (26.09.2018)
Reaction 721 - 50 Questions for Maaya (12.11.2018)
Reaction 721 - Interview with Maaya (23.01.2019)
Reaction 721 - 50 Questions for Mio (16.05.2019)
Reaction 721 - 50 Questions for Rika (16.05.2019)

General:

Wikipedia - elfloat
Wikipedia - Real Light
Wikipedia - blue forest
Wikipedia - Nishiyama Yūsaku
Wikipedia - blue cover Co., Ltd

prcm
Amino
Deview
Last FM
toretame
suruga-ya
LIVE Plus
Tokyo Idol
IDOLpedia
entame clip
J-Pop Wikia
Seesaa Wiki
Hoshidoru48
Tunecore Japan
Weblio - elfloat
Wayback Machine
Seesaa Wiki Profile
Idol Shoukai - elfloat
Idol City (group profile)
Idol City (Sakura Ririka)
Weblio - un pixie poupee
Idol Shoukai - un pixie poupee

Social Media & Official Links:

elfloat Official Twitter
Rika Official Twitter
Mio Official Twitter
elfloat Official YouTube
elfloat Official Website
elfloat x I.D. And Fly LooM Official Blog

blue clover Official Shop
blue clover Official Website

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