”If this song could reach you, I wish you nothing but happiness / 君にもしこの歌が届くとするならば, 君には幸せしか来ないように” – untold
August have officially come around, and I hope everyone is doing well no matter where you are! I’m here with another group that I want to introduce, a group that is really close to my heart personally and that I’ve been following for quite a long time. And, it is with great honor that I have been communicating and working with the person in charge of this group, Watanabe Makoto, in order for this article to take form.
I’m forever grateful for this opportunity, and I’m super excited about talking about this group and giving them a hand with promoting them and their music overseas! And it feels like a good step starting with an introduction article where I’ll be writing about the group and it’s members.
I’ve also asked Watanabe some questions that he has answered happily, which I’ll provide in this article! I hope it’ll be as interesting for you as it was for me, as I love this group very much. Anyway, let’s start!
Brief introduction: Who are Miyako no Kuni no Alice?
Miyako no Kuni no Alice, 都の国のアリス, is a 4-member idol group all the way from Kyoto, Japan, that was formed in 2020. Their group name translated is a form of ”Alice in Wonderland”, more directly to ”Alice in Capital Land”, so their theme is pretty clear. But what makes this group unique with the Alice in Wonderland theme, is that they embrace the more darker aspect of the whole thing. And of course, there’s a reason for it.
If you’ve heard their songs, you’ve probably noticed that their songs tackle the subjects of depression, mental health struggles, giving up and everything within that subject but, what these songs also offer is the feeling of never wanting to give up and wanting to help others and make them happy. Miyako no Kuni no Alice wants to help and make their audience and just anyone happy, even in their darkest times. And for me as someone who is diagnosed and have been suffering since I was a child, it’s truly admirable and I would say it makes me feel less lonely and less ashamed over myself and my problems.
The group’s members also work at a café in Kyoto with the same name, the cafe is also very heavily Alice in Wonderland themed. If you’re in Japan and happen to be or come across Kyoto on your travels, make sure to drop by and visit them!
Q&A with Watanabe Makoto about the group:
Yet again, I’m so thankful for this opportunity. I want to thank Watanabe-san again for working with me and answering my questions, it was really a pleasure! Now, let’s start!
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♡: When and how was the group formed?
– The project started in 2020. Idols in Japan has an environment where it is difficult for mentally weak girls to be active. So we launched this project to give all girls a chance to shine as idols.
♡: Was it originally a cafe before it became a group, or vice versa?
– The idol came first, and then came the cafe!
♡: Is there an Alice in Wonderland theme that inspired the group? I’ve noticed it’s more to the darker side which reminds me of the game Alice Madness Returns.
– There are some different factors, but one of the slogans is the ”tea party”. What I mean is, since it is also a café we often hold tea parties that appear in the story of ”Alice in Wonderland”. So that truly became the theme! The more darker side is a theme that takes into account the weaknesses and the appearance of the active members.
♡: What is the messages behind the songs that the group sings?
– The themes is the weakness of the human heart. Japanese is a very sensitive language, so I don’t know how far the content of the song will be conveyed. What I want to convey is that even the weakest of hearts can shine. Even if you are weak, there is someone by your side.
I want you to listen to a song called ”innocent”! It’s frustrating that I can’t express myself well in Swedish. (Watanabe’s responses were in Swedish). I want to prove that any girl can be someone’s hope, even if her looks and personality are not appreciated by everyone.
♡: Is there a goal that the group is trying to achieve?
– Many Japanese idols are aiming for the Budokan as a goal. For us, I just hope that the active members are surrounded by the people they really like and love on the final stage. We love those who really love us, and I want the final stage to be surrounded by such people. Whether the final stage is small or big, we just want to spend the last moment with people who really love us.
♡: I’ve always wondered this, are the members a different kind of Alice? They’re all so unique!
– Thank you for noticing, good eye! Usually, Japanese people all do the same thing. But we have very different personalities. The members have different personalities and they also look very different, that’s just how we are.
♡: What would you say makes Miyako no Kuni no Alice different from other groups?
– Many members knows the peoples weaknesses, and so does our songs. We want to help people when they are tired and depressed, that’s what makes us different.
♡: I know there’s another Alice group that Amika is a member of called ‘‘Fushigi na Kimi no Alice”, is it a sister group with the opposite theme?
– That is indeed the sister group who is the opposite! The concept for that group is “forget all the bad things and have fun”!!!
♡: If you can tell me, can we expect a new album in the near future?
– It’s a secret! The concept for the next album is quite crazy, forget all the bad things and enjoy the music!
♡: If given the chance, would they perform overseas?
– Please! Our music is often listened to in Sweden (hehe) and South Korea, so if there is an offer then we would go overseas!
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And that was the Q&A with Watanabe-san! It’s truly admirable, isn’t it? When gathering information for this article, mailing and writing I couldn’t help but feel emotional all the way, of course in a good way.
Today’s youth sadly suffers from diverse mental health issues or overall stress in their life; it doesn’t need to be a sickness of course.
What I want to say is that I’m glad it can be acknowledge and there are people out there who tries to break that stigma, as well as talk about it in a way or another. In a way that basically tells you ”it’s okay”. And I think Miyako no Kuni no Alice does this perfectly, and while I can’t or don’t want to share what more have been written in our mail exchange: trust me when I say that they understand and want the best for people.
Anyway, let’s move onto members!
The members of Miyako no Kuni no Alice
The group have gone through some members since their debut, and now the group comprises four members who are all original members. And as I’ve stated, they’re all quite different in both personality and looks.
Usagi Amika
Amika is the member who serves as a member for both of the Alice groups that is under Pioneer Entertainment. She is in charge of the member color blue, and is also in charge of the blue color in Fushigi na Kimi no Alice!
If I have to put in my own words, Amika out of the four members look really pure and her eyes just radiate ”cuteness” and in a way ”innocence”. It’s like someone you really want to protect.
With her sweet voice, warm smile and cute looks, she for sure makes your heart skip a beat when looking at her.
Manju Nemuri
In charge of the member color red, we have Nemuri! The groups vampire princess as I like to call her, and that she sometimes calls herself. Nemuri always has two different eye colors which is really giving her the mysterious yet gothic princess-y look which truly fits her personality that I personally think is really cute.
Nemuri has a really unique voice that is pleasant to listen to, and her smile and happy expression makes it impossible to not smile back and just overall feel happy. Mysterious and really cute, feels like the best of both worlds for me.
Himeragi Anzu
Onto the member who is in charge of the member color orange, Anzu! Or as I like to call her, the cutest apricot idol. Members and herself have called Anzu the baby of the group which truly fits her overall cuteness and her personality, of course not in a bad way or anything.
She sticks out with her colorful and odd colored hair along with her many piercings, and she has this pitchy cute voice whenever she talks that instantly turns powerful when she’s singing on stage. It’s hard to not look away from the apricot, as her personality truly pulls you in to wonderland.
Zettai Mahou
Next and last member is Zettai Mahou! Mahou is in charge of the member color pink, and I can say she is truly a really pink idol if you look at her SNS. It’s really cute! The first time I saw Mahou, I always thought ”little sister” when I saw her. And when she colored her hair pink, she truly got more powerful in her vibes and aura. She is cool, and I guess in modern slang I would call her a sort of ”girlboss”. A really good mix of powerful, cool and cute.
With her cool looks comes a really powerful voice, and whenever she sings I can just feel the goosebumps on my arms. But with all of this comes a cool and cute personality, it’s really hard to put into words, but when you see her you will understand.
So, where do I find Miyako no Kuni no Alice?
Here are the following SNS and such where you can find them!
♥ Twitter
♥ Youtube
♥ Instagram
♥ Their official website
And here can you find and stream their music!
♥ Spotify
♥ iTunes
I really hope this article was good enough and interesting for you to read! And remember, if you ever feel like the world is against you, there’s always help one way or another. You’re not alone, you’re never alone no matter how hard and hopeless it truly feels. If you’ve become a fan or are interested in getting into Miyako no Kuni no Alice, follow them on Twitter and check out their music! It would mean the world, and I promise you that they are worth the time and overall worth it as musicians and idols.
And before I finish this article..
Check out Miyako no Kuni no Alices latest single, MENHERA FXXK Tea Party!
