=Love

=Love (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.

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

History

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 performatnce, =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]

Between 15–18 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 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] For =Love's sixth single, "Zurui yo Zurui ne", ≠Me also sang one of the B-sides, "Kimi no Oto Dattanda";[14] the single was =Love's first single to top the Oricon Singles Chart and Billboard Japan Hot 100.[6][15]

On 1 February 2021, it was announced that Nonno Satake will be graduating from the group. Her graduation concert will be on 6 March.[16]

Members
Name Birth date (age) Prefecture
of origin		 Notes
Emiri Ōtani (大谷映美里) (1998-03-15) 15 March 1998Tokyo7th single center

Former member of Akishibu Project

Hana Ōba (大場花菜) (2000-02-04) 4 February 2000Saitama
Risa Otoshima (音嶋莉沙) (1998-08-11) 11 August 1998Fukuoka
Kiara Saitō (齋藤樹愛羅) (2004-11-26) 26 November 2004Tochigi
Nagisa Saitō (齊藤なぎさ) (2003-07-06) 6 July 2003Kanagawa6th-7th single center
Maika Sasaki (佐々木舞香) (2000-01-21) 21 January 2000Aichi
Nonno Satake (佐竹のん乃) (1998-11-06) 6 November 1998Gunma
Hitomi Takamatsu (髙松瞳) (2001-01-19) 19 January 2001TokyoOriginal center, 1st–5th single center
Shōko Takiwaki (瀧脇笙古) (2001-07-09) 9 July 2001Kanagawa
Iori Noguchi (野口衣織) (2000-04-26) 26 April 2000Ibaraki
Sana Morohashi (諸橋沙夏) (1996-08-23) 23 August 1996Fukushima
Anna Yamamoto (山本杏奈) (1997-11-30) 30 November 1997HiroshimaLeader

Discography
Number Release date Title Chart positions Certifications
Oricon
Weekly
Singles
Chart

Billboard Japan
Hot
100

1st 6 September 2017 "＝Love" 8[6] 14[7]  
2nd 6 December 2017 "Bokura no Seifuku Christmas" (僕らの制服クリスマス) 3[6] 4[17]  
3rd 16 May 2018 "Teokure Caution " (手遅れcaution) 3[6] 3[18]
4th 17 October 2018 "Want you! Want you!" 2[6] 2[20]
5th 24 April 2019 "Sagase Diamond Lily" (探せ ダイヤモンドリリー) 2[6] 2[21]
6th 30 October 2019 "Zurui yo Zurui ne" (ズルいよ ズルいね) 1[6] 1[15]
7th 29 April 2020 "Cameo"
8th 25 November 2020 "Seishun "Subliminal"" (青春“サブリミナル”)

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). 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). 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. "≠ME、2ndソング「君の音だったんだ」MV公開　センター冨田「様々な仕掛けがある」". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 10 October 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  15. "Hot 100 [2019/11/11 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  16. "佐竹のん乃 卒業に関してのご報告". =Love Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  17. "Hot 100 [2017/12/18 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  18. "Hot 100 [2018/05/28 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  19. "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.
  20. "Hot 100 [2018/10/29 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  21. "Hot 100 [2019/05/06 付け]". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 April 2020.
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