Interest
Who Are the Handsome ARP Idols? Check Out Their Latest Music Video
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
Earlier this month, the ARP Artist Convention announced that an anime adaptation of the augmented-reality "ikemen (handsome) dance vocal group" ARP is in the works. But in a world brimming with virtual idols and YouTubers, just who are ARP and what are they bringing to the table?
ARP (an abbreviation for Artists Republic Production) is a dance vocal group which holds live performances — featuring singing, dancing, and interactive talking with the audience — in real-time using the latest augmented-reality technology. The group is led by Shinji, the foursome's blonde idol. Rounding out the group is Leon who specializes in dance, and the duo Daiya and Rage.
If you're wondering what an augmented reality idol performance looks like, the group put out a music video for their song "Paradise" on Thursday. The single was released digitally on August 18.
The official YouTube channel also publishes 'brief glimpses' of the AR idols. A video released on Thursday shows Daiya in the recording booth.
Avex seems to be offering a more personal look at its characters by keeping the cast size down and utilizing technology that allows for more fluid movements. ARP's dance sequences are definitely impressive.
ARP's executive producer Akari Uchida once produced Konami's LovePlus and Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side game franchises before leaving Konami in 2015.
ARP mainly holds concerts in the winter and summer under a talent contract with Avex. The "A'Live" concert in January 2017 drew 2,000 attendees over two days, and this past January's "A'Live 3" concert drew 5,400 attendees over two days. The group held the live event "Kick A'Live" at Belle Salle Takadanobaba this month.
The TV Asahi program Break Out will also feature the group in its monthly segment "Freak Scene" on September 5. The group will release a new album in December, and the next live event, "Kick A'Live 2," is scheduled for January 5 and 6 at Kanagawa's Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium. This month's final "Kick A'Live" concert session was streamed — the first such live streaming of the AR group — from 5:00 p.m. Japan Time on the YouTube, Line Live and bilibili services.
[Via Nijimen]
