No3b

No Sleeves
ノースリーブス
no3b performing Kirigirisu Jin at Differ Ariake Arena, 2013. L-R: Kojima, Takahashi, Minegishi
no3b performing Kirigirisu Jin at Differ Ariake Arena, 2013. L-R: Kojima, Takahashi, Minegishi
Background information
Also known asno3b, Persona
OriginAkihabara, Tokyo, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2008 -2013
LabelsEpic
MembersHaruna Kojima
Minami Minegishi
Minami Takahashi
Websitewww.no3b.net

No Sleeves (ノースリーブス, Nō Surībusu) was a subunit from idol group AKB48's original Team A, produced by Yasushi Akimoto. The group is commonly referred as no3b, a stylized version of the group's name, which is a wasei-eigo term for sleeveless clothes.

History

The trio debuted officially under the name No Sleeves in November 2008, but were previously grouped together and performed the songs "Junai no Crescendo" and "Bye Bye Bye" at AKB48 concerts and stage DVDs. As of 2014, they have had eight Oricon top 10 singles.[1] The group has released two digital singles under the name Persona (ペルソナ, Perusona) for the TV Tokyo drama Men Dol: Ikemen Idol in which they starred.

After a year of inactivity following the release of their eighth single, "Pedicure Day" in December 2011, no3b joined as MC in Fuji TV's midnight ad lib music variety show Snack Kissa Eden (スナック喫茶エデン, Café and Snack Eden) together with Tetsuya Komuro, Kosuke Suzuki, and Lily Franky,[2] where they held their first recorded performance of the next single, "Kirigirisu Jin".[3]

No Sleeves' songs featured in different media: "3seconds" and "Christmas Present" in the drama Men Dol: Ikemen Idol as insert songs, with "Relax!" as the theme song. "Tane" was used as the ending theme for the anime Birdy the Mighty Decode:02. "Kiss no Ryūsei" was used as the opening theme for the TBS ranking show Rank Ōkoku (ランク王国, Rank Kingdom) from December 2009 to January 2010. "Lie" was used as the ending theme for the TBS TV show Ariyoshi AKB Kyōwakoku (有吉AKB共和国, Republic of Ariyoshi and AKB). "Kimi Shika" as the mobile drama Kotodama no Onna-tachi (言霊の女たち。, Women of Kotodama) theme song, Shiodome Expo 2010 (汐博|汐留博覧会2010) theme song and the variety show Jack 10 (ジャック10) theme song (August 2010). "Answer" was used as the ending theme to the anime Beelzebub.[4] "Asatte, Jamaica" as the mobile drama Zoku: Kotodama no Onna-tachi (続・言霊の女たち。, Sequel: Women of Kotodama) theme song. "Kirigirisu Jin" as Fuji TV variety show Snack Kissa Eden insert song and ending theme. "Iin Ja Ne?" as the TV drama Megu-tan tte Mahō Tsukaeru no? (メグたんって魔法つかえるの?, Could Megu-tan Use Magic?) theme song.

The group reunited for their 10th Anniversary Live Performance on November 26, 2018.

Members

Discography

Albums

Year Title Oricon
Album
Chart[1]
Total*
sales[1]
2011 No Sleeves (ノースリーブス) 1[5] 103,042

Singles

Year Title Total Sales*
Notes
Chart positions Album
Oricon Singles Weekly Charts[1] Billboard Japan Hot 100[6] RIAJ digital tracks[7]
2008 "3seconds" Digital single as Persona. No Sleeves
"Relax!" 13 24
"Christmas Present" (クリスマスプレゼント) Digital single as Persona.
2009 "Tane" (タネ, "Seed") 9 46
"Kiss no Ryūsei" (キスの流星, "Shooting Star of Kisses") 29,434 8 17 72
2010 "Lie" 32,668 5 10 41
"Kimi Shika" (君しか, "No One But You") 41,168 6 12 94 TBA
2011 "Answer" 108,831 2 3 7
"Kuchibiru Furezu..." (唇 触れず・・・, "Without Touching Your Lips...") 120,593 3 4 18
"Perori to Pepero" (ペロリとペペロ) Digital single.
"Pedicure Day" (ペディキュアday) 115,763 2 7 20
2013 "Kirigirisu Jin" (キリギリス人, "Grasshopper People") 100,108 2 3 **

* Unofficial figure obtained by adding together Oricon sales numbers for different periods of time when the single or album charted on Oricon.
** RIAJ Digital Track Chart was shut down in July 2012.

Media appearances

TV programs

Year Title
2010– PON!
2012–2013 Snack Kissa Eden (スナック喫茶エデン)

Dramas

Year Title Media
2008 Men Dol: Ikemen Idol (メン☆ドル 〜イケメンアイドル〜) TV
2010 Kotodama no Onna-tachi (言霊の女たち。) Mobile
2011 Zoku: Kotodama no Onna-tachi (続・言霊の女たち。) Mobile

Radio

Year Title
2009– No Sleeves no "Shūkan No Slee-bu" (ノースリーブスの「週刊ノースリー部」)
2009–2010 No Sleeves no "All Night Nippon" (ノースリーブスのオールナイトニッポン)

References

  1. ^ a b c d "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  2. ^ ノースリーブス、アドリブで芝居に挑戦 小室哲哉もバラエティー初レギュラー. Oricon article about Snack Kissa Eden. (in Japanese). Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  3. ^ ノースリーブス新曲は"金爆"鬼龍院が作曲 「えっ?と聞き直した」 (小嶋陽菜). Oricon: No Sleeves new single lyrics written by Golden Bomber's vocalist, Shō Kiryūin. (in Japanese). Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  4. ^ ナタリー - グループ魂&ノースリーブス、新曲がアニメ主題歌に. natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  5. ^ "AKB48派生ユニット・ノースリーブスが結成3年目で初首位". Oricon (in Japanese). January 6, 2011. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  6. ^ "Hot 100|JAPAN Charts|Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011.
  7. ^ 有料音楽配信チャート (in Japanese). RIAJ.