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[update], 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 TokyodramaMen 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 showSnack 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 dramaMen 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 TBSranking 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.
"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.