22/7 promoting "Shampoo no Nioi ga Shita" note
22/7 (Nanabun no nijyuuni) is a multimedia franchise conceived by AKB48 producer Yasushi Akimoto, Aniplex, and Sony Music Records in 2016. The concept focuses on "idols who transcend dimensions", where voice actresses portray a fictional Japanese pop Girl Group both in animation (voice and motion capture) and real-life.
Eleven girls were chosen out of a pool of 10,325 applicants, but only 8 of the characters were initially announced, the other 3 being revealed in September 2018. The project began with a couple of CD releases, and an Animated Adaptation was announced in summer 2017. The anime premiered on January 11, 2020, animated by A-1 Pictures under director Takao Abo. It has been licensed by Aniplex USA. The anime also received a manga adaptation, 22/7+α, which featured original stories and released concurrently with the anime. A smartphone rhythm game, 22/7 Ongaku no Jikan, ran from May 27, 2020 to December 22, 2021. Other activities in which the group has participated in include two variety shows* , a radio show, and a stint doing VTubing.
A second generation debuted in the spring of 2022.
Active members of 22/7 consist of:
- Nicole Saito (played by Mei Hanakawanote and Uta Kawasenote ; character design by Kurehito Misaki)
- Miu Takigawa (played by Nagomi Saijo; character design by Yukiko Horiguchi)
- Sakura Fujima (played by Sally Amaki; character design by Kantoku)
- Akane Maruyama (played by Kanae Shirozawa; character design by Tometa Ohara)
- Mikami Kamiki (played by Moe Suzuhana; character design by Kouhaku Kuroboshi)
- Hotaru Ichinose (played by Luna Shijo; character design by Hirokazu Koyama)
- Sumika Orihara (played by Satsuki Shiina; character design by Mel Kishida)
- Touko Kiryu (played by Mao Asaoka; character design by Yuugen)
- Honoka Sera (played by Rino Mochizuki; character design by Noizi Ito)
- Kaede Nagamine (played by Mina Kiyoi; character design by Nari Teshima)
- Sora Nishiura (played by Nao Aikawa; character design by Saki Takahashi)
- Mizuki Himuro (played by Ema Tsukishiro; character design by Akio Watanabe)
- Toa Yagami (played by Oto Amaya; character design by Yukiko Horiguchi)
Former members:
- Reika Sato (played by Chiharu Hokazenote ; character design by Hirokazu Koyama)
- Yuki Tojo (played by Urara Takatsujinote ; character design by Akio Watanabe)
- Miyako Kono (played by Mizuha Kuraokanote ; character design by Mieko Hosoi)
- Jun Toda (played by Ruri Uminonote ; character design by Masayoshi Tanaka)
- Tsubomi Hiiragi (played by Aina Takedanote ; character design by Mel Kishida)
- Ayaka Tachikawa (played by Reina Miyasenote ; character design by Koharu Sakura)
Link: Official website
Tropes that apply to 22/7
- Alternate Character Reading: Luna Shijo's given name is written with the character for moon (月), which in Japanese is actually tsuki or getsu.
- Animated Music Video: All of their music videos so far except for Nanimo Shite Agerarenai (I can't do anything for you) have been animated with 3D CGI models whereas NaniAge's music video isn't 3DCG.
- Bait-and-Switch Comment: In 2022, Sally started a series called Amaki English (#天城英語) on her Twitter account, which mostly teaches this kind of English sentences.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Both Sakura and Sally love to point out the make-believe nature of idol culture, such as the necessity of evading management supervision in order to do fun stuff.
- In their appearance at Anime Expo 2018, Mei Hanakawa received a question about her favorite food and answered in Japanese that it's strawberry parfait. Instead of translating for the audience, Sally commented that she was such "a perfect example of an idol" that she couldn't tell whether it was true.
- But Not Too Foreign:
- Sakura is Japanese, but she spent her childhood overseas, which is why she's able to speak English. This also applies to her actress, Sally Amaki, who grew up in Los Angeles.
- Luna Shijo was born in Bali, Indonesia, and communicates in English and Indonesian as well.
- Character Blog: In May 2018, the voice actresses of 22/7 were granted permission to have their own social media. Shortly after, their characters started to make their own socials, too.
- Sakura Fujima: Twitter, YouTube
- She was the first to have her own social media accounts. Eventually, her personal YouTube channel uploaded videos from other members since it had the most traffic.
- Miyako Kono: Twitter, YouTube
- Reika Sato: Twitter, YouTube
- Jun Toda: Twitter, YouTube
- Nicole Saito: Twitter, YouTube
- Ayaka Tachikawa: Twitter, YouTube
- Akane Maruyama: Twitter, YouTube
- Miu Takigawa: Twitter, YouTube
- Mikami Kamiki: Twitter
- It is speculated that Mikami was also the mysterious Tamago, a giant walking egg who started their own YouTube channel at the same time as Miyako, Reika, and Jun.
- It is speculated that Mikami was also the mysterious Tamago, a giant walking egg who started their own YouTube channel
- Yuki Tojo: Twitter
- Tsubomi Hiiragi: Twitter
- Sakura Fujima: Twitter
- Class Representative: Akane is part of the student council.
- Gag Sub: Sally's Twitter feed and YouTube channel often include English translations and subtitles that... aren't very accurate. In one case, it got to the point where gag subs and "real" subtitles were displayed at the same time.
- Genki Girl: Both Miyako and Sakura are cheerful, but in different ways. Miyako is cheerful in a way that she can "inspire others", whereas Sakura is strong at her core and follows her own path.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Sakura is depicted with golden hair in artwork, and her personality is very cheerful.
- Indy Ploy: Sally and Sakura tend to improvise their appearances.
- Insistent Terminology: According to Sally Amaki (Sakura), the group's name is "Nanabun no nijyuuni", even in interviews conducted in English. She has stated that her management doesn't like it when she refers to the group by any English equivalent (such as "Twenty-two Sevenths") even when she's speaking in English. This is reflected in English-language marketing from Aniplex USA, where a pronunciation guide is included in most instances.
- Joshikousei: All the girls are high school students.
- Look Behind You: In Miyako's character PV, Miyako distracts Akane into letting her push the order button by tricking her into looking out the window.
- Love Nostalgia Song: "Shampoo no Nioi ga Shita" talks about reminiscing a First Love in high school and being unable to confess to a senior who is about to graduate.
- Meaningful Name: The group name "22/7" was chosen because it's a transcendental number, which applies to the group's "transcendental" concept. (The fraction is a rational number, of course, but it's a well-known approximation for the transcendental number pi).
- Meet Cute: "Junkan Bus" is a song about developing a crush on a person who takes the same bus to school as the narrator every morning.
- Motion Capture: Each real-life member does both the motion capture and voice acting for her animated character.
- The Ojou: Sakura is from a wealthy family.
- Otaku: Miu is an otaku.
- Out of Focus: 22/7 officially has 11 members, but only 8 of them had characters assigned to them when their first 3 singles released. Said eight characters were also the only ones to be featured in most of the anime. It's natural to be a little confused to see 8 girls in the Animated Music Videos for their lead singles, but 11 girls everywhere else.
- Out Sick: In Episode 7 of the anime, the entire group except for Jun goes down with food poisoning, leaving Jun to substitute for all seven of her fellow group members throughout the entire day.
- Poirot Speak: When speaking English, Sakura keeps using Japanese filler words.
- Pungeon Master: In Sakura's first YouTube video, she says her nickname is "Ran Ran" because she "runs the world."
- In their Anime Expo 2018 Q & A session, Reina Miyase said that her favorite food is beef, and Sally didn't miss the chance to joke that she likes to have a beef with people.
- She also gave bear-shaped chocolate to Mizuha for Valentine's day because Mizuhan could bear with her (she had to explain the joke afterwards).
- Purple Is the New Black: Miu's hair is supposed to be black, but it's colored in dark purple or blue tones.
- Rewatch Bonus: Nicole's childhood story in Episode 11 revealed she met Miu that inspires her to pursue idol career until they finally met again when they were scouted to form the group.
- Roger Rabbit Effect: 22/7's variety show, 22/7 Keisanchu, was filmed in front of a green screen. The show is presented with the two male hosts interacting with both the group members in real life and their animated counterparts at the same time.
- Shrinking Violet: Miu is very shy around others. When she laughs along with the girls in "Shampoo no Nioi ga Shita", she hides behind an easel. In her first character PV, she's stuttering when Nicole finds her on the rooftop.
- Signature Move: Sally/Sakura has the dab in the group's beginning days.
- Stage Name: Sally Amaki briefly mentioned on a live stream that all of the members are using stage names, including herself (which isn't unusual for a lot of Japanese artists since Japanese laws are very strict on privacy).
- Stepford Smiler: Sakura is generally very cheerful but her character designer, Kantoku, has said that there's a "darkness" lurking within her.
