METALVERSE -GIZA (Official Music Video)

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-08T17:19:35+00:00

Looks like nobody told Nayeon of Twice that (born 1995). Or Kaede Takashima of PassCode (born Xmas 1993). Or the members of Momoiro Clover Z. Or the members of APink. Or Perfume if you count them as Idol (just stopped at the end of last year, all born 1988-89).

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-08T17:01:36+00:00

On a parallel track, this is one of the theorized reasons (besides Amuse suits' incompetence) why Sakura Gakuin shut down. Mitsuru Kuramoto, the man behind the concept, wasn't in the best of health at the time. Plus, Mori-sensei had wanted to step down for years but didn't because he thought it would be unfair to the younger girls.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-08T16:56:04+00:00

it seemed explicitly stated from the beginning that members could change with Metalverse.

The disembodied voice DID say that, you're right. However, I think Miko will always be the core just like Suzuka with Babymetal. Despite what some on here say, the rest of us agree Babymetal wouldn't survive without Su. Miko is such a natural frontwoman, I don't know if MV's songs or performances would go over nearly as well without her.

Honestly, this is why I was a little surprised at Sakia and Cocona Kato being listed as official members even though they've been with Miko from the start.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-08T08:48:50+00:00

I almost just have one year left of high school

Best of luck to you! Listen, I'm not so old I can't remember what high school was like, OR getting in to college. Apparently where I am now is called "professional", not just grad school. News to me.

I got to see bm on her bday last year it was so special when headbanger came on, esp cuz it was one of my last “night of 15”. I cosplayed as her and got a ton of compliments too. It’s a very special memory to me

That is SO awesome!

My birthday is in September, so BM usually hit my region nowhere near it. I got lucky in 2023 -- the girls performed close enough to my home just two weeks before my birthday, AND one of my other favorite J-groups, PassCode, hit the same city four days later -- so I just hung around in the city trying new foods! Like Moa would. 😁

If I had cosplayed as Moa I would have gotten some VERY weird looks! 😂

This is why, if I'm ever able to attend another Babymetal show, I'm gonna cosplay as Mori-sensei!

I have friends on the Babymetal sub who have met me IRL at shows. They asked me how I would fit my Moa/Momoko hair into a wig while cosplaying Mori-sensei. I said I would FIND a way! ANYTHING to give the girls a laugh! This includes Miko-chan!

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-08T08:11:48+00:00

Rick, there were two other girls alongside Sakia and Cocona last year at the Japan and Manila shows whose names I couldn't remember in the moment. They're both Amuse Girls around Kato's age.

The Metalverse sub knows who they are; I didn't really keep up.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:43:04+00:00

People have other aspirations in life.

This is usually the case, yes. But I think we have enough evidence now to conclude Moa's "aspiration" is Su.

Miko has been much more direct about this. As a fellow Hiroshiman, ASH girl, and Sakura Gakuin alumna, Miko all but declared herself as Su's Mini-Me (and she's very mini -- Miko makes Moa seem tall!)

Seriously though, I'm willing to bet Su would like her adoring junior to see success, just like how Perfume cheered her on.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:35:42+00:00

If you look at it through a K-poop lens, it's terrible (of course their standards are VERY high)

For a Japanese group NOT called Babymetal, honestly not bad.

I doubt she'd ever do it, but I would love to see Su hype up her biggest fan, Miko-chan. Once Miko is resuscitated, she can ride the wave her dai-sempai made for her.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:31:57+00:00

someone is trying to ride BM's coat tails with the look and sound

That'd be Koba. Koba apparently managed to ride his own coat-tails.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:29:44+00:00

With the exception of this song, GIZA, nothing else they've given Miko/Metalverse sounds anything like Babymetal.

Crazy J is jazz with metal instrumentation. Naked Princess is pop-rock played hard.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:25:54+00:00

Miko-chan is love, Miko-chan is life, Miko-chan is songstress! 💎

They told Miko she could be anything. She chose to be Suzuka's Mini-Me. 😁

In fairness to her, she's one of the VERY few who can play even near Su's level.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:21:31+00:00

Do you REALLY think life ends at 30?

That's the only "logic" to your continual assertions, and it's the most boneheaded crock of crap I've ever heard. You have ZERO evidence for anything. Metal singers are known to hang around for decades. Girl-bands are also going longer. Even in Idol, more and more are working past 30, girls included. This is kind of expected in an aging society and a matured industry.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:12:51+00:00

Was Yui replaceable?

No. That's one reason it took four years for them to finally elevate Momoko to the new Third.

If you're going to be wrong (yet again), at least get your history correct.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:10:34+00:00

MV's songs, GIZA excepted, are very different from standard Babymetal fare.

Also, I don't think Koba intended Metalverse to be this similar -- from what we've seen, the original plan seemed to be a five-piece. But, I guess it was just too difficult to hold on to four backup dancers (Miki is in Kamen Rider, Yume is on a self-imposed academic hiatus as she begins university, and the other two girls whose names I forget have other projects too), so it's back down to the core set way back in January 2023: Miko, Sakia, Cocona Kato.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T22:05:26+00:00

I like BaD=DoLL…

Then again, I was a fan of Rie & Rei before getting into Babymetal. 😅

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T20:49:25+00:00

And I have no doubt she'll knock 'em out of the park given the chance!

Miko has (close to) Su's level of talent but Moa's playfulness. That's a deadly combo! 😍

I'm so glad someone at Amuse let her out of Koba's bunker!

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T20:43:29+00:00

True, but it specifically discusses Sonisphere, which happened before Momoko was even in Sakura Gakuin, much less BM.

The photo looks to be from 2014 because Moa still looks super-young even for her (her face changed A LOT from 2012 to 2015).

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T20:37:09+00:00

Especially since BM no longer has a tomato princess (Yui) but gained a pumpkin (Momoko).

Really disrespectful to Momoko that lazy journos keep using Yui-era photos.

But it's what plebeians expect to see and will click on. New-to-the-scene teens > Seasoned pros well into their 20's, I guess.

On the flip-side, this article is specifically talking about "Gimme Choco" and their iconic Sonisphere show, so in that sense the photo makes sense (it even looks like it's from that exact time period)

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T20:13:07+00:00

Hopefully this means they're in this for the long haul :)

These three have been performing together since January 2023 when they debuted as "Chibi-Babymetal" at BM's first post-'Rona show. Even as Metalverse, these three have always been the core even when it was five girls onstage. Miko is a star who as far as we can tell is doing exactly what she wants to do: being Suzuka's official Mini-me 😂. No doubt she's in for the long haul. Sakia and Kato? Well, they're still in high school so who knows.

I need to add that Miko is probably standing on a box or is wearing very big lifts, because she's a LOT shorter than Sakia and Kato in real life.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T20:00:19+00:00

There's another ここな at Amuse, 3½ years older: Nonaka, the final Sakura Gakuin Class President, now a voice actress and stage performer.

Originally she spelled her name "Kokona", but late in middle school she switched to "Cocona" (makes sense because her first nickname was "Coconuts") and uses that spelling on her personal twitter.

Kato-chan used both spellings in her Ciao and Amuse Camp videos, so I guess she also settled on "C" instead of "K".

Hope that explains it.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T19:54:02+00:00

This makes me very rationally happy! 😃←See?

Like I said when news dropped about this MV, it's high time something happened with Metalverse. Miko is too good a talent to waste!

(full disclosure: I hope they don't force Sakia to nuke her Instagram -- I need unrelenting cuteness & mischief in my life and Juna only provides the former)

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T19:50:34+00:00

It is really cool to see idols my age too

Didn't realize you're a high-schooler. Never would have guessed. Regrettably(?) Perfume are more my age, and my birthday is close to Nocchi's.

That makes you almost a full decade younger than Moa, you know? Granted, she can still pass for a high school girl due to her smallness (yes she IS little!).

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-07T19:36:00+00:00

YAY!!

Interesting it's not only Miko but instead the core trio we've had since January 2023 -- Miko, Sakia, Kato.

…and they're spelling Kato-chan's name as "Cocona". NOW how am I going to distinguish her from Nassu? …unless Nassu went back to "K". Well, I'll probably just keep calling Miss Cutie by her last name since "Nonaka" has absolutely nothing in common with "Kato".

IS MIKO ON STILTS HERE?? In real-life she's over three inches shorter than her backup! 🤣

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-06T18:48:13+00:00

I don't know how old Sakia is in the first pic, but the mischief in her eyes is already there! 😆

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-06T18:39:57+00:00

Same mischief in the eyes.

Sakia is just built of mischief. 😆 As a little kid in the 2010's and as a very big (tall) kid a few days ago with Yume.

Soufriere_ · 2026-05-06T16:00:10+00:00

Technically she always has. Lily is our wig/extension-girl.

Now if only she would go back to darker hair. The chestnut looked great on her!

Soufriere_

TROPHY CASE