Momoka Ariyasu

Momoka Ariyasu (有安 杏果, Ariyasu Momoka, born March 15, 1995) is a Japanese singer and photographer, as well as a former idol and child actress. She is best known as a former member of the all-girl musical group Momoiro Clover Z, in which her signature color was green.

Momoka Ariyasu
有安 杏果
Momoka Ariyasu performing at the 2012 Japan Expo
Born (1995-03-15) March 15, 1995
Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
Other namesMomokā~, Ariyasu~ (nicknames)[1]
Alma materNihon University
Occupation
Musical career
GenresPop
Years active1996–2018 (Momoiro Clover Z); 2019–present (independent)
LabelsKing Records (former)
Associated actsMomoiro Clover Z
Websitehttps://www.ariyasumomoka.jp/

Biography

Ariyasu was born in Kyoto Prefecture[2] and grew up in Saitama Prefecture. Since the age of one, she has started acting as a baby magazine model. She was later represented by talent agency Carotte C&T and appeared on television shows and in numerous commercials.[3]

Starting in 2004, Ariyasu regularly appeared on the Fuji TV network's morning children's program Ponkikkids, where she acted as a member of a unit called Sister Rabbits. Around the same time, she joined EXPG, the boy-band Exile's dance and vocal school for kids. The school members performed as child dancers for Exile and also received acting lessons.[4]

On November 1, 2008, Ariyasu moved from Carotte to the Stardust Promotion talent agency,[5] and on February 2, 2009 was put into the agency's all-girl idol group Power Age.[6][7] Power Age had been launched in 2005 with members of elementary to high-school age, but it was nearing the end of its existence when she joined.[8] Three months later, in May, the band was disbanded. On July 26, 2009, Ariyasu was added as a sixth member to the idol group Momoiro Clover,[9] which was about to release its first indies single.

On November 9, 2012, Ariyasu's video comment was projected at Hige Danshaku's live comedy show at Molière Theater in Shinjuku, Tokyo. During the performance, Louis Yamada LIII revealed that he was an avid fan of Ariyasu and had even named his recently born daughter Momoka (百（もも）夏（か）, a homophone written with different kanji) after her.[10]

On January 1, 2013, it was announced that Ariyasu would refrain from singing and talking until the end of January. As it was explained, she was receiving treatment for her throat and needed to let her vocal cords rest. On February 7, it was announced that another full month, until the end of February, was needed to complete the treatment and therefore in the upcoming events and broadcasts, Ariyasu would communicate by means of writing and other members would take turns in performing her solo parts in songs.[11][12]

Ariyasu attended the Faculty of Arts at Nihon University and graduated from Department of Photography in March 2017.[13] She was awarded the special prize of the art department (first in the university's nearly 100 years history) and the photography department encouragement prize (only 4 out of 96 graduates of photography department). She was the only university graduate among the Momoiro Clover Z members.

On January 15, 2018, Ariyasu announced on her personal blog that she would graduate Momoiro Clover Z to live life without any schedules or plans.[13][14] Her last performance as a member of Momoiro Clover Z took place on January 21, 2018.

After Momoiro Clover Z: solo career and marriage

On January 15, 2019, exactly one year after her graduation announcement, Ariyasu announced her comeback as a performer while continuing her activities as a photographer. She would be represented by her own company, Apricot, Inc. (株式会社アプリコット),[lower-alpha 1] and announced two concerts in Tokyo and Osaka.[15]

On February 6, 2019, Ariyasu announced that she is in a relationship with a physician she first met in 2016 and started dating in 2018.[16] They got married on November 23. Ariyasu has stated that she intends to stay active in the entertainment industry.[17]

Image

Ariyasu's Momoiro Clover "image color" (i.e., the color she wore during public appearances and the light stick color of her fans) was green.[18] At 148 cm (4′10″), she is the shortest member of the group.[19] The tagline she uses when introducing herself to audiences is "Silly little giant" (ちょっぴりおバカな小さな巨人). She characterizes herself as "baka" ("silly", "stupid"), saying that at school she cannot understand fundamental things or remember anything, but her co-members say she actually studies all the time, even backstage.[20] Ariyasu explains that it is exactly because she is stupid that she has to study hard. Her favorite subjects are English, mathematics and Japanese.[20]

Associated acts
  • Sister Rabbits (シスターラビッツ) (since 2004)
  • Power Age (February 2[6] — May 30, 2009)
  • Momoiro Clover Z (July 26, 2009 – January 21, 2018)

Albums
No. Title Release date Charts
JPN
Oricon
 Sales
King Records
1 "Kokoro no Oto" (ココロノオト) October 11, 2017 4 21,798

Appearances

Movies

TV dramas
  • French Potato Cup (フレンチポテトカップ) (1999, Yomiuri TV)
  • Saturday Drama Special Shijō no Koi: Ai wa Umi o Koete (至上の恋〜愛は海を越えて〜) (2001, NHK)
  • Suntory Mystery Prize Special Toki no Nagisa (スペシャル 時の渚) (2001, TV Asahi)
  • Monday Mystery Theater Pet Sitter Sawaguchi Hanako no Jikenbo (ペットシッター沢口華子の事件簿) (2001, TBS)
  • Tuesday Suspense Theater Oyaji (親父) (2001, NTV)
  • SMAP×SMAP special Tokubetsu-hen Saranheyo Ai no Gekijō no Ai no Uta "Kenbo Haseyo: Shiawase ni Nare yo" (サランヘヨ愛の劇場の愛の唄「ケンボハセヨ〜幸せになれよ〜」) (2002, Fuji TV)
  • Hamidashi Keiji Jōnetsu Kei (はみだし刑事情熱系) (Ep. 359, 2002, TV Asahi)
  • Kindaichi Shōnen no Jikenbo SP (金田一少年の事件簿SP) (2005, NTV)
  • Friday Entertainment Okusama wa Keishi Sōkan (奥様は警視総監) (2006, Fuji TV)
  • Drama 30 Gakincho: Return Kids (がきんちょ〜リターン・キッズ〜) (2006, MBS TV)

TV variety shows
  • Ronbu Gragon (ロンブー龍) (2001, NTV)
  • Ponkikkids 2 (ポンキッキーズ21) (2004–2005, Fuji TV) — as Momoka from the band Sisters Rabbit
  • Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! Ii Imi Yabaissu Okazairu Special (いい意味でヤバイっす オカザイルスペシャル) (2007, Fuji TV) — as one of Exile's backup dancers

Music videos
  • Asuka Hayashi – "Chiisaki Mono" (小さきもの) (2003)
  • SMAP – "Tomodachi e (Say What You Will)" (友だちへ〜Say What You Will〜) (2005)
  • Exile – "Choo Choo Train" (Choo Choo TRAIN) (2008)
  • Exile – "The Galaxy Express 999" (2008)

Sport

References
  1. "Momoka Ariyasu". Momoiro Clover Z official site. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  2. 「有安杏果 正直すぎる瞳」、『Quick Japan』Vol.116、太田出版、11 October 2014 。
  3. "Momoka Ariyasu's Carotte C&T profile". Archived from the original on October 19, 2002. Retrieved December 13, 2012.
  4. Televi Dogatch (June 21, 2012). "ももクロとEXILEの意外な関係が発覚!?『ダウンタウンDX』" (in Japanese). Livedoor News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  5. "iikotoaruyoさんのプロフィール – はてな". Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  6. "P-A PROMOTION". power-age.net (in Japanese). Stardust Promotion. 2009. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  7. "MOMOKA〜杏果〜ブログ". February 2, 2009. Archived from the original on February 7, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  8. "吉田豪のギリギリレビュー!! Vol.2　MUSASHI'S featuring P-A『だいすき!!』-ORICON STYLE 連載" (in Japanese). Oricon. May 28, 2012. Retrieved December 15, 2012.
  9. "ももいろクローバーオフィシャルブログ / 新生☆ももクロ [玉井詩織]". Momoiro Clover official blog. July 26, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  10. 有安杏果、髭男爵のモノノフ山田ルイ53世に祝福コメント (in Japanese). Natalie. November 10, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  11. ももクロ有安杏果、喉の治療を2月末まで延長 (in Japanese). Natalie. February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  12. "ももクロ有安杏果、のど治療継続へ　2月いっぱい声の仕事控える ニュース-ORICON STYLE-" (in Japanese). Oricon. February 7, 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2013.
  13. "Momoiro Clover Z's Momoka Ariyasu announces her graduation". SBS PopAsia. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
  14. "ファンの皆様へ" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 12, 2018. Alt URL
  15. "元ももクロ有安杏果、1年ぶりに活動再開 個人事務所設立も発表" [Former Momokuro Momoka Ariyasu Announced Establishment of Personal Office, Resuming Activities After a Year]. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). January 15, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  16. @ariyasu0315 (February 6, 2019). "こちらが私、有安杏果の個人事務所株式会社アプリコット apricot-official.com です。" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. Inc, Natasha. "有安杏果、一般男性と結婚「新しい幸せのスタートに」". 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  18. "starchildももいろクローバーZ" (in Japanese). Starchild. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  19. "Momoiro Clover Z". King Records. Retrieved December 28, 2012.
  20. Get News (June 5, 2012). ""おバカ"名乗るももいろクローバーZ　有安杏果のテスト対策" (in Japanese). Excite News. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
  21. "幕が上がる(2015)". allcinema.net (in Japanese). Stingray. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  22. 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 [@njpw1972] (January 4, 2016). "邪道 with 有安杏果さん（ももいろクローバーZ）がホントに登場！ ニュージャパンランボーはどうなった？ 新日本プロレスのスマホサイト()で独占詳報中!! #njwk10" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  1. The kanji 杏 in Ariyasu's name also means "apricot"
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