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MIYU Guitar and Vocals DoB: 20/05/1988 Blood Type: B Height: 156cm |
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MIZUHO Drums and Vocals DoB: 12/12/1986 Blood Type: A Height: 153cm |
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MAIKO Bass and Vocals DoB: 24/07/1986 Blood Type: O Height: 154cm |
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TOMOKA Guitar and Vocals DoB: 19/09/1986 Blood Type: O Height: 160cm |
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TAKAYO Ex-Guitar and Ex-Vocals DoB: 13/06/1985 Blood Type: A Height: 154cm |
In 1999, Studio Runtime held an audition in Sapporo for a new type of group that they called a “bandoru” (band+idol, a group that could both dance and play instruments). Initially, 8 members were picked, but that was later shortened to 4: TAKAYO, MIYU, MIZUHO and MAIKO. This became ZONE. The name “ZONE” refers to the group’s goal, starting from the bottom, or “Z” (the last letter in the alphabet), all the way to number one (“ONE”).
On 1999/12/18, ZONE’s indies single “Believe in Love” was released. More than a year later, in February of 2001 their first major release “Good Days” hit the shelves. “Good Days”, a fast-paced song about overcoming hard times to think positively, brought them a little success, but not nearly as much as their 3rd single, “secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~”. With a dreamy, lullaby-like introduction and touching lyrics about saying a sad goodbye to a good friend, everyone in Japan seemed to relate, young or old. A year after the release of “secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono” came ZONE’s 1st album, “Z”.
Their 6th single “Hitoshizuku” was used as a theme song of the Japanese release of “Ice Age”. Next came “Akashi”, a dark rock song about feeling lost in the world. This showed ZONE’s versatility as a band. These two songs, along with another single, “Yume no Kakera”, were contained on their 2nd album “O”, which was released at the end of 2002.
“true blue” was ZONE’s 9th single and also was used as a theme song of the hit anime “Astro Boy”. Near the end of 2003 as soon as they had begun work on their 3rd album “N”, TAKAYO, the group’s leader and eldest member, announced that she was leaving the group to further pursue her studies. A replacement member, TOMOKA, was brought in. TOMOKA, who originally tried out for ZONE, was a member of the original 8 but was rejected for being too tall. Her first single with the band was called “Sotsugyou”.
In February of 2005, ZONE officially announced that they were disbanding. The reason was not because of artistic differences or catfights or loss of popularity, they simply wanted to explore options for their futures. That’s a pretty acceptable reason, as at that time 3 of the members had just graduated from high school and one had yet to graduate! ZONE’s final single “Egao Biyori” was released in March and soon a best hits compilation, “E”, was put together. On April 1st, 2005, the 4 members of ZONE held their final concert. Sadly, it wasn’t an April Fool’s joke. At the end of the concert, ZONE said farewell to all their fans as well as the rest of the world with a very emotional “secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~”.
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50 responses so far ↓
Lainay
// Sep 2, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Great article!! Now I know a lot more about ZONE then I did. XD Too bad they disbanded though. ._.
eyn
// Sep 2, 2005 at 2:15 pm
Very nice article spellcheck, secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ really rocks! I’ve been playing the song in my music player all night yesterday!
Agree with Lainay that it’s a shame they disbanded, they might have gone bigger if they stayed around longer, but you know, those bands always disband after a while, for example SPEED. Maybe it’s a right choice to pursue their studies rather than staying, if they wanted they can always make a comeback. ;)
Rinoa
// Sep 2, 2005 at 8:55 pm
Excellent. secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ is indeed an excellent song. It gives me memories of my own teenage life. It’s a pity that they have disbanded… thank you for giving me the chance to learn more about them.
Leanne
// Sep 3, 2005 at 7:23 pm
I love ZONE, so sad they disbanded. My favorite song is “boku no tegami”.
apc1ty
// Oct 29, 2005 at 3:17 am
Hi, it’s better late than never right. ZONE will always be with us no matter what. I can’t stop thinking about my wife to be and baby momma, Tomoka Nishimura. Comeback soon. Later Guys
Ty, Zone Fanatic
Lesca
// Jan 22, 2006 at 5:05 am
ZONE was one of the most amazing Japanese girl bands I’ve ever seen. They were brilliant at playing their music, and not too bad at dancing either.
Their music always made me feel happy. secret base was the most beautiful song ever (That made me feel sad though D: )
Great review, as always ;D
J.
// Feb 17, 2006 at 2:19 am
wow can’t believe they’re not together anymore. I mean u’re right the reason they gave was a good one. Just surprised that they made that decision pretty early in their lives…And thanks for posting this article..
jinryuichi
// Feb 20, 2006 at 7:05 am
… can’t believe it’s been a year already…. still miss them though… ^_^
my 2 cents - i’m glad that they left at the height of their popularity and career…. that way they will always be remembered….. and japan is one of those places where the good ones will never be forgotten….
…. i hope their uniqueness shall encourage the next batch of female talents to take up musical instruments and explore their musical side ….. don’t have to be girlbands and ballad-singers all the time….
Peace ^_^
jin
Sokka
// Mar 10, 2006 at 12:44 pm
Disbanded, it was a best decision for their future maybe. But, I hope they will be back in surprice present “4 me only” (just a kidding). Bye Zone…(T_T)
DotamasterMac
// Mar 12, 2006 at 10:43 am
Hey guys! I love ZONE so much! Not just their songs but the artists too. Especially tomoka! she is so “kawaii” . My favorite songs of theirs are “taiyou no kiss”,”hanabi”,”true blue”,Kaze no tobira”,”secret base”,and “sotsugyou”. I hope that one day they would come back as a band again! looking forward to it! LOLZ!
I wish that they would be successful in their lives. I hope to see them personally. (^_^)
wehhh
// Jun 11, 2006 at 2:21 am
dam……. zone was one of the best… -_-
Nadya
// Jul 18, 2006 at 9:45 pm
This is very great!!! I know more bout zone!!! Thank you! Arigato!
junior yang
// Jul 30, 2006 at 1:35 am
yea i hope they can come back with surprise all of us fan we all miss u zone hope you guys do good in yours furture arigato gosamsu
Franco
// Aug 2, 2006 at 1:46 am
Tomoka Rocks My World i wish she makes a comeback as a solo artist!
miss you ZONE!!!
Miyuwillumarryme
// Aug 16, 2006 at 8:11 pm
Ok plz can sumone tell me chords for akashi and sotsugyo.
Miyuwillumarryme
// Aug 19, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Yeah and I need chords for Sotsugyo too.Does anyone know if runtime will be doing auditions in Japan in like 3-5 years or do they do 1 every year?
yinamkvi
// Aug 20, 2006 at 11:51 am
I randomly came across the Music Station Top 100 Love Songs .. i listened to all the 100 songs..a lot of them reminds me of Chinese songs i heard when i was young. BUT “secret base ~kimi ga kureta mono” this song really stands out for me.. I LOVE IT!! I have been playing it a lot too.. This is one of those song which you wouldnt get tried of. I havent found the lyrics for it yet. but it gives me the feeling of being STRONG when u are sad, down, or upset. It sad that they are disband ne~ but they are soo young!! that i am sure it was right choice to do what they did.. (i cant believe they are soooo young and soooo talented) i have the urge to buy their CDs now and their last concert!!! thx, spellcheck for the biography!!
Junji
// Sep 6, 2006 at 10:43 am
I really love ZONE. Actually, it’s my favourite band.
My favourite song is Koigoi/Renren 「恋々．．．」
It’s a beaultifull song with very good lyrics!
But I also like Boku No Tegami「僕の手紙」, Secret Base ~ Kimiga Kureta Mono「Secret Base～君がくれたもの」, Akashi「証」.
I cried at their last concert at Nippon Budokan T____T It was too sad >.
Jas
// Sep 17, 2006 at 12:07 am
It’s sad to see their band to be disbanded. The song SECRET BASE really cathes my heart alhought I could understand a bit in Japanese (recently I’m taking Japanese in university).
I’ve played so many times and until now I’m still frequently playing the song.
Yukari
// Sep 25, 2006 at 2:00 pm
I’ll miss cute Miyu! ZONE is my favorite “bandol” until now. I won’t forget Secret Base ~ kimi ga kureta mono! T~T
hakkai-kun
// Oct 6, 2006 at 9:14 am
ei.. does anybody here knows the chords(drums/guitar) of good days? can you post it here.. i need it very much..pls.. help me!
thanks! =)
imaninja
// Oct 11, 2006 at 10:27 pm
man..i cant believe ZONE broke up!!! im still shocked that they didbanded even if it was like…a year and like 6 months. they were the best!! no one can replace them!! if another band will steal the name “bandol” from ZONE..i swear…i will murder who ever said that its okay to do that. i will never forget Secret Base Kimi ga Kureta Mono, Album, True Blue, and Isshoni Itakatta. True Blue was first song i heard by them. i still think that Takayo should at least played with ZONE in Nippon Budokan since shes back performing. ZONE FOREVER!!!
ZONE4evEr
// Oct 24, 2006 at 11:34 pm
they did have a good reason… someday,they’ll suprise us.they’ll be back after finishing their goals.like a reunion! i like secret base,true blue, taiyou no kiss, glory colors, akashi, sotsugyou and egao biyori!ZONE’s memories will never be forgotten!!! Maiko is now the bass player of MARIA,an all-girl band with 6 members, 2 bass player,2 guitars, drums and keyboard/violin. Miyu is now with a band called Nagisa no All Stars.
i think that these are their singles. i really like true blue and secret base!
1st single Believe in Love
2nd single Good Days
3rd single Daibakuhatsu no. 1
4th single Secret Base~Kimi Ga Kureta Mono~
5th single Sekai no Hon no Katasumi kara
6th single Yume no Kakera
7th single Hitoshizuku
8th single Akashi
9th single Shiroi Hana
10th single True Blue
11th single H.A.N.A.B.I.~Kimi Ga Ita Natsu~
12th single Boku no Tegami
13th single Sotsugyou
14th single Taiyou no Kiss
15th single Glory Colors~Kaze no Tobira~
16th single Egao Biyori
Nik
// Oct 25, 2006 at 12:25 pm
I didn’t know Miyu’s in a new band, is that really true?!
Her solo career only lasted a year, huh.
Matthew Ramsden
// Oct 31, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Hello!
How is everyone? I am new to Zone here.. I hope they also come back.. because they have they are third on my list for ’soothing’ voices the first is Hamasaki Ayumi then it’s a Chinese singer named Guo Mei Mei who did a Mandarin parody of the Romanian song Dragostea din Tei and the third is a group, named, Zone!! They’re cool!
My favourite song has to be Shinboku wa Maguma. I love them so much already! Keep up the good informative articles!
Hope to hear from you all,
Matthew Ramsden.
ZONE4evEr
// Oct 31, 2006 at 11:38 pm
takayo should’ve come to ZONE’s final live at Nippon Budokan because hat was their final concert…i really really like true blue,akashi,secret base~kimi ga kureta mono~,taiyou no kiss,egao biyori,H.A.N.A.B.I.~Kimi ga Ita Natsu~,Glory Colors~Kaze no Tobira~,Boku no Tegami and Sotsugyou.
mizuholuvusomuch
// Nov 7, 2006 at 1:18 am
no……. why ZONE must’ve disbanded… i’ll miss you mizuho T___T. Can someone told me where i can found article or wallpaper about ZONE??? I ‘m really miss you mizuho… H.A.N.A.B.I~Kimi ga Ita Natsu~ and Hitoshizuku will be my favourite songs 4ever..
imaninja
// Nov 10, 2006 at 10:44 pm
hey Nik.
where did you find out that Miyu is with another band?
i only know that Maiko is with MARIA now.
i think Miyu has a solo career, but i didnt hear anything about her being with a band.
ZONE4evEr
// Nov 11, 2006 at 6:42 am
http://paginas.terra.com.br/lazer/ZONElover/
here’s a website where they have images of ZONE and their “sayonara” (goodbye)letters and their biography.
http://www.vllasko.com/translations.php?artist_id=1
here’s a website where ZONE’s songs are translated.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZONE
here’s a website where ZONE’s history is written.
hope u enjoy!
Akashi
// Nov 26, 2006 at 12:45 am
Zone forever!
Yus
// Dec 10, 2006 at 7:18 am
Zone is the best!!!!
Arigato!!!
jHaMeZ
// Jan 5, 2007 at 7:02 am
Don’t have a favorite song coz I Love Them ALL !!!!!!
darkzangelBaby
// Jan 15, 2007 at 6:08 am
when will they ever return
rreally miss them so much
especially
Maiko
she is so cute
did some research on maiko and read her blog too
i can never forget u all zone
erm maiko is now currently with a band called maria
kai
// Feb 26, 2007 at 9:36 am
i on ly came to know her now, they like debuted since 1999 .. know tt they had long being disbanded, but i love their music!
Jerome
// Mar 8, 2007 at 12:17 am
That was so sad they had been disbanded.
I just recognized them this February when my friend
gave me an album of ZONE. I listen to it and I was so
amazed. I thought you’re still together today but I was
wrong. You know what, even though I recognized you
just this late february, I’d begin to love your band
especially Miyu. She’ so cute!!! ^^ however,
congratulations!! in a short period of time, you girls
make me feel happy with your songs. I wish you
all come back… Good Luck on your future…
Miyu I love so much… ^^
Rizzy J
// Apr 6, 2007 at 10:10 am
I recently listened to ZONE after stumbling across their Secret Base song!! I must say I am a bit upset they’ve broken up as I really love their songs and especially Maiko!!
Hope they reunite soon!! T_T
evil~zukin
// Apr 12, 2007 at 12:53 am
Zone friggin rocks…my first song that i ever heard from them was secret base..even though it’s not my favorite favorite song ..still a favorite though…they will always remain as {evil~zukin}’s favorite band of ALL time….ZONE 1# BABY
ZoneFOREVER
// May 16, 2007 at 6:21 am
I knew ZONE on january of this year…. and i thought I finally found my favourite artist/band… but i was so sad when knowing that they’ve disbanded on 1st april 2005…..
I love their songs, their performaces, their PVs, their shows, their spirits…. I love them…. This is not a “Goodbye” or “Farewell”…. but “Hope To See You Soon……”
ZONE, you are always be my favourite band…. “Welcome Back” is always prepared……
imaninja
// Jun 29, 2007 at 12:34 pm
i totally agree with you ZoneFOREVER.
a “welcome back” is just waiting for ZONE.
i was watching their old videos like Good Days when they were still young. im here thinking “aww…those were good times…”
and then i watched them sing Issho Ni Itakatta in their final concert. really, it was sadder than when they sang Secret Base Kimi Ga Kureta Mono the last time.
lastly, i have to say…Mizuho is a better drummer than Tattsu from MARIA. well, thats my opinion.
watch this video and it will prove that Mizuho is better.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UXhEhIs5yew
and im kinda having a hard time to start liking MARIA cuz i always thinking that theyre ‘replacing’ ZONE but i know thats not true. you can say that im still sad about Maiko joining another band. its just that to me, shes rightfully a ZONE member. and im kinda pissed that she sounds so different since ZONE. its like…..i dunno…she was better when she was with ZONE.
NO BAND can replace ZONE.
Gatck // Jul 2, 2007 at 10:52 pm
ZONE will always be my one and only Bandol..
so far no band is better than these girls, who can sing, play instruments and dance..
They took the most difficult path in the music industries but it all paid off with so many fans all over the world.. listening to their one-of-a-kind music ^w^
Is very sad they disbanded, another sad thing is playing their Last Live Secret Base as a farewell song..
when i saw that video i started crying as they bow
But they will always be ZONE- the Last (Z) to ONE band ^^
ZONE4EVER!!!!!!
// Sep 23, 2007 at 9:39 am
ZONE is such an amazing band. Music is universal, and ZONE has proven that. Though I am not Japanese, I can appreciate thier music and enjoy the energy and their talents they bring on thier videos and live performances. It’s really amazing how these girls have touched the hearts of so many people from all nations. I just wished, I could of seen them perform live at least once while they where together. They have something that I don’t think I’ve ever seen in any bands out here in the USA. I am not sadden that they disbanded but more so that I didn’t discover them when they where here. I can watch their final live performance at Budokan over and over and never get tired of it. It’s such a great DVD, I recommend everyone to try to buy a copy if they can and not just download it somewhere. It’s filled with such real raw emotions from these girls, something that I find so unique. I will love ZONE forever and even though they are not together anymore, thier music is. Thank you ZONE for your music, talents, performances and everything you gave us.
Cherry Zone
// Oct 15, 2007 at 2:02 pm
It’s a shame such a great band disbanded! they were still young, great potential.
Zone is a great legacy. Their last single ‘Tabidachi’ had me in tears
dogfood00
// Oct 16, 2007 at 4:44 am
this girls literally saved my life…
i was about to commet something bad…
its becuse my girlfriend became jealous of this band….
i love her but still she broke up with me…
my bestfriend told me that me ex-girlfriend now have a new boyfriend….
and oh… we have just broke up last week….
and im happy…
ZONE: takayo,miyu,mizuho,tomoka and maiko are my guardian angels…
they lighten up my day and guide me……
ARI.
// Oct 25, 2007 at 10:30 am
these girls rock harder than anyone.
ZONE will reunite! they will!
MARIA IS A GA_GILLION NOTHCES BELOW WHAT ZONE USED TO BE AND STILL IS.
first song i heard was true blue on animax. i was searching for it before, couldnt find it then gave up.
then years later i tried searching it on youtube. FOUND IT. then i watched GOOD DAYS man i got so hooked. i listened to all their other songs and loved it. ZONE truly is a legacy.
GUYS LETS ALL PRAY TONIGHT THAT ZONE WILL REUNITE!
MaikoFan
jHaMeZ
// Nov 6, 2007 at 10:16 am
*SiGH* … never got tired of listenin` to their songs and watching those awesome PVs. Coming back to this page and read some of the comments makes me wish they’ve never disbanded. I missed them so much T_T
Ryan
// Feb 15, 2008 at 2:47 pm
I like ZONE very much, especially Maiko, because her smiling face is really sweet, I like her very much, so just find out this website, but ridiculous is the song that I just hear them after ZONE dismiss, so my understanding to her is few, I want that knowing their is more
Zone » しあわせ
// Apr 29, 2008 at 7:55 am
[...] found a new (for me, they disbanded in 2006) jPop group called “Zone” while browsing Stage 6 (now defunct). They were a manufactured band from Sapporo, of four [...]
Verdi
// May 16, 2008 at 1:36 pm
What??? Zone was disbanded? I just know them from Astro Boy’s soundtrack, True Blue. I like their kind of music, very creative.
“Tooi sora koete
Bokura wa tobitatsu
Kitto soko ni aru
Sore ga kimi no yume…”
I always listen that song everyday.
I’m very proud of the reason why Zone was disbanded. I have dream too and I want to get it. I hope Zone will be back after they have graduated.
Jinnu
// May 21, 2008 at 5:44 am
secret base~kimi ga kureta mono~ a very very beautiful song..
and the last song played on that fateful day at Nippon Budokan..
but their memories still live on..even after disbanding..
and yes, they had went their separate ways..but they never said Good Bye..
i have Hope that they will come back someday..
please visit zonefan.com..and thank you, for whoever is responsible of making this..
it means a lot to us ZONE fans..
LAM-love-MYZUHO
// Jun 14, 2008 at 6:03 am
oh no ZONE was disbanded i like MIZUHO .I will miss her ZONE- I LOVE YOU
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