RYUTist -- Mizugarasu（水硝子）

 

I have to thank fellow contributor Joana Bernardo (one of our resident experts on aidoru especially when it comes to the contemporary groups) for this one since I saw her tweet some days ago regarding the aidoru group RYUTist. This group from Niigata Prefecture has been mentioned once before on the blog through Joana's article back in 2019 during her own trip through Tokyo as she happily attended a number of concerts.

As I just stated, RYUTist hails from Niigata Prefecture on the Japan Sea coast side, next door to where I was living and working, Gunma Prefecture, and when I first read that, I was suddenly reminded of another aidoru group who also gained fame starting from their own province. I couldn't remember the group's name or their home initially but luckily Joana's article came to the rescue since she also talked about Negicco who also happen to come from Niigata. In fact, she has seen RYUTist as somewhat of the successor group to Negicco.

I'd like to profile their May 2021 digital single "Mizugarasu" (Liquid Glass) because it sounds as pure and mellow as the titular substance (the music video rather reflects that, too). One commenter has said that he's liked RYUTist's music because it sounds so mellow. I would agree as well. I think that it is a nice touch to add that Spanish guitar to the synths and the high-pitched whispery voices. Perhaps the mellowness is the group's signature sound. Words and music were provided by Ohzora Kimishima（君島大空）.

RYUTist, which has been around since 2011 and went major in 2017, is currently made up of Muu "Muutan" Ikarashi（五十嵐夢羽）, Tomoe "Tomochii" Uno（宇野友恵）, Miku "Miku-chan" Yokoyama（横山実郁）and Nonoko "Nonno" Sato（佐藤乃々子）. As for the origin of their name, it's a fusion of "Ryuutou"（柳都）, the nickname for Niigata City which means "City of Willows" and "artist".