Interview with Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu

A popular six-member idol group formed in 2015, Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu is produced by Stardust Promotion, the talent agency behind units such as Momoiro Clover Z and Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku. Recently, they have been attracting a surge of attention both in their home country and internationally due to the song SUKI! CHO Ver, which has racked up a total of over six billion plays via various platforms after becoming a hit on TikTok.

On June 22nd, they released their latest mini-album Heart-Gyutto!. The theme of this work is to grasp the hearts of the people who fell in love with the group because of SUKI! CHO Ver even more tightly. Shortly after the release hit stores, JaME had the opportunity to ask the group some questions about it, as well as their other recent activities.

Your song SUKI! CHO Ver has won you many new fans around the world. What do you think it is about this song in particular that has resonated with so many people both inside and outside of Japan?

Kanami Tsujino: I think that many people may have danced to the song because the dance is really catchy and easy to remember. Also, the heart mark adds a cute element.

Which of your other songs would you recommend to any readers unfamiliar with your work, and why?

Julia Ann: That would be the title track of this album Gyutto!. This song’s chorus is also catchy and easy to dance to and sing. An important aspect is that there are many lines in this song. The story of this song begins from the moment the heroine falls in love, and it will surely make your heart flutter. I’d love it if you could also pay attention to the lyrics while listening to the song.


Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu has been active since 2015 - how do you feel the group has changed over the years?

Hitoka Sakai: At first, every day was filled with so many new things that I struggled and had to work hard. During that time, I experienced many hellos and goodbyes. There were times I would face obstacles or feel anxious, but the support from the fans helped me overcome them each time. I believe all these obstacles created the Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu you see now.

Gyutto!, the title track from your latest mini-album Heart-Gyutto!, is the theme song of the TV drama "Minato Shouji Coin Laundry". How does it feel to have your song attached to this series? Is it connected to the story or themes of the drama?

Haruka Koizumi: I’m super happy! There are members of the Sendenbu (our fans) who are also fans of the original work of "Minato Shouji Coin Laundry." When our song was selected as the theme song for the TV drama, I heard many delightful voices from our fans! We are delighted to play such a major role in preparing a song for a TV drama. Every time I see the drama series, I get very excited about the fact that our song is played and being used!

What do you like most about the song Cupid in Love and, with the cute elements like the “kushun” (angelic sneeze), who would you like the song to reach?

Aki Suda: The lyrics tell a story, so I’d love it if you could pay attention to them while you’re listening! I’d like people who are in love, who fell in love at first sight to listen to this song.


The coronavirus pandemic greatly reduced the possibilities for performers to connect with fans in-person through concerts and events. What do you think about the online events that emerged to help circumvent this problem? Do you see them as a useful way of reaching fans overseas?

Hiyori Yoshikawa: The way we interact with our fans has changed, but through online, we were able to connect with our fans who live far away within Japan as well as those overseas. We are in an environment where we can talk with all these fans online, so I am viewing this positively. We’re holding online events, so I hope we’ll be able to speak with more of our overseas fans.

This year you’re back performing at big festivals like Tokyo Idol Festival. How does it feel to be back onstage with other famous idol groups in front of large audiences of idol fans?

Kanami Tsujino: I am happy we are able to perform at a festival together with so many idol groups! There will be many people who will see us perform for the first time, so we need to really put ourselves out there to lock onto the hearts of as many people as we can. We will do our best!

You are affiliated with Stardust Promotion, an agency with a very large number of artists. Are there any challenges that you face because of this?

Julia Ann: There were no challenges for me personally. Moreover, looking at the performances of other idol groups inspires me and makes me feel like we need to work harder. Because there are so many artists, there is a tremendous amount of inspiration and new discoveries, which I think is wonderful.

What else do you have planned for this year? Can fans look forward to any new events (in Japan or overseas) or other projects?

Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu: On October 22, 2022, we will be holding a solo concert at Makuhari Messe, in Chiba Prefecture. This is a large event hall, even for Japan, with the capacity for the largest audience we’ve ever had.

Please leave a message for your fans around the world.

Hitoka Sakai: Thank you for discovering us! I’m surprised and happy that people outside Japan know of us. We will continue to work hard to send out tokimeki (sparks of joy) to everyone, so please continue to support us!

JaME would like to thank Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu and avex for this interview opportunity.

Links to download and stream Heart-Gyutto! on various online music platforms are available here, and fans can keep an eye on Cho Tokimeki♡Sendenbu's official website, Twitter and Instagram accounts for more updates on their future activities.

The music video for SUKI! CHO Ver can be viewed below, followed by solo shots of the group's six members in their costumes for Heart-Gyutto!. The costumes were designed by Shinobu Kayano, who handles outfits for AKB48 and other popular idol groups. In a comment about the costumes, she noted that they feature lots of cute ruffles and detailed haute-couture-like embellishments, and that they were designed to feature each member's signature colour, but also plenty of white.