ZONE

ZONE (2012)

ZONE (ゾーン) is a two person Japanese pop/rock band. The group was formed by Studio Runtime after a series of auditions to form a new type of group called bandol, a combination of band and idol. After a short indie career the band signed to Sony. The band became winners of the the Japan Gold Disk New Artist of the year of 2002 for their famous single, "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~". However in late 2003, TAKAYO announced her graduation from ZONE to pursue her studies and was replaced by TOMOKA, one of the two original members cut from the band when they scaled from six members to four. The band disbanded in mid 2005. Seven year later, in 2012, Nagase Miyu and Sakae Maiko announced their comeback with the single "treasure of the heart ~Kimi to Boku no Kiseki~".

Members

• Nagase Miyu (lead vocals, guitar)
• Sakae Maiko (bass, vocals)

Graduated

• Okoshi Takayo (lead guitar, vocals) - left at end of 2003
• Saito Mizuho (drums, vocals)
• Nishimura Tomoka (lead guitar, vocals)

Information

Early Days

It all started out in 1999 when Studio Runtime ran auditions to form a new type a group, a bandol. The word bandol being a combination of the words band and idol. The all the group would have to sing, dance, and play an instrument. The bands name refers to their initial goal, starting out at the bottom (Z, the last letter of the alphabet) and going all the way to number one (ONE).

Initially ZONE started off with eight members in 1997, then was reduced down to six members and finally four. In 1999 the group released their first single, "believe in love" on the indie label Knockers Records. The single featured a normal pop idol sound, and only featured the girls singing and dancing. Though the single failed to chart on the Oricon charts, it did well on the indie charts.

Over the next year the girls were all given an instrument and trained on them. The bands re-emerged in 2001 with their second single, "GOOD DAYS". The single marked their major label debut under Sony Music Entertainment.

Success - Takayo's Graduation

The bands breakthrough hit came as their fourth single, "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~". The song was about sad goodbye to a good friend. The song was an instant hit reaching #2 on the Oricon and selling 744,000 copies. After another single the group released their debut album, Z" just a year after their major label debut. On the same day ZONE also released their sixth single, "Yume no Kakera...".

The bands next two singles share similar success. "Hitoshizuku" (which was used as the theme to the Japanese release of Ice Age) and "Akashi" reached #3 and sold over 100,000 copies. The band then assembled their second album, O. The album was release less then nine months after their debut album.

Much like with with their first album the band released a single ("Shiroi Hana") on the same day of their second albums release. The bands next two singles ("true blue / Renren..." and "H・A・N・A・B・I ~Kimi ga Ita Natsu~") both reached #3 on the Oricon. "true blue" was used as the ending theme to the Astro Boy anime. The single sold well, and became the groups best selling since "secert base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~". Because of this ZONE even collaborated with the Run Time All Stars to create an Astro Boy themed album.

TAKAYO then announced that she would be leaving the group to further pursue her studies. Her last single with the group was "Boku no Tegami". The single reached #2, and TAKAYO then gracefully graduated from the group.

Tomoka Joins - Disbandment

After a four month absence the band returned in early 2004 with their new guitarist, Nishimura Tomoka. TOMOKA was one of the original six girls in the group before the cut-down. The first single featuring TOMOKA was "Sotsugyou". The band released three more singles, each of which started selling less and ranking lower than one another.

In February of 2005 it was announced that ZONE would be disbanding at the end of their Spring Tour. It was initially MIZUHO's idea to leave, however, they did not want to replace her and didn't want to continue the band on as a three piece band.

On April 1st ZONE played their final live concert at Nippon Budokan. It was then on April 1, 2005 that they disbanded. The last song they played at the concert was their initial hit, "secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~".

MIYU and TAKAYO are now pursuing a solo careers. While MAIKO now fronts the all-girl band MARIA.

The band has been given an homage in the anime Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu by featuring a band named ENOZ (ZONE reversed).

Discography

Albums

• [2002.02.14] Z
• [2002.11.27] O
• [2004.02.18] N

Best Albums

• [2005.04.13] E ~Complete A side Singles~
• [2006.04.19] ura E ~Complete B side Melodies~

Tribute Albums

• [2011.08.10] ZONE Tribute ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ (ZONEトリビュート～君がくれたもの～)

Special Albums

• [2003.07.16] ASTRO Girlz & Boyz (ZONE with Girlz & Boyz (Run Time All Stars))

Singles

• [1999.12.18] believe in love
• [2001.02.07] GOOD DAYS
• [2001.05.23] Daibakuhatsu NO.1 (大爆発NO.1)
• [2001.08.08] secret base ~Kimi ga Kureta Mono~ (secret base～君がくれたもの～)
• [2001.11.14] Sekai no Hon no Katasumi Kara (世界のほんの片隅から)
• [2002.02.14] Yume no Kakera... (夢ノカケラ...)
• [2002.07.17] Hitoshizuku (一雫)
• [2002.09.26] Akashi (証)
• [2002.11.27] Shiroi Hana (白い花)
• [2003.04.16] true blue / Renren... (true blue／恋々…)
• [2003.07.30] H・A・N・A・B・I ~Kimi ga Ita Natsu~ (H・A・N・A・B・I ～君がいた夏～)
• [2003.10.29] Boku no Tegami (僕の手紙)
• [2004.02.04] Sotsugyou (卒業)
• [2004.06.02] Taiyou no Kiss (太陽のKiss)
• [2004.08.04] glory colors ~Kaze no Tobira~ (glory colors～風のトビラ～)
• [2005.03.09] Egao Biyori (笑顔日和)
• [2012.06.06] treasure of the heart ~Kimi to Boku no Kiseki~ (キミとボクの奇跡)

DVD

• [2003.10.29] ZONE CLIPS 01 ~Sunny Side~
• [2004.03.17] ZONE CLIPS 02 ~Forever Side~
• [2004.09.29] ZONE TV special DVD edition "Yume Hajimatta Bakari" (ユメハジマッタバカリ)
• [2005.05.18] ZONE CLIPS 03 ~2005 Sotsugyou~ (2005卒業)
• [2005.06.22] ZONE FINAL in Nippon Budokan ~Kokoro wo Komete Arigatou~ (心を込めてありがとう)
• [2006.05.24] ZONE BEST MEMORIAL CLIPS
• [2011.12.21] "10-nen Go no 8-gatsu..." ZONE Fukkatsushima SHOW!! ~Dosokai Dayo! Zenin Shugo!~ ("10年後の8月..." ZONE復活しまっSHOW!! ~同窓会だよ全員集合！~)
• [2012.10.10] ZONE Tour "Futari ni Narimashitakedo... NANIKA?" (ZONE7年振りツアー「2人になりましたけど・・・NANIKA?」)

Publications

Band Score

• [2003.01.06] Guitar Hikigatari ZONE Songbook
• [2005.06.17] ZONE/E ~Complete A side Singles~

Books

• [2004.03.17] Koko Kara
• [2005.02.xx] Rock Band no Yume Densetsu ZONE
• [2011.08.xx] Saikai ZONE CHRONICLES
• [2011.10.xx] Ichigo Ichie ZONE -2011 Nen 8 Gatsu no Kiseki- The Promise of year 10th

Collectibles

• [2004.11.19] ZONE 1st Trading Card: Cute & Powerful Card Box

Magazines

• [2011.06.xx] GIRL POP 2011 Summer (Feature)

Photobooks

• [2003.11.08] ZONE TOUR ASTRO GIRL 2003 First Photobook
• [2004.11.09] ZONE TOUR SUMMER LIVE 2004 TOUR DOCUMENT BOOK
• [2005.05.25] ZONE FINAL in Nihon Budokan -Sotsugyo Album-

Videogames

Play Station 2

• [2002.10.10] WONDER ZONE

External Links

• Official Site
• Runtime Official Website
• ZONE biography and reviews