Nyangilas (ニャンギラス, Nyangirasu) is a Japanese idol Jpop band created in 1986 as a four-member sub-group Onyanko Club.
[1] During November and December 1985, on Yūyake Nyan Nyan("Sunset Meow Meow") (夕やけニャンニャン), a Fuji TV program featuring Onyanko Club, discussions about the record debut of three unorthodox members, Rika Tatsumi(立見里歌, Tatsumi Rika), Aki Kihara(樹原亜紀, Kihara Aki), and Mika Nagoya(名越美香, Nagoya Mika), with opinions from the audience, took place under the name "Onyanko AID: Love Saves Onyanko!".
[2][4] In April 1986, they debuted with a novelty song called Watashi wa Rika-chan (私は里歌ちゃん), which became the number one on the Oricon chart in its first appearance.
"I believe that because Onyanko Club is at the peak of its popularity, it is in a lucky position to be allowed to release such an extremely silly song that pokes fun at people.
However, if they were not members of Onyanko Club, even someone like me, who is as gentle as an angel, would surely give them a flying kick from behind and then hit them in the secret holes".
[7] Akina Nakamori, a leading idol at the time, had an overt loathing for Nyangiras, also affiliated with Warner Pioneer.
[8] Nakamori sternly reprimanded one of the employees, saying, "Don't you feel ashamed that a world-class record company is promoting a group like that?
[12] They have continued to communicate with each other after Onyanko Club disbanded in September 1987, and in May 2013, they all gathered at the Tower Records Shibuya store for a special talk show.
She and five other members, Mika Okuda (奥田美香, Okuda Mika), Michiko Enokida (榎田道子, Enokida Michiko), Kayoko Yoshino (吉野佳代子, Yoshino Kayoko), Mamiko Tomoda (友田麻美子, Tomoda Mamiko), and Mayumi Sato (佐藤真由美, Sato Mayumi), were photographed smoking in a coffee shop by a man from the weekly magazine Shūkan Bunshun.
[17][18][20] Since these five were considered core members of the group, the scandal changed the form and fate of Onyanko Club.
[13] Therefore, before she became a member of Onyanko Club, she was a model for the fashion magazine Olive, along with singer Minako Honda.
[28][31] In September 1986, she graduated from Onyanko Club along with popular members such as Eri Nitta, Satomi Fukunaga, and Akie Yoshizawa.
[28][36] In a segment called Hello, I, Rika-chan (もしもし私リカちゃん, Moshimoshi Watashi Rikachan), which started in January 1986, she and others, including Kazuko Utsumi, a student at Toita Women's College, answered quizzes given by the music critic Masanori Ito.
[46] In April 1987, she graduated from Onyanko Club along with Sayuri Kokushō, Mamiko Takai, Aki Kihara, and Kazuko utsumi.
[6][27] In March 1988, she graduated from Tokai University and went to work for Pony Canyon, which released many Onyanko Club records.
[49] According to the program's chief director, Kazuji Kasai, he was convinced that Shiraishi was absolutely essential to Onyanko Club, so he accepted her at his strong insistence.
[50] On the other hand, it is said that when she and Minayo Watanabe were the backing vocalists for Sayuri Kokushō's Valentine Kiss released in February 1986, she was approached by CBS Sony Records about making her solo debut, but she allegedly declined the offer.
[2] In front of Rika Tatsumi and staff members of the program, she cried and complained that she did not want to join such an unorthodox comedy subgroup.
[48] She is described as the epitome of the bright, cute, normal girl and played a prominent supporting role in Onyanko Club.