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Yasushi Akimoto-Produced Idol Unit 22/7 Unveils CG Music Video

The official website for 22/7, the new "dimension-crossing" idol group that AKB48 founder and producer Yasushi Akimoto is producing, began streaming the CG music video for "Boku wa Sonzai Shiteinakatta," the group's debut single, on Thursday. (Note: The Youtube video in the link above is region-locked to Japan.)

Ryo Ando, who directed and storyboarded the opening animation for the Tiger & Bunny The Movie -The Rising- movie and made his full directorial debut in January with the Interviews with Monster Girls anime, directed the music video. Yusuke Takeda (Sword Art Online, The Ancient Magus' Bride) is the art director. Yoshihiro Otobe (Love Live! School idol project, PriPara) is the CG director. Tatsunoko Production animated the video. The website did not specify if the full 3D CG music video is the anime project that the group announced in July.

The site also revealed details about the CD single release. The single will ship on September 20 with the title track, as well as the songs "Chikatetsu Teikō Shugi" (Principle of Subway Resistance) and "11-nin ga Atsumatta Riyū" (The Reason The 11 People Met). The latter is also hinted in the music video as the title of the book that character Miu Takigawa is reading. The single will get a "Type-A" and "Type-B" release. The Type-A release, which is limited to 10,000 copies, will include a DVD with the music video, as well as an event participation ticket or a special present application ticket. The "Type-B" release will include a random one of 11 possible trading cards.

Below are the cover art for the "Type-A" (top) and "Type-B" (bottom) releases. Yukiko Horiguchi drew both illustrations.

The group held their first live concert on July 22 in Tokyo. During the live event, the group performed on stage as themselves, but also put on a motion capture performance as their anime characters.

The group based on the concept of "idols who cross dimensions" has eight anime idol characters, with their respective voice actresses performing as idols in the real world. A different character designer is handling each member's anime design. Sony Music Records and Aniplex received 10,325 applications for the idol group and held five rounds of auditions.

The cast members, their characters, and the characters' designers are as follows:

Chiharu Hokaze as Reika Satō, 17 years old. She is the student council president and an honor student.
Character design by Hirokazu Koyama of Type-Moon (Fate/Grand Order, Mahōtsukai no Yoru)

Ruri Umino as Jun Toda, 16 years old. She acts high class and is a tsundere.
Character design by Masayoshi Tanaka (your name., Toradora, anohana)

Sally Amaki as Sakura Fujima, 17 years old. She is the daughter of a good family.
Character design by Kantoku (The Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat, Garakowa -Restore the World-)

Kanae Shirosawa as Akane Maruyama, 17 years old and cool.
Character design by Tometa Ohara of QP:flapper (Girl Friend BETA, Girlish Number)

Mizuha Kuraoka as Miyako Kōno, 15 years old. She is egotistical and speaks in a Kansai dialect.
Character design by Mieko Hosoi (Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, Aiura)

Mei Hanakawa as Nicole Saitō, 17 years old and an idol.
Character design by Kurehito Misaki (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend)

Nagomi Saijō as Miu Takigawa, 16 years old. She is an otaku and is a bit ignorant.
Character design by Yukiko Horiguchi (K-ON!, Tamako Market, Kokoro Connect)

Reina Miyase as Ayaka Tachikawa, 16 years old. She is aggressive and militant.
Character design by Koharu Sakura of QP:flapper (Girl Friend BETA, Girlish Number)

In addition, the website lists three additional cast members without roles: Aina Takeda, Urara Takatsuji, and Moe Suzuhana.

Akimoto founded the AKB48 idol group in 2005, and its sixth and latest domestic sister group, STU48, launched this summer. Akimoto also founded AKB48's "official rival group" Nogizaka46.

Embedded video via @pKjd

Source: MoCa News