RIN (Leaders) x Luna Nakagawa (Fruits Zipper) x Yuna Yabe: An Unusual Three-Way Conversation – Connected by Their Mutual Love of Harajuku & Street Culture

Luna (Ruka, Runapi) Nakagawa (FRUITS ZIPPER), RIN (Atarashii Gakko no Leaders), and Yuna Yabe—three women active in different fields: idol, dance & vocal unit, and DJ. These three women share a deep connection through the Harajuku area, R&B/HIP-HOP, and vintage clothing culture, and have grown close friends in their private lives. This time, we spoke to these three women, each with their own distinct personality, about their activities, their feelings towards Harajuku, and their little-known private relationship. We hope you enjoy the unique atmosphere that only these three can create. (Editorial Department)

##Three People Brought Together by R&B, Fashion, and Culture

Q: What brought the three of you together?

RIN: We all met in different ways, right?

Yuna Yabe (hereinafter, Yabe): Yeah. RIN and I originally worked at the same part-time job.

RIN: I first saw Yuna, who was already part of ASOBISYSTEM, in a magazine or something, and I always thought she was so cute. Then, by chance, Yuna was working at the vintage clothing store where I started my part-time job when I was in high school. We became friends right away.

Yabe: I actually knew about RIN-chan from a kids' dancer magazine I used to read when I was in elementary school. I also used to read RIN-chan's blog.

RIN: It feels like the two of us, who knew each other from different places, met kind of by fate. I met Runapi (Nakagawa) when FRUITS ZIPPER and (Atarashii Gakko) Leaders performed at the same live show for the first time. Runapi approached me and said, "I love you! I want to have a hairstyle like yours, RIN!" My first impression was that she was an unusual girl for an idol (laughs).

Luna Nakagawa (hereinafter, Nakagawa): I think it was at O-EAST. Everything about RIN-chan was totally my type, from her face to her fashion, so I wanted to be like her. My manager stopped me from doing my hair style though (laughs). That day was the turning point, and RIN-chan and I became really good friends. We started going out for meals together and things like that.

RIN: How did Yuna and Runapi meet?

Yabe: My first encounter with Runapi was when I did a little editing of a dance cover video for FRUITS ZIPPER. At some point, Runapi suddenly asked me, "Do you want to go to a Janet Jackson concert?" I was so happy, thinking, "What?! Runapi invited me to see Janet Jackson!" And when I talked to her, I found out we were the same age and we both liked 90s culture. That's how we became good friends.

Nakagawa: When Yuna-chan agreed to help with the video editing for FRUITS ZIPPER, I saw her on Instagram or something. That's where I found out she was a DJ. We're the same age, so I think it was easy to talk to her. I also thought she'd probably like Janet, so I asked her to join.

Yabe: I answered immediately with something like, "Of course I want to go!" (laughs).

Nakagawa: When Yuna is messing around on her computer at the office, if I ask her, "What are you listening to?", she'll tell me about all sorts of artists and say, "This is really cool!" That's definitely how we became closer.

Yabe: Yeah. She already knows some of the artists I've introduced to her. Like SATTU CREW, a B-boy jazz band from Osaka. I was like, "Wait, how do you know them?!" And then I found out that she's good friends with RIN-chan too. I was like, "That's awesome!" (laughs).

Nakagawa: It's the best (laughs)!

Q: It seems like you and RIN have some musical common ground, too, right?

RIN: That's right. I also love hip-hop and R&B. I talk about music with the other members of Leaders, but we all like different genres. So Yuna and Runapi are really precious to me because we can talk about the same culture and the same music. Whenever there's a concert by an overseas artist coming to Japan, I always ask these two first (laughs). We even went to an Erykah Badu concert the other day.

Nakagawa: Yeah. Our schedules didn't match up, so RIN and Yuna went to 'SOUL CAMP 2026', and RIN and I went to Billboard's solo concert.

RIN: I was the only one who got to fully enjoy both shows (laughs).

Q: Aside from music, are there any other things the three of you have in common?

Nakagawa: We're pretty similar in terms of fashion, aren't we?

Yabe: Yeah. When I first saw Runapi's casual clothes, I was quite surprised. Like, "Wow, she's so masculine!" I think it was easier to talk to her because I felt that her style was very similar to the fashion I like.

RIN: All three of us like menswear-inspired clothes, right?

Nakagawa: To begin with, I've always loved RIN's fashion. We have similar tastes. That being said, RIN has a unique aura that I could never imitate, no matter how hard I tried. So RIN is more of a figure to admire. Like, "Wow, she's wearing such nice clothes today!"

RIN: Hahaha.

"We Talk About Everything, Without Holding Anything Back" — A Sister-Like Relationship

Q: When the three of you get together, it seems like you'll have a lot of fun talking about all sorts of things.

Nakagawa: We talk about all sorts of things. Of course, we talk about our private lives, but we also share our feelings about our work and things like that. When I'm with the two of them, I talk about everything without holding anything back.

RIN: Sometimes the two of them come over to my house to hang out. When that happens, I cook a meal and wait for them.

Yabe: That's right! RIN-chan cooks the meals! She's like the big sister. I'm more of a youngest child who doesn't do anything (laughs).

Nakagawa: RIN-chan is the youngest, you know (laughs).

RIN: That laid-back atmosphere is really comfortable, isn't it? We all eat together and talk about what we've been up to. Like, "I'm going to do this next."

Yabe: "Right now, this kind of music is cool, right?"

Nakagawa: We often talk about the future, too. We talk quite a bit about things like, "I'd like to do this kind of work," or "It would be great if this existed."

RIN: Basically, I'm a really happy person. Even if I talk about something that's not happy at all, when the three of us are together we can burst out laughing. Unlike when I'm wearing a sailor uniform as Leaders, in my private life I'm not the type to be super happy and really working hard all the time. But Yuna and Runapi are always happy, so just seeing them makes me feel energized and gives me power.

Yabe: RIN-chan usually seems quite calm, doesn't she? For me, that's something that makes me feel at ease.

Nakagawa: That's right. It's like you feel safe and secure, like you've come to your grandmother's house.

Yabe: I totally get that! It's as comfortable as sitting under a kotatsu and chatting.

RIN: Even the Leaders members call me Grandma. No matter where I go, I'm always called Grandma (laughs). Oh yeah, the other day the three of us went strawberry picking, right? Yuna drove us there.

Yabe: Yeah. Something like, "I can't do anything else, but I can provide a car" (laughs).

RIN: It was fun, wasn't it? It feels like we were talking the whole time.

Nakagawa: Yuna has a lot of CDs, so we all chose one together, asking "What should we listen to?" It was really fun driving while listening to them.

Yabe: I'm a DJ, but when that happens, I let everyone else choose the songs (laughs). When Runapi and I went to a Boyz II Men concert, we listened to the CD in the car on the way there to prepare, right?

Nakagawa: That's right. It was fun!

RIN: I was supposed to go that day too, but it suddenly fell through. I was happy that you bought me a T-shirt as a souvenir (laughs).

"Runapi Is Creating a New Vision of What an Idol Can Be" — Respect for One Another

Q: What are your impressions of each of their individual activities?

Yabe: I think it's really amazing how both Runapi and RIN-chan have a core passion for what they love, yet they still manage to play their roles on stage in a cute and cool way. We're good friends in private, but seeing them on screen really takes me by surprise. I think it's incredible how these two are at the forefront of creating music for this era.

Nakagawa: In my case, I pursue things I like, but I also tend to get bored easily. Once I reach a certain point, I move on to the next phase. But Yuna never wavers in that regard, and it's really cool how she pursues what she loves to the fullest. She's always practicing DJing and constantly taking in a lot of musical knowledge. As a fellow music lover, I'm really proud of her for continuing to do that for so long. She's so cool that I feel like I could never be like her, even if I wanted to.

Yabe: I'm so happy! I'm a little embarrassed though (laughs).

Nakagawa: And RIN has been very active overseas as a Leader, and I think it's really amazing how she's become so popular. When you perform overseas, you have to let energy and power overflow from your whole body even more than in Japan, and that's something that's really difficult to control. But RIN, as a Leader, seems to have already established that. She's able to deliver that unwavering image to people all over the world. I think that's really wonderful. Also, I'm really bad at dancing, so I'm always impressed by RIN's dancing. It's really incomprehensible, she moves like someone without bones (laughs). I really respect her for that kind of technical skill as well.

RIN: I'm happy to receive so many compliments (laughs). What I think Yuna and Runapi have in common is that they both have a very strong desire to pursue what they "love." It's not easy to pursue what you love, use it as your weapon, and express and share your individuality. I really feel that Yuna has continued doing that since she was a teenager, and that's why she is where she is today. I even feel like the music and fashion that Yuna loves have become a culture in themselves. Like me, there are many people who want to like the things that Yuna likes, and I think that's why.

Nakagawa: I totally get that! It's not like she resembles anyone in particular. She has created her own unique culture as Yabe Yuna.

RIN: Well, from the first impression I got of Runapi, I was surprised by her attitude of overturning the concept of what an idol is. I think everyone has different images of what an idol should be, but I feel like Runapi is creating a new image of an idol. While being an idol, she continues to express the things she likes, and I think that's how she creates an idol image that only she can create. I think her greatest individuality is that Runapi as a member of FRUITS ZIPPER and Runapi the individual are not at all separate, and both are the real Runapi. I think it's because she has established that attitude that she is able to express herself as she does now. And also, she's a really good singer!

Yabe: Absolutely! I love Runapi's ballads!

Nakagawa: Oh no.

RIN: When it comes to singing, I feel like you can really see through what Runapi has always loved. I think it's wonderful how both Yuna and Runapi have the energy to turn what they "love" into something tangible in their own way!

*Nakagawa:? That makes me happy. When I look at myself objectively, I sometimes think I should be more conscious of being an idol. But once I'm on stage, I can't stop myself from going wild (laughs). I immediately start shouting "Yay! This is fun!" and then I often find myself regretting, "Oh, I did something un-idol-like again today."

Yabe: Wow, so that's what you think (laughs). But it's good to have idols like Runapi. I think it's amazing that she can change the times.

RIN: Really, really. I feel like Runapi is paving a new path for future idols. Right now, as a member of Atarashii Gakko no Leaders, I'm trying out different forms of expression that I probably wouldn't have done as my usual self, but I hope to continue expressing the things I love. Even though it's been 11 years since we formed, the members still have so much hidden potential, so it would be fun to share those individualities with everyone. I'm thinking about all that, so I'm a little excited right now (laughs).

Q: What are your impressions of street culture such as hip-hop, dance, and DJing, which you all love and pursue?

RIN: I've loved hip-hop since I was a child because of my father's influence, and that's what got me started dancing. I think street culture has had a big influence on the fashion I like, so for me, it's something that really changed my life. Now I mainly do rap in Leaders. If I had to name a big root for me, it would have to be Lauryn Hill. Her raps are a straightforward expression of what she thinks and feels, and I think it's amazing that there's absolutely no pretense in them. I like her unique sense of rhythm and groove, but I really admire the depth of her lyrics.

Nakagawa: I'm the same as RIN-chan. My dad had a huge record collection, so I started listening to all kinds of music because of him. We mostly listened to hip-hop, funk, and disco in the car. I think I was exposed to a lot of street culture from a young age, partly because of the foreign films my dad watched. That has had a big influence on who I am today. However, when I was little, I was really ashamed of being different from everyone else, so I lived my life hiding what I liked. I could never say things like, "I like hip-hop," or "I listen to NE-YO."

Yabe: It's hard to imagine that from Runapi now.

Nakagawa: That gradually started to open up around the time I became a university student, but the decisive factor was when I joined my current agency. Everyone in this agency, including the staff, is like a child of culture (laughs). I was able to become friends with Yuna and RIN, and I started to think, "Maybe this is my real world?" I really felt that what I wanted to do was to express what I "like" from this place called ASOBISYSTEM and this place called Harajuku. That's why I feel like I've become someone who can actively say what I "like." I was led here (laughs).

"It's Okay for These Three to Be Together" — Harajuku, a Place Where They're Connected by What They Love

Q: So, who are Luna's roots?

Nakagawa: For me, it's Alicia Keys. Alicia was the reason I wanted to work harder on my singing. I listened to her CDs tons and tried to imitate her all the time. From there, I started challenging myself to sing Western songs, so I think I got better at English pronunciation thanks to Alicia. I also really like how she expresses things like girl power through her songs. Alicia might be my singing teacher. I even cried when I saw her at last year's SUMMER SONIC.

Q: How about you, Yuna?

Yabe: Unlike the other two, I wasn't particularly fond of music when I was little, and I was the kind of kid who didn't even know the word "culture." But I've always liked digging into all sorts of things, so I started with dance, and gradually I learned the joy of digging into music and vintage clothing and finding good things. It's the same with music and fashion, but old things have history and stories, don't they? That's what I like about them. In school, history was the only subject I got really good grades in (laughs).

Nakagawa: But I totally get that! Songs that are created with meaning often have someone's life story etched into them. Especially in hip-hop. It's like the place where that person grew up, the emotions they had, and so on, and that's what makes it a song that only that person could write.

Yabe: Yeah. In the end, I ended up liking 90s music and listening to it all the time, and I really feel that it's what made me who I am today. What attracts me to street culture is that it's so free. Even if there are haters, it's a place where you can make it big if you pursue what you believe in. I joined the agency when I was 18 and have been close to the Harajuku atmosphere ever since, so I think that the fun of street culture has been ingrained in me.

Q: Would you say TLC is one of your roots, Yuna?

Yabe: That's right. I was initially captivated by the visuals of the three B-girls from TLC. That's what got me to delve deeper into their music, and I also grew to love vintage clothing more. I'm wearing some today, but my collection of CROSS COLOURS clothes started because of TLC.

RIN: Yuna-chan has even told me about places where I can find vintage CROSS COLOURS clothes. I think the fact that the three of us, each with our own roots, were able to meet through our shared interests is also because of Harajuku as a place, and ASOBISYSTEM as a space that brought us together.

Yabe: Yeah, yeah. I think the fact that three people who look so different and do such different things can come together like this is itself a reflection of what's so interesting about Harajuku and ASOBISYSTEM.

Nakagawa: That's probably true (laughs). I think Harajuku and ASOBISYSTEM are places where you can stay positive and continue to pursue what you love. There are all sorts of stimuli, so your perspective broadens too. It's a great place!

"Someday the Three of Us Want to Make Music Together!" — Could an ASOBISYSTEM Version of TLC Be in the Cards?

Q: A music and culture festival bringing together all the members of ASOBISYSTEM will be held again this year. What kind of event can we expect at 'ASOBIEXPO 2026' on August 18th?

RIN: It's really everyone here, isn't it?

Yabe: It's amazing, isn't it? I couldn't participate last year, so I feel like, "It's finally here!" I'm so happy to be able to participate.

RIN: As for the content... actually, we haven't been told anything yet (laughs). We haven't heard anything yet. (*Interview conducted in July)

Nakagawa: Yeah, I don't know anything (laughs).

RIN: Well, ASOBISYSTEM loves surprises (laughs), so I'm sure it's going to be a really fun festival. I hope you'll look forward to the energy that will be generated at that time and place. The performers are incredibly diverse, and they're all people who are pursuing their passions to the fullest, so I'm really looking forward to the chemical reactions that will be created there.

Yabe: The number of idol girls is increasing rapidly, and they're constantly evolving. I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens when all these unique individuals come together at once. I can't wait!

Nakagawa: Same as above (laughs)!

Yabe: Hahaha. Actually, you never know. You won't know until the day itself.

Nakagawa: Yeah. But it looks like so much fun. I'd love to see it as a spectator!

RIN: I think the fan base is quite diverse, so I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of reactions I'll get when I perform live.

Nakagawa: That's right. For now, I think we should just show everything we can do right now. We also want people within the company to think, "FRUITS ZIPPER is amazing!" (laughs). I'm thinking of going into battle mode!

Q: Finally, is there anything you three, who are good friends, would like to do together in the future?

Nakagawa: I want to make music with the three of us someday!

Yabe: Runapi has been saying that all along.

Nakagawa: We all love the same music and culture, so I think the three of us could produce something together. We have members who can rap, sing, DJ, and make tracks. We're already ready. Now it's just a matter of when to make our move. (Looking at the agency staff who are present)

RIN: I really hope that happens.

Yabe: We want to do the creative work ourselves, like the artwork.

Nakagawa: Since we're a trio, it would be nice to have a vibe like TLC or SWV. Should we decide on a name first? ...Maybe "RLY".

RIN: Hahaha. Like TLC, using the first letters of the three of us (laughs). That's great!

Source: https://realsound.jp/2026/08/post-2490065.html

^(Translated in-line by Google Translate, with a wee bit of post-translate improvement by Chat GPT)

Japanese entertainment company ASOBISYSTEM is expanding into North America with the launch of ASOBISYSTEM USA, it was announced on Thursday (Aug. 6). The new subsidiary will be headquartered in Los Angeles, making it the first U.S. hub for the company as a whole.

According to a press release, ASOBISYSTEM USA is meant to “accelerate the company’s expansion across North America and deepen its investment in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets for Japanese entertainment.”

“ASOBISYSTEM views the launch of its U.S. headquarters as a long-term investment in the future of Japanese entertainment,” continues the release. “By expanding its local network, strengthening partnerships, and building infrastructure on the ground, the company aims to help shape the next era of cross-cultural collaboration while bringing more of Japan’s most exciting artists and creative voices to audiences around the world.”

The new headquarters will be located in Culver City. In addition to serving as a hub for artist and business development, the space will help generate opportunities for Japanese artists and creators by connecting them with U.S.-based companies and IP.

ASOBISYSTEM’s current roster includes Japanese girl group ATARASHII GAKKO!, Harajuku-based pop artist Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, producer Yasutaka Nakat and electronic duo CAPSULE. Since its 2015 formation, ATARASHII GAKKO! has become a fast-rising global act, selling out a 13-city North American tour in 2024, including a performance at Coachella that same year. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has also toured North America a handful of times and booked global festival gigs since the start of her career in 2010.

ASOBISYSTEM founder and CEO Yusuke Nakagawa will serve as CEO of the U.S. subsidiary. Nakagawa launched his company in 2007 in Tokyo’s famed Harajuku district. In its two decades of existence, ASOBISYSTEM has become one of Japan’s leading entertainment companies, representing more than 100 artists, creators, producers, designers and models. The company’s suite of services includes management, live events, branding and virtual experiences.

“We’ve seen incredible growth in global interest for Japanese entertainment over the last several years, and we believe now is the right time to establish a permanent presence in the United States,” Nakagawa shared in a statement. “Our goal is not only to create more opportunities for our own artists, but to help build lasting connections between Japan and North America by supporting creators, companies, and partners on both sides.”

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RIN (Leaders) x Luna Nakagawa (Fruits Zipper) x Yuna Yabe: An Unusual Three-Way Conversation – Connected by Their Mutual Love of Harajuku & Street Culture

"We Talk About Everything, Without Holding Anything Back" — A Sister-Like Relationship

"Runapi Is Creating a New Vision of What an Idol Can Be" — Respect for One Another

"It's Okay for These Three to Be Together" — Harajuku, a Place Where They're Connected by What They Love

"Someday the Three of Us Want to Make Music Together!" — Could an ASOBISYSTEM Version of TLC Be in the Cards?

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