(Kawaragi Momoka)
Momoka Kawaragi（Japanese:
Introduction
A 20-year-old street musician.
Free-spirited and strong-willed. She dislikes dressing up like a girl, and her hairstyle and clothing are relatively simple.
Cheerful and good at taking care of others, she is somewhat like a reliable senior in a sports club.
She is also responsible for the band's songwriting.
Her favorite foods are anmitsu and yakiniku; her hobbies are reading and watching sports.
| The "Instruction Manual" on the back of the bonus card for the 『GIRLS BAND CRY』 6th Single "Zattou, Bokura no Machi" |
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Background
Born around 2004, Momoka encountered a song that sparked her interest in music during her late elementary school years, a time when she was most sensitive to new things. This song was likely released on video sites and social media around 2015, the kind of song that only a much more mature Momoka compared to her classmates would be interested in. This is also the origin of all her sense of melody and sound texture.
Around 2017 (middle school), Momoka started using a smartphone and played guitar while listening to songs by niche bands and singers in J-pop. Around 2020 (high school), Momoka began composing music, starting to distinguish between "songs to listen to" and "songs to use as reference" with her ears. In this way, her compositions seemed to aim at surpassing history by writing the fastest BPM. While wanting listeners to immerse themselves in the high-speed feel like VOCALOID songs, she also repeatedly modulated keys to create the kind of high-play-count-oriented sound that can be dazzling. This idea of wanting to depict the history of past rock, jazz, R&B, and EDM with her own notes is the sound that talented female guitarist wanted to express, and it is also the basic concept of "TOGENASHI TOGEARI's" music.
Thus, under the influence of rapidly updating short videos, Momoka fully utilized internet search functions to dig up lingering auditory sensations to create literary-style lyrics, which also contained the passion Momoka has had since she actively delved into music during her adolescence. A new type of girl band that is neither heavy metal nor Shimokita-kei was thus born.
History
Diamond Dust EraWhen she first came into contact with music, she happened to witness a performance by Mine. Hearing her singing voice and seeing her calm attitude as an opening act, Momoka felt the soul of rock from the bottom of her heart and was inspired, deciding to pursue a career in the music industry.  At the age of 17, she dropped out of high school with her friends. Although Nana and the others felt that dropping out was like cutting off their retreat, Momoka, full of confidence in her music, believed that only by doing so would they give it their all. She eventually persuaded them to drop out together and came to Kawasaki from Hokkaido with the goal of reaching the Budokan, forming the band Diamond Dust together. The band's original goal was "for all members to perform together even when they get old," but when seeking further development later on, they were asked to change the band's style and positioning. Although she once accepted wearing idol outfits she didn't want to wear for performances, she ultimately chose to leave the band and perform solo because she couldn't accept such changes. Upon leaving, she also gave the copyrights of the songs to the other members. First Meeting with NinaWhile performing on the street, she met someone who was her fanNina Iseri, and while feeling happy, she sold her record to her. However, because of this, she dragged her into trouble while flipping off other band groups, fleeing from pursuers together with Nina. Because her band activities never took off, she had to work part-time jobs alongside her music activities and decided to return to her hometown, Asahikawa. That day's performance happened to be her last street performance. Later, she took her to her home to stay for a night, but left before Nina woke up, leaving her guitar behind for her. Before leaving Kawasaki, she returned to the spot of yesterday's street performance, saw Nina holding her guitar, and was moved to change her mind. Together with the streetwho were chasing them yesterdayband members Shin Kawasaki (Temporary)During the few days before moving back to her original residence, she shared a bed with Nina and tried to invite her to form a band together, but was rejected by her due to academic reasons. After Nina came to her house to pick up a spare light bulb, she introduced the drummer she had invited,Subaru Awa, and while the three went out to eat together, Nina left early. Momoka and Subaru noticed Nina's emotional instability and went to Nina's home to comfort her. Although she seemingly treats Diamond Dust as a thing of the past and speaks of her departure lightheartedly, in her heart, she has always considered her leaving to be her own responsibility. She argued with Nina when Nina pointed out her inner thoughts (even splashing a drink on Nina during the conversation), and later apologized to Nina while drunk (the targets of the two apologies were different). Meanwhile, Nina designed the uniforms for the next performance at Subaru's suggestion, and seeing the outfits Nina designed brought Momoka some sense of relief. Although she becomes devoted and serious with a musician's intuition when composing songs, constantly aiming to surpass her previous work, she personally cannot overcome the mental hurdle of competing with the members of Diamond Dust. Over time, she has lost confidence in her music, believing that the songs she creates now cannot keep up with the standards of the professional music industry. Consequently, she has never established a clear goal and continuously avoids answering Nina and Subaru's questions regarding the band's objectives. TOGENASHI TOGEARIInvited by her senior colleague Mine for a collaborative performance, she brought the members to Nagano. During rehearsals, she formally explained to everyone that she did not want to pursue a professional band career and intended to make this performance the final live of her career. However, after the live ended, she heard Nina's decision that she would no longer prepare for her entrance exams. In Nina, she sees the shadow of her past self, whether it's the decision not to attend school or cutting off all paths of retreat. She hopes Nina can stay true to herself and keep singing, and because she doesn't want Nina to have the same regrets as her, she takes her to a Diamond Dust concert, hoping the current state of Diamond Dust will make her back down. However, Nina does not want to become a person in Momoka's memories and repeatedly emphasizes the fact that she was redeemed by Momoka's singing. Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of the Diamond Dust members. Momoka tries to run away to avoid facing her former bandmates but is stopped by Nina blocking the car. In the chaotic atmosphere, the three original Diamond Dust members, Nina, and Momoka each express their determination not to lose to one another and declare they will participate in the next music festival. Afterward, she drives Nina back to Kawasaki. Although she is still sulking in the car, she can't help but burst into tears after hearing Nina's words of confession. After returning to normal band activities, the group is scouted by Shiomi Miura, a manager from the Golden Archer agency (who is also a fan of the old Diamond Dust). Momoka communicates with her as the band leader. Although she still judges that the direction of the new Diamond Dust is fine as it is, her attitude is different from before; she decides to keep working hard for the sake of the members, and they soon face the challenge of performing at the music festival. When Nina is being stubborn about not wanting to return to her hometown to see her family, Momoka hits the nail on the head by pointing out that what Nina truly can't let go of is the fact that "her father didn't stand by her side during the school bullying," and states that Nina is not allowed into her home until the matter is resolved. Then Nina, whom no one else could persuade, turns around and goes back to her hometown. Mmk, you're so powerful.While she says that things will work out in the end, she is actually very worried that Nina won't come back, to the point that she was prepared to drive the others to Kumamoto to find her if Nina had returned to Kawasaki even one day later. However, in all probability, the one driving would still be Rupa. |
Trivia
- Fooled the unawareGiving the middle fingerof the meaningNina, making her truly believe that the hand gesture represents the meaning of "thank you."
- Has agaymale roommate, which left Nina deeply shocked.
The one who received the most anonymous letters in the band's anonymous suggestion box (mostly written by Subaru and Nina).[1]- Since she is one of the only two adults in the band, she often drinks with[1]But her alcohol tolerance is lower compared to RUPA, her behavior while drunk is worse, and she doesn't remember what she did after getting drunk. In a drama CD, after getting drunk, she went to a convenience store at 4 AM and bought 12 bottles of expensive mineral water costing 800 yen each, to the point of spending all her part-time job wages.
- Not good at driving manual transmission carsGot a C2 license (wrong), therefore her driving skills are met with all members'
the three little ones'distrust. - Quite afraid of snakes, so she loses her mind when she sees Shaozhu (the snake Tomo keeps). In the drama CD[2], there was also an episode where Shaozhu escaped, leading the members to have to find it before Momoka arrived at the practice room.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Official Bonus "Things I want to change this year: Momoka Kawaragi Edition" setting
- ↑ 5th Drama CD "The Young Master's Escape」