AOP

AOP (Anime "Katte ni" Ouen Project, アニメ"勝手に"応援プロジェクト), also abbreviated as AOP (A応P), was a Japanese idol group from Japan formed in 2012 and introduced at Tokyo Game Show 2012. Produced by Nikkei Entertainment! within the Anime "Katte ni" Ouen Project, which was launched with the anime channel AT-X, the group was created to recommend anime and discuss its appeal points through TV, radio, magazines, events, and the Internet. AOP began its recording career with the single "Never Say Never/Ari no Mama MY WAY (Never Say Never / アリノママMY WAY)," released on April 5, 2013. AOP became closely associated with anime songs in the middle of the decade. "Hanamaru Pippi wa Yoiko dake (はなまるぴっぴはよいこだけ)" was the group's first anime tie-in under the AOP name as the opening theme for "Osomatsu-san", followed by "Zenryoku Batankyuu! (全力バタンキュー！)" for the same series; the latter gave the group its first No. 2 placing on the Oricon weekly singles chart, and AOP received the Special Award at the 10th Seiyu Awards in 2016. The group later performed "Another World" for "Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni" and "Kaze Fukeba Tsukiyo no Hate ni (風吹けば月夜の果てに)" for "Tsugumomo". The lineup changed several times. Members during the group's run included Yuuki Hirose (広瀬 ゆうき), Aoi Mizuki (水希 蒼), and Eriko Kawakami; after the creation of AOP ZERO in 2017, Yuuna Asahi (旭 優奈), Hinaki Kudou (工藤ひなき), Rin Kojima (小嶋 凛), Yukina Tsutsumi (堤 雪菜), Non Harusaki (春咲 暖), and Seena Hoshiki (星希 成奏) officially joined the main group. Former members included Marina Amane (天音 まりな), Yuriko Hizaki (樋崎 悠里子), Misae Komori (小森 未彩), Saori Ogino (荻野 沙織), Risa Sakurana (桜奈 里彩), Saki Shimizukawa (清水川 沙季), Yui Fukuo (福緒 唯), and Kei Tomoe (巴 奎依). AOP ended its activity on March 31, 2021.