I know I haven't posted one in quite a while, so I want to thank everyone for being patient with me... From college/uni taking up all of my time, to personal matters making me feel less than motivated to write, I'm so glad to finally be writing this blog for all of you~
As you can tell from the title, this is going to be another one of my research-heavy deep dives, so get ready for a long read!
The term gyarusa/gyaru-sa (AKA Gyaru circle, gal-circle/gal-cir, or gal-unit) is, simply put, a group of Gyaru and/or Gyaruo. They can serve a variety of purposes, from simply being a group of friends who hang out to full-blown organizations.
As you can probably guess, there have been nearly countless numbers of gyarusa both in Japan and other countries throughout the years! Because of that, I don't believe this blog will be as comprehensive as I would like... It just simply isn't possible! Some gyarusa simply consisted of a couple of friends and were not documented, and some have been lost to time and exist in name only.
If you look at places like The Gyaru Wiki, you will be able to find a list of group names that lead to little or no information. Although I can now semi-navigate the Japanese-speaking internet, I am but a mere mortal and possess some limitations... I was simply unable to find information about some groups, and the research I was able to conduct only led me to now-deleted or otherwise inaccessible webpages. Sadly, the internet is a fickle thing, and many things have been lost.
So, although I have been vocal about my gripes with The Gyaru Wiki, I must admit that I relied on it quite a bit for this blog. However, I have always been a person who prioritizes doing my own deeper research, so I think I have reached a sufficient middle ground!
One last note before we begin: I'm only going to be focusing on Japanese gyarusa for this blog. There are so many gaijin/overseas gyarusa, and I do truly admire them all, but sadly, there is just not enough information on many of them; therefore, I don't think I could do a discussion about them any justice. That could very well change at any time, though, so I do hope to write a blog about them down the line! Much love to all gaijin/overseas gyarusa~
Anyway, when it comes to Japanese gyarusa... Since so many are inactive, I'm going to try my best to link to as many primary sources as I can. So, prepare for quite a few Wayback Machine links... Sadly, some gyarusa will be very much lacking in information, but I still wanted to showcase them and somehow further archive what little remains, so please bear with me! If you have any additional information or just want to share anything about a certain group, please leave it in the comments!
Some gyarusa also have/had so many members that I just cannot justify naming them all, so I'll be sticking to the prominent members, or any members that are key to any events. If I don't mention a gal that you are a big fan of, please know that my intention was not to ignore them or be shady! And speaking of being shady, some sections will have mentions of drama/rumors, but just know I am largely neutral, and I don't intend to come off as taking sides.
OKAY! Now that we have this beast of an exposition out of the way, we can get into the nitty-gritty~!
~
Black Diamond
Black Diamond, also known as BDia, is perhaps the largest gyarusa ever. Founded in 2012, the goal of Black Diamond was to revive Gyaru in Japan and, most notably, achieve Gyaru world domination. It was created by Tsuyoshi Asano, otherwise known as Pontsuyo, and it began as a blog ring (i.e., a place for gals on blogging sites to promote each other) on Crooz.
There were over 130 members in all 47 prefectures, including international members. The group was made up of Kuro gyaru, as you can see by their extreme tans. They would host events in Shibuya once a month. The group was led by 3 main leaders, as well as advisors and regional leaders. The main leaders were Pomitan, Ho-chan, and Harutamu.
Harutamu was very active in the group and was considered the face of Black Diamond. She was featured on many YouTube channels and on TV, and produced a clothing brand called GALEO, which was very closely associated with the group. She faced immense backlash after undergoing cosmetic procedures, as well as for changing her Kuro gal style and favoring Shiro gal aesthetics. Despite this, she remained affiliated with the group until 2019.
The group itself would achieve remarkable success. They released two singles and formed an idol group called Black Diamond -from 2000- in 2018. They also opened a cafe/tourist destination in Shibuya called Ganguro Cafe in 2015, where many of the members worked. The group had a sister gyarusa called GeNEX. Several members would appear in magazines (such as egg), on TV and film, and on popular YouTube channels. Select members (Harutamu, Pomitan, Rise, Erimokkori, and Mayuchibi) also travelled to the United States in 2014 to perform at San Francisco's J-Pop Summit.
Pontsuyo himself was (is?) a very shady individual. Once Bdia stepped away from being solely a blog ring, he began treating the gals and the group as his money makers. He would blatantly exploit them by having them go on TV, give interviews, travel, etc., almost constantly, and that exploitation was allegedly not limited to just the gal's time, money, and labor (meaning there was allegedly an element of sexual exploitation, as well). From what I can tell, he was not well-liked in the larger gyaru space or by gals not associated with Bdia, or by Bdia members themselves, for that matter. As I mentioned earlier, Black Diamond also had some international members. In 2012, Black Diamond International (BDI) was launched. An Ameba blog was created for the New York branch, but it was quickly abandoned in favor of the Crooz blog. BDI did not last for more than a few months, and for all intents and purposes, flopped. International members were not treated well by Pontsuyo in many ways, and it is clear to me that he also intended to exploit the members. An excellent blog post by one BDI member can be read here, and it details her less-than-stellar experience with Pontsuyo.
One of the most well-known and infamous international members, however, was Barbie. She was novel in the sense that she moved to Japan to join the group and was a Black American member. It is alleged that she slept with Pontsuyo in order to join the group, and it appears that she was not well-liked by the other members for a multitude of reasons (general unkindness, refusing to learn Japanese, and more). There are also allegations of her attempting to commit visa fraud to remain in Japan and participating in scams across multiple communities. There is a plethora of information about her online, but do be careful when seeking it out. A lot of the discussion around her boils down to blatant racist attacks, not good-faith critiques of her behavior.
In 2018, Ganguro Cafe ended its operation, and it seems group activity ended as a whole in 2019. Black Diamond -from 2000- would stick around for a bit longer, but would eventually disband in 2021. Some of the members have moved on from Gyaru entirely, but others still engage with the lifestyle and pursue careers as gals.
Although Black Diamond was and is incredibly influential in the realm of Gyaru, it is not free from critique or criticism. From the infighting, drama, and shady activities carried out by those in charge, to the argument that Black Diamond did more harm to Gyaru than good, one thing is for sure: They certainly made a lasting impact on Gyaru.
Black Diamond, 2012
GeNEX members, date unknown
Black Diamond's Crooz blog (Wayback Machine) - X
Black Diamond New York Ameblo - X
Black Diamond's Twitter account - X
Black Diamond's Instagram account - X
Black Diamond's Facebook page - X
Angeleek
Angeleek, also known simply as Ange, was formed in 2001 by Yukiko Kojima and was the biggest gyarusa of its era. The name is a play on the French word angélique (angelic). Angeleek operated on an idol-type generation system, wherein members would be a part of "generations" and would graduate after a period. Members would typically be recruited/join around age 15, and would graduate when they graduated high school. The first generation had 11 founding members, with Yukiko serving as the leader, and they would graduate in 2002, with the 2nd generation following close behind. From here, the generations would become bigger and bigger, amassing more members with each graduation.
They were incredibly popular, especially for the time, and known for hosting events. The group was often featured on TV, and appeared in egg magazine and other Gyaru publications. They also published their own magazine called Ange. They, specifically Angeleek's 5th generation, were also responsible for creating and pioneering the Banba (Barbie Manba) style, which was featured in the magazine Ranzuki in 2005. Angeleek was also briefly mentioned in the book Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook.
Today, the group holds almost mythological status. Their sheer amount of exposure during their heyday makes finding primary sources about them relatively easy, and the group enjoyed a small amount of virality when their famous rules list, featured in Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno, gained traction online. Sadly, the list is now widely understood to be a hoax, but it still periodically goes viral online. There are also stories of them saving their young members from compensated dating (enjo kosai), bursting into clubs to save young girls from predatory men. There is little proof on this, which leaves me unable to verify it, but this only added to the "strong" mindset/image they wanted to portray (as seen by their trademark "strong arm" pose). Many famous gals came from Angeleek as well, such as Gehako and Kyon, 10th and 7th generation members, respectively. I wrote about them both in this blog.
Angeleek would have a big presence in the gyaru scene until 2009, when it is assumed the group quietly disbanded after 10 generations. In 2015, they held a one-night-only event that served as a reunion of sorts. The group was presumed forever inactive until 2025, when the official Angeleek Instagram account was made, and a post announced its revival/comeback. The group is now in its 11th generation, being led by Taku-chan (which makes him Angeleek's first-ever Gyaruo member, to my knowledge).
This generation also introduced the controversial Angeleek Youth group, which includes members at least 10 years old, possibly even younger. This is just one of a plethora of criticisms that Angeleek has drawn over the years. Sadly, Gyaru seems to be a hotbed for "child influencers" in Japan, so it is sad to see Angeleek engaging in the exploitation of children when the group once had a reputation for saving children from such things. All this to say, it remains to be seen if the 11th generation will forever tarnish Angeleek's reputation, or if it will once again become a Gyaru powerhouse.
Angeleek, 2025
Angeleek's webpage (Wayback Machine, 2009) - X
Angeleek's Instagram account - X
Angeleek's Instagram account - X
Charasen
Charasen, formally known as D.O.G. GALS, was formed in August of 2008. The founding member and leader was Adachi Erika. According to their blog, they described their gyarusa as:
"We're a large circle for girls aged 18-21. We have all kinds of girls, including university students, vocational school students, freelance girls, older sisters, and casual types.
Our main activities are... On Thursdays, we have meetings in Shibuya to talk about events and tours, and just hang out. We also plan everything ourselves from scratch, including solo events, joint tour events, and retirement ceremonies. If you want to make memories and friends, leave it to Charasen (*´艸`) We're easy to get along with♪
The only requirements are... No girls without manners and common sense. You must participate in our weekly meetings. Let's have a fun circle life together with us, Charasen ( *´∀`)ノ⌒ ★ +゜"
Similar to Angeleek, Charasen also operated on a generation system. Unlike Angeleek, however, Charasen's generations lasted considerably longer, with the 1st generation lasting from 2003 to 2007. Graduations were also referred to as "retirements." According to one of their webpages, they were recruiting 6th generation members in 2011, but I was unable to find any further information on that, so the definitive number of generations is unknown to me. I was unable to find much more information than this, unfortunately.
D.O.G. GALS webpage (Wayback Machine, 2006-2008) - X
Charasen's webpage (Wayback Machine, 2009-2011) - 1 2
Charasen info page (Wayback Machine) - X
Image slideshow - X
Charasen, formally known as D.O.G. GALS, was formed in August of 2008. The founding member and leader was Adachi Erika. According to their blog, they described their gyarusa as:
"We're a large circle for girls aged 18-21. We have all kinds of girls, including university students, vocational school students, freelance girls, older sisters, and casual types.
Our main activities are... On Thursdays, we have meetings in Shibuya to talk about events and tours, and just hang out. We also plan everything ourselves from scratch, including solo events, joint tour events, and retirement ceremonies. If you want to make memories and friends, leave it to Charasen (*´艸`) We're easy to get along with♪
The only requirements are... No girls without manners and common sense. You must participate in our weekly meetings. Let's have a fun circle life together with us, Charasen ( *´∀`)ノ⌒ ★ +゜"
Similar to Angeleek, Charasen also operated on a generation system. Unlike Angeleek, however, Charasen's generations lasted considerably longer, with the 1st generation lasting from 2003 to 2007. Graduations were also referred to as "retirements." According to one of their webpages, they were recruiting 6th generation members in 2011, but I was unable to find any further information on that, so the definitive number of generations is unknown to me. I was unable to find much more information than this, unfortunately.
Charasen, date unknown
D.O.G. GALS webpage (Wayback Machine, 2006-2008) - X
Charasen's webpage (Wayback Machine, 2009-2011) - 1 2
Charasen info page (Wayback Machine) - X
Image slideshow - X
Gonguro 3 Kyoudai with U (ゴングロ三兄弟 with U)
If you remember my Ogyaru Crash Course, then you might recognize the name of this gyarusa. This unit was started and led by the Gyaru icon Buriteri when she modeled for egg magazine, and it consisted of 4 members: Buriteri, Fumiko, Akokichi, and Yukka Mizuno (often simply referred to as Yukka/U, and where the "U" in the name comes from). Gonguro 3 Kyoudai or Gonguro San Kyoudai translates to "the three blackface sisters," and, unfortunate name aside, the members became like sisters as they were the first to go all in on the Ganguro/Gonguro style and became very close. They were written about in Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook, and Yukka Mizuno was interviewed about her experiences with the Gonguro style and with Buriteri. I covered their history extensively in my Ogyaru blog, which can be read here. To make a long story short, though, after much ridicule from onlookers, the group decided to cease engaging with Gyaru entirely shortly after the unit was formed. Despite their short-lived popularity, these gals cemented themselves as Gyaru icons for decades to come.
If you remember my Ogyaru Crash Course, then you might recognize the name of this gyarusa. This unit was started and led by the Gyaru icon Buriteri when she modeled for egg magazine, and it consisted of 4 members: Buriteri, Fumiko, Akokichi, and Yukka Mizuno (often simply referred to as Yukka/U, and where the "U" in the name comes from). Gonguro 3 Kyoudai or Gonguro San Kyoudai translates to "the three blackface sisters," and, unfortunate name aside, the members became like sisters as they were the first to go all in on the Ganguro/Gonguro style and became very close. They were written about in Japanese Schoolgirl Inferno: Tokyo Teen Fashion Subculture Handbook, and Yukka Mizuno was interviewed about her experiences with the Gonguro style and with Buriteri. I covered their history extensively in my Ogyaru blog, which can be read here. To make a long story short, though, after much ridicule from onlookers, the group decided to cease engaging with Gyaru entirely shortly after the unit was formed. Despite their short-lived popularity, these gals cemented themselves as Gyaru icons for decades to come.
Gonguro 3 Kyoudai with U, ~2000
НЯК
НЯК, pronounced "Hark" and also known as HЯK ~trace view~, was formed on October 23, 2003. According to their webpage in 2004, the history of the group is as follows:
"The History of HЯK
2003.10.23
HЯK ~trace view~ was formed
At first, it was just a group of 7 friends from Atomi, but everyone was so casual that it was just the name HЯK.
11.9
By chance, they met Kazuyuki from CITY CORAL.
2004.7.3
They participated in an event that attracted over 700 people, and after one year of being formed,
2004.00.11.2004
They launched НЯКTRANCE. And today, leading a total of 13 members, the strongest group that continues to work to build an era in the club and music industries...that is НЯК"
НЯК was one of the largest gyarusa in Shibuya with 30 members, and they were known for hosting events that would garner a lot of attendees. It appears that, similar to Angeleek, they also operated on a generation system, as they would have their first graduation/retirement ceremony in 2005. New members would also join via recruitment. In 2007, they started their sister group, HЯK ~youth~, which consisted of Kogyaru in their 1st or 2nd years of high school. In 2009, the 3rd generation was retiring and recruitment for the 4th generation was on-going, but I was unable to confirm the official number of generations for HЯK ~youth~. By 2013, HЯK ~trace view~ was recruiting 10th and 11th generation members and HЯK ~youth~ was still active. After 2013, however, it looks like both HЯK ~trace view~ and HЯK ~youth~ became inactive.
НЯК, pronounced "Hark" and also known as HЯK ~trace view~, was formed on October 23, 2003. According to their webpage in 2004, the history of the group is as follows:
"The History of HЯK
2003.10.23
HЯK ~trace view~ was formed
At first, it was just a group of 7 friends from Atomi, but everyone was so casual that it was just the name HЯK.
11.9
By chance, they met Kazuyuki from CITY CORAL.
2004.7.3
They participated in an event that attracted over 700 people, and after one year of being formed,
2004.00.11.2004
They launched НЯКTRANCE. And today, leading a total of 13 members, the strongest group that continues to work to build an era in the club and music industries...that is НЯК"
НЯК was one of the largest gyarusa in Shibuya with 30 members, and they were known for hosting events that would garner a lot of attendees. It appears that, similar to Angeleek, they also operated on a generation system, as they would have their first graduation/retirement ceremony in 2005. New members would also join via recruitment. In 2007, they started their sister group, HЯK ~youth~, which consisted of Kogyaru in their 1st or 2nd years of high school. In 2009, the 3rd generation was retiring and recruitment for the 4th generation was on-going, but I was unable to confirm the official number of generations for HЯK ~youth~. By 2013, HЯK ~trace view~ was recruiting 10th and 11th generation members and HЯK ~youth~ was still active. After 2013, however, it looks like both HЯK ~trace view~ and HЯK ~youth~ became inactive.
HЯK ~trace view~, date unknown
HЯK ~youth~, ~2009
History page (Wayback Machine) - X
HЯK ~trace view~ webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
HЯK ~youth~ webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
~
~MINI SECTION~
The following gyarusa are ones that I really wanted to include, but I couldn't find any concrete information on. So many of these gyarusa have been so influential on Gyaru that I couldn't stand not adding them, even if all I had was a photo or two. Rest assured, I will try my best to find additional information and add it at a later date, but please enjoy this mini section nonetheless!
SplendeeD
Image slideshow - X
HЯK ~trace view~ webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
HЯK ~youth~ webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
~
~MINI SECTION~
The following gyarusa are ones that I really wanted to include, but I couldn't find any concrete information on. So many of these gyarusa have been so influential on Gyaru that I couldn't stand not adding them, even if all I had was a photo or two. Rest assured, I will try my best to find additional information and add it at a later date, but please enjoy this mini section nonetheless!
SplendeeD
Image slideshow - X
ViViD
Kleak
Bunny Girl
Information on them is severely lacking, but they were featured on a TV show in 2006. Something a bit funny to note is that Angeleek called the behavior of these gals, particularly sitting on the ground, "disgraceful" in the same program. So, a bit interesting that they were known by the Angeleek gals!
Information on them is severely lacking, but they were featured on a TV show in 2006. Something a bit funny to note is that Angeleek called the behavior of these gals, particularly sitting on the ground, "disgraceful" in the same program. So, a bit interesting that they were known by the Angeleek gals!
Bunny Girl members, 2006
Rainbow Run Baba (れいんぼるん婆)
I'm unsure if the name of this gyarusa translates correctly, but this was a co-ed gyarusa, particularly for Manba/Yamanba gals and guys based in Chiba. Tomonya from Angeleek's 10th generation was a member, and they also had a brother group called POSEIDON (more about them below). As of 2009, they had 58 gal members and 41 guy members.
I'm unsure if the name of this gyarusa translates correctly, but this was a co-ed gyarusa, particularly for Manba/Yamanba gals and guys based in Chiba. Tomonya from Angeleek's 10th generation was a member, and they also had a brother group called POSEIDON (more about them below). As of 2009, they had 58 gal members and 41 guy members.
Rainbow Run Baba members, 2009
POSEIDON
POSEIDON was founded in 2006, and similar to Rainbow Run Baba, POSEIDON was also a co-ed group and based in Chiba. From what I can tell, however, it boasted more guy members than gal members.
POSEIDON's webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
POSEIDON was founded in 2006, and similar to Rainbow Run Baba, POSEIDON was also a co-ed group and based in Chiba. From what I can tell, however, it boasted more guy members than gal members.
POSEIDON's webpage (Wayback Machine) - X
G.U.Y
I have since lost the evidence of this claim, but G.U.Y. was either an offshoot of POSEIDON or otherwise closely affiliated with them. Take this with a grain of salt, however. I do know that Gehako of Angeleek was also a member of G.U.Y. I was unable to find any photos.
~
Take a sigh of relief, everyone! It is finished! I'm so happy to finally have this blog ready for you all to read, since it was really giving me some trouble for a while. I had to take a step back and re-evaluate more than a few times, but I think I'm satisfied with the finished result~ I hope everyone else is as well~ If anyone has any information about any of the gyarusa I mentioned, or if you just have something you'd like to add or feel like I missed, please do not hesitate to leave it in the comments! It seriously felt like I was learning new information at every turn when I was researching, but I know for a fact that there is so much I didn't even touch on... Such are the woes of poor internet archiving and language barriers... Anyway, feel free to comment whatever else your heart desires! I always love receiving feedback, suggestions, anything really! Comments from you guys really make writing these blogs feel worth it to me~ I am also heavily encouraging topic suggestions for future blogs, so if you have some, lay them on me! I have no clue what the next blog will be about, but it will most definitely be something less research-heavy and less intense of a read, so please look forward to it~ Thank you all again for reading this far, and for putting up with my abysmal posting schedule... Your patience and support mean the world to me~
Remember, Antama loves you~!
Kiss kiss~ ☆⌒ヽ(*'､^*)chu
I have since lost the evidence of this claim, but G.U.Y. was either an offshoot of POSEIDON or otherwise closely affiliated with them. Take this with a grain of salt, however. I do know that Gehako of Angeleek was also a member of G.U.Y. I was unable to find any photos.
~
Take a sigh of relief, everyone! It is finished! I'm so happy to finally have this blog ready for you all to read, since it was really giving me some trouble for a while. I had to take a step back and re-evaluate more than a few times, but I think I'm satisfied with the finished result~ I hope everyone else is as well~ If anyone has any information about any of the gyarusa I mentioned, or if you just have something you'd like to add or feel like I missed, please do not hesitate to leave it in the comments! It seriously felt like I was learning new information at every turn when I was researching, but I know for a fact that there is so much I didn't even touch on... Such are the woes of poor internet archiving and language barriers... Anyway, feel free to comment whatever else your heart desires! I always love receiving feedback, suggestions, anything really! Comments from you guys really make writing these blogs feel worth it to me~ I am also heavily encouraging topic suggestions for future blogs, so if you have some, lay them on me! I have no clue what the next blog will be about, but it will most definitely be something less research-heavy and less intense of a read, so please look forward to it~ Thank you all again for reading this far, and for putting up with my abysmal posting schedule... Your patience and support mean the world to me~
Remember, Antama loves you~!
Kiss kiss~ ☆⌒ヽ(*'､^*)chu
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