NiziU's Members
山口
真子

Mako

「マコ」

NiziU's Leader

「NiziUのリーダー」
花橋
梨緒

Rio

「リオ」

NiziU's Source of Energy

「NiziUの元気の源」
勝村
摩耶

Maya

「マヤ」

NiziU's Swan

「NiziUの白鳥」
大江
梨久

Riku

「リク」

NiziU's Energetic Squirrel

「NiziUのエネルギッシュなリス」
新井
彩花

Ayaka

「アヤカ」

NiziU's Fluffy Beauty

「NiziUのフワフワビューティー」
小合
麻由佳

Mayuka

「マユカ」

NiziU's Chameleon

「NiziUのカメレオン」
中林
里茉

Rima

「リマ」

NiziU's Charming Voice

「NiziUの魅力的なボイス」
鈴野
未光

Miihi

「ミイヒ」

NiziU's Smile Maker

「NiziUのスマイルメーカー」
ヒルマン
ニナ

Nina

「ニナ」

NiziU's Bright Youngest Member

「NiziUの明るい末っ子」
[Click a member's card to see more info about them]

MAKO YAMAGUCHI

Basic Info
Full Name: Mako Yamaguchi
「山口真子」
Hometown: Yame, Fukuoka, Japan
Birthday: April 4, 2001 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 1645 C
Family:
  • 1 older sister
  • 1 dog (Pana)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Trainee at JYPE for 2 years and 7 months prior to the show
  • Decided to audition for JYP after hearing that a Japanese participant placed 2nd in the 12th JYP open audition
  • Placed 3rd out of 3500 participants in the 13th JYP open audition
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Tokyo
  • Singing: フリージア (Freesia) by Uru
  • Dancing: You're the one by J.Y. Park

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: I'll be back -Japanese ver.- by 2PM
    • Rank: 1
    • Result: Won Dance Cube
  • Singing: 雪の華 (Yuki no Hana) by 中島美嘉 (Mika Nakashima)
    • Rank: 1
    • Result: Won Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Doing calligraphy while eating a lemon and not making a face
    • Result: Received X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (5PM): Again&Again by 2PM
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Ayaka Arai
      • Akari Inoue
      • Moeno Yamashiro
      • Kyoka Taniya
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 1
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

Quotes
  • "お呼びします、ラーメンです！" (tr: Introducing, Ramen!)
    - when introducing Rima into her live on 230210
  • "Margherita ooh! ooh!"

RIO HANABASHI

Basic Info
Full Name: Rio Hanabashi
「花橋梨緒」
Hometown: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
Birthday: February 4, 2002 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 297 C
Family:
  • 1 older brother
  • 3 dogs (Mario, Mariko, Marita)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Was a former member of the trainee group "Bunnies" under EXPG from 2015-2017
  • Became part of the performance unit "KIZZY" as a student of EXPG Lab after the discontinuation of "Bunnies" in 2017
  • Left EXPG Lab in 2019 to pursue acting
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Nagoya
  • Singing: N/A
  • Dancing: 星屑ビーナス (Hoshikuzu Venus) by Aimer

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: Summertime by RIRI, KEIJU, 小袋成彬 (Nariaki Obukuro)
    • Rank: 9
    • Result: Received Dance Cube
  • Singing (short snippet): 雪の華 (Yuki no Hana) by 中島美嘉 (Mika Nakashima)
    • Rank: 13
    • Result: Received Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Dancing
    • Result: Did not win X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (Nizi Girls): Be My Baby -Japanese ver.- by Wonder Girls
    • Teammates:
      • Suzu Ozaki (Team Leader)
      • Momoka Hirai
      • Hina Tanigawa
      • Mei Plunkett
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, Personality
    • Rank: 10
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

Quotes

MAYA KATSUMURA

Basic Info
Full Name: Maya Katsumura
「勝村摩耶」
Hometown: Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan
Birthday: April 8, 2002 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 2084 C
Family:
  • 1 older brother
  • 1 dog (Puu)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Trainee for YG Entertainment in Japan
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Tokyo
  • Singing: N/A
  • Dancing (short snippet): 24 Hours by Sunmi

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Rank: 12
    • Result: Received Dance Cube
  • Singing (short snippet): A -Japanese ver.- by Got7
    • Rank: 12
    • Result: Received Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Reading "The Ugly Duckling" fairy tale with hand-drawn panels
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (miss G): Bad Girl Good Girl by miss A
    • Teammates:
      • Riku Oe (Team Leader)
      • Rima Nakabayashi
      • Ayane Marutani
      • Funa Takaya
      • Rei Ito
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 3
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Touch by miss A
    • Rank: 4
    • Result: Won Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Mr. Mad-eonni): Swing Baby by J.Y. Park
    • Teammates:
      • Mako Yamaguchi (Team Leader)
      • Rio Hanabashi
    • Team Result: Beat Heart Maker team
    • Individual Rank: 1
    • Result: Won Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (Iris): Feel Special by TWICE
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Miihi Suzuno
      • Yuna
      • Akari Inoue
    • Team Rank: 1st
    • Individual Rank: 5
    • Result: Won Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes

RIKU OE

Basic Info
Full Name: Riku Oe
「大江梨久」
Hometown: Kyoto, Japan
Birthday: October 26, 2002 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 2003 C
Family:
  • 1 older brother
Prior to Nizi Project
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Osaka
  • Singing: 星屑ビーナス (Hoshikuzu Venus) by Aimer
  • Dancing: N/A

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing (short snippet): FANCY -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Rank: 6
    • Result: Received Dance Cube
  • Singing: 雪の華 (Yuki no Hana) by 中島美嘉 (Mika Nakashima)
    • Rank: 4
    • Result: Won Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Karate Routine with Again&Again by 2PM playing
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (miss G): Bad Girl Good Girl by miss A
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Rima Nakabayashi
      • Ayane Marutani
      • Maya Katsumura
      • Funa Takaya
      • Rei Ito
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 5
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Who's your mama? (feat. Jessi) by J.Y. Park
    • Rank: 3
    • Result: Won Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Heart Maker): Heart Shaker -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Yuna
      • Momoka Hirai
    • Team Result: Lost to Mr. Mad-eonni team
    • Individual Rank: 4
    • Result: Received Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (2K5): Heartbeat by 2PM
    • Teammates:
      • Mako Yamaguchi(Team Leader)
      • Ayaka Arai
      • Momoka Hirai
      • Mayuka Ogou
    • Team Rank: 3rd
    • Individual Rank: 10
    • Result: Did not receive Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes

AYAKA ARAI

Basic Info
Full Name: Ayaka Arai
「新井彩花」
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Birthday: June 20, 2003 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
White
Family:
  • 1 older sister
Prior to Nizi Project
  • N/A (Someone please let me know if I'm missing something here)
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Tokyo
  • Singing: N/A
  • Dancing: Bad Girl Good Girl by miss A

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Rank: 16
    • Result: Received Dance Cube
  • Singing: One More Time by TWICE
    • Rank: 18
    • Result: Did not receive Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Tennis Skit with Dancing to Cheer Up -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (5PM): Again&Again by 2PM
    • Teammates:
      • Mako Yamaguchi (Team Leader)
      • Akari Inoue
      • Moeno Yamashiro
      • Kyoka Taniya
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 14
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Precious Love by TWICE
    • Rank: 9
    • Result: Received Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Sun Rise): Very Very Very by I.O.I
    • Teammates:
      • Miihi Suzuno (Team Leader)
      • Rima Nakabayashi
    • Team Result: Beat Seaside Fairies team
    • Individual Rank: 7
    • Result: Won Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (2K5): Heartbeat by 2PM
    • Teammates:
      • Mako Yamaguchi(Team Leader)
      • Riku Oe
      • Momoka Hirai
      • Mayuka Ogou
    • Team Rank: 3rd
    • Individual Rank: 12
    • Result: Did not receive Image Cube
  • Finals (Mako Team):
Quotes

MAYUKA OGOU

Basic Info
Full Name: Mayuka Ogou
「小合麻由佳」
Hometown: Kyotonabe, Kyoto, Japan
Birthday: November 13, 2003 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 2239 C
Family:
  • 1 older sister
  • 2 cats (Milan and Bell)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Previously worked at McDonalds
Nizi Project

AUDITION (only Dance portion broadcast on 9 Nizi Stories)

  • Location: Osaka
  • Singing: N/A
  • Dancing: Candy Pop by TWICE

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing (short snippet): DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Rank: 21
    • Result: Did not receive Dance Cube
  • Singing (short snippet): Love Forever by Miliyah Kato feat. Shota Shimizu
    • Rank: 24
    • Result: Did not receive Vocal Cube
  • X Factor (short snippet): Playing 雪の華 (Yuki no Hana) by 中島美嘉 (Mika Nakashima) on Ocarina
    • Result: Did not receive X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (Team DALLA DALLA): Dalla Dalla by ITZY
    • Teammates:
      • Yuna
      • Ririka Kishida
      • Nina Hillman (Team Leader)
      • Erina Hanada
    • Received Dance, Vocal, and X Factor Cubes from this performance
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 13
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Like This by Wonder Girls
    • Rank: 8
    • Result: Received Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Seaside Fairies): Dance the Night Away by TWICE
    • Teammates:
      • Nina Hillman (Team Leader)
      • Riria Ikematsu
      • Akari Inoue
    • Team Result: Lost against Sun Rise team
    • Individual Rank: 11
    • Result: Safe from elimination
  • Image Test (2K5): Heartbeat by 2PM
    • Teammates:
      • Mako Yamaguchi(Team Leader)
      • Riku Oe
      • Momoka Hirai
      • Ayaka Arai
    • Team Rank: 3rd
    • Individual Rank: 3
    • Result: Received Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes

RIMA NAKABAYASHI

Basic Info
Full Name: Rima Nakabayashi
「中林里茉」
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Birthday: March 26, 2004 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 200 C
Family:
  • 2 older brothers
  • 1 older sister
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Trainee at JYPE for 7 months prior to the show
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Tokyo
  • Singing: Irony (with Original Rap) by Wonder Girls
  • Dancing: Bad Girl Good Girl by miss A

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing (short snippet): FANCY -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Rank: 7
    • Result: Received Dance Cube
  • Singing: DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Rank: 7
    • Result: Received Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Playing Drums to One More Time by TWICE
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (miss G): Bad Girl Good Girl by miss A
    • Teammates:
      • Riku Oe (Team Leader)
      • Ayane Marutani
      • Maya Katsumura
      • Funa Takaya
      • Rei Ito
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 4
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Honey by J.Y. Park
    • Rank: 5
    • Result: Received Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Sun Rise): Very Very Very by I.O.I
    • Teammates:
      • Miihi Suzuno (Team Leader)
      • Ayaka Arai
    • Team Result: Beat Seaside Fairies team
    • Individual Rank: 2
    • Result: Won Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (We Bling): ICY by ITZY
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Nina Hillman
      • Rio Hanabashi
      • Riria Ikematsu
    • Team Rank: 2nd
    • Individual Rank: 6
    • Result: Received Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes

MIIHI SUZUNO

Basic Info
Full Name: Miihi Suzuno
「鈴野未光」
Hometown: Kyoto, Japan
Birthday: August 12, 2004 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 203 C
Family:
  • 2 younger sisters
  • 1 dog (Rian)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Scouted at a TWICE concert
  • Trainee at JYPE for 7 months prior to the show
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Tokyo
  • Singing: Precious by 伊藤由奈 (Yuna Ito)
  • Dancing: (not shown) What is Love by TWICE

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: CHEER UP -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Rank: 2
    • Result: Won Dance Cube
  • Singing: 雪の華 (Yuki no Hana) by 中島美嘉 (Mika Nakashima)
    • Rank: 3
    • Result: Won Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Baton Twirling to TT -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (TT Team): TT -Japanese ver.- by TWICE
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Riria Ikematsu
      • Miu Sakurai
      • Kako Oguri
      • Ana Sato
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Dance, Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 2
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Nobody (Rainstone remix) by Wonder Girls
    • Rank: 1
    • Result: Won Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Sun Rise): Very Very Very by I.O.I
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Rima Nakabayashi
      • Ayaka Arai
    • Team Result: Beat Seaside Fairies team
    • Individual Rank: 6
    • Result: Won Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (Iris): Feel Special by TWICE
    • Teammates:
      • Maya Katsumura(Team Leader)
      • Yuna
      • Akari Inoue
    • Team Rank: 1st
    • Individual Rank: 11
    • Result: Won Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes

NINA HILLMAN

Basic Info
Full Name: Nina Makino Hillman
「牧野ヒルマン仁菜」
Hometown: Seattle, Washington, USA
Birthday: February 27, 2005 (22 y.o.)
Member Color:
Pantone 293 C
Family:
  • 1 older sister
  • 2 dogs (Kinako and Mochi)
Prior to Nizi Project
  • Featured as the "future world changer" narrator in the "How will girls change the world" video produced by Cinesaurus
    Link: How will girls change the world.#STEM
  • Played 'Mieu Everest' in the TV series "Divine Shadow" and appeared in 7 episodes from 2016 to 2018.
  • Moved to Japan in 2017 after passing the Amuse Multilingual Audition (lived in Nagoya)
  • Casted as Mai Vlad Transylvania in the film 血ぃともだち (Blood Friends). The movie was filmed in 2018, prior to Nizi Project, but was not released until 2022.
Nizi Project

AUDITION

  • Location: Sendai (because the Nagoya auditions already finished)
  • Singing: Brand New Day by 安田レイ (Rei Yasuda)
  • Dancing: What is Love? -Japanese ver.- by TWICE

TOKYO BOOT CAMP

  • Dancing: DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Rank: 24
    • Result: Did not win Dance Cube
  • Singing: I'll be back -Japanese ver.- by 2PM
    • Rank: 2
    • Result: Won Vocal Cube
  • X Factor: Radio show (included Cheer Up by TWICE)
    • Result: Won X Factor Cube
  • Team Performance (Team DALLA DALLA): DALLA DALLA by ITZY
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Yuna
      • Ririka Kishida
      • Mayuka Ogou
      • Erina Hanada
  • Final Results:
    • Cubes Received: Vocal, X Factor, Personality
    • Rank: 7
    • Advanced to Korea Training Camp

KOREA TRAINING CAMP

  • Individual Level Test: Attention by Charlie Puth
    • Rank: 7
    • Result: Received Growth Cube
  • Teamwork Test (Seaside Fairies): Dance the Night Away by TWICE
    • Team Leader
    • Teammates:
      • Mayuka Ogou
      • Riria Ikematsu
      • Akari Inoue
    • Team Result: Lost against Sun Rise team
    • Individual Rank: 9
    • Result: Received Teamwork Cube
  • Image Test (We Bling): ICY by ITZY
    • Teammates:
      • Rima Nakabayashi (Team Leader)
      • Rio Hanabashi
      • Riria Ikematsu
    • Team Rank: 2nd
    • Individual Rank: 8
    • Result: Received Image Cube
  • Finals (Maya Team):
Quotes
  • "I feel I need to understand where my placement is because if I didn't, then the people around me would get hurt, and the people around me would not think of me as someone who is caring and kind and would not trust me when it came to things that they wanted to trust me with"
    - when asked about staying humble during her Nizi Project audition
  • "It was lit...but like, it passed the vibe check"
    - Dec 12, 2022 IG Live; referring to 2022 MAMA Awards performances
If there are any wrong member facts or if there are any facts/quotes you would like me to add please contact me at rokotastic@gmail.com

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For NiziU's official website, please visit: NiziU Official Website

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