MCZ Will Not Perform at New Major Idol Festival
TV Asahi has announced a new girls idol festival, "GIFT - Girls Idol Festival Tokyo."
The three-day festival will be held from Friday, November 27 to Sunday, November 29 at SGC HALL ARIAKE inside Tokyo Dream Park and the adjacent TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO. It will be a large-scale festival that allows fans to move between venues.
On Day 1, November 27, only SGC HALL ARIAKE will be used, while both venues will be used on Days 2 and 3. A total of 20 acts will perform, including major names such as Nogizaka46, =LOVE, FRUITS ZIPPER, Morning Musume'26, AKB48, and Hinatazaka46.
From Stardust Promotion's Sta-Pla lineup, Momoiro Clover Z's sister groups Cho Tokimeki Sendenbu and Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku will perform.
However, MCZ, which is also part of Stardust Planet, is not included in the lineup.
Momoiro Clover Z has maintained a close relationship with TV Asahi for many years, having had several long-running shows on the network, including "Momoclo-Chan," which began in 2010, as well as "Momoclo-chan to!" and "Ohayou! Momoclo-Chan."
The new festival comes shortly after those programs all ended in spring 2026, yet MCZ will not be participating.
Among Mononofus, the prevailing theory is that the reason for their absence is a scheduling conflict with their Christmas tour, "Momoclo Delivery." The tour is being held nationwide from October 30 through December, with a show scheduled at the Fukuoka Civic Hall Grand Hall on Friday, November 27.
Since that performance falls on exactly the same day as the festival's opening day, it is believed that MCZ may have been unable to participate due to their schedule.
Following the announcement, comments such as "What is TV Asahi thinking?" and "An idol festival without Momoclo..." appeared on X, with many posts from Mononofu expressing disappointment.
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