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Ae! Group
Japanese idol boy band From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ae! Group (Aぇ! group) (stylized as Ae! group) is a Japanese quintet boy band under Starto Entertainment, formed by Johnny & Associates on February 18, 2019.[1] Their debut single, "A-Beginning", was released on May 15, 2024. They are signed under Universal Music Japan sub-label UJ.[2]
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History
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Ae! Group is produced by Super Eight's You Yokoyama.[3] The group's formation was first announced through Johnny's web on February 18, 2019. It consisted of six members who all come from Kansai region. Johnny Kitagawa named the group hoping the six of them would become an excellent group.[4] Their name is read as ee group (ええグループ), which is the Kansai dialect for "good group." Like Super Eight, the group also occasionally performs as a band as well including skits in their concerts.[5]
On December 30, 2023, Starto Entertainment announced that it had terminated its contract with Taisei Fukumoto for breaking violation of the company's regulatory compliance.[6]
On March 16, 2024, through the group's concert "Ae! group A-ttouteki Fan Daikanshasai in Kyocera Dome Osaka ~Minna Honma ni Arigatou~", the group announced their major debut on May 15, 2024, having been informed about it half a year prior by the agency's COO Yoshihiko Inohara and Tadayoshi Okura, who is in largely involved with management of agency's trainees at Kansai region. The group's debut was decided before Fukumoto's departure. Group leader Ken Kojima commented his frustration and hoping he could go back when there was 6 of them, but would do what he had to and continue moving forward with the remaining 5 members. Their debut was under label Universal Music Japan with single "A-Beginning." Ae! group's marks the first group debut for Starto Entertainment.[7][8] Ae! Group is the fifth group in Kansai region of the agency to make an official debut after KinKi Kids, Super Eight, West, and Naniwa Danshi.
To commemorate their debut on May 15, the group announced a surprise event in Dotonbori's Tombori River walk at Osaka the day before.[9]
Post-debut
In September, 2024, the group is announced to be joining Kamigata Boyz, a collaboration unit between the Kansai-origin groups of Starto Entertainment. Ae! Group will be participating starting unit's second digital single, Sekai o Akaruku Terashimashou (世界を明るく照らしましょう) which was released on September 18.[10]
A Japanese dubbed version of the movie New Gods: Yang Jian is scheduled to be released in Japanese theaters on March 21, 2025, under the name "Youzen". It will have member Masaya Sano voicing Youzen, one of the main characters, a bounty hunter who has lost his "divine power", and Toshiki Masuda as Jinkou, a boy who stole "divine power". The group will sing "ROCK'NPOP", which is included in their 1st ALBUM "D.N.A", as the movie's theme song.[11][12]
In June 2025, the group were announced to cast in the sequel live action movie of Osomatsu-san; Snow Man starred in the previous movie. Suezawa, Masakado, Sano, Kojima, and Kusama are reported to star as Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, and Juushimatsu, respectively. Kansai Junior trainee Takuya Nishimura will star as Todomatsu.[13]
In August, the group announced their new regular program for FujiTV slot titled Ae! Group no Q & Ae!. The program is the group's first to air on Kanto region and is scheduled to broadcast from October.[14]
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Members
Member list and the musical instrument they are in charge of during band performance.[5]
- Yoshinori Masakado (正門 良規, Masakado Yoshinori) — Guitar
- Seiya Suezawa (末澤 誠也, Suezawa Seiya) — Lead vocal
- Keita Richard Kusama (草間 リチャード 敬太, Kusama Richādo Keita) — Saxophone & bass
- Ken Kojima (小島 健, Kojima Ken) — leader;[15] keyboard
- Masaya Sano (佐野 晶哉, Sano Masaya) — Drum
Former members
- Taisei Fukumoto (福本 大晴, Fukumoto Taisei) — formerly bass, left on December 30, 2023[6]
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Discography
Studio albums
Singles
Video albums
Tie-ins
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Solo concert
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Filmography
Documentary
Notes
References
External links
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