Ae! Group (Aぇ! group) (stylized as Ae! group) is a Japanese quintet boy band formed by Smile-Up 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]
Ae! Group Aぇ! group | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Japan |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Labels | UJ |
| Members |
|
| Past members | Taisei Fukumoto |
| Website | Universal Music Japan |
History
editAe! 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 6 member who all come from Kansai region. Johnny Kitagawa named the group hoping the 6 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 using musical instrument as well including skits in their concerts.
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.[5]
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.[6][7] 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.[8]
Post-debut
editIn 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.[9]
Members
edit- Yoshinori Masakado (正門 良規, Masakado Yoshinori)
- Seiya Suezawa (末澤 誠也, Suezawa Seiya)
- Keita Richard Kusama (草間 リチャード 敬太, Kusama Richādo Keita)
- Ken Kojima (小島 健, Kojima Ken) — leader
- Masaya Sano (佐野 晶哉, Sano Masaya)
Former members
edit- Taisei Fukumoto (福本 大晴, Fukumoto Taisei)
Discography
editSingles
edit| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Albums | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [10] |
JPN Comb. [11] |
JPN Hot [12] | ||||
| "A-Beginning" | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
|
Non-album single |
| "Gotta Be" | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| ||
Video albums
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Nishi Kara Ae! Kaze Fuitemasu! ~Otento-sama mo Mitekuretemasunen Live 2022~ |
|
Tie-ins
edit| Title | Tie-in(s) | Album | Note | Note 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junjou Path Finder (純情パスファインダー) |
Theme song for TV drama Kaettekitara Ippai Shite.[16] | Ken Kojima lead role | Pre-debut songs | |
| +You | Theme song for MBS/TBS TV program Saturday Plus[17] | Yoshinori Masakado regular guest | ||
| Never end | Theme song for TV drama Rikon Kouya[18] | Masaya Sano lead role |
Solo concert
edit| Year | Title | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Ae! group First Live Tour 2019 ~Boku-tachi ga Yacchatte Ae!ndesuka? (Aぇ! group First Live Tour 2019〜ボクたちがやっちゃってAぇ!んですか?〜) |
Pre-debut |
| 2020 | Aぇ! group Zepp LIVE 2020 STARTING NOW 413 | |
| 2022 | Nishi Kara Ae! Kaze Fuitemasu! ~Otento-sama mo Mitekuretemasunen Live 2022~ (西からAぇ! 風吹いてます！〜おてんと様も見てくれてますねん LIVE2022〜) | |
| 2023 | A!!!!!! to Odoroki Zenkoku Tour 2023 (Aッ!!!!!!と驚き全国ツアー2023) | |
| 2024 | A-ttouteki Fan Daikanshasai in Kyocera Dome Osaka ~Minna Honma ni Arigatou~ (Aッ倒的ファン大感謝祭in京セラドーム大阪 〜みんなホンマにありがとう〜) | |
| Ae! group Debut Tour ~Sekai de Ichiban Ae Live~ (Aぇ! group Debut Tour 〜世界で１番AぇLIVE〜) |
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "関西ジャニーズJr.新ユニット"Aぇ! group"誕生 関ジャニ∞横山裕プロデュースで東京公演開催＜本人コメント＞ - モデルプレス". モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). 2019-02-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ "Aぇ! group ユニバーサル ミュージックよりデビュー決定︕Debut Single「《A》BEGINNING」5月15日(⽔)リリース決定！". Aぇ! group (in Japanese). 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ "関西ジャニーズJr.新ユニット"Aぇ! group"誕生 関ジャニ∞横山裕プロデュースで東京公演開催＜本人コメント＞". modelpress (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ INC, SANKEI DIGITAL (2019-04-22). "ギャグにバンドにええ感じ！Ａぇ！ｇｒｏｕｐ、初単独公演千秋楽". サンスポ (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
- ^ "弊社所属タレント福本大晴（Aぇ! group）に関するご報告 | 株式会社SMILE-UP". www.smile-up.inc (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Aぇ! group、5・15にCDデビュー決定 初の京セラD単独イベントで発表、5万人が悲鳴". ORICON NEWS. 2024-03-17. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Ａぇ！group、デビューの知らせは半年前 昨年末から新体制で気持ち新た「6人時代があってこその5人」". ORICON NEWS. 2024-03-17. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Aぇ! group、サプライズイベント開催を1時間前告知 15日にデビュー控える". Model Press (in Japanese). 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ "KAMIGATA BOYZ オフィシャルサイト". KAMIGATA BOYZ オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-09-17.
- ^ "Aぇ! groupのシングル売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ "Aぇ! groupの合算シングル売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
- ^ Peaks on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
- "A-Beginning": "A-Beginning". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- "Gotta Be": "Gotta Be". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2024年05月13日～2024年05月19日 [Oricon Weekly Single Ranking May 13, 2024 – May 19, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2024年10月07日～2024年10月13日 [Oricon Weekly Single Ranking October 7, 2024 – October 13, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ "西からAぇ!風吹いてます！ ～おてんと様も見てくれてますねん LIVE 2022～｜ジュニア｜Storm Labels". Storm Labels OFFICIAL SITE (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ "Aぇ! group初のドラマ主題歌決定 『帰ってきたらいっぱいして。』小島健×浅川梨奈の色気たっぷりビジュアル＆予告も公開". ORICON NEWS. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Aぇ! group、初のドラマ主題歌はどんな曲？ テーマソング連続起用で増すグループの勢い". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "2nd Single「Gotta Be」に、佐野 晶哉 主演ABCテレビ・テレビ朝日ドラマL枠「離婚後夜」の主題歌、「Never End」の収録決定！". Aぇ! group (in Japanese). 2024-08-26. Retrieved 2024-09-01.