Unintentional Changes Affecting Travis Japan and Ae! Group

The “Johnny’s” empire has completely collapsed due to the sexual assault scandal involving the late founder, Johnny Kitagawa. The former Johnny’s changed its name to SMILE-UP. in October last year, and the management and training of its talents were taken over by a new company, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT, in April this year.

In October 2010, before the sexual assault issue was brought to the attention of the public, the seven-member “Travis Japan” (hereafter referred to as “Traja”) was launched, and in May of this year, after the new organization was established, the five-member “Ae! group (hereinafter referred to as “E-Guru”) debuted in May of this year. However, both groups seem to have had their own “miscalculations” in their debut.

Toraja went to California to study dance indefinitely and signed a contract with Capitol Records in the U.S., becoming the first Johnny’s group to make a major international debut. The goal was to expand globally.

However, Hideaki Takizawa, 42, who produced Toraja’s debut and was vice president of the former Johnny’s at the time, left the company at the end of October 2010, as if to see the debut through. He launched a new agency, TOBE. Furthermore, the issue of Janney’s sexual assault was picked up by foreign media, which set back the company’s global expansion.

E-Guru was unofficially appointed as a special supporter for last year’s “World Cup Volleyball 2023,” which was broadcast exclusively by Fuji Television. At the same time, they were scheduled to make their debut with the theme song for the tournament, but due to problems with Mr. Janney, the participating countries said “no” to the project and all plans were scrapped. At the end of last year, popular member Oharu Fukumoto (24) had his contract with the office terminated for noncompliance and left the group.

Toraja was the first group in the history of the former Johnny’s to distribute its debut song “JUST DANCE! Their album “Road to A” released last December was their first CD. On the other hand, “A” BEGINNING, their CD debut released in May of this year, sold 625,000 copies in its first week of release. It was ranked No. 1 in the newcomer ranking in the sales category by artist in the “Oricon First Half Year Ranking 2024,” …….

Many artists are now releasing digital versions for distribution only, but fans of the old Johnny’s group have made it a part of their guessing routine to collect every CD released by their favorite group. Therefore, CD sales can be considered a barometer of popularity, and Toraja’s first album sold about 150,000 copies in its first week of release. Despite being only a year or so after their debut, Toraja’s popularity has already begun to wane, and they are in a difficult situation.

Eiguru has announced the release of its second single, “Gotta Be,” on October 9. The second single will probably determine the current popularity of the group.

Among Toraja members, Genta Matsuda (25) is a regular on Fuji Television’s daytime information program “Poka Poka” on Mondays, and is also an actor, appearing in the station’s Friday 9 slot drama “Billion X School” starring Ryosuke Yamada (31) of “Hey! Say!

In E-Guru, Yoshinori Shomon (27) is the MC of the Saturday morning information program “Saturday Plus” on MBS and TBS, and Richard Keita Kusama (28) is the MC of Nippon Television’s “The! DASH! DASH!” on NTV and “Lavit! DASH!” on Nippon Television Network Corporation and “Lavit! Although both groups are individually active, they seem to be struggling to market themselves, as the situation has completely changed from the days when the former Johnny’s office built its “empire” in the entertainment world.

Before the sexual assault by Mr. Johnny’s caused a stir, it was difficult for boy groups other than Johnny’s to appear on music programs, especially on TV Asahi’s music program “Music Station. However, nowadays, boy groups from other companies can appear on TV programs without any “discovery” at all, which is the most noticeable change in the stance of TV stations.

With the decrease in exposure of the old Johnny’s and the significant increase in the use of domestic and foreign boy groups from other companies, the two groups, who are still newcomers, seem to have been completely lost among the “others”. While there are of course the old, fixed fans, it is clear that the fan base that came after their debut has been eclipsed. Except for a few members who stand out, the group has no presence, and it is as if it has been involved in a sex-related accident.

Will Toraja be able to turn things around from here, and will E-Guru be able to further increase its popularity? We hope that Toraja will live up to its former “brand” name.

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