Number_i’s Taiwan concert has been cancelled, while Naniwa Danshi is making progress in Asia

On August 19, the three-member group “Number_i,” consisting of Sho Hirano (27), Yuta Kishi (28), and Yuta Jinguji (26), digitally released their new song “INZM (Inazuma).” The music video was also released on the group’s official YouTube channel, drawing significant attention.

“The song is the lead track from ‘Number_i’s album ‘No.I,’ which will be released on September 23, and was produced by Jinguji. It features a hip-hop style with a complex melody that shifts multiple times and unique lyrics. By the third day of its release, on August 21, the music video had surpassed 15 million views.” (said an entertainment reporter from a sports newspaper)

The music video was filmed entirely overseas and is structured to alternate between a game world and the real world. The filming location had already stirred up some buzz among fans not long ago.

“In late July, information spread on X (formerly Twitter) that ‘Kishi and Jinguji were seen at a restaurant in Taiwan with people who appeared to be business associates.’ Because of this post, some fans believed that ‘Number_i’ would be performing live in Taiwan.

The seven-member group ‘IMP.’ (I.M.P), also from the same agency ‘TOBE,’ performed at a music festival in China in April and at a music event in Thailand on July 7. So, fans likely thought that ‘Number_i’ would also be pursuing music activities in the Asian region. However, it seems it was actually for the music video shoot.” (said an entertainment industry insider)

Looking back, Hirano and the other two revealed when they announced their departure from ‘King & Prince’ that one of the reasons for leaving the group was their overseas aspirations. Therefore, fans were likely expecting ‘Number_i’ to achieve success abroad. However, it seems that their “expansion overseas” has yet to progress significantly.

The entertainment industry insider continued, discussing the current status of their overseas expansion:

 

“Although they performed at the ‘Coachella Festival’ held in the United States on April 15 (Japan time), their main activities remain focused on music shows on Japanese television and domestic music events. Of course, domestic work is important, but some ‘King & Prince’ fans are questioning, ‘If that’s the case, why did they leave King & Prince?’”

 

Meanwhile, their former agency, the old Johnny’s Office (now STARTO ENTERTAINMENT), has seen the emergence of groups venturing abroad. “Naniwa Danshi” announced that they would be holding an Asia tour from November this year to January 2025.

“They will perform in three cities: Taipei, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Shunsuke Michieda (22) starred in the 2022 film ‘Even If This Love Disappears Tonight,’ which was a hit in South Korea, earning him considerable popularity there. This tour represents a great opportunity for ‘Naniwa Danshi’ to boost their recognition in the Asian region. In terms of ‘expanding overseas,’ ‘Number_i’ seems to be a step behind their juniors.” (said a TV network insider)

With a strong “rival” emerging, there’s curiosity about how ‘Number_i’ will proceed with their activities. The TV network insider speculates, “At least for the rest of the year, they probably won’t hold any overseas concerts.”

“‘Number_i’ has a national tour from October 3 to December 26, promoting their album ‘No.I,’ so it seems difficult for them to fit in overseas performances within their schedule. STARTO ENTERTAINMENT has shown more enthusiasm for overseas expansion compared to the old Johnny’s Office. In the future, there may be more groups, besides ‘Naniwa Danshi,’ that perform overseas. The key will be how ‘Number_i’ and others under ‘TOBE’ expand internationally.”

The big question remains: can “Number_i” deliver performances that will strike like “lightning” across the world?