While negative reactions to the new music of “Number_i” are constant… “New fans are increasing” special circumstances

Number_i’s new work “INZM”, a song that diverges from the mainstream style, has received mixed reviews.

A month has passed since the digital single “INZM” (Inazuma) by the trio unit Number_i, consisting of Sho Hirano (27), Yuta Kishi (28), and Yuta Jinguji (26), was released.

When performed on a television music program, net users expressed mixed opinions online, with comments such as “It’s lame” and “The addictiveness is insane.” While many compared it to their debut in the mainstream idol route with King & Prince, it seems they are also gaining new fans.

“INZM” is the lead track from Number_i’s first full album “No.I,” which will be released on September 23. The album itself will be sold at the official TOBE store to which they belong, but “INZM” was released in advance on music streaming services starting August 19.

Also, at midnight on the same day, the music video was uploaded to Number_i’s YouTube channel, drawing significant attention. The number of views rapidly increased, reaching 36 million, resulting in a “massive buzz.”

“Number_i has been primarily pushing a hip-hop direction, as evident from their digital release “GOAT” on January 1 of this year. The new song “INZM” is a fusion of mixture rock and hip-hop, with lyrics written by Pecori and Number_i, and the music composed by MONJOE, SHUN, and Number_i, with the members themselves involved in the production.

The music video has garnered attention for its playful lyrics that include repeated phrases like ‘Zuma, Zuma,’ as well as elements reminiscent of games,” said an entertainment writer.

On August 16, they performed the song on “Music Station” (TV Asahi), marking its television debut, and on the release day of the 19th, they appeared on “CDTV Live! Live! Summer Festival Special” (TBS), where they performed “INZM” in full for the first time on television.

As a result, on X (formerly Twitter), clips of the ‘Zuma’ part were highlighted, leading to a flurry of critical comments such as, ‘Did you want to do something like this after leaving King & Prince?’

Yuta Kishi’s singing talent is being criticized as wasted by fans.

In the August 20 article from the news site “Smart FLASH,” titled “‘Was this written by a middle schooler?’ ‘I’m crying because it’s worse than Comdot’ – Complex Fan Reactions to Number_i’s New Song ‘INZM’… What Is Yuta Jinguji’s ‘Betrayal and Transformation’?” (as per the original text), harsh opinions from the internet were introduced.

Additionally, another article published on the same day pointed out, “It’s truly sad that we can’t hear his singing voice” – criticizing that Yuta Kishi, known for his sweet and gentle singing voice, is being “wasted” in Number_i’s latest hip-hop-oriented song.

“In the case of Number_i, the catchy hip-hop style, like in ‘GOAT’ or the music video released in May for ‘BON,’ and now ‘INZM,’ tends to stand out. This is likely why many are surprised by the gap compared to the debut song of King & Prince, ‘Cinderella Girl’ (released in May 2018), which has an entirely different worldview.

However, their second digital single ‘Blow Your Cover’ is an R&B-style ballad, and the music video released in April showcases their mature charm. Even their mini-album ‘No.O -ring-‘ (released in May) includes heartfelt ballads, and there are songs where the appeal of their vocals truly shines through,” the writer added.

Number_i performed on stage at the music festival “SUMMER SONIC 2024,” held at the Tokyo venue (Chiba: ZOZO Marine Stadium) on August 17 and at the Osaka venue (Osaka: Expo Memorial Park) on the 18th. Since the performance on the 17th was exclusively live-streamed by WOWOW On Demand, audiences beyond those present at the venue could witness the trio’s performance.

“Especially the ‘chill’ melody of ‘Banana (Take It Lazy)’ resonated with Kishi’s soaring voice. There were multiple posts on social media praising his singing voice from music lovers who are not Number_i fans,” the writer noted.

Regarding “INZM,” there are not only negative reactions but also many voices of praise. Looking at the comments section of the music video, we can see:

“I saw it being joked about on X and decided to play the music video, but it’s actually a pretty cool song! I’m glad I checked with my own eyes and ears.”
“They performed at Summer Sonic, and I couldn’t get ‘Zuma Zuma’ out of my head, so I came to watch the music video. It’s seriously cool.”
“I’m from the generation that was into ’90s mixture rock. I can’t believe they can do something like this; all three of them are so talented. The shock is incredible.”

It is being evaluated that “it resonates with those it needs to resonate with.”

On one hand, there are people who have become unable to keep up with the current style, while on the other hand, those who showed no interest during the traditional idol era are now expressing expectations for Number_i. In order to avoid being overshadowed in the competitive world of boy groups, they should continue to uphold their unique identity without conforming to societal expectations.

 

 

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