Former Sexy Zone Members Current Lives Kenichi Nakajimas Health Struggles and Marius Yos University Graduation

The debut of their first solo show, Timeless Man (on Fuji TV starting April 20), has led to a surge in popularity for timelesz. With the addition of five new members in February, the momentum is growing, and the two former Sexy Zone members seem to be living fulfilling lives in their own ways.

Originally, Sexy Zone was a five-member group consisting of Kenichi Nakajima (31), Fuma Kikuchi (30), Shori Sato (28), Sho Matsushima (27), and Marius Yo (25), who debuted with a CD in November 2011. The youngest member, Marius, graduated in late 2022, and Nakajima also left the group on March 31 of the previous year.

From April 1, the group rebranded as timelesz and continued with three members—Kikuchi, Sato, and Matsushima. They called for new members, and the audition process was streamed exclusively on Netflix as the program timelesz project -AUDITION- (commonly known as Taipro). On February 15 of this year, the addition of five new members was confirmed, leading to a major breakthrough, fueled by the success of Taipro.

Meanwhile, Nakajima, who belongs to the same entertainment agency, STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (formerly Johnny’s), continues his career as a singer and actor. Last year, he formed the unit GEMN with singer-songwriter Tatsuya Kitani, and their song Fatal was used as the opening theme for the second season of the TV anime Oshi no Ko (broadcast on TOKYO MX and others).

As an actor, Nakajima starred in the film Shiranai Kanojo, which was released on February 28. The film garnered 119,000 viewers and 158 million yen in box office revenue in its first three days. It debuted at number 2 in the domestic film rankings from February 28 to March 2 (National Weekend Box Office, conducted by Box Office Japan).

Additionally, from March 8 to March 30, Nakajima held a release event for his first album N / bias, which was released in December of last year. He traveled to cities like Tokyo (March 8), Fukuoka (22), Sapporo in Hokkaido (23), Nagoya in Aichi (29), and Osaka (30).

“During this time, Nakajima appeared on many variety shows for movie promotions, and fans were worried, asking ‘Ken-kun, aren’t you going to collapse from overwork? Are you okay?’ It seems Nakajima had even been hospitalized. At a release event in Nagoya on March 29, he confessed, ‘I was in the hospital yesterday’ and ‘I was so busy that my body broke down.’ Despite this, Nakajima, with his generous spirit, told fans, ‘I came here to receive energy from you all’” (Entertainment writer).

 

 That same night, Nakajima updated his blog on the paid site FAMILY CLUB web. Reflecting on the release event, he opened with, “It was way too fun. Got a full recharge.” He reassured fans, writing, “I’m doing fine. Thanks for worrying! It’s a time when I feel like pushing myself, so I am — but of course, you gotta balance your energy too.” He also shared, “I even went for a garlic injection,” giving fans a candid update.

The next day, he traveled to Osaka, and according to fan posts on social media, the event proceeded as scheduled.

“Nakajima is often called a ‘highly professional idol,’ and there are many juniors in the agency who admire him. At the release event in Fukuoka on the 22nd, he reportedly said that ‘lately, more and more juniors have been coming to him for advice.’

A year has passed since Nakajima graduated from Sexy Zone, and as a solo artist, he’s been active in a wide range of fields — starring in the drama series Shosen Taningoto Desu Kara: Toaru Bengoshi no Honne no Shigoto (TV Tokyo, airing July 2024), films, and music. He seems to be working so hard that it’s taken a toll on his health,” the source added.

The Current Whereabouts of Marius Yo

On the other hand, Marius Yo, who was the first to graduate from the group, also retired from the entertainment industry and had been attending university in Spain.

On July 13th last year, he announced on his Instagram that he had successfully graduated. On March 30th this year, as he celebrated his 25th birthday, he posted a recent photo on Instagram and wrote, “For my 25th birthday, I spent time immersing myself in art that resonates deeply, as if celebrating life itself — its complexities and ups and downs.”

Though the two have gone separate ways from the members of timelesz, it’s hoped they will continue to inspire and challenge each other as they move forward.