New Member Daiki Shinozuka of Timelesz Makes Big Leap Fuma Kikuchi Stunned by His Talking Skills

Daiki Shinozuka (22), who joined timelesz after participating in the audition program timelesz project -AUDITION-, was selected as a member. Despite having no prior experience in dance or singing, his title as a current student at Hitotsubashi University became a hot topic, and he was chosen as a Cinderella boy for the group. He debuted through the general public category and has shown remarkable progress.

In contrast, Shuto Inomata and Masaki Hashimoto, who came from the general recruitment category, were identified as having past experience in boy groups, which became a topic of discussion on social media.

Meanwhile, it seems that Daiki Shinozuka was new to serious dance and singing lessons. During the audition, his struggles to keep up with the dance moves were featured.

In the end, it was his attitude of trying hard despite not being able to do it that was praised, and timelesz selected him for the group. (Entertainment writer)

As a current university student, Daiki Shinozuka set a goal during the new member unveiling press conference on February 15 to appear on quiz shows. He made his solo debut on television in the variety show Kurimu Quiz Miracle 9 (broadcasted on TV Asahi) on April 23.

Furthermore, on April 17, Keisuke Higuchi, a staff member of Quiz Presentation Variety Q-sama!! (same network), posted on X (formerly Twitter), “The recording for Q-sama finished safely,” and added, “#timelesz #DaikiShinozuka made his first appearance and did great!” Following Kurimu Quiz Miracle 9, it was quickly revealed that he would also participate in another quiz show.

Additionally, on April 25, Daiki Shinozuka will co-star with Masaki Hashimoto in their first drama Mayonaka no Shachinai Renai (Midnight Office Romance) aired late at night on Nippon TV. His rise continues as he will be featured on the cover of the beauty magazine BiiST (Kobunsha) for the July 2025 Special Edition scheduled to release on May 16.

Although Daiki Shinozuka does not have a background in entertainment compared to the other two new members from the general recruitment, he is praised for his quick thinking due to “Being a student at Hitotsubashi University, his quick thinking is evident, and perhaps because he’s from Osaka, he’s also very good at speaking” (according to the previous writer). For instance, during a live broadcast for fan club members on the day of his joining announcement, his clever side stood out.

In the free talk segment of the broadcast, the MC, Fuma Kikuchi, asked everyone about the most memorable moments from Timelesz Project (commonly called Taipro). While everyone hesitated in their responses, Daiki was the first to speak up.

He started by saying, “Is it okay if it’s a pretty light story?” and then shared an episode where he was encouraged by Satoshi Matsushima during the fourth audition. He further explained how Matsushima later apologized during the fifth audition, saying, “Shino, I’m sorry about that time. I really didn’t mean it like that,” and Daiki expressed Matsushima’s kindness.

 

On February 21, timelesz appeared as guests on the special episode of Nino-san (NTV), and the following morning, a segment of their talk from after the recording was aired on DayDay. During that time, Shinozuka not only shared his own thoughts but also expanded the conversation by talking about the reactions of the other members.

New member Inomata commented, “I was really happy that everyone on Nino-san welcomed us so warmly, so I’d love to come back again.” Teranishi said, “It felt so reassuring to be with the group,” while Shinozuka revealed that before the recording, Hara had confidently said, “Leave it to me. I won’t let you guys mess up!” He also mentioned Hara’s behavior during the live show.

Additionally, Shinozuka admitted that, when it came to Kikuchi, he saw Fuma-san in his variety mode for the first time. “It was different from the timelesz audition days—he was really leaning in,” Shinozuka said, adding, “He said, ‘I’m ready for variety anytime,’ and it was really educational and refreshing.”

To this, Kikuchi responded, “That’s embarrassing. It feels awkward,” making for a rare reaction from him. Shinozuka had successfully brought out this unusual side of Kikuchi, who usually teases the other members.

Although there are some harsh voices

Thus, while showcasing his high potential and growing every day, Shinozuka has received some harsh criticism from certain online anti-fans, with comments like, “Instead of acting in dramas or doing individual work, he should be focusing on dance and singing lessons.”

However, Shinozuka, Inomata, and Hashimoto are all still practicing their dance. When the five new members appeared on Kimura Takuya’s radio program Kimura Takuya Flow (TOKYO FM, aired on April 13), Shinozuka mentioned, “Today, the three of us had a dance lesson.”

Kimura, who had seen their dance videos on social media, praised Shinozuka, saying, “You’ve gotten really good! When I saw the video the other day, I thought, ‘Wait, he just became a member, right? He’s changed!’”

Until they earn recognition from a wide audience, Shinozuka should continue to put in the effort without becoming complacent.