Number_i Tour Opens but Fans Rage: “This Is the Most Boring Concert Ever” — What Happened?

Harsh opinions erupt on the first day of the tour

The concert tour of Number_i, the unit consisting of former King & Prince members Sho Hirano (28), Yuta Kishi (30), and Yuta Jinguji (27), began with the Hokkaido shows on October 11 and 12. After the first day’s performance, negative reactions flooded social media, developing into a minor controversy. Various factors appear to be involved behind this.

Number_i released their second full album No.Ⅱ on September 22. With this album in hand, they planned an arena tour titled Number_i LIVE TOUR 2025 No.Ⅱ, spanning eight cities nationwide with 25 shows from October 11 to December 25.

While this should have been the highly anticipated opening of the tour for iLYs (the name for Number_i’s fans), after the first Hokkaido performance ended, comments such as the following appeared:

“There was only the main stage, and the lighting was so dark I couldn’t see the three of them.”

“The setup had no center stage or back stage—it was terrible. This might be the most boring concert I’ve ever attended.”

“There was too much smoke, and the lasers were too strong, so it was hard to see from the back. The sound was distorted, and it was hard to hear their singing.”

“We don’t need solo performances by the backup dancers! The band’s sound quality was terrible and constantly cracking. Even the monitors we relied on were hidden behind huge speakers. When the members said, ‘We can see those of you in the back, too!’ it just felt empty.”

Harsh opinions poured out one after another. According to posts by fans who attended, this tour featured a large live band. Particularly in the rear seats, some areas may have been difficult to hear, leading to complaints such as the sound was cracking and there was howling.

“Apart from the main stage, concerts hosted by STARTO ENTERTAINMENT (formerly Johnny’s) often have a back stage behind the arena, and idols move along a runway connecting the stages, allowing them to get close to fans.

However, Number_i’s tour reportedly used only the main stage, and when they finally rode a trolley around the outer arena toward the end, fans in the front rows of the stands were finally able to see the members up close.” (Entertainment writer)

Because of this stage setup, there were complaints like “Even when the trolley came, we couldn’t see anything from the upper rows,” and some lamented, “The main performance was only 90 minutes.” Right from the start of the tour, critical comments toward Number_i flooded social media.

“Additionally, among Number_i fans, there has long been a certain number of people who view backup dancers as enemies, and slander—especially toward female dancers—has been noticeable. Because this tour also included backup dancers, those who are dissatisfied with the current structure of Number_i posted harsh comments after the show.

Then, anti-fans of TOBE and Number_i spread these negative posts and gleefully began criticizing them, which further increased the volume of harsh opinions directed at Number_i.” (Same source)

Fans feeling confused by the change

Regarding the criticism of the stage setup, the previously mentioned writer points out, “Many fans were expecting the concert style from their former agency, which is probably why voices of disappointment emerged.”

“Having only the main stage means that fans in the back seats don’t get the chance to see the members up close, and the opportunities for fan service decrease. The complaint about the lighting being too dark also likely comes from wanting to see the members’ faces clearly.

In short, the current direction of Number_i and the ideals held by some fans from the King & Prince era don’t match, which is why social media descended into chaos. However, after a few days, more supportive comments appeared, such as ‘Including the encore, the show is about two hours long,’ and positive impressions spread as well: ‘The live music was truly incredible,’ ‘It was great to see Number_i’s commitment to sound in various parts of the show.’” (Same source)

Incidentally, member Jinguji said in an interview published digitally on September 29 by ELLE (Hearst Fujingaho), regarding the tour: “We’re preparing a lot of performances that are completely different from anything we’ve done before! I think some people might be a little surprised, but since iLYs are flexible, I believe they’ll accept it. I’d be happy if they think, ‘This is fun in its own way!’”

The completely different performances likely refer to having a live band and the stage construction. It seems that the members themselves hoped fans would enjoy these changes.

Number_i, who have shifted dramatically from the orthodox idol style of their King & Prince days to a more serious artist route, may be entering a transitional period—one in which it remains to be seen whether fans can keep up with their evolving stance.