Subscriber Loss Hits Ninomiya & Team—Fans Reveal Possible Causes

The YouTube channel Yoni no Channel, featuring Kazunari Ninomiya (42) of Arashi, Ryosuke Yamada (32) of Hey! Say! JUMP, and Fuma Kikuchi (30) of timelesz, has been operating with just the three of them for some time, as Yuichi Nakamaru (42) remains inactive due to his cheating scandal. The channel’s subscriber count is currently decreasing, and viewers have begun pointing out possible reasons for the drop.

Is it my fault? Kikuchi blurts out

Ninomiya and the others brought up the subscriber issue in the video released on October 29 titled #470 [Urgent!!] A Very Serious Day. Ninomiya reported, “Since the launch of our channel, our subscribers have decreased,” lamenting that they had lost 1,167 subscribers in the last 28 days.

Kikuchi then added, “I’m on Instagram, right? My Instagram followers have dropped a lot too. It’s just that kind of time — like a seasonal change.” But then he suddenly blurted out, “But is it my fault?”

In response, some fans on social media began suspecting that Kikuchi may actually be part of the reason.

“Ages aside, Kikuchi is also the junior in terms of debut order within the Yoni no Channel members. However, there are many moments where he speaks casually to Ninomiya and the others, and his overly familiar attitude—unlike what you’d expect from a junior—is an everyday occurrence. It probably just means he feels comfortable with the three senior members. But while some viewers enjoy this laid-back dynamic among the Yoni no members, it’s said that a certain group of Yamada’s fans have long been unhappy with Kikuchi’s behavior.” (Entertainment writer)

〈Could it be because more people are rejecting Fuma Kikuchi?〉
〈The only reason Yoni no is losing subscribers is Fuma, right? His attitude toward Yamada-kun is just too much. He probably thinks he’s being funny, but he’s not funny at all — he’s just constantly annoying.〉
〈The drop in subscribers makes it clear that Yamada’s fans can’t tolerate Fuma anymore. I’d happily watch episodes with just Ninomiya & Yamada.〉
〈He said his Instagram followers are dropping a lot too, but the cause-and-effect is obvious.〉

Reasons Behind the Criticism Toward Kikuchi

“timelesz—the group Kikuchi belongs to—held auditions to recruit new members, and this February, five members joined. Three of them—Inomata Shuto (24), Shinozuka Taiki (23), and Hashimoto Masaki (26)—were selected from the public. However, the longtime, highly devoted fans known as office stans, who have supported the group since the old Johnny’s era, seem unable to accept these newcomers who have no Jr. background.

As a result, criticism toward Kikuchi—who proposed holding the audition in the first place—has increased. Since then, Kikuchi has made comments within ‘Yoni no’ to promote his group and its members, but those who already had a negative view of timelesz were likely fed up with it.” (same entertainment writer)

On the other hand, regarding the decline in subscribers, some pointed out other possible causes:

〈Isn’t it just simple stagnation of the content? I know all three are busy, but lately it’s basically only breakfast, driving, and drinking coffee.〉
〈The subscriber drop is probably just because they’re running out of ideas. It’s the same cycle of driving and eating videos with nothing fresh. I personally stopped watching after I started feeling uncomfortable with Kikuchi, though.〉

In the recent video, the three discussed possibly releasing unaired footage that includes Nakamaru to slow the subscriber decline. If Nakamaru eventually returns to the “Yoni no” filming in full, it might help bring back the viewers who drifted away.