Shori Sato Shines, So Matsushima Joins — The Fuma Kikuchi Factor in Timelesz

The momentum of the idol group timelesz, which added five new members last February, shows no signs of slowing.

Their flagship shows have been upgraded in the broadcast schedule: Timeless Man (Fuji TV) now airs Fridays at 10 p.m., and timelesz Familia (Nippon TV) moves from late-night to Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.

In addition, from February, member So Matsushima (28) became a new regular on The! World Astonishing News (Nippon TV), and Shori Sato (29) was reportedly cast as the lead in a drama set to start in April.

However, the group’s path hasn’t always been smooth. At the end of March 2024, popular member Kento Nakajima (31) left the group. Marius Yo (25) had already retired from the entertainment industry in 2022, leaving only Sato, Matsushima, and Fuma Kikuchi (30), putting the group in a critical situation.

They also faced the challenge of rebranding from the well-known name Sexy Zone to timelesz, a move that risked losing recognition among fans. Overcoming these hurdles to achieve a “V-shaped recovery” has shocked the entertainment world.

“The biggest factor was holding a new-member audition called the timelesz project (nicknamed ‘Typro’) after Nakajima left. The auditions were streamed on Netflix over 18 episodes, and even though the participants were pre-debut, they already gained a strong fanbase. Some who didn’t make the final cut went on to debut under other agencies, showing the audition’s influence,” said a sports reporter.

Traditionally, Johnny & Associates invested time and money raising junior talent, forming groups according to each member’s aptitude before debuting them. Typro broke that conventional model.

Kikuchi, who launched Typro, later revealed on radio that the initiative came out of necessity. On the April 22, 2025, broadcast of TOKYO SPEAKEASY (TOKYO FM), during a talk with Mrs. GREEN APPLE vocalist Motoki Omori (29), Kikuchi disclosed that after Nakajima’s departure, the remaining three members discussed the group’s future and were pushed to the brink.

“We even considered pausing or disbanding.”

He explained that he proposed the audtion as a way to “rebirth and explode,” an approach unheard of in the old Johnny system. With the approval of the two remaining members, Kikuchi drafted proposals and negotiated with the company to make the audition happen.

Now, as Kikuchi envisioned, timelesz has “reborn and exploded.” Fans and industry watchers alike are left eagerly wondering what move he will make next.

On YouTube, FRIDAY Digital’s Entertainment Reporter Channel dives deeper into the story, analyzing the group’s rise, some fans’ backlash, and what to expect from their future activities in “Flagship Shows Upgraded to Prime Time, Drama Lead Roles. Fuma Kikuchi’s Success and Controversy Behind timelesz’.”