Fans Cautioned as Sho Hirano of Number_i Makes Mysterious Comment About Buying a Desk

Concerns About Lottery Bonuses

The three-member group Number_i—Sho Hirano (29), Yuta Kishi (30), and Yuta Jinguji (28)—held a live stream on their official Instagram on February 4, where they announced that their 3rd single, “3XL,” will be released on April 27. During the live stream, Hirano reportedly issued a caution to fans.

The song “3XL,” produced by Hirano, was released digitally on January 29. Its single CD version will be released on April 27, and preorders have started at the TOBE OFFICIAL STORE.

This release includes a lottery bonus version exclusive to fan club members, where 3,333 winners will receive an alternate jacket signed by the Number_i members.

The three members of Number_i were formerly part of King & Prince under the old Johnny & Associates agency. At that time, they did not have campaigns offering signed alternate jackets, so when they mentioned it during the February 4 Instagram live, the comment section was lively.

“During the live stream, they hinted that the design of the signatures might change depending on their mood at the time. However, in that context, Hirano said, ‘It would be bad if they ended up being sold weirdly, like resale or auctions’ and expressed his concern. He then added meaningfully, ‘So, please don’t buy desks or anything like that,’ and the other two members followed up with, ‘We won’t say what exactly’ (Jinguji) and ‘Be careful, this is a warning’ (Kishi),” said an entertainment writer.

Hirano’s comment, “Don’t buy desks or anything,” is believed to be related to a certain store’s social media (same source).

Riding on Oshikatsu

“Hirano officially left the old Johnny & Associates on May 22, 2023. On July 7 of the same year, he announced his joining TOBE, the talent agency led by Hideaki Takizawa (43), and opened his personal Instagram account. At the end of that month, he posted a photo on Instagram from a visit to a certain restaurant. Although he didn’t write the name of the restaurant, the wall’s distinctive color made it easy for fans to identify, and it quickly became a kind of pilgrimage spot. Fans who had been waiting for Hirano’s return to the public stage after leaving King & Prince were eager to do even a little oshikatsu related to him. Posts by fans who visited the restaurant spread on social media, drawing attention,” said the same source.

However, the restaurant updated its Instagram in January of this year, announcing its closure at the end of the month. They also used the Stories feature to notify that items from the restaurant would be given away.

“They posted photos of the paintings and tables that appeared on Hirano’s Instagram, saying, ‘If you want these, please DM us.’ In another story, they announced that due to a high number of inquiries, items would go via an auction format, with the current highest bid communicated via DM. Of course, it’s unclear whether the restaurant intended to make Hirano’s fans pay high prices. Even so, Number_i fans were uneasy, saying things like, ‘It feels like he was used without permission; poor Sho’ and ‘There’s no way to prove that these chairs or desks were actually used by Sho,’” the source explained.

Because this information spread widely on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, Hirano likely became aware of the commotion, which is why he issued the caution during the live stream. Fans responded positively to his warning, saying, “Well said!”

At the time of the Instagram live, the posts about the restaurant were still viewable, but they can no longer be seen. Apparently, Hirano deleted the original photo from his account.

One can only hope that Hirano’s earnest warning has reached his fans.