Number_i’s First Fan Meeting Descends Into Chaos—Fans Slam Arashi Song Choice as Merchandise Is Resold

The situation escalated to the point where an ambulance was dispatched

The three-member group Number_i, consisting of former King & Prince members Sho Hirano (29), Yuta Kishi (30), and Yuta Jinguji (28), held their first fan meeting, Numbers Ur’26, in Osaka in July. While it was their first fan meeting, the group faced criticism over the way some merchandise was sold, while their performance of songs by senior artists from the former Johnny & Associates (now STARTO ENTERTAINMENT) also sparked controversy.

Numbers Ur’26 was held at Osaka-Jo Hall in Osaka on July 21 and 22, and is scheduled to take place at TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO in Tokyo from August 25 to 27. It was announced that Number_i fan club members would be able to purchase merchandise at the venue even without tickets to the performances. No advance reservations or numbered tickets were required, and digital membership cards were to be checked at the venue.

“From the moment this sales method was announced, it was expected that large numbers of fans would flock to the venue. With the weather being extremely hot, concerns were raised on social media that people might suffer heatstroke while waiting in line. Among the merchandise, fans were particularly interested in three colors of zip-up hoodies. They were expensive at ¥18,000, but the design resembled sweatshirts the members had previously been seen wearing in behind-the-scenes photos from concerts, so fans had been eagerly awaiting their release as official merchandise.” (Sports newspaper entertainment reporter)

As of July 10, before the event, the group’s agency, “TOBE,” had announced regarding the merchandise: “We plan to sell the items exclusively to Number_i Official Fanclub members through the TOBE OFFICIAL STORE (excluding the three types of zip-up hoodies).” As a result, it was easy to imagine that fans would flock to the venue in search of the hoodies, which could only be purchased there.

“TOBE had warned fans to refrain from arriving overnight or early in the morning, as this could lead to trouble. However, it appears that a line had already formed around 6 a.m. on the first day of the fan meeting, and merchandise sales began about an hour earlier than originally scheduled, at around noon. Judging from the photos and videos posted on social media from the venue, fans waiting in line were using parasols and taking precautions against heatstroke, but some people still became unwell. Apparently, the situation even required an ambulance to be dispatched.” (Same source)

Target of resellers

Amid all this, hoodies had already begun appearing on Mercari. The popular pink version was being marked up to around ¥50,000, while three-color sets were listed in the ¥90,000 range, with a succession of listings believed to be from resellers.

In response, around 3 p.m. on the 21st, Number_i announced on its official social media accounts that the hoodies would also be sold online. It also stated, “Venue sales from tomorrow onward will proceed as scheduled. Please note that the zip-up hoodies allocated for today’s sales have sold out due to popular demand.” This decision angered fans.

“Why didn’t they just say from the beginning that the hoodies would also be sold online? The management is terrible.”

“It makes no sense that people without tickets can buy the merchandise. That’s exactly why they’re being resold on Mercari.”

Numerous angry reactions like these appeared online.

The performance that began at 6 p.m. that same day also reportedly contained a moment that caused a stir online.

“At the first-day performance, there was a karaoke segment, and in response to a request from fans, Number_i performed ‘Love so sweet’ by ‘Arashi,’ who were senior artists at the former Johnny & Associates. Hirano and the others apparently seemed hesitant, saying things like, ‘Are we really allowed to sing this?’ and ‘Won’t we get in trouble?’ but they performed the song in order to fulfill the fans’ request.

Once this information spread on social media, fans of the former Johnny & Associates who have negative feelings toward the members after they left the agency expressed their displeasure, saying things like, ‘The audacity,’ and ‘How can they sing that song with a straight face? Even if it was a fan request, I don’t think they have the right to sing it.’” (Same source)

For their first-ever event, Number_i’s fan meeting certainly generated plenty of discussion. At present, the merchandise sales arrangements for the August Tokyo performances remain unclear, but hopefully the group and its management will learn from what went wrong in Osaka.