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Ae! GroupAぇ! group
Ae! Group appearance at Kyocera Dome in 2024. From left to right: Ken Kojima, Yoshinori Masakado, Seiya Suezawa, Keita Richard Kusama, and Masaya Sano.
Background information
Origin	Japan
Years active	2019–present
Labels	UJ
Members	Yoshinori Masakado Seiya Suezawa Keita Richard Kusama Ken Kojima Masaya Sano
Past members	Taisei Fukumoto
Website	Universal Music Japan

Ae! Group (Aぇ! group) (stylized as Ae! group) is a Japanese quintet boy band formed by Smile-Up on February 18, 2019. Their debut single, "A-Beginning", was released on May 15, 2024. They are signed under Universal Music Japan sub-label UJ.

History

Ae! Group is produced by Super Eight's You Yokoyama. The group's formation was first announced through Johnny's web on February 18, 2019. It consisted of 6 member who all come from Kansai region. Johnny Kitagawa named the group hoping the 6 of them would become an excellent group. Their name is read as ee group (ええグループ), which is the Kansai dialect for "good group." Like Super Eight, the group also occasionally performs as a band as well including skits in their concerts.

On December 30, 2023, Starto Entertainment announced that it had terminated its contract with Taisei Fukumoto for breaking violation of the company's regulatory compliance.

On March 16, 2024, through the group's concert "Ae! group A-ttouteki Fan Daikanshasai in Kyocera Dome Osaka ~Minna Honma ni Arigatou~", the group announced their major debut on May 15, 2024, having been informed about it half a year prior by the agency's COO Yoshihiko Inohara and Tadayoshi Okura, who is in largely involved with management of agency's trainees at Kansai region. The group's debut was decided before Fukumoto's departure. Group leader Ken Kojima commented his frustration and hoping he could go back when there was 6 of them, but would do what he had to and continue moving forward with the remaining 5 members. Their debut was under label Universal Music Japan with single "A-Beginning." Ae! group's marks the first group debut for Starto Entertainment. Ae! Group is the fifth group in Kansai region of the agency to make an official debut after KinKi Kids, Super Eight, West, and Naniwa Danshi.

To commemorate their debut on May 15, the group announced a surprise event in Dotonbori's Tombori River walk at Osaka the day before.

Post-debut

In September, 2024, the group is announced to be joining Kamigata Boyz, a collaboration unit between the Kansai-origin groups of Starto Entertainment. Ae! Group will be participating starting unit's second digital single, Sekai o Akaruku Terashimashou (世界を明るく照らしましょう) which was released on September 18.

Members

Member list and the musical instrument they are in charge of during band performance.

• Yoshinori Masakado (正門 良規, Masakado Yoshinori) — Guitar
• Seiya Suezawa (末澤 誠也, Suezawa Seiya) — Lead vocal
• Keita Richard Kusama (草間 リチャード 敬太, Kusama Richādo Keita) — Saxophone & bass
• Ken Kojima (小島 健, Kojima Ken) — leader; keyboard
• Masaya Sano (佐野 晶哉, Sano Masaya) — Drum

Former members

• Taisei Fukumoto (福本 大晴, Fukumoto Taisei) — formerly bass, left in December 30, 2023

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Video albums

Tie-ins

Solo concert

Filmography

Documentary

Notes

References

1. "関西ジャニーズJr.新ユニット"Aぇ! group"誕生 関ジャニ∞横山裕プロデュースで東京公演開催＜本人コメント＞ - モデルプレス". モデルプレス - ライフスタイル・ファッションエンタメニュース (in Japanese). 2019-02-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
2. "Aぇ! group ユニバーサル ミュージックよりデビュー決定︕Debut Single「《A》BEGINNING」5月15日(⽔)リリース決定！". Aぇ! group (in Japanese). 2024-03-16. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
3. "関西ジャニーズJr.新ユニット"Aぇ! group"誕生 関ジャニ∞横山裕プロデュースで東京公演開催＜本人コメント＞". modelpress (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
4. "ギャグにバンドにええ感じ！Ａぇ！ｇｒｏｕｐ、初単独公演千秋楽". www.sanspo.com (in Japanese). 2019-04-22. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
5. ^ "Genius Japan – [INTERVIEW] Ae! group: From Debut to Dreams — A Journey of Music, Growth, and Connection". Genius. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
6. ^ "弊社所属タレント福本大晴（Aぇ! group）に関するご報告 | 株式会社SMILE-UP". www.smile-up.inc (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
7. "Aぇ! group、5・15にCDデビュー決定 初の京セラD単独イベントで発表、5万人が悲鳴". ORICON NEWS. 2024-03-17. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
8. "Ａぇ！group、デビューの知らせは半年前 昨年末から新体制で気持ち新た「6人時代があってこその5人」". ORICON NEWS. 2024-03-17. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2024-03-17. 今やから赤裸々に言いますけど…。でも6人時代があってこその5人。俺たちが、前を向いてやっていくしかない。その意思しかない。悔しいし、戻れるなら…みたいなのもあるかもしれないけどそれでも、ここから俺たちがやるべきことをやらないといけない。前を向いて突っ走っていきたい。 [I'll be honest about it now... but the time when we were six is what made us the five of us. We just have to look forward and keep going. That's all we have to do. It's frustrating, and there are times when we wish we could go back, but even so, we have to do what we have to do from here on out. We want to look forward and charge ahead.]
9. "Aぇ! group、サプライズイベント開催を1時間前告知 15日にデビュー控える". Model Press (in Japanese). 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
10. "KAMIGATA BOYZ オフィシャルサイト". KAMIGATA BOYZ オフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-09-17.
11. "Ａぇ！ｇｒｏｕｐ 初の東京単独ライブ大成功 福本大晴「もっとデカくなっていきたい」/デイリースポーツ online". デイリースポーツ online (in Japanese). 2024-12-20. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
12. "Aぇ! groupのシングル売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
13. "Aぇ! groupの合算シングル売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
14. Peaks on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
    • "A-Beginning": "A-Beginning". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 22, 2024.
    • "Gotta Be": "Gotta Be". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved October 16, 2024.
15. オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2024年05月13日～2024年05月19日 [Oricon Weekly Single Ranking May 13, 2024 – May 19, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
16. オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2024年10月07日～2024年10月13日 [Oricon Weekly Single Ranking October 7, 2024 – October 13, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
17. "西からAぇ!風吹いてます！ ～おてんと様も見てくれてますねん LIVE 2022～｜ジュニア｜Storm Labels". Storm Labels OFFICIAL SITE (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-04-07.
18. "Aぇ! group Debut Tour 〜世界で1番AぇLIVE〜 特設サイト". Aぇ! group Debut Tour 〜世界で1番AぇLIVE〜 特設サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-05.
19. "Aぇ! group初のドラマ主題歌決定 『帰ってきたらいっぱいして。』小島健×浅川梨奈の色気たっぷりビジュアル＆予告も公開". ORICON NEWS. 2024-01-16. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
20. "Aぇ! group、初のドラマ主題歌はどんな曲？ テーマソング連続起用で増すグループの勢い". Real Sound｜リアルサウンド (in Japanese). 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
21. "2nd Single「Gotta Be」に、佐野 晶哉 主演ABCテレビ・テレビ朝日ドラマL枠「離婚後夜」の主題歌、「Never End」の収録決定！". Aぇ! group (in Japanese). 2024-08-26. Retrieved 2024-09-01.
22. "Aぇ! groupの初挑戦とは「RIDE ON TIME」関ジュの裏側を追ったドキュメンタリー最終話". natalie.mu (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-06.
23. "Aぇ! group初の単独ドキュメンタリー『BORDERLESS Aぇ! group デビューまでのキセキ』Netflixで独占配信". THE FIRST TIMES (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-06.
24. "Aぇ! groupのドキュメンタリー番組『BORDERLESS Aぇ! group デビューツアーの裏側』がNetflixで配信 | CINRA". www.cinra.net (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-12-06.

External links

• Ae! group Official Starto page
• Ae! group Official page - Universal Music Japan

Media related to Ae! group at Wikimedia Commons

• Japanese boy bands
• Japanese idol groups
• Johnny & Associates
• Starto Entertainment
• 2019 establishments in Japan
• Musical groups established in 2019
• Musical quintets
• Universal Music Japan artists
• Musical groups from Osaka