Yasushi Akimoto to produce new male idol group with a dedicated theater: "It will become a new cultural movement"

 

The audition for members of the new group is scheduled to be held this summer. It is open to males aged 12 to 26 as of June 30, 2025, who are not currently signed with any talent agency, record label, or music publisher. The theme is "nurtured idols," aiming to create a group that fans can support and celebrate as they grow together.

[+16, -932]

source: Girls Channel

1. [+1546, -9]

I have nothing but a bad feeling about this.

2. [+1046, -6]

"The theme is “nurturing idols,” aiming to create a group that fans can grow with and support together."

So basically AKB.

3. [+658, -6]

They’ll probably make people vote again, huh.

>> It’s not so much “nurturing” as just making fans compete with each other to rake in money. They exploit fans’ feelings of wanting their favorite to be number one and make them spend cash. The way they sell it barely has anything to do with actual performance skills.

4. [+307, -7]

What happened with BokuAo?

>> He just keeps pushing out all kinds of different idols one after another, probably thinking if even one hits it big, it’s worth it. But for the idols who just end up as “wasted shots” in that numbers game, it really sucks.

>> They’re basically being ignored now. The group has no presence, and even though they're supposed to be Nogizaka's rivals they can't come close to them at all, and their the center isn’t even cute.

>> They’re in that Chintai commercial, but none of the members are popular, and they don’t have any hit songs. 

5. [+672, -22]

We already have enough “training-type” idols with Johnny’s.

6. [+576, -24]

Have “training” idols ever actually grown? Both Starto and AKB's singing still sucks

>> And then all they do is say, “I wanna be an actress,” right?

7. [+116, -2]

12 years old

8. [+402, -14]

Since Johnny Kitagawa passed away, they can make male idol groups to their heart’s content.

9. [+440, -5]

So they’re starting from the “junior” level? I want them to stay away from kids as much as possible.

10. [+354, -4]

I’m so over this “training” idol thing. Just train them properly before debuting already.

11. [+183, -1]

He just doesn't know when to quit. He’s probably out of touch with today’s music scene.

12. [+184, -1]

Right now, whether it’s idols or artists, everyone’s got some hip-hop vibe going on, so what’s the point of debuting some lame, cringe stuff produced by Akimoto?