Ae! Group
Ae! Group is a Japanese quartet boy band under Starto Entertainment, formed by Johnny & Associates 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 six members who all come from Kansai region. Johnny Kitagawa named the group hoping the six of them would become an excellent group. Their name is read as ee group, 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.
2024: Post-debut activities start
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, 2=世界を明るく照らしましょう which was released on September 18.A Japanese dubbed version of the movie New Gods: Yang Jian is scheduled to be released in Japanese theaters on March 21, 2025, under the name "Youzen". It will have member Masaya Sano voicing Youzen, one of the main characters, a bounty hunter who has lost his "divine power", and Toshiki Masuda as Jinkou, a boy who stole "divine power". The group will sing "ROCK'NPOP", which is included in their 1st ALBUM "D.N.A", as the movie's theme song.
2025
In June 2025, the group were announced to cast in the sequel live action movie of Mr. Osomatsu; Snow Man starred in the previous movie. Suezawa, Masakado, Sano, Kojima, and Kusama are reported to star as Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, and Juushimatsu, respectively. Kansai Junior trainee Takuya Nishimura will star as Todomatsu.In August, the group announced their new regular program for Fuji Television titled Ae! Group no Q & Ae!,becoming the group's first program to air in the Kanto region and is scheduled to broadcast from October.
On October 4, it was announced that member Richard Keita Kusama was arrested for indecent exposure early that same morning. This affected the broadcast and streaming of programs which he is involved in: Ae! Group no Q & Ae!, The Tetsuwan Dash, Ae!!!!!!ko, as well their own YouTube channel. Starto Entertainment posted on their site a notice related to the incident and offering an apology for the problems caused by Kusama. Ae! Group no Q & Ae! broadcast on the 13th with the remaining 4 members apologized during opening greetings. Due to this, Toho indefinetly postponed the release of the Eiga Osomatsu-san Jinrui Kuzu-ka Keikaku!!!!!? film due to "various circumstances". On November 20 it was informed that he would be out of the group, but continue activities as an individual.
Members
Member list and the musical instrument they are in charge of during band performance.- Yoshinori Masakado — Guitar
- Seiya Suezawa — Lead vocal
- Ken Kojima — leader; keyboard
- Masaya Sano — Drum
Former members
- Taisei Fukumoto — formerly bass, left on December 30, 2023
- Keita Richard Kusama — Saxophone & bass, left on November 20, 2025
Discography