ShowMinorSavage, a new unit formed by BMSG’s Aile The Shota along with SOTA and MANATO from BE:FIRST, have released their first EP! ShowMinorSavage was added to all major streaming services on February 22, 2023.

The three artists met at a BMSG audition and immediately hit it off, sharing similar musical backgrounds and interests. Unsurprisingly, they formed ShowMinorSavage soon after.

Their unit name comes from their intention to transform minor acts in the music scene into major acts, showing how savage they can be. Their first EP was created with this idea very much in mind.

ShowMinorSavage / SUPER ICY (Prod. Chaki Zulu) -Music Video-

The EP features the first songs produced under the group name ShowMinorSavage, including No Cap Navy, a song sampled from SKY-HI’s Nanairo Holiday created by the three members, and Thinkin’ bout you, a dope hip-hop track expressing the member’s love and featuring a vocal loop by TRILL DYNASTY. The groovy and extremely danceable song SUPER ICY was produced by Chaki Zulu.

The major debut of ShowMinorSavage is sure to create waves in the music scene, and you won’t want to miss it!

SKY-HI and NTV have announced a new major project titled D.U.N.K. -DANCE UNIVERSE NEVER KILLED-. The large-scale project aims to promote SKY-HI and other Japanese vocal and dance groups around the world.

The project will be broadcast on YouTube and other video streaming platforms and fans can expect content other forms of media content as well. D.U.N.K. will feature exciting content that blends music and dance along with conversations with artists, behind-the-scenes extras, and collaborative ventures.

The project will start on February 1, 2023 on NTV with an interview with SKY-HI about the project’s launch and a few chats with participating artists. This will be followed by a large-scale live event over three days on March 5, March 11, and March 12 featuring a lineup of incredible artists.

The theme song D.U.N.K. will be released on all streaming services on February 3, 2023. The track promises to be a killer tune that will make all of Japan dance and will inspire people to follow their dreams. With straightforward lyrics, impressive rap, and emotional vocals, get ready to tune in to this track early next month!

On December 11 and 12, SKY-HI held solo concerts at Toyosu PIT to celebrate the group’s first album, THE DEBUT. The event, Round A Ground Special 2022, was a hit with fans, and a live video of the new song MISSION has now been released on SKY-HI’s YouTube channel.

MISSION (Round A Ground Special 2022 ｰBirthday Eveｰ December 11, 2022 at Toyosu PIT)

MISSION is being used as the theme song for MISSIONx2, an audition documentary show following BMSG’s attempts to find members of MAZZEL, a new 8-member boy band. SKY-HI’s trackmaker, SOURCEKEY, composed the track.

The powerful lyrics inspire listeners to pursue the best version of themselves. There’s no doubt that MAZZEL will be a group to watch.

Audition Documentary Show MISSIONx2, Ep.01 / Prologue -BMSG Trainees-

MISSIONx2 is now available to watch on the official BMSG YouTube channel.

The Metaverse event that was a smash hit in 2021 will be returning in 2023! Sanrio Virtual Festival 2023 in Sanrio Puroland, one of the world’s largest music festivals blending both the real and virtual worlds, will be held starting January 13, 2023.

A lineup of high-profile performers has been announced, including Airi Suzuki, SKY-HI, Yabai T-Shirts Yasan, and Aoi Fuji. Popular Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi will also appear, and visitors will be able to experience the virtual Puroland by utilizing unique avatars and taking part in a number of exciting events.

The 2021 event was incredibly popular, and the 2023 version will increase the duration and amount of content available. To do this, Puroland has joined forces with VRChat, a well-known US company and social platform. Artists, VTubers, and Sanrio characters will perform in a massive space on B5 of Virtual Sanrio Puroland, and fans can enjoy live performances while also communicating with other guests!

Highlights of SANRIO Virtual Festival 2023 in Sanrio Puroland

・Inspired by PURO VILLAGE at Sanrio Puroland, VIRTUAL PURO VILLAGE is now available in the Metaverse!

・The popular Sanrio Puroland parade will be performed in the virtual space with an original story!

・Starting January 13, 2023, visitors will be able to chat and play in an open space before the concert, and special events–like radio calisthenics–will be held.

・Guests can enjoy mini concerts featuring Sanrio characters every day from January 14 until January 20 (*Fee required.)

The event can be accessed via smartphone, PC, or other devices. Guests can have fun creating their own unique avatars and immersing themselves in the Sanrio Puroland atmosphere no matter where they are! Come experience this state-of-the-art Metaverse space while you can.

Experience Mini Live Shows Featuring Popular Sanrio Characters Every Day

A daily mini concert will be held daily from January 14 until January 20 with a different Sanrio character appearing each day. 

The mini-concert ticket allows guests to watch all seven mini-concerts and also includes digital items to use with your avatar, including a fan and a T-shirt. 

17 Artists Announced (So Far) to Perform During Virtual Music Festival!

Artists like Airi Suzuki, SKY-HI, and Yabai T-Shirts Yasan will take to the LUNA STAGE (*fee required), with virtual artists including Aoi Fuji appearing on the FUTURE STAGE (*fee required.)

Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters will also appear at CHILL PARK, each giving a mini live performance. The second artist lineup and performance timetable will be announced in early December.

Free areas will be open to the public. More details and ticket information is available on the official website. 

BE:FIRST is a seven-member dance and vocal group created during THE FIRST boy band audition. Organized by BMSG, a company founded by popular rapper SKY-HI, the group immediately amassed an army of fans who immediately fell in love with the member’s incredible perseverance and passion during the audition program.

Original Merchandise

Long Sleeve T-Shirt: ¥5,800

Hand Towel: ¥900

Rubber Keychain: ¥700

To commemorate the group’s major debut on November 3, PARCO will play host to the ‘BE:FIRST Photo Exhibition “We Just Gifted” event starting on October 22 in Shibuya and November 13 in Nagoya. The showing will feature unreleased photos and videos of the audition process, and original merchandise and materials will only be available at the event. There are plans for an online photo exhibition and regional tour in the future, so keep an eye out for details!

Last year, the Pola Museum Annex in Tokyo hosted a charity auction to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic breaking out across the globe. As the world continues to feel the effects of the virus, the charity event is returning for a second year, and is set to be held from November 12 until December 5, 2021. The title for this year’s art exhibition is ‘Find Your Travel.’ 

Lemon Tree – Yuka Kashihara. Acrylic and oil on canvas.  2020. 

POLA Dot or snowball ~Based on Tosa Mitsuyoshi’s Colored Painting of Yugiri from The Tale of Genji~ – Tetsuya Noguchi. Acrylic. 2020. 

our whereabouts – Moe Nakamura. Camphor, bronze, oil. 2021. 

Philanthropy – Yuko Higuchi. Hemp paper, pen, watercolor. 2020. 

Baby Heel-less Shoes – Noritaka Tatehama. Cowhide, pigskin, dye, metal zipper, coated crystal glass. 2020. 

Last year’s charity auction raised over ¥9,145,000 (about $83,000) for the Japanese Red Cross. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues around the globe, and as Japan remains locked down, this year’s event hopes to raise even more useful funds to help medical professionals on the front lines. 

20 artists are participating in the exhibition, with each creating one work based on the theme of ‘travel.’ In addition to simply viewing these pieces at the exhibition, a silent auction will also be held online. With travel being severely restricted, these works of art seek to inspire and encourage visitors to imagine a better future, when the world is open once again. All proceeds will once again be donated to the Japanese Red Cross. 

BE:FIRST, the 7-member boy’s group created from winners of SKY-HI’s 6-month “THE FIRST” audition, has released their pre-debut song titled Shining One. Initially, the song was performed at the final screening of the audition process. 

The group is made up of members SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI and LEO. Hip-hop group m-flo’s ☆Taku Takahashi, who initially produced the track, added some finishing touches to this official release. 

The BE:FIRST version of Shining One hit #1 on iTunes, LINE Music, Rakuten Music, AWA’s trending list, mora, and mu-mo. The group credits the success of the track to a blend of incredible quality, creativity, and artistry. 

The BE:FIRST version of the track and an accompanying music video were released on August 16. Performed against a white backdrop, the members perform impeccably, and the video has been a hot topic on social media since its release. Following their final audition, the members were tasked with learning a new dance in only 30 minutes, after which they were immediately filmed performing on stage. If you pay attention, you can see bits and pieces of this incredible choreography!

BE:FIRST Shining One Music Video

What do you think of this new group? 

THE FIRST is a boys group audition run by SKY-HI’s music management label BMSG which he himself has invested over 100 million yen into. The latest song to release as part of the project, Move On, dropped on July 5. The track before it, Be Free, was released just last week.

Move On shot up in the Japanese music charts upon its release, making it to No.3 on iTunes and AWA as well as No.1 on mu-mo. The song continues the success that Be Free enjoyed last week.

Move On is a song about breaking out of your shell and not subscribing to the existing framework. It’s a full-on, energetic song, the first of its kind to be released by THE FIRST. The sound and choreography mark a significant different from the boys group until now.

The song was written by SUNNY BOY and SKY-HI. SUNNY BOY has worked with not only some of Japan’s biggest artists, such as Namie Amuro, but South Korea’s biggest K-pop groups too like BTS, BLACNPINK, BIGBANG, and more. In 2018, the song SUNNY BOY wrote for BTS hit No.1 on Billboard.

[THE FIRST] Move On (Prod. SUNNY BOY) / Shota, Ryoki, Ran, Rei, Shunto, Ryuhei

Check out a performance of the song above, which has reached nearly 1 million views since its release on July 5. Be Free also broke 1 million in just five days.

Ueni Trading has opened pre-orders for a new reed diffuser set by RADSKY, a perfume brand with SKY-HI acting as the brand ambassador. The set is available to pre-order at LOFT, both in-store and online.

RADSKY Sexual Healing Coffret Set | ¥3,850 (Tax Included)

The new fragrance gets its name from the title of SKY-HI’s new song Sexual Healing. The fragrances captures the fragrance of a ‘sexy man’ with tempting white musk, which users can have around their home wherever they like with the sleek reed diffuser bottle which has a handwritten-style logo on it. The clear case is also made from a biodegradable material.

The first fragrance collaboration continues to enjoy sales

SKY-HI’s first collaboration with the brand was the RADSKY Neon Eau De Toilette perfume which is still enjoying sales for its “Night Fruity” aroma. It’s a more natural, refreshing smell balanced by sweet fruity notes.

In an effort to ensure the safety and protect the health of guests and staff, Universal Studios Japan (USJ) introduced strict measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on June 8, 2020, such as limiting the number of people who could enter the park each day and enforcing thorough cleaning routines. This enabled the park to reopen after its temporary closure. It has since been able to deliver its scope of fun and excitement to guests, albeit in a more structured way.

USJ wants to make wearing masks more fun too, and so it is releasing a range of character-inspired face masks, such as Snoopy, Elmo and the Cookie Monster, on August 7. Part of the money made from sales of these masks will be donated to the USJ Wonder Kids Program which helps support children in need.

Universal Studios Japan original design masks

The masks’ unique designs take the mouths of each character. These can be worn together with each respective characters’ headband which are also sold at USJ. Designs include Elmo, Cookie Monster, Snoopy, Tim, Jurassic Park, and Jaws.

Photos provided by Universal Studios Japan.
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are © & ™ Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s20)
Minions and all related elements and indicia TM & © 2020 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.
TM & © 2020 Universal Studios.
© 2020 Peanuts
© ’76, ’20 SANRIO
© 2020 Sesame Workshop
TM & © Universal Studios & Amblin Entertainment
TM & © Universal Studios.
TM Universal Studios.

Over 50 manga artists in Japan are coming together for the launch of the new “MANGA Day to Day” project which will depict daily life during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The project is set to roll out for free in mid-June on Twitter and Comic Days. A teaser by famous manga artist Tetsuya Chiba (Ashita no Joe; Notari Matsutarō) was released on May 22, 2020.

A related project entitled “Day to Day” is also taking place over on the Japanese literature news website TREE where over 50 popular authors have penned writings and essays on the restrictions of today’s everyday life. In addition to Japan, both projects have caught the attention of overseas news media and websites too. Like the related “Day to Day” project, “MANGA Day to Day” will have one new manga strip released for free each day on Twitter and Comic Days. A piece entitled Akudama by Tetsuya Chiba is already available to see over on the project’s official Twitter account.

People’s lives have changed drastically as a result of the pandemic. To pass down this time in history to the next 100, or even 200 years, the pieces contributed to the “MANGA Day to Day” project will be compiled into a book that’s scheduled for release in early 2021. A special edition of the book will also be compiled featuring both the manga and writing pieces.

Be sure to follow the Twitter account below to keep up to date.

A BATHING APE® released its new face mask case on Saturday (May 23) for people to hygienically put away their face masks, whether to store away or for on the go. The cases will be given to everyone that purchases something from the BAPE STORE® or BAPE.COM in Japan.

The case features BAPE’s iconic APE HEAD design. It’s made from PVC and so can be hand washed so people can safely and hygienically store their face masks. The case can of course be used to store hand sanitiser or hand wipes too.