(stylized as 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. The group is produced by Super Eight's You Yokoyama. They occasionally perform as a band and include skits in their concerts.
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 , 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, 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! (TVer), The Tetsuwan Dash (NTV), Ae!!!!!!ko (MBS), 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 Mr. Osomatsu: Project Slackers 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. — Guitar — Lead vocal — leader; keyboard — Drum
Former members — formerly bass, left on December 30, 2023 — Saxophone & bass, left on November 20, 2025
Discography Studio albums + List of studio albums, with selected details, chart positions and sales Title Details Peak chart positions Sales Certifications JPN JPNComb. JPNHotPeaks on the Hot albums chart: D.N.A: D.N.A: D.N.A Released: February 18, 2025 Label: UJ Formats: CD, CD+DVD, CD+BD 1 1 1 JPN: 247,323 RIAJ: Platinum Runway Released: February 25, 2026 Label: UJ Formats: CD, CD+DVD, CD+BD 1 1 2 JPN: 320,675 RIAJ: Platinum
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Certifications Album JPN JPNComb. JPNHotPeaks on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
"A-Beginning" 2024 1 1 2 JPN: 625,044 RIAJ: 3× Platinum D.N.A "Gotta Be" 1 1 1 JPN: 390,765 RIAJ: Platinum "Chameleon" 2025 1 1 2 JPN: 455,336 RIAJ: 2× Platinum rowspan="2" "Dekoboko Life" 2026 1 1 2 JPN: 484,924 RIAJ: 2× Platinum
Video albums +List of video albums, with selected details Title Details Certifications Nishi kara Ae! Kaze Fuitemasu!: Otento-sama mo Mitekuretemasunen Live 2022 Released: March 10, 2023 Label: Storm Formats: DVD Ae! Group Debut Tour: Sekai de Ichiban Ae Live Released: December 4, 2024 Label: UJ Formats: Blu-ray, DVD RIAJ: Gold
Tie-ins +YearTitleTie-in(s)AlbumNoteNote 22023Ending theme for the group's TV program Ae!!!!!!iko-Pre-debut songsTheme song for TV drama Kaettekitara Ippai Shite.D.N.AKen Kojima lead role +YouTheme song for MBS/TBS TV program Saturday PlusYoshinori Masakado regular guest2024Never endTheme song for TV drama Rikon KouyaMasaya Sano lead roleColorful DaysCommercial song for Hankyu's cake delivery service "Cake Link"2025Rock'N'PopTheme song for the Japanese dub version of New Gods: Yang JianSano lead voice roleDestinyTheme song for TV drama Musashino Rondo-Masakado lead role
Solo concert YearTitleNotes and 2019Pre-debut2020 Ae! group Zepp LIVE 2020 STARTING NOW 4132022202320242025Ae! group LIVE TOUR 2025 D.N.A2026
Filmography
Documentary YearTitleNotes and 2023Fuji TV2024Netflix
Notes
References
External links
Ae! group Official Starto page Ae! group Official page - Universal Music Japan