The world of YouTube, variety, and entertainment is constantly changing, and it is not uncommon for channels to branch out into sub-channels. For the Junior CHANNEL, this phenomenon happens in the form of regular groups graduating from the channel; often because they are debuting and have established their own solo channel.
Written by Orelf2 & Sabina exclusively for Dumpling Box.
Every group currently on the Junior CHANNEL has a designated day they upload their content:
Tuesday: Ae! group
Wednesday: Shonen Ninja
Thursday: Lil Kansai
Friday: 7 MEN Samurai
Saturday: Bishonen
Sunday: HiHi Jets
However, the most recent group to graduate from the channel is the Ae! group, with their debut set for May 15th when their debut single “《A》BEGINNING” hits the stores! Their last video on the Junior CHANNEL was uploaded on April 9th, and on the same day, they opened their solo channel.
Initially, the Tuesday slot was designated to showcase Junior live show performances. In 2021, it became a shared day for Naniwa Danshi, Ae! group, and Lil Kansai. Naniwa Danshi was the first group of the three to graduate and debut.
With Ae! group graduating, and Lil Kansai having their own day on Thursdays, this meant that the Tuesday slot was empty. Fans have speculated since the debut announcement and wondered what would become of the slot after Ae! group left. Many groups don’t have any social media presence besides the occasional post on their official Instagram or TikTok, and many fans want to see their favorites on YouTube.
One popular wish was for any Kansai Junior group to take over the Tuesday slot and keep the Tuesday as a Kansai group slot.
To everyone’s surprise but delight, the Tuesday slot will still remain a Kansai day! But it won’t be just one group—it will be 73 Kansai Juniors, including AmBitious and Boys be!
The new concept for the Tuesday slot will not be focused solely on one group uploading every Tuesday or certain groups rotating. The Tuesday will be more free and flexible, allowing for more inter-group collaborations and even including Juniors who aren’t in an established group yet.
This might make some feel uneasy about the setup but fear not! Taking on this new project is none other than Ae! group’s Ken Kojima. He will act as the director for the Kansai Juniors, sharing his experience and insight as a senior in the industry and agency.
Ken might be new to the role as a producer for the YouTube project, but he is no stranger to directing and producing content. Aside from his work as a member of Ae! group, where he has been in charge of their skits for years, he soon expanded his work to produce such works for the younger groups in the Kansai scene.
One notable project was the 2022 Kansai Junior comedy stage show “THE BEGINNING~Shogeki~,” which was planned and produced by SUPER EIGHT’s Tadayoshi Ohkura and written, arranged, and directed by Ken himself. Initially, Tadayoshi needed assistance from fellow Ae! group member Masaya Sano to understand Ken, but his producing abilities were eventually recognized, and he was given more opportunities to produce for Kansai Junior shows.
One of his recent projects is the 2024 show “Come Visit! Minami Laughing Street”/“Oide yo! Minami Shoutengai” featuring Boys be and AmBitious, both Kansai Junior groups. Fully directed and written by Ken, this show is filled with ad-libs from the members, making each performance unique and showcasing their talents as Ken intended. It also provides a great opportunity for fans to get to know the boys better through their comedy performances.
Dumpling Box had the exclusive opportunity to ask Ken one question about his new role as a producer, let’s see what he had to say!
With your new role as producer for the Kansai Junior slot on YouTube, what kind of new opportunities do you envision for showcasing the essence of the next generation of Kansai Juniors to YouTube viewers, especially those living overseas? Any video concepts you particularly want them to try?
Ken Kojima of Ae! group
“Honestly, when it comes to overseas viewers, I have to say that I’m still in awe of YouTube’s international reach. I constantly see comments in all sorts of different languages under our videos; some of them from people who’ve followed us since before we became Ae! group but others who not only are discovering us for the first time but for whom we are their first-ever experience with Japanese entertainment of any kind.
I hope that those same people will continue to enjoy what we have planned for this new Kansai Junior segment and share it with others…in addition to subscribing to Ae! group’s new channel, of course! After all, it wasn’t that long ago that Piko-Taro became a global hit thanks to Justin Bieber stumbling on his videos, so as long as the Kansai Juniors stay focused on just having and making fun for everyone, who knows what could happen.
As for the kinds of content planned, I want to try a wide variety of activities, but I’d especially love to do some outdoor competition videos. Like, divide them into teams, with me as the emcee, but not overly serious or anything. I’ll just let them play, joke around, and have fun. Even if it’s a game they don’t really understand, I know the Kansai Juniors can rise to the challenge and give it their all, just like Ae! group always did. At the end of the day, it’s all about the fun and making memories for our fans and viewers.”
Members: Mayumi Takeyuki, Gaku Kawashita, Yuri Oka, Leo Nagaoka, Ichita Inoue, Rikuto Ura, Rion Ouchi, Taro Yoshikawa.
AmBitious is the newest Kansai junior group, formed in October 2021 by SUPER EIGHT’s Ohkura. The name “AmBitious” is derived from the word “ambition,” and producer Tadayoshi Ohkura said, “Some people are embarrassed to have passion and dreams, but I thought the way they worked hard on stage was truly ‘ambitious’.“
As a group from Kansai, AmBitious is famous not only for their bright and fun personalities but also for their skilled synchronized dancing and acrobatics. Just as their group name suggests, AmBitious members are full of enthusiasm and energetic power and give everything they have got whenever they are on stage.
Members: Atsushi Ito, Shintaro Sumi, Aoi Senda, Kosei Maruoka, Yukiya Ikegawa, Kotaro Sakimoto, Itsuki Yamanaka, Jintaro Kitamura, Kairi Kamei, Kosuke Uegaki, Tsukasa Iwakura, Seita Nakagawa
Boys be is a 12-member Kansai junior group consisting of the following members. The group was formed in 2020 with the freshest and cutest juniors, produced by both SUPER EIGHT’s You Yokoyama and Ohkura.
The “Boys” part of the name of the group is actually an acronym for “Bokura Osaka no Yancha na Shounen” (We are mischievous boys from Osaka), a perfectly matching name for the boys!
So, why is this project so important to the Kansai Juniors? Why is it so significant and meaningful that Ken is taking on the producer role for the next generation?
The answer lies in the legacy that is the Kansai Family Values—a unique bond between the groups and talents that grew up under the Kansai branch—and to truly grasp this unique connection between the Kansai family, one must first grasp what it means to be a “Junior” in the company.
The Junior division includes individuals and groups who have yet to officially debut as idols. They may already have a strong fan following, perform at concerts, and appear in various media such as stage productions, films, dramas, and TV shows. However, until they release their debut single, they are still considered trainees within the company.
Kansai Family History
The Juniors division was first established in the 1970s as a group of backup dancers for the company’s established artist groups. Over the years, members came and went as they trained under the company.
The “Juniors Golden Age,” also known as their peak popularity, was in the 1990s to early 2000s, when future members of ARASHI and other former talents from the company’s group Tackey & Tsubasa were active as part of the Juniors division. This era brought widespread recognition for the Juniors in Japan, and they began to make regular appearances on stage and TV shows despite not yet having a debut CD.
In the mid-90s, the company decided to expand and open a branch in Kansai. The first group of Kansai Juniors was introduced in December 1996’s Jr. Meikan issue. This expansion coincided with SUPER EIGHT member Yokoyama You joining the agency, leading to all members of the group, and anyone after joining, being part of a separate division for Kansai-based talents.
With a local office in Kansai, it became easier for the agency to recruit new members from the area and for the Kansai Juniors to attend rehearsals and shows.
However, this also meant fewer opportunities compared to their Tokyo counterparts. Unlike the Tokyo Juniors, who had a dedicated studio, the Kansai Juniors had to secure a temporary space each time they wanted to practice. Those who played instruments also had to bring their own or rent them out every time since there were no permanent sets available.
The first group to emerge and debut as Kansai Juniors (hereafter known as “Kanju”) was SUPER EIGHT in 2004. A decade later, in 2014, another group from Kansai finally debuted – WEST..
In comparison, there was a new debut almost every other year in Tokyo. The trend continued when Naniwa Danshi debuted in 2021, marking yet another long wait for a debut from Kansai.
Being a part of Kanju and experiencing the challenges and frustrations firsthand, SUPER EIGHT members You and Tadayoshi took matters into their own hands in 2018 and began producing Kanju on their own.
There were no official units within Kanju for over four years, so they formed Naniwa Danshi to give their fellow members more opportunities to showcase their talents and hopefully pave the way for future debuts.
Creating groups within the junior division was a crucial first step, allowing them to produce their own music, go on concert tours, and build a strong fanbase. But You and Tadayoshi didn’t stop there; shortly after forming Naniwa Danshi, they also created Lil Kansai, Ae! group, Boys be, and AmBitious.
Despite facing difficulties in the underprivileged Kansai branch, growing together as a family brought them closer and strengthened the bond within Kanju.
It’s always heartwarming to witness the strong bond between Kansai Jrs. groups, even after they have debuted and formed their own individual groups. Despite being in different units, they still consider themselves part of the larger Kansai family and do what they can to support each other and give junior members opportunities that they may not have had during their time as Juniors.
This was evident in the “Johnny’s DREAM IsLAND 2020→2025 ～From Our Beloved City～” concert in 2020, where You and Tadayoshi directed the show with the help of WEST. member Tomohiro Kamiyama. The concert featured all Kansai members performing together, bridging the gap between Juniors and debut members.
Tomohiro has also made significant contributions for the sake of Kanju, writing and composing songs such as “Game of Love,” for which he also provided the choreography, and Ae! group’s “Stray dogs.“
It should be noted that Hayashi Matori, a former Kanju who has since graduated and dedicated himself to choreography, is one of the main choreographers of the Kanju. His goal was to improve the experiences of future generations of Kanju performers.
The thing that made the “Johnny’s DREAM IsLAND 2020→2025 ～From Our Beloved City～” concert stand out was that it wasn’t a typical debut group performance with Junior members dancing in the background. Instead, all of the Kansai members were mixed together as one big group, regardless of their status as a Junior or debuted artist.
The Kanju are not as well-known as the Tokyo Juniors, mostly due to their activities being limited to the Kansai region. They have a TV show called “Maido Jani,” which only airs on a local channel in Kansai (KTV), significantly reducing their potential audience.
Additionally, they have fewer opportunities for regular TV appearances, stage performances, and concerts compared to their counterparts in Tokyo.
As a result, most Kanju members primarily work as backup dancers for already established Kansai groups such as SUPER EIGHT and WEST., and recently, Naniwa Danshi. When there are no concert tours scheduled, this also means no employment for the boys.
In the entertainment industry, moving to Tokyo has often been crucial for gaining exposure and advancing careers. Sometimes, talents would simultaneously work in both Kansai and Tokyo to increase the opportunities for various activities and work, thus often leading to a rise in popularity and solidifying an image as a well-known idol.
An example is Snow Man member Koji Mukai, who relocated to Tokyo for a better chance at debuting after being left off the list of members for Naniwa Danshi.
Despite the lack of opportunities, the Kanju were exceptional performers. Their skills were honed through years of dedication and hard work, and their unique style captivated audiences.
In comparison, Tokyo Junior was more well-known and popular, causing appearances on television, stage plays, and movies to become commonplace for Juniors.
However, for the Kanju, it was a rare and special occasion to showcase their talents on such platforms. The sight of a Junior from the Kanju group appearing on TV or performing in a play was met with excitement and admiration from their fans. It was a testament to their perseverance and passion for their craft.
For Kanju, being in a smaller and lesser-known division means that any chance to appear on stage or TV is a rare opportunity. They put their all into every opportunity they receive, eager to make the most of it. Their drive and determination are inspiring to watch, and they encourage others to work harder and do their best in their own lives, just like them.
With resilience and determination, they transformed sour lemons into sweet lemonade. Through their tough experiences and struggles, they formed a strong bond, becoming a family that looked out for one another. They were both rivals and friends, united by their shared hardships and experiences.
You and Tadayoshi took on the task of producing Kanju, determined to prevent future generations from experiencing the hardships they faced. As others in the Kansai group saw their efforts, they also began to lend a hand in nurturing the younger Juniors.
Following the timeline since the Kansai branch started, we’re now in 2024, where 73 Kansai Juniors will take over the Tuesday spot on their Junior CHANNEL, with Ken leading the next generation of talents.
Gone are the limited exposure and limitations, and the doors to the world have opened. From the hard work created by their admired and respected seniors, this new generation of talents has the world as their playground to expose their charm and talent!
The determination to succeed and ensure that the future generation won’t face the same hardships has been at the core of the Kansai talents for years. The love and respect the Kansai STARTO Family has for each other is unrivaled, and it’s not contained to only them but also to everyone who follows them and watches over them. The sheer joy and love one feels when watching any Kansai group from STARTO makes you feel like a part of the family, too.
From You and Tadayoshi to Ken and to the current generation of Juniors, the torch of these values will continue to be passed down.
This is the legacy of the Kansai STARTO Family.
Check out the Juniors & Ae! group on their various social media platforms!
YouTube | X (Twitter) | X (Twitter)(English) | Instagram | TikTok | Official site
aegroupofficial @ X | YouTube | Instagram | Official Website
very nice.