Experience the Power of Ae! group's 'Hoko' Performance

When the first notes hit, you could feel it deep in your chest before your mind even had time to process it. “Hoko” (咆哮) isn’t just a song—it’s an eruption.

Released on February 18, 2025, as part of Ae! group’s first album D.N.A, “Hoko” (Roar) is not just a performance song. It embodies their entire journey — from their formation to their long-awaited debut — capturing their struggles, determination, and unbreakable bond with fans. A roar from their souls.

Before this moment, Ae! group spent over five years as Kansai Juniors, carving out their identity in an environment where debut wasn’t promised and nothing was guaranteed. That uncertainty became their fuel, shaping the hunger and determination we now see fully unleashed in “Hoko.“

It’s a track that marks a shift—the sound of breaking past yesterday’s limits, of turning doubt, frustration, and hesitation into a roar powerful enough to propel them forward.

There’s something unforgettable about the way this performance hits. At first, it almost feels like you’ve stumbled onto a rock festival—until you notice the penlights, the crowd call-and-response, and realize: this is Ae! group at their core. The intensity is overwhelming, but it’s theirs. They’re not just idols playing a band number; they are a band, they are performers, and they are something that refuses to fit into a single label.

The song captures the stress, frustration, and constant pressure of everyday life, and for Ae! group, this mirrors their reality before debut — watching other groups debut one after another while being left behind, forced to confront the fear that waiting around would lead to nothing. The urgency they felt, knowing they couldn’t afford to simply stand still.

Ae! group has never been half-hearted in their journey. From their earliest days, they’ve thrown themselves into everything—through countless challenges, frustrations, and setbacks that would have broken most. Every low became part of the fuel that pushes them higher now.

This performance feels like their answer to those years of uncertainty—a statement that the countless hours spent on dance, vocals, acting, variety, and band practice were never wasted. “Hoko” isn’t just music; it’s the sound of everything they’ve poured in, finally breaking free.

By embracing their identity as “pioneers of absolute liberation,” they’re redefining what it means to be an idol. The aggressive rock-band sound amplifies that intention, a declaration that they refuse to be confined by stereotypes or expectations. At its core, it is a reminder to hold on to the instincts and dreams that have carried them this far.

This is also Seiya’s moment—the spiritual sibling to “PRIDE,” but louder, harder, and rawer. Where “PRIDE” carried defiance and survival, “Hoko” roars with freedom and power. Every note Seiya belts feels alive, torn straight from his lungs and thrown into the chaos of roaring guitars and pounding drums. It’s not just about vocal skill—it’s instinct, passion, and something deeper than what studio recordings can ever contain. His incredible, larger-than-life presence is something that can’t be taught; it’s something innate. Watching him here, you realize this isn’t just performance; it’s transcendence.

But “Hoko” isn’t only Seiya’s song—it’s the sound of five people fully unleashing everything they have.

Masakado’s guitar sets the track on fire from the very first riff, cutting through strobes and flames with precision that borders on breathtaking. The close-ups capture his focus, his intensity, the way every note bleeds into the next—sometimes gentle, sometimes violent, but always alive. Kojiken’s keyboards, often underrated, are indispensable here, threading a melodic line that gives balance to the storm. Richard’s bass holds everything steady, grounding the chaos with its deep resonance, and it’s wild to realize that he hasn’t really been playing it for long, while Sano’s drumming hits with such clarity and force that you can feel it reverberate in your chest.

Together, they don’t just play; they become the music. A part of your DNA.

The arena reacts in kind. Penlights ripple in waves of color, flames erupt at the chorus, and the crowd roars back so loudly it feels like the stage and audience are sharing a single heartbeat. The sound of thousands shouting back isn’t deliberate—it’s instinctual.

You can feel it, this unspoken agreement between the stage and the audience: Ae! group throws everything they have into the performance, and the audience returns it tenfold. In that moment, the boundary between performer and fan dissolves. It’s one heartbeat, one roar.

All these countless voices cheering, calling, believing in them from all over the world. They acknowledge it openly, refusing to look away.

If “PRIDE” represented the fight to define who they are, “Hoko” is the aftermath of victory. It isn’t just about being seen anymore—it’s about demanding the space they’ve earned. It’s a howl from deep within, declaring “we’re here” and “watch us take everything.”

It is a reminder, not only to themselves but to all of us:
Your life isn’t controlled by anyone else. You decide where it goes.

Ae! group isn’t satisfied with simply debuting. They want the top.

It’s not one vocalist and four backing players in a band—it’s five people, each singing with their own instruments. That’s “Hoko“—it’s Ae! group. It’s their DNA laid bare—the years of hard-earned skill, unspoken trust, and the kind of passion you can’t fake.

And yet, it’s more than that, more than ambition. It’s gratitude. It’s a reminder of their roots—the years they’ve spent shaping their band identity before debut, the relentless practice that turned risk into mastery, the way each member has carved their own role within this sound.

What makes “Hoko” so powerful isn’t just that it’s loud; it’s that every note carries the weight of where they’ve been and the hope of where they’re going.

By the time the last note fades, you’re left breathless, heat rushing through your chest, knowing you’ve just witnessed something more than a performance.

Because “Hoko” doesn’t just make the stage roar.
It makes the arena roar back.