Celebrating 55 Years of Anan with Ae! group's Journey

As anan celebrates its monumental 55th anniversary, the magazine has gathered a truly extraordinary lineup—a constellation of cultural icons, trend-setters, artists, and storytellers who have shaped the look and feel of Japanese entertainment for generations.

And among them, shining with their unmistakable Kansai-bright energy, stands Ae! group—Yoshinori Masakado, Seiya Suezawa, Ken Kojima, and Masaya Sano—spirited, grounded, and continuing to rise with every passing year.

This anniversary issue is an archive of eras. Tetsuko Kuroyanagi—one of the magazine’s original namers — appears alongside veteran contributors Mariko Hayashi, Junko Sakai, and Hiroyuki Ehara. Takuya Kimura, the artist with the most anan covers in history, reflects on his relationship with the magazine. Past anan AWARD Grand Prize recipients, and fellow agency mates, like SixTONES, Snow Man, Junichi Okada, Ryosuke Yamada, and timelesz revisit the moments that defined their journeys. Nogizaka46 retrace fashion across decades, beloved cultural collaborations are revived, and bestselling authors contribute original reflections. Even Haruki Murakami’s legendary “Murakami Radio” returns for one issue only. It is a celebration built not merely from names, but from the stories and emotions that have shaped fifty-five years of Japanese trends and culture.

Within this sweeping historical moment, Ae! group’s presence feels both fresh and deeply meaningful. Their celebratory video begins politely but, in classic Ae! fashion, quickly transforms into a lively mix of teasing, slapstick timing, and affectionate chaos. What could have been a simple congratulatory message becomes a perfect snapshot of their personality.

Cover of anan magazine featuring Ae! group, consisting of six members posing in stylish black clothing, capturing a blend of youthful energy and maturity.

It’s fitting, then, that when asked which anan shoot left the strongest impression, the members immediately recalled their first-ever cover shoot—their 2022 debut appearance in anan no.2319, a moment that marked a turning point in their trajectory. Adding an extra thread of meaning to the moment, the shoot took place in the very same studio where they had filmed their “Hello” music video—an unexpected overlap that made the experience feel less like a coincidence and more like a quiet milestone in their unfolding story.

Far from the calm Kansai atmosphere they would later revisit in subsequent shoots, their first cover unfolded on a dramatic night set that looked almost like the opening scene of an action movie. As the sun disappeared and the surroundings fell into darkness, the staff and members alike entered the shoot brimming with anticipation.

At the time, Ae! group was riding a powerful tailwind—momentum at maximum, charging full-speed ahead. Their first anan cover shoot captured that moment perfectly. Though the set looked like the dramatic opening frame of an action film, the atmosphere behind the camera was warm, easygoing, and unmistakably theirs.

The shoot opened with solo cuts for the “Charge & Detox” feature: clean light, a minimalist backdrop, and boldly patterned shirts that felt daring until the members slipped into them with natural ease. In front of the lens, they shifted seamlessly between playful swagger and cool stillness, responding to each direction with the instinctive sharpness that would later become one of their trademarks.

A change into monotone shirts brought a different mood — softer, more focused — and with it came a glimpse of Ae! group’s signature switch. One moment, they were laughing together during test shots; the next, they were fully locked in, delivering buddy cuts with precision and quiet intensity. Few groups move that effortlessly between offbeat humor and crisp professionalism, and even then, it was clear they possessed that duality.

For the final sequence, the six stepped into leather jackets and black suits, illuminated by deep red and violet lights. Their silhouettes—sharpened by wind, shadow, and intention—captured a powerful blend of youth and emerging maturity. It was, even then, a declaration: this is who we are now, and this is who we’re becoming. A first cover not simply remembered, but foundational.

Despite the late hour, their focus never faltered. They carried the same spirit from start to finish, closing the night with bright voices and an earnest, “Thank you so much! Please have us again!” It was a reflection of who they were then — and who they continue to be now: artists who greet every project with pride, sincerity, and forward momentum.

Yet running through the laughter is something steady and sincere: their determination, their gratitude, and their quiet but powerful resolve to keep moving forward.

Then, when the conversation shifts to the question, “What kind of photoshoot would you like to try next?”, the simple question opens a surprisingly heartfelt moment. When the members begin tossing out ideas, Seiya—eagerly and with unmistakable excitement—mentions that he would love to shoot overseas: America or Hawaii, for example. Ken even promised to get in shape if the shoot really does go abroad. It was half-joke, half-declaration, the kind of playful confidence that makes fans grin and think, …you know what, maybe this could actually happen.

It isn’t an official plan, nor a promised project, but the wish itself carries a quiet significance, even if the editor-in-chief allegedly has approved of the idea (time will tell!).

For international fans, hearing “overseas” woven into the group’s dreams, even in passing, feels like a gentle bridge being extended across oceans. And for Ae! group, whose ambitions have always stretched just a little further than the horizon in front of them, the idea of capturing their next chapter abroad feels not only natural, but hopeful — a possibility waiting for the right wind to catch, because the time to take a step forward is always”now.”

Yoshinori also spoke fondly about his very first anan shoot—a memory he recounts with the kind of detail that reveals how formative the experience truly was. As the session went on—in true anan fashion—sleeves were pushed higher and higher, layers quietly disappeared, and before he knew it, he was being taught that veins, tendons, and the slightest hint of disheveled ease were considered prime “moe points.¹”

It was one of his first lessons in the unique language of anan photography—playful, stylish, and just a little bit daring—and even now, he looks back on it as a moment when he began to understand what it meant to step into the frame not just as himself, but as an artist shaped by intention, expression, and atmosphere.

And in the way he reenacts it now—half teasing, half genuinely proud—you understand exactly why it left such an impression. There’s an artistry in how he moves, an ease in how he reveals those subtle lines of muscle and tension, not as a boast but as a quiet demonstration of how expression can live in the smallest details.

It isn’t just about veins or tendons; it’s about the charm that emerges when someone steps fully into their own presence, even in a moment as simple as rolling up a sleeve.

And perhaps that is what makes their appearance in this 55th anniversary issue especially poignant. anan has always been a magazine that captures its times—not only the brightest, safest moments, but the ones that require courage, reinvention, and heart. Ae! group fit into that lineage seamlessly. Their presence brings humor, warmth, and a reminder that even in complicated moments, joy and creativity still find ways to shine through.

This anniversary issue positions them alongside the giants of fashion, music, and culture—not as newcomers peeking in, but as artists contributing their own color to the tapestry. Their video radiates a simple but powerful message: We’re here. We’re grateful. And we’ll keep giving everything we have.

As Ae! group offer their congratulations and promise to continue doing their best, their words feel especially resonant. In times when brightness feels precious, they embody it effortlessly—not by ignoring the world around them, but by continuing to create joy within it.

Before that conclusion settles, it feels only right to return to the words they once shared in their very first anan cover issue—promises spoken quietly, with the sincerity of a group standing at the beginning of something vast, something past the borders of Japan.

Yoshinori reflected then, “We can’t just let the wind carry us—we have to spread our own wings, too.” Words that once carried the hopeful determination of a group still finding its footing now resonate differently. Today, Ae! group aren’t simply waiting for the wind to favor them—they are moving with intention, shaping their path with every step. Their wings are open, strengthened by challenges faced, stages conquered, and the unshakeable trust they’ve built with one another. That early promise wasn’t just youthful ambition; it was a glimpse of the trajectory they were already beginning to carve.

Masaya voiced his hope with disarming honesty: “I want us to debut, so our fans can finally feel at ease.” And looking back now, after the debut announcement at Kyocera Dome, it’s clear they meant every word — because they did debut, and they did give their fans the reassurance they had long been waiting for.

Seiya looked straight ahead, unwavering, saying, “I want everyone to believe in us. I swear—no one will ever regret it.” At the time, it felt like a vow cast toward a distant horizon—something hopeful, fierce, and almost impossibly brave. But as their journey has unfolded, those words have taken on new weight. You can see them reflected in the way Ae! group stands before enormous crowds with steady hearts; in the trust they cultivate with fans who continue to choose them, day after day; in the unmistakable sense that Seiya never meant this as a slogan, but as a promise he fully intended to uphold. His conviction has matured into something deeper and more radiant—a reminder that belief is not passive. It is lived, shared, and proven through action. And fans wholeheartedly believe in him.

And Ken, with a warmth that has never left him, added, “Let’s keep making this story together, all of us.” And it resonates, and it will forever do, because no matter what happens, it doesn’t mean that the road they walked on is abandoned; it will always remain, and if they suddenly look back, they can still see the footsteps they left behind.

The road ahead is simply a fork in the road. The view they will see in the future will surely be fantastic as they spread their colors across the universe. The faint heat, reverberations, and afterimages of them – past, present, and future, will linger on the empty stage as they leave for the next project.

The days will continue to pass, and the clock won’t stop, but Ae! group will keep on being Ae! group – in any form, and spin an endless tale for us all to enjoy.

Reading those words now—lined up against the brightness of this 55th anniversary—they feel less like past statements and more like threads that have quietly woven their way into the group’s present. Wishes have turned into momentum. Momentum into purpose. Purpose into the steady unfolding of a story they continue to build alongside the people who believe in them.

Ae! group don’t just appear. They uplift. They lighten. They remind us that resilience can be gentle, and hope can be loud.

And in doing so, they claim their own place within the ongoing story of anan — a story shaped by culture, creativity, and an unspoken promise shared by every artist who steps into its pages: Ae! group’s story is never-ending, and their and our dreams will never end, so let the adventure go on, with PRIDE.