I’d like to open this concert report with an important disclaimer: I did not intend to adopt a new group.
But alas, I am weak when it comes to anything related to STARTO ENTERTAINMENT and its endless roster of talented artists. They’re truly the gift that keeps on giving while also steadily emptying my wallet 😅
To set the scene, I first learned about 4U. around 2021 when I watched the Fuji TV show Sukojani, featuring four members: Fumito Kawai (formerly of A.B.C-Z), Fuma Kikuchi (timelesz), Juri Tanaka (SixTONES), and Yudai Tatsumi (4U.). I recognized everyone except Tatsumi, but that didn’t stop me from absolutely dying of laughter while watching the show.
I loved the chemistry between the four of them, and I was especially charmed by Tatsumi, who, despite being much older than both Fuma and Juri, was mercilessly teased by them the entire time. Naturally, I couldn’t resist doing a little research on him and 4U., and that curiosity turned into a years-long journey leading up to today. I was especially pleased when their YouTube channel opened, and since then, I’ve been casually following their journey and enjoying their content.
In 2025, I officially joined the 4U. fan club (now combined with other artists under the FamiMall FC) and entered the ballot for their latest tour, 39×4=Iikoro (「4U. LIVE TOUR 2025 39×4＝イイコロ」). To my surprise and delight, I won a ticket for the Tachikawa show on October 2, my first-ever 4U. concert!
I really didn’t have much of an idea of what to expect, but had heard from a friend that their shows are incredibly fun. Since they’ve never had a CD debut, there’s not much of their music available. Aside from a few live performances uploaded to their YouTube channel, I was going in pretty blind. But honestly, that’s never stopped me before. I was ready for whatever they had in store and wow, they did not disappoint one bit.
The group consists of Yuta Fukuda, Yudai Tatsumi, Yuki Koshioka, and Yusuke Matsuzaki, all born in the same year and all sharing the “Yu” sound in their first names, hence the group name “4U.” (a pun that also works perfectly in English).
The tour title, 39×4=Iikoro, loosely translates into “thank you for a good time” which is also a clever play on words combining gratitude and celebration (I am beginning to notice that these guys enjoy puns…).
All four members turn 39 this year, and this tour was their way of expressing thanks to their fans. Even the penlight, designed by Matsu himself, tied into this theme and is modeled after their signature “3939 (sankyuu sankyuu, thank you thank you)” pose. As we waved our penlights throughout the concert, it felt like we were sending that gratitude right back to them–a simple but deeply touching gesture. 🥹
From start to finish, the concert was nonstop entertainment. They pulled out all the stops: singing, dancing, playing guitar, and cracking jokes. There wasn’t a single dull moment! I left the venue completely convinced that I had crossed over from casual observer to full-on fan, finally privy to the charm and talent of 4U.!
They kicked off the show with “Rock the Show,” a high-energy rock number that immediately had the audience on their feet. Each member made sure to connect with fans across the entire venue, switching positions on stage and waving from the arena to the stands. Their energy was infectious—I couldn’t stop smiling watching them perform with so much heart.
Before the next block, they asked everyone to turn off their penlights for “Tokyo Lover,” a smooth city-pop track that highlighted each member’s vocals. They followed it up with a soulful cover of their beloved senpai DOMOTO’s “Schrödinger,” and then their kouhai Snow Man’s “Tapestry,” which featured original choreography by Fuku-chan himself. Then, out of nowhere, they transitioned into the massive nine-minute epic “Call & Response 4U.” I was definitely unprepared, but had an absolute blast shouting and singing along with everyone else in the audience.
Next up was their iconic MC corner which always has a set specially built for it. This tour’s MC was set in an izakaya, and the set design was so detailed it genuinely felt like we were hanging out with them over drinks. After “closing shop,” the members changed outfits and returned to perform their original song “Jellyfish.” Silver streamers cascaded down from the ceiling, transforming the stage into a dreamy underwater world. The members danced among the streamers and it made for a mesmerizing experience!
Then came my favorite part of the entire concert: the member-produced solo segment. Each member produced another’s solo, with hilarious and creative VTR intros that perfectly captured their personalities.
- Koshi produced Tatsumi’s solo: timelesz’s “Honne to Tatemae”
- Matsu produced Koshi’s solo: Hiromitsu Kitayama’s “FORM”
- Tatsumi produced Matsu’s solo: ARASHI’s “PIKA☆NCHI” and even joined him on stage playing guitar!
- Finally, the other three produced Fuku-chan’s solo: Tackey & Tsubasa’s “REAL DX”
Another highlight came with their performance of ARASHI’s “P・A・R・A・D・O・X,” featuring brand-new choreography by Tomoyuki Yara. It was such a pleasant surprise to see Yara appear via VTR and to see him deliver on his promise to create choreography for 4U. 🥹
Over the course of the show, they performed 16 original songs, including a brand-new track written especially for the tour: “Hoshikuzu no Uta.” The song was full of youthful hope and wonder, a perfect closer that left the whole venue glowing with warmth.
As 4U. approaches their 15th anniversary in 2026, it’s clear that they’re only continuing to grow and evolve. I’m so glad I finally got to experience their magic live and they’ve definitely earned themselves a new fan who’ll be cheering them on from here on out 💚💛❤️💜
Written by Amy for Dumpling Box.
Check out more from 4U. on their various social media accounts!
YouTube | Line Account | X (Official English STARTO account)
Yuta Fukuda Instagram | Yudai Tatsumi Instagram | Yuki Koshioka Instagram | Yusuke Matsuzaki Instagram
Photo assets © STARTO ENTERTAINMENT.