Naniwa Danshi's Kazuya Ohashi appears on the cover of the special edition of "Nikkei Entertainment!" and talks about the concept behind the album

■ “(The new album) subtly includes the pain we feel as we grow from boys to adults” (Naniwa Danshi, Ohashi Kazuya)

Naniwa Danshi’s Ohashi Kazuya will make his first solo appearance on the cover of the special edition of the entertainment magazine “Nikkei Entertainment!” October 2024 issue (on sale September 4th).

With the third anniversary of their debut approaching in November, the group speaks frankly about their position and challenges in the red-hot boy group market.

Naniwa Danshi is currently on a nationwide tour with their third album “+Alpha” released in June. Three years have passed since their debut song “Ubu Rabu,” and in their albums and live performances, many expressions of the glittering boys growing into adults can be seen, so the interview started with a question about this change. Ohashi responded, “We also subtly included the ‘pain’ we felt in the process of going from boys to adults.” He said that this ‘pain’ was the hidden concept of the album, and that Naniwa Danshi today is trying to show the contrast that “it’s not just glitter.”

More and more members are doing well individually, and the group is growing steadily…or so they would like to say, but this spring something happened for the first time for the group. The members had several meetings to discuss “the future of Naniwa Danshi.” In the past year, the group’s surrounding environment has changed drastically, with the group’s management company changing to a new company.

“I think everyone was feeling anxious and uneasy about the future amid the invisible anxiety that had been around since last year. The atmosphere naturally shifted to one of discussing things together,” said Ohashi. At the meeting, each member gave a presentation on everything from “what Naniwa Danshi should be” to their individual directions, and shared their honest thoughts with each other. Ohashi revealed that this was also a “turning point for the group that occurs once every three years,” something he had heard about from his seniors.

He also talked about his commitment to blending the sparkle of idols with the hardcore Kansai style, in a world filled with hardcore boy groups. He also mentioned that the new company has expanded their scope of activities, but at the same time, their individual responsibilities have also increased. And at the end of the interview, he was asked, “What is Naniwa Danshi lacking?” What was the answer he came up with after asking himself this question.

They also announced their first Asian tour, visiting four Asian cities, but when asked about a dome concert that would attract 40,000 to 50,000 people at a time, Ohashi said with a serious look on his face, “We’re not ready for it yet.” Ohashi is also the group’s leader. This was a serious update on his current situation, a little different from his usual smiling, energetic self.

The private talk section asks 10 questions, such as “What kind of alcohol do you drink these days?” and “Do you prefer your omelet rice eggs hard or soft and runny?” Ohashi, who is always full of hospitality, gives enthusiastic answers to every question. It’s also fun to get a glimpse into his private life, including his extremely detailed way of cooking rice and the type of cleansing product and shampoo he uses in the morning and evening. The 12-page magazine also includes a report on Naniwa Danshi’s live concert at Yokohama Arena in August.

The opening feature is TM NETWORK, a unit led by Tetsuya Komuro, with vocalist Takashi Utsunomiya and guitarist and keyboardist Naoto Kine. On the 40th anniversary of their debut, the band talks extensively about their past and future plans in a roundtable discussion and solo interviews that span over 10 pages. In addition, there is a 21-page interview with singer-songwriter Mitsuko Komuro, who wrote many of TM NETWORK’s lyrics, including “Get Wild,” “BE TOGETHER,” and “BEYOND THE TIME (Beyond the Moebius Universe),” and with Takanori Nishikawa, who teamed up with Komuro for the first time on the theme song for “Mobile Suit Gundam SEED FREEDOM.”

The first feature is “New common sense in the music industry.” With digital sales increasing for 10 consecutive years, and promotions on social media and other platforms, the latest trends in the music scene are examined in various ways. In addition, FRUITS ZIPPER appears in a long interview. In addition, there is a report on the latest research on the final episode of the drama “Wings of the Tiger,” the latest developments in “scary-cute” characters such as Npochamu and Haggy Waggy, and more.