SUPER EIGHT talks about the group's 20-year journey, which has never been smooth

■ “We had members leave the band, we had the coronavirus, and so on…There were times when we almost had to stop due to various factors, and times when we had no choice but to stop.” (Yasuda Shota)

SUPER EIGHT will make their first appearance in the special edition of the September issue of beauty magazine “MAQUIA” (hereinafter “MAQUIA”), which will be released on July 22nd.

Coincidentally, SUPER EIGHT is also celebrating its 20th anniversary since its debut, just as Maquia (launched in 2004) is celebrating its 20th anniversary since its launch. They talk extensively about how they overcame many obstacles to get to where they are now, and the meaning and weight of “continuing” that they can now talk about.

In their solo interviews, they also touched on their thoughts on “what they have continued doing” and “the importance of continuing.” Some say, “If you really think it’s impossible, then it’s okay to quit. There’s no need to be tied down to continuing” (Okura Tadayoshi), while others answered, “I would say, ‘Just being alive, that’s all” (Murakami Shingo). The various perspectives they have gained after spending 20 years as frontline idols are sure to open your eyes.

In a roundtable discussion with all five members, they reflected on the group’s journey, which was by no means smooth, saying, “We had members leave the group, we had COVID… There were times when we almost had to stop due to various factors, and we were forced to stop” (Yasuda Shota), and “We’ve also experienced some difficulties” (Okura).

As for what has changed and what has remained the same for each member, surprising facts come to light one after another, such as “This guy (Murakami)’s body shape has hardly changed in the last 20 years” (Yokoyama Yu). The roundtable discussion page, which shows their impressive conversation skills and shows how close they are, is a must-read.

The feature also includes a shot of them celebrating their 20th anniversary with a special cake. The photo is packed with the charms of SUPER EIGHT, from a sharp and determined shot to a lively shot of the group munching on cake together.

(C)MAQUIA September 2024 Special Edition/Shueisha Photography/Kentaro Kobe