So, if you haven’t been reading the rumors and tabloids, there’s been hype about Johnny’s leaving their groups to start their own solo careers ever since Jin Akanishi of KAT-TUN dicked over left his bandmates to pursue his own English/Japanese/Jinglish solo career. Solo careers aren’t of the unknown in Johnny’s, there have been “solo side projects” from various already in their respected boy bands, but it was always ingrained into the minds of fans everywhere that it was only “temporary” and that the Johnny would “never leave the group because they mean ~so much~ to him”.
Obviously, that is the biggest load of horseshit I’ve ever seen and anyone who’s stupid enough to believe such nonsense is a god damn idiot living in Yaoi fantasy land. Yes, you can put away your fanfictions, don’t act like I can’t see you.
Anyway, obviously such rumors suck to read because that means their favorite group is one-member less and about 20k sales less than before. To say that member separation doesn’t hurt a group is an obvious lie, especially when the member that leaves is an key member of said group. KAT-TUN (aka KaT-TUN aka KUNTT) lost Jin; the A in their group, the bad boy, the one everyone wrote buttsex fanfics about, the one that can actually sing, etc. While some consider this a blessing in disguise, there are a lot who are obviously hurt by the move. KAT-TUN is no longer “KAT-TUN” — depending on how you look at it — and now have to make up for the obvious gap he left behind.
Jin wasn’t just the doo-wop-wop-wop of the group, he was the lead singer. So each song that featured his voice on it has to be replaced and rewritten. I don’t know about you, but that would sound odd on the ears. Like someone trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.
Moving on from KAT-TUN, we now have Yamashita Tomohisa (or Yamapi as loving referred to by fans), who is now rumored to be going the same route as his beloved friend, Jin. While J&A is currently prostituting Jin in the United States, they’re going to Southeast Asia with Yamapi to launch his international solo career. Perhaps to bank on his Kitty gYm success? Who the fuck knows but one thing is for certain, fans are not pleased. Unlike Jin, NEWS fans don’t want to see their holy grail leave the struggling group for good.
NEWS hasn’t been doing good and this has been obvious for a while. After their return from the ashes due to a ~major scandal~ from two resident members that got the boot, they had done pretty well. 2007 – 2009 seemed like NEWS had something going for itself; hit singles, drama tie-ins, plays, albums… and then it just stopped. Tegomass proved to be successful, Kanjani8 was blowing up putting Ryo with them as his primary group, and Yamapi seemed to be just fine all by himself — there was really no use in pumping time and energy in to a group that was more successful in their own little units.
So the question then boils down to, why should these guys fight to stay with something that just isn’t working? Yamapi and Ryo have had more success and work in their own projects than in NEWS. It looks like NEWS only exists because, unlike Tegoshi, Massu, Ryo, and Yamapi, Shige and Koyama would have nothing. Realistically look at this, people: Tegoshi and Massu have a duet that’s successful and can continue as is without NEWS, Ryo has Kanjani8, and Yamapi has a, unexpectedly, successful solo career. They don’t need NEWS; Shige and Koyama do.
And it’s obvious that NEWS, itself, is not bringing in the attention and money like the “side projects”. When they debuted, seemed like J&A’s answer to Morning Musume’s large ass group (at the time, this was the peak of popularity). The boyband of nine members collapsed into a group of six and it looks like if things continue at this rate, NEWS will only be a two man act.
Yamapi doesn’t need NEWS, NEWS needs Yamapi.
I don’t care how much “boyband member love” these guys try to sell to their fans, at the end of the day they’re all co-workers put together to sing and dance. Friendships are formed, yes, but its not like they need each other to live. If going solo means securing a better future finacially and successfully, then I don’t see why these Johnny’s shouldn’t go solo.
I guess it all boils down to the big question — Would Justin Timberlake be so successful had he stayed in N*Sync?
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