Keyakizaka46

On February 22, 2015, during the Nogizaka46 3rd Year Birthday Live at Seibu Dome, Nogizaka46 announced plans to recruit the first generation members for their new project.[5] It was revealed that the new group's name was Toriizaka46 (鳥居坂46), named after the Toriizaka area in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo, and the recruitment was started on July 28.[6] The final examination of the audition took place on August 21, the same day as Nogizaka46 was created, and 22 passed out of 22,509 candidates. At the same time, it was announced that the group's name was suddenly changed to Keyakizaka46; however, its reason is unclear.[7] Furthermore, two members, Mizuho Suzuki and Mayu Harada, left the group before their first performance, bringing the total number of members to 20.[8][9]

Similar to Nogizaka46, Keyakizaka46 began airing a television show on October 4 titled Keyakitte, Kakenai? (欅って、書けない?) on TV Tokyo.[10] On November 29, the show announced a new member, Neru Nagahama. Nagahama had passed the auditions but did not join due to her parents' objections.[11] She debuted as a member of the subgroup Hiragana Keyakizaka46 (けやき坂46) and auditions for more members started soon after.[12]

On December 16, the group gave its first live performance at Fuji TV's music show FNS Music Festival. The center position in the choreography was held by the youngest member Yurina Hirate, 14 at the time.[13]

On April 6, 2016, the group debuted their first single, Silent Majority.[14] All members except Neru Nagahama were selected to perform in the title song.[15] It sold 261,580 copies in the first week and ranked first on the Oricon weekly chart.[16] The single also broke the debut week sales record for female artists, previously held by HKT48 with their single Suki! Suki! Skip!.[17]

Between April and May, eighteen people auditioning for Hiragana Keyakizaka46 live streamed on Showroom as part of the audition process.[18] Eleven of those passed and became official members, joining Neru Nagahama.[19][20] The expanded subunit performed "Hiragana Keyaki" as part of Keyakizaka46's second single, Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai.[21]

Keyakizaka46's first featured drama Tokuyama Daigorō o Dare ga Koroshitaka? premiered on the TX network on July 16, 2016.[22] Sekai ni wa Ai Shika Nai was used as the theme song.[23] The group was also featured in KeyaBingo!, a variety show similar to AKBingo! and NogiBingo![24]

2016 marked the first time the group appeared on NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, an event that the group participated in every year since. Additionally, Mizuho Habu became the first member to make a runway debut, appearing in GirlsAward 2016 Spring/Summer.[25] Three more members, Yurina Hirate, Yui Kobayashi, and Risa Watanabe, would later make their debuts in GirlsAward 2016 Autumn/Winter.[26]

In 2017, Hiragana Keyakizaka46 added a second generation, with nine new members.[27] The subunit was featured on Re:Mind, a TV thriller series aired on Netflix.[28] In August, Keyakizaka46 made their first performance at the Rock in Japan Festival, and have appeared in every year since.[29]

In 2018, Yui Imaizumi became the first member to leave the group, intending to pursue other forms of entertainment.[30] Afterwards, more members left the group, including Nanami Yonetani and Manaka Shida in 2018[31][32] and Neru Nagahama in 2019.[33] Meanwhile, in November 29, 2018, the two Sakamichi Series groups held joint audition, where thirty-nine people passed. Out of those members, eleven went to Nogizaka46, nine went to Kanji Keyakizaka46, one went to Hiragana Keyakizaka46, and the remaining fifteen became kenshūsei (研修生, lit. trainees) that are not assigned to any group. Shortly afterwards, Hiragana Keyakizaka46 formed an independent group known as Hinatazaka46,[34] and released their debut single, "Kyun", in March 2019.[35]

During this time, Keyakizaka46 still held multiple concerts, including their largest one September 18–19, 2019 at Tokyo Dome, attracting roughly 50,000 fans per day.[36] On September 24, a rhythm game titled Uni's On Air was released that featured Keyakizaka46 and Hinatazaka46.[37][38]

Keyakizaka46 held an senbatsu (selection of members) for their 9th single during Keyakitte, Kakenai? on September 11, 2019. Historically, the senbatsu included every single member, but with the addition of the second generation, not all members were allowed to participate in the 9th single.[39] Originally set to be released at the end of the year, the release was first delayed due to production issues,[40] and then further delayed with the sudden departure of Yurina Hirate (the 9th single's planned center), Miyu Suzumoto, and Nana Oda in January 2020.[41][42]

On February 16, 2020, the remaining fourteen kenshūsei members were assigned to their respective Sakamichi Series group through Showroom. Six of these members became part of Keyakizaka46's second generation.[43]

• Keyakitte, Kakenai? (欅って、書けない?) (TV Tokyo, October 4, 2015 –)[10]
• KeyaBingo! (NTV, July 5 – September 26, 2016)[79]
• Tokuyama Daigorō o Dare ga Koroshitaka? (徳山大五郎を誰が殺したか?) (TV Tokyo, July 17 – October 2, 2016)[80]
• KeyaBingo!2 (NTV, January 9, 2017 – March 27, 2017)[81]
• Zankokuna Kankyakutachi (残酷な観客達) (NTV, May 18 – July 20, 2017)
• KeyaBingo!3 (NTV, July 17 – September 25, 2017)
• Re:Mind (TV Tokyo & Netflix, October 2017)[82][83]
• Hiragana Oshi (ひらがな推し) (TV Tokyo, April 8, 2018 –)[84]
• KeyaBingo!4 Hiragana Keyakitte Nani? (KEYABINGO!4 ひらがなけやきって何？) (NTV, April 16, 2018 –)[85]

• Keyakizaka46 no All Night Nippon (Nippon Broadcasting System, January 5, 2016)[86]
• Keyakizaka46 no All Night Nippon R (欅坂46のオールナイトニッポンR) (Nippon Broadcasting System, January 31, February 28, and March 27, 2016)[86]
• Keyakizaka46 Kochira Yūrakuchō Hoshizora Hōsōkyoku (Nippon Broadcasting System, 2016-)[87]