Snow Man

Snow Man is a Japanese idol boy band formed by Johnny & Associates in 2012.[1] The group was previously a sub-unit of Johnny & Associates' pre-debut trainee group, Johnny's Jr. The group's activities focused on acrobats and stage play.[2] Along with SixTONES, Snow Man made their official debut on 22 January 2020. The group's simultaneous debut marks the first time for two groups to debut on the same day in Johnny's history.[3]

Snow Man
OriginJapan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2012-present
Labelsavex trax
Websiteavex.jp/snowman/
Members
  • Hikaru Iwamoto
  • Tatsuya Fukuzawa
  • Raul
  • Shota Watanabe
  • Koji Mukai
  • Ryohei Abe
  • Ren Meguro
  • Ryota Miyadate
  • Daisuke Sakuma

History

The group was predeceased by Mis Snow Man, a unit formed in 2009 that consists of 9 people.[4] The group has been active in stage play series Takizawa Kabuki since 2010.[2] Among them, a unit consists of Tatsuya Fukuzawa, Daisuke Sakuma, Shota Watanabe, Ryota Miyadate, Hikaru Iwamoto, and Ryohei Abe was later formed on May 3, 2012.[5] The group's new name, Snow Man, was first announced when the six men stood in the stage of Takizawa Kabuki 2012, when letters suddenly appeared on the big screen behind them. The group's name was officially announced both to them and audience as a surprise.

While active as back dancers for Tackey & Tsubasa, Kis-My-Ft2, A.B.C-Z, and other senior groups, they also regularly appeared in stage plays Dream Boys and Takizawa Kabuki, and from 2015, Shonen-tachi and its movie version. Since all of them are good at acrobatics, they are sometimes referred as "the craftsman group" and are often nominated by seniors in Johnny's as "Johnny's Jr. members they want to have as back dancers."[4] While has been always described as "the best dancer among Johnny's Jr." since their formation in 2012 and despite their appearances in theater, the group couldn't get the chance to get a debut, leading to its member to "having a thought of leaving several times."[6] In January 2019, Raul from Shonen Ninja, Ren Meguro from Uchuu Six, and a member from Kansai Johnny's Jr. Koji Mukai, was added as new members. While the original 6 members accepted the decision as "they wanted to protect the group," they also felt that the "even if whole group (as original Snow Man) has gone, we just want to realize our dream as Snow Man," and "the only way to get rid of this problem (off my head) is this."

In March 2019, the group, along with 11 other Johnny's Jr. groups (SixTones, Travis Japan, HiHi Jets, Bi Shonen, 7 Men Samurai, Shonen Ninja, Jr.SP, Uchuu Six, Naniwa Danshi, Lil Kansai, and Ae! group) become a part of Island TV, a website that provides video streaming exclusive for Johnny's Jr. members.

The group's debut was first announced by Takizawa, who is told by Johnny Kitagawa in his hospital bed in June 2019.[7] Debuting at the same time as SixTONES, the announcement was officially announced in Johnny's Jr. 8.8 Matsuri ~Tokyo Dome kara Hajimaru~ concert on August 8, 2019.[8] They also "graduated" from Johhny's Jr. official YouTube channel and officially opened their own YouTube channel on December 25, 2019.

Post debut

On February 1, 2020, the group remarks their first overseas appearance in Japan Expo Thailand 2020.[9] Their Asia tour titled Snow Man ASIA TOUR 2D.2D in Kanagawa Prefecture, Osaka, and Tokyo, as well as overseas lives in Bangkok, Singapore, Jakarta, and Taipei had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.

In March, the group gets their own television show titled Sore Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai (それSnowManにやらせて下さい, lit. Leave It to Snow Man). The show's decision was revealed as a surprise to Snow Man through their YouTube channel in February 2020.[10] The shows first runs from March 25, 2020 on TBS.[11] However, later in the same month, Hikaru Iwamoto's reported to taking a break from the group activities after a Japanese magazine Friday recently published a report of him drinking at love motel in 2017. Through Johnny's apology post, is it written that Iwamoto confirmed that an underage woman was among those present.[12] The rest of 8 members also made their apology in their appearance at live music program CDTV Live! Live!, the same day as the reported news.

In April, the group performs an opening theme song for anime Black Clover titled "Stories."[13] This is the first song to be recorded without Iwamoto.[14]

In May, Snow Man is announced to be a part of Twenty★Twenty, a temporary unit consist of 75 talents that have debuted in Johnny's to perform a charity song.[lower-alpha 1] The unit si formed to help curb the spread of the novel corona virus. The song titled "Smile" is written by Kazutoshi Sakurai and is produced by Takizawa.[15]

A movie version of stage play Takizawa Zero was announced in late May with 8 members of Snow Man on main roles. The movie is announced to be released in less than a year.[16] This marks Snow Man's post-debut first main role in movie.

Members
  • Hikaru Iwamoto (岩本 照, Iwamoto Hikaru) - Leader
  • Tatsuya Fukazawa (深澤 辰哉, Fukazawa Tatsuya)
  • Raul (ラウール, Rauru)
  • Shota Watanabe (渡辺 翔太, Watanabe Shōta)
  • Koji Mukai (向井 康二, Mukai Kōji)
  • Ryohei Abe (阿部 亮平, Abe Ryōhei)
  • Ren Meguro (目黒 蓮, Meguro Ren)
  • Ryota Miyadate (宮舘涼太, Miyadate Ryōta)
  • Daisuke Sakuma (佐久間大介, Sakuma Daisuke)

Discography

Singles
Title Release date Peak Oricon
chart positions		 Notes
"D.D/Imitation Rain" January 22, 2020 1[17] Also includes SixTones' "Imitation Rain"
"Stories" TBA Included in a compilation CD[18]

Unreleased songs
Below are Snow Man's original pre and post debut songs that are yet to be released in any form.

Notes
  1. Except for Iwamoto who is taking a break from activities

References
  1. ジャニーズJr. SPECIALカード」『Myojo』. Shueisha. August 25, 2018. pp. 81–88.
  2. "滝沢秀明氏が後継指名の「Ｓｎｏｗ　Ｍａｎ」ってどんなユニット？　会見に見た"実力"". スポーツ報知. Archived from the original on 2019-01-19. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  3. "A Johnny's first! SixTONES and Snow Man will have a simultaneous CD single debut release in 2020". Neo-Tokyo 2099.
  4. 5周年から、もう一度. 日経エンタテインメント!. March 2017. pp. 68–71.
  5. "迫力のアクロバットとダンスで魅せる実力派「Snow Man」ギャップにも注目". マイナビニュース. 30 September 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  6. "Snow Man、デビューまでの道のりに密着「やめようとは何回も頭によぎりましたね」". ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  7. "Snow Man、デビューまでの厳しい道のり「ジャニーズじゃない自分を何度も想像」". ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  8. "SixTONES & Snow Man、2020年"ジャニーズ史上初"2グループ同時CDデビュー決定". Oricon News. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  9. "Snow Man、Japan Expo Thailand 2020". Snow Man official site. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  10. "Snow Man【初の？？？】サプライズ重大発表！". Snow Man on YouTube. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  11. "Snow Man、地上波初の冠番組決定　命がけで「ミッション」に挑む". クランクイン！. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  12. "ＳｎｏｗＭａｎ岩本照が活動自粛　未成年と飲酒報道". 日刊スポーツ. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  13. "Snow Man, Kaf Perform Black Clover Anime's New Theme Songs". Anime News Network. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  14. "新曲「Stories」がテレビアニメ「ブラッククローバー」新OPテーマに決定！". Snow Manオフィシャルサイト. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  15. "15 Johnny's groups form unit Twenty★Twenty for a limited time". tokyohive. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  16. "2020年全国公開予定 滝沢歌舞伎 ZERO 2020 The Movie". Johnny's net. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  17. "D.D./Imitation Rain". ORICON NEWS. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  18. "＜訂正とお詫び＞週刊少年ジャンプ19号掲載「メディア魔道書」ページ94". Snow Manオフィシャルサイト. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  19. "桶ダンスも復活！「少年たち」本日開幕、看守の声はあおい輝彦が演じる". ステージナタリー. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  20. "滝沢秀明&三宅健、女方挑戦も「メイクダウン」心配 - CMオファーも期待". マイナビニュース. 6 April 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  21. "『少年たち』日生劇場で開幕　SixTONESとSnow Manが"戦争"に体当たりで挑む". SPICE - エンタメ特化型情報メディア スパイス. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  22. "ＳｉｘＴＯＮＥＳ＆Ｓｎｏｗ　Ｍａｎ「少年たち」でジャニー社長の戦争への思い伝える！". スポーツ報知. Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
  23. "ディオールが新作リップのポップアップイベント開催、スノーマンのラウールとのコラボも公開". FASHIONSNAP. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  24. "Snow Man、今夜放送の冠番組でテーマソング「ナミダの海を越えて行け」初公開". Natalie. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
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