[Rumour] SMAP DISBANDS!

[ExodusUK]

The Nikkan Sports newspaper reported on Tuesday that the male idol group SMAP will break up. Four of the five members — Masahiro Nakai (43), Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (41), Goro Inagaki (42), and Shingo Katori (38) — will leave Johnny & Associates talent agency. Only Takuya Kimura (43) will remain.

The timing of the break-up has not yet been confirmed, as the group is still under contract for commercials. The group's variety show SMAP×SMAP is also ongoing.

SMAP (Sports Music Assemble People) formed in 1988 with six members, though Katsuyuki Mori left the group in 1996. The band debuted with their first single in September 1991, and went on to sell 2.5 million single CDs throughout their career.

Together the group performed theme songs for Hime-chan's Ribbon and Lil' Red Riding Hood Cha-Cha. They have also had separate acting careers. Kimura has voiced Howl in Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's Howl's Moving Castle film and JP in Takeshi Koike and MADHOUSE's Redline film, and starred in the live-action film of the space opera anime classic Space Battleship Yamato (adapted as Star Blazers in English). Kusanagi played Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank anime movie and Kouichi in Hime-chan's Ribbon. Inagaki played the Kamen Rider G lead in the live-action special of the same name and Dr. Ratchet in the One Piece: Karakuri Shiro no Mecha Kyohei film. Katori has played Riiya the kid werewolf in Lil' Red Riding Hood Cha-Cha, Hattori-kun in the live-action Ninja Hattori Kun The Movie, and Kankichi in the 2009 live-action drama adaptation of Osamu Akimoto's Kochira Katsushika-ku Kamearikouen-mae Hashutsujo ("Kochikame") police comedy manga.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news...5-years/.97496

Bye bye.

[visionfactory]

is this true?

[ExodusUK]

Originally Posted by visionfactory

is this true?

Yeah, all the morning news shows and papers are reporting it.
http://girlschannel.net/topics/601769/

[KarenPang]

Sadly it's true , Johnny & Associates has released a statement confirming this

http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2065233/full/?ref_cd=tw

I'm not a big SMAP fan but this still comes as a big shock . And for only Kimura Takuya to remind in the agency after the other 4 leaves with their longtime manager , I think a really big fall out must have happened behind the scenes

If not something drastic like this will not take place

Curtain falls on a Johnnys group sigh

[Delicious n Bold]

It's the end of an era

[KarenPang]

Johnny & Associates releases official statement regarding SMAP's disbandment

Media outlets reported that SMAP is disbanding.

According to Sponichi Annex, on the 12th, the group's 58-year-old female manager who is often described as their 'foster parent', resigned from the position of director from J Dream, Inc., a subsidiary company of Johnny's & Associates, inc., and she will also be leaving Johnny & Associates, Inc. next month.

Apparently, four members out of five; Nakai Masahiro, Inagaki Goro,Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, and Katori Shingo also showed their intentions of leaving the agency with her, while Kimura Takuya decided to stay with the company.

Therefore, the media outlets reported that it could be a disbandment of the group.

On the afternoon of the 13th, Johnny's & Associates, inc. released an official statement.

The statement said, "Recently, there was a report regarding some SMAP members' leaving and their manager's resignation from a directors position. It is true that we are having consultation and negotiations about the matter, however, we cannot answer any detailed inquires yet."

http://www.tokyohive.com/article/201...ps-disbandment

[Aderianu]

conflict with company? how was their sales?

[Bigtop]

Gosh, I can't believe SMAP has gone "cleaning house" in an instant. We are in an utter disbelief how in the world this could happen. Much to the sense how a short 27-yard field goal for the win for Minnesota Vikings missed in the final seconds against the Seattle Seahawks just this past Sunday! :O

Enough with the NFL pun, but yeah, this is quite shocking. First KAT-TUN about to lose a member to a point only half of the members are going to make the 10th anniversary, and now this - SMAP disbanding... I just cannot believe why in the world this is happening.

I've had too much of AKB48 and all the Minami Takahashi news, but SMAP disintegrating in a way like this is just pretty infuriating to all of the Japanese music fans, whether we're a fan of them or not. And it's safe to say that no artist is safe, whether Johnny's, AKB48 (or related) or not...

[Mai82Go]

I kinda lost interest in J-Pop altogether over the last few years, but still these news are shocking. The end of Johnnys as we know them? Probably not as Arashi are still going, but I do understand the members of SMAP. I hope they can continue their careers without the Jimusho dissing them. Or they have enough money that it won't matter.

[KarenPang]

Kimura Takuya's decision to stay was influenced by wife, Kudo Shizuka, who feels an obligation to Mary Kitagawa.
- Sankei Sports

Mary Kitagawa tamped down excessive media coverage of the couple in their early days of marriage.
- Sankei Sports

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...70147490025472
https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...71423950950400

That might explained why Kimura Takuya is staying put in the agency while the other 4 plans to leave together with their longtime manager Iijima Michi

[pimenta]

I'm shocked o_o

I'm not a SMAP fan, but they've been huge for so long... I'm impossible not to get surprised by this.

Originally Posted by Delicious n Bold

It's the end of an era

It is indeed...

[KarenPang]

Mary Kitagawa infuriated with SMAP members who want to leave, a normal apology will not suffice if they wish to stay.
- Sports Hochi

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...25289872818176

Kimura Takuya asks crew (the listeners) to believe in him, the captain. When the time comes, he will talk about it.
https://youtu.be/FxW7R01lfKo

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...90142691610624

Mary Kitagawa sounds like someone you shouldn't mess with :x

[adantatu2]

They last a lot, what other group has last that?

[Aderianu]

Originally Posted by adantatu2

They last a lot, what other group has last that?

don't know about j-pop, but BUCK-TICK was first long lived band who came to my mind

[KarenPang]

Originally Posted by adantatu2

They last a lot, what other group has last that?

B'z lasted 1 year longer than SMAP as they were 1st formed way back in 1988 , likewise for Dreams Come True

Also , Southern All Stars lasted even longer than both groups as they were 1st formed in 1975

[adantatu2]

So in Japan the groups last a lot, not like in the US or UK.

[pimenta]

^ There are quite a few old US and UK rock bands (much older than the still active japanese ones) still active to this day.

Originally Posted by adantatu2

They last a lot, what other group has last that?

I honestly can't think about any other j-pop group... There are quite a few rock bands, like Southern All Stars, B'z, X-Japan, LUNA SEA, GLAY, BUCK-TICK, Mr. Children, D'erlanger and others (though some of those bands did stop for a few years and later got back together). But for j-pop SMAP is the one that stands out. I'm sure there must be others that lasted this long, but not with such a long living popularity as SMAP...

Mary Kitagawa sounds kinda scary...

[KarenPang]

Sanma said he was aware of SMAP trouble two months back & filming year-end 'Sanma & SMAP' was difficult & awkward. https://youtu.be/jn-oN7OeR2o

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...58906939465729

Venue bookings for SMAP's 25th Anniversary 5-Dome Tour, originally planned to run from Aug to Nov, cancelled.
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/201...060002-n1.html …

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...72859392380929

I know who Julie K is but I have no idea who Mary Kitagawa is until this surfaces

But yeah Mary sounds like someone you really shouldn't mess with & from what's known , she's not happy that the press has covered so much on this and who can blame her on it ?

[Utena]

Originally Posted by pimenta

^ There are quite a few old US and UK rock bands (much older than the still active japanese ones) still active to this day.

I honestly can't think about any other j-pop group... There are quite a few rock bands, like Southern All Stars, B'z, X-Japan, LUNA SEA, GLAY, BUCK-TICK, Mr. Children, D'erlanger and others (though some of those bands did stop for a few years and later got back together). But for j-pop SMAP is the one that stands out. I'm sure there must be others that lasted this long, but not with such a long living popularity as SMAP...

Mary Kitagawa sounds kinda scary...

I would add Mr Children, active since 1988 and they mostly do pop / pop-rock inspired songs

[KarenPang]

Olympics Minister Endo Toshiaki expresses hope that SMAP will continue to support 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.

https://twitter.com/unleashthegeek/s...398125056?s=09

Lol even the olympics minister commented on this :|