Tokyo International News Agency

Day 1 of the Gakuen Idolmaster live tour "Gakuen Idolmaster LIVE TOUR -Shirushi-" was held in Iwate, where the surprise performance of a brand-new song, "Agitato," quickly surged into the trending topics on X (formerly Twitter), generating an immense amount of buzz. In addition to the first-ever performances of Misuzu Hataya's new song "Kaiso Lullaby" and China Kuramoto's new track, "Agitato" was unveiled as a major surprise. With its devilish charm and exceptionally impactful composition, fans in attendance flooded social media with enthusiastic reactions such as, "I let out such a loud gasp," "My brain is completely wrecked by this," and "This song is way too addictive." Moreover, playing on the title "Agitato," many fans shared humorous posts such as, "Agitato, you are Arigato (Thank you)," "What do you mean 'Agitato'? We're the ones saying 'Arigato' for this re...

The term "Little Devil" (Koakuma) has suddenly surged into social media trending topics, generating immense excitement online. A massive wave of posts, particularly related to the popular smartphone idol training simulation game "Gakuen Idolmaster" (Gakumas), has fans—known as producers—completely captivated by the new "little devil" themed costumes and gacha updates introduced in the game. Posts mention characters like Riliya Katsuragi, Saki Hanamai, Hiro Shinosawa, Seina Juo, Tsubame Amayo, and Chinana Kuramoto one after another. Overflowing praise verging on disbelief has flooded the web, with comments such as "This breaks the limits of cuteness," "The visuals are too good, my wallet is dead," and "A little devil theme is just unfair." Fans are beside themselves with joy over the gap between these looks and the idols' usual images, as well as the meticulous costume designs reminiscent of underground street fashion (jira...

A special radio program featuring the five-member vocal dance unit M!LK, titled "M!LK's Radio Show to Energize Everyone, You, and Japan!," was broadcasted on NHK AM, creating a massive buzz on social media with fans posting live reactions and expressions of joy. The program was divided into the first and second halves. The first half featured the "Shio Lemon" duo, Jinto Yoshida and Daichi Shiozaki. Their gentle and soothing conversation filled with warm tones prompted listeners to leave comments such as "It feels so comforting to listen to" and "It's heartwarming and healing." Meanwhile, the second half starred Hayato Sano, Jutaro Yamanaka, and Shunta Sono. The atmosphere shifted to a lively mood reminiscent of a school club vibe, captivating fans who commented, "It's truly the best when all five are together" and "Their playful banter is so much fun." Particularly, heartwarming interactions—such as members being b...

In the women's volleyball final of the Asian Games, the Japanese national team suffered a straight-set defeat to China, taking home the silver medal. However, the match sparked an unexpected trend on social media regarding a specific term: "Gomuketsu," a phonetic Japanese reading of the name of China's young and talented attacker, Wu Mengjie. During the match, Wu troubled the Japanese team by racking up points with her overwhelming height and power. In the Japanese television broadcast, commentators referred to her by reading her Chinese characters using the Japanese On-yomi (Chinese-derived) reading, pronouncing it as "Go Muketsu." As her name was repeatedly called out amid the excitement of the game, the striking impact of her combined surname and given name caught the attention of viewers. On X (formerly Twitter), posts praising her phenomenal performance flooded the platform, with comments such as "Gomuketsu is too strong" and "It was an o...

On the 22nd, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the idol group "MORE STAR" announced that members Ruksia Yamamoto and Karin Suzuki will be leaving the group. The group will continue its activities with a seven-member lineup moving forward. Both Yamamoto and Suzuki had been on hiatus from group activities, but their official departure was announced on this day. According to reports, while both members are bringing their idol group activities to an end, they are expected to remain with their agency and explore future career paths. Following the announcement of Yamamoto's departure—who has captivated fans with her striking visuals and stage performances since debut—her name "Ruksia Yamamoto" trended on social media, generating a massive response. On X, fans expressed their sorrow, with comments such as, "I was mentally prepared, but this is a huge shock," and "She was my absolute favorite, so I am truly sad." At the same time, an outpo...

New details regarding the bonus tracks included in popular idol group Snow Man's 6th album, 'AMENITY', have been announced, drawing massive attention on social media. Following the reveal of the track titles, fans quickly pointed out connections to past hits, propelling the term 'bonus track' into the trending topics on X (formerly Twitter). The newly unveiled bonus tracks are two songs titled 'Do You Want to Be My Boyfriend?' and 'But'. Particular excitement surrounds 'Do You Want to Be My Boyfriend?', with fans rapidly sharing expectations and theories such as 'Could this be a sequel to the 'KimiKare' series?' and 'It might be an answer song from a woman's perspective,' drawing from its similarity to the group's hit song 'I Want to Be Your Boyfriend.' Meanwhile, the short and striking title 'But' also generated numerous posts expressing curiosity, with fans saying 'I can't imagine what...

The 46th Hakusan Daishoten (JpnIII), held at Kanazawa Racecourse, was won in impressive fashion by the 5th-favorite Houou Roulette, ridden by jockey Yasunari Iwata, who executed a brilliant late-race charge. The proven dirt-middle-distance contender staged a remarkable comeback to secure his third graded stakes victory. The race was widely anticipated to be a battle among top contenders, including the top-weighted 59kg favorite Outrange and the second-favorite Cool Mirabeau. However, carrying 58kg, Houou Roulette began his forward move early from the outside during the crucial stretch of the race. Responding to the aggressive and daring tactics of veteran jockey Iwata, he accelerated powerfully, caught the leaders at the entrance of the home straight, and pulled away decisively. Cool Mirabeau finished second, and Outrange took third, resulting in an outcome that thoroughly disrupted the expected dominance of the race favorites. On social media, fans immediately flooded platforms with e...