7 Men Samurai

7 Men Samurai (7 MEN 侍) is a Japanese boy band produced by Johnnys' Island Company, a division of Tokyo-based talent agency Johnny & Associates. They were created on February 26, 2018, by Johnny Kitagawa, and named after Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai.[1] They are known for their dance acumen, band-style performances, and rock covers/remixes of J-Pop songs from the older Johnnys' talent catalog, including Cinderella Girl (original artist: King & Prince), and SAMURAI (original artist: Takky & Tsubasa).[2]

In addition to appearing regularly as a group in the bi-monthly music and variety show The Shonen Club (NHK), they are one of eight groups featured on the official Johnnys' Junior YouTube Channel,[3] and have posted content every Friday since August 2019. They are also active on the Johnnys' official video site Island TV, where they share vlog-style behind-the-scenes recaps of work and engagements, as well as humorous vignettes, outtakes and original skits.[4]

Various members are also featured regulars and guest stars on Japanese variety TV programs; such as the quiz show Torinikutte Nan no Nikui!? (TV Asahi)[5] and the sports competition series Honoo no Taiikutai TV (TBS) for which member Rinne Sugeta is an official part of the in-show "Johnny's Track-and-Field Team" coached by KAT-TUN's Tatsuya Ueda.[6] Individual members have also been cast in starring and supporting roles for stage[7][8] and in scripted television dramas.[9]

Members

Music

On May 1, 2020, it was announced that they would be receiving their first original song from Johnnys' Island CEO Hideaki Takizawa during a surprise prank video uploaded as one of their YouTube contents.[10] The song had been intended for their solo segment during the annual Johnnys' Ginza spring talent showcase, all of which was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.[11]

The song, called "Samu-dama" (サムダマ), was finally performed in August 2020, during a 2 day/5 show solo segment the group hosted as part of the larger Summer Paradise 2020 livestreamed music festival from Johnny & Associates for the website Johnny's Net Online (JNO).[12] The song is a hard rock number with the title being a portmanteau of the Japanese words for "samurai spirit," or samurai damashii (侍魂). On September 11, 2020, a self-shot Studio Live music video for SAMU-DAMA was uploaded to the Johnnys' Junior YouTube channel, along with a separate making-of vignette and an encore performance covering Tokio's 2000 up-tempo rock song "Jumbo".

A second original song, "Siren" (サイレン) was debuted on November 28, 2020, as part of the boys' solo set within the Johnnys' Jr. Island FES music festival, performed alongside additional original songs for fellow Johnnys' Junior performers HiHi Jets and Jr.SP.[13] A third, "SHOUT," premiered during the JOHNNYS' IsLAND THE NEW WORLD new year showcase in January 2022.[14]

Live Concerts
List of live performances
Concert NameDatesTotal PerformancesVenue
Johnnys' Ginza 2019 Tokyo ExperienceMay 27 ~ June 2, 20199Theatre Crea
Papa/Mama/Ichiban Hadaka-no-Shonen Summer FestivalAugust 3 ~ 25, 201933Ex Theater Roppongi
Summer Paradise 2020August 11 ~ 12, 20205Tokyo Dome City Hall
Johnnys' Jr. Island FESNovember 28, 20201Saitama Super Arena
Johnnys' Ginza 2021May 10 ~ 16, 202110Theatre Crea
Summer Station LIVE THE FUTUREJuly 25 ~ August 5, 202117EX Theater Roppongi
JOHNNYS' ExperienceMay 24 ~ June 5, 202220The Globe Tokyo
Summer Station LIVE Boys for the futuresAugust 6 ~ August 18, 202220EX Theater Roppongi

References
  1. "ジャニーズJr.の新星・7 MEN 侍がボディの"ご自慢パーツ"を告白！". ザテレビジョン. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  2. "The Shonen Club 20th Anniversary". NHK Broadcasting. May 10, 2019.
  3. "7MEN侍の初登場回が好評、美 少年・金指に"別人格"現る【ジャニーズJr.チャンネル週報】". 25 August 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. "7 MEN Samurai on ISLAND TV". ISLAND TV. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  5. "7 MEN 侍・菅田琳寧「知識あるジャニーズとして今日はがんばります！」クイズで"優等生席"に！". 10 November 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  6. "上田ジャニーズ陸上部、マスクマンと障害走で対決! 東海オンエアも参戦". MyNavi News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  7. "7 MEN 侍/ジャニーズJr.の本髙克樹主演、今野大輝出演舞台、ROCK READING「幸福王子」上演決定！". 17 August 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  8. "ジャニーズJr.菅田琳寧の主演舞台『陽だまりの樹』に注目！". 18 February 2021. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  9. "桐山照史「ゲキカラドウ」シリーズ化願う、中村嶺亜はちょい悪色男に「前世で会った」". Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  10. "7 MEN侍の"滝沢ドッキリ"企画が賛否両論、美 少年・佐藤は寝起きに下半身丸見え!? 【ジャニーズJr.チャンネル週報】". 10 May 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  11. "4・5月東京公演及び全国ツアー公演中止のお知らせ". tohostage.com. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  12. Miyaura, Keiko (November 21, 2020). "Jr.夏コンメモリー⑤サマパラ2020 Rehearsalレポート 7 MEN 侍編". Myōjō (January 2021): 193–194.
  13. Yoshikawa, Yukiko (December 22, 2020). "ジャニーズJr.秋の配信LIVEスペシャル① HiHi Jets、7 MEN 侍、Jr.SP". Myōjō (February 2021): 138–139.
  14. "【ジャニアイ】1/1初日★レポ★感想★帝国劇場★ジャニーズJr.68人座長". Johnny’s Jocee. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
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