Wow, talk about dropping a bombshell on a Friday. Maybe Johnny & Associates think that fangirls need the entire weekend to weep and wail their sorrow. Whatever the reason, J-ent got a double bombshell dropped on it today with the official announcement from Johnny’s that both Yamashita Tomohisa and Nishikido Ryo are leaving NEWS, which will continue on as a four-member group. Almost a year from when Johnny’s announced Akainishi Jin was leaving KAT-TUN, I knew this was coming.
It almost makes me weep from how right to feels to know Yamapi is leaving with Ryo, his best friend and the guy he grew up under Johnny’s with. Yamapi will continue solo in music and acting, while Ryo will remain a member of the group Kanjani Eight and continue his acting. Both will remain under Johnny’s management. I swear the net is instantaneous, because within minutes of this news breaking Wikipedia already listed NEWS as a four-member group. Le sigh, all boys must grow up and leave the nest, ne?
Above is the official press release from Johnny’s this morning. Pi mentioned how he will always treasure his time with NEWS and he learned so much from being a member of the group. Ryo cited the ongoing scheduling conflicts stemming from being a member of two singing groups as the reason for departure from NEWS. As for Ryo choosing between NEWS and Kanjani Eight, I think him being a Kansai boy factors into it, since Kanjani Eight originated from a group of Kansai Johnny trainees and he’s likely quite close to them.
A picture of NEWS as a happy six-member group. I really don’t see the departure of Pi and Ryo as eliciting the acrimonious fandom split as when Jin left KAT-TUN, but we’ll have to wait to see how fandom takes it. Going forth, NEWS will consist of Koyama Keiichiro, Masuda Takahisa, Kato Shigeaki, and Tegoshi Yuya. Honestly, Pi and Ryo probably have the weakest pipes in NEWS (but contribute a great vocal harmony with their voices), so the remaining four should be just fine as a singing group.
Above is a picture of Pi and Ryo when they first joined Johnny’s as trainees. Ryo is actually older than Pi, but Pi always seemed like the older one.
biggest shock (or okay, not – saw this coming from a year ago) of newspiece for the day. I used to be a super mega big fan of NEWS but that went away with age (thank God) but can’t help but still feel weirdly out of place and a little sad over this piece though with the kind of popularity K8 is enjoying right now – and I really only over ogle of Ryo haha – it really shouldn’t be any surprise.
Anyway love that last video Koala, so fitting!
Oh gosh. T_T. News was my first ever asian boy band obsession. So much memories. This honestly pinched my heart. Ah, I’m feeling so nostalgic. I still remember 5 years ago. I stumbled upon these wonderful boys. Now that Ryo and Yamapi have left, I honestly feel that the 4 remaining members will have a hard time shining on their own. >__<. Ryo and Yamapi have such a tight bond, it also makes me tear. :'( On a brighter note, looking at that younger picture of them makes me want to pinch their cheeks.
Ah…. There's just something so tragic about groups breaking up/ members leaving. T_T. Ah I lost count on how many groups/members that gone their separate ways (Kpop/jpop/cpop).
They sing?!?!? Who knew? lol Okay. Those two boys are about the cutest thing ever. To find out they sing causes me much joy and happiness. If I was a bit (okay. fine. a LOT) younger, I’d be all over them. Please tell me they both have more acting projects coming up! MY list of ICOMYM increases daily. *sigh*
Am a little sad but I’ll get over it. I’m just a little annoyed that they couldn’t do one final single or at least a goodbye concert for the fans. I completely understand why Ryo is leaving since Kanjani8 has gotten so popular and he must have had so many scheduling conflicts. Yamapi not so much. What’s he been doing for the last 6 months?
Well as long as I get to stare at pretty, pretty Ryo I’ll be happy :).
Earlier this year, Pi had a Pan-Asia solo concert tour for 4 months that was sold out. I pretty much knew he was leaving NEWS after that validation of his solo career. Also his movie Ashita no Joe was well-received. Nothing to write home about, but not a dud or a bomb.
Well, this explains what my Pi-obsessed friend has been whining about on Twitter.
I honestly have no attachment to Jpop boybands, so as long as we still get to see their cute little faces onscreen (more dramas, please!), I’m okay with it.
And omg, that trainee pic is super adorable. Ryo looks like a babyyyyyyyyyyyyy~ ♥♥♥
Depressed as ****…well as long as it means more screen time for Shige…Hmm I still don’t understanf why Pi would leave Ryo I can of get but Yamapi? I mean I saw it coming for a while now but even so…his singing is subpar….and while I am Yamapi drama completist I still don’t think his acting is great…this might bring his image down considering that he has promised over and over he wouldn’t leave. It makes is sadder when you remember that one prank they played on Koyama on April’s Fool about Yamapi leaving and he panicked saying that they would be nothing without him.
I see the picture of them as young trainees. Is it normal for trainees to be that young?
PS-that performance of theirs is wonderfully sung
Usually they join by the age of 11-13 anything over that is considered too old to be joining in their company..
If you mean that young to be around right before they hit their early teens, then yes, that is when they join as trainees.
Isn’t that performance just marvelous? These boys are really a lovely group.
Wow – I guess this is a shock to me because I haven’t been following jpop and have no idea what is going on in that industry anymore except that they like Kpop singers (generalization) and of course my lovely SMAP is still there. I was too old to be fangirls of Kat-tun or NEWS or KJ8… but I will always remember them when they debuted. They have grown up now… so bittersweet. Wishing both of them the best of luck (Pi on his solo career and Ryo in KJ8).
love ryo’s voice.
Oh dear. What’s gonna happen to NEWS now…
Honestly, I foresee Yamapi will leave News since he has his solo album last year and his solo Asian Tour, however, I am surprise that they will let Ryo leave as well. I strongly believe that the rest of the 4 will do well as a “singing group”, they can sing but not sure if they can maintain their populiaity like before. Missing Yamapi and Ryo is like NSYNC w/o Justin Timberlake…. As a huge Yamapi friend, I am very happy for him and wish him the best of luck in the near future!.
You know i never knew they were in the same group. I knew that they were singers but i was more into them as actors because that’s where i first were introduce to them. Pi in “nobuto wa produce” and Ryo in “1 litre of tears”
It’s bitter sweet that they are moving on from NEWS but that means they’ll either be doing some solo singing and man will their fan girls go crazy, or do some more acting stuff. Both would be good but i kinda wanna see them do more acting. I want to see them both do some fan happy characters. Maybe even in the same drama? 😛
There was a rumor like this circling around but that it would be true sure is
a bombshell to News fans.
Also there was talk that because Yamapi didn’t want to continue with News activities the whole groups activities were put on hold (and there was also talk that Yampi and Ryo’s friendship wasn’t so good anymore)
Wow.. thanks for the video! I love the performance! And also that pic of young Ryo and Yamapi! oH god… *swoons*
Really?!? Wow! Can’t say I’m shocked, but I am a bit surprised.
The news is unexpected because I haven’t been keeping up with the group but I guess it is good news. I always felt that Ryo and Pi were too “mature,” too individualistic, too “big” for NewS in some ways. But still, it must been sad for big fans of the group. The fun in following a group is to watch their teamwork and with members leaving, there is always a dent there.
it is always so sad to see groups i like having ppl leaving. NEWS is not my no1 bias but i like them, i remember the time i can’t stop repeating the PV for weeeek. my bias in NEWS is no other than yamapi but i do feel sometimes his popularity is overshadowing the other talented members. Maybe this will be a great chance for others to showcast their talent better. tegomasu~
ok. i have gone through this with my suju…i can do it again.
I just feel devastated upon learning this news. I’m really sad. But hey! I can still watch them somewhere–Yamapi going solo (singing, acting), Ryo with his acting (and Kanjani 8 too), and NEWS! (Cheer up, Self, they are still there to entertain us.)