[JO1/OWV] QJWeb 220430

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JO1, OWV , Enjin & OCTPATH [The forefront of boy groups in 2022#2 ～From『PRODUCE 101 JAPAN』～]
[JO1 and OWV related parts only]

It is an era in which the various names of boy groups are lining up on top of the charts. Johnny’s entertainment, synonymous with male idols, and LDH made from various different cultures, are of course to be mentioned, as well as boy groups both old and new, stand impressively next to each other. This is the era 2022 is a part of.

If the 2010s, in which countless unique female idols were born and created a scene, were called “The Idol Sengoku Jidai” (the warring states era of the idols), then you might say we have now the “Boy Group Sengoku Jidai”. (However, you could question the expression ‘Sengoku Jidai’ in this regard).

This article is part of a series with seven installments, titled “The forefront of boy groups in 2022”, that picks up Japanese boy groups you should pay attention to which are not from Johnny’s Entertainment or LDH. It both looks back at their profiles and describes the charms of each artist.

In this second installment, we will introduce the groups JO1, OWV, Enjin and OCTPATH which all come from the survival audition program “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”.

Numerous attention worthy groups produced by “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”

The survival audition program “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN” created a social phenomenon. The first season in which JO1 was born was held in 2019, and SEASON 2, which gave birth to INI, was held in 2021. It should be needless to say that these two seasons had been like a dream for guys who had wished to “be worldwide active as a member of a boy group”.

The activities of JO1 and INI, formed by “the 11 final elected members” stand out, but they are not the only groups formed by former trainees of PRODUCE 101 JAPAN. Please pay attention to how each of the respective groups is shining right now.

JO1
The dance-vocal group formed by 11 members chosen during PRODUCE 101 JAPAN made their debut in March 2020. Each time they release a CD, their sales surpass more than 200.000 copies and all their 5 singles since their debut placed first in the Oricon charts.

Their activities are not limited to the music field, but they are in the focus of keen attention from various fields, such as them being the first male ambassadors for Yves Saint Laurent Beauté. This spring, along with the drama “Short Program”, starring all 11 JO1 members, which is streamed via Amazon Prime Video, the documentary movie “JO1 THE MOVIE『Mikansei』-Go to the TOP-“ was released in nationwide cinemas.

This list might give you the impression they are a group with just an amazing career. However, these achievements were only possible because of their abilities. Their synchronized dancing, cultivated under the direction of their dance leader Kawashiri Ren, becomes more precise, and you might become overwhelmed, thinking 'There is an artist in Japan who can dance like this!?'.

Furthermore, at the time for their debut there was the image that Kono Junki and Yonashiro Sho were the big two leaders in regard of singing, but nowadays each one of the members is developing their own way of singing and rapping, which makes the most of the colour of their voices. Yet they don’t become haughty with pride in themselves, instead they calmly analyse themselves as “Not at the top of Japan yet”, so there is no reason not to anticipate their future.

OWV
A four member boys group formed by former trainees of PRODUCE 101 JAPAN who made their debut in September 2020. OWV stands for “Our only Way to get Victory” and in this group name the members’ strong will to “become an unique existence and seize the victory in this world” is included.

Although the group is made of just four members, their impressive and dynamic performances are their distinct feature. Part of the highlights of the group are the choreographies by Sano Fumiya and Honda Kosuke who both have experience as back up dancers for well known artists, and the choreographies that make the most of each member’s individuality. They also have a high skill in talking and they also showcase perfect talks at, of course, the MCs at their live shows, but also in their own variety program or in their YouTube videos.

It is not wrong to say that they are “the funny big brothers with outstanding variety skills”, but since they have the experience of going through times of bad luck and failing the audition, they are always tenacious and serious. They are actively involved in the choice of their songs and choreographers and they create their live performances on their own initiative. Please make sure to experience their serious entertainment in which they put their heart and soul in and their warm personalities.