horrifying news.

[faded_lace]

Some variation on this news has been both on morning shows like Zip and on various news sites, so I figured I may as well translate it and share it here. This is the one from the Oricon site, but most of them on the news sites are similar, anyway.

【オリコン】Sexy Zone, “new structure” song is number 1,　their seventh straight number 1 single since debut
Johnny's group Sexy Zone's 7th single,"otoko never give up,"（which came out on October 1st）has sold 125,000 copies in the first week, and appears as number 1 for the 10/13 weekly single ranking. Starting with their debut single, "Sexy Zone," this 7th single continues their record of all of their singles being chart-toppers.

Sexy Zone, which has been 5 members up until now, will have a fresh start from this single on as a group who, with Nakajima Kento (20), Kikuchi Fuma (19), and Sato Shori (17) as the central members, will do activities with members sometimes added in fluid manner. On the first single of this new structure, besides the title song, there are members solos, and so on.

Source: Oricon News

At this point, I don't really know what to say. Maybe it's just more hype, or maybe it's true. Either way, I think it's pretty safe to say (as I pretty much knew all along), Johnny's management are liars and they're tugging us around about Sexy Zone. On the phone, their statement was that there would never be another single after this with only 3, and this news seems to be implying that most singles from now on will be 3. One of the two statements is a lie. They are mutually exclusive.

Please keep your comments on this post civil, and if your opinion is "good riddance, Marius and Sou suck!" please keep that to yourself. I have been emotionally and mentally torn up over the past week because of this single, and though I want to help out by translating and sharing news, I cannot deal with antagonism right now. Also, I apologize if my response is slow; I'm having trouble with my home internet, among other things, and I may not be able to get back to comments immediately.

[Edit] By the way, the 125,000 quoted in the article seems to be their sales up until today. I don't know what this is about 10/13, because their weekly ranking will be today (10/6 in Oricon time), and their first weekly ranking hasn't even happened yet.

Either way, 125,000 is a lower total first week sales number than Real Sexy, Baibai Dubai, or King & Queen & Joker, making otoko never give up the worst selling single in all of 2014 and 2013 so far.

Comments

[arisu-chan25.livejournal.com]

well that's really stupid...why the hell would you debut them with 5 members in the first place then?? this is really lame. but we'll see what happens, since Sexy Zone are back together as 5 in the newest magazines, so let's hope this "fresh start" thing is a lie.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I don't even know. I have to assume that it's because the old man debuted them but now Ijima has control. Either way, I really hope this is a lie, but it's not the truth that they've been together as 5 in all the newest magazines. They're divided in Potato, and they were divided in Popolo, and they weren't in the same photoshoot for Myojo, either (I haven't seen Winkup or Duet yet because they come out today in Japan). Things definitely aren't fixed, so I hope that this isn't a sign that they're only going to get worse.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

They're 5 in duet but only on the first page. It's individual shots, though, and Mari and Sou have their own. But it's 3, two pages of "Sexy Zone's history", and two.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Well, that's at least not all that different than it was before the single…

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

We shouldn't have to be happy about things that still aren't good enough, though. I just.. words can't even describe how angry I am.

If/when you get a chance to look at the other ones- Sou's eyes in Potato. I mean, if you can find him in the sea of juniors. Curious if you see in him the same thing I am seeing.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I totally agree, but at that same time, Johnny's knows it's holding us captive as long as it's holding Marius and Sou captive.

I've seen a photo of my friend's but I won't see the magazine itself until tomorrow. If he looks really sad, though, I'm not surprised.

[arisu-chan25.livejournal.com]

well, it's their worst selling single so far, so i hope old man Johnny-san isn't let her keep doing this >.> it's so stupid. i feel the worst for Sou because he works so hard, and yet he gets left out so much :(

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's really awful for them both, but Sou definitely gets the shortest end of the stick. I don't know what will happen but I really hope this single's abysmal sales have some impact. (>__<)

[chynnawitch.livejournal.com]

OMG, noooo T_____T

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

That's about how I feel.

[yomimashou.livejournal.com]

Ugh. The not knowing is one of the worst parts about this, and the fact that we can't trust anything Johnny's says. Beyond it being awful and unprecedented to do this to the guys, I just don't understand why they would decide to do something like that.

But if nothing else, I am glad that ongu didn't outsell any of the recent singles.

And I hope your internet gets fixed soon ;___;

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't really have anything to add to this, besides that no one is going to know or care that it didn't outsell the previous singles thanks to Johnny's.

[talisa-ahn.livejournal.com]

I'm not even in your fandom and I feel awful over what's happening with SZ right now. D: The Jimusho can be so STUPID. This doesn't benefit anyone. >:/

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, that means a lot to me ;___; Hearing that people who aren't even in SZ fandom are sympathetic and think it's really fucked up helps, and yeah… I think we can all agree that this is totally stupid >__< It's hurting all five of the guys and it really doesn't benefit anyone ;___;

[talisa-ahn.livejournal.com]

*hug* Hang in there! I know I'm not the only person outside of SZ fandom that thinks this is complete BS.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much ♥ It really does mean a lot to me.

(Also, what a delightfully relevant icon! I love it.)

[talisa-ahn.livejournal.com]

It's one of my favorites. I made it back when there was more EbiKisu stuff going on ^^;

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I must admit I do get a bit teary whenever I see Daybreaker performed… ^^

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

I'm joining you in the emotionally devastated corner. Let me just sit here and cry. And I still have hope- maybe that's the worst part. Still having that lingering hope that it'll be normal again.

If it isn't by December I'm going to let my FC membership expire (can you join again if you do that..?) because I will not allow Johnny's to take my money and continue with this.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it got to me all day and I was trying not to cry at my desk at work… I'm really destroyed over this. I still have hope too-- honestly, this feels a lot like a really late excuse for what's been happening over the past couple years anyway, since Marius and Sou have already been part time members, but even if things just do stay the same, that's far from a good situation.

I'm totally at a loss as to what to do, honestly. At the matsuri, watching Marius and Sou, I kept thinking, I don't need KFS, I can't support 3-member Sexy Zone, but if Marius and Sou are caught in limbo, I'd feel terrible turning my back on them. I don't want to keep giving my money to think but I don't want to walk away when Sou and Marius need support, either… I just don't know.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

I understand. I wish there was something else we could do. Or at least, the opportunity to voice to them what we're feeling. Certainly they must know we're all upset by it but it's just like.. Having those words come straight from someone, in a letter or something, I want to think that maybe that could give them some encouragement.

I wish Johnny's would give us an opportunity with 5nin Sexy Zone again, so that fandom can really prove itself once again and completely blow their expectations away with the support.

This whole situation is so stupid. They're around because of the fans; why would you continue doing things that upset those fans? Even if I try to take a step back and look at it logically: They're going to lose the monetary support of Marius and Sou's fans if it continues like this, and that doesn't make sense. Why risk it? When you could have a little bit more money coming into the company? They're still signed, you're still having to pay them.. I just don't get it. And I don't get why the rest of the company is continuing to let it happen. Does that woman hold so much power that NOBODY can do anything? Why did Johnny allow it to end up like this. Sorry I'm just ranting now but.. It's so frustrating and confusing.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know. I was actually just talking with some friends earlier that it would be so much easier if we had something like what Tackey, where he petitioned his fans to write letters to JE. We could try to send fan letters I guess, or people were talking about writing in to Shounen Club to ask to see more 5nin Sexy Zone, but I just can't imagine that much would do any good if Johnny's is against it.

I mean, they claim that there will be times with 5 as well, so I guess all we can do is buy those singles… Or, who knows. Who even knows if this will pan out at all. It could just be another lie.

My only guess is that it's a marketing tactic. Johnny's makes money off of us when we're nervous and on edge, wanting to show our support through money. Tons of people (middle schoolers and casual fans) will buy KFS no matter what, but they can also make a lot of money wringing Marius and Sou fans for tons of money whenever they do get to do things. But I really don't know. It's also been said that Ijima just doesn't like that, in which case… I have no idea. The old man is clearly losing his touch, but I don't understand why Julie, or… anyone can't do anything.

This is all just making me sick.

[beach-bum1303.livejournal.com]

If it is a marketing tactic.. I mean that sounds totally legit. But if it is? That's so.. scummy. Tbh I hope it's not that, because if it is that means that we're totally just pawns, not people, and we don't even deserve being treated like humans. If that makes sense. Like they think we're stupid or something.

But on the bright side the Jump concerts are this weekend. At least that's something to look forward to- it's pretty much the only thing keeping me going right now. I hope you have an awesome time as well, at least it would be a welcome reminder that not everything in Johnny's sucks.
(Inoo bias *points to self*)

Ninja edit: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzVpy6zCAAEiImG.jpg:large

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

I don't know, I really think that it's what they do a lot of the time. I mean… Johnny's is really awful to their fans. They straight up lie to us all the time, so… I wouldn't put this sort of thing past them >___<

Yes! That's definitely something to look forward to ♥ And Chinen is my number one, but Inoo is my second favourite, and favourite in BEST! I'm really excited to find other Inoo fans; they're hard to come by!

omg that's amazing thank you so much for sharing it with me ;____; And thank you shopkeeper, whoever you are.

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

[xanithofdragons.livejournal.com]

Ugh, on the one hand entertainment news totally exaggerates and wildly guesses what things will mean, but on the other hand Johnny's lies (sometimes by exaggerating to news sources) :/

I just really want to see 5-member Sexy Zone on Shokura and in magazines again. ;_;

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yes to all of this >___< Johnny's is really just the worst sometimes in terms of how they treat their guys and fans.

Me too ;____; So badly.

[britkit27.livejournal.com]

Ugh, what a mess >< Fucking Johnnys.

I just... I keep hoping this will go the way of 2020 where everything in the press and everything was pointing towards full steam ahead when it abruptly vanished and hasn't been heard from since >> But yeah. Johnnys lies, and who knows if the press are just rehashing stuff from the announcement event or where they're getting it....

I really hope things get better soon >

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my feeling is, this didn't come straight from Johnny's, and frankly, Marius and Sou have already been treated like that up until now, so I don't think that right now, we should react too over-dramatically. x__x; I'm just trying to stay calm for right now. Because otherwise it's too unbearable. x___x

[kapiru.livejournal.com]

Maybe it's despicable but I'm pretty happy that "Otoko never give up" is "the worst selling single in all of 2014 and 2013 so far."
At least they are not encouraged by their sales to continue with just the three of them.

I keep hope for the next one♥

[faded-lace.livejournal.com]

It's not despicable at all. In my opinion, even Kento, Fuma, and Shori didn't want the single to do well. They looked miserable. I was happy to hear that it sold badly, too.

Well, the news so far isn't good, but let's keep hoping.