Kis-My-Ft2

Biography

Kis-My-Ft2 (キスマイフットツー, Kisu Mai Futto Tsū, "Kiss My Foot Two") is a six-member Japanese boy band under Starto Entertainment, noted in Japanese media for incorporating roller-skating into their stage performances.
The group was formed on 26 July 2005 while the members were trainees (Johnny's Jr.). On 12 February 2011, during a concert tour, they received a surprise announcement of their official debut in what later became known as the "brown envelope" event. They made their CD debut on 10 August 2011.
Since their debut, Kis-My-Ft2 has achieved multiple number-one singles and albums on the Oricon charts and has held large-scale arena and dome tours across Japan, including performances at Tokyo Dome. The group has also appeared on NHK’s annual music program Kōhaku Uta Gassen.
The group debuted as a seven-member act including Hiromitsu Kitayama; following his departure in August 2023, Kis-My-Ft2 has continued as a six-member group. The current members are Kento Senga, Toshiya Miyata, Wataru Yokoo, Taisuke Fujigaya, Yuta Tamamori, and Takashi Nikaido.
They are signed to MENT Recording, a joint label established by Avex Inc. and Johnny & Associates.
Notable releases include their debut single "Everybody Go×Everybody Go10 August 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Everybody Go4:422S.O.KISS3:503KISS FOR U3:43Disc 21Everybody Go -Music Video-2Making Movie", their highest-selling single "Thank You Jan!", and the drama theme song "Luv Bias×Luv Bias24 February 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks1Luv Bias3:072Big Wave3:453Luv Bias -another-3:084Luv Bias -piano＆strings-2:545Luv Bias -Instrumental-3:07", which received an award in 2021.
The name is derived from the initials of its members’ surnames, as well as a reference to an anecdote in which tap dancer Gregory Hines kissed the shoe of Sammy Davis Jr.

Members

In Kis-My-Ft2, each member is assigned a "member color," which is used in official costumes, merchandise, and promotional materials.

Former member

Formation and pre-debut (2005–2010)

Kis-My-Ft2 was formed on 26 July 2005 under Johnny & Associates through the merger of two trainee units, Kis-My-Ft. and A.B.C.-Jr., while the members were trainees in Johnny's Jr.. At the time of the group’s formation, the lineup included additional trainees who departed prior to the group’s official debut.
The group performed in stage productions and concerts, gradually building experience over a prolonged pre-debut period. Their performance style was influenced by the agency’s senior group Hikaru Genji, with Japanese media frequently noting their use of roller skates.
In the late 2000s, the group held their first solo concerts and appeared in established stage productions such as Playzone.
On 12 February 2011, during their concert tour Kis-My-Ft ni Aeru de Show Vol. 3, the members received a surprise letter from agency president at the time Johnny Kitagawa announcing their official debut, an event later known as the "brown envelope" announcement.

Debut and breakthrough (2011)

Kis-My-Ft2 made their CD debut on 10 August 2011 with the single "Everybody Go×Everybody Go10 August 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 5 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Everybody Go4:422S.O.KISS3:503KISS FOR U3:43Disc 21Everybody Go -Music Video-2Making Movie," which reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart. Originally scheduled for earlier release, their debut was postponed due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The single ultimately marked a major breakthrough following their long trainee period.
The single was simultaneously distributed across several Asian territories, and the group held a debut event at Yebisu Garden Place in Tokyo attended by approximately 12,000 fans. They also appeared on the television program SMAP×SMAP, where they were congratulated by senior group SMAP.
Following their debut, the group held a concert at Tokyo Dome 18 days after their debut, setting what was reported at the time as a record for a male artist. The achievement drew significant media attention and positioned the group as a major new act in the Japanese idol scene.

Commercial success and large-scale tours (2012–2017)

Throughout the early to mid-2010s, Kis-My-Ft2 released a series of chart-topping singles and albums, including their first studio album Kis-My-1st. In March 2012, on the day of the release of the single "She! Her! Her!×SHE! HER! HER!21 March 2012 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1SHE! HER! HER!4:392Deep your voice3:51", the group held a promotional event in Osaka, performing the song aboard a boat on the Dōtonbori Canal, an unusual public setting that drew large crowds and media attention. They subsequently embarked on nationwide arena and dome tours, with Japanese media frequently highlighting their elaborate live productions and large-scale stage effects.
In 2014, the group further expanded their visibility through mainstream media projects, including the single "Hikari no Signal," which served as the theme song for animated film Doraemon: New Nobita's Great Demon—Peko and the Exploration Party of Five. The single reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, continuing their streak of commercial success.

Beyond music activities, the group also participated in large-scale promotional campaigns. In 2017, Kis-My-Ft2 participated in a tourism campaign organized by Kyushu Railway Company to promote recovery in Kumamoto and Ōita Prefectures following the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. The campaign, titled "GO!GO!! Kis-My Kumamoto Ōita," included sightseeing commercials featuring the group, as well as special wrapping trains such as the "Kis-My-Ft2 Shinkansen" and "Kis-My-Ft2 Sonic," which operated throughout the Kyushu region.
By the mid-2010s, the group had completed multiple dome tours. Alongside music activities, they expanded into television, radio, and variety programming, further expanding their presence in mainstream media. Sub-unit activities (舞祭組 (Busaiku)) and individual member projects were also introduced during this period.

Continued prominence and expanded activities (2018–2022)

From the late 2010s onward, Kis-My-Ft2 maintained commercial success through consecutive album releases and large-scale dome tours. During this period, their activities also expanded beyond Japan, including overseas performances and music videos filmed abroad. On 30 November 2019, the group made their first overseas performance at the Asia Fashion Award 2019 held in Taipei, Taiwan. In the same year, they made their first appearance on NHK’s annual music program Kōhaku Uta Gassen, a milestone in their career.
From 2018 to 2020, Kis-My-Ft2 served as main personalities for Nippon Broadcasting System’s 24-hour charity program Radio Charity Musicthon, a fundraising broadcast supporting initiatives for visually impaired people. The group’s participation contributed to large-scale fundraising campaigns, and they later continued to appear in related broadcasts, including guest appearances in subsequent editions hosted by other personalities.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of scheduled tours in 2020; however, Kis-My-Ft2 adapted by holding live-streamed concerts, including a performance broadcast from Tokyo Dome without an in-person audience, allowing them to continue performing during restrictions.
In 2021, the group celebrated the 10th anniversary of their CD debut with the release of a compilation album and commemorative projects.

Lineup change and continuation as six members (2023–present)

In August 2023, member Hiromitsu Kitayama departed from the group to pursue a solo career, after which Kis-My-Ft2 continued activities as a six-member unit. Kis-My-Ft2 subsequently continued activities as a six-member group, releasing new music and holding arena and dome tours. Around this period, the music video for the single "Tomoni" referenced locations associated with the group’s earlier activities, serving as a retrospective reflection on their history as a seven-member act.
In 2024, all members of the group participated in relief support activities following the 2024 Noto earthquake, taking part in charity food distribution efforts as part of broader aid initiatives.
During the promotion of the 2024 dome tour, member Takashi Nikaido temporarily suspended activities due to health issues, resulting in the single "Curtain Call×Curtain call8 January 2025 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Curtain call3:232Meramera3:59Disc 21「Meramera」Music Video2新春キスマイチャレンジ2025" being promoted by the remaining five members. He later returned to group activities.
Releases as a six-member unit achieved commercial success, including chart-topping albums in the mid-2020s onward. The group remains active, continuing large-scale live performances and expanding their presence across digital and streaming platforms.
In 2026, marking their 15th anniversary, the group announced a series of anniversary activities, including the monthly digital release of new songs beginning with "UNISON" and the planning of an arena tour. Additional commemorative projects and performances were announced as part of the group’s anniversary year.

Performance style and reception

Commentary on Kis-My-Ft2 has frequently focused on the visual continuity of their stage performances within the performance tradition established by Johnny & Associates, particularly the use of roller skates. Japanese media have described this element as a reinterpretation of earlier performance styles adapted for contemporary large-scale concerts.
Reviews of the group’s live shows have emphasized concerts as a central mode of expression, highlighting large-scale staging, choreography, and ensemble coordination. Such assessments have positioned Kis-My-Ft2 as a group whose identity is closely associated with live performance as a collective experience rather than individual display.
Media coverage has also highlighted the involvement of individual members in concert production, including Takashi Nikaido’s contributions to stage effects and visual presentation, Yuta Tamamori’s role in developing stage costumes—an activity later documented in the Amazon Prime Video documentary Yuta Tamamori Mode—and Kento Senga’s participation in choreography as part of a collaborative internal production process.

Television variety programs

Following their debut, Kis-My-Ft2 became active in variety programming through a long-running series of programs on TV Asahi that began with 濱キス (Hama Kiss). Originally featuring comedian Masaru Hamaguchi as a partner, the program continued under different titles while maintaining a similar format. Since 2017, the comedy duo Sandwichman have been regular collaborators, and the series expanded from late-night broadcasting to prime-time slots, reflecting the group’s growing television presence. The collaboration between Kis-My-Ft2 and Sandwichman continued beyond the program itself, including appearances together in later music video projects.
Another major variety program was Kis-My-Busaiku!?, which began regular broadcasting on Fuji TV in 2013 and became known for its comedic ranking format. The show concluded in 2023 around the time of member Hiromitsu Kitayama’s departure, marking the end of one of the group’s longest-running variety projects.

Early group structure

Beyond their television activities, media coverage and interviews have also discussed internal dynamics within the group during their early years. In interviews and variety programs, members frequently described an early internal division between the three front members—Hiromitsu Kitayama, Taisuke Fujigaya, and Yuta Tamamori—and the four members later known as Busaiku (Wataru Yokoo, Toshiya Miyata, Takashi Nikaido, and Kento Senga). Media coverage also reported differences in promotional focus during this period, including accounts of limited appearances in music videos and other media exposure for some members.
This distinction was reflected visually in stage performances, music videos, and promotional materials, where coordinated costume colors, positioning, and screen time differentiated the two groups during the early years. Subsequent projects such as the formation of the spin-off unit Busaiku, produced by SMAP member Masahiro Nakai, provided additional opportunities for the latter members, and later interviews suggested that these differences gradually diminished over time.

NHK

The Shounen Club (2005 – 2012, NHK BS Premium) – until 5 August 2011 episode, the members appeared under the name of Johnny's Jr.
The Shounen Club Premium (2019 – 2023, NHK BS Premium) – MC

TV Asahi

Hama Kiss (one-off: 2011 and 2012, regular: April 2012 – September 2012)
Kiss Hama Learning / Kiss Hama Learning 2 / Kiss Hama Learning 3 (2012 – 2014)
Kiss Hama TV (April 2014 – September 2014)
Kis-My-Ft2 presents Office Learning Variety OL Club (September 2014 – March 2015)
Upgrading that game! Kis-My-Game (March 2015 – September 2015)
Kis-My-Magic (October 2015 – September 2016,)
Kis-Mileage (October 2016 – September 2017)
100,000 Yen de Dekirukana (10万円でできるかな) (October 2017 - March 2026)
Sand & Kis-My-Ft2 no Ki ni Naru Man (サンド&キスマイの気になるマン) (April 2026 -)

Fuji Television

Kis-My-Busaiku!? (one-off: August and September 2012, January, February and March 2013; regular: April – September 2017)
Kis-My-Super-Busaiku!? (6 October 2017 – 29 September 2023)
Moshi Mo Tours (2011 – 2022) – Several members appeared with Hannya, who also appeared regularly on the show, in rotation each week.

Some members appear

Black and White Judge Variety: Masahiro Nakai's Library of Suspicious Rumors (2011 – 2013, TV Asahi) – Several members appeared on the show one by one.
Tokai Region no Kototo Narunaru Chikara Chosashimasu! (2012, Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting, Chukyo local) – several members appeared on the program
Masahiro Nakai Presents: Useful Public Libraries (2013 – 2017, TV Asahi)
Masahiro Nakai Presents: Library of Concern (2017 – 2019, TV Asahi)
Go! Go! NinJapon (Season 1: 2018 – end of broadcast, Season 2: 2019 – end of broadcast, Season 3: 2020 – end of broadcast, co-produced by eight local Japan News Network-affiliated stations) – Two of Yokoo, Miyata, Nikaido, and Senga appear in rotation.
Prevato! (Mainichi Broadcasting System) – Yokoo, Senga, Kitayama, Miyata, and Nikaido appear irregularly in the haiku corner.

TV special programs

FNS 27-Hour TV Festival! ( 23 and 24 July 2016, Fuji TV) – MC Relay
Can Kis-My-Ft2 Do It? – 10th Anniversary Special (21 September 2020, TV Asahi) – MC Relay- TV Asahi
Geinōjin Kakuzuke Check (Celebrity Rating Check) (1 January 2025; 1 January 2026, ABC TV)

Streamed programs

Kis-My Doki Doki (2019 – 2021, Lemino(dTV))
Kis-My Time Tunnel (2021, Lemino(dTV))
Kis-My Doki Doki! presents "Shabekuru Kiss Night" (2022 [3 episodes], Lemino(dTV))

Theatre

Playzone 2005 20th Anniversary Twenty Years ... and into the future we have yet to see (6 July – 4 August 2005, Aoyama Theatre / 13–17 August 2005, Festival Hall)
Johnnys Theater "SDAUIMJIMAASRTY2005" (26 July – 4 September 2005, Shinagawa Prince Stellar Ball)
Dream Boys(2006) ( 3–29 January 2006, Inperial Theatre)
Takizawa Enbujo (7 March – 25 April 2006, Shinbashi Enbujō)
One! -the history of Tackey- (September 2006, Nissay Theatre)
Dream Boys (2007) (September 2007, Imperial Theatre)
Takizawa Enbujo 2007 ( 3–29 July 2007, Shinbashi Enbujō)
World's Wing Tsubasa Premium 2007 ( 3–28 October 2007, Nissay Theatre)
Dream Boys (2008) ( 4–30 March 2008, Imperial Theatre / 4–16 April 2008, Umeda Arts Theater)
Summary 2008 (2 August – 5 September 2008, Johnnys Theater)
New Year Takizawa Revolution ( 1–27 January 2009, Imperial Theatre)
Playzone 2009: A Letter From The Sun (11 July – 9 August 2009, Aoyama Theatre / 21–26 August 2009, Umeda Arts Theater)
New Year Takizawa Revolution (1 January – 5 February 2010, Imperial Theatre)
New Year: Life Revolution (8 January – 6 February 2010, Imperial Theatre)
Boys: Prison without Bars ( 3–26 September 2010, Nissay Theatre) – starring with A.B.C-Z
Takizawa Kabuki (8 April – 8 May 2011, Nissay Theatre) – Yokoo, Senga, Miyata, Nikaido
Teigeki Johnnys Imperial Theatre Special "Kis-My-Ft2 with Johnny's Jr." ( 27–29 September 2011, Imperial Theatre)
Johnny's Ginza You no Mae ni Me ga Mae ni iru! ( 27–30 April 2012, Theater Creation) – Senga, Miyata, Nikaido, Yokoo

Festivals

Kanofes 2026 – Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, Sendai (14–15 February 2026)

Youtube

They opened an official YouTube channel on 10 April 2022 and released their music videos. Since September 2023, they have been distributing variety videos every Saturday.

Radio

Kis-My-Ft2 Kismy Radio (Kis-My-Ft2 キスマイRadio) – (October 2011– ) – Nippon Cultural Broadcasting
All Night Nippon series (Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc.)
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon GOLD (2019)
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon (2021)
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon Premium
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon Premium (2018 – 2019) – Friday personality
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon Premium (2019 – 2020) – Saturday personality
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon Premium (2020 - 2021)
Kis-My-Ft2's All Night Nippon Premium (2020 – 2021) – Saturday personality
Radio Charity Musicthon (Nippon Broadcasting System, Inc.)
The 44th Radio Charity Musicthon (2018)
The 45th Radio Charity Musicthon (2019)
The 46th Radio Charity Musicthon (2020) - Co-chair with SixTones
The 51st Radio Charity Musicthon (2025) — Miyata, Tamamori, and Nikaido (guests)

Other DVDs

[2007.07.18] Takizawa Hideaki – Takizawa Embujo
[2008.01.23] Takizawa Hideaki – One! -the history of Tackey-
[2008.02.27] Dream Boys
[2009.12.02] Play Zone 2009 Taiyo Kara no Tegami
[2010.03.10] Takizawa Hideaki – Shinshun Takizawa Kakumei

Pre-debut songs

"Sennen no Love Song" (千年のLove Song) (Originally belonged to K.K.Kity)
"Endless Road"
"TRY AGAIN"
"Inori" (祈り)
"Ready?"
"Kis-My-Me-Mine"
"Good-bye, Thank You"
"FIRE BEAT"
"Brand New Season"
"Kaizoku" (海賊)
"Smile"
"Daybreaker" (with A.B.C.-Z)
"Kis-My-Calling!"
"Hair"
"Ame" (雨)
"Tension" (テンション)
"SHOOTING STARS"
"Kis-My-LAND"
"Eien no Ticket" (永遠のチケット)
"My Love"
"3D Girl"

Other Concerts

The Great Adventure of Johnny's Jr ( 15–24 August 2006, Hotel Grand Pacific Meridian)
Your Music Sports Day (30 September – 1 October 2006, Yoyogi National Gymnasium)
2007 Happy New Year, a large gathering of Johnny's Jr. ( 2–7 January 2007 Nippon Budokan)
The Great Adventure of Johnny's Jr ( 15–24 August 2007, Hotel Grand Pacific Meridian)
Hiroki Uchihiro New Year's Eve Rock 'n' Roll Friends Gathering ( 20–21 December 2008, Yokohama Arena)
Hiroki Uchi Uchi-Hirocky (7 March – 4 April 2009, 3 cities)
KAT-TUN World Big Tour ( 16–25 July 2010, Tokyo Dome / 6 & 7 August 2010, Olympic Gymnastics Arena / 21 & 22 August 2010, Kyocera Dome Osaka / 27 & 28 August 2010, Taipei Arena)
Johnny's Festival -Thank you 2021 Hello 2022– (30 December 2021, Tokyo Dome)
We Are! Let's get the party Starto! (10 April 2024, Tokyo Dome / 29 and 30 May, scheduled for Kyocera Dome Osaka)

Cited Works

Kis-My-Ft2 (19 July 2013). 裸の時代 [The Naked Era] (in Japanese). Text by Mitsuhiro Mizuno. Shueisha. ISBN 9784087806786.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)