Japan's acclaimed boy band collective EBiDAN (short for "Ebisu Gakuen Danshi-bu," meaning "Ebisu Academy Boys' Club")held their spectacular live show EBiDAN THE LIVE CRUISE 2024 over 3 performances on 17 and 18 August at Yoyogi National Gymnasium First Gymnasium. This annual major event, known as EBiDAN THE LIVE featured 9 groups this year - BULLET TRAIN, M!LK, SUPER★DRAGON, Sakurashimeji, ONE N’ ONLY, GNJB, BUDDiiS, ICEx, and Lienel comprising a total of 62 members.
2024's concept was a luxurious cruise ship, with each show featuring a different theme: the bright and cute YELLOW ISLAND, the cool BLUE ISLAND, and the passionate RED ISLAND. Not only did each aforementioned group perform live, but they also showcased collaborations such as shuffle units and dream units, delighting the audience of 40,000.
Kicking off the event with a new song created especially for this performance, 'What's up, Voyagers!', all 62 members of Stardust Promotion's all-star collective took the stage before diving into their group-specific performances. At the YELLOW ISLAND show, Lienel charmingly presented 'Mr. Sister' while ICEx, appearing on the main stage, delivered a cool and adorable performance of 'Maniacs' followed by BUDDiiS with 'Brightness'.
Transitioning the mood, GNJB performed the anime theme song 'P-P-P-PERO'. ONE N’ ONLY captivated the audience with the heartfelt love song 'My Love', while the 2-member unit Sakurashimeji impressed with their powerful vocals in 'Ending'. SUPER★DRAGON dropped their drama theme song 'Sweets', and M!LK chose their latest single 'Blue Shower'. The group performances concluded with BULLET TRAIN’s 'MEMORIAL'.
In the renowned EBiDAN shuffle units, "Gensen wa Chika ni Aru." took on GNJB's 'Suirontekini Uchūjin', impressively replicating the high-speed and intricate choreography. The second group, "NICEx" covered ICEx's 'CANDY' showcasing high skill with cute dance moves, embodying an “adult cuteness” style.
As the lights came up, the "EBiDAN SPECIAL BAND" appeared on the main stage. The band consisted of five members: Hayato Sano (vocals, M!LK), EIKU (drums, ONE N’ ONLY), KEVIN (keys, BUDDiiS), Gaku Tanaka (guitar, Sakurashimeji), and Hyoga Takada (bass, Sakurashimeji). They captivated the audience with a cover of THE BLUE HEARTS' classic 'TRAIN-TRAIN'. Onstage, Sano surprised everyone by removing his wig to reveal a very short hairstyle.
Immediately following, all 62 members returned to the stage to perform the heartfelt song 'Koi no Ding Dong', showcasing the deep bonds and camaraderie within EBiDAN, thus concluding the 1st half of the event.
In the 2nd half, a collaboration project with EBiDAN's TV show featured performances by dream units. The 1st to perform was the "IKE! IKE! Fukuotoko Ranking Dream Unit", who charmed the audience with their adorable, rarely-seen personas as they performed the pop tune 'Lucky Ageru yo!' The "Generation Dream Unit", comprised of 4 members from each generation, conveyed the message "Let's Draw the Future Together", showcasing EBiDAN's evolving teamwork and strength across generations.
Additionally, the special unit "EBiDAN SUPER CREATIVE" performed their new song 'HERO'. The track, created by KEVIN (BUDDiiS) and Jean (SUPER★DRAGON), captivated the audience with its impressive vocals and rap skills. In a seamless transition, Ryota Nagano (GNJB) and Milo Takaoka (Lienel) enlivened the venue with a DJ set. Following this, the EBiDAN dance crew took the stage, beginning with Toshiaki Tsutsui's (ICEx) tap dance, before showcasing a variety of unique dance styles including breakdancing, krumping, and freestyle.
The finale featured a collaborative stage that transcended individual groups. ICEx and BULLET TRAIN performed 'My Buddy' (BULLET TRAIN), offering a rare and de lightful collaboration between the oldest and youngest groups, a unique experience exclusive to EBiDAN THE LIVE. The final show ended the voyage on a bright note with the group song 'New day! New Wave!'
During the encore, all the acts performed 'Koigokoro' and 'Believe yourself', riding through the stands on trolleys to engage and thrill the audience members in every corner. Yuki (BULLET TRAIN) reflected on the members' growth day by day, saying, "Next year, we'll surpass this year's live performances by far, so look forward to it even more. EBiDAN is truly the best."
