"Just one more piece, and we can finally make the announcement." On April 22, 2026, TOBE founder Hideaki Takizawa dropped a tantalizing hint about Number_i's next move. Following February's blockbuster WME signing, what could the trio's "important news" be? We trace their recent moves and decode the most likely candidates.

Update (May 2026): The day after the Sapporo shows, on May 18, Number_i announced a label deal with Atlantic Records, the Warner Music Group flagship, and opened a global official TikTok account, with a new single promised before year's end. The "last piece" turned out to be candidate #2 below, a US major label deal. The analysis that follows is preserved as it stood before the announcement.

Takizawa's Cryptic Hint: What Does "The Last Piece" Mean?

From April 20–22, 2026, the all-roster TOBE concert "to HEROes ~ TOBE 3rd Super Live ~" was held at Vantelin Dome Nagoya. Backstage, TOBE founder Hideaki Takizawa spoke with the press about Number_i's future.

"Various other things are in motion right now. We've finally reached the point where, if just one more piece falls into place, we'll be able to share important news with the fans," Takizawa said.

He added that an announcement could come around the time of the May 16–17 Sapporo shows at Hokkaido Daiwa House Premist Dome (formerly Sapporo Dome).

According to Sankei Sports, Takizawa also indicated plans to "fully launch overseas activities by this summer," signaling a major announcement is on the horizon. Member Yuta Jinguji, standing beside him, added: "We have activities in Japan, but I think we'll have more opportunities to do various things over there as well."

Fans on social media are already speculating wildly about what "the last piece" could be.

A Quick Recap: Number_i's Journey So Far

Before we speculate, let's catch up on Number_i's trajectory from formation to today.

Formation and Debut (October 2023 – 2024)

On October 15, 2023, three former King & Prince members, Sho Hirano, Yuta Jinguji, and Yuta Kishi, relaunched as Number_i under TOBE, the new agency founded by Hideaki Takizawa. The "i" in their name carries the meaning of "individual," and "going global" was a stated mission from day one.

In January 2024, debut single "GOAT" dropped digitally. The MV crossed 10 million views shortly after release, the fastest record at the time for a debut single by a Japanese male artist, and topped the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100.

Coachella Debut and Building a Foothold in the US (2024–2025)

In April 2024, just three months after debuting, Number_i appeared at California's Coachella Festival, performing "FUJI" and a Jackson Wang-featured remix of "GOAT" on the 88rising-curated stage.

September 2024 saw the release of their first album "No.I," followed by their first appearance on NHK's New Year's Eve Kohaku Uta Gassen.

In 2025, the second album "No.II" (released September 22) and the "No.II" national tour (25 shows across 8 cities, drawing approximately 300,000 attendees) cemented their domestic foundation. In June, they appeared at HEAD IN THE CLOUDS LA, the only Japanese act invited that year, and delivered a 30-minute solo set, deepening their US presence.

WME Signing and Solo Momentum (2026)

On February 5, 2026, Number_i announced a contract with WME (William Morris Endeavor), the Hollywood mega-agency that represents Bruno Mars and Billie Eilish. WME handles their global agency business, while management remains with TOBE.

Around the same time, third single "3XL", released on Sho Hirano's birthday, dominated the charts. Hirano attended Louis Vuitton's Fall/Winter 2026 Men's show, increasing his presence in high fashion. Yuta Kishi was tapped as the face of a new Hyatt campaign. The members' individual work is flourishing in parallel.

So What Could "The Last Piece" Be? Five Realistic Scenarios

Here's where it gets interesting. What could Takizawa's "missing piece" actually be? Based on industry conventions and the trio's trajectory, here are five plausible candidates.

1. A North American or World Tour Announcement (Most Likely)

The strongest candidate is the announcement of their first overseas headlining tour or a full-scale world tour.

WME's bread and butter is tour booking. Several months between an agency deal and a major tour announcement is industry standard, it's the path BTS, BLACKPINK, and ENHYPEN all walked. This aligns with both Jinguji's comment about "more opportunities over there" and Sankei's reporting that "overseas activities will fully launch this summer."

A tour hitting Los Angeles, New York, London, and Paris feels increasingly realistic.

2. A US Major Label Deal

WME is an agency, not a record label. A US major label partnership (Republic, Atlantic, Geffen, 88rising, etc.) could very well be the missing final piece for global rollout.

XG's deal with Geffen Records illustrates how distribution and promotion partners are essential lifelines for breaking into international markets. Only when WME and a label partner are both in place can the "environment" truly be considered ready, which fits Takizawa's "preparations are coming together" framing.

3. A Collaboration with a Major Western Artist

Two years after the Jackson Wang collab, the next step could be a full-scale collaboration with a major Western artist. In the US market, "featuring" is one of the most powerful tools for capturing new listeners.

K-pop has shown the playbook: BTS×Halsey, BLACKPINK×Lady Gaga, TWICE×Megan Thee Stallion. A surprise collaboration could put Number_i on global charts.

4. A Headline-Tier Major Festival Slot

Number_i has built international festival credentials through "guest slots" at Coachella and HEAD IN THE CLOUDS. The next step would be main-stage appearances at festivals like Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Made in America, Reading & Leeds, or Glastonbury.

If the announcement is timed to the summer festival season, the timeline lines up beautifully.

5. Hollywood Project or Global Brand Campaign

Given Sho Hirano's acting career and the trio's high-fashion ties (Louis Vuitton in particular), a global ad campaign or international film/TV project isn't out of the question.

That said, since this is framed as a "group announcement," something involving all three members feels more likely than an individual project. A Netflix documentary or a global brand ambassadorship could fit the bill.

Reading Between the Lines: "I Don't See 100% Either"

What stands out is Takizawa's candor: "I don't see 100% of it. I don't think the members do either."

This isn't pessimism, quite the opposite. It signals a philosophy of "preparing the ground for them to challenge themselves" rather than "marching toward a predetermined goal."

"For me, the starting point is the moment they begin to challenge themselves," Takizawa said. "First, I have to make sure they have an environment they can be active in."

Compared to the old Johnny's era, where members typically fit into frameworks the agency designed, Number_i operates on the inverse model: the agency supports the artists' own ambitions. Structurally, it's closer to the K-pop label-and-agency model, or the Western label-and-agency relationship.

The May Sapporo Shows: The Next Turning Point

May 16–17 at Hokkaido Daiwa House Premist Dome. Takizawa hinted that the announcement will follow these shows.

According to Sankei Sports, the group's first-ever fan meeting is also scheduled for this summer. What gets revealed in Sapporo, and what begins this summer? A Japanese boys' group attempting to break into the global music scene through a route distinct from K-pop, that experiment is about to enter its next phase.

The identity of "the last piece" became clear in May, in the form of the Atlantic Records deal. The overseas push that iLYs (the Number_i fan name) had long awaited is now getting underway in earnest.

How do artists from your country expand globally? In your view, what's the most important "piece" needed to break into international markets?

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