🏎️ The legendary sound of The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift just got a Japanese boy group makeover — and the world can't stop listening. 30 million TikTok plays in one week. No.1 on iTunes in four countries. Charts in 21 nations. Here's the story of how eight young men from Japan turned a freezing Shibuya night into a global moment.
Who Is ONE OR EIGHT? Eight Japanese Artists Betting Everything
ONE OR EIGHT is an eight-member all-Japanese boy group born from "WARPs DIG," an intense survival audition program launched by avex — one of Japan's biggest entertainment companies. The group's name comes from the Japanese idiom "ichi ka bachi ka" (一か八か), meaning "all or nothing" — a fitting motto for a group whose tagline is "BET ON YOURSELF."
Members SOUMA, REIA, MIZUKI, TSUBASA, YUGA, TAKERU, RYOTA, and NEO were forged through 365 days of competition and a year of intensive training in both Japan and South Korea. They made their global debut on August 16, 2024, with "Don't Tell Nobody," produced by OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder and BTS collaborator David Stewart. The single hit No.1 on the Billboard Japan Heatseekers Songs chart.
What sets ONE OR EIGHT apart from typical J-pop acts is their global infrastructure. They signed a major deal with Atlantic Music Group — the label behind Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran — making them one of the first Japanese pop acts to secure this level of global distribution. In December 2024, their collaboration "KAWASAKI (with Big Sean)" reached No.5 on the US iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap chart. By 2025, their single "DSTM" became the first track by a Japanese boy group to chart on America's prestigious Mediabase Top 40 radio chart, alongside names like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande.
"TOKYO DRIFT" — Reinventing an Iconic Sound
On January 28, 2026, ONE OR EIGHT released their debut mini-album GATHER, featuring eight tracks that mark their most ambitious project yet. The lead single "TOKYO DRIFT" is the centerpiece.
The track officially samples "Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious)" by Teriyaki Boyz — the iconic theme from the 2006 film The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift that remains instantly recognizable worldwide. Production was handled by The Neptunes, led by Grammy-winning producer Pharrell Williams. The result is a high-octane anthem about pushing limits, betting on yourself, and owning the streets of Tokyo with fearless confidence.
The song's origin story adds another layer. It originally existed as "D81," a track performed only by the group's rap members. Fans had been eagerly waiting for its official release. When vocal members were added, the song transformed into a full-group anthem that showcases every dimension of ONE OR EIGHT's talent.
The numbers speak for themselves. Within one week of release, "TOKYO DRIFT" accumulated roughly 30 million total plays on TikTok and pushed the group's Spotify monthly listeners past 1 million. On iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap charts, it hit No.1 in Vietnam, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, and Egypt, while charting in 21 countries including the United States. The music video surpassed 4 million YouTube views within two weeks. MTV Japan also selected it as a Heavy Rotation Buzz Clip for the first half of February.
Shibuya Surprise: A Freezing Night That Set the City on Fire
On February 8, with temperatures approaching freezing, ONE OR EIGHT staged a surprise guerrilla live called "SHIBUYA GATHERING" at Shibuya Stream's Inaribashi Square. The event was part of "SHIBUYA DRIFT," a larger campaign running through March 1 that has essentially taken over the Shibuya district with ad trucks, posters, and giant digital billboard displays.
Using a 4-ton truck as their stage, the members emerged through smoke as the panels opened. They launched into opener "POWER," then ripped through hip-hop-heavy tracks including "BET YOUR LIFE" and their Big Sean collaboration "KAWASAKI." The 30-minute set climaxed with the Japan live debut of "TOKYO DRIFT," sending the crowd into a frenzy despite the bitter cold.
In a charming Valentine's Day touch, members threw custom chocolates featuring their individual photos, the album title, and artist logo into the audience. Member REIA addressed the crowd: "Thank you for coming to see us even in the snow and cold. It made me so happy!" NEO reflected on the song's global success: "I'm so happy that the music is reaching so many people. Every member pours so much love into it — please give it a listen." TSUBASA added: "We want our music to make people happy. We want to create more opportunities to meet fans in person, both in Japan and overseas."
Evangelion Meets Fast & Furious: An Unexpected Exhibition
Beyond the music, the event featured a visual spectacle that perfectly captures ONE OR EIGHT's philosophy of fusing Japanese culture with global appeal. A Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) — the iconic car from Tokyo Drift — was displayed wrapped in original artwork by legendary animator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, known for his work on Neon Genesis Evangelion, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, and Summer Wars.
This collision of anime culture, car culture, and music culture in a single installation embodied the group's mission: redefining what "cool from Japan" looks like for a global audience.
GATHER and Beyond: What's Next for ONE OR EIGHT
The mini-album GATHER collects eight tracks spanning the group's journey so far, including debut single "Don't Tell Nobody," anime tie-in "POWER" (ending theme for Yoroi Shinden Samurai Troopers), the Big Sean collaboration "KAWASAKI," and new tracks like "Young & Reckless" and "BET YOUR LIFE." The title — meaning "to assemble" — reflects both the gathering of their catalog and their rallying cry to fans worldwide.
In March, ONE OR EIGHT will embark on their first live tour, "ONE OR EIGHT 1st LIVE TOUR -GATHER-," starting in Kobe on March 17, followed by shows in Aichi and Kanagawa. A South and North American tour has also been announced, signaling that their global push is only accelerating.
Shibuya has long been a place where unnamed talent and raw creative energy converge and crystallize into culture. On this freezing February night, ONE OR EIGHT proved that they belong to that tradition — gathering fans, music, and the spirit of Tokyo into something that resonates far beyond Japan's borders.
In Japan, a new wave of boy groups is partnering with world-class producers and breaking into global charts in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. How do people in your country feel about homegrown artists going global? We'd love to hear your thoughts!
References
- https://natalie.mu/music/news/659363
- https://www.tokyoheadline.com/845302
- https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/619a3e6b78dd9fa7096a2e94de16b93471a167fc
- https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/376486
- https://avexnet.jp/contents/ONEOR-OFCL-0001/news/1130268
- https://oneoreight.com/en/news/detail.php?id=1131066
Reactions in Japan
The moment that Teriyaki Boyz phrase hit in the TOKYO DRIFT intro, I got goosebumps. As someone who watched Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift in theaters back in 2006, it's deeply emotional. This is how Japanese music gets passed down to the next generation.
I was genuinely worried watching them dance on top of a truck in the freezing cold, but their performance quality didn't drop at all — total pros. I was just passing through Shibuya and couldn't move for a while.
My first reaction to hearing they hit No.1 in Uzbekistan and Egypt was 'wait, what?' But honestly, reaching regions that K-pop hasn't fully covered yet is a brilliant blue ocean strategy.
It's impressive that avex can now assemble such global-caliber producers — Pharrell, Ryan Tedder, Big Sean. Unthinkable ten years ago. That said, I wish the Japanese language ratio in the songs was a bit higher.
The Sadamoto illustration × R34 GT-R display was insane. Evangelion and Fast & Furious fusing in Shibuya — this can only happen in Japan. Took so many photos.
Honestly, at first I thought 'another avex push job.' But then I saw people overseas voluntarily making dance videos on TikTok and changed my mind. This is genuine viral buzz.
Their dance skills rival XG. But the sound leans so heavily Western that it probably won't click with mainstream Japanese audiences. Could end up breaking overseas first and getting 'reverse-imported' back to Japan.
TAKERU delivering this level of dance impact at 158cm is genuinely amazing. Competing on aura and skill rather than height — it's the 'BET ON YOURSELF' concept personified.
I happened to walk by Shibuya Stream and was startled when people started dancing on top of a truck. Knew nothing about them, but the song was so cool I searched it — then was shocked again when I saw over 1 million Spotify listeners.
The chocolate-throwing bit was so cute. Groups that value closeness with fans like this tend to grow. The casualness, different from K-pop's rigid perfectionism, actually feels refreshing.
The Atlantic Music Group deal, DSTM charting on US radio, Pharrell producing — they laid the groundwork carefully. TOKYO DRIFT's viral success wasn't luck; it was inevitable.
MIZUKI's background as an EXILE backup dancer is really paying off now. His stage presence is on another level. Totally makes sense that he's called the group's 'dad figure.'
An all-Japanese group going global with primarily English-language tracks — a different global strategy from XG. I feel like the very definition of J-pop is shifting.
Honestly, the iTunes No.1 in four countries likely includes organized fan purchases, so I take it with a grain of salt. But 30 million TikTok plays are hard to manipulate, so those numbers feel genuine.
Just learned they're also doing the ending theme for Samurai Troopers. Anime tie-ins × global producers × guerrilla lives. Their multi-angle approach makes them really fun to support.
From Vietnam! When TOKYO DRIFT hit No.1 on iTunes here, my friends and I went crazy. We loved the Teriyaki Boyz original, so having a Japanese group revive it is amazing. They could seriously compete with K-pop for Southeast Asian fans.
Malaysian listener here. First heard this on TikTok's For You page — remix videos synced with drift footage were blowing up. Looked up the song and was surprised it's a Japanese group. The production is fully at global standards.
As an American hip-hop fan, Pharrell's production is top-notch as expected. But the rap flow still feels a bit 'by the book.' If they loosened up more, they could really become something special.
First time commenting from Uzbekistan. Honestly wasn't familiar with Japanese music, but TOKYO DRIFT hooked me instantly — partly the movie nostalgia. Japanese cars are huge here, so the car culture connection resonates strongly.
Mexico here. So hyped about the South American tour announcement! Anime and car culture run deep in Latin America, so TOKYO DRIFT's concept is a perfect fit. Hope I can get tickets...
British boy band fan here. Honestly thought it'd be tough for a Japanese boy group to crack the Western market. But the Atlantic Records deal and Pharrell production show serious commitment. If they come to the UK, I'm there.
From Egypt. This song hitting No.1 on iTunes here proves growing interest in Japanese pop culture across the Middle East. J-pop awareness is still low in Arabic-speaking regions, but TikTok is bridging that gap.
K-pop fan from Korea. I'm watching them because they trained in both Japan and Korea. It's an interesting approach — using K-pop's training system while maintaining a J-pop identity. Though honestly, some people here see it as 'copying K-pop.'
German music blogger. The Teriyaki Boyz sample is a great hook, but whether they become a one-hit wonder depends on the next single's strength. Listening to the full album, 'BET YOUR LIFE' is also solid. I hope they prove this isn't just nostalgia marketing.
French dancer here. Watched the MV on YouTube and immediately filmed a dance cover. The choreography manages to be both highly technical and catchy — that's impressive. It's slowly spreading through the French dance community too.
From India. Car action is popular in Bollywood too, so the TOKYO DRIFT vibe feels familiar. But if they seriously want to crack the Indian market, they'll need Hindi remixes or local collaborations.
Anime fan from Brazil. Sadamoto's illustrations wrapped on the car is incredible! The Evangelion × TOKYO DRIFT combo is already being talked about in Brazil's otaku community. Can't wait for the tour to hit South America.
Japanese-American here. I'm proud to see all-Japanese members charting globally without changing who they are. Love that they're staying based in Japan while competing on the world stage — no compromises on identity.
Australian pop culture writer. Honestly, J-pop boy groups are still niche in this market. But their TikTok virality transcends genre boundaries. The real test will be proving their live performance chops from here.
Went to their fan meeting in Thailand. ONE OR EIGHT keep a close connection with fans, which I really like. Hope they do another show in Bangkok. A lot of people in Thailand are looking for the next big Asian group after BTS.