Arashi
- Arashi is also the stage name used by professional wrestler Isao Takagi.
Arashi （嵐）, which is the Japanese word for a storm, is a Japanese popular group consisting of five boys from the Johnny & Associates stable. They made their sudden debut in September 1999 in Honolulu, Hawaii from the Pony Canyon Music Company. The group members are (in alphabetical order) Masaki Aiba (相葉雅紀, b. Dec. 24, 1982), Jun Matsumoto (松本潤, b. Aug.30, 1983), Kazunari Ninomiya (二宮和也, b. June 17, 1983), Satoshi Ohno(大野智, b. Nov. 26, 1980), and Sho Sakurai (櫻井翔, b. Jan.25, 1982).
This group is widely known for the members' good looks and for the group's smartly executed, powerful dances. The fans' ages range from the low teens up to the mid-forties. On the day of their debut single "A・RA・SHI", more than 80,000 fans showed up to attend their debut event. Since the debut single, the group has released more than 10 singles, including "Hadashi No Mirai (The Barefooted Future)" and "Jidai(Generation)" and 4 albums in the hit chart including their first single collection album. Their first four singles, "ARASHI (Storm)", "Sunrise Nippon (Sunrise Japan)/HORIZON", "Typhoon Generation", and "Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi" attracted many people because they all dealt with nature. The cheap cost of 500 yen also attracted people to buy their 7th, 8th, and 9th singles. Arashi's produces a wide range of different types of music, including rap, house, and hip-hop. In 2002, Arashi established a music company of their own called J-Storm.
Arashi has also been taking part in various dramas, variety shows, TV commercials, and movies. The entire group played the lead in the drama called "V No Arashi (Arashi of Victory)" that supported the Japanese volleyball team in the World Cup. Other dramas include "Gokusen (A Teacher of Gangland)" and "Kimi Wa Pet (You're A Pet)" by Matsumoto, "Kisarazu Cat's Eye" and "Yoiko No Mikata (A Friend of Good Kids)" by Sakurai, "Stand Up!" by Ninomiya, and "Yankee Bokou Ni Kaeru (A Yankee Goes Back to His Alma Mater) by Aiba. The group took part in their famous movie, "PIKA☆☆NCHI~Life is Hard Dakara(so) Happy" and "PIKA☆☆NCHI Double" that concerned the passionate youth of 5 boys, acted by members of Arashi.
Arashi's performances as the post-SMAP Johnny's group can be expected in the future and will catch people in the "storm" of excitement.