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30-ish Japanese idol group breaking up because of members’ old age, declining physical strength

Casey Baseel Dec 8, 2023
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Setsuna Meteor is getting too old for this idol singer stuff.

On December 3, Setsuna Meteor, a four-member idol singer unit that performs primarily in Hokkaido Prefecture, held their fifth anniversary concert. Sadly for fans, just as Setsuna Meteor reached that milestone the group announced that they won’t have many more, as they’ll be disbanding within a year.

The reason? They’re getting too old for this.

▼ Setsuna Meteor

改めまして、５周年ライブありがとうございました🌟
残り1年となりますが、最後まで刹那ミーティアらしく楽しく過ごしたいなと思っていますので、一緒に楽しんでくれたら嬉しいです☺️❣️

❤️@Marin0724_stn
💛@_yua730_
🤍@mona_h_stn
💜@paaasentosan pic.twitter.com/ckCYdh6QAe

— 刹那ミーティア (@stn_meteor) December 4, 2023

“Thank you for your continued support of Setsuna Meteor,” begins the message to fans posted through the group’s official Twitter account. “We would like to take this opportunity to inform you that Setsuna Meteor will be dissolving on November 24, 2024 due to our members’ advancing age and noticeable decline in physical strength.”

While “physical strength” might not be the first job requirement that comes to mind for a musician, Setsuna Meteor’s concerts, as is the norm for Japanese idol groups, are as much about bountifully bouncy, sashay-saturated choreography as the audio element.

今日のZeppでのステージを
ちょっとだけチラ見せしちゃうよ〜🌟

StarCall / 刹那ミーティア1stオリジナル曲 pic.twitter.com/QCAuGpLRG3

— 刹那ミーティア (@stn_meteor) March 29, 2022

Though Setsuna Meteor’s members aren’t anywhere close to pension-collecting age, they are decidedly mature by idol industry standards, with the group describing itself as “an idol unit with an average age of 30 years old.” The very youngest member, Marin, is 24…

https://twitter.com/Marin0724_stn/status/1730921612869079411

…and members Rurune Percent and Yua Nikaido are both 33.

▼ Rurune Percent

おはよ〜☀️
なんかおバズり申し上げてます、ありがたい🥹🙏
2.3も日経てば何事も無かったようになるんだよねぇ😌良い経験！

体力は14歳がピーク
20歳以降はさがっていく
って、スポーツ庁で言われてるから
ピーク10年も過ぎたわ、、
でも、函館⇔札幌ほぼ毎週車で往復できるくらいには元気よ✌️ pic.twitter.com/a7qa6cjEDO

— るる姉% (@paaasentosan) December 7, 2023

▼ Yua Nikaido

1番すきな写真✨️💛

📸@tk____photo pic.twitter.com/jNlir9Qp5f

— 二階堂ゆあ (@_yua730_) December 6, 2023

Finally, 28-year-old Mona Hatori will be the first member to depart from Setsuna Meteor, with her final performance with the group scheduled for March 31, citing lower back pain and a change in employment.

https://twitter.com/mona_h_stn/status/1731214179905028501

While this is sad news for the group’s fans, they’ll have plenty of time to say goodbye, as Setsuna Meteor will continue performing until its sixth anniversary concert, which is set for November 24 of next year. In all honesty, six years is a pretty good run for the high-turnover idol scene, and the group forming and finding success when several of its members were already in their mid-20s is also an impressive accomplishment in an industry where most performers make their debut while still in their teens. And who knows, maybe some day in the future Setsuna Meteor will take a page from middle-aged Osaka idol group Obachaaan’s playbook and have a reunion concert.

Source: Twitter/@stn_meteor via J-Cast News via Hachima Kiko
Featured image: Twitter/@stn_meteor
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