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The story
Morning Musume’s Oda Sakura revealed that the newly joined 18th-generation members, who are still in junior high, didn’t know who SMAP was — and Akashiya Sanma responded, “It’s been 10 years since they broke up, so that kind of thing is only going to keep happening.” This sparked a broader debate on 5ch about how idols and Johnny’s talent get remembered by later generations. Many argued that TV variety shows fade quickly with the times, and that only work preserved as songs or films manages to survive across generations, while others countered that it’s a mystery why SMAP or Morning Musume ever got so popular in the first place — opinions were split.
What people said
Sanma: Ah, so that's the kind of thing that happens now.
Oda: Yes. Four new junior-high schoolers just joined, and three of them have been alive for less time than my own career in Morning Musume. We've got members who are 14 and under now. Apparently this is a first in our 30-year history — the first time ever for Morning Musume.
Plus there's that whole dark history (the Johnny Kitagawa abuse scandal) that makes it awkward to handle.
Once TV loses its influence, they'll be the first thing erased from history too.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HTJ_WmMbUAAPe6e.jpg
Aarii (member nickname) really does look sharp, doesn't she
Sounds like they're close friends
Variety shows just don't last through the ages.
Only songs really survive long-term.
Johnny's had plenty of popularity, but they never left behind songs that stuck around for posterity.
True. Yamaguchi Momoe's 'Red Series' dramas run to almost 40 episodes — I can't even bring myself to watch them.
I did watch the film 'Zesshou' (Love Song),
but the Izumi Masako version was better.
Of course they're going to lose that battle.
'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time'
Airing Sunday 9/27, 1pm on NHK BS
In fact a lot of Hello! Project members say they became fans because their moms used to watch it.
With Johnny's, does that even happen? And even if it did, would it translate into boys wanting to become idols themselves?
Given that whole scandal, parents can hardly recommend it to their kids anyway lol
But none of it really left a lasting impression.
neither dramas nor variety shows.
In the end, what people keep talking about are records (CDs) and films.
Arashi and AKB48
Snow Man and Nogizaka46
Once you disband, it's over.
(reference image)
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/C8pyNfQU0AEi4Rj.jpg:orig
This kind of outreach really matters.
It's a total mystery now why they sold so well.
Well, I guess the same goes for Morning Musume too.
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/HPVWWUhbYAAmAnG.jpg:orig#.jpg
The string of commercials and lead drama roles came after that too.
They were already superstar idols before SMAP×SMAP even started, doing shows like 'San Suma' and 24-hour radio personality gigs.
Dramas like Asunaro, Wakamono, Jinsei, Aji Ichi, Naniwa, Kagayaku, Hatachi, Tokyo Daigaku, and Miseinen were all before SMAP×SMAP too.
Even Ebata's interest in Matsuda Seiko came from her grandfather's influence.
It really says something about the times that it's the grandfather's influence and not the parents' when it comes to Matsuda Seiko.
Well, of course — Matsuda Seiko herself is 64 now.
He's probably just some random old guy to them.
He's likely older than their own dads, after all.
There was that time Anju went on Horiken's show, and as one of Horiken's jokes they ended up LINE-messaging Tsunku♂.
Takeuchi, the only one who actually had his contact info, messaged him, and when 'Henshin' came back as the reply, the other members were like 'No way! Is that really him?!'
Forget SMAP — these guys were still actively working as a duo at the time!
That's just the Reiwa era for you.
Almost 10 years ago on 'Suiyoubi no Downtown,' a high school girl told them she wanted them to 'be her grandpa,'
and Matsumoto was visibly shocked, even while thinking to himself 'well, I guess I am that age now.'
Background and Key Points of This Topic
SMAP disbanded in 2016, meaning exactly 10 years have passed as of 2026. Morning Musume, meanwhile, has kept going for over 30 years since its formation, cycling through generation after generation of members. The 18th generation at the center of this story includes current junior-high schoolers who joined in 2026, and the backdrop here is that this is the first time in the group’s history that incoming members are younger than the group itself has existed. What split opinion on the thread was the question of what actually survives for later generations: the majority view was that music and films get remembered across generations, while TV variety shows and dramas fade quickly once they stop airing. That said, some pointed out that it’s a mystery why SMAP was ever so popular in the first place, and others noted exceptions like ‘Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana,’ which survives as a song — so no simple consensus emerged. It’s also worth noting, since the comments alone don’t spell this out, that Johnny’s agency’s historical reluctance to let its footage and information spread online (a point raised in comparison with BTS) is cited as one reason its legacy is less likely to carry over to younger generations.
※This article is compiled and summarized from the 5ch (Hello! Project) thread: “[Sad News] Oda Sakura: ‘I was shocked the 18th generation doesn’t know SMAP’ — Akashiya Sanma: ‘Yeah, that figures, it’s been 10 years since they disbanded, so this kind of thing is only going to become more common’.”
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