Number _ i's "Déjà vu problem" again
On August 13, artist Number _ i released the jacket photo of their new single.
A voice said, "I thought it was King Gnu."
They released their fourth triple A-side single "REBON / BUGS LIFE / DIGITAL GIRL" on September 23. It will be their first single release after transferring to American prestigious record label "Atlantic Records." This time, their official SNS was updated and announced the release, but the released jacket photo quickly became a buzz among fans.
This time, the main jacket is monochrome. The three of them are wearing suits and sunglasses, and it looks cool. However, this photo is similar to the artist photo of the single AIZO released by rock band King Gnu in January this year. (Record company official)
For the three of them, it is a novel style that has never been seen before, and many people praise it. However, in X, there were also many voices pointing out that they are very similar.
I thought it was King Gnu.
Too much déjà vu.
Also in the past "Pakuri suspicion"
Number _ i's "déjà vu problem" has often been a hot topic.
In October 2023, the new logo was released at the same time as the formation of the group. However, it was regarded as a problem that the logo resembled the logo of the rock band The BONEZ. After that, the following month, both offices settled after discussions. It was officially announced that the logo would not be changed and that they would continue to use it while respecting each other s activities. (Entertainment journalist, hereinafter the same)
Furthermore, in 2024, the illustration of "Bonsai" printed on the T-shirt of the official goods of the live held was pointed out one after another that it was similar to the work called "Shiki" by flower artist Makoto Azuma, which was a big topic at that time.
This jacket photo has multiple patterns, and the other jackets have original visuals. Therefore, there is a high possibility that it was not intentional, but it seems that it is being looked at more severely because of the past. Number _ i is gradually expanding overseas, not only in Japan. On the other hand, King Gnu will hold the largest tour in 2026, visiting a total of 15 cities including Asia. As a world-class band, there is no doubt that they are respected.
Number _ i, who rides, seems to be attracting attention in many ways.
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# entertainment _ news # entertainment _ news # Numberi # KingGnu # entertainment
私自身も音楽業界の動向を注目している中で、Number_iの今回のジャケット写真がKing Gnuのビジュアルと非常に似ているというSNSでの指摘に驚きました。単なる偶然のスタイル選択と言えるかもしれませんが、ファンたちは過去のロゴ類似問題や盆栽イラストの物議も踏まえて敏感に反応しています。 実際、アーティストが個性を模索する際に似たスタイルやデザインにたどり着くことは珍しくありません。とくにモノクロのスーツとサングラスの組み合わせはシンプルながらも強い印象を与えるため、複数のグループが被ってしまうリスクがあります。一方で、ファンとしてはオリジナル性や独自の世界観を期待してしまうため、既視感はどうしても注目されがちです。 Number_iは日本だけでなく海外へも積極的に展開しているため、こうした指摘は今後のブランディングにも関わる重要課題でしょう。King Gnuも2026年に大規模アジアツアーを控えており、両者とも世界での認知度を上げようとしていますから、互いにリスペクトしつつ独自色を出してほしいと思います。 私の経験から言うと、クリエイティブな活動では時として似たアイデアが生まれることがありますが、ファンとの信頼を築く ためには対話や説明が求められます。今回のジャケット写真の多様なパターンを用意した点は、Number_iがオリジナリティを持ちつつも誤解を避けようとする姿勢が見えて好感が持てます。これからも彼らの音楽やビジュアル表現の進化を温かく見守りたいです。