A group can keep its name even when the voices behind it change. For King & Prince, that became the defining question of 2023: what would remain when five performers became two—and what could the two remaining members create next?

In 2026, the answer is visible in new songs and a four-city dome tour. Ren Nagase and Kaito Takahashi continue to perform as King & Prince, sharing a name that began with six members in 2018 and developed into something very different. If you first encountered them through a music video, a Japanese television drama or their latest EP, this guide explains how the story fits together.¹

The beginning: six members and “Cinderella Girl”

King & Prince debuted on May 23, 2018, with the single “Cinderella Girl”. The original group brought together six members from the earlier Mr. KING and Prince units: Sho Hirano, Ren Nagase, Kaito Takahashi, Yuta Kishi, Yuta Jinguji and Genki Iwahashi.²

It is worth remembering the number six. Some later photographs and articles show only five members, while current official material shows two. These are not contradictory identities; they belong to different periods in the group’s history.

The debut song helped establish the group’s romantic, polished pop image. Its association with the television drama Hana Nochi Hare introduced the group’s sound to viewers who may not have followed the idol industry closely. The name itself, King & Prince, invited an elegant, storybook visual world of formal clothing, bright stages and memorable melodies.

But the group was never just one musical mood. Over time its recordings and performances moved between warm ballads, dramatic pop, dance-focused tracks and more rhythmic material. That variety is part of what makes its later transformation worth following.

First six, then five, then two

Genki Iwahashi left the group in March 2021, after an earlier period away from activities. King & Prince then continued with five members.³

On November 4, 2022, the group and its then agency announced another major change. After discussions about their futures and differing ambitions, Sho Hirano, Yuta Kishi and Yuta Jinguji would leave the group following the end of its five-member activities on May 22, 2023. Nagase and Takahashi would continue as King & Prince from May 23, 2023.¹

It was a deeply emotional transition for many fans. The announcement came after a group career that had built up records, concerts and television memories over several years. Yet the official statements also asked the audience to respect the different paths chosen by each member.

There is no need to turn that decision into a competition between past and present. The six-member debut and five-member years remain part of King & Prince’s history, while the current duo has its own work to be judged on.

Meet the two members today

Ren Nagase (永瀬廉)

Nagase is one of the founding members of King & Prince and continues to work in music and acting. For overseas viewers, his drama and film projects can be an accessible introduction to the personality audiences know outside concerts. The official STARTO profile maintains separate listings for his performances and screen work.⁴

Kaito Takahashi (髙橋海人)

Takahashi is the duo’s other founding member. His work combines singing, dancing, screen appearances and visual creativity. In October 2026, he also began releasing music under the solo name KAITO, with the digital single “swim?”. His solo releases and the duo’s King & Prince discography are connected through the same performer but are not identical projects.⁴

That distinction helps explain the current group. A member can pursue an individual project without the group’s activities having ended. As of November 2026, King & Prince is still an active two-member group.

For current member photographs and announcements, use the official King & Prince artist profile. The editorial photographs in this article illustrate the concert venues and live-music setting; they do not depict King & Prince onstage.

What changed musically after 2023?

A smaller lineup changes the way a song is arranged and performed. A six-person group can distribute individual lines, harmonies and choreography across many voices and bodies. Two performers must build the whole stage relationship together, with space for each to stand out and for their different strengths to work in conversation.

The first post-transition period mattered because it was not enough simply to retain the familiar name. Nagase and Takahashi needed material that could sound convincing as a duo. Their 2023 single “Nanimono” (なにもの), a song from the beginning of the new two-member chapter, is a useful place to start listening.

To hear the contrast, go back to “Cinderella Girl,” then listen to a later duo release. You may notice that the emotional center of the arrangement has shifted: instead of watching a group of several performers trade lines, you follow a more intimate interaction between two voices.

“STARRING”: imagining songs as films

The album STARRING, released on December 24, 2025, explored a distinctive concept: the tracks were presented as if they were theme songs from imaginary films. The label described accompanying visual concepts, including posters and trailers, made for these fictional movies.⁵

That is an interesting direction for a duo whose members are associated with both music and acting. The project encouraged listeners to think of a song as the entrance to a story, not simply as a standalone recording. The track list includes “Theater,” “HEART,” “I Know,” and “What We Got ～奇跡はきみと～,” alongside solo tracks for each member.⁵

For someone arriving from abroad, this is a strong second stop after the debut singles. It communicates the idea that the two-member King & Prince has moved beyond the question of whether it could survive, towards experiments in presentation and storytelling.

The 2026 dome tour turned the duo into a stadium act

King & Prince DOME TOUR 2026 ～STARRING～ took place across four major domes. It opened on January 17–18 at Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka, continued at Kyocera Dome Osaka on January 25–26, visited Tokyo Dome on February 18–19, and concluded at Vantelin Dome Nagoya on March 28–29.⁶

The size of the venues makes the tour a significant point in the story of the duo. Large dome shows require more than strong recordings: the performers, production and audience have to create a shared experience across an immense physical space. For those who had wondered what a two-person King & Prince concert would feel like, the tour offered a very public answer.

The live performance was subsequently released on Blu-ray and DVD on June 24, 2026. International buyers should check whether a Japanese edition includes their preferred subtitles and whether their equipment supports the disc before ordering.⁷

“So Honey”: the music of 2026

On September 2, 2026, King & Prince released its first CD EP, So Honey EP. The title song and accompanying tracks explore different kinds of romantic feelings through the creative idea of “bitter or sweet.” The label described the project as a collection of love songs suited to the current form of the group.⁸

The EP is especially useful for someone who wants to know what King & Prince sounds like now. Its standard edition includes “So Honey,” “Sign of Love,” “うそだよ すきだよ,” “Salty Dog,” “Chillin’ Dizzy” and “うまく言えないけど.” Other physical editions include different bonus material or re-recordings, so the full contents are not identical across every package.⁹

Rather than trying to remember every release immediately, start with “So Honey” and its official music video, available through the label’s music site. It gives a current snapshot of the duo’s sound and visual presentation.

A simple five-song listening path

You do not need to understand Japanese lyrics perfectly to notice how King & Prince has changed. These five tracks offer a short path across different stages of the group’s career:

1. “Cinderella Girl” (2018). Start at the beginning with the bright, romantic sound of the six-member debut. Listen for the polished group identity and the dramatic chorus.
2. “ichiban” (2022). Move into the five-member era and its more rhythm-driven, performance-oriented side. This is an important contrast to the debut’s fairy-tale image.
3. “Nanimono” (2023). Hear the beginning of the duo’s next chapter, as Nagase and Takahashi establish their shared musical language.
4. “Theater” (2025). Discover the cinematic mood of the STARRING album and the duo’s interest in turning songs into visual stories.
5. “So Honey” (2026). Finish with the current EP’s lead track and its mixture of sweetness, playful romantic tension and upbeat pop.

This is an editorial listening route, not an official ranking of the group’s best songs. Fans who discovered the group through a television drama or a particular tour will naturally have different favourites.

What does “Tiara” mean to the fans?

King & Prince fans commonly use Tiara as their fan name. It fits the royal imagery of “King” and “Prince,” but the word is more than a cute accessory reference. Fan names can become shorthand for a shared relationship, especially when people meet through concerts, online communities, collecting or travel to performances.

The same relationship helps explain the emotional weight of the 2023 change. People who had followed all six members, then five, had to decide how to relate to the new two-member group. Some continued supporting the duo; others followed former members’ subsequent work, and many remained interested in both. It is possible to respect those choices without portraying fans as a single uniform group.

If you are new to Japanese fandom, you may also encounter oshikatsu, the practice of actively supporting a favourite performer or character. It can include listening, buying official products, attending events, travelling to filming locations and creating collections of meaningful objects. Our guide to oshi culture explores this wider phenomenon.

Are King & Prince and Number_i the same group?

No. King & Prince continues as the duo of Nagase and Takahashi. Former members Sho Hirano, Yuta Jinguji and Yuta Kishi later formed the separate group Number_i.¹⁰

Because the groups share members in their histories, searches for one often surface information about the other. They have distinct names, projects, releases and official channels. A clear historical account respects the work of all the artists without implying that the two groups are interchangeable.

What is next after 2026?

The official STARTO website has announced King & Prince LIVE TOUR 2027, an arena tour scheduled to begin in March 2027. As of November 14, 2026, the official schedule page says further details will be announced later. Do not rely on speculative venue or ticket lists that are not in official announcements.¹¹

News announced on November 13, 2026 also listed King & Prince among the performers chosen for the forthcoming 77th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, Japan’s major year-end music programme. At the time of writing, that appearance is still in the future.¹²

Individual projects continue as well. Takahashi’s solo music project KAITO has a first EP, SALT BOY, announced for November 25, 2026, while Nagase has new acting and publishing projects listed on the official artist site. Separate solo projects are part of the group’s wider story, but releases under KAITO should not be mistaken for King & Prince group singles.⁴

Where international fans should start

There are three reliable starting points for readers outside Japan. The STARTO artist page offers official member and activity information. Universal Music Japan maintains the discography and release news. The group’s official music site links to music videos and current projects.

Those official sources matter because fan-made translations may use older member counts or refer to ticket promotions that have already ended. Before ordering a physical album from overseas, check the format, shipping availability and whether any limited-time serial code or streaming bonus remains valid.

For concerts, use official announcements for the venue and date first. Japanese fan-club presales and general-sale procedures can differ; a release may require an account, identity verification or a particular purchase window. Do not assume an international fan can buy tickets through any resale link.

Questions new fans often ask

A name that carries several chapters

King & Prince’s story is not a straight line from six members to two. It is also a story about how pop music absorbs change. The early songs remain part of the group’s identity, but the duo has used new albums, new visual concepts and large concerts to establish its own place in Japanese entertainment.

The question is no longer only whether two performers can continue a name associated with six. In 2026, listeners can hear what Ren Nagase and Kaito Takahashi are choosing to make together. That is the beginning of another chapter, not a footnote to the old one.