INI is a Japanese male group composed of eleven members who are from Japan and China. It was formed from the survival  audition program called “Produce 101 Japan Season2".  This audition is the Japanese version of a popular audition program from South Korea. It released the debut single called “A” and debuted on November 3,  2021. It is managed by Lapone Entertainment, a joint company between Yoshimoto Kogyo and CJ ENM.

Name 
“INI” means connecting members (I) and you (I) with network (N). This name was chosen from the votes by fans and announced in the last episode of the audition program. The official fan name is “MINI : Me + INI”. In addition, there are some meanings in this name, for example, “We want to “see”(in Japanese, see is mini) INI”, “M (memory), I (me), N (network), I (you)” and “We will make memories together.”

History 
Formation through Produce 101 Japan Season2:

INI is a Japanese male group formed through the reality competition “Produce 101 Japan Season 2”. A total of 6,000 people auditioned for the show. The show started with 101 trainees passing the audition, and 11 members were chosen through this program. After the end of Produce 101 Japan Season2, INI flew to South Korea to prepare and produce their debut single.

Debut:

The debut single was released on November 3rd, and it sold over 500,000 copies in its first week and reached the top in the “Oricon Weekly Single Ranking”. INI won the “Favorite Asian Artist Award” at “2021 MAMA (Mnet ASIAN MUSIC AWARDS)”, one of the largest music award ceremonies in Asia, held on Saturday, December 11. Also, their debut single “Rocketeer” was nominated for “The Rookie of the Year Award” of “The Japan Record Award” (affiliated with TBS Television).

Members 
Name / Birthday / Nation

Fujimaki Kyosuke (藤牧 京介) / August 10, 1999 / Japan

Gotou Takeru (後藤 威尊) / June 3, 1999 / Japan

Ikezaki Rihito (池﨑 理人) / August 30, 2001 / Japan

Kimura Masaya (木村 柾哉) / October 10, 1997 / Japan

Matsuda Jin (松田 迅) / October 30, 2002 / Japan

Nishi Hiroto (西 洸人) / June 1, 1997 / Japan

Ozaki Takumi (尾崎 匠海) / June 14, 1999 / Japan

Sano Yudai (佐野 雄大) / October 10, 2000 / Japan

Tajima Shogo (田島 将吾) / October 13, 1998 / Japan

Takatsuka Hiromu (髙塚 大夢) / April 4, 1999 / Japan

Xu Fengfan (許 豊凡) / June 12, 1998 / China

Discography

Events 
*Concert

*Festival

*Award Ceremony

References

Other websites
1. "「PRODUCE 101 JAPAN SEASON2」デビューグループ名は「INI（アイエヌアイ）」". modelpress(in Japanese). June 13, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.

2. LAPONE entertainment official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

3. "INIのファンネームが決定". Natalie Music(in Japanese). September 8, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.

4. "11/15付週間シングルランキング1位はINIの「A（Rocketeer/Brighter）」". ORICON MUSIC(in Japanese). November 12, 2021. Retrieved January 20, 2022.

5. 2021 Mnet Asian Music Award official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

6. Japan Record Award official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

7. "Profile". INI official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

8. "Discography". INI official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

9. INI FIRST FAN MEETING official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

10. KCON official site(in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2022.

Japanese musical groups