Da Pump
On April 7, 2006, Shinobu formally left the band following a hiatus due to a drunk driving incident in 2005. The band went on an unofficial hiatus at the end of 2006. On December 18, 2008, it was announced that Yukinari was leaving the band and that Ken and Issa were actively looking for his replacement. Within hours, their management company announced a brand new Da Pump with seven new members and a new concept as a multimedia entertainment group. The band will start their official comeback on July 15, 2009, with the new single, "Summer Rider" and  a tour in the fall. It was announced on December 5, 2009, that Ken Okumoto had left Da Pump to pursue a solo career, leaving Issa the only original member left. Da Pump now consists of Issa, Kenzo, Tomo, Kimi, Yori, and U-Yeah. Da Pump made their comeback in May 2018 with the hit single, "U.S.A.", a song originally written by Italian singer Joe Yellow. Biography. Famed for their ability in both dancing and singing, Da Pump's debut came in 1997, with the song "Feelin Good - It's Paradise" and breaking through with "Rhapsody in Blue" (and using  the song as their entry on the "white" team during the 1998 Kōhaku Uta Gassen). The band originally came from Okinawa Actors School but are now part of the Avex Network and are produced by Akio Togashi. Their songs tend to have a quick tempo and often include elements of rap. Da Pump often appears in TV shows, movies, and magazines throughout Japan. Issa has stated that he is a fan of the long-running Kamen Rider Series tokusatsu programs, and has contributed to the soundtracks of "Kamen Rider 555" with its opening theme "Justiφ's" and its film's  theme "Justiφ's -Accel Mix-" as well as the theme for the film "", "Chosen Soldier". As a band, Da Pump had performed the theme to the film "", "Bright! our Future", and Issa played the role of a Shocker commander in the film. In 2018, he and Japanese singer Shuta Sueyoshi of AAA fame collaborated on the single "Over "Quartzer"", the opening theme for the 20th anniversary series of the Kamen Rider franchise, Kamen Rider Zi-O. Following a DUI arrest in 2005, Shinobu temporarily suspended all activities from the band. However, on 7 April 2006, he officially announced that he  left the group. The remaining members of Da Pump continued with three members. On December 18, 2008, it was announced that Yukinari was leaving the band and that Ken and Issa were actively looking for his replacement. Within hours, their management company announced a brand new Da Pump with seven new members. Ken left the group in 2009. In 2014, the band returned with their first single in three years, "New Position". Then after an absence of four years, Da Pump returned the hit single, "U.S.A.", in 2018. To celebrate Trans Media 19th Anniversary, Da Pump was a special performance  (alongside Super Junior, Johnny's West, and Eriko Imai), with their single hits "Dragon Screamer", "Joyfull" and "Corazon". That means Captain Tsubasa was broadcast back on Trans 7, since September 2020 (before cartoon "Treasure Trekkers"). On April 1, 2021, Daichi announced he would be leaving the group by the end of the month due to worsening of his chronic hernia. Later the same day, the Kansai University of Social Welfare posted a music video video, in collaboration with DA PUMP, for a song titled "Believe in your dream", co-written by Issa and m.c.A·T.