I’ve never tried to hide it: I’m a proud TRAJA-TAN. Ever since catching Travis Japan live in Los Angeles just before their official debut, I’ve followed them through every leap, pivot, and moonwalk of their journey on their road of artistry. From buying their music and replaying their videos to cheering them on from stages across the U.S. and Japan—I’ve been all in.
And sure, maybe that makes me a little biased. But when you’ve watched a group once labeled ‘the underdogs’ rise to every challenge and earn every win, how could you not be?
As I stood at The Grove in Anaheim, watching them close out the U.S. leg of their second world tour, I couldn’t help flashing back to a moment at the OC Japan Fair in 2023—when I wrapped up an interview with a casual question for Noel, the group’s most senior member and designated Brain Tiger. “With the release of your debut album (Road to A) just around the corner, what’s next?”
“I want us to have a world tour,” he said, hopeful—but without a trace of hesitation. “I think that would be great.”
The others agreed.
Back then, a world tour was more wishful thinking than reality—something exciting to dream about, but not yet on the table. Because Travis Japan isn’t a group that’s been handed anything. Every step they’ve taken has been carved out through sheer talent and endless determination.
Fortunately for them (and for all of us), hard work is kind of their thing.
A few hours before the Anaheim show, I got to sit down with them again—once more chatting about the future.
“I want to go to the moon,” Genta grinned.
“And how exactly would we get there?” Umi asked with a laugh.
“I’ll drive,” Chaka shrugged.
“In what?” Shime asked.
“I’ve got a cherry-red Ferrari,” Chaka replied with a smirk. “It’s imaginary.”
“If we’re imagining things,” Machu added, “Why not make it a rocket ship?”
Amid all the laughter, Genta reined the group back in. “No, but seriously,” he said. “I want to do something new—something we haven’t done before. I want us to keep pushing boundaries.”
“Maybe a European tour?” Shizu offered, a little shyly. “I think that could be really fun.”
The rest nodded, still grinning, clearly game for the challenge.
“We like to have fun,” Noel offered. “We’re always working—dance lessons, vocal lessons—”
“—English lessons,” Umi chimed in with a smile.
“Right,” Noel nodded. “But even when we’re working, we’re having fun.”
All you have to do is watch one of their YouTube videos to feel it. That spark. That bond. Travis Japan isn’t just a group—they’re brothers.
“Even during my break period,” Noel shared, “I was always keeping up with what the group was doing. But I’m glad to be back!”
And his return is one of the reasons this concert felt so special—at least for me.
Earlier this year, I had the chance to travel to Japan and finally see TJ perform on their home turf. It was everything I had hoped for: over-the-top, outrageous, and bursting with color and charisma. But it was also… different. While the group still delivered an incredible show, Noel’s absence left a noticeable gap. The energy was there—but a piece of the puzzle was missing.
That’s why seeing them now, reunited and firing on all cylinders, felt so powerful. The stage didn’t just light up—it felt complete again.
“We love coming here,” Umi said when asked about the world the tour. “New York is such a fun place to visit. Especially Broadway.”
“Broadway is great!” Shime added, eyes lighting up. “I love musicals!”
Last year, the group caught the Tony Award-winning & Juliet. This year? The Great Gatsby.
“The show was fantastic,” Umi gushed. “So beautiful.”
But when it comes to LA, there’s a clear emotional connection.
“I think we got really close here,” Machu reflected. “Looking back, seeing how we’ve grown and evolved…”
“We’re family,” Shizu completed, patting him on the back with a sincere smile. “I love these guys!”
The others nodded in agreement, and with that, it was time to wrap up the conversation and take my seat.
There’s something almost supernatural about the duality of Travis Japan.
Offstage, they’re sweet, goofy, and endlessly endearing. Speaking with them felt less like an interview and more like catching up with old friends—they’re just that easy to be around.
But the moment they step onto the stage, that sweetness sharpens into something electric. Suddenly, you’re not watching seven guys—you’re witnessing a precision-engineered pop phenomenon whose sole mission is to entertain.
And entertain they did.
The night kicked off with high-energy sets from the World of Dance standouts Connect 3 and Emanon, setting the stage for what was to come. For TJ, it was a full-circle moment having placed in the Top 10 of the competition back in 2022 and even snagged the Ultimate Crowd Favorite award. Deservedly so.
Then the lights dimmed. The fog rolled in. The crowd pulsed with anticipation—and just like that, the unique seven emerged from the mist like tigers on the prowl, opening with one of my all-time favorites from their sophomore album: ｢Crazy Crazy｣.
From there, the energy spun into ｢Love Tag｣, and while it’s a cheeky bop on its own, seeing it live is a whole different level of flirtation in motion. Suggestive moves, playful winks, and all the fan service you could dream of.
This is where they shine.
Hands down, ｢LEVEL UP｣ has got to be my favorite song from the group. It’s like a sonic Red Bull—fast, feral, and unapologetically loud. The way Umi tells the crowd to “Watch me level up,” is an endearing and playful call from the group’s pet tiger—which is what they’ve done—not just with this song, but their vocals, their dance moves—the group is continuously improving—and it’s been an absolute joy to witness their evolution. Also, I love the gravel in Chaka’s voice whenever he shouts “Play you like a Game Boy!”
Other highlights from the night were seeing Noel stepping in live for ｢Tokyo Crazy Nights｣ and ｢Say I do｣ – two tracks recorded during hiatus. Of course, ｢Rush｣ was lovely— and not just because all seven were shirtless behind a dream-screen (although, let’s be real, that didn’t hurt).
｢Underdogs｣ is one of those tracks that gets me every time. Penned by Noel, it’s their story, their struggle, their truth. It’s beautiful. Winding down, the acoustic version of ｢Okie Doki｣ deserves a studio release—yesterday. (Note/suggestion to UMG: Please start including a remix or two of previously released songs on new digital singles.)
The MC segment was delightfully chaotic, with the boys diving into a game of This or That that had the whole audience laughing—complete with some surprises about who chose to be sexy, who went with sweet, and what superpowers they’d want (Machu and Genta both chose to fly like Peter Pan—adorable).
But what really stood out to me was how this segment highlighted just how hard they’ve been working on their English. I’ve seen some fan discourse floating around about whether they should have an interpreter on stage, so non-Japanese-speaking fans can catch everything they say.
Respectfully, I disagree.
Is their English perfect? No. But it doesn’t need to be. What matters is that it’s authentically and artistically them. It’s raw, real, and deeply personal—and that makes the connection hit harder. Even when the words don’t land quite right, the meaning still does. I don’t speak much Japanese (though I’m working on it), but between the words I did catch and the context of their energy and expressions, I followed along just fine. An interpreter would’ve only added another layer—another wall—between TJ and their fans.
We don’t need that. They don’t need that. They’ve already figured out how to speak directly to the heart.
I also loved the return of the World of Dance crews, with Travis Japan splitting into two troupes themselves: Triple Kaito (Chaka, Umi, Machu) and Strawberry Milk (Shime, Noel, Shizu, Genta). I love watching them dance, there’s a synergy to their synchronicity and it’s incredible to witness live.
｢Thrill｣ was fantastic, but the remix of ｢99 PERCENT｣ stole the show, featuring traditional Japanese instrumentation that gave the track a fierce new identity (again, UMG, please release). Genta on the taiko drums during ｢VOLCANO｣ was another standout moment. Then came ｢BO$$Y｣—a certified favorite of mine. It’s brash, it’s sexy, and it’s pure fun. The kind of fun that reminds you why we keep showing up to support them.
Travis Japan was the first STARTO group I got the chance to see perform live. Now, two years and four concerts later, I can’t get enough! They just keep getting better. Each performance feels more polished, more personal, and more powerful than the last.
Watching them grow has been a privilege and I can’t wait to see where they go next, and I can’t wait to see them live again!
There will be more Travis Japan soon so…
Stay Tuned!
You can listen to all the songs mentioned (and more) on the group’s Spotify page!
Photos courtesy of DumplingBox!
Life In Cartoon Motion 