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| Why Is PIGGS Disbanding? Members Open Up About the Difficult Choice Behind Their Farewell. (Photo: PIGGS) |
Japanese idol group PIGGS have confirmed that their journey will come to an end this autumn, announcing they will officially disband following a final one-man concert at Tokyo Kinema Club on 12 October 2026. Alongside the group's farewell, member KINCHAN will also leave management company Puupurand, bringing another significant chapter to a close. Rather than hiding behind carefully polished corporate wording, the group delivered one of their most candid announcements yet, explaining that the decision came after months of difficult conversations, unresolved internal struggles and an acceptance that continuing together was no longer the right path.
Instead of revealing the news during the recent tour finale, the members chose to publish an extensive interview so every fan, whether present at the venue or watching from afar, would receive the same explanation at the same time. It was an unusually open approach in the idol world, where uncomfortable conversations often stay firmly behind closed doors. This time, PIGGS decided that honesty deserved centre stage, even if the truth proved far more painful than anyone would have liked.
Throughout the interview, KINCHAN spoke openly about how the group changed after former member Puu Rui departed in late 2025. The remaining five members committed to running PIGGS through self-production, but admitted they became so focused on moving forwards that they failed to address growing personal tensions within the team.
According to KINCHAN, disagreements slowly piled up rather than exploding from one dramatic incident, leaving relationships strained and communication increasingly difficult.
The singer revealed she often found herself acting as an unofficial mediator between members, listening to frustrations from one side while attempting to explain intentions to another. Eventually, carrying everyone's emotions became overwhelming.
She admitted there were moments when she disagreed with situations unfolding around her but chose to remain neutral instead of confronting problems directly. Looking back, she believes avoiding those conversations only allowed deeper issues to grow until they became impossible to ignore.
KINCHAN also described reaching breaking point earlier this year, saying she temporarily lost contact with fellow members and struggled to leave home. Although she initially decided to continue until the group's April tour finale for the sake of supporters, the emotional weight never disappeared.
By June, she informed the rest of the group that she wished to leave, leading to repeated discussions involving both staff and former member Puu Rui. Despite every attempt to find another solution, confidence that the five members could rebuild together simply never returned.
Leader SHELLME offered an equally reflective assessment of what went wrong. She explained that after embracing self-production, everyone became consumed by ambitious goals, particularly the dream of performing at Yokohama Arena.
Instead of strengthening the group, that shared objective gradually overshadowed the relationships needed to achieve it. She admitted the determination to keep everything moving eventually turned into frustration whenever plans failed to unfold as expected, creating an atmosphere that affected everyone around her.
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SHELLME also acknowledged that help had always been available from former producer Puu Rui, staff members and longtime collaborators, but pride and responsibility often prevented the group from fully accepting that support.
Looking back, she believes one of the biggest turning points came when the members declined a proposal to step away from self-production and instead continue independently. At the time it felt like the right decision. In hindsight, it became one of those moments that looks much clearer in the rear-view mirror than it ever did while driving straight towards it.
Other members echoed similar feelings during the interview. BAN-BAN explained that she desperately wanted all five members to remain together and continue pursuing their shared dream, while BIBI admitted she could not imagine continuing under the PIGGS name once that unity disappeared.
SU-RING reflected on her own uncertainty, revealing she had relied too heavily on the comfort of belonging to the group without fully understanding her own motivations. Their comments painted a consistent picture: the decision was not driven by conflict alone but by the realisation that everyone had gradually drifted towards different emotional destinations.
Despite the disbandment, the story does not completely end for every member. BAN-BAN, SU-RING, BIBI and SHELLME will remain with Puupurand and intend to continue their careers as idols in new forms.
Each member described the agency as a place where they had grown personally and professionally, expressing gratitude for being given another opportunity to move forwards. KINCHAN, meanwhile, will leave the company after the final concert as she begins a different chapter away from the group that shaped much of the past five years of her life.
In their official statement, PIGGS apologised for the sudden announcement while thanking fans, affectionately known as Buuchanz, for their unwavering support. The members stressed they wanted everyone to understand not only the decision itself but also the emotions behind it.
They promised to give everything they have until the very last performance, hoping supporters would walk alongside them through these final months rather than remembering only the ending.
Fan reaction has been predictably mixed, although perhaps "predictably emotional" is the more accurate description. Many supporters praised the group's remarkable honesty, saying the lengthy interview showed respect for fans instead of relying on vague statements that explain everything while somehow explaining absolutely nothing.
Others remain heartbroken that a group which fought so hard to reinvent itself after Puu Rui's departure ultimately could not overcome its internal challenges. Some still wonder whether another path existed, while others believe accepting reality was the bravest decision the members could make.
The final performance, titled "PIGGS FINAL LIVE," will take place at Tokyo Kinema Club on 12 October 2026, with doors opening at 3pm and the show beginning at 4pm. It will mark the closing chapter for PIGGS exactly as fans have known them, ending a five-year story built on bold performances, fierce ambition and an honesty that remained intact right until the final curtain.
Whether you have followed PIGGS from their earliest days or only recently discovered their music, this farewell is likely to be remembered as much for its openness as its emotion. What do you think about the group's decision, and will you be watching their final live as they take one last bow?