Shonentai, a Japanese male idol group consisting of Noriyuki Higashiyama, Kazukiyo Nishikiori, and Katsuhide Uekusa, was formed in 1981 under the name "B Team" by entertainment company Johnny & Associates. The group initially served as backup dancers for Toshihiko Tahara and Masahiko Kondō before debuting on December 12, 1985 with their first single Kamen Butōkai. Shonentai quickly gained recognition for their advanced acrobatic skills and high-quality singing and dancing abilities. Their second album BACKSTAGE PASS was released in March 1986, followed by singles "Dekamelon Densetsu", "Diamond Eyes", and "Ballad no youni Nemure". Further albums including Sho Shonentai', Wonderland, and Private Life: Light & Shadow also emerged during the same year, earning them the Japan Record Award for Best New Artist. Shonentai led the annual musical Playzone from 1986 to 2008, performing over 957 times with a total attendance of over 1.38 million people. The group disbanded in December 2020 after Nishikiori and Uekusa left Johnny & Associates, with Higashiyama retiring from entertainment activities at the end of 2023.