グループ = ユニット

グループ | ユニット – gurūpu | yunitto. group | unit. Often used interchangeably with “unit” having a more musical connotation. Like idol, it is a complex rabbit hole so all I can say is that they come in all flavors in all spectrums of the entertainment industry doing all sorts of activities (活動; katsudō | 活躍; katsuyaku).

Some groups are formed specifically to accompany an anime or game (Wake Up, Girls!, Rhodanthe, Earphones, Walkure, STYLE FIVE, Milky Holmes, Doubutsu Biscuits); these groups may stay within that framework or branch out as their own artist unit. Some groups are formed because record companies want to make their own unit (Sphere, i☆Ris, Trysail, Luce Twinkle Wink☆). Some form because of a mix of good chemistry between members coupled with funding from a record company (Kato*Fuku, MaxBoys, UMake).

There could be more reasons and they are not mutually exclusive as, in the case of Sphere, groups can be formed as a result of all three. Auditions are usually held, which may be upfront that it would result in a group appearing in an anime or game. It can also be somewhat misleading that those who pass are suddenly thrust into becoming a proper performing unit, as is the case of Wake Up, Girls! and THE iDOLM@STER: SIDEM.