Kenshi Yonezu is an active musician and songwriter with two 2026 releases: the theme song 'Yodaka' for the fifth live-action Kingdom film and the NHK Soccer Theme 'Karasu,' which has a short anime produced by MAPPA. His song 'IRIS OUT' from the Chainsaw Man - Reze Arc film won Best J-POP Song at Music Awards Japan 2026.
Kenshi Yonezu's 2026 output spans film and sports. In May, TOHO Movies announced he provided the theme song 'Yodaka' for 'Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle,' the fifth live-action Kingdom film, which opened in Japan on July 17. A new promotional video released in August paired the song with previously unseen footage from the film's climactic battle scenes, including new stills of the fight between Shin and Bansaku. The film drew 2.39 million viewers and earned 3.73 billion yen in 13 days.
In June, Yonezu released 'Karasu,' the 2026 NHK Soccer Theme, digitally on June 15. The song achieved six chart crowns in its first week, including No. 1 on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100 and Oricon's weekly streaming and digital single rankings. It is his 20th overall No. 1, the most for a solo artist in history. A short anime for the song, produced by MAPPA, was published on YouTube on June 25, matching the first chorus and using a pencil-drawn style. This is the third collaboration between Yonezu and MAPPA, following the Chainsaw Man opening theme 'KICK BACK' (2022) and the theme for the Chainsaw Man - Reze Arc film 'IRIS OUT' (2025).
At Music Awards Japan 2026, held on June 13, Yonezu's 'IRIS OUT' won Best J-POP Song and swept Best Japanese Song in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America. The awards event, in its second year, had over 70 categories voted on by more than 5,000 music industry professionals.
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The live-action Look Back film announced that musician Kenshi Yonezu, actress-singer Tōko Miura, and animator-director Yōko Kuno will contribute as special guest staff. Yonezu performs guitar under the Shark Kick Guitar moniker, Miura sings an insert song, and Kuno directs a rotoscoped animation sequence produced by Shinei Animation. The film opens September 11 in Japan.
Bandai is releasing a gashapon capsule line of miniature Kenshi Yonezu CD charms. The collection includes 11 total designs, one of them secret, featuring the Chainsaw Man Reze Arc film theme "IRIS OUT," the Hikaru Utada collaboration "JANE DOE," "Lemon," and the album "LOST CORNER." Each capsule costs 500 yen and ships in the fifth week of August 2026.
The fifth live-action Kingdom film, 'Kingdom: Soul's Decisive Battle,' has released a new promotional video featuring the theme song 'Yodaka' by Kenshi Yonezu, using previously unseen footage from the film. New stills showing the battle between Shin and Bansaku were also released. The film has drawn 2.39 million viewers and earned 3.73 billion yen in 13 days.
Kenshi Yonezu and animation studio MAPPA have released a short anime for the song "Karasu," the 2026 NHK Soccer Theme. The video, published on YouTube on June 25, 2026, was produced by MAPPA and marks the third collaboration between the musician and the studio, following the Chainsaw Man opening theme "KICK BACK" (2022) and the theme for the Chainsaw Man - Reze Arc film "IRIS OUT" (2025). The short anime matches the first chorus of the song and uses a pencil-drawn visual style, showing a person earnestly chasing a ball while a crow soars overhead. The song itself was released digitally on June 15 and achieved six chart crowns in its first week, including No. 1 on the Billboard JAPAN Hot 100 and Oricon's weekly streaming and digital single rankings. It is Yonezu's 20th overall No. 1, the most for a solo artist in history. The short anime is timed to the FIFA World Cup 2026, with the song scheduled to air on NHK's soccer broadcasts.
The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) held the Grand Ceremony for Music Awards Japan 2026 on June 13 at Toyota Arena Tokyo. Sakanaction's "Kaiju," the theme song for the TV anime "Chi: Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite," won Best Anime Song. It was the band's first anime theme song. Lead vocalist Ichiro Yamaguchi said during the ceremony that the manga's author, Uoto, pushed for the band to be involved. Sakanaction also won Song of the Year, Best Rock Song, Best Music Video, and Best Rock Band/Solo Artist, among other awards, totaling eight wins. Kenshi Yonezu's "IRIS OUT" from the "Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc" won Best J-POP Song and swept Best Japanese Song in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America. Mrs. Green Apple won Artist of the Year for the second consecutive year, plus Best J-POP Artist and the Fandom Special Award. HANA won New Artist of the Year. The Best Original Score for Animation went to the "Lazarus" soundtrack by Kamasi Washington, Bonobo, and Floating Points. Ado won Largest Live Audience (International). The awards event, now in its second year, had over 70 categories voted on by more than 5,000 music industry professionals.
TOHO Movies debuted a new trailer for Kingdom: Tamashii no Kessen, the fifth live-action film based on Yasuhisa Hara's Kingdom manga. The trailer announces Kenshi Yonezu's theme song "Yodaka." The film opens in Japan on July 17, with Kento Yamazaki reprising his role as Xin and Shinsuke Sato returning to direct.