Celebrating 24 years in the game, Japanese band ORANGE RANGE is a name that needs no introduction. Known for their unique blend of rock, hip-hop, pop, and reggae, the group exploded onto the scene in 2003 with "Shanghai Honey" and went on to define the 2000s with massive hits like "Hana," the ending theme for the drama *Nodame Cantabile*, and "Viva Rock," an opening for the anime *Naruto*.
On July 2, the band dropped a brand-new "Reiwa Version" music video for their classic hit "Ikenai Taiyou" as part of their "Natsui Natsu★Project" for summer 2025. Jam-packed with pop culture references from Japan's Heisei era, the video sent fans into a nostalgic frenzy, racking up over 770,000 views in less than 24 hours.
"Ikenai Taiyou" was originally released in 2007 as ORANGE RANGE's 17th single. It famously served as the opening theme for the iconic live-action drama *Hanazakari no Kimitachi e*, which starred Maki Horikita, Shun Oguri, and Toma Ikuta, and remains one of their most beloved tracks.
▼ The original 2007 MV
The new MV is a highlight reel of awesome, starring the comedy duo "Mayurika" as Heisei-era high school students. The dream collaboration came about after the comedians used an ORANGE RANGE song in their routine during last year's *M-1 Grand Prix* stand-up competition.
Set at the fictional "Manatsu ga Oka Koinji Rendera Gakuen" (a pun that sounds like "ORANGE RANGE" in Japanese), the video features Mayurika and the band performing together in a setting that perfectly captures the Heisei vibe.
The entire video is an Easter egg hunt of Heisei-era nostalgia. From the school uniforms, hairstyles, and student fashion to iconic gadgets and parodies of popular dramas and variety shows, it's a trip down memory lane. The band even sneaks in hilarious spoofs of their own past music videos for longtime fans.
▼ Classic Heisei-style graffiti on a school bag.
▼ A nod to Takashi Sorimachi's *GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka*.
▼ The bedazzled flip phone was the ultimate accessory for every high school girl back in the day.
▼ A tribute to Yukie Nakama's hit drama *Gokusen*.
▼ Recreating the iconic "Unspoken Feelings" rooftop confession segment from the variety show *Gakkou e Ikou!*
▼ A parody of the music video for GReeeeN's song "Ai Uta."
▼ Of course a Furby had to make an appearance!
▼ Shaker pencils, scented pens, and hand-tally counters were all the rage among Japanese high schoolers.
▼ Blowing on a Super Famicom cartridge... a sacred ritual.
▼ Anyone remember having to give your CRT TV a good whack to fix the signal?
▼ A confession scene straight out of the drama *Densha Otoko* (Train Man), complete with scrolling on-screen comments.
▼ The video even pays homage to the original 2007 MV, recreating the epic shot of the five members backed by explosions and a crowd of beautiful women.
There are plenty more hidden gems we didn't cover, so dive into the music video and see what other Heisei memories you can find. It's a total nostalgia bomb!