Japan's premier music event, the "Kohaku Uta Gassen," kicked off with a bang on New Year's Eve, featuring a show-stopping performance by Yonezu Kenshi. Making his third appearance on the iconic stage, Yonezu delivered the first-ever live rendition of "IRIS OUT," the theme song for the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc," sending fans into a frenzy. The song's arrangement and the accompanying choreography were met with widespread acclaim.
However, eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed a mind-blowing detail in the stage design, realizing it mirrored the opening animation of the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc" and held a hidden meaning, sparking massive online discussion.
The circular stage, composed of multiple concentric rings, immediately struck viewers as identical to Makima's pupils in the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc." This incredible attention to detail left many netizens stunned, creating an immersive effect that made it feel as if "Makima was watching" the entire performance.
This clever visual trick directly references the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc" opening animation, which prominently features Makima's signature concentric pupils.
One fan even captured photos of the stage under construction in Yurakucho, revealing the complete concentric circle design. They playfully dubbed Yonezu Kenshi's performance as "singing on Makima's eyes."
Of course, the "IRIS OUT" performance at Kohaku was packed with more than just this one detail. Yonezu's entrance in a phone booth echoed Denji and Reze's first encounter; his ride on a shark-shaped prop was a clear nod to Chainsaw Man riding the Shark Devil Beam. And to top it all off, the fireworks at the end perfectly matched the backdrop of Denji and Reze's kiss on the festival mountain.
Fans meticulously compiled these hidden gems, highlighting the truly exceptional and thoughtful execution of the entire performance.
For those who missed the live broadcast, NHK has released a limited-time video of Yonezu Kenshi's Kohaku performance. Don't miss out!
▼ Yonezu Kenshi's "IRIS OUT" performance at Kohaku (Click to watch on YouTube)