Japan's massive New Year's Eve music extravaganza, the "Kouhaku Uta Gassen," saw Kenshi Yonezu make his third appearance, delivering the first-ever live performance of "IRIS OUT," the theme song for "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc." The performance, including its staging and choreography, was met with rave reviews.
One particular segment, featuring Yonezu riding a shark-shaped vehicle, instantly became a hot topic, sparking a wave of fan art and memes. Netizens quickly pointed out that the shark vehicle looked almost identical to a previous Japanese McDonald's Happy Meal "Jaws" toy, leading to a sudden surge in its resale price on online auctions.
You can compare the shark vehicle from the Kouhaku performance with this "Jaws" Happy Meal toy previously released by McDonald's Japan – they're practically identical!
Aside from the "JAWS" movie title on the left, this toy is actually a water gun that shoots water from its mouth! XD
After this "Jaws" toy was identified online, it immediately sparked a massive selling spree on Japanese auction site Mercari, with prices skyrocketing to over 3,000 yen. Many were snatched up quickly, turning it into an instant hot commodity.
This, of course, just proves the immense buzz generated by Kenshi Yonezu's performance. Japanese social media exploded with fan creations, because, let's be real, Kenshi Yonezu riding a shark is prime meme material! LOL.
With "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc" smashing box office records past 10 billion yen, Kenshi Yonezu was already a hot topic in 2025 for his anime theme songs, including tracks for "Gold Medalist" and "Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX" earlier in the year. But his Kouhaku appearance just solidified him as the ultimate viral sensation for 2026! XD