Japan's premier music extravaganza, the "Kohaku Uta Gassen," lights up New Year's Eve every year, and this past event saw Kenshi Yonezu make his third appearance. His first-ever public performance of "IRIS OUT," the theme song for the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc," sparked massive buzz, with both the arrangement and choreography earning widespread acclaim.
While the performances were initially available on YouTube after the broadcast, NHK's usual practice is to make them disappear after a limited time. So imagine the surprise when, on January 9, Yonezu's official channel dropped them as permanent archives! Even better, his performance of "Sayonara Mata Itsuka!" from the previous year's Kohaku was included, sending social media into an absolute frenzy.
Historically, NHK's "Kohaku Uta Gassen" performance videos are yanked offline after just a week, forcing fans to use NHK's own streaming platforms to catch a replay.
During that brief window, social media was flooded with pleas like "Please keep the official videos!" Now, that wish has finally come true. Kenshi Yonezu's official YouTube channel has simultaneously uploaded both "IRIS OUT" and "Sayonara Mata Itsuka!" from his previous Kohaku appearance, letting fans relive two consecutive years of his electrifying stage moments.
What's truly remarkable is that Kenshi Yonezu is currently the *only* performing artist to have his Kohaku footage released on his own channel – and it's for two years running! Fans are hailing Yonezu's ability to get NHK to release the performance footage as an incredibly rare and impressive feat.
Also released alongside these gems is the archive video of the "Chainsaw Man Reze Arc Special Fireworks Event — IRIS OUT / JANE DOE —," which took place on December 20, 2025, in Odaiba, Tokyo. This means all the fans who couldn't make it to the live event can now experience the spectacular show!