Last year, Mochi Mochi dropped the AI-powered track "YAJU&U," a homage to the infamous 2000s gay adult film "Midsummer Night's Lewd Dream" (Manatsu no Yo no Inmu) that became a huge online sensation. Not only did it rack up the most comments on any music video on YouTube, but it also blew up on short-form video platforms like TikTok, inspiring countless dance challenges.
Now, the official Genius Japan account for the world's largest lyrics website has announced that "YAJU&U" has officially hit #1 on Genius Japan's overall song chart. This marks a historic first: an AI-powered track topping the charts, and it's got netizens buzzing!
▼ You might not have seen the film, but chances are you've definitely seen "Yaju Senpai" around.
"YAJU&U" actually dropped way back in May of last year. But lately, thanks to a surge of netizens on TikTok and other short-form video platforms mimicking fan-made "Yaju Senpai" dance videos, it's become an instant, incredibly catchy earworm. It's even been adopted as a graduation song by some schools, with high school girls and even singer Ano getting in on the dance craze. Its popularity has absolutely exploded, far beyond what anyone imagined at its release!
▼ "YAJU&U" boasts over 600,000 comments on YouTube, a record for Japanese music.
▼ "Yaju Senpai" Dance, originally from Niconico
Just this week, Genius Japan announced that "YAJU&U" has officially claimed the #1 spot on their overall song chart, dethroning boy band Number_i's "GOD_i."
Not only is this the first time this particular song has topped the charts, but it's also the first time an AI-powered track has ever claimed the #1 spot.
While an AI-generated song hitting #1 might be a bit of a mixed bag for some netizens, the "Inmu" meme has been around for over 20 years! Who would've thought it would still be thriving and even hitting new heights in 2025? Even the most devout "Inmu" fans probably didn't see this coming, LOL.
This definitely shows just how massive "YAJU&U," the "Inmu" song, has become in Japan, especially given its sudden rise to fame. As for how long this trend will last, we'll just have to wait and see what happens next. (Suddenly getting a whiff of that classic "Inmu" vibe, haha!)