(Cover image credit: Kenshi Yonezu official website)
Kenshi Yonezu has just announced his upcoming GHOST World Tour, which builds upon the momentum of the KENSHI YONEZU 2025 WORLD TOUR / JUNK. Last year’s tour marked Yonezu’s live debut across the U.S., Europe, and Korea, and 2027’s GHOST World Tour will bring Yonezu back to several key markets while reaching new cities around the world.
Kenshi Yonezu is a prominent Japanese musician and illustrator who initially gained recognition in the Vocaloid scene under the name Hachi before beginning his career under his real name in 2012. Over the years, he has established himself as a defining cultural force through numerous hit theme songs for dramas, anime, and films. Major early milestones include his 2018 breakout hit “Lemon” for the drama Unnatural, which topped the Billboard JAPAN year-end chart for two consecutive years, and his 2020 fifth album STRAY SHEEP, which surpassed three million cumulative points on Oricon and charted at No. 7 on the IFPI Global Album All Format Chart.
Yonezu’s career is marked by groundbreaking international achievements and historic chart records. His anime opening theme “KICK BACK” for Chainsaw Man made history as the first Japanese language song to enter the Top 50 of Spotify’s global chart and achieve both RIAA Gold and Platinum certifications. Following further high-profile contributions, such as writing “Chikyugi - Spinning Globe” for Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron and releasing his sixth album LOST CORNER, his global footprint expanded significantly through fashion collaborations with brands like LOEWE, UNIQLO, and GIVENCHY.
Among his record-breaking catalog, the single “IRIS OUT”, the theme song for CHAINSAW MAN - THE MOVIE: REZE ARC, stands out as a historic triumph. It reached No. 5 on the Billboard Global 200, marking the highest position ever for a Japanese language song, and broke records by spending 40 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard JAPAN’s Hot Animation chart. It also dominated Oricon’s Weekly Streaming Chart for 24 consecutive weeks as the longest run by a solo artist, while becoming the fastest song in Billboard JAPAN history to surpass 100 million streams.
Yonezu continues to build on his legacy with ongoing releases, high-profile media projects, and live performances into 2026 and 2027. Recent contributions include writing songs for the live-action film 5 Centimeters per Second, the NHK Soccer Theme “Karasu - Raven,” and the Kingdom film theme “Yodaka,” alongside continued RIAA certifications for tracks like “Peace Sign.” Balancing massive commercial achievements, international touring, and prominent cross-industry collaborations, he remains one of Japan’s most influential and globally recognized contemporary artists.
(Image credit: Kenshi Yonezu official website)