Kōhaku Uta Gassen (lit. "Red-White song contest) is an annual New Year's Eve television special featuring many of the year's top musical artists. This year's 76th edition featured several anime song performances, including Sakanaction's "Kaijuu."
Before this performance, there was a several minute section featuring the vocalist Ichiro Yamaguchi's struggle with depression, and the break he took from music and performing as a result. He talked about how he was able to improve his mental health through embracing his passion for music, ultimately leading to the song "Kaijuu" and a return to the stage. I had to cut this segment because it's not directly anime related so it would have probably been taken down and I'm too lazy to subtitle it anyways, but I found the discussion of mental health on such a prominent platform as Kohaku Uta Gassen encouraging.
It also pains me that I had to cut out Sakanaction's performance of their most famous song "Shin-Takarajima (New Treasure Island)" since that is also not anime related.
happy-owls2026-01-13 20:31
Tragic for Shin-Takarajima especially since it was used in the film adaption for the manga, Bakuman, but I understand the rules for r/anime. Thank you for posting this though; I've been curious about it since Kouhaku but couldn't watch this year. The egg callback to the MV was awesome.
Platinum_Rad2026-01-14 01:00
Shintakarajima such an all-time banger
Kadmos12026-01-14 03:29
Googling "Kōhaku", I found out that 1 of the meanings for it refers to a type of *koi* (carp).
track_cyclist2026-01-14 06:41
Makes sense, as 紅白 literally just means "red-white," and the breed of koi you are referring to is white with red markings
Fishsticksboi212026-01-14 06:30
Could you perhaps send the clip for Shin-Takarajima in dms? I would like to watch it
bakaa_ningen2026-01-13 19:48
Whenever I listen to this song, it kinda makes me cry. So many brave people lost their lives for standing with truth. Struggles of all such people is the reason we have gone as far as we have now, otherwise we would still be living in the middle ages.
Spirited-Refuse-66582026-01-13 19:59
Well said , this song amazingly captures that struggle
JoelMahon2026-01-14 11:24
[Major major spoilers for orb, do not read if you haven't finished it completely]>!well part of the plot of the show is that all their deaths and works were meaningless, that the opposition to the new theory was fairly contained and that all that persisted for all their trouble was the name of a book being read out loud near the guy who'd eventually do the work that persisted. and that even within the fictional universe that 95% of the events are fictional parts of the overactive imagination of the actual major progressor of the theory!<
Agonitee2026-01-14 19:28
My takeaway was that you should live by your convictions and not be chained by them, even if it ends badly, it is still better to have them
JoelMahon2026-01-14 19:33
honestly I still don't know what my takeaway was, would the blonde genius do the same thing if he knew how it all ended? idk, I genuinely do not know.
it's a very interesting show, and all but the last (couple?) episodes I loved, I hated the ending but I understand why some people love it.
StonedCharmander2026-01-13 19:49
That was super cool. 10/10. Also, this anime gives me chills. Painful and beautiful at the same time.
Cain_draws2026-01-13 19:55
One of the best songs I heard in 2025 and I mean that in general, not only "anime"
Always brings a little tear to my eye.
Nandodemo!
EGLLRJTT242026-01-13 20:01
The bit used for the opening of Orb is great, but I actually really love the second half of the song more
SKYE-SCYTHE2026-01-13 20:52
I agree, the part around 1:56 where the only vocals are the chorus is fantastic and feels so symbolic for the series (as corny as it is, I like to imagine all the protagonists singing along lol)
Eliv2026-01-13 19:59
Nandodemo!
Screiblus2026-01-13 22:01
Top 3 openings of all time.
Probably close to n1.
Jegantha2026-01-13 22:28
One can only hope that 10% of this concert's proceeds went to Potocki.
Kadmos12026-01-14 03:30
Speaking of Poland, the 4 namesake founders of the WB were of Polish birth/descent.
seninn2026-01-13 22:43
Real nando demo moment.
Drdanmp2026-01-14 00:40
One of the best works of last year.
warjoke2026-01-14 01:00
Great song on its own. But once you experience it alongside watching Orb, it's a life changing experience.
track_cyclist2026-01-14 06:38
I gotta give the anime another shot I got turned off by some of the torture scenes since I'm rather squeamish rip
QuadraKev_2026-01-14 01:35
if you can't handle me at my nando, you don't deserve me at my demo
froggyc192026-01-14 03:01
Loved the cut out pieces! It really made this performance unique. 10/10 song and anime
Monado_Artz2026-01-14 03:16
Im not crying, It's just the overflowing emotions pouring out
InsaneArtist90002026-01-14 08:21
Another fave bop
Suraj_kshaw2026-01-14 11:02
This song will always hold a special place in my heart. I was watching this anime during the time my mother died(August 2025). I had this song on loop because somehow hearing this made me at ease or something I can't really explain. But still it helped me most at the time when I thought my whole world was crumbling around me and I just sat there. I still listen to this song every time I feel down.
Valuna2026-01-15 01:27
Feeling with you. Mine was end of the previous month. Fell in love with the song before it even fully released and it ended up having a different meaning to me.
PassionateYak2026-01-14 11:34
Very cool show, I need to finish it
Vinon2026-01-14 11:39
I highly recommend watching the official music video for the song, its direction and story telling are top notch
RevolutionaryCap46562026-01-14 12:42
Its beautiful 😭😭
DazenTheMistborn2026-01-14 12:59
Such a beautiful song. I'll always remember it when I think of top OPs. It just perfectly compliments the emotional experience of Orb.
Thanks for posting this OP!
Castor_0il2026-01-14 14:27
A terrible mid song for an overrated mid anime
saveriz2026-01-14 16:04
Ah, Kaiju, no matter how many times I listen to it, it still gives me chills. I love this performance. They really bring “the red and blue stars” from the lyrics to Kohaku stage
GoblinBreaker2026-01-14 19:09
I'm curious, how are anime OP/ED chosen? Are they specifically written for the anime or is it the producers that search for that one song that fits the themes?
Apparently it took two years for the band to finish "Kaijuu" so is it pure coincidence that it suits Orb so much??
track_cyclist2026-01-14 19:27
I am pretty sure in most cases the songs are commissioned. I reckon most of the time it's the production committee approaching artists, although I know in rare cases (I remember reading this about Kenshi Yonezu and the "Medalist" series) the artist approaches the author/producers about a collaboration. In J-dramas, which often have opening and ending theme songs just like in anime, I am familiar with some cases of a series using an older song (the 2003 series "Good Luck!!" using Tatsurou Yamashita's 80s classic "Ride on Time") or even a series being entirely inspired by a song (see the 2022 Netflix drama "First Love," which was inspired by and uses the Hikaru Utada songs "First Love" and "Hatsukoi" as its opening and ending themes).
So I guess the simplest answer would be, yes, the songs are usually specifically written for the anime but there are always exceptions to that rule. From conception to broadcasting I would think it takes more than two years for an anime series to be produced so I'm not surprised by the amount of time you mentioned it took for Kaijuu to be written and recorded.
If you don't know Japanese I highly encourage you to look for a translated version of the lyrics --- it will definitely enhance your enjoyment of the song, and your understanding of the lyrics will grow as you watch more of a series and understand its characters and events.
GoblinBreaker2026-01-14 22:45
Thanks so much OP for the detailed answer! You basically confirmed my doubt. I am obsessed with the song even though I didn't finish the anime. Stuck on ep 7 or 8, when shows get too uncomfortable I have to take a break...
Yes I have read the lyrics and what is the most remarkable is that the singer chose to write and sing the final lyrics "The future is conveniently bright so I move forward" knowing that he's been battling depression. As an overwhelmed PhD student, this song gives me so much comfort and hope for the future.
track_cyclist2026-01-15 00:15
I'm glad you appreciated my long-winded answer lol. Also hang in there, I can relate to being in grad school. I've had health issues disrupt both my undergrad and now grad school so I'm really hoping I can finish my master's thesis this year, and I'm hoping I can embrace the "The future is conveniently bright so I move forward" line as well.
GoblinBreaker2026-01-15 14:26
Wishing you the best OP! Also in my final year so let's both move forward 🤗
komasanzura2026-01-15 19:46
I'm a sakanaction fan so I can answer this in more detail. Even Ichiro himself talked about it on his own stream - in most cases big labels like Sony Music and Universal have a chokehold on getting their artists to do anime OP/EDs as they have been investing in this industry for a long time. (Note: They are still almost always new songs written for the anime even then, since covers or existing songs actually cost more to use due to royalty matters.) The rare cases where it doesn't come from those labels is when the production committee or author makes special requests. Chi's author Uoto is a big fan of sakanaction, so he made a request for them to do the theme song. (sakanaction belong to Victor which does not have ties to the industry.)
And for the second question, Kaijuu was 100% written for Chi. They already announced production of this anime in June 2022. So they probably got asked some time after that, and the timeline matches up fine. There's a whole documentary that aired in Japan that follows Ichiro as he works on completing this song while struggling with depression, and he constantly looked to the manga for inspiration for writing the lyrics. But he could really only get the anime OP-length version done in time for the airing that started in Oct 2024, because he's a perfectionist and did like 79 different versions of the lyrics until he finally decided. He ended up busting all the deadlines that were set by the band's label for the originally planned CD release date. The full song only released in Feb 2025.
Commentaires
Before this performance, there was a several minute section featuring the vocalist Ichiro Yamaguchi's struggle with depression, and the break he took from music and performing as a result. He talked about how he was able to improve his mental health through embracing his passion for music, ultimately leading to the song "Kaijuu" and a return to the stage. I had to cut this segment because it's not directly anime related so it would have probably been taken down and I'm too lazy to subtitle it anyways, but I found the discussion of mental health on such a prominent platform as Kohaku Uta Gassen encouraging.
It also pains me that I had to cut out Sakanaction's performance of their most famous song "Shin-Takarajima (New Treasure Island)" since that is also not anime related.
it's a very interesting show, and all but the last (couple?) episodes I loved, I hated the ending but I understand why some people love it.
Always brings a little tear to my eye.
Nandodemo!
Probably close to n1.
Thanks for posting this OP!
Apparently it took two years for the band to finish "Kaijuu" so is it pure coincidence that it suits Orb so much??
So I guess the simplest answer would be, yes, the songs are usually specifically written for the anime but there are always exceptions to that rule. From conception to broadcasting I would think it takes more than two years for an anime series to be produced so I'm not surprised by the amount of time you mentioned it took for Kaijuu to be written and recorded.
If you don't know Japanese I highly encourage you to look for a translated version of the lyrics --- it will definitely enhance your enjoyment of the song, and your understanding of the lyrics will grow as you watch more of a series and understand its characters and events.
Yes I have read the lyrics and what is the most remarkable is that the singer chose to write and sing the final lyrics "The future is conveniently bright so I move forward" knowing that he's been battling depression. As an overwhelmed PhD student, this song gives me so much comfort and hope for the future.
And for the second question, Kaijuu was 100% written for Chi. They already announced production of this anime in June 2022. So they probably got asked some time after that, and the timeline matches up fine. There's a whole documentary that aired in Japan that follows Ichiro as he works on completing this song while struggling with depression, and he constantly looked to the manga for inspiration for writing the lyrics. But he could really only get the anime OP-length version done in time for the airing that started in Oct 2024, because he's a perfectionist and did like 79 different versions of the lyrics until he finally decided. He ended up busting all the deadlines that were set by the band's label for the originally planned CD release date. The full song only released in Feb 2025.