With Amethyst, REIRIE Make a Daring Leap Into the Major-Label Spotlight

REIRIE make their major-label debut with Amethyst, a five-track EP blending guitar rock, emotion, and R&B, out January 28, 2026, alongside a nationwide tour.

REIRIE AmethystREIRIE, the duo formed by Rei Kuromiya and Rie Kaneko, will make their major-label debut with their first EP, Amethyst, on January 28, 2026. The release arrives via MoooD Records, a label under Bandai Namco Music Live. Ahead of the EP’s launch, the music video  “Aishiteyo” is available to view online and see how these two artists want to present themselves. It’s a mix of art nouveau and glam. In between the layers of stage presence and glam is a look that suggets more than leather and lace, but also stillness and motion. Their sound is a mix of J-pop meets Speed Metal, and although their style is hard to pin down, I’d say they are borrowing from not only the  Rococo but also historical Gothic.

Amethyst will be released in three version: the Rei, Rie, and a Standard Edition. The Rei release includes a Blu-ray featuring footage from the free live show held last year in Sept at Kabukicho Tower Stage. The Rie set includes a Blu-ray of the Tokyo performance from Reirie Live Tour 2025 – BaD=DoLL –, held October 26. As a first-press bonus, each of them will include one randomly selected trading card from a set of six.

Musically, The advance digital single “BaD=DoLL,” composed by Yuki Tsujimura and MEGMETAL, delivers a charged, dramatic rock sound.

 

“Aishiteyo,” created by the same team, leans further into raw emotion and heightened intensity, brought to life in the newly released music video.

Additional tracks include “Holy Brighters,” which portrays heroism that pushes forward despite doubt and anxiety, “Not Philosophy,” a song about strength and love expressed through feeling rather than words, and “Contact,” a soulful R&B-based track that embraces pain and inner conflict as part of personal growth.

In support of the release, REIRIE will launch Reirie Live Tour 2026 – Amethyst – in February 2026 around Japan. Locations are as follows:

Feb 1, 2026 – Chiba LOOK [Chiba]
Feb 7, 2026 – Hiroshima CAVE-BE [Hiroshima]
Feb 8, 2026 – music zoo KOBE Taiyo to Tora [Hyogo]
Feb 15, 2026 – HEAVEN’S ROCK Saitama Shintoshin VJ-3 [Saitama]
Feb 23, 2026 – F.A.D. YOKOHAMA [Kanagawa]
Feb 28, 2026 – KYOTO MUSE [Kyoto]
Mar 1, 2026 – OSAKA MUSE [Osaka]
Mar 8, 2026 – LIVE HOUSE enn 2nd [Miyagi]
Mar 13, 2026 – ell.FITS ALL [Aichi]
Mar 15, 2026 – HEAVEN’S ROCK Utsunomiya VJ-2 [Tochigi]
Mar 21, 2026 – Fukuoka DRUM SON [Fukuoka]
Mar 31, 2026 – Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO [Tokyo]

Tickets

REIRIEPremium Ticket: ¥18,000 (incl. tax)

(Premium tickets include guaranteed access to the front area, one cheki photo, and exclusive merchandise)
A Ticket: ¥6,600 (incl. tax)

*A separate drink fee is required for all ticket types.

 

Tracklist (all editions)

  1. BaD=DoLL
  2. Holy Brighters
  3. Not Philosophy
  4. Contact
  5. AISHITEYO

About REIRIE

Formed in January 2023, REIRIE brings together Rei Kuromiya and Rie Kaneko, who previously performed in separate units before reuniting after several years apart. Their distinctive artistic vision has resonated strongly with fans, particularly women, and their striking visuals and powerful live performances have seen them appear at festivals in Japan and overseas. Their solo concerts continue to grow their nationwide audience.

Coming Soon! Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 on Blu-ray in 2026

Seventeen years after its TV debut, Macross Frontier continues to dazzle—and Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 won’t be forgotten, with a blu-ray to show the largest concert in franchise history with new extras and exclusive artwork. The following is just a sneak peak at what’s being packaged up!

Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025Any fan of Macross will say this franchise is an institution. Whether you’re a fan of the original, or its later iterations, it’s always the music that’s the draw. Whether that’s with Minmei for Firebomber, the talents who can save the galaxy with their voice says something that’s universal. With the upcoming release of Macross Frontier Galaxy Live, those fans who couldn’t experience the concert for real can check out the taped edition.

Even after more than a decade, the franchise continues to reframe its own spectacle, and this latest news is no exception. With another major live release on the horizon—and timed perfectly with a pair of character birthdays—it’s clear this galaxy-spanning fandom shows no signs of slowing down.

From The Press Release

Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 will arrive on Blu-ray on April 29, 2026. The two-day concert, held July 26–27, 2025 at K Arena Yokohama, drew 38,000 attendees—making it the largest live event in Macross history.

Continue reading “Coming Soon! Macross Frontier Galaxy Live☆Final 2025 on Blu-ray in 2026”

Daoko Releases Single “Boku dake no Photon,” Album Release and Streaming News.

Japanese pop artist Daoko has dropped her latest single, “Boku dake no Photon,” ahead of her upcoming digital EP. Featuring artwork by Numata Zombie!? and a collaboration with rising creator x0o0x_, the song is now streaming with its official video available on YouTube.

Boku dake no PhotonJapanese pop artist Daoko has released her latest single, “Boku dake no Photon,” on September 24, 2025. The track is a preview of her upcoming digital EP, scheduled to drop on November 19, 2025.

The lyrics were written by Daoko, while the composition and arrangement come from x0o0x_ (pronounced Wakame), a fast-rising creator with more than 1.22 million YouTube subscribers. Known for a mysterious presence and atmospheric, dark tone, his style blends seamlessly with Daoko’s soft, poetic delivery. Together, they’ve crafted a song that transforms fleeting cityscapes and fragments of memory into shimmering sound. It’s a cyber-dream come alive!

Continue reading “Daoko Releases Single “Boku dake no Photon,” Album Release and Streaming News.”

Before TRON Ares and Beyond: A Complete Guide with 6 Must-Read Features

Step back into the neon world of TRON before TRON Ares arrives. From classic films to iconic games and key news, this guide covers everything fans need to know. Get ready to relive the Grid and all the highlights that made the franchise legendary.

Before TRON Ares, There Was TRONBefore TRON Ares arrives, it’s worth remembering how this franchise first lit up the silver screen in 1982. The neon-soaked world of the Grid has long been a playground for dreamers, gamers, and tech-heads. Whether you came for the lightcycle battles, the philosophical undertones, or the Daft Punk beats, TRON has left a lasting mark on pop culture.

Here at Otakunoculture, we’ve been chasing that beam of light for years—from deep dives into the films, to retro gaming retrospectives, to speculation on where the series is headed next. Think of this article as your personal I/O Tower for all things TRON.


The Films & Reviews

Tron Original Movie Poster

The Games

TRON 2.0 Videogame Xbox

News & Features


Keep Your Identity Disc Spinning Before TRON Ares

We’ll keep updating this hub as The Grid evolves — whether that means new games, park news, or the long-awaited arrival of TRON Ares. Before that next chapter begins, there’s plenty of history to revisit, from classic arcade battles to the philosophical sparks that made this franchise unique. If you’ve got your own theories or TRON trivia to share, drop them in the comments on any of these articles.

After all… the Game Grid is always more fun with players. In the future, we have more to discuss.

End of line.

 

When Z2 Comics Offers The Blues Brothers: The Escape Of Joliet Jake, and Unreleased Recordings!

Fans of the Blues Brothers will want to make sure they’ll catch the Katy this time, because there’ll be music to accompany this graphic novel release.

The Blues Brothers: The Escape of Joliet JakeA day that changed comedy forever. With the release of The Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd unleashed a film that would thrill and entertain generations with their Mission From God. Now, exactly 45 years later, Z2 Comics has partnered with the Aykroyd and Belushi families and estate to deliver the sequel to that film in the original graphic novel,  The Blues Brothers: The Escape Of Joliet Jake.

Uncovered by the late Judy Belushi Pisano, this series of unreleased recordings is a rare musical glimpse at Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues at the height of their blues powers. Belushi and Aykroyd blast through a 13-song set with some of the greatest musicians who ever lived. The gang’s all here, as Blues Brothers legends Matt “Guitar” Murphy, Steve “The Colonel” Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Paul “The Shiv” Shaffer, Lou “Blue Lou” Marini, Tom “Bones” Malone, Alan “Mr. Fabulous” Rubin, Steve “GETDWA” Jordan, and Tom “Triple Scale” Scott show why this band is timeless.

The album features unheard versions of blues classics including “Hey Bartender,” “Rubber Biscuit,” and “Green Onions.” This album will be available exclusively as a Royal Blue-colored vinyl release, packaged with the graphic novel.

Continue reading “When Z2 Comics Offers The Blues Brothers: The Escape Of Joliet Jake, and Unreleased Recordings!”

Two of South Korea’s Hottest Kpop Acts Will Stream as Video Concerts on Well GO USA’s Network

Two huge kpop video concerts are coming to digital this week! After watching demon hunters, some newcomers may well want to visit the real deal!

well go usaAfter watching Kpop Demon Hunters (movie review link), I had to revisit this scene to look at today’s hottest acts. While what’s presented is a fairly good look under a global lens, but I wanted songs that are more rooted rather than be another broadway musical. This week, Well GO USA will soon deliver video concerts Taeyong: Ty Track In Cinemas and Aespa: World Tour In Cinemas. Both are today’s biggest stars in South Korea. The former loves to rap, and the latter helped popularize hyper-pop.

Lee Tae-yong (이태용) is a singer, songwriter, and dancer. As the lead of NCT, a boy band managed by SM Entertainment, his fame grew as moved up the ranks. Record labels create and manage most of these bands; as for how they discover talents is almost like living that Hollywood dream of yesteryears. SM Entertainment trained Taeyong in their rookie project, and they selected him to be today’s face of this group because of his charisma and leadership. When considering how this film presentation opens with him talking about where he came from, this rags-to-riches story is a lot more engaging than the concert itself!

Continue reading “Two of South Korea’s Hottest Kpop Acts Will Stream as Video Concerts on Well GO USA’s Network”