Hikaru Utada Returns With New Song “PAPPAPARADISE” on May 6

Hikaru Utada will release a new song, “PAPPAPARADISE”, on May 6, their first new music in a year. The track is the ending theme for the long-running anime Chibi Maruko-chan, a show loved by all ages in Japan. A non-credit ending video is now available on YouTube.

Ending Video: 

A pre-release campaign runs from April 5 to May 5, 23:59 JST. Fans who pre-order on iTunes can win one of 100 original erasers. Everyone who pre-orders or pre-saves on Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music will receive a special wallpaper. More details: Campaign Page.

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Selected clips from “PAPPAPARADISE” will be shared on TikTok and Instagram. In Japan, the song is also the new theme for Ayataka green tea commercials, airing from April 6. This is Utada’s third year collaborating with Ayataka, following previous songs “traveling” (Re-recording) and “Mine” or “Yours”.

TVCM:

Hikaru Utada will appear on radio for the first time in two years with the show:
“Ayataka Presents Hikaru Utada no Très Bien Bohémian Special 2026“

• Air Date: May 5, 2026
• Utada will play “PAPPAPARADISE” for the first time on radio.

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About Hikaru Utada:
Since their debut on 9 December 1998, Hikaru Utada has achieved numerous remarkable milestones in their career. Their debut single “Automatic/time will tell” sold over two million copies, propelling them to become one of Japan’s top artists at the young age of 15. Just a few months later, their first album “First Love” shattered Japanese CD sales records that still stand unbroken today.

In 2022, their eighth album “BAD MODE”, which includes collaboration songs with artists such as Skrillex, A.G. Cook, and Floating Points, garnered high praise both domestically and internationally, and was crowned as the best album of the year by the internationally renowned music media, Pitchfork. In the same year, they made their festival debut at the globally recognized Coachella Festival in California, joining celebrated label 88rising as part of their exhilarating showcase.

The Netflix series “First Love,” inspired by Utada’s eponymous single, achieved tremendous success in Japan and across Asia. On December 9, 2023, Utada celebrated the 25th anniversary of their major label debut in fantastical style, announcing the much-anticipated release of their inaugural greatest hits album SCIENCE FICTION, which was released in April 2024 and followed by their first tour in six years, the nationwide HIKARU UTADA SCIENCE FICTION TOUR 2024, which included stops in both Hong Kong and Taipei.

In 2025, Utada continued their collaboration with the Ayataka green tea brand for a second consecutive year, releasing the single “Mine or Yours” on May 2. Around the same time, they appeared on the YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE, where performances of both “Mine or Yours” and their iconic track “First Love” generated significant buzz online and beyond. In April, they took the stage at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival with experimental electronic artist Arca, and later appeared as a surprise act at SONIC MANIA in August alongside British DJ Floating Points. In September, their collaboration with Kenshi Yonezu, “JANE DOE,” became a major hit both in Japan and internationally.

Looking ahead to 2026, Utada’s new song “PAPPAPARADISE” has been selected as the new ending theme for the anime Chibi Maruko-chan. The track will also be featured in a new Ayataka commercial beginning April 6.

Source: Press Release

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