With a large music industry such as Japan, the second largest in the world, music fans will inevitably be inundated with a profusion of good (and also less good) music from this country. It is impossible to keep track of all this and write a review about it per video. But to avoid missing out on (obscure) gems, the decision has been made to create a weekly list of new music videos from Japanese music acts that are definitely worth watching and need some extra focus, with an emphasis on the lesser-known names.
We are now looking back on a selection of videos released in week 26 of 2025. We sincerely hope you enjoy the new discoveries!
WAATER – GAMEOVER
After releasing the single TIMEHACKER in November 2024, a super short song lasting exactly 1 minute, things went quiet around Waater. It therefore comes as quite a surprise that the indie rock band has suddenly released a new music video out of nowhere. Is the band really back, or is it GAMEOVER? The musicians got together in 2018 to turn Waater, originally a solo project, into a band project, producing indie rock with elements from all kinds of music genres, but mainly punk, new wave and pop-punk. — Recommended by Francisca
至福ぽんちょ (Shifuku Poncho) – 映画 (Eiga)
Shifuku Poncho are an energetic three-piece rock band from Nagoya, formed when the three musicians got to know each other during their high school days. They sing like their lives depend on it and call themselves ‘three fairies who bring rock ‘n’ roll as comfort to the heart.’ After their digital debut single in 2023, their local fame grew steadily. They followed up with a digital album in 2024 and a CD release in April of this year. In May this year, the three musicians released a single, 映画 (Eiga), for which a matching music video is now available. — Recommended by Francisca
cleomery – from nowhere
A year ago, this five-member idol group made their live debut, and on the exact day of their first anniversary, their second music video for the brand-new song from nowhere was released. The group was founded by photographer Pochirisa, who previously worked as a manager for the idol group DAIDAIDAI. Their music combines soft piano pop and personal expression with a poetic group concept: continuing to tell a shared story. At the end of March, the five idols released their first EP, 日常 (Nichijyou). — Recommended by Francisca
ラッキーオールドサン (Lucky Old Sun) – 深夜テンション (Shinya Tension)
Four years after the album うすらい (Urusai), the fifth album mad&cute is released by rock duo Lucky Old Sun, consisting of married couple Nana and Yoshiaki Shinohara. The album is already available on digital streaming services, but will be released on CD at the end of July. According to the description, the album consists of a mix of warm noise, psychedelic layers, ethereal vocals and easy to listen to yet moving melodies. Their dreamy sound balances between silence and noise and is perfect for those who enjoy listening to poetic music after midnight. — Recommended by Francisca
月刊少年アイロニー (Monthly Shonen Irony) – September
The last time we wrote about the three-piece rock band Monthly Shonen Irony, they had just moved to Tokyo from Akita. Several singles and many performances later, the three girls released their first release of 2025 this week, celebrating the band’s fifth anniversary: an EP titled こんな日々に夜が下りるだけ (Kon’na hibi ni yoru ga oriru dake). It was also time for a new music video, considering their previous one is already more than a year old. And by the looks of it, the three girls have a lot more plans, do keep an eye on them. — Recommended by Francisca
どうめき (Doumeki) – 金星旅行 (Kinsei Yokou)
Started as a Vocaloid project, Doumeki grew into a full-fledged rock band in 2024. According to their X account (formerly Twitter), the band temporarily ceased activities in late 2024 due to health problems among some band members. Without notice, the band recently released a digital album titled デカセクシス (Decathexis), featuring a collection of songs they have been producing recently. Musically, the band moves around alternative rock with a distinctive mix of influences. Curious to see what else the band is up to in 2025. — Recommended by Francisca
The Otals – マイ・ロリポップ・ナイトメア (My Lollipop Nightmare)
No style that really fits, no scene to belong to, no friends (they claim so themselves), yet mysterious cartoon-shoegaze duo The Otals manage to bring together three completely different acts to give their vision of summer. The result can be found on split album 夏のルール4 (And The Rules of Summer 4). Indeed, they have done this three times before. This fourth edition features 11 songs with contributions from Beachside talks, iVy, and 行為者 (doer), and, of course, The Otals. Below is the music video for one of The Otals’ songs on that split release. — Recommended by Francisca
Next week we will be back for a new list of new music videos to check out. But you can also look back to the earlier editions of this weekly article series for when you yearn for more musical gems! Want to read more about how this project started or check out the YouTube playlists? Click here for all the information.
