Culture
TM NETWORK: Back at NHK Kōhaku 2026 After 38 Years
Hiroshi Inaba will also sing the anime theme song from Touch; TM NETWORK's song selection has not yet been decided.
TM NETWORK will appear again on December 31, 2026, in the Japanese New Year's Eve broadcast NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen. For the band of Tetsuya Komuro, Takashi Utsunomiya and Naoto Kine, it is their first appearance on the show since 1988. The trio is also known for the anime song "Get Wild" from City Hunter. In addition, singer Hiroshi Inaba has been announced for this year's edition with the theme song of Touch.
"Get Wild" and the anime history of TM NETWORK
The group released "Get Wild" in 1987 as the ending of the TV anime City Hunter. The song became one of their best-known pieces and remained linked to the franchise for decades. In 1988, TM NETWORK also contributed "Beyond the Time" to the cinema film Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack; the same year, "Still Love Her" was released as the ending of City Hunter 2.
The connection to both series extends to the present. "Get Wild" was also used in the film City Hunter: Angel Dust, while "Beyond the Time" drew renewed attention in 2025 in the context of Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX. Which pieces TM NETWORK will actually perform at Kōhaku 2026 is not yet confirmed by the cast announcement.
The retrospective on City Hunter for the MechaComic anniversary shows another current connection of the franchise to Japanese manga culture.
The anime classic "Touch" is also represented
The organizers have also announced a performance by Hiroshi Inaba, in which he will sing the theme song of the baseball anime Touch. This means at least one concrete anime title is fixed for the musical program on December 31. According to Anime!Anime!, the announced lineup also includes Ado, YOASOBI, Vaundy and Mrs. GREEN APPLE, among others. These artists have released various anime songs in recent years; however, it cannot be derived from this which of their pieces they will play on New Year's Eve.
The 77th edition of the NHK broadcast takes place in Japan on the last evening of the year. A total of 41 performing groups and solo artists have been announced. The hosts include Mao Ashida, Masato Sakai, Kazunari Ninomiya and NHK presenter Naoko Suzuki.
Other recent reports on the connection between anime and live music concern the string quartet concert for Haruhi Suzumiya as well as the new concert PV for Chou Kaguya-hime!. A broadcast or official transmission of Kōhaku for Germany is not mentioned in the announcements reviewed.