FLOW, Renowned for Naruto Theme Songs, Completes Live Performances Across All Five Continents With Africa Debut at “J-POP Anime Ivoire 2026”

Japanese rock band FLOW, widely known for performing theme songs for the Naruto anime series, has achieved live performances on all five continents following its appearance in Africa at J-POP Anime Ivoire 2026.

On January 31, FLOW took the stage in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as part of J-POP Anime Ivoire 2026, an event organized by the Japan Foundation. With this performance, the band officially accomplished the milestone of holding live concerts across all five continents.

FLOW began its international live journey in September 2006 with a performance at AnimeFest 2006 in Dallas, United States. In March 2011, the band appeared at JPLEX v1 SUPER ANISON LIVE in Singapore, marking its expansion into Asia. Europe followed in July 2012, when FLOW performed at JAPAN EXPO 2012 in Paris, France. More recently, in July 2024, the band held a concert in Sydney, Australia, as part of its FLOW WORLD TOUR “ANIME SHIBARI 2024–2025,” completing performances in Oceania. The appearance at J-POP Anime Ivoire 2026 now marks FLOW’s first live show on the African continent, completing a rare achievement spanning the Americas, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and Africa.

In 2025, FLOW challenged itself with a collaborative tour titled FLOW WORLD TOUR 2025 “NARUTO THE ROCK,” featuring music from Naruto. The tour covered 30 shows across 30 cities in 13 countries throughout Europe and North America. In recent years, the band has also actively expanded its overseas presence, performing live three times a year in Saudi Arabia and drawing an audience of 7,000 at a concert in Peru.

As interest in Japanese anime, manga, and pop culture continues to grow in West Africa, FLOW’s performance received an enthusiastic response. During songs such as “GO!!!,” “Sign,” and “COLORS,” the audience sang along passionately despite the lyrics being in Japanese. Vocalist KEIGO led the crowd in a full audience wave, a rare sight in Côte d’Ivoire, further heightening the excitement.

KEIGO also addressed the audience in French during the MC segment, delivering a heartfelt message: “Japan and Côte d’Ivoire are far apart, but we are connected through anime and music.” His words resonated strongly with local fans, creating a direct emotional connection.

The venue, which had a capacity of 600 people, saw devoted fans lining up as early as 5:00 a.m. on the day of the event. More than 1,000 people were reportedly unable to enter, highlighting the high anticipation for FLOW’s live performance.

FLOW’s long-standing mission of delivering music across borders reached a significant milestone with this performance. In 2026, the band enters what it calls a once-in-a-century “26 FLOW Year,” drawing increased attention to its future activities. It was also announced that bassist GOT’S, who had been recuperating from a thoracic aortic dissection, will resume activities starting with live performances in March. Expectations are now high for the full five-member lineup of FLOW to return to the stage.

Source : ORICON NEWS