Sutopuri’s Riinu Holds First Solo Live in 6 Years: “Kotonoha Wonderland”! Final Performance Report

Riinu Electrifies Nippon Budokan with “Kotonoha Wonderland LIVE” — A Story of Growth and Connection

Riinu, the beloved red-coded member of the 2.5D idol group SutoPuri, brought his highly anticipated solo live concert, “Kotonoha Wonderland LIVE in Nippon Budokan,” to Tokyo’s iconic Nippon Budokan. Held across three dazzling performances—one on August 22, 2025, and two (day and night) on August 23—this event marked Riinu’s first solo show in six years, with every single performance selling out completely. As the total producer of the event, Riinu crafted a dynamic and dramatic stage show centered around his 3rd full album, “Kotonoha Wonderland,” which was released on August 13. This report dives into the captivating atmosphere of the final performance on the night of August 23.

The Grand Opening: A Captivating Start

The concert commenced with a heartwarming opening animation: a little red bird took flight, eventually landing on a tree stump in the depths of a forest, where a mysterious book awaited. As the animated narrative unfolded, Riinu made his grand entrance on the upper stage. He began to delicately weave the melody of “Kotonoha no Hanataba,” the enchanting first track from “Kotonoha Wonderland,” whose music video had just been released on August 13. Dressed in a magnificent prince-like costume made of deep red velvet and framed by scarlet drapes, Riinu captivated the audience with his beautiful and powerful voice, pledging to “continue singing” for (you), his cherished fans.

Descending a staircase that seamlessly merged with background visuals reminiscent of a grand castle lobby, Riinu greeted his listeners with a radiant smile. “Thank you for coming today. Let’s enjoy ourselves until the very end!” he cheered. For “Re:Birth Day,” a song for which he penned the lyrics, Riinu danced lightly with his companions, even striking a heartfelt embracing pose in line with the lyrics. The tempo then soared with “Odd-Eye Love,” as red laser beams crisscrossed the venue and powerful fireballs erupted. Riinu delivered a cool and dynamic performance, showcasing both his vocal prowess and impressive dance moves.

Following his playful question, “Will you keep being my oshi (favorite)?”, Riinu launched into “Saikyou☆Sai Oshi Sensation!!”, enthralling everyone with his undeniably cute singing and choreography, making it easy to fall (truly in love). His refined singing and dancing, along with the continuously changing and exciting stage effects, kept the audience on their toes. Listeners responded with enthusiastic calls, and the venue became a sea of swaying red penlights, Riinu’s signature color.

A Journey into Wonderland

As “Saikyou☆Sai Oshi Sensation!!” concluded, dancers left a mysterious gift box on the upper stage. Riinu opened it to reveal the very book seen in the opening animation. A subsequent interlude video showed the little red bird, embodying Riinu, leaping into the world of the book, finding himself lost in a wondrous forest—a direct recreation of the pop-up book included with the “Kotonoha Wonderland” limited edition A.

With swift stage changes, the setting transformed into a dreamy Wonderland, radiating the splendor of a full-scale musical. “Naikotoba” had the audience buzzing with its perfectly synchronized line dance involving Riinu and his dancers. In “Henshin!”, a remarkable costume change, reminiscent of Kabuki’s ‘hikinuki’ (costume pull-off) technique, saw Riinu transform into his main visual outfit for “Kotonoha Wonderland.” This was followed by an innovative performance using a caster chair, leaving the audience in awe. For “Wannu,” against a backdrop of colorful room visuals, Riinu playfully interacted with dancers holding cooking utensils, creating a comical and endearing display.

After moving across the expansive stage, interacting with many fans during “Heroine♡Killer,” Riinu enjoyed a playful exchange with the audience, asking, “Which Wonderland did you all come from?”

A Royal Surprise: Ruuto Joins the Stage

Sensing an unexpected presence, Riinu mused, “I heard you’re all my favorite little fairies… but it seems there might be others here.” To the audience’s delight, Ruuto, Riinu’s official partner within SutoPuri, made a surprise appearance, clad in a striking deep-red prince outfit, complete with a matching jacket, tie, and cummerbund! The two sat back-to-back, holding hands tightly, as they performed “Chikoku Shitemo Iijan.” Ruuto’s heartfelt confession, “I love this Wonderland!”, ignited a roar of cheers from the audience, whose penlights swayed in a vibrant blend of red and Ruuto’s image color, yellow.

As Ruuto, the prince of Wonderland, and Riinu, his adorable “pet dog” charmingly barking “Wan-wan!”, strolled across the stage together, the audience joined them in calling out the title: “Who’s your prince?”. What followed was a breathtakingly romantic experience, featuring beautiful harmonies, graceful, waltz-like dancing, and tender moments where the two faced each other, hands clasped.

For “Shutter Chance!”, a song also penned by Riinu with Ruuto contributing to the composition, the duo showed off their perfect synergy, playfully posing with double peace signs. It was a testament to the sweet dynamic and absolute trust unique to the “RuuRinu” pairing.

A Darker Turn: Confronting Inner Turmoil

However, as Ruuto departed, he left an ominous message: “Be careful in the night forest.” Riinu then murmured, “I’m starting to feel sleepy…” and the stage plunged into darkness, abruptly shifting to a dark and moody atmosphere. Clad in a black outfit, Riinu emotionally clutched white sheets on a bed, singing “Utsuro” and “First Bite” as if struggling in a nightmare. His voice, expressions, and entire performance conveyed a profound pain and anguish, as if he were a different person from the cheerful Riinu just moments before, stirring the hearts of everyone watching.

Step by step, Riinu ascended the stairs towards a red guitar on the upper stage. He then poured his determination into “Since 1998.”, a song he wrote himself, embracing past wounds and pain while resolving to move forward. In “Hikari,” he strummed the guitar emotionally during the chorus, singing with an air of dignified resolve. His posture, despite being a first-time guitarist, showcased remarkable effort and dedication.

A Message of Hope and Connection

After a reflective video montage reviewing his own journey and that of SutoPuri, Riinu tenderly performed “Mayoi Boshi no Uta.” Dressed in a white costume inspired by the beloved swallowtail coat worn at SutoPuri’s concerts, Riinu opened his heart to the audience. “I am so happy that I met you in such a wonderful place and that we’ve created memories together. The theme of this concert is to strive for what seems impossible and to accept myself. It is because of you that I can stand on this stage. From now on, I will continue to live by your side.”

With this heartfelt promise to his fans, Riinu gracefully transitioned into “Luma,” accompanied by dancers in red suits, performing elegant turns. He then built the excitement with a medley featuring “One for All!”, “Love Hero,” and “Koi no Tsubomi.” Expressing his sincere “Thank you” to the audience with a beaming smile, he concluded with “Yokudekimashita◎,” striking an adorable dog-ear pose.

“Kizuna” was illuminated by the sparkle of pyrotechnics, as Riinu sang, extending his hand to the audience as if to say, “We can do it!” He concluded the main show by holding a large key, opening a door, and stepping into the light. Beyond the world of the book, where the red bird had soared, awaited purple, orange, pink, light blue, and yellow birds—symbolizing his SutoPuri companions.

The Grand Finale and Encores

For the encore, Riinu reappeared in a merchandise T-shirt, customized with red frills on the sleeves, and kicked off with “End Roll no Sono Saki e.” He shared another heartfelt message: “Once again, thank you so much for meeting me, for loving me, and for coming to see me like this. Your voices, your single red penlights, are my support—something I really wanted to convey on such a grand stage.” He then moved into “Time Capsule.”

During the main MC, Riinu revealed that he was wearing glitter stickers in SutoPuri’s member colors under his eyes. He then performed “Kimi no Hou ga Suki Dakedo,” illuminated by lights that matched the member colors as per the lyrics.

Even after Riinu invited Ruuto back on stage, and they, along with the dancers, held hands for a final greeting and departed, the calls for an encore continued. “Oh, do you all want to stay with me that much? I guess it can’t be helped, just one more song!” Riinu announced as he reappeared for a special double encore, exclusively for the final performance. He delivered a powerful rendition of “Jinsei Shouri Sengen!”. With the house lights on, brightly illuminating every corner of the packed venue, Riinu gazed lovingly at the audience as he sang, bringing the final, unforgettable performance to a close.

_

Source