Hikaru Utada’s ‘Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-‘ CDTV Performance Released on YouTube; New Song ‘Pappa Paradise’ Becomes ‘Chibi Maruko-chan’ Ending Theme

Hikaru Utada’s performance video of “Flavor Of Life -Ballad Version-” from TBS’s “CDTV Live! Live!” has been released on the official Hikaru Utada YouTube channel for a limited time.

The performance aired on May 11, 2026, and the full-length video will be available for four weeks. This version features a special arrangement made specifically for the broadcast, making it a rare treat for fans. The performance also trended on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after airing.

Prior to this, the performances of “Pappa Paradise” and “One Last Kiss” from the same show were also uploaded to YouTube in quick succession, drawing further attention to the artist.

The new song “Pappa Paradise” was released digitally on May 6, 2026, and quickly reached number one on various FM radio station charts. It also ranked high on domestic charts across Japan. The track has been selected as the new ending theme for the anime “Chibi Maruko-chan,” and is also featured in the new TV commercial for Ayataka, titled “Ocha, shiyokka. Jitaku” version.

A 7-inch analog single of “Pappa Paradise” (limited edition) will be released on June 24, 2026, priced at 2,500 yen (tax included). The vinyl will be available at multiple retailers, each offering a different colored original marker as a purchase bonus.

On the same day, two works under the name UTADA—”Exodus” and “This Is The One”—will also see remastered reissues. They will be released in LP, color vinyl, and 2CD formats, all with lyrics and translations. “Exodus” 2LP is priced at 7,150 yen (tax included), and “This Is The One” LP at 5,500 yen (tax included).

Since her debut in 1998, Hikaru Utada has established herself as one of Japan’s leading artists, setting a CD sales record in Japan with her first album “First Love.” In 2024, she released her first greatest-hits album “SCIENCE FICTION” and embarked on her first nationwide tour in six years. In 2025, her collaboration with Kenshi Yonezu on the song “JANE DOE” became a major hit both domestically and internationally, earning high praise.