Make Believe Bonus: My Longest "Team Tomodachi" Yet

Yuki Chiba At Budokan

There are approximately 40 people on the star-shaped stage at the Nippon Budokan as Yuki Chiba revs up to do one more run through “Team Tomodachi.”

What started as a little over a dozen of the rapper’s closest friends coming out to jump and flex alongside him as he delivered his biggest hit on a stage most associated with the likes of The Beatles and Cheap Trick turns into a J-hip-hop Royal Rumble of sorts. Every two minutes, another big name MC struts out. Here comes Jin Dogg, followed soon after by SKY-HI. A little time passes and Watson enters the fray. Look, it’s MaRI getting in the action, the only woman, like that time Chyna fought all those dudes.

It’s an absurd sight, watching dozens of people chant about friendship over and over again. The crescendo comes after about 20 minutes, with Chiba himself breaking free of the loop to leap into his own verse from the 2024 viral hit.

Then, the show took a turn towards something completely different.