Kenshi Yonezu's 'Lemon' hits one billion views—and he compares its rise to a forest fire

Bigger than the billion-view number was the songwriter's own reflection. Kenshi Yonezu says he did not foresee Lemon becoming so immense, likening its spread to a small fire that became a forest blaze. His official site announced the milestone alongside a newly shared 2025 Tokyo Dome live performance.

According to the artist's official announcement, the MV released on February 27, 2018 passed one billion views at 11:08 p.m. JST on November 3, 2026. It was the theme of the 2018 drama Unnatural. On November 4 at 8 p.m., a separate official live video from the 2025 Tokyo Dome show was premiered. The celebratory performance and original MV are distinct sources.

The official site describes it as the first MV for a Japanese-language lyric song to reach a billion views. A Korean community reposted his long reflection on November 6, showing 2,854 views and 45 comments at the observed snapshot. Those counts do not establish universal reaction.

The artist's official reaction combines surprise and gratitude, while Unnatural actor Satomi Ishihara and writer Akiko Nogi recall the show and the personal memories tied to the song. An older fan Reddit discussion from 2025, when the video approached 900 million, includes anticipation of the billion milestone and jokes about repeat plays. The 45 individual comments on the November 6 Korean repost were not accessible and are not reconstructed here.

Lemon is remembered alongside Unnatural, a drama tied to grief and loss. In congratulatory notes, the cast and writer describe a wrap-party memory and emotions revived years later. The older 900-million-view fan discussion is historical context for anticipation, not evidence of new November comments.

Verified dates are the MV release on February 27, 2018, crossing one billion at 23:08 JST on November 3, 2026, and the official commemorative live premiere on November 4. The 'first Japanese-language lyric MV' distinction is attributed to the artist's official announcement. The full music video and full live performance were not independently played for verification.

With the commemorative live clip released, listeners can compare a concert rendition with the original MV. Streams on other platforms are different metrics and should be separately checked.