Dumpling Box had the honor of attending the NEWS’ arena tour, titled NEWS LIVE TOUR 2025 Henshin, which covers 19 shows in 8 cities from August to October, held in celebration of the group’s 22nd anniversary and in support of their latest album “Henshin (変身)” (Transformation), which was released on August 6, 2025. The Kanagawa performances at Yokohama Arena drew a total of 45,000 attendees over three days, bringing the overall tour attendance to approximately 200,000.
Dumpling Box recounts everything that happened at Yokohama Arena on October 9 so you don’t miss a single detail!
Centered around the message “This is NEWS’s story of transformation, and also a transformative experience for the listener”, the album and live explore the theme of transformation for both the group and their fans. The live also featured three narration tracks by Koichi Yamadera titled “Special Lectures on the Theory of Transformation,” which were also shown as interval videos during the concert, leaving a strong impression through their creative exploration of the theme.
As an enchanting instrumental played throughout the venue, chants of “NEWS!” began to rise even before the show started. The word “Henshin” appeared boldly on the screen, and the three members made a dramatic pop-up entrance. The opening, conceptualized by Takahisa Masuda, who also supervised the concert production, brought to life an idea he had long envisioned: a grand castle created with balloon decorations. Dressed in frilled shirts and glittering jackets, the three appeared like noble princes. Surrounded by six Juniors waving red flags (Ira Watanabe, Kenshin Uehara, Kanaru Takahashi, Toki Koyama, Kyoichiro Kokubo, and Ryota Okahashi)(marking NEWS’s first tour with Juniors in about four years, since the “NEWS LIVE TOUR 2020 STORY” held in 2021), they delivered a passionate rap performance.
At the beginning of “JOYER”, they introduced the live band that would be accompanying NEWS throughout the entire concert.
It wasn’t just their appearances that transformed; the songs themselves were reborn in new forms. Their signature track “Chankapana” was performed in a special version blending both the original Japanese lyrics and the newly arranged “Chankapana (English Version)”, released in June. As the roulette on the main screen alternated between “Chankapana” and “Chankapana (English)”, the song’s language switched accordingly, keeping the audience excited for what would come next.
They then continued with“Touch (タッチ )” and “weeeek“. During “weeeek”, they went to the center stage and jumped together, arms around each other, wearing big smiles — a truly exciting and memorable moment.
As the screen displayed the special lecture on “Transformation” narrated by Koichi Yamadera, the first session was introduced as “Signs of Transformation”. The opening song, “Cocoon“, was Shigeaki Kato’s solo. Dressed entirely in white, Shigeaki captivated fans with a dramatic transformation into a butterfly at the end of the performance, taking flight and leaving a memorable impression.
Then, the live band performed an interlude while the names of the band members appeared on the screen.
In “Dry Ice. zip (ドライアイス.zip)“, the main stage screen featured a computer-themed backdrop. The members wore cute, kawaii-inspired outfits to match the playful style of the song. During the chorus of “Acchimuite Hoi (あっちむいてほい)“, the fans danced along with the members, and the juniors also joined in, adding to the lively atmosphere.
During “Top Gun”, the members split up:Koyama went to the runway,Masuda rode the tour cart, and Shigeaki remained on the main stage. In “BE FUNKY!“, all three moved around on the cart, waving to the audience, while the juniors danced on the center stage, adding energy to the performance. During “Koi no ABO (恋のABO)”, they rode the tour carts all the way to the back of the arena, energizing the entire audience and keeping the atmosphere lively throughout the venue.
They wrapped up the lively song corner with “WHAT’S NEW”, which then led into the MC segment, where the members talked about their upcoming 25th anniversary in three years. Masuda commented, “I think we’re the first group in Japanese history to have changed and continued on like this since our debut,” to which Koyama responded, “That’s transformation. That’s change. Each of us walking our own path.”
When asked what they would like to do for their 25th anniversary, Koyama suggested, “Let’s perform all our singles!” — referencing their 20th anniversary Tokyo Dome concert, where they performed every single release. However, Shigeaki quickly interjected, “Let’s not do that again! That time was just barely manageable! It was like surface tension — we were right on the edge! I was completely drained afterwards,” making the audience laugh.
The conversation then turned to Masuda’s, now-annual, “zodiac cosplay” tradition. When they realized that the 25th anniversary would fall in the Year of the Monkey, Koyama smiled and said, “A monkey will be super easy for you!” Masuda then revealed that he had already decided on his costume for the upcoming Year of the Horse, just two months away. Shigeaki and Koyama immediately guessed, “It’s a centaur, right? Half human, half horse,” correctly predicting his idea. Masuda groaned, “Hey, don’t say it out loud…” to which Shigeaki jokingly replied, “If it’s that easy to guess, maybe don’t do it!” sending everyone into laughter.
Then, the three members also began talking about the agency’s annual countdown concerts and their relationships with juniors and seniors. Masuda casually mentioned juniors whose personalities overlap with his own, saying, “Like Ryosuke Yamada from Hey! Say! JUMP, or Ren Meguro from Snow Man. The personality overlap is really bad,” with a cool expression. Koyama froze, the audience burst into laughter, and Masuda slumped slightly in embarrassment, prompting Kato to reassure him, “It’s fine!” Meanwhile, Koyama added, “The ones at fault here are all of you laughing! (laughs) Masu is one of a kind; there’s no one else like him,” giving him heartfelt support.
That day, numerous cameras were present for recording, and Koyama explained with a sly smile, “Please use your imagination as to why.” When the three noticed cameras from various TV networks were also filming, they struck the signature poses from each network’s morning and variety shows one after another on stage, shouting, “Please use this!” and “Thank you!”. Their unexpected energy and playful spirit, rare even for veterans with 22 years of experience, had the audience in stitches.
The second session, introduced by Koyama’s call and the fans’ energetic response of “Henshin!,” was themed “The Crossroads of Choice.” It began with the powerful, message-driven song “Ikiro (「生きろ」)”.
With “Koi wo Shiranai Kimi e (恋を知らない君へ)”, it was possible to observe the members’ ability to convey deep emotion, as they sang from the stairs of the main stage. Their harmonized vocals and expressive performance highlighted the song’s tender and heartfelt message, creating an intimate connection with the audience.
Additionally, “Oyasuminasai (おやすみなさい)”, a song written by Shigeaki for Masuda’s first solo album “Kidoairaku (喜怒哀楽)”, was performed by all three members for this tour, delivering a deeply moving and memorable moment for fans.
Next came Masuda’s solo “TM”, where he sang and danced while operating a camera mounted on the rails along the runway and center stage.
With Koyama’s solo “CHOIYAMA”, Koyama delivered a humorous performance alongside the Junior Toki Koyama, matching him in both costume and choreography.
During the Junior segment, with the performance of “Kibō ~Yell~ (希望～Yell)”, videos of NEWS members from their past were projected on the main stage screen, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia among the audience.
When the three members returned to the stage in shocking pink coordinated outfits, they completely transformed the atmosphere of the venue with “ROOOTS“, enhanced by fiery stage effects. The energy didn’t drop for a moment as they continued with high-energy songs like “JUMP AROUND” and “BYAKUYA.”
When it comes to NEWS, one of their biggest charms is the stage costumes designed by Masuda. During the performance of “Gomen Asobase (ごめんあそばせ)“, a song from their latest album that features lyrics written in a feminine tone, the members underwent a stunning one-minute transformation from their previous outfits into elegant oiran (courtesan-style) costumes reminiscent of kabuki onnagata. Shigeaki skillfully used a traditional parasol, Masuda held a pipe, and Koyama performed with a hand mirror — each exuding a mature, captivating allure.
For the third session, “The Path of Transformation”, the three members appeared in uniquely creative outfits, each collaged from over 100 ofMasuda’s personal items specially for this tour. During “Clover (クローバー)”, a rearranged version of “Kibō ~Yell~ (希望～Yell)” written and composed by the members themselves, a massive 13-meter-tall tree rose on the center stage, while “Sakura Girl (さくらガール)” filled the air with a shower of cherry blossoms, and “Snow Dance” saw sparkling, snow-like bubbles cascade from above, vividly portraying the transition from spring to winter and transforming the venue into a spectacular visual experience.
During “U R not alone”, fans enthusiastically waved their penlights and sang along with the trio, loudly chanting, “Little by little, move forward — not alone,” uniting the audience and performers in a shared, uplifting moment.
With “Love to Love (ラブとラブ)”, an upbeat and playful song full of energy, the members delivered lively choreography and engaged directly with the audience, creating a fun and joyous atmosphere that had fans singing and dancing along.
In his closing remarks, Koyama reflected, “We’ve gone through many changes over the years, but one thing that has never wavered is that the three of us have never left the ship. The NEWS ship will keep moving forward, rowing together with everyone here.” He added, “Another thing that remains unchanged is this agency’s tradition — juniors looking up to their seniors. We’ll do our best to preserve that spirit.” With this tour, the three members of NEWS achieved yet another evolution — a true “transformation” — leaving fans confident that the next three years toward their 25th anniversary, and the future beyond, will be nothing but bright.
Masuda addressed the audience, saying, “I’d be truly happy if each and every person who came here today felt that NEWS concerts — this place — could be a home for you, a place where you belong. We’ll keep working hard so we can continue creating that kind of space. See you again. Please come back here anytime.” He then raised his voice with emotion, calling out, “Can we meet here again!? Is it okay if we come back here!? We’ll meet here again, right!?” before shouting with all his heart, “Thank you so much for the best time today!”.
Kato said: “The reason we’re doing all this is because we want everyone to laugh!! Because we want everyone to enjoy it until the very end!! But of course, in order for everyone to support us, we have to give it our all!! Everyone supports us because we’re giving it our all, right? Yeah, I see you nodding. Good job. I can see you!!”
During the last song, “Kimi no Mama de (君のままで)”, the three members lined up on the main stage, sometimes reaching out toward the fans as they sang with heartfelt emotion, leaving a lasting impression. At the very end, the handwritten words “Kimi no Mama de” by all three members were projected in large letters on the main stage screen, bringing the concert to a memorable close.
Member’s comment about the tour:
Keiichiro Koyama:
This tour, Henshin (Transformation), is also a challenge for us to deliver a new form of expression as NEWS. We are truly honored to embody this theme on such a grand stage as Yokohama Arena. Through these performances, we hope everyone can feel our ongoing evolution.
Shigeaki Kato:
Although NEWS has reached its 22nd anniversary, we find it quite fascinating ourselves to be releasing an album and tour titled Henshin (Transformation) at this moment in our career. No matter how many years go by, we want to express that with just one idea, we can still “transform.” This tour is a live embodiment of that sense of freedom we cherish. We are already looking ahead to our 25th anniversary. We’ll keep doing our best so that everyone can imagine the many more “transformations” that NEWS will continue to go through — and we would be truly grateful for your warm support along the way.
Takahisa Masuda:
Thank you so much for coming to our concert!!!
With the message of “just as you are,” we’ve tried many kinds of “transformations” throughout this show!
We’ll keep giving our very best from here on out!
And we’ll be waiting for your “reply (henshin)”!
Check out more of NEWS through the member’s accounts on SNS!
Takahisa Masuda Instagram | Keiichiro Koyama X Account / Instagram | Shigeaki Kato X Account / Instagram
Photo assets © STARTO ENTERTAINMENT.