Taiga Kyomoto’s creative project ART-PUT has entered a new chapter. After launching Phase 2 in May with a new teaser and a series of behind-the-scenes “IN-PUT” videos, ART-PUT began its next stage with “Tora Tora,” released on June 3 as the project’s sixth music video. Now, the project has taken another step forward with “Butterfly,” its seventh music video, which was released on October 2.
From the first glimpse of Phase 2 to the release of its latest music video, ART-PUT continues to give fans an opportunity to experience not only its finished works, but also the creative process behind them.
The Beginning of Phase 2
ART-PUT was launched by Taiga Kyomoto in September 2024 as a creative project based on the idea of transforming the various things he experiences and takes in through his everyday life—his “IN-PUT”—into different forms of art and “OUTPUT.”
Throughout its first phase, the project explored a variety of forms of expression, including music, music videos, photography and exhibitions. Phase 2 was officially announced with a teaser released on May 12, 2026, signaling the beginning of a new chapter.
The project then began documenting the creative process through its “IN-PUT” series. On May 20, “IN-PUT #4” was released under the title “Starting Phase2,” followed by “IN-PUT #5” on May 27, which offered a look at the recording process and meetings for the upcoming music video.
That first new “OUTPUT” would be “Tora Tora.”
“Tora Tora”: The First Step Into Phase 2
Released on June 3, “Tora Tora” became ART-PUT’s sixth music video and the first major release of Phase 2.
For the song, Taiga wrote the lyrics and co-composed the music with Keiichi Oosawa, who also handled the arrangement. Taiga also took on the role of music video director for the first time, working alongside co-director Ippei Morimoto.
Taking on the role of director allowed Taiga to bring the visual world of the song closer to the image he had envisioned while creating it. After the MV was released, he described the finished video as being almost like “stripping bare” the image of the song that had existed in his mind, expressing his excitement about finally being able to share the new work with listeners.
The music video presents a distinctive visual world that combines traditional Japanese elements with a contemporary, stylized aesthetic. Taiga appears alongside dancers Miu Ide and Hitomi, while the music itself brings together traditional instruments such as Tsugaru shamisen and koto with electric guitar, bass and drums.
The instrumental lineup includes Yutaka Oyama on Tsugaru shamisen, Hidetaro Okamura on koto, Josiah Hawley on electric guitar, Matthew Cataldo on bass and Dennis Sullivan on drums.
This combination of different sounds and visual elements is particularly fitting for ART-PUT’s concept. Rather than restricting the project to a single form of expression, Taiga is able to combine different creative disciplines and shape the final work according to his own vision.
“Tora Tora” also represented an important step in Taiga’s involvement in the creative process. As a member of SixTONES, he primarily approaches projects from the perspective of a performer. With ART-PUT, however, he has the opportunity to make decisions across a much broader range of areas, from the music and lyrics to the visual presentation, collaborators and overall direction.
For “Tora Tora,” that involvement extended to the music video itself.
The making of the video was later explored through “Tora Tora MV Making & Editing — IN-PUT #6,” released on June 10. By showing part of the process behind the finished MV, the episode continued one of ART-PUT’s defining ideas: allowing fans to follow the journey from “IN-PUT” to “OUTPUT,” rather than seeing only the completed work.
From “Tora Tora” to “Butterfly”
Following “Tora Tora,” ART-PUT continued to document its creative process before revealing its next music video.
The project’s “IN-PUT” videos once again gave fans glimpses into the creation of the new work. “IN-PUT #7,” released on September 26, focused on the recording of “Butterfly,” while “IN-PUT #8,” released on September 30, showed a meeting related to the music video.
These videos gradually built anticipation for the next stage of Phase 2 before “Butterfly” was finally released on October 2.
“Butterfly”: A Different Side of ART-PUT
“Butterfly” is ART-PUT’s seventh music video and continues Taiga’s hands-on approach to the project.
For the song, Taiga wrote the lyrics and co-composed the music with Yocke, who also arranged the track. Once again, Taiga took on the role of director for the music video.
While “Tora Tora” established the beginning of Phase 2, “Butterfly” shows that the new chapter is not simply a one-off change in direction. Instead, ART-PUT continues to develop its concept through new music, visuals and creative collaborations.
Taiga has described “Butterfly” as expressing the conflict and frustration of being unable to live life in an effortless or “skillful” way. The song therefore approaches a more personal sense of struggle, turning those feelings into another piece of ART-PUT’s creative output.
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