Japan’s wolf-headed rock force MAN WITH A MISSION is ending 2026 with a major announcement: its eighth studio album, The Circus, arrives December 23 through Sony Music/Century Media. The band has also unleashed “Firestarter,” the theme song for the anime The Vermillion Mask, with a wonderfully bizarre new video.
The record gathers songs tied to anime, film and sports—including the milet collaboration “Kizuna no Kiseki,” “The Animals,” and “ONE”—and will be the band’s first original full-length since 2022. Mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge worked on several new tracks. The band has also announced a tour of all 47 Japanese prefectures, with international dates promised later.
In the “Firestarter” video, the band members become a mysterious spice that causes chaos inside one man’s body. It’s a fittingly unpredictable preview of an album called The Circus.
Official Press Release
MAN WITH A MISSION
ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM
THE CIRCUS
OUT DECEMBER 23RD 2026 VIA
SONY MUSIC/CENTURY MEDIA
‘FIRESTARTER’
VIDEO RELEASED
October 28th 2026 – Japanese superstars MAN WITH A MISSION have released the video for
their new single ‘Firestarter’
alongside the announcement of their eighth studio album The Circus which
will be released on December 23rd 2026 via Sony Music/Century Media.
The highly anticipated new album features
an array of songs which the band have teased over the past year, including ‘Kizuna no Kiseki’, their collaboration with Japanese
alt-pop star milet that generated widespread attention as the opening
theme for the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Swordsmith Village Arc
anime), one of a number of high-profile tie-ins which have been selected from The
Circus.
The Circus also
features previous singles including ‘The Animals’, also the theme song for the
film Wara nimo Sugaru Kemono tachi (English: BEASTS CLUTCHING AT STRAWS),
while ‘ONE’ was created as the anthem for Japanese football team Cerezo Osaka,
in addition their latest single ‘Firestarter’ is an explosive rock song which
also forms the theme song for the new anime series of The Vermillion Mask.
The ‘Firestarter’ video out today takes a humorous and playful approach, using
spice as a metaphor for exciting, stimulating music. It follows a day in the life of a man after he
takes this “spice” into his body. The
members of MAN WITH A MISSION themselves become the spice, entering his body
and causing all kinds of chaos from within. It’s a fun and slightly surreal concept which captures the explosive
energy of the song. Watch it here.
The release of The Circus marks MAN
WITH A MISSION’s first original full-length album in approximately four and a
half years, following Break and Cross the Walls II, released in May 2022
as the second instalment of their first-ever two-part album project.
Mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge, renowned
for his work with internationally acclaimed artists including Green Day,
Madonna, and My Chemical Romance, has worked on several new tracks on The
Circus to elevate MAN WITH A MISSION’s latest rock anthems into an even
more powerful and dynamic sonic experience.
Much like the album’s performative namesake,
where a succession of different acts unfolds before the audience, the album The
Circus takes listeners through ever-changing sonic landscapes, capturing
the unpredictable appeal of never knowing what will come next. It is a powerful
showcase of the broad musical range that MAN WITH A MISSION have
cultivated throughout their career.
Alongside the album announcement, the band
have also revealed details of their highly anticipated domestic tour. Spanning
live houses and concert halls, the large-scale tour will visit all 47
prefectures of Japan, with guest bands joining the lineup at each show.
Carrying The Circus to audiences nationwide, MAN WITH A MISSION are set
to bring their latest music to fans across Japan, with international tour dates
to follow soon.
For more information contact Jamie Roberts at For The Win Media: jamie@forthewin.media