Home Made Kazoku are officially making music again after a long 10-year pause, and for anime fans who grew up on mid-2000s openings, this one hits gila nostalgic.
The Japanese hip-hop group announced through their official website on Tuesday that they are returning to music activities. They are also staying with Ki/oon Music, their longtime label under Sony Music Labels, which makes this feel less like a one-off reunion and more like a proper restart.
For newer anime fans, the name might not instantly click. But if you were watching Naruto Shippūden, Bleach, or Eureka Seven during the era when anime songs were passed around via YouTube uploads, MP3 folders, and cyber cafe playlists, you definitely know their sound. Home Made Kazoku brought that warm, upbeat Japanese hip-hop flavour that made anime openings feel motivational without becoming too try-hard.
The group went inactive after their concert The Last Live on December 29, 2016. Before confirming their return properly, they had already surprised fans on April 19 by revealing plans to appear at several music festivals this summer. Their first listed comeback appearance is Kariya Urban Fes. 2026 To the Max, happening on May 31.
Home Made Kazoku consists of vocalists Micro and KURO, plus DJ U-ICHI. All three members are the same age, and their background is quite international for a Japanese hip-hop act of their generation. Micro spent part of his childhood in Kentucky, while KURO lived in Chicago until he was 12. The trio later met while studying in Aichi Prefecture, eventually forming the group and making their major label debut on May 19, 2004.
Before signing with Ki/oon Records, now Ki/oon Music, they released their first three albums independently between 2001 and 2004. After moving to the label, they continued putting out singles and albums, with their 11th album, Laughin’ Road, arriving in February 2015.
For Malaysian and SEA anime fans, this comeback is more than just a random J-music update. Home Made Kazoku are part of that specific anime era where opening and ending songs became the soundtrack for a whole generation of fans. Their tracks were tied to shows that shaped anime fandom here — the kind of series people watched on TV, DVD, fansub sites, and later streaming platforms.
It also matters because anime music is becoming much more visible in Southeast Asia now. We are seeing more Japan-connected concerts, ACG festivals, and anisong acts getting attention across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. If Home Made Kazoku’s return leads to new releases or overseas festival slots, SEA fans could actually have a shot at seeing them live someday. No promises yet, but the timing is interesting.
The big question now is what kind of music they will make in 2026. Will they lean fully into nostalgia, or update their sound for a new anime generation? Either way, having the group back under Sony’s Ki/oon Music banner gives fans a real reason to pay attention.
For now, no new single or album details have been announced in the source report. But Home Made Kazoku restarting after a decade is already enough to wake up every old-school anime playlist.
Source: Anime News Network