ILLIT Sets Jan 13 Release for Japanese Digital Single 'Sunday Morning', Chosen as Anime Season 2 Opening Theme

ILLIT has confirmed its next Japan release: the group’s second Japanese digital single, 'Sunday Morning,' will arrive on January 13, 2026. The track is also set as the opening theme for Season 2 of the Japanese TV anime 'Princess Torture Time,' combining a music release with a repeat-exposure media placement that can drive long-tail search and streaming demand.

'Sunday Morning' is framed as a J-pop rock track that highlights love’s unstoppable momentum—capturing the sparkling anticipation and gentle longing of a Sunday morning when you want to see someone right away. Its bright, upbeat pacing and airy phrasing suit the quick visual rhythm of an anime opening, helping viewers lock in a memorable hook within seconds.

A notable detail is the involvement of Mega Shinnosuke, known for the short-form breakout track 'Ai to U.' For a youth-leaning fanbase, the presence of easily clipped, remix-friendly moments can accelerate early circulation. Working with a creator fluent in short-form dynamics often means sharper hook placement, more recognizable phrasing in 10–20 seconds, and stronger social-to-search conversion.

Beyond the release date, the key hook is the track’s placement as the Season 2 opening theme for 'Princess Torture Time.' With the anime scheduled to air in January 2026 across Japanese broadcast and streaming platforms, teaser materials have already revealed a snippet. This creates a two-step cycle: teaser exposure first, then repeated weekly plays once the show airs—timed to overlap with the single’s release window and improve the odds of 'snippet → search → save' behavior.

In Japan, 'Sunday Morning' builds on ILLIT’s earlier media-tied rollout. The group previously released 'Almond Chocolate' as a Japanese film theme song and gained recognition via major local music-award visibility—helping establish baseline awareness beyond core fans. Compared with film themes that hinge on a limited theatrical window, anime openings benefit from repeated weekly exposure, which can support longer streaming tails and clearer listener profiling.

• Release date: ILLIT’s second Japanese digital single 'Sunday Morning' arrives on Jan 13, 2026.
• Collaboration: Mega Shinnosuke joins the production, boosting short-form-friendly hook recognition.
• Media tie-in: Selected as the Season 2 opening theme for the anime 'Princess Torture Time,' supporting long-tail exposure.

## 【KStarLoud Insight】 In Japan, the strategic question has shifted from simply releasing Japanese songs to placing tracks inside repeatable consumption contexts. Anime openings are particularly effective because they provide clear identifiers (song title, series title, season), frequent exposure (every episode), and strong search intent (viewers often look up the track immediately). With release timing aligned to the anime’s airing window, 'Sunday Morning' is positioned for long-tail listening—especially if additional official assets (visuals, short clips, stages) sustain the conversion from anime viewers to streaming listeners.