“Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss” Unexpectedly Trends as Pop’n Music Revives Genre Names

On July 5, 2025, the phrase “Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss” unexpectedly trended on the social media platform X, drawing significant attention from many internet users. Behind this uniquely sounding phrase was a surprising announcement concerning the latest installment of the popular music game “Pop’n Music.”

At the heart of the buzz was the unexpected display of “Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss” as the genre name for the song “Uohyo ni Nobori Kagayoite” (魚氷に上り耀よひて) included in the game. For a long time, Pop’n Music had maintained a specification where song genre names were not displayed, making the revival of “genre names” itself big news.

Users flooded social media with expressions of surprise and joy, such as “Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss in the new Pop’n?!?,” “Uohyo ni Nobori Kagayoite (Read: Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss),” and “So happy genre names are back, but ‘Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss’ took all the attention lol.” The impact was so immense that some even speculated, “Did they bring back genre names just for Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss?”

This nostalgic return of genre name display was welcomed by long-time Pop’n fans, affectionately known as the “Rhythm Game Senior Citizens’ Club” (音ゲー老人会), with comments like, “Even the Rhythm Game Senior Citizens’ Club can’t help but smile at the genre name ‘Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss’.” This has further heightened anticipation for the game.

The song “Uohyo ni Nobori Kagayoite” itself has also received passionate support from fans, with comments like “I truly love it” and “It’s super hot.” Combined with the revival of genre names, significant attention is now focused on the future developments of “Pop’n Music.”

The Context

Pop’n Music is a popular and long-running rhythm game series developed by Konami, known for its colorful characters and diverse music genres. In earlier iterations of the game, each song was assigned a unique “genre name,” which often blended descriptive terms with whimsical or humorous phrases, adding to the game’s quirky charm. However, for many years, the display of these genre names was discontinued in newer versions of the game, much to the lament of veteran players. The sudden reintroduction of a genre name, especially one as unexpected and memorable as “Nico Nico Sunflower Kiss,” is a significant event for the fanbase. It's seen as a nostalgic nod to the series' roots and a delightful surprise that has reinvigorated excitement, particularly among the “Rhythm Game Senior Citizens' Club,” a term affectionately used for long-time, dedicated players of rhythm games.