High-ranking U.S. politician confirmed as a Demon Slayer music fan

Secretary of State is also fan of anime song.

For the past 15 months, a whole lot of people have had Japanese pop star LiSA’s “Homura” stuck in their heads. Not only is it a catchy tune, it’s also the theme song for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba–The Movie: Mugen Train.

▼ You can hear it here in the movie’s trailer.

Mugen Train isn’t just the biggest hit in recent anime movie memory, it’s the highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, so snippets of the song have been all over the Japanese media sphere, giving “Homura” exposure far beyond the hardcore otaku community. Just how far? Far enough that it’s now one of the favorite songs of one of the highest-ranking politicians in the United States.

Music brings people together--it transcends borders and everything else that might otherwise divide us. As we close 2021, I'm sharing some of my favorite songs released this year (or recently), by artists around the world. Hope you enjoy as much as I have. https://t.co/KYiXQiVrx0 pic.twitter.com/Ln2F0zHxaJ

— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) December 31, 2021

As 2021 wound down, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shared a pair of Spotify lists of his favorite songs he’d been listening to over the past year. One is comprised of American artists, but the other, his “On the Road” list, is composed of songs by musicians outside the U.S., in keeping with the global focus of the leader of a government division focused on international relations.

There are 36 songs on the On the Road list, and number 9 is…

…yep, “Homura!”

Though “Homura,” like Mugen Train, was released in 2021, Blinken specifies that his On the Road list is “one of my favorite songs released this year (or recently) by artists from across the globe,” adding “No matter where we live, music can inspire us. Hope you enjoy these tunes as much as I have.” Sure, maybe there are newer anison examples that hardcore fans have swapped into their own personal playlists, but “Homura” remains a culturally relevant symbol of the Japanese music scene, and Blinken’s fondness for it is the most direct endorsement of otaku culture since Obama thanked Japan for all the anime.

Source: Spotify via Twitter/@SecBlinken via Deadline via Yuruku Yaru via Jin
Top image: YouTube/アニプレックス YouTube チャンネル
Insert images: Spotify
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