On October 19, HAGANE announced that they are the subject of TBS's documentary series Kaihouku, broadcast across the TBS network late on the night of Sunday, November 8, from 1:38 to 2:38 a.m. (not in every region). The episode is titled "Ikoku de Kansei ga Kikoeru Hi ~HAGANE~" — roughly, the day cheers are heard in a foreign land. Kaihouku first followed the band in January 2023. According to TBS's introduction, this episode picks up from the crisis that came straight after that broadcast, when three members left at once, and follows the new four-piece to its first shows abroad in 2026. After the broadcast it can be watched on TVer and TBS FREE for two weeks.

On air late on Sunday, November 8 — then on TVer and TBS FREE for two weeks

According to the band's announcement, the episode goes out across the TBS network late on the night of Sunday, November 8, from 1:38 to 2:38 a.m., though not in every region. Once it has aired, it can be watched on TVer and TBS FREE for two weeks. The band asks fans to check the TV listings where they live, and TBS's programme page also points out that this broadcast starts at 1:38 a.m.

Kaihouku is a documentary series TBS launched in April 2021, broadcast late on Sunday nights every other week, on subjects that range from investigative reporting to history, people and animals. This episode is a TBS Television production, and the director TBS credits for it also directed the 2023 episode.

January 2023: the first episode, about the five-piece in the pandemic

This is HAGANE's second time on Kaihouku. The first was "Kansei ga Kikoeru Hi ~HAGANE~", broadcast late on January 22, 2023. TBS's page for it describes a five-woman band whose first headline show, in March 2020, was switched at short notice to a show with no audience as COVID spread, followed by shows with capped numbers where fans could not shout. The episode followed a band that did everything itself, showed differing views on the pandemic slowly weighing on the five, and ended with the band's first headline show at which fans were allowed to shout again.

Before it aired, the band said the filming had followed them closely since the previous year, that the episode continued a documentary film, and that it included their December 23, 2022 show with shouting allowed.

Three members leave right after — Nagi through an audition, JUNNA at Sakura's invitation

TBS's introduction says that straight after the January 2023 broadcast the band faced a break-up crisis, with three members leaving at the same time. On February 28, 2023, HAGANE announced the departure of Uyu (vocals), Mayto. (guitar) and Kanako (drums), over differences about the band's direction; Sakura (guitar) and Sayaka (bass) would look for new members and carry on. The five-piece's last show was a headline show, "ZERO", at Shinjuku ReNY on May 26.

The next day, May 27, Sakura and Sayaka began looking for a new vocalist, with "BlackCult" from Code ; 9021 as the audition song; the call, due to close on June 30, was extended by a month to July 30. Speaking to Gekirock in April 2025, the members said that Nagi came in through that audition, while drummer JUNNA, whom Sakura knew from support work, was the first person Sakura approached after the previous vocalist and drummer had gone. The search for a vocalist took far longer than expected, Sakura said, with many studio sessions, until Nagi applied around December 2023.

On April 23, 2024, HAGANE announced their restart as a four-piece: Nagi on vocals, Sakura on guitar, Sayaka on bass and JUNNA on drums. A digital EP, Life Goes On!, followed on May 29, and the band returned to the stage at Shibuya REX on June 27 with "HAGANE reboot live -Life goes on!-".

2026: the first shows abroad — Denmark, Germany and Spain

TBS's introduction says the new HAGANE won new fans and by 2026 had come as far as their first shows abroad, and asks what the four saw in a far-off country. According to the band's own notices, those 2026 shows began at EPIC FEST in Denmark on April 11 (King Roar's Hall), then ROCKHARZ in Germany on July 2 (the day HAGANE played sold out), a show of their own at Privatclub in Berlin on July 3 (special guest Dekadenza, sold out), and ROCK IMPERIUM FESTIVAL in Spain on July 5.

TBS's page also quotes Sakura: since the band became these four, she says, the worries she used to carry have almost all gone, and she trusts the others as people too — with them, she feels, things will be all right.

Through the Night on December 2, and Europe in April 2027

By the time the episode airs, HAGANE's full album Through the Night will be weeks from its release date of December 2. Outside Japan, Austria's Napalm Records have it on CD and vinyl with a release date of January 15, 2027 (our September 30 feature has the details). The release tour runs to fifteen shows, from HEAVEN'S ROCK Saitama Shintoshin VJ-3 on December 12 to Zepp DiverCity on February 19, 2027; the play-guide presale takes applications until October 25, and general sale opens at 10 a.m. on October 31. On December 28 Sakura plays a birthday headline show, "Sakura Birthday Live 2026 - Ungai Souten -", at Shibuya Ongakudo.

In April 2027 come the European dates the band's schedule lists as "THROUGH THE NIGHT / EUROPEAN TOUR PART1": EPIC FEST in Roskilde, Denmark, on the 9th, LIDO in Berlin on the 13th, MARKTHALLE in Hamburg on the 14th and CLUB VOLTA in Cologne on the 16th.

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