Game
Music: the theme and the bonus
Joe Hisaishi composed the main theme; Lilas wrote the lyrics and sings it. The eleven-track pre-order bonus is separate: existing series music, in-game.
Two names, one song. Joe Hisaishi composed the main theme, and Lilas wrote the lyrics and sang it. LEVEL5 announced the pairing in April 2026 and published a making-of documentary on 10 September 2026, the day after the release date was confirmed.
For a series that has always had a strong melodic identity - the main theme is one of the most recognisable in Japanese games - this is the most heavily promoted piece of the production.
Two names on one song
| Role | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Composer | Joe Hisaishi | Composer, conductor and pianist |
| Lyrics and vocals | Lilas | Singer-songwriter, also known as ikura of YOASOBI |
LEVEL5's own description frames it as a meeting of two artists at the top of their fields, and the pairing is the sort of thing that gets its own trailer. Both are named on the Japanese and English versions of the official site.
Release dates for the music
| Date | What was published |
|---|---|
| 2026-04-10 | Main theme information and cast interview |
| 2026-09-10 | The Making of "The New World" Theme Song |
| 2026-09-10 | PV (LEVEL5 VISION 2026 II Ver.) |
The documentary is the more interesting of the two for anyone who cares how the song was made; the PV is where you hear it in context.
Theme versus bonus
They are different things, and confusing them is easy.
| Main theme | Pre-order soundtrack | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | One new song, written for this game | Eleven existing series tracks |
| Who made it | Joe Hisaishi and Lilas | Various, from seven previous games |
| Included in the game | Yes, as the theme | Only if you pre-order |
| Published separately | Not announced | LEVEL5 says it may be sold later |
The bonus is a history lesson; the main theme is the new thing. Want the new material before December? The trailers are the only official source.
How the series uses its themes
Every main-line entry has a theme that gets arranged and reused across the game - the pre-order set's own track list demonstrates it, with six main themes and arrangements of three of them. The Katrielle entry added its own theme, which is track 07 on the bonus.
That pattern suggests the Hisaishi/Lilas song will appear in multiple arrangements through the game. LEVEL5 has not said so.
Listening sources
- The making-of documentary and the two 2026 trailers, all on the official channel and linked from layton.jp.
- The eleven-track bonus, in-game, from the Secret Content menu, if you pre-order before 9 December 2026.
- The older themes, on the mobile ports' soundtracks and in each game's own credits.