NIGHTMARE will perform two concerts at Manga Barcelona 2026.
The Japanese visual kei band has been announced as one of the musical guests for the 32nd edition of Manga Barcelona, which will take place from December 5 to 8, 2026, at Fira Barcelona Gran Via.
NIGHTMARE will perform on Monday, December 7, and Tuesday, December 8. Access to both concerts will be included with the corresponding admission ticket for the event. The exact schedules and stages have not yet been announced.
The band’s participation will form part of the celebrations marking the 20th anniversary of the Death Note anime. NIGHTMARE performed “the WORLD,” the series’ first opening theme, and “Alumina,” its first ending theme. Both songs became closely associated with the identity of the anime adaptation and helped the band reach a wider international audience.
First broadcast in Japan in 2006, the Death Note anime quickly became one of the most recognisable productions of its generation. The combination of its dark atmosphere, psychological conflict and NIGHTMARE’s music made “the WORLD” and “Alumina” inseparable from the series’ early episodes.
For a significant part of the international audience, these songs also provided a first introduction to NIGHTMARE and the Japanese visual kei scene. Two decades later, the band’s appearance at Manga Barcelona creates a direct connection between its career and the anniversary of one of the anime series that played the greatest role in bringing its music to listeners outside Japan.
NIGHTMARE’s connection with anime extends beyond Death Note. Throughout their career, the band have also performed “Raison d’être” for Claymore, “DIRTY” for Majin Tantei Nōgami Neuro, “Lost in Blue” for Mōryō no Hako and “Sinners” for Duel Masters King!.
These collaborations represent only one part of a discography developed over more than two decades. NIGHTMARE were formed in Sendai in 2000 and went on to become one of the most established names in visual kei and Japanese rock, building an identity around powerful melodies, a distinctive visual profile and extensive live experience.
Since their earliest releases, the group have continued to expand their repertoire beyond songs connected to animated productions. Their catalogue brings together material from different periods and reflects NIGHTMARE’s evolution within Japanese rock while preserving the musical and visual characteristics that have defined the band’s identity.
Their appearance at Manga Barcelona will follow the band’s return to European stages in 2025, when NIGHTMARE performed in Paris after an absence of more than a decade. That concert allowed the group to reunite with fans who had spent years waiting for another opportunity to see them live in Europe.
The Barcelona performances will take place in a different setting, as part of one of Spain’s leading events dedicated to manga, anime and Japanese culture. NIGHTMARE’s presence will bring together both long-standing followers of the band and visitors who primarily know their music through Death Note and other anime series.
The setlists for the two concerts have not yet been announced. It has also not been confirmed whether both performances will feature the same content or whether NIGHTMARE will prepare any differences between the two dates. Information regarding the songs, concert duration or any possible additional activities will therefore have to wait for future official announcements.
The organisers have confirmed that NIGHTMARE will perform during the final two days of Manga Barcelona and that admission to the concerts will be included with a valid ticket for each corresponding day. Attendees wishing to see both performances will need access to the event on both Monday, December 7, and Tuesday, December 8.
NIGHTMARE at Manga Barcelona 2026
December 7 and 8, 2026
Fira Barcelona Gran Via
Admission included with the corresponding Manga Barcelona ticket.
Schedules and stages will be announced at a later date.
