Japan has historically been a vital market for K-pop groups looking to make it big outside of Korea, which has meant Japan-specific album releases that can include some of the brightest songs from a popular group’s vast discography. GIANT is the second Japanese studio album from Stray Kids, one of the most successful groups of K-pop’s fourth generation, and it includes a hodgepodge of tracks that speak to the continued importance of Japan to the contemporary K-pop scene. In addition to the title track, written by Stray Kids’ producer subunit 3RACHA, the album includes a Japanese version of the group’s 2024 lead single “Chk Chk Boom”, a Dragon Ball Z-inspired song called “Saiyan”, angsty love rocker “愛をくれたのに、なぜ” and an upbeat seasonal track called “Christmas Love” that Japanese-fluent fans can sing during the holidays. GIANT is also a showcase for some of the group’s previously released Japanese original soundtrack work, including ‘WHY?’, an energetic rock song composed for live-action drama Re: Revenge-In the End of Desire and two English-language tracks composed for the second season of mega-popular anime Tower of God.