In what’s become an annual tradition, the star musician gave a group of teens the surprise of their young lives.

If fans were going to pick a single word to describe Japanese rock star Gackt, most would go with “cool.” After all, the 43-year-old musician radiates an aura of highly developed style, articulate confidence, and physical prowess.

But earlier this week, Gackt proved himself to be a cool guy in an entirely different sense, by showing his kind generosity as he made a surprise appearance at the graduation ceremony for Nakazato Nishi Middle School in Shizuoka Prefecture.

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During the ceremony on March 19, the famed J-rocker strode up to the stage and offered his congratulations to the class of 2017.

“A dream isn’t just something you have,” he reminded the assembled teens. “It’s something you make come true, and to do that, you have to be strong and keep believing.”

▼ He may spend more time in luxurious backstage accommodations, but Gackt looks plenty comfortable relaxing in a back room of Nakazato Nishi Middle School.

Gackt also posed for celebratory snapshots with the graduates, but not before singing his 2007 hit “No ni Saku Haha no You ni” (“Like Flowers Blooming in a Field”).

▼ Music video for “No ni Saku Haha no You ni”

Gackt originally wrote this song after receiving a letter from a high school student in Hyogo Prefecture who was worried about his school’s department being shut down due to a lack of interested students. The division pulled through, though, and to honor the determination that led to its survival, Gackt penned the song and performed it at that year’s graduation ceremony.

▼ Gackt performing at another graduation ceremony in 2015

Gackt has since made a habit of suddenly showing up at one graduation each spring to serenade the graduating class. With no apparent ties to Nakazato Nishi Middle School, this year’s school seems to have been selected at random. That just adds to the surprise and mystery, so if you happen to find yourself at a Japanese graduation ceremony next year, keep your eyes peeled for a mysterious, sunglass-sporting stranger swaggering in half-way through.

Source: IT Media, Twitter/@ohgacktyoudidnt

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he wishes he’d taken more pictures at his high school graduation.