Yankee is the second studio album by Japanese musician Kenshi Yonezu and fourth original album release. It was released on April 23, 2014, followed by his first live concert on June 27, 2014.

In May 2012, Yonezu released Diorama, his third album and first to use his own vocals. It was released under independent label Balloom. The album was written, produced and illustrated entirely by Yonezu himself. The album was commercially successful, debuting at number six on Oricon's albums charts, and was one of the most sold independently released albums of 2012 in Japan.

A year later, Yonezu debuted under major label Universal Music Japan with the single "Santa Maria." Two of the songs were performed with a band, the first time Yonezu had worked like this. The single reached number 12 on chart provider Oricon's singles chart. This was continued in October 2013 with the single "Mad Head Love" / "Poppin' Apathy."

A week after his second single's release, Yonezu released his first Vocaloid song in two and a half years, called "Donut Hole" (ドーナツホール, Dōnatsu Hōru^?) using Gumi vocals. It was the first time he used a live band on a Vocaloid song. This song became a part of Yankee, with vocals recorded by Yonezu himself. followed by the first series of concerts in his career.

The album features the songs "Mad Head Love," "Hyakki Yakō" and "Santa Maria" from the two singles released before the album, as well as 12 unpublished songs. The version of "Santa Maria" featured on Yankee has re-recorded vocals that differ from the single version. Much of the album was recorded in January and February 2014. Yonezu announced on Twitter that the album mastering was finished on February 19, 2014.

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