In 2003, ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION exploded onto the anime scene with “Haruka Kanata”, the second theme track for the favored Naruto anime. The crunchy guitar riffs and uncooked vocals introduced an alt-rock sensibility uncommon for anime theme songs. The next yr, followers of massive action-driven shonen sequence would hear from them once more, as they Full Steel Alchemist with the final theme challenge, “RewriteTwenty years later, the band celebrates the twentieth anniversary of their main label debut, together with a re-record from ‘Haruka Kanata’.
© Ki/oon Music.
They’ve supplied theme songs for plenty of anime and movie productions, together with The Tatami Galaxy, Tekkon KinkcreetAnd DELETED. Whereas followers within the US could know them greatest for his or her anime work, they’re much greater than an anisong band, with ten albums and a number of other EPs to their identify. The band first shaped in 1996 with Masafumi Gotoh on vocals and rhythm guitar, Kensuke Kita on lead guitar, Takahiro Yamada on bass and Kiyoshi Ichiji on drums. After taking part in in small golf equipment in Yokohama for a couple of years, they made their main label debut in 2002 with Hokai amplifierTheir album cowl was designed by illustrator Yusuke Nakamurawho continues to supply all their albums together with his signature paintings.
Of Hokai amplifier The band reached quantity 35 on the Oricon charts and skilled a meteoric rise in the summertime of 2003, first headlining the membership Shelter in Shimokitazawa, then performing on the Fuji Rock and Summer season Sonic festivals, and eventually releasing their first main label single, “Mirai no Kakera.” That fall, they launched their first full-length studio album Kimi Tsunagi 5 M reached a powerful quantity 5 on the Oricon charts. Since then, they’ve launched a number of primary hit singles, carried out on the Budokan, toured the world, and even performed with Weezer, one in every of their largest influences. The band is beloved for his or her indie storage rock sound, which balances robust bass strains, catchy guitar riffs, and highly effective vocals that alternate between melodic singing and uncooked screams.
Just lately, they’ve caught the eye of anime followers for being one of many predominant inspirations behind the Kessoku Band, a very powerful group in music manga/anime. Bocchi the Rock!The members – Hitori Gotoh, Nijika Ichiji, Ryo Yamada and Ikuyo Kita – are named after the members of ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATIONMoreover, the membership they play at, Starry, is clearly based mostly on Shelter and their music type has an identical various rock sound.
© Ki/oon Music.
What can followers anticipate from this assortment?
Gotoh: Our band is approaching its thirtieth anniversary, and in Japan, our followers are altering from era to era. We now have already launched 10 albums, and I feel it’s a frequent concern for artists around the globe, from which album we’ll introduce new listeners to our music. By gathering singles on a single compilation album, we are able to comply with the chronology of our actions and folks can discover our pursuits in every interval. We thought that the twentieth anniversary could be a very good time to guage our actions and introduce our music to the brand new era, so that’s the reason we determined to launch this single assortment.
How would you like loyal followers and new followers to take pleasure in this?
We: Being a long-time fan myself, I found lots when listening to the singles so as of launch.
This assortment is organized from most up-to-date songs to oldest, and it was very refreshing for me. It gave me a number of sonic discoveries and hints about what sort of songs could be good for ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION sooner or later.
For loyal followers, this have to be a significant piece.
For brand new followers who could not know a lot of our songs but, I hope they are going to hearken to them and uncover their very own favorites! ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATIONThe singles are all superb!
How does it really feel to revisit Haruka Kanata?
Yamada: The very first thing you hear is the bass intro, and since you’ve got heard the outdated model so many occasions, I used to be questioning what to do with the intro. I acquired out some outdated devices and gear and recorded the sound with them, as a result of I assumed if I performed it now, it might sound totally different from the outdated model, and among the outdated goodness would come collectively. It is fairly cool. In fact, I labored laborious on the intro, however all of us sounded nice. I feel we have been capable of file the brand new “Haruka Kanata” that the present ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION happens.
What has modified because you first recorded it? Had been there any particular challenges?
Gotoh: After a very long time for the reason that authentic recording, the best way I sing has modified with age. Tips on how to bridge the hole between the roughness of my youth and my mature singing type, which I consider has grown with age, was one of many challenges I needed to overcome. Finally, I expressed myself truthfully with my physique as it’s now, however there was a variety of strain as a result of I all the time imagined how the followers would hear and really feel.
Final yr you celebrated the twentieth anniversary of your main label debut. Do you’re feeling otherwise than you probably did on the tenth anniversary?
Gotoh: I really feel just like the members are way more relaxed now and we are able to go straight to the purpose when writing or recording a track.
As you most likely know, the characters from Bocchi the Rock! are named after the band members and their music type is impressed by yours. Are there every other parallels?
Gotoh: Fairly than the characters drawing a mode to us, I feel this work captures the ambiance of the native rock scene in Tokyo (Shimokitazawa) at the moment very nicely. The music of the kessoku band is extra influenced by our senpai bands, resembling Quantity Lady, than by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATIONI feel.
©Hamajiaki/Houbunsha/Aniplex
Do you’re feeling any reference to Bocchi the Rock! or his followers?
Gotoh: I do know lots of people have come to know our music by way of anime, and I feel we’ll really feel that connection to any extent further. It could be nice if extra new audiences would come to our reveals sooner or later.
I additionally heard that many anime followers from abroad go to the stay home in Shimokitazawa (Tokyo), the place we spent our childhood. I feel now we have made some attention-grabbing connections with individuals from abroad. I’m amazed at how influential the anime is.
You could have labored with Nakamura Yusuke for the reason that starting of your profession. What attracted you to his artwork? What’s your relationship like?
Gotoh: After I noticed his artwork I assumed it was very Japanese-esque. I assumed there have to be an affinity with the band identify which has the phrases “ASIAN” and “KUNG-FU”.
For instance, once I imagined individuals from abroad coming to Tower Data in Shibuya, which was most likely the No. 1 retailer on the planet on the time, to purchase data and CDs, I assumed they might convey our CDs together with his paintings. His illustration regarded like it might stand out from different cowl artwork.
He’s an excellent buddy of mine. He’s additionally one in every of my sympathetic supporters, and after we discuss music, he typically understands what I imply higher than the band members.
He is an illustrator, however he has an incredible understanding of music. Possibly he has an incredible empathy or one thing like that. He is a really attention-grabbing man.
How does the method of writing a track for a sequence or movie differ from regular enterprise?
Gotoh: After we make a track for a present or a film, we get some type of requests, so now we have to take that under consideration. For instance, there are requests for a quick track or a track that matches the storyline of the present for the ending…so I take into consideration that.
The remainder is basically the identical, however in my case, if there may be an authentic work, say a novel written earlier than the movie premieres, I learn the novel very rigorously.
When a manga is to be tailored into an anime, I learn all of the comics which were revealed at the moment.
I’m fascinated by what sort of feeling or will drives the work as a complete and I adapt the lyrics of the songs accordingly.
Do you’ve gotten a message in your worldwide followers, those that have cherished your music for many years and those that could also be simply discovering your music?
All: We actually felt individuals’s love and appreciation for our music after we performed overseas. We actually really feel your love, and we’re very grateful for that. We are going to proceed to make works with our sincerity, so please hearken to our music once more.
