It has been announced that Memai Siren’s new song image _____, which is produced and arranged by TK (Ling Tosite Sigure), will be released on January 22 next year.

The song will be used as the ending theme for the upcoming TV anime series pet. The opening theme is entitled Chō no Tobu Suisō (The Water Tank the Butterfly Flies in) and sees TK from Ling Tosite Sigure taking the helm to perform the song.

Both the anime edit version and full version of image _____ will be made available for digital download on January 6.

Memai Siren said: “There’s a lot of things in pet we can relate to. It looks at the mountains and valleys of people’s hearts, and questions if what we’re looking at really is reality. We set out to create a song from the perspective of the storyーone that can support people. And with TK kindly on board to produce for us, we believe we have been able to elevate our expressive power like we never have. However, the reality in which I am writing this right now: is it just a memory? Or am I just rewriting something? Does this song even exist in the first place? I entrust the answers [to these questions] to you, the listeners.”

It has been announced that TK from Ling Tosite Sigure will perform the opening theme song for the upcoming anime adaptation of the Remaster Edition of Ranjō Miyake’s Pet manga series. The song is titled Chō no Tobu Suisō (The Water Tank the Butterfly Flies in).

A new promotional video for the anime was also released which features the song.

Pet will premiere on TOKYO MX on January 6, 2020. Amazon will exclusively stream the series on Amazon Prime Video in Japan and overseas, with the first two episodes hitting the service on January 5, 2020 at 24:00 (January 6, 2020 at 12:00am).

Speaking about being involved with the series, TK commented: “I have read [the manga] countless times. The story takes me somewhere else. It makes me feel like I’m in a dream. If you asked me how this song came about, it seems like my memory of it has been plucked from me.”

©Ranjō Miyake・KADOKAWA/ Twin Engine Inc.

RADWIMPS just dropped a music video for Daijoubu, one of the main themes from the hit animated film Weathering with You taken from the band’s forthcoming album Weathering with You complete version which is set for release on November 27.

RADWIMPS – “Daijoubu” Music Video

The music video delicately weaves together the content of the song through the shots of the vast natural landscape and the workings of people.

Daijoubu is already drawing a great deal of attention after it was first performed on the NHK General TV documentary Weathering with You & Us: RADWIMPS x Makoto Shinkai which centres on the band’s journey with Weathering with You and the film’s director Makoto Shinkai. Shinkai describes Daijoubu as a song that exemplifies everything in the movie’s last scene.

The song is also now available to download independently of the album. Pre-orders for the album are now open on iTunes.

For more details on the album, check the info below and visit RADWIMPS’s official website.

RADWIMPS have announced a new tour for 2020 that will take them to 7 cities around Japan for 10 concerts. The venues include four of Japan’s biggest domes which will mark the band’s first time playing them. Details on tickets are available on the band’s official website.

RADWIMPS, who are responsible for the entire soundtrack for Makoto Shinkai’s animated film Weathering with You, will release a new album entitled Weathering with You complete version on November 27, 2019. The album will include all 5 main themes, including both the full versions and versions edited down for the film. Limited Pressing Edition copies include an English version of Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru Kai. It will also feature the music video for Grand Escape feat. Toko Miura which the band performed live on YouTube in a special one-night-only stream that was watched by over 100,000 people.

The music video includes cuts from Weathering with You cut together specifically for the video.

©2019 “Weathering with You” Production Committee

This year’s blockbuster hit Weathering with You from internationally-acclaimed animator and film director Makoto Shinkai dropped back in July and has since amassed over 13.7 billion yen (approximately US$126 million) in the box office.

The film’s soundtrack including the main themes were all composed by Japanese band RADWIMPS, and it’s been announced that a special documentary centred on their journey with the movie will be released on NHK General TV on November 4, 2019. It is titled Weathering with You & Us: RADWIMPS x Makoto Shinkai.

The programme will include studio performances of four of the film’s main themes, including some that have never been performed live before. Themes include Grand Escape and Shukusai both of which featured guest vocals from voice actress Toko Miura.

There will also be a live talk by RADWIMPS and Makoto Shinkai which features a guest audience of 100 students who are chasing their dreams. Other content includes never-before-seen storyboards, messages sent between the director and band during the recording of the soundtrack, and much in-depth insight into the recording process.

RADWIMPS, who are responsible for the film’s entire soundtrack, will release a new album entitled Weathering with You complete version on November 27, 2019. The album will include all 5 main themes, including both the full versions and versions edited down for the film. Limited Pressing Edition copies include an English version of Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru Kai.

ONE OK ROCK are knee-deep in the Japan leg of their ongoing world tour which is being held in promotion of their latest record Eye of the Storm. As they continue smashing out shows, it has just been announced that the North America and Europe legs of the tour will be covered in an upcoming documentary on NHK in Japan.

The band performed in North America back in February and March, followed by Europe in May and US & Mexico in July. The band members and staff have been sleeping aboard their tour bus while travelling from city to city. Since 2012, the band has endeavored to perform live around the world. The documentary will be their first ever and an exclusive look for fans into their tour life.

The members released the following statement regarding the documentary: “Our documentary will be broadcast [on TV] and will cover the overseas legs of our Eye of the Storm tour, including North America and Europe, which began in February this year! If you watch this program, even if not everything, you might learn a little bit about our lives as ONE OK ROCK, so please be sure to check it out!”

TK from Ling Tosite Sigure has embarked on a new tour entitled Bi-Phase Brain “L side”. His first show took place at Shinkiba STUDIO COAST in Tokyo. He was joined by guest act österreich who, like TK, has performed music for the Tokyo Ghoul anime series. österreich is the solo project by Japanese musician Kunimitsu Takahashi and this marked his first live performance since his band “the cabs” broke up in 2013.

österreich was supported on stage by Mizuki Iida (cinema staff) and Ai Kamano on vocals, Katsuaki Sato (Gecko&Tokage Parade) on piano, Sohei Mishima (cinema staff/peelingwards) on bass, GOTO (DALLJUB STEP CLUBのGOTO) on drums, and Anzu Suhara on violin.

All the members stepped onto stage, with Takahashi at the front who began the set on guitar with Zeitaku no Hone. The members displayed their instrumental mastery to flurries of applause. Takahashi himself was most into it of all, and his moved his whole body to song.  They followed this up with Munou, the opening theme for season two of the anime series Tokyo Ghoul by österreich. At the end of every song, Takahashi expressed his gratitude to fans with a heartfelt, “Thank you.”

Iida joined the fray once more in the second half of the performance, announcing the debut of a new song. He sang it together with Kamano. It was an upbeat, complex track, with the latter half of the song having a more straightforward rhythm and rising melody. It was different from anything we’ve heard from Takahashi in recent years.

Takahashi said: “Thank you to TK for inviting us here today. And thank you to Ishida, who has given us all of these opportunities.” The Ishida he refers to is Sui Ishida, the author of the Tokyo Ghoul manga. It was only fitting, then, that he perform Rakuen no Kimi, the ending theme to the last series of the Tokyo Ghoul anime. Thus marked the conclusion of österreich’s first ever live performance.

It was then time for TK from Ling Tosite Sigure’s set. He opened with kalei de scope, with a powerful ensemble beside him formed of BOBO on drums, Ichiro Yoshida on bass, Oko Haruna on piano, and Honoka Sato on violin. This was followed by an acoustic performance of haze, the ballad memento, Fantastic Magic which garnered huge cries and applause when they started playing it, the chaotic Shandy with its incredible piano loop, and more.

“This is my first time performing this one. I can’t do it alone, so I’m going to borrow some help,” TK announced, and was joined by Ai Kamano who also performed with österreich earlier that night. Kamano performed the vocal section which is normally sung by salyu. She accelerated the high tones of the chorus which was laced with TK’s iconic trance-like musical performance.

Kamano also joined him for his new song melt, which was released digitally last Tuesday, taking the place of suis from Yorushika who is the original singer on this track. The music was hard-hitting apart from the beautiful lull of the guitar. It was a dramatic performance, coupled with the CG and live-action-combined music video.

The last song of the set was a complete turnaround from melt. TK performed his early progressive hit film a moment.

TK expressed his thanks to the crowd, and performed unravel for the encore, the iconic season one opening theme for Tokyo Ghoul, sending the crowd into the stratosphere. This was followed by P.S. RED I, another climactic hit with the crowd and a fitting end to the night.

TK has two more shows left on this tour: DIAMOND HALL in Nagoya tomorrow, and Namba Hatch in Osaka the following day. Cö shu Nie will join him as the guest act.

Photography Credits:

TK from Ling Tosite Sigure→ Takayuki Okada

österreich→ Kana Tarumi

TK from Ling Tosite Sigure is about to head on tour from October 3 where he will  hit up Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.

Before he hits the road, TK just dropped his new single melt (with suis from Yorushika) digitally on October 2. Check out the music video below.

The video is directed by Kentaro Saisho and features gorgeous live-action visuals with lyrics woven together with CG. The song has the kind of distinct and unique melody that TK is known for, while suis adds a new layer to the track.

Rakuen (“The Promised Land”) is an upcoming film written and directed by Takahisa Zeze, who is known for his masterful work on the suspense mystery drama films 64: Part I and 64: Part II. Set for release on October 18 this year, the film is an adaptation of best-selling Japanese author Shuichi Yoshida’s short story of the same name. It will star Gō Ayano, Hana Sugisaki, Kōichi Satō, Akira Emoto, and Nijirō Murakami.

It was revealed last month that film’s main theme Ichiru (“Thread of Hope”) was written, composed and produced by RADWIMPS frontman Yojiro Noda. He is joined by popular singer and actress Mone Kamishiraishi on vocals. Kamishiraishi provided the voice for Mitsuha Miyamizu in the 2016 hit anime film Your Name which RADWIMPS wrote the music for.

A music video for the song has just been released. It has also been revealed that the song will be released as a digital single on October 14, 2019.

The music video was directed by Takahisa Zeze and Atsushi Unno, the director and assistant director for Rakuen respectively. It was shot in July, with most of the filming taking place in Nagano where the story is set. Zeze expressed his wish for Kamishiraishi to feature in the background of the film itself in the music video. The video features iconic locations from the film, including the Y-shaped road―quiet possibly the most symbolic. The video features not only actual scenes from the film, but newly-shot scenes too made just for the music video.

Speaking about the music video, Mone Kamishiraishi comments: “I was given the opportunity be part of the making of this music video with the Raken film team gathered together, including Zeze, the director. I am honoured to have been able to visit such iconic scenes from the film. It was a really memorable moment, and an experience I will keep for me with live.”

She continues: “I listened to Ichiru a bunch of times while we shot the music video, but that feeling I had when I first heard it and my heart shook, and how moved I was when I first let my voice out to sing it, have gone unchanged. Yojiro [Noda] said, ‘I hope this song becomes a ray of light at the end of the film.’ I have always been able to feel that, from the lyrics to the power it holds and the music that pulls on your heartstrings.”

She concludes her statement saying: “I believe this is a song that purifies the heart, like a cold breeze, even if you’re going through hard or unfair times. So listen to it on repeat and take that message from it. And I hope you enjoy watching the music video. We shot it with much love.”

In Rakuen, a little girl is kidnapped along a Y-shaped road but the perpetrator isn’t caught. 12 years later, another girl is kidnapped along the same road. A man living close to the area of kidnappings lives together peacefully with his pet dog who is a coping mechanism to help forget his wife who passed away. He is pushed into deeper isolation after coming into disagreements with the locals in the area which causes him to lose his mind, leading to an incident nobody could have imagined. The truth to everything lies behind the two kidnappings and three peoples’ fates.

©2019 “Rakuen” Production Committee

Japanese singer-songwriter Aimer, who is known for her iconic husky voice, released two albums simultaneously back in April―Sun Dance and Penny Rain―which served as the first albums she had released in two and a half years. Without time to even catch her breath, she immediately dropped a brand new track the following month entitled STAND-ALONE, which was used for the Japanese drama Anata no Ban Desu, and reached No. 1 across Japanese music charts.

Her 17th single Torches was released last month, and served as the ending theme for the ongoing TV anime series Vinland Saga which began airing in July.

Marie Antoinette in Court Dress by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, 1778 (Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien)

“The Habsburg Dynasty 600 Years of Imperial Collections” is an upcoming exhibition set to take place at the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo from October 19, 2019 to January 26, 2020 in commemoration of Japan and Austria’s 150 years of friendship. The exhibition was taking requests for musicians to create a theme song based on someone from the House of Habsburg for the event. Aimer wrote her new song marie based on Marie Antoinette, and it has been selected for the exhibition.

It has yet to be announced when marie will be released, but a TV ad for the exhibition has been posted on TBS’s official YouTube channel and contains a snippet of the track.

Speaking on the occasion, Aimer commented: “The stories of the live of those in the House of Habsburg are filled with conflicting emotions of joy and sadness, privilege and downfall. I received a request to write a song based on any one of theme, and I was immediately reminded of Marie Antoinette.”

She continues: “I drew on her life in my own way in the song marie, from her getting married in France at the age of 14 to the grand final moments of her life. I hope people like the fusion of my voice with the sublime sound of the strings, and I hope it adds something to the Habsburg exhibition for those who are going.”

The new blockbuster hit from internationally-acclaimed animator and film director Makoto Shinkai Weathering with You dropped back in July and has since amassed over 10 billion yen (approximately US$101 million) in the box office.

A music video for the movie edit of the film’s main Shukusai by RADWIMPS featuring Toko Miura has just been released on the band’s official YouTube page. The gorgeous video is inspired by the film’s story, with the change in sunny weather simultaneously uplifting peoples’ feelings.

The video features a lone Toko Miura in a cave with the sunlight shining down. The life that exists down in the cave begins to bloom at the sound and echo of Miura’s bright and clear voice.

RADWIMPS, who are responsible for the film’s entire soundtrack, have announced that they will release a new album entitled Weathering with You complete version on November 27, 2019. The album will include all 5 main themes, including both the full versions and versions edited down for the film.

©️2019 “Weathering with You” Production Committee