aoppella, a new vocal multimedia project from KLab, tells the story of eleven high school students discovering the art of a cappella. On January 23, KLab released the music video for the group’s third a capella J-pop cover of UNISON SQUARE GARDEN’s Sugar Song and Bitter Sleep on YouTube.

 

In addition, the project will celebrate its second anniversary with an event on Mary 27 and 28.

 

Sugar Song and Bitter Step - UNISON SQUARE GARDEN (J-Pop Cover)

The cover transforms the popular track into an unbelievable a cappella performance highlighting the unique lyrics with the member’s powerful voices.

 

The music video shows the members of FYA’M’ walking around the city in their personal fashion. As mature as each of the boys may be, they’re still high schoolers with their own youthful personalities!

Story It was on that unforgettable day that the boys found themselves changed.

In front of them were ordinary high school students just like them. There were no flashy costumes or musical instruments.

But the moment they began to sing a surreal harmony filled the air and the crowd went wild.

 

"We want to sing like that! We want to shine, too!"

 

High school students captivated by the art of a cappella aim for the top in the exclusive high school a cappella contest called ‘aoppella.’ Watch as they try to perfect their pitch–the show is about to begin!

©KLab

An advance screening and chat event for the upcoming anime series Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts, set to begin airing in April 2023, will be held at Shinjuku Wald 9 on February 11.   Those lucky enough to get tickets will be treated to the first two episodes of the series followed by a chat with select cast members including Kana Hanazawa (Sariphi), Satoshi Hino (Leonhart), Yuka Nukui (Cy), and Natsumi Fujiwara (Clops).

The ticket lottery is now open on e+, and general ticket sales will open on February 3 if any tickets are left!   Be sure to check out the series when it airs this April!

The CrosSing cover song project brings together popular voice actors to sing classic songs in their own unique style. Launched in March 2022, the YouTube channel has amassed over 150,000 subscribers and upon each song’s release, the project continuously trends on Twitter and other social media sites.   On January 18, 2023, the official CrosSing YouTube channel uploaded a recording video of voice actress Nanaka Suwa performing the song Fantastic future.   Nanaka Suwa is best known for playing Kanan Matsuura in Love Live! Sunshine!! The actress has also released two studio albums. In this new video from CrosSing, Suwa is seen performing Yukari Tamura’s popular song Fantastic future, used as the opening theme for the anime series The “Hentai” Prince and the Stony Cat.  

Fantastic future - from CrosSing - Nanaka Suwa (Recording Video)

The track is now available on numerous streaming sites and those purchasing the high-res version from mora will be able to access a special mini-interview with Suwa herself. LINE MUSIC has also started a playback campaign, and fans listening to the track over 300 times will be entered to win an autographed image!   A retweet campaign is also underway, with two lucky winners receiving Nanaka Suwa’s autograph. For details, check out the official CrosSing Twitter.   The CrosSing project released its first compilation album, CrosSing Collection Vol. 1, in September. Kana Hanazawa’s cover of Rain from Makoto Shinkai’s short anime film The Garden of Words is included as a bonus track. The track is also available on YouTube.

CrosSing Collection vol.1

TrySail is a popular girl group consisting of three popular voice actresses: Momo Asakura, Sora Amamiya, and Shiina Natsukawa. Since their debut in 2015, the girls have performed incredible live concerts, managing to hold successful events at Yokohama Arena and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. TrySail’s latest album, Re Bon Voyage, was released in September 2021, reaching the #5 spot on the Oricon Weekly Ranking.   The group’s newest song, Karei One Turn, will be used as the theme song for the 2023 anime series My One-Hit Kill Sister. The happy-go-lucky track can be heard in the second teaser trailer for the show.

Along with this exciting anime tie-up, TrySail has announced the song flower. The song will be used to commemorate the group’s upcoming event ‘LAWSON presents TrySail Arena Live 2023 ~Ai ni Yuku yacht! Minna de Aso-boat!~’ Be sure to watch out for what else TrySail has in store for fans in 2023!

More information about the upcoming anime series Insomniacs After School has been revealed. The series is set to premiere on TV Tokyo in April 2023.

 

Makoto Ojiro’s coming-of-age manga series is set in Nanao City, Ishikawa Prefecture. It follows Ganta Nakami, a high school boy suffering from insomnia, and Isaki Magari, a girl with the same issue. Insomniacs After School is serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Spirits.

 

The second key visual and trailer have been released, giving audiences a better glimpse at this bittersweet tale. The new image shows Ganta and Isaki in different rooms with headphones on. The text reads “what are you doing right now?”

 

The trailer shows off the beautiful scenery around Nanao City. An event was recently held in the real-life city to celebrate the popular series.

 

Insomniacs After School Trailer #2

New characters and their voices are revealed for the first time in this exclusive trailer!

 

The cast includes Haruka Tomatsu, Seiichiro Yamashita, Lynn, Natsumi Fujiwara, Sumire Morohoshi, Mamiko Noto, Sho Karino, Gen Sato, and Konomi Tamura.

 

Insomniacs After School is only three months away. Will you be tuning in?

 

Cast Comments

Haruka Tomatsu (Yui Shiromaru) Popular Works: Sword Art Online (Asuna), Yo-kai Watch (Keta) “I absolutely love stars, so this role makes me super happy! Shiromaru is cool and doesn't talk too much, but he is kindhearted and pure, and it was super fun to play him. Since he’s an older character, there are plenty of scenes where he gives helpful advice. This series is really heartwarming and I hope you’ll tune in!”   Seiichiro Yamashita (Tao Ukegawa) Popular Works: The Eminence in Shadow (Cid Kagenou / Shadow), More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers (Jiro Yakuin) “There are things that are incredibly difficult to say to others, but things that you feel you need to say. I could really feel the romance behind sharing secrets as I worked on this project. It carefully handles difficult issues and reminds us how hard it can be to truly understand other people. That’s why the human experience is so complex and dramatic. It’s a wonderful work filled with love. Enjoy it!”   Lynn (Motoko Kanikawa) Popular Works: Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (Miorine Rembran), Uma Musume: Pretty Derby (Maruzensky) “I love the atmosphere of the original work. The glimpses of ordinary life seen in every scene are so precious. Kanikawa is funny and cute and it was a blast to play her. I had a blast ad-libbing with the other cast members! I hope that this series reaches a ton of new people now that it’s being adapted into an anime series!”   Natsumi Fujiwara (Kanami Anamizu) Popular Works: SPYxFAMILY (Damian Desmond), Chuka Ichiban! (Mao) “I was worried that Anamizu would be too difficult of a role for me, but thanks to everyone’s help, I was really able to enjoy working on this series. The main character suffers from insomnia which is a terrible thing, but I was thrilled the entire time. After all, I love the stars! Ah, the splendors of youth! I can’t wait to see how the final product turns out!”   Sumire Morohoshi (Mina Nono) Popular Works: Aikatsu! (Ichigo Hoshimiya), The Promised Neverland (Ema) “Nono is so adorable! I wanted to make sure her laid-back energy came through. She’s gentle and kind and I think it will be completely apparent to audiences what kind of person she is. The work itself is both fresh and nostalgic at the same time, and it was so fun to work with the cast. I felt like I was back in high school again!”   Mamiko Noto (Usako Kurashiki) Popular Works: Kimi ni Todoke (Sawako Kuronuma), Hell Girl (Ai Enma) “I’m Mamiko Noto and I play the role of Usako Kurashiki. As a native of Ishikawa, it’s such a pleasure to work on a series based in my home prefecture. Ms. Kurashiki is a charming teacher and one I wish I had when I was a student. The original work is so rich in content and character, both warm and sad…it’s so detailed that it can truly feel like you’re wrapped up in it. I’m sure the anime will be the same way. I hope you’re looking forward to it!”   Sho Karino (Rui Haida) Popular Works: Tokyo Revengers (Chifuyu Matsuno), Idolmaster SideM (Yukihiro Kamiya) “This wonderful story is so meaningful. I was happy to experience it with everyone, with this entire cast. The scenery and starry skies will stick in your mind and make you want to go out and explore the night. Working on Insomniacs After School made me feel like I could enjoy my high school life again! Thank you so much!”

©オジロマコト・小学館／アニメ「君ソム」製作委員会

Ukiyo-e paintings became popular during the Edo Period of Japanese history. For those weaning to see some of the most rad ukiyo-e paintings around, the new book Edo Punk! The Dynamic World of Ukiyo-e is now available at bookstores nationwide and online. Luckily, the book is also bilingual in English and Japanese!   Kuniyoshi Utagawa, popular in Japan and abroad and known for his unique perspective, and Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, the inspiration for many modern manga series, are both featured in this tome. The many pieces featured combine elements of fantastical beauty and harsh realities, and fans can read commentary by Shoko Haruki. Haruki worked at the Hokkaido Museum before becoming a curator at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in 2017. She specializes in Japanese art history.   The book is now available at bookstores nationwide and online.