TV Anime "Heike Monogatari" Theme Song by YOIKE Bungaku to agraph feat. ANI (Schadaraparr) The remarkable work starring Aoi Yuuki will be pre-distributed on FOD from September 15!

The OP and ED themes have been announced for the TV anime "The Tale of the Heike," which will begin airing in January 2022 on Fuji Television Network's "+Ultra" and other channels, and will be distributed exclusively on FOD from September 15, 2021 (Wednesday).

The TV anime "Tale of the Heike" features the original anime character "Biwa" (CV. Aoi Yuki) as the main character and narrator of the story, Biwa-houshi. The story revolves around Biwa's interaction with the Heike family, including Kiyomori Taira's (CV: Tetsuaki Genda) eldest son Shigemori (CV: Takahiro Sakurai) and his younger sister Tokuko (CV: Saori Hayami), and tells the story of a group of people who lived their lives at the mercy of the times.

⇒ The Heike Monogatari" is being adapted into a TV anime for the first time, starring Aoi Yuuki and Takahiro Sakurai! It will be distributed on FOD from September 15 and broadcast on terrestrial broadcasting from January 2022!

The music information has now been announced.
The opening theme will be by Sheep Literature and the ending theme by agraph feat. Comments from Moeka Shiotsuka of Yomo Bungaku and Kensuke Ushio of agraph have also been received.

In addition, three background music pieces by Kensuke Ushio and the ending theme "unified perspective (90sec variation)" by agraph feat.

Theme song information
Opening theme: "Hikaru toki" (When it glows) by YOJI Bungaku
Ending theme song: "unified perspective" by agraph feat.

Comment from Moeka Shiotsuka, Sheep Literature
This work was created with an extraordinary feeling for the spirit of the Heike family as depicted in the original work. Every time I read the script, I learned about the human and beautiful side of the Heike people, who are often described in arrogant images. I believe we were able to create a song that celebrates and illuminates such a figure in our own way. I am truly honored and grateful to have encountered a story that taught me complex and precious emotions that I have never had before, and to have been allowed to be a part of it.

Sheep Literature Profile:
An alternative rock band with a delicate yet powerful sound, consisting of Moeka Shiotsuka (Vo. Gt.), Yurika Kawanishi (Ba.), and Hiroa Fukuda (Dr.), making their major debut on August 19, 2020 on F.C.L.S. (Sony Music Labels).
On August 25, 2021, they will release a new EP "you love" which includes the theme song "Mayoiga" from the anime movie "Cape Mayoiga". In terms of live performances, starting with an online concert in March 2021, the band will hold a three-city tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in September for the "Hidden Place" Tour 2021. In addition, on August 22, they performed at the FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL'21 and were selected for the OP song of the popular TV anime "Tale of the Heike".

Comment from Kensuke Ushio, ▲agraph
We were able to make it because we have walked together.
I can't find the words to describe the ten thousand senses.

Kensuke Ushio Profile:
Kensuke Ushio made his debut in 2008 as a solo unit "agraph. He has released three solo albums to date. He is also a member of LAMA. He has also worked as an accompanist for various artists including DENKI GROOVE, and since his work for the anime "Ping Pong" in 2014, he has been involved in many TV series and theatrical movies, both live-action and anime. In particular, his collaboration with director Naoko Yamada on the films "Unamplified" and "Liz and the Blue Bird" was a big hit, partly due to his conceptual compositional approach." In addition to his work as an artist with "agraph", he has been involved in a wide variety of activities, including remixes, production work, music for commercials, and sound stickers for companies and labels, in addition to theatrical accompaniment. 2020" directed by Masaaki Yuasa, which was distributed worldwide on NETFLIX, received a great response and was released on CD and distributed in the United States. In August of the same year, "DEVILMAN crybaby" and other subs were released. In the months since then, 30 million streams have been made worldwide.
In 2021, there are many films coming up, including the theatrical anime "Words Boil Up Like Cider" in July and "Kodomo wa Kajitsu Aware of You" directed by Shuichi Okita in August.

Distribution Information
TV animation "Heike Monogatari" original soundtrack EP / Kensuke Ushio
　The beginning", "boy's own", "unknown plan
TV animation "Tale of the Heike" ending theme
　unified perspective (90sec variation)

Distribution will begin on Thursday, September 16!
Three songs from the background music and the ending theme will be distributed simultaneously worldwide. This is the third collaboration between Naoko Yamada (director) and Kensuke Ushio (music), and the first in a series of films.

The two have expressed a delicate world based on thorough concept work through music, and this powerful tag team is still going strong in this work. Unusually for a series of works, Mr. Yamada and Mr. Ushio worked together to meticulously select music for each episode and each scene. The result is a bold and rich background music that is not bound by country or time period, ranging from traditional gagaku instruments to string music, post-rock, and electronic music.

The three tracks that will be distributed in advance are "the beginning," which begins the story, "boy's own," which depicts the conflicts of a male Heike heir, and "unknown plan," which describes the unabated ambitions of Taira no Kiyomori. The song "unknown plan" features impressive guitar playing by Hisako Tabuchi, a member of the band LAMA, in which she also participates.

The ending theme was produced by Kensuke Ushio's solo unit agraph, which released its first album in five and a half years since its third album "the shader. It is a song that is worthy of the name "agraph", featuring ANI (Schadaraparr) rapping on an abstract track.

Heike Monogatari" TV animation

＜Introduction
The bell of the Gion Shrine echoes with the sound of impermanence. The color of the flowers on the sal tree shows the inevitable decline of the prosperous.
The late Heian period. The Heike clan was on the verge of prosperity in terms of power, military might, and wealth.
Shigemori Taira, a man with eyes that can see the dead, meets Biwa, a Biwa priestess with eyes that can see into the future, who predicts that "you will all perish soon.
From an aristocratic society to a warrior society, 15 turbulent years of Japan's historical transformation unfolds.

＜Broadcast and distribution information
Fuji TV "+Ultra" and others: January 2022
FOD: September 15, 2021 (Wed.) 24:00 - Exclusive distribution in advance
Broadcast and distribution dates are subject to change without notice.

＜Cast
Yuuki Aoi
Takahiro Sakurai
Saori Hayami
Tetsuaki Genda
Shigeru Chiba
Kikuko Inoue
Miyu Irino
Yumiko Kobayashi
Nobuhiko Okamoto
Hanae Natsuki
Ayumi Murase
Koutaro Nishiyama
Shuyuki Hiyama
Subaru Kimura
Yu Miyazaki
Inori Minase
Tomokazu Sugita
KAJI Hiroki

＜Staff
Original story: "Natsuki Ikezawa's Complete Collection of Japanese Literature 09: The Tale of the Heike", translated by Hideo Furukawa, published by Kawade Shobo Shinsha
Director : Naoko Yamada
Screenplay : Reiko Yoshida
Character Planning: Fumiko Takano
Music: Kensuke Ushio
Animation Production: Science SARU
Character Design: Takashi Kojima
Art Director: Tomotaka Kubo (Dehogirary)
Animation Director: Shotaro Imai
Color Designer: Ken Hashimoto
Director of Photography: Kazuto Demizuida
Editing: Kiyoshi Hirose
Sound Director: Eriko Kimura
Sound Effects: Hiromune Kurahashi (Otonarium)
Historical Supervisor: Yoshihiko Sata
Biwa Supervisor: Yukihiro Goto

(c) "The Tale of the Heike" Production Committee