Interview] Stories up to now, stories from now on - fhána releases its best album "STORIES" to commemorate its 5th anniversary!

fhána, which made its major label debut in August 2013 with the release of "Kesera-sera", the ending theme song for the TV anime "Arikuten Kazoku", will release its best album "STORIES" in December, the fifth anniversary of its debut.
The album includes 13 singles released to date as well as new songs to commemorate the 5th anniversary. In addition, the limited first edition will include a CD of the best takes from their live performances and a Blu-ray of the complete live performance held on June 24, 2018, making it a voluminous work worthy of celebrating their 5th anniversary!
How do the members feel about the 5th anniversary? We interviewed the leader, Junichi Sato.

After five years, I think fhána has become more like a band.

─ ─ Congratulations on your 5th anniversary. How do you feel?

Sato: I feel like five years have passed in the blink of an eye. There are many bands and artists who debuted after us, and I suddenly realize that we are no longer newcomers (laughs). 7 or 8 years have passed since fhána was formed, which means a long time has passed.

─ ─ What did you think about when making the 5th anniversary album "STORIES"?

Sato: I originally wanted to make a new song for the 5th anniversary even before the best-of album project came up. So I thought that if we were going to release a best-of album, it would be perfect to include the songs in the album.

───The first limited edition is 2CD+1BD.

Sato: Towana has been saying for a while that she wanted to make a live disc, and I also felt that the recent "World Atlas Tour 2018" finale was a great response, so I wanted to leave it as a package, and I thought it could all be included in the best-of disc. Besides, I think fhána fans have most of the single songs. I think that the new songs, the live album, and the complete live video will make the best-of album even more enjoyable. Of course, for those who are new to fhána, I think it is a good introduction to the band, as it includes all the title songs from the singles and also shows the live performances.

─ ─ The single songs are included in the order in which they were released, so if you listen to the album from the first song all the way through, you can get an overview of fhána's history. Mr. Sato, how do you feel fhána has changed over the past five years?

Sato: I think our musicality has definitely changed. Anime theme songs are created not only from within ourselves but also through collaboration with other artists, so a new world has opened up through the combination of these songs. It was also a way of taking a bird's eye view of the music scene not only in Japan but also overseas and incorporating the sounds of the time. I also feel that the members and I have grown, not only musically, but also as a band.

─ ─ What do you mean by changes as a band?

Sato: The members' faces have changed, not only in terms of their skills, but also because we have played many live shows. They look good (laughs). When I look at the members' faces during live rehearsals, I sometimes feel that they have become more like artists.

─ How do you feel that vocalist towana has grown?

Sato: Songs are real things, so they have their own charm at the time, and I don't think it can be said in a straight line that they are better now than they were in the past. On the other hand, if you sing "Kesera-sera" now, it has the qualities of today. However, compared to the early days, I feel that my voice is more cheerful now. On the other hand, I think I have grown a lot in terms of my performance on stage.


─ ─ Looking back on fhána at the time of your major label debut, what was it like?

Sato: I first debuted with Lantis as FLEET, and after going to other labels, I formed a new fhána, and when I thought that towana had joined the group, I got an offer from producer Junnosuke Sato, with whom I had a longtime relationship, to sing the theme song for an anime. We were told that we had been approached about a tie-up (laughs). (Laughs.) We had not formed the group with an anime song in mind, so we were surprised first. All the members were like, "Really? (laughs).

(laughs) ─ Ha-ha-ha-ha (laughs). But since "Kesera-sera", the ending theme song for "Yuuten Kazoku", you have continued to write many anime theme songs without interruption. Was there ever a moment when you thought you had grasped the key to how to make an anime theme song?

Sato: I don't know if it can be called a key. But when I wrote "Kesera-sera," I thought it was rather easy to write. I think it is the same with anything creative, not just songs, but the hardest part is when you have to go from zero to one. The hardest part is figuring out what to do this time. In the case of animation, there is the work first, and then there are specific requests for the song, so we can start with a clear idea of the direction the song should take. In that sense, it is easier than creating a completely original piece.

─ So you felt this from the very beginning.

Sato That's right. By combining the atmosphere of the work with what I wanted to do at the time of creation, the songs naturally became more varied.