[Autographed CD giveaway! The moment I heard the song, the scenery of the evening spread in my mind! Interview with Asaki Hana on the ED theme "So Precious" for the spring anime "Yuru Can△ SEASON 3

In recent years, in addition to performing as an ani-song singer in a variety of one-man live shows and events, Asaka's love of horse racing has led her to actually buy tickets for horses, and her desire to be a cast member of "Umamusume" led her to begin voice-over lessons. She also started voice acting lessons because she wanted to be a member of the cast of "Uma Musume".

We asked her about her thoughts on her new song "So Precious" and how she thinks she should be as an ani-song singer.

───It has been a while since you sang the theme song for the "Yuru Can△" TV series, but how did you feel when you first heard about "Yuru Can△ SEASON 3"?

Asakika: I was very surprised when I heard about "SEASON 3" because I was sure that the movie version would be released successfully and that this would be the culmination of "YuruCan△" (......). As a fan of "YuruCan△", I love this work, so I was very happy to see the moving Nadeshiko in the anime again.

─ This song was composed and arranged by Eri Sasaki and Hiro Nakamura. I know that both of you are creators and artists who have been involved with "YuruCan△." Did you have any communication with them during the production?

Asakika: Actually, I found out that Mr. Sasaki and his team wrote the music after I received it from ...... (laugh). So there was no prior communication, but I think Eri's team knows the most about the ending of "YuruCan△", so even if I had known in advance, I would not have taken any action.

─ You wrote the lyrics for the song, Mr. Sasaki. What were your thoughts when you first saw the lyrics and how did you feel about singing them? I can't help but feel a special attachment to the place where it starts with "SHINY DAYS. ......

Asakika: This time, since it was the ending, I had to think a lot about how to sing it, how to express nuance, etc. I couldn't notice "SHINY DAYS" at the beginning of the song when I was recording it. ...... (laughs). Eri says that she wrote the song as if she wanted us to listen to it on our way home after a fun-filled day like "Shiny Days".

─ I didn't think you were aware of that (laughs). Now, please tell us about the main points of this song and what we should listen to.

Asakika: I call this song a "heart-warming ballad." Although it is called a ballad, it has a surprisingly large number of notes and instruments, so I think the point is that it is not a ballad ballad as you might think. I think the key point is that it is not a ballad ballad as you might expect. I hope you will listen to it while paying attention to the last chorus, which is sung in a spontaneous manner.

─ I felt that the sunset depicted in the ending video matched the atmosphere of the song very well. What were your impressions after watching the anime and seeing the music combined with the video?

Asakika: When I first received the song, the scenery of the evening spread in my mind, so when I actually saw the ending image, I remember being happy and thinking, "My interpretation of the song was not wrong! I remember I was so happy. My favorite scene is when Nadeshiko is humming "It's all right" together.

─ ─ The coupling songs "Victory Road" and "I Donʼt Even Know..." are written by Asaka. Victory Road" is a hard song that sounds like an anime song, while "I Donʼt Even Know..." What did you consider when writing the lyrics for these two songs?

Asaka: "Victory Road" is the title of our tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in June, so I took the name from there. I feel that the scenery I see when I stand on stage and the feelings I have at that time will fade away as time goes by. ...... I didnʼt want that to happen, so I wrote nakedly about my feelings during the live performance without hiding them.

Conversely, "I Donʼt Even Know..." The song was written as the ending theme for the Otome game "The Lost Delight" to be released in July 2024, but it was a song for a bad ending, so it was not smooth sailing for me. The lyrics express a complicated love story that was not smooth sailing. The lyrics were about hatred, and I felt it was fresh, perhaps because I usually don't include negative things in my lyrics.

─ ─ Last year, Akika was aggressive in her activities, planning a live concert on the first day of Anisama at the time before Anisama and organizing her own live concert at a live house when the Aichi Anison Festival was canceled. He also organized one of the closing events of Nakano Sun Plaza, "Farewell Nakano Sun Plaza Music Festival," which was titled "You can dance! Ani-song DJ event! Anison Disco - Tobikkiri no Nakano Subculture Super Battle", and spoke powerfully about her thoughts on her profession as an ani-song singer. Last year, when you were taking such actions, there were no anime tie-ups for exactly one year, so in a sense, it was a time of grace.

Asakika: I always value the term "anime song singer," so I was worried about whether I could call myself an anime song singer without any anime song tie-ups. However, I thought that if I didn't have any tie-ups, I should just do live performances, so I consulted with my office and expressed my desire to actively do live performances. Thankfully, I held more than five solo one-man shows in one year, and many fans came to see me, so it was a year when I realized once again that it is important to take action and not just wait around because you can't release a CD.

─ ─ Based on what you said, when I look at the lyrics of "Victory Road" and "I Donʼt Even Know...", I realized that it is important to take action through last yearʼs activities. I also felt that the lyrics of "Victory Road" and "I Donʼt Even Know..." were born out of last yearʼs activities, but what do you think?

Asakika: Actually, I donʼt particularly care ...... about that! (laughs) I don't feel like what happened last year was a very big event for me, it was just one of those passing things, or maybe it's because I'm the type of person who doesn't drag ...... the past with me (laughs).

(laughs) ─ Do you have an ideal or a goal of what an ani-song singer should be like?

Asakika: I would like to continue to be an ani-song singer who wants to give top priority to reflecting the world view of the work in her music rather than her own individuality. In this time called the "ani-song warring age," I think the most important thing for singers is to have respect and consideration for anime works. It is natural and important for an artist to want to sing in this way and to express his or her own individuality. However, I entered this world because I wanted to be an ani-song singer, and I have been singing ani-songs since my debut, putting my individuality second. I will never forget that feeling, and I would like to continue to release many more anime songs to the world.

─ ─ Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

Asakika: I like horse racing, video games, mahjong......, and many other things that lead to my work, but I will continue to work as an "ani-song singer". Recently, many people have become fans of Asakika through horse racing, and some of them come to our release events and live performances. Since I leave the entry point for people to get to know Asakika to everyone, my ideal form is to increase opportunities for people to get to know me and eventually lead to my own musical activities. I plan to play many shows this year, so please come to even just one of them!

Thank you very much!

CD Information

So Precious / Asakika

Now on sale!

Price: Yuru Can△ disc (with DVD) 2,420 yen (including tax), regular disc 1,980 yen (including tax)

Available now ・Sold by: MAGES.

Distributed by: MAGES.

＜CD Contents

01. "So Precious

Lyrics: Eri Sasaki, music composed and arranged by Eri Sasaki and Hiro Nakamura

02. "Victory Road

Words by Asaka, music composed and arranged by Yusuke Shirato(Dream Monster)

03. "I Donʼt Even Know...

lyrics by Asaki lyrics/arrangement by hisakuni (SUPA LOVE)

4~6 off vocal

＜Yuru Can△ DVD includes

01. "So Precious" Music Video

02. "So Precious" Music Video Off shot

Present Campaign Outline

One person will receive a CD of "So Precious", the ED theme of "Yuru Can△ SEASON 3", autographed by Asakibana!

One lucky winner will receive a single CD of "So Precious", the ED theme song for the spring 2024 anime "Yuru Can△ SEASON3", autographed by Asaka!

<Entry requirements

Entry period: May 17, 2024 (Fri.) - May 24, 2024 (Fri.) 23:59

Number of winners: 1

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How to apply: Please fill out the application form below.

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