Interview] Nano releases its best album "I. As the title suggests, it is filled with the ultimate personal touches!

Eight years have passed since their major debut. Nano is releasing a two-disc best album "I." DISC 1 covers their first single "Now or Never" to their 11th single "KEMURIKUSA," all of which are tie-up songs. DISC2, which allows you to enjoy the most catchy nano trajectory, goes back to its roots in its pre-debut activities and newly tries its hand at covering Vocaloid songs. In addition, the new song "INSIDE MY CORE" and a new version of the popular song "magenta" add to the rich variety of songs on this disc. Nano says that now was the right time to release his best album to the world. We hope you will enjoy the full contents of this album!

This is a rich best album filled with the best parts of NANO!

─ "I" is the best album that contains the title track of the single and the lead track of the album, isn't it?

Nano I didn't expect this to be such a rich best album, so I feel extravagant about it myself. I am happy to be able to put the best parts of Nano out into the world.

─ ─ Why did you decide to release the best album at this time?

Nano After 8 years since our debut, I think it was the right time to take the next step. It wasn't something I had in mind, it was just a natural progression, and I felt that now was the right time to do it.

───The title of the album is also simple, yet powerful.

Nano: Because it is a bestseller, I wanted to give it a title that is uniquely my own, so I chose "I," which means "ultimate personal. I started singing on my own initiative and have come this far, and I think the best album is a statement that I will continue to push forward with the album on my shoulders. I think the title is appropriate for an album that has been released to the world through the filter of the current Nano.

─ ─ For those who became fans of NANO from the middle of the album, it is a work that allows them to retrace your steps, isn't it?

Nano That's right. I hope that by listening to the songs from the past, you will come to like Nano's music even more.

───DISC 1 contains single songs in the order of their release. Now or Never" and "No pain, No game" were released in 2012 when you made your debut.

Nano The second single, "No pain, No game" (opening theme for the TV anime "BTOOOM!") was a very difficult song for me and left a strong impression. It was a song that I could not sing without challenging myself, so I felt that my professionalism rose to a whole new level from this song. I knew that I would never be able to do it from now on with just a few songs. As I predicted, the songs that followed were devilishly difficult (laughs). I love "No pain, No game" because I feel like I am competing seriously when I sing it live, and in a sense, I think it is a "monster" song.


─ I guess you could say that it is the song that became the foundation of Nano's music. Among them, the eighth track, "DREAMCATCHER" (ending theme for the TV anime "Magical Girl Raising Plan"), is a medium number with a broad range.

Nano Most of our singles have themes of conflict and suffering, but "DREAMCATCHER" is a song that expresses another side of Nano, with lyrics that simply convey happiness and dreams. I personally love this kind of magnificent worldview, and when I sing "DREAMCATCHER" at a live concert, I think the live venue has doubled in size. It makes me feel very tender when I sing it, and I think it is a song that connects with the audience.


───An unusual song is "Utsushiyonoyume" (the opening theme for the TV anime "Kakuriyo no Shukuhan"), which has a Japanese taste.

Nano: "Utsushiyonoyume" has been well received overseas, and the comments on the music video uploaded on YouTube are all in English. The song has become borderless because of its Japanese style. Once again, I am grateful for the opportunity to sing different types of songs through encounters with anime works. Nano's music is basically rock, but thanks to anime, there are more decorations that can be attached to it, and I was able to create many drawers of my own. I think I have been greatly stimulated musically by being involved with animated works.


─ ─ "KEMURIKUSA" (opening theme for the TV anime "Kemurikusa"), which is the last song on DISC 1, was also a well-received song.

Nano: My first impression of "KEMURIKUSA" was that it was just an intense song, but when I sang it live, I was enveloped in a strange feeling. It is a song that is a must for live performances, as it takes you somewhere other than here, or into a different dimension. I think "KEMURIKUSA" is a very raw song. It is a song that I want to struggle and suffer every time I sing it, and I want to discover new things and encounter new worlds.


─ ─ It is interesting that it is a song that should not aim for perfection.

Nano: On the contrary, there are songs that we aim for completion, such as "SAVIOR OF SONG" (opening theme for the TV anime "Arpeggio of Steel - Ars Nova"). I can understand this feeling when I sing it live.