Interview with Mili What are the thoughts behind the new "Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045" concept single?　From "sustainability" to "LGBTQ," an interview with Mili on the world of global music standards

Mili, a music production group that has been garnering attention for its global standards, will release two singles simultaneously on June 10, 2020, featuring theme songs from three popular anime titles. one is a concept single for "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045," including the ending theme "sustain++;" the other is a concept single for "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. SAC_2045" concept single. And the other is a double-tie-in single containing "Rain, Body Fluid and Smell", the ending theme of the TV anime "Grapnir", and "Static", the theme song of the theater production "Goblin Slayer - GOBLIN'S CROWN-".
The songs, each with its own in-depth approach, showcase Mili's versatile musicality, and the social messages they incorporate throughout show that they are expressing their message to the world. We spoke with composer Yamato Kasai and vocalist Cassie Wei about everything from songwriting to the messages contained in their songs.

Three-song concept single inspired by the social gaze of "Ghost in the Shell

─ ─ You have long listed "AKIRA" and "Ghost in the Shell" as your favorite anime titles, so you must have been very happy when you heard about the ending theme for "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045" this time, weren't you?

Yamato Kasai (Kasai): First of all, I was surprised. But it was such a big title and I heard that there were other candidates, so I wasn't that hopeful that it would come to fruition (laughs). (Laughs) Even so, we submitted a demo to the directors through a music producer, saying that we would express "Ghost in the Shell" with this kind of music, and they really chose us. I was very happy because I didn't expect it. At the same time, "Ghost in the Shell" has a large number of fans all over the world, so there was even more pressure on us.

─ This new album is a concept single titled "Intrauterine Education. First of all, please tell us about the "concept single" aspect.

Kasai The first song is the ending theme "sustain++;" the second song is "Petrolea," and the third song is "War of Shame. The second song is "Petrolea" and the third song is "War of Shame", all of which were created with the world of "Ghost in the Shell" in mind.


─ What kind of image did you have in mind when creating the tracks for "sustain++;"?

Kasai I have always been a fan of "Ghost in the Shell," so I wanted to portray the image of "Ghost in the Shell" that I could get from the series as a whole, including the songs from the past. There are many fans who love music and have a discerning ear, so I thought about what kind of music would please them. In the past, there have been techno and rock songs in my albums, so it is a variation of songs I can write, but "sustain++;" was a new experiment for me to mix both. As for the music, I am conscious of its crispness as an ending song. The rhythm part is important, so I gave the data to Cassie and asked her to add the melody after I finished the orchestration.

─ Was the rhythm part of "sustain++" recorded live?

Kasai The 90-second edited part that plays at the ending of the anime is a live performance by the members, but after that, there are some parts that are typed in. The rhythm part is played live by the members of the band, but after that, there are some parts that are typed in. Yukihito Mitomo on bass and Shoto Yoshida on drums are both senior members, but they respect what I want to do and refrain from doing it in a good way.

───How about your live performances?

Kasai: It's the opposite at live performances. Generally, the vocalist stands in the center of the stage, with the guitarist and bassist on the sides and the drummer in the back, but in our case, we wanted to emphasize that everyone is the star of the show, so we play side by side. We each use synth bass, synth drums, etc. to create various sounds and make a statement. In fact, I may be the most withdrawn (laughs).

─ ─ I would like to ask Cassie about the lyrics. Is the theme of sustainability in "sustain++;" inspired by the first episode "NO NOISE NO LIFE/Sustainable War" of "Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045"?

Cassie Yes, it was. When I read the synopsis in the initial materials I received, I knew I wanted to use this word. It is exactly the word that is repeated worldwide on environmental issues. However, I thought about writing something different from the "sustainability" that I talk about in my work, and that is the "sustainability" of human relationships that I wrote about in the lyrics.

Cassie──I thought the idea of linking the word "sustainability," which is mainly used in the natural sciences, to human relationships was very unique.

Cassie: Actually, I was also inspired by my favorite cartoon "South Park.

Cassie: "South Park" with its cute characters and sharp social messages?

Cassie Yes. It might be a little surprising (laughs). In this work, there is an episode in which there is a character of a same-sex couple, and in the episode, communication is necessary to sustain their relationship, and when I saw that, I thought that communication is the key to the sustainability of relationships.

───There is such a connection between "Ghost in the Shell" and "South Park," two unexpected titles.

Kasai But they are both works that place importance on human rights, aren't they?

Cassie The expressions are completely different (laughs).

Kasai Her lyrics are always intriguing in their themes. The time she spent in Canada, from our point of view as Japanese people, the standard of consideration for others and the way of communication seem very fresh. When I put these things into the lyrics, I always find it interesting because I think, "Is this the way she sees it?

─ In your case, do you write lyrics in English?

Cassie I decide on the title first, and then write the lyrics in English. And this is the same with Mili's songs up to now, but I used to be a programmer, so I write the English lyrics in Java code.

Cassie: What do you mean by writing in code?

Cassie Code is a language, so you can think of it as a kind of translation. For example, if you want to express that "there was a tree in front of me," you would write "the location of the tree in front of me" in code. This time, since the song is about "Ghost in the Shell," I thought this is exactly how it should be written in code.

─ ─ So that was your intention with the code written in the promotional video on YouTube. As for the song, you used a variety of expressions such as whispers and a sense of inorganic quality.

Cassie I think that changing the way you sing to match the lyrics is a bit like a musical. In "sustain++;" the first part is inorganic, and in the chorus, the high tones are stronger, but there is also a cute part in the middle of the song. In such cases, I imagine a robot or a small child, and by playing various roles, the lyrics are conveyed more easily.

Kasai It just came naturally. It was influenced by both the tune of the song and the way Cassie sings, but it has already become the norm for Mili.


─ ─ Next, we come to the second song, "Petrolea". What does the title mean?

Cassie This is a fictitious word. Petro" means oil, and I arranged it like a girl's name. Petroleum turns rainbow colors when it hits the sun when spilled, right?　So this song was written to advocate for LGBTQ rights.
(* Rainbows are used by the LGBTQ movement as a symbol of diversity)

Cassie ─ So that was the metaphor.

Cassie There was another scene in "Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex" where Batou gives oil to the Tachikomas, and they are able to understand human emotions. In other words, oil is a symbol of something important for becoming human. At the same time, it shows that human beings are different from other creatures because of their human rights.

Cassie──The message is conveyed even better by the fact that the motifs from "Ghost in the Shell" have been superimposed on the scene, rather than just talking about social issues.

Cassie: In "Ghost in the Shell," Motoko doesn't know whether she likes men or women. There is a scene in which Motoko sometimes acts as if she has a relationship with a woman, but the people around her do not take it as a big deal.

───There are also scenes in the original manga that remind us of sexual diversity.

Kasai In the beginning of "2045," there is a scene in which an android sex worker reacts to Motoko, and she seems to think that Motoko is not so bad, but in the end she goes back to work. It is the "Ghost in the Shell" that sensitively picks up on such scenes, isn't it?

Cassie The character of Motoko is interesting in itself. Even though I observe her in various ways, I cannot read what she will do next, and it is hard to grasp her personality. I like her mysteriousness. She also has a good sense of costume (laughs).

─ How did you go about writing the music?

Kasai I have the impression that this song was created with only my senses, keeping in mind the fact that it reminds me of "Ghost in the Shell. It is a synth-based song that is quite techno, and I created it with an eye toward creating a sound that would allow the listener to imagine a near-future picture. I made it so that it could be played as an instrumental without the vocals in the background of an anime.

───And the third track, "War of Shame," is a classical piece that is close to the public image of Mili.

Kasai This song was a challenge to see what would happen if the world of "Ghost in the Shell" were represented by a simple piano and vocals. I dared to approach something that at first glance did not seem to fit. In that sense, I dared to create a sense of mismatch in this song.

─ I think the role of the song is to bridge the world of "Ghost in the Shell" with the song that dared to create a sense of mismatch. First of all, what is the meaning of the title "War of Shame"?

Cassie: This song is about the struggle against "Shame". I think that when people get angry, one of the fundamental things they do is to be ashamed. For example, if someone says to you, "You have a temper," and you are annoyed, it is because you are aware of it and feel shame. In other words, if there were no shame, everyone would be calmer. And when people feel shame, I think it is often about appearance. Like against sexism or beauty. I wrote this without worrying about that and thinking that I should just show everything about myself.

Kasai That's right. Without shame, you don't feel inferior, so your anger doesn't reach a boiling point no matter what is said.

Cassie The image is of many people lined up on a battlefield, some taking off their clothes and saying, "I am a man and I am proud of my body," and others saying, "I am a woman, but I am proud of my body. Many such people are on the battlefield side by side. I wrote the lyrics while imagining such a situation. The enemy forces are the ones who hold you down, trying to make you feel shame.

─ ─ Was this idea based on what you yourself have experienced?

Cassie Yes, it is. When a woman tries to make it as an artist, people say, "It's not so easy when you're over 30, is it? Or, "Why don't you lose a little more weight? (laughs). (Laughs.) That makes it more emotional. Also, when I hear from people around me or read about discrimination against transgender people, I naturally put their feelings into my songs.