tricot reflect on first anime theme ‘Call’ for You Are Ms. Servant and 15 years in music

Kyoto rock quartet tricot bring their signature sound to anime for the first time with their latest single, ‘Call’, featured as the opening theme for You Are Ms. Servant (Kimi wa Meido-sama). Known for their intricate melodies, off-kilter rhythms, and emotionally charged vocals, the band have performed over 130 shows across Asia, Europe, and the US, building a devoted following far beyond Japan’s borders, with their international fanbase now outpacing their domestic one.

October 20th saw tricot drop the official music video for ‘Call’, directed by Yuu Matsunaga, where frontwoman Ikkyu Nakajima steps in as a “second-class guardian spirit” looking out for her bandmates. In a twist that caught fans off guard, bassist Hiromi Hirohiro—currently on maternity leave—is portrayed by her husband, Souhei Mishima (of Gifu alt-rock band cinema staff).

Riding the wave of their anime collaboration, tricot will embark on their first solo tour of China in January 2025, kicking off their 15th anniversary year.

We caught up with tricot to discuss the creative process behind ‘Call’, reflect on their 15-year journey, and explore what’s next for the band and their loyal fans around the world.

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Congratulations on the release of ‘Call’, your first anime tie-in! How did the creative process differ from your previous work, including your experience writing songs for dramas?

Motifour Kida: After we received the offer for the anime tie-in, I read the original manga, found it interesting, and then wrote the song based on that.

Yusuke Yoshida: Since both anime and dramas are visual media, my feelings about the process were not that different. We’ve written songs for dramas based on manga before, which also made this one fun to work on.

Hiromi Hirohiro: Reading the manga beforehand allowed us to expand our imagination while writing the song, but I think we still managed to create something true to tricot without being overly focused on the anime.

In You Are Ms. Servant, the main character Yuki struggles between her violent past as an assassin and her desire for a normal life. How did you reflect this internal conflict in the lyrics and sound of ‘Call’?

Ikkyu Nakajima: The song includes a hope that she’ll learn to accept her “unusual” self as a former assassin, and make the best of it to enjoy a “normal life”.

Watch the creditless opening for You Are Ms. Servant featuring tricot’s single ‘Call’

With ‘Call’ being your first anime tie-in, how do you feel about the opportunity to connect with new international fans through this release?

Ikkyu Nakajima: We’ve always had so much support from our overseas fans. Since this is our first anime tie-in, I’m excited to see how we’ll meet new ones though. We hope to share tricot’s music with many people.

Would you describe ‘Call’ as a continuation of the musical approach you explored on ‘Fudeki’, or did the anime influence lead you in a different direction creatively?

Motifour Kida: We could say it’s an extension of how we produced ‘Fudeki’. Instead of pursuing new musical directions, we aimed to align the song with the anime’s fantastical world.

RELATED: Experiencing tricot: A night of avant-garde rock at London’s Heaven

With 2025 marking your 15th anniversary as a band, what comes to mind when you reflect on everything you’ve achieved over the years?

Ikkyu Nakajima: Plenty of negative things have happened over the last 15 years, but none of those memories have a strong hold in my mind now. What remains is how it felt to overcome those things, and the trust I have in the other members of the band and our music. These 15 years of experience are what allow us to approach music with sincerity, whether we’re on stage performing to a huge crowd, or at a concert under conditions where it’s more difficult to draw an audience.

Ikkyu, balancing your roles in both tricot and Genie High, how have the differences between the two bands influenced your approach to making music with tricot?

Ikkyu Nakajima: My base roles in tricot and Genie High are different, but that helps the bands highlight each other’s presence. I also learn so much from both. I feel very fortunate to be able to experience being in two completely different bands simultaneously. Although tricot has a strong inner energy, working with Genie High has given me the power to project that energy outward without losing our strengths as a band.

How excited are you to kick off your 15th anniversary year with your first solo tour in China?

Yusuke Yoshida: We’re really looking forward to meeting everyone in China. It feels like we’ll be getting the year off to a great start.

What stood out to you the most during your extensive ‘Zang-Neng’ UK tour last year?

Hiromi Hirohiro: We felt so much love from the audience at those shows!

Can we expect to see you back in the UK for your 15th anniversary?

Motifour Kida: We haven’t had any specific plans yet, but we’d love to perform in the UK again soon!

As we finish, do you have a message for your fans—both those who’ve been with you for years and those discovering tricot through You Are Ms. Servant?

Ikkyu Nakajima: Thank you for listening to our new song. We’d be thrilled if you listened to tricot’s music after finding out about us. We’re hoping to perform live for you one day–can’t wait to see you.

Motifour Kida: Thank you to everyone who’s supported us so far! And for anyone who just found out about tricot, we hope you’ll listen to many more of our songs!

Hiromi Hirohiro: Thank you for all your support, and for listening to tricot’s music. For those of you who are new to tricot, we hope you enjoy our music and concerts in the future.

Yusuke Yoshida: Whether you’ve supported us for a while or only just learned about us through the anime, we’ll keep working to satisfy you both! Thank you so much.

You Are Ms. Servant premiered in Japan on October 6th, 2024, and is now available for streaming on Crunchyroll in regions including North America, Europe, Oceania, and more.

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