Hitsujibungaku interview: US debut, anime themes, and life beyond Tokyo’s indie circuit

Hitsujibungaku are currently on their first US tour on the West Coast, continuing their swift transition from Tokyo’s indie circuit to an internationally recognised name in alt-rock.

The Tokyo trio combine self-examining lyricism, atmospheric dream pop, grunge guitars, and subtle shoegaze, all underscored by the subtle power in Moeka Shiotsuka’s vocals. Despite their roots in Tokyo’s underground circuit, their music has found its place in an unexpected arena: anime.

In recent years, the trio have gone from contributing to niche titles like The House of the Lost on the Cape (2021) to becoming a global presence, with tracks featured in major anime hits like Jujutsu Kaisen and Oshi no Ko. Songs like ‘more than words’ and ‘Burning’ (nominated for Best Ending Sequence at this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards) have earned tens of millions of streams, introducing the band’s mix of personal storytelling and lush, cinematic instrumentation to a broader audience.

Ahead of their debut US tour and an upcoming UK performance, Electric Bloom Webzine spoke with Moeka Shiotsuka and Yurika Kasai about their rapid rise, the influence of anime, and the challenges and rewards of balancing their artistic vision with the opportunities of international exposure.

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Less than two years ago, you played your first solo overseas show in Taipei. Now you’re heading out on your first US tour and making your UK debut in London. When you think back to that night at Legacy Taipei, what stands out—and how does it feel to see how far you’ve come since then?

Moeka: Actually, prior to our solo show, we had performed alongside a local musician named Lucy and another musician from Thailand named Numcha. That was the first time we played in Taipei. It was amazing to find out that there were so many listeners of our music outside of Japan as well! Also, both artists told us that they were going to America next, and I was impressed with their vigorousness of being active outside of their home countries.

Yurika: We did that show the day after the big earthquake in Taipei. We wondered if we should do it in the first place; we discussed it with the staff and decided to give it a go. At the show, when we went out on stage, the roar of the audience became much louder, and I really felt from the bottom of my heart that we had made the right choice.

Your US tour on the West Coast is just around the corner—how are you feeling heading into these shows?

Moeka: It’s going to be our longest overseas tour ever, so we are nervous, but the preparation for the shows is going very well, and we are excited to perform in front of you.

Yurika: Since it’s our first tour in America, we opted for pretty special outfits and setlists. It’s refreshing for us, and we are excited and expect to discover the new Hitsujibungaku through this US tour.

“I was surprised to see people overseas sing along aloud or throw chants to songs often perceived as melancholic in Japan.” – Yurika

Your US debut in Honolulu introduced your music to an American audience for the first time. Did anything about the response surprise you—or feel different from your shows in Asia?

Moeka: We spoke to some fans after the show and were surprised to find out that they were from different parts of America. They were very concentrated on our performance, and I could feel their fervent passion.

Yurika: When we play abroad, anime songs are usually especially popular, and the audience reacts louder. But in Honolulu, I felt that more people like the band’s music overall, not just anime songs. Being a vacation resort, the audience had the self-composure that created a comfortable atmosphere.

You’ll be performing with Canadian pop singer Jonathan Roy as the opening act on your West Coast tour. How did that pairing come about?

Moeka: Actually, it came about before we knew it (laughs). So we still have much to learn about him, but Roy-san’s show is likely to be a blast. His new album is stunning, too, so I look forward to hearing the songs live.

Yurika: I’m looking forward to meeting and knowing him in person.

Your London debut is set for HYPER JAPAN this July. What does it mean to the band to be performing in the UK for the first time?

Moeka: I have visited London personally a couple of times. It’s my favorite city and I look forward to going back. I see it as a friendly city with many immigrants from different countries.

Yurika: We are influenced greatly by British music, so I am genuinely excited to visit there. People tell us that we may fit the UK well, and I look forward to seeing how the local atmosphere resonates with the band.

“A bag of unbelievably premium coffee beans… inspired me to write a song about how life is a series of failures and learnings.” – Moeka

Moeka, you studied English in the UK for a while, right? What stood out most from that time—and is there anywhere you’re hoping to revisit while you’re back?

Moeka: I attended a summer course at Dover College. The surroundings were very beautiful. I hope to visit there again.

On a separate note, on a trip to London two years ago, there was an experimental music club named “café oto” which was very interesting. I hope to visit there again as well.

Looking back at your hit anime themes like ‘more than words’ (Jujutsu Kaisen) and ‘Burning’ (Oshi no Ko), what was it like seeing those songs take on a life of their own with such wide-reaching audiences?

Moeka: I was happy because I put a lot of effort into making them.

Yurika: It gives me a strange sensation to know that our music is heard in countries and places we have never been to by people of different languages and cultures. I’m curious about how people from each country feel about this song.

‘Burning’, the ending theme for Oshi no Ko Season 2, brings a heavier edge to Hitsujibungaku’s discography.

Anime has become a major way for Japanese artists to reach international listeners. As a band now experiencing that first-hand, what do you see as the pros and cons of breaking out internationally through anime tie-ins?

Moeka: The pros: I believe we have opportunities to travel abroad to perform live because of anime, and I am grateful.

On the other hand, the mainstream music business in Japan is tie-in-oriented, anime and non-anime alike. Therefore, our genuine songs without tie-ins are hard to reach; it is difficult to secure time in our schedule to make such songs in the first place, which we are a bit sad about.

Yurika: Being an anime fan myself, I think it is a very nice thing that our music reaches people, along with the content that makes me proud of my country. On the other hand, I am concerned that, currently, there is no other way to reach international listeners. Bands and anime are totally different entities, and it is not really our intention to have our image associated with them [anime].

‘Mayoiga’ for The House of the Lost on the Cape, marked Hitsujibungaku’s first anime tie-in with a gentler, hopeful tone.

After your headline dates, you’ll perform at Sakura-Con—the largest and longest-running anime convention in the Pacific Northwest. What does it mean to be invited to an international event where people come together to celebrate the culture you’re part of?

Moeka: I look forward to it as it will be an opportunity to deliver our music to those who like Japan but don’t know about us.

Yurika: By experiencing the celebration of my country’s culture in America, I think I will be able to look at Japan and my band from another perspective. I’m very much interested in how I will feel anew the culture I have taken for granted living in Japan.

“The hurdle is lower when we take on the challenge of doing something we have never done.” – Yurika

You’ve contributed music to several shows at this point, but one of the more unexpected collaborations was your cover of the Shaun the Sheep theme, ‘Life’s a Treat’. What was it like working on a track for such a well-known UK character?

Moeka: It’s a very adorable song and we had fun making arrangements with the mindset back to childhood. My favorite part is where we threw in a Japanese phrase, “E, nandatte? (Oh, what?)”.

Yurika: The Shaun the Sheep theme is very British. We’ve been thinking that if we take on the song as a band, we might be able to make it intriguing in a lovely, languid, and playful sound like the Smiths and Blur. It was fun to pursue another new sound through this project.

Moeka, you’ve spoken about how the contrast between the dense, chaotic atmosphere of Shinjuku and growing up surrounded by nature has influenced your songwriting. Do you find that travelling to new cities has a similar effect? Have any recent places sparked new ideas?

Moeka: When we went to Singapore, one staff accidentally bought a bag of unbelievably premium coffee beans, which inspired me to write a song about how life is a series of failures and learnings, no matter how old you are.

In the past, you’ve said the band is moving away from perfectionism in your songwriting and live sets. Has that change opened up new ways of working or performing together?

Moeka: I feel unnecessary tension or stress a little less often now. Also, the recording session has become more natural and musical.

Yurika: I feel our thinking has become flexible. The hurdle is lower when we take on the challenge of doing something we have never done. We are more in the mindset of, if it’s intriguing, let’s try it.

“Our genuine songs without tie-ins are hard to reach; it is difficult to secure time in our schedule to make such songs in the first place, which we are a bit sad about.” – Moeka

Your Asia tours have shown strong enthusiasm from fans outside Japan. What surprised you most about how international audiences connect with your songs?

Moeka: When they sang along with us, I was happily surprised that they knew the Japanese lyrics, although it’s a niche language.

Yurika: I was surprised to see people overseas sing along aloud or throw chants to songs often perceived as melancholic in Japan.

Have you had any particularly memorable or unexpected interactions with overseas fans?

Moeka: The Korean fans seemed to have arranged something together beforehand, and they surprised us by “returning” the performance of everyone getting excited simultaneously.

Yurika: Their gifts are unique; they draw us on a big banner and give us handmade sheep plushies, clothes, alcohol, etc. Their letters are very passionate, too. Some took their passion too far and surprised us by following us all the way to our hotel.

Fans often connect with your lyrics in very personal ways. Have there been any interpretations of your songs—especially those tied to anime—that surprised you or made you see the song differently?

Moeka: Perhaps not many in terms of lyrics. I sometimes see videos of people covering our songs. When the way they sing is a little different from mine, it gives a different vibe to the music, and I personally enjoy it, thinking, “This vibe is good too”.

Yurika: Many anime fans interpret our anime songs by applying them to the characters in the anime; it gives us a new perspective on how they see the anime. Then I watch the anime and enjoy the characters in yet another different way.

“People tell us that we may fit the UK well, and I look forward to seeing how the local atmosphere resonates with the band.” – Yurika

You’ve each spoken about some big early influences in the past—from King Crimson and Jack Bruce to Avril Lavigne. What have you been listening to recently that’s left a mark on you, either creatively or personally?

Moeka: Salami Rose Joe Louis has digitally released a part of her new album ‘Lorings’ which I listen to often. I also listen to ‘see you, frail angel. sea adore you’ a lot, by a Japanese band named Homecomings.

Yurika: I’ve been a Radiohead fan before starting a band. Recently, while recording, we compared our sound with ‘Creep’ by listening to both songs through the same speaker. Once again, I was electrified by their deep band sound, which also kept the individuality of each instrument. We referenced the drums, bass, and guitar.

Are there any artists—past or present—you’d love to share a stage with, whether in Japan or overseas?

Moeka: Mitski, Beach House, Deerhunter… there are many.

Yurika: Warpaint / The Stripes.

You said before that as a band, you don’t necessarily share hobbies, but your sensibilities line up. What do you think ties you together creatively?

Moeka: I think we are easygoing on the same level.

Yurika: I feel we share values in the vibes as we have lived in the same era and have just the right amount of experiences exposed to music and culture.

‘Koe’, Hitsujibungaku’s first single of 2025, channels quiet defiance as the theme for J-drama 119: Emergency Call.

With the band’s origins rooted in Tokyo’s indie circuit, does touring internationally ever make you reflect on your earliest shows and the path you’ve taken?

Moeka: I do recall them sometimes with nostalgia, but just every once in a while, as I forget most things very quickly.

Yurika: I do look back; I guess it’s often in the casual moments when I’m on stage or when I’m about to go on stage. Perhaps I reflect on them when I’m facing a different scenery while doing the same thing as before. I’m looking forward to seeing how I feel in the upcoming tour.

After the US and UK shows, you’ll return to Japan for major performances at Budokan and Osaka-jo Hall—two iconic venues on your biggest Asia tour to date, ‘Right now, right here’. How are you preparing yourselves—mentally or musically—for those landmark shows?

Moeka: At any rate, it’s going to be a big tour; I want to do my best not to fall sick!

Yurika: This year, we’re following Moeka’s suggestion to theme our activities on “cool & romantic”. I feel my mind moving differently from before. We haven’t fixed the details yet, but we hope to bring the best of the band’s real-time mindset with staging and setlists.

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Hitsujibungaku’s new single ‘Map of the World 2025’ is out now, alongside a collaboration with TAKANAWA GATEWAY CITY theater, where a visual experience of the song will be showcased. The band are currently on their first US tour, with dates across the West Coast, including sold-out shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Their full tour schedule includes stops in Portland and Seattle, with a performance at Sakura-Con in Seattle on April 18th-20th. They’ll also make their UK live debut at HYPER JAPAN in London this July.

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