Tokyo alt-rock unit Hitsujibungaku made their UK debut at Hyper Japan on Saturday, July 19th, performing to a full house at Olympia London in one of the weekend’s busiest sets. Their hour mixed guitar-led alt rock with anime credits and deeper cuts, offering what frontwoman Moeka Shiotsuka described as “a kind of self-introduction” ahead of their first European tour this October.
“They are foundational songs for us”, she explained at a press Q&A earlier in the day. “And because this festival is a celebration of Japanese culture, we’ve selected songs that we’ve collaborated on for animation and anime as well. So yes, really just to say—as a first greeting—nice to meet you all”.
Across their catalogue, Hitsujibungaku move between distortion-heavy alt-rock, melodic indie and fragile ballads, and London got the lot. The trio of Shiotsuka, bassist Yurika Kasai, and touring drummer Yuna (formerly of CHAI) began with an air of mystique, precise in delivery but giving little away. Opening with the sparse, hymn-like tones of ‘1999’, they shifted into dense fuzzed-out guitars, punchy bursts of indie rock and darker atmospheric turns. Gradually, that composure loosened and their lighter side began to show, the set opening up as the room did with them.
“Hi-tsu-ji-bun-gaku”, Moeka said slowly at one point, sounding out the name for the audience before nodding in sympathy, “Muzukashii”. Backstage, she explained how the name came to her at 15, when many bands around her were choosing Romanised English. Wanting to stand apart, she opted for kanji and something more abstract. “Everyone wasn’t really direct or straightforward with their expressions or emotions, so I think I wanted to name my band something a little bit different”. As for the exact meaning behind Hitsuji (sheep) and bungaku (literature), she kept that to herself: “I’m a little bit embarrassed to share, so I’ll leave it at that”.
Among the most anticipated moments of the set were ‘Hikaru Toki’ and ‘more than words’, their second and third anime tie-ins and the songs that have done most of the work in introducing them to a global audience.
‘Hikaru Toki’, their 2021 theme for The Heike Story, stilled the room. Its delicate guitars and airy melodies built to a crest that held the audience before applause. In contrast, ‘more than words’, the award-winning 2023 ending theme for Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, drew instant recognition. The crowd clapped along to Yurika’s rolling bassline while Moeka’s falsetto cut through a shoegaze wash.
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Speaking about the contrast between the two, Moeka said that while The Heike Story was steeped in loss, her focus was the “living force” that carries people forward. Jujutsu Kaisen, however, presented a different challenge. “It starts with this mindset of ‘I’ve killed everyone’. I struggled to emotionally interpret where they were, and where I was”. What emerged, she explained, was not about conflict but connection. “‘more than words’ isn’t necessarily about love or romantic relationships. It could be about friendships, or the feeling of caring deeply for someone you admire and wanting to stay close to them”. Influenced by the Jump manga she grew up reading, the track ultimately reflected the same message she found in the source material: “Even in the hardest situations, there are people who will be by your side and fight with you”.
The band have made major headway globally through their ending themes for anime like Oshi no Ko and Jujutsu Kaisen, a role often overshadowed by opening songs. Moeka noted the specific role of ending themes, and the important reflective space they occupy once an episode finishes. “I love films, movies. And I think anime is really in line with that as a screen or filmic art. Whenever I watch films, I try and really savour the after-feel, because that time is very important”. Her goal, she explained, is to write cues that support that reflection rather than distract from it. “There are lots of things that are revealed within that process, about characters, about the narrative. The emotions people feel each time will be different. We try to help with that, whichever episode they’re watching”.
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While anime placements have been central to their international breakthrough, Hitsujibungaku are careful not to let them define the band. Like a growing wave of Japanese acts, they’ve reached new audiences through anime without reshaping their sound to fit the stereotype of “anime music”. For them, the tie-ins sit alongside their wider catalogue, opening doors internationally while still reflecting their own identity as part of Tokyo’s alt-rock scene.
When asked about their interest in UK music, both members pointed to a mix of early inspiration and current favourites. “In terms of my current favourite British artists, I’d say Fred again..”, said Moeka, who also noted the early impact London indie rock outfit Yuck had on the band. “They really influenced us in the early stages of our career”, she said, recalling how their raw guitar textures shaped Hitsujibungaku’s early sound. Yurika named The Stone Roses as a foundational influence and added that Radiohead had been part of their recent studio listening. “We played Radiohead while we were recording. So I’d say we’ve been influenced by them too”.
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Comparing the UK and Japanese music scenes, both highlighted differences in structure and sound. “Everything is different”, said Moeka. “Whether it’s structurally or the business model… Japanese music and music scenes are very unique, it’s a very unique being or existence”. Yurika added: “What I find appealing about British music is how it captures the darkness within the sound. There’s something very minor in it as well. I think that’s really well done, and cool. That’s different from Japanese music”.
Their 13-song London debut had the polish of a festival showcase, peaking with anime themes that drew the loudest roars. Shiotsuka moved between falsetto and bracing calls, often stretching syllables for emphasis. Kasai’s basslines rolled steadily beneath, alternating between counter-melody and rhythmic anchor, while Yuna’s drumming stayed economical, every hit serving the song. The trio finished grinning, throwing themselves through the last chords as Shiotsuka and Kasai took a running jump into the final hit.
At the end of the set, the band confirmed their return this autumn, announcing their October European tour on stage. The tour coincides with the release of their new album ‘D o n’ t L a u g h I t O f f’, which includes all new material alongside their recent anime tie-ins, and a tour documentary from their recent US run.
Looking further ahead, Moeka reflected on how she hopes their music might be remembered. “Our songs may not be the most cheerful or uplifting, but hopefully, if someone listens to them 50 years from now, they’ll think, ‘The time they lived in, when this music was created, it was a hard time. There was a lot going on.’ And maybe that means the world they’re living in is easier and better than ours”.
Photos by Charles Shepherd
Dates and tickets
| Date | Location | Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Oct 2025 | L’Alhambra, Paris, France | |
| 16 Oct 2025 | Doornroosje, Nijmegen, Netherlands | |
| 18 Oct 2025 | Die Kantine, Cologne, Germany | |
| 19 Oct 2025 | Columbia Theater, Berlin, Germany | |
| 20 Oct 2025 | Proxima, Warsaw, Poland | |
| 22 Oct 2025 | Flex, Vienna, Austria | |
| 24 Oct 2025 | O2 Academy Islington, London, UK |
Hitsujibungaku
D o n’ t L a u g h I t O f f
Release Date: 08/10/2025
Label: F.C.L.S.
Stream: Spotify | Apple Music
CD: Regular | Limited | Complete Limited
