One of the most anticipated anime series of the year finally arrived in North America this week, offering viewers outside of Japan the chance to witness an emerging trend of blurring reality in J-pop. “Girls Band Cry,” produced by Toei Animation, originally premiered in Japan last spring. The series follows five young people who form a band as they face their own personal traumas and challenges in the competitive world of Japanese rock.

While the “girls forming a band” premise is a common theme in anime, exemplified by titles like “K-On!” “Girls Band Cry” stands out for two fundamental aspects: first, the use of 3D animation, a risky choice but one that was executed masterfully here.giving its 13 episodes a unique visual style. And most importantly, The series strays from the usual clichés of the genre by focusing on the protagonists navigating life after high school.allowing for a more realistic exploration of real-world adult problems.

The writer Jukki Hanadain a recent interview with Otaku Souken magazine, commented that “life doesn't end after graduation“, and the series offers a more grounded exploration of musicians trying to find their way. Western fans have been eager to officially watch the series, and this week they finally got that opportunity through streaming platform Hoopla, which works in partnership with public libraries to offer access.

For hardcore anime fans, “Girls Band Cry” also represents an opportunity to see the latest evolution of mixed-media music projects. Work on the series began years ago with an audition to form a real band called Togenashi Togeari, which debuted in 2023, long before the anime premiered. This group is made up of real musicians who also lend their voices to the anime characters, adding an extra level of authenticity. Although the members of Togenashi Togeari portray animated characters, they perform as themselves in live shows.something they will do frequently in the coming months with solo performances and at festivals such as Baycamp in Kawasaki.

The crossover between animation and live music has a rich history around the worldfrom the Beatles' animated series to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' “Coming Out Of Their Shells” tour in the 90s. However, in most cases, one side of the artistic spectrum has always predominated over the other. A closer example of what Togenashi Togeari is doing could be Gorillaz, the virtual band created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. Still, this project treats the animated element more like an avatar, without necessarily being tied to a complementary story or series.

Over the past decade, the Japanese entertainment industry has been perfecting how to make virtual groups a reality. Idol franchises like “Love Live!” in the early 2010s helped lay the groundwork for this idea, with several intertwined multimedia projects culminating in live performances performed by voice actors. Several years later, “Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle” applied a similar approach in a story centered on a futuristic Tokyo where hip-hop becomes the ultimate weapon. Along with original songs, a manga and an anime, the vocal talents behind “Hypnosis Mic” also perform live shows where they recreate the world for fans.

However, the biggest breakthrough in this area came in 2016 with the debut of the boy group Strawberry Prince. The group used anime-style avatars to represent themselves, but the members showed their real faces at concerts, unlike artists in the VTuber world. This has helped Strawberry Prince achieve success in various fields, including securing a spot on the TV music show “Kohaku Uta Gassen” last year and releasing an animated film this summer.

“Girls Band Cry” and Togenashi Togeari offer an example of where Japanese mixed media artists can go. The project combines two elements for which Japan is known worldwide: anime and rock. Although the anime doesn't need much explanation, rock is a musical style that some Western writers and fans consider to have lost popularity. However, in Japan, rock has never ceased to be relevant. The genre's sonic qualities are fundamental in the new wave of J-pop that is gaining international recognition.

This “back to rock” aspect also plays a role in the trend of anime-born bands. Before Togenashi Togeari, there was Kessoku Band, the main group of the popular manga and anime “Bocchi the Rock!”. What started as a purely animated group has turned into a real band that continues to draw huge crowds at festivals and has been featured on the influential YouTube channel “The First Take.” Last year, “Bang Dream! It’s MyGo!!!!!” premiered, featuring another anime band with human counterparts. The eponymous band will perform alongside Togenashi Togeari at a special show in January, a potential turning point for the mixed-media rockers.

For now, “Girls Band Cry” showcases the latest in this emerging genre, using artistic authenticity in conjunction with anime world-building to create an experience that few other music industries have attempted. This reinforces Japan's soft power and could be a clue as to where the country's music might go in the future.

Source: The Japan Times