Long awaited ‘Initial D’ sequel ‘MF GHOST’ opening theme gets CD release!

‘Jungle Fire’ Jacket Cover

MF GHOST, the new anime series that is a successor to classic street racing series Initial D, began broadcasting in October. The show’s opening theme song, ‘JUNGLE FIRE feat. MOTSU’ by Yu Serizawa, has been highly acclaimed by fans – and now it is available on CD!

This song made a surprise appearance when it was performed at Animelo Summer Live 2023 -AXEL-, an event held at Saitama Super Arena in Japan this summer, with anime song fans hyped for its release. The full-length version of the song and its music video were released digitally on October 9, and fans in Japan and around the world left comments hailing it as “Authentic Eurobeat”, “A song that feels like a true successor to ‘Initial D’” and “A masterpiece worthy of a new generation of the high-speed street racing legend”. Others wrote “The times and the show itself may change, but some things remain the same even as they evolve” and “The two artists have amazing chemistry”, further highlighting the burning fervor this song has attracted and the importance it holds as part of ‘MF GHOST’.

Within about a week of its release, the music video has achieved over half a million plays, and its popularity led neatly to the CD release.

‘JUNGLE FIRE’ is sung by Yu Serizawa, a member of voice actor/idol hybrid unit i☆Ris who is also active as a solo artist; Serizawa celebrated her 5th anniversary last year and is currently on her fourth solo live tour. As a voice actor, she plays the role of Nozomi Kitahara in ‘MF GHOST’. MOTSU is a member of the Japanese group m.o.v.e, and he worked on all of the opening theme songs to the ‘Initial D’ anime series and films, creating his deep connection with ‘MF GHOST’.

Performed by these two key artists, ‘JUNGLE FIRE’ has a kinetic feel that is perfectly suited as the opening to ‘MF GHOST’, a show about high-speed car racing battles. The song has the addictive nature of Eurobeat, and is guaranteed to rev your engine.

Don’t miss ‘MF GHOST’, an anime series that has earned its high position on the starting grid, and check out its awesome opening and closing theme songs. Be sure to check out the streaming link for ‘JUNGLE FIRE’ here!

Vicke Blanka releases new EP ‘Worldfly’! Trailer featuring clips from all songs and ‘Vicke Blanka LIVE HOUSE TOUR 2023’ sneak peek video also out now!

Wordfly Jacket Cover

Popular artist Vicke Blanka has released his new EP ‘Worldfly’ this past week across all streaming platforms

The EP includes a varied selection of songs that immerse listeners in a multi-layered new world. It starts with the urgent, kinetic rock song ‘Kakumei’, and also includes ‘Snake’, whose music video was shot entirely on location in Paris, creating a buzz among fans when it was released on August 30. The EP also includes ‘Bitter’, written for the movie ‘The Pearl Legacy’, starring Manami Higa and Shohei Miura; and ‘Sad In Saudi Arabia’ and ‘Luca’, two songs inspired by Vicke Blanka’s tours in Europe and the Middle East from this spring and the music cultures he experienced there firsthand. Ending with the title track ‘Worldfly’, the EP includes six songs altogether.

The limited first pressing of the physical release includes music videos for ‘Kakumei’ and ‘Snake’, as well as a documentary titled ‘Document of Italy and France Live’ that shows footage from Vicke Blanka’s performances in Europe and the Middle East from this spring. It also features live footage from his performance at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo on July 31, 2023, which was the final date of his Japan tour titled ‘Vicke Blanka LIVE HOUSE TOUR 2023’, along with the audio recordings for all 18 songs from the same concert. This luxury-packed set also includes a special 52-page deluxe photo book and a card sleeve.

The CD-only physical release includes radio-style segments of conversation between each of the songs, in which Vicke Blanka discusses the creation of each song, making it a can’t-miss item for fans. 

Vicke Blanka will present the second edition of his special event series, this time titled ‘Vicke Blanka presents RAINBOW ROAD -Sho-’, which will be held on Thursday, December 28 at Tokyo Dome City Hall. ‘RAINBOW ROAD’ is an event launched by Vicke Blanka as a place where fans can get together once a year. Don’t miss this special headline show by Vicke Blanka, a rare home performance in the midst of his jet-setting domestic and global touring calendar.

Be sure to check out Worldly across all streaming platforms here, along with purchase links for the physical editions below and the music video for “Kakumei”!

Standard edition

Limited edition DVD

Limited edition Blu-ray

Nao Toyama Announces Three Consecutive Months of Digital Single Releases!

Popular voice actress and singer Nao Toyama has announced her first-ever three consecutive months of single releases as part of her 7th Anniversary/Christmas Eve Project! All three releases will be available via all digital streaming platforms and the concept behind these releases is Nao Toyama’s signature songs.

The first release, titled “Shut Out My Lie,” focuses on Nao Toyama’s strong suit, dance, and is a dance music track. The lyrics convey a sense of not realizing when one has lost their true self, realistically portraying the emotions of people living in modern society, including the feelings of unease that lurk in daily life.

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In the second release, “Mayonaka no Kaiju” (Midnight Monster), Nao Toyama utilizes her voice, which is indispensable in her line of work, in a pop song. She layers her voice multiple times, creating a chorus unlike anything she’s done before. The rhythmic beats, along with the harmonious interplay of guitar and bass, make for an infectious melody that’ll have you grooving without even realizing it.

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For the third release, “(Abbr.) Fanfare for All Humanity,” Nao Toyama sends a musical message of “Congratulations” to everyone, aiming to bring smiles to all. This is her shortest song so far, but has the longest title! The lyrics and composition are by Yusuke Yamada, known for his work on Nao Toyama’s popular songs like “Kimi to Boku no Symphony” and “Goodbye Moratorium.”

Also, mark your calendar for the 7th Anniversary Party “Live☆Pallet,” celebrating Nao Toyama’s 7th year as a singer. The event will be held on February 12, 2024, at Ebisu Garden Hall. Keep an eye on Nao Toyama for more exciting developments to come!

Be sure to check out “Shut Out My Lie” across all streaming platforms here!

YOASOBI x Honeyfeed Writing Contest Begins

YOASOBI has teamed up with Honeyfeed to celebrate the release of their mega-popular debut song “Yoru ni Kakeru” which has amassed one billion plays across various platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. Honeyfeed is a web novel community that has launched a writing contest to celebrate the release. YOASOBI is famous for its motto "novels into music", and was inspired by the Japanese web novel “An Invitation from Thanatos” which was written by Mayo Hoshino.

Honeyfeed has invited everyone who wants to be a writer to pay tribute to their roots by creating a spin-off story based on both the song and the original story. Writers can submit their spin-off story to Honeyfeed starting October 8, 2023, and if they complete the contest by November 5, 2023, they will have the chance to be voted on as one of the three contest winners and win a $1,000 reward. One of those three will also be selected as the grand prize winner and have their novel recognized as an official spin-off plus it will be displayed in the description for the official music video and finally shared by YOASOBI on their social media platforms.

For more information about the YOASOBI x Honeyfeed Writing Contest, including rules, submission guidelines, and updates, please visit https://www.honeyfeed.fm/contests/yoasobi_x_honeyfeed

Gray's Ongaku Go For September 2023

As the chilly months of autumn and September pass us by, it’s this month’s Ongaku Go! We at OTY would like our readers to know what has been filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site, along with our Spotify playlist here!

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“All I Ever Wanted” by BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE

I have been listening to this song on repeat since it dropped, and it is my favorite song by the BALLISTIK BOYZ so far this year. The part I enjoy most is the rap, which, happily, is the most significant part of this song. Even the techno parts of this song work really well. Just a heads up, there is a little bit of auto-tuning in this release, but I think it complements the composition pretty well. I can't wait to see what these guys do next.

Check out “All I Ever Wanted” here and in the video below.

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“Amakyun” by Colorful Diamond

What a ton of fun I’ve had with this song. It is a stand-out debut for these guys. The spirit of this track is so light-hearted, and the hook really pulls the listener in. Colorful Diamond has officially landed in my sights, and I’m not going to take my eyes off them.

Check out “Amakyun” here and in the video below.

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“Utakata Dilemma (feat. SUKISHA)” by Three1989

Breaking from their typical style, they deliver this refreshing soul/R&B track that has been on repeat since I first heard it. I haven’t been keeping up with Three1989 like I probably should, but I’m so happy I found this shortly after it dropped. “Utakata Dilemma” is a wonderfully upbeat track that is very catchy. I know when we covered SUKISHA for Music Corner I had a bit of a time getting into his work, but I can tell how much my tastes have changed since then, so I really need to go back and listen to more of him.

Check out “Utakata Dilemma (feat. SUKISHA)” here and in the video below.

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“U&I” by 3House & Flower.far

3House is an artist I discovered back in July, and I’ve been really enjoying my time with his work. Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to wait long for him to drop this awesome song. This is more of a laid-back song, but there is this nice 90s R&B feel to it. I had never heard of Flower.far before this track, but she sounds incredible in it, and I need to go listen to more of her work.

Check out “U&I” here and in the video below.

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“RUN FOR YOU” by Ayumu Imazu

Ayumu Imazu has been one of my favorite artists that I have discovered this year, and I have Ken to thank for that. I’ve had Ayumu on repeat since I listened to him for Music Corner. He recently dropped his latest release, and it is fantastic. “RUN FOR YOU” has this fun, upbeat dance feel that gets the body up and moving.

Check out “RUN FOR YOU” here and in the video below.