It was revealed last month that Japanese rock band RADWIMPS will perform the soundtrack for the upcoming animated film Weathering with You which is being written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. RADWIMPS teaming up with Shinkai caused an uproar of excitement within the anime community.
It has now been announced that RADWIMPS are set to collaborate with female actress Toko Miura on the soundtrack.
The idea to have Miura on board began with RADWIMPS vocalist Yojiro Noda wanted to have somebody else sing instead of him, specifically a female singer. Over a period of one year the band held auditions to find the perfect female voice that best fits with the film. After listening to many applicants, the voice to grab the hearts of both RADWIMPS and film director Makoto Shinkai was that by young female actress Toko Miura who has received high praise for throughout her filmography, including that in the 2015 Japanese drama comedy One Huff and Puff Journey, as well as drama series, but with this decision in place she is now sure to garner huge attention for her singing ability.
Noda commended the mysterious power Miura’s voice which he said brings on the sun no matter the weather.
Further details on the film’s soundtrack, which is set for release on the same day as the film, have also been announced. It will feature five main theme songs with vocals including Ai ni Dekiru Koto wa Mada Aru Kai which can be heard in the film’s promo, as well as 27 instrumental tracks.
The story of Weathering with You follows Hodaka Morishima, a high school student who leaves his home on an island to move to Tokyo. He finds a job as a writer but when he starts working he finds that it rains every single day. He meets a mysterious young girl named Hina Amano who is able to manipulate the weather to stop the rain and clear the sky.
Ever since Shinkai sent RADWIMPS the film’s script back in summer 2017 he and the band have had regular secret meetings to bring their next collaboration to fruition following the success of the band’s work on the director’s own Your Name. (2016).
Speaking about the band’s work with Toko Miura, Yojiro Noda comments: “When it was decided that we would write the music for Weathering with You, I was allowed to give some of my own suggestions. The first thing was that I wanted to have a song in there sung by someone other than myself, a female voice. The reason for that was because I wanted to have a different perspective from [Your Name], and because I wanted the song to have a bigger sense of presence, something with the female [voice] has, which would encapsulate the film. So we decided to hold auditions which lasted around a year.”
He continues: “The moment Miura let out her voice, it had this overwhelming and strange power which I feel could bring on the sun no matter the weather. Though it was raw and didn’t have any editing on it yet, it was a great thing for this film to bring her on board to sing the song. I look forward to hearing what she will sing next after this film.”
The film’s director Shinkai Makoto also spoke of Miura: “An actor or actress’s voice sounds more like something from the real world as it is. It carries something that exceeds the person’s emotions a little. That’s the impression I had with Toko Miura’s voice. ‘Let’s make the instant Toko’s voice shines the instant that the movie shines’ Those are the kind of things I spoke about with RADWIMPS when creating the film. I hope that you all look for that instant in the cinema.”
Toko Miura herself also commented: “When I first had the pleasure to meet the Weathering with You team, I really felt how much time and love they had all put into the film. I’m so happy from the bottom of my heart that they have entrusted those same feelings to my voice. The recording was carried out slowly and carefully under Noda’s directions over two months. When the finished music arrived, I listened to it, sang, sent it back, repeat. It was like sending letters back and forth to each other, it was a lot of fun. It’s a kind song that watches over the two [protagonists] in the film and occasionally cheers them on. I look forward to the day everyone gets to hear it and watch the film.”
Weathering with You will be released on July 19, 2019.
Information
“Tenki no Ko” (Weathering with You Soundtrack)
Release Date: July 19, 2019
Price: ¥3,000 (Before Tax) [UPCH-20520]
RADWIMPS Official Website: http://radwimps.jp/
Weathering with You
Release Date: July 19, 2019
Writer/Director/Screenwriter: Makoto Shinkai
Music: RADWIMPS
Production: “Weathering with You” Production Committee / STORY inc.
Production Company: CoMix Wave Films
Distributor: Toho
Official Website: https://www.tenkinoko.com/
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Japanese rock band RADWIMPS dropped the official soundtrack for Makoto Shinkai's film Suzume no Tojimari on November 11, 2022, the same day of the movie's release. The film is Shinkai’s first in three years and is a coming-of-age story that follows a girl named Suzume as she travels to disaster-stricken locations around Japan, closing doors to keep those nearby safe. Suzume Iwato, the heroine, will be played by Nanoka Hara, while Hokuto Matsumura will portray Souta Munakata. The film is now in theaters. RADWIMPS and world-renowned film music composer Kazuma Jinnouchi collaborated on the soundtrack. Some recording for the film was done overseas at the historic Abbey Road Studios in London, a first for a Shinkai film. In addition to the film’s theme songs Kanata Haruka and Suzume feat. Toaka, the soundtrack contains 25 songs from the film including Tamaki and Suzume no Namida, sung by Yojiro Noda. These songs were created during the film’s production but weren’t included in the movie itself. The soundtrack is now available on iTunes and other major music streaming sites. Those purchasing the album will receive four different CD-size cards with unique designs. Special offers are limited and are only available for a short time, so don’t miss out! ©2022「すずめの戸締まり」製作委員会
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Streaming Links: https://lnk.to/RADsuzume
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Famed director Makoto Shinkai and rock band RADWIMPS are teaming up for the third time. The group will provide music for Shinkai’s upcoming film Suzuka no Tojimari, scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on November 11, 2022. Kazuma Jinnouchi, a world-renowned film composer, will work with the group to form the strongest musical team in the history of Shinkai’s films. Previously, RADWIMPS worked with Shinkai on 2016’s Your Name and 2019’s Weathering With You. At the film’s announcement press conference, Shinkai gave his thoughts. “I want to create a film that gives people a reason to come to the theater,” he said. “I want to create imagery and sounds that will immerse every single person in the audience.” With this determination to create a new and unique theater experience, Shinkai decided to have not only RADWIMPS work on the film’s music, but Kazuma Jinnouchi as well. This would mean a bolder score, but also a larger challenge. Yojiro Noda, the lead vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist of RADWIMPS, gave a comment. “Working with Kazuma Jinnouchi, who has such a long history of creating music for movies and video games, gave me a new perspective. His amount of experience is hard to put into words.” “The music we created for the film’s action scenes was largely influenced by my experience in Hollywood,” Jinnouchi said. Some recording for the film was done overseas at the historic Abbey Road Studios in London, a first for a Shinkai film. The new theme song, aptly titled Suzume, can be heard in the trailer for the film. At Noda's request, the production team searched for the most suitable voice for the song–one that would truly express the film’s vibe. After listening to audition tapes and a number of voices from around the web, TikTok sensation Toaka was chosen as the song’s vocalist. “I felt a connection between Toaka and this song. No one else could come close,” Noda commented. Suzume no Tojimari, Shinkai’s first new film in three years, is a coming-of-age story, following a girl named Suzume as she travels to disaster-stricken locations around Japan, closing doors to keep those nearby safe. Suzume Iwato, the heroine, will be played by Nanoka Hara. Souta Munakata will be portrayed by Hokuto Matsumura. Be sure to check out the latest trailer! Suzume no Tojimari Trailer
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The Last 10 Days opened in Japanese theaters on March 4 and has taken the country by storm over the last two weeks, becoming the #1 film on its opening day and pulling over ¥300 million in its first three days. Now, the music video for the film’s theme song, Uruubito, has just been unveiled! This music video was directed by Michihito Fujii, who also directed the film. Fujii also reunited the actual film crew. Kentaro Sakaguchi, who starred in the film with Nana Komatsu, also appears in the music video. The video was inspired by the film, and shows Kazuto and Matsuri retracing their memories from Kazuto’s perspective. The gorgeous music video almost feels like a sequel to the film, blending footage of RADWIMPS frontman Yojiro Noda with Kazuto's beloved memories of the past 10 years. The video also features unused footage from the film and stills by cinematographer Keisuke Imamura! Uruubito - RADWIMPS (Music Video)
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Price: ¥3,300
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The soundtrack for the upcoming film The Last 10 Years is now streaming. Both the film and soundtrack were released on March 4, and fans of RADWIMPS can now enjoy all 29 powerful tracks on iTunes, Spotify, and other major music sites. The Last 10 Years is an adaptation of Kosaka Ruka’s novel of the same name. The members of RADWIMPS have expressed pure joy over being invited to provide the musical accompaniment for the film. Yojiro Noda worked on the film’s soundtrack after reading the script. Nana Komatsu, who plays Matsuri, commented on the soundtrack. “I listened to it every day on the road, and it really gave me a sense of power.” Kentaro Sakaguchi, who plays Kazuro, said that the lyrics of the film’s theme song Uruubito was written from a uniquely Japanese perspective. The band’s music had a profound influence on the director and cast. “Without a doubt, being involved in this work has changed my life forever,” said Noda. “I hope that the lives of the viewers will change as well.”
©2022映画「余命10年」製作委員会 Information
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Release Date: March 4, 2022
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Official Site: yomei10-movie.jp