Hanabie. – Passions and Fashion

It’s a sunny evening in Brooklyn, NY outside of the Metal Injection Festival. The doors have long been open and it’s only about 2 hours away from the performance from one of the most unique bands on the day’s line-up, that of Japan’s Hanabie. Touring alongside Jinjer as direct support, this small festival is only the second performance for the band on this run, with a previous night in NJ at the Starland Ballroom.

As I enter Hanabie.’s tour bus, I’m greeted by the waving and smiling band members seated in the back of the bus, a sight that instantly jogs my memory from almost a year earlier in the downstairs of The Gramercy Theater (see interview HERE) as they were beginning the headlining portion of their first US tour. The group has had nothing less than a whirlwind year, with that particular run coming after one that sold out across Europe and then lead to more touring runs across the world, including Australia, their homeland of Japan, and an additional run through the US and Canada previously this past spring, with a subsequent summer festival tour of Europe. That’s not even to count the numerous singles that the band has released since, nor their upcoming EP due out in December.

All of this activity is not lost on the women of Hanabie., who seem to have quite the pulse on what they are doing. “We have been recording songs and rehearsing for shows, but we have also been having some breaks,” explains guitarist/vocalist Matsuri. “We have been watching a lot of TV shows, whether it’s Netflix or whatever. We have been watching season after season. When we are in Japan, we all go drinking together!”

Infiltrating the Anime Scene
This elicits a laugh and a cheer from the group, and I mention that the EP isn’t the only thing the group has to look forward to in the near future. In January 2025, the anime Momentary Lily will begin airing and features a first: an opening song [OP] from Hanabie. themselves. The group has recorded a song called “Oishii Survivor,” and with it comes another checking off of a box from the group’s collective bucket list. “All of us, from a long time ago, it was a goal of ours. It’s been a long time dream to have an OP tie in with an anime. We have really been looking into the world of anime and it has been something that really fits in perfectly with Hanabie.,” notes Matsuri.

Unlike some anime where the seiyuu simply sing a song that was written for the show specifically and not by themselves, Hanabie. continues to take the DIY approach. They were approached to write a song for Momentary Lily, and they made sure they did their homework. Matsuri explains, “We watched the show, understood it, digested it, and then made the song based on that.” It’s something that they would love to do more of as well in the future, and they seem to have their sights set on one animation studio in particular: Shaft. “What they do is really great. We would like to make OPs for anything that they do.” Some smiles and laughs fill the bus as I politely wish for them to do something for the series Puella Magi Madoka Magica.

Considering their knowledge of both anime and the Japanese music scene, they also seemed a good choice to discuss the idea of anime mirroring the rise of ‘girl bands’ in real life Japan, with the success of franchises like Bandori [Bang Dream], Bocchi the Rock, and most recently with Girls Band Cry. Matsuri explains her thoughts, “It depends on the band anime. For example, Bocchi the Rock and Togenashi Togeari [Girls Band Cry], those two have bands as the main focus. I watched both of them. The whole story and base of the anime is very realistic. It’s a mirror of what is going on in Japan right now in reality. Bocchi the Rock is very popular. From there, girl bands have gotten more popular. So in a sense, it goes hand in hand and back and forth.”

Given the real-life bands that have risen from those particular shows, I can’t help but take it a step further and express my adoration of the recent Girls Band Cry and Togenashi Togeari, showing off my t-shirt and discussing the possibility of a joint show between Togenashi Togeari and Hanabie. Matsuri seems to share the same sentiment, “I would love to play with Togenashi Togeari!”

In keeping with the anime theme, which has encompassed a portion of their early 2024 single “OTAKU Lovely Densetsu,” there was just something about the stylization of the band members in their most recent video “Metamorphose,” that seemed to warrant an investigation. Hanabie. themselves do not appear in the video, which Matsuri says is something that was intentional, “we wanted something that wasn’t us in it and something that felt more anime-related.”

But in regards to the idea that their drawn eyes almost resemble something from a shoujo manga, with an almost sparkle to them, that was something more unintentional. Digital illustrator PONKO, who has done the art for Hanabie.’s singles and Reborn Superstar, amongst other projects, is responsible for the illustrations for the video, and the band’s request for a merger of 2D and CGI artwork, coupled with the anime inspiration, led to the look of the group in the video.

Hanabie.’s Character and Clothing Design
Another point to reach back on was that of the theme of “OTAKU Lovely Densetsu,” in which the members expressed themes of not only Japanese culture such as anime and games, but that of personal authenticity. It’s a message that does reach further for the band than just in one particular song. “We always put our characters/ourselves into whatever it is. For example, in the lyrics or music, it’s what we like or things we find interesting. There’s always a good part of our character in there and what we like, wherever it fits the song,” explains vocalist Yukina.

Not only in the songs themselves, but one only has to look at the always impressive and unique stage outfits that bassist Hettsu crafts for them to see the link into the band’s ‘Harajuku-core’ fashion sense and appeal. It’s clearly a passion of hers, and one that she is happy to talk about in terms of the band’s evolution. “There are some friends of mine that went to the same school, they are the ones that kind of expand my ideas, so we kind of work together. It’s not just me.” She elaborates, “Last time [Spring 2024 tour], we had more of a suit kind of feel, after we signed with Sony and I feel like we had kind of grown up a bit. We had something that was cute and childish, but young, so we have moved up a little bit with age, with the suits in a way. It’s more formal but still it has the colors and the essence of Hanabie. Even though it’s more of a suit.”

She also has to think about how it affects the band’s movement on stage, as they are doing anything but sitting still. “We are playing shows so when you move, it has to look good. So the costume needs to move with your body. The four of us each have a different characteristic, so we always think about what works for that individual. So it might be the color or the design. So it has to be easy to move in. That’s what I look at. This time I went colorful and more of a sweatshirt/sport jacket kind of thing. It’s more casual and playful.”

Given Hettsu’s skill at design, it almost seems a waste to stop it at designing fashion for the solely the band members. Thankfully for all of us, she has some aspirations about taking Hanabie.’s fashion to the next level and starting up an entire brand in the future. “We have our Hanabie. merchandise but that’s different. We want something that people would wear on a day to day basis that isn’t just Hanabie. merch.” With growing world fervor for the band, it seems a golden opportunity. “We want to do that as soon as we possibly can. Everyone all over the world wearing Hanabie. clothing and coming to shows, showing up as a Hanabie family.”

Fans and Fugglers
Speaking of family, with the band’s spring 2024 tour, they began doing meet & greets before shows in both USA and Europe. Something that has allowed them to get greater insights into their global fanbase rather than just being on-stage and hitting various cities. “There are entirely different generations of people at our shows. There’s say, a dad with a little kid, and you see it [fans] up front and close. You can communicate and talk with people, and that helps us go to the next step and gives us energy,” states Yukina.

It has also allowed for some more surprising and memorable fan interactions for the band. Yukina, for one, has a very specific fond memory. “I’ve realized that a number of people wear a strawberry hat [based on the video for “We Love Sweets”], and one time there were four people with the hat on. I really remember that!” Matsuri is impressed by the dedication that some have, even when on a different continent. “Every time we tour, there are repeaters. We see them at every show or every tour. We see them all the time.”

Meanwhile, drummer Chika is impressed by a different form of dedication, that of an overseas fan showing her their Hanabie. tattoo. Hettsu recalls, “There’s a person that came to almost every show in America that made a bracelet that had the name of the venue and the date of the show, and was giving them away as gifts, to fans too.” All four of them seem to come together over one memory in particular that Matsuri describes. “There was a really small kid, but I think it was the dad who came, and he gave us a letter and the kid had tried really hard to write in Japanese. The dad brought it and it almost made me cry.”

One gift that fans seem keen on bringing to the band at these meet & greets since their first tour of Australia is that of Fugglers. Small plushies that more or less resemble their name to varying degrees. Cute, but maybe not in a conventional way. If there was anything about Hanabie.’s music that relates to that of a Fuggler, Hettsu describes it as, “There’s a really colorful, rabbit kind of Fuggler. It’s gotta be colorful.” She then goes on to say, “We want to get a whole bunch of Fugglers and morph them into one!” Something that evokes a cavalcade of laughter from her bandmates, as well as some jests of ‘she’s crazy!’”

Given the band’s enjoyment of the particular critters, I suggest that perhaps they should try to get some sort of endorsement from the Fugglers brand. Hettsu is quick to state, “We are already on it. We would like to see an original Hanabie. Fuggler. That would be great!” She also notes the rising prevalence of the Fugglers, even in their homeland. “Fugglers are starting to be seen more and more in Japan as well.”

Travels and Touring
As the group has continued forward on an impressive global trek over the past year, it’s come with a greater understanding of the world around them. Yukina describes her takeaways as coming in several avenues. “We have taken in so many things. First it’s the music. You can go to these festivals and see all these different bands with different sounds. It’s very educational. You become very open to the way of thinking. Being more open to things…”

Matsuri is happy with some personal gains from her traveling experiences. “Japanese people are shy. When I come overseas, whether it’s in a restaurant or someone at a meet & greet, I like it, it’s very open. People overseas are very communicative. When I go back to Japan, I consider myself a shy person but when I go overseas, and someone starts talking to me, like an Uber or taxi driver, I can talk to them. Up until now, I couldn’t but now I can talk to them. I think in that sense, I have grown and developed in my communication.”

Chika then describes her thoughts as grounding, stating “Everytime I go overseas, I realize I don’t know as much as I think I do.” Something that draws some laughter from her bandmates as she continues, “I meet so many different people and I learn so much. I look forward to coming and learning.” Last up is Hettsu, who acknowledges her perceptions of the world have changed as she has gotten to see more of it. “Before I came over here, I had different views on things based on what I learned in Japan. I had certain assumptions about what different countries were like. I don’t want to be too dirty, but for example, bathrooms. Bathrooms in Japan, all of them were clean everywhere. If you go to nice hotels, all over the world, it’s always nice, but sometimes you go somewhere and it’s just a hole in the ground. I have seen everything!” Something that once again brings the bus into a state of laughter.

Such learnings are bound to continue and expand, even after their tour with Jinjer. Having saw the group the night before in New Jersey, it was the first time that they had been an opening act in the US since the beginnings of their fall 2023 run with Galactic Empire. The band had quickly won over the crowd in NJ in visible fashion, something that the band strives for and is very cognizant of. “I saw the crowd after the first song and compared it to the last song and the change in expression and their smiles, and their actions,” says Hettsu. “If there’s a person looking at their phone, I will stare at them to make sure they are engaged,” she goes on to say, eliciting another chuckle from the rest of the group.” In all seriousness though, she adds as her peers nod along, “it doesn’t matter if they are our fans or their fans, we just want everyone to have a good time.”

Certainly a facet of that comes from just how energetic the band is on stage while they are performing. Clued into the crowd, actively engaging and providing encouragement for all to have a good time. At the head of all of this unified band effort is their vocalist Yukina, who jumps, runs, and races her way across the stage in impressive fashion. How does she keep it up throughout an entire run? “Adrenaline! I have some lavender masks to wear to help me sleep better. Tour after tour, when I’m tired, my body knows I’m tired so I buy things that help me massage my body. I make sure to maintain my body to keep up my physical health. But the first thing that keeps me going is adrenaline.”

“As soon as I hear the crowd on stage, it automatically switches on. There’s nothing better than seeing a crowd having fun,” she concludes. Even behind the drumkit, Chika keeps that energy going alongside her bandmates, viscerally bashing the drums to the point where she’s accumulated quite a number of broken drumsticks, which she quickly and humorously states that, “I always play at 120%,” while bringing her hands down abruptly in drumming fashion, once more causing a burst of laughter to erupt in the bus.

The New EP and The Road Ahead
As noted at the beginning of our chat, the band has a new EP set to release in December. While the group is elusive to give out too much information, those who have been following the singles do at least have some clues about what’s coming. But don’t expect the EP to include all of those recently released tracks from 2024. Matsuri says, “There are a few on it. Not all of them. The EP has a concept and the singles that we released after that which fit the concept are on it, but if they didn’t fit the concept we didn’t include them. I can’t say which ones are in and which ones are not.”

Probing for some more information as to if some of their writing has been influenced by their global touring, Matsuri spills a little more information about it. “There is a song that is about what I felt when I was touring in Europe and playing the festivals. It’s about how I was influenced and what happened during those festivals. It’s not in the lyrics, but in the sound of the song. Its the first time we were able to take something that we learned on tour, especially a festival tour in Europe and put it into a song. I think it might be something the fans will feel is very fresh. We are touring now, maybe there will be something that we can pick up and write about next year and move us forward in terms of what Hanabie. is. It’s something I’d like to do. I can’t tell you what’s really in the next EP, but I want everyone to look forward to it”

Given their intensive touring over the last year and the fact that this is far from the end of their journey, could EPs be the way forward, to keep them out and busy on the road? Not according to Matsuri, who explains, “Not at all, we aren’t just going to keep releasing EPs. We don’t have a set pattern for when we want to do an album. Right now, the EP works for what we are doing. There’s no way we won’t release another new album, but we can’t say when it will be.”

There’s also a big event in the band’s life coming up next year, and they are coy to release more of that in terms of specifics. “Next year is our anniversary, so we can’t tell you what we want to do but we have been planning and planning. We will be overseas, and we will play in Japan as well. Since it’s our 10th anniversary, isn’t it?” The band is all smiles as we conclude the conversation, confident and ready to go out for their performance at Metal Injection Festival. With more touring, music, and surprises in store for fans, there’s a lot to be excited about. One thing is for sure, Hanabie. is on the cusp of a major breakout with their 10th anniversary, and they are going to make sure they do everything they can to ensure it happens with passion and flair.