Talks about Music Part 1: My Perspective on Music

I don't know when it started, but I've loved music so much.

I realized I loved music after I became a university student. But looking back now, I feel like I've been living surrounded by music all along.

I don't have much to say about my elementary school days.
From my early childhood through the lower grades, I liked Arashi and Yuzu, and after that, I spent a while watching sound MADs on Nico Nico Douga.

In junior high, I got slightly into K-POP—no, actually, I got pretty into it. Groups like TWICE, EVERGLOW, Cherry Bullet, and so on.
My number one favorite, by far, was IZ*ONE. (EVERGLOW and Cherry Bullet were all connected through Produce 48.)
I happened to see IZ*ONE on CDTV during the New Year's holidays in 2019, and I fell in love instantly. It was love at first sight.

Until the group disbanded in April 2021 (my first year of high school), I followed IZ*ONE devotedly and listened to their songs all the time.
Back then, I used LINE Music, and I played "Airplane" 5,000 times and "Violeta" 2,000 times in three months. (Now, in the roughly nine months since the end of March, my top song is "lemonade" with about 1,000 plays.)
Anyway, I just kept listening to the same songs over and over. Even back then, my way of showing affection for the things I liked was quite unconventional.

I also liked aiko in junior high.
During school lunch, if we brought in a CD, they would sometimes play our requested songs over the school PA system. I remember feeling embarrassed to play IZ*ONE, so I would bring in an aiko CD to play instead, hiding my true feelings. I really loved "Hanabi," "Straw," and "Kabutomushi."

It sounds strange to say I used aiko to hide my love for IZ*ONE, and everyone already knew I was an IZ*ONE otaku anyway. But even so, listening to aiko's voice during lunch and feeling reassured that "everyone likes aiko, right?" was my own desperate way of surviving in society while keeping my past self satisfied.

During my high school entrance exam period, I was mainly supported by Akari Nanawo.
I still love Akari Nanawo today, and she might be the artist I've loved for the longest time.
Akari Nanawo got married before I knew it; time flies so fast.
The cat that Nanawo and Akira keep is incredibly cute.

Even though I've loved her for so long, our schedules never align, and I still haven't been to a single concert of hers!!!!

The reason I started liking Akari Nanawo was that the musical style and music video for "Higher's High" were just too cool. It was incredibly cool, but her unbelievable "ponkotsu" (clumsy) episodes and the gap between her and her other songs really struck a chord with me.
(To be more specific, the very first trigger was that "Higher's High" was used in the promotional video for a world tournament of a game I was watching at the time (Mario Kart 8 Deluxe).)

The final push was when the sound MAD of "Totototomu Brown" based on Akari Nanawo's popular song at the time, "Dadada Tenshi," hit my funny bone way too hard.

If you asked me if I find it funny now, honestly, not really, but at the time, it was exactly my type of humor. I've changed, haven't I?

This is a bit of a tangent, but because of this, I ended up loving Tom Brown. I'm somehow happy that I'm the type of person who can laugh until I die at that, no matter how hard things are. Actually, it hits harder when things are tough.
I also love Zakoshi incredibly much. I'm the type of person who laughs until I die at that kind of comedy.

Back to the story. In high school, I didn't have much motivation for music because of the sense of loss from IZ*ONE's disbandment. Honestly.

I just kept listening to Akari Nanawo, who was the only one left for me. Also, since I was into Project Sekai at the time, I tried to get into Vocaloid, but for some reason, I got bored of it quickly. I wonder why.
Maybe it's because I prefer the warm human voice over mechanical sounds. I don't mean to say Vocaloid is cold.
However, through Project Sekai, I came to like Tomori Kusunoki, and after becoming a university student, I even went to her concert.
I really love Tomori Kusunoki's fragile yet powerful singing voice. Maybe because she's a professional voice actress, the way she conveys emotions in her live performances is amazing, and even though I've only been once, the impression of the concert remains firmly in my mind.

And then, I, who was supposed to only know anime like Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan, Sazae-san, and Chibi Maruko-chan, got into an anime for a change: I was into Rent-a-Girlfriend for a while.
Because I was into Rent-a-Girlfriend, I remember liking halca for a brief moment.

Today (December 11), I happened to walk into a shop where the radio was playing, and halca was doing her familiar self-introduction, and I thought, "Wow, nostalgic!!!!!" and suddenly remembered this. I am very sorry for being so rude, but I had completely forgotten. But somehow, halca has a strange connection to things like the Enoshima Line introduction or something. I don't really know.

Since becoming a university student, my passion for music has exploded, and the range of artists I listen to has expanded all at once. That said, for some reason, I only feel interested in artists with female vocals.

In the midst of that, I met yonige in the summer of my first year of university.
The lyrics to "Sayonara Prisoner" and "Kanashimi wa Itsumo no Naka" hit the exact spot for all the sense of loss I was feeling at the time. (Please release "Kanashimi wa Itsumo no Naka" on streaming services!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm really begging you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

It's also memorable that the first time I listened to yonige was on my birthday.

The first concert I ever went to in my life was the yonige concert at F.A.D YOKOHAMA in October '24. From that moment when I felt the heat of live music on my skin, my music life finally began in earnest.

From there, I met Kaneyori Masaru at the end of my first year's summer, and Chilli Beans. in December, and so on.
They are the center of my music life and the support of my life.
I want to talk properly about Kaneyori Masaru and Chilli Beans., so I'll do that later.

Even after entering 2025, I've been able to meet many attractive artists like TOMOO, muque, Aivy, and Aooo!!!!!

What music means to me

There is a reason why I love and trust music so deeply.

To me, music is a special existence that coexists with memory while remaining independent.

I sometimes think that music is something close to a fleeting memory. Music is certainly connected to emotions somewhere. When I listen to music while surrendering myself to the emotions of the moment, my chest inevitably feels tight, and I can become overwhelmed. Nevertheless, even while having that connection, I have a sense that music is something independent as music itself.

I have never developed trauma from the music I was listening to when I had some very painful and thorny experiences in my life.
I can listen to the songs I was listening to at that time just fine, and in fact, there are times when I want to listen to them. (It seems that, generally speaking, there are more people who cannot listen to them due to trauma.)
Certainly, there are definitely painful memories, and that music is closely tied to those memories.
But there should be no fault in the music itself. No matter how many unpleasant things happen, no matter how hard or painful things are, there is no fault in the music I was listening to at that time, and no reason to go out of my way to hate it. If anything, I only feel gratitude for it supporting me.

When I listen to it again one day, I can acknowledge myself for having overcome the pain of that time, and it can even beautify, sublimate, and digest the memory, saying, 'That happened, too.'

That said, there are times when tears overflow. Even when I listen to the song or look at the lyrics, I can never truly know what the creator's thoughts were behind that song, but even so, when my own interpretation and my own experience miraculously align, tears that feel unbearably good overflow.

Thinking about it this way, it's true that it's connected to emotions, but music itself is independent and emotions and music are separate things... that's what I want to say, but did I get it across? I wonder if I'm saying it well, maybe I'm bad at explaining!

Kaneyori Masaru

Favorite Band Part 1

Since I encountered them at the end of the summer of my freshman year of college, they have been a support in my life. Kaneyori Masaru, a three-piece girl band from Osaka.

The very first song of theirs I listened to was 'Yubikiri Genman'. I love this song, too, of course. The lyrics are heartbreaking, and how should I put it.
I will talk about 'Yubikiri Genman' properly later, too!
No one will probably understand, but the fact that the filming location for one of the scenes in this music video was the Keikyu Bus Kurihama Office, and that most of the filming locations were in Yokosuka, was incredibly emo to me at the time.

Kaneyori Masaru has many so-called youth songs that depict faint yet heartbreaking emotions, and they write many songs that depict the unadorned feelings of daily life just as they are, gently nestling close to the hearts of those who listen.

As Chitose Mina herself says, she writes what she thinks just as it is, so as not to lie to her own feelings.

I can feel that on my own skin, and I feel that they really write things just as they are, which is the greatest charm of their songs.

There are many songs that provide a sense of security, as if someone is by your side who acknowledges you and nestles close to your heart when you want to blame yourself.

My favorite songs are

・Girls Youth and Disappointment

・Happy New Day

・Shutter Chance

・Kimi no Koibito ni Naremasu You ni

・Goodbye

is what I mean!!!
They are all favorite songs that pierce my heart. Not only the melody, but I just love the lyrics so, so much!!!! I love every single word that Chitose Mina spins.

The first time I went to a Kaneyorimasaru concert was at their performance at Shimokitazawa SHELTER this January.
This live show at Shimokitazawa SHELTER was incredibly intense, truly passionate, fun, moving, and a concert that really stirred my heart.
It was especially fun when we all sang "Happy New Day" together!!!!!

The sense of unity between the three people on stage and the fans in the venue was tremendous!!!!!!! We were completely as one; it was amazing. I was moved by that sight.

Looking back, that might have been the most fun and most moving concert I have ever experienced.

After that, the Tokyo performance (Zepp Shinjuku) of their solo tour, "The Tour Where We Believe in Our Magic," also became an unforgettable experience for me.

At the time, I had only known about Kaneyorimasaru for about half a year and couldn't gauge their popularity in the world, but seeing them perform at such a large venue and seeing so many fans gathered made me realize once again what a truly wonderful band they are. At the same time, I hoped that their amazing music would become a source of support for even more people.


The words spun by Mina Chitose are all words that feel somewhat powerful yet also convey human weakness and fragility; they are true to life, yet I strongly feel her convictions, and they are cool.

The MC segments at Kaneyorimasaru concerts are also special.
Vocalist Mina Chitose, of course, but also bassist Mei Ishihara and drummer Sana Morimoto. They each take their time to speak slowly, expressing their inner thoughts just as they are. Then, they lay their hearts bare to sing, perform, and create the concert. Every time, I am struck by their presence and their words. It is moving every time.

Mina Chitose often says, "Live houses have a power that is indescribably strong, mysterious, and moves people's hearts."
I feel exactly the same way, but it was Kaneyorimasaru who taught me that, and Kaneyorimasaru, who believes in it the most, is simply beautiful.
I love Kaneyorimasaru, who possesses such a one-of-a-kind charm.

Their music gently offers us a charm to live today well, so that we can spend every day smiling even a little bit.

Mina Chitose's story

I truly, truly love the words Mina Chitose spins and the way she lives. I really, really love her.

When I watched the FC-exclusive stream the other day (November 30th), it was the first time in a very long time that I saw Mina Chitose moving (it had been a really long time, maybe since the concert in April).
Just seeing her like that moved me incredibly. I almost cried. Truly.

That is how much of a huge part of my life is supported by Mina Chitose's words and way of living.

I deeply respect not just her music, but her humanity itself.

In particular, the fact that her convictions never waver is truly wonderful.

Her stance of trying to deliver the music and message she believes in sincerely and as straight as possible.
Her devoted figure, always chasing her dreams and working hard.
Beyond that human depth, perhaps the way she treats her fans is also a reason why I cannot stop being drawn to her.

She is, anyway, anyway, anyway!!! Kind to her fans!!!!! And the distance between her and the fans during the concert is so close!!
That sense of distance is not just service; I think it is her very stance of trusting her fans and trying to deliver Kaneyorimasaru's feelings, Mina Chitose's enthusiasm, and their music directly to the fans sincerely and straight.

And as she herself says, "Once we get off the stage, we are normal humans!", I think showing her true self to fans without acting tough is also one of her charms.

She doesn't force herself to look cool, and I feel like she is showing her true self; in a good way, I certainly feel a human-like weakness. The strength to accept her own weakness and turn it into charm is the biggest reason why I can accept her words head-on, and I think it is a big reason why I am supported from the heart.

She never denies anything, but affirms everything as it is. The existence of such a Mina Chitose, and every single one of those human-like yet straight words that come from Mina Chitose's heart, are one-of-a-kind, precious things, and for me, Mina Chitose and Kaneyorimasaru have become irreplaceable existences.

Mei Ishihara-chan is a super good person, passionate, and someone who delivers her unadorned thoughts directly to fans.
Mei-chan is also super kind; the kindness of everyone in Kaneyorimasaru is crazy!

Sana Morimoto is also the best person, full of charm and possessing certain enthusiasm. Honestly, I think Sana Morimoto should have a little more confidence. She says things like, "I don't write the songs, and I joined the band later...", but it is definitely Sana Morimoto who supports Kaneyorimasaru, so if Sana Morimoto wasn't there, Kaneyorimasaru wouldn't work, right!!!

All three of them are full of charm, and they all have an unbelievably huge amount of kindness, love, and enthusiasm; they are the best band!!!!

Chilli Beans.

Favorite band number 2

The band I met in December of my first year of university, and which is now the center of my music life, no, my life, is Chilli Beans.

My encounter with them was through Spotify recommendations. The song that suddenly played in the recommendations was "HAPPY END".

This song, which is one of the songs included in their 1st full album "Chilli Beans.", attracted me with the comfort of the intro guitar and the melody that progresses with a light rhythm, and the beautiful harmonies before and after the chorus. While the melody is light and bright, I think the lyrics that feel like they have thorns are also one of their charms.
I witnessed them doing a cute thing where the members bounce a ball in a glass a few times before putting it into the glass ahead in that video, which wasn't even an MV and to be honest, I didn't really understand, and I was drawn to that figure.

If you use Spotify, you know that videos play depending on the song, right? That was this video. Is this still playing now? I switched to Apple Music, so I don't know. Please tell me.
↓↓This↓↓

However, the singing voice that flows at the same time as that video is too powerful and overflowing with charm. I was completely taken by this gap between "cuteness" and "power"!!!

Come to think of it, the reason I got into Akari Nanawo was also the gap between her "too cool musical style" and her "unbelievable klutz episodes."
I might be weak to gaps like this!

When I got into them, I was mainly working part-time as an event staff, and that part-time job had an unbelievably long waiting time (there was no one to talk to, and it was just, just unbelievably boring), so I listened to Chilli Beans. songs during that time.

From the time I first listened to "HAPPY END" on December 12th until I applied for the concert on December 28th, I had only listened to a few songs. (At the time of writing, December 12, 2025, it's the 1st anniversary of meeting Chilli Beans.!!!!!!!! Waaaaaay!!!!!!!!)
Those few songs are "HAPPY END", "lemonade", "Mum", "fu uh", "daylight", "aaa", and "Raise".

I found it strange myself that I never got bored and could keep listening to them, even though there were only about 7 songs.

Applying for the concert on December 28th was a big turning point.
Even so, I thought it took a lot of courage to apply for a concert six months later in June when I had only listened to 7 songs, but at the same time, I felt moved by my past self for having such confidence in the things I liked❓

After that, the motivation to "I have to learn a lot of songs for the concert!" was born, and I started listening to other songs all at once. There, I found even more good songs, and it's a swamp. I can never get out again.

I feel that Chilli Beans.'s music, in contrast to the supportive words of Kaneyorimasaru, has a charm in its Western-style coolness and overwhelming groove.
In particular, vocalist Moto's singing voice has an unfathomable charm that draws listeners in instantly. It is a singing voice that is cute yet has a powerful core.

And what supports that sound is the production style where all three members are involved in songwriting, and the way they create songs where they all sing together, as if they are always doing chorus.

The main vocalist is Moto, but guitarist Lily and bassist Maipi also have the title of vocalist, and they support the whole song three-dimensionally with their performance and singing voices.
Lily's tasteful guitar phrases and Maipi's strong bass line, which is the foundation of the songs, collide to create this addictive groove, and I feel that is the greatest charm of Chilli Beans.

This text ends here for now!!!!!!

Next, I will talk about the playlist I've been making all year.


The next talk about the playlist is even longer than this ^_^

Thank you very much to those who read this approximately 8000-character text to the end.

Please have a happy time.