INTERVIEW: Japanese Rock Band RADWIMPS on the Sounds of Suzume and Finding the Perfect Feature on TikTok
From the very first moments of Makoto Shinkai’s latest film, Suzume, it’s clear this is the project the legendary director has been working toward since the release of 2016’s Your Name.
Crystalline art and expressive characters center around a tragic incident and an adventure of hope for the future – all set to the blissful, consuming and proud score and soundtrack from frequent collaborators RADWIMPS.
RELATED: Suzume Anime Movie Tickets Now on Sale
We had a chance to chat with RADWIMPS ahead of their North America tour and the international release of Suzume on April 14 to talk about their work on the film, including their own musical collaborators (like Kazuma Jinnouchi and Toaka) and building to this third project with Shinkai.
Check out the full interview video and transcript below! Suzume hits theaters in North America and around the world starting April 14. You can get tickets now.
When did you begin work on the soundtrack for Suzume and how did director Makoto Shinkai present the project to you?
Yojiro Noda (Vocals and Rhythm Guitar): That was right when COVID-19 started spreading across the world, when people started staying home in March or April, 2020, I received the plot from Shinkai. Just like Weathering with You, it didn’t start with an official offer to write music, but Shinkai was casually asking for my thoughts. But I knew that a new adventure was about to start from there so I read the story over and over and shared my initial thoughts.
Yusuke Takeda (Bass Guitar): This is our third work with Shinkai. As a fan of his work personally, I immediately knew that this was going to be a big challenge for him.
Yojiro: He was being more ambitious than his last two works.
Yusuke: I was so excited.
Akira Kuwahara (Lead Guitarist): I thought it focused on a sensitive theme and Shinkai was taking a risk to try that, but it is something only he, a Japanese person living in Japan, can try. It might be about a memory people might not want to remember, but it is an amazing work.
Yojiro: My initial e-mail to Shinkai was that this film has more fantasy elements to it. The last two features also had fantasy, but they were presented in a more realistic way. Also, I’m fascinated by abandoned places, so I was excited to see them feature in the film’s plot.
How has your approach to film score changed since you first worked with Shinkai on Your Name.? What were the biggest lessons you took from that experience?
Yojiro: Everything! We were totally new to this on Your Name. and it was actually easy in a way. Just like going out on the court and touching the ball for the first time. I threw it, and it miraculously went into the basket. It was beginner’s luck.
Then we graduated to junior high and learned more about film scoring. We listened to different soundtracks and discovered different techniques of sound placement. Like, when an actor’s voice is at a particular frequency, how do we differentiate that with other sounds? The composer Kazuma Jinnouchi had a big impact on us, too.
Yusuke: The process of mixing every element, including sound effects, voices and music, was so much more intense this time compared to the last two films. We listened to all the sounds and spent a long time discussing the mix with the engineer until we got it perfect. I am very happy with the end result.
Akira: I think when we did Your Name. we were running around recklessly, but with this film, we were communicating more in-depth. I think we grew as musicians and Kazuma Jinnouchi was also a big inspiration. I love how it turned out.
What were your initial thoughts on sketching out the sound of Suzume? How did the story or early information shared with you shape what you wanted to do?
Yojiro: Initially, I had long conversations with Shinkai and the producer Genki Kawamura. We all wanted a very different type of sound for this film compared to the previous ones, so we agreed to not make the theme a typical pop song. That’s how “Suzume feat. Toaka” started taking shape.
Nostalgic and native sounds of Japan were incorporated into this title song. As we sketched it out, we started to share the atmosphere of the film, connected by the image of vast landscapes and big sky. And we went from there.
The songs on Suzume tend to use a lot of traditional Japanese instrumentation – why did you decide to do that? How did you utilize the traditional sound of Japanese music for a modern film?
Yojiro: From the start, Kazuma and I both had an image of “statelessness” or “multinational” score. If we use western instruments, a lot of people tend to know the origin and the era of when they’re from. So we wanted to use instruments that aren’t easy to visualize. Something vague without association to a particular era. Abandoned places can be from 50, 100 or even 500 years ago. That sense of “multinational,” “statelessness” and “timelessness” had to be part of the music.
Multiple songs on the Suzume soundtrack revolve around “abandoned” places. How do you capture the feeling of an abandoned place in Japan using sound?
Yojiro: For me, abandoned places don’t exist somewhere far off. Where I live now could someday become abandoned. Even places like Shibuya or this studio could become abandoned. I constantly live with that kind of image in my head, and that is why I am fascinated by abandoned places.
Just imagine your home and town being like that…they will suddenly seem so much more transient. That frailty was the key on this soundtrack. Thinking back on the past, when these now-abandoned places were flourishing, and simultaneously imagining your town being abandoned in the future. When I wrote music with both of these images in mind, the vocal progression naturally became sorrowful.
Does each of you have a favorite character from the film?
Yojiro: My favorite has to be Rumi Ninomiya, the hostess at the bar played by Sairi Ito. Her voice is overwhelmingly strong and her character has a big personality. Suzume is saved by her in many ways, and she is a vital character in this story.
Yusuke: I would have to say Daijin, not just because I love cats, but at the end of the film, Suzume and Daijin reconciliate. My heart skipped a beat seeing his reaction there.
Yojiro: If I interpret the film as Daijin’s story, I get sentimental.
Yusuke: He was actually a good guy.
Akira: My favorite is Daijin, too. When I found out that he was not a bad guy, I felt a wave of relief.
One of the new developments on this soundtrack was working with composer Kazuma Jinnouchi. What was the creative partnership like and what did you learn from him?
Yojiro: I originally thought that there would be more back-and-forth exchange of ideas, but we didn’t have that much time so we mainly worked separately on our own tasks. I wish we could work more closely together, but it wasn’t so much of a partnership, unfortunately.
That said, we did learn so much from him toward the end of the recording in London. He made orchestral arrangement to our melodies on some of the songs. His arrangement and orchestration magic, developed from his background in film scoring, was so inspiring to us.
Yusuke: He has so much knowledge that we don’t have – like, special rendition technique of orchestral instruments and layering strings and brass with synthesizer for more presence.
Yojiro: As a rock band, I don’t know how far we should bury ourselves into this kind of knowledge, though. Like, who are we? But why do you climb the mountain? Because it’s there. Endless curiosity. So I kept asking questions to Kazuma while we were in London.
I was most fascinated by how he played with the BPM so freely within one song. For me, I enjoy building up the arrangement around a consistent BPM and 99% of modern rock bands and pop musicians keep constant BPM throughout the same song. But for film scores, you first freely set the BPM and add an arrangement around it. That was shocking. But if you think about it, heartbeat is not consistent.
The heart beats faster when you’re excited and it slows down when you’re relaxed. We may be able to control the audience heartbeat using BPM. Excite them, or help them relax. That was a learning experience, and I can’t wait to try that technique out on our next film score.
Yusuke: Also, how he used different beats. Not just the typical four beats, but he also incorporated triples and even seven beats. They all sound very natural, too. When you want to express a change in emotion, he effectively alters the beat and ties them all up. That was amazing to witness.
What was your approach to percussion for Suzume? What mood were you trying to relay?
Yojiro: It kind of relates to the previous topic of timelessness, but instead of using electronic sound, I wanted to utilize more organic, natural sound made by humans. For scenes where Suzume runs barefoot, or where Mimizu falls down…we made sure that the sound comes from things physically touching one another. Not through the microphone or electronic devices. On top of that, we also used more choruses on this soundtrack. We invited a live choir to capture the feeling of a living human presence behind the sound.
Does each of you have a personal favorite piece from Suzume?
Yojiro: My personal favorite is “Sky Over Tokyo” because I put in so much time into that song. Toaka’s voice is sampled and a choir is also worked into it. There were new percussive challenges and it took us six months with many back-and-forth conversations before completing the song.
Yusuke: “Cat Chase” is my favorite. After the recording session, I knew that we created something incredible. That song became the trigger in the film and the story accelerates from there. It’s an uplifting song.
Akira: My favorite is “Cat Me If You Can” which I wrote. I’m glad it made it on the soundtrack.
”Cat Chase” is like frantic jazz, like the music used in Cowboy Bebop. How did this song come together? What’s your relation to jazz?
Yojiro: Shinkai actually used Cowboy Bebop‘s theme as a reference and I think the bass line is very much inspired by it. The first version we presented was a cool, jazzy track with much slower BPM, but Shinkai asked for a faster tempo so we made several arrangements and ended up with this.
Yusuke: In the past, we had songs that partly featured swing drum and walking bass lines. So it didn’t feel totally new for us.
Yojiro: Yusuke studied jazz in college and my father plays jazz piano, so we do have a jazz background.
What anime music or jazz music influenced your work on Suzume?
Yojiro: Actually, I listened to a lot of Hans Zimmer and used some plug-ins on this soundtrack, rather than anime music. As you might hear through the strings, drums and percussion used, Shinkai’s theme for this score was going for a massive “masterpiece vibe!” He wanted big sound images and that was different from the last two films. Like, big Hollywood sounds.
Yusuke: For me, especially on the track “Cat Chase,” I think I was more or less influenced by the music of Cowboy Bebop because I’ve always been a huge fan.
Many of the songs here utilize choruses. How does RADWIMPS approach the use of other people’s voices?
Yojiro: The only vocal sample we used was for “Sky Over Tokyo” and the rest were all live recordings, so we did numerous recording sessions with the choir, including the theme song “Suzume feat. Toaka.” Every time we had the song done, we would bring in the teen choir to add the chorus.
Both Shinkai and the band felt that an adolescent chorus was one of the key factors for this film score. We ourselves no longer have the voices of a teenager. This group of strong-willed but uncertain voices backed up the film and made it sound more convincing.
Yusuke: The recording sessions were so good.
Yojiro: They were really good. They had to perform under COVID protocol, with masks on, but even under those circumstances, they sang so freely and I was genuinely touched.
What kind of mood were you trying to create by utilizing the chorus?
Yojiro: The voice generates a sound you cannot make with an instrument, and it is the one and only sound that you truly possess in you. So after trying out all different kinds of instruments and feeling like none of them really worked, I heard the voice singing the same melody and realized that it was the one. The voice that cannot be replaced by anything. A unique instrument in the world.
Yusuke: The chorus definitely adds the “statelessness” and the “multinational” feel. Not like any western instrument, a group of voices coming together can only really create that feeling.
Yojiro: Also, the theme song “Suzume feat. Toaka” starts with “lululu” – no lyrics. There are many people from around the world doing covers of that already so I think it really touches people in a way that specific words cannot. That is a different reaction to the theme song we’re seeing compared to the last two films.
How did the song “Suzume feat. Toaka” come together? What was it like working with her?
Yusuke: Our record label staff found some good singers on TikTok and presented them to us. Toaka was one of them, and the moment we heard her voice, we knew she was special. Toaka had never done a proper recording so she probably recorded her demo in her closet on an iPhone. The sound quality of her demo was by far the worst out of all candidates but even then, her voice was stunning.
When penning film scores, what are some changes from your own, fully independent releases?
Yojiro: A lot changes, but the biggest difference comes in dedication. The more we respect the collaborating creator, the more we want to give. My number one goal is to impress Shinkai, and if he is moved by our music, I’m confident that it will touch the hearts of the audience, too. So we penned “Tamaki,” though he didn’t specifically ask for it. “Tears of Suzume” was written as a potential theme song.
RELATED: RECS: Japanese Rock Band RADWIMPS Top Anime of All Time
Anything we have, we want to give to Shinkai and at that point, he is willing to entertain anything we present to him. The music you write for someone specific is powerful and special. When you write only for yourselves, it could sometimes become egotistical, but when you want to impress someone, I believe you can put a different energy into it.
How has your relationship with director Shinkai changed since Your Name.?
Yojiro: Completely changed. When we first met, it was like “Nice to meet you. Looking forward to working with you.” But now, we are brothers-in-arms. We are looking at the same direction but we also check on each other from time to time. We work in different fields but as a fellow creative, there is nobody I respect more than Shinkai in this whole wide world.
How he can pour his heart and work his fingers to the bone on a film is so inspiring. There is no limit to his creativity. Especially on this film, I really felt that and I am so lucky to have met Shinkai.
From your perspective, someone who had the front seat to Shinkai’s works, how have his works and creativity changed over the years?
Yusuke: I have seen all of Shinkai’s works, and since we started working together on Your Name., the experience has been nothing but amazing. I think what happened with Your Name. was a big deal for Shinkai himself, but he kept evolving and created Weathering With You. That must have been a big challenge for him, too, but on Suzume, he is tackling even bigger themes and you can definitely see that play out in the film.
Akira: Since Your Name., Shinkai has evolved but also achieved commercial success on all three films. Especially on Suzume, he chose a very sensitive theme, which is also very brave in my opinion.
Yojiro: The biggest change I saw in him is that…I think he used to make films for himself. Landscapes and the emotions of the characters he wanted to see. That resulted in high acclaim. But now, he has strong determination to lead the world of anime and entertainment, not just in Japan but across the globe. I was really touched by that drive.
You recorded part of the soundtrack at Abbey Road Studios. How was that experience?
Yojiro: Obviously, I was excited!
Yusuke: The sound created by the orchestra, the studio itself, the performers, their skills…everything was first class. I feel so blessed that I got to experience a live recording in that environment.
What was the biggest lesson you learned from scoring the film?
Yojiro: I was in the studio for the dubbing process of the film and was able to witness the true completion of this film after two and a half years. Watching Shinkai push himself to his limit, I registered so much passion from him. I saw a flame spark up from his back. I felt powerless but did everything I could to support him.
Just like I said, there is no limit to creativity. He is 12 years older than me. I was thinking of taking a step back and taking on more of a backseat role when I hit my forties but after seeing how Shinkai continues pouring his passion into creating a masterpiece at his age, I now know that I have to keep going. I want to create something unheard-of. Working on Suzume made me realize that.
Yusuke: Your Name., Weathering With You experience and Suzume recording sessions at Abbey Road Studio! This has been an incredible journey and I feel very blessed. As Yojiro said, I also saw Shinkai’s passion come through at the dubbing. Seeing so many professionals, including Yojiro and the engineers, pushing themselves to the limit left a deep impression on me and my life. It made me realize that I still have so much to learn.
It’s been a while since you last toured abroad and this is going to be your first North American tour. How do you feel?
Yojiro: We’re so psyched!
Yusuke: I can’t wait. Tickets are going fast and we can’t be happier.
Yojiro: It’s been three years since we had to cancel our planned 2020 world tour, so I was worried that people had forgotten about us. But once we announced the North American tour, shows immediately sold out. I’m already tearing up. In this world, you never know when we can see each other next so we promise to give our very best.
Akira: I still can’t believe the reaction we’re getting from our international fans. I thought there were some fans in the US waiting for us but not this much! We will do our best.
Do you have any message for the fans who have waited a few years to see you in concert?
Yojiro: I don’t even know how to express my excitement. It’s been three years and we’re all three years older. But our music has matured, too. I will come see you as if you’re a lover I was longing to reunite with, so be ready! Can’t wait to see you all in person.
Yusuke: It’s been a while since we played a concert where the audience could scream and shout, so I want to have as much fun as we possibly can.
Akira: We can finally get out there and go see you. I’m looking forward to hollering with and having fun with all of you.
What are you looking forward to doing on the road beside your concerts?
Yusuke: I want to go check out a music store.
Yojiro: The Japanese Yen is really weak right now, so be careful.
Yusuke: I know but I’ve never been to the US and I want to check out as many music stores there as I can.
Akira: I want to go, too. Also, I’ve never been to Mexico so I’m looking forward to having real tequila while I’m down there.
Yojiro: Yeah, it’s really good.
What sort of messages do you hope listeners will take away from your music, both as it relates to Suzume and as a whole?
Yojiro: Music should be open to interpretation so I want people to enjoy it and relate to it as they’d like. But I know a lot of fans enjoy digging deep into our lyrics, so if they can enjoy the uniqueness of the Japanese language and concepts behind the music that would make me happy. If they can sing along at the show with me, even better.
Yusuke: I hope our music and concerts become nourishment for your soul towards tomorrow. So I promise to do our best to show you that.
Akira: RADWIMPS music has many elements to it that you can find something new every time you listen to it. So I want you to enjoy it for a long period of time. Your first time listening to a song and then revisiting later in your life might alter the over perception of the work. I hope you look for those changes.
What do you hope viewers of the film Suzume take away from the experience?
Yojiro: There are so many great elements within this film, so I’m sure everyone can find something within it. Just recently, there was a massive earthquake in Turkey, the war in Ukraine rages on and the pandemic persists.
It feels like there is no safe place on this earth anymore and it makes us even more appreciative of what’s important to us. This film will make you want to call someone you love and invite them to watch it again together. I hope it will spread a little love like that around the world.
Yusuke: I want people to feel however they want to, but I personally left the movie feeling that having a place to call home is a blessing. That is very important for me and that’s what I took away most from the film.
Akira: In Japan, natural disasters are unavoidable and that’s just reality. So ordinary life is happiness. Even if your country doesn’t experience earthquakes, that outlook can surely be applied to other challenges.
Nicholas Friedman is Senior Manager of Editorial at Crunchyroll and Editor-in-chief of English Crunchyroll News. You can find him yelling about Nintendo DS games or TRON: Legacy on Twitter at @NMFreed.
