Twenty-five years have actually passed given that anime tune vocalist Hiroshi Kitadani launched “We Are!,” the very first opening tune of the ONE PIECE Television anime series and the very first of numerous opening tunes he would go on to sing for the program. “UUUUUS!” the opening style for the Egghead Arc, with its fast shifts and modifications, is the production of Kitadani, author Kohei Tanaka, and lyricist Shoko Fujibayashi– the golden trio referred to as the “‘We Are!’ Pirates.” “UUUUUS!” indicates not just “us” however sounds comparable to the Japanese pronunciation of “earth” and the Japanese word for “tomorrow” (Asu), indicating the future of the series. Hiroshi Kitadani talked with Billboard Japan about what entered into the development of this strikingly densely-packed tune and what lies beyond.
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You debuted “UUUUUS!” on-stage at the BANDAI CARD GAMES Fest 23-24 World Tour in Los Angeleskept in late January. What was the environment like?
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Hiroshi Kitadani: I sang “We Are!” “OVER THE TOP,” and” UUUUUS!” With “UUUUUS!” I was a bit concerned about debuting it in L.A. I seemed like it may be more secure to begin the tune off with a bang in Japan initially … But now, due to the fact that of video streaming websites, overseas audiences can enjoy the current episodes at the very same time as in Japan, so the crowd went wild. On phase, we were playing the opening animation to ONE PIECEand the lyrics were likewise revealed on-screen, written phonetically in the English alphabet, so the audience sang along.
When we were kids, we ‘d find out old anime tunes from reruns on television, now, with subscription-based streaming services and streaming websites, it’s simple to hear “We Are!” which was launched 25 years back. Not just do individuals who were kids back then understand it, however even modern-day kids understand it. I believe that’s why individuals all over the world love “We Are!” even 25 years later on.
Why do you believe ONE PIECE is so popular worldwide?
Hiroshi Kitadani: Talking with individuals overseas, I typically hear that “In Japanese anime and manga, the primary characters and their pals constantly get entirely whipped by their opponents, however they typically return more powerful, which truly gets you in the feels.” That’s real of Luffy, and likewise of Goku from Dragon Ball. Abroad heroes like Batman or Superman are exceptionally strong right from the start, so I believe Japanese anime and comics resonate with audiences since of how the characters turn their disappointment into power.
You’ve carried out 5 of ONE PIECE‘s signature tune. Could you assess what each of those tunes suggested to you? Let’s begin with “We Are!” the very first opening signature tune for ONE PIECEwhich came out in 1999.
Hiroshi Kitadani: “We Are!” was my launching tune as Hiroshi Kitadani.