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Morfonica

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Morfonica
Promotional art from the band's reveal, from left to right: Rui, Nanami, Mashiro, Tsukushi, and Tōko
Promotional art from the band's reveal, from left to right: Rui, Nanami, Mashiro, Tsukushi, and Tōko
Background information
OriginJapan
GenresPop rock, symphonic rock
Years active2020–present
LabelsBushiroad Music
Spinoff ofBanG Dream!
Members

Morfonica is a Japanese all-female rock band that is part of Bushiroad's media franchise BanG Dream!. Formed in 2020, the group's members portray fictional characters in the project's anime series and mobile game BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! in addition to performing their characters' respective instruments in live concerts.

The band consists of Amane Shindō (vocals), Hina Suguta (guitar), Yūka Nishio (bass), Mika (drums), and Ayasa (violin). In the game, Morfonica is represented by five first-year students at the prestigious Tsukinomori Girls' Academy: Mashiro Kurata (Shindō), Tōko Kirigaya (Suguta), Nanami Hiromachi (Nishio), Tsukushi Futaba (Mika), and Rui Yashio (Ayasa).

Of the nine bands in BanG Dream!, Morfonica is one of six whose members perform their own music during live shows.

History

[edit]

Morfonica's formation was announced on 1 March 2020 during the franchise's live stream BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! @HHW CiRCLE Live Broadcasting Pre-3rd Anniversary Special. The band is the seventh in the franchise and the fourth that performs in live concerts after Poppin'Party, Roselia, and Raise A Suilen.[1] Morfonica is the only group in the project with a violinist, which was conceived by BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! developer Craft Egg to differentiate them from the others.[2]

During the stream, a music video for their song "Daylight" was broadcast; the video was animated by the BanG Dream! anime's studio Sanzigen.[3] A live-action music video and an introduction clip starring the voice actresses were released four days later.[4] The Morfonica-centric weekly YouTube show Morfonical, hosted by the band's members, began airing on 24 March.[5]

On 13 May, Morfonica was named Tower Records' recommended artist of May 2020. "Daylight" was released as their debut single two weeks later on 27 May.[6] The single sold over 15,000 copies in its first week, and peaked at second on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.[7] In June, the BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol. 4, a series of cover songs by Morfonica and other bands in the franchise, topped Oricon's Weekly Albums Chart with 2,231 sales in the opening week.[8]

The band's first concert, Special Live: Summerly Tone at the BanG Dream! 8th Live Summer Outdoors 3 Days alongside Poppin'Party and Pastel Palettes' Ami Maeshima with Raise A Suilen, took place on 23 August at Fuji-Q Highland Conifer Forest. Morfonica was the first of the three acts to perform, playing five songs.[9] Cantabile, Morfonica's maiden standalone performance, came on 7 October at Tokyo Garden Theater.[10] The live featured 12 songs, including the two from the "Daylight" single and four cover versions of popular anime theme music.[11]

Morfonica's second single "Bloom Bloom", which was revealed during Cantabile, was released on 13 January 2021.[11] The group held a "Friendship Live" concert with Poppin'Party, known as Astral Harmony, on 23 February at Yokohama Arena.[12] The band's second standalone show, titled Andante, took place on 21 May at Zepp Haneda. Morfonica also performed alongside Raise A Suilen at the BanG Dream! 9th Live, subtitled Mythology, on 4–5 September at Fuji-Q Highland Conifer Forest.[13] A sequel to Mythology was held 18 June 2022.[14]

"Harmony Day", the band's third single, came out on 6 October 2021.[15] One of the single's tracks, "Fateful..." was used as the second ending theme music for the anime Cardfight!! Vanguard overDress.[16] Later in the month, Morfonica began a two-stop concert tour, titled Amabile, at Zepp Osaka Bayside on 28 October and Zepp Haneda on 5 November.[17]

In 2022, Morfonica partnered with Jun'ichi Satō of the band Fhána for a song composed by Satō titled "The Circle of Butterflies". The collaboration also included Morfonica covers of Fhána's songs "Rhapsody of Blue Sky" and "Divine Intervention".[18][19] The band's fourth single "fly with the night" was released on 30 March.[20] They held the Resonance show at Tokyo Dome City Hall on 24 April; Nishio did not take part after testing positive for COVID-19, and backing tracks of her bass and vocals were used in her place.[21]

Members

[edit]
  • Amane Shindō (Mashiro Kurata, vocals): The youngest voice actress in BanG Dream!, Shindō was 15 when she joined the franchise. Like Mashiro, Shindō was a first-year high school student at the time of Morfonica's creation, which franchise creator Takaaki Kidani felt emphasized the connection between Shindō and her fictional persona.[2] She was a fan of Girls Band Party! prior to Morfonica, while her voice acting roles included the anime Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale.[22][4] In a 2020 interview with Famitsu, she noted that since she has a low voice in contrast to Mashiro's intended pitch, she performs Morfonica songs in a higher tone.[22]
  • Hina Suguta (Tōko Kirigaya, guitar): Before joining BanG Dream!, Suguta was a voice actress in Afterlost.[4] She is a host of the Morfonica-based YouTube series Monica Radio.[5]
  • Yūka Nishio (Nanami Hiromachi, bass): Nishio's previous voice acting experience included portraying Yuu Higashiyama in ReBirth for You.[4] Along with Suguta, Nishio co-hosts Monica Radio.[5]
  • Mika (Tsukushi Futaba, drums): Mika was the instructor for Poppin'Party and Roselia's drummers Ayaka Ōhashi and Megu Sakuragawa prior to Morfonica, and she also provided support drums for Poppin'Party at the BanG Dream! 7th Live.[2] Tsukushi is her debut role as a voice actress.[23]
  • Ayasa (Rui Yashio, violin): Rui is Ayasa's first voice acting role.[24] Outside of the franchise, she is a YouTube personality who performs violin covers of popular anime songs.[25] She has also worked as a session musician for various artists.[6]

In-universe band

[edit]
See also: List of BanG Dream! characters § Morfonica

In the anime and game, Morfonica is a band of first-year high school students at the prestigious Tsukinomori Girls' Academy.[3] The group is formed by Mashiro Kurata, a new student who struggles to fit in with her more accomplished peers, after attending a concert by Poppin'Party and the other major bands.[26] Morfonica is a portmanteau of "morpho", in reference to their goals of changing themselves for the better (a metamorphosis), and "symphonic", alluding to their use of a violin.[27]

Morfonica's characters first appeared in Girls Band Party! in the main story's second season in 2019,[28] and were formally added as a group during the third-year anniversary on 15 March 2020 and later worldwide in 2021.[29] The band makes its anime debut in the 2020 spin-off series BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Pico: Ohmori.[30] A two-episode original anime focusing on the band titled Morfonication premiered in July 2022.[31][32]

Discography

[edit]
See also: BanG Dream! discography

As of 28 September 2022, Morfonica has 13 original songs.[33]

Singles

[edit]
Year Title Coupling track Release date Peak Oricon chart position Notes Ref
2020 "Daylight" (Daylight -デイライト- 」) "Prelude to Gold" (金色へのプレリュード, Konjiki e no Prelude) 27 May 2 [34]
2021 "Bloom Bloom (ブルームブルーム) "flame of hope" 13 January 6 [35]
"Harmony Day" (ハーモニー・デイ) "Sonorous", "Fateful..." 6 October 8 [15]
2022 "fly with the Night" "Secret Dawn" 30 March 7 [20]
"Yorube no Sunny, Sunny" (寄る辺のSunny, Sunny) "One Step at a Time" 14 September 23 Limited edition release includes Morfonication soundtrack [36][37]

Albums

[edit]
Year Title Release date Peak Oricon chart position Notes Ref
2020 BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol. 4 (バンドリ！ ガールズバンドパーティ！ カバーコレクション Vol.4) 27 May 1 Joined by Poppin'Party, Afterglow, Pastel Palettes, Roselia, Hello, Happy World!, and Raise A Suilen [38]
Garupa Vocaloid Cover Collection (ガルパ ボカロカバーコレクション) 16 December 4 [39]
2021 BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol. 5 (バンドリ！ ガールズバンドパーティ！ カバーコレクションVol.5) 24 February 6 [40]
"BanG Dream! FILM LIVE 2nd Stage" Special Songs 25 August 13 [41]
BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol. 6 (バンドリ！ ガールズバンドパーティ！ カバーコレクションVol.6) 10 November 4 [42]
2022 BanG Dream! Dreamer's Best 16 March 6 Fan vote-determined compilation album with Morfonica's "Daylight", "flame of hope", and "Bloom Bloom" included [43]
BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol. 7 (バンドリ！ ガールズバンドパーティ！ カバーコレクションVol.7) 14 December 13 Joined by Poppin'Party, Afterglow, Pastel Palettes, Roselia, Hello, Happy World!, and Raise A Suilen [44]
2023 Quintet 15 March 9 [45]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Morrissy, Kim (7 March 2020). "BanG Dream! Announces New Violin Rock Band Morfonica". Anime News Network. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Kidani, Takaaki (17 August 2020). "今、リアルライブを再開する決断──「BanG Dream! 8th Live 夏の野外3 Days」直前！ブシロード木谷高明会長インタビュー" [Right now, the decision to resume real lives, just before "BanG Dream! 8th Live Summer Outdoors 3 Days"! Interview with Takaaki Kitani, Chairman of Bushiroad]. Akiba Souken (Interview) (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b Komatsu, Mikikazu (1 March 2020). "Watch Anime MV by BanG Dream!'s New Violin Rock Band Morfonica". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Komatsu, Mikikazu (5 March 2020). "BanG Dream!'s 4th Real Band Morfonica Members Introduce Themselves in Video". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b c "「バンドリ！」，Morfonicaの冠番組「MORFONICAL」の放送が決定" ["Bandori!", Morfonica's crown program "MORFONICAL" will be broadcast]. Craft Egg (Press release) (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  6. ^ a b Komatsu, Mikikazu (13 May 2020). "BanG Dream! Violin Rock Band Morfonica Chosen as Tower Records Japan's Recommended Artist of May 2020". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Walkure, BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!, YOASOBI, and Lady Gaga Top the Oricon Charts for the Week of 5/25 – 5/31". Arama! Japan. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  8. ^ "【ビルボード】バンドリ！カバーアルバム第4弾が総合アルバム首位 3位にはレディー・ガガ" [[Billboard] Bandori! The 4th cover album is Lady Gaga in 3rd place]. Billboard Japan (in Japanese). 3 June 2020. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  9. ^ "『バンドリ！』"モニカ"、"パスパレ"、"ポピパ"が次々に登場する8thライブ千秋楽開催レポート" ["BanG Dream! 8th Live" music report where Morfonica, PasuPare, and PoPiPa appear one after another]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 23 August 2020. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  10. ^ "『ガルパ』新情報まとめ。初音ミクコラボ第3弾が開催決定" ["Garupa" new information summary. The third Hatsune Miku collaboration will be held]. Dengeki (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  11. ^ a b "『バンドリ！』ファン待望の"Morfonica"単独ライブ『Cantabile』の模様をレポート" ["BanG Dream! Report on the long-awaited "Morfonica" solo live "Cantabile"]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  12. ^ "『バンドリ！』8thライブ千秋楽となる"ポピパ"単独ライブ2日目の模様をレポート" ["BanG Dream!" 8th Live Breakthrough PoPiPa single live 2nd day report]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 9 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  13. ^ "『バンドリ！』ポピパとサイサイの対バンライブが開催決定" ["BanG Dream!" PoPiPa and SaiSai's band live will be held]. Dengeki (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  14. ^ "RAISE A SUILEN x Morfonica "Mythology Chapter 2"". BanG Dream! (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  15. ^ a b "ハーモニー・デイ" [Harmony Day]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  16. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (14 September 2021). "Cardfight!! Vanguard overDress Anime Gets 3rd, 4th Seasons". Anime News Network. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  17. ^ "Morfonica ZEPP TOUR 2021「Amabile」". BanG Dream! (in Japanese). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  18. ^ "「バンドリ！」佐藤純一さん提供楽曲"The Circle Of Butterflies"を追加" ["BanG Dream!" Added "The Circle Of Butterflies" provided by Junichi Sato]. Craft Egg (Press release) (in Japanese). 4Gamer.net. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  19. ^ "ガルパステーション発表内容まとめ。バンドリーマーが投票で選んだアルバム収録曲が決定" ["Girls Band Party!" fhána and Hyadain participating! New extra songs & artist tie-ups announced]. Dengeki (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. 20 March 2022. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  20. ^ a b "fly with the night". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 16 April 2022.
  21. ^ "Morfonica Concept LIVE「Resonance」". BanG Dream! (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  22. ^ a b "『バンドリ ガルパ』Morfonica倉田ましろ役進藤あまねが語る"ましろと新バンドの魅力"【3周年記念ボーカルキャストインタビュー第6弾】" [Morfonica Mashiro Kurata, Amane Shindo talks about "The charm of Mashiro and the new band" [6th anniversary vocalist cast interview]]. Famitsu (in Japanese). 31 March 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  23. ^ Mika (28 April 2020). "『ガルパ』新バンド・Morfonica、Dr.二葉つくし役のmikaさんにインタビュー【拡大版】" [Interview with mika, who plays the role of "Garupa" new band Morfonica, Dr. Tsukushi Futaba [enlarged version]]. Dengeki G's Magazine (Interview) (in Japanese). ASCII Media Works. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Ayasa、『バンドリ！』新バンド・Morfonicaのバイオリン担当・八潮瑠唯役に決定" [Ayasa, "Bandori!" New band Morfonica plays violin, Rui Yashio] (in Japanese). Yahoo! Japan. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  25. ^ Dennison, Kara (27 June 2020). "Watch BanG Dream!'s Ayasa Perform the Latest KAGUYA-SAMA Theme in Cosplay". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  26. ^ Craft Egg. BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! (iOS/Android). Bushiroad. Scene: Morfonica, To the Sparkling World. Level/area: I Want to Try Being in a Band!. Mashiro: Th-they... w-were a lot of fun!! Just amazing!! So cool!! [...] I-I thought maybe I'd start a band of my own! (After that, I went home and made a poster to recruit bandamtes right away... Kasumi-san and the other bands were all shining just as brightly as the students at Tsukinomori. If I start a band, maybe even someone like me... can shine just as bright as them...)
  27. ^ Craft Egg. BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! (iOS/Android). Bushiroad. Scene: Morfonica, To the Sparkling World. Level/area: Morfonica. Tsukushi: I'd like our name to have something to do with change... Kurata-san, didn't you say you thought starting a band would be a good chance to change yourself? Then that idea should be a part of our name. [...] I'd like to add something that represents us... Ah, the violin! / [...] Nanami: Ah... Symphony... What about 'symphonic'?
  28. ^ Yuda, Masaru; Sawamura, Eisuke; Tsuji, Kōta (11 June 2020). "『ガルパ』開発陣インタビュー。MorfonicaとRAISE A SUILEN実装の裏側に迫る！" [Interview with the development team of "Garpa". Get behind the scenes of Morfonica and Raise a Sullen! implementations!]. Dengeki (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Tsukasa, Kōyō. ASCII Media Works. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  29. ^ "「バンドリ！ガルパ」，3周年キャンペーンやアップデートの情報が公開" ["Bandori! Garupa" 3rd anniversary campaign and update information released]. 4Gamer.net (in Japanese). 2 March 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  30. ^ Hacaga, Shawn (19 June 2020). "BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!☆PICO～OHMORI～ Episode #07 Anime Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  31. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (19 March 2022). "BanG Dream!'s Morfonica Group Gets Original Anime This Summer". Anime News Network. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  32. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (3 June 2022). "BanG Dream! Morfonica Anime Reveals Title, Teaser Video, July 28–29 Premiere". Anime News Network. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  33. ^ "Music". BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! (in Japanese). Bushiroad. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  34. ^ "Daylight-デイライト-". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  35. ^ "ブルームブルーム【Blu-ray付生産限定盤】" [Bloom Bloom [Limited Edition with Blu-ray]]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  36. ^ "寄る辺のSunny,Sunny" [Yorube no Sunny, Sunny]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  37. ^ "寄る辺のSunny,Sunny(Blu-ray付生産限定盤)" [Yorube no Sunny, Sunny (Limited edition with Blu-ray)]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  38. ^ "バンドリ! ガールズバンドパーティ! カバーコレクションVol.4" [BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.4]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  39. ^ "ガルパ ボカロカバーコレクション" [Garupa Vocaloid Cover Collection]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  40. ^ "バンドリ! ガールズバンドパーティ! カバーコレクションVol.5" [BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.5]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  41. ^ "劇場版「BanG Dream! FILM LIVE 2nd Stage」Special Songs". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  42. ^ "バンドリ! ガールズバンドパーティ! カバーコレクションVol.6" [BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.6]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  43. ^ "BanG Dream! Dreamer's Best". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  44. ^ "バンドリ! ガールズバンドパーティ! カバーコレクションVol.7" [BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.7]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  45. ^ "Quintet" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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