Breaking the mold with fusion rock and “Blue Lock” anime music

ASH DA HERO is a five-man band consisting of members all with unique backgrounds to create a sound rooted in rock, punk, and hip hop. Founded by the vocalist in 2021, who also goes by the name “ASH DA HERO” or “ASH”; the band has seen a rapid growth in the three years they’ve been active, and recently gained an even stronger audience through their collaboration with the football anime, Blue Lock.

As the band’s lineup and sound piqued our interest, we wanted to learn more about their overseas endeavors, anime involvement, and future goals. We were lucky to have the opportunity to speak more about this with the vocalist ASH!

You recently had the chance to work on the double A-side single “Beast Mode / Octave” for the football anime “Blue Lock -Episode Nagi-“. Notably, these songs are featured in pivotal moments in the story. Could you tell us how you approached these works?

Originally, it was supposed to be one song, but after submitting several demos, the director asked to use two of them, so it became two. It was a great honor.

We love the anime, and that love naturally overflowed into the music. Because we’re fans ourselves. And I think our music is really compatible with Blue Lock.

We recorded with the belief that if we played our rock music with sincerity, it would naturally synchronize with Blue Lock.

We’re happy to hear that you were genuinely invested in it as well! Despite ASH DA HERO being a new band, we’ve actually already enjoyed your compositions for “ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream“, even before the band’s formation. However, as a band, did you always plan to enter the anime industry? What were your intention and goals with this?

Wow! That’s great to hear! I’ve been involved with Argonavis from the very beginning of the project. I always want to share my music through various formats, not just one. Our goals as a band are to perform at the Budokan, to consistently hit the charts, and to go on world tours.

I’m really happy that the anime industry is getting to know us! I’d love to get involved in various ways in the future.

And to achieve this, you’ve put together quite a unique lineup with diverse musical background. How do you hope this mold-breaking fusion impacts your listeners, or even the music industry?

We want to rock people who don’t know rock bands, and for those who already love rock bands, we want to continually provide new value and creativity to shake up their minds.

We can definitely feel that, as which each song, we can sense the “soul” in your music performance. How do you achieve this passionate and authenticity sound?

When writing a song, I often think, “What if my life burns out?”. That’s probably what you’re feeling. It makes me very happy to hear that.

Everything I take in becomes an idea for a song. All the emotions I experience in life turn into lyrics and melodies. My songs are actually about soul and blues.

Speaking of emotions, you’ve had the chance to meet lots of fans overseas when you were playing in the US. How was that?

Our live performance in America was absolutely amazing. You can see how much Houston means to me by looking at the tattoo on my left arm.

Right…it has the date of the live show on it. It was an incredible live performance that will be etched in my heart forever. Thank you, Houston!

Considering how much playing overseas has affected you, has this somehow shaped the direction of the band’s sound?

I think that by using world-standard sounds and melodies as a model and adding a touch of Japanese uniqueness, we can make our identity even clearer. I’m also thinking of incorporating more English lyrics. It might not be easily accepted by audiences in Japan, but I’ll make it work.

As you know, many of your fans overseas are huge anime fans, so we wanted to know more about this side of you. As a teenager, how invested were you in otaku culture? And how invested are you today?

I’m still a huge otaku. Otaku, for the win!

[Laughs] That’s amazing. Lastly, please share a message to your fans overseas!

Thank you for listening to our music!

We’d love to do a show in a city near to you, so please continue to give us your passionate support!

Big thanks to ASH for being so open and taking the time to allow us to learn more about the band. We look forward to the band’s continued growth!