Bringing dark fantasy to life with music and art

ELFENSJóN is a creative project driven by the musical compositions of Kurose Keisuke and illustrations by Ishizue Kachiru. Rooted in a dark fantasy theme, ELFENSJóN’s collaboration delivers an immersive experience that captivates not only the auditory and visual senses, but also stirs one’s imagination.

As we deeply admire ELFENSJóN’s work, we were grateful for the exclusive opportunity to sit down and speak with Kurose Keisuke and learn more about the duo. Like their music, there is still much to uncover about this creative project, which is why we wanted to explore its inception, concept, and the fantasy story that shapes each musical work.

With a growing overseas following, ELFENSJóN has demonstrated their ability to reach and resonate with a global audience. If you haven’t experienced their work yet, now is the perfect time to see why they’ve gained such attention!

“Working with a major label means you have a lot of resources at your disposal […] On the other hand, it could mean that you end up with creative limitations.” —Kurose Keisuke

While ELFENSJóN’s activity dates back to 2018, you Kurose Keisuke (黒瀬圭亮), have been active in the independent “doujin” scene and beyond for over 20 years. What has kept you in the scene for so long?

To put it simply, my motivation has always been to create music that I enjoy and want to hear—something that has never been done before. That was the foundation, and everything took off from there.

And going back in time before ELFENSJóN, you used to play in the band UROBOROS which was signed under the major record label Pony Canyon. How was that experience compared to working as an independent musician?

Well, each one comes with its own positive experiences that naturally come with the territory.

Working with a major label means you have a lot of resources at your disposal, it feels like you’re a part of something big where a lot of different people can get involved on one huge project. On the other hand, it could mean that you end up with creative limitations placed on you, which I’m not as fond of.

For me, if I had to pick one, I would always choose creating music that I enjoy. That always has to come first. Of course, I understand from a business perspective that sometimes you have to make compromises. However, for me, there are times when it’s more important to just follow what you believe in.

The trade-off of working with a major label is that while you gain access to a major project, more people get involved, making the process more complex with more things to consider. But in the end, it’s just me and the listener, right? As an independent creative, you can be much more direct, and to me, that’s the biggest advantage.

Regarding the restrictions imposed by major labels, is that why you choose to continue working in the independent scene instead of returning to a major label?

That’s one reason, yes, but there are also numerous other reasons too. For example, contract lengths dictate the duration and scope of the works, or collaborations to be undertaken.

When collaborating with a major label, funding and capital requirements necessitate agreement from both parties—my side and the label’s—in order to create anything. For some projects, if the label can’t justify the projected costs, I would rather just pay for it myself.

The difference back then was you operated within a band structure as UROBOROS, unlike the current creative setup, which consists of you as a composer and Ishizue Kachiru (石据カチル) as the illustrator. Would you say you gravitate more toward one structure than the other?

I wouldn’t say I prefer one over the other; working in a band is fun in its own way. But right now, I’m working on independent projects, which also has its own merits.

If I had to choose which one I handle better, more often than not, I handle the independent projects better. That goes for the creative side, as well as the promotional side, and also the financials. The decision for all of that is ultimately in my hands.

At the end of the day, with a band, you can’t move forward unless everyone is in agreement. That’s why it just doesn’t work out sometimes. If everyone in the band isn’t compatible with each other, it becomes difficult to decide on the direction. Despite that, it’s still a lot of fun, and the sense of camaraderie itself is a source of motivation, even if progress moves a bit slower as a result.

“It became a major turning point for me, and that’s how we formed as a group.” —Kurose Keisuke

We’re glad to hear that you’ve enjoyed both sides of it. Now that we’ve covered your past and present, could you describe how you transitioned from working with a major label to starting ELFENSJóN?

The members of ELFENSJóN consist of Kachiru, who handles the artwork and illustrations, and myself [responsible for composing and other related tasks].

It was about 10 years ago, when we became acquainted and I was still in Asriel, that we started floating the idea of working together. Back then, we didn’t know how we would collaborate or if it would even become a reality.

Many things happened since then, and while I still had the motivation to keep creating new works and had plenty of demos, I wasn’t quite sure exactly how to properly output them. It was then that Kachiru reached out and suggested a collaboration, which, given the perfect timing, it became a major turning point for me, and that’s how we formed as a group.

Did you already have a clear concept in mind back then?

It was still pretty vague—even up until 2017. Thematically, since we both shared an interest in dark fantasy, we knew it had to be something within that realm, as we both specialized in it.

After establishing that, we had to decide on our creative direction. We didn’t have any concrete concepts at first, so many of the ideas were ones we had already explored individually or worked on before.

Eventually, we decided that we should try a different, unique approach, a different vision or “another vision”, if you will—which is actually the origin of the name ELFENSJóN.

To this day, does the concept of “another vision” persist?

At its core, the theme of dark fantasy hasn’t changed. However, we have an unspoken rule between us to never repeat ourselves. So when composing music, if it starts to feel like I’ve already done it before, then I might just stop there and take a different approach.

I’m always trying to evolve, but I realize that we shouldn’t change the foundation or the source of inspiration, because that’s what’s important to me—and it’s where I can return if I ever feel uncertain.

It’s quite impressive how the fundamentals are so deeply ingrained!

ELFENSJóN is defined as a “creative project”, which shares similarities with a doujin circle. Since the concept of doujin circles doesn’t exist overseas, could you explain how your structure works? Unlike a traditional band, which typically consists of only musicians, a doujin circle may include illustrators, video creators, or even web designers.

[In the case of ELFENSJóN], the importance lies in the fact that the illustrator is also a creative producer, and it’s not just me alone telling the story. For example, the lyrics in a song should strongly convey a message or draw you into its story or world to feel authentic. This principle applies to everything—the art direction, illustrations, lyrics, music, and the songs themselves. They all need to align with the overall story and worldview that we establish together as creative producers.

For example, if it’s this kind of character, the lyrics, illustrations, and song, should all align to clearly reflect a certain theme.

I could just keep composing more songs on my own, but without a theme to tie everything together, it would become confusing for the listener. That’s why it’s crucial to have the illustrations and art direction that keep the storytelling grounded and ensure the worldviews remain consistent.

That makes complete sense, and it’s very insightful to learn about the importance of each role. You also refer your works as “stories”, like “second story” or “third story”, instead of just albums or singles. Why is that?

To put it simply, each song tells a story, with its themes woven into the lyrics, whether explicitly or subtly. The topic or subject becomes clear through the lyrics themselves.

A story consists of a beginning and an end, thus we now have the first story, second story, and so on. Each story loosely interacts with the other, so they aren’t isolated as separate entities They’re all connected together by an overarching universe, which is why they are called “stories”.

Is there a name for this “overarching universe” that ties all these stories together?

Not particularly.

Ah, got it! If we focus on the stories (albums) “Ash of Rouge” and “Ephemera”, in which the main characters are Astral and Elisia, this is the only storyline that has had a direct continuation. Could you tell us more about that?

As everything exists in the same universe, all the stories told up to this point are still in progress, and some already have connections to each other, like the second and fourth stories [which are Ash of Rouge and Ephemera].

Going forward, each story will not be confined to itself, and future stories might intersect with elements from previous stories.

For the latest album “Zenith”, what kind of story is being told here?

The story in Zenith focuses on the characters Lakhesis and Loki. They serve as a priest and a priestess in a sanctuary that exists in the universe where many of the characters we’ve met so far find themselves at.

This sanctuary offers salvation, and many of the characters who have ended up here seek answers or guidance from their sins. These answers are provided in the form of the different songs that comprise this story.

Oh, so Lakhesis and Loki aren’t actual gods? That explains the fake wings they carry, which illustrator Kachiru candidly revealed.

Yes, that’s right [laughs]! They’re just elves.

“If you think of a game, it’s not just boss fight after boss fight after boss fight.” —Kurose Keisuke

Let’s shift the focus to the inspirations behind ELFENSJóN. Where do you draw your musical inspiration from, and do you believe that ELFENSJóN could only have come to fruition through all the experiences you’ve had up until now?

All of my experiences have shaped the way I approach my music, how my ideas are formed, and even how the sound is engineered. I take inspiration from truly a wide range of things, whether it be music that I like, deciding on what kind of music to use, and what kind of art direction to take.

To name a few specific influences, many of the worldviews and settings I use within the dark fantasy genre are inspired by games from companies like “FromSoftware”, such as Dark Souls and Bloodbourne, and even “Blizzard” games like Diablo.

While we didn’t expect those games to be the inspiration, it makes complete sense! Does working with an illustrator have any direct impact on your music? If so, how?

Yes, it influences not just the way I write lyrics but the entire song itself. I take a lot of advice from the illustrator regarding how a song should be arranged, its sound, and what it should convey. This collaboration really helps me differentiate and create songs that are unique from one another. After all, it’s a key part of the process.

I do love “band music”, so to speak, which I have been creating for a while. Sometimes, I end up making a series of songs that don’t differ much from each other, and they start to sound too similar. That’s where input from another perspective is really helpful, as it pushes me to create songs that are distinct and have their own unique qualities.

That’s interesting to hear, especially since we typically don’t see a music unit with your duo setup. From our perspective as fans, it feels like ELFENSJóN’s music combines the mysterious and gothic sound of Asriel with the dark, heavy sound of UROBOROS. Do you feel this is the case or not?

I would say “yes”, but not consciously [laughs]. It just happens naturally, I suppose. That’s what has felt authentic to me in the music I’ve made up until now.

In addition to the traits we’ve mentioned, your music often blends both heavy and delicate sounds, all within the dark fantasy genre. How do you balance these elements?

I think it just comes down to the need for balance. If you think of a game, it’s not just boss fight after boss fight after boss fight.

[Everyone laughs]

It’s the same when I visualize a song or an album. There’s an opening, then something mysterious, followed by a boss fight, and so on. It’s never just heavy all the time or delicate all the time.

That’s a perfect metaphor. It always feels fresh, like how you introduced shuffle beat in the song “Toge”.

That’s right.

“While discussing it, it turned out to be an offer for the ending theme song for Nazeboku.” —Kurose Keisuke

As ELFENSJóN is a two-member creative project without a permanent vocalist, each work features a guest vocalist. With so many talented vocalists to choose from, how do you decide who to invite and when?

I think the most important factor is whether the vocalist is suited to a specific song. When looking at the illustrations, we consider which vocalist would best capture the “voice” of the character and whether they align with the character’s image.

Of course, we also have to consider the thematic elements of the album and choose appropriately. For example, with Zenith and the character of Loki, we knew we wanted a vocalist with a strong affinity for rock music, and we chose someone based on that sensibility.

In the last two albums, “Ephemeral” and “Zenith”, you features vocalist YURiCa (HaNaTan) as the main vocalist. What was it that made her so fitting for both these albums?

To put it simply, I just really like her voice [laughs].

[Laughs] We’re big fans too!

I’ve always been a fan of her work, reaching back to the Nico Nico Douga days [the Japanese video platform], and I had known that I would like to collaborate with her someday.

While I was refining my songwriting skills, I reached out to her once I felt I could create songs tailored to her voice and singing style. She’s been a perfect fit for these albums—though I’m saying this after the work has been released, I can’t imagine anyone else as the vocalist for this album. Of course, these considerations were already in my mind while composing the songs.

I tend to visualize a specific vocalist when writing a song, so these songs were created with her in mind as the vocalist.

Most recently, YURiCa (HaNaTan) was featured in the single “UMBRA”, which became the ending theme song for the anime “Naze Boku no Sekai wo Daremo Oboeteinai no ka?” (Nazeboku). Could you tell us how this anime tie-up came about?

An acquaintance of mine, who is also an industry associate connected to the record label, approached me with an “important task” that piqued my interest.

While discussing it, it turned out to be an offer for the ending theme song for Nazeboku. After reviewing the source material for inspiration, I put together several demos and eventually created the song that the label chose as the ending theme for the anime.

“I’ve been focused on how to really tell a complete story in each and every song, instead of just writing whatever I feel like.” —Kurose Keisuke

Given the high level and quality of your music, which, in our opinion, already surpasses what major labels produce, has an opportunity like this come up before in the past?

I have contributed numerous songs in the past, not to anime, but actually to a number of rhythm and music games produced by “Konami”. But in terms of anime collaborations, this is actually the first for ELFENSJóN.

What kind of challenges, if any, did you come across when working on your first anime collaboration?

Right… To be honest, most of the songs that naturally come to me tend to be more suited for opening themes [laughs].

We completely understand what you mean, considering the high intensity of your songs!

It’s just that I’ve written so many of those types of songs in my career, and while I can write mid-tempo ballads or more laid-back tracks, I’ve always aimed to improve in that area—to compose songs that are suitable for ending themes. In that sense, it was definitely a challenge, as I found myself putting in more effort to write that kind of song.

As mentioned earlier, YURiCa (HaNaTan) was featured for “UMBRA”, what was the reason you chose her this time?

Having worked with her over the last two albums, Ephemeral and Zenith, it’s just become very apparent to me that she’s a perfect fit for the songs, just as I had envisioned.

It’s not just her vocal skills, but also her style—her tone, range, and ability to express the lyrical meaning—that align so well with the songs.

I was really pleased to have the chance to work with her again on this track.

The title of the song “UMBRA” means “shadow”, which is expressed as “the way it wanders in search of light”. How does this concept tie into the anime itself?

I think in the very beginning of the anime, the story quickly takes a darker turn, and from there, we find the protagonist wanting to search for the light. I tried to reflect that journey in the song, where the beginning is dark and heavy, but ultimately moves towards a brighter place.

What have you learned from this experience of creating an anime theme song?

Not just this time, but over time, I’ve been focused on how to really tell a complete story in each and every song, instead of just writing whatever I feel like.

This is especially important when composing an anime theme song—every element must deeply resonate with the story and source material; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a good theme song. I put a lot of thought into the composition, melodies, and lyrics, ensuring they align with the essence of the anime after thoroughly studying its world.

I think that improving these kinds of processes has really helped me to focus my compositions onto specific themes or storylines, which I’ve been able to apply throughout my own various works up until now.

Between writing songs for an anime and writing freely, which are you more used to?

I think it’s more natural for me to write music for an original concept I came up with. However, I’ve found that when I write for someone else’s idea or concept, rather than my own, I come up with new sounds, themes, and ideas I probably wouldn’t have thought of before. That has been really refreshing, though also a bit tough [chuckles].

If you had the chance again, would you do more anime theme songs?

Of course!

[Everyone laughs]

“I think there are many people on the production committee who genuinely support the independent artists who are putting in so much effort every day to perfect their craft.” —Kurose Keisuke

With regards to “Nazeboku”, we noticed there is so much influence and creative input from various independent “doujin” artists, including yourself. We also saw a lot of advertising happening during doujin events such as “Comiket 104”. Why do you think the doujin scene has such a strong presence in this anime?

Simply put, I think there are many connections between the independent scene and the anime’s production committee.

I was contacted by an acquaintance involved in the production, and I believe others on the committee are also recommending independent artists they admire, bringing them on for collaborations. In a way, it’s funny—coincidentally, but also not really—that everyone involved is reaching out to artists they know or like, which is how they all end up contributing, so to speak [laughs].

In reality, I think there are many people on the production committee who genuinely support the independent artists who are putting in so much effort every day to perfect their craft. So, please, consider me one of them as well.

[Everyone laughs]

You’re also bringing in many talented people to perform for ELFENSJóN. Despite being a skilled guitarist yourself, why do you choose to feature other guitarists, such as myu of Imy, to record those parts instead of playing them yourself?

That just comes down to myu’s skill and technique being far beyond mine [laughs]. As a musician, I am actually not so much interested in my own playing. I’m more interested in writing melodies, arranging, producing, and building an overall concept.

When it comes to performances, I’d rather ask another musician who is better suited to express and perform certain songs or parts of music. To me, this elevates the overall level of creativity, which is really all I’m thinking about [laughs].

Is that the same reason why we see Masahiro “Goodspeed” Aoki contributing to the symphonics in your song?

Yes, that’s the reason. I’m capable of doing orchestration myself, but Aoki is on an entirely different level.

“I really love visual kei, and I’ve of course been a fan of Kamijo since the Lareine days.” —Kurose Keisuke

Oh wow! Looking ahead, are there any other projects or challenges that you would like to take up? How do you envision the sound signature of ELFENSJóN evolving in the years to come?

Of course, I’m always open to try new things and starting new projects. However, I don’t see myself approaching that until I’ve explored all that I want to do with ELFENSJóN. I’m just having so much fun and creatively, it keeps getting better and better. As long as the ideas keep flowing, I don’t think I’ll be stopping soon. Even then, I don’t think I’ll move on to a different project as long as I can continue with ELFENSJóN.

ELFENSJóN is already quite a flexible project, and even if we were to explore a completely different genre, I think as long as the core foundation remains unchanged, we can keep doing it as ELFENSJóN.

That’s really reassuring to hear. Within the realm of ELFENSJóN, is there any other scene or industry that you would like to try your hand at?

I haven’t really thought about it from that perspective, but if I had to say, I think since I already creatively output a lot of my own ideas and concepts, I would welcome collaborations with other artists or genres. If they sought me out, I’d be excited to use my production skills to help bring their creative concepts to life instead.

Considering that ELFENSJóN is a “creative project” rather than a “band”, the chance of seeing you perform live seems less likely. Have you given any thought to potentially performing live in the future?

For me, personally, I think I would love to. However, there is a lot to think about regarding that.

In fact, I have turned down event proposals suggested by planners a few times. Even for me, there are a few problems I can think of with performing live.

The setting and immersion are very important for me, and considering a project that is deeply grounded in the illustrations and artwork, it would be fundamentally different and inconsistent for me to have real humans on stage while trying to bring out its concept.

Also, frankly speaking, the songs are very difficult.

[Everyone laughs]

I think about 90% of the reason for me is the setting and the immersion.

That’s completely understandable. If we were to compare the setting and immersion with visual kei concerts, like those from bands such as Versailles, which have a very thematic concept on stage, have you ever considered something similar to fully encapsulate your concept?

I really love visual kei, and I’ve of course been a fan of Kamijo since the Lareine days, even now, when invited by band members with whom I have a close relationship, I visit the live shows.

While I do feel that there are a lot of similarities, fundamentally, it is not the same thing as what we are trying to do. If I had to say, I think if we were to keep the essence of what we are, then it would be closer to something like a VTuber’s performance.

Oh that’s interesting, we didn’t expect that kind of angle.

Lastly, could you share a message for your fans overseas?

ELFENSJóN has been on a roll lately, especially with the recent anime theme collaboration. It’s been amazing to see so much interaction from overseas fans on platforms like YouTube. Your support keeps me motivated and driven to continue. I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon, so please look forward to more works in the coming year as well!

Once again, we are extremely grateful for the opportunity and the generous time allotted to us to speak with Kurose Keisuke!

We hope our conversation provided insight into what sets this creative project apart from traditional bands and groups, and how their distinct lineup enables the rise of ELFENSJóN’s unique sound.