Interview with ASCA, who sang the TFT collaboration song "Fighter!!" that surpassed 40 million views! "It's a fight song to say, 'Let's fight together!'"

Since it's the theme song for a title like TFT, which is loved all over the world, I thought it was a truly honorable opportunity.
I've sung many songs for anime and games up until now, and as I continue to sing, I'm reminded that I'm able to receive wonderful connections like this, so I accepted the offer, seeing it as a reward.

Since it's the theme song for the new Set, "K.O. Coliseum," I was given an overview of the world in advance, such as the strongest teams fighting each other."
When I received that offer, I was reminded of an experience I had at a soccer stadium.
After singing at a stadium, I had the chance to watch the game, and I felt the energy of a clash of souls and a place to demonstrate the results of past efforts, and I thought it was a powerful place.

And I thought that "K.O. Coliseum" would surely become a similar place.
Not just in games or sports, but everyone in this world is a "fighter."
We face challenges every day, and just when we think things are stable, we hit a new wall.
Overcoming that wall is a challenge for me as well, and I have overcome many walls myself, and now I really enjoy singing.

I thought if I combined what I've felt with the powerful stage of "K.O. Coliseum," I could write good lyrics.
I'm very happy that I could incorporate a lot of ideas to liven up TFT and have the song become a fight song for everyone's life.

In the past, I had a period when I was about to give up, wondering, "Is it okay for me to be singing?" or "Maybe singing isn't for me."
It took a lot of time, but I was able to overcome it, and I felt that the walls that appear in front of you aren't something you can easily get over.

That's precisely why I want to tell everyone that if you don't give up and don't get discouraged, you can make your dreams a reality. Of course, new walls will appear for me too, and since I'm planning to intentionally move in directions where I'm likely to face challenges, this is a fight song for everyone, and it also contains the message, "Let's all face our challenges together!"

There are many! (laughs)
First, the opening line: "We're the strongest, we chant again today / It's okay if it's a bluff at first, one day it will become the truth (translated from Japanese: 僕等は最強なんだって今日も唱えてる 最初ははったりでもいい いつの日かそれが本当になる).”
This comes directly from my own experience; when I was nervous before going on stage, I would chant "It's okay, I'm the strongest, I'm the strongest."
It's okay if you can't say it from the bottom of your heart at first; I really wanted to convey the message that by telling yourself something, it will eventually become true, so I put it at the beginning.

I also wanted it to be a fun song for live performances, so I envisioned everyone singing the "Wow Wow" phrase together.
The "Wow" in the chorus was originally meant for me to sing the main melody, but as I was working on the song, I thought, "Wouldn't it be fun if everyone in the audience screamed with excitement at the live show?"

I don't make every song that way, but with "Fighter!!," from the moment I heard the demo, I was convinced that it would definitely get the crowd hyped up at a live show! So I thought, "Let's lean into that even more!" (laughs)

I've received comments on social media, and people have left comments on the fan community blog saying things like "This is my favorite song out of all your songs so far!"
But what surprised me most of all was the number of views on the cinematic.
It had over 18 million views in 6 days (as of this writing, it has surpassed 40 million views), and it made me realize again just how much TFT is loved all over the world.
At the same time, I am grateful to all the many people who helped me complete "Fighter!!," including the staff who facilitated international communication and the engineers and musicians who finished the song on a tight schedule.

I've watched it again and again! (laughs)
From the time I received the production materials, I really loved TFT's world and the vivid colors.
I think the video is exciting, and the characters' lively expressions connect with the message of "Fighter!!".

(Holding a plush toy) I love Pengu!
I've had this plush toy in the most prominent spot in my room since I got it (laughs).
Basically, it's an animation with cool action where the characters are vibrant, but there are parts where the art style occasionally changes to a comedic one.
I really love that relaxed feeling, and I especially like Pengu because there are many such depictions of him.
Also, the sense of size. Everyone else is big, but only Pengu is plump and so cute!

While I was producing my new album, we had a jacket photoshoot in Kujukuri, Chiba Prefecture.
I'm usually very careful about not getting sunburned, but since we were shooting at the beach that day, my makeup artist diligently applied sunscreen.
I was wearing a dress that exposed my arms and shoulders, but only the middle of my décolletage, which was the one spot my makeup artist couldn't reach, got a clear tan line (laughs).
In the end, I was slightly defeated (laughs).

We wanted to shoot just when the blue sky appeared, so it was the hottest time of midday.
Also, when we moved to Byobu-ga-ura, we were suddenly hit by a sudden downpour, and all the staff had to wait in the location bus... so there was also a battle with the weather (laughs).

We'll be touring Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Tokyo!

I've appeared at festivals and events, and I also held solo concerts in Seoul and Hong Kong.
In Japan, I feel a sense of unity with the audience, but in other parts of Asia, people get excited and cheer in places where a Japanese audience would normally be quiet, and they yell out after every song, so I can feel their passion.

At my first solo concert, when I asked in the talk segment where everyone lived, they would answer, but I don't know the local geography, you know? (laughs)
So when I asked, "What's the town like?," someone replied in Japanese, "It's like Gunma in Japan!" (laughs)
The people in Asia who listen to my songs are good at Japanese and have a deep understanding of Japan...!

When I'm waiting backstage before a performance overseas, it's a strange feeling.
I'm about to have a solo concert overseas... I want to tell my 3rd-grade self, who said she loved to sing, "You're having a solo concert overseas now."
That feeling gets really high before a performance, but I'm able to sing with a pure feeling of gratitude, simply wanting people to have fun, so I'm really looking forward to my overseas live shows.

As I've been doing a lot of trial and error to create my live shows again recently, I'm trying to avoid making unnecessary movements as much as possible.
I tend to get excited at live shows and want to make movements that are different from what I normally do, but that's not my usual self.
I'm often more successful when I don't change my energy much between when I'm on and off stage, so I place importance on being as relaxed as possible when I perform.

The song itself has a lot of power, so I'd be happy if everyone freely interprets the song and sings or yells without me having to work hard to get the crowd going.
Many of the songs I've released as ASCA have call-and-response parts, but "Fighter!!" is especially easy to understand, so I think it will be an important key song for live shows.

"Fighter!!" is a song I created with the hope of getting people more excited about TFT's new Set, "K.O. Coliseum."
It's packed with elements that will make the game more enjoyable for those who are playing it, so I hope you'll listen to it while you play.
Everyone is a fighter. When you hit a wall in your daily life and when you need to do your best, this song will give you energy, so please give it a listen!
I'll be singing it often at live shows and other events!

The Asian tour has been a dream of mine.
I was able to fulfill my dream of an overseas solo concert last year, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to hold a tour as my next challenge.
I received a lot of strength from the passionate messages from people in Asia, so I'm deeply moved to have been given a chance to give back to them.
If you've ever listened to ASCA's music or know who ASCA is, I hope you'll come and join us! I promise you won't regret it!!

Thank you very much!