Morfonica

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.

Morfonica
Promotional art from the band's reveal
Background information
OriginJapan
Genres
  • Rock
Years active2020–present
LabelsBushiroad Music
Associated actsBanG Dream!
Members
  • Amane Shindō (Mashiro Kurata)
  • Hina Suguta (Tōko Kirigaya)
  • Yūka Nishio (Nanami Hiromachi)
  • Mika (Tsukushi Futaba)
  • Ayasa (Rui Yashio)

The band consists of Amane Shindō (vocals), Hina Sugata (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 (Sugata), Nanami Hiromachi (Nishio), Tsukushi Futaba (mika), and Rui Yashio (Ayasa).

Of the seven bands in BanG Dream!, Morfonica is one of four whose members perform their own music.

History

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 3DAYS 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, was held 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 will host a joint concert with Poppin'Party, known as Friendship LIVE "Astral Harmony", on 23 February at Yokohama Arena.[12]

Members
  • 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.[13][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.[13]
  • Hina Suguta (Tōko Kirigaya, guitar): Before joining BanG Dream!, Sugata 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 Sugata, 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.[14]
  • Ayasa (Rui Yashio, violin): Rui is Ayasa's first voice acting role.[15] Outside of the franchise, she is a YouTube personality who performs violin covers of popular anime songs.[16] She has also worked as a session musician for various artists.[6]

In-universe band
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 band makes its anime debut in the 2020 spin-off series BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! ☆ Pico ~Ohmori~.[17] Morfonica's characters first appeared in the Girls Band Party! game in the main story's second season in 2019,[18] and were formally added as a group during the third-year anniversary on 15 March 2020.[19]

Discography
See also: BanG Dream! discography

As of 30 December 2020, Morfonica has five original songs.[20]

Singles
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 [21]
2021 "Bloom Bloom (ブルームブルーム) "flame of hope" 13 January 6 [22]

Albums
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, Hello, Happy World!, and Raise A Suilen [23]
Garupa Vocaloid Cover Collection (ガルパ ボカロカバーコレクション) 16 December 4 [24]
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 TBD [25]

References
  1. Morrissy, Kim (7 March 2020). "BanG Dream! Announces New Violin Rock Band Morfonica". Anime News Network. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  2. 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3DAYS」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 3DAYS"! Interview with Takaaki Kitani, Chairman of Bushiroad]. Akiba Souken (Interview) (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. Komatsu, Mikikazu (1 March 2020). "Watch Anime MV by BanG Dream!'s New Violin Rock Band Morfonica". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  4. Komatsu, Mikikazu (5 March 2020). "BanG Dream!'s 4th Real Band Morfonica Members Introduce Themselves in Video". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  5. "「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. 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. "『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 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.
  14. 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.
  15. "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.
  16. Dennison, Kara (27 June 2020). "Watch BanG Dream!'s Ayasa Perform the Latest KAGUYA-SAMA Theme in Cosplay". Crunchyroll. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  17. Hacaga, Shawn (19 June 2020). "BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!☆PICO～OHMORI～ Episode #07 Anime Review". Fandom Post. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. 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 SUILEN implementations!]. Dengeki (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Tsukasa, Kōyō. ASCII Media Works. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  19. "「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.
  20. "Music". BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! (in Japanese). Bushiroad. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  21. "Daylight-デイライト-". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  22. "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.
  23. "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.
  24. "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.
  25. "Poppin'Party,Afterglow,Pastel＊Palettes,Roselia,ハロー、ハッピーワールド！,Morfonica,RAISE A SUILEN – 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" [Poppin'Party, Afterglow, Pastel＊Palettes, Roselia, Hello, Happy World!, Morfonica, RAISE A SUILEN – BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! Cover Collection Vol.5]. BanG Dream! (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 January 2021.
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