This season’s CHAINSAW MAN adaptation uniquely features a new ending song each week. November 30’s eighth episode ended with “first death” from TK From Ling tosite sigure, who also wrote the song and previously performed songs like “Unravel” for Tokyo Ghoul and “Signal” from 91 Days. We had the chance to ask TK, aka Toru Kitajima, through email about the creation of “first death,” which had its music video released today.
When and how were you approached to work on CHAINSAW MAN?
TK From Ling tosite sigure: I created a demo once to test if it will fit the work.
I didn’t have much time to prepare for the project, but the work inspired me in such an incredible speed that I really didn’t need much. Fortunately, my work seemed to match the work well, and I had confidence.
How was the theme of the song decided? Did you have discussions with the series director/episode director?
The content of the work was really everything. There weren’t any requests or words, but I held conversation with the work. It is the most natural way to create best music. And I was really happy to hear that they liked it. All we needed were very small adjustments.
Can you tell us about the theme of the lyrics and the inspiration behind them?
Inspiration is something that flows in my mind before thinking. It’s not something you think and think to contrive. Of course that may be the case in a long career, but this time, it came very naturally.
Same for the lyrics. The scenes popped in my head along with the words and I tried to stay close to the work. Another thing was that I wanted to keep the sense of speed. As if swinging the chainsaw at full speed, I wanted to express the work’s exceptional sense of speed.
What led to the creation of the title and lyrics of “first death?”
In real life, you can only experience death once, so the song represents the way death exists in the story, very ephemeral yet seeming eternal. There is evanescence in the contradicting uneasiness of “offering”, as the first death is also the last death. It’s really difficult to explain a word with words. I ask you to imagine all after seeing the story.
Given that this show features a different ending song for each episode, what was the process of writing “first death” for this episode compared to your previous anime theme songs?
Although this project is like an irregular experiment where the ending themes change every time, the process is all the same. The songs stand close with each episode, and the way a word settles each ending is a very interesting project that respect the style of the work. So, it is important for all the ending themes to have the power that stick with the stories, and still embellish CHAINSAW MAN together as a whole. Through the offers and the meetings with the production team, we had many chances to brush up how the sound fits the stories’ precise points after listening to the details of the song.
We had many fine adjustments that probably won’t take place in a regular anime production, and I think that was possible because we were particular about not one but all of the songs that were part of Chainsaw Man. I really gave deep thoughts about how my aggressive chainsaw-ish sounds and the sharp descriptions in the manga can synchronize to make my song the most powerful, the strongest.
What is your impression of the story and characters of CHAINSAW MAN? Were you familiar with the manga before getting the offer to work on the anime?
I don’t usually read manga but the drawing and the impactful title were stuck in my head.
I never dreamed of myself having a chance to work with it. To be honest, I started reading the manga after I received the offer, but its explosive impact was totally beyond my imagination and I was totally astonished. All the characters are striking and attractive but I was especially charmed by Pochita’s “wish” and the bond with Denji that lies in the raging and blistering story, which give light and depth to the edgy style of the work.
I also like how the unrealistic scenes fill the pages to emphasize the contrast with Pochita wishing for normality within the organs, as they make the story even more zealous and exciting.
What would you like to tell fans regarding the meaning of the song and its relation to the episode it features in?
I tuned my feelings into this work, completely immersed in the story. When I entered the story, music and words poured out naturally, and what came out were very natural yet unrealistic. It may not make sense, but when I get into the music, the deeper I go the more natural it becomes for me, and more difficult it becomes for others. But with the work “Chainsaw Man” you and I can share and understand these feelings. I believe that all the fragments of my sound and words will go out to touch the audience, not staying inside myself. Everything is packed in my song.
Any final comments to fans while they listen to the song?
I am happy that I can send my music out to the fans overseas through this work. Anime is one of the proud cultures of Japan and I feel that it’s a miracle that my music can add colors to it, to reach out crossing borders. In this age, it may look easy but it’s still a miracle. Maybe someday some of you may see me on stage, maybe we may never meet. But how I got to meet you through anime was an irreplaceable opportunity for my music. Thank you so much.
The song is now streaming on most music platforms.
