WagakkiBand revealed their full-length animated music video for Aria of Life, the opening theme song for the breakout anime series MARS RED. The video pairs scenes from MARS RED with WagakkiBand’s music and includes sneak-peeks into the future of the anime.
Aria of Life has received acclaim from around the globe, delighting fans of WagakkiBand and MARS RED alike. The live-action music video for Aria of Life broke one million views on YouTube within two months, making it the shortest time ever the band has amassed so many new views.
Not only is the animated version full of unexpected teasers (and no spoilers), but the YouTube version includes subtitles in 10 different languages. With so many different options, the video can be understood by viewers regardless of language barriers.
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- Vocalist, Yuko Suzuhana.
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- Guistarist, Machiya.
Two members of WagakkiBand left comments on the band’s official website regarding the making of the song.
We are very pleased to have this opportunity as all the members of WagakkiBand like anime. It was made with a lot of energy poured into it. I hope to expand the world view of anime by enlivening the opening with the sound unique to WagakkiBand. We hope that this new Japanese anime and music will come to you in this trying time, as something joyful and entertaining.—Vocalist, Yuko Suzuhana
To match the gorgeous cast and worldview, I made it with a strong awareness of adding flowers to make the whole work more colorful. Not only the world view of the lyrics but also the sound is a little accordion tone. That underlying sound supports the whole work, and gimmicks are put in the key points.—Guitarist, Machiya
By “gimmicks”, we assume Machiya is referring to the scenes chosen for the video. Each animated segment is beautifully paired with the lyrics, creating symbiotic harmony. Sometimes, that harmony is light-hearted and sparks feelings of nostalgic joy. At other times, the frames are dark and foreboding. Thanks to the subtitles, we can fully appreciate the impact and meaning of each scene, regardless of language.
A reflection of the lyrics, or gruesome foreshadowing?
MARS RED seems to be a show full of duality—balancing the fragile brightly-burning life, against shadow, violence, and bloodshed. In this sense, “Aria of Life” matches the landscape perfectly, and provides a perfect contrast to HYDE’s dynamic and fierce ending theme ON MY OWN.
Going one step further, the animated music video gives you an impression of the Taisho era in which the series takes place (July 30, 1912–December 25, 1926). From the uniquely Japanese landscape to the lush colors of the Taisho Roman aesthetic, it synchronizes perfectly with WagakkiBand’s traditional instruments.
The world of MARS RED blends History, Horror, and Science Fiction.
Aria of Life is available streaming on multiple platforms internationally. MARS RED is currently broadcasting in Japan and streaming internationally on platforms such as Funimation.
- Aria of Life生命のアリア