Another reason I felt strongly about going in this direction is that this anime is about each character finding their roots, finding their destiny. I wanted to challenge myself to perform in that style again, and when I became involved with Lord of Vermilion, since it centers on a heavenly battle and it’s kind of an aggressive theme, I felt like this was the perfect chance. Those are all precious to me, but when I began singing I used my lower pitch more, and I wanted to get back in touch with that. May’n: This is my tenth year performing professionally as May’n, and I’ve been performing mostly high-pitched songs in connection with various anime. What was your process like for creating this song? You just announced your next single, the OP for Lord of Vermilion. Sometimes it wasn’t what I was expecting, but it made it even more wonderful to watch. Sometimes I’d see the final version of the scene and think, “Oh, is that how it’s going to be placed in the story?” When I was singing the song, I was feeling one emotion really strongly, but when it was placed in the story as a counterpoint to a particular scene, I was surprised. The exception was with Macross Frontier, when I was performing as Sheryl Nome. So for the most part, the visuals end up reflecting what I Imagined, and then the details and faces make it feel even more alive. May’n: I don’t feel like there’s ever been a major difference in my expectations, because I’m concentrating on singing about the world of the story and its characters, not about specific details about a particular character or place. Has there ever been a time when the final design of an anime character ended up looking totally different than what you imagined? Sometimes, the animators will create the final animation based on the flow and style of my performance, and it makes me really happy when I can finally see the visuals and how they match the beats and rhythms and emotions of the song. Sometimes, if it’s based on a manga, the images are there to give me ideas, but if it’s an original animation, it’s difficult to get a lot of information beforehand, so I have to imagine the characters, the setting, everything. So I feel like I have to imagine a lot of things. May’n: It really depends on the project, because many times, music comes first during the production process in Japanese anime. When you’re creating a theme song for a new anime series, is it normal for you to see the animation and story first? How much do you have to visualize on your own to create your performance? Before that, I was just doing general gym training with a personal trainer. I’ve been doing it a little over two years. May’n: Kickboxing! Two, three times a week. How do you keep up your physical training? You’re also really physically active in your live shows. Even though it makes me so happy to sing it, I take in the emotions coming to me from the audience and I reflect those in my performance. For example, with “Diamond Crevasse”, it’s a sad song and fans are expecting that emotional feeling. But with performing, it’s a different story because fans are out there, and they bring in a different energy, different emotions. That’s how I get in touch with the personal emotions I need during the recording. May’n: I read through the script and discuss the concept beforehand so I can find the feelings that will make the right song for each anime. What’s your process for bringing up such strong emotions during recording? And how do you keep you keep those emotions fresh during so many years of concerts? Many of your songs contain really dramatic emotions - the high-energy “rock” songs and the ballads, too. May’n: I think that by adding more people playing on stage with me, in addition to my own passion and heat toward the music, the audience can also feel the intensity of the band, and the excitement builds even more that way. How has that added power to your live shows? Years ago, you began performing your concerts backed by a full band. Legendary among anime fans for her performances in Macross Frontier, Accel World, and her latest theme song for Lord of Vermilion, May’n reflects on the first decade of her singing career, her approach to creating her anime theme performances, and her eternal love for taiyaki in our interview with the singer before her return to Anime Expo in Los Angeles for Anisong World Matsuri.
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