Following a string of hits in Japan, J-rock band Radwimps got the opportunity of a lifetime working on the soundtrack for the Makoto Shinkai-directed anime film Your Name. The film and soundtrack's success led to the band continuing their relationship with Shinkai for the 2019 film Weathering with You. With their new film Suzume, Shinkai once again turned to Radwimps for some musical assistance, and the band delivered another astonishing soundtrack. We had the chance to speak with the band about working on the soundtrack to Suzume and their favorite anime tunes.

1) What's it like reuniting with film director Makoto Shinkai to work on the soundtrack to Suzume?

Yojiro: If you see the movie, it’s obvious but he’s definitely at his next level compared to the other two. Like his commitment is there and there's so many more details, even with the scripts and everything. It's all about delivering the best entertainment and his determination to make it happen is all there.

2) What was it like meeting Shinkai for the first time prior to working on Your Name?

Yusuke: I’ve been a fan of Shinkai’s movies since “Voices of a Distant Star” (2002) and I never thought that we would someday make music for his movies. It was amazing.

3) Have you learned any tips from working on music for films that you incorporated into the band's own music?

Yusuke: There’s so much we’ve learned from these experiences that have shaped RADWIMPS’ own music. Especially the use of orchestral sound. When you score a film, there’s so much new input we had to learn, like regarding plug-ins and synthesizers. That really helped us.

4) When it comes to anime, one thing that sticks with everyone is the music. What have been some of your favorite anime themes?

Yojiro's choice: “Kimi Wo Nosete” (from Laputa: Castle In The Sky)

I like the perfect synchronization of the melody and the lyrics. I think the lyrics came first…but how can you make a melody that matches up so perfectly? I love that about this song.

Kuwa's choice: “Cha-La Head Ch-La” (from Dragonball Z)

This is one of the series I grew up with. I read it in the weekly comic book Jump and I own all the comics. And of course I watched the anime. It’s like a personal national anthem for me.

Yusuke's choice: “Tank!” (from Cowboy Bebop)

I first heard this in 7th grade, right when I started playing bass. I loved anime by then, but it was such a different opening song for an anime. It was instrumental, and jazzy. Very different from others. Mostly, I loved the cool bassline.

5) Over the years, music from anime has seen massive popularity with hundreds of millions of streams worldwide and a slew of songs hitting the charts in Japan. Did you ever think this would've helped the careers of so many musical acts?

Yojiro: New “One Piece” film that’s out now and “Belle,” which I recently saw, both featured singers as the main characters. Making music a crucial part of the film is kind of like Shinkai’s intention from “Your Name.” and he's been setting the trend in that sense. But I don't feel like I have to follow that trend as one of the creators of that trend. I think Shinkai is trying to set the new trend ahead. And he's definitely doing that with “Suzume.”

6) 2022 saw Radwimps deliver music for film and TV. What other mediums would you like to write music for in the future? Video games? A musical?

Yusuke: We’re already recording something for the new project [laughs]. There’s a lot going on, but we can’t talk about it yet. Just look forward to it!

Suzume is out in theaters in Japan right now with an international release slated for early 2023. The accompanying soundtrack is available on digital services right now.