#kalafina anniversary live 2025

[hikaru9]

Bonus:

Kalafina Anniversary LIVE 2025

[you-turn-it-into-light]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025

Part 1/?

[imisoliconditol]

watching the Kalafina Anniversary concert, everyone can see how much love Keiko has for Kalafina. surely Wakana and Hikaru do love Kalafina too but i genuinely think no one loves Kalafina as much as Keiko does. she was really radiant throughout the live, there was this "carefreeness" that she only had when she was with Kalafina as opposed to when she was doing her solo and even on YKL. i really do miss this and i surely hope Kalafina would do another concert. releasing new music would be hard because Kajiura's name is still attached to Kalafina (but truth to be told I really wouldn't mind collaborating with other composers), but doing live tour with them rotating through 80+ songs they have surely is achievable...

[salitamaltita]

don't really have time today so I'm only posting my several notes/highlight opinion from Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025:

- maybe it's the broadcasting quality but the band sounded weirdly drowned for most of the time, yet was very loud on several parts when the Kalafina ladies weren't singing yet

- highlight performance was definitely Kimi no Gin no Niwa so far. everyone on a certain site was praising Joelle to the moon and back for this song, but I personally really hated her voice on this song. her voice just doesn't work for Kalafina songs. for this particular song she sang it way too prettily, meanwhile Wakana with her naturally somber tone made the song sounded alive and matched the lyrics of the song. idk man I personally am never in touch with Joelle's personal interpretation of Kajiura's songs other than fiction lol

this live version on the other hand, was phenomenal. the toned down arrangement without the accordion was *chef's kiss*, their vocals were amazing, Wakana sounded the best she ever sounded singing this song, and I especially adore the acapella part at the end. idk if it was just the audio mixer being wrong so Wakana's supposedly higher harmony became the melody, but i'd like to believe that it was conscious arrangement so the decision to make Wakana's higher harmony as the melody was AMAZING.

- the drummer was kinda eeeeeeeeh. made me sad they didn't go with Nozaki Masuke because he watched the live performance and he is an exceptional drummer. there were times where I think the drummer went off the beat or idk played weirdly (most noticeable in after Hyakka Ryouran's bridge) but i wasn't really sure since the sound was really drowned at times

- i love how the vocals weren't heavily edited, as far as I've noticed. wakana for the most part didn't have that weird chipmunk/pitch shift up quality to her voice that happened quite a lot in previous Kalafina live releases.

- camerawork and editing for the most part was better than previous Kalafina releases and especially Yuki Kajiura Live. the editor and cameraperson knew what they were doing. the shots were focused for most of the time (obviously other than when the cameras were zooming in/out), there weren't much shaky parts, they mostly sticked with medium shot of the ladies and to me it worked, and most importantly the editor waited for each line to finish before changing the pov to the other Kalafina lady. it really grates me when watching Kalafina live and YKL and the editor changed the pov many times in just one line. the biggest mistake was in One Light though, there was this one side stage cameraman that followed the ladies to the stage - now what he did was great, him following the ladies really added dynamics to the otherwise mostly static camera situation, but he got in the shots so many times when the editor switched the PoV to the front camera lmao 😂

- the staging, lighting, and musicians seating arrangement were good. i guess it's because the focus was on the Kalafina ladies for the most part so the cameramen were able to get decent shots of the ladies without much of the musicians random body and instruments parts appearing at the back. the lighting was also focused on the Kalafina ladies. sure, certain parts of the musicians were bound to get in the shot but they didn't obstruct the shot being aimed at the Kalafina ladies, which was my biggest peeve for YKL#20. poor cameramen for that live had to take the shots from weird angles lmao so the shots weren't centered for the most part. also the lighting for YKL#20 was horrendous lol

edit:

- rewatch value is pretty high. I'd say as high as Kalafina Budokan 2015 and 2016. the shots aren't awful, for the most time they're good. the lighting was really good, the stage director played with the lighting correctly and the LED screens really added something to the performance. something that is sorely lacking from Yuki Kajiura Live, which actually had like very low rewatch value because visually there's barely anything to please the eyes. also YKL rarely has anything going on stage and the one time they added ornament it actually ruined the staging (that awful YKL#20 logo)

- dresses are prettier than i expected. Keiko's dresses especially were gorgeous. i really wished Hikaru's white outer was the same length as her pants, so either make the pants shorter or the outer longer. I'd prefer if they made the pants shorter so when she was standing the shape and silhouette would make it as if she's wearing dress/skirt. also they really made a wrong choice giving her blue dress empire waist. should've went with lower waist actually, have her exposed a little bit of her belly like in Kalafina fotw black dress. Wakana's white dress should've had a longer sleeve and normal waist instead of a high waisted one. dress length could also be longer because she wasn't moving much during the encore and she was wearing heels anyway, there's no reason for the skirt to be 7/8.

- Wakana's vocal was somehow a lot weaker during the encore. There were so many tremolos during Hikarifuru, and plenty of sharps and flats during into the world. her best vocal moment was Kimi no Gin no Niwa and Lacrimosa. Hikaru is the usual Hikaru, her voice is already kinda gone anyway but i still enjoy her tone a lot more than Kaori/Joelle/Lino Leia anyway. her best vocal moment was sprinter and Ongaku. Keiko is also the usual Keiko, the best and most consistent vocalist of Kalafina and YKL. other than her being really loud in Hikari no Senritsu, she delivered a stellar performance. she got too emotional in Alleluia, but it wasn't as shouty like in their 10th anniversary concert. she was great throughout the live.

- also ngl I couldn't help but think that there was a hidden agenda in the setlist. they have plenty of songs and they said they deliberately chose the songs they wanted to sing the most and they agreed on 70% of those, but i think they sang the exact same songs as the ones performed in YKL#19? i think it could be a coincidence, but i can't stop myself from thinking that they were kinda making a statement: so this is how the songs would sound like if we Kalafina were the one who actually performed them.

- we need more Kalafina so please do more concerts i beg because ngl without Keiko and the addition of Leia i ain't gonna watch YKL anymore. there's no point listening to music that i actually liked if they were sung by people whose voices I don't like.

[inyoursilvergarden]

I am watching Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 and I can't believe after 15 years of regularly listening to this song I just now find out that Wakana's little parts during the first stanza (Gogatsu no toiki ni furete, yasuragi saezuru sora no naka..., umareta uta no you ni) were in ENGLISH instead of Kajiurago. she actually sang "find me there" after "hate made hibiiteita" and "see your pain" after "kagerou hitomi no naka ni"...

[putschki1969]

Almost time!!

So excited!!🤗(Source)

Can’t believe this is happening!! Decided to go for the balcony seat. The view is pretty good I think. 👍 Not everything went according to plan regarding the collab items and gachas but overall I’m happy with what I got.

No cameras as far as I can tell🥲 Update 1: there WERE cameras after all (no big setup tho)!! And there‘s gonna be a broadcast it seems (on March 1st at 19:00 on CS Channe "日テレプラス" l! BANZAI🤗🤗)

Update 2: I‘m honestly so stupid, should have just looked at all the promo sheets they handed out when entering the venue😅They already had an advertisement for the broadcast so that should have made it clear from the get-go that there would be cameras 🙃

If they don’t cut off my internet access, I can occasionally post some setlist updates but we’ll see. Wanna focus on the girls and not get too distracted with other stuff🫣

Kalafina Anniversary Live @Tokyo Garden Theater White/gold dresses, similarly shaped to their FOTW black/silver dresses but with lighter fabric. Wakana’s dress looks more like her 10th Anniversary dress tho.

Setlist 1 oblivious (I cried) 2 Kizuato 3 Mirai MC 4 Hikari no Senritsu 5 storia (I cried some more) 6 ring your bell (enjoyed this so much more than usual) MC 7 Hanataba (Hi‘s choice and one of the best performances of the night) 8 Lacrimosa (a pleasant surprise) 9 Manten 10 to the beginning (found a new appreciation for this) MC 11 Kimi no Gin no Niwa~acoustic version 12 sprinter~acoustic version (so many tears) MC 13 Hyakka Ryouran 14 misterioso 15 One Light (so much fun) 16 Kyrie 17 Ongaku (epic!!) 18 heavenly blue MC 19 Alleluia (more tears🥹)

The girls appear in 💙🖤🤍(similar design to FOTW encore design, at least for Wakana and Hikaru) En1 Magia En2 Hikari Furu MC goods introduction (pamphlet only bc no time left) En3 into the world

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 ~ First Photos

Here you have a great look at the main and encore outfits. They looked absolutely stunning 😍 Keiko posted some lovely pictures from their rehearsals. Kalafina staff added a photo of the girls together with all of their band members and music director, Satoshi Takebe

Source 1 | Source 2 | Source 3 | Source 4 | Source 5 & 6 | Source 7

Also a quick sneak peek of the pamphlet 👀

[putschki1969]

KALAFINA REUNION 📢IT'S TRUE📢

Why did I even go to bed last night??! Damn it, I lost precious time. Anways, many of you must have seen my post last night about that ominous Nikkan Sports article speculating about a possible comeback of Kalafina. I honestly thought it was fake news since it contained a ton of unconfirmed/uncredited information. However, there was lots of interesting stuff that kept me from dismissing it entirely. I mean, who would go through all the trouble coming up with details such as specific quotes or exact concert details? Turns out they mostly got the dates mixed up but the rest was true. At noon Japanese Standard Time, we got all of our official announcements. Here's the gist of it〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

Kalafina Staff Posts 1 & 2 on Twitter

Announcement of "Kalafina Anniversary LIVE 2025" Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Open at 17:30 /Start 18:30 Venue: Tokyo Garden Theater Performers: Kalafina (Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru) Music Director: Takebe Satoshi

To everyone who loves and supports Kalafina We have decided to hold a "Kalafina Anniversary LlVE 2025". We want to sing together as a trio again, knowing that you all have always cherished Kalafina, even while we are doing solo activities. We look forward to seeing you there! Kalafina (Wakana, Keiko, Hikaru)

Ticket sales are scheduled for the following dates: ■Wakana/KEIKO Fan Club Advanced Lottery October 10, 2024, 11:00 - October 20, 23:59 ■Hikaru X (formerly Twitter) Advanced Lottery October 25, 11:00 - November 4, 23:59 ■General Ticket Lottery November 9, 11:00 - November 11, 23:59

Keiko Posts 1 & 2 on Twitter & Fan Club Site & Tristone & Instagram post

To all our supporters We have decided to hold a "Kalafina Anniversary LlVE 2025". Through my solo activities and activities with FictionJunction, I have had many new encounters and taken on new challenges, and I am where I am today thanks to the support of many people. This is a personal matter, but the reason I took a break from singing and then decided to sing again was because of Yuki Kajiura's music. And it was the feelings of everyone who has supported us up until now that led to this event. I am grateful for those feelings, and I am simply happy that the three of us can deliver Kalafina's music again. I am truly looking forward to seeing you all next year. KEIKO

Hikaru's Post on Twitter and Instagram

To everyone who always supports us We are happy to announce that we'll be holding a "Kalafina Anniversary LlVE 2025". Even during my solo activities, I always got a strong sense of everyone's love for Kalafina. I'm grateful we are getting this opportunity to sing together again as a trio and to perform all those treasured songs which Yuki Kajiura has written for us. I hope we can raise a new flag together with all of you. I look forward to seeing you there that day! 2024.10.03 Hikaru

Wakana Posts on Twitter & Botanical Land & Instagram post

(We finally have an official statement from Wakana on her Insta) It has been decided that an "Kalafina Anniversary LIVE 2025" will be held on January 15th next year. From 2018 to the present, we have each pursued our own music, but we have decided to sing together again. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who always think of and love Kalafina. I am very much looking forward to meeting you all.

Satoshi Takebe Tweet 1 & Tweet 2 & Tweet 3 (deleted)

Today I had a meeting with some artists I truly respect and had a beer in the middle of the day 🍺 We had a fun afternoon. I hope there will be lots of fun things to do next year too. I can't say anything yet, but I'm already working on some exciting projects!! (Tweet 1)

I believe that my mission is to support artists. It is never my intention to betray or hurt people. That is the one thing I have always stayed true to, and I will continue to do so. It may sound naive, but I believe that sincerity and passion are what motivate people. (Tweet 2)

Due to confidentiality obligations, I cannot explain the situation. However, Kajiura-san is an artist I respect, she's a wonderful musician, and I am a fan of the music she creates. I would like to support the three members with the utmost respect. (Tweet 3 - deleted)

Tweet by Yuki Kajiura & Tweet 2 & Tweet 3

Regarding Kalafina I've received some inquiries in relation to the most recent announcement of an upcoming Kalafina Live Concert so I'd like to use this opportunity to clarify that I, Yuki Kajiura, will not have no involvement whatsoever in this concert. Furthermore, I have not received any advance notice or explanation from the organisers or any of the group members. Given the situation, I am therefore unable to answer any questions. I apologise, but any future inquiries regarding Kalafina should be directed at the organisers and official agencies of the group members.

I believe the members of Kalafina have decided to step away from me as their producer to go on a new path that is not related to me. I had been searching for a way to work together again in the future to create new Kalafina music but that will no longer be happening. It is very unfortunate but this is the road that each member has chosen. We are all individuals searching for our personal musical path so things like this happen.

As you all know, the three of them are truly wonderful singers so I have no doubt that they will continue to deliver amazing vocals and music to their fans. I would like to express my sincere gratitude once again for the privilege and happiness of having been able to create music together with them for nearly ten years, and I wish Kalafina continued success in the future.

Yuki Kajiura (Tweet 1)

I hope for a great success regarding the upcoming concert, and that's all I can say about this. I hope to continue making music in a cheerful and fun way in the future (^^). (Tweet 2)

This may be an unnecessary remark, but… there's no way that Kalafina will no longer be able to sing their past songs just because one producer has left, and I personally don't wish that upon them.

I'm sure they'll create a wonderful harmony at their live show in January, so I hope you'll give thunderous cheers and applause to Kalafina's singing and to the musicians who support them on stage. Once again, I wish them all the success in the world. (Tweet 3)

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ───── ───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Wow. All of this is wild. I don't even know what to say. I can hardly believe it. On one hand, I am beyond happy and excited. There's no way I will not be there for this concert and everything beyond that. But on the other hand, all the announcements make this feel a little bittersweet. The personal statements by Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru don't necessarily feel disingenuous but they sound a bit flat and forced. Sadly, there's no personal statement from Wakana yet. Obviously, the elephant in the room is Yuki Kajiura's statement and her exclusion from the entire project. The way her statement is written comes off as quite bitter, passive aggressive and honestly a little petty which doesn't bode well for the future (maybe her manager Mori asked her to phrase it in such a way to make the organisers look bad. And I can understand why she would feel frustrated at being excluded like that). Mostly, I interpret her standoffish attitude as a knee-jerk reaction or as a way to strongly distance herself from the whole thing and not so much as an attempt to bash the members (the latter half of the statement would indicate that at least). Also, she already seems to regret posting such a harsh statement and posted a couple of follow-up tweets. I truly do not understand what is going on behind the scenes to cause so much hostility between Yuki Kajiura, her management and whoever is pulling the strings for this Kalafina reunion (presumably Space Craft's management). My best guess is that Space Craft is at least somehow involved in this project since both Wakana and Satoshi Takebe are able to participate (Takebe is not affiliated with Space Craft but he's been in charge of almost all of Wakana's solo work so maybe there are some ties to the agency).It looks like Space Craft are adamant about not working together with YK (same old childish attitude). Then again, Satoshi Takebe has enough influence in the industry to organise a project like this without the help of Space Craft. Maybe Sony is also involved? I have no idea. Hope we are getting more details once the ticket lotteries start. A new Kalafina website (still being developed) has popped up and it's run by Space Craft so that's probably proof enough that they are one of the main players in all of this.

I wonder if this was a spur of the moment thing once they realised how much hype there still exists for Kalafina after that "ring your bell" performance at the FSN event...Overall, the timing is so weird, Why now? I mean, this doesn't sound like it has been in the making for a very long time based on the fact that Yuki Kajiura didn't even know about it. Keiko and Hikaru literally collaborated with her a couple of weeks ago so how did this topic not come up even once???! Wonder how it will affect future collaborations between Yuki, Keiko and Hikaru? They still have the Asia tour dates coming up in November so I can imagine it would be kinda awkward to work together after this bomb has been dropped. Will they still be covering Kalafina songs? Either way, I refuse to believe tha there has been a real falling out between any of them. It comes across like a series of unfortunate events. Maybe some miscommunication and rushed action but nothing that couldn't be cleared up with a proper conversation.

One thing I'm also curious about is whether or not Satoshi Takebe will take on the role as producer for future music (if they are even planning to go down that route?? It does sound like they might have new projects/releases in store for us...I do feel a little conflicted about that since Yuki Kajiura is such an important component of Kalafina. This is basically what I thought would happen back in 2018/2019. With someone else coming in to take charge of the music production. Back then I wasn't completely against the idea since I was convinced the girls could make it work (especially with the help of someone as established and competent as Satoshi Takebe) but it certainly wasn't my preferred option. Ughhh, I will remain open-minded for the time being. My love for Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru goes beyond anything so as of right now, I feel happy and excited. The live in January will be a celebration of Kalafina so there's no way I'm not going. If they continue to hold "tribute" concerts like this, it will mostly be a nostalgic cash-grab but hey, I'm the target group for that. They can have all my money. And I can definitely see myself supporting them in future projects even with Yuki Kajiura out of the picture. Takebe has been engaging in some surprisingly frank one-on-one discussions on Twitter and so far, it looks like certain confidentiality agreements keep him from going into detail in the matter but his involvement as of right now is limited to being a director/producer for the concert on January 15.

It goes without saying that I will not tolerate any hate towards the girls on this blog! If you are bitter that Yuki Kajiura is not involved, that's your prerogative, I'm sure this will antagonise quite a few hardcore YK fans. But please, don't shit on the members for making this decision. I'm sure they put a lot of thought into it and felt like this course of action was in everyone's best interest. They are clearly thinking about the fans, their own passion/love for Kalafina's music and obviously their careers within the industry.

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 Report

It's finally here, sorry for the long wait!! Let me share some overall thoughts first( ^_^)/~~~

Venue: Probably the newest and fanciest venue I‘ve ever been to. Loved all the screens with Kalafina visuals. They had them across the entire area, some bigger, some smaller and a really big one in front of the venue itself. The theater appeared to be a bit intimidating at first glance but I actually appreciated the layout, I feel like you got to have a pretty decent view from most places, even in the upper balconies.

Collaboration events: This one was somewhat of a fail for me. Originally, I wasn’t too impressed with most of the collaboration food but I was still eager to get it, especially the stuff that was wrapped nicely. The chocolates looked lovely but they were already sold out when I arrived at 11:00 on the 15th.🥲Was also planning to get the katsu sandwich in the Kalafina packaging but that was sold out as well. Not afraid to admit that I cried a little when I realised I woudn't be able to get them...I did get one of those gorgeous tray sheets at Taco Bell at least🙌 Managed to secure one of those tiny photo cards too but meh, honestly nothing to write home about. Gave me the opportunity to write something on the message board though so that’s a good thing 👍 The whole gacha situation was a challenge to say the least. So exhausting! I got a numbered ticket (#127) for the queue so I could start lining up at 13:30 (was actually one of the first people to enter). This worked out pretty smoothly and everyone was able to enter earlier than expected. At first I was lining up in the wrong queue because they were telling people they had to go through the on-site merch sale area first. Thankfully, a staff member came over and guided me and some others to the direct queue (after all, I wasn’t planning to buy any merch since I had already made my reservation). My first gacha round didn’t take too long since most people were still busy buying merch and there were a total of ten machines (also had prepared my 500 yen coins the day before so I didn't have to line up to change my money). I was moderately lucky but didn’t get some of the items I wanted🙃 So after I picked up my live goods during my assigned time slot, I got back in the queue to do a second gacha round😅. This time the wait was long, probably an hour or so. Also, 10,000 yen just gone☠️Thanks to @concretebadger and my super kind friend, I managed to get the complete set! BANZAI🤗 I also got two lovely tokutens for participating in the big flower stand project (a postcard and badge of the drawing). Almost didn't get to meet up with the organisers of the project but thankfully I ran into them right before the start of the show (generally, I find it fascinating how many people I managed to run into despite the sheer amount of people at the venue - thanks to everyone who said 'hi').

Seat: I really liked my seat and am glad I went for the balcony area. Had a completely unobstructed view of the stage🥰It was a little further away of course but I did bring my binoculars so it was fine.👍 In my vicinity people were thankfully not very keen to stand up all the time so I had one less thing to worry about. The screens on the side were also a perfect size to see their facial expressions. The people in charge of the projections made sure to include a lot of close-ups 😍 Bless them!

Sound: Maybe it was just my specific location towards the left side on the balcony but the sound system was a bit off I think, or possibly the manipulator did a horrible job with the mixing? How did everyone else feel about this? The background music was often overly loud (if not to say obnoxiously noisy) and drowned out the vocals. During some parts, it was honestly hard to hear the girls among all the other noises. It was much better during songs that had a more simple or acoustic arrangement. The microphones seemed to have some issues too at times because there were a few distortions (?) which made their voices sound different (?) and occasionally, you just couldn’t hear them singing the beginning of certain lines - this could theoretically be chalked up to them being hesitant and starting too quiet (Wakana does that at times) but it happened a little too often to all three of them which is why I‘m assuming there might have been some technical issues.

Vocals: What are seven years? Nothing! It was like no time had passed at all! Some people may disagree but for the most part, the girls sounded amazing to me! I thoroughly enjoyed myself and very rarely heard notes that made me cringe. I was amazed how they managed to just pick up where they left off. Of course there were parts that were less flattering and they had some of their usual hiccups but I feel like they handled everything pretty well. Have they done better and more polished live renditions of some of these songs in the past? Probably (tho there were some stand-out performances that impressed me more than their old versions). Overall, there was clearly a lot of effort and love put into each and every performance and at the end of the day, that's all that counts for me. They didn’t “phone-in” their singing, they put all their heart into it and you could tell. I even liked songs that I am usually not such a huge fan of (e.g. “ring your bell” and “ Alleluia”). Also, say what you will but there’s a huge contrast between the YKL Kalafina covers and the real thing, it’s almost jarring how different they sound so I particularly appreciated performances of the songs that had previously been covered at YKL. Needless to say, I much prefer the real thing! It's just not the same without Wakana and I must say, Wakana delivered solid vocals during most songs that required those super high and long notes. Hikaru also did a great job and sounded powerful throughout most of the setlist. She was getting visibly tired though towards the end of the up-beat section (Wakana on the other hand surprised me with her stamina). As for Keiko, do I even have to say it? She delivered a fabulous performance as one would expect from her. She nailed all her epic long notes (e.g. “Hyakka Ryouran”, “Kyrie”, “Hikaru Furu” - she sounded better than she did during the 10th Anniversary Live if you ask me)

Production & arrangement: Honestly nothing special or outstanding. They kept it simple and remained faithful to Kalafina’s usual M.O. The focus was on their voices and there wasn’t anything extravagant to distract from that. On the contrary, I feel like there was a conscious effort being made to include more acappella parts to highlight their harmony. With the exception of a few instrumentals and solos, I don’t think Satoshi Takebe added a lot of creative twists to change the original sound. He even mentioned in a tweet that he wanted to pay tribute to Yuki Kajiura’s work, stay true to her music/style and not make it his own or anything. On this note, I would like to add that YK's absence was not really an issue. As I have mentioned a few times already, YK has rarely been an integral part of their live productions so her not being in charge of this concert, has done nothing to affect its quality.

Atmosphere: 1000/10. The girls were in such a good mood and determined to make this concert the best experience ever. It really felt like they had never been apart. Their interactions with each other were heart-felt and didn’t come across as staged or forced. You could tell how much they missed performing together. The audience was also super responsive and everyone seemed to have the time of their lives (myself included of course).

Setlist: Admittedly, it wasn’t what I had hoped for but it was pretty much what I had expected from this sort of live so I can’t be mad. And there were a few really pleasant surprises that I didn’t think they would include (“Hanataba”, “Lacrimosa”, “Kyrie” and “Hyakka Ryouran”) so YAY for that. Also beyond happy that they did an acoustic version of “sprinter” because that’s so much better than the studio version (which I typically don’t like). Same goes for "KnGnN". Check out a detailed report below the cut 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

1 oblivious: I knew it was coming and it’s usually not a song I’m particularly fond of but this performance may have been the best one I’ve ever heard (biased opinion but hey, you can’t blame me for that😅). The song kicked me right in the feels! Or maybe it was just like a dream come true to hear/see them together again! When they appeared on stage, they looked like angels. What a revelation to see them in all their glory once the sheer curtain was dropped. They sounded amazing, absolutely breathtaking! Was impressed by everyone’s vocals. Shout-out to Hikaru for her high notes! For a few lines in the beginning, Wakana didn’t quite sound like herself (the distortion I was talking about earlier?) but I am not sure if it was a lowered pitch or something the manipulator did on purpose to smooth out her voice. It sounded okay and wasn’t too distracting so I didn’t mind it. Later on, her voice sounded like it usually did during “oblivious” so maybe it was just a glitch or whatever. When Wakana and Keiko did their little back-and-forth duet thingy, I almost started crying because I had missed them so much. WaKei FOREVER 🤗

2 Kizuato: A bit bummed that they didn’t perform “Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku” (then again, I might have died instantly so it was probably a good thing) but this was a beautiful performance so I can’t complain. The three of them once again sounded amazing and their harmonies were to die for.

3 Mirai: Typically one of their weaker live performances and this was no exception. But really, it’s about getting that connection with the audience, running around on stage, greeting the audience and having fun. I don’t mind if it’s not polished and I usually don’t even pay attention to that during this song.

4 Hikari no Senritsu: Felt a bit all over the place so I wasn’t quite able to get into it. The music was overbearing at times and it took away from the charm of a few individual lines. I expected to be touched by the performance since Keiko had been going on and on about how this was her favourite song to sing together but I didn’t have a particularly strong reaction to it. To be fair though, it has never been one of my favourite songs so that might have been the reason for my rather lukewarm reaction. An interesting cello solo from Masateru spiced things up a little but otherwise, there weren’t any significant changes.

5 storia: For this one, I always keep my expectations low regarding vocals because I know it’s a hit and miss when it comes to Wakana and Hikaru. It’s been like this forever so I’m not surprised to hear them struggling at times. Nevertheless, this is a song I have always enjoyed so I can easily look past minor issues. As expected, the girls did struggle a bit (Hikaru in particular didn't deliver the most flattering performance) but it was totally fine. That final chorus once again caught me right in the feels, especially the WaKei part🥹Both the YKL cover and Wakana's solo cover are still fresh in my mind so to finally hear the song as it is meant to be, feels like such a blessing.

6 ring your bell: The piano intro was a bit misleading and for a couple seconds there, I seriously thought they would be introducing a brand new song 😅 It was a nice touch though, I do enjoy intros like that (probably Takebe's idea). Surprisingly, I liked this performance more than I thought I would. I usually give this one a pass because I don't care for the unflattering vocals. I've never understood why it keeps getting performed when it is such a challenging song. But this time, I honestly enjoyed almost all of it (especially Wakana's parts at the end- she did a great job here). Those YK cover versions pale in comparison if you ask me.

7 Hanataba: What a surprise! 😮 Possibly one of their best (if not the best) performances of the night. Usually not a fan of the accordion but here I didn’t mind it. They made some minor changes to the arrangement to highlight the accordion and the vocals. The girls were on fire, especially Hikaru. You could tell she was happy that her chosen song made it onto the setlist.

8 Lacrimosa: From one surprise to another. I was actually expecting them to sing “Consolation” at this point because according to the previous MC, this was meant to be their “Consolation” album block. Would have been happier with “Consolation” to be honest but “Lacrimosa” was a nice treat too. The background music was quite loud again so some vocal parts weren’t discernible or got overshadowed by other stuff.

9 Manten: I don't remember much from it so it must not have stood out to me.

10 to the beginning: Never liked it but this time, I had a blast. A fantastic performance with so much energy and love put into it. The audience went crazy of course so that was also fun to watch. While I personally do not stand up for songs and categorically refuse to partake in any weird arm movements (clapping is the most I will do), I still think it's nice to see everyone so invested.

11 Kimi no Gin no Niwa with strings: This was beautiful. Just strings and piano, might have been my favourite rendition of all time (and I am usually not even such a huge fan of the song). Quite a few more acappella lines than usual I think. Gorgeous arrangement.

12 sprinter with strings: What can I say? Perfect. No notes. Tears everywhere. So glad they decided to go for an acoustic version (by now we all know how much I dislike the studio version). It wasn't as emotional as that Arena Live encore performance but for me, it came pretty close.

13 Hyakka Ryouran: Became a big fan after the 10th Anniversary performance. Didn't expect them to include it once again in the setlist but I certainly didn't mind. This one was just as solid I would say although I feel like Keiko was actually a bit stronger here than she was back then, especially during her "yaiba".

14 misterioso: Meh, one of my least favourite Kala-songs but coincidentally, one of their most frequently performed tracks. I have always wondered why but I guess there are a lot of people who love it (especially in the anisong community). Wasn't really into it so I don't remember anything significant.

15 One Light: Super happy about it. A perfect candidate for their up-beat corner and really a true banger. Don't think there has ever been a bad performance of this, they always slay. I believe they missed the mark a little on that moment where they all come together to raise their arms right before the climax. It felt a little rushed so the cameras for the screen didn't capture it properly XD (it was probably fine for those in the front rows who could see every detail up-close). Either way, the audience erupted into cheers when Hikaru did her infamous "yukeru" kneel.

16 Kyrie: Wooohoo, one of my favourite Kala-songs so I am always excited to hear it performed live. Certainly a surprise though because I didn't think it would be chosen for their Anniversary Live setlist. The audio was pretty messy during this one and I was sad to hear that Keiko's drawn out "Kyrie" at the end didn't get as much attention as it deserved.

17 Ongaku: It started out a little weird in a slightly different tempo than I am used to (at least I think so?). It was a minor thing but big enough to distract me a little for a minute or so. Keiko slayed though and Super!Wakana knocked it out of the park (loved how Keiko held her hand when she helped her walk up the stairs for the solo)

18 heavenly blue: A long-ass up-beat section comes to an end with another banger. After this one, Keiko even said that this was one of their most challenging corners they ever did. It's always fun when Keiko asks the audience after "Ongaku" if we can handle yet another up-beat song (of course we can!) and they transition right into either "Signal" or "heavenly blue" (pretty much their go-to songs for an epic ending). I do love "heavenly blue" so I am happy they included it. The background vocals during the bridge were a little too loud for my taste so you couldn't hear the girls properly (the bridge is one of my favourite parts of the song).

19 Alleluia: There was no doubt in my mind that they would either finish the main section or the entire concert with this song. Didn't expect to love the performance as much as I did. Usually not the biggest fan of the song since Wakana's parts are not particularly flattering for her and even Keiko tends to get a little shouty at times. But this time, I rally enjoyed the song and the minor issues didn't really register with me all that much. Guess I was just too deep into the emotions they were trying to convey.

En1 Magia: So glad they included this! I always thought it was a shame that it didn’t make it onto the 10th Anniversary setlist. We heard a lot of YK cover versions in the past couple of years (to a point where I was getting a little tired of the song) but this revived my love 😍 So good!! The guitar solo sounded weird to me and didn’t have a proper transition to Keiko’s bridge part but that might just be my personal perception. Maybe the guitar fans among you thought it was great😅Keiko’s solo also lacked a bit of oomph but I think it was her microphone’s fault 🙃Hikaru sounded a bit quiet too at times. Hopefully they can fix those minor issues with some studio magic before they do the TV broadcast.

En2 Hikari Furu: Another elaborate piano intro (different from the ones that Sakurada used to do) but this time it was pretty obvious they would sing "Hikari Furu" so I didn't have to guess. Unfortunately, the song sounded a little meh vocal-wise, certainly one of their messier live versions and overall, one of the least enjoyable performances of the night for me which is a huge shame because this is one of my all-time faves. Lots of things came together here so I can’t put the blame on a single factor. For some reason, their voices wouldn’t blend well together and both Wa and Hi had a few too many screechy moments. Wakana sounded almost hoarse when she started singing (maybe she got a little emotional?) and at the end she had some very noticeable shaking during her long notes (I know she has that a lot for her solo stuff too but I didn’t really notice it all that much in other songs from that night but here it was hard to ignore). The background music was also quite loud during the climax of the song so it didn’t exactly help to make it sound better. Keiko delivered an awesome "mabushii asa" though.

En3 into the world: Perfect ending to be honest and again, nothing beats this, not even a YKL cover (although I will say that I enjoy those too). It was kinda bittersweet though. Obviously this song is about taking new paths, not knowing what lies ahead. And really, this is what we have to deal with right now.

At this point, the future is blurry, no one knows what will happen to Kalafina. The girls didn’t even hint at any possible future activities. There was just an endless amount of appreciation for the past and present. Every time one of them thanked the fans for patiently waiting for Kalafina’s return, I couldn’t help but tear up a little. Yes, the wait was rough and I am sure many people lost hope along the way but I personally always knew we'd see them back together again. And when Wakana straight up broke into tears during an MC (with Keiko comforting her and shielding her from the cameras), I cried like a baby (especially when Wakana cried even harder and made Keiko tear up too) 🥲 All the pent-up emotion just came to the surface. Hikaru on the other was determined not to cry throughout the whole concert. They are too precious for this world!! I really hope they don't cut this moment from the broadcast (but knowing them, they probably will). For the time-being, I’ll just follow Keiko’s advice and continue listening to Kalafina and love them🥰Who knows, maybe one day…? I'll never give up hope and I don't think the girls will either. While she didn't outright say it, Keiko couldn't help but utter a few hopeful words, more like a prayer actually, "叶うならまた~/And if my wish would come true, maybe [we can do this/sing together] again~" It was an amazing concert, I had the time of my life and will treasure those memories forever. Thank you Kalafina!!

Cannot wait for the TV broadcast to experience all of this again and to relive every little detail. I should have written the report right away (or taken some extensive notes) when my memories were still fresh but my schedule for the following days was simply too busy. Now I'm back home and fighting against a jet-lag so the finer details are escaping me T_T (I feel like I am getting a few things mixed up and don't even know which things happened in which MC)

[putschki1969]

『Kalafina Anniversary LIVE 2025』 First Visual Revealed

OMG!! I’m deceased. Crying, sobbing. SEVEN FREAKING YEARS!!! The wait is finally over!! 😭So happy 💕💕💕💕And what a timing! Just about to take off to Japan.

(Source)

[putschki1969]

♪ 123 ~ Happy 17th Anniversary ♪

Happy Anniversary \(^-^)人(^o^)人(^0^)/ ⁡ No matter how many years pass, being next to these two is a special place for me. Instagram post by Hikaru

Tweet by Kalafina staff

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 Pamphlet HQ Scans Part 3

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Google Drive Link

👉  For PERSONAL USE ONLY 👉  CREDIT me and LINK to my blog if you use/share 👉  SUPPORT Kalafina | BUY the pamphlet

Interview with Hikaru

--This will be Kalafina's first live performance in about seven years. How did you feel when you found out that the concert was going to be held?

"Various emotions were going through my mind at the same time, but to sum it up in one sentence, I felt like 'we can do this'. I was beyond happy that the three of us would be able to sing Kalafina's music again, that it was actually becoming a reality. Six years had passed, so I was excited to see what would happen if the three of us sang together again."

--How did you feel when the three of you first got together to sing during a live rehearsal?

"Along with nostalgia, it brought back memories of Kalafina's chorus work. When the three of us sing together, it just feels so right. Over the past six years, I've had the opportunity to sing with many different people while working solo, but I think there is a unique sound and energy in each song that only the three of us can create."

--What did the three of you talk about during the first rehearsal?

"We had a packed schedule for our rehearsals so we weren't able to have any particularly deep discussions. We thought, 'let's just try to get in tune with each other,' so we spent our time singing with the image of regaining the feeling of being Kalafina."

--Were you able to quickly get back into the swing of things with Kalafina?

"I immediately remembered how it felt back then. However, because we had been apart for a while, even though I was able to regain that feeling, I felt that it would take a little more time to express those feelings through my singing. Those first few rehearsals really helped me see what I needed to do from now on."

--So it was necessary to re-examine what you need to do to sing as a member of Kalafina?

"That's right. We have a renewed sense of determination to do our best. Naturally, the time and experience each of us has gained working as solo artists comes into play when we get together as a trio to sing, but beyond that, there is something unchanging about Kalafina. It may be an exaggeration to say it's almost like a chemical reaction when we come together, but I want to take on the challenge once again to see how beautiful a melody we can create as a trio."

--What do you think of Wakana and Keiko's vocal appeal?

"There are many singers in the world who can produce beautiful high notes and low notes, but these two are really special to me. Wakana has always been said to be great at expressing transience and sorrow, but what's even more impressive is that her voice is not simply delicate but also has energy and strength to it. Keiko has a deep, enveloping voice, and her charm is that you can feel so much love in her cool low notes. Also, there's a new feeling to her voice that I didn't feel during the 10 years she was with Kalafina, maybe it's because she's been doing solo work that I'm able to feel this."

--The current Kalafina probably combines the unchanging things from when you were singing as a trio, and the growth that has come with your solo activities.

"Yes, I think that everyone who comes to our live show might feel this way. But of course, it's all subjective and everyone is free to feel whatever they want so even if you feel like 'Kalafina never changes no matter how much time passes' or 'this is a completely new and mature Kalafina', we will be happy. We have had 10 years as Kalafina, and 7 years by ourselves, all of this has made us who we are today."

--Now, what do you think about the appeal of Kalafina's music?

"The songs were written to suit our voices, and I think they are unique songs that make the most of each of our individual strengths. That's why it feels lonely to sing them by myself. When I first went solo, I sang Kalafina songs during my live concert and it felt so lonely that I stopped singing them after that *laughs*. Because these songs were written for the three of us to sing, I simply want to fulfill the role of Hikaru that the songs require, and I believe that by doing so, the songs will resonate more with everyone."

--What are your thoughts about all the fans who have continued to love Kalafina for such a long time?

"So many people have supported our activities over the past 10 years, and there are so many people who have continued to listen to Kalafina's music even after that, I have nothing but gratitude for them. Kalafina is really special to me, and I think that everyone has always known this. I want to convey to everyone at the live in January, 'thank you for waiting for us all this time.'"

--Finally, please tell us your thoughts about today's pamphlet photo shoot.

"It felt like it had been so long since the three of us had been together like this, we remembered the feeling of taking group photos, the distance and subsequent intimacy we felt when we were told to 'get a little closer together' *laughs*. And we even got to talk about personal things in between takes, it really felt like we were continuing right where we had left off with no gaps in between."

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 Pamphlet HQ Scans Part 1

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Google Drive Link

👉  For PERSONAL USE ONLY 👉  CREDIT me and LINK to my blog if you use/share 👉  SUPPORT Kalafina | BUY the pamphlet

Interview with Keiko

--This will be Kalafina's first live performance in about seven years. How did you feel when you found out that the concert was going to be held?

“After each of us had pursued our solo activities, all I felt was a sense of joyful anticipation when it was decided that the three of us would be able to sing together again. I had always been following the other two's activities during the time we were apart so it felt like those seven years had passed before I knew it. Right now, I'm singing with a sense of purpose but originally I wasn't really interested in going solo, instead I was looking for a place where I could make use of my distinctive voice and feel needed. For me, Kalafina was a perfect match for what I was looking for so it's a great joy to be able to sing with the two of them again.”

--How did you feel when the three of you first got together to sing during a live rehearsal?

“Everyone was nervous for about 30 minutes on the first day of rehearsal and I think we were all looking at each other's singing, seeking some sort of confirmation, like 'how long should this note be?' Of course we have the music sheets to rely on but Kalafina's live performances are made up of a lot of improvisations created by the three of us working together. So even during rehearsals we don't just sing everything according to the music sheets. There were moments when we silently tried to gauge each other's feelings about certain sections, like, 'I'm sure we stretched this part out, didn't we?' or 'We should sing this part differently from the music sheet, right?' All of this made me think, 'Ah yes, that is Kalafina! It feels so good to be back!' I honestly had a lot of fun.”

--It's heartwarming, right? The way you can communicate without saying anything is made possible because the three of you have been working together for such a long time.

“And as soon as we remembered the way we used to feel there was no longer any need to check on each other. It really is as they say, once you get your body used to doing something, it's not easy to forget, no matter how much time passes.”

--Did you notice any changes in your singing style after doing many different things for six years?

“Of course there are aspects which are different but when all three of us come together to sing Kalafina songs, we naturally adjust our vocal power and vocalisation techniques to bring us closer to Kalafina's style, so to be honest, it felt like we were the same as before but maybe that's just my opinion. Actually, before rehearsals started, I thought that since we were getting together again after pursuing our solo activities, our singing style might change completely. But that wasn't the case at all, I felt like all three of us were cherishing the feeling of singing Kalafina songs.”

--You were able to get back on track so quickly because you had Kalafina's music as your base.

“Yes, I think so. In recent years, all three of us have been trying out a variety of songs and styles as soloists, searching for new ways of vocalisation and expression, but when it comes to Kalafina's music, we have already perfected a harmonious singing voice, so it was simply a matter of going back to our roots, this specific sound that's ingrained in us. From my perspective, I think the other two are singing in a different way than when they are doing their solo stuff.”

--What do you think of Wakana and Hikaru's vocal appeal?

“Once again, I realised that both of their voices have a solid presence. Kalafina's songs are centered around vocals and their most unique feature is a difficult melody that's hard to maintain. That's why if the voices don't have a strong presence, the impression of the vocals fades. Especially in the parts where our voices are not overlapping, or there's a transition between one voice and the other or even just a change of melody, if each voice doesn't have a strong presence, it will get drowned out. There is no such weakness in their vocals. And when I add my lower harmonies, I'm able to further highlight the greatness of the lyrics and melody. I was able to once again feel that beautiful balance between us.”

--All of Kalafina's songs have a unique worldview. Because it is so well-constructed, it's easy to get immersed in the world of those songs, isn't it?

“Every time we sing a song, I feel like a switch is turned on and I get carried away on a flood of emotions. Also, even the soft parts in the interludes can actually be important phrases that lead to a greater development, I think that's the appeal of Kalafina songs, the tension just continues uninterrupted. During these rehearsals, I realised once again that Kalafina's music is one-of-a-kind.”

--Even when you listen to it, it makes you want to hold your head up high and straighten your back. What are your feelings towards your fans right now?

“We are filled with so much gratitude that everyone can spend this moment with us, a moment that feels like a dream come true when we are finally able to sing together one more time. Everyone has their own feelings and associations when it comes to Kalafina's music, whether it's about specific songs, about an album, or how our activities have overlapped with their own lives. A live concert is when people with all kinds of feelings come together and enjoy music in the same space, and I think that in itself is a miracle. As the concert is being held in January, we want it to be a night of hope and a new start.”

--The dresses for today's photo shoot are white and the atmosphere is bright.

“There's a strong sparkling and euphoric vibe, right? *laughs* The photographer and art director took so many wonderful shots that I think they must be magicians who can manipulate light. Light is one of Kalafina's keywords, be it a ray of light in the darkness, a light of hope in our hearts or a light pouring down from the sky, all sorts of expressions of light have appeared in our songs. I think the photos turned out to be very Kalafina-esque and really fit our image.”

[putschki1969]

Get Ready for Kalafina on Anisong Premium Radio

DOWNLOAD the FULL EPISODE HERE (MP3 ~50MB) Added it to my "Kalafina Media Appearances" folder. What a blessing to finally be able to update that folder again!!

Wahhhhh, we got another group shot of the girls promoting their upcoming radio appearance (Source & Source & Source & Source & Source & Source & Source) and this time, it's so freaking cute!! I can't handle this!!! Absolutely adorable💙🖤🤍🥹

It’s been 6 years since Kalafina appeared on radio together🥳 Before their comeback performance next year, a 2 hour special will be aired on radio✨ You can listen LIVE on the “NHKラジオ らじる★らじる”WEBSITE HERE. However, you will need VPN to access since it is region-blocked. There’s also an “NHKラジオ らじる★らじる” app which you can download but again, VPN is required!📱 📻Screen-recording is not possible on the app so I will have to figure out a way to record the stream on the webbrowser. Hopefully it will work. Usually you can download archived radio programs on the site Radiko,jp (VPN required) but this particular program only seems to be available for premium users

Date/Time: 12/31 (Tue) 14:00~ 16:00 Radio Channel: NHK-FM MCs: Oishi Masayoshi, Asada Haruna Link: https://www.nhk.jp/p/rs/X7W4K87Q2K/

Will try to post some live updates during the broadcast but it depends on the stability of my stream/VPN〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

We are starting strong with ♪heavenly blue♪ BGM!!

Hearing them together just introducing themselves is special *sobs* Wakana says she was a bit nervous when they first started rehearsing because it had been so long but then it was like riding a bike, everything came back immediately when they were in the midst of it. Keiko was once again reminded of the difficulty of singing Kalafina songs, it was bot a refreshing as well as an exhausting feeling. Hikaru felt happy to hear this unique music resound again that can only be created with their three voices.

One big change everyone commented on was Hikaru's hair XD

The girls were as moved by their first pictures together as their fans. Seeing themselves together was a precious feeling and reminded them that Kalafina was still a thing.

1st Memorable Song of Kalafina's Historia is ♪oblivious♪ chosen by Wakana and Hikaru. Wakana chose it because of its special place in their discography (being their debut song and all). Hikaru chose it because it was the first song she listened to back then when she wasn't a member yet and considered applying at the audition. Her initial reaction was that her voice was completely unsuitable for this sort of music :P Nonetheless, she gave the audition a try and the rest is history.

Keiko brought some old music sheets with her. She still keeps them all from back them and always brings them to rehearsals.

2nd Memorable Song of their Historia is ♪seventh heaven♪ chosen by Keiko because of the way it beautifully connects all of their voices for the very first time.

Impromptu acappella session before they air the song. Naturally they decided to do ♪storia♪ which has always been their go-to song for this sort of stuff. They are accompanied by the host's acoustic guitar. People will complain about Wakana's voice or whatever but I don't care, shut up! This is not the time and place! It was perfect😭

3rd Memorable Song of their Historia is ♪Lacrimosa♪ chosen by Wakana and Keiko. It was a turning point for them since back then, it was decided that they would actually get to continue as a proper group and not be disbanded after Kara no Kyokai. Also, according to Keiko, the 8/6 time signature makes it very special. The host adds some technical trivia about time signatures and such and praises the complexity of the song.

4th Memorable Song is ♪Ongaku♪ chosen by Hikaru and Keiko. For Keiko it's such a great song because of Wakana's cool solo moment (Super!Wakana😂) where she gathers all of her strength and courage to stand in the center to belt out those high notes while being cheered on by Keiko and Hikaru. And then it's nice to see how proud Wakana is of herself when she did a good job. Hikaru picked it because it's a live staple and basically their "engine". It raises the tension and gives them power. Parts of the lyrics are also the inspiration for their infamous "maiyaiya" which they always do before every live.

Their 5th song is ♪Magia♪ (also picked by Keiko and Hikaru). The hosts are very excited about it. The impact of the song is so strong that they had no choice but to choose it. It makes you really feel like you are going crazy just like Mami from Puella Magi Madoka Magica (マミられてる). The host says it's such a traumatic experience to listen to it. The jarring difference between the cute visuals of the anime and the dark vibe of the ending is mind-blowing.

6th song is ♪to the beginning♪ chosen by Wakana because of the memorable MV shoot. They had a very unusual catering with lots of fried food. The katsudon Wakana ate back then remains one of the best she's ever had. She typically doesn't even eat a lot of fried food but that was an exception. So incidentally, the MV is probably the only time fans will have ever seen the way Wakana looks after she's eaten something like this (fantastic if you ask me :P). Keiko adds that this is also their most popular song when they perform overseas. Nothing gets their overseas audiences as hyped as this song.

7th song is ♪ring your bell♪ chosen by all of them. It was very challenging for Wakana due to the speed and high notes (lots of talk about her f# and the shark necklace she designed as merch). Waaaahhh, another impromptu acappella session. I think they really nailed that part of "ring your bell" and I'm usually not even a huge fan of the song. Wakana did so well on her high note but then immediately deflated (poor girl) while Keiko and Hikaru continued for a bit. LOL.

8th (and last) song of their Historia was chosen by the host Oishi. He picked ♪Alleluia♪ because it left such a huge impression as the final song of their 10th Anniversary Live. Wakana loves it because of its link to their origin Kara no Kyokai and the moving lyrics. it also showcases many new facets of Kalafina.

Afer finishing the Historia corner, it's time for Special Anisong Corner" where everyone introduces their favourite anisong. Oishi appears to be a really big Kalafina fan and says that the anisong world wouldn't be the same without them. He says they are a true treasure for this genre.[YES, THEY ARE!!!!!]

Wakana picks "Mononoke Hime". It was one of the songs she would always perform together with her mother (on piano) when she was a kid. Coming as a surprise to no one, Keiko picks "Anpanman's March" from Anpanman. She's always been such a huge fan of the anime. Hikaru picks "Card Captor Sakura"'s "Platina" because she has always been a huge fan of Clamp (especially "Magic Knight Rayearth" with the main character also being named Hikaru).

Last corner is Oishi introducing a recent anisong that he wants everyone to listen to. He picks the OP "Lilac" by Mrs. GREEN APPLE for the anime titled "Boukyaku Battery".

And that's a wrap. Fitting BGM with ♪into the world♪ Wakana is happy, excited and feels super grateful about the upcoming Kalafina live. Keiko feels so happy to get to meet the other two on a regular basis for preparations and rehearsals. It's a blessing to see all those meetings in her schedule and it immediately cheers her up. Hikaru is also grateful to be able to finally sing all those songs together with the other two and have unique "conversations" with the audience that couldn't be possible if it were just herself.

Not a single mention of Yuki Kajiura during these entire two hours, lots of people are commenting on that. I'll leave that info here without really adding anything to it. It's par for the course I guess, I don't blame them for it...

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Anniversary Live 2025 Report ~ Feature in Ani=PASS

Despite all my complaints about high shipping costs, I ended up buying the latest Ani=PASS issue featuring a Kalafina Anniversary Live Report. The magazine was released at the end of February, everyone, including the girls, was hyping it up so naturally, I couldn't resist. There is no interview or column, it is just a live report but it is very beautifully written so I guess it was worth the investment. Order your copy on Amazon.co.jp or CDJapan!

The final page of the report makes me incredibly emotional and it contains a transcription of the final MC during the encore right before they sing "into the world", a majority of that MC was unfortunately not featured in the TV broadcast. You can tell the author is a very big fan of Kalafina. He has been working as a writer for many years and he has been in charge of pretty much all the Kalafina features in the magazine (previously in B=PASS). The way he weaves together the lyrics of "into the world" with their performance is *chef's kiss*. It's crazy how this song is so representative of their journey. To think that I wasn't particularly invested in the song when it was first released but now I can't help but tear up whenever they sing it...

Wakana speaks in a trembling voice filled with emotion, "We came here because we wanted to fill this venue with Kalafina's music. It made me very happy that the three of us were able to sing together again. But what makes me happier than anything else is that all of you who had been patiently waiting for us were by our side tonight." "I'm grateful for the miracle of being able to sing together today, I wanted to make this a live performance that everyone who came to see would enjoy," shares Hikaru.  "Today, when the curtain came down and I saw everyone's faces, something welled up inside me that I couldn't contain. It felt like I was about to overflow... For the past seven years, there were parts of my emotions that I had been bottling up. But this time, as the three of us started rehearsing together, a lot of things naturally came back to me, and I realised that those suppressed emotions were all still inside of me. So the music that we made here with everyone who came today will always remain within my heart. I want to continue to cherish those memories. If it were possible, I would like to create music with everyone who was here with us today again..." While reflecting on her own feelings, Keiko tries putting them into words. The final word "again" is greeted by applause from the audience, who share the same feelings. It's not quite a promise but I think it's a small wish, something she sincerely hopes will come true one day. And then the final song, "into the world," begins. The majestic sound and singing portray the end of a journey guided by a map, and the vastness that lies beyond fear and joy. It's a world many times larger than the one we've known so far. The song that reaches us now has more depth than the performance we heard at Nippon Budokan seven years ago. Since their time as Kalafina came to a halt, they have each been active as solo artists and walked their own paths in life. This is probably the reason why their songs are filled with the experiences and emotions they gained in a world filled with fear and joy on a journey without guidelines or a map drawn by someone else. The weight of each experience gained in the past seven years, you could feel it in every single song sung at tonight's concert. What each member brought to Kalafina wasn't just the evolution of their skills as vocalists, but the life experiences and emotional growth that allowed them to make the words and messages in the lyrics resonate so much more realistically. Kalafina's precisely orchestrated harmonies leave little to no room for elaborate improvisations or emotionally driven sound fluctuations, but the singing resonates with more heart now rather than simply tracing the melodies written on the sheet music. There was clearly a strong wish to "convey what they wanted to convey" and "express what they wanted to express." Which is first and foremost the message and worldview contained in the songs. But on top of that, there is also an earnest desire to make people happy with Kalafina's music and to share this music with others. I think in these songs you can feel their sincere love and gratitude for each and every person who gathered there. It is not just Wakana, Keiko, and Hikaru, but also the band members, the musical director Takebe Satoshi, the staff responsible for lighting, sound, costume design and of course, the audience. Everyone involved poured their respect and love into "Kalafina's music" and created this unique performance for one night only. It was not a rehash or denial of the past, but rather a respectful and cherished restoration of Kalafina's music and live performance, linking it to the future. That's why the atmosphere in the venue after the concert had ended was incredibly warm, and filled with hope, not sadness. "If it were possible, I would like to create music with everyone who was here with us today again..." Looking at the empty stage, I thought once again that I would be very happy if this small but strong wish could come true…