Prepare your souls! Popular VTuber musician Mori Calliope has teamed up with Crunchyroll and Spotify to unveil a brand new playlist, featuring tracks hand-picked by the Grim Reaper’s first apprentice herself. Since debuting under hololive -Myth- in 2020, "Calli" has been blazing a trail of powerful, edgy vocals and inventive visuals that have entranced fans the world over. Paired with her avid anime fandom, she is now a two-time anime OP/ED artist, writing and performing the ending theme for Suicide Squad ISEKAI , “Go-Getters” and Gachiakuta ’s newest opening theme, “LET’S JUST CRASH.” Now, Mori Calliope is revealing the inspirations behind her music taste, her biggest influences in the industry, and what she’s been listening to in the world of anime. Listen along below and save the playlist on Spotify to look out for new ‘Crunchyroll's Curated By:’ collaborations with artists that write the music behind the anime you love! OVERVIEW Crunchyroll's Curated By: Mori Calliope Full Playlist and Exclusive Visual Mori Calliope Interview Listen Along to the Playlist Here: Full Track List “LET’S JUST CRASH” by Mori Calliope “綺麗事” by Hoshimachi Suisei “ファタール – Fatal” by GEMN, Kento Nakajima, Tatsuya Kitani “HUGs” by Paledusk “Obenkyou Shitoiteyo“ by ZUTOMAYO “TAIDADA“ by ZUTOMAYO “Caramel Pain“ by Hoshimachi Suisei “痛いの痛いの飛んでいけ“ by TOOBOE “心臓“ by TOOBOE “Gingiragin“ by syudou “Atashi“ by syudou “Go-Getters“ by Mori Calliope “未来島“ by Mori Calliope “ヨソモノ“ by FAKE TYPE. “BARBER SHOP“ by FAKE TYPE., 青妃らめ “Bloody Mary“ by KANKAN “Good luck, Clown“ by TOPHAMHAT-KYO “AMAGOI (feat. DENPA GIRL)“ by Denpa Girl, hasisi, TOPHAMHAT-KYO “Earphone feat.Jinmenusagi“ by Denpa Girl, Jinmenusagi “1LDK“ by Reol “IN_MY_HEAD“ by natori “第六感“ by Reol “Color Your Night“ by ATLUS GAME MUSIC, ATLUS Sound Team, Azumi Takahashi, Lotus Juice “BBB“ by Paledusk, Such “サクラループ“ by Chevon “5150“ by THE ORAL CIGARETTES “あなたはかいぶつ“ by TOOBOE Exclusive playlist launch visual Mori Calliope Interview If you could describe your music taste in just three words, what would you say? Mori Calliope : That's really tough because my taste is all over the place. As long as there is some j-pop influence I tend to like it, but let me think… "Cynical/irony” (it's "hiniku" in Japanese). "Edgy" but with "whimsy." …Yeah, that's probably it. Really off-the-wall stuff is my favorite. Can I add one more word? "Melodius." That's the most important. OK, I'm done cheating…!!! In addition to your new single, “LET’S JUST CRASH” – which is the latest opening theme for Gachiakuta – there are a few songs from your own discography on this playlist. Can you tell us a little bit about why you chose those specific tracks? Mori Calliope : I feel like “Go-Getters” is one that a decent number of anime fans know me from, as that's the ED theme I did for last year's Suicide Squad: ISEKAI and it's something that got a lot of eyes on my work, probably the most since my debut. It's pretty wild and has a nice melody, plus Teddy and Giga are an unbeatable duo. They can't make bad music even if they tried. Next up, “Future Island” is another big one that put me on some people's maps, maybe even more. It was for a commercial to promote ONE PIECE 's Volume 106 release to the world. The success of that one was pretty surprising to me… even to this day people mention it to me. I wasn't too confident in my singing, but I fully embraced a cuter "me" instead of gravitating toward my usual edginess. At least… until the end, lol. Actually, my team recommended I put these songs on the list. I probably would have given the spots to some other artists I love, but my P and team believe in me so very much, so I'll let them have this one!! The cover art for “LET’S JUST CRASH” was actually created by Kei Urana, who is the mangaka for the series! How involved were you in the creative process of the art and what has it been like to work with Urana-san and also Hideyoshi Andou-san surrounding Gachiakuta ? Mori Calliope : Urana shared some different outfit designs with me and I chose the one I thought fit the song most! If I had it my way, I'd choose both, lol… one was a really cool military-looking uniform with a hat that reminded me of Eisha's a little bit. The one I ended up choosing was a "fighter" inspired outfit, it has a wild look to it, and the part over my mouth reminds me of a wild beast the world is trying to tame. I thought that one would fit more with the feeling of “LET'S JUST CRASH” as the wild and gritty rage anthem it turned out to be. As for working with Urana and Andou-san, talking with them is very casual because we know each other outside of work. But they aren't really rigged or stiff people in the first place, they go with the flow, and they let me do my thing with the song. Just like I let Urana do her thing with my jacket art! They gave me a general vibe they wanted for the song, with some keywords. I asked some questions, but they mostly seemed to want to leave it up to me. There were no requests for retakes, so I guess they liked it right away! We respect each other as creatives and are just thrilled to be involved in each other's creative process, so I feel super lucky we get to do stuff together in a professional sense. Cover Art for “LETS JUST CRASH” ( X ) Can you share some of the other anime that make an appearance on this playlist? Mori Calliope : The Summer Hikaru Died was amazing, and so was “Anata wa Kaibutsu” (“あなたはかいぶつ”). I mostly chose the song because I'm very open about the fact TOOBOE-san is one of my oshis in music. He is a genius who can write heart-wrenching melodies along with down-to-earth and relatable lyrics that tell stories that, though fictional, are linked to our own world. I remember him mentioning at his shows that though this was a song he wrote for the anime, it was also very much linked to his own reality and our reality as a whole. It's a song about accepting the darker sides of the people you love, the monster on the other side of them. Nobody's perfect, after all. It's about acceptance of that fact and still choosing to be by that person's side. I strive to turn my own tie-up songs into stories that can be linked to my own life, and to your own life too. To write such relatable works that transcend the borders of the story is a skill that takes time to build up, however. Oshi no Ko Season 2 opening "Fatale" by GEMN!! I just really love Nakajima Kento, he's so awesome and the epitome of "idol" in my eyes. Tatsuya Kitani-san needs no introduction either, another musical genius. Their voices are powerful, crisp and direct. They exude "coolness" beyond any other word, to be honest. I listened to it for the first time and thought "this is what KAKKOII is, OK, got it." I actually wasn't sure about watching the second season so soon, but this song convinced me too. I hope my own song can convince folks to check out Gachiakuta if they haven't. DAN DA DAN 's first ending "TAIDADA" is by Zutomayo, who I've done lots of work with in the past. I've actually done quite a few guest appearances at their shows and also was a guest on one of their songs. They've always got a lot of whimsy and romanticized ennui in their works, so give it a listen and revel in day-to-day vibes like getting ready for work or school. What do you think makes for a great anime OP? Mori Calliope : Honestly it is case-by-case. I think it also depends on what kind of artist you are. If you're flexible, you'll have no hard time making something that suits the material you are writing for. But if you're someone who sticks to your guns and ONLY writes for your primary genre of choice, you might end up coming up with something a little stiff unless the genre you usually write in is a perfect fit for the work. Some of us artists don't even really get to choose, the label gets these great opportunities for us and we have to be flexible because let's face it, almost everyone in Japan wants to sing for anime. Almost. Some musical artists only write fiction, while others want to connect it more to their own reality as well as that of the general populace. I think trying too hard to make a song relatable can put you in a position that looks like you're forgetting the work and trying too hard to create a "hit song" that is "relatable and good for radio" so it's important to not fall into that trap. Making songs for anime should not be self-serving first and foremost. The emphasis needs to go on the work you're writing for. If you keep a rigid ego and "only want to write songs your way," then, unless you are an absolute superstar, it might be best to do it away from the anime/game industry and give up on tie-ups. You don't need to do them to become a successful artist! But if you are a person who wants to write FOR ANIME (myself for example) then you need to be flexible more than anything, and you need to be even just the most surface-level fan of the work. Maybe you don't need to be as obsessed with the anime/manga as I am with Gachiakuta , but you still need to have some level of love and passion for this thing you're creating for. Because it is SO VERY obvious when writers are completely disconnected from the work and have their own agendas, or aren't willing to compromise their own ideas and collaborate with the production side on a shared vision. I think that's great for them, but they should select carefully what offers they accept. That was long winded, so the tldr is; you need to enjoy the work and you need to be willing to collaborate with the production side. If you do, you might make a great anime opening! Maybe. Nothing is a guarentee, and I'm still a newcomer. But I've learned a thing or two in my short time in the industry, and I know what I like to hear as a fan as well! Of all of the tracks you’ve curated for this playlist, is there a particular lyric that stands out to you or that you think really "hits?" Mori Calliope : Oh man, there are a lot of tracks on this list… for the sake of avoiding a headache I'd like to direct you to one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite songs of all time, "心臓" by TOOBOE. 蘇ってしまうよ 貴方の為なら幾らでも 間違いも愛せるよ 馬鹿なもんでさ I'll come back to life For you, as many times as needed Loving even your mistakes I'm such a fool This particular chorus has been my favorite since I heard the song a couple years ago and became a fan. The idea of loving someone so unconditionally despite their flaws, even though that person is weak and human. Loving even their mistakes, coming back for them over and over again. There's something tragic but also romantic about it. It makes me feel like, despite the mistakes I've made in the past and despite the weak and fallible me that I still am today, somebody somewhere is holding out hope for me. If we step back from the romance angle and look at it from a more general angle as well, it makes me think of my supporters, too. All the missteps and scuff from the beginning, the hiccups that happen even now. They're still here, dealing with this imperfect me. There are people I do the same for in my life, and in my world. It's hope in despair, it's recognizing the ridiculousness of it all, but you can't help yourself can you? I'll cut it off here because I could talk about his lyrics forever. Has your music taste changed from when you first started writing music? Mori Calliope : When I started WRITING music, I actually was exclusively into Japanese internet/anime hip-hop and nothing else. MAYBE some old school American rap as well, but there really wasn't much else I was keen on. When I'm stuck on a genre, I listen to ONLY that for a while. My love for rock especially is more deeply rooted in my high school days and is something I thought I "grew out of" when I hit college. But while doing some rock karaoke on stream early into my career at Holo, I realized I never grew out of anything. Alternative rock is something I've always loved and metal something I've wanted to examine a bit deeper. The Japanese alt-rock scene is also continually growing and with influence from the same internet scene that got me in Japanese internet hip-hop from long ago, I feel like my tastes are coming together beautifully before my own eyes. I've realized that putting myself into a specific box with the rap I was making was limiting me in multiple ways and I couldn't grow. I couldn't even listen to music at all the year leading up to JIGOKU 6 , because it just led to frustration and anger at myself and my process. After that record I finally let myself be free to write whatever I felt like, and that included getting back to my roots in rock that got me listening to music in the first place. I still include some rap in my works, but I'm not limiting myself to it anymore. There is so much more I want to try to make, so I'm glad my taste in music is gradually evolving over time. I think it's a really healthy thing. Tell us about some of the artists that have inspired you throughout your career. Can they be found on this playlist? Mori Calliope : Reol is on the list, and she's one of the first Japanese artists I ever listened to in my life. That was many years ago, but we ended up making a song together! She's super cool. FAKE TYPE. and TOPHAMHAT-KYO (THHK) got me into making music in the first place because I was such a huge fan of them as well, and listening to their songs made me want to try my hand at a similar type of off-the-wall and maniacal rap style at THHK. I was a serious THHK wannabe back in the day!! It's super embarrassing, lol!! But now, we've made several songs together and they still continue to inspire me with their very unique works. TOOBOE is a musician who does basically everything himself. Writing lyrics, designing jacket art, arranging, producing, composing, playing guitar and piano, singing… he is probably one of the most artistic people I've ever encountered. While stoic and professional, he's thoughtful and pays attention to the details. Basically, I strive to be the same way in my own work. Seeing how seriously he takes his art has inspired me to be more serious about what I'm creating and constantly work to become a better musician. Paledusk!! Of course I had to include "HUGs" on here but they have so many awesome songs that aren't bound by any rules or limits. If you are looking for a new approach to metal, check them out. I knew of them since a few years ago when Urana told me about their works so I looked them up. They're doing some really cool stuff, so I hope Gachiakuta gets more eyes on their work! Reol artist photo I had the privilege of seeing you perform earlier this year in Los Angeles. What kind of music do you listen to when you’re traveling for long hours on tour? Mori Calliope : Oh, I'd love to do a tour someday… I've done one-man shows in Japan and America, though! Usually when traveling for those, it's my usual playlist (very similar to the one I created here). But for planes, I download a sleepy lo-fi playlist ahead of time… that, and my own work-in-progress mixes to check them over and over again. I get a little obsessed with the process! I also keep a playlist of exclusively sad or sleepy songs to help me find catharsis during emotional times, or calm down when I'm waiting anxiously for something. If I ever did a bus tour across America, I'd probably be listening to that one a lot. And finally, what song(s) on the playlist do you think your fans will find the most surprising? Mori Calliope : Maybe “FATALE” because I haven’t talked about how much I enjoy Tatsuya Kitani’s work or mentioned Nakajima Kento in the past, but male idols and artists are kicking *ss out there too and I really respect the work they put in. That song is killer and they worked hard to make sure it was perfect on all levels while suiting the work it was tied to ( Oshi no Ko ) and it’s got its own strong identity that stands apart from the global hit “IDOL” that came before it. There’s also a mix of the people who inspired me in the past especially with Japanese hip-hop that you may not have heard before. Jinmenusagi is a Japanese rap legend and Denpa Girl I listened to so much when I first came to Japan, and still do now. They are pillars of my inspiration from JRap, and some of THHK’s more “under the radar” works as “Ao” are also included so you can really get a feel for the more off the wall rap that inspired me from the start line!
