Biography

Japanese gothic pop/rock quintet Roselia, part of the colossally successful multimedia Bang Dream franchise, produce an exciting, uptempo, powerful, symphonic, and highly melodic sound tailor-made for anime ending themes. First appearing in 2016, Roselia was one of a number of pop/rock bands formed as part of the multimedia franchise Bang Dream, known affectionately by its fans as "Bandori." (Other bands in the franchise included Poppin' Party, Raise a Suilen, and Morfonica.) Bandori created an anime series about a number of aspiring bands who met while playing at a local venue and become friends, and a music-based video game that let players choose which character from the show they wanted to play. What added an extra, fascinating twist was that the seiyuu (voice actors) who voiced the characters in the show and the game were chosen primarily for their musical talent. They played their own instruments at an extremely high level of proficiency, and performed -- in character -- in real-life versions of the bands from the show, and recorded albums and toured. Roselia comprised Aina Aiba (who voiced vocalist Yukina Minato), Haruka Kudou (Sayo Hikawa, guitar), Yuki Nakashima (Lisa Imai, bass), Megu Sakuragawa (Ako Udagawa, drums), and Kanon Shizaki (Rinko Shirokane, keyboard). With a sound that can best be described as highly melodic, hard pop/rock with light symphonic metal influences, their name is a combination of "rose" and "camellia". The band invariably appeared dressed in elaborate, visual kei-inspired costumes with a Victorian gothic flavor. Roselia's first album, Anfang (German for "Beginning"), was released in 2018, and the second, Wahl ("Choice"), in 2020; both albums entered the Top Five of the Oricon chart. The band also attained an international following, and made appearances at the U.S. conventions Anime Expo and CharaExpo. ~ John D. Buchanan, Rovi