kensuke ushio (#12039)

[Robin]

Last night, ushio held a Discord AMA. A lot of questions were asked, and there's been some interesting answers. It's great to see him interract with his western audiance!!
https://twitter.com/AniTrendz/status...12594170163201

Here's a copy of what's been asked and answered (questions in blue, answers in plain text). Note that the questions were asked by a lot of different fans, so their quality might vary from one question to another and some questions are sometimes repeated. I also did not edit any questions or answers, hence the occasional typos or approximate phrasings.


What songs have you most enjoyed creating?
It's really difficult to choice one. lit(var) on A Silent Voice was really fun. Rising Suns theme on JapanSinks was super difficult but I love the final mix.

Will there be any more vinyl releases such as Japan Sinks 2020?
I hope so! Do anyone from milan records see this post?

Hello! When it comes to working for media that has the same director multiple times (such as Masaaki Yuasa and Naoko Yamada), have you found yourself implementing similar motifs into the music?
it's not as "similar motifs". But I think "We did this before...so try completely newer / deeper one!"

what has inspired you to compose music?
I'm very much influenced by art.

when did you start making music?
I started in high school or so. I think I started with freeware or a trial version and a synthesizer.

Regarding Liz and the Blue Bird, what kind of composition decisions did you have/focus on? Considering the series itself is fairly music based, how do you interpret the differences of the movie with the rest of the series?
It's a very long story about Liz. When I read the very early stage of script, I thought, "This is a story that no one but the girls should know about," so I decided to make music of the things from the school (like the chair and the beaker or something) that were seeing the two main characters. In order to make this happen, I went to an actual high school and recorded the sounds of the things. I've been banging on chairs and rubbing beakers with my violin bow. There's more to it, but this alone was completely different from other series.

I heard you used a technique called decalcomania to compose your music for Liz and the Blue Bird. How relevant/helpful do you think such a technique was to the composition and do you think you'd do it again for other compositions? What are your thoughts on such abstract/peculiar composition methods?
decalcomanie. To use this as a concept for the film, I made a decalcomanie score by dropping ink on a notation and folding it. When notating the score, I also used co-prime numbers to make the musics to capture the relationships and similarities between the two main characters of the film. I love These special compositional techniques, because they let me create something bigger than my own thoughts;

Not a music related question but what do you do in your free time, especially during the quarantine period ?
I'm preparing next film/series/my own project. Or, I'm in a daze.

Which song that you've composed, do you think is your best work?
I can't decide! All!

omgg devilman crybaby songs were a masterpiece.The songs r so upbeat & the it vibes with the anime I never skipped the intro & endings once ! have u seen the anime yourself? What was ur reaction to it?
Thank you! Of course yes.My reaction was...” seriously...?” Episode 9 was especially tough even while I'm doing final mix.

I waited a long time to ask this question. If I am not mistaken, you made the new version of "Devilman no Uta" which is a BANGER. And after the full OST came out, many posted the OST on YouTube. (At the risk of these people deleting the videos for copyright). But there have also been different versions of that OST and one of them is, indeed, Devilman no Uta. So I will ask you 2 questions:
1— Have you heard the version of that song but as a mashup combined with the original 1972 version?
2— Would you do (or fix) that mashup version of that song, but more in your style and including the singers of both versions?
I leave the link for you to listen to: https://youtu.be/eunnHzJ3PlA
Sorry! I can't answer that question about copyright!

Space dandy had a unique theme and with it came a unique soundtrack. What inspired you to make such music and how did you know it would suit the anime so well. Were you the only person who wanted to make it this way or did others help?
First of all, let me correct the information. A lot of musicians participated in the soundtrack of Space Dandy, and I only had a few songs on it. Director Watanabe asked me in a strange way, "Please don't make cool music" (laughs). This may be the reason.

How do you create such amazing yet hard-hitting pieces for the productions you've taken part in? What was the inspiration behind each of them and how did you produce these with such inspirations in mind?
I think it's probably I'm trying to compose based on a “concept”. If it's “Liz”, it's decalcomanie, co-prime. If it's “Japan Sinks 2020”, it's little loop music.

Do you plan on releasing more solo albums similar to those you made under your "agraph" name?
“agraph” is my main project, so always YES.

i still listen to ping pong the animation's soundtrack all the time! do you have any interesting memories/stories surrounding the creation of those songs?
Yuasa-san told to me, "Table tennis is different from soccer in that you can't tell who wins or loses by looking. I want you to make it with music.” So I made several same-tempo-tracks like a gradation from the cheerful song of victory to the darker song of defeat. These tracks can be mixed together like a DJ, or combined like Lego bricks.

What got you to work with Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation on Koe no Katachi and Liz and the Blue Bird?
To tell the truth, I'm her fan, and she's my fan. That's how I got the offer from her and Kyoto Animation. I was very surprised and honored

In pieces like wind,glass,bluebird and wind,glass,girls, how did you record all the different miscellaneous sounds and ambience?
I went to the real high school and recorded it.

If Naoko Yamada directs another film or show, are you willing to work with her again?
ABSOLUTELY,100%. YES.FOREVER.

What headphones or earphones do you commonly used when composing or just everyday listening?
Audio-Technika ATH-R70X
SONY MDR-CD900ST

hmm since it is an ask me anything, I assume non-music related questions are ok too so What is your favorite Japanese food, and where do you like to eat it?
I like soba( Japanese noodle). There is my favorite soba-restaourant in Kanda,very traditional area, Tokyo

Everything else aside, I'd like to say that I really appreciate your soundtracks making my favorite films and shows what they are, they're really exceptional and one of a kind, not like anything I have heard before from anyone else. Your works are and probably will continue to be my favorite soundtracks in all of TV and film history, and even outside the context of soundtracks, they are absolute works of art by themselves too, and I truly enjoy listening to them. If you ever feel down or get stuck while composing or doing something else, I hope you never forget that you have tens and thousands and millions of people who have listened to your music and been moved by it, and that we wish the best for you, not just as a composer, but a fellow person with a love for music. Thank you for your music, and thank you for being yourself.
Thank you very much for your kindful word. It really encourage me.

What's a typical day of work like for you? I imagine you must get a lot of freedom in deciding your schedule.
I compose music, read books, watch movies youtube and twitch. That's right. I just have a deadline.

what inspired you to composed a song?
Art and philosophy. I like conceptual art and architecture.

Can you break down how you made the soundtrack for both "A Silent Voice" and "Liz and the Blur Bird"?
“A Silent Voice” is music for Shoya's story of growing up. It is the music of practicing J.S.Bach as he grows up and the music to realize the beauty of the world. “Liz” is the music of the two girls' secrets. A noise is made so that the girls don't know they are there.

What video games remind you of your childhood
Ummmm…ChronoTrigeer,FinalFantasy Series….I was a big fan of JRPG.

What's your main source of inspiration?
As I mentioned above, Art and philosophy.

Hi, Ushio-san! Are there any directors (animation or live-action) you’d like to work with?
I’d love to do with Monsieur. Xavier Dolan.

Do you deal with any writer’s block? And if/when you have trouble composing, how do you get back into a composing mindset? Thank you for all your amazing work!
I avoid writer’s block by composing with the concept. If it doesn't work, I'll probably write a different song.

if you could make a song for any show which one would it be?
Mommy/Directed by Xavier Dolan

do you like Mario[/COLOR][this is by far the best question/answer in the whole thing imo]
Y…Yes…:kumikosalute:

did anyone inspire you to go into this line of work?
Many musicians I love. AphexTwin,Kraftwerk,AlvaNoto,Chemical Brothers,UnderWorld,Ryuichi Sakamoto,Daisuke Asakura,and Takkyu Ishino…many!

Do you have plans to continue your solo work as agraph?
of course.100% Yes. “agraph “ is my main project.

Could you tell us about your collaborations with Kengo Tokusashi and how his orchestral arrangements of your compositions for Devilman and Boogiepop came to be?
Tokusashi-san has been a friend of mine since before we started working together, and I'm comfortable with him. And unlike most orchestral arrangers, Tokusashi-san can make very modern arrangements. It's a great feeling. If I were rich, I'd want to keep him around! I believe you can also listen to his arrangements in FinalFantasy7 R.

What process do you go through when giving titles to your tracks?
I think giving title is the hardest part of a soundtrack, isn't it hard to give a “third battle track” or something a different name?(laugh)
I'll name it after the inspiration for the song or the actual scene it was used in the film.

What did you want to focus on/What did you feel was important while making music for Boogiepop and Others?
I was heavily influenced by original novel "boogie pop wa warawanai" in my youth. So rather than being rooted in the concept of the series, I wrote a song about my memories.As a “conceptual composer”, that’s why this title is unique for me. I asked the director about this beforehand.

Which soundtrack are you most proud of and why? I love your work, especially what you did with Boogiepop and Others. Thank you for this opportunity!
I'm proud of all. I can't decide which one.:wink:

Your top 3 best foods?
Soba, Ikura Sushi, beef steak

What's your favorite anime?
one favorite?....would you give me more time?

Thank you again for your time, Ushio-san! On behalf of the Anime Trending community and staff, we're excited to have you answer some of our questions about anime, music, and more! How do you come up with your song titles? Looking at Spotify, all your songs are lowercased and often one word or a few words. What's the inspiration and thought process behind that?
I know it's very strange, but I don't like the design of upper case (laughs), everyone on the record label staff gets a funny look when I say this. It's really hard to name them, they're inspired by concepts and scenes.

When you were asked to write the music for Japan Sinks: 2020, what were your initial thoughts? Were you able to get an idea on what the anime was about?
the "Japan Sinks" is a famous novel in Japan. I thought that after Ping Pong and Devilman, we have another great original story.

Japan Sinks: 2020 is not your first time working with Science SARU and its creative team. How was the experience this time compared to Devilman Crybaby?
each time the concept is different. This time it's "huge disasters and small families", "loops", etc. It's totally different from Devilman. I enjoyed both of them.

A single track is usually a couple minutes long. What's the thought process behind a 13 minute song for the Theme from Japan Sinks: 2020 (rising suns)?
I composed a seven-minute image song from the first image board. That's the prototype for this song. Yuasa-san said, "I'm going to use 13 minutes":tired_face:

What is your approach to making sure every soundtrack you create has its own "personality," composition-wise? Also do you have advice for someone looking to get into scoring movies and TV, or maybe anime specifically?
I think it's deeply rooted in the concept of the work. you can't make that much money (laughs).

Thank you for your time Ushio-san, I really enjoyed your work on Boogiepop and Liz and the Blue Bird. Which composers, artists and artistic movements have inspired you?
Aphex twin, or artists from Warp records,German techno,modern classic composer like steve reich.

[COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Which artists do you listen to in your own time?
Many! At this moment, I'm listening to Ben Frost.

Are there any up-and-coming musicians you'd recommend?
Rainer Veil from Modern Love Records. I think it's an amazing quality, but it's not very well known

Hi and first of all thank you for answering our questions! Besides the beautiful anime soundtracks I really enjoyed your singles as parkside in bloom and greyscale. Are you going to release singles from time to time or do you want to focus more just on anime?
As I mentioned above,I always do “agraph”. It’s my lifework.

Also my favorite song is (i can) say nothing by koe no katachi but searching the internet the lyrics seem different from the real lyrics. Is this so or has a "crippled" English been used to create the right effect?
Confidential!

What was the most difficult soundtrack to make?
Eevery soundtrack has a difficult phase and a fun phase. I can't decide on the best one.

What is the reason behind the use of two different names, kensuke ushio and agraph?
[Unfortunately, ushio did not answer that question]

You've probably already been asked but do you have a favorite anime? Thanks, you are one of my favorite composers!
Many! Legend of the Galactic Heroes,NGE, Kokoro Library, El Hazard….Oops is this too old?

What are your favourite songs?
Aphex twin/ Avril 14th.

What are your favourite artists/bands?
Aphex twin.

Do you read manga, and if so, what is your favourite manga?
Yes! Everything from Mori kaoru-sensei,Yotsuba-to!...many!

How did you come up with the song Lit from Koe no Katachi?
After reading Yamada-san's story board, I was able to compose naturally.

What inspires you when you composed the songs for Liz and the Blue Bird, A Silent Voice?
I tried to root it in the concept of the film.

What do you wish to deliver when making those songs?
"What I want to deliver".hmmm..it's difficult to explain in language. Maybe, I want to create a world of the film solid.

Ushio-sensei, do you listen to other anime soundtracks, and if so, who are your favorite composers working in the space and any highlight OSTs by them that you particularly enjoy?
TBH,I don't listen to anime OST. But when I was a student,I loved OST of boogie pop(2000), Kokoro Library.

Have you ever wanted to work on the music for a video game or visual novel?
Yes!

Speaking of game music, are there video game related composers or game soundtracks you love?
journey(PS4)

Before working on Boogiepop & Others, were you familiar with the series?
I was heavy influenced by the original novel.

Are you familiar with the works of some electronic music doujin artists, such as Taishi, zts, Nhato or others?
No not at all. sorry.

Do you like collecting specific physical items? It could be a collection of CDs, stones, figures...
Synthesizers!

Mr. Ushio, in 2013 you were part of the "Denki Groove plays Zin-Say!" performance, at Mr. Kera's Music Hour event. It must have been a honor to be part of the revival of a legendary Nagomu Records band.Do you remember if you had any personal input on new arrangements/sounds for the classic Zin-Say tracks performed that day? I imagine Denki Groove and Mr. Takkyu were big influences on you, how was it working with them, both in the Zin-Say revival, and during the Devilman Crybaby soundtrack production? Thank you!
yes of course! I'm really honored!

Whats your inspiration in your works?
art and philosophy!

What are your top 5 animes?
many! please do not say 5.

Thank you for participating Ushio-sensei, you have definitely been a big inspiration for me and helped keep me going while working in the audio industry! What is the typical structure for composing songs that you yourself follow when creating core themes for a soundtrack, as well as when you expand out to filler/specific 'mood' tracks?
I'm a synthesizer geek.so when I compose specific mood, I can use specific synthesizer for that mood.

Have there been any noticeable shifts in the industry due to this pandemic that you feel will stay in place even after the situation gets better? Be it methods for sharing progress or actual recording, etc.
Not so much. I'm a hikikomori composer.meeting became zoom meeting.

Has there been any particular instrument/ type of sound you've found yourself wanting to utilize more and more in your works?
wood winds!

I really love the OST of Koe no Katachi. How did you come up with the names/titles of the tracks/songs in Koe no Katachi? What do those names/titles mean?
confidential! I wanted to avoid the prejudice.

Out of the songs you've made, which one was your favorite/the most fun to work on? What was your favorite project to be a part of?
I cant decide! I love all.

Do you play instruments? which one is your forte?
piano!

What was the hardest song you worked on and why?
every track has fun and hard.

What led you to create the Liz To Aoi Tori soundtrack through the usage of decalcomania? Do you usually try to incorporate abstract concepts into your music like this or was it a request from Yamada?
The concept of the film led me to use decalcomania.I love these abstract composition because it lead me another world. it's not from Yamada-san.I said.

How to promote about your works (like the recent one, alongside Spotify)?
I have no idea. please teach me....

Who are your favourite AniSong artists and who are some artists who you would like to work/Collab with in coming future?
TBH, and so sorry, I don't listen to AniSong...!

What life learnings and lessons do you want to share and tell everyone from everything you did? What is your advice to people who want to go through the same career as yours?
do what you like!

What exactly does the naming scheme you use in your albums mean, especially for Koe no Katachi/A Silent Voice?
Confidential! but some abbreviated titles.

Who was your main inspirations when making the soundtrack for Ping Pong the Animation? Favorite musicians?
techno music I love. and concept of the series.

Can you explain what life is? Just curious
"42" period.


"Thank you all very much. This has been really fun. See you in the next film/series.
MA TA NE !"