Bump of Chicken’s guitar-driven new song ‘SOUVENIR‘ has just been released and, while it sounds very Bump of Chicken vocal-wise, a band whose theme songs I normally love, I would say this is one of the weakest theme songs from the SPY x FAMILY anime so far.
Strange, as Bump of Chicken‘s theme songs usually stand out, but this melds in with a hundred Japanese songs I’ve heard recently, to the extent I can barely tell any of them apart.
And, frankly, after one listen through, I have little interest in hearing it again.
Then again, I can’t say I have been massively impressed with any of the SPY x FAMILY theme songs.
Sure, Yama’s ‘Shikasai’, which was released earlier this week, is upbeat and fast-paced but, while her vocals are powerful, the song itself is “meh”.
Even Gen Hoshino’s ‘Kigeki‘, the first cour’s ending theme song and the one I like the most, has a similar melody and feel to other SPY x FAMILY theme songs.
In other words, it is almost as if the producers of SPY x FAMILY have taken every one of these phenomenal artists aside and said “the theme song you will be performing needs to sound like this”.
Bump of Chicken’s ‘SOUVENIR‘ is the Japanese rock band’s 19th digital single, and the official opening theme song for the SPY x FAMILY second cour.
The track will be heard on every episode of the anime’s second cour going forward, as they continue to be released in the west via Crunchyroll.
Bump of Chicken’s ‘SOUVENIR‘ also has a music video, which was directed by Spikey John, a director who has worked with bands like RADWIMPS in the past.
This is the first video he has created for Bump of Chicken, and features fast-moving traffic as the band, who is performing the song, is superimposed over the fast-paced footage.
Listen to Bump of Chicken’s ‘SOUVENIR‘ in that video and on the Spotify player below.
The SPY x FAMILY anime is based on the manga series by Tatsuya, and is currently streaming on Crunchyroll with 13 episodes already ready for viewing.
As for Bump of Chicken songs much better than this one, ‘Fighter‘ the ending theme song from the March Comes in Like a Lion anime comes to mind as a helluva thing.
I am a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I’m also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!