News

Kalafina Music Trio Reunite for January Anniversary Concert

The official Twitter account for the disbanded Kalafina singer trio announced on Thursday that the trio will reunite for an anniversary concert at the Tokyo Garden Theater on January 15. Yuki Kajiura, the founder and former composer for the trio, made a statement on her X (formerly Twitter) account that she is not involved with the concert, and that she was not officialy contacted by any of the singers nor the concert organizer.

The announcement notes that Satoshi Takebe (From Up On Poppy Hill, Ronja the Robber's Daughter, Earwig and the Witch, The First Slam Dunk) is the musical director for the concert.

Keiko Kubota and Hikaru Masai also made posts on their respective X/Twitter accounts, saying that it is thanks to fans that this concert is happening. Kubota noted that it was Kajiura's music that allowed her to sing again. Masai said that she is happy to have the opportunity to sing Kajiura's music as part of Kalafina again.

Kajiura noted in her statement that she had hoped to work with Kalafina again, but acknowledged that this is no longer possible, and that Kalafina and the singers have chosen to "walk a different path."

The three-member Kalafina singing unit officially disbanded in March 2019, but Yuki Kajiura, the founder of Kalafina, had already left the Space Craft Produce agency in February 2018. Kubota left the unit in April 2018, followed by Wakana Ootaki, and then Hikaru Masai. Ootaki launched a solo career in 2019, and Masai similarly launched a solo career under the stage name H-el-ical//. Kubota launched a solo career under the name KEIKO. Since Kalafina's disbandment, Kubota and Masai have at some point collaborated with Kajiura again under Kajiura's FictionJunction music project.

Kajiura started the Kalafina music group in 2007 to perform the theme songs for The Garden of Sinners anime films. Kajiura produced, composed, and wrote the lyrics for most of the group's songs. The group started out with four members, with two of the four members — Keiko Kubota and Wakana Ootaki — having previously worked with Kajiura under her FictionJunction project. Maya Toyoshima left the group in 2009.

The group have performed theme songs for such anime as Sound of the Sky, Aldnoah.Zero, Black Butler, Time of Eve, Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, and Katsugeki! Tōken Ranbu. The group released 21 singles and six studio albums.

Update: Corrected which Kalafina members worked with Kajiura after 2019. Thanks, YAGOO.

Sources: Kalafina's official X/Twitter account, Yuki Kajiura's official X/Twitter account, Keiko Kubota's official X/Twitter account, Hikaru Masai's official X/Twitter account