MF GHOST Anime Theme Songs Announced

Ⓒ Shuichi Shigeno, Kodansha / MF GHOST Production Committee

Set to broadcast in October, the anime series MF GHOST is the successor to the beloved high-speed road race series Initial D. Now, it has been announced that voice actors Yu Serizawa and Himika Akaneya will work on the opening and ending theme songs respectively. Details on all these announcements can be found below.

The opening theme "JUNGLE FIRE feat. MOTSU" is sung by Yu Serizawa, a member of voice actor/idol hybrid unit i☆Ris, who also plays the role of Nozomi Kitahara in MF GHOST. The kinetic track is perfectly suited to the show’s depiction of street racing battles. Over a track that embraces the strong sense of speed and groove reminiscent of the 1980s and ’90s Eurobeat dance music genre, Yu Serizawa’s poppy yet cool vocal style fuses with MOTSU’s high-speed rap, resulting in a song with the unique addictive quality of Eurobeat that is sure to set your pulse racing.

Commenting on the opening song "JUNGLE FIRE feat. MOTSU", Yu Serizawa said: “The Eurobeat sound reminiscent of ‘Initial D’ made my heart sizzle from the intro. On top of that, MOTSU laid down a rap filled with the intensity and coolness I could not express alone, making the song sound amazing. When I first heard about the ‘MF GHOST’ project, I was excited to see what kind of world I was about to dive into. I can’t wait to experience the moment in the opening credits when my voice combines with the thrilling music and speed-racing visuals. As both a voice actor and an idol, I can’t wait for audiences to see my hard work, and I’m sure you’ll be excited too!”

MOTSU is a member of the Japanese group m.o.v.e, who worked on all of the opening theme songs to the anime series Initial D, and who also previously worked with Serizawa on the hit single "EVERYBODY! EVERYBODY! / YOU YOU YOU". MOTSU commented: “MF GHOST! Let’s do this!! I’ve been working on this for a long time, so I’m super excited to finally be able to shout about it! Let’s deliver this story in festival style to all the fans who are waiting! And then there’s Yu Serizawa, our ace in the hole. Knowing Seriko was at the wheel, I made this tune as peaky and crispy as possible. I’m convinced that what she has created in turn is something both old and new. I hope you enjoy this at maximum speed (within the legal limit of course).”

The ending theme song is performed by Himika Akaneya, who is also a member of i☆Ris. In addition to her work as a voice actor, Himika Akaneya is also active as an actor in movies and on stage, but this will be her debut performance as a solo artist. Himika Akaneya’s song "Stereo Sunset (Prod. AmPm)" is based on city pop, a genre that is hugely popular both in Japan and overseas, and Himika Akaneya was selected for her transparent singing voice that matches the vibe of the song, as well as her unique presence and awesome singing ability. 

The track was produced by Japanese masked production duo AmPm, whose music is beloved by fans all over the world – indeed, 80% of their listeners are based outside of Japan. The track combines AmPm’s delicate production skills and comfortable beats with nostalgic lyrics by ARAKI, who regularly writes music for idols, artists and voice actors, to deliver a unique spin on the city pop sound. Himika Akaneya’s gentle singing voice at times veers on spoken word, and the result is a medium-tempo song that is warm and comforting.

Himika Akaneya commented on "Stereo Sunset (Prod. AmPm)", saying: “The lyrics to this song reference imagery related to driving, such as the ‘stereo’ and ‘a neon heart reflected in the windows’, while the word ‘sunset’ melds perfectly into the song’s relaxing melody, putting the listener right there in the scene. I think you will be able to immerse yourself in the lingering afterglow at the end of each episode of the anime. This will be my first time to sing solo, and while I do feel a little nervous, I’m very happy to be involved with the music for ‘MF GHOST’, which is a series loved by many fans. I hope that as each episode ends, this song’s casual melody and poetic flow will touch your heart – even just a little. Please check it out.”

AmPm, who produced and arranged the music, and ARAKI, who wrote the lyrics, also commented: “We are delighted to have worked on the ending theme song for ‘MF GHOST’. As the title of the song suggests, we created this song by imagining a sunset drive. We aimed to leave listeners with a sense of speed, allowing you to feel the shifting landscape in the afterglow of the day. We hope you will listen to Himika Akaneya’s singing voice and immerse yourself in the afterglow of each episode!”

ARAKI commented: “Back in the day, cafes and ramen shops would have rows of ‘Initial D’ manga books that had been read until they were worn out. All these years later, it's an honor to be a part of this new story. I tried to find words that had a stylish retro sound and convey a sense of purity. I hope it will make you feel, ‘Oh yeah! Now THAT’s an anime ending song!”

Both songs will be released as singles, with Yu Serizawa’s "JUNGLE FIRE feat. MOTSU" out on October 18, 2023, and Himika Akaneya’s "Stereo Sunset (Prod. AmPm)" out on November 22, 2023.

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Yu Serizawa Profile
Date of Birth: December 3, 1994
Yu Serizawa is a voice actor and artist. She has appeared as a voice actor in many hit productions, including voicing Rae in the 2023 anime series ‘I’m in Love with the Villainess’, Hildegard Minas Lestia in ‘In Another World With My Smartphone’ and Tsukuyo Aoba in ‘TenPuru’. Receiving great acclaim for her performances as a voice actor, she won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the 13th Seiyu Awards.

As an idol artist, in addition to being a member of the voice actor/idol group i☆Ris, she also made her solo debut in 2017, and marked the 5th anniversary of her solo career with the release of her full-length solo album ‘YOUr No.1’ in 2022. Having released many anime tie-in songs, in 2023 she performed as a solo artist at Animelo Summer Live, Japan’s largest anime music event. In addition to holding three solo concert tours and releasing two photobooks, and her career as a voice actor, she is also highly active as an idol.

Official Website: https://yu-serizawa.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/iRis_s_yu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seriko_is_no.1/
TikTok: tiktok.com/@iris_s_yu

MOTSU Profile
At the age of 22, MOTSU traveled to the United States, where he taught himself rap and dance, and made his debut as MORE DEEP. Since then, he has been active in multiple projects including m.o.v.e, ALTIMA and motsu×DJ KAYA. As a member of m.o.v.e, he has worked on many songs for the anime ‘Initial D’.

Official Website: https://avex.jp/motsu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Motsu_MC
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GhettoBlastaMotsu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/motsumc/

Himika Akaneya Profile
Date of Birth: July 16, 1994
Himika Akaneya is a voice actor, actor and artist. As a voice actor, she has made memorable performances as heroines such as Laala Manaka in ‘Pretty Series’, Izetta in ‘Izetta: The Last Witch’ and Ritsuka Tachibana in ‘Dance with Devils’. In recent years, she has been challenging herself as an actor across various mediums, with roles such as Shiori Usami in the theater production ‘World Trigger: The Stage’ and the upcoming August 2023 movie ‘30S’ created and produced by 7ORDER member Yuma Sanada. She is also an active YouTuber who puts her body to the test with physical challenges beyond what you’d assume from her looks, tackling one project after another.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iRis_a_himi
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwCfG7UHT9jubtG1M5dH4Bw
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/himika_akaneya_official/

AmPm Profile
Japanese masked production duo AmPm debuted in 2017 with the single ‘Best Part of Us’, which became a hit around the world. Since then, they have worked with various global guest artists from the dance music scene and beyond, releasing over 40 tracks to date. AmPm are currently one of the most popular Japanese artists overseas, with 80% of their audience based outside of Japan.

HP: https://avex.jp/ampm/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ampm_tokyo

​ARAKI Profile
ARAKI debuted in 2012 as a member of STOROBOY. After the band broke up, he went on to work on various songs as a composer, lyricist and arranger. Working as an artist producer, music director and songwriter, he has built up a reputation for creating old-school J-pop with a modern twist. He has written songs for i☆Ris including "Queens Bluff", "12 Gatsu no Snowry", and "Summer Dude".

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARAKI__IKARA
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/araki_ikara/

About MF GHOST
The anime series MF GHOST is adapted from a manga series written and illustrated by Shuichi Shigeno and serialized in ‘Young Magazine’ (Kodansha) since 2017. Volumes of the collected manga have sold over 4 million copies, with 17 volumes currently available. Its story takes place in the same universe as ‘Initial D’, which was serialized in Young Magazine from 1995 to 2013, portraying street racing battles in a near-future setting.

Synopsis
Following the events of Initial D, the year is 202X AD. In Japan, self-driving cars are everywhere. Still, public road races are held regularly, and the race series taking the world by storm is MFG, in which the fastest cars from makers such as Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini go head to head. Now, having graduated from racing school in Britain, rookie driver Kanata Rivington returns to Japan to fulfill a certain promise.

Official Website: https://mfg-anime.com　
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mfg_anime　　
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@mfg_anime