Talking New Tunes With the Team Behind BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA

BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA is a refreshed new entry in the long-running girls band franchise. With a band made up of new virtual performers starring in an anime with a remixed creative team, it immediately stands apart from previous entries. ANN got the chance to speak with director Tomomi Umetsu, animation producer Hiroaki Matsura, and BanG Dream! project producer Yūki Nemoto to discuss what makes YUME∞MITA unique and what viewers can look forward to from the new series.

You previously directed episodes of It's MyGO!!!!! as well as Film Live 2nd Stage and the Morfonication special. Can you talk about how your approach has grown over these projects, and what style of direction you bring to YUME∞MITA?

Director Tomomi Umetsu: Film Live 2nd Stage was all about a festival! Glamorous! Fun! That's how I approached it. Morfonication was fun because I could create fantastical, mysterious visuals from the perspective of the daydreaming Mashiro-chan while depicting the clashes and deepening bonds among the Morfonica members.

For It's MyGO!!!!!, I was in charge of the storyboards and direction for key episodes in the story. I worked on it with the desire to make the important stories where previous build-up blooms or bears fruit, and the quality of the music felt at 100%! If possible, 120%!!

YUME∞MITA takes all of those experiences and throws in full-throttle comedy.

Do you have any favorite memories of working on YUME∞MITA so far?

UMETSU: I have three memories that I want to share. At YumeMita's first live in Yokohama, I saw an audience member in front of me jumping to an unbelievable height. When I went to a YumeMita concert, the person in front of me showed off some unbelievable jumping ability, and I couldn't help but be moved, thinking, “People can actually jump that high...”

The recording for the teaser was hilarious. We came up with a fun script based on the concept of “Let's do a fake trailer that has nothing to do with the main story!”—and during the voice recording session, the actors delivered performances that exceeded our expectations.

The last memory is, according to different scenes, i.e., whether it's outdoors on a sunny day, inside a room at dusk, or at night, we create specific colors for each character in every scene so that they blend into the background and look their best in various locations during different times of day. We call these “scene colors.” Once, during a scene where Arale's hairpin turned orange, one staff member got so angry they practically shouted, “Arale's hairpin is supposed to be pink!!!” It was as if they were practically embodying a fan. This anime has been created by staff members with this kind of dedication.

YUME∞MITA's animation is being produced by NICHICALINE, a new sub-studio of SANZIGEN, which has produced almost all of the previous BanG Dream! anime thus far. What can you tell us about NICHICALINE's involvement and their approach in animating YUME∞MITA?

Animation producer Hiroaki MATSŪRA: First, let me clear up a slight misunderstanding. NICHICALINE is not exactly a new sub-studio, but rather a brand name given to the production style that SANZIGEN has cultivated over the years. Through TV series and feature-length animations, SANZIGEN has accumulated innovations in every step of the production process. As a result, a system has been born that can continuously deliver stable, high-quality [animation]. NICHICALINE represents the production style itself as a brand name, and we use it as the production studio name when releasing works.

SANZIGEN wants to continue evolving, and it would make me very happy if this were recognized as a new way of producing animation. In that sense, YUME∞MITA is the culmination of SANZIGEN's efforts to date. It was created by the entire staff with one heart, within a production pipeline and flow in which all our previous efforts have converged.

What can audiences look forward to from the music and performers in the upcoming anime?

MATSŪRA: YUME∞MITA is a work depicted with a worldview never before seen in BanG Dream!! It is very modern, yet at the same time, it carefully depicts universal human relationships.

In terms of visuals, the technology cultivated by SANZIGEN (NICHICALINE) has reached even higher levels. Beyond just being cute or cool, the characters' range of emotional expression has expanded significantly. The characters who appear have become very charming entities, born of the exquisite intertwining of the cast's personalities, Director Umetsu's vision, and the character settings. You will surely be drawn more and more into their charm with each episode. They are living their lives to the fullest within that worldview, and that spirit is directly reflected in the music. Please experience the heart-wrenching emotions with your whole body.

Was VTubing incorporated into the YUME∞MITA anime and its story in any way? If so, what unique challenges or opportunities did this present for the anime's narrative compared to previous BanG Dream! projects?

BanG Dream! project producer Yūki Nemoto: Rather than focusing specifically on VTubers, we are conscious of incorporating internet culture and internet music more broadly into the project.

In the previous BanG Dream! project series, we haven't primarily focused on online activities, so the drama of moving back and forth between the internet and reality is also unique in its visual expression.

Previous BanG Dream! anime have run a wide range of genres, from the original series, to the more dramatic turn of It's MyGO!!!!!, to the psychological horror of Ave Mujica. Does YUME∞MITA continue this trend of feeling different in terms of tone and genre, and what can audiences expect?

NEMOTO: As it is an original work, please look forward to the drama's development. It has a different approach compared to It"s MyGO!!!!! and Ave Mujica.

How much connection and involvement will YUME∞MITA have with the previous BanG Dream! anime? Will new audiences be able to jump in with this new series? Will previously established characters have any appearances or roles?

NEMOTO: It is designed so that new fans can watch it without any issues. For existing fans, I think there are parts you will be satisfied with in the finer details.

The BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA anime series is currently streaming in North America on Crunchyroll.