Kalafina Post-Kajiura thread (Upd: Kalafina appeared at Animax Musix 2026)

[toshiroukajiura]

At this point, I just prefer it if Kalafina just stop singing Kajiura songs and just have their own songs made my Takebe

 

[CloisteredFlame]

At this point, I just prefer it if Kalafina just stop singing Kajiura songs and just have their own songs made my Takebe

Haha!

I think it’s always fun to hear different interpretations of songs we enjoy, but they have to be done to a very high degree to be accepted as worthy variations on the original.

One of her my favorite covers of a song is still KZ Tandingan’s cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep”, up to the point that I prefer it to the original! She’s a different artist though so that was a genre change, with multiple musical styles and vocal techniques brought in.

When you have a vocal-forward acoustic cover - like rito’s cover of “Gloria” - then it’s a matter of the vocalist, their skill, and expressive power.

The issue for me is I don’t think that the ladies have the full vocal powers necessary to carry acoustic interpretations and to make them memorable enough to stand alongside the original songs.

Refusing to use what Kajiura (and FBM) has provided in terms of the vast and intricate sonic landscape (a fantasy forest) they were supposed to walk in freely, makes their voices more exposed, and and seem to float in a vacuum (in a desert) when they sing minimal versions of their popular songs.

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

At this point, I just prefer it if Kalafina just stop singing Kajiura songs and just have their own songs made my Takebe

Agreed. A lot of these songs are beyond their current abilities... well, Wakana and Hikaru hue. They could always lower the pitch, but that can make some parts too low for whoever is singing lower harmony, or less climatic for the lead voice. Or just use louder playback or get backup singers huehuehue.

The issue for me is I don’t think that the ladies have the full vocal powers necessary to carry acoustic interpretations and to make them memorable enough to stand alongside the original songs.

Their voices don´t work with stripped down acoustic arrangements, let alone acapella performances. Hikaru always sounds strained, Wakana sounds shrill, and Keiko smooth (bless her). They don´t harmonize or blend at all. It´s more like a cacophony hyukhyukhyuk.

Anyways, more FJ covers plis. The whole discography deserves better singers.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

Or just use louder playback or get backup singers huehuehue.

I think they can still sing songs fairly OK, but they need to make full use of Kajiura's tracks/effects (maybe not backup singers - there would be comparisons) rather trying to act like they don't need them.

Anyways, more FJ covers plis.

Yes, yes, yes. It is needed to have 4-6 voices covering the songs (especially Yuriko's high voice live), even if they have to give guest singers to lead (like with Haruna Luna, etc., for the Highway Star version).

 

[toshiroukajiura]

The whole point of the Spacecraft squabble is that Kalafina will stay away from the Kajiura sound so they will become full fledged Jpop idols only to earn more money through Yuki Kajiura’s music

But Kajiura got more exposure after stepping away and more live recorded events because of this.

I will be honest, Kalafina is gone. The magic is just gone. Rather, the purpose why Kalafina was made is just gone. I want the girls to find their new identity as a trio and I prefer they have new original music. Listening to them singing Kajiurago without the Kajiura magic is just painful to listen to. The dark, lamenting Vocals of Wakana of Kalafina songs is gone. The windpipe-like voice of Hikaru as described by Kajiura is also gone. Keiko has embraced her high pitch and she sounds more stable singing middle parts than Hikaru. Let’s just say the Kalafina range and original placements of their voices doesn’t suit them anymore.

I am looking forward to them in their new songs. Daring and I love the setlist from the 2nd anniversary live, it was hard to listen to.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

The whole point of the Spacecraft squabble is that Kalafina will stay away from the Kajiura sound so they will become full fledged Jpop idols only to earn more money through Yuki Kajiura’s music

Look, the music is inextricable from the group, since it was made for them. Kajiura left them and they came back together. I, personally, no longer have a problem with the reunion and continued existence of the group, or even them performing Kajiura's music, technically.

I will be honest, Kalafina is gone. The magic is just gone. Rather, the purpose why Kalafina was made is just gone. I want the girls to find their new identity as a trio and I prefer they have new original music.

I think they can and should have original music - the Arrietty song was an attempt to present a new harmony from them to the world - a nudge away from Kajiura's music which most fans expect. The only thing is Kalafina (at least historically) is not just about straight harmony, but about "polyphony". They've not been able to create that outside of Kajiura. All the songs they've re-done acoustically still use Kajiura's vocal arrangements for the polyphonic parts!

The dark, lamenting Vocals of Wakana of Kalafina songs is gone. The windpipe-like voice of Hikaru as described by Kajiura is also gone. Keiko has embraced her high pitch and she sounds more stable singing middle parts than Hikaru. Let’s just say the Kalafina range and original placements of their voices doesn’t suit them anymore.

I got to know Kalafina (and thus Wakana's later voice, though with some studio magic) from the 10th anniversary and her early voice (with more stable vibrato) later on. It's the unstable/unsure voice with the weird 2025 Reunion concert super-affected tremolo that I can't deal with in a harmony context. It can work more in a solo context to an extent, but not in harmony for high notes.

For context here's a quick differentiation between vibrato and tremolo. https://youtube.com/shorts/lwJpyyb7M5E?si=67xKkqbKKdAlWP9C

 

[toshiroukajiura]

Oh. I don’t have a problem with them singing Kajiura songs. I just prefer them to sing more original songs from a different composer or their own composition. Because I will be honest, without the Kajiura magic, they don’t sound like Kalafina. Their harmonies in Kajiura songs now is not up to my standards Or the current Kajiura performances.

Wakana’s singing style right now suits more with Takebe’s arrangements in the Studio Ghibli songs so they should stick to that.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

Oh. I don’t have a problem with them singing Kajiura songs. I just prefer them to sing more original songs from a different composer or their own composition. Because I will be honest, without the Kajiura magic, they don’t sound like Kalafina. Their harmonies in Kajiura songs now is not up to my standards Or the current Kajiura performances.

Wakana’s singing style right now suits more with Takebe’s arrangements in the Studio Ghibli songs so they should stick to that.

I agree. Kajiura's music works best with her instrumentation to be fully expressed. If you're doing variations in arrangement/instrumentation, especially acoustic, you need strong and stable vocals and creativity to deliver. There are ways to do it, but it ain't easy.

New music for Kalafina from other composers will have to be composed/written and arranged for the ladies' current voices, rather than imitating Kalafina's (Kajiura's) original vocal and music structures. The question is for the Kalafina-only fans to support any new music sufficiently to make them stick, instead of just reminiscing in and enjoying the old Kajiura music (which the girls are challenged in delivering properly).

They should release an EP of new music (with one or two re-arrangements of Kajiura tracks, maybe acoustic).

 

[ak47]

I don't know much about musicology.
But I see that much of the criticismwas exaggerated .
Apart from Wakana's voice, which was trembling, you could feel that she was putting in a lot of effort and singing with difficulty.
I was comparing this performance to her performance at the 2018 concert, where she sang with great ease.
Otherwise, everything was from the studio and the band; the sound mixing was very poor in many sections, The band isn't as professional as the ones Yuki used to bring.
As for Keiko and Hikaru, they were both wonderful.
I mean, the same thing happened here, because of the irregular music except for Wakana.
https://youtu.be/6W1zTwMz79o?si=D5Z6haEvPnAWk_EA

 

[zone trooper]

I don't know much about musicology.
But I see that much of the criticismwas exaggerated .
Apart from Wakana's voice, which was trembling, you could feel that she was putting in a lot of effort and singing with difficulty.
I was comparing this performance to her performance at the 2018 concert, where she sang with great ease.
Otherwise, everything was from the studio and the band; the sound mixing was very poor in many sections, The band isn't as professional as the ones Yuki used to bring.
As for Keiko and Hikaru, they were both wonderful.
I mean, the same thing happened here, because of the irregular music except for Wakana.
https://youtu.be/6W1zTwMz79o?si=D5Z6haEvPnAWk_EA

hi, a new member here.
honestly, i feel bad for wakana and the criticism she got for her voice currently. indeed, her voice sounds different than how it used to be, even on "Flag" and "butterfly dream" i think she still sounds very good, i wonder what happened to her in the last two years. but in 2025 and 2026 concert, the musics doesn't help either, they are too loud. i wish the still use konno, sakurada, etc but it seems immpossible now. well you couldn't just replace those musicians who worked together with you for such a long time and expect the same result.

 

[toshiroukajiura]

Welcome to the group my friend
I think the worst live I have ever heard from Wakana is Butterfly Dream.
Let’s just hope that Kalafina’s reunion will bring out the natural voices that they are used to and that they will produce good quality contents in the future.

 

[grunty]

Forgive my now deleted post if you'd seen it. A moment of weakness. It was presumptious of me to assume new users debuting in this thread aren't also Kajiura fans.

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

i wish the still use konno, sakurada, etc but it seems immpossible now. well you couldn't just replace those musicians who worked together with you for such a long time and expect the same result.

Konno is still there with his strings quartet.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

i feel bad for wakana and the criticism she got for her voice currently. indeed, her voice sounds different than how it used to be, even on "Flag" and "butterfly dream"

Yeah she seemed to still have the last of her fluttery tremo-vibrato back then.

i wonder what happened to her in the last two years. but in 2025 and 2026 concert, the musics doesn't help either, they are too loud.

I actually feel the 2025 was better than 2026 in terms of sound, but the 2026 was better in terms of visuals and costuming.

 

[zone trooper]

Welcome to the group my friend
I think the worst live I have ever heard from Wakana is Butterfly Dream.
Let’s just hope that Kalafina’s reunion will bring out the natural voices that they are used to and that they will produce good quality contents in the future.

yes, i really wish they can release new album in a year or two. because with their current voice (esp. wakana and hikaru), many of their old song doesn't fit them anymore.

Forgive my now deleted post if you'd seen it. A moment of weakness. It was presumptious of me to assume new users debuting in this thread aren't also Kajiura fans.

to be honest, yes i am more kalafina fan than YK's, because i discovered them first. i'm sorry if my comment offended anyone, i didn't mean to.

Konno is still there with his strings quartet.

ah my bad, i totally missed Mr. konno there.

 

[grunty]

You didn't offend me.

I just got PTSD because of the amount of now-inactive users who had an obsession with WKH but were not interested in YK whatsoever beyond the trio(or less). I hope the forum doesn't go back to that now that they are re-activating as Kalafina - as far as I'm concerned, this isn't a WKH fansite.

I apologize. It's on me & my moment of weakness for jumping the gun. I got triggered for no big reason.

 

[zone trooper]

Yeah she seemed to still have the last of her fluttery tremo-vibrato back then.


I actually feel the 2025 was better than 2026 in terms of sound, but the 2026 was better in terms of visuals and costuming.

i think the same way, musically 2025 is better than 2026. their costumes also looks better in 2025. but visually i think in 2025 live they look a little bit "older". maybe it just me, but in 2026 i think they look fresher.

You didn't offend me.

I just got PTSD because of the amount of now-inactive users who had an obsession with WKH but were not interested in YK whatsoever beyond the trio(or less). I hope the forum doesn't go back to that now that they are re-activating as Kalafina - as far as I'm concerned, this isn't a WKH fansite.

I apologize. It's on me & my moment of weakness for jumping the gun. I got triggered for no big reason.

for me, i also enjoyed YK work. i discovered her mainly from gundam seed series.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

but visually i think in 2025 live they look a little bit "older". maybe it just me, but in 2026 i think they look fresher.

It was a terrible lighting issue and also weird cinematography in many parts.

 

[george1234]

You didn't offend me.

I just got PTSD because of the amount of now-inactive users who had an obsession with WKH but were not interested in YK whatsoever beyond the trio(or less). I hope the forum doesn't go back to that now that they are re-activating as Kalafina - as far as I'm concerned, this isn't a WKH fansite.

I apologize. It's on me & my moment of weakness for jumping the gun. I got triggered for no big reason.

Yes its Yuki Kajiura fansite its why this thread is here now and not in some higher place. I think those who left wont be comming back here just for this thread alone.

Personally I discovered YK few years before Kalafina was formed, n fell in love with the music, songs or soundtracks. My feelings are not going to change just because some vocalists left.

I think its obvious so far the 3 even if they re together or perform the same songs do not have the same impact or dynamic as when Kajiura guided/instructed them. I think its also why Takebe is hesitant about making new songs for them too.

 

[grunty]

I think those who left wont be comming back here just for this thread alone.

That's not what I said in my first apology post (post-339252) but I don't want to derail this thread so lets drop it please!

I got triggered way too soon. I apologize again.
I'll show myself out of this thread (and hopefully stay out).