The dim, pale world of vampires is brought to life through sound.
Music of The Case Study of Vanitas
Yuki Kajiura Interview
The Case Study of Vanitas
Music Yuki Kajiura
Interview
I wanted to write the music for it, if it were made into an anime.
―― I understand that Kajiura-san is a fan of the original manga, "The Case Study of Vanitas." What aspects of this work did you find appealing?
Mochizuki-sensei's (Jun) worldview is truly wonderful. It's so realistic that you really start to think that this world might actually exist somewhere, and that Mochizuki-sensei might actually be living in this world. Like with their previous work, "PandoraHearts", the characters are vividly portrayed, everyone has lost something, and everyone is a little strange (laughs). They're full of life, the world is alive. That's why you can't help but be drawn in. I know that drawing manga is difficult, but every time I read a new volume, I find myself wishing, "I want to read the next one soon!". I'm always eagerly awaiting new chapters.
―― How did you feel when you were asked to compose the background music for an anime adaptation of a work you love so much?
Actually, I'd always thought, "Please, if it's ever going to be made into an anime, let me compose the music!". So when I received this offer, my response was "Thank you!". Of course, I wouldn't have complained if someone else had handled the music, but I probably would have been a little sad (laughs). It was an honor to actually be involved.
―― What is it about this work that made Kajiura-san say "I want to write its music"?
Even with works I absolutely love, there are some where I think, "My music doesn't suit this work; it would definitely be better if someone more talented wrote the music." However, I feel—though it might be presumptuous of me—that the dazzling and dark worldview of this work suits me. It's extremely rare to find a work that I love and feel my music fits it, so I was grateful to have such an encounter.
―― The sound director for "The Case Study of Vanitas" is Kazuhiro Wakabayashi. Wakabayashi-san is a veteran sound director, but this is the first time that Kajiura-san and Wakabayashi-san have worked together, isn't it?
It was the first time we had met in person. Sound director Wakabayashi had used some of my music in one of his projects. I believe he used some of the music I composed for a TV series in an OVA he was in charge of. But this was the first time we had actually met and talked about creating music together.
―― What were your impressions after seeing the music menu (music order form) compiled by sound director Wakabayashi?
Sound director Wakabayashi's music menu was fantastic. I don't think you often find a music menu with this much information, and it's full of inspiration, so it really resonates with you. You can feel sound director Wakabayashi's passion, and he also conveys his interpretation of how he perceives this work. I think he must have deeply read the work and had thorough discussions with series director Itamura (Tomoyuki). And when you understand, "This is how I perceive this work," it also helps me realize, "Ah, this scene can also be interpreted that way."
―― Among the music descriptions written by sound director Wakabayashi, there is one that seems to offer a critical perspective on the work: "Almost all the characters in this work, including him, are somewhat insane. (...) Please give us a feast for madmen." It seems this menu stimulated Kajiura's creativity.
Yes, that's right (laughs). Looking at music menus like this, you can see the intention behind it, like, "This person wants to add music to this part." Knowing that makes it easier for me to write the music. I also reread the work many times before creating music, so I was very grateful for that.
―― What kind of music were you personally planning to create this time, Kajiura-san?
When we first met, I created a song for them, asking, "How about something like this?" The motif I used at that time was "a dimly lit, pale worldview from the vampire's perspective." I thought the key point was that, although they are vampires, they also have a passionate side.
―― Is the first song you created actually being used?
This is the theme song for this project. I created it with the intention of it being the theme song for this work, and that hasn't changed since the initial meetings. However, as I spoke with sound director Wakabayashi and director Itamura, I realized that the overall direction was slightly more comical than I had initially thought. Since the anime can't include everything from the original work, we had to decide which parts to feature. I felt that they were placing a lot of importance on the comical elements in the original manga, so I added more songs that leaned slightly towards that style, if not entirely.
Expressing heightened emotions through the accordion
―― Kajiura-san composed a total of 54 pieces of music for the project, including additional tracks. In what order did you create the music, starting with the first piece you composed?
When I compose film scores, I create all the motifs for every single song. I make rough sketches of everything, and then I balance them within the overall score, deciding which song I want to create the most tension for. If I don't do that, I end up putting too much effort into every song, and it becomes too much. To avoid that, I arrange the motifs and confirm that "this should work" before I start composing.
―― This time, you've created not only melodic tracks, but also noise-based pieces without melodies.
A melody is inherently a rational thing. While it's possible to create melodies that sound like they're driven mad, they're only "like" they're driven mad. The moment they become melodies, sanity inevitably gets mixed in. Therefore, depending on the time and situation, when writing about the true horror of losing one's sanity, the irrational, the utterly deranged, the terrifying, the absurd, I think it's better to avoid using melody to convey the atmosphere.
―― Kajiura-san is known as a melody maker, but in songs that evoke a sense of fear, she deliberately avoids writing melodies, instead relying on sonic effects.
When a melody is introduced, it feels like an answer emerges. Since viewers are rational, they will interpret and perceive something from the melody, for better or for worse. Therefore, while background music has various roles, I think it's fine to include plenty of melody when writing with the viewer's perspective in mind. It really depends on the time and situation.
―― What were your main instrumental choices and timbres for the score of "The Case Study of Vanitas"?
It's the accordion. This time, I wanted to use the accordion for both the upbeat and darker pieces. The accordion is an instrument that's close to the human voice, so I thought it would suit this work, which is full of human emotion. I'm using the accordion to express feelings of hatred, love, and even fear. I had the wonderful accordion player, Yoshiaki Sato, play all the parts.
―― The accordion is a popular instrument, often carried by traveling performers and used in outdoor performances. What kind of requests were made to the accordion player for this performance?
I gave the musicians a fair amount of freedom in how they played the pieces. While some parts were played exactly as written, others were arranged with the instruction to "add a human touch." Some of the songs were played in a rather unconventional style, and they were played in a very raw and authentic way. In my previous works, I often used string instruments (violin, viola, cello, etc.) to express heightened emotions. However, this time, I felt that a more minimalist instrument would be more suitable. The characters are all highly emotional and often act on personal motives. Even when they act, there's a "me, me, I" mentality; everyone is trying to move the world in their own personal direction based on their own desires. I think that's what makes this work so interesting. In those situations, a large orchestral arrangement can result in a broad, overarching emotional expression. Playing it solo, like on an accordion, gives the sound a more personal feel. Also, it's easier to evoke the atmosphere of Paris. I thought it was an advantage that people could instantly feel that atmosphere upon first listen, and I felt that this instrument could be used to convey a variety of elements.
―― Among the songs Kajiura-san has written for this project, there are some that use an accordion and have a folk music feel to them, aren't there?
I got the impression that all the characters were of Latin descent. They generally had a high energy level and their emotions were overflowing. That's why it became so dramatic. I thought that kind of heightened emotion would go well with gypsy-style music. I also thought the accordion would be good for depicting people with low boiling points.
Theme songs for each character are born from the image of each character.
―― Did you consider theme songs for each character? How did you go about creating Vanitas's theme song?
I didn't understand Vanitas's theme. Rather, I felt that creating a theme for him personally was something that shouldn't be done yet. I didn't know what he wanted to do, and I was at a loss when asked to express his heart. Perhaps sound director Wakabayashi understood this as well, and there wasn't a theme for Vanitas himself in the music menu. The song 「inverse operation」 could be Vanitas's personal theme, but that's a song about the phenomenon Vanitas causes, not a theme for the actual character, right?
―― What kind of image did you have in mind for Noé's theme song?
For now, Noé's theme is 「I met him and he met me」. He's not an absolutely good person, but he's a pure person, so he can say "I was moved by something that moved me," and he's also someone who acts as a mirror reflecting the existence of others. I think there are still parts of him that will change as I read the original manga, but I'm writing this based on my image of Noé from around his first appearance. Also, for the music in Noé's comical scenes, I wrote it while remembering the vacant, sparkling feeling he had when he made that comical face in the original manga.
―― The images from the panels of the original comic book served as the inspiration.
Yes, that's right. I didn't think it would be difficult, but when I actually started working on it, I realized that Noé's music is quite challenging. He acts somewhat like a narrator, but then he betrays you in the most unexpected ways. The reason Noé seems so naive is simply because we don't know him well enough yet; perhaps he actually has a clear path he wants to take. However, there's also this feeling that we still don't know his true nature, so if I create a song that's too innocent or too beautiful, he might betray me. That's the kind of difficulty I faced in creating it.
―― I understand that director Itamura was also involved in this recording session.
Yes, he came to the recording studio. Although we were together during the music planning meetings, it was his first time being on-site during the recording, and I was truly happy that he shared so many honest thoughts with me. He was so pure and straightforward about the work, and it was an honor to work with the director on this project.
―― Was there anything the director said during the music meeting that left a lasting impression on you?
He was someone who had a very clear idea of what he wanted to do. They said they wanted a stylish show, and when I saw the finished video, I was convinced. They expressed so many things through color, and I felt that they used music with the same kind of sensibility as they used color.
―― What did you think of the finished video?
It was incredibly interesting. It goes without saying, but the original comic is in black and white. So, when I saw the animation this time, I was reminded, "Oh yeah, Vanitas's eyes are really that blue." If you were the only one with eyes that blue in a world where no one else has blue eyes, it might be scary. Watching the anime, I was reminded again of just how powerful his presence is.
―― Sound director Wakabayashi apparently started adding temporary music by Kajiura to the visuals from an early stage, and adjusted how the music was used while communicating closely with director Itamura.
I'm very grateful. Basically, once I've created and delivered the music, I don't want to interfere with the subsequent work, so I've never actually visited the dubbing (audio editing) session. I think it's best to leave it to them from this point onward, so I don't know the exact process by which the video and music came together. However, I could tell from the finished video that a lot of detailed adjustments had been made, so I'm very grateful.
―― You've also created music for the second season. What were your impressions of the music for the second season?
I was really curious about how much of the original manga would be adapted into the anime, so I was surprised when I received the music menu for the second cour. I thought, "Wow, it's going this far." I have mixed feelings about the ending; I want to see it, but I also don't want to. Actually, when I received the music menu for the second cour, the script for the final episode wasn't ready yet. I'm feeling nervous and excited because I don't know how it's going to end.
―― Since you started composing the soundtrack, have you had any opportunities to interact with the original author, Mochizuki-sensei?
We've only communicated a little. Recently, I received a message saying, "I listen to your music while I'm drawing manga." For me, that's the most wonderful thing to hear. After all, this music was written for "The Case Study of Vanitas," and if Mochizuki-sensei were to be inspired by these songs, then it would have been worthwhile. Furthermore, I would be happy if the music aligns with the vision of the work that director Itamura and sound director Wakabayashi had in mind.
―― So, this soundtrack contains a total of 54 tracks. How do you hope listeners will enjoy this CD?
Once music is released to the world, I believe it's entirely up to the listener how they enjoy it. I'd be happy if you listened to it while reading the original manga, or if you listened to it as standalone music. "The Case Study of Vanitas" is a dramatic work, so the music also creates a wide range of emotions. I think you'll enjoy it even more if you listen to it while recalling the dramatic scenes from the story.
Notes in general. Once again thank you so much for taking the effort and passion to dig out and translate all of these.
Had the same thought. One thing that I got reminded again from reading these interviews is that we as consumers often hold very different views on what's 'appropriately done' and what's less so. Makes me feel more grateful for the precious moments when we can somehow resonate strongly with certain pieces of music and the thoughts behind their creation, and no matter what it's a pleasure to learn about a creator's approach/perspective.
