Broadcast 6: Mrs. GREEN APPLE
Welcome back to another O!susume broadcast. This time we’re gonna talk about Mrs. GREEN APPLE, a young five-member band that swings between Jpop and Jrock with grace and charm.
Years Active: 2013 – 2020, coming back from hiatus in 2022
Core Members: Omori Motoki (vocals, guitar), Wakai Hiroto (leader, guitar), Yamanaka Ayaka (drums), Fujisawa Ryoka (keyboard), Takano Kiyokatsu (bass)
Point of Origin: Tokyo
The band formed in 2013 around Omori Motoki, who had been writing music since age 12. The group was able to release their first singles and a mini album the following year, when they also replaced their former bass player with Takano to complete their current lineup. However, it wasn’t until 2015, when their increasing popularity landed them a contract with EMI Records, that Mrs. GREEN APPLE started turning heads outside of indie shows. That summer marked their first appearance on nationally-popular festival stages as well as a single for an anime ED (“Speaking” for Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V ED4). Their meteoric success continued with their first album “Twelve” hitting the number 10 spot on the Oricon Charts.
The band had few dim spots over the next few years, and was flung up into the stratosphere upon the release of “Inferno”, the song that became Fire Force‘s first OP. As of the time of this writing, the official MV on Youtube has garnered 153 million views. In 2020, the band announced a hiatus, and were quick to put up a notice on their official site about their plans to start “MGA Phase 2” in 2022. The hiatus was assured to be positive in nature, as the group reached out to recruit more staff and resources. During this down time, Omori also debuted as a solo artist with his single “French”.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE manages to keep a signature sound across its productions, based on its bubbly, upbeat riffs that blend well with Omori’s bright vocals and peppy lyrics. The band is able to dip its toes into the lucrative (yet a bit boring, to my taste) stream of “sotsugyou rock” (generic high-school pop), while still having the creative range to go harder on their instrumentals and weave some complexity into their tracks that keep people like me coming back. I’ve definitely picked up a bit of early RADWIMPS vibe from a few of their chord progressions and compositions, which is a most welcome element.
Boku no Koto
The song 僕のこと (Boku no Koto) is a good introduction point to MGA; it shares the energy of a ballad along along with a swelling chorus that would definitely not sound out of place in a RADWIMPS track. At nearly 55 million views, it’s clearly got wide appeal, and is one of their more modern offerings that show off that highly-illuminated sotsugyou-rock polish.
Speaking
Here’s the group’s official MV for “Speaking”, the song they did for the Yu-Gi-Oh! ED. Again, the bright, soft illumination and schoolroom setting check the boxes for sotsugyou-rock appeal, but Omori’s camera time still manages to capture glimpses of his frenetic, impish side that really helps deliver on the group’s darker tracks.
Nani wo Nani wo
I’ve saved the best for last! ナニヲナニヲ (Nani wo Nani wo) is a 2015 MV that does such a great job at showcasing the five members’ connection and love for acting like goofballs for the camera. The MV is shot as a credits roll to an amateur film, and is a joy to watch every time, whether you’re listening for the strong hooks propelled by Omori’s singing or just watching the group hammer away at their instruments on an abandoned rooftop. It certainly doesn’t hurt when Omori gives the camera a couple of glances that can give anybody a bit of dokidoki.
Artist Site: https://mrsgreenapple.com/
Official Youtube Channel: link
Broadcast written by: Nagi