This email interview with HANABIE. was conducted in November, 2025, around the time the band played its second show and first ever club show in Budapest, Hungary. The show took place at Dürer Kert (read the live report, complete with a massive photo gallery here), just a couple of months after their appearance at the famous Sziget festival. All photos in this article are previously unpublished photos from their show at Sziget and I also started out asking about their time there. As it is often the case with email interviews, the answers aren’t really in-depth and they also skipped some of the most interesting questions, but hopefully it still contains some new information, so… read on!

This is the second time you are playing in Hungary this year. How was your first show here at Sziget festival this summer, during the first half of your 2025 EU tour?

It was an honor to perform at such a wonderful festival. We had an opportunity to walk around a bit, and as there were artists all across the place, it made it a fun festival just to explore. The live show was full of energy, and we feel it will remain a great memory for us.

By now, you are very familiar with touring overseas, but what was it like to visit Europe for the first time back in 2023? Were you worried or unsure about how overseas audiences would react to your music? And how it changed since?

At first, we felt a bit anxious as we didn’t really know what to expect performing and living overseas. But once our headliner show started, many fans gathered, and the energy was just as lively as our shows in Japan. From that moment, all our worries disappeared, and every show became an exciting and truly enjoyable part of the tour.

You also played at several big European metal festivals, what was that like and how did you get along with the other bands?

A: Our experiences performing at festivals in various countries have been truly valuable, and we feel they definitely are reflected in our performances. Of course, we’ve also made many artist friends through meeting and connecting at these festivals.

The music video of Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu (お先に失礼します。) deals with office bullying and harassment. How do you feel about the role of women in Japanese society, and was there any improvement regarding gender inequalities in recent years?

“お先に失礼します。” is actually a common phrase in Japan to say “apologies, but I’ll be leaving before you.” It’s often used with colleagues or seniors at work when someone finishes their work and leaves ahead of others. As for the music video, its content is meant to add excitement and isn’t deeply connected to the song itself. But, everyone is equal!

Another music video, Be the GAL -Early Summer version- (今年こそギャル〜初夏ver.〜) features girls from Japan’s unique gyaru subculture. Are you interested in that subculture or where did you get the idea for that song and video?

During our childhood, the gyaru subculture was extremely popular and we admired it. Now, it’s becoming popular again. As adults, there are many jobs where you can’t go to work with that type of makeup or fashion. But no matter the generation, gyaru are admired and have a special sparkle. Wanting to be like that and shine inspired us to write these honest lyrics.

You originally started out as a Maximum The Hormone cover band, but besides them what other bands and genres influenced the sound of Hanabie.?

We all love MAXIMUM THE HORMONE, and their influence is at the core of our band. At the same time, each member has their own favorite music and genre which are quite different. HANABIE.’s sound is defined by this fusion of unique blend of styles when we create our music.

Overseas most bands stick to a certain style of music, but in Japan’s loud rock scene, there are many bands, such as yourself, Maximum The Hormone, SiM or Shadows, that mix together elements from many different genres. What do you think, why there are so many bands like this in Japan?

We aren’t music critics so we can’t say anything for certain. But we feel that it has become a more established separate genre in Japan.

You started the band in your high school’s light music club. What is the role and significance of these school music clubs in the country’s music scene?

We feel that many Japanese students first experience playing instruments in their school’s band club. It’s a place where everyone shares their favorite music, and some students become interested in band through watching band club’s performance. It’s one of the very important places that shows how great music is.

You did several songs that were featured in animes. When you work on such a song, do you just write a typical HANABIE. song and submit it or do you try to fit the anime’s theme with the music and lyrics?

First, we make sure to thoroughly watch the show before starting to create music. We create music that fits the theme of the show, but we always keep and incorporate the unique style of HANABIE. This way, we can stay true to the show’s theme while adding and expressing our originality.

While on the topic of animes: what are your favorite shows?

Yukina: Magical DoReMi (Ojamajo Doremi)
Matsuri: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Hettsu: Sword Art Online
Chika: Crayon Shin-chan

And what’s next for the band after you wrap up your current EU tour? Any new releases planned for the near future?

We recently announced that we’ll be going on a US tour from March 2026. As for what comes after that… please look forward to it!

The photos above and the gallery below are from a previously unpublished set of photos, taken during the band’s performance at Sziget festival.