Cover of Ave Mujica's first single, Black Birthday, depicting the in-universe band members. From left to right: Umiri Yahata/Timoris, Uika Misumi/Doloris, Mutsumi Wakaba/Mortis, Nyamu Yūtenji/Amoris, and Sakiko Togawa/Oblivionis
Ave Mujica is an all-female rock band that is part of Bushiroad's BanG Dream! media franchise. Formed in 2023, the group's members portray fictional characters in the project's anime series and mobile game BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! in addition to performing their characters' respective instruments in live concerts.
The band consists of Kanon Takao (keys), Yuzuki Watase (rhythm guitar), Rico Sasaki (lead guitar and vocals), Mei Okada (bass), and Akane Yonezawa (drums). In the game, Ave Mujica is represented by five first-year high-school students who make appearances during the game adaptation of the story of MyGO!!!!!: Sakiko Togawa (Takao), Mutsumi Wakaba (Watase), Uika Misumi (Sasaki), Umiri Yahata (Okada), and Nyamu Yūtenji (Yonezawa).
Of the nine bands in BanG Dream!, Ave Mujica is one of six whose members perform their own music.
History
Costume worn by Kanon Takao ("Oblivionis") of Ave Mujica, displayed at Bushiroad Expo 2024 at Comic Frontier 18
Ave Mujica made their debut with their first single "Black Birthday" on April 11, 2023. On June 4, as part of the final music festival for Nakano Sunplaza, their first concert, dubbed "Primo die in scaena", was held.[3] Ave Mujica's first album, the mini-albumAlea jacta est, consisting of the band's first six singles, was released on September 13, 2023.[4][5] Following the reveal of the band's members, their second live, "Perdere Omnia", was held on January 17, 2024.[6]
The band performed "Divine", the theme song for the 2025 video game Progress Orders, published by Bushiroad.[7]
Members
During Ave Mujica's first live, the identities of the band's performers were concealed through the use of limited stage lighting and cloaks.[3] The identities of the band's members were revealed in the final episode of the anime BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!.[8]
Kanon Takao (keyboardist) – Takao had previously practiced piano, stating that she has been playing classical piano since the age of three, even winning an international contest in Milan at the age of 10,[9] which she says motivated her to further improve her skills as a pianist. Ave Mujica was Takao's first time playing music as part of a band.[10][8] Prior to being cast as Sakiko Togawa, she notably voiced characters such as Noelle in Genshin Impact, and Rit in Banished from the Hero's Party.[11][12]
Yuzuki Watase (rhythm guitar) – Watase had previously voice acted in another Bushiroad franchise D4DJ as Miiko Takeshita, prior to being cast as Mutsumi Wakaba.[13] She had begun playing the seven-string guitar upon joining Ave Mujica.[10]
Rico Sasaki (lead guitar and vocals) – Prior to Ave Mujica, Sasaki had little musical experience, only having played guitar briefly during middle school, though she picked it up again after becoming active as a singer.[10] She also notably voiced characters such as Poporon in Dropkick on My Devil!, and Ayako Yamada in Kageki Shojo!.[14][15]
Mei Okada (bass guitar) – Like Watase, Okada had also previously voice acted in D4DJ as Marika Mizushima.[16] Prior to joining Ave Mujica, she admitted her only musical experience was with the piano, but she began to learn the bass after joining.[10]
Akane Yonezawa (drums) – Yonezawa learned to play drums since the fourth grade and played in bands as a hobby as she continued studying. She moved to Tokyo due to her desire as a drummer.[10] She joined Ave Mujica and voices Nyamu Yūtenji in her first voice acting role.
In the anime, Ave Mujica is one of two bands, the other being MyGO!!!!!, created following the breakup of Sakiko and Mutsumi's former band Crychic in their third year of middle school.[17] In It's MyGO!!!!!, Sakiko spearheaded the effort of forming the band after watching her former Crychic bandmates Tomori, Soyo, and Taki perform their song without her consent.[18] Throughout the second half of the series, as the focus was still on the members of MyGO!!!!!, Sakiko gradually recruited the members of her new band.[19][20][21]
The band made its anime debut in the thirteenth and final episode of It's MyGO!!!!!. A direct sequel, BanG Dream! Ave Mujica, follows the titular band and its exploits.[22]
Reception
Rolling Stone Japan selected Ave Mujica as one of 25 musical acts to represent Japan in the publication's 2024 "Future of Music" issue.[23]
↑ "ミラノの国際ジュニアコンクール参加レポート". Piano Teachers' National Association of Japan. July 5, 2013. Archived from the original on July 7, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.
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