Riko Azuna Explained

Riko Azuna
Native Name:安月名 莉子
Native Name Lang:ja
Birth Date:3 December 1993
Birth Place:Japan
Years Active:2018 - present

is a Japanese singer and songwriter who was affiliated with Kadokawa until 2023, when she officially joined F.M.F/Flyingpan Record. She made her major debut in 2018 with the song, which was used as the opening theme to the anime series Bloom Into You.[1] Her music has also been featured in , Boogiepop and Others, Astra Lost in Space, , Isekai Quartet, So I'm a Spider, So What?, Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose, Police in a Pod, and Made in Abyss. She officially announced her debut as a voice actress on April 1, 2022 and signed a contract with EARLY WING agency.[2] On April 3, 2024 it was announced that she left EARLY WING to join CAT entertainment.[3]

Career

Azuna was born on December 3, 1993. She had an interest in music and performing since her youth, and she participated in musicals from her second year of elementary to her third year of high school.[4] While performing in musicals, she engaged in singing, dancing, and acting, but enjoyed singing the most out of the three. Because of this, she decided to focus on singing, and upon entering university, she began performing at various live venues in Tokyo.

Azuna's professional music career began after she first learned of an audition to perform a song for the anime television series Bloom Into You. At the time, she only knew that the series was about love between two girls, and only read the original manga series later. She passed the audition, and the resulting song, which was used as the series' opening theme song,[5] was released as her 1st single on November 28, 2018.[6] She also performed the song "Memories", which was used as an insert song in the original video animation Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World: Memory Snow.[7] Her 2nd single "Whiteout" was released on February 27, 2019;[8] the title track was used as the ending theme song to the anime series Boogiepop and Others.[9] Her 3rd single "Glow at the Velocity of Light" was released on August 21, 2019; the title track was used as the ending theme song to the anime series Astra Lost in Space.[10] Her 4th single "be perfect, plz!" was released on November 6, 2019; the title track was used as the ending theme song to the anime series .[11] Her 5th single "keep weaving your spider away" was released on January 27, 2021;[12] the title track was used as the first opening theme song to the anime series So I'm a Spider, So What?.[13] [14] Her 6th single "Chance! & Revenge!" was released on April 28, 2021; the title track was used as the opening theme song to the anime series Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose.[15] Her 7th single was released on January 26, 2022; the title track was used as the opening theme song to the anime series Police in a Pod.[16] Her 8th single "selfish" was released on May 11, 2022; the title track was used as the ending theme song to the anime series .[17] Her 9th single was released on August 24, 2022; the title track was used as the opening theme song to the anime series Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun,[18] while its coupling track was used as the ending theme song to the video game Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness.[19]

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsSales
JPN
[20]
JPN
Hot

[21]
Blue Moon 141
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Singles

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"
YearPeak chart
positions
SalesAlbum
JPN
[22]
JPN
Hot

[23]
201839 Blue Moon
"Whiteout"201991
"Glow at the Velocity of Light"79
"be perfect, plz"128
"keep weaving your spider way"202156
"Chance& Revenge!"62
202283
"selfish"89
30 66
"Azu is"2023rowspan="2"
2024
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Digital singles

Title! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"
YearPeak chart
positions
Sales
Album
JPN
DS
[26]
JPN
DL

[27]
2019Blue Moon
"Horizon"2024
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Other appearances

List of guest appearances that feature Riko Azuna
TitleYearAlbumPeak
Memories2018Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu OVA: Memory Snow OST by Kenichiro Suehiro134
Snow Globe2020Kinetic Novel robot trilogy arrange "Jukemata"rowspan="5"
Via Lactea2022Over The Galaxy 2 Trilogy by Asami Imai, Riko Azuna, Jin Ogasawara
Over The Galaxy Trilogy Union Song - ver. Al Di La with Asami Imai, Jin Ogasawara
Over The Galaxy Trilogy Union Song - ver. Will go on with Asami Imai, Jin Ogasawara
Dream to you... -original fu11 length-2024Apo11o program Rhythm Game Music Selection Vo.2 by Apo11o program

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 「ふと、その声が聴きたくなる」シンガーソングライター安月名莉子、2018年10月放送TVアニメ『やがて君になる』主題歌でデビュー. September 7, 2018. LisAni!. Japanese. January 18, 2019.
  2. Web site: Riko Azuna voice acting profile. April 1, 2022. EARLY WING!. Japanese. April 1, 2022.
  3. Web site: Riko Azuna joins CAT entertainment. April 3, 2024. Riko Azuna. Japanese. October 18, 2024.
  4. Web site: 安月名莉子インタビュー アニメ『やがて君になる』オープニングテーマでデビューするシンガーソングライターの素顔. November 28, 2018. LabelGate Co., Ltd.. Japanese. January 18, 2019.
  5. Web site: Bloom Into You Yuri TV Anime Unveils More Cast, Theme Songs Artists. August 26, 2018. Anime News Network. January 18, 2019.
  6. Web site: 君にふれて. Oricon. Japanese. January 18, 2019.
  7. Web site: 『Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 Memory Snow』イメージソング&EDテーマはnonocさん、挿入歌は安月名莉子さんが担当! アーティスト情報公開. October 6, 2018. Animate. Japanese. January 18, 2019.
  8. Web site: Chance! & Revenge!. Oricon. Japanese. January 18, 2019.
  9. Web site: Anime Spotlight - Boogiepop and Others. December 28, 2018. Anime News Network. January 18, 2019.
  10. Web site: Rafael Antonio. Pineda. nonoc, Riko Azuna Perform Astra Lost in Space Anime's Theme Songs. Anime News Network. May 17, 2019. September 15, 2021.
  11. Web site: Rafael Antonio. Pineda. MYTH&ROID, Riko Azuna Perform 'The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious' Anime's Theme Songs. Anime News Network. August 21, 2019. September 15, 2021.
  12. Web site: Mikikazu. Komatsu. Watch Behind-the-Scenes of So I'm a Spider, So What? OP Theme's Mysterious Music Video. Crunchyroll. April 1, 2021. September 15, 2021.
  13. Web site: Rafael Antonio. Pineda. 'So I'm a Spider, So What?' Anime's Promo Video Reveals Cast, Staff, Theme Songs, January 8 Debut. Anime News Network. November 19, 2020. September 15, 2021.
  14. Web site: Mikikazu. Komatsu. Let's Take A Look Back at So I'm a Spider, So What? 1st Cour Story in AnimeJapan 2021 Special MV. Crunchyroll. April 1, 2021. September 15, 2021.
  15. Web site: Mikikazu. Komatsu. Riko Azuna Plays Dual Role in Osamake TV Anime OP Theme "Chance! & Revenge!". Crunchyroll. April 14, 2021. September 15, 2021.
  16. Web site: Daryl. Harding. Police in a Pod TV Anime's Newest Trailer Previews OP Theme, Reveals January 2022 Broadcast. Crunchyroll. October 15, 2021. October 18, 2021.
  17. Web site: Rafael Antonio. Pineda. Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists. Anime News Network. February 21, 2022. February 21, 2022.
  18. Web site: Egan. Loo. Made in Abyss Anime Season 2's 2nd Video Reveals New Characters & Their Cast, Theme Songs. Anime News Network . May 5, 2022 . May 5, 2022.
  19. Web site: Adriana. Hazra. Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness Game's System Trailer Reveals Ending Song. Anime News Network. July 24, 2022. July 8, 2022.
  20. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/731207/products/album/. ja:安月名莉子の作品: アルバム. Riko Azuna's work: Albums. Oricon News. April 5, 2022. ja.
  21. Web site: Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. ja. October 16, 2024.
  22. Web site: Rika Azuna's work: Singles. ja:安月名莉子の作品: シングル. Oricon. October 21, 2024. ja.
  23. Peaks on the Billboard Japan Hot 100:
    • "Katachi": Web site: Hot 100. September 9, 2022. Billboard Japan. October 21, 2024. ja.
  24. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2022-09-05/p/3/. ja:週間 CDシングルランキング. Weekly CD single ranking. September 3, 2022. Oricon. October 18, 2024. ja. September 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220903071231/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/js/w/2022-09-05/p/3/. live.
  25. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2022-09-05/. ja:週間 デジタルシングル(単曲)ランキング. Weekly digital singles ranking. September 5, 2022. Oricon. October 16, 2024. ja. August 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220831022828/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dis/w/2022-09-05/. live.
  26. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/731207/rank/dis/. ja:安月名莉子デジタルシングル売上TOP3作品. Riko Azuna's Top 3 digital singles sales. Oricon. October 16, 2024. ja.
  27. Web site: Download Songs. October 16, 2024. Billboard Japan. ja. October 16, 2024. October 16, 2024. https://archive.today/20241016202657/https://www.billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=dlsongs&year=2024&month=10&day=21. live.