Far East Groove, the musical project led by composer Yasuharu Takanashi, will launch their EU & UK tour, “The Battle for Glory,” on September 30. The band is set to perform across Finland, the UK, Poland, Germany, France, and Spain. Ticket details and additional tour information can be found at the end of this article.
Yasuharu Takanashi worked on the original soundtrack for Naruto (2002) as part of the Musashi Project, which blended traditional Japanese sounds with rock. Following the anime’s success, he was tapped to compose of the music for its direct continuation, Naruto: Shippuden. Throughout his career, he has scored major anime titles including Fairy Tail, Log Horizon, Zombieland Saga, Record of Ragnarok, Bastard‼ Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy, and Reincarnated as a Sword.
We previously got to interview the composer in 2023 and 2024. In this new interview, we talked with Yasuharu Takanashi about his project Far East Groove, their upcoming EU & UK tour, and some of his popular tracks for anime franchises.
Q: Takanashi-san, if you could compose the soundtrack of an anime about your life, how would it sound?
A: That’s an interesting question! I’d want it to have a passionate sound—something filled with a sense of dreams and adventure.
Q: You named Far East Groove after Musashi Project’s first album. What did you want to carry over from the Musashi Project, and what did you want to leave behind?
A: Katsunosuke Kobari-san, Musashi’s founder and producer, often said during his lifetime that he wanted to take the band out into the world. I wanted to carry on that ambition. In Naruto terms, you might call it the “Will of Fire.”
Q: Far East Groove is about to play ten cities in Europe, including your first show in the UK. What are you most looking forward to on this run?
A: Above all, I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in Europe. There are countries I’ll be visiting for the first time, so I’m very excited.
Q: Far East Groove also took the stage at Rock Imperium Festival in Spain last year. What did you learn from this performance? How was your experience with Spanish audiences?
A: The audience at Rock Imperium Festival gave Far East Groove such a warm welcome. The view from the stage was incredible. I was also inspired by so many aspects of the other bands—their performances, production, and musicianship.
Q: The UK date on ‘The Battle for Glory’ tour marks your UK debut. Are you tailoring the set for audiences who may know Naruto more than Fairy Tail, or vice versa?
A: We adjusted it as much as we could so that fans of both series could enjoy the show.
Q: The international anime-concert circuit (Symphonic Anime, your China tours, Rock Imperium) has grown fast. Where does it go next?
A: People have long said that music has no borders. Ideally, this momentum will continue to grow and give people everywhere more opportunities to enjoy music together.
Q: Anime themes are now all over on Spotify playlists, YouTube covers, and TikTok clips. Has that changed how you compose a battle theme, knowing it may be streamed on its own?
A: My fundamental approach to composition hasn’t changed.
Q: If you could choose a ninja technique from Naruto, which one would it be, and why?
A: Shadow Clone Jutsu!! It seems like I could get a lot done in the same amount of time [laughs].
Q: The Naruto 20th-anniversary episodes remain unreleased. Are you still attached to score them, and is there anything you can say about that music?
A: Please look forward to it.
Q: Why do you think many of the popular tracks from Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden are the sad ones?
A: I think it comes down to the strength of the original story. If that’s how the fans feel about the music, then I’m truly happy.
Q: If you could choose any type of magic from the world of Fairy Tail, which one would it be, and why?
A: I think it would be wonderful to summon Celestial Spirits like Lucy. Life would always feel more fun.
Q: As a personal anecdote, I started watching Fairy Tail because of the main theme, which is very compelling even if you don’t know the plot. What emotions did you want to convey through it?
A: I’m very happy to hear that—thank you. The music came to me in my head while I was reading the original manga. I also had a very vivid image of European landscapes in mind.
Q: Dragons are a recurring element in heavy metal imagery and aesthetics. Is that why you decided to elevate the energy in the track “Dragon Force”? What did you imagine when composing this song
A: “Dragon Force” began with a request from the sound director, Shoji Hata-san, who asked me to create an even more intense version of the main theme.
Q: In the track “BEYOND THE QUEST” for Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, your return to the franchise is more heavy metal than ever. How did the collaboration with Noora Louhimo come to be? Did you consider it a way to show how much further you can go?
A: I had already been a huge fan of Noora’s voice. On my first trip to Finland, Battle Beast happened to be playing live, so I went to see them. Hearing Noora sing in person was genuinely moving. I visited her backstage and told her directly, “I’d love to work with you someday!” Her response was very encouraging, so when I returned to Japan, I went straight to everyone involved with Fairy Tail and insisted, “I want one song with Noora on vocals!” [laughs]
Q: My personal favorite of your works is the main theme for Log Horizon, which for many fans feels like the perfect song for an epic video game boss battle. Was this intended? Were you familiar with MMORPGs and their soundtracks before working on the anime?
A: I’m glad you brought up Log Horizon. Personally, I think it’s a soundtrack that deserves to be heard by many more people.
Q: Reincarnated as a Sword Season 2 is due soon in 2026, and you told us in our last interview that we can expect more “hard rock-style tracks.” Now that the music is done, how would you describe the sound of this season compared to the first?
A: The new story features even more battle scenes than the previous season. To match that, I prepared a large number of metal tracks filled with new challenges. I hope you’ll look forward to the broadcast.
Q: Last time you told us Johannes Nilsson and Akinari Suzuki were basically your apprentices, and that you wanted them to have the same opportunities you had. Two years on, how has that gone? Have they reached the point where you can leave things to them?
A: Johannes and I are currently working together on a new project. Please look forward to it.
We want to thank Yasuharu Takanashi for sharing his insights into his memorable tracks. If you want to experience some of them live, you can get tickets for the nearest show via the links below:
| Date | City, Country | Venue | Ticket Information | Guest Band |
| September 30 | Helsinki, Finland | On The Rocks | Tickets | Night People |
| October 2 | London, the UK | Dingwalls | Tickets | – |
| October 4 | Warsaw, Poland | Hybrydy | Tickets | Anime Symphony Rock |
| October 5 | Berlin, Germany | SO36 | Tickets | – |
| October 6 | Munich, Germany | Ampere | Tickets | – |
| October 11 | Paris, France | Pan Piper | Tickets | – |
| October 13 | Barcelona, Spain | Wolf | Tickets | Strangers |
| October 14 | Madrid, Spain | Revi Live | Tickets | Strangers |
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