Interview: SPYAIR on European Tour 2026 and Haikyu!! Anime Songs

Ahead of the SPYAIR EUROPE TOUR 2026, we spoke with the rock band SPYAIR about what this milestone means to their career, their legacy in anime music, their iconic connection with Haikyu!!, and their goals for the future.

The group—composed of KENTA (Drums), MOMIKEN (Bass), YOSUKE (Vocal), and UZ (Guitar & Programming)—returns to Europe for the first time in eight years. Kicking off on October 30, the four members will perform across Vienna, Paris, Eindhoven, Frankfurt, London, and Milan.

Matching the occasion, SPYAIR released “BEST OF ANIME,” an album highlighting both their recent anime song performances and re-recorded versions of their classic anime themes. The compilation includes “Awake,” SPYAIR’s most recent track and opening theme for The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System. You can find “BEST OF ANIME” available on all major streaming platforms.

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This interview was conducted with the assistance of an interpreter. Answers are referred to as the band unless otherwise noted.

Q: If you had to choose, which volleyball position (setter, hitter, libero, etc.) would you pick and why?

YOSUKE: I’d probably go with outside hitter. I’ve always liked playing offense in sports, so I’d want to be the one scoring points.

UZ: Setter. I was actually on my school’s volleyball team for a year, and I played setter back then, too.

MOMIKEN: Libero. I think it’d be really satisfying to dig a spike that the opponent was absolutely sure would score. I’d want to keep saving the ball until they completely lost their confidence!

KENTA: Left-side hitter. If I were given that responsibility, I’d keep swinging until my arm fell off!

Q: Why do you think your music made a strong connection with the Haikyu!! franchise?

UZ: Back in 2023, when YOSUKE had just joined the band and we were starting a new chapter as SPYAIR, we were at a crossroads, unsure of what the future held for us. That was when we received the offer to create the theme song for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle.

The song that came out of that opportunity, “Orange,” has been streamed more than any of our previous songs around the world. In a way, it allowed us to surpass everything we’d achieved before, and it’s helped us reach more listeners than ever.

There’s absolutely no doubt that Haikyu!! is one of the biggest reasons we’re still able to continue as a band today.

MOMIKEN: Since our debut, we’ve faced several turning points that could have changed the course of the band. Each time, we’ve had the opportunity to be involved with Haikyu!!, and in many ways, it’s helped us through those difficult moments.

I truly believe that our connection with Haikyu!! is one of the reasons we’re now able to perform live all over the world. Through our concerts, we’ve experienced firsthand just how influential the series is, not only in Japan but internationally as well.

Thanks to Haikyu!!, more people are discovering SPYAIR’s music, and more fans are becoming interested in coming to see us perform live.

Q: What are the advantages of having history with the franchise when you start working on a new song?

MOMIKEN: Taking Haikyu!! as an example, our relationship with the series began in 2014 with “Imagination,” the theme song for its first season. Over the following six years, we went on to create three theme songs in total: “Imagination,” “I’m a Believer,” and “One Day.”

When we were approached to create the theme song for Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, we wanted the new song to feel like the culmination of everything we’d done with the series up to that point, especially considering the story of the film.

So we incorporated little pieces of lyrics from those three previous songs into the new one, weaving them together to create “Orange.” That’s something we could only have done because of our long history with the series. I think we managed to create a song that fits perfectly with the world of Haikyu!!. As a result, “Orange” became our most-streamed song ever and has grown into one of SPYAIR’s signature tracks.

Q: Are there any other sports you would like to perform songs about?

KENTA: I think SPYAIR’s music and sports go really well together, so we’d love to take on all kinds of sports-related projects. We’ve actually created a theme song for a sports university in Japan, as well as one for the B.LEAGUE, Japan’s professional basketball league. So maybe soccer should be next! [laughs]

Q: Fans are also fond of your songs for Gintama, which highlight the emotional aspects of the story. Are you fond of any particular character or scene that inspired you when creating the songs?

YOSUKE: Hasegawa.

UZ: Kagura.

MOMIKEN: Tsukuyo.

KENTA: Jirocho Doromizu.

Q: Your latest anisong is “Awake” for The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System. Could you share with us what the creation process was like?

UZ: Shortly before we started working on this song, we had the opportunity to perform at a festival alongside some heavier rock bands, and their performances really inspired us. With that influence in mind, and considering the world of the anime, we wanted to create something heavy, intense, and fast-paced. We also thought carefully about the song’s structure and how we could make it really exciting when performed live.

MOMIKEN: The message behind the lyrics is about continuing to move forward through ordinary, everyday life until you finally reach the place you’re striving for. I drew a lot of inspiration from the music itself, which led me to choose straightforward, honest words to express that message.

YOSUKE: I do a lot of screaming on this track! I actually came up with the words for the first scream myself. When I first heard the demo, I imagined screaming something that had actual meaning, rather than just using my voice to create a sound. Around that time, I was really into the phrase “until the day I die,” so I decided to incorporate it into the song.

KENTA: In the past, my drumming style was more about connecting one note smoothly to the next. But for this song, I focused on making each individual hit sharp and distinct. I’d never really approached drumming by concentrating all my energy into a single, powerful hit before, so it was a big challenge for me. I think if I’d played it the way I normally would, the song might have ended up sounding even heavier. But by giving each note a clear, defined ending, I was able to bring out the power of every individual hit.

Q: Considering you have been active for around two decades, what does this new tour mean for SPYAIR?

UZ: Whether we’re making music or performing live, our approach has always been to enjoy what we do as much as possible. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs over the years, and the band has built up quite a history along the way.

But the fact that we’re still able to release new music and keep performing onstage means a lot to us. So more than anything, we just want to keep enjoying being in this band and making music together.

Q: As this is not your first time in Europe, are there any places you would like to visit in Europe during your tour?

YOSUKE: I’m really into vintage clothing, so I’d love to check out vintage shops in each country we visit. I also want to enjoy the scenery, experience the local culture, and soak up as much as I can from every place we go.

UZ: Whenever I travel abroad, I like to spend my free time walking around, taking in the streets and getting a feel for the local culture. There are quite a few countries we’ll be visiting for the first time on this tour, so I’m already really excited!

MOMIKEN: For countries we’ve visited before, I’d love to explore places I didn’t get the chance to see last time. For example, in France, I’d like to visit the Musée d’Orsay, enjoy some art, and relax with a cup of tea. We’re also visiting a lot of countries for the first time this tour. I’d love to experience authentic classical music in Vienna and try real Italian carbonara in Italy. Honestly, the list of things I want to do is endless! [laughs]

KENTA: Since we’ll be visiting so many countries for the first time, I’m looking forward to exploring the streets and taking in the atmosphere of each place. I’m also really excited to go souvenir shopping!

Q: Do you have any goals as a band for the near future, such as a country or venue where you would like to perform?

KENTA: Recently, we’ve been getting more opportunities to visit countries we haven’t been to in a long time, as well as places we’ve never performed before. We’d love to build on these opportunities and expand the number of countries where we can regularly hold our own headline shows.

YOSUKE: This year, we held our annual outdoor headline concert, JUST LIKE THIS, not only in Japan but also in Korea, marking the event’s first-ever expansion overseas. Our dream is to take JUST LIKE THIS even further and bring it to many more countries around the world.

Q: Finally, could you share a message with your fans in Europe?

A: It’s been eight years since we last came to Europe! But SPYAIR is still SPYAIR, and that hasn’t changed. Just like eight years ago, we want you to enjoy our music and our live shows together with us. Whether we’re reuniting with fans we haven’t seen in years or meeting you for the very first time, we want to make this an incredible tour that we’ll all remember for a long time. We can’t wait to see you all!

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We want to extend our thanks to SPYAIR for sharing with us what this new tour means for them and giving us insight into some of their most memorable anime songs. We are sure fans will enjoy both “BEST OF ANIME” and the upcoming European tour.