On Saturday, August 23, the crowd was filled with excitement as we welcomed back JAM Project for their third visit to Anime NYC. To kick things off, Saitama masks were handed out to attendees, setting the tone for a fun and energetic event. The band members expressed how honored they were to return and shared exciting news about the currently ongoing third season, their song creation process, reflections on their careers as musicians, and their concert experiences.
We were also joined by Ambassador Mikio Mori, the Consul-General of the Consulate General of Japan in New York, who expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the love and support fans continue to show for Japanese culture.
Portions of this panel has been lightly edited for clarity with some questions and answers being included from other outlets
Song process for “The Hero!”
JAM Project reflected on the creative process behind the iconic openings for One Punch Man, beginning with their first song, “The Hero.” Hironobu Kageyama described the theme as “invincibility and heroism,” which became the foundation for a powerful and uplifting melody. The song was designed to embody Saitama’s role as a symbol of hope against all odds, energizing listeners and inspiring them to feel as strong as the hero himself.
Even to this day, the band is still amazed by how popular the song became, especially remembering Kageyama-san’s initial demonstration, when he mimicked electric guitar sounds and effects during testing. Hiroshi Kitadani added that even embassy employees would get excited at the thought of meeting such legendary performers.
Song Process for “Seijaku no Apostle” (“Uncrowned Greatest Hero”)
The opening theme for the second season was created by Ricardo Cruz (who was absent at the event), with the group describing his concept as “vocally progressive.” Unlike the first opening’s dynamic and hopeful energy, this song carried a more serious tone, built on a steady melody that moved fluidly from low to high notes.
Season 2 introduced and expanded on many heroes, showcasing their determination and personal motivations as an overwhelming army of monsters threatened the nation. For example, B-class hero Fubuki aims to rise as a hero in her own right without being overshadowed by her older sister, S-class hero Tatsumaki. Meanwhile, the antagonist Garou emerges as a symbol of fear, capable of devastating his opponents with immense power. Because of this powerful tone, the band often begins their events with this song to prepare everyone for an unforgettable experience.
Reflection from their time in Jam Project
As each member looks forward to the future of JAM Project with new songs and events, they also reflected on some of the personal and professional milestones they have achieved through being part of the group.
Okui-san: It’s been 23 years since I joined this group, Jam Project. But before joining, I already had 10 years of experience, career as a singer. So when I entered this group, all four of the male singers had such a powerful voice in each and every way. It gave me a different perspective in terms of singing technical-wise and expression-wise. My voice became more powerful, thick, and deep, which I didn’t have when I was doing solo performances. So that’s kind of changed me, and now I love more about my voice and how I perform and how I sing better than before.
Endo-san: I perform as a solo artist as well, but this group Jam Project took me to places where I never imagined like performing in a huge venue or it took me to places as far as outside of Japan. Performing internationally and domestically. That’s how I kind of see myself in this group.
Kageyama-san: This is my very first time to become a leader in my entire life. Compared to solo performances I became more like a director, “oh this person is good for this part rather than the other part or maybe this part will be better than this part” that type of directing people among this group. This group kind of grew me up into that type of direction
Kitadani-san: All the events that I’ve attended, through all the recordings I’ve attended, it kind of gave me more of richness and taste into my music career and as a person as well.
Fukuyama-san: Before I started off as a member of Jam Project, I’ve had my own career for 12 years. I played guitar with the vocals and back then I didn’t really recognize myself as a singer, but entering this group, you have to sing mainly as a vocalist. I learned every important thing, everything from these other four members. That’s how I grew up within the 25 years of my career.
Surprise Appearances & Quick Birthday Celebration
Before the live concert began, the audience was greeted by Kenjiro Tsuda, the voice of Atomic Samurai, and Producer Chinatsu Matsui for One Punch Man. They assured everyone that the third season will be well worth the wait. The crowd then rose to their feet to wish Masaaki Endoh and Hiroshi Kitadani a very special happy birthday, making the moment even more memorable.
Live Concert Experience + Juicy News
For many fans, events like this can be difficult to attend due to pricing, timing, and location, which made the opportunity to experience this special panel even more meaningful. The room was filled with jumping, power-belting, and pure excitement. JAM Project described it best as “an ever-growing positive tornado of our energy combined with the fans, cycling back and forth.”
Before the event came to an end, we received one final and exciting announcement: Babymetal will officially collaborate with JAM Project to perform the third season opening of One Punch Man, titled “Get No Satisfied.” In addition, it was again confirmed that Makoto Furukawa, the voice of Saitama who also performed the Season 2 ending theme, would return to sing the new ending song, “The Light, That’s There.”
Conclusion
Once again, we would like to thank JAM Project, the One Punch Man staff, and the Anime NYC team for organizing this wonderful panel. We look forward to their continued success and their dedication to growing as artists. They will be celebrating their 25th anniversary with the Final Countdown concert in Yokohama, Japan on November 29 and 30 through the Arigato Tomodachi Project.
One Punch Man is on Crunchyroll, with the third season now airing every Sunday. If you would like to read more about JAM Project, please look forward to a special interview!
Images: © Crunchyroll, JAMProject_0717
© Jam Project, Crunchyroll, One Punch Man Project
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