Angela (stylized in lowercase) is a Japanese band, notable for having their music portrayed as theme songs for several anime television shows. The main members are Atsuko and Katsu. Their signature upbeat tunes and rich arrangements combine elements of rock, electronica, jazz and ska. In 2008, they started an alter ego band called Domestic Love Band (ドメスティック・ラヴバンド). They are most well known for providing all opening and ending themes to the Fafner in the Azure anime series.
History Although both Atsuko and Katsu were born in Okayama Prefecture, they met for the first time in Tokyo at a music school. In 1993 angela was formed and they began as street performers. In 1999 they made their debut with the single memories, however this release went largely unnoticed. However, in 2002 angela signed on with Starchild. Their breakthrough came when they wrote the opening song, "Asu e no brilliant road" (明日へのbrilliant road), along with three different ending themes for the anime Stellvia of the Universe. Their first album, Sora no Koe (ソラノコエ) was released by Starchild in 2003. Since then they have provided songs for the show Fafner in the Azure and have released eight more studio albums: I/O in 2004, PRHYTHM in 2006, Land Ho! in 2009, mirror☆ge in 2011, ZERO in 2013, ONE WAY in 2015, LOVE & CARNIVAL in 2016, and Beyond in 2017; as well as two best-of compilations: Takarabako -Treasure Box- (宝箱 - Treasure Box) in 2007, and Takarabako 2 -Treasure Box II- (宝箱2 -Treasure Box II-) in 2014.
In 2004, angela played at the Otakon Convention in Baltimore, Maryland. The following year, 2005, saw live performances at Sakura-Con in Seattle, Washington, and also at Fan Expo Canada (known at the time as CN Anime) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Sora no Koe was released in the United States by the Geneon label as Voice of the Sky in January 2005. Their second album I/O was released under the Geneon label in the U.S. in August 2005. Their next album, PRHYTHM, was released by Geneon in the U.S. in November 2006.
In 2010, for the first time, Angela performed at Southeast Asia's largest anime convention, Anime Festival Asia (AFA), held annually in Singapore. It is also their first time performing in the country. In 2011, they followed up with another performance organised by jplex in Singapore at Republic Polytechnic. In the same year, they appeared in Singapore again at Anime Festival Asia 2011. In 2012, they were invited for the third time to perform at Anime Festival Asia 2012 in Indonesia. The following year in 2013, they would return to perform in Singapore at the Anime Festival Asia 2013. In 2018, they were invited for the fifth time to perform in Singapore at the Anime Festival Asia 2018.
In July 2013, Angela performed for the first time in Paris, France at the Japanese culture convention, Japan Expo. On 31 October 2013, Angela launched their official YouTube channel. They would make an appearance, at the Anime Expo anime convention in Los Angeles in July 2014. 19th September 2015, Angela performed their first concert in Germany at the anime convention Connichi in Kassel. In 2017, their song was used as the opening theme to the anime series Aho-Girl.
On June 4, 2023, Angela was officially certified by the Guinness World Records for "Most songs sung by the same artist for an animation franchise" in the Fafner in the Azure series. The award was presented at the Fafner in the Azure BEHIND THE LINE special screening event on the same day. It was also announced that a complete album containing all songs from the Fafner in the Azure series is in production.
Members Current members – vocals, lyrics, songwriting – songwriting, arrangements, keyboards, guitar
Support band members – drums – bass Buono – bass – violin – trombone – trumpet – saxophone
Discography
Albums
Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Sora no Koe Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 36 JPN: 16,000 I/O Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 16 JPN: 33,000 Prhythm Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 10 JPN: 30,000 Land Ho! Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+DVD, CD, digital download, streaming 24 JPN: 12,000 Mirror*ge Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+DVD, CD, digital download, streaming 23 JPN: 7,000 Zero Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 10 JPN: 13,000 One Way Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming JPN: 10,000 Love & Carnival Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+Blu-ray disc, CD, digital download, streaming 4 JPN: 9,000 Beyond Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+Blu-ray disc, CD, digital download, streaming 31 JPN: 5,000 Battle & Message Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+Blu-ray disc, CD, digital download, streaming 13 JPN: 3,000 Welcome! Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+Blu-ray disc, CD, digital download, streaming 36 JPN: 2,000 Answer Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+M-card, CD, digital download, streaming 24 JPN: 1,900
Extended plays Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Love Love Sweetie Independent release Released: Formats: CD — Angela no Natsu Independent release Released: Formats: CD Tears On My Pillow Independent release Released: Formats: CD Viva: Angela 1,2,3 Independent release Released: Formats: CD Set of four EPs released between January and June 2001. Viva: Mix Independent release Released: Formats: CD Angela no Natsu 2001 Independent release Released: Formats: CD Angela no Natsu 2002 Independent release Released: Formats: CD Shinjuku Rhapsody Lion-Maru G tribute album Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 57 JPN: 5,000 Fafner in the Azure Heaven and Earth Image Mini Album Fafner in the Azure image album Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 30 JPN: 6,500 Yoru ga Hakobarete Kuru Made ni Concept mini-album inspired by a short story collection of the same name by author Keiichi Sigsawa. Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 52 JPN: 3,500 K Seven Songs K (TV series) theme song collection Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD+Blu-ray disc, digital download, streaming 28 JPN: 3,800
Compilation albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Takarabako: Treasure Box Greatest hits album Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 19 JPN: 28,500 Takarabako 2: Treasure Box II Greatest hits album Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 20 JPN: 5,500 Fafner in the Azure Complete Best Album Fafner in the Azure theme song collection Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 17 JPN: 7,800 Angela All Time Best 2003–2009 Singles collection Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 20 JPN: 4,100 Angela All Time Best 2010–2017 Singles collection Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 18 JPN: 4,300 Fafner in the Azure All Songs Fafner in the Azure theme song collection Released: Label: Starchild Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 23 JPN: 3,800
Singles
1990s - 2000s + List of singles as lead artist Title Year Peak chart positions Sales Certifications AlbumJPNJPN Hot 100 "Memories" 1999 — rowspan="13" Angela All Time Best 2003–2009 "Colors" 2002 — "Asu e no Brilliant Road" 2003 15 JPN: 57,000 Sora no Koe "The End of the World" 21 JPN: 24,000 "Merry-Go-Round" 72 JPN: 3,000 I/O "Fly Me to the Sky" 2004 35 JPN: 20,000 Prhythm "In Your Arms" 48 JPN: 5,000 Treasure Box "Shangri-La" 12 JPN: 60,000 RIAJ : Platinum I/O "Mirai to Iu Na no Kotae" 2005 24 JPN: 14,000 Prhythm "Dead Set" 19 JPN: 15,000 "You Get to Burning" 18 JPN: 15,000 "Peace of Mind" 16 JPN: 18,500 Prhythm "Gravitation" 2007 19 JPN: 14,500 Treasure Box "Beautiful Fighter" 2008 19 97 JPN: 17,000 Land Ho! "Yakusoku" 42 — JPN: 7,500 Treasure Box 2 "Spiral" 2009 14 — JPN: 14,500 Land Ho! "Alternative" 16 — JPN: 13,000 Mirror*ge"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
2010s + Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPNJPN Hot 100 "Aoi Haru" 2010 27 — JPN: 9,000 Mirror*ge "Sōkyū" 17 65 JPN: 10,500 "The Lights of Heroes" 2012 40 58 JPN: 2,500 Zero "Kings" 21 23 JPN: 14,000 "Angel" 2013 34 — JPN: 4,000 One Way "Tōku Made" "Bye Bye All Right" — — One Way "Sidonia" 2014 19 31 JPN: 11,000 "Different Colors" 22 — JPN: 5,000 "Kirakira-go-round" 46 — JPN: 2,000 Angela All Time Best 2010–2017 "Exist" 2015 7 8 JPN: 16,500 One Way "Kishi Kōshinkyoku" 43 31 JPN: 6,000 Love & Carnival "Dead or Alive" 11 14 JPN: 16,500 "Boku wa Boku de Atte" 2016 46 50 JPN: 11,500 Beyond "The End of Escape" 19 44 "Calling You" 2017 — — Beyond "Zenryoku Summer!" 29 80 JPN: 5,000 "Survive!" 2018 21 — JPN: 4,000 Battle & Message "The Beyond" 2019 20 92 JPN: 6,000"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
2020s + List of singles as lead artist Title Year Peak chart positions Sales AlbumJPNJPN Hot 100 "Otome no Route wa Hitotsu ja nai!" 2020 19 — JPN: 4,000 Battle & Message "Kimi no Kage, Orange no Sora" — — "Sakebe" 11 86 JPN: 5,500 "Naze ni..." 2021 — — Fafner in the Azure All Songs "Kimi o Yurusu Yō ni" — — "Andante ni Koi o Shite!" 38 — JPN: 1,500 Battle & Message "Anata ga Kureta Hikari" — — Welcome! "Yoakemachi no Ballade" — — Fafner in the Azure All Songs "Shangri-La: The Beyond" — — Welcome! "Hitohira no Mirai" 2022 — — "Alone" — — "Aloha Travelling" — — "Ima o Ikiru Tame ni" — — Fafner in the Azure All Songs "Sugisarishi Hi yo" — — "Reconnection" 2023 25 — JPN: 1,500 Welcome! "Start Again" — — "Ima Demo" — — "Ayakashi" 47 — JPN: 800 "Harenochi Hallelujah!" 39 — JPN: 1,300 Answer "Fly Alive" 2024 — — "Bokura no Uta" — — "Saizai Saikōkyū no Osewa Shite" 2026 35 — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
Other appearances + List of other appearances, showing other performing artists, year released, and album name Title Year Other performer(s) Album "Oneness" 2014 Eir Aoi, Afilia Saga, Kanako Ito, Wake Up, Girls!, Kensho Ono, Oldcodex, Eri Kitamura, Minami Kuribayashi, Granrodeo, Maon Kurosaki, Zaq, JAM Project, Sweet Arms, Konomi Suzuki, Star Anis, Takayoshi Tanimoto, Yukari Tamura, Minori Chihara, T.M. Revolution, Asami Nakaya, Ryūda Project, Jin Hashimoto, Fhána, Flow, Petit Milady, Yui Horie, Sachika Misawa, Nana Mizuki, Suzuko Mimori, Mamoru Miyano, μ's, May'n, Yui Ogura, Kaori Ishihara, Aoi Yūki, Hitomi Yoshida, Lisa, Hironobu Kageyama "Just Communication" 2022 rowspan="1" Two-Mix Tribute Album "Crysta-Rhythm" "Oneness" 2025 Shōta Aoi, Yoko Ishida, Maaya Uchida, Masayoshi Ōishi, Masami Okui, Granrodeo, Minami Kuribayashi, Kotoko, Zaq, JAM Project, Konomi Suzuki, Minori Chihara, True, Fhána, Flow, Nana Mizuki, May'n, Hiroko Moriguchi, Chihiro Yonekura rowspan="2" "Butter-Fly" Masayoshi Ōishi, Masami Okui, TrySail, Flow
Tie-in Song Tie-in Year Memories Anime television series Shin Hakkenden opening theme 1999 明日へのbrilliant road (Asu e no brilliant road) Anime television series Stellvia opening theme 2003 綺麗な夜空 (Kirei na Yozora) Anime television series Stellvia 1st ending theme 2003 The end of the world Anime television series Stellvia 2nd ending theme 2003 明日へのbrilliant road ～second genesis～ (Asu e no brilliant road ~second genesis~) Anime television series Stellvia insert song