Continuation of interview (1). Set in Maebashi City, Gunma Prefecture, the original anime "Maebashi Witches" depicts the growth of five high school students who aspire to become witches. The anime also features a voice actor idol unit, "Maebashi Witches," which released two CDs on May 28th, including the opening theme "Sugosugi Maebashi Witches!" and the ending theme "Sorezore no Door." We spoke to members Sakura Kasuga, who plays Akagi Yuina, Hinano Sakikawa, who plays Niizato Azu, Rena Motomura Motomura, who plays Kitahara Kyoka, Haruka Minami, who plays Mimata Choco, and Honami Momose, who plays Kamiizumi Mai, about their thoughts on the songs and Maebashi.
◇What are the catchy opening and ending themes?
--What kind of song is the anime's opening theme, "Sugoi Maebashi Witches!?"
The lyrics were written by Kasuga and Tsunku♂, and with rhymes and interesting phrases, it's a catchy song that sticks in your mind.
Minami: The sound is full of playfulness, and the live performances are a lot of fun. It's the opening theme, and it's a song that symbolizes the work, so you might think it's a lively and interesting song, but if you read the lyrics deeply, there are hidden things, so I hope you'll find them.
Sakikawa-san, I don't think there's any other song that has the word "Maebashi" in it so much...! After just one chorus, you'll know it's a "Maebashi Witches" song, and you'll remember it in an instant. It's such a crazy song.
Motomura: It's a playful song that can be interpreted in many different ways. I think it's a song that is completed by the people who listen to it, and I feel a sense of unity with the audience when I perform it.
Momose-san performed six times in a row at AnimeJapan 2025. She performed twice in one day, making a total of 12 times!
--What about the ending theme, "Each Door"?
Minami: As the anime's story progresses, the way you interpret this song may change. I thought the lyrics were deep when I first heard it, but as you learn the background of each character, you start to wonder if this part is referring to this girl, so it's a song that can be enjoyed in many different ways.
Sakikawa: It's a song that makes you want to try your best when you're feeling a bit lost. I think it's like a talisman that helps you believe in the path you're on.
Momose: It's a ballad, but it has a groove and a positive momentum, and I think that's important when dancing. It's not just a song that looks back on the past and makes you sad, but also a song that moves forward toward the future, so it makes you feel brighter in a different way than the opening.
Even if we 're together, we might break up someday. Even if we're not together now, we might meet someday somewhere. It's a song that makes you feel like you're by my side even if we can't meet. In the video, there's an illustration of all the members of Maebashi Witches holding hands, and I feel like our hearts are always connected, and I think this song is like a talisman for those who watch the anime.
Kasuga: It's a difficult song, and even the slightest deviation in pitch or rhythm is noticeable, and singing in unison is also difficult. If the five voices are out of sync, it won't sound nice, so I think it's important to sing with heart. It's the song that plays at the end of the anime, and it's often the closing song at live performances, so we can't sing it well unless we all come together at the end and feel each other's presence, so I always sing while feeling everyone.
◇My dream is to perform at the Green Dome Maebashi
--What is the appeal of Maebashi?
Kasuga: The food is absolutely delicious! There are lots of tasty things to try, like baked manju and bananas at the roadside station.
Mr. Sakikawa, I feel the warmth of the people of Maebashi. I can feel it when I listen to the conversations of the locals, and I'm glad we were welcomed so warmly!
Motomura: As the catchphrase "A town of water, greenery and poetry" suggests, there are many attractions here. There are attractions that make you want to try something new here, and there is also a warm welcome here.
Minami: It's not my hometown, but it's a place where you can feel a sense of hometown pride. We're from all over the place, but it feels like we've come home. There's a sense of nostalgia and newness, and it's comfortable. I want to spread the word about the Maebashi Citizenship Plan (?)! It's a place I love.
Momose: I'm very sensitive to the smell of a place, and Maebashi smells amazing. The air is so clean, I always look forward to the smell when I get off the plane.
--What are your goals as a unit?
Kasuga: My dream is to perform a solo concert at the Green Dome Maebashi! It's a place that appears in the anime, and it's a big venue, so it's going to be a challenge, but I'll do my best so that we can all perform together.
