Ahead of the release of their new song “Yellow Brick Road”, the ending theme for Black Clover Season 2, AnimeTV sat down with Japanese boy group ONE OR EIGHT to talk about their music, their connection to the series, and their ambitions on the global stage.
In this interview, the members share their first reactions to being chosen for Black Clover, the inspiration behind “Yellow Brick Road”, and the characters and moments from the series that resonate with them. They also discuss their musical influences, the anime they would love to create a song for in the future, and the special connection they have built with their fans around the world.
Black Clover Season 2 is now available on Crunchyroll.
Key Visual:
Message Video:
Before you read the full interview, you can listen to “Yellow Brick Road”:
Ending Theme – “Yellow Brick Road” by ONE OR EIGHT:
AnimeTV: Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
MIZUKI: I’m MIZUKI from ONE OR EIGHT. I’m the oldest member of the group, and I’m in charge of rap!
RYOTA: I’m RYOTA, also known as lee from ONE OR EIGHT. I love cooking and drawing, and I’m very gentle with toy poodles. I look up to Wolverine.
NEO: Hey everyone, I’m NEO from ONE OR EIGHT. I’m the rapper and composer of the group, but you can also just call me the “rap machine.”
REIA: Hi, I’m REIA from ONE OR EIGHT! We’re an eight-member boy group from Japan, and our goal is to share not only our music, but also Japanese culture and our individual personalities with people around the world.
YUGA: I’m YUGA, the beauty-loving member in charge of vocals.
TSUBASA: I’m TSUBASA from ONE OR EIGHT. I’m one of the vocalists, and my signature features are my powerful high notes and red hair!
TAKERU: I’m TAKERU, one of the vocalists!
SOUMA: I’m SOUMA, the youngest member of ONE OR EIGHT, even though I don’t really look like the youngest! I’m in charge of rap!
How would you describe your musical style?
NEO: My style is heavily inspired by hip-hop while still staying connected to my Asian roots. I like mixing different influences and making them feel like my own.
RYOTA: I listen to a lot of hip-hop. I really love songs where the artist turns their own experiences into lyrics.
What was your first reaction when you were asked to create a song for Black Clover Season 2?
TAKERU: Honestly, I was really happy. Of course, I was happy that we were chosen to create the ending theme, but I was also really happy that ONE OR EIGHT could contribute to such an amazing series.
YUGA: I was really happy because it’s an anime that’s famous all around the world. I also hoped that people would discover our music through the anime.
What inspired you to write and perform “Yellow Brick Road” in the Black Clover universe?
MIZUKI: I felt that the way Asta lives his life really connects with ONE OR EIGHT. Just like Asta continues to challenge himself without giving in to difficulties as he pursues his dream of becoming the Wizard King, we’re also continuing to challenge ourselves as we work toward becoming a group that can make an impact around the world. I also really relate to the way he aims higher together with his friends and never gives up on his goals.
NEO: I’m a huge fan of Black Clover, and I’ve also always loved The Wizard of Oz. I wanted to highlight the idea of a journey, which is a big part of both worlds. It’s also kind of funny because I wrote a lot of the lyrics, but I couldn’t record as many parts as I wanted because I had the flu during the recording sessions.
Have you watched the first season of Black Clover? If so, do you have a favorite character?
TSUBASA: I’ve already read the manga, and I love all the members of the Black Bulls, but my favorites are Captain Yami, Asta, and Nacht.
SOUMA: Definitely Asta! I really love how he keeps moving forward toward his dream of becoming the Wizard King, even though he has no magic and is at a disadvantage compared to his rival, Yuno. He never gives up on his dream.
You are now connected to Black Clover through “Yellow Brick Road”. Do you think “TOKYO DRIFT” could also fit the world of Black Clover? If so, what kind of scenes would you imagine it accompanying?
SOUMA: I feel like the moment when Asta obtains the five-leaf clover grimoire could be a great fit. It’s the beginning of his story, and you can really feel his determination to keep pushing forward, just like in “TOKYO DRIFT”!
REIA: Absolutely! “TOKYO DRIFT” is a fast-paced and energetic song, so I think it would fit intense battle scenes involving magic, or scenes where the characters break through their limits and launch into an all-out attack.
Are there any anime series that you personally love and would dream of creating a song for in the future?
MIZUKI: I’d definitely love to do something for ONE PIECE. The way Luffy and his friends move toward a shared dream together really connects with us as ONE OR EIGHT. We’re also continuing to challenge ourselves as the eight of us work toward our goal of reaching people around the world, so I’d love to put that feeling into a song someday.
TSUBASA: I’m a huge fan of ONE PIECE, so I’d definitely love to do a song for it someday.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
YUGA: Jungkook, Justin Bieber, and Brian McKnight!
TAKERU: My favorite artists are Fujii Kaze, Gen Hoshino, Yo-Sea, and TAEMIN. I listen to a lot of Japanese music!
What do you think of the fans’ enthusiasm?
REIA: It makes me really happy, and our fans always give us so much energy. When we perform overseas, there are moments when I really feel that people can enjoy our music together even when we speak different languages and come from different cultures. Especially when I see fans singing along to our songs or learning our choreography, it really makes me feel that music can transcend language!
RYOTA: I’m just incredibly grateful. The reason I’m able to perform on stage like this today is because of the support from our fans, so our fans really are precious to us.
Do you have any last message you would like to share with your fans around the world?
RYOTA: Thank you so much for always supporting ONE OR EIGHT. The world can be a difficult place, and there are many times when things don’t go the way we hope or when I spend a lot of time worrying about things. I’m in a position where I’m supposed to be the one giving everyone energy, but when I hear from 1DERZ and see all of your support, you actually give me so much energy from the bottom of my heart.
I’m truly grateful. Thank you.
From here on, we’re going to keep giving everything we have and taking on the world, so I’d be really happy if you would continue this journey with us.
Thank you for your continued support!
NEO: To everyone around the world, thank you so much for always supporting ONE OR EIGHT. We’re still just getting started, and I hope you’ll continue to grow with us and enjoy everything we have to share. We’ll keep working hard to bring our music to more places around the world. Love you 3000❤️
Want more ONE OR EIGHT? Join the 1DERZ mailing list for exclusive updates: https://www.oneoreight-fc.com/
Artist photo:
More about ONE OR EIGHT:
ONE OR EIGHT is an eight-member boy group comprising MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA and YUGA, named after the Japanese idiom “ichi ka bachi ka” (“all or nothing”). Guided by their motto “BET ON YOURSELF,” the group has quickly emerged as one of Japan’s most exciting new acts on the global stage.
Since debuting in 2024 with Ryan Tedder and David Stewart-produced single “Don’t Tell Nobody,” ONE OR EIGHT have steadily built international momentum. Their collaboration with Big Sean, “KAWASAKI (with Big Sean),” reached No. 5 on the U.S. iTunes Hip-Hop/Rap chart, while “TOKYO DRIFT” generated over 200,000 TikTok UGC posts and 300 million views, earning them a record number of appearances on the U.S. Mediabase Top 40 chart for a Japanese boy group.
The group has since been named one of Nikkei Entertainment!’s 100 New Leading Artists, received the Upcoming Dance & Vocal Group award at MTV VMAJ, and became the first Japanese boy group to walk the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards. In 2026, they wrapped up their first-ever ONE OR EIGHT 1st LIVE TOUR -GATHER-, performing across 10 cities in North and South America as they continue taking their music from Tokyo to the world.
■ ONE OR EIGHT links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oneoreight.official/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneoreight_/
X: https://x.com/oneoreight__
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oneoreight_
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ONEOREIGHT_
Spotify: ONE OR EIGHT Spotify
© Avex Music Creative Inc.
© YUKI TABATA/SHUEISHA, TV TOKYO, BLACK CLOVER PROJECT
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