10 Years with Atarashii Gakko! and Defying the Norms

The Roots of Atarashii Gakko! and Their Rebel Spirit

The message of “breaking out through individuality and freedom” has been at the heart of ’Atarashii Gakko!’ since day one. But as your career has grown and your surroundings have changed, I get the sense that your perspective on that message might have evolved too. For this interview, I’d like to explore your 10-year journey through that lens.

MIZYU: Thank you.

To begin with, why has this theme stayed with you unchanged over the years?

RIN: The things the four of us genuinely enjoy always seem to circle back to the idea of “breaking out through individuality and freedom.” It’s more than just a theme—it’s something we believe in. Wherever we go, that message ends up being at the core.

MIZYU: Even before our first live show, we were already saying things like, “Let’s do a performance like this,” or “Let’s wear sailor uniforms and show our individual personalities.” I think it all just came together naturally. And even now, years later, we still enjoy that concept and still feel like the right four people to carry it forward.

MIZYU: Whenever we come across something new — whether it’s an experience or a new encounter — we’ve learned to think about how it can connect with the core concept that’s always been at the center of who we are. I think that mindset has helped expand both the depth and the reach of what we do. This concept keeps evolving; we’ve grown to truly love it, and over these ten years, it’s become something that feels genuinely ours, something we speak from the heart.

KANON: In the beginning, “breaking out” wasn’t necessarily something that came naturally from within. It was more like something we arrived at through experience. As we kept performing and growing, we had more and more conversations like, “What is it that we really want to do?” and that gradually shaped our direction.

Creating choreography, performing on stage, doing interviews like this—every little part of the process, we go through together. And as we do, we’ve started to explore and rediscover what “breaking out,” “individuality,” and “freedom” truly mean. Those words have gone from being abstract ideas to something deeply personal. And I think the four of us genuinely enjoy living that out together.

SUZUKA: I feel that the identity of ’Atarashii Gakko!,’ wearing sailor uniforms, and the themes of “youth” and “breaking out through individuality and freedom” are full of incredible creative possibilities. That’s why we’ve been able to keep going all this time, and I believe there’s still a lot of new things to come.will still be born in the future.

On your new best album ’Atarashii Gakko no Susume,’ the song ’Miyao,’ which has only been performed live since your early days, is finally available as a recorded track. This feels very meaningful. How does this song fit into ’Atarashii Gakko!’’s world today?

SUZUKA: We let our fans vote on which tracks they wanted on the best album, and “Miyao” came out on top. I think it’s because the song really expresses ’Atarashii Gakko!’s unique, offbeat attitude and core themes.

For this album, “Miyao” was reworked with a full band arrangement and updated vocals. Even so, when we listen to it, it feels like the message remains just as true as ever.

MIZYU: At the time, not all of us sang the most impactful part of the chorus. But now, we sing it together as a group. I feel there’s a deep significance in being able to share the story of our journey as four voices united.

RIN: The lyrics capture the view of adults through the eyes of children. When we performed it as teenagers, it had one meaning, but now, singing it as adults over 20 — and as we continue to mature — the lyrics take on a different, richer significance for me.

KANON: At the time, this song was our boldest way of expressing our strong desire to “break out.” The updated version, however, feels more aligned with who we are today. The message remains true to its core, but now it carries a deeper emotional resonance. I feel the song has grown richer and more meaningful.

How ’88rising’ and Money Mark Helped Propel Their Global Journey

Looking back over the past decade, the biggest shift seems to be your growing presence overseas. You announced your deal with ’88rising’ in November 2020 and made your worldwide debut as ATARASHII GAKKO! in January 2021. When did that change start to feel real to you?

MIZYU: Even though we called it a global debut, at first it was mostly just online. We noticed English comments, but it didn’t quite feel tangible. Then in March 2021, the four of us and our manager traveled to the U.S. for the first time and lived together for two and a half months. That’s when we met producer Manny Mark and finished an EP. That experience really opened our eyes.

MIZYU: We realized that the value of our music, performance, and spending time as a team had far more limitless freedom and possibility than we had imagined. That might have been our first real step toward feeling the world.

What kind of inspiration did you get from collaborating with Manny Mark?

RIN: It completely changed how we approach music. Until then, we had never created songs from scratch, but he let us be part of the process. When it became a “let’s make this together” situation, we didn’t know right from left, and our English wasn’t very good, but he communicated everything through feeling — asking, “What do you find fun?”

He showed us that music is always close by, and if you enjoy it, anything in everyday life can become music. Living and working with him taught us that. Because of that experience, I think the way we approach music and the energy we put into our choreography changed dramatically.

Meeting Money Mark truly transformed your creative approach, right?

SUZUKA: Even before that, the four of us always saw ourselves as creators and self-producers. We weren’t just choreographing — we were crafting something entirely our own, something built together from the ground up.

After meeting Money Mark, we became eager to explore even more adventurous and liberating forms of expression. Personally, I felt this urge to go crazier, to embrace a more cosmic, out-there vibe. I believe Money Mark helped us discover that.

Your first overseas performance was at the ’Head In the Clouds’ festival hosted by 88rising in Los Angeles in November 2021. How did that feel?

MIZYU: Our first overseas live left a strong impression on us. We performed our new track “NAINAINAI” and brought our signature performances, the ones we had perfected in Japan.

Even though the audience probably didn’t understand the Japanese lyrics, their emotional response was powerful. That experience gave us confidence—it proved we weren’t wrong in what we were doing, and it sparked hope that we could connect with audiences worldwide. It marked the start of an exciting new chapter for us.

The TikTok Sensation of “OTONABLUE” and The Global Smash of “Tokyo Calling”

In 2023, “OTONABLUE” blew up on TikTok, marking a huge breakthrough for Atarashii Gakko!. That time was really interesting. Overseas, with the backdrop of 88rising and Money Mark, hip-hop-influenced tracks were gaining popularity. Meanwhile, in Japan, some songs released earlier were catching on with a delay. It was a unique kind of breakout. Looking back, how do you feel about that period?

RIN: In 2023, ’OTONABLUE’ helped us gain more recognition in Japan, which really broadened the number of people interested in us. I believe many fans found us through that song. However, I feel there are still parts of us that remain unknown beyond that entry point.

We notice that gap both overseas and in Japan. For example, at summer festivals, people who first discovered us through ’OTONABLUE’ come to see our shows and react with surprise, saying things like, “They dance this much?” or “They’re this intense?” or “What is this energy?” Each time, it reminds me that there’s still so much more we need to share, and expanding that entry point for new fans is really important—something I still strongly feel today.

When a song goes viral on TikTok, it often gets quickly consumed and then fades away. But that wasn’t the case with ’Atarashii Gakko!’. In 2023, it was actually ’Tokyo Calling’ that was making waves overseas. Looking back, I think having that kind of substance alongside the viral hit was really important. What’s your take on that?

SUZUKA：I think so too. If it had only been the head-bobbing dance from “OTONABLUE” going viral on TikTok, it might’ve just been a passing trend. But we always saw that as just a stepping stone — a great opportunity.

“OTONABLUE” is a very catchy, poppy track. But that alone doesn’t satisfy our more complex, edgier side. We can’t just keep smiling all the time—we also want to express fierceness and intensity.

That’s where “Tokyo Calling” came in and fulfilled that deeper need. Having both happen at the same time was really good for us mentally. It felt empowering to be telling a unique story, and that gave us pride and confidence on stage.

“Tokyo Calling” has become a signature anthem for your overseas performances.

MIZYU: The crowd’s energy is unbelievable. From the deep bass intro, the audience lights up like a roaring flame. It makes the performance so fulfilling because we can truly feel that connection.

At our solo concert in Mexico last year, with around 8,000 people in attendance, everyone sang along to “Tokyo Calling.” Not just the catchy hooks, but every single detailed lyric. The energy was overwhelming — it was like a whole universe coming alive, something I had never experienced before.