Shortly before the start of MAN WITH A MISSION’s European tour to celebrate the rock band’s 15th anniversary, we spoke briefly with guitarist, vocalist, and rapper Jean-Ken Johnny to look back on those 15 years, creating music, collaborations, but also to discuss the upcoming tour.
In the band’s fifteen years of activity, the five-piece has gained international recognition, with various tours and their music being featured in films, television shows, anime series, and video games. With their recognisable wolf heads, the five men have become an integral part of the Japanese music scene. And it’s loud and clear that the band still has plenty of plans up their sleeves, but in this interview we mainly look back on fifteen years of MAN OF A MISSION’s activities and a little beyond.
AVO Magazine: With the upcoming European tour in October, you are also celebrating the band’s 15th anniversary. That is a tremendous achievement. When you think back to the early years, which moments stand out most for you?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It’s been fun and exciting from the very first moment we started this band, and so many highlights to talk about. I’d pick the moments when we joined festivals like FUJI ROCK, Reading, Download, Resurrection Fest and so on.
AVO Magazine: Can you remember that moment when you first realised your music found a global audience?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I believe it was on Twitter (now X) when someone reacted to our posts saying, “Come to our country!”. It’s always been an ambition for us to reach out to the world with our music, so that was really an amazing moment.
AVO Magazine: How do you view the impact you have made on the world as MAN WITH A MISSION over all these years?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Not really sure, because we are looking forward to much more, but we are truly grateful for those who’ve found us.
AVO Magazine: Is there a particular song from your back catalogue that you feel has gone under the radar, but holds deep personal or thematic significance, especially now as you reflect on 15 years?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I don’t think these songs have gone under the radar, but regarding the personal thematic significance question, maybe songs like Moratorium, Rain of July, and Focuslight.
AVO Magazine: Your first step in celebrating the band’s 15th anniversary was the EP release of XV, consisting of new songs and live recordings of songs performed during the North America tour in 2024, presenting the different sides of MAN WITH A MISSION. How did you come up with the idea to combine the new release with new songs and live recordings?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Just an idea, hoping people can hear and feel the energy and the enthusiasm of what it’s like to be at our show. The fans were crazy loud, so I’m sure it’s a great one to listen to.
AVO Magazine: Highlighting one of the songs, whispers of the fake, described as a song with a strong social message: does this message relate to the growing helplessness younger generations feel about their future and place in the world?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It is true that this is indicating and implying about general political issues that we have, and the warning not to be ignorant about these issues. As I believe that songs and messages from them don’t have to be an answer from the creator, I’ll leave the detailed interpretation to yourselves. But if it relates and helps someone find the light to think about it, we would be grateful.
AVO Magazine: MAN WITH A MISSION’s music has been used as theme songs for various anime series, films and video games. It’s an impressive list to be proud of, with Kizuna no Kiseki perhaps being the best-known example. If you could have made a song for an older series, film or game, which one would it have been?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Ghost in the Shell series, AKIRA, and Berserk. Huge fan of all of them.
AVO Magazine: Since we mentioned one of the recent collaborations you did with milet in our previous questions, you have done quite some interesting collaborations over the years. We were wondering with which artists you would like to collaborate (again)?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Everyone was lovely to work with, but doing it too many times will definitely spoil and lose the significance of it.
AVO Magazine: You often switch between Japanese and English in your songs, which fits in well with how you like to mix different musical styles. Of course, it also means that your music appeals to a wider international audience. Can you tell us something about how you incorporate these two languages when writing and recording songs?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It just comes from an inspiration and which language I think might fit better for the song. Nowadays it seems that more and more people are mind-opened, maybe even prefer the domestic language of the artist, so I believe it’s becoming more and more free for choices.
AVO Magazine: How did you decide to use a lot of English in your music, even though you are based in Japan? In addition, does that mix of languages feel like the best way for you to make your music?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It’s probably because I am a big fan of western artists and just thought that writing in English is totally natural for me to do and express what I want. Also even the situation has changed as the answer I gave above, at the time we thought breaking out internationally naturally required us to write in English lyrics. We do already have a lot of songs that are entirely in Japanese. It’s just free will.
AVO Magazine: From the band’s early beginnings and even in recent years, you have been able to travel around the world for performances. And given that you are half human, half wolf, you may have come across the various folk tales and myths about wolves and werewolves in the countries where you have performed, or perhaps you have delved into such stories in your spare time. Which of these stories appeals to you the most?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Fenrir from the Norse Mythology is a great and exciting story.
AVO Magazine: Let’s talk some more about touring around the world! What do you prefer: intimate concerts where you can easily connect with the audience, or playing at large venues or festivals where you can experience the enormous energy and atmosphere of a massive audience?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I love it both but festivals are very challenging and exciting in a way. It is a place that you can confront your fans and your first contacts at the same time and it’s always magical to feel that moment when somebody who doesn’t even know you react to your music and become a fan.
AVO Magazine: You have toured Europe several times, including the Netherlands. After two recent shows in Amsterdam, Eindhoven is next on the schedule, which will not be your first time as you performed there 10 years ago. What impressions have you gained so far of our country and the Dutch audience?
Jean-Ken Johnny: You guys are awesome and definitely know how to party and enjoy music.
AVO Magazine: With 15 years under your belt, including numerous releases, collaborations and tours, what do you hope to achieve in the next fifteen years?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We would really love to reach the countries or areas that we’ve never been before. And above all, hope I’ll continue to still have the passion and joy in music and writing and creating.
AVO Magazine: What message would you like to convey to the fans who have supported you for so long?
Jean-Ken Johnny: When an artist writes a song, when someone listens to it is what matters and not the day the song has been created but when someone listens to it is the birthday of that music. What makes a song is not just the creator but the listener. If no one listens to it, even how beautiful it may be it’s not given the meaning of “music” to anyone. Thank you all so much for discovering the band, our music and what we are.
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Many thanks to Jean-Ken Johnny for taking his time to answer the questions shortly before the start of MAN OF A MISSION’s European tour and thanks to JPU Records for the coordination of the interview. The European tour will start on the second of October in London, more information can be found in this article.
