Can music feel like a rainy walk through your favourite neighbourhood? Hitsujibungaku\u2019s new album captures that exact feeling. Led by Moeka Shiotsuka, the Tokyo-based trio comes back with a new project that blends melancholy and warmth.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t Laugh It Off<\/em> follows 12 hugs (like butterflies)<\/em>, Hitsujibungaku\u2019s critically acclaimed fourth album released in 2023, which featured their internationally celebrated track More Than Words<\/em>. The song served as the second ending theme for the famous anime series Jujutsu Kaisen<\/em> in season 2. The 13 new tracks include eight singles released between February 2024 and September 2025, such as Tears<\/em>, Burning<\/em>, Koe<\/em>, Map of the Future 2025<\/em>, Mild Days<\/em> and Feel<\/em>. Most notably, Feel<\/em> and Mild Days<\/em> serve as the opening and closing themes, respectively, for the fantasy anime series Secrets of the Silent Witch<\/em>.<\/p>\n Across these 13 tracks, the album explores an intimate universe where emotions unfold gradually. Shiotsuka\u2019s vocals remain clear and expressive throughout, both delicate and firm. The result is an album that doesn\u2019t demand attention but earns it quietly.<\/p>\n In May 2024, drummer Hiroa Fukuda announced an indefinite hiatus, citing health reasons and the need to adjust his condition. Since then, Hitsujibungaku have relied on support drummers, such as Yuna (formerly of Japanese pop band CHAI), for live shows and recordings. This change hasn\u2019t slowed the band creatively: as Yuna filled in, the trio continued touring internationally and releasing singles. The shift in the group members has added a slightly different energy to their performances, one that underlines their adaptability.<\/p>\n Even with this change, that sense of balance between quiet introspection and raw energy has always defined Hitsujibungaku. But it comes into sharper focus here, especially as the band\u2019s profile expands internationally. Ahead of their first U.S. West Coast tour in April 2025, Moeka Shiotsuka and bassist Yurika Kasai spoke to the Portland Radio Project<\/a> about bringing their sound overseas. “I\u2019m looking forward to meeting American fans,” Moeka said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to see how they\u2019ll react to our music.”<\/p>\n Their excitement is understandable: Hitsujibungaku\u2019s sound blends shoegaze, 90s alternative rock, and a distinct Japanese melancholy, resulting in a mix of influences on a global scale. Yurika noted that bands such as Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Pixies have all played a major role in shaping their music.<\/p>\n Their new album reflects this global influence, especially when Moeka slips from Japanese into English mid-song on Tears<\/em>. It feels like an act of emotional translation: a subtle reaching out across cultures that recalls their love for international genres.<\/p>\n Outside of their interest for global music, much of the band\u2019s identity was forged in Tokyo\u2019s underground live houses. Moeka frequently reflects on her formative years in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo\u2019s vibrant creative district, where she would watch bands perform in small bars and learn from them.<\/p>\nA considerable change in the band<\/h3>\n
International influences<\/h3>\n
Once again, anime tracks on the album<\/h3>\n