MEGATERA・ZERO and VK Blanka Bring Fresh Beats to Dragon Ball Super: Beerus Anime
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is another animated retelling of the introduction of the God of Destruction Beerus to the Dragon Ball mythos. This retelling brought a completely new opening and ending theme featuring music from MEGATERA・ZERO and VK Blanka, respectively. MEGATERA・ZERO, who previously wrote theme songs for Mononogatari season 2 and TV Tokyo's Black Postman, performs the opening theme "ONOGAMI", while VK Blanka, best known for his contributions to Black Clover, performs the ending theme "Kan Peki No Peki". As this retelling adjusts the tone and presentation from the Dragon Ball Super anime, these openings and endings are unique to the Dragon Ball franchise, leaving a strong impact on fans worldwide. Anime News Network had the opportunity to sit down with both musical artists in order to understand the thought and care that went into creating these amazing songs for the series.
Tell us about your connection to and memories of the Dragon Ball series. Were you a fan from the start? If so, what drew you to it?
MEGATERA・ZERO: It's a series that is packed with every guy's dreams. Goku has remained at the heart of the series, and the characters just keep on fighting, so you can keep cheering them on forever. I think Dragon Ball is the top anime representing Japan, and it's watched all over the world. I'm just one fan among so many, so I'm sure there are people all over town who love Dragon Ball more than I do.
As for memories, I once got to do a radio show with Masako Nozawa, the voice of Goku. She talked to me about Goku's voice and other things. Personally, I was really proud just to have met one of the Dragon Ball voice actors. Also, watching the anime motivates me to work out. My memories of it are all good ones, the kind that make me glad I watched. The list of characters I love just keeps growing, and I'm especially happy that Vegeta, who I absolutely love, is still going strong.
VK Blanka: It's no exaggeration to say Dragon Ball made me who I am. I've been a fan all along, and I learned so much from Dragon Ball. What I love most about it is that it doesn't just portray strength—it portrays sorrow, too. I think everyone feels the same way, right?
Is there a particular arc or character in the series that you especially like?
MEGATERA・ZERO: My favorite arc is the Majin Buu Saga. That's the first manga I bought with my own allowance. Near the end, especially, there's the scene where Vegeta tells Goku, “You're number one,” and the scenes where the two of them take turns fighting. It's packed with cool moments. To me, that arc was just way too cool, so I watched the Majin Buu Saga a lot.
VK Blanka: I love Dragon Ball Super. You've got Beerus, the most powerful character there is, and this idea of looking inward and growing as a person—I think that connects to how we actually live our lives. We can only ever find the answers within ourselves, and we go through every day sensing the presence of gods we could never hope to beat. That's why I absolutely love Dragon Ball Super: Beerus. I have a lot of favorite characters, but I really love Android 18's look. And when it comes to sheer fighting strength, I'd love to see Hit go all out.
How did you come to write the music for the anime Dragon Ball Super: Beerus? How did you feel when you first heard you'd been chosen?
MEGATERA・ZERO: When the label asked if I wanted to submit something, I sent them a song I'd made myself. The song I sent started a back-and-forth, and in the end they chose me. When it was decided, of course I was happy, but I was also scared, and part of me thought, “This can't be real.” It was such a huge deal that I didn't quite know how to just be happy about it. But I really was thrilled.
VK Blanka: I heard they were looking for a theme song, so I kept shouting, "Please, let me do it!" And luckily, they gave me the job. I was so happy when it was decided. There's nothing better than getting to work alongside a great work that shaped my life—a national treasure of Japan. I was pumped.
The song you worked on is for Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, an enhanced version of an earlier story. Did that particular aspect of this work influence how you made the song? And did you draw any inspiration from past Dragon Ball theme songs?
MEGATERA・ZERO: A lot of the earlier songs make you know it's Dragon Ball from just one phrase or one sound, so I did think about going in that direction. But this time, instead of imitating the earlier songs, the idea was to go all in on a song focused purely on the battles of Goku and the others. I built it around how easily it could generate momentum.
VK Blanka: I took a lot of inspiration from past Dragon Ball theme songs. I spent day after day searching hard for words that could get a feeling across in a single phrase, like "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA." The idea that it is an ENHANCED edition didn't really influence me much. There are so many catchy, powerful songs that are practically etched into human DNA, and I remember giving it everything I had so I wouldn't fall short of them.
Were there any visuals or sources of inspiration that shaped the song's tempo and mood?
MEGATERA・ZERO: The fight scenes I referenced most were from the movie Dragon Ball Super: Broly. It's one battle after another with no time to catch your breath. On top of the power the series has always had, you can feel a speed that's almost impossible to keep up with. That sense of being right there in it really inspired me.
How do you deal with the pressure of being involved with one of the biggest titles in the world?
MEGATERA・ZERO: I'd always pictured artists who perform theme songs for major anime titles as being really confident. But once it was me, all I could think was, “Whatever happens, I can't get in the way. I can't cause anyone any trouble.”
VK Blanka: I didn't feel any pressure at all. It was an honor, and I was nothing but excited to see how far I could take it. Wouldn't anyone be?
We understand that “ONOGAMI” means “one's own self.” Why did you choose this as the theme of the opening song? Were there any characters or themes from the series that directly influenced you? And what does this theme mean to you personally?
MEGATERA・ZERO: It's aimed at all the characters, Goku and the others, enemies and allies alike, who come into battle with bodies they've trained to the limit. I wanted it to carry layers of meaning, like the “god” (kami) in Beerus, or a “god with a tail” (o no kami), so I wrote it in katakana instead of kanji. I made the title and the song hoping they'd apply to every one of them as they fight. By the way, the word “ONOGAMI” itself has no personal meaning for me at all. I poured everything into making it just for Dragon Ball.
This song is so full of energy that just listening to it gets you pumped up and excited! Isn't it tough to bring that kind of energy when you perform it?
MEGATERA・ZERO: It's fun, and I hope the day comes when I can sing it live. I don't do many live shows, but if I did sing it, I think I'd use up so much energy I'd want to walk off the stage after that one song. The backing track is strong enough to really carry me along, so I'd be happy if I ever get the chance to perform it.
You've said that "Kan Peki No Peki" is a song you made by bringing out everything inside you, including the "sorrow" and "injustice" hidden in the shadows. Does this come from your own personal experiences? Or does it refer to the source the characters draw their power from? Or perhaps you had a specific character in mind?
VK Blanka: I've been watching Dragon Ball since I was a kid, and so many emotions inside me that I didn't have a name for were given names by Dragon Ball. That experience is rooted in everything I do now, so in that sense, portraying who I am today is the same thing as portraying Dragon Ball. So in a way, you could say it does come from personal experience. There's no one specific character, but what I tried to portray are the emotions Dragon Ball has been trying to share with us for so long—the beliefs and the sorrow that people all over the world have in common.
What feelings do you hope viewers take away from the song you've created?
MEGATERA・ZERO: I made this song because I want people to watch the Dragon Ball anime, so I just hope it doesn't get in the way of the show. There's a bit of English sprinkled into the lyrics this time... so please go easy on my pronunciation (laughs).
VK Blanka: I want them to have confidence. Confidence that doesn't need a reason. I hope they can get to a place where they have that.
Dragon Ball Super: Beerus is streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll in the U.S. You can find MEGATERA・ZERO's "ONOGAMI" and VK Blanka's "Kan Peki No Peki" tracks streaming on multiple platforms.
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