Interview with PassCode

A girl group with a truly broad appeal, PassCode's versatile, genre-blending sound and energetic performance style has drawn attention from both rock music enthusiasts and idol fans. Punctuated by powerful shouts and screams and energized by choreographed dances, their work takes rock as its base, pulling elements from pop, electronic music, metal and a wide range of other genres. 

This diverse sound and performance style has also made them a fitting choice for a wide range of tie-ups. In just the past few years they have performed opening themes for the anime series "SHY", "As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World" and, most recently, "Roll Over and Die".

Just before the CD release of their "Roll Over and Die" theme song Liberator, the JaME team had the opportunity to ask the four members of PassCode some questions about the single, their overseas activities and their goals for 2026.

Your work combines elements from a number of different music genres and scenes. What kind of music do you usually listen to? Does it influence how you each perform as members of PassCode at all?

Nao Minami: Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Showa-era Japanese pop. There are so many songs with beautiful lyrics and melodies.

Kaede Takashima: When I’m relaxing at home, I often listen to music by Joe Hisaishi. I’ve heard that Hirachi, who composes for PassCode, is also influenced by his work, like his use of piano in his compositions.

Hinako Ogami: I often listen to songs by Japanese female idols. Sometimes I use performances I think are cool as a reference, and other times I think about how to set myself apart from them.

Emily Arima: I don’t listen to metal as much as I did in my teens. A lot of the metal vocalists I like tend to listen to a wide range of music and incorporate that into their own work, so I try to listen to all kinds of music too.

What do you want to convey to fans with the song Liberator? Is there a link to the story or themes of the anime “Roll Over and Die”?

Nao Minami: Liberator has a dark feel at first, but as it progresses, it opens up into a variety of different moods. Many of the lyrics are written with the protagonist, Flum, in mind. People are strongest when they have something they want to protect.


Could you please tell us a bit about the coupling tracks from Liberator, AWANE and Every time I knew? Is there anything in particular about these songs that you are proud of?

Kaede Takashima: All three songs have completely different vibes. Liberator is a grand, sweeping track that fully brings out the world of the anime while also pushing PassCode’s darker side to the forefront. AWANE might sound like a party song at first, but it also has fleeting, almost fragile moments, making it more layered than it seems. Every time I knew is a powerful track that gives you a burst of energy just from listening, so definitely check it out.

2026 marks the 10th anniversary of your major debut. If you were able to travel back to that time, what advice would you give yourselves?

Nao Minami: There will be plenty of hardships and painful moments, but you need to have the strength to stand by what you believe in and see it through.

Kaede Takashima: Save as much money as you can!

Hinako Ogami: You’re able to enjoy what you’re doing now, so don’t worry about anything and keep moving forward. And don’t ever slack off on practice!

Emily Arima: Back in 2016, when PassCode made their major debut, I was doing shout vocals in another band. I’d tell myself, “You’re going to end up singing and dancing in the future, so you should start practicing dance too,” haha.


You held your first US tour in 2023. Do you have any plans to return there or visit any other countries overseas in the future?

Emily Arima: We were able to visit three cities in the US, and each one had its own unique culture, which was really interesting. It made me want to visit even more places and take my time sightseeing.


What else can fans look forward to from PassCode in 2026? Do you have any goals for the year?

Hinako Ogami: With each passing year, we’ve been getting more and more comments from people in different countries, so we’d love to go meet them. To make that happen, we need to keep building PassCode’s recognition in those places, so I want to keep putting effort into our social media too.

JaME would like to thank PassCode and qdopp, Inc. for making this interview possible.

Links to download and stream Liberator on various music platforms are available here, and the full single can be streamed on Spotify below.