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'BanG Dream!', a staple in the girl band genre, participated in China's premier subculture festival, 'Bilibili World,' ahead of the release of its new title, 'BanG Dream! Our Note.' This time, the project has signed a publishing agreement with Bilibili from the outset, with plans to expand rapidly across China, Korea, and the global market.
As 'BanG Dream!' has built a strong fandom through various anime series prior to its game releases, the Bilibili World booth was packed with fans of each band. Attendees were also able to get hands-on with 'BanG Dream! Our Note,' which is slated for release later this year. Following the excitement at the event, we sat down with From Tokyo's Producer Shuichi Morikawa, Project Manager Ryoga Imura, and Director Shoya Hashimoto to discuss what kind of experience 'BanG Dream! Our Note' will deliver to fans as they prepare for the global Closed Beta Test (CBT).
Q. Please introduce yourselves.
Producer Shuichi Morikawa = I am Shuichi Morikawa, CEO of From Tokyo, and I serve as the producer for 'BanG Dream! Our Note.' Under our slogan, 'Delivering heart-touching entertainment to the world,' From Tokyo is dedicated to creating content with a relentless focus on quality from the user's perspective. We are applying this same philosophy to the development of this title.
Project Manager Ryoga Imura = I am Ryoga Imura, a director at From Tokyo, and I am the project manager for this title. My role involves managing the overall development process and ensuring a consistent gameplay experience. We are currently polishing the game to ensure our Korean fans can enjoy it to the fullest upon its official release.
Director Shoya Hashimoto = I am Director Shoya Hashimoto. I am building the core gameplay experience, focusing on the design and balance of the rhythm game segments and overall gameplay systems. I am primarily refining elements that impact the player experience, such as hit judgment, note chart presentation, and various customization options.
Q. BanG Dream! Our Note' is scheduled for a global release this year. When did development begin?
While the official announcement was made at the 'Bushiroad New Year Presentation' in January 2026, we had been steadily working on the concept and development well before that. From Tokyo is overseeing everything from character design to overall game development, and we are accelerating our efforts to meet our goal of a 2026 global launch.
Q. Unlike 'BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!', which had staggered regional releases, you are aiming for a global launch and have already announced a global CBT. What prompted this change, and how are you preparing for the global market.
BanG Dream!' is a project already beloved by fans worldwide through its anime and live performances. With this new title, we have developed it with the hope that fans in as many regions as possible can share the same experience at roughly the same time.
We designed the system from the early stages of development with multi-language support and a global CBT in mind. Furthermore, we are continuously improving the overall game experience—including note charts, controls, stability, and story presentation—ahead of the global CBT by incorporating the diverse feedback we received from the Japanese CBT. We are working closely with Bushiroad and our local publishing partners on localization and regional promotions.
Q. With 'MyGO!!!', 'Ave Mujica', 'Mugen-dai Mutype', and the addition of 'millsage' and 'Ikka Dumb Rock!' in January, the five-band lineup is now set. Since 'millsage' and 'Ikka Dumb Rock!' are being introduced through the game for the first time, could you introduce them? We are also excited to see the unique personalities of the existing three bands.
BanG Dream! Our Note' features five bands, each with distinct personalities and musical styles.
First, 'millsage,' which is being unveiled through this title, is a band centered around the exceptional vocals and performance of keyboardist and vocalist Hotaru Shiomi. They pour their wish that "happiness and blessings accompany you in this once-in-a-lifetime journey" into their music, and they continue to perform their own unique sound on stage today.
Another new band, 'Ikka Dumb Rock!', is characterized by funky, groovy music that blows away the hardships of life with explosive sound. It features a twin-vocal system, and the five members, each with different backgrounds and personalities, take the stage together as one 'family.'
The three bands whose stories have already been told through TV anime will showcase new charms that can only be found in the game.
'MyGO!!!' is defined by the members moving forward despite carrying emotions they cannot easily accept and worries they haven't found answers to, as well as their emotional punk rock based on melocore.
'Ave Mujica' is characterized by aesthetic yet heavy music steeped in gothic sensibilities, along with the unique worldview and expressive power created by Sakiko Togawa.
'Mugen-dai Mutype' is a virtual girl band active in various fields, including live performances, streaming, and creative activities. Their greatest feature is their free-spirited musicality that isn't bound by existing frameworks.
All five bands have their own distinct musicality and stories. We hope you will experience the unique charm of each band through the game.
Q. Since the stories for 'millsage' and 'Ikka Dumb Rock!' are debuting in the game before any anime, how will you be presenting their story content.
We are preparing completely new original stories for 'millsage' and 'Ikka Dumb Rock!'. Through these stories, we plan to delve deeply into the relationships between the members and how they seriously approach their music.
For story presentation, we have put our heart into rich expressions using Live2D, natural motions, and delicate camera work. Our goal was to implement scenes that feel three-dimensional and highly immersive, despite being 2D graphics. Additionally, all band stories will include brand-new animations that can only be seen in the game.
At launch, we have structured the game so you can fully enjoy each band's story. The stories for 'MyGO!!!', 'Ave Mujica', 'Mugen-dai Mutype', 'millsage', and 'Ikka Dumb Rock!' begin at slightly different times, and we plan to gradually depict interactions between the bands at the most appropriate moments.
Q. You participated in Bilibili World 2026 and are now approaching the global CBT. How do you feel?
Being able to meet our overseas fans in person through Bilibili World was a very meaningful experience for the development team. We realized once again that expectations for 'BanG Dream! Our Note' are much higher than we anticipated, and we feel a sense of responsibility to deliver an even better game.
While there is some nervousness ahead of the global CBT, we are even more excited to finally share the game with users around the world.
We will actively incorporate the diverse feedback from the Japanese CBT and continue to polish the game until the very end so that more people can feel that "it was great to encounter these bands' stories and music through the game."
We hope our Korean fans will also look forward to the global CBT and the various news to come.
Q. As it is a rhythm action game, what are you focusing on to improve the core gameplay.
We are developing the game based on familiar play styles for mobile rhythm games so that more users can enjoy it without pressure. We are continuously adjusting the controls—from taps to slides and flicks—to ensure a more comfortable experience.
We also aim to inherit some of the strengths of 'BanG Dream! Girls Band Party!' while keeping the controls intuitive and providing a more exhilarating and tactile gameplay experience.
In the Japanese CBT, we received various opinions regarding hit judgment, options, and device-specific performance. In particular, many users mentioned that 'the effects make the note charts hard to see,' so we are currently focusing on improving the readability of the charts. We are also working on balancing hit judgment and improving game stability.
For high-difficulty charts, we prioritize maintaining the fun of the song while providing sufficient challenges, and designing them so players can feel the joy of learning strategies through repeated play.
Q. Along with pre-registration, you unveiled a new system called 'Competitive Live.' What kind of system is it? Also, are there any features for fans who are not familiar with rhythm games?
'Competitive Live' is a party-style competitive mode that up to five people can enjoy together. During the live, there are three 'Competitive Segments' where you can earn bonus points based on your ranking, offering a different kind of fun compared to standard rhythm games.
The competitive segments feature various rules, such as COMBO (competing on consecutive combo counts), LUCK (incorporating luck elements), and JUST (competing on precise hit judgment), allowing for a fresh experience every time.
We have also prepared an 'Assist Mode' for users who are not familiar with rhythm games. Flick notes can be triggered just by holding down on the screen, and the intensity of the assist automatically adjusts to the user's skill level, making it easier to maintain combos.
We designed it so that even users new to rhythm games can enjoy the fun and tactile feel of playing without pressure, and naturally improve their skills as they play. In addition, we support various convenience features such as Live2D mode, MV mode, light mode, as well as Mirror options and FAST/SLOW indicators.
We have paid close attention to even the smallest details to ensure that everyone can enjoy the optimal experience in an environment that suits their play style.
Q. One impressive aspect of the Japanese CBT was the FAST/SLOW display for each hit, which made it easier to review gameplay. Could you introduce other notable features.
The FAST/SLOW display is a feature designed to help players analyze and review their performance more easily. You can set whether to display it even for PERFECT judgments, and we also support a numerical display feature so you can check your input timing in greater detail.
Beyond that, we support various detailed settings that are hard to find in mobile rhythm games, such as note speed and judgment timing adjustments, as well as lane-specific judgment text displays.
As these features were also revealed in the Japanese CBT, we hope you will experience them for yourself in the global CBT.
Outside of the rhythm game, the 'Bond Rank' system is another unique element of 'BanG Dream! Our Note.' If you group two members together for a live performance, their bond deepens, and once they reach a certain stage, 'Bond Stories' are unlocked.
Also, the conversations between members after a live performance change based on their relationship, so you can enjoy watching their relationship evolve little by little as you perform more lives with the same members.
We have also put a lot of effort into story presentation. You will be able to experience higher immersion through delicate facial acting using Live2D, camera work, and brand-new animations that can only be found in the game. We hope you will fully experience the various charms of 'BanG Dream! Our Note,' from the rhythm game to the stories and the relationships between band members.
Q. In addition to the global CBT, you have opened an official lounge and YouTube channel in Korea. Is there anything else you are preparing specifically for Korean fans?
We are sequentially opening an official lounge and YouTube channel to communicate more actively with our Korean fans and share various news. The development team also wants to hear the diverse opinions of Korean users directly through the global CBT and actively reflect them to present a higher-quality game.
We are also preparing various campaigns and special content for Korean users. Related news will be announced sequentially through our official community and SNS, so we ask for your continued interest and anticipation.
Q. A word for the Korean BanG Dream fans, please.
We sincerely thank our Korean fans who always love and support BanG Dream.
BanG Dream is a project that has been loved through anime and live performances. 'BanG Dream! Our Note' aims to continue that charm in the form of a game, becoming a title where you can consistently encounter the stories and music of the five bands.
We hope our Korean fans will also experience the charm of these bands in the game's unique way through the global CBT and the official service. We will continue to improve the game's quality until launch to meet your expectations.
We ask for your continued interest and anticipation for the new stories that the five bands and twenty-five members will unfold. Thank you.
