Asca (singer)

Asuka Ōkura (大倉 明日香, Ōkura Asuka, born September 5, 1996),^[1] also known by the stage name Asca (stylized in all caps), is a Japanese singer and musician signed to Sony Music and Sacra Music.^[1] She made her debut in 2013 after becoming a finalist at the 5th Animax All-Japan Anisong Grand Prix. After focusing on her studies, she resumed her music career in late 2016. Her songs have been featured in many anime series, such as Sword Art Online, Fate/Apocrypha, Darwin's Game, Edens Zero, and The Irregular at Magic High School.

Asuka Ōkura 大倉 明日香
Asca performing on stage at Crunchyroll Expo Australia 2022 in Melbourne
Background information
Also known as	ASCA
Born	(1996-09-05) September 5, 1996 (age 27) Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Genres	J-pop anison
Years active	2013, 2016–present
Labels	Media Factory (2013) Sony Music (2016–present) Sacra Music (2017–present)
Website	www.asca-official.com

Biography

Early life

Ōkura was born in Aichi Prefecture on September 5, 1996.^[1][2] She had aspired to become a musician since she was in elementary school, at which time she also become interested in anime music.^[3] She became interested in singing after listening to the song "I believe" by Ayaka, and songs by BoA and Dreams Come True.^[4] During her second year in junior high school, her older sister, who had begun taking music lessons, encouraged her to do the same.^[3] Afterwards, she started playing in a band, with herself on vocals and her sisters playing instruments.

Career

At the encouragement of her music teacher, she decided to audition for the 5th Animax All-Japan Anisong Grand Prix in 2011.^[3] She became a finalist in the contest, which was eventually won by Konomi Suzuki.^[5] Although she did not win the contest, as a finalist, Ōkura was offered a one-year contract with music label Media Factory.^[4] After a year had passed and as the contract was about to expire, it was decided that she would make her music debut.^[4] She released her first single "Prime Number: Kimi to Deaeru Hi" (Prime number ~君と出会える日~) on March 11, 2013;^[6] the title song is used as the second ending theme to the anime television series The Pet Girl of Sakurasou.^[5] After the release of the single, she put her career on hold to focus on her high school studies.^[4]

After she graduated from high school, Ōkura resumed her music career in 2016. Her first post-comeback release was the mini-album Days, which was released digitally on December 21, 2016.^[7] The following year, she moved to the record label Sacra Music and began using the stage name Asca. Her next release was the song "Rust", which was included in the August 2017 issue of LisAni magazine.^[1] Her second single "Koe" was released digitally on November 12, 2017, and received a physical release on November 22, 2017; the title track is used as the second ending theme to the anime television series Fate/Apocrypha.^[2][8]

Asca's third single "Pledge" was released digitally on February 16, 2018, and received a physical release on February 21, 2018; the song is used as the ending theme of anime Record of Grancrest War^[9] Her fourth single "Rin" (凜, Cold) was released digitally on May 4, 2018, and received a physical release on May 9, 2018; the song is used as the second opening theme of anime Record of Grancrest War^[10] She released three collaborated singles "Ain Soph Aur" (アインソフオウル, Limitless Light) with Ayasa, "Nisemono no Koi ni Sayounara" (偽物の恋にさようなら, Goodbye to Fake Love) with Kanon Wakeshima, and "Suspected, Confused and Action" with Boku no Lyric no Boyomi digitally on September 24, 2018, October 29, 2018, and November 30, 2018, respectively.

Asca's fifth single "Resister" was released digitally on January 13, 2019^[11] and received a physical release on February 27, 2019; the song "Resister" was used as the second opening theme for the anime Sword Art Online: Alicization,^[12] while the song "Mirage" was used as the theme song for the VR game Tokyo Chronos.^[13] ASCA is featured on Hiroyuki Sawano's song "Unti-L", under the name "SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:ASCA"; the track appears on Sawano's album "R∃/MEMBER".^[14] Her sixth single "Rust/Hibari/Kōbō" was released on September 4, 2019.^[15] "Hibari" was released digitally on July 14, 2019,^[16] and is used as the ending theme to the anime series The Case Files of Lord El-Melloi II,^[17] while "Kōbō" is used as the insert song of VR game Tokyo Chronos.^[18]

Asca released her first album titled Hyakkaryōran (百花繚乱, Hundred Songs) on November 6, 2019.^[19] The album included her song Selfrontier (セルフロンティア) that was used as the opening theme song in the game Sword Art Online: Alicization Rising Steel.^[20] Her seventh single "Chain" was released digitally on January 18, 2020^[21] and received a physical release on February 26, 2020; the title track is used as the opening theme to the anime series Darwin's Game.^[22] She collaborated with Takanori Nishikawa in performing the song "Tenbin -LIBRA-" (天秤-Libra-, Balance -LIBRA-) that was released on May 27, 2020; the song is used as the opening theme in the anime series White Cat Project: Zero Chronicle.^[23]

Asca's eighth single "Howling" was released digitally on October 4, 2020,^[24] and was released November 4, 2020; the title track is used as the opening theme to the second season of the anime series The Irregular at Magic High School.^[25] The single itself will include Garnidelia's second single "Grilletto," which was used as the second opening of the first season of the same anime. Asca also performed the ending theme song of the second season of the anime series Edens Zero; the song, "Rinne", was released as a single on April 2, 2023.^[26]

Discography

As Asuka Ōkura

Mini albums

Title	Details
Days (Indies)	Released: December 21, 2016 Format: Digital download

Singles

Title	Details	Peak Oricon chart positions
"Prime number ~Kimi to Deaeru Hi~" (君と出会える日, The Day I Can Meet You)	Released: February 27, 2013	40^[27]

As ASCA

Albums

Title	Details	Peak Oricon chart positions
Hyakkaryōran (百歌繚乱, Hundred Songs)	Released: November 6, 2019 Label: Sacra Music (VVCL-1525, VVCL-1527, VVCL-1529) Format: CD, CD+BD	11^[19]
Hyakki Yakō (百希夜行, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)	Released: January 27, 2021 Label: Sacra Music (VVCL-1812, VVCL-1815, VVCL-1817) Format: CD, CD+BD	23
Vivid	Released: March 13, 2024 Label: Sacra Music Format: CD, CD+BD	38^[28]

Extended plays

Title	Details	Peak Oricon chart positions^[29]
Kimi ga Mita Yume no Monogatari (君が見た夢の物語, The Story of the Dream You Had)	Released: January 26, 2022 Label: Sacra Music (VVCL-1999, VVCL-2000, VVCL-1997) Format: CD,CD+BD	28

Singles

Title	Details	Peak Oricon chart positions	Album
"Rust"	Released: August, 2017	—	Hyakkaryōran (百歌繚乱, Hundred Songs)
"KOE" (Voice)	Released: November 22, 2017	33^[30]
"Pledge"	Released: February 21, 2018	92^[31]
"Rin" (凜, Cold)	Released: May 9, 2018	44^[32]
"Resister"	Released: February 27, 2019	14^[33]
"RUST/Hibari/Kōbō" (RUST/雲雀/光芒, Rust/Skylark/Beam of Light)	Released: September 4, 2019	20^[34]
"Chain"	Released: February 26, 2020	7	Hyakki Yakō (百希夜行, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)
"Howling"	Released: November 4, 2020	20
"Carpe Diem / Villain"	Released: June 2, 2021	25	Non-album singles
"Rinne"	Released: April 26, 2023	36
"Watashi ga Warau Wake ha"	Released: November 15, 2023	43
"—" denotes releases that were ineligible to chart.^[A]

Digital singles

Title	Details	Album
"Ain Soph Aur" (アインソフオウル, Limitless Light) (with Ayasa)	Released: September 24, 2018	Hyakkaryōran (百歌繚乱, Hundred Songs)
"Nisemono no Koi ni Sayounara" (偽物の恋にさようなら, Goodbye to Fake Love) (with Kanon Wakeshima)	Released: October 29, 2018
"Suspected, Confused and Action" (under the name ASCA VS Boku no Lyric no Boyomi)	Released: November 30, 2018
"Inochi No Akashi" (命ノ証, Proof of Life)	Released: July 18, 2021	Non-album singles
"Gyakkyou Spectrum" (逆境スペクトル, Adversity Spectrum)	Released: November 27, 2021
"Kimi ga Mita Yume no Monogatari" (君が見た夢の物語, The Story of the Dream You Had)	Released: January 1, 2022
"Saiu Umononi" (サウイウモノニ)	Released: July 20, 2022

Collaboration singles

Title	Details	Peak Oricon chart positions	Album
"Tenbin -LIBRA-" (天秤-Libra-, Balance -LIBRA-) (with Takanori Nishikawa)	Released: May 27, 2020	7^[35]	Hyakki Yakō (百希夜行, Night Parade of One Hundred Demons)
"Sо̄kyū no Fanfare" (蒼穹のファンファーレ, Fanfare of the Blue Sky) (with FictionJunction, Eir Aoi, ReoNa)	Released: October 28, 2022	—	Non-album single

Guest appearances

Title	Year	Album	Artist
"Unti-L"	2019	R∃/MEMBER^[B]	SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]

Notes

1. As a bonus CD released with issues of the anime music magazine LisAni!, these songs were ineligible to chart on the Oricon singles chart.
2. "Unti-L" is also included on the album Hyakkaryōran (百歌繚乱, Hundred Songs); this version is titled "Unti-L <100S-R2>". ASCA is collaborated with Mizuki in this version.

References

1. "Official profile". Sacra Music. from the original on November 22, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
2. "楽曲「KOE」が人気アニメ「Fate/Apocrypha」EDテーマに大抜擢されたASCAとは!?" (in Japanese). Oricon. September 24, 2017. from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
3. "『さくら荘のペットな彼女』新エンディングテーマを歌う女子高生新人歌手・大倉明日香さんインタビュー" (in Japanese). Animate. February 1, 2013. from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
4. "音楽では食べていけないと知る世代の本音 大倉明日香×Ryota" (in Japanese). Cinra. December 21, 2016. from the original on April 20, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
5. "鈴木このみ、大倉明日香がアニメ「さくら荘のペットな彼女」の新OP＆EDを担当！CDは2月27日に発売！" (in Japanese). Koeputa. December 26, 2012. from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
6. "Prime number～君と出会える日～" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
7. "デイズ - EP" (in Japanese). iTunes. December 21, 2016. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
8. "Fate/Apocrypha Anime Previews 2nd Cour, New Theme Song Artists in Promo Video". Anime News Network. September 24, 2017. from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
9. "ASCA Performs Record of Grancrest War". Anime News Network. December 1, 2017. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
10. "ASCA, Mashiro Ayano Return for 2nd Record of Grancrest War Theme Songs". Anime News Network. March 2, 2018. from the original on March 2, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
11. "RESISTER - Single" (in Japanese). iTunes. January 13, 2019. from the original on January 13, 2019. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
12. "ASCA, ReoNa Perform New Theme Songs for Sword Art Online: Alicization Anime". Anime News Network. December 8, 2018. from the original on December 9, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
13. "ASCAʼs New Song, "Mirage" Will be the Ending Song of Tokyo Chronos". Anime News Network. January 13, 2018. from the original on January 26, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
14. "R∃/MEMBER" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
15. "ASCA、5thシングル「RUST / 雲雀 / 光芒」9月4日(水) CDリリース決定！" (in Japanese). Sacra Music. June 14, 2019. from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
16. "RUST / 雲雀 / 光芒 - Single" (in Japanese). iTunes. July 14, 2019. from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
17. "ASCA Performs Lord El-Melloi II's Case Files Anime's Ending Song". Anime News Network. April 29, 2019. from the original on June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
18. "THEME SONG" (in Japanese). Tokyo Chronos Official website. from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
19. "百花繚乱" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
20. "Sword Art Online: Alicization Rising Steel Smartphone Game Unveils Opening Video". Anime News Network. September 14, 2019. from the original on November 6, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
21. "CHAIN - Single" (in Japanese). iTunes. January 18, 2020. from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
22. Sherman, Jennifer (December 17, 2019). "Darwin's Game Anime's Video Previews ASCA Theme Song". Anime News Network. from the original on February 15, 2020. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
23. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (January 27, 2020). "Shironeko Project: Zero Chronicle Anime's Video Reveals Theme Song Artists, April 6 Premiere". Anime News Network. from the original on March 12, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
24. "- Single" (in Japanese). iTunes. October 4, 2020. from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
25. "Irregular at Magic High School Anime Season 2's 2nd Video Introduces Theme Songs". Anime News Network. September 5, 2020. from the original on September 5, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
26. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (13 March 2023). "ASCA Performs Ending Song for Edens Zero Anime Season 2". Anime News Network. from the original on 1 April 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
27. "Prime number～君と出会える日～" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
28. オリコン週間 アルバムランキング 2024年03月11日～2024年03月17日 [Oricon Weekly Album Ranking March 11, 2024 – March 17, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
29. "大倉明日香" (in Japanese). Oricon. 27 January 2021. from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
30. "KOE" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 24, 2017.
31. "PLEDGE" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on January 3, 2018. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
32. "凜[Rin]" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 7, 2018.
33. "RESISTER" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on April 15, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
34. "RUST/雲雀/光芒[RUST/Hibari/Kōbō]" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
35. "天秤-Libra-" (in Japanese). Oricon. from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.

External links

• Official website  
• Asca at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Asca at Anime News Network's encyclopedia