To fans of anime series like “Attack on Titan,” Hiroyuki Sawano, the composer behind many classic shows’ original soundtracks, is the soul of the music that brought viewers shivers and tears alongside breathtaking, rebellious stories. Despite a rainstorm, Sawano’s first live concert in Los Angeles on Nov. 14 at Peacock Theater brought together audiences from across the country to immerse themselves in the stirring music.
Shortly after holding his “20th Anniversary Concert × Aniplex” in Tokyo, the 45-year-old musician brought many of his signature songs across the Pacific. Featuring six vocalists — Eliana, Laco, mpi, SennaRin, mizuki and XAI — the show presented popular tracks including “Call of Silence,” “aLIEz,” “Bauklotze” and “Barricades.”
A Sawano fan since middle school, 22-year-old Claire Sullivan said she would “do whatever it takes to get there” if Sawano ever performs in the U.S. She took off work and flew for five hours from Maryland with her sister to see her all-time favorite artist.
“He brings out a lot of instruments I wouldn’t even think of, like rainsticks and sleigh bells,” Sullivan said. “The music will start off soft and mellow, and then switch to a completely different vibe. To me, it’s just an ever-changing song, definitely one that you think you know what’s going on, and you are completely surprised by it.”
By 8:30 p.m., when the house lights finally dimmed, the entire room went still. Sawano took the stage to the audience’s cheers in a black-and-white long blazer and joined the band at the piano to open the show with “ətˈæk 0N tάɪtn ＜WMId＞” from “Attack on Titan suite.” Eliana’s soaring, powerful voice filled the hall as she glittered in her rose gold gown in the cyan and purple borderlight.
Vocalists alternated on the stage through the setlist, sending Laco on stage for the second song in the suite, “Before Lights Out.” Like many of Sawano’s collaborating vocalists, Laco possesses a rich, vigorous voice that instantly draws listeners into epic tales. For the evening, she wore a structured blouse with white flutter sleeves and wide-leg black leather pants inspired by kamishimo, the traditional attire for samurai in Japanese Kabuki theater.
Laco and Sawano’s collaboration is not limited to titles performed in “Attack on Titan.”For Sullivan and anime script adaptation writer Eliza Harris, the pair also produced their favorite track, “NEXUS” from the movie “Promare.”
Harris’s work makes her an avid anime-watcher. Since “Blue Exorcist” and “Guilty Crown” released in 2011, Harris has been drawn to the complexity of Sawano’s triumphant music. “I love how he combines orchestra, sometimes rap and hip hop,” she said.
With Laco’s left hand pointing high toward the sky, she delivered consecutive dynamic tracks — “Zero Eclipse,” “FAKEit” and “Hands Up to the Sky” — building the crowd’s excitement to its peak, until thousands of audience members rose to their feet for the show’s climax: mizuki’s “aLIEz.”
The song’s prelude began with a loud burst of applause from the audience. In her rose-patterned shirt, mizuki’s piercing voice cut through the excited crowd. During her upbeat fourth song, “Keep on keeping on,” mizuki leaned over Sawano’s piano. The two glanced at each other with a smile in the spotlight.
Mpi, Sawano’s longtime collaborating lyricist, went on stage with a rough, grounded tone in his iconic all-black outfit and wide-brimmed hat. When he started the song, “Call your name,” the room grew quiet, captivated by the touching lyrics that call back to the show’s heartbreaking moments. In mpi and Laco’s duet “Apple Seed,” their voices contrasted sharply — her clear, controlled high notes against his deeper, textured sound. Later in the night, he joined SennaRin for “Barricades,” a song many fans had been waiting for. Scoring the intense battle scenes in season four of “Attack on Titan,” “Barricades” is famous for how powerfully it complements the story.
For Communication Management master’s student Lucy He, a long-time anime fan, Sawano’s genius lies in his ability to synchronize music with narrative.
“He matches the music with emotions in anime so perfectly,” she said, “Sometimes my mood goes up and down like a roller coaster when I listen. That’s exactly how the story feels too. That’s why I had to be here.”
XAI’s voice brought fans an energetic momentum. During “X.U.,” she reached toward the audience and encouraged them to participate, bringing everyone to their feet, clapping with the beat.
The light dims briefly as the audience eagerly awaits the encore. This time, without the band, Sawano and SennaRin returned for an acoustic version of “So ist es immer.” An artist Sawano personally produced, SennaRin brought a younger and brighter tone to the set. Dressed in an intricate black dress with lace and knots, the two presented an emotional last song to wrap up the night.
Sawano spoke only briefly between songs, offering quick introductions to the vocalists or thanking the audience, before returning to the piano. When he spoke, the crowd answered with loud cheers that filled the theater.
For 23-year-old dental school student Ahmad Qazi, the concert was more than a musical experience — it was an opportunity to connect with his brother Ibrahim, who flew in from Las Vegas. A fan of the show “86,” Ibrahim was thrilled to hear Sawano and mizuki’s live performance of “Avid,” which was featured as mizuki’s first song of the night.
“It’s music that will instantly get to your soul, to your heart,” Ibrahim said. “It doesn’t matter if you have any previous connection to it or like watching the anime where it’s from. It just instantly hits you.”
Both “Attack on Titan” fans, the show doubled as a reunion. “I was glad that he got to enjoy the show,” Ahmad said. “If [Sawano] is ever back, I’ll definitely get to hear it again.”