Girls Band Cry

Girls Band Cry (ガールズバンドクライ), abbreviated as GaruKura (ガルクラ), is an original Japanese anime television series created and produced by Toei Animation. It is directed by Kazuo Sakai and written by Jukki Hanada, with Nari Teshima handling the character designs, Mari Kondō and Jae Hoon Jung serving as CGI directors, and Kenji Tamai composing the music. It aired from April to June 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks.

Plot
Taking place in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Nina Iseri is a high school dropout who moves to the city to prove she can live by herself and be successful. She then meets Momoka Kawaragi, and the two realize their commonalities, including a shared love of music. Together with other dropouts, the girls form a band as an avenue to let their raw emotions out, as they face hardships with their internal struggles and being new to the music scene.

Togenashi Togeari
Togenashi Togeari (トゲナシトゲアリ) is the central band of the series, consisting primarily of high school dropouts. Before the band’s formation, each member was part of two bands, with Nina, Momoka, and Subaru performing under the name Shin-Kawasaki (Temporary) (新川崎（仮）), and Tomo and Rupa performing as Vocaloid duo Beni-Shouga (derived from the vegetable of the same name, stylized in lowercase). After merging, their new name originates from Nina reading an audience member's shirt saying "Togeari Togenashi" during their Suwa live house gig.
 * Nina Iseri (井芹仁菜)
 * The main protagonist of the series and the lead vocalist of Togenashi Togeari who left the countryside and her strained past life to start anew. She is not on good terms with her father and dropped out of high school. She initially moved to Tokyo with the aim of studying at a cram school and entering university, only to focus on Togenashi Togeari instead. In promotional material, she is seen with a Butterscotch Blonde G&L Asat Classic electric guitar, which she uses as the band's rhythm guitarist in the finale.
 * The main protagonist of the series and the lead vocalist of Togenashi Togeari who left the countryside and her strained past life to start anew. She is not on good terms with her father and dropped out of high school. She initially moved to Tokyo with the aim of studying at a cram school and entering university, only to focus on Togenashi Togeari instead. In promotional material, she is seen with a Butterscotch Blonde G&L Asat Classic electric guitar, which she uses as the band's rhythm guitarist in the finale.


 * Momoka Kawaragi (河原木桃香)
 * The lead guitarist and leader of Togenashi Togeari who was a former member of Diamond Dust before leaving due to creative differences, a decision she holds regret despite holding no ill will towards her former bandmates. She then performed as a solo artist and planned to quit before meeting Nina and being reinvigorated by her determination. She uses a Blue Grand Metallic Psychederhythm Psychomaster electric guitar, a Japanese-made Fender Jazzmaster clone.
 * The lead guitarist and leader of Togenashi Togeari who was a former member of Diamond Dust before leaving due to creative differences, a decision she holds regret despite holding no ill will towards her former bandmates. She then performed as a solo artist and planned to quit before meeting Nina and being reinvigorated by her determination. She uses a Blue Grand Metallic Psychederhythm Psychomaster electric guitar, a Japanese-made Fender Jazzmaster clone.


 * Subaru Awa (安和すばる)
 * The drummer of Togenashi Togeari who attends acting school to follow in her grandmother's footsteps despite showing no interest for acting and desires to follow her own path through pursuing music. She uses a Charcoal Metallic Pearl Roadshow drum kit.
 * The drummer of Togenashi Togeari who attends acting school to follow in her grandmother's footsteps despite showing no interest for acting and desires to follow her own path through pursuing music. She uses a Charcoal Metallic Pearl Roadshow drum kit.


 * Tomo Ebizuka (海老塚智)
 * The keyboardist of Togenashi Togeari who ran away from home after experiencing parental neglect and has dreams of performing at the Budokan. Her tendency to give harsh feedback also resulted in her and Rupa's former band breaking up prior to the anime. She uses a Nord Electro 6HP electric keyboard.
 * The keyboardist of Togenashi Togeari who ran away from home after experiencing parental neglect and has dreams of performing at the Budokan. Her tendency to give harsh feedback also resulted in her and Rupa's former band breaking up prior to the anime. She uses a Nord Electro 6HP electric keyboard.


 * Rupa (ルパ)
 * The bassist of Togenashi Togeari who lost her parents and experiences discrimination due to her half-South Asian heritage. Like Tomo, she has dreams of performing at the Budokan. She uses an Ebony Gibson SG Standard bass.
 * The bassist of Togenashi Togeari who lost her parents and experiences discrimination due to her half-South Asian heritage. Like Tomo, she has dreams of performing at the Budokan. She uses an Ebony Gibson SG Standard bass.

Diamond Dust
Diamond Dust (ダイヤモンドダスト) is an idol rock band Nina idolizes and which Momoka was a member of, starting as a group of friends forming a school band before dropping out and being signed to a major label by the time Momoka left the band.
 * Hina (ヒナ)
 * The lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Diamond Dust after Momoka's departure, and a former friend of Nina. She uses a See-Through Purple Fernandes NTG-LTD electric guitar.
 * The lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of Diamond Dust after Momoka's departure, and a former friend of Nina. She uses a See-Through Purple Fernandes NTG-LTD electric guitar.


 * Nana (ナナ)
 * The bassist of Diamond Dust who uses a Caribbean Shoreline Flat Ibanez Premium SR1605B bass.
 * The bassist of Diamond Dust who uses a Caribbean Shoreline Flat Ibanez Premium SR1605B bass.


 * Rin (リン)
 * The lead guitarist of Diamond Dust who uses a Deep Candy Apple Red ESP Horizon-I electric guitar.
 * The lead guitarist of Diamond Dust who uses a Deep Candy Apple Red ESP Horizon-I electric guitar.


 * Ai (アイ)
 * The drummer of Diamond Dust who uses a Natural Cherry Pearl Masters Maple drum kit.
 * The drummer of Diamond Dust who uses a Natural Cherry Pearl Masters Maple drum kit.

Iseri family

 * Muneo Iseri (井芹宗男)
 * Nina's father who works as an advisor to Kumamoto's board of education. Before the events of the anime, Muneo and Nina had an estranged relationship with Muneo having difficulty in understanding his daughter, despite having published a book on parenting; they are now in the process of mending it.
 * Nina's father who works as an advisor to Kumamoto's board of education. Before the events of the anime, Muneo and Nina had an estranged relationship with Muneo having difficulty in understanding his daughter, despite having published a book on parenting; they are now in the process of mending it.


 * Yasue Iseri (井芹靖恵)
 * Nina's mother.
 * Nina's mother.


 * Suzune Iseri (井芹涼音)
 * Nina's older sister.
 * Nina's older sister.

Other characters

 * Tendou Awa (安和天童)
 * Subaru's grandmother who is a prolific actress.
 * Subaru's grandmother who is a prolific actress.


 * Hayashi (林)
 * The manager of the Tokyo live house Shin-Kawasaki performed in.
 * The manager of the Tokyo live house Shin-Kawasaki performed in.


 * Mine (ミネ)
 * An indie musician who Momoka idolizes and is friends with.
 * An indie musician who Momoka idolizes and is friends with.


 * Shiomi Miura (三浦潮海)
 * A talent scout affiliated with Golden Archer who is a fan of the original Diamond Dust and offers her connections to Togenashi Togeari on linking with a label for further popularity.
 * A talent scout affiliated with Golden Archer who is a fan of the original Diamond Dust and offers her connections to Togenashi Togeari on linking with a label for further popularity.

Production and release
In 2021, Toei Animation, Agehasprings, and Universal Music Japan announced they would initiate a new project which would combine animation with real band activity. In the same year, Agehasprings, with the assistance from Toei Animation and Universal Music Japan, held an audition called "Girl’s Rock Audition" for the vocalist, guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboardist of the all-female band which would be the core of the project.

An original anime project produced by Toei Animation titled Girls Band Cry was announced on April 24, 2023, with a teaser visual revealed. The visual features a girl with a guitar, with a slogan "Throw in All the Anger, Joy, and Sadness." (怒りも喜びも哀しさも全部ぶちこめ.) On May 29 of the same year, a key visual of the anime was revealed with main cast and staff. The five members of Togenashi Togeari were also revealed with the music videos of their two songs, "Na mo Naki Nani mo Kamo" (名もなき何もかも) and "Itsuwari no Kotowari" (偽りの理), released on the project's YouTube channel.

In the following months, more music videos that accompany their recently released songs would be released to their channel alongside introductory videos of each member of Togenashi Togeari; these songs would later be compiled into physical singles. On December 20, 2023, the first PV for the anime was released with its premiere slated for April 2024. A second PV was later released on February 9, 2024, confirming its premiere date of April 6 of the same year.

Episodes
The series is directed by Kazuo Sakai and written by Jukki Hanada, with character designs handled by Nari Teshima. It aired from April 6 to June 29, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Zattō, Bokura no Machi" (雑踏、僕らの街), while the ending theme song is "Darenimo Narenai Watashi Dakara" (誰にもなれない私だから), both performed by Togenashi Togeari.

Future
Hanada tweeted from his Twitter account before the twelfth episode's airing addressing the risks of relying on making sales from an original anime like Girls Band Cry, adding that because of these risks, no current plans for a second season or movie succeeding the anime have been made. After the finale aired, the project tweeted on its official Twitter account that the story will still progress in the future and it, alongside Togenashi Togeari, shall continue to be supported through its real-life activities.

On July 12, 2024 however, it was announced that Natsu and Mirei both went on an indefinite hiatus due to poor health. The remaining three main cast members will be still performing in Togenashi Togeari.