Elements Garden
Elements Garden is a Japanese music production brand and collective of composers, founded in March 2004 by Noriyasu Agematsu, Junpei Fujita, Hitoshi Fujima, and Daisuke Kikuta, specializing in sound production, composition, and arrangement for anime, video games, and recording artists.[1][2][3] Affiliated with Aria Entertainment, the brand operates as a collaborative unit rather than a fixed band, often working with vocalists such as Nana Mizuki and Lia to create theme songs, background scores, and albums.[1][4] The group emerged from the ashes of the disbanded music circle Feel, with Agematsu Noriyasu taking on the role of lead representative and primary creative force.[2] Their debut self-titled album, Elements Garden, was released in August 2008 under King Records, followed by Elements Garden IIHistory
Formation and early years
Elements Garden was founded in March 2004 by Noriyasu Agematsu, Junpei Fujita, Hitoshi Fujima, and Daisuke Kikuta, all of whom were former members of the composer collective Feel, which had similarly focused on music for games and anime before disbanding around the time of the new group's formation.[3][7] Agematsu, who took over his father's musical instrument shop Creative Musical Instrument as a base, led the establishment of Elements Garden as an independent production entity following prior in-house work under Riverside Music since 2002.[8] From its inception, the group concentrated on creating background music and theme songs for video games—particularly gal games—and anime soundtracks, marking a shift toward broader commercial projects.[8][3] Early efforts included compositions for anime such as Galaxy Angel Eternal Lovers in 2004 and Rosario + Vampire character songs in 2008, alongside contributions to artist singles like Nana Mizuki's ETERNAL BLAZE in 2005.[3] Notable among these initial endeavors were contributions to BROCCOLI's Uta no☆Prince-sama series, which became a cornerstone of their game music output.[8] In August 2008, Elements Garden released its self-titled debut album under King Records' Lantis label, compiling 16 vocal tracks from prior game themes and one new song, with featured performers including Yui Sakakibara on multiple cuts and Faylan on others.[9] This release solidified their presence in the industry, showcasing a blend of pop and electronic styles tailored for multimedia tie-ins.[9] Positioned as a music production brand under Aria Entertainment—established by Agematsu—rather than a conventional band, Elements Garden emphasized collaborative composition over live performance, with its founding members playing central roles in production and arrangement.[10][11]Expansion and recent developments
Following the release of their debut album in 2008, Elements Garden expanded their catalog with Elements Garden II -TONE CLUSTER- in 2009, a 16-track compilation featuring vocal performances by artists such as Hironobu Kageyama and Lia, showcasing the group's growing versatility in anime and game tie-ins.[12][13] This was followed by Elements Garden III -phenomena- in 2010, another 16-track album that included contributions from Kisho Taniyama on tracks like "PLEASE KILL OUR MUSIC," further solidifying their reputation for collaborative, high-energy productions.[14][15] The group broadened its influence into major anime and game franchises during this period, notably co-creating the Symphogear series through leader Noriyasu Agematsu's involvement, where Elements Garden handled music composition and production across multiple seasons starting in 2012.[16][17] They also provided extensive background music for the BanG Dream! franchise, producing scores and original songs that became integral to the multimedia project's rhythm game and anime adaptations.[18] In 2024, marking their 20th anniversary since formation in 2004, Elements Garden celebrated with a dedicated booth at AnimeJapan 2024, offering exclusive merchandise and fan engagements at Tokyo Big Sight.[19] That year, they composed the music for the anime adaptation of The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, contributing to its orchestral and thematic score.[20] Looking ahead, Elements Garden composed the opening theme "愛詩 (AI=UTA)" for Yanmar's virtual singer group V.W.P. in January 2025, tied to the original anime 未ル(Miru): Paths to My Future.[21] They are also involved in the 2025 anime Princession Orchestra, a musical magical girl project produced by Aria Entertainment and King Records, with Noriyasu Agematsu overseeing music production; the series premiered on April 6, 2025.[22] In October 2025, Elements Garden announced a new multimedia project, Ghost Concert: missing Songs, in collaboration with ENGI and KADOKAWA, scheduled for 2026.[23]Members
Current members
Elements Garden functions as a collaborative music production brand under Aria Entertainment, without fixed band performances, instead relying on a collective of composers and arrangers for its output in anime, games, and artist works. As of January 2025, the active roster centers on its founding members, supplemented by additional composers and arrangers who handle composition and arrangement duties.[4][8] The core founding members, who established the group in 2004, are Noriyasu Agematsu, serving as leader, composer, and arranger; Junpei Fujita, focused on composition and arrangement; Hitoshi Fujima, specializing in composition; and Daisuke Kikuta, dedicated to arrangement.[2][1][3] Additional current members include Akifumi Kaneko (composer); Asuka Oda (composer and arranger); Daisuke Horikawa (composer); Kotaro Shimoda (composer); Ryota Tomaru (composer); Ryutaro Fujinaga (composer); Seima Iwahashi (composer); Seima Kondo (arranger); Seonoo Kim (composer); Yuki Hidaka (composer); Yusuke Takeda (composer); and Yuta Kasai (composer).[8][3]Former members
Elements Garden has experienced several changes in its membership since its formation in 2004, with various composers and arrangers departing to pursue independent careers or other affiliations. Notable former members include:- Yasutomo Nakai (中井康智), composer and arranger; joined in 2005 and left on July 31, 2006.[2]
- Masato Nakayama (中山真斗), composer; joined in 2007 and left on June 30, 2013.[24]
- Tomohiro Kita (喜多智弘), arranger; joined in 2011 and left in 2016.[24]
- Evan Call (エバン・コール), composer; joined in 2012 and left on June 30, 2016, due to the expiration of his contract; he subsequently affiliated with the agency Miracle Bus.[25]
- Haruki Mori (母里治樹), composer; joined in 2009 and left in 2018.[16]
- Ryota Suemasu (末益涼太), arranger; joined in 2014 and left in 2019.