An Exclusive Interview with TAMusic: Violin, Touhou, and His return to Malaysia after 8 year gap

TAMusic is a well-known Japanese doujin music circle that specializes in creating orchestral and instrumental arrangements of music from popular video games, anime, and other media. The group is particularly famous for their violin and piano arrangements, and they have a significant following both in Japan and internationally.

TAMusic often releases albums at events like Comiket (Comic Market), which is a major convention for doujin works in Japan. Their music covers a wide range of sources, including games like "Touhou Project," "Final Fantasy," and "The Legend of Zelda," as well as various anime series. The group is led by TAM (Toshiharu Umezaki), who is a talented violinist and arranger.

TAMusic has a strong connection with the "Touhou Project," which is a series of bullet hell shoot-'em-up games created by the Japanese game developer ZUN. TAMusic is well-known for producing orchestral and instrumental arrangements of the music from the "Touhou Project" games. TAMusic has contributed significantly to this fan culture by creating high-quality violin, piano, and orchestral versions of Touhou's music and their works are considered a significant part of the broader Touhou music fanbase.


Kikyus: What were your feelings returning to Malaysia since your last visit to Malaysia in 2016?
TAM: I missed Malaysia a lot, especially the food of Malaysia. When I arrived at KLIA, I could instantly recognize the surroundings, so nostalgic. Then when I stepped out of the gate, oh this is indeed Malaysia, so hot!

Kikyus: Which one is hotter? The weather of Malaysia or Malaysia fans?
TAM: Of course, Malaysia Fans!

Kikyus: What does you miss most about Malaysia?
TAM: I miss the atmosphere of unity and the supportive fans during live performances in Malaysia, when everyone's hearts come together through music as “One Heart”.

Kikyus: Malaysian is very proud of local food so we would like to ask, what is your most liked or memorable food here
TAM: The food here is so spicy in general, I tried laksa, spicy too, but I really enjoyed non-spicy food here, as they taste differently from food in Japan

Kikyus: It had been 8 years since his last appearance on the stage of Animangaki, how was his feeling after his amazing performance on Day 1?
TAM: It was so nostalgic—even the emcees were the same group of people, making it feel like working with old friends again. When I started to play, the crowd was just as enthusiastic and supportive as last time. I was truly happy and touched by the moment.

Kikyus: Do you have any special feelings when you can observe Touhou Fans, after so many years, still exist outside of Japan, and many of them actually cosplayed as Touhou characters or brought Touhou related merchandise to support TAMusic performance?
TAM: The Touhou community in Malaysia, led by Touhou Brigade, amazed me with their work when I first visited. They shared their yearly events and gatherings, the videos they made, and the fan goods they created—their passion truly impressed me. I was also amazed by the number of Touhou cosplayers. Everyone proudly showed their love for their favorite characters, especially the cross-players cosplaying as Sakuya (chuckles); it was the same in Japan. To me, Touhou fans around the world share the same love and passion, like one big family.

Kikyus: Speaking of Sakuya, is she your favourite character in Touhou?
TAM: Oh, I love maid costumes! I have a dream of being surrounded by all the maids, and during one of the Comiket events, around 20 volunteers cosplaying as Sakuya assisted with my booth sales. I was really proud of that moment.

Kikyus: Do you create all the music composition by yourself?
TAM: Yes, all the music production is done by me—the medley, composition, remix, everything. I don't need a music score as I play by ear, and I also create the artwork for the cover myself. Whenever there's a CD project, I work non-stop until I've completed all the music production and artwork, which usually takes about a week.

Kikyus: Could you share with us how your music journey eventually led to your involvement with Touhou?
TAM: I learned to play the violin from a young age, and my mother was a piano teacher. However, I didn't take lessons from her; instead, I played the piano entirely by ear. I stopped playing music when I had to study hard for my high school entrance exams. The stress took its toll, and I became a NEET, not leaving my room for two years. During that time, computers and the internet became my best friends, and I played a lot of computer games, mainly bishoujo games. That's when I came across Touhou, and I consider it a very fortunate encounter for me.

Kikyus: I see, that must have been difficult for you. What inspired you to come out of being a NEET and start performing on stage?
TAM: There was no YouTube at that time, so I uploaded my songs on 2channel, a Japanese internet community site. To my surprise, the songs were very well received online, and I even received an invitation to perform live in Tokyo. I was living in Nagoya and, being a NEET, I was afraid to travel that far. So, fans decided to host a concert for me in Nagoya, and many attended to support me. The following year, at Comiket, where I sold my CDs for the first time, they sold out at the event. I was incredibly surprised and touched by all the support I received. That experience marked the beginning of my musical journey, allowing me to work and perform around the world—something I still find unbelievable.

Kikyus: That was a very interesting story from TAMusic. During your time as a NEET, did you ever imagine that you would achieve such great success, working in your field of interest and travelling around the world to perform for audiences from different countries?
TAM: No, I never imagined it at all. However, I'm continually surprised by the incredible support from fans all around the world, especially through the likes and comments on YouTube. I've even had fans from overseas come to Comiket to support my work. I'm truly blessed and happy with such an enthusiastic response from fans.

Kikyus: You've created many musical masterpieces over the years. Where do you usually find your inspiration, and have you ever encountered bottlenecks during your production?
TAM: I haven’t really encountered any bottlenecks yet, as I was able to produce music during my NEET years. However, as I started travelling the world for tours, I met many new friends, had new experiences, and performed on new stages. All of these have become my inspiration—thanks to all of you.

Kikyus: Do you think of yourself as a workaholic?
TAM: I worked as a salaryman while producing music to sell at Comiket during my free time for seven years after coming out of NEETs. It was tough, as I only had three days off the entire year. After becoming a full-time artist, I travelled the world, collaborated with famous artists, and produced music from anime and games that I love. Now, I no longer see my work as a job, so I don’t consider myself a workaholic—it’s all about love and passion.

Kikyus: Could you share a final message with your fans?
TAM: It has been 8 years since my last appearance in Malaysia, and I feel truly blessed to be invited back to the stage at Animangaki. I can see how Animangaki has grown into a bigger event, with more attendees, cosplayers, and itasha, as well as even more elements of Japanese culture gracing the event. Thank you, everyone, for your love and support for Japanese culture, especially the Touhou fans who have kept their passion alive all these years. And of course, thank you for the support and friendships you’ve given me. Thank you!

MTB Boilerplate

The Malaysian Touhou Brigade (MTB) is a vibrant community dedicated to promoting and celebrating the iconic Touhou Project series, a beloved Japanese indie game franchise known for its captivating music, intricate bullet-hell gameplay, and rich character lore. The group was formed in 2011 to unite fans of the series, and has collaborated and hosted many events and activities including game tournaments, art projects and music concerts featuring famous Touhou Project circles such as TAMusic, Tokyo Active NEETs, IOSYS and Yuuhei Satellite.
The group’s latest project, Touhou in Malaysia discusses the rise of the fandom in the country, from a relatively obscure doujin game to a well known cultural cornerstone of Japanese anime and game fandom.