Summary
- ClariS is making a comeback as a trio with new members Elly and Anna.
- Their new song, "Colorful -season 03-," will be released on February 24th, 2025.
- ClariS continues their tradition of using anime personas to protect their identities.
Quick Links
A leading anisong (anime song) group, ClariS, is making a comeback with two new members. One of the original two members has since left the group, leaving only one original member. This will be the first time that ClariS has performed with three members instead of only two. The group has gained popularity in Japan and abroad through their popular anime opening songs, one of the most famous being "Connect," which served as the opening to Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica in 2012.
The news was posted on Saturday by the Japanese news website Oricon, which often covers Japanese pop culture news stories. The announcement was also posted on the ClariS Staff official X (formerly Twitter) page the same day. The X post also included a short introduction video for the new members, along with the official announcement of the group's comeback. Their new song will be released on February 24th, 2025.
8 Catchiest Anime Openings Of The 2020s
So far, the 2020s have treated anime fans to some true head bops, but which are the catchiest?
Who is ClariS?
The Story Behind the Mysterious Girl Group
ClariS was originally a pop duo band that formed in 2009, with members Clara and Alice who were in junior high school at the time. The new always performed under these pseudonyms to protect their anonymity, something that ClariS has continued to do to this day. The members of ClariS typically are depicted as avatars that look like anime girls instead of showing their real faces, including in music videos and on promotional material. They also perform their live shows wearing masks. Clara and Alice only removed their masks during two live performances, once in 2017 and again in 2020. They also showed their real faces in a music video for "Connect" produced in 2022.
ClariS began by posting covers of other famous songs and uploading them to the Japanese video-sharing site Niconico before signing on with SME Records in 2010 (and from 2017, Sacra Music). While they have performed many original songs since, ClariS has gained the most popularity through the music they have produced for anime. Some of the anime that have featured ClariS songs are Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai, Nisemonogatari, Nisekoi, and most famously, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica.
Alice did not stay a part of ClariS for long, and left the group in 2014. Shortly after, a new member named Karen joined, who stayed with Clara for another decade. On September 1, 2024, ClariS announced that Karen would also be leaving the group. Alice and Karen finished the ClariS Autumn Tour 2024 in November, and that was the end of Karen's journey with the duo. Now, at the LisAni! Live 2025 event on January 25, 2025, it was revealed that two new members would be joining Alice to make ClariS a trio. The two new members are Elly and Anna - again, pseudonyms to protect their identity.
Madoka Magica: Peak Existential Horror
Madoka Magica tells a great coming-of-age story while utilizing some unique existential horror elements.
ClariS 「Colorful -season 03-」
The First Song with the New Members
The announcement of ClariS' return to the music scene included the name and release date of the group's new song. The song, called 「カラフル -season 03-」 in Japanese, or 「Colorful -season 03-」in English, is going to release on February 24th, 2025. This will be the first song that ClariS has released as a trio instead of a duo, and the first song since Karen left the group in late 2024.
Along with this new announcement, ClariS posted a short video introducing Elly and Anna. Staying true to ClariS' tradition, they were depicted using anime persona instead of their real faces alongside Clara's persona in the video to protect their private lives. The video also features a preview of 「Colorful -season 03-」in the background to give everyone an idea of what to expect. It follows the usual sound and style of ClariS, so even with two new members, fans of the group are likely to still enjoy the music.
With how successful ClariS has been in the anisong community, including performing live at anime events both in Japan and abroad, hopefully it won't be long before we see a new anime with an opening done by the new version of ClariS. What will happen to the band as a trio is a mystery for now, but there will likely be more news coming in the following year after the trio's official debut next month.
