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At the crossroads of visual kei and the Japanese idol scene, MERCURO has established itself as one of the most distinctive acts of the new generation of the japanese scene. The group pushes the boundaries of both genres by blending a dark, theatrical aesthetic with the vibrant energy of idol performances. Combining guitar riffs, infectious melodies, and meticulously crafted stage productions, MERCURO has created a world where darkness becomes a powerful form of artistic expression. This unique hybrid approach has earned the group a growing following among both Japanese rock enthusiasts and idol culture fans alike. With every new release and live performance, MERCURO continues to strengthen its identity, cementing its status as one of the most exciting names to watch on Japan’s alternative music scene. On the occasion of Japan Expo’s 25th anniversary, the group sat down with us for a press conference.
Hello! Could you tell us how Mercuro was created?
Kiru: I was the one who first mentioned the project by talking with a producer. Later, Nier joined. At the time, Nier was already part of an idol group alongside Renge, and they both decided to join me. Zera joined the group through social media. In the end, the four of us were all working at the same place, so we got to know each other through word of mouth. Finally, Yuuri joined the project through our producer.
Did the idea for Mercuro come up when you first met, or was it born years later?
Kiru: When we first met, we had no idea we would end up creating Mercuro together. The project came about naturally as we went through our daily lives.
Yuuri: We didn’t come up with the idea of creating Mercuro simply because we worked together. But one day we all got together and realized that we shared the same vision. We combined our ideas, and that’s how the group was born.
Do each of you have specific roles within the group?
Yuuri: I’m like a MC. I like entertaining the crowd.
Zera: I’m in charge of the “death voice” and the dancing.
Nier: I enjoy hyping up the audience too, but in a calmer way, to help everyone relax a little.
Renge: I love screaming on stage and bringing a sexy side to our performances. I’m also a warm-hearted person, so I like bringing positive energy to the group.
Kiru: I’m tall and I have a good sense of style, so you could call me the group’s fashion leader.
Kamite: I bring the cute side of Mercuro.
How did you come up with the name Mercuro?
Yuuri: It comes from mercury. The main idea is that mercury heals people’s wounds, and we want to be that antidote for everyone.
Mercuro is an antidote for your listeners, but is it also a way to heal your own past wounds?
Kamite: Yes, both for us and for our fans. The group exists to heal and give people strength.
Which of your songs would you recommend to someone discovering Mercuro for the first time?
Yuuri: Zetsubou Sekai, because it’s a simple way to explain our entire universe.
What is your songwriting process like?
Yuuri: Our producer is the one who writes the music, but we’re the ones who bring the songs to life.
Nier: One of our songs is inspired by my own story and my past, especially all the haters I’ve encountered. Some people even wished for my death, so it’s my way of giving something back to those haters. It made me stronger.
You’re idols, but with an aesthetic that’s very close to visual kei. How do you position yourselves between these two very different genres?
Yuuri: Actually, we don’t really belong to either genre. We’ve created our own style: the Mercuro style. It’s almost as if we couldn’t find our place in either world, so our only solution was creating our own. We’re still working on finding ourselves, and we’d like to develop the Mercuro style even further.
What do you think the Mercuro style will look like in five years?
Yuuri: I think we’ll be on a world tour.
Kiru: Maybe we’ll be playing instruments.
Zera: We’ll probably be wearing even heavier makeup. (Laughs.)
Yuuri: We really want to deepen both sides of our identity, the idol side and the visual kei side.
Your costumes are incredibly detailed. Do you make them yourselves?
Zera: Sometimes our costumes are coordinated, while other times they’re completely different, like today. We usually start with a theme, then each member interprets it in their own way, which explains the differences. However, professional designers make the costumes – we don’t sew them ourselves.
Were you already dressing like this before Mercuro, or did you adopt this style for the group?
Yuuri: We already wore fairly heavy makeup before, but we’ve gradually taken it further, both in terms of makeup and clothing.
Kamite: I wasn’t really into bold makeup before joining the group. That came after I became part of Mercuro.
Have you ever done theater?
Nier: Nowadays our performances are purely musical, but in the past we’ve done two theater-style concerts.
Renge: Before debuting as Mercuro, we were in another group.
Kamite: We decided to do theater to overcome our shyness.
Each member seems to have a different hand sign. What do they represent?
Yuuri: Mine is the lycoris flower. It’s a red and blue flower that symbolizes the love associated with it.
Zera: My symbol is a star. It comes from the katakana spelling of my name, Zera, which translates into “sky”. It’s also inspired by the group Litchi☆Hikari CLUB, whose name can be translated as “Shining Club.”
Nier: My hand sign isn’t related to my stage name. I make bat wings with my hands. My name itself is inspired by the manga Death Note.
Renge: My hand sign comes from writing “Renge” in the Latin alphabet. I also included a cinnamon roll because I love them, as well as a little devil.
Kiru: Mine is simply based on my name, “kill.” It doesn’t really have any deeper meaning than that.
Kamite: My hand sign represents the hiragana word for “together,” surrounded by angel wings with a halo above it.
You performed at Zepp Haneda in June with live musicians on stage. Did having instruments change the performance?
Yuuri: Yes, live instruments definitely change a performance, but it also depends on the size of the venue because the acoustics are different everywhere. There are certain instruments we prefer not to use in larger venues, for example.
Japan Expo was your very first performance in France. What did you think of it?
Yuuri: The atmosphere was amazing. It was the first time Mercuro had received so much applause and admiration.
Were you nervous before going on stage here?
Zera: Since I’m responsible for the death voice and metal is so highly regarded in France, I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to hit the right notes.
Kamite: I wasn’t really nervous about performing. I was more excited to see the beautiful streets, the castles, and discover French culture.
Did you have time to do any sightseeing?
Yuuri: Yes, we visited Notre-Dame Cathedral.
Kamite: And Sacré-Cœur as well.
Yuuri: We wanted to visit the Louvre, but unfortunately it was closed.
Kamite: Later today we’re going to see the Eiffel Tower and walk along the Seine. Tomorrow we’re going to Disneyland!
Japanese music is becoming increasingly popular in France. Did you feel that enthusiasm?
Yuuri: Yes. On social media like TikTok, we see a lot of fans using our music, for example.
How do you maintain such a good relationship within the group?
Kamite: We don’t really have any special method. We naturally get along very well, so we consider ourselves a family.
More and more Japanese metal bands are collaborating with international artists. Is that something you’d like to do as well?
Nier: Yes, with Slipknot or Marilyn Manson.
Do you have a message for your French fans?
Yuuri: We finally got to meet our French audience, and I’d been looking forward to it for so long. We’ll be back!
Zera: Next time, I’d like the group to have even more energy—enough that we can hold our own solo concerts here.
Nier: I’m amazed to realize that we already have fans in France. It makes me incredibly happy that visitors have become new Mercuro fans. I can’t wait to see the French audience again.
Renge: I’d like us to become so popular that every single Japan Expo visitor knows who Mercuro is.
Kiru: Thank you, everyone, for supporting Mercuro and continuing to listen to our music!
Kamite: It’s incredible and surprising to see how much Japanese culture is loved by the French public. I’d love to come back. (In French) France, je t’aime!
In collaboration with Nautiljon and KAVENYOU.
Thank you to MERCURO and Japan Expo for this press conference.
