Anime fans learn through experience that, for better or worse, no topic is taboo in Japan.

But in America, the only place it’s safe to talk about your feelings is in therapy or music, so boyband decided to make both.

“Fooly Cooly” the first single from his album “Never Knows Best,” is what happens when all of those worlds collide.

(Sidenote: yes, he’s one guy and he goes by “boyband.” His first album was actually titled “alone in a boyband” so he’s clearly also got a sense of humor about himself.)

Styled “FLCL” in Japan and pronounced “Furi Kuri” there, the anime’s iconic symbol is the bright yellow Vespa ridden by protagonist Haruko Haruhara. But the song isn’t about her. It’s boyband’s musical fanfiction diving into the troubled mind of a secondary character, Mamimi Samejima, whose lonely life without parents or real friends has left her constantly depressed. Even the title of boyband’s album is taken from a phrase written on the cigarettes Mamimi chain-smokes throughout the series.

While he steers that yellow Vespa through an overcast landscape and a video game interface (because, why not?), boyband imagines the conflicting emotions Mamimi has for her ex-boyfriend who left her to follow his own dreams, and her own sad existence.

The song’s poppy guitar power chords are inspired by the anime’s theme song and its bright illustration style, but the subject matter is heavy, and strangely enough, absolutely true to something ordinary teenagers might deal with.

This isn’t boyband’s first go at anime as subject matter. His previously released “Death Note” with Good Charlotte’s Billy Martin follows the basic plot of the iconic anime of the same name. Mixing live action with animation, boyband struggles over his newfound ability to kill a former lover, a bully, and anyone else who’s wronged him or others with a pen stroke.

Lucky for us, in real life, he’s using his pen to do something very right.

𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭 | 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗢𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭