- ARAB NEWS
- 30 Apr 2025
Since 1975
DUBAI: Rising Japanese band Catch Me Yesterday is breaking language and cultural barriers through their nostalgic anime covers and international performances, including a debut at Jeddah Season in 2022.
In an interview with Arab News Japan, the Tokyo-based trio shared insights on how their journey into the Arab world began, with a stage, a statue and a beloved anime theme song.
“It was our first time performing overseas,” Kazuya Tamura, one of the band’s members explained. “We didn’t know much about Jeddah Season, but we were told it would be a big stage. When we got there, the audience was huge and enthusiastic.
The group performed a mix of original songs and covers of iconic anime themes, including tracks from One Piece, Naruto and Dragon Ball. But it was their rendition of the Grendizer theme, sung partly in Arabic, that captured the hearts of the Arab audience.
The band also performed at Riyadh Season in the same year.
“We actually didn’t know how popular Grendizer was in the Arab world until we saw a massive statue of it at Riyadh Season,” the band said. “People were surprised we didn’t know it well because it’s not that famous in Japan anymore.”
View this post on Instagram
Their Arabic version of the song, which alternated between Arabic and Japanese lyrics, was a hit. The band’s lead singer recalled the effort it took to learn the lyrics: “I didn’t know Arabic before. I searched the pronunciation and mimicked the singer Sami Clark. It took a long time, but I enjoyed the process.”
Grendizer’s legacy continues strongly in the Middle East, something the band didn’t anticipate but embraced wholeheartedly.
“Our goal is to play worldwide,” the band said, explaining their choice to perform in multiple languages, including Filipino. “Covering songs in different languages helps us connect with fans globally.”
Their band name, Catch Me Yesterday, also reflects this global ambition. “I wanted it to be memorable, even if the grammar is strange,” Kazuya said.
Catch Me Yesterday also performed at Abu Dhabi’s Animenia festival and hope to continue building their rapport with the Arab world.
