Walküre (ワルキューレ)

Overview

Walküre is a fictional five-member female music unit from the TV anime Macross Δ and related works, and also a real group of five actresses and singers who voice and sing for the characters. Their catchphrase is "Super Dimensional Venus." In the story, they are a "tactical sound unit" whose members carry a factor that lets their singing calm a disease that turns people violent.

In the real world, the group began releasing music and performing live in 2016, the year the anime aired. Their activity became the driving force behind the production of the Macross Δ movie. They won the Japan Gold Disc Award for Animation Album of the Year and the Seiyu Awards singing award, reached No. 1 on the Oricon chart, and played Makuhari Messe two years in a row, before pausing their unit-only music activities in 2023.

Members

The members are credited as Mikumo Δ JUNNA, Freyja Δ Minori Suzuki, Kaname Δ Kiyono Yasuno, Reina Δ Nao Toyama and Makina Δ Nozomi Nishida. Mikumo Guynemer is voiced by Ami Koshimizu with JUNNA singing; Freyja Wion is Minori Suzuki and Kaname Buccaneer is Kiyono Yasuno.

Setting

In the story, Walküre belongs to the information and entertainment division of the interstellar conglomerate Chaos. It was formed to calm the mysterious Var Syndrome through song, and is the pioneer and most successful example of such units. It works with the Delta Platoon of variable fighters, based on the giant battleship Macross Elysion.

Member selection began in 2063, and the unit debuted as a quartet in 2065. After gradually gaining results and fame, Mikumo joined as ace vocalist, and Freyja joined after the third audition in April 2067, completing the five-member lineup. Their emblem is the "Walküre Sign," a hand sign forming the letter W.

Career and Discography

• 2015: Macross Δ Rare Track Collection: Walküre ga Tomaranai
• May 2016: single "Ichido Dake no Koi nara / Lun ga Pika tto Hikattara"
• July 2016: vocal album Walkure Attack!
• August 2016: single "Zettai Zero-do θ Novatic / Hametsu no Junjo"
• September 2016: vocal album 2 Walkure Trap!
• February 2018: single "Walküre wa Uragiranai"
• May 2020: image song "Mirai wa Onna no Tame ni Aru" for the film Macross Δ Movie: Absolute LIVE!!!!!!
• October 2021: vocal song collection Walkure Reborn!
• May 2023: live album series Absolute LIVE!!!!! Vol.1 to Vol.4, released simultaneously
• June 2024: live album W encore

The second film, released in 2021, introduced the rival unit Yami_Q_ray, with newly created songs performed and acted by Walküre's cast in dual roles.

Musical Style

In the story, the unit sings songs in a wide range of genres to test which kinds of songs are effective at suppressing Var outbreaks. Their music is classified as anime music.