From Okinawa with Love: Seven Oops’ (7!!) First European Adventure

Words + Photos by Nathan Gey

April 17, 2025

7!! at FGO Barbara, Nathan Gey/ab(CDE)

The Japanese rock band 7!!, pronounced Seven Oops, wrapped up their very first appearance in Europe with two performances in France — one in Paris at FGO-Barbara, and the other in Toulon at Mang’Azur — during the second weekend of April 2025. Thanks to Envol Production, we had the pleasure of attending their full show in Paris on April 11, and we were thoroughly impressed. Here’s our short review of an unforgettable evening.

Best known internationally for their anime theme songs — “Lovers”, the opening theme of Naruto Shippuden, and “Orange”, the beloved ending theme of Your Lie in April (Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso) — Seven Oops boasts a rich musical history with deep roots in both pop-rock and anime culture.

Formed in 2004 during their college years, the band’s original lineup hails from Okinawa, with members writing and composing all of their own music. Their official major debut came in 2011 with the single Falling in Love, though they had already gained recognition in 2005 by winning the Mitsuya Cider CM Audition Grand Prize with their song Sun Light, which aired in regional commercials across Okinawa.

In 2017, guitarist MICHIRU stepped away from the band, but the remaining trio — NANAE (vocals), MAIKO (drums), and KEITA (bass) — has remained active and close-knit for over 12 years. Interestingly, the band’s name is inspired by lead singer NANAE’s own name: “Nana” means “7” in Japanese, and the “e” is short for the Japanese exclamation “Eeh!!”, with the final name pronounced “Seven Oops.”

The group was thrilled to perform in Paris for the first time, as all the members had always dreamed of visiting France. They were joined by two temporary members: Mona Shima, a singer-pianist from Okinawa, and Shunsuke Suzuki, a guitarist who lives in and teaches guitar in Naha City. FGO-Barbara, a small but cozy concert venue located in the 18th district of Paris, was completely packed on this spring evening. The audience eagerly awaited the chance to hear their favorite songs.

Mona Shima opened the show with her heartfelt, emotional songs, delighting the crowd with her piano mastery. To everyone’s surprise and delight, she spoke in French and had a charming little chat with the fans. Right after, the group lit up the stage for an hour and a half, performing many of their beloved tracks such as “Lovers”, “Sayonara Memory”, and “Start Line”. Their most-streamed song on Spotify, Orange, brought this wonderful night to a close.

The band’s joy and gratitude for the Paris audience were evident throughout the performance. Following the show, they headed to Toulon to appear at the Mang’Azur festival, where they reportedly continued to impress fans with another energetic and heartfelt show. Based on the glowing reception in both cities, Seven Oops expressed their hopes to return to Europe soon, and we sincerely hope they do.

At ab(CDE), we’re absolutely on board for another encounter with Seven Oops, whether it’s in Europe or North America. If you're a fan of Japanese pop-rock, we highly recommend checking out their music!

A big thank you to Envol Production for the invitation, and an even bigger thanks to Seven Oops for a wonderful show!