Midnight Grand Orchestra, the musical unit formed by hololive talent Hoshimachi Suisei (星街すいせい) and producer TAKU INOUE, released its first EP, “Travelogue I,” digitally on August 19, 2026.
The four-track EP includes “Hyper Vip,” “Nonsense,” “閃光” (Senko, meaning “Flash”), and “404.” Building on the duo’s earlier club-oriented sound, the new songs add a fuller live-instrument texture, layering violin, viola, and cello alongside piano, drums, guitar, and horns.
The release originally had a more ambitious plan attached to it. A physical CD version, offered in limited, standard, and “DELUXE SET” editions, was set to include score music from an original anime being produced by an outside production company. However, the unit announced on July 30 that production issues at that outside company had left the anime’s release timing uncertain, forcing the cancellation of the CD sales. The digital streaming and download release of “Travelogue I” went ahead as planned, with the unit confirming the rollout in a post on its official X account on August 18.
Who are Hoshimachi Suisei and TAKU INOUE?
Hoshimachi Suisei is a singer and virtual talent affiliated with hololive who has built a dual career as both a VTuber and a mainstream recording artist, releasing music through a major label alongside her streaming work. TAKU INOUE is a music producer and DJ closely associated with hololive-linked releases, known for blending electronic and club production with unconventional arrangements. The pair credit a wide roster of session musicians on “Travelogue I,” including violinist CHICA, cellist Takahiro Yuuki, and drummer Maoki Yamamoto, reflecting the EP’s live-band ambitions.
With the CD edition shelved for now, “Travelogue I” is available exclusively through streaming and download platforms, and the fate of the accompanying anime project remains unannounced.
Author’s Comment
I love that Suisei keeps treating her music career like it’s a completely separate universe from the VTuber grind, and ‘Travelogue I’ proves the gamble is paying off. Swapping club beats for a full string section takes guts, and pairing it with TAKU INOUE’s chaotic production instincts makes it work. The real drama here, though, is that CD box set quietly getting shelved because some outside anime studio couldn’t get its act together — that’s the most ‘anime industry’ plot twist imaginable, and nobody involved wants to talk specifics. Fans are still getting their music on release day, which is the part that actually matters, so I’ll let the anime mystery simmer for now.
