While You and I Are Polar Opposites may have concluded its first season, it left behind a lasting, sweet impression. With its charming portrayal of youthful romance and funny, interesting characters, the series quickly captured the attention of audiences week by week. Accompanying the anime is its bright and playful OP — “Lose the Frames” by noa. The song not only complements the story’s tone but has also become a standout piece on its own, introducing many viewers to noa’s music for the first time. For noa, who first gained widespread attention through TikTok, “Lose the Frames” marks her debut in the anime theme songs scene.
We interviewed noa via email about her creative process behind the song, her impression of the anime, her journey as a rising artist in today’s digital music landscape, and everything in between!
Anime Trending: To kick things off, congrats on the release of “Lose the Frames!” How and when did you first become involved in performing the opening theme for You and I Are Polar Opposites?
noa: I received the offer around the spring of last year. I never imagined the day would come when I’d be creating an anime theme song, so I was incredibly surprised and filled with joy. I felt a tremendous amount of love and passion for the work from the production staff, so I set out to create and sing a song that would meet everyone’s expectations with my utmost respect.
The song went viral on social media, particularly on X/Twitter, among overseas anime fans since the first episode of the anime aired. Did you anticipate this level of warm international response and attention in the first place?
noa: Since the original manga is so well-loved by fans, I knew the expectations for the anime were high, but I was personally moved when I saw the finished OP animation. Beyond just the fact that my song was part of it, the production staff’s meticulous attention to detail, sense of style, and interpretation of the work resulted in a wonderful opening. I’ve rewatched it so many times myself that I’ve lost count.
Both the anime and the song beautifully capture the feeling of teenage love and youthful energy. Did you draw from any of your own high school experiences while writing the lyrics?
noa: Because the series realistically depicts everything from the “sparkle” of high school life to the slightly more negative aspects, there were many parts that overlapped with my own memories. I particularly remember how difficult it was to balance the desire to cherish my own feelings with the concern of how I was perceived by those around me. In the song, I specifically wanted to focus on the “preciousness of being honest” and express those emotional waves.
Were there any inputs from the anime production team or from Kocha Agasawa-sensei during the song’s creation process?
noa: I was told that a song with a sense of speed that people could empathize with would fit the visuals, which represent the characters’ emotions with a good tempo. I also felt that for an anime OP, a sense of clarity and speed that makes a listener do a double-take after just one listen was essential. Our interpretations were aligned, and I remember the song smoothly taking its final form with only one or two exchanges during the demo stage.
Was there any particular scene from the original manga that stayed with you while writing the song — perhaps a scene that encapsulates the heart of the story, or one that felt especially personal to you?
noa: The scene where Suzuki confesses loudly to Tani really makes you want to cry. To a high schooler, I think the moment you confess to someone is a life-altering event, so I was amazed by Suzuki’s honesty — being able to shout that so proudly and directly (and on the way to school!). I felt that the moment someone bares their heart like that, it truly moves the hearts of those watching.
Among the various relationships in the series, do you have a personal favorite couple?
noa: Taira and Azuma. I can relate a bit to how Taira takes a somewhat cynical stance for his age or how he looks at things from a strangely detached, bird’s-eye perspective. However, the earnestness you feel from him — how he actually wants to connect with people just like anyone else — is very cute. As for Azuma, though it hasn’t been revealed in the first season of the anime yet, her first name is Shino. When I read the original manga, I wondered if I was selected for the OP because our names share the same kanji, reversed. Or was it just a coincidence?
Licensed by Medialink
You include several references to school subjects in the lyrics, such as sine, cosine, tangent, and Fleming’s rules. How did you come up with those ideas, and how did you manage to incorporate these classroom references seamlessly into a love song?
noa: I actually wanted them to stand out as a “good kind of mismatch” or something that catches the listener’s ear. I’ve always liked putting proper nouns like place names into my lyrics. Since the theme this time was high school, I chose words that current students encounter in real time at school, and that adults would look back on and think, “Oh, I remember those,” with a sense of nostalgia.
The lyrics seem to reflect both Tani and Suzuki’s perspectives — the line “I want to share them without words” feels aligned with Tani’s reserved personality, while “I want to tell you everything, put it all into words” mirrors Suzuki’s bright and expressive nature. What inspired you to approach the lyrics from these dual points of views, rather than focusing on just one character or taking a more general perspective?
noa: I think Suzuki and Tani are two people who complement what the other lacks. It’s like they are sharing the parts of each other that they find admirable. I believe the great charm of this couple is that it’s never a relationship where only Suzuki takes the lead — the way Tani tries his best in his own way is also very cute, so I naturally included lyrics that convey that mutual relationship.
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With so many lovable characters, each with their own quirks, which one did you personally relate to the most — for example, someone shy and timid like Nishi, or someone more outgoing like Suzuki?
noa: Taira. Looking back, I think I also had a bit of a cynical attitude during my student days. I had thoughts like, “This isn’t where I belong,” or “Everyone is so childish,” or “In the end, entrance exams and life ahead are just solo battles.” But at the same time, I loved the school and the time I spent with my friends, and I was happy in those moments when someone understood my feelings. I think Taira’s slightly cool, detached personality represents Gen Z in a way.
While the song captures a sense of youthful romance, I also felt it strongly explores the theme of being true to yourself. How did you come up with this interpretation when you read the original work for the first time?
noa: Personally, I think the charm of this anime is seeing the characters grow one after another and become more honest. I struggled with the song title until the very end, but “Lose the Frames” also carries the meaning of “taking off your colored glasses (prejudices) and casting aside social appearances.” I placed the theme of having the courage to not care about how others see you — allowing you to finally speak your true feelings — at the center of the song.
The anime’s opening sequence has received so much love from the community for its lively and fun vibes. What was your reaction when you saw it for the first time?
noa: It was packed with various expressions found in school chemistry textbooks (light refraction, how batteries work, etc.) and moments of youth that high schoolers might capture in vertical smartphone videos. It’s the kind of thing where the sheer amount of information makes you want to watch it over and over, but beyond that, I was simply amazed by the humor and sense of style of the production staff.
I had a meeting with [director] Kyohei Ishiguro-san, who handled the opening, after he listened to the song. Having read the original work myself, I told him, “I feel like each character has a strong color and something like a trademark geometric pattern.” Perhaps that was reflected [in the visuals] as well.
You and I Are Polar Opposites marks your first contribution to an anime project. Were there any differences in creating a theme song for an anime compared to your past projects for live-action works?
noa: The same can be said for all tie-up projects, but I approach song production with respect and love for the original work above all else. In terms of time allocation, 80% of the time is spent reading and understanding the original work, and 20% is spent creating the song. It was the same for this project; as I re-read the original many times, I felt the framework of the song naturally coming together. There are also parts of the lyrics where I quote the characters’ names and lines.
Your name quickly spread across the internet with the viral success of the song “Any angle,” which has surpassed 1.9 billion views on TikTok. Looking at it in the rearview mirror now, how bizarre was it to suddenly navigate your life with that level of attention?
noa: The song was just taking off on its own on social media, so I personally didn’t feel much of a change. However, I was very moved that students I don’t know, in places I don’t know, were listening to the music I made and creating videos capturing their youth with that song. It’s a feeling of connecting across space. When everyone naturally sings along during a live performance, I can feel that “we were in the same song together in a place we didn’t know.”
You mentioned that you often create songs by starting with a catchy 20–30 second hook for TikTok, and then expanding the rest of the song afterward. Now that your career has grown beyond the platform, has your songwriting or music creation process evolved in any way?
noa: Now, I want to make songs that everyone can love that make them like themselves too. A song that isn’t just self-indulgent, but also isn’t just for the sake of the world. In reality, I don’t think the charm of a song that someone will love for a lifetime can be measured in 20 seconds. I’m aiming for songs that move the heart and completely captivate the listener throughout the entire track.
Many modern songs today are becoming shorter, often under three minutes. As an artist who emerged in today’s digital music landscape, do you find yourself keeping the overall duration of a song in mind when writing, or do you prefer to let the song develop naturally?
noa: In the beginning, I was very particular about keeping things short so they could be listened to repeatedly — for instance, “Any angle” is exactly two minutes long. But lately, I’ve been prioritizing the flow of the song.
You’ve gone on several records that your ultimate goal is to become an artist that transcends time and eras. In this age of the internet and streaming, where so much music is consumed so quickly, how do you approach making music that can stand the test of time?
noa: I want to create songs that feel like a watchword for the era — songs that people want to sing out of their own will. It’s a song that feels like real-time emotions during student days, and like reading back through that diary once you’ve become an adult.
Going back to the theme of being true to yourself — you’re exposed to millions of people around the globe via social media. How challenging is it to remain authentic, as both a person and a musician? Also, how do you balance creating songs that resonate with listeners while still making the music you personally want to create?
noa: Expressing your true self on social media is more difficult than I imagined. If I care too much about what the world thinks, I can only say mundane things. To make a song resonate with listeners, I create it with the feeling of talking to one specific person, rather than a group.
You’re currently embarking on your biggest tour yet — noa live tour 2026, with nine shows across nine cities — after the recent schedule changes. Now that the tour is underway, how are you feeling?
noa: Unfortunately, the Kyushu performance had to be postponed due to my throat condition, but I held a sticker handover event so I could still go and meet everyone. I am incredibly grateful that so many people came to see me, even though there was no live performance. Many of the people who come to my shows are attending a music concert for the very first time, so I hope that by experiencing it in person, they’ll get even more hooked on my music and never want to leave. I want to make this tour an important opportunity to build a deep connection with all of you.
What can fans expect to be different this time in noa live tour 2026 compared to your previous three special concerts?
noa: I’ve included many new songs in the setlist. I think of myself as someone who writes music at a fast pace, and I want my fans to feel that sense of being “updated” as close to real-time as possible. There are even some songs that are exclusive to the live shows with no plans for digital release.
As an artist who interacts with so many fans through screens and digital avatars and having spent your teenage years navigating the COVID-19 era, how important are live events and in-person connection with an audience to you now?
noa: When I first started making music, I never imagined I’d actually stand and sing in front of people. Seeing everyone sing along and react in person makes me realize that a live performance is truly a “living thing.” Every time, there are moments where the unique atmosphere of the venue makes a familiar song shine even brighter.
One of the most prominent musical influences to you is RADWIMPS — who just happen to be my favorite band as well! So I have to ask — what’s your favorite song or album from them?
noa: I have so many favorites I can’t list them all, but the song that first got me hooked was “Manifesto.” I think I saw the MV on YouTube back in middle school; starting the lyrics with “If I became the Prime Minister…” was so fresh to me. It’s realistic yet romantic — I think Yojiro Noda-san (the frontman of RADWIMPS) is the only person who can write a love song from that perspective. I’d love to be told “You are my First Lady,” too!
©Kocha Agasawa/SHUEISHA, You and I Are Polar Opposites Committee
Licensed by Medialink
Since we’ve been talking about anime and music, what anime have you been watching lately? And are there any artists or songs you’ve been enjoying recently?
noa: I just finished my third rewatch of Ping Pong the Animation, a youth sports anime about table tennis. The art style is unique, but the animation and visual expression are what surprised me first. The witty dialogue keeps coming at you, and the characters are so strong; they’re all so hungry for victory. It really made me think that “High Schoolers x Youth” is the ultimate combination.
Lastly, do you have any message for your overseas fans?
noa: Thank you so much for listening to my music through the anime! I am a singer-songwriter who expresses the youth of young people living in this era. Let’s meet someday on a world tour!
Anime Trending would like to thank noa for kindly sharing her stories with us. Our special thanks also go to Medialink and Ani-One for making this interview possible. You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 1 is available on the Ani-One Asia and Ani-One Indonesia YouTube channels.
“Lose the Frames” is a perfect gateway to noa’s discography. You can keep up with her via Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
Interview by Rakha Alif
Edited by Isabelle Lee and Tamara Lazic
