Showing Off Bassist Umi’s Gear from Legal Lily

Have you heard of the all-girls band Legal Lily? Their signature song is “Rickenbacker”, but recently, many people might have learned about them through their ending song “Kira Kira no Hai” from the anime Delicious in Dungeon.

Legal Lily was formed in 2014 by guitarist/vocalist Takahashi Honoka, drummer Yukiyama, and bassist Umi officially joining as a support member in 2018. However, in March 2024, drummer Yukiyama left the band, and now the group consists of guitarist/vocalist Takahashi Honoka and bassist Umi. This year marks Legal Lily's 10th anniversary, and I went to the first day of their anniversary tour on July 5th! In this post, I would like to introduce the gear of Legal Lily's bassist Umi along with what the appeal of this band is from my perspective as a bassist.

D’ADDARIO / Chromatic Pedal Tuner PW-CT-20

First up is the D'Addario pedal tuner. This tuner features a full-color display, making it easy to quickly see whether your instrument is in tune. Its vertical, slim design is also a great feature, since it takes up minimal space!

By the way, I first heard of Legal Lily when I watched the music video for “Rickenbacker” on YouTube during high school. The day I first heard “Rickenbacker”, I was blown away by how cool this band was, and I've been following Legal Lily ever since. The original track “Rickenbacker” is of course great, but the live version features an extended intro and a more intense final chorus, so I definitely recommend giving it a listen!

■ ”Rickenbacker” Music Video

■ ”Rickenbacker” Live at Zepp DiverCity

■ ”Rickenbacker” Live at Hibiya Outdoor Concert Hall

MXR / M80 Bass D.I. – A Classic Bass Preamp

Next up is the MXR M80 Bass D.I.+. It’s an effect pedal that many bassists have used or seen at least once. I used this pedal frequently during my college days. It allows you to switch between clean and distortion modes, making it versatile and easy to use with any song. You can also adjust the amount of distortion with the blend control, enhancing its versatility. It's a great choice for those who are buying their first effect pedal!

On a related note, it was recently announced that Legal Lily's new album, Kirin, will be released on August 28. Two tracks from the album, “Tenkiriri” and “Moonlight Reverse”, are already available for pre-release streaming.
This is just my personal guess, but I suspect the MXR M80 Bass D.I.+ might be used on these tracks!
“Tenkiriri” is described as a guitar rock tune expressing a yearning for a place other than here, while staying grounded. Its music video features stylish monochrome live footage, making it a really cool track.
“Moonlight Reverse”, on the other hand, features arrangements and production by Seiji Kameda, who’s known from Tokyo Jihen, and drums by BOBO, who has supported acts like Quruli and Fujifabric. This is the first time Legal Lily has worked with an arranger, resulting in a more mature and sophisticated love ballad. It’s perfect for listening while gazing at the moon!

■ “Tenkiriri” Music Video

“Moonlight Reverse” Streaming

Electro-Harmonix / Green Russian Big Muff Pi – Distortion/Fuzz

Finally, here we have the Green Russian Big Muff from Electro-Harmonix!!!
Although it's primarily a guitar effect pedal, it works well on bass as well. The pedal has a charming look and produces a classic, jagged fuzz sound that is both aggressive and distinctive. It adds a rich thickness to the low end, dramatically enhancing the presence of the bass. Additionally, by adjusting the tone control, you can maintain the distortion while clearing up the low frequencies, resulting in a punchy and defined sound.

This is the same model used in the track “1997”. Inspired by the bass intro, I ended up getting one for myself! The intro has a sound reminiscent of a final boss approaching that really boosts my energy just by listening to it. Beyond the intro, the entire track is impressive, especially the outro after the spoken part in the final chorus—it's my favorite part of the song. Despite how cool it sounds, the bass line is simple, making it easy to perform a cover. During my college days, I must have played this song countless times! I highly recommend getting a Green Russian Big Muff and then try to play “1997”!

■ “1997” Music Video

■ “1997” Live at Zepp Tokyo

■ “1997” Live at Hibiya Outdoor Concert Hall

How was it?
In this issue, I introduced the gear of Legal Lily's bassist Umi, along with the songs of Legal Lily. I hope it helped both longtime fans and newcomers get a sense of what makes Legal Lily special.
Lastly, I'd like to share some recommended live footage. Please check it out and enjoy!

■ “Tokyo” Live at Hibiya Outdoor Concert Hall

■ “Johnny” Live at Hibiya Outdoor Concert Hall

■ “Saint Anger” Live at Nakano Sun Plaza