Sakura Nao Deep Dive - Part 4

*I believe this was posted on OneHallyu in June 2018.

7/20 Blog Entry: Pics from the event

The day of the Festival has come and gone. Looking at the dates, Nao must have posted them out of order. She made her hair dying entry the day after this one which is about the actual Festival. Maybe she wanted to keep her hair color a secret.

Nao says she read through the comments about Her and Syachi's appearance. She's glad that the reception was so positive from Hide's fans. She's a Hide fan herself, so she would be really sad if fans didn't accept it, so it's good. Nao thanks everyone for their generous heart.

The majority of this blog is pictures of the people she met at the event. She met I.N.A, one of Hide's Producers, who was also a member of his final band, zilch. I think he was involved in X Japan's production as well, but his main focus was Hide.

With Kishidan. Of course, they have a long history with Momoiro Clover Z, Syachi's sister group, but I don't know if this is the first time Nao has met them. She says she was touched by Ayanokoji's MC about Hide (*Ayanokoji is the lead singer of Kishidan. He's the one in the middle with blonde hair). Nao's happy because now they can be friends has Hide fans. She goes on to add that she's looking forward to the upcoming Kishidan Expo.

Syachi with Jin-Machine. Nao said she spoke with 16, their vocalist who I believe is standing to her left. She said something to the effect that they talked about how much they love Hide, how he's like a Father to them, etc. about 100 times, lol.

With members of the band ZEPPET STORE who she collaborated with. She talks about being nervous and not saying much. The man on the left is Akabane Kenji. Nao said he gave off a Fatherly feel hich relieved her tension (*I think the man on the right, Kiyoshi, might have been in Hide's band Spread Beaver. Someone with the same name was in it, and they look similar, so I don't think it's a coincidence).

With ZEPPET STORE's Kimura Seizi. Nao was really happy to have the opportunity to collaborate on Misery. It's a memory she'll cherish throughout her lifetime.

With the well known Pierre Nakano. Drummer for the band Lin Toshite Shigure, but I believe he's also played with X Japan and Luna Sea which is probably why he's at the Festival. He's an Idol fan and has guested on various songs, including Momoiro Clover Z's 10th Single "Gouun". I remember he commented on Momoka's graduation in January 2018.

With Hide! She happy to me him! Basically thanking him for the Festival, lol.

Nao closes with some final thoughts. She says all the performers were warm and friendly. She met allot of lovely people. It's a little confusing, but it sounds like Nao used her own clothes for the costume and may have spent her own money to add the finishing touches. The suit is from 2 years ago. I think she incorporated Birthday presents from fans into the costume. She asked Syachi's Stylist to adjust the fit and make it look a little more like Hide's. I didn't even pick up on this, but Nao wore this for the perf of Misery which was a throwback to Hide's Rocket Dive period. It cost about $200. She thought of everything XD

Before she wraps it up, Nao says her next entry is the hair dying process. She must have gotten requests which is why it was the last MLJ related post she made.

----

*And this concludes my in depth look into Team Syachihoko's Sakura Nao. This is one of my favorite parts of doing translations. I never know what I'll discover or where it will lead me. Not only did I get to learn more about Nao, but I became more familiar with Hide.

Sakura Nao Deep Dive - Part 3

*This was posted on OneHallyu in either May or June 2018. This is also mainly summaries of Nao's blogs and not full translations. This is less of a mess than the original version of Part 2. There's still pictures that have been deleted that I had to replace or omit.

7/17 Blog Entry: 21 hrs left!

21 hrs. before Mix Lemoned Jelly. Even though Nao's feeling very honored, she's still super tense. She says she's almost in tears because she will be collaborating with ZEPPETSTORE who was close with Hide.

Syachi re-arranged the Hide songs they're gong to perform with I.N.A, who was one of Hide's Producers and I think was also in zilch, Hide's final band. She's basically freaking out with excitement and nervousness. Nao feels like her heart's going to explode! Hide's songs helped Nao get through stressful time and push forward. It's not exaggeration to say she's couldn't have become an Idol without finding Hide.

Nao was listening right up to Syachi's performed at Budokan. She doesn't specifically say she was listening to Hide's music, but there are allot of things unsaid in Japanese, so that's probably what she meant. Nao closes by saying that tomorrow will be like dream where she can co-star with Hide She can't express these feelings with words anymore. She's going to have fun and do her best and hopes that her respect for Hide will be conveyed to fans. Nao says she's need to harden her tear ducts, lol.

----

7/19 Blog Entry: Post MLJ thoughts

Here's Nao in all her Hide glory!

The event has come and gone and Nao doesn't know where to start talking about it. She ended up not feeling any tension during the event. she said something to the effect that she was so emotional, that her heart was stained all day. I take that as meaning the she was feeling the excitement the whole time.

First, she apologized to fans for dying her hair. She laughs saying she'll changed it back to black so everyone can relax. Nao goes on to say that it's kind of a heresy for an Idol to dye their hair, so it was shocking to people. She did it at the risk of losing fans. However, that's the kind of Idol that she is. She asks fans if they've ever done anything displeasing/edgy.

(*She says "tokatta" which could mean either "pointed, sharp, or displeasing". The best word for this might be "unpopular", but I went with displeasing/edgy since it's a more literal translation)

She thinks that some people will understand about this. Nao laughs and says she may have to do it again.

(*I'm guessing Nao made that Poll about what to do with her hair because of the response. I didn't expect it to be received so negatively. Idols have changed their hair color in the past, but there has been a focus on natural, black hair for over a decade now, so I guess it's not that popular nowadays.

Maybe it's more that she colored Pink which is too extreme for some people. I thought she looked great)

Nao wanted fans to understand her reasons and that she wasn't rebelling. She didn't want to wear a wig or use hairspray out of pride. It was important to do it this way because it was Hide's Festival. She likes what she likes, so she won't give it up. She didn't want that to get diluted. As and Idol and a girl, it changed her life, and she supported herself up to this point with that. That's the essence of Hide's music.

(*This was a little hard to translate, but I take it that she tries to be herself)

Starting with Hide, she discovered many different kinds of music. she didn't get hung up on his genre, and respects his curiosity and open-mindedness. She wants to be like Hide, to believe in herself and be an honest person.

(*Nao goes on a bit more, but I think this gets her point across so I'll move on)

The 1st day of the Festival was so chaotic, her eyes dried out from crying. Nao never cried so much in one day before this. She doesn't think any tears will come out for 10 yrs.

Because she's an Idol, through performing live in front of an audience, she was able to appreciate how great Hide is. Especially when doing a solo live. Through Hide's free way of thinking, she enjoys herself and has allot of affection for her fans. Nao thinks Hide's fans are wonderful. They received his love in the past, so they returned that love to her.

Nao mentions how it's been almost 20 yrs. since Hide died. She thinks it's amazing that he's been loved for so long and hasn't been forgotten. Even though the world has changed, the way she feels about Hide hasn't. The number of fans like her are increasing. Nao was honored to appear at the Festival of someone she admires so much. She also thanked the members of Syachi and their Staff for thinking it would be difficult for her to go out and perform on her own.

Nao wonders what else she should say. She's glad she could go to an event that was right up her alley, so to speak. That's it. She's glad that Hide's fans enjoyed it, and that those who weren't familiar with Syachi were able to get excited. It was a day she won't forget for as long as she lives.

----

Perfs: Not Nao's best, but as she said, she was so overwhelmed with emotion, it was probably hard to perform well.

"Misery" collab with Zeppet Store (band):

"Ever Free" with Syachi:

This is a longer video of the same performance, but it includes Nao's CM:

I think the Syachi members costumes were inspired by this look from Hide and Spread Beaver:

Sakura Nao Deep Dive - Part 2

*This was posted on OneHallyu in May 2018. When going back to look at the original document, some pics have since been deleted, so I either had to substitute them or omit them completely. I've been working on an original piece, but I wanted to finish backing up the Sakura Nao project I made last year before posting it. This was my first in depth project, so I thought it would be a good idea to show what started it all.

The second installment of my Sakura Nao deep dive. While I looked for pics of Nao and Syachi relating to the Dragons, I found some other interesting pics. In the blog I translated the other day, Nao mentioned that she's a big fan of Hide. Well, She might like him a little too much.

After some more searching, I found a bunch of blogs she posted relating to the "Lemoned Mixed Jelly" Festival. On 5/2, the Anniversary of Hide's death, Nao announced that Syachi was invited to participate in 2016's event which will take place on 7/18. I'm familiar with the Hide Memorial Concerts, but I didn't know about this event. Some brief background:

"Lemoned" was the label that Hide started. In the mid-90's, Summer Festivals hadn't become a thing yet in Japan. "Mix Lemoned Jelly" was held in 1997 at 5 different clubs in Tokyo simultaneously. Hide's label was intended to gather artists from different genres, so the festival followed the same principle. The current incarnation mixes Music, Games, BMX, Fashion, etc. Not unlike some American Festivals.

Since there are multiple blogs about the event, I'm going to summarize them instead of doing full translations.

5/2 Blog Entry: (*She jumps around allot. I don't know if she was so excited that it was just a stream of consciousness post)

Nao writes that she appreciates being able to work with Rock and Metal, which she loves. Outside of her job, she adores Hide. When she found out Syachi was invited to the Festival, time stopped. She wants to show her love for Hide with the world. Of course she loves other Artists, but Hide is exceptional.

Nao goes onto to say that when she was watching X Japan live perfs on video, Hide's long red hair stood out to her. She was attracted be his charm and became a fan.

It's an honor and a privelage to be invited. Even thought she's looking forward to it, as it get's closer to the event, she's feeling the pressure, so it's difficult to talk about.

The first time Nao went to an X Japan concert, she was riding the Shinkansen and crying while watching final live video when they disbanded. At the concert, she held her Hide doll tightly from the beginning until the end. On the train ride home, she hit it off with an older girl who was cosplaying as Hide. She apologizes to people who might not understand how she feels.

(*Nao really, really likes Hide)

Nao brings up that it's the Anniversary of Hide's death. She was only 8 months old. when he died. Now, she's 19. Her favorite song of his is "Misery" and she cries every time she hears it.

When she turns 20, Nao plans to go to his grave. Because of school, she doess't have time right now.

While on her way to work, she plans to get off at Shin Yokohama without permission and go to Miura Cemetery (*Where Hide is buried). She's definitely going to dye her hair pink.

(*This part is a little confusing only because I don't know if her Birthday is coming up. Is she turning 20 soon and is there a school break coming up so she can go to the Cemetery? It's not clear enough)

During class, she was making a drawing of Hide's Mockingbird model guitar that he famously used (*It's a B.C. Rich Mockingbird). She'll lie to the Manager and hang out at the Lemonade Shop. She's going to take Hide with her to University for the Anniversary and wear a Hide t-shirt during gym class.

(*Does she mean taking her Hide Doll with her to school?)

BGM is Misery.

Addressing the Anniversary of Hide's death, Nao says the weather is nice in Nagoya. She jokes and laughs that it's ironic because Hide hated a Blue Sky. She wonders how the weather is in Yokosuka (*Where he was born).

(*I'm not sure what she meant by the Blue Sky joke. I don't know if she referencing the song "Blue Sky Heaven" which is either by X Japan or Yoshiki, or if it refers to an interview Hide gave.

I'm also not sure what's behind the pics she re-posted. I guess she had a party for her 17th Birthday, which would have been in 2014, and it was Hide themed, so someone made a cut out of his guitar, and he was a guest of sorts. I'm sure she made a blog entry, but I don't feel like backtracking to find it. Maybe some other time)

*7/21 Blog Post:

We jump ahead to right before the Festival. Nao is getting her hair dyed Pink like she said she would. She thinks about Hide doing this 18 yrs. ago. Nao jokes that it would be cool if her hair gets damaged and it looks like Pink Mozuku which is a type of seaweed used in various dishes.

This blog is mostly a bunch of pics of her going through the dying process. Nao explains that Hide didn't dye his hair all the way to scalp. It starts a few centimeters away from the scalp. Here's a sampling of the pics she posted on her blog documenting the process.

She ate Pizza while getting colored!

Nao mixes the color herself.

Now we're getting somewhere.

And Viola!

It's weird because the color changes depending on the light.

Nao said it took about 3 hrs. for the whole process. She going through with the proper treatments for it.

Nao wonders how long she'll keep it Pink. She's going to leave it up to fans to vote when it will change back to black. There probably won't be time to change it for the upcoming Girls Factory event.

(*Girl's Factory is the same event I posted about from 2015 when a bunch of Stardust Groups got together for one big show and they did collaborations like the Yellow Summit. Nao is referring to the 2016 event which must be coming up soon. I've seen pics from the 2016 event and she definitely keeps the Pink hair!)

She posts a list of options for fans to choose from:

1. Change it immediately after Girls Factory!
2. I don't care if it's black at Budokan.
3. Definitely Pink at Budokan!
4. 2 Shot with Pink!
(*I don't know what she means. Maybe she's referring to a fan meeting where they'd take pictures with her?)
5. Why aren't there other colors besides black? (Fans can request another color)
6. I'm not sure, but I think this option is "Pink forever".

Looking at comments, she thinks allot of people want to see her keep the Pink for a while, which is why she gave these options. Fans can pick 1 of the 6 options, but she think 5 and 6 would be fun. The deadline for voting is her next blog entry. Fans can just post the number.

She ends by saying it will be fun going on Music Station with Pink hair.

Sakura Nao Deep Dive - Part 1

*This was originally posted on OneHallyu on May 8th, 2018. What was supposed to be a quick blog translation turned into a much bigger project than I expected. Here's what led me down the rabbit hole. I had planned to translate more of the Stardust Planet Blogs, but it fell by the wayside so I decided to get back to into it. I backtracked to where I left off and translated one for Syachi's Sakura Nao.

One note about blog entries I translate. I try to retain the way they're originally written. That's why most sentences are on a separate line, and the text is aligned to the left.

Part 1

Hello. This Sakura Nao.

For now, everyone is introducing themselves, so I guess I'll give a self-introduction.
I'm Team Syachihoko's Dragons Blue, Sakura Nao.

In Feb. of this year, I changed my name from Marriage Blue to Dragon's Blue and Team Syachihoko became officially recognized as a Support Manager of Chunichi Sports's Dragons. Since taking the office of a Manager, I'm in the middle of supporting the Dragons.

(*This is from last year, but it shows Syachi must have supported the Dragons in the past since they're both from Nagoya)

オールスター☆inナゴヤドーム
チームしゃちほこのみなさんが、ユニホームを着てもふもふ耳をつけて・・・素敵なパフォーマンスをしてくれました♡盛り上がりましたね〜〜！ #中日ドラゴンズ #チームしゃちほこ pic.twitter.com/QP5VyYezR7

— ドラゴンズグッズ公式 (@dragonsgoods) July 14, 2017

(*Even though it sounds like Syachi as a group is supporting the Dragons, Nao is the one serving directly as the Manager since it's an obvious tie in with her Color)

中日スポーツ版は「チームしゃちほこ」。 #ドラゴンズ 応援マネージャーになっていただきました♪
咲良菜緒さんの #ドアラ Tシャツ、「ようこそ名古屋へ」と書いてありますね。誰あてかと言うと… pic.twitter.com/623jHS0dNR

— 中日新聞｜東京新聞 広告局 (@np_ad_) March 26, 2018

(*About Marriage Blue:

The term "Marriage Blue" (マリッジブルー) basically means getting cold feet when a wedding is coming up. I'm not sure why this would be her nickname, but it's part of her Self-intro. On the Syachi Wiki, it says her image color is Marriage Blue. Of course, every member has their own color, but I still don't get the significance of Nao's. The Japanese Wikipedia page for Nao wasn't very helpful, but I assume that she'll be Dragons Blue while she supports the Baseball team.

In this blog from 2012, Nao talks about her Image Color. She says she didn't understand it at first, but when her Manager told her the story behind it, she realized how close the connection was. However, she didn't share the story, so I still don't know why it was chosen)

https://ameblo.jp/team-syachihoko/entry-11297901614.html

What? What does everyone want to know?
Well then, I'll talk about something I like.

I love music, and listen to various genres. Because I love Rock and Metal music, I wonder if any of you will listen to it?
In the music world, I'm a big fan of Hide from X Japan's and Hyde from L'arc en Ciel.
Not only the music, but I think the live performance and vocals are the the top two things I like.

Hmm, what else...
I've been watching Anime since I was little, and because I watched Disney and Ghibli, I like the songs that were featured.

I especially like the Princess Series, however, looking back, the story of Pocahontas and the Bells of Notre Dame was difficult to understand when I was little. Recently, I've been reminiscing about Sleeping Beauty!

When I watch a Disney or Ghibli movie, I remember how I felt watching them when I was a child, so I can return to that innocent feeling. It's my favorite time to refresh myself!

However, due to the influence of our Center, Honoka, I started exploring Anime I hadn't seen before, like Kakeguri, the Compulsive Gambler and The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. I'm looking forward to the 50 Volumes of the Kingdom Manga and for the Live Action Movie to be made!

Lately, I've been using Earphones and listening to Ozawa Kenji's "Konya wa Boogie Back".

I've been collecting Lip Liner, Earrings, and Perfume.
I like Lip Liner more than Mat.
Lately, I like simiple Earrings more than colored ones. Gray or Silver for example.
I've been liking fragrences like the Wood Series.
A woman's outlook...

What do you think? Does it represent a strong female? (laughs)

It's getting late around here.
I don't know what else to talk about, so if you have questions, I want you to write comments!
It's a so-called comment return!

I'll use it as reference for the next blog entry I write.

Team Syachihoko is on tour until the end of June, so plase come and see us!
Oh, and as soon as the tour is over, there will be a free Festival hosted by us called "Syachi Fest".

Later~

*BGM:

AIMYON - Jennifer

(*I couldn't find the song to post, so here's something else by AIMYON)

http://blog.stardust.co.jp/stardustplanet/archives/849

Team Syachihoko x Radio Fish - Natalie Interview Part 3

*I finally remembered to translate the title of the Interview.

"Team Syachihoko and Radio Fish will overthrow Da Pump!

Heating up with a killer tune for the mid-summer."

"Please Remember to Sing Along"

--A Blu-ray of the MV and Making of are included on the limited edition of Burning Festival. Based on everyone's reactions, it felt like you had fun doing it.

Nakata: The lighting was so hot when shooting the video, it was like being in the desert. The set was also a bit difficult. Syachi thought they were making the video on a budget.

Nao: No, no! That's not it!

Fishboy: Yes, that's exactly how it was (laughs).

--How long did you prepare before shooting?

Nakata: We danced together about once or twice, didn't we?

Fishboy: Prior to shooting the MV, we ran through the choreo for the Sabi section 1 time. Syachi learned it properly on the day of the shoot. They're more skilled than the Radiofish members, so we had to practice allot during the breaks (laughs).

Honoka: It's a fun dance, so we had no trouble mastering it.

--You do the performance with such a pleasant feeling, that fans of both groups couldn't  help but join in.

Nakata: Syachi saw the video at their Release Event for Burning Festival, and they were really excited to see it. I wanted to do a live performance for Syachi's fans as soon as possible. To be honest, I really wanted to do a live together as well as a release event. However, in the Summer, various events overlapped.

--At the Jump Music Festival at Yokahama Arena in July, the two groups performed Burning Festival together.

Nakata: It got a good response despite being the first live performance. I enjoyed it allot myself. Ikoma Rina (formerly Nogizaka46) watched the stage and said I had a look on my face she'd never seen before (laughs). I guess I was having so much fun, it must have shown on my face.

Fishboy: The song has tension right from the start, and it's a composition that rises steadily. By the time the 2nd chorus comes in, we reach a perfect trance state. I hope everyone listening dances along. It's quite transcendent.

Nakata: I think everyone who hears it is surprised the Rap comes in so early, but I added parts that you can clap along with. "oh, yes!" or "get down!". If you say those words while dancing, you can enter the trance along with us. Because the song has these parts inserted, by all means, remember to sing along with us.

"We wont give up the second half of the year"

--Speaking of songs that are gaining momentum with this kind of fan participation, Da Pump's "USA" is a good example.

Nakata: Yes. We won't lose. I also said "Perfect Human" wouldn't lose to Piko Taro. It's a wonderful feeling and is absolutely important. The first half of the year belonged to USA, but I want it to be said that the second half belongs to Burning Festival. We will get it. From this point on, Da Pump will be out rivals. We're good friends with Da Pump, so we were happy when USA became a hit, but this is a different story. My feeling is like this "We won't give up the second half of the year. Don't screw with us, Da Pump!".

(*In the last sentence, Nakata uses "Fuzakenna" (don't screw with me). It's a phrase that originated in the Kansai region, and is heard often in Anime, so Nakata's just joking around)

Nao: ...

(*I'm not sure exactly how to phrase it, but Nao says something like "We're going to ride". I take it that she means Syachi is ready to join with Radio Fish to take on Da Pump)

Nakata: It's going to cost me saying that, isn't it?

--The Coupling Song "Taiyo Kami/Shin" (Sun God), follows the worship system, right?

Nakata: Koma2Kaz (Komatsu Kazuya - who also writes under the pseudonym KAZ) and JUVENILE composed the music, and SHINGO and SHiN wrote the lyrics. Komatsu did the arrangement for "USA". After heating things up with Burning Festival, you can cool down with Taiyo Kami. They complement each other really well, so please listen to them together.

(*Komatsu is a legend. He's written for just about everyone)

--The 2 songs make a set. That's so great.

Nao: This collaboration was really allot of fun. I want to do it again.

Nakata: I think we've already become friends. If the schedule is okay, and you offer the invitation, then I will jump at the chance. I want to do allot of lives together, but that's a dream. For now, we will join with Syachi and battle with Da Pump over the second half of the year with all our power.

--Are you aiming to participate in NHK's Kouhaku Uta Gassen?

Nakata: Of course. I want to cause an explosion and make it a reality.

Nao & Haruna: Yes!

Honoka: We'll all do our best!

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/syachihoko-radiofish/page/3

Team Syachihoko x Radio Fish - Natalie Interview Part 2

"The longest is [Oh Yeah!]"

--"Burning Festival" is an energetic, up-beat tune. Why did you use a song like this for the collaboration?

Nakata: It's being released as a Summer Single. Since we're collaborating with Syachi, who have high temperature fans, then it needs to have a fast tempo, so I thought this song would be a good choice. Our songs are based on EDM, but EDM has a cold feeling. This time, I wanted to deliver a hot feeling, so I incorporated wind instruments to convey the hot weather. I asked Fishboy and his friend, Miyata "Lefty" Ryo-kun, to compose the song. Miyata-kun also composed Radio Fish's "Golden Age" and "Make Ya Groove".

(*Miyata must be a big deal. He's got 43k followers on Twitter)

Fishboy: For this collaboration, 5 people will be added to the stage, so I hope that everyone's dancing will be good. From the phrase "Everyone dances" I thought of Rockabilly, so I decided to mix Electro and Rockabilly. Originally, scratching was included (*On the recording, I assume) so it had a street feeling. However, Nakata didn't think it felt hot enough, so we added wind instruments and incorporated Jazz elements.

Nakata: We also changed the content of the lyrics. They were originally in the same vein as "Perfect Human" which everyone says is the "Nakata worship system".

(*It might be better to use "System of Worship". I think this is just a fancy way of referring to Nakata's philosophy towards composing)

Nao: Worship system!? That's a bit strange, isn't it (laughs). By the way, what other systems are there besides that?

Nakata: In my opinion, you either "worship the system" or "don't worship the system". Fish wrote lyrics that worshiped the system, so the content reflected his reverance of his older brother, and didn't have many surprises. He's a really nice little Brother (laughs). I didn't want a song with those kind of lyrics, so I proposed that we make it more like "Dancing naked in the middle of the desert". At that time, "Burning Festival" became the title of the song, and I requested the rap sections from Fish.

Haruna: These brotherly interactions are really amazing (laughs).

Nakata: Sure, but this time it's a collaboration with Team Syachihoko, so I want to convey a different feeling. I had high expectations for this collab, and I wanted to make something really good. The first attempt wasn't bad, but I wanted something that had more of a feeling of an "Explosion of Summer". I requested lyrics from Fish that fit better with the title of "Burning Festival", and he immediately came up with the rap sections. Shingo has a serious male character, so his rhyming style is straight forward. It's similar to boxing. He delivers a 1, 2, 3 Punch when he writes lyrics. But since Fish likes English music, he uses two different traits when writing lyrics. His raps will be stylish and cool, but the sung vocals will be serious.

Haruna: That's difficult, isn't it? It was hard for me even though I'm usually in charge of the Rap parts in Syachi songs.

Nao: We don't sing much in English. Only "Yeah" or things like that, so it was difficult.

Honoka: (laughs). Of course, the English parts of Syachi's songs are written in Katakana, like "Enjoy Life".

Nakata: Don't you sing many long English words?

Haruna: "Oh Yeah!" is about the longest (laughs).

Nakata: Really? (laughs). Even so, all of you learned quickly and sang properly. The foundation of our group is built on Shingo's style of rapping and singing. However, Syachi sing together as 5 people, which I don't think is well balanced. I usually just let the members in Skill Master handle the rap. So, I decided to mix Shingo and Honoka together and put them in charge of the Sabi (*low vocal tones). I was in charge of the line division, so I was worried the member's voices might not fit together.

Haruna: It was perfect! During the recording, Nakata was really kind while giving us direction on how to add intonation. Nakata produced everything but his own part. I thought he was amazing.

Nakata: I guess I'll just make the appropriate Producer face (laughs). But I really didn't know during recording how it would turn out. When we finished, everyone listened to it and thought it had a fun and lively feeling like Orange Range's "Locolotion". The dynamic of alternating male and female vocals is really wonderful. All my Producer's luck was used up on this.

Nao: I sang very frantically, so I was worried about whether it would be okay.

Nakata: I was very satisfied. I think it turned out as a really nice song thanks to everyone.

"Even Elementary School Students can do Nakata's dance"

--The choreography of Burning Festival is very unique.

Fishboy: Show-hey handled the choreography for the Sabi part. However, for the Bridge at the end of the Sabi, I thought it needed something grand, so I entrusted that to Nakata. That's where that pose came from (laughs).

Nakata: The members of Radio Fish and Syachi watched me dancing on my own for about 1 hr. I never studied dance, so I think even Elementary School students can do my movements. It's the same approach I took when making Oriental Radio's "Martial Story" routine. In the middle of a performance, a reaction usually comes out like "is this really dancing?". When I collaborated with w-inds, I did the same thing for them, but that feeling didn't come out at all, and I was getting impatient. When I danced for Syachi, that feeling came out easily and I thought "I'm saved this time...".

(*This paragraph was a little difficult to understand. This sounds almost like performance art. Nakata must do his dance routine in front of everyone and wait until they finally start laughing because it's so ridiculous. I guess w-inds missed the point entirely. Nakata's a really eccentric guy, lol)

Nao: Nakata was really funny that time (laughs).

Haruna: Nakata is usually funny, but that whole display was really hilarious. Radio Fish weren't laughing because they're used to it, but all the Syachi members were laughing uncontrollably.

Fishboy: Even though I entrusted it to him, it's a bit irritating to have so many people standing around watching like that. I don't even care to watch professional dancers sweat for that long (laughs).

Nakata: Wow, you've suffered (laughs).

--How was it for the Syachi members to dance to Radio Fish's choreography?

Honoka: Radio Fish came up with allot of movements that were easy for us to understand. It was a really fresh and cool dance. Haruna's really good at dancing, so we felt like cool dancers.

(*I'm not sure if Honoka meant that the other members felt as cool as Haruna because they were performing that kind of choreo)

Haruna: Originally, it had a Hip Hop and Jazz vibe. I've done allot of dances, but this is one of the most fun. There's allot of steps, particularly in the A Melody. I really wanted to do something like this, and after 7 yrs. of activities in Syachi, I finally did.

Nakata: Shingo and I don't dance that part, so it was impressive to see the Syachi members learned it so quickly.

Nao: With the exception of Haruna, it was difficult for us!

Fishboy: Even so, I thought you really did understand it quickly.

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/syachihoko-radiofish/page/2

A few additional notes. It's interesting to hear Fishboy make some jokes at Nakata's expense. Since Nakata is his older brother and senior, it's interesting that they can joke around like they do. I'm not an expert on the social dynamics of Japan, but maybe family members are more informal with each other in social settings than, say, co-workers.

It doesn't come across in the Translation, but I picked on how the Syachi members drop the honorifics when referring to each other. For example, they refer to Haruna as "Haru" instead of Haru-chan. Not using honorifics is a sign you are really close with someone. I guess it's natural for members who've known each other for so long, but this isn't common in every group. Some people get around this by using their nickname instead.

I've noticed the Syachi members kind of contradict themselves throughout Interview. One member will say how easy something was for them, but then another one will talk about how difficult it was. I almost wonder if it's a battle between politeness. Like they're trying to praise Radio Fish by saying they kept the movements simple to make it easier for the Syachi members to learn, but at the same time, it's also really difficult because it's such a great dance. Double the praise, I guess, lol.

Team Syachihoko x Radio Fish - Natalie Interview Part 1

"The common feature is the catchy choreography"

--It seems that this collaboration was realized with an offer from Team Syachihoko. The offer came after Syachi and Radio Fish collaborated for the "#Sotsu Ome! 2018" Live at Zepp Diver City Tokyo in March.

(*Sotsu Ome was the free event held in the Spring for High School Students who were about to graduate. Turning 18 was also a theme)

Honoka: That's right. I had allot of fun singing Radio Fish songs at that time, and thought we could work on something together and made the offer. Thank you for accepting our offer, and for writing the songs. We're really glad.

Nakata (Radio Fish): Not at all. We're the ones who are thankful. We originally started as an Owarai Combination called Oriental Radio. Later, we invited Skill-Master to join, so the number of dancers increased by 4, and it started to feel like a real group. We've collaborated with various Artists, but they feel more like Family members. I'm glad that Syachi has become part of our Family. 

 
(*Owarai Combination refers to the Comedy Duos, sometimes Trios, that Japan is well known for, especially in Osaka. Skill-Master was a dance group that consisted of FISHBOY, Show-hey, SHiN, and RIHITO who all joined and formed Radio Fish. Fishboy is also NAKATA's younger brother. I believe both groups are still active separately even while promoting as Radio Fish)

Nao: Thank you for bringing us into the Family!

Nakata: Ho-chan (Honoka) is on a TV Show in Tokyo, and another Syachi member is starting a TV Show in Nagoya, so we got to know each other a little, and of course the "#Sotsu Ome!" Live event was allot of fun. We've done various collaborations, but Syachi is the first time with a Female Idol group. However, I think there might be some antipathy from fans for doing it.

Nao: There was nothing like that at all.

Fishboy: I thought that Syachi and Radio Fish shared the same kind of catchy choreography. I'm sure this collaboration went well.

Honoka: We thought the same thing. The catchy choreography is easy for our fans to dance along with, so I wonder if fans of both groups with be able to dance together in unity.

Nakata: Yes, I thought the simplicity would fit well with the aesthetic.

Haruna: Thank you very much. After that collaboration (*Sotsu Ome!), I had the chance to interact with fans, and everyone said they enjoyed it. On top of that, I'm proud of the photos I took with Nakata (laughs). I was glad that everyone was happy, so I think it's good that we were able to release a Single together.

"Musical Juniors"

--Fishboy, did you know about Syachi before this?

Fishboy: As a matter of fact, a friend of mine is their Choreographer, so I've seen it often.

--Oh, of course. What was your impression of the girls?

Fishboy: It looked like they were doing whatever idols do (laughs). However, their balance was marvelous, and I thought they were proper Idols.

Honoka: Really? There are times when we can't believe we're still Idols.

Nakata: Of course. The character of each Syachi member stood out, and they showed a cheerful image of an Idol. Also, everyone in the group can sing well. I guess it's because they have various types of songs...As a matter of fact, I myself have provided songs for Kawatami Enon (A member of several bands including "indigo la End", "Gesu no Kiwami Otome", and "Ichikori"). My personal favorite of his is Shampoo Heart (*Shampoo Heart is the title track from an early Single by Syachi that was composed by Kawatami).

(*This paragraph was a little confusing. I wasn't sure if Nakata was saying that he's written songs for Kawatami. He specifically used the word "Provided" which is a little vague. It was kind of a round about way of giving an example of a song he liked. I may have to get some help with this)

Nao: What! Really? I'm so glad!

Nakata: In terms of music genre, we (Radio Fish) are Juniors. We have allot of respect for Syachi and are using this collaboration to study various things. We started our musical activities from the Comedy scene, and have learned through trial and error. They can sing and dance properly, and have an amusing way of speaking. They're really professional.

Nao: No, no...Radio Fish is a really popular group. They've been on Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

Honoka: Yes, yes. When Syachi and Radio Fish decided to collaborate, all our College friends were envious, as well as the Dancers we know.

Haruna: I had a corner at my High School's Sports Festival for dancing, and I had students dancing to "Perfect Human" by Radio Fish. I had one of our Teachers play the role of Nakata (laughs). When this collaboration was decided, I thought "This is amazing! I'm going to brag to all my friends".

Nakata: That's great to hear.

Fishboy: That makes me happy.

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/syachihoko-radiofish