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.

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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.

1st Anniversary Special: PandaMania feat. the "Oreo Pandance"!

I happen to notice the other week that's it's been a year since I made my first post on this blog. Since it's the 1st Anniversary, I thought I should do something special. I mainly translate interviews, blogs, and comments from 2ch/5ch, but I would like to create some original content as well. I've been working on several projects, and one is almost finished, but something came up while I was browsing last night that I though would be better suited for this occasion.

At times like this, people tend to share something personal about themselves. Well, I have a bit of an affinity for Pandas. There's just something about these big, furry, black and white creatures that appeals to me. It can probably be traced back to an old video game. During one particular winter when I was younger, I had a really bad cold. Instead of sitting around being miserable, I decided to do something to take my mind off it. I looked through my PS2 game collection and came across Onimusha.

Set in the Sengoku Era, it was intended to be a Ninja themed version of the Resident Evil franchise. I had bought it several years before, played it for a bit until I got stuck, and then gave up on it. I figured I might as well give it another shot and see if I could get any farther. I started over from the beginning and, after a couple weeks, was able to finally beat it. The relevant part of this story is that when you finish the game, you unlock alternate costumes for the two playable characters, Samurai Yamanosuke and Ninja Kaede. Yamanosuke has the stranger of the two options. He wears a panda suit, complete with a removable head sporting an evil grin.

As bizarre as it may seem, this left a lasting impression on me. Since then, I've taken a keen interest in anything Panda related. All you need to do is add these black and white critters to the mix, and you've got my attention. This Gaara fanart is a favorite of mine.

When my favorite Idols are paired with pandas, it brings a smile to my face.

When they dress as pandas, it's a little creepy, but I still find it adorable.

Just so long as they never go full Panda.

No, Kanako, just...no...

Which finally brings me to the item that inspired this post. Back in March, there were strange Panda sightings in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Fukuoka, and various other places in Japan. People were surprised to see one roaming around like this and went to investigate.

It turned out to be "Oreo Panda", the new mascot of the company.

Oreo Panda is the new panda mascot for Oreos in Japan. https://t.co/jsbtm75iu2 pic.twitter.com/ZEpFxLdgbQ

— Mondo Mascots (@mondomascots) March 22, 2019

It's all part of the new add campaign "Isshoni Asobo (Let’s play together)". The Panda was chosen as the brand ambassador because of people's desire to play with Pandas and touch them (If you aren't aware, the Japanese really love Pandas). Up to this point, Oreo Panda has been pretty laid back. All this would change with his appearance in Osaka where he debuted the "Oreo Pandance".

The culmination of the project is the Music Video that was released on May 20th. In this homage to 80's CMs, Oreo Panda is joined by Ryoko Onee-san, who helps round up the children for the dance. This is a collaboration with Tomioka Dance Club, who shot to stardom after their "Bubbly Dance" performance at the 2017 National Dance Off went viral (iirc, I was first introduced to them on NHK World's J-Melo program the year before, so I was happy to see them get their big break). I'm not sure about the girl who plays Ryoko Onee-san, but the older girls in the back of the formation are most likely the Tomioka Dance Club members who participated in the collab.

I don't know who composed the song, but the choreographer for the Oreo Pandance is none other than the Coach of Tomioka Dance Club, akane. She really outdid herself this time.

Oreo Panda will continue making appearances across Japan, so keep an eye out for him.

And this brings the 1st Anniversary Special to a close. I enjoyed sharing my love of pandas and offering a brief insight into my personality. I'll continue bringing my usual interview translations over the next year, as well as original projects covering various music related topics.

Reol "Follow Your Heart & Music" Interview - Part 2

"You use Rapping when you want people to think"

--The message you put into "Utena" isn't just to encourage people to think positive, and take a chance even when they're uncertain. While moving forward, you're also posing questions about progress. What kind of feelings do you want the listener to receive?

Not just in this song, I often use Rap when I want the listener to think. It's like you're shouting your thoughts and feelings through a loudspeaker. Of course, I'd like it to be enjoyed as music, so I want to make the Sabi very melodious. However, when I come up with allot of things I want to say quickly, then I'll use rap. It's the same with "Utena". I really want you to listen and understand the rap parts. Now that I think about it, in a previous Interview with Natalie, I said it's intentional for rapping to not be understood (laughs).

(*A link is posted to this Interview)

--If anything doesn't come across, you'd like them to read the lyrics, right?

Yes. It's not just about understanding the work, it's about actively absorbing it if you choose to. Not just how the music touches you, but if you think about what the writer is saying, then that's the best scenario. That's the message I put in "Utena". Not to accept the work in front of you as a good thing, but to question "is it really good?". Evolution and development are said to be "good", but is that really true? It would be nice if you could think about it from that point of view.

--In a sense, the song wants to challenge the listener, right?

That's right. On top of that, "Utena" is a very challenging song for me as well. I didn't really try to make it catchy at first. I ended up creating something that's different from what you'd expect from Reol. From the perspective of someone's who's followed me since the beginning, this melody isn't familiar.

--The composition of "Utena" is unique, isn't it. There's no element of Sabi (*Low vocal tone). Instead, the EDM drop takes it's place.

If I'm collaborating with dancers, then I want the drop to come in when the music is rising, so it was a bit more challenging for me. For someone who says "I like Reol's music", I think it will sound fresh. For those who aren't familiar with EDM, I'd like to them to listen to "Utena".

--Not just for this song, but how much do you take into account the listeners when you're writing a song?

I try not to think about that too much. Everyone has a favorite song. They'll often say "I like songs like 'X'", but if you write something similar to that, then they'll say it's an inferior version of the original song. Because my new drawer can only be opened by me, I have no choice but to express myself in my own way.

(*Reol really does say drawer)

"Whether you get angry or not..."

--The theme for this song is "Challenge", so what would you like to challenge yourself to do in the future?

I want to do a guerrilla live. I've thought about doing a live while riding on a Decoration Truck. For example, if you start in the center of town, the customers will follow you, so I don't think the police will get angry (laughs). If they label wouldn't let me go through with it at the last minute, I'd probably get a little angry. I'd spontaneously shout to everyone that I want to make music that's entertaining and surprising.

(*Decoration Trucks or "Dekotora" are elaborately decorated semi-trucks. They were popularized in the 1970's by the movie "Torakku Yarō" which followed a pair of truck drivers running from the law)

--You want to do something that no one else has done.

That's right. I often talk to the live team about using Projection Mapping, so it looks like I'm doing a live at a castle tower (laughs). I want to excite myself and challenge what other Artists are doing. While I'm excited, I want to continue doing things that will also excite the listeners.

(*Projection Mapping, similar to video mapping and spatial augmented reality, is a projection technology used to turn objects, often irregularly shaped, into a display surface for video projection)

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/fyhm02_reol/page/2

Last Idol - 6th Single Interview with Tokyo Popline - Part 2

"Communication in the entire group deepens in 2019"

--Please tell us about the new single "Otona Survivor" that will be released on April 17th. What was your impression when you first hear it?

Midori: We can sell Last Idol with this. I got the impression that it's the first step on the path to being able to sell.

--What part did you like the best?

Midori: It wasn't so much an impression. Even though it sounds like a cool song, we say "Hey, hey".

It's a little different, isn't it? Last Idol is a little different. For example, the costumes for "Bandwagon" are cute with white high socks. It's also interesting when we sing "I like it, I like it allot" and say "I Like it" so many times in a row. Something has changed a little bit with this. There's nothing like Last Idol. If this song can spread, then Last Idol can become famous little by little, so I felt that I had to sell this.

--How about you Abe-san?

Abe: I thought it was cool when I listened to it, and I could see hope just as Midori said. I felt confident I could handle this song, and decided I should do my best from now on. 52 people are dancing in this song, so it will absolutely be cool. I think it's a song that will catch on/take off if allot of people know about it, so I want to do my best.

--When did you find out you were going to be the Center?

Abe: I wasn't told properly about the Center position. When everyone was assigned their positions, I was in the middle, so I was like "Really? I'm the Center?" (laughs). It's a little weird, but it takes the form of a pyramid. I take the lead as we move forward. I felt allot of responsibility, so I had to re-focus in order to lead the performance.

(*Where Abe says "re-focus" she used the phrase "body tightens" or "self tightening". It's sort of like re-committing yourself to a job. You've just been given a promotion, and now you're reaffirming your commitment to doing your best from this point moving forward)

--The "Art of Walking" was adopted in the choreography. Was this difficult?

Midori: It was very difficult. There's usually only positions in the front, but this time we took a new approach and added "depth". For example, up to this point, there was no intention to line up two rows. This time, we have enough depth to do it properly. I had to memorize both, but I don't like thinking like a graph, so I couldn't get it, and was panicking at that beginning.

Moe: Because the formation moves so much, and there are also 52 people, it took some time just to remember the positions. Once that was sorted out, I thought it would be okay.

--Please tell me about the coupling songs. What kind of song is the 1st Gen.'s "If Someone's Dream Comes True"?

Abe: "Otona Survivor" is in a cool style, but this song is more in a cute style with a refreshing feeling. It has a high sound. It's the highest we've done up to this point, so the recording process was very difficult.

--What kind of song is the 2nd Gen.'s "Lollipop"?

Misaka: "Lollipop" is a pretty song just like the title says. It's a sudden change from the 2nd Gen.'s song "Love Has No Weapons". It's a love song, and has phrases like "first love" and "unrequited love", so it's very cute. Moe: Right before the Sabi drops, there's a solo part where I get to sing by myself for the first time. The voices of the girls have many characteristics, so I think you will enjoy it.

(*I haven't heard the song, but I think Moe means that each member gets a solo part so you can hear each of their voices. I can't be sure until I hear it though)

--2018 was a year in which the unity of each Unit was strengthened by battles over the title song. So far in 2019, we've seen the "Art of Walking", the recording of this single, and there's been an increase in activities which call for the unity of the entire group. Have there been any changes in the group?

Midori: Everyone's getting along so well, that I think it was good that we stopped the individual Units for now.

--Is the distance between the 1st and 2nd Gen. also been reduced?

Moe: It's definitely smaller. I used to feel like I was on a cloud that was so far away that I couldn't get close. We originally watched the show on TV, so there's still the image that "The 1st Gen. members are amazing". Because all 52 of us were able to work together as one group on "Otona Survivor" without competition, we had an opportunity to get to know each other and make friends.

(*Where Moe says "Because all 52 of us were able to work together as one group on 'Otona Survivor'", she actually says they worked in a "Flat shape". I believe what she means is a "Flat Organization" which is a business term. I'm probably overthinking this, but there might be a bit more to what she's saying. 

Last Idol Family is structured sort of like a Division Organization:

A division organization is an organizational structure divided by related business units, such as business types, sales regions, and product types. It is often found in companies with multiple businesses. Each business has the necessary functions, and each has the right to make decisions, allowing business units to make flexible and quick decisions.

Another advantage is that competition by division leads to increased employee motivation. However, since one function is divided into multiple divisions, there is also the disadvantage that it is difficult to increase the expertise of each function. Another problem is that each department has its own goals, which makes it difficult for management to control the direction of the company.

A Flat Organization is much simpler:

A flat organization refers to an organization structure with few or no levels of management between management and staff level employees. The flat organization supervises employees less while promoting their increased involvement in the decision-making process.

Not only is Last Idol Family divided into Units, but there is obviously a hierarchy. You could break it up into a pyramid like this from top to bottom. Even within Generations, there is a hierarchy with LaLuce and the 2nd Gen's main group at the top of their respective blocks.

/  1st Generation \

/         LaLuce         \

/GT - CCR - SS - LC\

/     2nd Generation      \

/         Main Group          \

/               Unders               \

I think Moe is saying that that there is a clear boundary between the 1st and 2nd Gen., so by working as one group, those walls have come down and everyone is accessible)

--After looking at the 1st Gen., what impression do you get about the 2nd Gen.?

Misaka: Young (laughs). We're really young, so many of the girls need help when they get confused.

That's not the case with me. I'm more of an introvert. It's also very interesting when we take a picture.

For example, Takahashi Minori will say "The picture's nice, isn't it. Okay, I'm going. Let's go. 1, 2, 3"

she's like her own self shutter (laughs). If you hear a voice that sounds like a Cicada, then that would be Suto Moe (laughs). There's allot of high tension girls with a school like feeling, so I think Last Idol has become brighter.

(*Self shutter is the Japanese term for the timer on a camera. I went with "Introverted" but Misaka specifically says "locked in her shell" which is close enough)

Midori: When we held the 1st Anniversary concert at Tokyo Diver City, many of the 2nd Gen. members had no experience as Idols, so some of the girls didn't know how to rehearse well. Even though I thought they were "a bit of hindrance" in such a narrow space, I didn't say it. On the 2nd and 3rd day, I noticed they started doing better. They even properly organized their luggage, which I thought was cute. Also, because we all rehearsed together while being sweaty, when the 2nd Gen. members saw us like that, they said "we respect you", so I was very glad.

Abe: I've been an Idol for a long time, so when the girls who've never been Idols joined, I felt nostalgic about my early days, and remembered why I decided to become an Idol in the first place.

--Abe-san, you're a shy person, but what do you think about the 2nd Gen. members?

Abe: Yes. Hashimoto Momoka and I often use Line. If we're at an event and staying in the same Hotel, she'll say "let's go back together", and we'll walk back together. Oishi Natsumi from LaLuce is very friendly with the 2nd Gen., so you when you are with Natsumi-chan, you can interact with the 2nd Gen. (laughs).

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Last Idol - 6th Single Interview with Tokyo Popline - Part 1

Last Idol have a lively discussion when the 1st and 2nd Gen meet.

What do they want to do next after the "Walking Art"?

On March 23rd and 24th, a collective performance referred to as "Walking Art", which took 3 months of practice, will be presented at the B.LEAGUE held in Kawasaki City's Tororo Arena with 52 members. The title song of this single is sung by all 52 members, and the element of "Walking Art" was incorporated into the choreography becoming a work that cannot be imitated (duplicated) by any other group.

At this time, we spoke with 5 members of Last Idol, Abe Nanami (LaLuce), Nagatsuki Midori (LaLuce/Chou Cream Rockets), Majima Wakana (Someday Somewhere), and Shinoda Moe and Hata Misaka (2nd Gen) about the core theme of the new single.

"Now that you've accomplished this with all 52 members, what would you like to do next in the fashion of the 'Walking Art'?"

--Thank you for your hard work on the production of "Walking Art". I watched the performance on the 1st day at the venue, and it was a huge success. Did you cry after the performance?

Everyone: (nodding)

Midori: I started crying when I was alone even before it started... (laughs). I couldn't help it. The tears didn't stop until the moment right before the performance started. Once again, I was getting overwhelming because I wanted it to be successful. After it was over, I cried myself to death (laughs).

--What did you talk about after it was over?

Wakana: I couldn't talk at all (laughs). I cried so much that I couldn't get any words out and I was out of breath.

--What did your Supervisor say to you?

Midori: "All of you were amazing!". In the beginning, he said "What are you supposed to be?". However, the day before yesterday, he started saying "Amazing!" and that we were "courageous and really great", so I cried again (laughs).

--How was the performance on the 2nd day?

Wakana: Instead of crying, the 2nd day was filled with a sense of accomplishment, like "we did it right!".

Moe: I was really nervous on the 1st day, and couldn't focus on the audience or what was going on around me. However, on the 2nd day, I was able to relax and give a better presentation. I could smile during the performance of "Otona Survivor", and was able to express my true self.

--"Otona Survivor" was unveiled for the first time.

Abe: There are allot of times when we don't have allot of time to practice before we go out to perform. This time, we had allot of practice time. After we worked things out as best as we could, we prepared for the performance. Allot of customers were there beforehand, and they gave us shouts of encouragement, so I was relieved that we had a good performance.

--I think that the "Walking Art" was a challenge that Last Idol could undertake only after becoming 52 members. Now that you're a group of 52, is there anything else you want to do with this formation?

Midori: Yes! A Sports Day! (Everyone raises there hands)

Moe: Oh, I want to do that!

Midori: After this, I know who has good reflexes and who doesn't. I also have bad reflexes, so it would be more like a competition between the staff, so I'd rather see a contest between the members with good reflexes.

--You want to have a Sport Day, but you don't want to participate in the competition? (laughs)

Midori: Yes. Just let me roll the big balls. Otherwise, leave me out of it (laughs).

(*the big balls refer to a competition where several members roll a giant ball, about as tall as they are, to one end of a goal and then back again to their team. The object is for all the members of the team to roll the ball before their opponents)

--What's makes reflexes so important in this?

Midori: It's everything.

Moe: That's not it!

Midori: Well then (considering Abe and Wakana), these 4 might not be any any good (laughs).

(to Misaka) What do you think?

Misaka: How should I judge it? I'd say we're all average.

Midori: Wow, that's great!

Wakana: An average assessment is great!

Moe: Really?

Midori: (to Abe) What can you do?

Abe: I can jump the hurdles.

Moe: Are you fast?

Abe: Not really...

Midori: Well, then she's going to skip the relay (laughs). We'll do our best in the obstacle course and the ball rolling.

Everyone: (Laughs)

--Is there anything else you'd like to do?

Wakana: I'd like to do something like a stage play or a drama. We all want to shoot a drama. That's the path for an Idol isn't it, to shoot a drama with everyone? We all want to work on 1 thing together, and to overcome another obstacle with everyone, so I think I'd like to do something like this again.

Abe: I want to draw a picture.

The other members: A picture?

--Would you all draw 1 picture? Would you draw one after the other?

Abe: One by one...I want to paint a landscape (laughs).

Wakana: Something like that?! (laughs).

--That's interesting (laughs). On the other hand, even though there are more things you can do with this formation, you have to show your individual personality among 52 members. That must have been especially difficult for the 2nd Gen. What do you think?

Moe: I think that the members are not only friends, but also rivals, so I need to show my strength and personality within this formation. The chance to show what you can do is limited here, so I have to figure out on my own the best way to do that.

--Moe, what kind of character would you like to have in the 2nd Gen.?

Moe: It would be good if I expressed my opinions more. Many members in the 2nd Gen. haven't done anything in the entertainment industry until now. Because we're aware of this difference, we should talk express ourselves more so we can improve.

--What about you Misaka?

Misaka: Even though I host a variety program on Showroom called "Last Idol's 2nd Gen. Evening Distribution", I often have trouble understanding my character. I'm the oldest among the 2nd Gen. members, but I don't know what position I should have or what I should look for.

Moe: But I think that's a strong character.

Midori: I think so too.

Misaka: Really? What kind of character?

Midori: Fluffy.

Everyone: (Laughs)

(*Midori says "Fuwa Fuwa". The literal translation is "Fluffy", but there's a bit more to it. It can mean something that is soft and fluffy, like an animal or clothing, but it can also refer to the lightness of a cake or marshmallows)

Misaka: I think it's just the way I talk (laughs)

Midori: The way you dress too. Very fluffy. I'd like to copy that style in the Spring.

Misaka: Oh, I'm glad! I don't really wear clothes that are fluffy. I just post about them on SNS.

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