Backstage Party ver. Black cross talk (p.66~70)

From: Backstage Party Ver. BLACK

This is the translation of an 'interview' done in a TsukiSta's official fanbook, Backstage Party Ver. BLACK., which spreads from p.66~70.

Pardon for rigid English. Please don't re-post or re-translate without asking for permission.

6shot Cross Talk

We're having the members recall the moments in 2016, which they ran through with full force.

・　Their encounter, and their first stage as Gravi

Nakada: At first, there were many things that we didn't know from each other. Right now, we managed to blend so well that we can even argue about anything, but everyone was being humble and reserved.

Yamazaki: Everyone was trying to behave accordingly, or rather...

Kiyama: It's probably more fitting to say that we were trying to learn about each other's personality and conducts.

Nakada: Many of us are straitlaced after all.

(Toward the staffs who are chuckling at his statement:)

Nakada: This is not where you're supposed to laugh! (laughs)

Jounin: Everyone was holding back to each other, to the point that we didn't know where to sit when we go to the training studio.

Yokoo: But, even now, the impression we had of each other at first doesn't really change, right?

Nakada: Yeah, it doesn't.

Yamazaki: At first, did Men-san and Hiroki-kun, as the Nenchougumi, felt like they have to be the ones who pull the group together?

Menjou: Yes, I really felt it. In the first place, I'm not that good at working together as a group. And in that meaning too, I was expected of things that I originally don't have in me, so everything felt new to me. So it was like I did it while watching out for people's reaction and had others helped me out with stuffs.

Nakada: I think Men-chan had grown so much in just one year. I'm sorry if I sound snobbish by saying this, but I think you've also changed greatly in the inside. At first, when we were in the training studio, you were saying, "let's think of how to solve problems and pull the team together", but then steadily, you can decide things all by yourself now. And along with that, you started to grow and become more leader-like.

Yokoo: Yeah. Men-san doesn't give us directives, "It would be better to do it like this", through words, but instead through actions. That's why, everyone can willingly follow his lead.

Menjou: I was actually pretty desperate in my own way. (laughs) Each of Gravi members have distinct personality, so I think that if I try to unify them, those personalities might not be able to get enlivened. Besides, each of you understand well your own role and values it well. I trust you all, and so there were instances where I didn't interfere and decided to simply watch over your conducts.

Kiyama: And precisely because we understand that you trust us, that it makes us feel that we have to live up to your expectations.

Yamazaki: Yeah. That must be why we managed to naturally become unified like this.

・　Their impression about the First Act

Nakada: I only remembered how fun it was during the performance, but the practices before that left a pretty deep impression in me.

Yamazaki: When I listened to the drama CDs, I was thinking, "How would this turn into a theatrical performance?" (laughs)

Yokoo: Yeah, it felt kind of strange.

Yamazaki: It was a drama, but at the same time a live concert, right? That's why, it took some time until we found out how to "show" it correctly...

Kiyama: Also, there are many other works with idol as its theme, and there are also many who let us enjoy the character development together. "Tsukiuta." started with the characters already working as idols, and it's a work who describes their daily life, thus we have to create the concert part ourselves. It's such a difficult task, but also feels worthy to work on.

Menjou: It was also my first time having to give fanservice, so at first I really didn't know what I should do.

Yamazaki: Is that so. And also, among fans who came to watch the performance, there are those who came not to watch us, but to watch the idols we took the role of. That's why, I really felt how difficult it was that we have to keep acting while on the stage.

Jounin: What felt the most difficult for me is that I have to build a relationship with fellow Gravi members. It's because I'm very shy. Besides, at first, it was all I could do to master the role given to me, so if I think back about it now, I feel that I had caused a lot of trouble to everyone here.

Menjou: No, I think everyone also had their head full with their own problems too, at first.

Kiyama: Yeah. But, compared to back then, right now the speeds of things we can achieve in rehearsals had become remarkably faster. It could be because each of us had grown, but I think our teamwork that had become increasingly better also plays a factor.

Yokoo: When it comes to dance skill, though, the one who had the best growth is Tatsuki, without a doubt.

Jounin: Really!? Hooray!

Menjou: Compared to last April, not only in acting, in terms of awareness and mentality, everyone had changed quite a bit.

Nakada: You're right. On April, we tried our best to be as perfect as we can, and we gave it everything we have at that time, but as we advance further, we're able to expand the ways to act it out. And because we're able to feel those experiences with our own body, right now, instead of feeling the pressures, we're able to understand that "the way we're having fun with this relates to how the fans would enjoy it". I think that's pretty important.

・　A new challenge with Second Act, "Yumemigusa"

Yamazaki: It was a story about life and death, and it was pretty difficult finding out how to express Arata and Aoi in such settings.

Jounin: Yeah. Also, the relationships that couldn't be shown in First Act is described more deeply in this Second Act. The two of us were thinking hard in how we can show it in our act.

Yokoo: We were also practicing hard to sing the original song. (To Kiyama) Right?

Kiyama: Yeah, we did! Just among us Nenshougumi.

Yokoo: Because we were worried, we asked the composer to check each of us separately. We also tested our voice out together every morning. How nostalgic. Also, what I remembered the most clearly from all the performances is how voluminous it was. There are parts where we have to sing and dance, act in the drama, sword fight... What's more, there are two performances per day, and it was held of 5 days, so at the last one, I couldn't really stand firm.

Menjou: You're right, out of all plays I had, "Yumemigusa" exhausted my physique the most.

Yamazaki: It completely felt overwhelming. (laughs)

Yokoo: I believed that I could get wounded if I weren't focused in some parts, like when I have to jump down from stairs in the later half of the performance. But, even though it was difficult, I'm actually thankful because it let me find a target, in which I want to gain more stamina so I can handle them.

Menjou: Yeah. After those performances ended, no matter how harsh the practices or real performances of the plays I had after that, it felt really easy. (laughs)

Jounin: I really understand that feeling! (laughs)

Nakada: Also, it's also important to note that Gravi and Procella joined hand in hand to create the performance, right? Even though we know Procella's characters, we didn't know what kind of performance skill or potentials that they have until we work together with them.

Yokoo: You're right. That's why I remembered finding the first day of practice feels so fun.

Nakada: Both sides were trying to learn about each other, like, "How would they come at us?" (laughs) But, I really felt how the two teams gradually get used to each other. That sensation feels so pleasant. Thanks to that, after the performances ended, it felt so lonely.

Yamazaki: We received so many stimulation from them too.

Menjou: Yeah. Also, each members of Gravi and Procella has a character that becomes their 'opposite', right? For me, it'll be Procella's leader, (Shimotsuki) Shun-kun. Obviously, (Tomotsune) Yuuki-san who acted the role has much more experiences than me, and even though he's older than me, because we're performing the same work, since the days of First Act, I arbitrarily thought of him as my rival. But, as we're working on Second Act, I felt that we're coexisting. While in training studio, Yuuki-san would talk to me, asking stuffs, and I also took initiatives to discuss things with him. And like that, we compensate for what each other lacks, and not only the level of the work's completion, but I also feel that the strength of the two teams increased thanks to that.

Kiyama: The atmosphere in the training studio also felt different, huh? It felt like thanks to the two teams cooperating with each other, we were able to head together to achieve an excellent result.

Nakada: There are many times where while looking at how Procella do their things, I was made to think, "Gravi can adopt this method too". I think that the awareness that "we have to aim higher and higher!" that became stronger after the performances ended was because Procella was there with us.

Menjou: They're like people that support us, but at the same time also compete with us.

Yamazaki: Speak of which, when it comes to the First Stage, didn't it felt like Procella's performance was much more perfect than ours?

Menjou: It did! I was told by an unbiased staff who watched the two side that "For the First Act, Gravi's felt like they had a late start".

Nakada: "Procella's was smartly performed, but Gravi's was messy and unsteady". I was very frustrated when I heard that!

Jounin: Everyone had been doing their best ever since then.

Menjou: But we were able to turn the table with the Second Act. It must be because we strongly felt that we don't want to lose to them since the very start. I heard about this much later after that, but it seemed at that time, Yuuki-san was very frustrated about it, and ever since then have been getting even more psyched. In that meaning too, I think the Second Act is a piece that relates to the growth of both team.

・　"Lunatic Live" was held on December last year. Thoughts of standing and performing in Pacifico Yokohama?

Nakada: I was filled with emotions!

Jounin: Yeah! The cheering that I heard the moment we got on the stage was so amazing that I almost cried.

Yokoo: It was an experience that not just everyone can have after all, standing in front of so many people, with us as the main attention.

Menjou: Many things were out of my expectations. Not only the amount of the audience, the lighting works and the amount of pen lights that the audience carried were so incredible. It felt rather unreal, so at first I was flabbergasted. (laughs)

Nakada: Taiki was so hyped up, right? Before we went to sing "GRAVITIC-LOVE", we tried to get ourselves psyched up by doing a cheer in the backstage, and you were the only one whose tension was so high. (laughs)

Yamazaki: I think that how loud the audience cheer speaks of how big their expectation on us is. That's why, when I thought that we should return the feelings with something much bigger than that, I just naturally got hyped up.

Nakada: As expected from "Yamazaki Taiki the Fearless"!

All: Hahahahahahaha!

Nakada: On the contrary, the one who clearly looks the most nervous was Tatsuki!

Jounin: Anyone would be nervous in that situation~ (laughs)

Yokoo: But, there are idols who performed in a much larger scale than that, right? It makes us once again felt what an amazing experience it was.

Yamazaki: Yeah. Besides, thinking back about it, in the performances before that, we had our hands full trying to act as the characters, but in LunaLi, I felt that we were able to please the audience while at the same time acting our role.

Nakada: You're right. It felt like we were able to shorten the distance between us and the audience.

Kiyama: ... Hey, can I have you guys listen to my thoughts on it too?

Nakada: How was it for you, Ryuu?

Kiyama: I was so frustrated seeing you guys wrote "It was so incredible!!" in Twitter and stuffs!!

Yamazaki: Ryuu-kun didn't get to join us after all. But, it didn't felt like you weren't with us.

Yokoo: That's right. It really felt like you were always with us.

Kiyama: I wasn't there at all though! (laughs)

Menjou: (laughs) Also, what's amazing was what happened when I went "Ahhh..." during "GRAVITIC-LOVE"! After the song ended, we were talking about it in the backstage, like, "What was that!?"

Nakada: That was really surprising. I didn't think they would let out such a big cheer.

Menjou: Of course, I understand that the fans who watched the anime were expecting for it. But I didn't know what would be the right way to do that "Ahhh..." part, so I practiced a lot on that part. Then, despite feeling nervous, I tried to say that "Ahhh..." part, and was responded with cheering that almost sounded like an earthquake. For a moment, I was shocked and thinking, "What had just happened!?" (laughs)

Yamazaki: We were also surprised. (laughs)

Yokoo: The hall's temperature just suddenly rise higher.

Kiyama: Hee~~~ How nice. Everyone sounded like they're really having fun.

Yamazaki: Don't get so sour about it. (laughs)

Kiyama: Sorry, sorry. (laughs)

・　Please tell us about Gravi's next objective.

Yamazaki: A lifestyle free of inconveniences!

Jounin: Go international!

Nakada: No, not like that. (laughs) Of course, that sort of objective is also important. But I think it's more important to do it step by step without forgetting our initial resolution.

Menjou: We would want to increase our skill as idols too, right?

Yokoo: You're right. Besides, if I recall about it now, I felt that I was able to give out fanservice until the most rear of the seats during the First Act in Seiryokaikan Hall. But, with a hall as big as Pacifico Yokohama, I felt like I couldn't reach the most rear of the seats no matter what I do, which frustrated me. That's why, I'd like to increase my awareness in trying to give them fanservice.

Kiyama: I feel so happy that I can continue working on this piece, so that I can put into shape this grateful feeling and return it to the fans, I'd like to hone the degree of accuracy of things that I do. Also... if you ask what my personal dream is, then it would be to perform in Pacifico Yokohama!

Menjou: Not going to aim even higher than that?

Kiyama: No, I want to see the view in Pacifico together with you guys! That's currently my biggest dream!!

Yamazaki: Oh, you said something that made me really happy.

Kiyama: Or rather, every time you guys start talking about how great it was performing in Pacifico, it made me feel lonely. (laughs) That's why, I want to see the same view as you guys and take back my youth once again!

Jounin: You can just buy the DVD and watch it over and over. (laughs)

Yokoo: That's not what he meant, you know. (laughs)

Kiyama: But, if I can say what I really, really feel, I'm actually really happy to know that everyone performed in Pacifico, as if it was my own experience. Seeing the audience's reaction also made me so happy. ... That's why I really felt jealous of you guys! (laughs)

Nakada: And so it's important that we can continue on, so we can fulfill your revenge too.

Menjou: For the sake of the views that we'll see together from now on, and also for the chance to come upon us, let's do our best much more than ever!