トゥギャザー新曲！！

「The first time I recorded, I sang at a lower pitch ー Secret stories about recording the character songs」

ー Please tell us how you felt while recording Juto's "Bayside Smoking Blues" and Rio's "What's My Name?".

Komada: "Bayside Smoking Blues" is a calm song with a relatively slow tempo and using the piano, so I was surprised by its grown-up sound the first time I listened to it.

Kamio: Yeah, I thought Yokohama would be all hard-hitting music.

Komada: When Juto raps, he's the type to get worked up, so I was wondering how I would make his personality show properly through such a calm sound without destroying parts of it. I practiced before the recording, so that I could be able to sing any kind of song, using all kinds of previous knowledge that I had. It's an unusual piece in terms of musical composition for Yokohama, and I even sang to a proper melody. By the way, for some reason, it's only in my song that  there are no interjections from Samatoki or Rio! That's why one part of the lyrics says "I'm a lonely RABBIT." I thought it made sense, but at the same time, the fact that he calls himself a rabbit... (Laughs)

Kamio: He's really out there acting cute, huh.

Komada: The fact that he sings a mellow solo at the beginning felt pretty new. It was interesting in the sense that his image wasn't being constrained.

Kamio: We can sense Juto's dark side through his song. At first, I thought it was a song from before he met Samatoki and Rio.

Komada: I thought so too. But he does say that the three of them are the strongest as Yokohama, so they have met. I find it a skillful decision not to include everything about the story inside of the lyrics, and to let the fans imagine parts of it too.

Kamio: We don't have to reveal all of the answers at once, after all. It's alright if we reveal it little by little.

Komada: What about the party tune "What's My Name?"

Kamio: Since Samatoki and Juto both introduce themselves in their songs, the moment I heard mine, I thought: "Huh? Is he giving a self-introduction?" (Laughs) I guess he sounds like he does, but he doesn't really. At the end, he says "Samatoki, Juto, Rio, we cook together" but I wonder if he just felt like saying that (laughs). Also, if we were to perform this song live, we could do call-and-responses with the audience, but singing it at karaoke feels pretty lonely......

Komada: (Laughs)

Kamio: Actually, the first time I recorded, I sang at an even lower pitch. Compared to Rio's usual voice and to the recent songs, "What's My Name?" is sung at a higher key,  because I made my voice a little higher to make it sound like a past version of Rio from a little before meeting Samatoki and Juto.

ー Did you decide on your singing style once you were on location?

Kamio: I did. I decided to sing at a slightly higher pitch after discussing, for example, what kind of image we want to portray. Surprisingly, I had to redo the recording for the "Salute!" line from the very beginning and the "Survival cooking" part a lot. I felt like, through this song, you would get to see the extent of Rio's spontaneity as a person.

Komada: That's pretty cute, isn't it!

Kamio: There are a lot of meanings to the phrase "What's My Name?" too. It could literally mean "Let me hear you say my name," but it could also mean something like "The last thing you'll hear is my name," in other words "I'll kill you." I think it's a good song because it can be interpreted in a lot of ways.

ー What do you think is Yokohama's selling point, in terms of rap?

Kamio: Samatoki does some adlibs in English at the beginning of this song, Komada-kun speaks English, and Rio is also mixed, so I think that the fact that Yokohama's ability to use language is one of their strengths. There's also the questionable, bloody lyrics (laughs).

Komada: They cut deep and are pretty underhanded, aren't they. Ikebukuro's rap is hot, but ours is like "We'll crush you before even heating up." The word choice in ours is quite coarse.

Kamio: It sounds quite radical, doesn't it.

Komada: That's what's cool about them. There's also the feeling that if it were any other franchise, we wouldn't get to use such hard-hitting vocabulary. Rather than saying "I'll crush you!" in a straightforward way, we say it like "I'll smash you by doing this and this and that"...... It's scary (laughs). If there's one division who can be thought of as "simply scary," I think it would be Yokohama.

Kamio: It's like "Yokohama Is Strong (physically)."

Komada: Right (laughs). They are strong in a literal sense.

Kamio: Then it's "Shinjuku Is Strong (mentally)." I feel like Ikebukuro and Yokohama are physical types, while Shinjuku and Shibuya would fight in a psychological way.

Komada: Ikebukuro is made of brothers who protect each other, so if someone were to badmouth them they'd retaliate, but Yokohama is scary because they singlehandedly target their opponent's life. I guess that could be their selling point. Like, the fact that despite being such a crazy team, when they're only the three of them they act warm and comfortable.

Kamio: Mom (Juto) seems pretty busy.

Komada: Like "Samatoki please stop!" or "Rio, don't bring mice back!"

Kamio: I think a mom would struggle a lot with this division  (laughs).

Komada: It's hard to deal with someone so spontaneous after all! He always just goes and makes food for you. Also, you can't run away from the number one most physically strong person (laughs). Even though Juto is 1.81 m tall, he's the smallest out of the three.

Kamio: Our team's heights are just weird. Though, Shinjuku's doctor Jakurai is even taller.

Komada: Doctor Jakurai is just way too big (laughs).

「The more you rap, the better you become at rapping」

ー Did the two of you listen to a lot of rap before?

Kamio: In my case, I hadn't listened to a lot of Japanese hip-hop, but I was a kid who would often listen to American West Coast-style rap music in my car.

Komada: I also listened to rap music before. Hip-hop culture was more popular oversees than in Japan after all. If you went downtown or into a music store, there would always be rap music playing.  When I was in Germany, Eminem and the others were at the peak of their popularity, so I'd often listen to them, and we'd imitate them with my friends. Hip-hop was very familiar to us. I never though I would myself get involved in rap music though.

Kamio: It's really difficult to interpret characters through rap music, after all.

Komada: It is!

Kamio: In essence, rap consists of throwing your thoughts at your opponent, right? For that reason, when you're rapping as a character, you have to really sing while understanding that character, or else your words don't reach the other person. Maybe that's why we're having an easier time rapping freestyle as Juto or Rio now, compared to back then.

Komada: Rapping became easier. When we're recording, we already have the lyrics, and we get to think about the setting and all beforehand, but we don't have a script when we're rapping freestyle or when we're doing "Lyric Matches" (1) during the Niconamas. (2)

Kamio: We're not rappers, you know (laughs).

Komada: There are times when we mess up and get embarassed too! In the end, hip-hop isn't just about giving more recognition to rapping in a recording room, but also about the people who rap monologues, or do energetic freestyle. For that reason, aside from treating rap music as part of the content of the series, I want to get familiar enough with rhyming so that I can try my hand at freestyle rap too. I've been talking about this with Kimura Subaru-kun too.  

ー Has Kimura-san been giving you any advice or pointers?

Kamio: Koura Bintarou-san (E/N: Kimura Subaru's pen name) is the one who wrote the rap lyrics in the audio drama, but during the recording, I was nervous because he was watching us from behind.

Komada: Kimura-kun's understanding is very well developed because he is both a lyricist and an actor. He doesn't just start out by telling us to do this or that.

Kamio: He'd be like "Could I see you do it first?," and then after I perform it, he'd praise me like "Whoa amazing. I can really feel those vibes!"

Komada: He calms us down saying "Your skill is making me fall over!" (laughs). From there, he gives us precise directions on how to finetune each and every point. I also feel like we've steadily been getting better at rapping, so sometimes I feel like it'd be nice if we could re-record our first song again.

Kamio: It would be nice to look at it in terms of character development, but it's also kind of a shame. It made me feel that the more you rap, the better you become at doing it.

Komada: I don't feel like I'm just singing while chasing after the lyrics anymore.

Kamio: I became able to say words as words. It's become natural for me as a person to rap.

ー Would you like to try writing lyrics too?

Komada: I am interested in it. Whether it's for recording or for freestyle, both require you to come up with lyrics, after all.

Kamio: I write a lot. I've been writing lyrics for an 8-bar rhythm so that I'm ready whenever I'm called to do a Niconama. Rappers don't entirely improvise either, after all. They do come up with some patterns beforehand, and collect phrases that they found cool. Rio's birthday is on June 21, so I made up some lyrics using that. (E/N: Please check Kamio-san's Twitter account for the lyrics!)  (T/N: Here they are! )

Komada: As expected of you.

Kamio: Though, the moment the song comes on, I can't say them.

Komada: I know~ We get so nervous, right? Though, I think that whether you've prepared in advance or not does affect which words come out in the spur of the moment.

「Towards the 2nd Live ー All we're bringing is our stamina!」

ー How much do you prepare before the Niconama "Lyrics Match" battles?

Kamio: What I find amazing is that the listeners' lyrics become more polished every time we do it. We receive an incredible amount of them too.  It's about to become as thick as a phone book.

Komada: We'd received a lot of submissions when Kamio-san was a guest, and we got even more when I was a guest after that, so I wondered just how much everyone actually writes (laughs). They make sure to write them in-character too. I'm moved.

Kamio: I read them all beforehand, and everyone spends a lot of energy writing them for us, so I put a lot of energy into reading them too. I always arrive significantly early to the "Hypmic" locations.

ー How did you feel during the CD release event on January 21, when you rapped in front of an audience for the first time?

Kamio: Hearing the audience's reaction in person really does feel great.

Komada: Though, I think that at that time, the audience was still confused since we didn't 100% understand how to get them fired up yet, either. They didn't have lightsticks to wave around, so it was fun to think of ways in which we could get everyone excited, and to see how the audience would respond to it. It'll be even more fun next time, so it would be nice if everyone could scream a lot.

Kamio: Right, so that the whole place resonates. It would be nice if everyone could raise their hands while standing, and carry goods. That would definitely be exciting.

ー Well then,  if you may share your excitement about the 2nd Live, which will take place on August 26, with us.

Kamio: The other day, we went to Karatetsu (3) with the Hypmic members for the champagne tower (E/N: see below), but there was a karaoke stage so we sang "WAR WAR WAR" and it felt like we were fighting with Ikebukuro.

Komada: The music came on while Subaru-kun was standing in the middle talking...... and he just sang like that!

Kamio: Amazaki-kun, who plays Saburo, wasn't there, so Ishiya-kun, who plays Jiro, sang instead. It was so much fun to get on stage, face each other, and throw the lyrics at one another. All the other grown-ups around us were getting into it too.

Komada: It'll be a lot of fun for sure if it becomes like that during the live, too.

Kamio: We absolutely won't let it fail.

Komada: Not all of the members will be there for the 2nd Live, but it'll still be the first time that we perform with a big family of 11 people,  so I'm reallly looking forward to seeing how it turns out. I'll prepare with everything I got before it. I'm sure we'll get super excited, so it would be nice if the audience could scream to their hearts' content and get excited with us too.

Kamio: All we're bringing is our stamina!

E/N: The champagne tower is one of the collab menu items at Karatetsu. It is based on Shinjuku division's Izanami Hifumi's character song. 

Report about our experience having the champagne tower special course on a starry night! A tower of bubbles was set up for us!  

「Conclusion」

This was our interview, above, with Komada Wataru, voice of Iruma Juto, and Kamio Shin'ichiro, voice of Busujima Mason Rio. We got to see their friendly relationship through their fun atmosphere, and to hear their insightful thoughts about their characters and rap music. Please look forward to the outcome of the "Battle Season" and to the 2nd Live on August 26 as well.

T/N

(1) The "Lyrics Match" is a game they have for the Niconamas where viewers are asked to submit lyrics, which will be made into a rap that the voice actors will have to rap onto an audio track.

(2) "Niconama" (ニコ生) is the livestreamed program that the Hypmic voice actors periodically do, during which they hold rap battles and talk about the series. Viewers can comment in real time, and the voice actors can see the comments on a screen as they come in.

(3) "Karaoke no Tetsujin," commonly shortened to Karatetsu. A karaoke parlor.

Without regards to the popularity of "Hypnosis Mic," a franchise built around rap music, the anthem song featuring its all-star cast, published on Youtube in August 2018, has been viewed more than 3 million times as of July today! The battle CD between Ikebukuro and Yokohama, "Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW," which was released on May 16 has also placed 1st on the iTunes album charts.

The new CD featuring Shibuya versus Shinjuku, "Fling Posse VS Matenrou" was also released on July 18, and the excitement is steadily growing as we approach the live performance of August 26!

This time, we got to talk with Komada Wataru, voice of Iruma Juto, and Kamio Shin'ichiro, voice of Busujima Mason Rio, of "Hypnosis Mic," the series which is the object of so much attention.

「A character who doesn't seem like he would rap ー Things to keep in mind when acting」

ー Please tell us about how you felt when you were casted for "Hypnosis Mic."

Kamio Shin'ichiro: When I looked at the documents about the characters before the auditions, I thought that if I were to play one of them, it would either be Juto or Rio, since they seemed the most likely to have a deep voice.  I also tried to appeal to that by lowering my voice by an octave when I sang the audition song. I was happy when I got casted without problem, after that. I like the setting of "Hypnosis Mic" too, so I was really happy.

Komada Wataru: I wanted to play Rio because I wanted to play a character who looked like he'd speak English. I thought he seemed mixed when I learnt his name. Though, I feel like with rap, any character would use English to some extent, so I thought that it wouldn't be necessary for me to fixate on landing Rio's role. When I actually went to read the lines for the audition, I thought that it was easier for me to grasp Juto's overwhelmingly powerful aura than Rio's, and that his personality would also be easier for me to act out.

Kamio: That kind of thing does happen.

Komada: I was also curious about "Shibuya Division"'s Dice, but I thought I'd prefer playing a character who doesn't seem like he would rap. I wondered how it would be to play Juto, a policeman whose task is to redress the underground world from which this hip hop culture sprouted. That's how I was chosen to play him, and I looked forward to seeing how things would develop within such a peculiar worldbuild.

ー Is there anything particular that you keep in mind when acting as characters?

Komada: Juto is the type of character who is usually a nihilist, but who disses his opponent energetically when he raps, so I wanted to put emphasis on these two different sides of him. During the first drama CD recording, they let me play Juto the way I thought fit, so I usually show his bad personality through the way he talks, but make him change completely once he starts rapping. In that way, I thought really hard about how to sharply contrast Juto's usual personality with the one he has when he raps.

Kamio: Rio as a character is someone who's both an army man, half-Japanese, and whose age is on the older side. I'm careful so that he normally speaks Japanese in a detached manner, but also so that his mixed background shows through his rap. I guess I go at the lyrics so that even though I'm singing in Japanese, it sounds like English. I put extra care in showing that nuance. I think the whole thing about cooking being his special skill wasn't clearly defined at first, but with the whole cooking story in the audio drama coming to light, I thought: "Oh, so rather than him being good it's that kind of thing?!"

Komada: It was worse than we'd imagined (laughs).

Kamio: Rio has some cute sides to him even though he doesn't let his emotions show much, isn't he. He's kind of like a Virgin Mary who mediates Samatoki and Juto's fights. I heard he's even being called a young girl sometimes. Who the heck is a young girl (laughs).

Komada: He has a little girl factor even though he's that size......!

Kamio: I play him in a way in which people can see that he wants to cook for the two of them, and that he only thing that can make him happy is cooking.

ー What kind of person is "MAD TRIGGER CREW"'s leader Aohitsugi Samatoki?

Kamio: He's someone with an almost mythical presence due to his former belonging to The Dirty Dawg, but to Rio, he's kind of like a wild boar who came appearing onto his mountain. Just like in a battle manga, once he battles together with Samatoki, Rio is resolved to return  his gratitude towards Samatoki even if it were to take a lifetime. That's one side of their relationship that we learn through the first audio drama. They first started getting along during the scene where they're eating, right? Samatoki being part of "MAD TRIGGER CREW" is like a given. There's Samatoki the youngest child, the older brother who acts like a mom (Juto), and the older brother who acts like a young girl (Rio).

Komada: He's not succeeding in his role as an older brother though (laughs). I feel like there will always be a scene in within the drama tracks where Juto and Samatoki will blow a fuse due to their relationship, but in the second one, I feel like I was able to understand how they go at it better than in the first one. Juto seems like he'd casually have all his subordinates at his beck and call, but when it comes to Samatoki, he just completely loses it. When we're recording, he keeps on yelling into the mic at maximum volume, too.

Kamio: The two of them are really like grade schoolers, aren't they. I'm like, I wonder if they're just hungry~

Komada: That's probably why Rio keeps coming in with food (laughs). If you just play Samatoki as someone who gets angry, he ends up being nothing but some handsome idiot, but Asanuma (Shintaro)-san thinks about it a lot when he plays him.  We can really see things like how Samatoki is carrying things about his past, or how he won't yield even a single millimeter to (Ikebukuro's) Ichiro, or how even though he trusts Juto, there are some taboo things that he just can't touch upon. In terms of acting, there's the part where Samatoki suddenly goes from cold to hot-headed and jumps at things without a moment's notice, but I don't want to be overshadowed by his sense of presence. In the situation that Samatoki would not be there at some point, I want people to think "You can't win against Yokohama" just by looking at Juto, so I want to go on to highlight his scary side.  

Kamio: By the way, they haven't revealed how Rio and Juto met yet, so I'm curious about that.

Komada: That's true. They do act really close in this CD ("Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW"), to the point that you wonder why they trust each other so much, right.

「In Yokohama in matching Hawaiian shirts!? MAD TRIGGER CREW is close even in their private lives」

ー Asanuma-san, Komada-san, and Kamio-san, we heard that the three of you get along well in your private lives. What kind of things do you talk about when you get together?

Kamio: Asanuma-san and I have been friends for quite a long time. He sends me messages on LINE in the middle of the night like "Kamio Withdrawal Symptoms (1)" or "When can we meet? Today?," and I reply "I'll be there right away!"

Komada: So lovey-dovey (laughs).

Kamio: I also call Koma-chan when we're drinking with other people.

Komada: Kamio-san is a kind senior who looks after us here and there, and Asanuma-san is also a senior that I greatly admire due to his experience as a performer, so it makes me happy that they invite me to hang out despite our age gap.

Kamio: We also talk about "Hypmic." We listen to each other's songs and praise each other, and also say stuff like "I want to do this or that next time." In any case, we've been saying that the three of us should go to Yokohama together in order to win. We haven't actually been yet, but we bought these Hawaiian shirts for that purpose, you know.

Komada: Samatoki-sama says: "Watch out if you see these Hawaiian shirts" ! (Laughs)

ー When you participated as a guest during Asanuma-san's Niconama (2) on May 15, Kamio-san has sent in some comments.  Had you told Asanuma-san about it in advance?

Kamio: I did. I don't think Yokohama would ever lose, but I told him I'd be there with a sniper rifle behind him in any case. I was glad to see that Asanuma-san immediately recognized my comment during the Niconama.

Komada: Kamio-san also sent in a comment when I participated as a guest. Just when I thought "There's some comment coming in in a really deep voice~," it was Kamio-san.

Kamio: What does that even mean (Laughs). I even submitted lines for the Lyrics Match (3). I don't think even the staff has noticed, either.

Komada: Huh!? What's your MC name?

Kamio: I don't want to tell you (Laughs). If my lines get used, I'll tell you.

ーKomada-san, you were born in Kanagawa prefecture, but do you have any particular emotional attachment to Yokohama?

Komada: I left for Germany three months after I was born in Kanagawa.

Kamio: Alright, so that means you only have three months worth of emotional attachment to Yokohama.  

Komada: I, I didn't say that (laughs). I've been living in Shonan (4) ever since I came back to Japan. So since I was 15. You really have anything in Yokohama, and I often hanged out around Minatomirai too.

Kamio: That's true. There's also the Noge district (5). Noge's really the best if you want to drink even at noon.

Komada: I apologize, but I haven't said anything to suggest I went to Noge (laughs). Minatomirai is a great sight, and there's also various events depending on the season, so it's quite a lively place.

Kamio: There's the German beer place with its red brick walls (6), and the Belgian beer places too.

Komada: Why are you still talking about alcohol! (Laughs) It's lively in a different sense than Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, or Shibuya, which all scream "big city." Even as a tourist destination, locals find that it's a city that's easy to live in, and the cultural diversity of the various people there is also nice, given that it used to be a port city.

Kamio: I didn't know that Juto and Rio would be from Yokohama when I first auditioned for them, so it was a nice coincidence.

「It's the start of a new "Battle Season"! Hey Ikebukuro, come at us again in 10 years!?」

ー Are there any characters you want to try getting involved with, in "Hypnosis Mic"?

Komada: For me, I guess it'd be Dice! Juto, Dice, Jiro, and Champagne......

Kamio: Don't say Champagne (Laughs). It's Hifumi.

Komada: I think that those four would easily get involved together. Juto seems like he would get involved with anyone if you just drag him along, in the first place.

Kamio: In the last audio drama ("Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW"), he was interrogating Doppo too right.

Komada: I was the one who was most excited about the fact that he has that kind of past! Also, both Juto and Dice "jump around" when they rap, so if they were to rap together, they'd be really noisy in a good sense.

Kamio: On the other hand, it feels like Gentaro would grab you under the arm and pin you to the ground. He does have a particular delay to his rhythm after all.

Komada: If we were to sing with Gentaro, I guess we'd have to use a normal singing technique. In that sense, I want to try going up against Shibuya. I want to try doing it with everyone, though.

Kamio: Rio interacts with Dice in the drama tracks, but aside from him, I want to see him interact with Ramuda, Jakurai, and Gentaro. They look like they absolutely wouldn't eat his cooking though (laughs). Dice is the only one who eats it.

Komada: He really is a good guy, isn't he (laughs)!

ー The Ikebukuro versus Yokohama battle CD went on sale in May, and there was a mid-battle announcement about it at the end of June, but do you feel like you can win against Buster Bros!!! ?

Komada & Kamio: We can! We'll win.

Kamio: I feel like Ikebukuro would say the same thing if we asked them, though.

Komada: Every group is releasing amazing songs after all.

Kamio: When the first CD came out, I had a slight feeling about Yokohama having the upper hand, but as soon as "Buster Bros!!! VS MAD TRIGGER CREW" came out, I didn't know anymore, since it has a completely different taste. In my opinion, the biggest strength that Ikebukuro has is that they're the only division who can "grow" thanks to their "age." Starting with the eldest, Yamada Ichiro, all three brothers are underage, so I'm looking forward to seeing how they'll grow in the future,  in the way main characters do. The members of the other units have all formed themselves fully already. But even though I say that, no one is losing yet. I want to tell them "come at us again in 10 years!" or something.

Komada: It would be fun to see their battle in ten years. No matter how you look at it, right now it seems as though Yokohama is a hill, and Ikebukuro plays the role of the main characters. They're brothers, so they have the passion of main characters too. They also constantly connect, respond to, and act with each other within their songs too. Their style is like a relay, so the way they fight is different too.

Kamio: My own feelings want Yokohama to win, but the listeners all have different tastes, so we'd be happy if, as the women of Chuoku, everyone could cheer for their favourite divisions, too.

The interview will continue in the next edition!

T/N

(1) The original phrase used is "Kamio Loss" (神尾ロス), which basically means "I feel at a loss without Kamio," but is similar to how we use "〇〇〇 withdrawal symptoms" in English. 

(2) "Niconama" (ニコ生) is the livestreamed program that the Hypmic voice actors periodically do, during which they hold rap battles and talk about the series. Viewers can comment in real time, and the voice actors can see the comments on a screen as they come in. 

(3) The "Lyrics Match" is a game they have for the Niconamas where viewers are asked to submit lyrics, which will be made into a rap that the voice actors will have to rap onto an audio track. 

(4) Map 

(5) The Noge district is a district of Yokohama renowned for its jazz clubs and mellow bars, but also for the Jazz Festival of Yokohama. 

(6) Probably referring to Schmatz 

In addition, we are conducting a survey among readers of the wildly popular PASH! magazine about projects for "GBF." Please tell us what other projects or characters you would like to hear about in the future!!

The form for the survey is over here!

Isn't everyone praising each other too much!? A relationship where they acknowledge each other's strengths 

ー Please introduce yourselves to the readers. Please state your ages as well!

Lancelot: Hello everyone, I am the captain of the Order of the White Dragons who protect the kingdom of Feendrache, Lancelot. I am 27 years old.

Vane: Hi everyone, I'm Vane! Um... I'm 25 years old, and I'm also part of the Order of the White Dragons, just like Lan-chan, as the vice-captain!

Siegfried: Hm... I'm next? I'm Siegfried. I used to work as the captain of the Black Dragons, the predecessor to the White Dragons. Due to some circumstances, I am currently moving from place to place across the land. ....My age? How old was I again...?

Percival: Aren't you 32? Wait wait... Please explain these circumstances first. Who do you think the readers are?

Lancelot: Now now Percival, we don't have much time, so I told you not to mind the fine details.

Vane: Wahahaha! Per-san is really a serious person huh~!

Percival: Give me a break... You guys are the ones who've got something wrong, glossing over these things. Don't you think so, Siegfried?

Siegfried: Hm...? Percival, it's your turn.

Percival: Tch... Fine... I'm Percival, I formerly worked as the vice-captain of the Order of the Black Dragons. Right now, I am travelling to find a distinguished retainer who could give birth to the ideal country. I'm 27 years old.

ー Please let us hear about your impressions of each other. Please speak honestly about what you'd like to learn from each other, or what you'd like each other to work on. Let's start with Lancelot-san.

Vane: (Raising his hand fervently) Alright! Lan-chan is a knight who always thinks about the Order and the people of the land before he acts! I really admire the fact that even after becoming captain, he's been pursuing his studies and his training everyday! I'd like to learn from someone who works hard like that. As to what I'd like him to work on... H~m, there's nothing in particular!

Lancelot: ...Hey hey Vane, no matter how you look at it, you're praising me to much.

Vane: No, I just said what I really think! You're really doing your best, Lan-chan!

Lancelot: Th-, thanks Vane.

Percival: ...Even if we get to hear about your childhood stories, we won't make any progress by now. Siegfried, what about you?

Siegfried: Sure... I really think that Lancelot is doing well. The way he trusts his comrades and cooperates well with them is a strength of his that I'd like to learn from. I'd like you to keep working together with your comrades like that to bring the Order forward, from now on.

Lancelot: Yes!! Thank you!! Siegfried-san!!

Siegfried: So... Percival, what do you think about that?

Percival: Hm. There's nothing in particular to say to Lancelot as a capta(in)-

Lancelot: Huh~, is that so~. How unexpected~!

Percival: Wait, I'm not done talking! Work on your crude manners a bit more, that way your level of dignity will...

Lancelot: Alright, got it! Thanks!

Vane: But listen even though you say that~, shouldn't you learn from Lan-chan's composure, Per-san?

Percival: Yeah... I'll learn from you guys' carefreeness. Next, next.

ー Next, let us hear about your impressions of Vane-san.

Lancelot: (Suddenly coming forward enthusiastically) Can I just... say something? If I had to put Vane's essence as a human being in one word, it'd be "a person of love." Not only is he loved by his fellow knights, the townspeople also love him. I find that pleasant for Vane, just as if it were about myself.  He cares for others without discriminating. I'd like to learn from his gentle way of approaching life and others. Lately, he's been supporting the Order magnificently as our vice-captain, so I don't have anything in particular that I'd like him to change, either.

Vane: (Tears falling) ... (sob) ... (sob) ... Lan-chan... I-, I, I'm so happy to be praised by you like this~!

Lancelot: What are you saying? Everyone here thinks the same.

Percival: Yeah, he's right. ...As expected of the mutt. It feels like caring after a dumb dog who wags his tail and comes snuggle up to just about anyone.

Vane: Uuu~! Why~! What about me reminds you of a dog?!

Percival: Just like that, he immediately bares his fangs and barks.

Lancelot: Hey hey you two, don't fight in the middle of an interview...

Percival: Tch...

Vane: Puuuuuff!

Siegfried: I see, they're more alike than you'd think.

Lancelot: Huh...? What do you mean, Siegfried-san?

Siegfried: Come on, it's so simple. Don't they always become closer everytime they fight? Don't you two get into fights like that, and then play around because you get along in the first place?

Vane: That's not it!

Percival: It's not!

Siegfried: Heh... They even breathe in synch.

Lancelot: Hahaha! Turns out you guys do get along, somehow.

Percival: Stop that Lancelot!

Vane: Stop it Lan-chan!

Siegfried: Is that what you call dancing to the same beat... Hm, we should also learn from them, right Lancelot?

Lancelot: Yes! Siegfried-san!

Percival & Vane: (In synch) I've had enough! Next!

ー (Laughs). Now then, let us hear about Percival-san.  

Lancelot: He's the most serious one among us.

Vane: Yeah-, that's right that's right! It's easy to make plans when Per-san is there!

Siegfried: He's reliable because he's well-put together.

Percival: ...Hey, why are my comments strangely plain?

Lancelot: Huuh, they're not though? Right, Vane?

Vane: Yeah, the others were like this too, weren't they?

Siegfried: (Smiling gently)

Percival: Tch... If you guys don't answer these well, it'll cause trouble when the interview will be made into an article. Isn't there anything else you want to learn from me? You can even tell me what you want me to work on?

Lancelot:  That thing that thing! The way you're so serious! I want to learn from that!

Percival: You already told me I was serious, just now. Don't I leave any other impression, aside from being serious?

Vane: Pft... Huhu... Wahahahah! I might want to learn how to butt into jokes like that too! Per-san, you're really funny huh~!

Percival: (Lighting on fire) Pft... It seems that for someone like this mutt to make fun of me, they must want to turn into charcoal...

Vane: (Prostrating himself in apology) Waaaah! Sorry for getting carried away! But, please work on how you immediately burn up once you get angry, Percival-sama!!

Percival: Don't move from there...

Lancelot: Vane! Leave it to me and run away quick!

Siegfried: (Smiling gently) Can I say something?

Percival: ...What?

Siegfried: Percival, there is no one who knows about your noble way of life more than we, here, do. But they do say that fish cannot live in clear water (1), so your noble mind may get people to keep you at an arm's length, and keep their distances from you.

Percival: Hm... I know that.

Siegfried: In other words, it means that you should learn to become as loving as Lancelot and Vane to avoid becoming isolated.

Percival: Yeah... Let's stop talking about me. It's your turn next, Siegfried.

Vane: (Th-, Thanks for saving me~!)

Lancelot: (As expected of you! Siegfried-san!)

ー What are your impressions of Siegfried-san?

Lancelot: Siegfried-san is... For me,  he is someone who drilled into my mind everything that a knight should learn, like a teacher. It's... I can't put it into simple words. He's a really important person to me.  He's like a wall that I cannot go over even to this day, so it's not only that I want to learn from his overwhelming strength as a person, but he's also someone that I strive to surpass one day. I hold that as a goal.

Siegfried: Heh... It's pretty embarassing when you say it like this. Lancelot, I think that you can stand on your own well enough. It's an honor that you're so conscious of my presence like this, but don't forget that as the captain of your Order, you're also in a position where people gaze at your back.

Lancelot: Yes, I am aware of that. Just like you, I am also always thinking of how I should act in order to influence others positively.

Siegfried: In that case, I have nothing more to say. Isn't there anything you want me to work on?

Lancelot: Ahahah... Things I'd like you to work on huh... If I must pick something, I guess the fact that you decide things on your own without consulting us?

Siegfried: ...You really hit me where it hurts, huh. I'll be careful about that, from now on.

Lancelot: Yes! Thank you.

Vane: Please allow me to speak next. When I didn't know how I should fight alongside Lan-chan, you were someone who trained me and taught me about self-confidence. I am greatly indebted to you, Siegfried-san. You're warm and gentle, your presence is kind of like that of a father, or actually like a mother... wait what am I saying! Um... Anyways, it's thanks to your guidance when I was still unexperienced that I am the vice-captain that I am now. The fact that I've become able to think that it's okay for me to fight alongside everyone is all thanks to you, Siegfried-san. Thank you so much!

Siegfried: Vane, I should be the one thanking you. Seeing you being so earnest reminded me of my initial resolutions. I get to hear about your remarkable efforts once in a while, but they make me happy as if they were my own.

Vane: Uooooooh-! I'm way too happy to hear that from you, Siegfried-san!

Siegfried: Heh... You really exaggerate things. That said, don't you have something you want me to work on, as well?

Vane: Hmm~... The thing I want you to work on is the same one that Lan-chan brought up, but I guess I think it'd be nice if you could depend on us more too.

Siegfried: Ah, got it... I'll keep it in mind.

Vane: Please do! We've become strong enough to even fight along your side!

Siegfried: ...I'm glad. I'll look forward to it, Vane.

Percival: Seems like I'm last. Right... When I left the Wales, from the neighbouring country, to join the Order of the Black Dragons in Feendrache, you were my superior as an officer. Your outstanding strength was enough to shake up my idea of what strength was, that I had up until then.

Siegfried: ...Percival, the first time I met you, it's true that you overflowed with real abilities that were reinforced by your confidence. Like that, you wore an aura that conveyed that you wanted to approach me somehow.

Percival: We're not talking about me right now. Rather...

Siegfried: What would you like me to work on?

Percival: Aah... Right. It's what we've been saying repeatedly, but also do something about your lack of concern for your personal appearance.

Siegfried: Hm... But I've been working on it a bit lately, haven't I?

Percival: That's because we happened to be around. I'm saying that you should do so when you're on your own too.

Siegfried: Got it. I'll engrave it into my guts.

Percival: As long as you know. As for me, I'm done talking.

Siegfried: Good grief, you haven't been sparing me lately, huh. Though, it was fun talking with you guys like this, today. This kind of opportunity is something we should be thankful for.

Lancelot: Yes!

Vane: I think so too!

Percival: Hm...

Siegfried: Well then, we're done with your talk. Will this be alright?

ー Yes, thank you!

Throwing in some private topics as well!

ー Please let us hear about some particularly memorable episode from your times together.

Lancelot: Maybe that time when we went to the Auguste resorts together, last summer!

Vane: It was so much fun playing around on the beach~! Ah, I was also surprised that Per-san isn't good with crabs!

Percival: It's not that I'm not good. I was just on guard because an unfamiliar crustacean suddenly appeared in front of my eyes.

Vane: There you go again~! Playing tough~!

Percival: (Turns to Vane)

Vane: Okaay! I'm sorry!

Siegfried: Heh... That time when we all went to watch the fireworks festival (2) together was also nice.

Lancelot: Yes! Watching the fireworks bloom into the firmament was truly wonderful!

Siegfried: I really want to go with everyone again.

ー When you are in private, what do you usually talk about? Please tell us if you talked about anything exciting, lately.

Lancelot: Lately, following the entrance exam for the Order of the White Dragons, some new apprentices have joined the Order. They're the talk of the town, right now.

Vane: Yeah, that's right! Arthur and Mordred wanted to meet Siegfried-san and Per-san too! If that's possible, it'd be nice if you could train them, next time!

Percival: Oh... So they're the ones who passed that exam that Lancelot did trial-and-error at.

Lancelot: Yeah, you'd helped me  a lot, that time.

Percival: Heh... This is another rare chance. Let's ascertain what those guys have in them.

Vane: What about you, Siegfried-san?

Siegfried: Sure, got it. I'll train them next time I stop by the royal capital.

Lancelot: Thank you!

ー Please tell us about something that you were excited about, lately.

Lancelot: I guess finding something precious that I thought I'd lost!

Vane: When one of our subordinates had a child! Yeah~, that was really wonderful!

Percival: Hearing a musical performance from someone I'm close to, who's part of an orchestra.

Siegfried: The fact that a small flower bloomed from the plant I cared for.

ー What would you say is the best dish in the entire universe?

Lancelot: I'd say Vane's cooking?

Vane: Hey hey Lan-chan! Saying it's the best in the entire universe is too much!

Lancelot: No, I really think your cooking is worth praising that much. Right, Percival?

Percival: For me, I guess the seafood dishes that I ate in Auguste.

Siegfried: Heh... I wonder who it was that praised Vane's cooking at that one evening party?

Percival: Hey! Siegfried!!

Siegfried: I also like Vane's cooking best.

Vane: Uuu... uuuu... Thank you. To think that everyone would praise my cooking... Uooh!! I could cry! From now on, I'll keep serving you my dishes, enough to fill all of your stomachs!

ー What did you do to play, when you were children?

Lancelot: When I was a kid... I'd often run around the hills and fields with Vane.

Vane: Together with Lan-chan, I'd play in the nature, like catching bugs or fishing!

Percival: I used to receive training from my older brothers. I'd also go pick fruits, or appreciate the fine arts, things like that.

Siegfried: When I was a kid, huh... Before I realized it, I don't remember anything aside from exterminating spirits.

ー Finally, please say a few words to the readers of PASH!.

Lancelot: Thank you for keeping us company up until now! I'll look forward to meeting with you, the readers of PASH!, one day! Or is it possible that we're already travelling under the sky together? Please keep supporting us, from now on!

Vane: Hehe, thanks for giving us the opportunity to talk spontaneously like this, today! When we meet again somewhere, I'll buy you a meal so please do call out to me! When that happens, please let me hear about all your stories at ease!

Percival: Hm... We reached the end without ever explaining the circumstances, but that's alright. Some distinguished retainers might assemble thanks to this, after all. On my part, I'll be waiting for your applications. Let's build the ideal country together.

Siegfried: Hm... The readers of "pash" (3) right? It was a rare chance to get to know the readers of "pash" like this. If any spirits appear nearby, I'll be exterminating them for you, so I'd like it if you called me without restraint. Anyhow, see you.

ー Thank you!

T/N

(1) "Fish cannot live in clear water" (水清ければ魚棲まず / mizu kiyokereba sakana sumazu): It's a saying that means that when the water is clear, the plankton which the fish feed on cannot reproduce itself, and there is nowhere for the fish to hide from predators or nest. Siegfried is saying that although Percival has a clear conscience because of his noble mind, it can backfire.

(2) A reference to his yukata card. He mentions that they went to watch the fireworks on the beach in his homescreen lines. 

(3) Although the magazine's name is usually written as PASH! in roman letters, it is written in hiragana in Siegfried's speech (ぱっしゅ / passhu), indicating that he's not sure what it is, but they're pronounced the same so the meaning comes across.

This was a commissioned translation. Original article is here.

24:00-6:00 Sleep

6:00-7:00 Jogging & shower TOPIC 「Back in Okinawa too, I would wake up early and run alongside the beach! Jogging for around 30 minutes and then taking a light shower is part of my daily routine.」

7:00-8:00 Breakfast TOPIC 「I like cooking, so when I have time, I'll cook my own food in the morning too. That day, I made an Okinawan stir-fry with the bitter melon that my family sent me from back home.」

8:00-8:30 Transportation

8:30-12:00 Magazine shoot TOPIC 「I got interviewed and got my picture taken for a gravure that will be published in a magazine. They'll be revealing a lot, so I wonder how the fans will react (lol). 」

12:00-13:00 Lunch

13:00-13:30 Transportation

13:30-18:30 Variety show recording TOPIC 「We were able to appear on a variety show to promote our album. I never thought that I'd be the victim of a hidden camera prank! I didn't notice at all......」

18:30-19 Transportation

19:00-21:00 Lesson TOPIC 「Fine-tuning because we were going to appear on a music program the next day. We weren't sure if Gaku would be able to join us since his shoot was dragging over, but the three of us were able to gather, so I was relieved.」

21:00-22:30 Dinner TOPIC　「After the lesson, the three of us went to have a light dinner. We had to wake up early the next day again, so we weren't able to stay for a long time, but Tenn joined us for once, so I was happy!」

22:30-23:00 Transportation

23:00-24:00 Bath

T/N

Nikaido Yamato Tama, if you don't make sure to speak in honorifics, So will get mad at you again you know~?

Izumi Iori Yotsuba-san, perhaps I am going out of my way unnecessarily to tell you this, but at the dorms, Osaka-san is murmuring "Where are his honorifics...?" while smiling.

Rokuya Nagi This punchline came up beautifully in two seconds  (2) :-P

Tsunashi Ryunosuke Don't worry about the honorifics! I gave some souvenirs to Tamaki-kun, so eat it together at the dorms, ok?

Osaka Sogo On top of your kind words, we were able to receive souvenirs from you. I sincerely thank you for your kindness.

Izumi Mitsuki Tsunashi-san, thank you! I'm digging in!

Nanase Riku Wah~, thank you! I'll look forward to the souvenirs, I wonder what they are!?

Tsunashi Ryunosuke Check it out at the dorms later! I'd be glad if it tasted good to you though.

ーーー

Kujo Tenn While cleaning my pictures folder, I found this kind of picture of Ryu, so I'm uploading it. By all means, please enjoy. #Tsunashi Ryunosuke　#TRIGGER　#Perfect_day_for_pictures

Momo Hyah~ (≧∀≦*） My heart is beating fast! As expected of Ryu!

Izumi Mitsuki Even a guy would find you handsome!

Yaotome Gaku Is that from the hotel we went to record at, a while back. That takes me back. I feel like you're genuinely praising him unlike when it was my turn, so I can't say much though......

Kujo Tenn Isn't this a virtue.

Yaotome Gaku You only reply fast in times like these, huh!

Tsunashi Ryunosuke You two, rehearsal is gonna start soon, so don't fight!

Kujo Tenn We're not fighting, dear brother (3).

Yaotome Gaku We're not fighting, dear brother.

T/N

(1) The original tag is “photo biyori,” which is the same word used in the photobook titles. It means “perfect day (for something)” so I translated it like that.

(2) Nagi says "sokuochi-futakoma" (即オチ２コマ), which refers to 2-panel comic strips with an immediate punchline. 

(3) Tenn and Gaku say "onii-chan" which is an extremely familiar, and kind of cutesy way to refer to your own older brother, lol.

DREAM

When I first met Tenn and Gaku, the two ofthem were so amazing that I couldn't believe that they were just people, like me. But once we formed TRIGGER, I came to realize that there are things that can be achieved and things that people look forward to because I am there. For that reason, I'm really proud to be a member of TRIGGER, so I would be happy if from now on, the three of us could keep aiming for even higher places, and delivering our performances to even more people!

BACKGROUND

The fact that everyone in my family is cheering for me represents incredible support to me. It's thanks to them that I'm able to persist when difficult things happens. When I'm talking on the phone with my little brothers, I end up speaking in Okinawan, so Gaku and Tenn give me strange looks though (lol). On the other hand, my family occasionally sends me things like bitter melon or sugarcane, so I share them with Gaku and Tenn.

THINGS

Alcohol When I was back home, I would have drinking parties with my friends a lot. I love spending time with everyone being lively, so lately, I've been drinking with Gaku and the adult members of IDOLiSH7 too. I like awamori (1), but beer and shochu (2) are also good. To the extent that it won't cause trouble to those around me, I'd like to keep enjoying those times from now on, as well.

The ocean My home back in Okinawa was near the ocean, so it's a place to which I feel strong emotional attachment. I haven't had the time ever since I came to Tokyo, but on my days off, I always feel like going to see it. A while back, when Gaku and I had the same day off, we went on a drive together to the ocean. It really calms me when I see the it, so it's a place that's dear to me.

MOTTO

Rome wasn't built in a day

ーーー

WORD

FROM RYUNOSUKE "Rather than not getting hurt, I want to engrave meaningful wounds onto my body. So that I can regard myself with pride." by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

"At a time when we said that we wanted to challenge ourselves at something, a lot of people opposed our decision, being fearful of the risks. At that time, what Ryu said to me and Gaku was a big source of strength. Ryu, thanks for everything." by Kujo Tenn

"Please don't fight, you two! For my sake." by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

"About Ryu's behaviour, this is something that he said to Tenn and I when we were arguing  once, and he thought that we were fighting. Isn't it funny how he sounds like a heroine (lol). I'm grateful that you always smooth things out between us, Ryu. Thanks." by Yaotome Gaku

"I want to be loved by having my singing and dancing become a full part of TRIGGER." by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

"Everytime something bad happened, I always thought 'Why does this only happen to me?' I'd assumed that the guys like TRIGGER that I saw laughing on TV couldn't have any worries. But talking to big bro Ryu, I realized that we're all the same, so I thought that I should do my best too. Big bro Ryu's big bro-ness is really high." by Yotsuba Tamaki

TO RYUNOSUKE

"Why aren't you saying anything, Ryu?" by Yaotome Gaku

"When we first formed TRIGGER, I would just listen to whatever Tenn or Gaku had to say. It's during one of those times that Gaku said this to me. Realizing that they'd been seeking my opinion, it made me happy. Thanks to that, I'm able to tell them whatever I think without any reserve now!" by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

"It's because I think that songs are something that can connect people's hearts." by Nanase Riku

"At a time when I wasn't able to make up my mind, Riku-kun's honest words pushed me forward. Thanks, Riku-kun!" by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

"I love you guys. (3) I really do." by Kujo Tenn

"One time, after a live, Tenn said this to me and Gaku. I think that he was caught up in the passion of the live, but it made me happy." by Tsunashi Ryunosuke

T/N

(1) Awamori (泡盛) is a strong Okinawan liquor distilled from rice or millet.

(2) Shochu ("shouchuu" / 焼酎) is a Japanese spirit distilled from sweet potatoes, rice, etc.

(3) Tenn uses "aishiteru" (愛してる) here, a very strong and sincere form of "I love you." As you may know, there are multiple ways to say "I love you" in Japanese, the most common one being "suki" (好き) which can be thrown around quite casually, and is also the one you use to talk about food, objects, movies, etc. Aishiteru implies a strong personal and emotional connection. 

Gaku: Yeah. Did you have fun?

Ryunosuke: Of course! I'd been looking forward to today ever since it was decided that you'd be producing for me. You have a good eye, and there aren't many opportunities for our members to produce for each other. 

Gaku: That's true. I'd also been looking forward to produce for you! I did the best that I could not to let your good looks go to waste. 

Ryunosuke: That makes me happy! Did I meet your expections, Producer Gaku?

Gaku: Yeah. I was able to take the best pictures ever. 

Ryunosuke: I'm glad!

Gaku: I mean, the photographic subject was good too! I was able to feel confident in my producing abilities (lol). 

Ryunosuke: I'm glad, but that's kind of embarassing!

Gaku: Hey hey, aren't the people looking at the Ryu Photobook cover the ones who should get embarassed? 

Ryunosuke: I wonder if it'll make their hearts pound? 

Gaku: Of course. I can assure you it will. 

Ryunosuke: Really? I can't wait to see their reactions! Well then, Producer Gaku, I wonder if I could hear about your concept for the cover picture.

Gaku: Sure. Among the twelve of us, you're the tallest and you have the best build, so I thought that anyone would want to make use of that. So, at first I thought of making use of your broad chest or of your muscles, but I couldn't settle on anything...... Thinking about this and that, I called out to you from behind the other day after our lesson, while we were changing, right? At that time, seeing you looking over your shoulder, I thought "This is it."

Ryunosuke: That time, huh! I was startled when you suddenly went "This is it!" but I see that you'd been thinking about it. 

Gaku: It troubled me so much! You have a lot of magazine gravures, so to avoid giving a sense of deja-vu, I couldn't think of anything else than the fact that, maybe, it would be best to come up with a composition that highlights your gentleness or open-mindedness. It was a real pain.  

Ryunosuke: W,was it a pain!?

Gaku: I'm exaggerating a bit (lol). Well anyways, when I saw your back, I felt that it would convey not only your sensuality, but also a variety of your charms. 

Ryunosuke: That makes me happy. I got kind of inspired, knowing that you've been doing your best for me.

Gaku: Of course I would. I can't let your photobook flop because of me, and Tenn also did his best to produce mine, so I can't lose. 

Ryunosuke: Hating to lose is just like you! The cover that Tenn produced for you was really nice.

Gaku: Thanks. That goes for mine too, but it seems that the one that Nanase produced for Tenn, and the ones that went on sale before his were all successful! I don't want to lose on that front either.

Ryunosuke: Thanks to you, I feel like I'll be able to recommend this photobook to our fans with confidence!

Gaku: Oh, then should we reveal the cover during our live? If we project it on the big screen, I feel like people will go crazy (lol).

Ryunosuke: Ahaha! TRIGGER will be complete with mine, so we should project all three of them. Though if I joke about this, I feel like Tenn will get mad at us (lol).

Gaku: Sounds scary, huh. Maybe we should hold back on the jokes (lol).

Ryunosuke: Yeah! ......Either way, I feel like I'll have a great birthday thanks to the fact that the photobook that you've produced for me will go on sale, so I'm excited.

Gaku: Getting to produce it and to have this conversation feels fresh, doesn't it.

Ryunosuke: Yeah. I'd like to be able to have a conversation with Tenn too, next time.

Gaku: Since I got to talk with you and Tenn, I feel like it'd be fun and new to get to talk to members of other groups too.

Ryunosuke: That's true. With the twelve of us, it must be fun no matter who we talk to!

Gaku: I'm sorry, but please be content with just me this time (lol).

Ryunosuke: Don't say that! I'm really happy to be able to do this kind of work with you.

Gaku: Oh, yeah.

Ryunosuke: Sorry, I got too passionate......

Gaku: No. You're really a natural flirt (1), aren't you.

Ryunosuke: Huuh! You told me that before too, didn't you!?

Gaku: Hahah. Did I?

Ryunosuke: It doesn't give off a good image. I have to work on that......

Gaku: Just be yourself.

Ryunosuke: Is that okay......? I wonder if Tenn thinks that way too.

Gaku: Aah, talking about Tenn, he was going through the pictures of you that he had saved on his phone. I think he's selecting the picture to insert in the social media section of the photobook (2)?

Ryunosuke: Really!? Tenn is good at taking pictures, so I'm sure he'll choose a nice one for me!

Gaku: Maybe not having a contribution in the Ryu Photobook is making him feel lonely (lol).

Ryunosuke: If that's so, that's pretty cute! I'll ask him about it later.

Gaku: Hey hey, don't do that. He might pick a weird picture to hide his embarassment! ......Actually, if we keep talking about him like this, I don't know what he'll say to us later...... Let's move on to the next topic.

Ryunosuke: Ahaha! Got it. Well then, could you tell us how you decided on the composition for the Special Gravure? 

Gaku: By showing you cooking for others, I wanted to express your gentleness and broad-mindedness, rather than your sensuality, if we compare to the cover. I wanted to show your good physique here too, so I had you swiftly reach for something placed high up. You really seem like you'd cook for the person that you like, after all!

Ryunosuke: I quite like cooking, so was I able to give off a spontaneous atmosphere? 

Gaku: Yeah. You were perfectly into it. 

Ryunosuke: I'm glad!

Gaku: Next, it's one of the planned questions, but tell us about your type?

Ryunosuke: Let's see...... I guess someone with a nice smile? And if it turns out that we both like each other, I'll support them so that they can keep smiling forever.

Gaku: I thought so last time you said it too, but that's just like you. Everything you do is for the sake of others. 

Ryunosuke: Huh, I've said this before!?

Gaku: You don't remember? You said it really loudly when you were drinking!

Ryunosuke: Huuh!? You're kidding right?

Gaku: It's true. You even went out of your way to stand up before saying it, so the older Izumi and Nikaido burst out laughing. The drunk Osaka said "Tsunashi-san is cool even when he's standing......" under his breath.

Ryunosuke: Not only that, but I did it while we were drinking with the IDOLiSH7 guys!? Aah, that's embarassing......

Gaku: They even brought it up in a conversation. I won't call out anyone's names, but let's be careful about getting black-out drunk......

Ryunosuke: You're right...... Sorry, Gaku......

Gaku: Pull yourself back together, and let's move on to the next question.

Ryunosuke: Right.

Gaku: Can you tell us about something that made you happy, from your activities until now?

Ryunosuke: I can't pick...... Everything about the TRIGGER that I achieved with you and Tenn is a special memory to me. 

Gaku: Yeah. Me too.

Ryunosuke: Also, this is kind of abstract, but I get so happy when I feel that I'm able to contribute to TRIGGER. Those times when people come to be interested in TRIGGER because of me, or when they grow to love it even more, I can feel from the bottom of my heart how glad I am to exist as TRIGGER's Tsunashi Ryunosuke. 

Gaku: Don't say that. You're not just "contributing." If you weren't there, TRIGGER wouldn't exist, you know.

Ryunosuke: Thanks, Gaku.

Gaku: I'm glad I can work with you, Ryu.

Ryunosuke: It's kind of embarassing to be told up front. Though, it's thanks to you and Tenn that I can be doing this right now. Back when we had just formed TRIGGER, I thought that you and Tenn were perfect at everything, and that I was the only one who was disappointing. But, you both acknowledged me as a full-fledged member, and you always asked for my opinion. When I realized that, I thought, I've really become a real member of TRIGGER. I'm really thankful. 

Gaku: I feel the same. I'll keep depending on you from now on.

Ryunosuke: Yeah!

Gaku: I'm really touched.

Ryunosuke: Me too.

Gaku: It would be nice if the talk ended here, but there are still things I have to ask you. ......Can you tell us about something that made you sad?

Ryunosuke: Sure......

Gaku: Are you thinking of something?

Ryunosuke:  That would be the times when I felt that TRIGGER or my family members, the things that I hold dear, were acquiring a negative image, as a collateral of my happiness. 

Gaku: Ryu......

Ryunosuke: But what I have to do is to sing, to dance, to just keep working seriously as I had been this whole time, so that I can reach the hearts of everyone who has been supporting me as TRIGGER's Tsunashi Ryunosuke through each of our performances. 

Gaku: I was sincerely amazed by your strength. Even I got cheered up by you.

Ryunosuke: The same goes for me though! When I read the Gaku Photobook, I gained strength from your words. I thought, I have to do my best as TRIGGER's Tsunashi Ryunosuke too.

Gaku: Everyone makes fun of that phrase huh......

Ryunosuke: It just means that it stayed in people's hearts!

Gaku: That would be nice (lol)! Well then, shall we finalize this.

Ryunosuke: Yeah. I'll do my best to produce for Momo-san next! 

Gaku: That's right, you were the one to produce for Momo-san.

Ryunosuke: Yup. Momo-san is always doing things for me, so to convey my gratitute to him, I thought that I should give it my best. Look forward to it too, Gaku.

Gaku: Yeah. We don't see Momo-san stripping much, but as an outdoors type of person, shouldn't his body be quite well built? You could have him strip, but you could also have him give off a healthy image while dressed too!

Ryunosuke: Don't make me hesitate.....!

Gaku: Ahaha! Do your best. Oh right, I forgot. Lastly, please send a message to your fans.

Ryunosuke: Right! To all of you who read the Ryunosuke Photobook, thank you so much for always cheering for me! It's a bit embarassing to have your own photobook, but I had the chance to have it produced by Gaku, so I can recommend it with confidence. I'd be happy if by reading this photobook, you could come to know more about me, and about my beloved TRIGGER! As TRIGGER's Tsunashi Ryunosuke, I intend to give it my all everyday so that I can deliver charming performances for you all, so please look forward to TRIGGER's future. From now on, please keep cheering for me!

T/N

(1) Gaku calls him "tennen tarashi" (天然タラシ) which usually refers to a character (male) who does something flirty without intending to, or does something which makes people fall for them naturally. For example, imagine that a girl got a new haircut. The guy notices it and tells her it suits her. Someone who keeps noticing the little things and being attentive is tennen tarashi. So this term usually applies to someone who's very kind in that way. However, this is a tangent but, being tennen tarashi may not always be a good thing, because if the other person actually likes you, they may be really disappointed if they find out that you didn't have any romantic intentions... It has similar connotations to “heartbreaker.”

(2) For those who don't know, there is a section in the photobook which shows social media posts by other characters. Here is an example from Riku's photobook.

Nanase Riku Tsunashi-san, when did you take this picture!?

Tsunashi Ryunosuke My secret shot was a success! Lol

Yaotome Gaku A secret shot from Ryu is pretty rare, he usually gets caught (lol) Did you improve with the instrument?

Nanase Riku I'm not good yet, but I'm doing my best!

Momo Riku fight! I'm aaalways watching your program with Yuki~!

Yuki Watching Riku-kun makes you want to cheer him on, doesn't it.

Nanase Riku Waaah, thank you!

---------

Izumi Iori The person who doesn't notice that his T-shirt is backwards and inside-out until someone points it out, our center Nanase Riku-san. #Nanase_Riku #IDOLiSH7 #Perfect_day_for_pictures

Nanase Riku Even though I told you not to upload this picture!!!

Nikaido Yamato Riku, you messed up huh~ lol

Yotsuba Tamaki Rikkun, you're pretty clumsy–

Rokuya Nagi Seeing you panicking is pretty cute lol

Izumi Mitsuki Hey! You guys, Riku is gonna get seriously depressed so stop it!

Osaka Sogo I like that side of you, Riku-kun. It's cute. 

Nanase-san Uuu~ Mitsuki and Sogo-san are nice ><

T/N

(1) My boy, that's a trombone.

Riku: Yes! It was really wonderful! I thought, as expected of Kujo-san......

Tenn: I'm glad. Being praised so straighforwardly, like this.

Riku: Ehehe......

Tenn: Well then, Nanase-san. Shall we get right to the interview?

Riku: Ah, yes! I'll do my besht! ...I mean, sorry! I'll do my best!

Tenn: Relax, Nanase-san. We're the same age after all, so take it easy.

Riku: Th, that's right...... Thank you.

Tenn: I was looking forward to it myself.

Riku: For real!? ...I mean, really!?

Tenn: Heheh. Yes. 

Riku: I'm glad it wasn't just me...!

Tenn: Then, please feel free to ask me a lot of questions.

Riku: Yes! Let's start with our first question. How was the photoshoot for the cover? Please tell me your impressions!

Tenn: Let's see..., You were doing your best to give me detailed explanations regarding the pose and camera angle, so it was easy for me to imagine them. For that reason, shooting was very easy.

Riku: Really!?

Tenn: You do nothing but get surprised, don't you...

Riku: Ah, it's just, I often get told that my explanations are hard to get, so......

Tenn: I see. I personally didn't think so. 

Riku: That makes me happy, Kujo-san...!

Tenn: You get somewhat stiff when you speak formally, don't you.

Riku: W, we're the same age so, I was wondering if it'd be okay to speak to you casually, since it shows that we're buddi- that we get along well.

Tenn: ...Though, if you speak formally, you may sound more like an interviewer.

Riku: That's true......

Tenn: Don't make such a sad face. After the interview ends, shall we talk without using formal speech?

Riku: Is that alright!?

Tenn: You're surprised again. I have another job after this, so I can't take too long, so if you may. 

Riku: Yes! Alright, I'll be making this quick!

Tenn: We're getting off-topic. 

Tenn: Ah, aaaah...... Um, once again, I will be interviewing you! During the shoot for the cover, what were you thinking about, in order to sink into that pose and expression?

Tenn: I got a little surprised at that time, but you requested me to "bring out an angelic and devilish feel at the same time," didn't you. Because of that, I wanted to give some two-sidedness to the pose and expression.

Riku: I see...... I'm learning a lot!

Tenn: I've learned a lot as well.

Riku: Though..., I'm sorry, hearing it again, I guess my instructions are pretty abstract......

Tenn: Not at all, you've pulled out your vision from deep inside yourself. It was really worth the work. 

Riku: Kujo-san...... During the photoshoot, I've gotten you to make adjustments so many times, after doing camera checks, but you really are different from me. I thought, you're so cool and strong. 

Tenn: Envying me won't help you with anything. But changing the angle of your neck by one degree, increasing the grasp of your fingers on the cushion by one gram, doing that completely changes how you come off. 

Riku: So you've been thinking that far. I thought that all of your cuts were cool...

Tenn: Getting Nanase-san to produce for me is a rare and valuable opportunity, so I wanted to make it as perfect as possible.

Riku: Ah! In that case, let's do a Part Two!

Tenn: Huh!?

Riku: Both you and I were happy doing it, so I think it'd be fine to do a Part Two!

Tenn: Hehe. By all means. It is unusual for an idol to produce for another idol, but the fact that this is across different groups is rare, after all. 

Riku: That's true! There's only the "Iori Photobook" by Yuki-san, the "Kujo-san Photobook" by me, and the "Momo-san Photobook" by Tsunashi-san, that are produced across different groups, after all!

Tenn: We went in order of birthdays this time, but thinking about it, it's true. I should be thankful for coincidentally having the same birthday as you, Nanase-san.

Riku: I have to thank God, too!

Tenn: You're exaggerating.

Riku: Ehehe.

Tenn: Talking about God... It seems that during the photoshoot, you told the staff "Isn't Kujo-san an angel?".

Riku: Wh-, y, you knew......!?

Tenn: I was told "I get asked a lot so I got embarassed." Even though I'm the one who was embarassed.

Riku: Urk, the fact that you knew is super embarassing...... Let's change the topic!! Here is the next question!!

Tenn: By all means.

Riku: How was your other photoshoot? 

Tenn: What a sudden change of topic..... Hmm, the photoshoot at the movie theater has a nice date feel to it. But even if I'm saying this, I've never gone on a date to the movie theater, so I thought that eating popcorn together must be nice.  

Riku: If I saw Kujo-san bringing me the popcorn and drinks like that at the movie theater, I think my heart would beat fast!

Tenn: If that were the case, it would make me happy, as a man. 

Riku: I think it's dreamy!

Tenn: It's dreamy, isn't it. 

Riku: Then, what kind of person do you like, Kujo-san?

Tenn: Let's see, if I have to say it, then someone who understands the entertainment industry. Right now, my goal and dream is to continue charming the fans as TRIGGER and as an idol, so I can't afford to think about love though......

Riku: Somehow, that's a cool answer that makes me go "An entertainer!"......!

Tenn: Thanks, you and I are both entertainers, you know. 

Riku: Y, you're right...... I made me think that the way you answer is completely different from mine, so...... I mean, I just answered "Someone cheerful." 

Tenn: Isn't that a wonderful answer. I'm sure that all your fans love the you who can't and won't lie. 

Riku: It would be nice if it were true......

Tenn: I'm just one person, but I do think so. 

Riku: Somehow, I feel better......!

Tenn: I'm glad. I also feel better when I talk to you, Nanase-san. Please keep get along with me, from now on, okay?

Riku: Y, yes......! Um, next is a standard question but, in your line of activites up until now, has anything sad happened?

Tenn: I apologize if it's vague, but I did some things thinking they would do good, but they backfired, and that made me sad. 

Riku: That's painful, isn't it...... I also bought merchandise of the anime that Nagi likes before coming home, but it seemed that it was an enemy to the character that Nagi likes, so I made him sad...

Tenn: That is unfortunate...

Riku: I felt sorry, and I didn't mean to make him sad, so I got frustrated...... Did you feel that way too, Kujo-san?

Tenn: Yes. Seeing that I'd hurt Gaku and Ryu, I regretted it. 

Riku: Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san got hurt!? That's serious... But you didn't have any ill intentions, so the two of them didn't get mad, right?

Tenn: That's right.

Riku: In that case, you don't have to worry!

Tenn: I wonder. It'd be nice if it were true.

Riku: I'm sure it is!

Tenn: Hehe. I wasn't planning to talk about this, but I become able to answer frankly when you're the one asking me. 

Riku: Huh, is that true!? I'm sorry for asking. But I've been thinking that despite being the same age as me, you're always calm, so knowing that even you have regrets ironically gives me more courage!

Tenn: I'm not that perfect of a person. I do think I'd like to be, though. 

Riku: I respect how strict you are towards yourself, Kujo-san! Well then, next, please tell me about something good that happened!

Tenn: Receiving an award is an honour for TRIGGER, but also for me personally, and getting to see the fans smiling brightly from watching my performances from the stage makes me more than happy. It makes me think that I'd like to be there forever.

Riku: I understand...! We can see everyone's smiles unexpectedly well from the stage, right. 

Tenn: It's curious that we can see the faces in the audience clearly, even though the light is so dazzling where we're standing. For that reason, to all of you reading this, don't cause any trouble during concerts.  

Riku: Please don't appeal to the fans with an idol’s smile so suddenly! I was startled!

Tenn: Did your heart beat faster?

Riku: It did!! To everyone who got live tickets, Kujo-san is telling you this, so you shouldn't cause any trouble~! Ah, though, I'd be happy if you could refrain from causing trouble at IDOLiSH7's lives too!

Tenn: They wouldn't be able to cause trouble. 

Riku: Ehehe. Even though seeing you in real life is amazing, I always watch TRIGGER's live DVDs at the dorms with Sogo-san and Mitsuki, and we get so excited that we can't act careless even if it's a DVD!

Tenn: I'd like to hear which parts made them excited, from Osaka Sogo-san and Izumi Mitsuki-san. 

Riku: Sogo-san and Mitsuki's hearts will be throbbing if you ask them that question!!

Tenn: Izumi Mitsuki-san is the only one that you call without honorifics, isn't he. 

Riku: Ah, that's because the first time that I met Mitsuki, I thought he was younger than me, and that impression stayed... So I kept talking to him casually like that! When I told him that, he got mad at me and said "I'm older than you!" though.

Tenn: Is that so. Izumi Mitsuki has both a sweet side, and a manly side to him, doesn't he. 

Riku: He does! When he's with us, Mitsuki always...... I mean, sorry! Even though it's Kujo-san's interview, I'm talking non-stop... 

Tenn: Not at all. It's fun. 

Riku: But if I start talking about it, it'll get long, so let's talk later in the dressing room!

Tenn: Yes. Shall we do that. 

Riku: Yeah!! ...Well then at last, Kujo-san, please deliver a message for the fans!

Tenn: Congrats.

Tsumugi: Happy birthday, Yaotome-san!

Gaku: I've been waiting for this. Thanks!

Tsumugi: Because you have all gathered at the party's location, I believe that you would like to get straight to talking to each other, but since I would like to produce a web article with presence, please speak through Rabbit Chat for a little while!

Ryunosuke: We know! It's fine!

Ryunosuke: Today was hot again so it was tough, but I was able to do my best, thinking that tonight would be Gaku's birthday. I was looking forward to it!

Gaku: Thanks. Why are you more excited about it than me (lol)

Ryunosuke: It was like that during Tenn's birthday too, but the fact that we can wish each other happy birthday is fun. I'm happy that we can celebrate it together. Congrats!

Gaku: I've already heard it three times (lol)

Tenn: Even though you're happy. You're grinning.

Gaku: Shut up. You were like this last month, too. 

Tenn: I'm not complaining. Seeing you look happy, I'm happy too. 

Tsumugi: Kujo-san, you've also produced the cover of the Gaku Photobook!

Tenn: Wasn't our Gaku cool?

Ryunosuke: He was! I thought that it would have a "Most Desired Embrace!!" feel, but I was surprised, seeing the gentle-looking cover.

Tenn: Was it strange?

Ryunosuke: It wasn't! It made me happy!

Gaku: What do you mean you were happy (lol)

Ryunosuke: Everyone in Japan knows that Gaku is the coolest person in the country, but you were making a soft face just like when you're with us. I was thinking that everyone could come to know of Gaku's gentle sides too.

Ryunosuke: I'm sure it came from Tenn's affection.

Gaku: Is that true?

Tenn: It was in part because it would please the fans, but a certain someone was interested in it, after all.

Tenn: The fact that you're not successful only thanks to the face you were born with. 

Gaku: Tenn......

Tenn: I wanted it to be a picture through which people could understand that one of the reasons you're loved is your kindness and gentleness.  

Tenn: This kind of gaze isn't something that just any handsome guy can achieve, right. 

Ryunosuke: It's a really nice picture. You're making the face of the Gaku that I love. 

Tenn: Though, it was hard to bring out that cover. You'd get embarassed, you'd sulk, you'd make a self-satisfied face.

Gaku: Weren't your instructions way too trivial though!?

Ryunosuke: Tenn, what did you say to Gaku to be able to bring out that cover? Like "smile gently"?

Tenn: I knew that it would be impossible even if I gave him instructions, so we talked for a while. We talked so that he could imagine what a morning with his loved one would be like. That's when I took the picture.  

Gaku: This is getting gradually more embarassing......

Ryunosuke: Hearing the story behind it, my heart started pounding unnecessarily......

Gaku: You're really honest, aren't you Ryu (lol)

Tenn: Judging from the result, the production skills were good. 

Gaku: The subject matter was good. 

Ryunosuke: Both were the best!

Tsumugi: Thank you for this wonderful conversation! Well then, at last......!

[Tsumugi: It's time to change!]

Gaku: Alright. I'll change into something festive and come back.

[Tsumugi: It's time to transform into a little bunny!]

Gaku: Little bunny? Ah, you mean the rabbit that's on the glasses (lol)

[Tsumugi: It's time to change your outfit, and to cut the cake!]

Gaku: The party is starting, huh. I'll be enjoying it lots.

Tenn: Is he coming back soon?

Ryunosuke: Ah, he came back!

Ryunosuke: The main actor is here!

Gaku: Sorry for the wait. 

Tsumugi: Yaotome-san's reappearance in a different costume!

Tenn: Cute (lol)

Ryunosuke: Cute!

Gaku: Take pictures later, you two (lol)

Ryunosuke: Happy birthday, Gaku! Let's have a toast!

Tenn: I will be holding up the cover of the Gaku Photobook that I have produced.

Ryunosuke: Am I going to make an expression like this under Gaku's production, too? I'm getting nervous, thinking that my bare face will be exposed!

Gaku: Don't put pressure on me (lol) You don't know if I'll take the beast route, either

Tsumugi: Everyone, I'm overjoyed that you seem to be having fun! I will be documenting everything from here!

Tsumugi: They're having a toast, Yaotome-san and Tsunashi-san with cocktails, and Kujo-san with juice!

Tsumugi: Wah! A congratulatory hug from Tsunashi-san to Yaotome-san! Yaotome-san looks happy!

Tsumugi: Having to follow Tsunashi-san, Kujo-san is running away (lol) He's embarassed, isn't he. Yaotome-san is also embarassed!

Tsumugi: They hugged only a bit! So short!

Tsumugi: Ah! The cameraman missed the shot opportunity, and asked them to do it again!

Tsumugi: Ah, Tsunashi-san is being the producer! The other two burst out laughing at Tsunashi-san's production!

Tsumugi: TRIGGER is so cute!!

Gaku: Aah, I laughed

Tenn: You're getting way too embarassed from Ryu's instructions, Gaku. 

Gaku: But I mean, he's saying "that's good, that's good," "look this way," just like a cameraman (lol)

Ryunosuke: I got fired up. I think we were able to shoot a picture of Gaku on the best of birthdays!

Tsumugi: Thank you, Tsunashi-san!

Ryunosuke: Once again, happy birthday. Ever since I met you, Gaku, August became special. I used to associate the summer heat with my hometown, but now there's one more thing it makes me think of. 

Ryunosuke: I'll keep being in your care!

Gaku: Yeah. Thanks. Ryu. 

Tenn: I know that a lot of things will be happening in the future, but if you're here, I believe that we'll be okay, leader. Happy birthday. 

Gaku: Yeah. Leave it to me. 

Tsumugi: To conclude, please say a few words to the fans!

Gaku: Thanks for always supporting us. 

Gaku: Your voices allow me to be an invincible Yaotome Gaku. 

Gaku: I won't collapse no matter what happens. Believe in me, and follow me to the end of the world!

T/N

Next is the interview from Tenn’s Birthday Photobook.

Also, I will be getting more busy from now on, so I think that the daily updates will stop. Series of chats themselves will keep being posted on a daily basis, but there might be some time in between each series. I’ve started liking doing long projects like interviews a lot too, so I was thinking that instead of having small daily updates, taking a bit more time to do longer ones might be fun too! Thanks for your understanding, and for always reading and contributing to this blog!! 

Gaku: My old man won't come, right? He wouldn't want you to call my relatives on my mom's side either. I can't imagine at all who it could be.

Tsumugi: 

Tsumugi: This came up during our conversation with Anesagi-san too, but the lessons before you debuted were strict, weren't they.

Gaku: They were harsh. My vocal training instructor was especially scary. 

Tsumugi: What kind of person were they?

Gaku: He was young and handsome, but he wouldn't ever smile. He'd yell at you with a voice that would resonate all the way to your stomach.  He'd make you train your abs to the same extent as if you were in a sports club. 

Gaku: Huh

Gaku: Don't tell me......

Tsumugi: Well then, without further ado let's have him join! Here is the vocal training instructor who taught Yaotome-san's lessons until your debut!

Instructor: Hey

Gaku: Whoa, it's been a while!!

Gaku: This takes me back! Have you been doing well?

Instructor: Happy birthday

Instructor: Is it still early

Gaku: Thank you! I can't believe it, I didn't expect this at all!

Instructor: I'm doing fine

Instructor: You?

Instructor: You seem in good health on TV though

Gaku: Thanks to everyone, I'm able to do this without falling ill or getting hurt.

Tsumugi: Your instructor is currently teaching at another training school.

Instructor: Thanks to me getting into a fight with your old man. 

Gaku: Huh...... Are you serious?

Instructor: I'm kidding. I'm indebted to Yaotome-san. 

Gaku: I was startled......

Tsumugi: Yaotome-san, could I hear some of your memories of your instructor?

Gaku: I have way too many. Like how during the first three months, I seriously hated even just seeing his face (lol)

Instructor: 

Gaku: You use stickers!? You weren't the type to do that, weren't you!?

Instructor: Shut up. Ever since my daughter was born, I softened up. 

Gaku: You've become a dad? I had no idea. Congratulations!

Instructor: My daughter likes TRIGGER, you know.

Gaku: Seriously?

Instructor: Yeah

Instructor: A Tsunashi Ryunosuke fan

Gaku: Not mine huh......

Instructor: You can be proud of yourself too, Gaku. You're pretty much the only one who didn't cry during my lessons. 

Gaku: I thought that if I cried, I would've lost, after all. Thanks to you, I've become strong mentally. There aren't many people as scary as you are, after all. 

Instructor: Lol

Gaku: You gave me a harmonica for my birthday, right. I've been keeping it preciously this whole time.

Instructor: Thanks

Tsumugi: There are plenty of things that I'd like to hear from you two, but I've received questions that your instructor had prepared! I'd like you to answer them, Yaotome-san!

[Tsumugi: Do you have a girlfriend?]

Gaku: I don't. I'm an idol, you know.

[Tsumugi: Did you make friends?]

Gaku: I did. I'm getting along well with our members, and I'm hanging out with our partners from other jobs too. I'm having fun everyday.

[Tsumugi: Are you getting along well with Yaotome-san?]

Gaku: I wonder? Since we're both stubborn. Well I mean, we're getting there little by little.

Instructor: It was because Yaotome-san had high hopes for you, Gaku. I was told not to go easy on you.

Gaku: I don't think that was anticipation though. He wants to make people act accordingly to what he wants, that kind of thing is annoying. 

Instructor: It was anticipation. Though he does make decisions unilaterally, so It's natural that you'd find it irritating.

Instructor: He'd enthusiastically discuss how he wanted to do this and that, after you'd have debuted. Yaotome-san likes you and this industry in his own way.  

Instructor: It can be self-important, though. 

Tsumugi: How do you feel about this, Yaotome-san. . ?

Gaku: I'm not one of his belongings, I'm a person. I can't obey to things that I don't agree with. I don't want to obey.

Gaku: I started going to the lessons because my old man forced me to, but now, I'm singing out of my own will.

Gaku: For that reason

Gaku: How should I put it, I can't express it well. 

Instructor: It's like that. Between a father and a son. 

Gaku: There are things I'm thankful for, too. However, when I become a dad, I won't be using him as a example. I may be a bit of sad about that, though. 

Tsumugi: Yaotome-san. .

Gaku: Please show me pictures of your daughter next time, teacher.

Instructor: Yeah

Instructor: I met your members too

Gaku: Tenn and Ryu?

Instructor: They politely bowed their heads, saying "Thank you for what you do for Gaku," and talked about your birthday with happy expressions. You have good partners, don't you. 

Gaku: Yes. 

Iori: Happy birthday.

Mitsuki: Yaotome congrats–!!

Yamato: Happy bday

Tamaki: Gakkun, hbd!!

Gaku: Thanks!

Nagi: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Sogo: Yaotome-san, happy birthday. I'm always grateful to what TRIGGER does for us. From now one, please keep being a source of aspiration to us.

Gaku: Thanks. It gets lively with seven people here, huh.

Tsumugi: This discussion will be used in the photobook series project! I believe that you have it in front of you, so while you look at the Gaku Photobook, please talk about his birthday!

Yamato: Wow–, you're good-looking aren't you, my eyes are healed. 

Mitsuki: So cool!! Every page is so cool!

Gaku: Thank you (lol)

Riku: Thank you for using the picture that I took!

Tamaki: Gakkun did you clear the game?

Gaku: I reached up until stage 5.

Gaku: 

Tamaki: At stage 5 you're still an amateur

Sogo: Tamaki-kun! You shouldn't say something rude to your senior!

Gaku: It's fine. In this game, Yotsuba is my senior, after all. 

Tamaki: 

Gaku: Yotsuba, isn't the character you're using strong? How did you get it?

Tamaki: I paid

Nagi: In my case, I pulled 50 times in a row (1).

Riku: For me, because I was pulling quickly, some kind of warning popped up! 

Iori: Nanase-san! I told you to plan your expenses more carefully, didn't I!

Riku: I'm pretty bad at planning my expenses

Tamaki: Iorin, why did you stop playing the game when you pulled the rabbit character?

Iori: You don't need to say something unnecessary

Yamato: If the girls hear that the Most Desired Embrace is into games, they'll weep. 

Gaku: It's fine. I started a movie club with Yuki-san, after all. Nikaido, you join too.

Yamato: Pardon me?

Mitsuki: Who went off topic! Alright, everyone, let's say which one is our favourite Yaotome, one by one!

Iori: I like the Monster Yaotome. He looks like he'd be the leader of the stray cats.

Yamato: Onii-san finds the sight of him going all out while holding a hagoita (2) Yaotome-like. 

Mitsuki: There's no other choice than MATSURI though!? It's our very own uniform after all! Well done (3)!

Tamaki: I like the cook from the job experience thing. I like the parfait.

Sogo: I was hesitating between this and the Secret Night costume, but I'd say the Yaotome-san from Leopard Eyes. Even though it's an outfit without adornment, I can feel the aura emanating from its sexiness and your bare skin, so I like it. 

Nagi: My preference is the Yaotome-shi holding a fan. It's Japanese and sophisticated.

Riku: I like the Yaotome-san from Ainana Academy! He looks like a cool teacher! The rabbit hoodie Yaotome-san feels like an older brother, so I like that one too!

Gaku: Thanks. Everyone has their own preferences huh (lol)

Yamato: The dinner at the restaurant one is the most suited for the Most Desired Embrace, right. 

Mitsuki: The TRIGGER Police Yaotome is more Most Desired Embrace-like though!? Isn't a man who can fight cool!

Yamato: Isn't the Yaotome leading a stable life, taking the time to set up special days better?

Iori: If you say so, then the Yaotome-san who's a teacher also looks like a reliable person who would raise a family with you. 

Riku: If he's going to come over, then the Santa Yaotome-san is good!

Gaku: Don't talk as if there were multiple of me. There's only the idol me, you know. 

Mitsuki: Talking about multiple of you, we did say that there was someone who looks just like you, right. The young man who delivers soba to our place.

Gaku: Aah, you did talk about it.

Mitsuki: Even though he looks like TRIGGER's Yaotome, when we asked him if he knew about us, he said "I'm cheering you on."

Tamaki: Really. Yamamura is a good guy. 

Mitsuki: I also asked him who's his favourite member.

Yamato: Ooh, and then?

Mitsuki: "Dear customer, soba can be served with tempura, it can be noodles with duck, zarusoba (4), it can be served with egg, it can be all kinds of things, right. They all have their own best qualities. I can't pick just one."

Riku: The soba delivery man is so cool!!

Sogo: Yamamura-san, that's beautiful......

Nagi: He is wonderful...

Gaku: Huuh. That guy says some pretty nice things, doesn't he.

Mitsuki: I've pledged not to get soba from anyone else than Yamamura, anymore. 

Tsumugi: Yamamura-san is a kind and wonderful person, isn't he. I will take this moment to ask you the questions that I have received from IDOLiSH7!

Gaku: What will it be. I'm kinda nervous (lol)

[Tsumugi: Which one would would you prefer between a Kujo who's really drunk, after having reached the drinking age, and a Tsunashi-san with a wicked tongue?]

Gaku: 100% drunk Tenn. I'd take so many pictures. It'd make me sad if Ryu had a wicked tongue. I think I'd get genuinely depressed.

[Tsumugi: Are you the type to lick the pudding off of the bottle's lid?]

Gaku: If I'm at home, then yes. I don't do that outside.

[Tsumugi: Please tell us a memory of your birthday parties.]

Gaku: My parents are divorced, so my birthday mostly got celebrated at my mother's house. It was fun. I'd receive stuff like prepaid cards to buy books a lot from my old man.

Tsumugi: Thank you! Well then, Yaotome-san's next job will start shortly,  so I would like to wrap this up here!

Riku: Huh–! Yaotome-san is already leaving!?

Tamaki: I want to talk to Gakkun more!

Gaku: What's with you guys. Aren't you nice (lol)

Iori: You seem extremely busy, but do take care of your body somehow. Please enjoy your birthday party, as well.

Yamato: Say hi to Kujo and Tsunashi-san too. Tell me more about that movie club later. There's no way I'll join though.

Nagi: I hope that you will have a wonderful BIRTHDAY, Yaotome-shi. 

Sogo: Please do your best at work. I'm glad that I could convey you some congratulatory wishes. I will be sending you my other impressions of the Gaku Photobook later. 

Gaku: Thanks. Well then, you guys do your best at work too.

Mitsuki: Yeah! Congrats, Yaotome!

T/N

(1) For people who are unfamiliar with Japanese mobile games, they usually feature a gacha/lottery type system where you put in your game currency, and get a character/item at random. That action is called "pulling."

(2) This refers to his New Year card. A hagoita is the wooden paddle that he's holding in the picture. 

(3) The term that Mitsuki uses is "appare" which you might recognize as a line from All Boys! ~MATSURI~.

Momo: I'm here~! -=≡∑(((⊃°∀°)つ

Yuki: Greetings

Momo: Still early, but happy birthday~! (≧∇≦)▼☆▼(≧∇≦)

Gaku: Sorry for making you do this when you're busy. Thank you. 

Tsumugi: IDOLISH7 has received both Re:vale and TRIGGER together as guests, but due to the large number of people, this time we will conduct the talk with only Re:vale and Yaotome-san! 

Tsumugi: I apologize for calling you during busy times, but please talk like you usually do!

Momo: Hey~ Isn't Gaku pretty co~ld lately? I'm lo~ne~ly~

Yuki: I bet you got a boyfriend~ come on~ tell us~ (1)

Gaku: This isn't how you usually talk, right (lol)

Momo:  (・ω<）Heehee (2)

Gaku: Since it's my birthday, I have something I want to ask Re:vale. 

Momo: Oh! What is it what is it~! We'll do anything! ☆

Gaku: Momo-san, you have a sports club with Ryu and the older Izumi, don't you. Yuki-san, let's make some club too.

Yuki: A club huh...

Gaku: You said you'd do anything, didn't you!

Momo: It's because Yuki is an indoor type! Lol What kind of club do you want to make?

Gaku: Anything's fine. I want to fool around like you and the others too. I'll invite Nikaido from IDOLiSH7. 

Tsumugi: I'm happy that Yamato-san would be invited! I'm sure he'll be happy too! 

Yuki: If that would make Yamato-kun happy. It's Gaku-kun's birthday, so it's fine.

Gaku: Alright, so it's been decided. I wonder what would be good. If it's me, Yuki-san, and Nikaido, I guess something about acting or drinking. What about visiting wineries?

Yuki: Since we'll all be drinking, I don't think anyone will want to drive

Momo: Wouldn't a movie club be good!? Not watching them, but making them!（*>ω<) 

Gaku: Sounds good! I want to be the director!

Yuki: I don't think we can finish that in one day

Gaku: We won't. It's club acitivities, after all. Let's make a parody of "Mission." Please come as a guest too, Momo-san.

Momo: Is that okay!? Yay–! \ﾞ( °∀°)ﾉﾞ●～*

Yuki: Isn't having only a corpse collector and a bomber as partners too much?

Gaku: It's fine. I'll be a guardian angel.

Momo: It's LastDime– (3)!! •_ε(°-°*)ß☆*°¨ﾟﾟAngel☆Eight*:..☆☆。

Gaku: If you're worried, let's call Yotsuba as a boxer too.

Momo: It's KoiKake–  (4) !! (o≧ω≦)〇))Whoosh whoosh＝〇）°0°).。

Yuki: Do that one, Gaku-kun. I like that one.

Gaku: That one?

Momo: The Shinsengumi's Hijikata Toshizo (5)! You were saying that before too, right Yuki!

Gaku: Ah–! You did praise me for it!

Tsumugi: You were really cool as the Shinsengumi, so I loved it too! The picture that Yamato-san took of you is also appearing in the Gaku Photobook, isn't it!

Momo: The one where Yuki unexpectedly got the first comment!

Yuki: That's right. I liked it so I took it

Gaku: Really!? That makes me super happy!

Momo: You were a miracle pretty boy! I even printed it on a T-shirt and wore it! （ノ∀*）

Gaku: Ah–, that's a lie. This one's a lie. I've become able to tell, lately......

Yuki: Lol

Momo: Lolololololol

Gaku: I got really happy for nothing, didn't I.

Gaku: 

Momo: Gaku is cute lololol

Yuki: I mean it when I say that I liked it. It's my favourite Hijikata that I've seen so far

Gaku: Thank you. I'm glad. Momo-san, please wear that T-shirt one of these days (lol)

Momo: I will I will I will! （・∀・)=b

Tsumugi: You're being lively talking about your movie club, but I've received some questions from Re:vale for you, Yaotome-san!

[Tsumugi: If I want to bribe Yaotome Papa, what do you think would work?]

Gaku: A bribe!? I don't think his mood would improve upon receiving objects. He was looking for a good music producer.

[Tsumugi: Natural curls?]

Gaku: (lol) That's right. Can't you tell, looking at my old man.

[Tsumugi: When you're in a pinch, what would you want the person you like to do?]

Gaku: I don't need anything. I just want them to watch me overcome it on my own.

Gaku: Is it alright like this?

Momo: It's perfect! Thanks, Gaku–!

Tsumugi: Thank you, everyone! Finally, Re:vale, please send your messages to Yaotome-san!

Momo: Gaku, happy birthday!! Gaku-chan gets poked at by Tenn a lot, but this well-informed Momo-chan knows that as TRIGGER's leader, you have to get through all kinds of hardships! That's the Gaku that I love! +.(≧∀≦)°+.°

Momo: From now one, keep being our handsome, cool and cute junior! 

Yuki: Gaku-kun, happy birthday. No one really pays attention to me on location, so I'm happy that you come talk to me. Thanks. We're both busy, but take care of your body. 

Gaku: Thank you, Re:vale. I'm really moved. 

Gaku: I'm deeply endebted to both Yuki-san and Momo-san, but if it's okay for me to say something so pretentious, then I'll be thinking of you as rivals, or as a goal. 

Gaku: I love you both, so I definitely want to win against you sometime.

Yuki: That's right

Momo: Come at us with all you've got!

Tsumugi: Even I got fired up. . Re:vale, Yaotome-san, thank you!

T/N

(1) Yuki and Momo are imitating teenage girls talking.

(2) Momo says "tehepero" which is a word used when you giggle (tehe) and stick out your tongue (pero) in a cheeky way. 

(3) In the musical for Last Dimension, Gaku played the role of an angel called Eight. 

(4) MEZZO'' 's song "Fragments of Love" (koi no kakera). It was mentioned in Part 2 that the song was used in a drama starring MEZZO'', in which Tamaki played the role of a boxer. 

(5) During the late Edo period, the Shinsengumi were a kind of private police force made of samurai, employed by the Tokugawa shogunate to defend the rule of the emperor. Hijikata Toshizo was a vice-commander of the Shinsengumi, and one of its most famous members. In Japan, the Shinsengumi is a very common theme for historical dramas, games, etc. It was mentioned in a previous chat that Gaku played Hijikata in a historical drama (here). They included a photo card of him in costume in his Birthday Photobook (here).