#b's-log

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Season 2 begins! A set of new ghouls appears!!! (Top text)

dionysia dormitory (big red writing on the side)

A group of entertainment performers ──────────────────────── that run a circus

Dionysia is a dorm reminiscent of a closed-down amusement park, and professor Nicolas is it's advisor. Within it, there’s a dazzling circus tent where you can watch a variety of performances put on by students who’ve honed their unique talents, it became popular as one of the few sources of entertainment within the academy. Additionally, Mio creates mechanical devices that are useful in many places both inside and outside the school.

They’ve returned from the containment facility… Are they salvation or something else entirely— (red-white writing)

Elias Pratt CV: Hiroo Sasaki (gold writing on the right)

𓊈Oh no, I'm nothing special. I just handle the odd jobs around here.𓊉

A mysterious figure who works as a janitor on campus. He is actually a fourth-year ghoul currently on probation for certain reasons, and rumor has it he used to be the captain of Dionysia. Though he is an easygoing free spirit, there may be more to him than meets the eye...

◆︎ One of the three abandoned dormitories ◆︎

The One-Eyed Sleeping Beauty Murder Case, in which a general Ultio student who had close ties with ghouls died, sparked a civil war, and the dormitories of Dionysia, Clementia, and Ultio were defunct. (Writing in the pink diamond shaped box)

✧━━━━━⊱ ⋆ ⊰━━━━━✧

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Jo Kongoza CV: Kohei Yanagi

𓊈I can't hear your applause, cutie𓊉

The captain of Dionysia and ringleader of the Dionysia circus troupe is warm, outgoing, and supportive. Well-liked by students within and outside of Dionysia and often sought out for advice, Jo is a popular figure on campus, but he rarely talks about himself.

Mio Susuhara CV: Kaito Takeda

𓊈We're alike? ...That's a little offensive to her, don't you think?𓊉

The vice-captain of Dionysia and a master craftsman, Mio is the leader of Darkwick's clockwork artisans. From building stage sets and mission-ready tools to handling repairs across the houses, there's almost nothing he can't do—and requests for his handiwork are unending.

Shion Genkai CV: Tatsumaru Tachibana

𓊈She's my family. I've got to cherish her.𓊉

Shion loves to watch people cry and tremble in fear. His twisted actions have made him a pariah on campus, but he doesn't feel the slightest bit of remorse. He has an unnerving obsession with you and your fellow second-year Mio, the vice-captain of Dionysia.

◆︎ What's their relationship with the other dorms and former Dionysia ghoul, Sagara Haru? ◆︎

Having previously been a Dionysia ghoul, Haru seems to be feeling uneasy about it's reinstatement. They also have some tension with Taiga, and seems to be on bad terms with Sinostra. (Upper diamond shaped box)

◆︎ Why were the ghouls of Dionysia detained? ◆︎

At a certain academy on the outskirts of Tokyo, a special unit oversees a containment facility built to handle frequent anomalous incidents. Some students are held there for their own protection—but what is the real reason behind their confinement…?” (Lower diamond shaped box - Struggled to get a good translation on this, this is the one that made most sense, if you've got better, let me know!)

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Main Story Season 2 Episode 2 THE ULTIMATE SPECTACLE.

Following a certain incident, the ghouls of Dionysia went under disciplinary action. Just as the Samhain Festival comes to a lively close, news of their return spreads, sending shockwaves throughout the school. The Dionysia ghouls, each with their own quirks, naturally have various connections with the other ghouls...Amid an uneasy atmosphere, the protagonist is assigned as the inspector to supervise their mission. The case entrusted to them—one that will determine the dorm’s reinstatement—is a large-scale heist of the legendary jewelry, The twin orion...!?

This beautiful piece of jewelry is an anomaly!? (First picture - necklace)

A dazzling show that captivates the audience— (second picture - Jo )

The twin orion, a pair of necklaces, is actually an anomaly believed to possess an unknown power that had long been sealed away. The American branch of the International Institute of anomalous research has been unable to capture it and has had it under surveillance. Now, for the first time, it has been brought to Japan and will be exhibited at a jewelry exhibition.

The ghouls and protagonist are ordered to infiltrate the site as visitors and capture it. It may seem like an impossible task, but their advisor, Professor Nicolas, believes that this mission is suitable for Dionysia. What kind of method will they use to steal the artifact...?

What will become of the mission, which hangs on the line of its success or failure—!? (Text below the picture)

Episode 1 is now available!

𓊆 Main Story Season 2 Episode 1 The Samhain Jam𓊇

Their rival is the mysterious band "Bray Men"

After Romeo's first mixed unit mission, Darkwick Academy's school festival, the Samhain Festival, is held. The main event is the music stage. The best group in the "Star Contest" will receive funds alongside a special prize, and Mortkranken, who is short on funds, sets their sights on them and begins recruiting members. After many twists and turns, Kaito and Towa decide to be part of the group, and the Saint Cross Orchestra is finally formed! Meanwhile, the cult-popular, eccentric band "Bray Men" becomes the talk of the school... And while the excitement of the school festival is still fresh, the ghouls of Dionysia were announced to be reinstated to active duty!?

① The animation short "Obey Me! Special Anime — Devildom Family Trip!" which was posted on April 1 (2021), left a great impression on us because of the great response it received from exchange students around the world, which could also be partly due to the day being April Fool's Day itself. We had received many requests for an animated series since the global English version was first released, so we were very excited that we were able to make it happen. It was also great that we were able to design bunny boy costumes for the brothers 🐰 We hope the bunny boys will spread further throughout the world 🐰

② The exchange students from all over the world said, "It's a difficult situation (where I live), but I'm glad to have 'Obey Me!' I can relax when I play "Obey Me!" and watch the videos," etc. When we received these messages, we learnt that the content we provide can have a positive impact on people in the pandemic as well. We feel that we could to continue to create more content for "Obey Me!" so that we can be a small pillar to make as many people's lives become more enjoyable as possible.

③ This year has been valuable for us with many firsts, starting with 'Otaku FM', followed by "Obey Me! The Boys in the House," the anime, the manga, and the opportunity to meet exchange students both online and offline. We would like to thank you all for your support, which has made all of this possible. Our team will continue to work hard to provide content that will make your everyday life more enjoyable with 'Obey Me!'

④

【結】 musubi

meaning join, union, connecting

Last year was a year full of encounters with many people, so we answered "fate/connection" . 【縁】 en/enishi

①I don't think it's a matter of being rational or not. Adults can discipline themselves, but children can't. For example, there's some idiot who is in debt all year round because he spends more than he can spend.

In their third single, I wanted to show everyone Trickstar who had transformed.

Q: You had created numerous songs for Enstars, but which one left the biggest impression?

K: There are many… but outside of first season songs, I’d say it’s Trickstar’s BREAKTHROUGH!. It was supposed to be the B-side at first. We made DIAMOND SUMMER with the intention of making an A-side because it was a very Trickstar song. But we also wanted to show a different side to Trickstar—a transformed Trickstar—and not just their cheerful and positive side. That’s when we brought up the suggestion to make BREAKTHROUGH! as the A-side song. Both songs were very important, but the first song would be the long-lasting impression after all. That’s exactly why we made BREAKTHROUGH! as the first song.

Q: That’s a good point. As opposed to the other songs that Trickstar have released so far, it’s like they’re fighting in this song.

K: I wanted to show how Trickstar has an enemy that they cannot oppose at their current state through music as well. I thought that if they were to challenge their rivals—Eve, Adam, and Eden—it would make things better if they weren’t the “usual Trickstar”. That’s why I strongly pushed BREAKTHROUGH! for the A-side forward.

Q: Were there any other songs that left an impression on you?

K: It would be 2wink’s TRICK with TREAT!!. One reason is because I was the one who wrote the song, but it was also the first time “Saito-san” and “Soma-san” got to sing with the others so I was happy for him (laugh). Saito-san always looked so lonely all by himself, so it was a long-awaited moment.

Q: TRICK with TREAT!! has UNDEAD singing as the backing vocals and voicing out dialogue lines. Speaking of UNDEAD, I think there were a lot of fans who were waiting for the veteran unit, Dead Man’s.

K: You must mean Dead Man’s Death Game Holic. In that CD, Dead Man’s song took priority and was made first, so making UNDEAD’s songs was a herculean task. UNDEAD’s second season CD was considerably cheerful, so I wanted to show their corrupted side more in the third season, but there was a restriction where they must not feel more corrupted than Dead Man’s. I’m the composer of Gate of the Abyss, and actually it was a song that was chosen through a contest. Happy Elements chose this song in the end.

Q: From a professional’s point of view, what would be your fixation in Enstars unit song series? Specifically, can you tell us if there’s anything like, “Maybe you won’t notice if you don’t listen to it carefully, but actually…”

K: I wanted to deliver the best sound quality as best as I could, so we made it compatible with high resolution sound quality. It’s actually made in a much better sound quality environment compared to generic CDs. Although when you burn it into CDs, it’s not high-res anymore… Also, up until around the second season I took into account the units’ upbringing and position. I made some delineation in my mind, for example how I think I can make some parts more extravagant. I thought to myself that I’d better make those improvements.

Q: …In other words?

K: “We should record a live string performance for fine!” (laugh) Valkyrie is a unit of artists so naturally we would record the instruments’ live performance, ditto with Akatsuki and the traditional Japanese instruments. On the contrary, I try not to include acoustics as much as I can for 2wink. For Ra*bits, they’re also a rookie unit, and although we had skilful musicians perform for us, we didn’t use live recording as much at first.

3D live concert, voice actor live concert, and the secret episode behind Enstage’s production

Q: Enstars’ unit songs have been performed in various types of media such as the 3D Live “DREAM LIVE” (Star Live) and the Starry Stage, a live concert of the voice actors. Can you tell us a bit more about them as well?

K: With the Star Live, I was the one who wanted to have a live band. In 3D Lives, the characters’ movements are pretty much the same for every session, so I think putting on a live band accompaniment would make the audience think that the characters are alive even more. I supervised the band arrangement of the songs and also the casting of the band members. It was only the performance on December 31st where one of the band members couldn’t make it and I had to fill in for them (laugh).

Q: Now that you’ve seen the Star Live, what do you think?

K: I simply thought that wow, we live in an amazing era! Sorry if that sounded like a 5-year-old commentary (laugh). I was blessed with the opportunity to feel the fans’ wish to see this concert first-hand. I was able to take on a new challenge and I felt grateful.

Q: What about Starry Stage?

K: I was involved from the planning stage. I was actually the one who wanted to have a live performance with the voice actors. Our plan got through after right about 2 years, and it was approved with the title "Starry Stage”. I actually don’t know what “SS” is the short for, but when it appeared in the game I thought it was “Starry Stage”. In Starry Stage, I was involved in casting, stage production, and production supervision. I really got to do many different things!

Q: What did you think of it?

K: Goodness, I was just emotionally overwhelmed. One of my strongest feelings would have been, “I finally got to see this scenery!” But more importantly, it brought to surface my powerlessness and what I was lacking (bitter laugh). To bring forth a live performance, we made the fans wait for 3 years, so the Starry Stage also had a concept of getting up close to the fans as much as we can. That’s why I wanted to absolutely have all of them get on the moving cart and also have them go to the smaller stage (at the back). I think we managed to clear that part. Although, among the 13 cast members, to more than half of them it was their first time singing and dancing for an idol series. That’s why it was difficult to ask them to learn difficult choreography so we just did the best we could. Those were some of the challenges we had, so it was a really touching moment for me when I watched the performance.

Q: There’s a second concert for Star Live, but how about Starry Stage?

K: The official title had “1st” in it so, in other words, you know? (Laugh) As for me, I’d like to make it happen!*

*[T/L note] It’s happening! 13 January 2019 at Nippon Budokan.

Q: You guys from Arte Refact are also involved in creating original songs for the stage adaptation, Ensemble Stars! On Stage. Are there any differences in the processes between making a song for a CD release and making a song for a stage play?

K: In Enstage, we basically received the script and then we were asked to make a particular type of song. Enstage played out the main story. Around that time, we kind of already made them into unit songs, so it was difficult. But we took out some specific parts of a scene and looked at them from a different point of view. That’s when we could create. We made them as we thought how this unit was singing this particular type of song, and how this was the kind of music that would fit this kind of scene… So what we did was the same, but we made the song from a different viewpoint.

Q: In Ensemble Stars! Extra Stage ~Judge of Knights~ that used the event Rebellion! The King’s Horseback Ride as its theme, they performed many new songs during the Judgment Live scene.

K: Judgment had a developing battle scene so they asked us to make a medley. At that point, the script was not yet finished so I had no idea how it was going to be. But when I read the finished version I understood what they meant. Although, I asked them what would happen with the dialogue bits in between, since it wouldn’t be called a medley anymore if they had stopped [the music]. Then, they told me that they were going to include something like a dance choreography as well. That’s how I decided to let the music play in the background during those times and let it develop entry points for the singing to come in again.

Q: So you made it based on the fact that it was going to have both acting and singing included.

K: Also, the actors can sometimes change when they choose to take a breath between the phrases. When that happens, the timing feel will change as well. I can’t create with the stance that they have to breathe at some specific point. When they sing, it’s fixed, but other than the singing part I make the music loop (so that they can get back onto it should they be running behind). Since the battle scene was made to accelerate, I and the composers’ side suggested to also increase the bpm (tempo) a little by little. It was subtle so that the audience won’t feel the abrupt change.

Q: You really made these songs based on how it’s going to be sung at a stage play.

K: When there are dialogues within a song, I would read those dialogues out loud to myself and think about the timing of how the character speaks. Then that’s how I figure out how long the phrases should be.

Q: Have you seen Enstage?

K: I’ve seen all of them, of course. All of them and all the characters are truly really good, but personally I really like Eichi Tenshouin’s actor, (Takahisa) Maeyama-san! I was like, “Thanks for giving me a chance to write a song for Eichi-sama! It was the best!” (laugh)

The main point about character songs is that it’s not unnatural.

Q: I’d like to ask something with regards to what we call character songs in general. Is there anything that you feel you must do every time you create character songs or unit songs?

K: It’s difficult to explain it in words, but I myself don’t think of Enstars’ songs as “character songs”. It’s like I’m actually producing idols and real life idol songs. But if I have to answer from the viewpoint that they’re character songs, I guess it would be how I won’t make something that’s unnatural for that character of that world to sing this kind of song. I want to make a song that can let you picture the world and the character. That the world matches the character themself, and that it’s nothing out of place. For example, you don’t feel right hearing digital instruments in an anime with an idyllic setting. But if there’s someone in that anime who likes games, it won’t be strange to insert something digital. I think about how I should set things apart like that.

Q: Do you not approach the way you make [character songs] and songs you make for real world artists differently?

K: There’s no difference. But for me, it’s often the case that I would ask the artists to write the lyrics as a condition when I’m the one producing or providing songs for them. If the situation proves to be difficult, or when they have other tie-up songs to work on as well, then other lyricists may be called in. But as long as that is not the case, I’d like the actual person who will be singing this song to write the lyrics themself. Otherwise it won’t get through to the listeners, is what I think. If they sing words written by someone else, there’s always something about it that doesn’t feel right. I want to make a song that includes the singer’s feelings in it even just a little, so I’d like them to write their own song’s lyrics whenever possible.

Q: Lastly, please leave a message to readers who are looking forward to your next work! What would you like them to hear in the songs that you have produced?