#bs log

Q: Then how did the actual recording go?

Takahashi: While I sing, I think about how Bewitching Theater is a fiction that is created and completed within Shu’s outlook of the world, which is why it’s called a “theater”. I’d take great care of the logic that is present in the lyrics, and did it as if I’m intoxicated in an action movie. Actually, the director gave me a lot of instructions about that sort of thing. “With tenacity! Tenacity!” he said (laugh). Before the recording, I thought I had to sing more loudly, but turns out he meant more towards “being intoxicated.” As for Castle of Sand, Nazuna joined. However, if you ask me whether or not Nazuna is the focus, I’d say he isn’t. I came to the recording thinking it’s a song dedicated to Mademoiselle! (laugh) In Takahashi’s analysis, the part “light is shining” inside the “glass eyes” means “If what resides within a doll isn’t something that lasts virtually forever, but a finite soul instead, then I shall accept that!” I think it’s that kind of song!

Q: Please tell us the appeal of each song.

Takahashi: I’ve talked about Castle of Sand, so this time it’s Bewitching Theater (laugh). The lyrics in the chorus of this song follow a very proper logic, and I thought the repetition of keywords can deepen your experience. Although the parts “clockwork staircase”, “ascending and descending”, and “after endless searching” are changed at some point, I try to sing with strong feelings of how they may be going round and round, but as long as they don’t give up in what they pursue, they’ll reach it. The making may be close to Western songs. For example with Michael Jackson’s Bad, or the one from the movie Stand By Me—they keep singing the same lyrics in the chorus. But that’s why it’s memorable. Bewitching Theater is in Japanese, so it has different presentation, but it uses repetition of one phrase to make it more memorable. Which is why I felt there’s a very proper logic behind it.

Q: Ensemble Stars has been extending its reach through appearances in various kinds of media. Could you promote the series to the readers who have not yet been exposed to it?

Takahashi: I think Valkyrie is a unit like The Drifters during the time they did Hachiji dayo! Zenin Shugo [1] (laugh). In that show, they performed a new program at the theater every week and it was broadcast live! The leader, Chosuke Ikariya-san was super strict. So strict with every detail and in just one week they made a script, built it up and remembered it… so I heard the members had it really rough. I think Valkyrie is that kind of unit! Valkyrie’s leader has high ideals and is pursuing them, and there’s Mika-chan who would follow him. The young generation may find that difficult to comprehend, but that’s the impression I got from my point of view. If you ask me, I suppose I’d say Shu is a prodigy. He’s diligent, dexterous, and is very aware of his position as a leader. He’s a serious person, but he’s also haughty yet naïve. This duality reminds you of an artist. He’s a character with an extreme gap moe, I suppose. He can’t talk well to someone he hasn’t met before, but he’s aware that he needs to have communication skills, so he’ll converse through a doll called Mademoiselle.

Q: Please give a message to the fans who are looking forward to the release!

Takahashi: The CD series is getting released, and I believe you’re looking forward to your favorite unit’s songs. But for all Valkyrie fans out there, thank you for waiting. The first Valkyrie unit songs are here. I think they are becoming something that won’t betray your expectations! I think you’ll probably know everything about this unit called Valkyrie once you listen to both songs, so please wait for the release while holding up high expectations.

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(t/n)

1. The Drifters, Japenese comedy group and also a rock and roll band. Their iconic show, “Hachiji da yo! Zenin Shugo” or “It’s 8 o’clock! Everyone Gather ‘Round” is a comedy variety show aired in 1969-1985 and it was very popular with kids.

Jun Oosuka (VA of Mika Kagehira)

Q: Firstly, please tell us about your impression on the songs when you first listened to them.

Oosuka: Before I listened to the songs, I’d heard the group ALI PROJECT-san was going to compose the song, so my first reaction was surprise, like, what!? (laugh). I think the world pictured in ALI PROJECT-san’s song and Valkyrie’s outlook of the world match each other, but I felt pressured if I’ll be able to sing it. But, the song I received was so awesome… and I didn’t want to lose to that and told myself to rise up to the challenge. As for Castle of Sand, a scene from the event Reminiscence*End of the Marionette’s Strings came into mind. When I listened to it for the first time I cried for real! In my mind, Valkyrie sings Bewitching Theater for everyone, and as for Castle of Sand, Valkyrie members are singing with someone in mind. Whom they’re thinking of may be different, but my interpretation is that there is a common point where there is someone they’re thinking of while singing. With that in mind, I sang the song.

Q: Then how did the actual recording go?

Oosuka: In Bewitching Theater, there are these unique note suspensions. For example, in “kokui no ou” it doesn’t go “o→u→” but “o↓u↓↓” [1], something like that. There are so many parts that made me go, “Aah, so ALI PROJECT-san sings suspended notes like this!” But I also think it’s that way because it’s the original people, so I was also troubled with how I should express it. Oshi-san’s (Shu Itsuki) voice actor, Hiroki-san, sang it first, so as Mika and as myself I sang while thinking, “If Oshi-san interprets it like this, then I’ll follow,” and let Oshi-san take the lead. As for Castle of Sand, those who listen to Nazuna’s singing in Ra*bits may have mixed feelings. But on the other hand, I’m looking forward to the fans’ reaction when they listen to the past Nazuna. I was also the last one to record this song, and when I listened to all three of them singing, I thought I wanted the three of us to sing together a bit more. It has a different flavor from the singing with the two of us only, I and Oshi-san. I also like how the three are different in their own way as well. I think the three in Valkyrie are able to express it so well that it wouldn’t feel out of place to have this song played as background music in the story.

Q: Please tell us the appeal of each song.

Oosuka: My favorite is in Bewitching Theater, where Mika and Oshi-san are singing in turns: “Turn towards the eyes of the angel / who has cast God aside; / Yes – turn your eyes / towards me alone.” Supposedly, they’re holding a performance as though they’re telling the others, “Look at us and us only!”. It’s very Valkyrie and I like it (laugh). As for Castle of Sand, it would be the final chorus. There are parts where I overlap it with the story in Reminiscence*End of the Marionette’s Strings, and there’s this image in my mind: in a corner of the crafts clubroom, or perhaps in the place where Oshi-san and Mika live, Mado-nee is left there alone, and the days would pass... that kind of image. Also, by far I think this is the first time I gave so much thought into how I should control my breath. If my singing is a bit breathy, I thought it would fit the tone in the lyrics well. I hope those who listen will be able to tell where I’ve put my efforts in (laugh). This also applies to me, but Mika is a boy who wouldn’t make much difference whether or not he’s there. We’re alike in the way we’re extremely lacking in confidence! (laugh) If we’re told to do a thing, we’ll be desperate and do our best to complete that task. To Mika it would be, “Oshi-san says so.” To me it would be, “If Oshi-san says so, Mika will have to sing like so.” While singing, there were a lot of exchanges like that in my mind.

Q: Ensemble Stars has been extending its reach through appearances in various kinds of media. Could you promote the series to the readers who have not yet been exposed to it?

Oosuka: There are all kinds of units in Ensemble Stars!, but Valkyrie would be a unit where the relationship between the characters, Shu Itsuki and Mika Kagehira, and that between the cast, Hiroki Takahashi and Jun Oosuka, are similar. Actually, in the event where I got to work together with Hiroki-san, I was also following Hiroki-san’s flow (laugh). In the future, when there is another event or something, I wonder if the audience will be able to see Oshi-san and Mika-kun in the way I follow Hiroki Takahashi’s flow? Actually, the height differences between the characters and between us are pretty much the same, so it’ll overlap even visually (laugh). Putting it in a good way, Mika-kun is honest. Putting it in a bad way, he’s a foolish boy. But I guess the fans love that kind of fluffy part of his. To me, he feels like a handful younger brother.

Q: Please give a message to the fans who are looking forward to the release!

Oosuka: It’s been half a year since Valkyrie’s first appearance, and finally we’re able to deliver their songs to you! For many times in the game it has been said that “Mika-kun is good at singing,” so to Oosuka the pressure he felt was really great… But I’ll leave the judgment to all of you listeners (laugh). Please enjoy listening to them! If an opportunity comes by where we’ll be able to sing in front of you all, I intend to sing with all I have, so please support Valkyrie and Mika Kagehira! And Oshi-san! And Hiroki Takahashi!! Please and thank you!

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(t/n)

1. The arrows - I kept the original symbols here… I reckon they indicate note bends/intervals. → means straight notes, while ↓ means the notes go lower then lower.

Yuki Yonai (VA of Nazuna Nito)

Q: Firstly, please tell us about your impression when you first listened to Castle of Sand.

Yonai: I was happy when I was told I got to participate, but on the other hand, since I’m aware of the story, I knew I’d have to produce a clear voice that Shu would fall for, not the singing of Nazuna Nito from Ra*bits. When I realized that, I was at loss for what to do…! (laugh) I’m sure the fans are also wondering, but I was also thinking really hard about what kind of role Nazuna is shouldering, and how I should convey it. I think the music is really wonderful. It’s an atmosphere that Ra*bits definitely doesn’t have, and you can tell immediately from the music that it’s Valkyrie. It reminds you of the event Reminiscence*End of the Marionette’s Strings, doesn’t it? Around the final chorus, I sang while thinking “The three are going to go separate ways, huh…”

Q: Then how did the actual recording go?

Yonai: I was very committed into my singing. I’ve given the song a good listen and sung the higher octave as well, but I don’t know how it’ll be accepted. This may sound abstract, but I gave myself a challenge, “through singing, how well can I express the role of Valkyrie Nazuna?” It was difficult. But the actual story says things like how he sings at a higher register than he does in Ra*bits, and how his voice is clear. When I was thinking based on that, I also thought, “if I sing in my usual tone, it’ll just sound as if Nazuna is singing a bit more smoothly.” When I did that, I think the higher octave came out just fine… that’s how I practiced. Whether it’ll be used or not… please have a listen (laugh). Other than that, I was wondering about how much a child can project a high-pitched singing, so I watched a movie called Boychoir. In my research, I thought about how Nazuna’s voice must be close to this.

Q: Please tell us the appeal of Castle of Sand.

Yonai: The chorus is impactful, after all. For example, “The time falls away, like sand.” Valkyrie’s outlook of the world is squeezed into the chorus. You’ll be able to tell it’s Valkyrie’s song just by listening to the chorus. It’s also where the three of them are singing together, so I think it’s when every member is able to convey their own feeling.

Q: Please tell us about your impression on Valkyrie Nazuna.

Yonai: I had a vague feeling that he still had a story to tell, and after reading Reminiscence*End of the Marionette’s Strings, I didn’t think it would be this deep. For example conflicts he dealt with, or how he acknowledged there is present because people are able to overcome those conflicts… He experienced a lot of things in that story, and I see that’s what he’s carried on to the current Ra*bits. In my own way, I have been working with all my might to act as Ra*bits Nazuna, but when I think about the past Nazuna, I thought about how I have to face Nazuna head-on even more properly. Valkyrie Nazuna worked hard while keeping everything inside, or rather, often he didn’t show how he felt on the surface. So in this song I tried not to sing so emotionally, and I kept in mind about what Shu is asking from Nazuna.

Q: Please give a message to the fans who are looking forward to the release!