New voice actress idol unit "Run Girls, Run!" makes its CD debut with "Slide Ride", the OP theme of "Death March Kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku"! Interview in commemoration of the release (Part 2)

Last year, Koko Hayashi, Yuka Morishima, and Nanami Atsugi made their voice acting debuts in "Wake Up, Girls! The year 2017 was a tumultuous one, but the three cheerfully told us, "We're still going strong! s debut single "Slide Ride", the OP theme of the TV anime "Death March Kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku", will be released on February 28, and we talked to the three members about the song in depth.

In this second part, we asked them to talk about the song in depth.
⇒For the first part of the interview, click here!

There are only 16th notes! I'm like, "There are only sixteenth notes! But I also get more excited when it's difficult, so it was fun. (Hayashi)

─ Your 1st single "Slide Ride", how did you feel when you heard it was an anime tie-up and the OP theme?

Hayashi: I wondered if I could suddenly sing such an important OP theme! I thought. I was very happy, but to be honest, there was a part of me that wondered if I could handle it. （How did you feel about it?

Morishima: I didn't think I would get the chance to make my debut so soon, so I was very surprised.

Atsugi: Wake Up, Girls! (hereafter referred to as "WUG") had released various songs with anime tie-ups, and I had always admired how cool they were. But I didn't expect to be asked to do a tie-up so early in the process. So I was honestly happy, and at the same time, I was filled with disbelief, wondering if we were really the right choice. I was filled with disbelief.

Hayashi - The song was really cool, how did you feel when you heard it?

Hayashi: I had read the original story of "Death March Kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku," so when I heard "Slide Ride," it added to the otherworldly feel of the anime! I thought, "I'm having fun.

Atsugi: Muscles!　I thought it was a really cool, muscular song. The lyrics say "meteor rain," and in the artwork, the words "meteor rain" appear. I thought it was a tie-up in that way! I thought, "That's a tie-up!

Morishima The moment I heard the song, I knew I liked it! I thought. My favorite part is the climax of the chorus, and I really like the change in tone up to that point. The song starts off quiet, but the chorus gets really exciting, so I'm already looking forward to the live performance.

─ Do you all like this kind of tune?

Hayashi: I like rock music!　I used to play drums in a brass band, so I listen to rock music a lot. I used to play drums in a brass band, so I listen to a lot of rock music. That's why I always thought "drums are so cool!

─ ─ What do you usually listen to?

Hayashi: From a girlish point of view, I listen to Chatmonchy and SHISHAMO, but other than that, I like to listen to Yabai T-shirt Shop and recently My Hair is Bad.

─ ─ You are quite serious and follow the core of the music (laughs).

Hayashi: My brother likes bands. So I am influenced by my father and my brother, and the result is a mixture of the two (laughs).

How about the two of you ?

Morishima: I love OLDCODEX and GRANRODEO, so I like rock music! I want to rock out with a musical instrument!

Atsugi I'd like to do that once!

─ ─ That's true in terms of the tune. But it's MONACA's song, so the bass guitar seems to be difficult.

Hayashi The bass line seems to be difficult, doesn't it? I think the bass line is difficult.

Hayashi : If you are the drummer, how about the two of you?

Morishima: I can play the piano. So keyboards?

Atsugi: I can't play any instruments at all!

─ ─ Then, let's have Atsugi-san play the guitar (laughs). (laughs) Do you like rock music, too?

Atsugi: I like rock sounds, and I used to listen to it a lot, and I really liked a rock dance unit called Q'ulle, so I went to see them live and got muscle aches all over my body from being so excited! It was like that.

─ So all three of you like rock music? Your voice is still very powerful, but how was the recording process?

Morishima It was fun. I felt like this song was going to be our color, and since it was a tie-up song, I felt like I had to put my feelings into it. I was actually directed to sing the song as if we were about to go on an adventure.

─ Did you imagine the opening picture as you sang?

Morishima Yes, I could imagine it!　The opening image was created on its own (laughs).

Hayashi: I really love this kind of music, so I enjoyed it without feeling any difficulty at all. My body was moving so much during the recording. That's how much I enjoyed singing the song. I also had a picture of the work in my mind, and I thought about the main character standing up here, or the grassy field around him, and so on.

Atsugi: When I heard the song, I thought it was difficult because the rhythm changes one after another. When I actually sang the song, it was difficult for me personally, but on the other hand, I thought, "What an amazing song! It motivated me to sing the song.

Hayashi: The rhythm is really complicated. I always check the score with my eyes while listening to the song, but the score is too black (laughs)! (Laughs) There are only 16th notes! But it was fun, because the harder the music was, the more excited I was.

─ ─ What was the most emo part?

Morishima The part where the three of us play the D melody together!

Atsugi: That's my favorite part, too!　I love it!　The three of us have our own unique qualities. It's the emo of emo emo!

Hayashi: I personally put my heart into the solo part of the chorus, where I say, "I could surely hear your voice somewhere". The background music becomes quiet here, and it is just my voice. I love singing so much, so I tried my best to make the audience listen to my voice to the fullest! So I sang as hard as I could.

I felt very secure with the two of them on both sides of me. I feel protected.

─ This song itself has a theme of bonding with your friends, doesn't it? Could you tell us again what you trust about the members?

Morishima: Hayamaru is the youngest member of the group, but he is like the axis of Ranga!

Atsugi Thank you for being really solid (laughs).

(Everyone laughs).

Morishima We don't feel any age difference between us.

Hayashi When I have work in Tokyo, I am with Mocchi (Morishima) from the regional team. At that time, he listens to my problems at school, which are really unimportant, while saying, "I guess so. That really helped me.

Morishima: It helped you?　I'm glad~ (laughs).

Hayashi: He is really helpful in my personal life. He is usually a blabbermouth character (laughs), but he looks out for us the most.

Atsugi Yes, that's right. The main axis is Hayamaru, but he is like a mental healer.

Hayashi Yes, yes. We (Hayashi and Atsugi) often cry during lessons because we are in a tough spot. When we do, he tells us, "Don't worry about it.

Atsugi: Right.

Hayashi: And A-chan (Atsugi) is the healing power of RGR. Whenever Achan is around, the place becomes more relaxed. But he is also the brains of the team and the knowledge team that teaches us many things. He teaches us what we don't know.

Atsugi: That's just because Mocchi, the oldest member of the group, doesn't know!

Morishima That's not true!　You two are often surprised, aren't you?

─ What is it that you trust in Mr. Hayashi?

Atsugi: The performance!　Before I go out on stage, I am shaking so much, but Hayamaru always looks toward the stage and looks dignified. When I see his back, I always feel that he is the center of RGR even though he is the youngest. I feel secure knowing that she is in the center.

Hayashi: If I may say so, I also feel secure with the two of them on both sides of me!　I feel protected.

───The coupling song "Sakura Gelato" is a new song that is completely different from the previous two songs, isn't it?

Morishima: In a word, it has a hazy atmosphere. It is a complete change from the previous songs.

Hayashi: It is ephemeral, but the direction was also different from the previous songs. I was told to "make it sound like a breath of air.

Hayashi──A whispery tone?

Hayashi: Yes. There is a part where the three of us sing "Sakura Gelato," and I was instructed to "take out the end of the word a little," and I was thinking about things I had never thought about before. I was thinking about things I had never thought about before while recording.

Atsugi: When I was directed, I was told to "make it glossy," and I was like, "Glossy? I was like, "Glossy? (Laughs.) I was puzzled as to what is glossy in singing. I was puzzled, but I had seen the two singers' recordings before, so I tried to make it more gentle, breathy, and glossy! I was recording the song. I think you can see a different Ranga in this song.

Hayashi: The lyrics are also very sad!　Sudden sadness!

Morishima The second verse is especially so. I also had a hard time with my part!

Hayashi I also think it's about "someone with a secret face.

Morishima It's so hard!

─ Spring is the season of meeting and parting, so I guess it must be sad. Lastly, please give us your enthusiasm for the "Green Leaves Fes" event to be held on May 12, which will be the first live collaboration between WUG and RGR!

Morishima I am so excited to be on the big stage of Makuhari Messe Event Hall with WUG! I'm so excited!　I am really looking forward to it, but I also feel a bit of pressure. We, Ranga and WUG, have not been able to show our relationship with WUG to WAGNER (a nickname for WUG fans), so I hope to be able to show the bond we have built with WUG at the recording sessions at this festival!

Hayashi: I really admire WUG. I am so happy to be on the stage with them. At "Green Leaves Fes", the three of us will do our best to be even one step closer to WUG, whom we admire so much!

Atsugi: I was very lonely after the "New Chapter" ended. But now I am looking forward to the event where I can feel the TV anime "Wake Up, Girls! I played Someday Itsuki-chan in the anime, so I thought it was about time for me to wear Someday-chan's costume and voice and feel Someday-chan, so I am happy to be on stage as Someday-chan again.

I am looking forward to it. Thank you very much!

(Reporting and photos by Junichi Tsukagoshi)


Event Information

Green Leaves Fes

The first LIVE event of Wake Up, Girls! and Run Girls, Run!

Date and time: Saturday, May 12, 2018

Doors open 13:00, Concert begins 14:00 (tentative)

Night Session】Doors open 17:00, Concert begins 18:00 (tentative)

Place: Makuhari Messe Makuhari Event Hall (Chiba, Japan)

Performers:

(Maasuke Yoshioka, Airi Nagano, Mimi Tanaka, Yoshinoh Aoyama, Nanami Yamashita, Kaya Okuno, Misuke Takagi)

(Koko Hayashi, Yuka Morishima, Nanami Atsugi)

(Koko Hayashi, Yuka Morishima, Nami Atsugi) Ticket Information: 7,800 yen each (tax included) *All seats reserved *Children 3 and older are required to pay.

Tickets: 7,800 yen each (tax included) *All seats reserved *Priced for ages 3 and up; no admission for children under 3!

・Pre-order period: Monday, February 26, 10:00 - Tuesday, March 6, 23:59

Rakuten Ticket: http://r-t.jp/wug-glfes.ticket/

Rakuten Ticket: http://eplus.jp/glfes/

Ticket Pia: http://w.pia.jp/t/greenleavesfes/

Lawson Ticket: http://l-tike.com/greenleavesfes/

Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be closed when the number of tickets reaches the planned number.