A cross-media anime project! Interview with Kanata Aikawa (Suzu Narimiya) and Moka Hinata (Mei Hayasaka) on the appeal of "IDOLY PRIDE," an anime scheduled to air in January 2021 in which the pride of idols collide!

In an age when idols are flourishing, idols compete with their pride in ....... It was recently announced that "IDOLY PRIDE," a story about the growth of idols, in which girls aim to become the best idols in their youth, will start airing as a TV anime in January 2021, and ahead of that, a relay interview across web media has started.

Akiba Research Institute asked Kanata Aikawa, who plays Suzu Narimiya and Moka Hinata, who plays Mei Hayasaka, both of whom belong to Hoshimi Productions, to talk about the appeal of the work and much more.

Q: The animated music video for "The Story Begins with Goodbye" was recently released.

Aikawa: When I first saw it, I thought "Suzu is the cutest! I thought (laughs). I don't know what to say about my own character ....... I was also happy to see her dancing in the same costume as when we actually danced.

Q: I liked the part in the middle of the song where Suzu-chan stood with her arms crossed.

Aikawa: I thought that was Suzu-chan, too (laughs)! I thought (laughs).

(laughs). - How about you, Hinata?

Hinata: I can't say who I liked, but I thought she was cute! (laughs).

Aikawa: It's like I'm saying that! (laugh).

Hyuga (laughs). Also, there is a cut in the middle where Mei-chan is petting a cat on a fence, and I was surprised to see her legs spread wide despite her skirt. I went to an all-girls school, so I didn't think much of it, but I didn't realize she spread her legs that wide! I was surprised. Also, Mei is the fifth tallest of the 10 members of Hoshimi Productions, but in the video, she looks surprisingly tall, and I thought she looked like a high school student.

Q: Now, please introduce your own character, who is so cute and endearing!

Aikawa: Suzu Narimiya, who I play, is the youngest in Hoshimi Productions, but she is a young lady who is naive and has a different sense of money and values. People around her would say, "What do you mean? She is the youngest of the three, and she is a lovable, teasing character who is always getting teased. She also has a characteristic way of using language, saying, "It's all right," but she doesn't come off as sarcastic even though she is speaking from a superior position, which I think is a cute point.

Q: What did you keep in mind when you played the role?

Aikawa: I don't usually say "Yes, you are," so I struggled with the different rhythm of my speech. But I tried to make the most of Suzu-chan's strength of speaking in a ladylike way, and tried to act in a way that would make the audience think it was cute.

Q: How about you, Hinata-san?

Hinata: Mei Hayasaka is a mood maker in Hoshimi Productions. But she is not just a girl who is having fun, she is a girl who can read the atmosphere of the place and act accordingly. For example, Kotono Nagase (CV. Miku Tachibana) is a girl who has an air of inability to speak her mind, but Mei is the only one who can express her opinion without hesitation. She is also a key character in the story, so I think she is more than just a cute but strange girl.

Q: So she is like a lubricant between the members. What did you keep in mind when playing the role?

Hinata: I am similar to Mei-chan in some ways. In the "One Question, One Answer" character interview on YouTube, I said that I often fight against the alarm clock and win (I don't wake up no matter how hard it rings). I often beat the alarm clock and put myself to sleep several times without waking up (laugh). (Laughs) But we are similar in that we wake up on holidays and when we are having fun, so rather than forcing myself to play that part, I was thinking, "I understand you, Mei-chan! I was acting with the feeling of "I understand you, Mei! However, I myself am not naturally cute like Mei, so I was conscious of playing the role in a cute and energetic manner, staying close to the character and not making a mockery of her.

Do you sympathize with Mei's love of cats?

Hyuga: I'm a dog person myself. But I think we are similar in that I tend to go near stray cats when I see them.

Aikawa: I am a cat person! (Laughs)

Q: From your point of view, how do you see Mei, who is played by Hinata?

Aikawa: From Suzu's point of view, I wonder why she is so close to me. She teases me the most. She teases me the most. But I think Mei-chan is really good at interacting with everyone. As you mentioned earlier, she is a lubricant, and even when everyone is tired, Mei-chan can lighten the mood, so in that sense, she is always helpful. Thank you, Mei-chan!

Q: Is Hinata-san, who plays you, like that?

Aikawa: Just like that. I feel that she entertains everyone!

Q: So, from your point of view, how do you see Suzu-chan, who is played by Ms. Aikawa?

Hyuga: Actually, when I saw the character design, I thought Suzu-chan was really cute! I thought, "Suzu-chan is so cute! I really like the way she wears her hair, and even though she is only 142 cm tall, she speaks like a young lady, and her words are usually spoken from above, which is cute!　And even though she speaks from a high position, she doesn't come off as a jerk, so I think she's a beloved character that people tend to want to tease. But she also has a strong attitude as an idol, and I think she is mentally more mature than Mei.

Q: Is Aikawa-san, the character you play, also a beloved character?

Hyuga: Of course, I am a beloved character (laugh), but Kanata herself is the youngest, but she is also very strong, so I feel I have to work harder. I often get help from her, so as the oldest, I can't afford to lose, but I still have to rely on her. That is why I am proud to be the youngest!

Aikawa: Thank you (laughs)!

Q: So, what do you keep in mind when you dance and sing?

Aikawa: In "Sayonara Kara Hajimari Monogatari", I tried to show Suzu-chan's personality by making eye contact with many members. Also, "Shine Purity" has a free dance at the end. I was thinking about how I could make the dance more Suzu-chan-like. Also, during recording sessions, I am often told to "be confident," and I think that confidence doesn't come out unless you smile, so I try to smile a lot.

As for singing, Suzu-chan loves Mana-sama, so she loves to sing. So I am sure that she sings with a completely different feeling depending on the mood of the song, so I am conscious of that when I sing.

Hinata: I think Mei-chan loves dancing so much, so I try to enjoy it as much as I can and make my movements big. I try to make my moves big and fun, and I want to make sure that my character comes out in my big moves.

As for the singing, I think she sings with an overall feeling of fun. Of course, I think she understands the meaning of the lyrics as she sings, so I was thinking about how Mei would understand the lyrics and how she would feel when she sings. I was thinking about how Mei would understand the lyrics and how she would feel while singing.

Q: I know it must be hard to practice dancing, but do you have any impressive episodes from your lessons?

Aikawa: Last time we recorded the dance for ABEMA's "IDOLY PRIDE Music Program #1" for the song "Sayonara kara hajimari monogatari" (The Story Begins with Goodbye), and the formation was designed with social distance in mind. However, the dance we had practiced before that involved holding hands and shoulder-to-shoulder choreography. We had to move around quite a bit, and it was a lot of fun to learn them all together, saying, "Next time, this one, next time, this one, next time! It was fun to learn them all together, saying, "This one, this one, this one, this one! So I hope you can look forward to the day when we can perform the original dance, which is not the Social Distance version.

Hinata: I have never been good at learning dances, so I always have a hard time. On the first day of the lesson for "The Story Begins with Goodbye," I couldn't keep up with everyone at all, and I felt I was being left behind. While everyone else was eating, I was practicing in front of the mirror crying by myself, saying, "I can't do this anymore" (laugh). After that, everyone came and taught me, saying, "It's done!" I was so happy and ...... At that time, I really felt sorry for crying so suddenly and thank you. I took that as an opportunity to really try my best, and the next time I practiced, I would make it perfect, and today was the day I would not cry! I thought to myself, "I'm not going to cry today!

Aikawa: I think I could dance at all (laughs).

Hyuga: I wasn't keeping up!

ーーI like the feeling that we can deepen our friendship there again. And now you can listen to various songs on YouTube, etc. What do you think are the characteristics of the music and dance of "IDOLY PRIDE"?

Aikawa: It would be strange to say that "Shine Purity~Shine Purity~" is not idol-like, but I love this song because it is very fast and cool. I love it. The dance is intense and spastic!　I love it! The dance is intense, and the choreography is all "spaz! But I also like "Sayonara kara hajimari monogatari" because it has cute dance moves and the music makes me feel like I can be with the audience. I also like the choreography where everyone jumps together, which I think is typical of idols.

Each song has a completely different charm, but I think the one thing that can be said about both songs is that they are both emo! I think that's what I can say about both songs!

Hinata: Looking at the "IDOLY PRIDE" contents as a whole, each group has its own color, doesn't it? LizNoir's "Shock out, Dance! by LizNoir is a rock song that really expresses the stoic image of the group. I like that the lyrics also talk about the efforts of each member.

TRINITYAiLE is a cute and energetic group that encourages everyone to do their best, and "Aile to Yell" is just such a song. And yet, the group, led by Rui Tendou (voice: Ten Amemiya), has a strong sense of pride as idols.

Mana Nagase (CV. Sayaka Kanda) is the idol that everyone is chasing after, and "First Step" is cute and exciting, and has a tenderness that gently pushes you forward.

So, "IDOLY PRIDE" is not a one-product-four-times-tasty album, but it is characterized by the fact that you can listen to songs based on various concepts.

Q: And the TV anime "IDOLY PRIDE" will start in January. I hear that recording has already begun. I know that this will be the first time for you all to be in the main cast, but what is the atmosphere like during postrecording?

Hinata: Right now, we are doing postrecording with three people at a time because of the situation we are in. So even though this is my first time as a main cast member, I am able to work in a relaxed environment. When I think about the fact that we were all standing in front of the microphone together, I get goosebumps because I am so nervous about bothering the other cast members. In a way, I think it was an environment where it was easier to concentrate.

Aikawa: We were really working with one microphone for each person, so I think I got used to it, and when we went back to the original postrecording where everyone worked together, I would have to get used to it from scratch again.

Q: Lastly, do you have a message for those who are looking forward to the anime?

Aikawa: The 10 members of Hoshimi Productions spend their time in the dormitory, and when we are together, we are all messing around, so we don't forget that kind of atmosphere and feeling, but when we are on stage, we do our best to express how seriously we are trying to surpass Mana-sama in the recording! I am also looking forward to seeing how the show will turn out!　I am also very excited to see how the story will unfold, and I am looking forward to the completion of the anime. I will do my best to make Suzu-chan the character that she is, so please look forward to the broadcast!

Hinata: Mei-chan is extremely cute when she is in motion, so I want to give my best performance so that I can convey that to the audience, and I am putting all my energy into the recording sessions so that "IDOLY PRIDE" will be loved and supported by many people. As a member of this project, I will do my best in the remaining postrecording sessions!

(Reporting and writing by Junichi Tsukagoshi)

Production Information
TV animation "IDOLY PRIDE
＜Broadcast Information
Scheduled to be broadcast from January 2021 on terrestrial, BS, and CS stations, as well as on distribution services such as "ABEMA," a TV and video entertainment service.

<Staff
Original story: Yoshiki Mizumi (QualiArts), Kaoru Adachi (Straight Edge), Juki Hanada (SATZ)
Original story：Project IDOLY PRIDE
Character design draft：QP:flapper
Director：Masaru Kinome
Series composition：Tatsuya Takahashi
Character Design：Sumie Kinoshita
Animation Producer：CAAnimation
Animation Production: Lerche

<Cast

Mana Nagase: Sayaka Kanda
Kotono Nagase: Miku Tachibana
Sakura Kawasaki：Mai Kanno
Rei Ichinose: Moeko Yuki
Nagisa Ibuki: Kokona Natsume
Haruko Saeki: Nao Sasaki
Saki Shiraishi: Koharu Miyazawa
Chisa Shiraishi: Kanon Takao
Suzu Narimiya: Kanata Aikawa
Mei Hayasaka: Moka Hinata
Shizuku Hyodo: Shina Suto
Rui Tendou: Ten Amamiya
Yu Suzumura: Momo Asakura
Okuyama Sumire: Natsukawa Shiina