The culmination of three years of "Pri☆Chan" songs! New OP theme of "Kiratto Pri☆Chan" "Dreaming☆Channel! In commemoration of the CD release, an interview with Run Girls, Run!

Dreaming Channel!", the new OP theme for the TV anime "Kiratto Pri☆Chan" sung by Run Girls, Run! will be released on May 19, 2021.

The OP theme of "Kiratto Pri☆Chan" that Run Girls, Run! has been singing for the past three years will be the last one, as the series will end after this season. We spoke with Koko Hayashi, Yuka Morishima, and Nanami Atsugi of Run Girls, Run! about the song, which is full of emo elements, with lyrics that are interspersed with words from previous songs, accompanied by a "Pretty☆Chan" sound that seems to go back to its roots.

Koko Hayashi, how has your high school life changed you?

--Hayashi, you graduated from high school in March of this year.

Hayashi: I don't really know myself, but my parents told me that I was glad I went to that school because it changed my values. I was a pretty serious or hard-headed type of person, but I think I became a little more flexible after going to high school. There were a lot of kids working in the entertainment industry at my school, so I felt like I became a little more mature by being involved with them.

--Morishima, from your point of view, did you feel that Ms. Hayashi had changed?

Morishima: I thought her way of thinking changed. High school is the time of greatest change.

Atsugi: I thought that girls become adults all at once. You can't look at yourself objectively. So watching from afar, I thought, "Girls are amazing! (laughs).

Hayashi: Your appearance has probably changed, too, right?

Morishima I changed a lot!

Atsugi I became very much like a girl!　Hayamaru (Ms. Hayashi) is a hard worker, and I think she changed rapidly because she went to school thinking that she wanted to improve herself.

Koko Hayashi

--I think that Run Girls, Run! (hereafter "Ranga") is about to accelerate even further, but now is the time of the Corona disaster, a time when the power of entertainment is being tested. What do you have in mind for Ranga under these circumstances?　Or what kind of presence do you want to be?

Atsugi: Right now, I wonder how all the runners (fans of RANGA) are doing. I wonder how they are doing. I haven't seen them recently, but I wonder how they are. ......

Hayashi: That's right. I also don't want to be forgotten. If you ask me what kind of presence I want to have, it's very difficult, but I don't want people to say, "Ranga was here, wasn't it?" I don't want to be forgotten. Fans, and even myself, change their preferences as they see various works, and if they don't, they won't come to us, but I don't want them to forget us during this Corona Disaster! I don't want people to forget about us during this Corona Disaster!

--I don't want people to forget about us during this Corona disaster!

Hayashi: That's right. If we have regular live concerts, people will think that Ranga's music is great and that it's fun to meet each other, but without them, I'm afraid that people won't be able to remember that fun anymore. ......

--There are times when you can't help but think negatively. How about you, Morishima-san?

Morishima: I think everyone is feeling frustrated because they have to wait and see how the live show goes. So I hope that seeing us on SNS and in videos will cheer them up, even if only a little.

--Morishima: I think people are spending more time at home, and many people are spending a lot of time on video sites.

Morishima People are paying attention to YouTube and other video sites, and we are doing various things in the hope that people will feel a little bit of us.

Hayashi: We want to make sure that the supply never stops!

Yuka Morishima

--I think it is important not to stop entertainment, and we want to continue to provide some kind of entertainment. Do you think that connecting through social networking sites in this way is a big plus for everyone?

Hayashi: As we have been distributing more and more, people who couldn't come to the site before have been able to see our performances, and we have also had an increase in overseas fans, which makes me think that SNS is amazing. It is a different way of spreading the word from live performances and other events that are close by.

Morishima We are receiving more requests for more distribution than before, and it is becoming the norm. ......

Atsugi: Indeed!　So I feel that the way we interact with each other has changed. Until now, we used to exchange words face to face and enjoy live performances by shouting together, but now we are streaming on YouTube and receiving comments. But now, with the increase in the number of events being broadcasted, I feel that I am experiencing a strange sensation of being one step slower than in real time (laughs).

--(Laughs) - That one tempo is actually surprisingly large, isn't it?

Hayashi: I think the distribution is easier because you can watch it at home. Going to the venue is something that requires a lot of enthusiasm. But from the perspective of the performers, it is very gratifying to be able to be there. I can't speak out, so it's quiet, but that makes me more aware of how people are looking at me, and I can tell that they are trying to respond to me. So I realized how important it is to respond.

Morishima Of course I want things to get back to normal, and I want to perform live in a venue where the seats are 100% filled, and I want to hear the cheers from the audience through call and response. We are conscious of live performances in our recordings, and Ranga's music is only complete when there is an audience listening to it, so I have a feeling that I would like to see it return soon.

Atsugi: After performing live without an audience, I realized that it is a place where I can give 100% of the performance I am capable of. But to be honest, when there is an audience, I get boosted by a mysterious tension and give 120%! I think it would be difficult to do that in a live performance.

Nanami Atsugi

Dreaming Channel!", a compilation of "Pri☆Chan" songs

--I really think so. The best part of a live performance is that it can be 120% of that, or sometimes 60%, and that's what I want to see (laughs). (Laughs.) And this single was also two songs that you could really get excited about with your fans at a live concert.

Hayashi: Both of them have a chase, so everyone will be able to enjoy them, too.

Atsugi: I hope you will join us at the live venues sooner or later and shout out the songs together!

--First of all, let's talk about the title track "Dreaming☆Channel! First of all, let me ask you about the title track, "Dreaming☆Channel! This song is the latest OP theme for "Kiratto Pri☆Chan," which Ranga has been in charge of for a long time. I got the impression that it was a return to the roots, but what did you think when you received the song?

Hayashi: I think "back to the roots" is the perfect word. You can feel the history of "Pri☆Chan" up to now in the lyrics, but there is also a sense that this is not the end of the story. So it is similar to the first OP theme "Kiratto Start". It was supposed to be the culmination of the song, but it was very fresh to see that there is this kind of approach. It is the opposite of the way I feel the song is ending, but it also feels like it is about to start, so I wonder what this sad feeling ...... is about (laughs).

Morishima You are absolutely right!　This song is the culmination, but you can feel the future beyond that. I think we were able to create this atmosphere because of the three years we have spent with "Pri☆Chan", and I think we have grown since "Kiratto Start".

Atsugi: The previous song "Luminance Princess" was a very grand OP theme with a sense of climax. So I wondered what the last OP theme of "Kilatto Pri☆Chan" would be like, and I thought it would be like "Kilatto Start" too. But if you listen to it carefully, it is filled with the history and memories of the past three years. The brightness and power of the song is the same as the positivity and excitement of "Pri☆Chan," and I felt that a very strong song came at the end.

--It was a return to the roots, but with the growth of the past three years.

Hayashi: The lyrics also give that feeling. There were a lot of lyrics like, "These lyrics are from that song," which naturally made us feel emo.

Atsugi: We were singing while saying how nostalgic it was.

--In terms of growth over the past three years, has your approach to singing changed as well?

Morishima Yes, we started discussing the direction of the song before recording so that the three of us could agree on our interpretation.

Hayashi: At the time of "Kiratto Start," all I could think about was singing brightly, energetically, and cutely, so from that point of view, it became natural for us to discuss things like, "We want to emphasize this word," or "This is the point where we can get excited. I think my approach to singing has changed considerably.

Atsugi: "Dreaming Channel! we would talk about it because the lyrics of the OP theme we have sung so far are interspersed throughout the song.

Hayashi: Here too? That too? (laughs) As we talked about it, we started to understand more and more.

Morishima You were getting more and more interpretations.

Atsugi That's why I want to make it the best one yet!　I want it to be the best ever! That's why I wanted to make it the best ever! I think I was able to include both a climactic feeling that everything is packed and a positive feeling that it's not over yet.

--It's a very sparkling feeling, isn't it? Since the song is an anime tie-in, are you conscious of how to sing in a way that will give dreams to the girls who are the target audience of this anime?

Hayashi: That is always our basic premise!　It is a work filled with girls' longings and I want girls to watch it. The Mirai-chan Momoyama in the anime is a two-dimensional character, but we ourselves are real, and I think we can easily be superimposed on her.

--Hayashi: What kind of lyrics do you hope will especially resonate with these children?

Hayashi I don't know, there are so many.

Morishima I want the song to be a cheering song for everyone who listens to it. ...... I think it should be "Anyone can be anyone.

Hayashi, Atsugi I'm with you!

Morishima That's the point, isn't it? This is what I really wanted to convey in the song, and I put a lot of effort into it because it is also my part.

Hayashi: It's a theme common to all Pretty series. Aira-chan in "Pretty Rhythm" and Mirai, the character I played, are not particularly good at singing or dancing, and they both started their idol careers without a clear goal in mind. They both started their careers as idols without any clear goals, and from that point on, their dreams started to emerge! That is one of the themes of the work, and I want to convey that in the songs.

Also, in "Pri☆Chan," there is an important line, "You won't know unless you try." If you don't get interested, nothing will start, and if you stop because you think it might be impossible, the world won't expand, so I think it is important to really try.

Atsugi: We were just ordinary girls. We honestly wanted to shine, so we took the first step and auditioned, so it really is a case of "you never know unless you try!

--By the way, is there anything you have tried recently?

Hayashi: I started going to the gym!　After graduating from high school, I didn't get up in the morning and didn't move ......, so I started the gym to get into the habit of waking up early and to exercise my body. I am glad I did that.

Atsugi: I could only think of something very silly, but I bought a new vacuum cleaner (laughs). The old vacuum cleaner had good performance, but I felt that the times have evolved. It is important to use one thing for a long time, but I thought it was necessary to try something new once in a while (laughs).

--(laughs) - I bought it rather than trying it (laughs).

Morishima For me, it's diet control. Before, when I ate too much food, I would reduce the amount I ate the next day, but there was an app that calculated calories, and when I put it on, I found that my diet was surprisingly unbalanced. Sugar and salt were prominent, so I decided to eat a balanced diet from now on.

Hayashi: That's important!

--Hayashi: That's important!

Atsugi: We have been singing the OP theme of "Pri☆Chan" as a group for 3 years, and this was the first time that I was given the responsibility to start the song. I think the beginning of a song is very important. So, I asked the staff whether the "nervousness as if I am sending out a message for the first time" was about the present or about looking back in the past. I was directed to sing from the feeling I had in the past, and I thought, "I see! I see. So, I added a bright but slightly tense and stiff nuance to the song. I re-recorded this part many times, so please pay attention to it!

Infinity Runner" to get excited with fans

--The coupling song, "Infinity Runner," is also very emotional, and it gives the feeling of moving forward.

Hayashi: I was deeply moved by the fact that this song is a coupling of a "Pri☆Chan" song. This song also reminds me of the beginning of a new year, and it has a fast-paced feel, which suits the spring season. The lyric "I want to face it," which is also wonderful, is also a part of "Kakeru x Kakeru," our first song. I hope people who like "Pri☆Chan" will listen to this song.

Atsugi: When I received this song, I wondered if the lyrics were due to the times we live in. Under these circumstances, I can no longer relate and interact with runners the way I used to, and although we have tried new things such as distribution, I thought that we could build a new relationship from this point on, when I heard this song. It's a shame that I can't perform it live, though. It's a song that can get a lot of people excited! Morishima Really!

Morishima I really agree!

--It's a song for now, isn't it? I'm sure you made this song so that you could put your voice in it.

Atsugi: That's why I think that when I can sing this song and hear everyone's voices, I'll get so excited that I'll cry.

Hayashi: I would be happy if this song makes you think, "I want to go to the concert after all! I would be very happy if they listen to this song and think, "I want to go to the concert after all!

--I hope that everyone will listen to this song and think, "I really want to go to the live show! It's like that, isn't it?

Hayashi: That's right. After all, the title is "Infinity Runner.

Atsugi: The title also includes "Mr. Runner," which is the nickname of all Ranga fans!

--It's like "Let's run together!

Morishima I thought a lot about where to sing this song in the live performance. I was hoping it would be a song to burn out in the latter half of the show, so I think the way to sing it and the approach to performance should be different each time. I thought it was a song that could be sung in many different ways.

--I can imagine a scene with fists raised in the air and people getting really excited.

Hayashi: It's a fun song to sing, so thank you very much for letting us sing it as we like! That's how I felt.

Atsugi Hayamaru was very lively (laughs).

Hayashi I like rock music!　I personally tried to make it cool, so I want you to hear it.

Atsugi: The part where this D melody falls is very pleasant, isn't it?

--By the way, how did the rest of you two add your own voices to Hayashi's crisp, rocking vocals?

Atsugi: I was the last one to record this song, but Hayamaru sang it even cooler than I had imagined, and at that point the core of the song was formed. Mocchi's (Morishima-san) cuteness really shined through. I think Mocchi is also good with this kind of song. Their expressions and colors were already there, so I took the song straight to heart and sang it honestly with my own emotions, imagining the audience without thinking too hard.

Morishima The song itself has a momentum that pulls you along, and the chorus is very spacious and relaxed, so I was conscious of that as I sang the song comfortably. Also, the occasional ha-moly is beautiful, so I thought it would be even more emo if I sang the ha-moly in a live performance.

--Lastly, what do you think is going to happen with Ranga in the future?

Atsugi: First of all, the "Pretty series 10th Anniversary Pretty Festival" (May 22 and 23) is scheduled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Pretty series, and if I can sing "Dreaming Channel! I am sure that I will be moved when I sing "Dreaming☆Channel! The music video for the song has already been released, and I can tell that the runners have been considering the lyrics and listening to the song carefully before its release. So, if there is an opportunity to perform it in front of everyone, I would like to deliver it with our gratitude and our love.

Morishima It has become difficult to sing in front of everyone and spend the same time with them, but that is why we hope to deliver our songs and continue to have a good time with everyone. I think that the two songs for this single are completed only with the runners, so I would like to polish my performance until the day when I can sing in front of everyone.

Hayashi: My biggest feeling is that I can't wait to meet everyone! I can't wait to meet everyone! I want to cherish the time I can spend with everyone, whether they come to the Pretty Series' 10th anniversary events or come to the re-releases, and enjoy the time I can spend with them. I will sing these two wonderful songs so that everyone will feel happy to support Ranga-chan, and I will be happy to show you how much she has grown since "Kiratto Start".

(Interview, text, and photography by Junichi Tsukagoshi)


CD Information
Dreaming☆Channel! /Run Girls, Run!
Now on sale
Live disc: 6,380 yen (including tax), music video disc: 2,530 yen (including tax), CD ONLY disc: 1,320 yen (including tax)

<Songs on the CD

Dreaming Channel!
Infinity Runner
Dreaming☆Channel! -Dreaming☆Channel!
Infinity Runner -instrumental- (live version)

＜Live disc Blu-ray contents
Online Live ~Run Girl, Run!
October 11, 2020 (Sun.) 17:30 Concert begins

Dreaming☆Channel! -Music Video
Dreaming☆Channel! -Making of Music Video- ・Dreaming☆Channel!

＜Making of Music Video- -Music Video- -Making of Music Video- -Dreaming☆Channel!
Dreaming☆Channel! -Music Video- -Making of Music Video- -Music Video- -Dreaming☆Channel!
Dreaming☆Channel! -Making of Music Video

<Included benefits for the first time
Trading cards for each member
(1 out of 3 cards is enclosed at random)