Interview] The song has become a fitting song for the story of an adventure that puts lives on the line. Minori Suzuki talks about "Saihate," the ending theme for "The Pirate Princess!

Minori Suzuki is releasing "Saihate," the ending theme song for the TV anime "The Pirate Princess," as her fifth single. Saihate" evokes both sadness and strength, and is a song that expands her range of expression as a singer. We interviewed "Minoringo," who is gaining new appeal as she crosses her 24th birthday!

Saihate" is a song composed by Jun Feiba and Yoshiaki Dewa, two of my favorite composers.

─ "Saihate" was written by Jun Feiba and composed and arranged by Yoshiaki Dewa, who also wrote the coupling song "Maboroshi" for the previous single "Yozora.

Suzuki: Actually, we met for "Saihate" when we were making our second album "Uemino", which was released after "Yozora". I had to think about the direction of the album and ask for the next opportunity, but I loved it the moment I heard it and asked the staff to save it for me because I definitely want to sing it at some point. When I was asked to sing the ending theme for "The Pirate Princess," I decided to have the main staff of the anime listen to "Saihate" as one of the candidate songs. I decided to have the main staff of the anime listen to "Saihate" as one of the candidates, and that is how it was chosen.

─ So for you, you were able to sing your favorite song "Saihate" as the title track of the single?

Suzuki: Yes, when I heard that it was chosen as the ending theme, I couldn't wait to sing it! I couldn't wait to sing it! It was not that we particularly recommended "Saihate," but that you felt that "this song best fits the work," and I felt a connection with "The Pirate Princess.

─ What attracted you to "Saihate", Mr. Suzuki?

Suzuki: To begin with, I love the songs written by Mr. Dewa, and "Maboroshi" started when I asked the staff, "I want to sing Mr. Dewa's song. Maboroshi" is a song that expresses emotions, so it was a great challenge for me to sing it, and it was well received by fans. It was when I started thinking that I wanted to sing more songs that were not only cheerful, but also brought sad and fleeting emotions to the fore, that I came across "Saihate.

─ So you have found the song you want to sing now! That's what you mean.

Suzuki: Yes. Moreover, the lyrics by Mr. Feiniwa are exactly the same as when I first heard them. The anime staff liked the lyrics as well, so we just switched the B-melody of the first verse and the B-melody of the second verse, and it was adopted as it was.

─ So the lyrics were also a perfect fit for the work. In fact, when I first heard "Saihate," I honestly felt that it was written in line with the worldview of "The Pirate Princess. I thought it was written in the image of the heroine, Fena.

Suzuki: I'm glad. As the ending theme, it is best if you feel that way. I also listened to "Saihate" again after the decision to use it for "The Pirate Princess," and I was amazed at how perfectly it fit the work.


─ How did you interpret the lyrics?

Suzuki: The lyrics of "Maboroshi," which was written by Mr. Feiba before, had heavy lyrics that showed no hope of salvation, but the lyrics of "Saihate" were heavy, but also had a sense of strength to move forward with hope. However, it was difficult to sing the lyrics because they were not so dark or bright, so we recorded the song while searching for the right expression for this song.

Suzuki──The weight of life and the bright hope are also connected to Fena's character, aren't they?

Suzuki: "The Pirate Princess" is an original story, and I recorded it without knowing what would happen next. The director explained to me the important things in the story, such as the scene where Fena decides to cut her hair and her relationship with her father, and I sang the song with Fena's growth in mind. Before recording the song, I was shown a clip of the ending, which showed Fena before she cut her hair, and I was happy to see that it matched the image of the heroine I had envisioned. I like the fact that the work is not all serious, but has comical scenes as well. When Fena's head has a bump at the end of the first episode, I smiled and said, "I haven't seen that bump drawn like that in a long time.

─ I also felt the strength in the lyrics and vocals.

Suzuki: Not only Fena, but all the characters in "Pirate Princess" have strong feelings. I hoped that their determination and resolve could be felt in my song, so I sang it. Many of the animations for which I have sung theme songs in the past have been about the small happiness of everyday life, but this is the first time I have sung for a work that depicts such a grand adventure, an adventure that puts lives on the line. I think I was able to grasp a new way of singing and putting emotions into this song.