Kizuna no Ariru" Unit Interview Part 3! 3DM8" Ruri Arai (Himena) x Nawa Furuhata (Zoe) x Yuna Kitahara (Sophia) Special Talk [PR

In addition to the unit "PathTLive" whose story up to its formation was depicted in the first season, new members "BRT5," "VICONIC," and "3DM8" were introduced in the second season. Along with the story of how the Virtual Grid Awards and ADEN Seed main competition, which takes place during the unit battles, each unit's music and music video-like live performances also attracted attention.

Akiba Research Institute conducted interviews with each unit to commemorate theArillsXR Live (#), which isscheduled to take place on March 8, 2024. In this third installment, we spoke with Ruri Arai (Himena), Nawa Furuhata (Zoe), and Yuna Kitahara (Sophia) from the three-member unit "3DM8 (3DM8).

I was very moved to be able to play these girls and to see the characters I played move on TV!

--3DM8 finally appeared in the second season. Could you start by telling us your impression of "Kizuna no Ariru"?

Arai: The first time my character Hymena spoke was in episode 19, and she appeared like a storm, spoke at a very high tension, and left in a flash. ...... (laughs). I was deeply moved to be able to play such an accented girl.

Also, above all, there are a lot of girls in the show, so my eyes are happy! (Laughs)

Kitahara (laughs). I was really moved by the fact that Sophia, the being that I brought to life with my voice, was moving on TV. More than the story, I was really happy to realize that I could now really do voice-over work (......).

Furuhata: The anime came after I had done a lot of distribution for the Alleles Project, so there was a huge gap between the Zoe I saw in the anime and the distribution, and I found myself getting confused in my head (laughs). (Laughs.) I thought it was interesting that "Kizuna no Ariru" could be viewed in such a different way from other animations.

As for the content of the anime, the formation of 3DM8 was pretty light. But in the 22nd episode, we were able to see various aspects of each member's personality and the coolness and fun that is typical of 3DM8, which really impressed me.

Nawa Furuhata

--It's true that the formation itself was surprisingly simple, but there were many collaborations with other members before that. How did you feel about that?

Kitahara Although she is the girl I am playing, Sophia keeps thinking, "Be a little more kind to people! (laughs). Hymena gave Zoe and Sophia an aura of wanting to work together and talk to them, but they were so tsuntsun, or cool. I want to tell them that there is a girl nearby who properly cares about them.

Arai That's right. There was a scene where Hymena tried to talk to her but the two of them went ....... I think the reason Sophia eventually approached me was because she saw the live collaboration between Hymena and Jessie and thought, "Hymena eh?" So I was very grateful for the live scene of the collaboration.

Furuhata: Zoe is not the type to go for it on her own, but rather, when she is invited, she says, "Okay, I'll do it. If Sophia had not expressed her desire to collaborate with me, I would have been on my own without any partner, so I was grateful for that. Hymena also made this unit really mild by treating me without any separation, even though Sophia was so tsun-tsun.

Personally, I enjoyed how Zoe teamed up with Jua in the childhood friendship story with Sara and they performed in perfect breath, even though Sara mistakenly took Mirak's hand. I also liked Sarah's expression at that time.

--I would like to ask you, what was your favorite scene, song, or unexpected part of the show, including the other members of the 3DM8 unit?

Arai: I was surprised to see the two VICONIC members because I had an image of the characters who were not involved in the anime in the Arills' performance. I thought the contrast between the laid-back Seah and the energetic Juah was great when the song was released, but I was surprised to hear a cool song that encompassed both of their personalities. I am looking forward to hearing the song on the Arills distribution in the future, and I have been listening to the song since it was released because it is genuinely my type of music.

Kitahara The one I thought had a gap was Jessie. In the video, I had the image of her as a little sister, pampered and cute. So I didn't expect the tsundere element to be so strong in the anime, and I felt a big gap in her behavior. But Jesse in the anime is really cute, too.

--By the way, how do you feel about Hymena's habit of saying "A~n bi li ba bo! How did you feel when you said it?

Furuhata: In episode 22, she said it as much as she could (laughs).

Arai: She said it like it was the end of the world (laughs). (laughs) I wanted to make it sound like "Hymena" is always associated with this line! The sound director told me during the first post recording that he wanted to make it sound like "Himena". At first, I was saying it in normal English, but he directed me to say it in a more addictive way, and that's how I came up with the way I say it now. I'm glad to hear that Hymena has become known as "A-bi-li-ba-bo! I am glad to hear that.

The collaboration song that led to the formation of 3DM8

--Let me ask you about the songs that you all performed in the anime. First of all, please tell us about the song "Perfect Gamer," a collaboration between Zoe and Jua, your impression of the song and the recording process.

Furuhata: "Perfect Gamer" is just so groovy and cool. I really like how Jua's energy and Zoe's coolness are opposites, yet they seem to come together. Joua's rap-like voice also accentuates the song. The song is in a high key, so it was difficult to sing, but I had a lot of fun singing it because I practiced hard.

Arai: Moreover, both of you are wearing costumes that show off your legs, and there are choreographies that highlight your beautiful legs, so it really stands out (laughs).

Furuhata (laughs).

Kitahara As Nawa-chan said, I didn't expect cool and energetic to come together like this, so I was impressed by how the unexpected combination came together so well.

--Sophia, played by Kitahara-san, sang "Fake out" in collaboration with Liz.

Kitahara: This was the first song I recorded. I still hadn't fully grasped the character of Sophia, so I remember thinking a lot about how to sing the song to give Sophia a strong and relaxed feeling, and going through a lot of trial and error. In a duet, there are more parts to sing than the three of us, and we have to show Sophia's character. I hope I was able to express the feeling of standing above Liz.

Furuhata I thought, "It's a collaboration of data characters! (Laughs) They are both data characters, smart and calm and collected. They seem to be the type of people who are good at expressing their thoughts, so I was happy to see the perfect match, or rather, a convincing combination.

Arai: Because they are smart and intelligent, I think the two of them have a way of expressing their feelings outside of music as well. I think the fact that they choose performance as a means of expressing what they want to say is connected to the strength of their feelings toward virtual artists, and I like it a lot.

Kitahara It's kind of embarrassing (laughs).

--Himena sang "Let go," which was a collaboration with Jesse.

Arai I think the reason why we collaborated with Jesse was because Jesse was not satisfied with Niska's departure from BRT5. But the collaborative live show was a chance for Niska and Jesse to get back together again. I was very happy that Jesse made that choice, and I was also very happy that Hymena was able to be the catalyst for rebuilding the relationship. It is a memorable song for me as well.

We recorded the song before the recording session, and I was still in the stage where I had not yet grasped the character of Himena. The key of the song was very high, so I remember recording it while almost crying (laughs).

Furuhata: Songs that have a story behind them are very moving, aren't they? I think this is one of the things I enjoy about watching anime. Personally, I thought the voices of Hymena and Jessie were very distinctive and cute, and I thought they were perfect for them. Every time they speak, I think they are cute and it becomes a habit or I want to listen to them more, so I was happy to hear their voices together.

Kitahara I also thought it was a perfect match. As I mentioned earlier, this song was the one that led Sophia to discover Hymena, and I am sure she thought, "I like Hymena. I want one.

--I was rejected by her for a long time.

Arai: I kept getting rejected. I think there were times when I felt discouraged, but I was glad that it was Jesse who gave me the courage to take the first step forward.

I was desperate to try rapping for the first time x2, and it felt really good x1.

--And finally 3DM8 was formed and performed "Remortework" in episode 22. Both the music and the video were in full swing of coolness. What were your impressions of the recording and the video?

Furuhata: I was already very excited. From the moment I received the music, my expectations were so high. I was so excited when I received the song. I was so happy to see the rap performance, which no other unit could do, and the production was so spectacular.

Kitahara I was last in the recording order, so I was able to listen to the voices of the two members while recording, and I had some idea of what kind of unit 3DM8 would become. After all, 3DM8 is very special and sharp. I wanted to try this kind of unit, and I wanted to sing this kind of song, so I am very happy. This is what 3DM8 is all about!

Arai: When we received the demo song as a reference before recording, it was in a lower key. It was in a male key and was quite heavy and cool. The key was changed and it became catchy and addictive. I listen to it all the time.

As for the video, 3DM8 has a distinct personality, so I wondered how it would fit together as a performance. I wondered how it would all fit together as a performance. I like the fact that the three members are consciously performing in a way that only 3DM8 can convey, and I can really feel that.

--I heard that you changed the key of the song. Or did it feel good to sing?

Arai It was my first time doing a real rap, and I still didn't know about the character, so I remember trying my best just to make it look cool, even though I really didn't know what I was doing.

Kitahara I was also desperate for the rap anyway. At that point, I still hadn't quite grasped the character, and it was my first attempt at rapping, so I was extremely intimidated. I listened to a lot of rap songs before I started.

Furuhata: Furuhata was ...... very comfortable with it! (Laughs.) The reason is that the two of us start with a rap song, but I start with a normal melody. It felt good because the singing comes in after the rapping gets things going.

Another unit live performance with 3DM8!

--So, are there any songs you would like to sing as 3DM8 in the future, or anything you would like to do?

Kitahara I feel that 3DM8 can do anything.

Arai You say that (laughs).

Furuhata We had a unit live the other day, but we couldn't perform "Remortework" (before the broadcast of episode 22), so I would like to perform "Remortework" someday. I'd like to see a performance with a lot of dancing to cool songs that are typical of 3DM8.

Kitahara The live performance was a lot of fun, wasn't it?

Arai Yeah. It was pure fun.

Furuhata I will never forget Ruri's comment right after the concert, "That was the most fun I've ever had! I wonder if it's okay to have so much fun. I was also glad that we were able to do it at 3DM8. I could feel that everyone was truly enjoying themselves, and it was just a happy space.

Kitahara There was a part in the middle of the concert where I stepped back a little and watched their backs from behind! I was thinking, "Please don't let this end!

Arai: I am sure that the audience could tell that the three of us were having fun, didn't want it to end, and wanted to do it again, and I am sure they felt the same way, so I definitely want to do another unit live performance with the three of us.

--I am sure that the same feelings would be conveyed to those who have seen the Ariruz project, so I definitely want to do another unit live performance with the three of us.

Kitahara Arills is a project that started with 15 members who were doing various jobs other than voice acting, so there were members who had various worries and anxieties, such as being new to dancing or lacking confidence in singing. However, as we practiced more and more, we could see that everyone was getting better day by day, and we were able to feel anew the importance of working hard and facing one thing at a time.

Arai: I have very fond memories of the unveiling of the Ariruz project, which took place over two long days, and some of the staff members stayed up all night for two days, which made me very excited about the project. There were so many projects that my head was really spinning, but we overcame it all, and it was a delivery that solidified the resolve of the 15 of us to do our best.

Furuhata: I have many memories, but I also like the backstage area. At Arills, there are a lot of people whose jobs I normally wouldn't be involved with, and there are a lot of kids I had never met. Of course, there were some who were struggling, but many of them were very ambitious, so I felt very positive when I heard how they were feeling about Arills. I like to be in a place where I can get that kind of power, so I have fond memories of the backstage area.

What changes in mutual impressions did you feel through the activities?

--I think that we both have a different impression of each other now from when we first met.

Arai: My impression of both of you has changed quite a bit from my first impression. I had an impression that Nawa-chan was cool, but gradually I got the impression that she was a girl who was loved by everyone around her. At the meeting for the unit live, she gave me a lot of opinions about the performance and MC, and said a lot of things that I had never thought of. I felt that's why she was so well-liked and trusted.

Furuhata: Wasn't he annoying? (Laughs)

Arai: He was not annoying (laughs). Rather, it turned into respect. Yuyu (Kitahara-san) is extremely fashionable, cute, and soft-spoken. I still have the same impression of her, but after the live performance, I realized that she is "the person with the most unshakable mentality. He has the most determined spirit. I think I can get over anything with Yuyu.

--What was your impression of Ms. Arai from the viewpoint of Mr. Kitahara and Mr. Furuhata?

Kitahara My impression was that she was a gal (laughs). She is not shy at all, and I thought she was really cheerful. That image hasn't changed much, but she was easier to talk to than I expected. I tend to be intimidated by energetic girls, but I was able to talk to her in a natural tone without being intimidated by them. Also, she is funny!

Nawa-chan is so cool and dignified that I wondered if it was safe for me to talk to her. I had a strong image of Nawa as a cool and dignified woman. But she is very dependable. Without Nawa-chan, I don't think we would have had such a wonderful live performance.

--Ms. Furuhata, please tell us about your impressions of the two of them.

Furuhata: When I first met them, I didn't know what to do at the first scene and was too nervous to speak. We broke up before I knew it, without really being able to say a word. Everyone was in a shy mood, so much so that it was awkward for us to meet again.

However, Ruri was very friendly to me after that meeting, even when I suddenly suggested playing rock-paper-scissors-paper or some other game. She would even turn her head to look at me when I asked her to look the other way. I thought she was a really nice girl for going along with my games. During the dance lesson, Ruri's lap was open, so I went to her and put my pillow on her lap. I wondered how far I could go as far as that was acceptable. I wondered (laughs). (Laughs) When I tried it, she totally accepted it. She even patted me on the shoulder. I was able to see that she was a safe child with a gentle mama's touch.

I really enjoy dancing with Ruri. I have learned a lot about how to move my body, so I hope to continue to steal her techniques and learn all I can from her. What do you think? (Is this enough praise?) (Laughs) (Laughs)

Arai: It's great! (Laughs)

Furuhata: I felt that Yuna was an "okay person" within seconds of meeting her. When we are together in 3DM8, Yuna often speaks to me and helps me relax, which makes me feel comfortable. I guess I feel comfortable with her because I don't have to mend things. Like Ruri, I don't have to force myself to do my best; I can just be myself. Although she is younger than me, she is mentally older than me, and I feel that I can be very relaxed with her.

Kitahara Thank you very much.

--Lastly, what are your hopes for "Kizuna no Ariru" and the Ariru's project as a whole?

Kitahara I think the best thing about Arills is that since we reveal the existence of the people inside, you can enjoy the virtual world and we can enjoy the real us. So I would be happy if there are more events, singing opportunities, and opportunities to be in contact with fans in both. After all, the enthusiasm changes when there are fans in front of you, so it would be nice to have more opportunities to interact with everyone.

Arai: I have so much passion for "Dive into "i,"" which was sung by the 15 members of Arills, that I feel like I might explode if I don't vent it somewhere outside. The lyrics also symbolize Arills, and I think the fans know how special this song is to Arills, so I hope that one day the 15 of us will be able to express our feelings about the song. I think it will definitely be a special moment, and I would like to show them that view.

Furuhata: As for Furuhata, I would like to archive the 3DM8 unit live! I think that would be a great idea. The beauty of the video is one of the best parts of "Kizuna no Ariru," and it's a delicious part of being an XR artist. Besides, I don't have any archived memories as 3DM8. It would be a shame for those who were interested in the anime to remain unaware of 3DM8's involvement, so I hope that the next time 3DM8 performs live again, they will leave an archive.

(Interview and text by Kenichi Chiba)