The 4th unit interview of the anime "Kizuna no Ariru! PathTLive" Ayumi Hihara (Miraku) x Rina Kawaguchi (Quon) x Yuzuka Nukui (Noel) x Hikari Kodama (Chris) x Arisaki Hanawa (Liz) Special Talk [PR].

In the second season, 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. Along with the story of how the Virtual Grid Awards and the ADEN Seed main competition will turn out in the unit battles, each unit's music, music video-like live performances, and cross-unit collaboration songs also drew attention. The final episode, episode 24, combined with the power of the visuals, probably drew many people in.

Akiba Research Institute conducted interviews with each unit to commemorate the Arills XR Live ( # ), which is scheduled to be held on March 8, 2024. In this fourth installment, we spoke with Ayumi Hihara (Miraku), Rina Kawaguchi (Quon), Yuzuka Nukui (Noel), Hikari Kodama (Chris), and Arisaki Hanawa (Liz) of "PathTLive".

What was the most memorable scene in the second season?

--The second season has reached its final episode. First of all, what are your impressions of the second season of "Kizuna no Ariru"?

Hihara: While the first season focused on PathTLive, my first impression of the second season was that it was lively and fun to see the various interactions among the 15 members. There were also performances and collaborations by other units, which were well worth seeing.

Kawaguchi: Yes, it was. The first season depicted the story of the five members of PathTLive as they came together and got to the starting line. However, in the second season, the five members are all aiming at the same place, but they are all going through trial and error based on their own ideas, and other units that were not depicted in the first season have appeared. Personally, I think "Quon is using the goodness of the virtual world well! (laugh)", so I hope you will pay attention to that as well.

Kodama: For those of you who have been following us since the Alleles Project (mainly on YouTube), I think the interplay between the 15 characters has been long-awaited. The music videos were also of very high quality and played every week. I think the variety of songs is one of the charms of this project, so I thought it was wonderful to see the variety of charms that the 15 members bring to the show, as if they were genre-less.

Hanawa: The deeper aspects of PathTLive that were explored in the first season and the aspects that came out because of their involvement with other units were very delicately portrayed. The characters became more human, and their struggles to reach their dreams and their feelings about what they can and cannot do were so realistic that I could really relate to them. Even though I knew how the story was going to go, I was enjoying the story along with the audience.

Nukui: It's all exactly as you said! There were so many different characters, songs, and music videos, and I could see so many different worlds each week. I felt the possibilities expanding to infinity. There were songs that had not yet been recorded during the recording sessions, so I was able to hear them for the first time on air, and as a viewer, I really enjoyed it. I was excited to see what kind of songs would be created when these two collaborate with each other! I was excited to watch the show every week.

--What was the most memorable scene or line?

Hihara: The scene that comes to mind the most is in episode 20, when Kizuna Ai and Miraku are talking. I like the scene where Ai listens to Miraku's problems and gently says, "You can't stay a pupa forever. It is a touching scene where Miraku receives advice from someone she admires, and I think it is also a passionate scene where the audience feels that Ai-chan has given her a push. As I faced the script during the recording, I felt that I was talking with Ai-chan, and it left a strong impression on me.

Kodama For Miraku, who aspires to become a virtual artist because of Ai-chan, it must be very special.

Hanawa It's wonderful that Mirak receives messages not only from Ai-chan's direct words, but also from her appearance, actions, and efforts. I think this is similar to how we in the real world and Ai-chan's fans are energized by Ai-chan's videos and live performances.

Nukui: Ai-chan is the strongest, after all!

Kawaguchi: She is the strongest, isn't she? For me, it's episode 14. Episode 14 is the one where Quon confides his decision to Mirak, and Mirak is confused when he hears it. But I am sure that Quon himself had expected this, and he still chooses to confide in Mirak that he "wanted him to know. This scene is of course impressive as a development, and as an actor, I remember how difficult it was for me to switch between voices at each cut during recording, and how nervous I was.

Kodama: I was particularly impressed by "Banana Demon" (episode 17). I wish Chris could have been there too (laughs).

Hihara I totally understand.

Kodama Each of them had their own personality, and we didn't have such an active scene in the first season, so I enjoyed watching it while imagining what it would have been like if Chris had participated. I enjoyed watching the scenes, imagining what it would have been like if Chris had participated.

Also, Chris's intimidation scene against Sophia is my personal favorite. I didn't expect to see such a scene in "Kizuna no Aril," so I really enjoyed it.

Nukui: It was really cute to see so many different Chris!

Hanawa I think it was episode 18. Liz, who thought she could do everything and was a perfect girl, loses for the first time in this episode. I think it was the first time for her to experience "not being able to do it." After the defeat, she cries out "I'm so disappointed! I put a lot of emotion into the scene during the recording. I often experience feelings of frustration, so at first I was a little unsure of Liz's "I don't know how to feel frustrated. But when I realized that she has this side to her, I felt closer to her.

As for the other characters, I was also impressed by the scene (episode 16) where Noel, who was worried about his family, sings a song that expresses his feelings toward his family. I really like the line "I quite like and like the person I am now" when she talks about her feelings before singing. I thought to myself that it is very important to admit who I am now, even if there are things I can't do.

Nukai: I also love Noel's line. It is very difficult to admit and praise yourself, isn't it? I also want to be the person I like as much as possible, so I spend my time struggling and making mistakes every day to move forward, but I still compare myself to those around me, and if I remember even the slightest negative feeling, I just fall down. ......

Noel went through a lot of trouble and distress, and after changing little by little, he was able to say that he likes himself "now". I think that is partly supported by the accumulation of things she has done up to that point, and I think she was further empowered by what she received from her important rivals and friends. I admire Noel who has come to be able to look at both weaknesses and strengths and love them as a whole. And above all, the smile on Noel's face in that scene is absolutely adorable. It is the cutest thing in the world!

Confession-like scenes and unexpected combinations

--Rina Kawaguchi: What did you think of the interaction between Mirak and Niska (CV. Yuri Matsuoka)?

Hihara As a viewer, I thought Niska's way of asking for collaboration was "What? （I thought it was a bit of a surprise (laughs).

Kodama That made me a little nervous, didn't it?

Hanawa Yes.

Nukai That was the kind of behavior that only Nisca could pull off.

Kawaguchi That's not fair! But I guess Quon can't speak for others either (laughs).

Hihara That's right. Like my senpai (Quon's appearance in the real world), and Niska, too, I was thinking, "Everyone likes me! (laughs).

(Laughs.) But I think that was a way of asking someone out that only Nisca could do. In the boat scene, she says something like a confession, and when she invites a collaborator, she says, "I'm making reservations ahead of time. When I saw the script, I was like Mirak, "What? I was like, "What? I think Niska is a bit of a sneaky guy (laughs).

Hanawa: For the boat scene, I was in the same room with the dubbing crew. I was in a different booth and only heard the sound. (laughs).

Hihara It was a complete shoujo manga exchange, wasn't it?

Kodama It was like a love romance was about to start.

Nukui It was amazing. ......

Yuzuka Nukui: --And even though we had said all that, in the end it was like we were back to our original Saya, however you put it. I'd like to ask you about the collaboration song, "Tell me, Sympathy" by Niska and Mirak, how did you like it?

Hihara When I heard the finished song with Nisca's voice added, I thought, "Nisca and Mirak go together so well! I thought, "Nisca and Mirak go so well together! To be honest, at first I couldn't imagine how Nisca's low voice and Mirak's energetic tone would go together with this cool song. But it just seemed to fit perfectly, or at least I thought it was a good fit.

It was refreshing to sing a cool song with Miraku during the recording session. I had sung the ending song of the first season, "Yosuga," with Miraku, but I had never sung such a cool song, so I was happy to sing it.

--Miraku also collaborated with Sara (CV. Hina Natsume) to sing "Unfinished Fate.

Hihara This was the most unexpected combination of Miraku's collaborations. I was surprised to hear that they could be paired up in the same vein as the game (Banana Oni)!" I was surprised that they collaborated, and I thought that Sara would be a bit tsuntsun and not take to Miraku, but they collaborated. As a performer, I felt a little weird, like, "Is it okay for me (Mirak) to work with such a good-looking Sara? I felt a little weird.

Hanawa Sara wanted to ask Zoe out, but Zoe was taken by Jua, so she mistakenly took Mirak's hand and said, "Then I'll take this girl," which was really cute.

Hihara It seemed unlikely that we would have teamed up if it wasn't for that kind of situation, so I am grateful for the circumstances. It was a valuable collaboration, including that.

Kawaguchi: I also thought, "This is where we are going to combine.

He reveals his impressions of each song, his own interpretation, and the story behind the recording.

--How did you like "HEART's AURORA" that Mirak and Chris collaborated on in episode 15?

Kodama: Episode 15 was the episode in which you delved into Chris. Chris thought about what he could do and invited Miraku to collaborate with him on a song that Chris himself wrote. I am also a singer-songwriter, so I was very happy to sing a song that Chris wrote.

The song was in a genre that I had not sung much before, and the pitch was like "go there," so it was a little difficult for me to learn it. However, I really like the part where Mirak and Chris interact with each other, and the song is finished with a sense of transparency.

Hihara I knew that Mirak and Chris would be absolutely great, both in terms of voice chemistry and character chemistry. The song has a fresh feel to it, and I felt that it really expresses the mysterious, somehow elusive feeling of Chris. And since I wrote the song as "this is the kind of song I would sing with Mirak," I could tell that this must be a colorful world for Chris.

--What did you feel about Chris's songwriting from the viewpoint of a singer-songwriter?

Kodama: Just as Chris values words, I often start with lyrics when I write songs. I was happy to feel that there was a link between the two. Also, I envy Chris because of the cool desk he works at (laughs). (Laughs.) I thought to myself, "I'm going to do my best so that I can work at a desk like that, too.

--Liz sings "Fake out" in collaboration with Sophia. What was your impression of the song, including the scene leading up to it?

Hanawa: I received the music before I received the script for episode 18, so I was surprised because I couldn't imagine how Liz and Sophia would be involved. When I listened to the song, the rhythm was very irregular, and the melody of the chorus, which I had never sung before, was fresh. However, I was very satisfied with the flow of the two singing together at the end (chorus).

I personally imagine that in episode 16, Liz called Noel and asked him to listen to the song. She said, "The melody line is impressive. I also think it would be good to modulate the melody before entering the chorus," so I think Liz may have written this song.

During the recording, we discussed with each other whether we should sing it a little higher or lower, or add a whispy line-like voice. I thought it was a cool song even at the tentative stage, but when I heard the final mix, it turned out to be really cool. I wondered how it would be used in the anime, but it turned out that Liz lost and they ended up collaborating (laughs).

Solo song "Link to heart" that also showed Miraku's growth

--I was impressed not only by the collaboration, but also by the solo songs. First of all, what did you think of "Soleil" performed by Noel in episode 16?

Nukai: Director Komaya had said since the first season that "Noel will have to overcome one more obstacle," so I was very excited and fidgety, wondering what was going to happen. I was very excited and fidgety. The line "I like the way I am now, and I like it a lot," which I mentioned earlier, is depicted in the 16th episode, and it is a story in which Noel struggles to become more human, which I love. Director Komaya said that it was a story that he was very particular about, and I remember that we took our time during the postrecording.

When I saw the lyrics of "Soleil," which I wrote to convey my own heart to my family, and listened to the song, I thought, "Oh, I've become another strong and cool Noel," and I really loved it. I think the most difficult thing to understand is one's own heart, and it is very embarrassing to put it into words, much less to show it to one's family. However, I thought Noelle sang with a determination to "go beyond what I am trying to achieve," so we put a lot of effort into recording the song. The song has a very calm and peaceful tone, but there is a certain feeling in it, and it contains the strength of Noel's heart, and I remember the trial-and-error process of how to put that color on the song. I hope you will listen to the full version of the song someday! Only Noel can sing this song, so I hope it reaches your heart.

--What are your impressions of Mirak's solo song "Link to heart," including the music video?

Hihara I think the flow of the story, the video, and the song ...... were all perfect. First of all, the flow of the song is perfect, with Ai's words from her admirer when she was in distress, and then the performance of the song with the help of her good friend (Chris). The song was also written by Chris based on Mirak's words, so it really represents Mirak's current situation.

The song and the video are cute and sparkling, just like a girl with a dream! I watched her as I felt her growth. I want to be that kind of person myself, and I love this song and listen to it often.

Kodama: I also agreed with the words "a genuine protagonist" written in the comments of the music video on YouTube. I felt that Miraku had grown since the first season, showing both cute and mature expressions as she walked through the glittering world she had arrived at after many years of struggle, and the quality of the video was so high that I watched it many times.

Nukui: I really think she is a "genuine hero and heroine. I saw both the music and the music video for the first time on air, so I felt like Noel, saying "Mirak you ......! I felt like Noel when I saw the song and music video for the first time (laugh). I couldn't take my eyes off them because they had a charm that made me want to cheer them on, but at the same time they seemed to be pulling me along. I can understand why Noel would want to appeal to the old-timers (laughs).

Hanawa: Everything about Miraku, from the song to the music video, is cute. I think Miraku is about a "normal girl who has never done much singing or dancing before, but wants to become a virtual artist. Even if you subtract the quality of the video, the level of Miraku's facial expressions and movements has improved tremendously. I was impressed by her performance because she has been working hard toward her dream despite all that has happened to her.

From "mirAI wave!" to "Perfect World! to "Perfect World!

--Let me ask you about the songs you sang at PathTLive. First, "mirAI wave!" was the opening theme for the first season. What is your impression of this song?

Hihara "mirAI wave!" is probably the song we have sung the most at Arills as the opening song, and I think it is an indispensable song for this content. It is very energetic and sparkling, and the dance moves are jumpy. Just by listening to it, I can remember the first season and many memories of Arills ....... It is a song that I am deeply attached to.

Kodama: As Arills, we actually sang and danced to this song, and I think that in the anime and Arills as a whole, this song is the most famous PathTLive song. It's always nice to hear them singing into the future, and it's a great song as an opener. But you dance so much, you can't help but move your body when you hear the song, right? (Laughs)

Hihara I understand.

Nukui I understand too much!

Kawaguchi That's right. You do move your body, don't you? mirAI wave!" is still very impressive. I think that because we had so many opportunities to perform it, there were many different forms of "mirAI wave!

Kodama: That's how important this song is to us.

Hanawa I still remember that buzzing feeling I had when I first heard the tentative song. The lyrics are energetic and sparkling, but the song is not just about going after your dreams. It made me think, "Is it OK for us to sing this song? I felt like, "Can we sing this song?

The other members of Arills also sang this song, and they interpreted or sang it differently from the five of us, so I think you can enjoy it in various ways. I learned a lot from watching them.

Nukai: I think this song is the best opening song, starting with "Dokodemo e Ikou" ("Let's go to anywhere"). You can feel the sparkle of this story from the beginning! The first part of the second verse is Noel's part, and it's a little bit like a line, and that's my personal favorite phrase that I want to put a lot of Noel-ness into. I have sung it live many times in the Arills Project, so I put a lot of "Ohhh ！！！！" into it. I put a lot of "ah ah " in it. I put various kinds of "ah ah " in the song, because it has four surprise marks on it. (Laughs.) But when the other members sang the song, they sang it differently, so I thought it was very interesting. I thought it was very interesting.

--The opening theme song for the second season, "Perfect World! is also a typical PathTLive song.

Hihara "mirAI wave!" was a great opening song, but "Perfect World! was a more mature song, and I was very impressed with it. I think I found both of these songs to be very good.

In Mirak's part, he says, "Let's prove that nothing is impossible together," and I was impressed by the way he said "together. In "mirAI wave! while "Perfect World! is a song that is more about connection! I feel that "Perfect World!" is a more connected song.

Kodama: I also feel that it has become a bit more mature. Perfect World!" is a bit more mature than "mirAI wave! has a more mature sound musically, such as the way the back voice is removed. However, I thought it was a wonderful song that still had the energy of PathTLive. I love this song, too. I feel that the lyrics are based on the premise of being connected to each other, and that the song was created based on the deepening of the PathTLive bond.

Kawaguchi: I feel that the song is the fruit of the efforts of all 15 members, including the five members of PathTLive and the new members who appeared in the second season. It's not just about looking forward, but also about proving what's ahead together. I especially love the lyrics of "Let's prove that nothing is impossible together" that Mr. Hihara mentioned. It gives me courage and makes me feel like I can really do anything! It makes me feel like I can really do anything.

Hanawa: I also felt that "mirAI wave! Both songs are energetic and bright, and they both inspire me to work hard toward my dreams.

To put a finer point on it, the last chorus of "Perfect World! I love the part in the last chorus of "Perfect World!

Kodama I like it a lot too!

Nukui I love it!

Kawaguchi I totally understand. I don't know how to put it simply, but it's so emo! (Laughs)

Hanawa You can't hear this part in the opening of the anime, so I hope you will listen to the full version and feel the quality of this part. The interlude right before the opening is also very nice, so if you listen to it in the same flow, you will understand the quality even more.

Hihara I am glad you mentioned this part because it is my favorite part too. It felt good to sing it, and I imagined that I was singing while flying with my back to everyone.

Nukai: I think it is amazing what a song can give and convey. The opening song is about a minute and a half, and the full song is about five minutes. I am happy to have found such wonderful music!

SHININGi" and "KIZUNA" are emotional songs that make you feel the bond between everyone.

--SHININGi," which was performed at the end of the first season, is another important song; it was also impressive that the five members sang solo songs with their own lyrics and then combined them at the end.

Hihara "SHININGi" was a song we sang during the cast audition, so it was very memorable in that sense as well. The lyrics that each of us came up with were very individualistic, and you could tell what was important to each of us. But when you put them all together in one song, it somehow feels like they are singing about the same thing, or that they are all heading in the same direction. I think it is a very emotional song where you can feel each person's thoughts and feelings as well as the five of us moving forward together.

Kawaguchi: I miss singing this song during the audition, don't you? Since we have known each other for a long time, I think this song is the one that I feel the strongest in my body. The lyrics of this song at the time of the audition were completely different from today's lyrics, and each of the five members in the song has their own version of the lyrics. If you ask me if the melody line is that technical, I would say it is rather simple. Maybe that's why I get into it. I think it's strange. It's wonderful that they all come together to make one "SHININGi.

Kodama When we auditioned, we had different versions of the lyrics, but now that I think back, we have known each other for a long time. It's wonderful to feel the bond that connects us.

Hanawa: When we first received the music, we received two different sets of lyrics even though the melody was the same. And there was no explanation (laughs). So I started thinking, "What does that mean? (laughs). I looked at the lyrics carefully and found that this part of the solo song was used in "SHININGi," so I thought, "Could it be! I guess everyone probably guessed it. I think everyone probably guessed it, too.

As for my impression of the song, I too felt that it was amazing that the solos should have been written with their own feelings, but when made into one song, they were connected. The five of us were looking in different directions, but when we met Miraku, we turned in the same direction, and the song is connected to the work .......

Nukai: Since we have known each other for the longest time, I can't wait for everyone to hear this song! I was anxiously waiting for the airing of the song. And when the song was played along with the story and the images of the five members, I was moved to think that it had become a song that resonated even more with me. It was the song that started PathTLive, so it is a very memorable and important song for me.

--And in the last episode, you performed a new song, "KIZUNA".

Hihara I felt like we were going to sing about this at the end. It was really hot to bring "KIZUNA" to the end, not only because of the growth of the girls, but also because of the flow of the entire anime.

Kawaguchi It feels like everyone's efforts up to now have come to fruition, doesn't it?

Hanawa That's right. Like "SHININGi," the lyrics are written by each of the five members of PathTLive and are strung together, and I want people to pay attention and listen to the lyrics that express the feelings of each of the five members of PathTLive.

Kodama: As PathTLive, we have sung various songs, including the opening themes for both seasons, but this song has a completely different charm.

Nukai: Many things have happened up to this point, but this song is the culmination of the five of us because of all the things that have happened. I hope that you will be able to catch the charm of the life-size PathTLive and our desire to connect with each other.

Someday, we will perform live with 15 members! And I want to connect with many people!

-As you have mentioned in the story so far, the activities of Arills are also an indispensable element. What do you find attractive about Arills and what do you particularly remember about it?

Hihara The main attraction is that you can enjoy the various aspects of the characters: the anime characters, the virtual characters, the Arills characters, and us, ......, who work together with them.

There are too many memories to list, but if I had to pick one, it would be the collaboration and distribution with "love-chan" and "Kizuna-chan" because of the connection to the world left by Kizuna-chan. The bonds that Ai-chan has created have widened the circle of viewers, and I would like to continue to cherish activities that allow people to feel Ai-chan's presence.

Kawaguchi: I think this project is really challenging or innovative in a way, but I really can't choose one because all of the memories are so memorable (laughs). (Laughs) But during the course of my activities, I received many comments saying that they liked both "Quon" after the Dive and "Rina Kawaguchi" before the Dive, and I felt like I was being myself and not myself, and it was a strange feeling to have the support of both the person I wanted to be and the person I was as I was. I was very happy to receive such support for both who I am and who I want to be. I think this feeling is the unique charm of the Arills Project. It is somewhat embarrassing to say it myself, but I think it is twice as delicious, and I am glad that everyone at ...... thinks so.

Kodama: This was our first attempt at Arills, so we started out not knowing what to do. I never thought I would be able to experience motion capture, so it was a really valuable opportunity for me.

The characters' personalities are different from those in the anime, and there is a charm that comes from our live performances, so I think that both those who came in through the anime and those who came in as YouTube content will enjoy the show.

Hanawa: We call everyone who supports us "Wizlinkers," and we feel that we are doing something new by being able to communicate with the Wizlinkers who come to watch us. There are quite a few Kizunners (fans of Kizuna Ai) among them, and I feel Ai-chan in every part of our activities, or rather, Ai-chan's activities have led to the Arills of today.

So, whether you came to us from the anime or from YouTube, or even if you don't know us but like Ai-chan, love-chan, or Kizuna-chan, I think you can enjoy the show from various aspects.

Nukai: Looking back, it's hard to believe that less than a year has passed since we started our activities. Looking back, I can't believe it's only been a year since we started our activities. We have been able to challenge ourselves in so many different ways that it is hard to pick a favorite, but as everyone has said, "kizuna" is an important keyword in our content.

It's a really big project with a lot of people's thoughts and feelings packed into it, and I feel that Ai, who seems to be above the clouds, is actually very close to me by feeling the connections of what Ai has walked through, but I also feel overwhelmed by her big, big back as I work on the project. I also feel that Ai is actually very close to me, as she is above the clouds and I feel a connection with her. I am very deeply moved by the experience, but even without thinking about it, it is just a very lively project, and I would be happy if more people know about it and connect with it. We put all of our heart and soul into our daily videos, our distribution, and our live performances. Please keep an eye on Noel's progress!

--Lastly, what do you want to do in the future for the project as a whole?

Hihara I would like to perform live with all 15 members, both virtually and in real life. And someday, I would be happy if we could collaborate with various people beyond the Arills, so that Mirak's wish to "connect with many people" can be fulfilled.

Kawaguchi: Indeed, a live concert with all 15 members would be a spectacular sight just to think about it. And I would like to do a real live concert, too. Just as there are things that can only be done by us in virtual form, there are things that can only be done by us in real form. I think the strength of this project is that it has the potential for both. So, for example, it would be interesting to have us in real life in a virtual space, or vice versa.

KodamaI would also like to do a live concert with 15 members someday. I think there are still many people who do not know about Arills, so I will do my best to let many people know about us. We have a lot of very interesting content if you take a look at it!

Hanawa: I would be happy if our efforts at the unit live concert we held the other day lead to the future, and I would also like to do a live concert with the 15 of us. I would also like to do a live concert with the 15 of us. Virtual content is fine, but I personally have a strong desire to perform in front of the people who support us on a daily basis. I will do my best to realize a real live performance!

Nukui: I feel the same way as everyone else. I feel the same way as everyone else! Since this project links the virtual and the real, I would be happy if we could do something that only Arills can do. To achieve this, I would like to continue to work hard and have fun so that I can grow day by day and give back to all of you who support me and watch my work.

(Interview and text by Kenichi Chiba)