The 10th installment will be held at Makuhari Messe! Producer Takeshi Koyama talks about the appeal of "Karaoke MAX": "Love and passion!" Collaboration Gemba No. 8

Today, with the increasing collaboration between various industries and subcultures such as anime and voice acting, there are many people who say, "Whoa, they're doing it! You're doing it," "What? You did it! and "Oh, you're doing it!" and "What? Akiba Research Institute is going to visit the planning sites of "collaborations" of interest to learn about the appeal of the projects, interesting episodes, and behind-the-scenes stories about the hard work involved! The 8th issue of "Collaboration no Gemba" is a series of articles on "Collaboration".

In this 8th installment, we will introduce Takeshi Koyama, a voice actor and producer of "Karaoke MAX," a karaoke event to be held on June 30 (Sun.), 2019 at Makuhari Messe. Karaoke MAX" is an event realized through a collaboration between voice actors and karaoke, with popular voice actors performing karaoke. We asked him to talk about the appeal of "Karaoke MAX," the 10th anniversary of this popular event, how he started the project, and his enthusiasm for holding the 10th event.

For more information about the event and performers, please visit the official website.

-- The "Gemba of Collaboration" section covers "collaborations" between subcultures such as anime and voice actors, and various industries, projects, and products. How do you feel about the "collaborations" that are appearing one after another?

Koyama: I think they should be done more and more. The important thing is to keep doing it. If it's interesting, it will continue, and if it's not, it will end quickly.

--This is the 10th "Karaoke MAX" event. It has become a popular event that continues because it is fun. How did you come up with the idea for this project?

Koyama: I myself go to various music events such as Anisama, but I don't necessarily know all the songs performed there. There are a lot of songs I don't know, right?　I thought it would be more interesting if someone who is a good singer performed songs that I know. I wanted to see this person perform a hit song that everyone knows, and that was my initial motivation.

--I heard that the idea was also inspired by the "Utamamire" event, in which voice actors and actors with a reputation for their singing ability perform live with a selection of songs that they do not own or that are fully in their wheelhouse. I believe the venue was Shibuya Public Hall, right?

Koyama: I think that was the starting point of the idea. We had a live band for the entire event, and it was a lot of fun and the audience was really excited. But because it was a live band, it cost a lot of money, so to speak, and we were in the red. But I think that was the impetus for the idea.

-- But I think that's what sparked the idea for the event!　Wouldn't you ever think of that?

Koyama: Ah-ha-ha. That depends on the organizer. Considering the entertainment aspect of the event, it is not enough to just say, "Sounds fun," or "I'd like to try it," but you have to think about the plan carefully.

-- Planning and coming up with ideas is an important part of the producer's job, isn't it?

Koyama: It sounds cool to be a producer, but one of the reasons I started this kind of project was to "create a place for myself. Compared to others around me, I made my debut late. Most people go to training schools when they are in their early 20s. Nowadays, many people go even earlier. I spent a long time searching for what I should do with my life. I was 24 years old when I decided, "I'm going this way! I made up my mind at the age of 24. Just because I made up my mind, it doesn't mean that things will happen right away. I went through various dark periods and even worked part-time until I was in my late 30s. In the midst of all this, I decided that in order to make my name known, I had to create something on my own, so I did a produced performance at the age of 25.

-- Producing a stage within a year of making up my mind. That's pretty fast, isn't it?

Koyama: I created a place without knowing anything about it, just with the motivation of creating my own place. That was never going to be a success, and I ended up in debt, working part-time for a while, and living like that.

-- Which project was the most successful in terms of both entertainment and content?

Koyama: The DVD of the voice actors playing mahjong was a hit, and the response was very positive; it was not a one-time project, but went on to a fourth installment. The stage is not in the red either, but it is not a genre that makes money from a business standpoint. When I became busy with my work as an actor, I had to think of a project other than the stage, and I came up with the idea of a karaoke project.

-- What do you think is the best thing about "Karaoke MAX"?

Koyama: The fact that the performers have so much fun. I usually sing my favorite songs in front of two or three people in private, but now I get to sing them in front of thousands of people. I think the pleasure you get from that is indescribable. The audience enjoys it and is satisfied, so it is a win-win situation.

-- Do the performers bring their own "juhachiban" to the event?

Koyama: Basically, yes. There is a theme, so they come with a list that goes along with it. The hurdle is high when it comes to tying in monomaniacs from popular corners. It is valuable for the audience to see not only the resemblance or dissimilarity, but also to see how they try their best to resemble each other. It's a side of them you don't usually get to see.

-- By the way, what is your favorite song?

Koyama: "15 Nights" by Yutaka Ozaki. I sing it when the occasion calls for it. That's exactly what I sang at the first meeting. I remember how relieved I was when the audience got really excited.

-- It seems to be difficult to choose the performers. ......, what are the points in choosing the performers?

Koyama: People who bring in the audience (laughs).

(laughs) -- That is important from the standpoint of a producer, isn't it?

Koyama: Yes, yes. I would be happy if they are able to attract an audience and give the best performance. Putting aside my true feelings as a producer, I think the most important thing is passion. People who are passionate about the event and about making the audience enjoy themselves will naturally get a good response from the audience, and I am glad that I invited them. They put their bodies on the line for the event with their love for "Karaoke MAX. Such performers end up creating legends, and I want to invite them again and again.

-- The love of the audience is also a factor, isn't it?

Koyama: That's exactly right. No matter how much we want to put on an event, it is not possible without the audience. After the event, we receive many comments on Twitter asking us to do the next one, so we are motivated to respond to those requests.

-- Is it difficult to cast popular voice actors?

Koyama: There are many people who want to be in the show, but the most difficult part is coordinating their schedules. Casting for the 3rd Tokyo Dome City was really tough. In the end, we were able to get through it and it turned out to be a fun event. It was at that time that I felt that we could keep going.

-- How were the rehearsals?

Koyama: It was fun to make things like this and that, and to make things more interesting as we went along. It's the same when creating a stage, but I like to spend time doing that kind of work because it stimulates my creative brain, and I enjoy it. I can't do it if I don't like it, and I can't leave some things to others (laughs).

-- What do you think are the strengths of "Karaoke MAX"?

Koyama: I think it is the fact that we have established a karaoke event, which was not an ordinary karaoke event, as such an interesting event. I think we were able to brand the event, and if people are excited about a karaoke event as if it were Karaoke MAX, it would be very difficult to organize other events.

-- Now, to wrap things up. Please give us your enthusiasm for the memorable 10th event and a message to your fans.

Koyama: "Karaoke MAX" will be held at Makuhari Messe. We have prepared some surprise tricks that only Makuhari can offer for the 10th commemorative park. I expect that the audience will be surprised and delighted by these tricks, which will surprise even the performers. Karaoke MAX" will never be released on disc. It is a live event that can only be enjoyed on site. Please come to Makuhari to witness this historic moment!　Let's have a good time just as if you were enjoying karaoke with us.

(Interview and text by Shinobu Tanaka)

Event Information

Tickets are now on sale!

Tickets are on sale now!

[Dates & Venues

June 30, 2019 (Sun) Makuhari Messe Hall 4

Performances

＜Producer and performer: Takeshi Koyama

＜Doors open 12:00 / Concert begins 13:00

Haruki Ishitani / Fumiyasu Shiotani / Tomohito Takatsuka / Takuma Nagatsuka / Akari Kito / Yuri Komagata / Machico / Sachika Misawa / Aoi Yuki

＜Doors open 18:00, Concert begins 19:00

Kento Ito / Wataru Komada / Sogo Nakamura / Hisanari Fukamachi / Kotomi Aihara / Aya Uchida / Emi Nitta / Hope Yamamoto