Broadcasting starts today! Wait for the TV broadcast while looking back on the advance screening of the "ARP Backstage Pass" anime!

ARP Backstage Pass, an animated television series by ARP artists, will begin airing today, January 13, 2020, on TOKYO MX and other stations!

It has been about a year and a half since the announcement of the anime adaptation decision was made at the "KICK A'LIVE" live concert held in August 2018. Since information was revealed little by little at live shows, events, and on the radio, and a special program was broadcast in 2019, I was relieved when the broadcast date was confirmed, although I knew that the anime adaptation story would not stand still. Of course, the crucial moment is after the broadcast. ......, but at any rate, I am happy! I am sure that ARS (ARP's fans) are happy to hear that. With ARS watching over us, an advance screening was held at Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas on January 11, 2020. The event consisted of a screening of the first episode of the anime, a talk show by the cast, and a video letter from ARP!

What is "ARP?"

There is a great possibility that people who are completely unfamiliar with ARP will watch the TV anime, so before we tell you about the advance screening, let us first give you a quick introduction about ARP.

ARP is a dance and vocal unit consisting of four high school boys who attend the International School of Music (ISM) Yokohama, a renowned artist training school. At this time, the group is often introduced as a "group," but it should have been set up from the beginning as a unit consisting of Shinji and Leon, who are solo artists, and Dia and Reiji, who form the duo "Rebel Cross. Although we may not have to worry about such details, it seems to me that the "battle songs" (in which performers compete with each other in singing), which are the best part of ARP's live performances, are only possible because they are performed as a unit, and the "individuals" who are capable enough to perform in their own right are able to come together and perform in harmony. The process of "individuals" coming together and harmonizing is also a fascinating part of the group, and the trust that deepens over time, as well as the singing and performances that only these four can deliver, are supreme!

Recently, we have been doing "SHOWROOM" distribution, but the basic activities of ARP are live performances and the radio show "Amazing Radio Performers on the WEB" that is distributed every Saturday on Nico Nico Live. In particular, ARP's commitment to their live performances, which are the core of their activities, is so great that many people who see them perform live for the first time are shocked by their performance. The reason for this is that instead of projecting CG images prepared in advance, ARP captures motion during the live performance, renders it in CG, and outputs it as a holographic model. Therefore, they can move in real time, talk to each other like normal artists, and even make contact with ARS in the audience. In addition, the high level of singing and dancing is also a key point of support. Actually, there is more to ARP than this, but it would take too long to explain it all, so please refer to the interview with Mr. Akari Uchida, the general producer of ARP, for more details!

What kind of anime is "ARP Backstage Pass?"

The anime seems to start before they become ARP; how do the four of them meet and become ARP? The story follows the four members from their debut to the present in the form of a documentary, delving into the struggles and feelings of each member at that time. Although some parts of the anime have been adapted, in a video letter prepared by ARP for the advance screening, Dia said, "It's about our past, so what can I say, it's a bit embarrassing. I feel a little embarrassed", so I am sure that it will not deviate much from the truth (my personal opinion). It is exciting to meet them when they are a little younger, behind the scenes at live performances, at school, and in their daily lives, which we don't usually get to see.

Of course, since this is an advance screening, I have already watched the first episode of the anime. I can't tell you what it's about because it would be a spoiler, but as Dia said, "The stage scene, it's seriously the best, so really, you should expect it." It's a different vector from the actual live performance, which is cool! The singing voice during the live performance is also theirs, so you can fully enjoy ARP's music, which is a big attraction. The drama scenes also show what ARS would be interested in from the first episode, so the more you watch, the more you will get to know them and the more you will want to support them. However, to be honest, for those who are new to ARP, I don't think you will be able to understand the whole story in just one episode, so I recommend that you watch until the story starts to take off in a big way (although you should watch all the episodes).

Broadcast information for the "ARP Backstage Pass" TV anime
Broadcasting will begin on Mondays at 23:00 on TOKYO MX from January 13, 2020 (Monday, national holiday).
Broadcasting will begin on Mondays at 25:00 on BS11 from January 13 (Mon., holiday), 2020.
Broadcasting will begin on J:COM TV "Ani-obi" on Tuesdays from 23:30 on January 14, 2020.
Distribution on dAnime Store and dTV from January 13, 2020 (Monday, national holiday), every Monday from 23:00, etc.

ARP's first challenge! How was the recording of the dubbing?

Another important point is that ARP members are trying their hand at dubbing for the anime adaptation! That's right, the ARP members themselves are playing themselves in the "ARP Backstage Pass" TV anime. This was more difficult than expected, but the recording process seems to be progressing smoothly at ....... Voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue and Wataru Komada, who were guests at the advance screening, told us about their first attempts at voice acting.

Mr. Inoue plays the role of the Chancellor of the ISM Yokohama School, where ARP attends. In the anime, he plays both the real Chancellor and Uchi P, ARP's general producer. Unlike his stubbly beard and slightly evil appearance, he is a kind person who loves ARP members very much. On the other hand, Mr. Komada plays Haruomi Matsumoto, Shinji's classmate. He is not a good communicator, but he loves music and is very passionate about what he loves. He mainly interacts with Shinji and recommends various genres of music to Shinji, who used to specialize in classical music. He seems to be such a key figure that without Matsumoto-kun, Shinji would not be where he is today.

Now, here's the question: What do Inoue and Komada think of the four ARP members? I was worried that Reiji, in particular, might be annoyed because he calls Inoue "Kazu" on the radio and basically talks in a casual manner, but I was told that he uses a respectful manner despite his big attitude. When he could apply his voice well, he would turn around and ask, "How's it going? "Isn't it good? I did it! They will say things like, "How's it going? I can definitely see the twinkle in their eyes (laughs). One of the episodes that surprised me was the order in which they entered the studio. Mr. Inoue, who is a big name in the field, was first in line, and to my surprise, ARP came only just before the recording was to begin! Normally, one would expect a warning, but Mr. Inoue warmly followed up with, "They have guts! But Mr. Inoue warmly followed up with, "They've got guts! He was as kind as the chairman of the board!

As for the recording of the dubbing sessions, the dancers are musical geniuses with a good sense of rhythm, which they quickly mastered once they got the hang of it. Shinji, in particular, is very studious and has worked out the unique voice of the anime. He has tried it many times by himself and gives advice to the other members. According to Mr. Inoue, his advice is right on the money. That's just like Shinji. But when he is meddled with in this way, Reiji usually rebels. However, he says he listens to the advice honestly. From Mr. Komada's point of view, rather than listening to what he is told, he wants to try what he hears, and in a sense, he is eager to research. He said that he has some similarities with Shinji.

Leon's tongue problem, which had been a concern before the recording session began, was reported on ......, and it seems that he bites a lot (laugh). However, the innocent Leon was also told how cute he is here! He is not overbearing when he enters the recording studio, and his voice is just the same as usual. Just listening to his voice seems to be soothing, so much so that Inoue-san says, "It reminds me of things I have long since forgotten. Leon's cuteness is beyond description! Dia, who has never made any mistakes in recording, revealed an episode that may have been her worst mistake. She forgot to turn off her phone, and the Siri voice assistant function started up at the perfect moment, saying "Popon ♪ I don't understand" at the perfect moment. Although it is a basic rule to turn off your phone when recording recording postrecording, not knowing such a thing is a mistake typical of first-timers. However, it seems that Dia does some strange things that can't be attributed to being inexperienced. ...... During the interval, she started doing full-fledged muscle training in the studio at very high speed, and when she was warned to stop in the studio, she moved to the hallway to continue her muscle training. When they were warned not to do so in the studio, they moved to the hallway to continue their muscle training.

The four of us are still free to do as we please, but thanks to the presence of the kind and generous Inoue-san and Komada-san, the recording session seems to be proceeding in a very good atmosphere. When Inoue-san and Komada-san were talking about their episodes, I was personally touched to hear them call the ARP members by their first names, as if they were being loved by the senior members.

Summary of the latest information

The following is a summary of the special events and anime-related music information that was announced at the advance screening!

ARP Backstage Pass Special Event to be held
Date: February 9, 2020
Place: Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas
Live broadcast: Featuring Shinji Diamond

ARP will be distributing the anime ED theme song, ARP "Celebrate Good Time".
Start of distribution: January 14, 2020 at 0:00

CROSS BONE (Dia Rage) "BlacK Sapphire", which was first performed in the first episode, will be distributed.
Distribution start: January 28, 2020 0:00

ARP Backstage Pass" Blu-ray/DVD is now available for pre-order.
Each volume features a special jacket illustration newly drawn by the artist, a special mini-video program, and a special original booklet. Volume 1 includes an event priority application ticket!

Release date: [Volume 1] May 27, 2020, [Volume 2] June 26, 2020, [Volume 3] July 29, 2020, [Volume 4] August 26, 2020
Price: [Blu-ray] 9,000 yen (excluding tax), [DVD] 8,000 yen (excluding tax)

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