Long interview with Machico "1mm Symphony", the theme song for the movie "Konosuba"! The winning song is filled with the creators' persistence, including Kumiko Takahashi and Koichi Taho!

Voice actor and artist Machico's new single "1mm Symphony" will be released on August 28, 2019.

The title song is the main theme song for "Bless This Wonderful World! Machico has been known for her work on the theme song of the "Bless This Wonderful World! (Konohana-suba) series, and many readers may have a strong impression that Machico is associated with "Konohana-suba. In this production, which has finally moved to the theater, Machico sings the world of the work in a wonderful voice.

The creator of the music is also a focus of attention this time. We hope you will listen to what kind of chemical reactions were created between Machico and big names such as Kumiko Takahashi (ex-Chatmonchy) and Koichi Taho (ex-Superfly), who wrote the lyrics.

We interviewed Machico about these highly anticipated songs. He talked at length about what to listen to, recording secrets, music videos, costumes, live performances, and more.

Costumes also reflect the "Konosuba" worldview

--I personally noticed that the costumes of ...... are made of very little cloth.

Machico: Hahahaha! I think it's probably the most revealing of all time (laughs).

The only one where purity is protected is "fantastic dreamer". The rest of the songs are somewhat exposed.

--I especially thought the costumes in the jacket photo were more amazing than in the artist photo.

Machico That's the magic of Machico. If you think about it, the outfits in the artist photos are pretty good, too. When it looks like a protective costume, my senses are in serious trouble. But I've always liked this kind of clothing, so I wear it gladly (laughs).

-I get the impression that you are showing more of your own personality this year in your costumes and hair color. Do you feel that way yourself?

Machico: Yes, I do. This is the first time I was allowed to do the jacket photo with so-called "flashy hair," but I added Megumi's color to the tips of my hair since it is called "Red Legend. The costumes are becoming more and more to my liking, and I feel more excited and comfortable in them than before.

--I think I feel more comfortable with the costumes now than before.

Machico That's right. I thought it would be better to put everyone's colors in the music video so that people who see it will think it is a "KonoSuba" song. I also chose the costumes for the artist photos with the image of a town girl in the world of "KonoSuba". In that sense, the costumes also reflect the world of "Konosuba.

--By the way, what is that arm covering you are wearing on your arm in the jacket photo?

Machico I don't know either (laughs). Everyone says it looks like a character from a famous RPG (laughs). (Laughs) When I saw it prepared, I was like, "What the heck is this? I put it on. What is that? I'm in charge of "Kono-suba" (......), right? (laughs) But I really like this outfit too.

--But you also need to keep your body fit for this kind of fashion, don't you? Do you usually make any effort to do so?

Machico: Not at the moment (quick answer). I have installed a diet app again, and I am doing the recording thing, but I haven't used any other functions at all, so I think it's time to do that (laughs).

-I was wondering if there is some secret to being able to show your belly so sparingly.

Machico I eat a lot (laughs). (laughs) My theory is that stress is not good for the body. For me, not being able to eat is the most stressful thing. When I tried restricting my diet before, the next morning I had symptoms like low blood sugar and couldn't stand up. ...... After I realized that I was going to be in a state of trouble with others, I decided to eat whatever I wanted, and if that put me 1 kg above my best weight, I would gradually reduce the amount of food I ate, but I would still eat. I set such rules for myself.

The costumes also reflected the world view of "Konosuba," and I sang with great difficulty and attention to detail.

--Let me ask you about the music. One of the main points this time was the production team. Speaking of Kumiko Takahashi's group, Chatmonchy, you said that you sang at a school festival when you were a student.

Machico That's right. We sang "Shangri-La.

--I was surprised to hear you sing "Shangri-La," since you loved the song so much.

Machico I didn't expect to be working with the people I listened to in my youth over the years, so when I heard the names of Mr. Takahashi of Chatmonchy and Mr. Taho of Superfly, I was surprised and honored. However, I was also under pressure because I could not sing a half-baked song since I was asked to write a song for these amazing people. The two of them were present at every recording session, so I felt like I had to be deadly serious so that no one would think "Machico-san wasn't that good" when they were in front of me. I was really super nervous. ......

--Machico: I guess there is always pressure to do better than the last time, but this was a different kind of pressure, wasn't it?

Machico: We did the pre-production at Taho-san's private studio, and he was right next to the microphone. It was nerve-wracking to sing with Mr. Taho right next to me (laughs). (Laughs) I was so nervous that if I made a mistake in the score because I was in a hurry, I was afraid he would be angry with me. Of course, Mr. Taho is not like that, but there were many moments when I felt pressure from within myself and wondered what I should do.

--I was very nervous about what I was going to do.

Machico: When I heard the song, I immediately thought that I could imagine it being played in movie theaters. The point of "fantastic dreamer" and "tomorrow" was to run together with Kazuma and his friends in the same position, to have fun together, and so on. But "1mm Symphony" has an atmosphere of watching and cheering from a step back.

--What do you think about the lyrics?

Machico: The lyrics in the past songs have been pretty crazy or active sounding, but this time, I spun the world of "KonoSuba" with gentle words. When I saw the lyrics, I was most surprised that the world of "KonoSuba" could be conveyed in such beautiful words (laughs).

--I was surprised when I saw the lyrics. - The movie features Megumi, who seems like she would be able to use magic in a normal way.

Machico -- "Isn't it a decent movie?" (laughs).

--I'm sure that's not true (laughs).

Machico I haven't seen the movie yet, so I'm looking forward to it as a fan. Also, I felt that the lyrics reflect the words "this wonderful world" in a way that has never been done before. There were words like "wonderful" scattered at various points, but this is the first time for me to hear the title of the song almost entirely included in the lyrics. I was very happy to see that the lyrics were created with all of the information from the first and second seasons in mind.

--I was very happy to feel that the lyrics were taken from the first and second terms of the project.

Machico I thought the word "one millimeter" was impressive: "Just one millimeter will shake someone's today" or "Just one millimeter will surely move tomorrow" in the B-melody, I think one millimeter is about the distance of a small tremor, but you used that unit to express the frustration and emotional swing. During recording, Mr. Takahashi directly advised me to "sing the B melody in a way that is closest to your heart," and I think that the B melody is the key point of the song.

--I guess that's why the title of the song is "Kono Subaru". But I got the impression that the title was a little different from the titles of previous "Konosuba" theme songs. Until now, I had the impression that they used words with positive images.

Machico That's true. The song reflects the frustration of "1mm," an emotion that is not often featured in "Kono-subi. I think that is the view of the world I wanted to express in the movie.

--I wonder which way the actual film will turn out.

Machico I know I'm talking seriously, but "Kono-suba" is very good at opening fraud and PV fraud (laughs). When I was in charge of "fantastic dreamer" for the first time, the PV that said "The anime is starting! I thought it was going to be very adventurous, but I was betrayed in a good way (laughs).

--(Laughs.) - You are not adventurous at all.

Machico: He's not adventurous at all, and he's kind of a bum (laughs). But thanks to "Konosuba," I've gained a lot of recognition as an artist Machico, and I often hear that people who recently got to know me are preparing for the movie by watching "Konosuba" again. Please go back and watch it.

--I'm glad to hear that you are getting ready for the movie, because I've heard a lot about how you are preparing for the movie. But if you listen to this song by itself, it's not a slow song, is it?

Machico I thought so too. Surprisingly, among "fantastic dreamer," "tomorrow," and "1mm Symphony," "tomorrow" has the slowest BPM!

--What? Is that so?

Machico I really have been told by many people that "this song is very relaxing" or "it's a gentle song that is close to my heart". I think it is Taho's magic. However, while it sounds very comfortable to the listener, when I sing it, I have to do a lot of technical work on the chorus, and it sounds very fast. It is a song that has a gap in a good way between the singer and the listener.

--The songs of "Konosuba" sound easy to listen to but are subtly difficult.

Machico That's right. It sounds great when you listen to it, but when you actually sing it, it is extremely difficult. And this song is the most difficult! Seriously, it's the hardest song I've ever done. ...... Until now, I've usually got the hang of recording another version of a song after the main line is finished, but "1mm Symphony" took me as long as the main line to record the other version (Ma-chill ver.). The slower I went, the more difficult the technical aspects of the song became, and I realized that this song was really difficult.

--If you had to name a specific part of the song that was difficult, where would it be?

Machico: The chorus, "Too vivid," is something I have never sung before. Mr. Taho was very particular about this part and told me to "extend the 'su' but cut off the 'giru' a little before the next 'kono sekai' (this world). She also told me to "sing this part without worrying about the rhythm, but make a fresh start from the next part," or "sing strongly between breaths and remove the high notes here, and then feel the rhythm after the next part, right? Next, you feel the rhythm very late, don't you? It took me a long time to master the technique, but I was able to improve my skills. In terms of gaining a new weapon, I felt like I could sing the song to win, or "If you can sing it, sing it! (laughs).

--I think that the explanation now might make you say, "Even if you say so, how are you going to sing ......? I guess I would be like, "Even if you say so, how are you going to sing it?

Machico: Stretch it out? Shrink it? Feel the rhythm? I think people would panic (laughs). (Laughs) The chorus has to be divided into three blocks and different things have to be done, so even if you complete one block, the next one comes after it, so it was very difficult.

I had a lot of trouble pronouncing English.

--The second song, "Do You Believe in Magic?

Machico That's right. The title of the song is "Do You Believe in Miracles? The title of the song is "Do You Believe in Miracles?" It is a song about unfounded confidence, about going forward and saying, "With my friends, I can do anything. In fact, this song was also a candidate for the main theme of the movie "Kono-suba. So, I thought that you can feel some of the colors of "Konosuba" in this song. I sang the song with the feeling that I could lead the way and walk with my chest out.

--Was it difficult to record the song?

Machico: This song was also difficult. I am not good at pronouncing English (laugh). If you want, the English part of "1mm Symphony" is not so difficult. But I couldn't help putting an "a" in "I am looking every day. Rhythmically, I can't help but put it in, and I'm not even aware of it, so it's the worst thing I can do (laughs).

--(Laughs.) - And on the second song, the English sentences are all the same.

Machico Yes, but I couldn't say "Magic" in particular. ...... I thought I would be able to do this song because the English for this song was already written, and I thought that once I finished recording the first song, the second song would go smoothly, but I couldn't. (Actually, I couldn't.) The English was basically put on the back burner (laughs). That gentle Mr. Taho was laughing when he heard my pronunciation. He said, "Hey, that was ......." -- it sounds natural, but it's not.

--It sounds natural, but you must have worked very hard behind the scenes.

Machico I could say the first line, but I couldn't say the second line. And just when I thought I had the main line down, I had to sing the "hamori" part, so I couldn't sing it again. ......It was a bit traumatic for me.

--I hope you will do your best at the live performance!

Machico I think I'm going to have the fans sing this part. (Just before) "~One grain of courage's magic, yes! (just before) "~only one grain of courage magic, yes!

Staff Even if you say so (fans), please don't sing (laughs). Please don't spoil it.

Machico Oh no, it's a treadmill. Listen to me or listen to the staff (laughs).

--When it comes to Machico's fans, I feel like you don't spoil them somehow. ......

Machico No, really, many of my fans are of the mysterious type (laughs). But sometimes I feel insecure. I'm a girl, too! I'm going to get hurt! I'll get hurt!

--The third song is the Ma-chill version of "1mm Symphony". The word "chill" (often used with "chill out") means "calm" or "relax," so I guess you could say that Machico has created a relaxing tune?

Machico Probably yes. It is the kind of music you can listen to in a rock bath, which seems to regulate your autonomic nervous system (laughs).

(laughs) -- You said it was difficult to write this song, but how do you like this kind of relaxing tune in itself?

Machico: I like ballads and relaxed songs a lot. But I think this kind of music tests an artist's skill. The fewer the number of notes, the more the vocalist has to show how much he or she can pull the song together, and the more you can feel the emotional swings of the song. This song also really tested my vocal skills, as I wondered how to get the rhythm right. But working with Taho-san really showed me new music.

--It's like singing a cappella, isn't it?

Machico That's right. Where we put a lot of effort into it, it's like a "big bang in the universe" feeling.

--What kind of ...... is that?

Machico It's a lot of power, but it's absorbed quickly. It's that grandiose, and there's a lot going on inside, but it also feels calm. Anyway, it was difficult. I wondered what genre this music would fall into.

--I guess it is a kind of healing music, isn't it?

Machico That's true. I want people to listen to it when they cannot sleep or when they need to calm down.

What is the truth of this song that you realized during the music video shooting?

--The DVD of the limited first edition includes the music video for "1mm Symphony" (a short version is available on YouTube). It's sunny again, isn't it?

Machico It was fine! It was right before the onset of the rainy season when we shot the video, so we were a bit nervous, but when we got there, it was so sunny that we were sweating.

--The windmills and blue sky were very impressive.

Machico: The image of "Konosuba" is light blue, so the blue sky was a very important point. We also had the opportunity to take pictures at a workshop, and the atmosphere of the building was designed to look like something you would see in the town of "KonoSuba. I think the costumes and the atmosphere of the building were more linked to the world of "KonoSuba" than ever before.

--How was the shooting?

Machico The park where the windmill is located is open to the public, so there were many students and schoolchildren on field trips, and the staff had to talk to them to prevent them from missing anything. But when I asked them, "I'm sorry, we have to use this area, so please move to a different location," I kept saying, "This song is about love and peace. It was interesting that he kept saying that with a straight face as he asked. This song was about love and peace? Saving the world? (laughs).

Also, there were high school boys there, so I thought maybe some of the high school students would know who I was, but it seemed that none of them ...... knew who I was, so I was shrugging (giggles).

--I was so shunned (laugh). -That's my goal for the next time I do a photo shoot.

Machico: There wasn't a single person there. They were just glancing at me (laughs). I think they only looked at me like I was leaning against a tree or lying down, showing a lot of skin.

--As for opportunities to see such costumes in person, there are many events and live performances coming up in the near future. Among them, your one-man live on December 14 will feature a live band.

Machico It is my long-cherished dream to perform with a live band. I have not had many opportunities to sing with a band, and I am very happy because I had said "I want to sing with a live band someday. The title of the concert, "Symphonic Session," was chosen because I wanted everyone in the venue to unite and play the music together. I haven't decided on the set list yet, but I would like to play songs that make people dance and shout together. I also want to put a lot of effort into the merchandise, so please look forward to that as well.

--Do you always come up with your own goods?

Machico Yes, I do. I've been expressing my opinions to the audience since about a little while ago. I want everyone to wear what I think is cute. Since we are going to be a band this time, I am thinking of various ideas, such as making something with a rock taste, or maybe I should start making hoodies, or maybe I should try a different fabric for the T-shirts. We want to make the goods more user-friendly and fashionable, and give people a casual Machico feeling.

--Lastly, I know that it is still hot on the day of release, but I would like to recommend what to do when it is hot! What is Machico's recommendation when it is hot?

Machico: Eat cold noodles! (Laughs) The other day, my mother sent me some food that contained Morioka cold noodles, and when I made it and ate it, it tasted so good. I had never thought of eating Morioka cold noodles at home before, but I hope you will try it too.

--I'm looking forward to the music and the movie again.

Machico I will definitely see the movie in theaters. It will be the first time for me to hear one of my songs played in a movie theater, so I can't tell you how happy I am!