#I love how she fangirls over wakana and keiko

[putschki1969]

H-el-ical//’s First Online Interview (English Translation)

Note: Here’s my English translation of H-el-ical//’s first online interview with SPICE. I hurried to finish my translation because I wanted everyone to read this awesome interview. I think there are so many gems in this, especially for us Kalafina fans. Hikaru is talking quite a bit about Wakana and Keiko and their respective solo careers. Please be sure to check it out! As always, take everything you read with a grain of salt, my Japanese is by no means perfect. CREDIT me if you share my translations or use parts of it.

In her first online interview H-el-ical// talks about a new world ~ “I want to discover this world together with everyone”

Solo project『H-el-ical//（ヘリカル）』 by Kalafina’s Hikaru//. Although many songs have already been released on her official YouTube channel, her major debut single 「Altern-ate-」will be released under NBC Universal on May 20. In this interview she has told me about stepping forward on a new musical path with the help of this song which is currently being used as the opening theme for the TV anime "Gleipnir". What is Hikaru// 's “relationship with music” at this moment?

I already know the happiness of being able to incorporate the things I love in my work

―― We did a SPICE live broadcast together recently but it feels like it has been a while since our last interview. First of all I would like to ask how you are dealing with the current situation?

I am simply staying at home. Before all of this  I was forced to leave the house for work but now I am really just at home all the time (laughs).

―― In the past you have often said that you like staying at home.

Yes. I have always been a hikikomori but I used to go out for work or to visit a collab café or maybe some bookstores. Now all of that is not possible. It has gotten bad, there are times when I don’t leave the house for an entire week or longer.

―― Under such circumstances you are celebrating your major solo debut as H-el-ical// with your single 「Altern-ate-」. How did you feel when you heard that you would have your major debut under NBC Universal who you are now affiliated with?

Well ... I was beyond happy! Of course, my work as part of Kalafina is very important to me and it’s an experience I will treasure forever but receiving the great honour to make myself known as a solo artist made me incredibly happy and I am very grateful. I felt a strong sense of wanting to do my very best.

―― I get the impression that your song 「Altern-ate-」 is tied very tightly to the anime “Gleipnir”. You have always had a strong desire to "be involved in anime" haven’t you?

That's because I really like anime. That's not the only thing I want to do of course but I already know the happiness of being able to incorporate the things I love in my work (laughs).

―― How so (laughs)?

By being in charge of an anime song I feel like I can surpass myself. I think it’s because I have so much love for the work, more so than even for myself. It’s something I have always loved so I am also able to put a lot of love into my work. I think I am able to sing anisongs because I have so much love for anime. That’s how I see myself and how I want to be.

――「Altern-ate-」is definitely an anisong. Watching the opening one cannot help but notice that the video and the song are very strongly connected. Was the song produced before you saw the anime?

Well, after hearing about the plot and receiving some reading materials, I asked Gushimiyagi-san to write the song in advance. Of course we also sought out the opinions of everyone involved in the creation of the anime. Finally I added the lyrics and then I asked all of them to review the song. When I got their OK everything fell into place, they added the OP video. If you feel like the song and the images are matching it's thanks to the anime creators.

―― Didn’t they request anything from you regarding the song?

No one told me to do anything particular for the song. However, I heard them mention that they would like an up-tempo song so I kinda knew that would happen (laughs). When I got the song, I immediately thought it had a catchy tune.

―― So your first impression was that it had a catchy tune?

Yes, since it is my first single  I thought that kind of catchy melody was great for me. Personally, I am the type that likes listening closely to the lyrics but first-time listeners who don't know H-el-ical// will most likely pay more attention to the melody so I think the song I received is perfect for this occasion.

―― The lyrics which are tied to this melody were written by yourself, right? You have been writing the lyrics for all songs released under your project H-el-ical//. I had the impression that you read through the manga "Gleipnir".

I read all of it (laughs). After all, I felt the need to get as close as possible to the original work since I was creating music for it. However, there are also lots of people who don’t know anything about the manga listening to the song so in order for those people to be able to identify with the song I also included many aspects of our daily life.

―― It's not just a song for fans of the work?

I made lyrics that I associated with scenes and dialogues that impressed me in the manga. It’s about conflicts and frustrations we all experience in our everyday life. This song is meant to push you ahead, to provide strength, it’s supposed to support you in moments when you feel like you need and want to become a stronger person. 

The responsibilities of working solo

―― In the lyrics you are saying twice 「この物語の主役じゃない | I am not the protagonist of this story」, I think those lines are leaving a strong impression. This leads right to a line saying 「でも逃げない | But I won’t run away」. I think that very much encapsulates the essence of “Gleipnir”. 

Yes, it really screams “Gleipnir” (laughs).

―― I thought those lines reflected the feelings of the main character Shuichi very well but in a way I also felt like somewhere within those lyrics you also put a lot of yourself in there. 

When I was reading the original work there were lots of things I could relate to, it’s those aspects I worked with…how do I say this? The manga might be fiction but in some way it feels very real to me. 

―― So it is a fantasy but it’s also real?

Yes, there are definitely many things that resonate with me. I like manga and anime because you can escape from reality but at the same time they can offer solutions for your everyday problems.

―― So there really is a lot of yourself in those lyrics.

For example, let’s talk about the lyrics 「主役じゃない | I am not the protagonist」,  I think we are all the leading characters of our own lives but when we do something out of respect for someone else we are no longer seeing ourselves as the main character. I think what motivates people in life is thinking about others. However, when we are taking action while thinking of someone else it is necessary for us to make up our minds, to be determined, after all, we are responsible for our behaviour... So yeah, these were the thoughts going through my mind while reading the manga (laughs).

―― That’s very deep ...

Yes, “I want to share this feeling with everyone”. Having that in mind I wrote these lyrics (laughs).

―― Watching your daily activities and talking to you on broadcasts I feel like there are not  many artists these days who take their fans’ thoughts and opinions into consideration as much as you do. I wonder if that is because you are also a fan of anime and manga.

I think the feeling when I really like something about an anime or manga is the same feeling when people who support me say things like, “I love this and that about Hikaru, I would like to see more of it!” I appreciate it and I really want to cherish that. So yeah, that may be the reason why I am valuing those thoughts and opinions so much, it’s because they are born out of love.

―― It got more noticeable once you became a solo artist. I think it was a great chance for you to use social media to convey your thoughts and to put more of yourself out there. 

Yes, you are also in charge of what you say and what you do because you are the only one around. You may upload something and regret it later, since it’s all your responsibility you have the option to correct your mistakes and to explain yourself.

―― The responsibilities of working solo

Well, as member of Kalafina I was part of a unit so I always had to worry about the possibility of my personal actions damaging the image of Kalafina. But now everything I do is my own responsibility. It can be quite daunting but it's also very rewarding.

―― All mistakes are your own.

Yes, it’s all my own doing. All the good things and all the bad things are my responsibility. Of course there are advantages and disadvantages to being responsible for yourself but it helps you to become more aware .

―― So you actually want to take on all that responsibility? Do it all your own way and take responsibility for your own actions?  As you mentioned earlier, there are advantages and disadvantages. I wonder, during your Kalafina days, did you ever want to be that kind of person?

Hmmm...I don't know ... I never really thought, “I want to be that kind of person!” I think balance is very important when you are part of a unit. After all, you always have to be aware of the consequences of your actions regarding your group. It's a good thing to have some individuality but for the most part we always made sure there was some sort of balance.

Rather than standing all on my own I would like to borrow everyone’s strength

―― You also shot a MV.

Yes, all you see in the video is me (laughs). It’s quite surprising. I was wondering, "Can I handle this on my own?" Until now it has always been the three of us ... (laughs).

―― You are the only one standing in the middle of the forest and on that cliff.

That's right. There are many parts of the song where I am not singing so I wondered about how fast I should be moving. I was really confused and lost. We used a drone to shoot the video and I was asked to do multiple takes. Since it would be boring if all my movements had been the same, I changed little details during each take but gradually I ran out of variations, there is only so much a single person can do (laughs).

―― You are worrying that the impressions given by the MV will remain boring and one-sided (laughs)?

Yeah (laughs). I felt good while shooting the MV but all the time I kept wondering what kind of MV it would be.  I felt very grateful and constantly had to remind myself that, “wow, this is the MV for my first single…!” Even when we did a final check I was very happy with the result, we only had to fix one little thing. 

―― I would like to ask about the title of the song, did you come up with it? 

Actually, I was asking members of the staff to help me with that. I eventually went with my manager’s idea.

―― Your manager’s idea!?

Yes. I first proposed a few of my own ideas but I wanted to hear other thoughts on it as well so I discussed different options with everyone. “Please share your wisdom with me!” We all put our heads together and eventually came up with the title 「Altern-ate-」.

―― Since your manager is also attending the interview why don’t we ask him? How did you come up with the title 「Altern-ate-」? 

Manager: Well, the story is about the two main characters becoming one so I investigated a bit and came across the word “オルタネイト | orutaneito” which has the meaning of "alternate/mutual". After further investigation I realised that the final part of the word “ate” is actually the English past tense of “eat”. In this anime world, the two protagonists meet early on but they don’t have a lot in common. Surviving and defeating all your enemies is the most important thing for them, I felt like the word really fit into the world that was created here. That’s how we ended up with 「Altern-ate-」.

―― I see, it really is fitting.

As one would expect from the H-el-ical// team! I've said it a few times already but H-el-ical// is not made up of just one person, this project is a group effort.

―― Yes, you have mentioned that before.

Of course it is very important for me to do things myself but I have spent 10 years of my life as part of Kalafina and if there is one thing I learned during this time, it’s to rely on others to make up for the things that I myself am lacking (laughs).

―― Very significant words.

You should never force something that’s not possible. Of course there will always be things that will be impossible for you but those things still have to be done, that’s why you have to do your best and cooperate with the people around you in a way that is satisfying for all parties involved. Rather than standing all on my own I would like to borrow everyone’s strength from time to time. That’s what I learned during the past decade growing up (laughs).

―― Inner growth?

Yes, I definitely grew up in those times. Before I became a part of Kalafina I had never really relied on other people. Of course I am still hesitant when I need to rely on others but I allow myself to ask for help more often now compared to before. So this is something I have learned as a member of Kalafina.

―― Now please tell us about the second song. The title is 「Clea-rly-」. I felt this song was also very reminiscent of “Gleipnir”, when I listened to it for the first time I had the impression it might have been sung by the heroine Clair-chan.

We thought a lot about what kind of coupling song to make for this single. Originally we had the plan to make it a ballad that would be the exact opposite of 「Altern-ate-」but since this is my major debut single we decided to go all out and use the momentum. Once we had decided that the B-Side would also be an up-tempo song I worried a lot about the lyrics.

―― I see.

My producer Akihiro Tomita-san said that 「Altern-ate-」incorporated Shuichi-kun’s feelings very well but I guess the lyrics may also be interpreted from a different character's point of view. Either way, it was quite the challenge to come up with something fitting for the B-Side, I ended up writing the lyrics with Clair-chan in mind. 

―― I think it's interesting that both songs are up-tempo, the B-Side「Clea-rly-」 has a sharp 8th note groove. So I feel like people who are watching the anime might think this kind of groove is very Clair-like.

I guess so.

―― I think the personalities of the hero and the heroine are reflected very well in the rhythm of these two songs.

I haven’t asked Gushimiyagi-san whether that was his intention or not. But we were definitely thinking about creating a balance when we recorded these two songs.

―― During your Kalafina times there weren’t really too many crisp rock songs likes this. I wonder, did you have a hard time recording this song? 

We recorded 「Clea-rly-」super quickly.

―― Oh really, you did it quickly?

We were finished very quickly (laughs). I think I've always liked such songs, I like it fast (laughs). So I don't think there was any difficulty.

―― Is that so?

I usually have the song separated into different blocks and I will record each block at least three times, out of these recordings we will extract the best takes and use them. I didn’t feel any hesitation this time around so the recording was over in no time. But generally speaking, every song takes about an hour or maybe two hours to record.

―― I guess that can be attributed to your growing abilities as a singer?

Maybe so. Tomita-san and Gushimiyagii-san listened outside the booth and made some decisions but basically the recording was left to me, I had full control. That may be the reason why I was able to finish so quickly.

―― Once again we are back to the "responsibility" that you mentioned earlier. I guess you are starting to take responsibility for everything.

Until the time of the recording I will think of various patterns and singing styles. I have to choose among them. I am in charge of the lyrics and vocals but of course there are things that I have to leave to others like the arrangement or mixing but I will occasionally ask, “can you maybe do it like that or change this a little?" My team has a lot of respect for the production process and they make sure to include me so we always make smooth progress.

I want to give back back as much as possible to the people who support me abroad

―― At this point of time you have released two albums independently as H-el-ical//, your first album “H-el-ical//” which was sold at your live and the mini album “elements”. Now you are releasing 「Altern-ate-」.  Your major debut is a tie-up, does this feel different than your two previous releases?

Hmm. The degree of freedom is different. After all, when you are writing a song and lyrics for a specific work that adds a certain kind of responsibility, you have to respect creators of the work and the people who love it. With these added feelings your attitude changes quite a bit.

―― Are you going to continue releasing your music on Youtube while you also release physical albums?

I don’t just want to do tie-ups, I want to find out what kind of songs I can create as H-el-ical//  and just sing for the sake of singing, that’s my individual pursuit. I want everyone to listen to this and feel like we share the music. I definitely don’t want to lose this platform so I plan to continue posting music on my official YouTube channel.

―― When you are looking at the YouTube comments, you get the impression that your foreign fans are very happy. You are providing lyrics in multiple languages and you always add an English translation to your tweets.

Yes. I know that there are so many people out there who support me, I can't just ignore that. Of course I know that there are also many of them who are studying Japanese and trying to understand my Japanese tweets and even doing their best to understand the lyrics.

―― I think overseas fans are very happy that you are always thinking about them.

People will listen to music for all sorts of reasons, they like the melody or the sound or the voice of the singer. I am happy if I can share my thoughts with the people who listen to my music. Depending on what you know or don’t know your impression of a song is very different after all.  

―― Yes, I think that is the case.

I am that kind of person. I would like people to think, “ohh, she is singing that kind of song, how interesting!” I will do the best I can to return the favour and give back as much as possible to the people who support me, not only in Japan but all over the world. I don't know how much I can give but I would like to show my appreciation as best as I can.

―― More so than taking your fans’ thoughts into account it’s almost like you are taking a fan’s perspective.

Yes, I guess I am seeing it from a fan’s perspective (laughs).

I am very much looking forward to everyone’s solo work

―― In this long-awaited interview I would also like to ask a little about your past and the future. We've talked about it many times but I think the existence of Kalafina is still very important to you.

Yes of course.

―― First it was Wakana-san, then it was you. Keiko-san has also decided to make her solo debut. All three of you are now being active as solo singers. As ⅓ of Kalafina I would like to hear how you feel about this?

I'm incredibly happy. Of course I am more than happy and grateful for ten years worth of singing together as a trio as a part of Kalafina, there is so much significance in that experience. But I think the three of us as singers have the will and power to express music by ourselves.

―― You each have pride as a singer?

Yes. In the interviews I have done in the past I always talked about not just wanting to be part of Kalafina, I have never abandoned my wish to work as a solo artist, I had never forgotten about that dream. Back then I was the only one who had expressed that wish but I am happy that now each of us is determined to do solo work.

―― Yes, I remember, you always said that it was your wish to sing solo.

At that time I thought it would be best to do it alongside my activities as member of Kalafina. Nowadays I am filled with happiness because I know we all have the opportunity to pursue our own music, our songs and all kinds of other things. I love Wakana-san and Keiko-san’s voice and I'm looking forward to what kind of music they will be creating. Among everyone who has been involved in Kalafina they have always been the closest to me so I am just really looking forward to what they are doing. I love them as a fan just like everyone else (laughs).

―― You were always singing together and now there is this new situation where each of you is listening to the others from an outsider’s point of view, right?

I have seen Wakana-san and Keiko-san singing non-Kalafina songs during many Yuki Kajiura Lives. However, there was no such thing as them performing solo. Right now I am just cheering for them and very much looking forward to what’s coming next.

―― As singers isn’t there are some sort of rivalry between you?

I guess that’s par for the course in this line of work.

―― I see.

When I am talking about rivalry I mean it in the sense of a healthy competition, they are worthy opponents.  We are able to bring the best out in each other. For me there is absolutely no negative connotation to the term “rival”, I have no wish whatsoever to beat them or kick them down. I think every singer feels that way. It’s not about being jealous or wanting to be like that person.

―― By being aware of each other you can bring out the best in each other.

At the end of the day when it comes to our relationship with music it is the most satisfying thing to express what we want to express. I am more than happy when the people who listen to my music can find something they like but if they don’t like it they should find music they can enjoy. During my Kalafina days I think there were many people who didn’t particularly like my singing but they loved Wakana-san and Keiko-san’s singing and expression. It makes me very happy that the three of us now have the chance to play an active role in our respective fields and to deliver music to as many people as possible. 

I think music has always been rooted in people's lives

―― This interview is conducted online at the beginning of May during Golden Week. I feel like the world has changed a lot recently. After the lockdown period has ended, I think it will take quite a while until we will be able to hold big lives again with thousands of attendees. At the same time things are changing drastically when it comes to how we express art, our viewpoints have changed, everyone is exploring various new things.  

I agree.

―― I would like to hear what you think about this.

Hmm...well, I think music is something we can’t live without. Music has always been rooted deeply in people's lives. For example, praying for rain by beating the drums or singing a song. People have been doing this for centuries.

―― Yes, dancing and singing are often considered to be offerings to the Gods.

Yes. When you wanted to celebrate something or feel healed, music has always been what people turned to. With that in mind, I think music will never disappear. There will always be people who will crave it and when that happens I want to be able to provide my own music.

―― As someone who has chosen music as their path in life, you want to provide what is required.

Yes, I have chosen this job as my profession and I am doing the best I can but it is a profession that can only exist when there are people who listen to the music. So I want to keep singing and stand before you as long as there are people who want to listen to me. Honestly though, I will probably sing for the rest of my life even if no one is listening to me (laughs).

―― Unfortunately, your acoustic live that was scheduled for April was cancelled, it would be nice if the world got back to normal soon so public lives were possible again.

I think it’s also important to find a connection through the screen, that’s what we can do right now ... But I always say that lives are like a "conversation" for me, meeting you in person and being close to each other provides a lot of warmth, we can share our thoughts with each other, so I hope that we will be able to do that soon again.

―― Finally, please leave a message for the fans.

Thank you for reading this article to the very end. I often think about my position as a singer. I decided to do the best thing I could and launched the H-el-ical// project. Now, with the help of all kinds of people, I have been able to release a major debut single as a solo artist, the day I watched the first episode of "Gleipnir" I cried like a baby. This brought so much happiness, I will never forget it. H-el-ical// is something that I want to create with all of you. Of course it's my solo project but there are many more people involved in this project, including everyone who is reading this article. I would like to discover and see new sceneries, new places and a new world together with all of you. Therefore, I would appreciate your continued support for H-el-ical//.

[koikoikite]

火曜日：最も大切な思い出

~Tuesday: a precious memory~

I’m not sure if I can even begin to describe how amazing this day was. The reason? I saw a Kalafina concert LIVE. It was the first concert I’ve ever been to besides classical ones at the symphony, so now I don’t think I can go to the Hello!Project concert I had planned; my standards are just too high! I’m SO GLAD I scrapped my Tokyo plans and came to Osaka instead; it truly was a wonderful experience. 

In the morning, I asked my AirBNB host about where to buy some eggs for breakfast. She seemed really surprised that I intended to eat a whole carton of eggs in two days (I guess I’ve become a protein bro), but showed me a nearby supermarket that I wouldn’t have thought to go to. And I’m glad I did; it was only 150 yen for a carton! Most places sell a carton for around 250, so it was really a deal. I made a protein-packed breakfast (but forgot to buy some daikon for the ebi-furai, so my stomach was a bit upset later) pictured below. 

I wasn’t sure if I would be eating lunch (or dinner for that matter), so a power breakfast was important. I did homework for an hour or so, and then walked the 30 minutes to the Festival Hall to scope out the venue and see when the merchandise was going on sale. 

I actually took this picture when I passed the Festival Hall the next day, since I forgot to the first day... 

When I arrived at noon, only around 5 other hardcore fans were there, but as I passed two hours texting my parents and doing homework, the waiting area gradually filled up. I only saw one other white foreigner. The staff had us queue up at 2:30, since the merchandise was going on sale at 3:30. I wish I had known this; I could have been sightseeing! However, I was around 20th in line to buy merchandise, so I was glad I could buy whatever I wanted (although I hadn’t thought to check the merchandise beforehand… I guess I like surprises). 

People really started pouring in the 15 minutes before merchandise went on sale. The staff let us in to the room, and when I saw all the merchandise, I just couldn’t decide. I wanted to buy it all! Unfortunately, the insane prices meant I had to limit myself, although I saw plenty of people in line ahead of me dropping over 10,000 yen on these goods.

I decided to buy functional items, and settled on a t-shirt, necklace, and folders for schoolwork. After seeing the total price, I decided to buy a keychain as well – this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience after all, right? 

Each of Kalafina’s three singers designs an item to be sold, and it was interesting reading their reasons, which are posted (and pictured above). I thought Hikaru’s bath salts were really cute, but that’s something that gets used up, and I also never take baths, so I didn’t buy it. Likewise, Keiko’s item was a single 500 gram weight… as someone who casually weightlifts, I’d think that Keiko has to be lifting a similar amount to what I do (10kg for arms) to maintain her muscles, so I was a little disappointed in her 1800 yen paperweight. If it was at least 5 kg, maybe I would have bought it… 

I did end up buying Wakana’s necklace, because not only was it pretty, but it was a pun! If you can’t read the Japanese in the grainy photo above, she talks about how her favorite note is F# (f-sharp), and since she also loves sharks, made an “F-shark”necklace. I love music puns; it’s a holdover from my orchestra days. So buying this necklace was not an option. I’ve worn it every day since then; it’s becoming a treasured possession. 

I hurried out after purchasing, and met up with my friend Sayaka in Shinsaibashi to get a quick... lunch? dinner? I’m not sure what to call this meal. We went to a matcha dessert restaurant and I had a delicious ice cream and anko bowl, and Sayaka had a parfait. 

I really like meeting up with her; we met several months ago and have kept in touch since then, so we both know each other’s respective skill level in Japanese and English, and so can communicate well in a mix of the two. I don’t even remember the various things we talked about… maybe Golden Week plans, and then about various places I should go on weekend trips, and comparing California and Japan. Somehow we got on the topic of amusement parks, and I learned a ton of new vocabulary for all the rides. 

We passed two hours before I knew it, and I didn’t have enough time to walk back to the Festival Hall so I coughed up 180 yen for the subway. I picked up some butaman from 551 Horai on the way back, too, since I love pork buns and matcha ice cream is not a meal, no matter how much I wish it was.  

And then… the concert. I was in the back of the hall, which makes sense because I had to wait until I was in Japan to buy tickets. I was initially really disappointed about this, since I couldn’t see facial expressions at all, but the concert was pretty loud from where I sat, so I don't think I could have handled being in the front. For the Hello!Project concert I plan to go to, I’m definitely buying some earplugs and binoculars. 

Plus… I secretly recorded parts of it. Pretty sure I couldn’t have done that if I were in the front. I’m not sure if the guy sitting next to me realized, but if he did, I hope he just thought 「しょうがない」and let me be. 

I’ll admit that I teared up a few times during the concert; these were songs that I had listened to over and over again on youtube and my phone, and now I was finally hearing them and seeing them sung in person. During Hikari no Senritsu (link), which is one of my favorites, I definitely cried a bit, and my excitement just kept building the entire concert, since there really wasn’t an intermission. 

pardon the photo quality... that’s what you end up with when you have an iPhone 5 in the back row. The top left and bottom right were taken during the encore, top right during the song 「kyrie」, and bottom left during an MC in the first half.

I was also pretty happy that my Japanese was to the level that I could understand most of their talks in between songs. One of the singers, Hikaru, has said that she gets very very nervous for live performances, and while I did notice this, she was also so energetic on stage, leading the audience and really being a presence. The choreography was also very well done, since there wasn’t any awkward dancing that they did and they rotated their positions on stage (not that it mattered to be in the boonie seats). 

Here’s a link to a six-minute video compilation I made of all the songs I recorded. I did a pretty bad job, but I was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. (In between songs, I was also deleting apps off my phone since it was filling up with videos. Fun times.)

If you’ve never heard Kalafina before, here are the recordings of the songs in that video that are much easier to listen to: 

consolation | lyrics 

to the beginning | lyrics

kimi ga hikari ni kaete iku | lyrics

magia | lyrics

kyrie | lyrics | (my favorite 💖 )

heavenly blue | lyrics

ongaku | lyrics

After the concert, I walked back to the AirBNB and texted my friend, who fangirled with me the whole way back. I was so full of energy, I couldn’t sleep until 2AM, but I eventually slept, probably happier than any other night I’ve spent in Japan so far. It was this day that it finally hit me, that I’m IN JAPAN. My Golden Week travels are off to a great start! I mean, damn, it’s Friday night, I'm writing this from the base of Mt. Fuji (which is awesome), and I’m STILL pumped about how great that night was. Kalafina better still exist next time I come to Japan (which I plan to be after college graduation), because I NEED to attend another concert!

And now... for my daily expenditure. Again, the purpose of this is to show how vacationing in Japan doesn’t have to be extremely pricey, taking the shinkansen all the time and eating kobe beef for dinners! However, today’s hurts to type. 

breakfast: ￥361

merchandise: ￥8300

matcha dessert: ￥700

butaman: ￥340

concert ticket: ￥7400

subway tickets: ￥360

Total: ￥17461

[animetrashy]

Anisong Fantasy Live in SG Vol 1 Report - Beyond Phenomenal Concert!

(image cr: AFA)

!!STATUS: STILL NOT OVER THIS CONCERT!!

It’s been two days since the concert ended and I’m still having post concert depression. So last Saturday, I attended Anisong Fantasy Live Vol 1 in Singapore which featured stunning lineup of GARNiDELiA, ELISA, Takigawa Alisa, Luna Haruna, Kalafina & Aimer. Since the lineup featured anisong artists, I’m quite familiar with all of them and their songs~ Also, I’ve been always a fan of Kalafina hence, it was like a dream came true when I saw them TT_TT 

date of event: 18th March 2017

PRE ANISONG CONCERT REPORT

The whole morning of 18th March, I couldn’t focus on doing anything at all. At 4pm, I left the house and head down to the venue earlier to get some merchandise and meet up with my friends. These friends are actually Kalafina & Fictionjunction fans that I managed to contact over the net. Also if you are a fan of Kalafina/FictionJunction based in Singapore, please don’t be shy and join the group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1936347716651751

Arrived at the venue, I went straight to the merchandise section and bought - Kalafina LIVE THE BEST 2015 “Red Day” & “Blue Day” Tote Bag & “Kalafina with Strings” Christmas Premium LIVE TOUR 2016 Plastic Folder. I wanted to get more items from the other artists but most of them are sold out ><

After that, I went ahead to meet up with my friends. Despite my first time meeting with everyone, we all managed to warm up with each other through our common interest of Kalafina. We also had a huge banner to write our messages. It was really a great sight to see that there are alot of Kalafina fans in Singapore! After everyone wrote their messages, we placed the banner at the gifts area and hoping that it will reach Kalafina safe and sound.

AS I’M WRITING THIS POST, I GOT AN UPDATE FROM KALAFINA LINE BLOG THAT THEY RECEIVED THE BANNER ;AAAA; THANK YOU KALAFINA FOR ADORING YOUR FANS.

(image cr: Kalafina Line Blog)

!!Be prepared for ride of emotional feels, fangirling moment & long report!!

ANISONG CONCERT REPORT

At 6:50pm, I went to the hall to find my seat and honestly at that point of time, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was seated at the extreme left of the front row A. I had an amazing view as there wasn’t any heads to block my view and a direct view on the singers! BLESS THE VIEW AND ALL THAT WAITING FOR CONCERT TICKET DURING AFA DAY 2!

In the opening, there was a special footage of ClariS concert performance. I’m guessing that they will be one of the guest for Anisong Fantasy Live Volume 2, who knows?

GARNiDELiA

The concert kicked off with GARNiDELiA as the opening act and they really geared up the audience! With MARiA’s powerful vocals and the band’s energetic performance, I was already in the trance! Able to see MARiA so close was an experience and she’s extremely pretty with her stage outfit. Gokuraku Jodo is my current favourite song from GARNiDELiA and the band delivered it really well. Props to MARiA for singing and dancing to Gokuraku Jodo!

Here are the setlist for GARNiDELiA

ambiguous- Kill la Kill Opening 2

Blazing - Gundam: G Reconguista Opening 1

Yakusoku -promise Code- - Qualidea Code Ending 2

Gokuraku Jodo

ELISA

The last time I watched ELISA live was back in 2013 during AFA Valrave Night concert and being able to hear her live again was amazing. Her live vocals were simply beautiful from her performance of ex: tella to REALISM, despite having technical issue with the sound at first. Also, her English interaction to the audience were adorable!

ELISA: Are you ready for.

Audience: /silent, waiting for her to complete the sentence/

ELISA: Are you ready for… Are you ready for…

Audience: /knowing that ELISA was stuck with her ENGLISH & cheered!/

ELISA: /laughs & looked at the band members/

Here are the setlist for ELISA

ex:tella- Fate/EXTELLA Opening 1

Real Force - To Aru Kagaku no Railgun Ending 2

REALISM - Kakumei Valvrave Ending 2

Takigawa Alisa

Beautiful voice + playing guitar = WIN! Alisa’s performance was simply beautiful as well. Alisa definitely have the next-door-girl and carefree vibe~ Hearing her songs live brings back the Nanatsu no Taizai feels!! NOW I DEMAND A PROPER THIRD SEASON PLS!!

Here are the setlist Takigawa Alisa

Season - Nanatsu no Taizai Ending 2

Irosenai Hitomi - Nanatsu no Taizai: Seisen no Shirushi Ending 1

Sayonara no Yukue - Owarimonogatari Ending 1

Luna Haruna

When Luna Haruna appeared on stage, she brought a fun vibe alongside with her! She was totally adorable with her stage outfit! She had this very lovely and bubbly personality as seen during the interaction with audience. Though I wished that she sang her debut song, Sora wa Takaku Kaze wa Utau from Fate/Zero ending. Also, she sang one of my favourite song, Startear and it was a stellar performance with strong vocals.

Here are the setlist for Luna Haruna

Overfly - Sword Art Online Ending 2

Ai Wo Utae - Monogatari Series 2nd Season Ending 1

Startear - Sword Art Online II Ending 2

Kimiiro Signal - Saekano Opening 1

SPECIAL COLLABORATION STAGE 1 - Takigawa Alisa X ELISA X Luna Haruna X GARNiDELiA

Who knew that we could see such collaboration happened? The first collaboration featured Takigawa Alisa X ELISA and the second collaboration featured Luna Haruna x GARNiDELiA. I personally think that Alisa X ELISA voices doesn’t really suit each other for duet but nevertheless it was a good performance. Haruna x GARNiDELiA performance was really upbeat and their voices had good chemistry. The last song for the collaboration stage 1 featured Alisa X ELISA X Haruna X MARiA and overall it was an energetic all-girl performance!!

Here are the setlist for SPECIAL COLLABORATION STAGE 1

Departures ~Anata ni Okuru Ai no Uta~ (Takigawa Alisa X ELISA) - Guilty Crown Ending 1 (EGOIST)

INNOCENCE (Luna Haruna x GARNiDELiA) - Sword Art Online Opening 2 (Eir Aoi)

Sorairo Days (Takigawa Alisa X ELISA X Luna Haruna X MARiA) - Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann OST (Shoko Nakagawa)

Aimer

AIMER’S PERFORMANCE AND VOCALS WAS SO SURREAL!!! ISTG I NEARLY TEARED HEARING HER PERFORMANCE AND IT WAS SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL. Throughout her performance, she was only accompanied by a piano and I was definitely in awe ;A; This was my 2nd time hearing Aimer live and she sounded less nervous/shaky compared to her 1st live in SG during AFA2015. As always, her English was fluent and she mentioned about loving Singapore’s night scenery.

Aimer: I want my songs to inspire you in the future.

Overall, her performance was just pure eargasm!! I honestly don’t mind if she come to Singapore for her own concert and I know I will definitely attend!!

Here are the setlist for Aimer

Brave Shine - Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season Opening 1

LAST STARDUST - Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works OST

StarRingChild - Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn Ending 7

Akane Sasu - Natsume Yuujinchou Go Ending 1

ninelie - Koutetsujou no Kabaneri Ending 1

Kalafina

THIS IS THE PART WHERE I HAD MY EYES BURSTING WITH TEARS! When the music started playing, my heart was literally beating in excitement. I was holding Kalafina LIVE THE BEST 2015 “Blue Day” Towel in that hopes that the members will take notice of it. AND THEY DID! During the encore, Keiko was saying about how she saw some fans holding Kalafina concert towel and she felt grateful towards the fans!

For the 1st song - Magia, Kalafina wore beautiful kimono-like robe and they revealed their 2nd outfit during One Light. Hikaru and Wakana were mostly at my left side of the stage. I WAS FREAKING OUT THAT HIKARU MET MY EYES DURING THE ONE LIGHT PERFORMANCE, SAW MY KALAFINA TOWEL AND SMILED!!

Kalafina closed their segment by singing Sprinter and I WAS CRYING INSIDE BECAUSE OF KARA NO KYOUKAI FEELS! I sang my heart out, following to the lyrics of the song ;AAA; KALAFINA’s performance was truly mesmerizing and given the chance to watch it live was a dream come true!!

Here are the setlist for Kalafina

Magia - Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Ending 1

One Light - Arslan Senki (TV) Ending 2

Kimi no Gin no Niwa - Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica Movie 3 Ending 1

ring your bell - Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season Ending 1

Sprinter (Band Version) - Kara no Kyoukai 5: Mujun Rasen Ending 1

SPECIAL COLLABORATION STAGE 2 - Kalafina X Aimer

THIS COLLABORATION WAS SIMPLY BEYOND WORDS!! I can’t describe that feeling when Kalafina and Aimer were singing each other song. Seeing them both on the same stage was honestly remarkable. IT WAS EXTRA MAGICAL AND THAT MOMENT IS SO PRECIOUS!!! I honestly can’t describe how beautiful their vocals blended together ;A; Aimer started singing Believe’s first verse and when Kalafina started to harmonise, I had goosebumps!!

Their interaction with the audience was fun as well! As Aimer came for Singapore for 3 times and Kalafina only came for 2 times, Kalafina asked Aimer for any recommendation spots.

Kalafina: Do you have recommendation spots?

Aimer: Last time I came here (speaking in Japanese)

Keiko: /trying to translate Aimer’s speech through actions/ WWWW

Aimer: I went to Botanic Garden. It’s a flower garden and it was really wild.

Kalafina: Wah, we want to go!

After the interaction, Kalafina mentioned that since Aimer sang their song so its Kalafina’s turn to sing Aimer’s song. IT WAS ANOTHER MASTERPIECE :’)))

Here are the setlist for Kalafina X Aimer

believe (acoustic version) - Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works 2nd Season Ending 2) (Kalafina)

Anata ni Deawanakereba ~Kasetsu Touka~ - Natsuyuki Rendezvous Ending 1 (Aimer)

Kalafina x Aimer was honestly the perfect way to ended off Anisong Fantasy Live. IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY FOR THIS CONCERT!!

POST ANISONG CONCERT REPORT

I was still feeling surreal after the concert ended. Some of the audience were waiting for group photo with the anisong artists and I didn’t, since my seat wasn’t picked during the lucky draw ;A; But Kalafina and Aimer weren’t part of the group photo so I don’t feel too sad about it. 

Anyways, this concert will forever etched in my memory. Also, VIP ticket holders were given an autographed printed poster and I shall treasure that. Below are my loots:

ALL IN ALL, ITS BEEN AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE ATTENDING THIS CONCERT. THANK YOU SOZO AND SONY MUSIC FOR MAKING THIS HAPPENED. THANK TO ALL THE ARTISTS AND BAND MEMBERS AS WELL!!~~ 

(image cr: Kalafina Line Blog)

SEE YOU GUYS IN THE NEXT BLOG POST!

PS: ALL I NEED IS A ONE-MAN KALAFINA TOUR CONCERT IN SINGAPORE!!

[putschki1969]

FJ Radio 『Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol.#16 ～Sing a Song Tour～』AFTER LIVE SPECIAL PROGRAM

In this special program Yuki Kajiura reacts to a few fan messages and shares some of her own thoughts and impressions regarding the recently finished『Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol.#16 ～Sing a Song Tour～』.  As expected, there is a bit of Kala-talk so I thought I would provide a summary of all the interesting stuff for you. Please enjoy!

DOWNLOAD the special HERE. ❗This is fan club exclusive content❗ ❗For PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ ❗DO NOT SHARE on other sites❗

Highlights

YK explains that this time there were a lot more songs with Japanese lyrics compared to other tours

Kalafina is first mentioned around 18 minutes into the episode. A fan shares how happy they were to have Kalafina covers included in the setlist. It was a huge joy to have Hikaru as guest vocoalist. Seems like they particularly enjoyed the “storia” cover.  YK says that this tour officially “lifted the ban” for Kalafina covers so from now on she will pretty much always include some in her tours. After all, her tours are filled with self-covers so it’s only natural to perform Kalafina songs as well, just with slightly different arrangements. She would also like to experiment with other singers (regular as well as guest vocalists) at her live covering these songs, it surely would be interesting to hear different interpretations. 

Another fan asks if there was a “theme” running through the two different Kalafina song blocks. No, there wasn’t really. The Kalafina setlist section was put together randomly according to what YK felt like covering. But she purposefully chose “storia” since it felt very appropriate to have it perforrmed in light of this year’s broadcast of the final episode of NHK’s Rekishi Hiwa Historia.

A fan would like to know which songs from thhe setlist made YK exremely nervous and which ones she was struggling with. The answer is easy, without a doubt all the Kalafina covers. While she obviously composed all the songs she hadn’t really gotten a lot of chances to actuallly perform many of them in the past so it felt new and rather nerve-racking to perform them (some for the very first time). During rehearsals it felt like everyone was ahead of her because all the front band members had a lot more experience with performing the songs. The constant key changes are also very challenging but of course they are necessary because Yuki wrote those songs with Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru in mind. Since their vocals are so different and unique, the music always changed to fit and flatter their singing. This caused quite a bit of trouble for everyone. Overall, it was a lot of fun though because the songs are all very dramatic and epic

Someone is super excited to have been able to hear Tsuioku again. YK was also incredibly eager to perform Tsuioku, she has always wanted to do it because she loves it so much.

YK fangirls a little over Hikaru and says that she did an amazing job, she was unbelievably cool on stage.

[putschki1969]

Kalafina Club 2017/07/11

Note: There’s a new episode for Kalafina’s regular radio show “Kalafina Club”. So here you go! This won’t be a super detailed translation or anything. I guess you could consider it a sort of summary but hey, you know me, my summaries usually tend to be quite detailed XD As always be aware that my listening comprehension sucks so take everything you see here with a pinch of salt.

Let’s get right to it 〈(•ˇ‿ˇ•)-→

Day duty: Keiko

Song: JEALOUSYを眠らせて by Kyosuke Himuro [1990]

抱き合う指に　眠れないジェラシー おまえのすべてを　奪うものがあれば　許せない Baby I'm in blue　いつだってジェラシー 離しはしないさ　Just fall in love この世界が終わっても……

The girls are talking about how cool the song is and how they really like the title. They talk a bit about the feeling of jealousy and how it can be really strong to the point where you lose control. Keiko is joking that tonight none of them will be able to sleep (referencing the lyrics where someone is so jealous that they can’t sleep anymore)

Drumrolls, the Japanese fans were right! They played the FULL version of 「Hyakka Ryouran」 tonight!!! BANZAI!!! (ﾉ´ヮ´)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Hyakka Ryouran

The instrumental intro seems to be a bit longer but it’s hard to hear since Keiko is talking over it. We get a pretty epic Kajiurago bridge after the TV-version part. Is that Eri Ito, Remi or maybe Hanae Tomaru? Pretty sure it’s not Yuriko Kaida. Hikaru cuts into the bridge being her badass self. Soon she is joined by Keiko. All the while you can still hear bits and pieces of the bridge and then Wakana joins too blending the bridge and verse together. YAY, we get another glorious stanza lead by Keiko, this one ends a little differently than the first one. Keiko ends it with a long note and then we get an instrumental part which I don’t particularly love. Lastly we are back to the original arrangment with a stanza led first by Hikaru (more badass than in the TV-version) and then by Wakana + a slightly changed chorus. The end is as abrupt as it sounds in the TV-version which is a real bummer. I wanted more of that tradirional Japanese vibe. Send me a message if you’d like to listen to it (low-quality rip)

Keiko says that the song makes her feel very strong and it makes you get into battle mode XD

Mail corner:  The fan is talking about the war between Kinoko and Takenoko and wonders if the girls know about it.

A short explanation: This is about the battle between Kinoko No Yama and Takenoko No Sato (Japanese snacks by the brand Meiji). That’s why Keiko is reading the mail really passionately, I mean, it’s about candy, of course she would be totally into that. Anyways, Kinoko No Yama are the ones that look like little mushrooms with cookie stem and the top covered in chocolate. Takenoko No Sato are modelled after the top of bamboo shoots. Basically those two are the same, they are the same cookies with the same chocolate coating but for some reason there are two factions who believe that their chosen snack is the superior one. Wakana likes both. Hikaru is part of the Takenoko faction XD Keiko is usually part of that faction too but once in a while she will buy Kinoko too. Wakana asks why they prefer it. Keiko explains it’s because there’s much mire chocholate when it comes to Takenoko since the whole thingy is coated in chocolate. With Kinoko she tends to only eat the chocolate part XD She does the same with Pocky. XD For Hikaru the reasoning is slightly different. She isn’t the biggest fan of too much chocolate so she likes the fact that there is a bigger chunk of cookie with Takenoko. She also likes that the chocolate is slightly bitter. The girls also mention different tastes like strawberry and matcha. They continue mentioning other snacks, Wakana is very much in love with Pai no Mi. Hikaru mentions Koala no Machi and all three girls agree that those are super yummy!! (funnily enough, Keiko talked about the Koalas in today’s blogpost). They get a little side-tracked fangirling over the koalas and then they remember that the mail was originally about the Takenoko/Kinoko war. Keiko is pretty sad about this war, can’t we just love both?? Wakana interrupts with a question, “Aren’t they releasing a carrot version too?” LOL...Keiko suggests to release a fusion of the two competing products in order to stop the war. “Just stick a Takenoko to the Kinoko mushroom stem. This way you’ll get a small dumbbell!” Wakana is intrigued XD With all this talk about chocolate, Keiko advices the listeners to watch their nightly chocolate intake XD

Natsu no Asa

Kalafina Memorial: Favourite anime from your childhood days? Keiko is all like, “ohhh, the two of you are gonna have so much fun with this topic! Please go on and tell us!!” Wakana loved Sailor Moon of course, I mean who didn’t? Then she starts to sing various songs in her cutesy voice (e.g. the OP of Soar High! Isami,  ハートを磨くっきゃない). Keiko is impressed she knows all the lyrics.

Naturally Wakana can’t talk about anime without mentioning Ghibli. The first anime she watched was Totoro. But there were so many other amazing animes during her childhood. She considers it the “golden era” of anime. She loves sll the World Masterpiece Theater animes, for example Romeo’s Blue Skies [OMG, that was one of my favourites!!! The music is just so gorgeous!!! Really, all the World Masterpiece Theater animes are great! I have very fond memories of watching those]. LOL at Keiko being totally clueless. Wakana is sorry for talking so much [no surprise there XD] and then it’s Hikaru’s turn. Her first anime was also Totoro. She watched her video so often that the tape wore out. Of course she also loved Sailor Moon and Nintama Rantarou (Wakana apparently loved it too according to her enthusiastic scream). Once again, Wakana breaks into song! As she has mentioned many times before, Hikaru also loved Magic Knight Rayearth and Conan (up to this day, she still watches the movies). Hikaru has also watched lots of anime from the next generation like Hamtaro and Doremi. She watched all those shows together with her younger sister. Both of them enjoy stories about young girls growing up.

All three girls agree that the transformation scenes in magical girl animes are the best thing ever!! Keiko in particular really loves them.

Hoshi no Utai

Random info as always. No news on the 「Hyakka Ryouran」 launch event. Also no mention of Hikaru’s birthday. >_<