Category: Interviews

[Interview] FanplusMusic – Artist Saito Soma’s 2nd Chapter

Published: 2020/9/4
Original URL: https://music.fanplus.co.jp/special/20200915888ca508b

—Gracing the start of your second chapter of artist activities is the “in bloom” digital single series themed around “the changing of seasons” and “what comes after the end of the world.” With “Petrichor” for the rainy season, “Summerholic!” for midsummer, and “Palette” for the end of summer, each song vividly depicts a season in your unique sensibility.

I’m glad you felt that way about them. My journey began with my debut single Fish Story, and after experiencing my first album quantum stranger and my first concert “quantum stranger(s),” I felt that I’d reached a milestone. Many of my songs up until now dealt with finality and the end of the world, and I felt a new desire to depict a different world—a story that comes “after.” With this series, I think I was able to show what I like about each season.

—First was “Petrichor” which released on June 27. The title means “the aroma that rises from the earth when it rains,” and accordingly, the song brings a rainy scene to mind.

I came up with it quite a while ago and left the hook melody sitting on my iPad. It was very rain-like and matched what I wanted to do, and the release timing fit as well. From there, the full song came along relatively smoothly.

—It begins with the sound of rain, and has a comfortable layering of sax, piano, and bass that give the impression of walking with a spring in one’s step.

When I was making the song, I played the intro sax riff with my guitar, and guitar was used for the demo track as well. But I had a eureka moment and thought a sax would be good. I asked the arranger Saku-san, “Please put this kind of sax riff here” and “Please make it so that you can hear noise guitar on the left-ear side,” and he made the adjustments for me.

—Your elegant vocals and the harmony at the hook were wonderful too.

This song is extremely difficult to sing. The verse is in a low key, and whether I could reach those low notes was like rolling a gacha *laughs*. But the recording went relatively smoothly. I really like the hook’s harmony too. On the day of the recording, Saku-san, the engineer, and I went through trial and error to decide what kind of melody to make it. It was a fun recording.

—Rainy days are generally seen as gloomy, but this song uses playful wording like “melancholy, shiranpuri,” “kana, kana, kana,” and “tori no you ni yorisoi yoi dreaming.” The line “The sun doesn’t have to come out yet” shows an attraction to the rain that feels like your distinct style.

The protagonist of “Petrichor” feels really good in the rain. *laughs*

—On the other hand, amidst the lyrics that sound like a casual stroll in the rain, there’s the phrase “blooming out of season.” I’m curious about the hidden meaning in that.

The protagonist is enjoying himself, but to the people around him, he might seem eccentric. They might even feel a sense of horror from him. The mood of this song may change based on whether you interpret it subjectively or objectively. Since it’s entertainment, I feel happy as a creator if the listeners interpret it in different ways and speculate on it.

—The next song, “Summerholic!” was released on August 19 and took a completely different turn. It’s a summery, upbeat band tune. How did this song come about?

Since it was going to be released in August, I thought a refreshing summer tune would be suitable. I was playing guitar at home and happened to come up with the first guitar riff. From there I added a preferred chord progression of mine and it felt right. Up until then, I hadn’t released any songs that were 100% cheerful. But this became a song with a strong rhythm and a fast BPM, and above all, it was catchy.

—The band members are rock-inclined too, with Takahashi Hirotaka-san (ELLEGARDEN, PAM) on drums, Suda Yuki-san (ex.Suck a Stew Dry, ex.THURSDAY’S YOUTH) on bass, and Ono Takemasa-san (KEYTALK) on guitar. Your shouts and trills hype up the song too.

I’m always supported by amazing musicians. In “Summerholic!”, Takahashi-san, Suda-san, and Ono-san created a unique groove and made the song come alive with detailed nuances, which I’m truly grateful for. The vocals used a method called “double-tracking” where I sang the same phrase twice and the tracks were overlaid to create an exquisite discrepancy. Thanks to that, it came out with a Western music feel. I hope you enjoy this atmosphere that didn’t exist in any of my previous songs.

—The lyrics have an element of surprise, where even though it’s “a fine summer day,” the singer stays cooped up in their “air-conditioned paradise.”

Yes. Since the weather is incredibly nice, they refuse to go outside. In a sense, I think that’s a luxurious way to enjoy summer. I know I often write twisted lyrics, but these ones are positive—”It’s sunny, so I’ll laze around at home.” There’s only one twist, so I’d say these lyrics are honest as far as I’m concerned. *laughs*

—The line “yuurei datte hashaijaisou” has impact because it’s sung in a way that doesn’t sound Japanese.

This is a Western-style song rather than J-pop, so I intentionally sang in a way that sounded like English. That line came to mind as I was walking from one workplace to another, listening to the “Summerholic!” demo that I made. I looked up at the sky and saw that it was extremely “piikan” (a fine day), so I started humming ♪piikan no natsubare da♪ (a fine summer day) and it fit the melody really well. I also wanted to sing “natsubare” as “natsubaREEI” to give it that Western feel, and when I thought about what would rhyme with “reei,” I considered that on a hot day, a tired traveler might see ghosts (yuurei)… *laughs*

—So that’s where the fun rhyming of “natsubareei” and “yuureei” came from.

It’s the result of a coincidence *laughs*. By the way, the other day we filmed the “Summerholic!” MV. Even though I’m the only person in it, I’m cheerfully going, “So, cheers!” by myself, and it’s like, what does that mean?! I hope you’ll enjoy that horror feel.

—And then there’s “Palette” which will be released in September. It’s an emotional rock number filled with a sorrowful tone. A song that shakes your heart.

When I was creating the demo for the delicate “Petrichor,” I suppose there was a recoil effect that had me wanting a powerful guitar song. As I was playing the guitar, I came up with an unexpectedly emotional, sensitive, and violently passionate demo. It became a fitting song for both the “end of summer until beginning of fall” season and the conclusion to the “in bloom” series.

—The performers were the same as “Summerholic!”—Takahashi Hirotaka-san, Suda Yuki-san, and Ono Takemasa-san. The weighty rhythm, Ono-san’s singing guitar, and your heartrending vocals gave me goosebumps.

The guitar really is singing. The band sound really brings out the low tones, and the instruments and vocals are all quite distorted, but that just shows how heavy the emotions are. I hope the listeners will feel those crushing emotions in their heads.

—The sentimental lyrics make me tear up.

The lyrics are heavily inspired by a short story that I like: A, Aki by Dazai Osamu. In it he writes, “Autumn is a crafty devil. It disguises itself completely during summer and squats there, sneering.” In response, I write that it’s sad when summer’s presence fades into fall, but as the seasons go around, you’ll be able to meet summer again.

—I can imagine each listener projecting different people and memories onto the “you” in the song, who represents summer.

Exactly; I think different people will be touched by different aspects of the song.

—At any rate, in “Petrichor”, “Summerholic!”, and “Palette”, I was once again surprised by the power and depth of your expression. Did you discover anything through these creations?

By nature, I’m the type of person who wants to have a logical justification for everything. Even when composing music, I’d been doing it in a relatively calculated way, deciding for each song whether to use the typical pop format or add a strange development. But through my voice acting and music careers, I realized the importance of sensitivity. With these three songs, I was able to follow my senses and write them intuitively. Because of that, they have elements that may seem irregular or strange, but I had a lot of fun creating them this way. From now on, when I’m writing new styles of songs, I wonder if they’ll be “in bloom” too.

[Interview] MusicVoice – Saito Soma – Transforming as a Singer

斉藤壮馬「柔軟さがこの３年で出てきた」シンガーとしての変化に迫る

Published: 2020/9/4
Original URL: https://www.musicvoice.jp/interview/music-interview/161896/

“The way I approached music in middle school became the basis for who I am now”

—What was your formative experience with music like?

I liked singing ever since I was a child. I remember clearly what music my parents played in the car—my mother listened to artists like the Beatles and Matsutoya Yumi-san, and my father listened to Yazawa Eikichi-san, Hamada Shogo-san, and Inoue Yosui. Due to family circumstances we often traveled via car, so mainly listening to music in the car was part of my culture.

I remember when I was in elementary school, I made a cassette tape of my favourite songs and we would listen to it in the car. Back then, I listened to bands like PornoGraffiti and Spitz.

—What was your music experience like in middle school?

In middle school I made a friend who was knowledgeable about subculture. Up until then I’d mainly been listening to J-pop, but through that friend I learned about punk and underground music. I was shocked that such fascinating music could exist. I strongly remember that it was the first year of middle school when the desire to listen to music sprouted within me. I started listening to Western music, and it happened to be the rock ‘n’ roll revival era at the time. I got addicted to classic bands like the Libertines, the Strokes, and Bloc Party.

I recall a MiniDisc that my friend gave me. The first two tracks were by U2, and the rest of the lineup was the Rolling Stones, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Marilyn Manson, and Kinniku Shojo-tai.

—That’s an interesting balance.

Yes. My music-listening was centred around two focal points: the research I did on my own, and the deep world that you’d expect to hear about from adults, courtesy of my friend. I didn’t listen to J-pop much during that time. As you’d expect from a middle schooler, I thought it was cool to know artists that no one else did. *laughs*

There was a local CD shop that I trusted to have good taste. I’d bike there, buy CDs based on their jackets, listen to them at home, and think, “Ohh! This is cool!” I think the way I approached music in middle school became the basis for who I am now.

—So your roots are in middle school. I can tell that you had a fine youth.

It wasn’t glittery or anything though; I was an irritable boy *laughs*. In middle school I was part of a punk-ish band and we played songs from artists like THE STALIN. The first song we copied as a band was T. Rex’s “Get It On.” I was on guitar and vocals, but no one could sing the chorus, so that got scrapped and we started writing our own songs instead. That friend and I had wanted to make original songs anyway. Our musical style at the time had an indie feel to it, like Arcade Fire or the Smashing Pumpkins.

—Rock music was your youth, then. Moving on, “in bloom” is a series of three songs, and each one is from a different genre. It gives a sense of breadth, but is there any central point that the songs share?

If I had to say, it’d be a good melody. I made sure to have catchy hooks that linger in your head, like the distinctive sax riff in “Petrichor.” As you said, these three songs don’t have a sense of unity. I call it the “in bloom” series, but it wouldn’t be classified as a trilogy.

The original plan was to release a single in June, with “Petrichor” as the title track. It was going to have a rain-themed trilogy of songs. But then it was decided that we’d be releasing them digitally, so I chose “Summerholic!” and “Palette” from the various songs I had completed, because I thought each of these three represented seasons. So “seasons” was a central theme too.

—”Petrichor’s” sax riff was indeed distinctive, but I also thought it was a bold idea to have the rain sound there from start to finish. Normally people only add it at important points.

*laughs* I thought that too. I experimented with different approaches at first, and I thought it’d be better to have it playing all throughout, considering the atmosphere of the song. The lyrics go, “I’m trapped in this season,” and I wanted the sound to give the impression of the song’s protagonist standing in the rain. I think this song’s melody has a pop feel, but the sax riff is a bit offkey, and there’s an Arto Lindsay-style noisy guitar. Music-wise, I’d say it’s a bold composition.

—It seemed like it’d fade out at the end, but instead it cut out.

I considered a fadeout, but I thought that might be too normal. I wondered what the listeners would think if the curtain suddenly fell. If the song abruptly ends in the middle of a comfy loop when they’re not ready, would that startle them? I wanted to have this song create that situation.

—It really caught me off guard. It’s also interesting how the lyrics can be interpreted in many ways.

I think “Petrichor” changes depending on whether you look at the protagonist’s feelings or the onlookers’ perspective. There’s no right answer. My songs are entertainment, so I want them to be enjoyed in many forms.

The emotions embedded in the “cheers” sound effect

—The second song in the series, “Summerholic!” is a straightforward rock number. What were you thinking about when you wrote this song?

I wanted to try something new. For example, if my second chapter began with “Summerholic!” then it’d be a direct way of saying “I’m going to do new things now.” But by having “Petrichor” as the first song, it communicates that I want to present songs like that, which have a twist.

So after putting out “Petrichor” first, I thought it’d actually be more of a twist if the next song was easy to understand *laughs*. With the COVID-19 pandemic, I thought there might be a lot of people feeling depressed at home, so I wanted to make an extremely bright summer tune. The first riff came about when I was playing around on my guitar, and then I added a chord progression I like and got really into it.

—How did you picture this song when you sung it?

I think it has a Western-style nuance to it, so I tried singing in a way that sounded English-like. Personally, I see it as a mix of the Cribs and the Libertines. The lyric that goes “Preparing for tomorrow, rules of maintaining health, and a lack of sleep” was inspired by Ojamajo Doremi.

—It contains a lot of different elements.

Yes. I intentionally chose words that would make me feel cheerful when I listened to them. I think this is the most honest song out of the ones I’ve written so far, since it only has one twist—that being that the protagonist refuses to go outside because it’s so sunny. This is what a luxurious summer day looks like in their eyes. *laughs*

—The lyric “Even the ghosts seem like they’re going to frolic” packs quite a punch.

Everyone is very concerned about the word “ghosts” there, but I’m using it in a relatively normal sense. I thought it would convey just how great the weather was, to the point where even ghosts would frolic. I like the visual design of the kanji for “ghost” (幽霊), and it was easy to rhyme with. It’s one of my favourite parts of the lyrics.

These lyrics came about when I was walking along and thought, “It sure is a fine summer day today.” It fit the melody too, so I decided to open the song with that. So rather than a twist, I see it as a courteous explanation of the summer sun. *laughs*

—Have you ever seen a ghost, Soma-san?

No, I have not. Apparently they don’t come to people who want to see them *laughs*. By the way, in the MV there’s a toast scene, but I’m the only one there. It raises the question of, “Who am I giving a toast with?” Could it be ghosts? I noticed that after the filming. *laughs*

—Was the sound of pouring beer recorded at the studio?

No, that’s a sample. I don’t think we originally planned to have it in there. When I listened to the completed song and heard that sound, I thought it was really good. The song was also arranged with the expectation that it’d be performed live. When we can have normal concerts again, I want to go “Cheers!” with everyone at the venue, even if it can’t be with beer. I’m really looking forward to the day when I can share a toast with everyone.

“I can now consider both voice acting and singing to be my ways of expressing myself”

—The third song “Palette” has a rock sound in a minor key.

I think this song has a similar atmosphere to my songs prior to “Petrichor.” If “Petrichor” was the rainy season and “Summerholic!” was summer, then I wanted to sing “Palette” as the end of summer until the beginning of fall.

Autumn is my favourite season, and I wanted to make this song match the sentimental feeling you get during that threshold between summer and fall. I also wanted it to use a straightforward distortion guitar. The intro was my hands moving habitually, but I like the classic, orthodox feeling of it.

—What did you focus on for this song?

I wanted to emphasize the bass. The bass is really strong, so please listen to it in the loudest volume that your environment will permit *laughs*. The guitar is also more of long low tones and choking, rather than high notes. I requested those for the arrangement because I wanted to convey something like a mass of raw emotion. By adding mid-tone vocals to that, my goal was roaring and emotional vocals. I wanted to express the sorrow of the end of summer through sound.

—What feelings went into the title “Palette”?

I previously wrote a song called “Deracine” that uses the word “palette.” I’ve always liked the theme of colours. “Palette” sings about a colourless, transparent world, giving the impression of a world that’s lost its colour. It gradually gets dyed in the colours of the protagonist’s emotions. When I imagined a world being coloured in one’s emotions, I thought a palette would be the direct metaphor. A painter’s palette is unique to them. The message is that the palette represents emotions that can only be coloured by your own perspective.

—It also conveys the themes of the “in bloom” series: “the changing of seasons” and “what comes after the end of the world.”

It shows how I view the future. This song has a sense of “ending” to it, but I think it connects to what comes after the “in bloom” series.

—Now then, it’s been three years since you debuted as a singer. How do you feel that your music has changed?

Up until around my second single, Hikari Tatsu Ame / Yoake wa Mada, I strongly felt that I had to sing properly. With my third single, Date, I started writing my own songs, and I think that’s when I began intentionally choosing singing styles that were rough (in a good way) and didn’t have to fully convey the message of the song.

In “Summerholic!”, the “Oh well, farewell holiday” part is sung in a character song-like way, but when I started my singing career, I think I kept a clear boundary between my voice acting work and my artist work. I recently came to think of both of them as my ways of expressing myself, so I don’t keep them separate anymore. These three years gave me the flexibility to choose what’s best for each song.

—Is there anything that’s crucial to your recordings?

Throat lozenges. I dissolve them in bottled water and keep it separate from my rehydrating drinks. This is something that happened naturally as I was doing my work. For example, if I’m sucking on a lozenge and suddenly I have to do a recording, I’d have to throw out the lozenge or put it somewhere. I didn’t like having to do that, so I started dissolving them to make them drinkable. I also try to wear clothes that aren’t too tight.

—Does your approach change between recordings and live concerts?

It does. At a recording, I’m creating something that didn’t exist before, so the way the mic picks up my voice differs from at a concert or when I’m voice acting. One of my current tasks is to find the method that produces the best recorded sound. I recently started studying equipment too, and I’ve been asking sound engineers about mics.

—It seems like you’re going through a lot of trial and error. Lastly, please give us a message for the fans.

I’m blessed to be able to release the three songs in the “in bloom” series during these troubled times. I’ve been singing about the end of the world all this time, and even I don’t know what the future beyond that will look like yet. I do have several plans in mind, though, so I want to look forward to delivering that future to you. I’ll do my best at my own pace, and I hope you’ll walk this path with me. Please continue to support Saito Soma!

[Interview] Da Vinci 2020/10 Edition – How to Find the Next Up-And-Coming Manga

(scan not provided because the magazine is available digitally on BookWalker etc.)

Published: 2020/9/4

※Several people were interviewed for this feature (including LiSA and Asakura Momo) but only Soma’s interview is translated here.

Edit: This interview was later published online as well: https://ddnavi.com/interview/666752/a/

Q: What is your preferred way to buy manga, and when do you like to read it?

I buy in bookstores based off of the covers or pick randomly on Kindle. If it’s a serialization, I have a hard time stopping at breakpoints, so I’ll generally end up staying up late to read it all. I don’t limit myself to any particular genres, but in terms of magazines, I like ones with a seinen and subculture feel, like Afternoon, Garo, IKKI, and so on. As for online publishers, I often read manga from “To-ti web.”

Q: Favorite authors and favorite works?

I like the works by Urushibara Yuki-san, Ima Ichiko-san, Kindaichi Renjuurou-san, Hiwatari Saki-san, Arakawa Hiromu-san, Tsuge Yoshiharu-san, panpanya-san, Hagio Moto-san, Mizukami Satoshi-san, Ishiguro Masakazu-san, etc.

Q: How do you find new manga?

I generally found out through word-of-mouth from friends, but lately online advertisements have also been a big factor. I also buy based on the author. If I enjoy a book, I’ll go back and buy their previous works too.

Q: What do you think when you encounter an amazing manga?

This doesn’t just go for manga, but for any of the works I encounter through various ways—there’s an exceptional feeling of elation when the work was good. I feel happy, as though I’ve caught a glimpse of a wonderful facet of the world.

Q: What’s your recommended “Up-And-Coming Manga”?

Mugendai no Hibi by Yagi Nagaharu-san, which I heard about from the photographer Magome Masamitsu-san.* It depicts a hard science fiction story with cute artwork, and I recommend it to all fans of sci-fi manga. I also loved Yagi-san’s Wakusei no Kage Sasu Toki. The best way to enjoy summer is with ice cream, beer, and sci-fi. When summer comes around, it makes me want to reread Machida You’s Yoru to Concrete and Wakusei 9 no Kyuujitsu, and Ichikawa Haruko’s Mushi to Uta and 25-ji no Vacance, among others.

Saito-san’s Selected Up-And-Coming Manga

Mugendai no Hibi
Yagi Nagaharu / Komakusa Publishing / 980 yen (not incl. tax)

Young girls drawn with gentle lines travel between hard sci-fi worlds—a space elevator, a planet of insectoids, a planet where humans are ruled over by machines—in this collection of eight short story gems. It’s the long-awaited commercial debut of Yagi Nagaharu, the praised charismatic genius of the doujinshi world.

*It wasn’t mentioned here, but Magome Masamitsu is the photographer who did the new pictures taken for Soma’s essay book.

[Interview] Bessatsu Kadokawa Scene 03 – The Talented Expresser: Saito Soma

Released: 2020/8/31

Soma was on the back cover and had a 16-page feature.

※There was originally a digital version released too, but it seems to be unavailable now. Either way I will not be posting scans for this one. (It’s in stock on Amazon Japan)

Interview #1: Saito Soma’s Roots and Desire for Expression

Saito has charmed many fans through his voice acting, music career, and essay-writing. Here, we explore his roots and creative side.

(1) Voice Acting

Acting is all about how close you can get to that person.

Saito Soma has appeared in many popular series such as IDOLiSH7 (as Kujo Tenn), Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- (as Yumeno Gentaro), and Haikyuu!! (as Yamaguchi Tadashi). He’s received high praise from anime fans for his diverse yet detailed acting ability. Now that he’s reached the tenth year of his career, we asked him about his stance towards voice acting, his ideal image of a voice actor, and his unique theory.

There are a lot of interesting things about this job. First is the question of “How close can I get to a character that isn’t me?” This applies to all types of acting, not just in anime—acting is all about how close you can get to that person. However, different actors have completely different ways of approaching their characters. Some people link themselves to the character while they act, while others use data to construct the character logically. Even if the approach differs, what’s most important is how well you can synchronize with the character and the project.

I myself go through a lot of trial and error, but if you ask me for my ideal, I think it’s best to be able to act without thinking about anything. In real life, you wouldn’t think, “This is my personality, so this is how I should talk,” right? It’s important to use a logical approach at first, but I want to be able to jump from there to “unconscious” acting. Right now I’m having the most fun pursuing that.

As I gained experience, my perception of time changed. The other day, I was talking to a veteran voice actor and agreed with them that it’s very important how you perceive the duration of “one second.” In everyday life, a second passes before you know it—but when we’re recording and the line is one second too short, they’ll throw in another three words, meaning that it was quite a bit too short *laughs*. This job requires us to have a macro bird’s-eye view of the overall work, and at the same time, a micro awareness of “How do I perceive one second?”

This year, it’ll have been ten years since I debuted as a voice actor, but if you asked me ten years ago, “What do you think one second is?”, I don’t think I would’ve been able to give much of an answer. I think that being able to sense an expansive space in the duration of “one second” now is a sign that I’ve grown at least a bit. The more I continue down the road of anime, the more things I notice, and the more I find myself thinking, “This part is too short.” Voice acting really is a job where you can take pride in your technique. I hope to treasure each and every one of my roles while progressing towards my goal.

But if you ask me whether or not I’m suited for this job, I still don’t know the answer. Of course, I leaped into this world because I admired voice acting, but that doesn’t mean I analyzed myself and thought, “I have these traits and weapons in my arsenal, so I can put up a fight here.” After having the opportunity to be part of so many anime series, I do have my own methodology, but as I said before, it’s not good to be too caught up in analyses and theories. Even if you stick to your ways and use what you’ve learned that way, it’s of no use if it doesn’t match the project.

You need the adaptability to let go of your fixations.

Saito has gained a wide range of expressiveness through the many characters he’s voiced. He’s built up his own voice acting techniques and methods, but sometimes it’s important to discard them.

This is veering into philosophy, but I recently came across the word “non-self” in a book I read, and I thought it was really good. Not “selflessness,” but “non-self.” It’s important to have your own “self,” as in something that forms your axis, but if you adhere too closely to it, you’ll suddenly get left behind by the world which is always in a state of flux. For example, let’s say you get assigned to a character that’s difficult to portray. You read the script and come up with your own interpretation of what kind of person they are. But if you go to the recording and they tell you “That’s not right,” how do you react? Of course, it’s fine if you just think, “Oh, so I was wrong.” But if you don’t have that flexibility and instead think, “That can’t be true!”, then you’ll get bogged down. Everyone has their fixations, but you need the adaptability to let go of them when the time calls for it. When I see my seniors doing that, I think they’re amazing.

It’s a matter of calmly looking at the work as a whole and maintaining a balance—sometimes I do it my way and sometimes I express what I sense around me. So when interviewers ask me, “What is voice acting?”, I can only say, “Right now it’s like this.” I want to be able to enjoy all of the changes.

Voice actors actually have a lot of freedom thanks to the nature of animation. For example, when it comes to gasping, there are subtle differences depending on whether it’s from a sudden realization, surprise, or shock, making for countless ways to do it. Since we’re free from the restrictions of 3-D, more detail is expected from us. I think that’s one of the characteristics of anime.

Even in a live play, I think the principles are the same as voice acting. You have a script and you connect your heart’s movements with your body’s movements… I don’t have experience with acting in traditional plays, but I think the essence is the same: getting as close to a character in a fictional world as you can. Of course, due to the medium, the way you express yourself is different—a live play has the advantage of being able to use your body—so I’m personally really interested in it. I’m turning thirty next year, and I want to challenge new things.

My favourite movies? When I was a student, I watched more indie films than Hollywood blockbusters. I was interested in surrealism because of Nakajima Ramo, so I’d watch things like Un Chien Andalou. I also like sci-fi, so I watched everything from esoteric films like Donnie Darko to staples like A Clockwork Orange. After starting this line of work, I also began watching dubs of action and comedy films. I think that translation is amazing, and it’s educational from a voice acting perspective too.

(2) Music

I was seeking something different from everyone else.

Saito’s artist career began in 2017 with the single “Fish Story.” In 2018, he showed off his talent for composition, lyrics, and even CD cover design with his first album “quantum stranger.” His style combined his deep musical sense with “the voice actor Saito Soma’s” pop music. Now, he’s evolving that style even further. First, let’s take a look at his musical journey.

Rather than listening to music from specific periods or listening in a systematic way, it feels more like I reach out to whatever I like or am interested in. In elementary school, it was centered around what my parents listened to in the car: Yuming-san (Matsutoya Yumi), Inoue Yosui-san, Spitz. They also played a lot of the Beatles. I still like those songs, and I think they’re reflected in the music I write now.

I fully got into music in my first year of middle school because of a friend I made. His whole family was into subculture—his parents and older brother were all knowledgeable about pop culture and subcultures. He put his recommended songs on a MiniDisc for me, and on it was U2; “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by the Rolling Stones; Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Marilyn Manson; and Kinniku Shoujo-tai. Those varying genres of bands were my gateway, and I delved deeper from there. As for the current music at the time, my middle school years happened to coincide with the rock ‘n’ roll revival period. Some of the bands I liked were the Stripes, the Libertines, and Bloc Party. I listened to their songs a lot.

Looking back now, I think I was seeking something different from everyone else. It wasn’t that I was trying to reach farther, but rather, I proactively took in things that other people didn’t know about and weren’t interested in. I was looking for “someone who isn’t me, in a place that isn’t here.” I think it was music and fictional works such as novels, movies, and animation that satisfied that longing of mine.

I think I realized that it was important to absorb different things, contemplate them by myself, and decide what to do.

In elementary school, I was aware that I was living as a model student. As a child, I lived my life thinking about how I should act to get adults to accept me… So when I learned about rock, punk, and literature, I think I was shocked to discover that those things existed in the world. They were vulgar in a good way, and very free. They made me think that maybe I’d been living my life not thinking about anything. I didn’t rebel against my actual lifestyle, but I wrote songs and prose, trying to become a me who wasn’t a model student. I think I realized that it was important to absorb different things, contemplate them by myself, and decide what to do.

I prioritize entertainment value above all else.

Considering that he’s been delving deep into music ever since middle school, it was inevitable that he’d start his own artist career. Just like with voice acting, he has his own unique stance when it comes to music too. His central principle is entertainment value that a wide variety of listeners can enjoy.

When it comes to the music career of “the voice actor Saito Soma,” I prioritize entertainment value above all else. My voice acting work came first, and the various connections I made through there gave me the opportunity to release songs and perform live. But I don’t exactly try to show my true colours there in a “listen to what I have to say” way. In all of the songs I’ve released so far, there hasn’t been a single message song or love song. I’d say I’m more similar to Pete Doherty (from the Libertines) who also often wrote lyrics about fictional settings. Although as a listener, I do enjoy message songs too, and there are love songs that tug at my heartstrings.

Also, rather than songs that say “You’re not alone,” I’m more drawn to songs that say “It’s okay to be alone.” Like Elliott Smith’s lyrics, or in terms of Japanese bands, ART-SCHOOL, BURGER NUDS, GRAPEVINE…that kind of introspective mood. I want to mix that element into the voice actor Saito Soma’s pop music.

My songs don’t have any of that “Happy! Yay!” stuff in them, so they might not be suited for live concerts *laughs*. I was in a band when I was a teenager, but at that time, I was already thinking, “I want to create the best music” instead of “I want to perform live.” That hasn’t changed, so when I’m composing, I don’t think about whether I’ll be able to reproduce the songs at a concert. For example, “Waltz” and “Lemming, Ai, Obelisk” have a ton of layered vocals. It becomes a question of “How are you going to perform this live?” *laughs*

I also like albums that have concepts, and I’m fussy about CD jacket designs too. CDs are more than just music—you can put them on display and the lyrics cards are fun to read. I suspect that we’ll be the last generation to experience the appeal of CDs, so I want to provide the enjoyment of holding music in a physical form. For the packaging, I work together with the record label’s producer and designer. While I do present my own design direction, the staff also suggest a lot of ideas that I think are great. I love how it feels like we’re creating it as a team, and it’s a lot of fun.

(3) Writing

I don’t include any personal messages in my writing at all.

Saito Soma is also known as a writer. In 2018 he released his first essay collection, Kenkou de Bunkateki na Saitei Gendo no Seikatsu, and he actively does writing work. We asked him about his history as a reader and how he feels about writing.

Writing was my first interest, not acting or music. Everyone in my family was a different type of reader, so our house had lots of books and I naturally ended up reading from a lot of genres. My tastes were probably closest to my grandmother. Her bookshelf had the first edition of Kojima Nobuo-san’s Zankou, and it was just amazing. In middle school, I liked reading Dazai Osamu-san, Oken-san (Otsuki Kenji), and Tsutsui Yasutaka-san, among others. I also liked South American literature like Borges and García Márquez.

I wrote as a hobby in university, and after working as a voice actor, I received an offer to write an essay serialization. The serialization was published as a book in 2018, and circumstances permitting, I’d like to release a second one.

I consider essays a form of entertainment too, so I hope the readers have fun reading them. If I were to write fiction, I’d like to write a curious and bizarre story.

One time, the editor in charge of my essay collection read me a short story. It was about someone who regularly drank in Kichijoji, and at some point he accidentally wandered into an ogres’ feast, where he was made to gamble by guessing which of nine fingers was a human finger and licking it. I’d like to turn that kind of thing into an entertaining pop story, but I haven’t been able to find the time… I hope to be able to plug away at it.

Just like with my music, I don’t include any personal messages in my writing at all. I don’t think there’s any connection whatsoever between my creative works and my own thoughts and beliefs. I think that’s probably because…creating is a hobby for me. I’m not doing it with the intent of expressing my feelings… For example, I might walk outside and think, “It sure is bright,” and when the wind blows, “This feels nice.” Even if I directly convert those situations into my creations, I don’t add my own emotions to them. If there was something I really wanted to assert, I think it’d be better to say it straight out instead of going through a creative work.

Column: Tell us your recommended autumn entertainment!

First is Dazai Osamu’s “A, Aki” which can be read on Aozora Bunko. It’s about a professional poet who keeps notes on poetry materials because “you never know what kind of request will come in.” When they flip to the page for “autumn,” what’s written there is “Dragonfly. Transparent.” It shows how genius Dazai was.

Also, though the genre is horror, Tsunekawa Kotaro’s Aki no Rougoku (Autumn Prison) has a peculiar setting but is very easy to read. I often say that I like bizarre stories, and I recommend this to people who wonder what I mean by that.

As for anime, Zettai Shounen. For me, autumn is the season for sci-fi, and this anime does a great job at blending slice of life and sci-fi elements. I own the DVD boxset and have watched it many times. *laughs*

Interview #2: Saito Soma’s Artist Career – Chapter 2

The second chapter of Saito’s artist career has begun with the “in bloom” series (three digital releases) themed around “the changing of seasons” and “what comes after the end of the world.” We asked about his preferences when it comes to lyrics and producing his own music.

I feel that I can be bolder now.

Saito Soma completed Chapter 1 of his music career with his first album quantum stranger (2018) and his mini-album my blue vacation (2019). The “in bloom” series that marks the start of Chapter 2 consists of three songs: “Petrichor,” “Summerholic!”, and “Palette,” which are themed around “the changing of seasons” and “what comes after the end of the world.” Entering this new phase, he said he thought that he could be bolder music-wise. In this interview, he reflects on his career so far and speaks about where he currently stands as an artist.

My personal music career began with my debut single Fish Story, which Oishi Masayoshi-san wrote for me. Then came my second single which was centered around “the end of the world” (Yoake wa Mada / Hikari Tatsu Ame), my third single Date which I composed and wrote lyrics for by myself, my first album quantum stranger, and then my first live concert (quantum stranger(s)). With that, I felt that I’d reached a milestone. I hadn’t done everything yet, but the two years since my debut had flowed very nicely, so I thought that I could call that “Chapter 1.” The final part of that chapter was a song called “Epilogue” that was released in March this year.

Up until now, I strongly felt that “as long as I’m a voice actor, I want to produce music that has entertainment value.” That still hasn’t changed, but when I heard what my listeners had to say, I also felt that I could be bolder now. There were things that I’d originally decided not to do, but in the EP I released last year (my blue vacation), there was a song with a darker atmosphere than anything I’d released before. I’m also trying new things with “in bloom” which will be the start of Chapter 2.

As for the title “in bloom” itself… at first, I didn’t plan on giving it a name. But the producer at the record label told me to give it one because it’d be easier to promote it that way *laughs*. “in bloom” was originally going to be a song title. To put it simply, it means “after the rain, flowers bloom”—it relates to the theme of “after the end of the world.” Dazai Osamu wrote a story called Roman Dourou. It’s about five siblings that like books, and there’s a part that goes, “It says that everyone lived happily ever after, but what we want to know is what actually happened after that, right?” and I thought, “True!” I wanted to depict what happens after my “end of the world,” and that was going to be the song called “in bloom.” After the rain, beautiful flowers bloom. It also has the imagery of changing seasons.

Saito Soma’s second chapter is starting with the three songs in the “in bloom” series: Petrichor, Summerholic!, and Palette. From the lyrics to the sound production to the vocals, every song is packed with new expressions.

“Petrichor” is a shuffle beat song. The rhythm has a swing to it, and when you first listen to it, it sounds like a normal pop song—but when you look at it from a different angle, you see that it’s more than what it seems. In that sense, I think it’s a bold song. As for the lyrics, technique-wise, at first I wanted to write it without a single foreign loanword. I wanted it to feel like the “new music” genre from the 70s and 80s. But as I was writing, I thought, “There isn’t much point in imposing this restriction by myself” *laughs*. The tentative title back then was “Amadare” (raindrops dripping from eaves/etc), which led me to “Petrichor.” Petrichor is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on soil. I chose it because it’s a song themed around rain.

“Summerholic!” seems like it’ll be exciting at a concert, I think? It’s an up-tempo song with a cheerful melody. Although the lyrics are about spending summer cooped up in your room *laughs*. I put a lot of homages into this song. Specifically, the Libertines, the Cribs, and Ojamajo Doremi. The chord progression is commonly used by English rock bands, so it has a UK rock aesthetic. The melody has a summery atmosphere. The lyrics are about not going outside to play, instead eating ice cream and drinking beer in an air-conditioned room. Even though it’s bright and sunny outside, the protagonist chooses to enjoy spending their time at home.

“Petrichor” is about the rainy season, “Summerholic!” is about summer, and the third song “Palette” is about the transition from summer to fall. It tends to be a sentimental time of year, but instead of giving it a name, I decided to try turning it into a song. The lyrics are quite optimistic. At first I wanted to make them darker, but my mind changed bit by bit as I was writing. Before you realize it, summer is gone and the season has changed—and I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. I was rewriting the lyrics up until the day of the recording, and it became a song that expresses painful feelings within grandiose sound. I want “Palette” to be heard in the loudest volume that your environment will allow for. I think it’s an immersive song, so you can even pretend you’re the MV’s protagonist when you listen to it. *laughs*

For all three songs, we were joined by amazing musicians. “Petrichor” was done quite experimentally, while I could really feel the band’s groove in “Summerholic!” and “Palette.” Ono Takemasa-san’s (from KEYTALK) guitar solos greatly exceeded the scope of the demos. That’s the thrill of creating music as a team, and I’m thankful for it.

As for the sound, I consciously produced the songs in the style of Western music. By not increasing the number of notes, it creates gaps where you can feel the groove. I also emphasized listenability, but they did end up being quite bold. Also, I obtained quite a lot of equipment during the stay-home period. I used to create my demo tracks by recording myself singing to my own guitar, but now I can do some of the programming myself too. I want to combine the best aspects of analog and digital.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are restrictions on all artist concerts. Saito is no exception, but he seems to have an idea of what kind of live performance he can do.

Live concerts aren’t possible in the current situation, but there’s nothing that can be done about that. If the situation improves, I’d like to try an acoustic concert. My songs aren’t the kind where everyone gets loud and hyped up anyway *laughs*. I think it’d be nice to have people listen to them carefully in acoustic form. Dirty Pretty Things’ first album Waterloo to Anywhere had an acoustic version of one of the songs as a bonus track ((note: Japanese edition only)), and I suspect that it was recorded in a big area, which sounds really fun. I think it’d be nice to have a fun acoustic concert with the musicians for everyone to see. It’s only a thought, though—nothing’s been decided yet.

I’m actually not that comfortable with my own concerts. When I’m standing in front of people as Saito Soma, rather than a character, I don’t know how I should act. But I gain very much from it. Brainstorming with all of the staff, spending time to prepare, and then putting on the show itself—the sense of accomplishment after making it through isn’t something that you can feel just anywhere. Year by year, the joy of concerts is budding within me.

Staff Interview: Saku

Saku is a composer, lyricist, arranger, and guitarist who has been deeply involved with Saito’s music. We asked him about Saito’s songs, lyrics, and nature.

It’s my role to organize Soma-kun’s ideas and brush them up.

Saku has been the main arranger supporting Saito Soma’s music from his third single “Date” up until now with the “in bloom” series. He’s also done composing and guitar work for artists like Kanjani∞, Aoi Eir, Haruna Luna, Amamiya Sora, and Kito Akari. We asked him about how he met Saito, as well as the nature of Saito’s music and character.

I met Soma-kun in 2018 when the record label producer introduced us to each other. I joined them when they were drinking and we talked about various things. We hit it off right away because of our similar tastes, like how we both liked GRAPEVINE. He showed me the song “Reminiscence” that later became part of his third single Date. It had a bit of a GRAPEVINE feel to it, and after listening to it once, I really liked it. From there, I got to be the arranger for his songs. It was right when he started doing his own compositions and lyrics.

Soma-kun’s songs are a bit unusual. The chord progressions and melodies have unexpected parts that make you think, “It’s going that way?”—anyway, they’re unique. For example, “Summerholic!” has parts where the chords and melody don’t match up, but when you try to change the chords to the right ones, something feels wrong. That’s Soma-kun’s characteristic quirk. Building up his songs as an arranger is extremely stimulating, and I’ve gained a lot from the experience.

His lyrics also have a unique world view. Every time he sends me a song, I look up word definitions *laughs*. I understand the content, but I’d never be able to write these lyrics myself.

It seems that at first he used his iPhone to record himself singing to his guitar, but lately he’s been able to do his own programming and the quality of his demos has greatly improved. He also sends me reference tracks, saying things like, “I want the rhythm to be like this song” and “the guitar should sound like this song,” and they’ll be songs that only an enthusiast would know. The noise guitar reference for “Petrichor” was an artist named Arto Lindsay, and I didn’t know who that was *laughs*. Soma-kun really is knowledgeable about a lot of different music.

We’re trying new things with the “in bloom” series. The saxophone phrase in the intro to “Petrichor” was Soma-kun’s idea. In the demo he played it with guitar and asked to use a saxophone for it. It’s my role to organize Soma-kun’s ideas and brush them up.

He’s also an amazing vocalist. He has the strength you’d expect from a male vocalist, but his high notes also feel like a woman’s vocals. He also has a clean falsetto, so we often layer the chorus melody with one an octave higher. Soma-kun seems to like doing that too. When we’re recording, he doesn’t just sing the way that was planned—he also gives suggestions, like, “How about this way?” It’s really fun to make changes on the spot like that.

Soma-kun’s human nature? How do I put this… He’s really a good kid *laughs*. He’s polite to everyone, he’s friendly, and everyone loves him. It comes really naturally too. It doesn’t feel like we’re just work associates—it feels like Soma-kun, the producer, the engineer, and I are in a band together. He often sends me LINE messages like, “I hadn’t given Foo Fighters a proper listen, but they’re cool, huh?” *laughs*

I hope that Soma-kun will continue to demonstrate more of his individuality. He already has a lot of dark songs, but I think he can step into his dark side even more. But since Soma-kun’s really nice, I think he’ll also compose songs that will make his fans happy.

Bonus: Off-shots from the photo shoot (2 per tweet GIF)

[Interview] SPICE – Saito Soma – Chapter 2, “Summerholic!” and “Palette”

Published: 2020/8/27
Original URL: https://spice.eplus.jp/articles/274703

Saito Soma has started his “in bloom” series, which marks the second chapter of his artist career. The three digital singles with the themes “changing of seasons” and “after the end of the world” are currently in the process of being released. Following the first single “Petrichor,” the second single “Summerholic!” was released on August 19th, and the third single “Palette” is coming out on September 19th. We interviewed Saito about the “in bloom” series and his thoughts about the three songs, and he said “When I created these three songs, I could tell that I’d be writing more songs like these in the future.” We’re highly anticipating the second chapter and what kind of expressions he’ll entertain us with now that he’s unleashed himself.

Q: What thoughts did the artist Saito Soma put into Chapter 2?

There wasn’t anything too definite at first, but I started with the intent of writing songs that would yet again be different from what I’ve released so far. The mini-album I released in December 2019, my blue vacation, was entirely themed around “traveling” and “the end of the world,” and it felt satisfying when it went well. That being the case, I decided in my heart that I would start expressing the musical styles and compositions that I’d been “restricting” up until now. It was the fans that made me think that way—many of them wrote letters to me saying, “Even if you do deeper music, I’ll still listen to it.” Up until then, I’d been restricting myself, thinking “This song would be too dark for the voice actor Saito Soma to sing” or “A song sung by the voice actor Saito Soma needs to have some degree of entertainment, so I’ll give up on this one.” But going forward, I think it’ll be okay to clear away those thoughts.

Q: How did you feel about the requests for deeper music?

I was genuinely thankful. None of my songs are so-called “message songs,” whether they were written by me or someone else. My songs aren’t about things I want to say–for example, my first single “Fish Story” is simply the story titled “Fish Story.” It doesn’t have anything to do with my own feelings. Since each and every one of my songs so far has a story to it, it’s not so much that I wanted people to accept the deeper parts of myself, but rather that it seemed like they’d accept music that was less pop-style, so I felt it’d be safe to try that. These three songs are an example of that, but I think my future releases will have even deeper elements. So, these three songs are still a bit more on “this” side.

Q: Up until now you’ve been releasing your conceptual works as CDs, but are there any benefits that you can only get from digital releases?

The advantage of being able to release one song at a time is that I can release songs that align with the real seasons. For example, if I’m releasing an album in December, it’s hard to include summer songs. I feel that this is a major strength, and I’m glad that the listeners felt the “currentness” of the song.

From the “Petrichor” MV

Q: The first song in the series, “Petrichor” (released June 27) was extremely fitting for the rainy season.

Since this June was going to be the third anniversary since my debut, I wanted to release a single at that time. However, due to various circumstances, it had to be a digital release. “Petrichor” already existed by then, and I really wanted to release it in June to coincide with the rainy season. And if I was going to do that, then the second song would be released in summer and the third song would be in the transition between summer and fall. In that case, it would be interesting to sing about the changing of seasons between June and September. That’s how I came up with the theme for these three songs.

The “in bloom” songs are very individual and introspective

Q: The second song, “Summerholic!” (released August 19) is extremely fitting for summer, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, it’s a surprisingly peculiar summer song.

“Petrichor” is the type of song that grows on you as you listen to it over and over, so for the second song, I wanted to do the reverse—an upbeat song that you can get right into, that feels like summer. “Summerholic!” was the result of that. But, everyone has their own ways of enjoying summer. Just like the protagonist of “Summerholic!”, I like to think “The weather’s really nice today” and then proceed to stay in my room watching movies, drinking, and reading books. That’s one of my personal indulgent ways of spending time during the summer *laughs*. But that probably doesn’t quite align with the average person’s way of thinking. Normally, they’d think “It’s sunny, so why won’t you go outside?” but for me, I’m completely satisfied with this positive, luxurious way of enjoying the summer. So you could say that this song is twisted in an honest way. When I wrote it, I thought that that might be an interesting aspect of it.

Q: So it’s full of your personal ways of enjoying summer.

When I watched the MV from an objective point of view, I thought “He looks like he’s having a lot of fun, but he’s all alone in that room, huh…” and I didn’t know if it was funny or scary *laughs*. I’ve written songs like that before, but the three “in bloom” songs in particular are all immersed in their own worlds. So, the songs’ protagonists are really enjoying themselves, but someone watching from an outside perspective might think they’re suspicious. For example, “memento” (from my blue vacation) was a direct interpretation of “the end of the world.” But that wasn’t in the sense of a “personal” world, but “this entire world.” Compared to that, the “in bloom” songs are very individual and introspective. When I created these three songs, I could tell that I’d be writing more songs like these in the future.

Q: Even though the world views are becoming more introspective, the songs are upbeat with interesting compositions.

It’s important for music to be upbeat and fun to listen to, so I kept that in mind for all three songs. Also, the songs were intentionally structured to make you wonder “What do you call this part of the song?” J-pop often follows the A-Melody → B-Melody → Chorus structure, but that doesn’t mean it has to be that way. Thinking about it from another angle, a lot of the songs that I like don’t follow that template. In “Summerholic!”, the chords themselves don’t change much; it’s the same set looping over and over. But by changing the melody on top of them, they sound completely different, which is interesting, right? It’s a Western concept that I tried using.

Q: What variations can you introduce that way?

For example, the traditional A-Melody → B-Melody → Chorus structure has a sense of security to it, because when you listen to it, you’re prepared, like “oh, the chorus is coming next.” But when you listen to songs with changing structures, it’s exciting because you don’t know what’ll come next. Both are valid ways to compose music, but personally, I like it more when a single song can surprise me with how many twists it has, so I prioritized that excitement. This is one of my tastes.

From the “Summerholic!” MV

Q: The intro phrase had a really good flavour to it.

I played the intro guitar phrase on loop in the DAW software while looking for chord progressions that would go well with it, and finished the song without a hitch. This chord progression is made up of seventh chords, which come from classical English music. It has a band aesthetic and just the right “dusk” feeling. It’s fun but has a hint of loneliness, which I think is perfect for this song.

Q: It was intriguing how the feeling of loneliness instantly went up just by adding a harmonica to the same melody.

The harmonica comes in at a good time, right? That was the arranger, Saku-san’s suggestion. But when I think about it calmly, I suddenly realize, “Is this person playing the harmonica in his room by himself…?” *laughs* This song has that kind of off-beat feeling… a “feigning ignorance” kind of humour. Those who thought it was a summery, happy song should try listening to it again with this perspective. I think you’ll enjoy the different impression it gives off.

Q: On that note, it’s also strange that there’s so many people shouting “Cheers!” with him even though he’s supposed to be alone in his room.

When I listened to the completed song, I went, “Wait, who is he shouting ‘Cheers!’ with?” *laughs* Naturally, the creator Saito Soma has his own idea of the song, but it’s also fun to interpret the song from a third person point of view as the listener Saito Soma. Also, if I can sing this song at a concert one day, I’m sure the call & response for that part will be fun.

Watching a movie at night… Saito Soma’s summer anecdote

Q: What was your interpretation, by the way?

There are actually hints in the lyrics. At the beginning of the vocals, it goes “yuurei datte hashaijaisou dayo ne” (even the ghosts are making merry), and in the latter half, he’s going “Cheers!” with people, which means…?

Q: Oh, that’s scary. *laughs*

Indeed. Well, it’s summer after all! It’s a song that’s fun to listen to while also having room for speculation.

Q: Is “Summerholic!” your ideal way of spending summer?

When I was little, I often did summer-like things such as going to the mountain or catching bugs. But I was always more of the indoor type, so I never really did the stereotypical, “It’s summer, so let’s go to the beach!” thing. However, I think summer is the most emotional season. Fireworks, watermelons, wind chimes, pools… Out of all four seasons, summer is the one with the most things that remind me of it.

From the “Summerholic!” MV

Q: Do you have a summer fright story?

The other day, I was watching a movie at night. I was really engrossed in it, but suddenly I realized that something was going bang, bang, hitting my window. I looked outside and nothing was there, so I went back to watching the movie, but the banging sound was still there. Naturally, I went “Really…?” and fearfully opened the window. There was a cicada on the balcony *laughs*. It appeared that it got lost in there and couldn’t get out because it was fenced in. I knew I had to set it free somehow, so I grabbed my quickle wiper ((it’s like a Swiffer)) and scooped it up like I was playing cricket *laughs*. It was scary.

The theme of “Palette” is “the colours of emotions”

Q: On September 19, the third song “Palette” will be released.

I made this song when I was writing “Petrichor.” What I always do first is make a demo for the staff to listen to, about 90 seconds long, and if they like it, I’ll work on the full version. When I was doing that, I got stuck on the lyrics for “Petrichor” and wanted to take a break.

“Petrichor” is a song that builds groove using a refrain, so I found myself wanting to play the reverse: powerful, distortion-heavy phrases. I thought something like American emo music would be good, so I played some riffs and ended up easily finishing the first verse or so of “Palette.”

Music-wise, “Palette” has a quite direct sound. I was originally also thinking of releasing it after “Petrichor,” because an emotional song would be good for summer. But then this and that happened, “Summerholic!” was created, and I decided to sing “Palette” as an emotional band song representing the transition from summer to fall. So, the creation time was rather short, and I spent more time on the lyrics instead. The arranger Saku-san also spent a long time on “Petrichor,” but for “Palette” he said, “But this one was done instantly!” I think that’s probably because “Palette” is packed with elements that we band kids love.

Q: It sounds like something you’d want to hear at an outdoor concert at the end of summer.

With an explosive sound, right? I think it’s a striking song for both the performers and the listeners.

Q: What did you focus on with the lyrics?

For this song, as the title “Palette” implies, I wanted to sing about the “colours of emotions.” For example, during the time between summer and fall, you can feel both seasons, but there isn’t a precise name for that period. Similarly, there isn’t a name for transforming emotions. Rather than giving that scene a name, I wanted to express it through music and song, and I wrote the lyrics as such.

The lyrics are straightforward, so it should be relatively easy to understand. The last chorus also ends in a way that’s somewhat hopeful. Originally, the lyrics were a bit more destructive. Instead of the word “melt,” I had “break.” But, I settled on music and lyrics that leave a refreshing, positive aftertaste instead.

Q: It’s rare for a song of yours to have straightforward lyrics.

Directness is a virtue, and I think it’s important to be able to be direct and sing directly. But personally, I’d have to say that it’s embarrassing for me, so I prefer to deliberately distort, hide, and use humour to deceive. But rather than what I want to do, I prioritize what kind of lyrics the song needs. I felt that “Palette” called for direct lyrics, and personally I think I did a good job.

Q: The straightforward lyrics are a great match for the song’s noisiness.

When I made the demo, I requested that they make it loud and distort all of the sound. The orchestra is concentrated in the low notes, so I put the vocals in the medium to high range, and for the harmony, only the upper harmony was recorded. Since the powerful notes are in the low range, it’s a song where the vocals escape into the high range. It’s a good match for the opening lyrics that have the words “rooftop” and “return.”

Q: It’s a Saito Soma song that’s also brimming with band energy.

I try to leave as much to the participating musicians as I can. “Petrichor” is a song that values subtraction, and they brought out a wonderful groove with that. On the other hand, “Summerholic!” and “Palette” have something that only a live band can bring out. They’re different types of songs, but they both showcase how amazing and entertaining bands are, and I feel that the performers made the songs even more wonderful.

For Chapter 2 onwards, I’m freeing myself from the rules

Q: What style of music do you want to pursue after this?

What I like about music is imperfections. For example, if the pitch doesn’t match, or the rhythm is a bit too fast. I actually think that those aspects have an unparalleled appeal, and that’s what’s interesting about pop music. So, moving forward, I want to continue working with a variety of people.

The good thing about making music as an individual is that I don’t have to put restrictions on my musical style. I don’t have to say “The artist Saito Soma will absolutely only sing this genre.” I’m extremely grateful that I can change my way of singing or even my vocalization to suit the song. That’s exactly why I want to try forming bands with different musicians and pursue the grooves born from those combinations. The one thing is that I think the band style will always be at the heart of my music, because that’s what I mainly grew up listening to.

Aside from that, I’m also interested in more introspective music; the kind that I could even do the arrangement and mixing for by myself. Especially something that doesn’t even have a chorus…like acid folk and electronica. I don’t know if I’d actually do that under the name Saito Soma, though. I realized that I’d been putting restrictions on my music up until Chapter 1.5, so I’d like to free myself from those rules and release even better songs.

Q: I’m looking forward to hearing songs that are even more uninhibited than these three.

I’m still working on new songs right now, and I think I’ll be able to release something that goes in a different direction from anything I’ve done so far. There’s also a song that’s so completely different that if you ask, “Is this Saito Soma?” the answer is well, I think you’ll understand, maybe? *laughs* If I were to liken it to something… It’s like the result of cooking with the mindset from “Date.” The temporary name of the song is “Kitchen,” so please look forward to it. After creating “Petrichor,” “Summerholic!”, and “Palette,” I wanted to stray even further from the rules, so the plan is to spread out farther and farther from here on out.

What the fans’ analyses made me realize

Q: On the other hand, what do you think is the axis of your music, that will always be there no matter what surprises you bring?

I think it’d be pop. No matter what kind of difficult or high-level songs I do, it’s important that they’re enjoyable to listen to, so I don’t want to stray from that. I do think I’m going to be releasing more experimental songs, but that doesn’t mean all of the songs on an album would take that route. I want to maintain a balance between experimental songs and familiar pop songs. I hope that as a result, when you listen through an album, you’ll be able to enjoy both sides.

I do think that there’s a clear axis for which you could say “This is Saito Soma’s music.” But I think I’d like it if it were more, “There is, but there isn’t.” In Buddhism, there’s a doctrine called anatman, or “non-self.” It means that while people do have something like a “true nature,” it’s constantly in flux and can’t be defined concretely. For example, sometimes I’m cool and collected, but sometimes I’m impassioned, so you can’t say with confidence that “Saito Soma’s true nature is calm and collected.” But, my true nature does exist. After reading about it, it made sense to me. So, it might be ideal to use different presentations depending on the song.

Ultimately, I think I’d be happy if people said “I couldn’t tell that it was Saito Soma’s song.” I say this about voice acting too: the ideal actor erases himself and becomes the character. Perhaps the same goes for music. I want to keep transforming my musical style and release different kinds of songs.

Q: It’s good that your fans are also hoping for that.

Yes. There are a lot of people who analyze my songs while they listen to them, and I like looking at their analyses. It’s fun to examine my songs from various angles with the listeners, and I’m thankful that they do that.

Q: We have faith that “Since it’s Saito-san, there must be some kind of intent behind it.”

When I’m reading people’s analyses, there are times when even I go “Oh, I see!” I think that when you’re creating something, no matter what your intent is, you’ll always unconsciously link something else to it. So, these analyses make me notice the unintentional connections that were there. I wouldn’t have found them with my perspective alone. I’m sure I’d unconsciously made those connections, but I couldn’t have done so intentionally. It’s really interesting how I can finally see them thanks to everyone’s analyses.

Q: You’ve produced so many diverse musical styles so far. I’m looking forward to seeing what’ll come next!

Thank you! The themes of the “in bloom” series are “the changing of seasons” and “after the end of the world,” and I tried singing about them from different perspectives. I’m happy that the listeners enjoyed coming up with their own interpretations of the songs. Saito Soma’s second chapter has begun, and I want to explore new directions with my music that I haven’t before. I don’t know what I’ll be able to pull off, but I have a lot of ideas prepared, so please wait until they’re ready to be announced. I’ll be continuing to work at my own pace, so please watch over me gently and enjoy the journey with me. Thank you for your support!

[Interview] Natalie – Books that Make the Artist Vol.27 – Saito Soma

Three books that got the young Yamanashi boy into music

Published: 2020/7/24
Original URL: https://natalie.mu/music/column/386924

This is a series where musical artists introduce books that influenced their creations and ways of life.

1. Gummi Chocolate Pine (Kadokawa Bunko) / Ohtsuki Kenji

Middle school, when he first formed a band

This book was recommended to me by a friend that I formed my first band with during middle school. Thinking back, he really was mature for his age, and it was him that showed me Tsutsui Yasutaka-san, Nakajima Ramo-san, and various musical artists and whatnot.

For my first band, well, setting musical style aside, on a spiritual level I really wanted to do punk, and I felt like I had something in common with the characters in this book (I especially sympathized with Kawabon for some reason). Come to think of it, the first Tsutsui-san book I read had commentary written by Oh-Ken too.

When I was a teenager, I went through that impatient, restless feeling of wanting to go somewhere else, the assumption that there had to be something about me that was different from others, and the futility of it all. This book depicted those feelings brutally and honestly, without trying to make them look good, and if I hadn’t encountered it, I might never have gotten so absorbed into music.

My band at the time had lyrics that were more on the serious side, but—and it may be presumptuous of me to say this—I get the feeling that Oh-Ken’s ideas, that draw from delusions, leaps in logic, and other illogical resources, are somehow similar to my current style of lyrics.

2. Please Save My Earth (Hakusensha Bunko) / Hiwatari Saki

Turning his impressions into music and writing

Recently, I was led to reread this all at once up to the latest series, and no matter how many times I’ve read it, it always has me crying my eyes out. It was originally my mother who liked it, and I love it so much that we still talk about it as a family when we have the chance.

The series often uses imagery of “dissolving into the atmosphere,” especially for Mokuren-san. It’s a grand story that takes place across the Earth and the Moon, but the ideas of “going around,” “dissolving,” and “soon fusing into one” were very close to the vague intuition I’d had ever since I was a kid, so I felt nostalgia the first time I read it. I use these motifs quite often in my songs and writing compositions, although how they’re handled differs depending on the song. Even when it comes to listening to music, I like songs with those themes (e.g. Mystery Jets’ “Soluble in Air,” Sunny Day Real Estate’s “One”).

When I’m writing songs, I don’t have any intent of conveying a message at all. Instead, I create them as if they’re films or novels. I often turn the impressions I’ve received from books, films, and novels into music.

3. Quip Magazine (Medicom Toy / no cover)

Imagining the unknown from short introductory articles

This might be a bit of a change-up, but back when I lived in Yamanashi and sites like Myspace and YouTube had just emerged, the city of Tokyo was like a mystical utopia in my mind, and I considered Shimokitazawa the ultimate holy land. On the very rare occasions when I got to visit, I spent the precious few hours I was given desperately absorbing the music, atmosphere, and essence that (I believed) only existed there.

In the past, there was a store in Shimokitazawa called HIGHLINE RECORDS that sold things like 2-track CD-ROMs self-produced by brand-new indie bands. I would make sure to go there every time and buy “Quip Magazine.” That was how I encountered new music that couldn’t be found anywhere on the internet. It gave my younger self hope that one day, this could become reality for me—a place where I could spend my daily life.

Once those dreamlike hours were over, it was time to go home. On the way back, and even after returning home, I’d read that Quip Magazine over and over again. I was intrigued by the short introductory articles that only spanned half a page each, but I didn’t have the means to find out what the songs sounded like. So, I imagined with all my mind. The thrill I felt towards the unknown back then was undoubtedly a driving force behind my creative endeavours.

As an aside, when I finally did start living in Tokyo, the once-dreamlike Shimokitazawa gradually became clearer until it truly was a reality. The Shimokitazawa I saw back then might only exist in my memories now.

[Interview] Harajuku Pop Web – Saito Soma – “Petrichor” and “in bloom”

Published: 2020/7/8
Original URL: https://harajuku-pop.com/21129

“I’m the type that pays attention to the visual nuances of words”

Q: Like flipping pages in a book, your artist career has entered Chapter 2 with the “in bloom” series. I’m interested in the reason why you’ve separated it into “Chapter 1” and “Chapter 2.” Was it done deliberately to make a clear distinction about what you’ll be presenting next?

It’s not that deep—It’d been about two years since the label asked me if I was interested in a music career, and after releasing an album and performing a live concert, I felt that I’d reached a sort of milestone. Looking back, there was a nice flow from “Fish Story,” the amazing song Oishi Masayoshi-san wrote for me, until my album quantum stranger. Many of the songs were themed around “traveling” or “the end of the world.” But since I was a voice actor doing a singing career, I thought that pop entertainment would have to be at the core no matter what. However, I couldn’t stop my desires from building, and I started wanting to do darker, more incomprehensible songs. So from now on, I’m going to create more varied music, so please lend me your support. Although it kind of feels like I’m trying to show off, and it’s a bit embarrassing… *laughs*

Q: I was also intrigued by the name of this series, “in bloom.” What was the reason behind that?

I didn’t really think there was a need to give it a name, but the producer asked me to give it one so that the connection would be easier to understand *laughs*. The original plan was to release a single in June, but due to various circumstances, it had to be turned into digital releases instead. So, when I was putting together the songs I had in reserve, I noticed that many of them had a seasonal feel to them. I was originally thinking of using “in bloom” as a song name, but I realized that it was perfect for this series and decided on it right away. It had a nice ring to it, and personally, I’m the type that pays attention to the appearance—or rather, the visual nuances of words. “in bloom” was both visually and audibly appealing. So it’s not like I chose this title from the very beginning to form the overall concept. It’s more like it dawned upon me.

Q: You say that the themes for this series are “the changing of seasons” and “what comes after the end of the world.” I can feel romance and emotion in “the changing of seasons,” but what I’m really interested in is “what comes after the end of the world.” Could you tell us the reason behind these two themes?

I’ve always liked the process of change as well as ambiguity. So, I wanted to write songs that gave off the feeling of the rainy season or that brief moment between summer and fall. I enjoy turning nameless concepts into songs rather than simply giving them names. I still have yet to write a coherent message song—my approach is to express certain situations or feelings in the form of music. In that sense, the three songs in this series express the changing of seasons in their own separate ways.

As for “what comes after the end of the world,” I mentioned earlier that many of my songs so far had “the end of the world” as a motif. When I was reading Dazai Osamu’s Roman Dourou, I encountered a phrase that left an impression on me: “The real story always begins after the dance of love has ended. Most films end with the formation of a happy couple, but what we want to know is what kind of life they live afterwards.” There are two themes I’ve chosen not to write about for the time being: message songs (as mentioned earlier) and love songs. Setting that aside, I very much agreed with that passage. So far, I’ve been writing stories about how people would receive the end of the world, but now, it’s a question of what happens next. Is the world completely over, or…? I wanted to try writing songs about that. This theme will continue beyond the scope of these three songs, too.

“I like the scent of rain. I also like both the sound and appearance of the word ‘petrichor.'”

Q: The first digital song in the series is “Petrichor.” The word refers to the scent that rises from the ground when it rains, and I thought the word had a lovely aesthetic. I’m very interested in what led you to it.

I don’t remember how I learned this word, but… At first, I had a sort of prototype for the song, and when I came up with it, I knew it was going to have rain. And originally, I didn’t want to use katakana for the title—I wanted to give it a bit more of a Japanese setting. But I got stuck, and when I was brainstorming, I suddenly remembered this word and decided to lift the restriction on katakana. From there, it was a relatively smooth path to the overall image. I like the scent of rain. I also like both the sound and appearance of the word “petrichor.”

Q: Since the “in bloom” series is about the changing of seasons, will the next songs also take place in specific seasons? I’m also interested in why you chose to begin with a season about rain.

“in bloom” is currently expected to be three songs, so that’s the plan.

Many of my songs already have rain or nighttime as a motif, and since this June marked my third anniversary since my debut, I was planning on releasing a single with all three songs about rain. The title was going to be “Ame no Sanbusaku” (Trilogy of Rain), an homage to Yoru no Sanbusaku (Trilogy of Night) by the author Fukunaga Takehito. That was the original plan. However, due to various circumstances, that became difficult to achieve, but I really wanted to release Petrichor in June no matter what. So, it became a series of digital releases. The other songs don’t have a rain theme and originally weren’t going to be used here, but since the new theme was the changing of seasons, I thought they’d be perfect. Come to think of it, “Reminiscence,” the coupling song on my Date single, was also originally titled “Ame” (Rain).

Q: “Petrichor” has a light, pleasant feeling that makes you want to go out in a raincoat with an umbrella and strut around in the rain. What did you keep in mind when you were composing this song?

Bringing out the nuance of splashing raindrops while not making it too upbeat.

The recurring sax riff is somewhat off key, but that’s because I was aiming for a sound that can’t be expressed on the musical scale. “Blue notes” are the same way, but I really wanted to express something “ambiguous” or “unclear” here too. So, people who listen to music from a logical perspective might feel that something is off. But when I created the riff, I hoped that it’d continue to linger in people’s ears after the song was over.

Also, it was the correct choice to add the noise guitar to the intro and outro—I’m talking about the sound coming from around the left side. I showed the arranger, Saku-san, a video of a no wave guitarist named Arto Lindsay, and selfishly asked him, “Please do it like this, playing the rhythm with noise instead of melody.” *laughs* I’m sorry for always making such complicated requests. Thank you for yet another wonderful arrangement, Saku-san!

As for the vocals, I like how the harmony in the hook has an Elliot Smith feel to it. Whenever we’re recording, everyone will be playing the keyboard or guitar and saying, “Wouldn’t this way sound more urban and stylish?” while making changes to the melody, and it’s enjoyable having that sense of teamwork.

The song takes a rather peculiar turn from the second verse. It’s presumptuous of me to say this, but personally I think the part that goes “kuruizaku you na…” is reminiscent of Inoue Yosui. I also like that the part afterwards has a spoken sound rather than rap or song.

“For some reason, I’m incredibly drawn towards things relating to ‘rain.'”

Q: When I listen to “Petrichor,” I feel romance in Japan’s damp and humid season. What is your personal impression of the rainy season, Soma-san?

I’m not good with humidity, so I can’t say I love it, but for some reason, I’m incredibly drawn towards things relating to ‘rain,’ whether it be the shape of the kanji (雨), the rhythm of rainfall, or the scent and colour. It’s like everything is quietly hidden away rather than shown in detail. Isn’t it exciting when you pass by someone whose face is hidden behind an umbrella, and you can only see their mouth?

Q: In “Petrichor,” we see the protagonist walking on the street against a rainy backdrop with colours being painted in, depicting the lyrics of the song. Was there anything you kept in mind or aimed for when writing the lyrics?

Madness and enchantment… The listeners’ interpretations of this song are quite divided. There’s no correct answer, so thank you all for ending up exactly as I’d hoped *laughed*.

My personal interpretation is that it’s definitely not only an upbeat, light song. This is ultimately only my perspective, but while this song has a Singin’ in the Rain-like feeling, it’s closer to A Clockwork Orange, in my opinion. This person might seem like they’re in a really good mood, but how does it look to a third party? When writing a novel, there’s a technique called the “unreliable narrator,” and this is it.

But, what’s most important is to interpret it the way you want to. Have confidence in your interpretation—believe in it and assume responsibility for it. I think that’s the best way to enjoy the song, and I hope people will come up with all sorts of interpretations.

Q: I always try to avoid going outside on rainy days, but after listening to “Petrichor,” I got the feeling that it could lead to something dramatic. In the lyrics, there’s a part about “taking a little detour”—when do you feel like doing that, Soma-san?

I do it pretty much all the time. I love going for walks, and I’ve always enjoyed taking a different route every time. Even when I was a student, I’d constantly take different routes home. But, unlike the person in “Petrichor,” on rainy days I’d run straight home *laughs*. Then again, we don’t know where this person is coming from and where he’s going. He’s insane, in a way. So to be honest, it makes me think “this person looks like he’s having a lot of fun, but he’s kind of scary.” Going back to the original topic, I really love taking unknown roads and being inspired by what I see there.

Q: In “Petrichor,” I could sense the emotional “changing of seasons.” Are there hints of the other theme, “what comes after the end of the world,” hidden in the song as well?

I think it might be inelegant to explain too much of that, but… hmm, perhaps there isn’t that much in this song. I think this song is really introspective and subjective. Rather, since it’s about the rainy season and the changing of seasons, you’d think the person would be emotional, but he actually seems extremely ephemeral. It feels like he’s really enjoying what he’s doing.

That said, just because I wrote the song doesn’t mean I’m going to openly explain everything, although I’m not going to tell any crazy lies either, of course. There might be something hidden in smoke, so please listen to the song while keeping that in mind.

The “world” is another tricky aspect, though. Is it referring to the whole world, or this person’s world? I hope that the various interpretations will blend in with the raindrops.

Q: The recording members were: Bass – Ochi Shunsuke (CRCK/LCKS), Sax – Fujita Junnosuke (TRI4TH), Piano – Watanabe Shunsuke (Schroeder-Headz). Were you looking for a band arrangement?

No, I wasn’t. In fact, I wanted to reduce the amount of sounds as much as possible. Japanese pop music always ends up increasing the sound density and filling the gaps in the songs. It’s an additive process, whereas I wanted subtraction—a song where you could hear empty space. So, I didn’t ask for anyone specific. Since it’s also a jazzy song, I requested people who would perform this subtraction while preserving the song’s groove. In the end, everyone performed wonderfully and I was extremely happy with the result. Their performance was especially great in the outro, so please listen closely to it.

“Rain in slow motion is truly beautiful, don’t you think?”

Q: The MV for “Petrichor” was also lovely like a watercolour painting. Was there anything you were aiming for in particular with it?

Filming MVs in these times is rather difficult, and this was the result of researching what would be possible. I’m truly thankful to the movie team for creating something beautiful under such limited time constraints. When I gave them the general idea of what I wanted and they came back with the watercolour aesthetic, I thought, “This is it!” It really is a stylish video that matches the song. I asked the usual two to do the fashion styling and makeup, and of course, they did a wonderful job as always. Yet again, I felt how blessed I was to be able to create something with a team.

Q: Do you have any interesting stories from the filming? Also, what would you say the highlight of the MV is?

I remember that on the filming day, it just barely didn’t rain, but right after we finished filming, it suddenly started pouring. The movie team really did a wonderful job, so please watch it several times. Rain in slow motion is truly beautiful, don’t you think? As an aside, there’s a cut where I was snapping my fingers as I walked, but I actually can’t get any sound to come out at all *laughs*.

Q: What does the completed song mean to you now?

I think that once a song is out, it no longer belongs to me—it’s been released into the atmosphere. Personally, this time I’m very satisfied that I was able to express a hidden madness appearing and disappearing from behind the upbeat-ness, but when it comes to music, the most important thing is that it’s being listened to. There’s no greater happiness than having your song listened to by one more person, one more time. But if I may say an additional thing, it’s that I’m glad it became a song with a suspicious air, fitting for the opening to my new series.

Q: I’m also curious as to why this series is taking the form of digital releases.

As I wrote above, it was originally going to be a CD single. Currently, physical and digital releases coexist, and both sides have their advantages. But I grew up in the era of buying CDs in my hometown’s used record shop based on their covers, excitedly listening to them at home, and feeling overjoyed when there was a secret track after the last song. So, next time, I definitely want to release a CD.

Q: I’m very interested in what form the rest of the “in bloom” series will take. Is there anything you’re allowed to tell us right now?

The second song is called “Summerholic!” and it’ll be released on August 19th. It’s an “upper” band tune for the height of summer. This one is rather simple; I think it’s an honest song that’s only been “twisted” once. That said, there are still tricks inserted throughout, so I think it’ll be fun to listen to. As I said for “Petrichor,” this one might also have a horror vibe depending on the listener. Well, it’s summer after all *laughs*.

The third song takes place between summer and fall. It features an emotional band sound and sentimental lyrics. This one has more of the “end of the world” motif, but the perspective is still a bit different from my previous songs. We just finished recording it the other day, so I’m looking forward to hearing the completed version.

Anyway, I have an infinite number of written songs in reserve… In the past, I showed part of the demo for a song called “Hokuou (Kari)” (Scandinavia (Temp)) on Twitter, and I have a lot of other materials stocked up too. The temporary titles are “Oasis Miss,” “Bossa Nova,” “VW,” “Marilyn Manson,” “Kujira” (Whale), etc… I want to do my best so that these songs will have the chance to see the light of day.

Q: What kind of situation do you want people to listen to “Petrichor” in?

I think one of the best things about this generation is that you can listen to music at any time. So, please enjoy the song in any situation you like. My personal recommendation is while taking a walk. It’s really fun listening to it at night and copying the MV, although people might think you’re strange *laughs*. I didn’t have any exact time of day in mind when I wrote the song, but I think it might be an unexpectedly good fit for the morning. After waking up in the morning, you could listen to it on the veranda while watching the drizzling rain.

“Books and sleep are my idea fountains.”

Q: Please tell us about your favourite fashion style.

I like relatively simple clothes as well as French style clothes. In the past, I didn’t like wearing rings or watches, but tastes sure do change as years pass. For watches, rather than expensive ones or mechanically-impressive ones, I prefer ones that feel right for my body, and I’m still searching for the best one.

As for colours, I’d say I have a lot of green or black items. I often voice blue-type characters which leads to wearing costumes with cool colours, but if I had to state my preference, it’d be autumnal colours such as deep burgundy. I’m also attracted to pale tones; in other words, items with ambiguous colours. I love sweaters and cardigans too.

Q: Is there anything you’re particular about when it comes to fashion? Do you have any favourite brands?

How the clothes feel on my skin. Not getting tired when wearing them—when I’m recording and have to talk for a long time, I often wear loose clothes that won’t feel tight against my body.

I have a lot of favourite brands, but I’m the type that likes to enjoy my fashion quietly, so it’s a secret *laughs*. Even if you know what brands I like, please keep it to yourself.

If I have to name something, I wear Dr. Martens shoes quite often. I own several pairs, and they fit the shape of my feet and are comfortable to walk in on any surface. I like Paraboot for the same reason. My latest concern is that caps don’t look good on me because I have a round face *laughs*. I like using nice things for a long time.

Q: What’s essential to your lifestyle, Soma-san?

Books and sleep. Both of them are my idea fountains.

By the way, “lifestyle” is a very important keyword for beyond the “in bloom” series. That said, it’s still in the planning stage, so I don’t know how it’s going to turn out… Even when the world ends, life continues (or does it?). Keep that in the back of your mind, and someday the connection will be made.

Also, something nice I bought recently was a Le Creuset bowl. You can serve any type of food nicely in it, and it’s easy to clean. All I have to do is move the food from the frying pan to the bowl, eat, then wash the bowl, dry, and put it back. I’ve been cooking for myself more often lately, but I’m pretty much only using this bowl *laughs*.

I also bought a carbonated water maker-type thing, which has proven to be very valuable as well. It’s strange, because I used to not like carbonated drinks.

I also want a funnily-shaped guitar. Something with a really peaky sound… I should stop, because I could go on forever *laughs*.

Q: Lastly, please give us a message of your choice.

Thank you for reading all the way here! I hope you’ll listen to “Petrichor” many times! I plan on bringing you lots of songs this year, so please support my musical activities in addition to my voice acting work!

[Interview] CUT 2020/7 Edition – Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Cast Interview/Survey

Released: 2020/6/19

※Only Soma’s part will be translated here, as well as mentions from other sections.

Q: Out of all of the Hypnosis Mic songs, which song or lyric is the most memorable to you, and why?

It’s difficult to choose a song because they’re all so amazing… but as far as Shibuya goes, it’d have to be “Stella.” I remember when I first heard the demo, it was such a good song that I immediately messaged the other two *laughs*. It’s a world from a story written by Gentaro and a song that only Shibuya can sing—I can feel each character’s emotions and past tightly packed within it.

In terms of Gentaro, his “uun sou sa gomeitou” in “Hypnosis Mic -Division Battle Anthem-” was memorable. Most recently would be “Utena” – “kono kanjou ga tsutawatte shimattara ii no ni” (if only these feelings would get across). Up until then he’d been describing a vivid scene, and then he delivers that message in the final line. I think Gentaro’s mellowness is expressed very well there.

Q: What is your personal highlight of your involvement in Hypnosis Mic, and why?

It’d have to be when I first heard about the project. The combination of voice actors and rap content was something I was surprised didn’t exist earlier, and I remember being very excited to see what kind of chemical change it would bring about. I was nervous during my first concert, but Shirai-kun was so calm and composed that I was confident I’d be fine if I followed his lead. I had so much fun playing with him and Nozuyama-kun.

Q: When developing your rap in the image of your character, do you have any special technique or something that you pay extra attention to?

At the beginning, Gentaro had many songs where he used a poetry reading style; in other words, different from the style where you rap to the beat. So, I thought I’d bring out his uniqueness there. As more songs came, I got to challenge varying flows that weren’t limited to that style, which I’m thankful for. But still, he’s a phantom, so instead of matching the sound to the rhythm, I think it’s better to be more laidback and slow down on purpose, creating an atmosphere that bewitches the listener.

Q: If you were to spend one day with your character, what would you want to do?

I think it’d be tiring because he’s constantly telling lies *laughs* but I’d want to leisurely read books with him at a cafe while discussing literature. What authors he likes, the stories he’s written so far, etc. Also, since he enjoys people-watching, I think it’d also be nice to watch pedestrians and fantasize, playing around with worlds that we shouldn’t. I’d also like to ask him about the equipment he uses and his preferences when it comes to stationery.

Q: Summarize your team in one phrase.

Ephemerality, pop, they appear to be facing different directions, but they trust each other to guard their backs. That’s the image I get. It feels like their relations have changed quite a lot compared to the beginning. Just like the Shibuya scramble crossing, their lives are only intersecting for this moment, and they may never run into each other again. Nevertheless, they all strongly believe in the fact that they can be together right now.

Q: What’s your “Senshu Sensei!” (oath of fair play, reference to the opening line of Division Rap Battle) for your future involvement in Hypnosis Mic?

We’re getting closer to the heart of the story, and as a Hypmic fan myself, I’m excited to see where it goes. On top of that, as a member of Fling Posse, I want to treasure the time we spend together. Personally, I want to challenge even more styles of rap. Hypmic is getting even more exciting with new teams and new characters, so please continue to support us!

Mentions:

Shirai Yusuke:

(Regarding the cast after their characters’ relationships evolved during the drama track from Fling Posse -Before The 2nd D.R.B-)
“The three of us didn’t discuss how we were going to do it at the start. I’ve always been the type to act freely on stage, so I feel really at ease when I’m acting as Ramuda on stage—it doesn’t feel different from how I usually am. If anything, it feels like Ramuda would say whatever he wants, but even if I don’t say anything, the other two will poke fun at that and liven things up, which I think is in-character for Fling Posse. It was like that during 5th Live on AbemaTV too; Shibuya was really lively *laughs*. I’d mimic the other divisions during their turns, and the other two would play along with me. It definitely wasn’t visible on camera, but I think the three of us all enjoy that kind of atmosphere. I can depend on them, and they’ll accept all of my antics. Ramuda may be the leader, but it’s not like he pulls people along. It’s more like he acts freely the way he wants and people choose to follow him. So, I hope I can be like that too.”

(Regarding “Stella” at 5th Live)
“Since it was after the newest drama track, I think it became a different ‘Stella’ from the one we performed at 4th Live. It was packed with spontaneity and emotion… I felt like I was linked with Amemura Ramuda’s current mental state and put more passion into it. I think Soma-kun and Nozuyama-kun were the same way, but it’s not like we discussed it beforehand or anything. I think it came about naturally because of how we felt there on stage. The only thing we discussed in advance for 5th Live was the part after Dice’s solo song, where the three of us went ‘Yay!’ followed by ‘The camera’s still rolling!’ reaction *laughs*”

[Interview] Animage 2020/7 Edition – IDOLiSH7 Second Beat!

(No scans provided because it was character visuals only. Cute original art though)

Released: 2020/6/10

Features:
Saito Soma (Kujou Tenn in IDOLiSH7)

※There were also interviews with Ono Kensho and Hoshi Soichiro, but they won’t be included in this post.

Q: In the four episodes that have aired, what impression did you have of Tenn?

The mobile game’s story has already progressed quite far, and there, he seems to have opened up to Riku and the TRIGGER members. But in the anime’s second season, he’s still quite harsh. Rather than thinking he’s grown, I felt that he really does evolve from here on out. In the anime, he’s much stricter with Riku than I thought. Even in the episodes that’ve aired so far, you can see his professional attitude. In my mind, Tenn had already become completely soft on Riku, so at the studio, I discussed with everyone as we recorded the lines. That said, he’s not just strict—he cares about Riku. When you think about it that way, it’s really cute how he can’t even express his kindness well.

Q: What was your impression of IDOLiSH7’s Riku and Re:vale’s Momo?

Riku: Basically, he’s cute! Although I always say that *laughs*. At the start of Season 2, I felt that his earnest feelings towards singing were depicted even more strongly. It’s a similar feeling to his usual adorable smiling and his fixation with standing on stage. I also understand how he gets captivated by the people around him like Tenn. I feel it on a grand scale, like it excels at precisely calculating these emotions. When I see Riku depressed, I want to be there for him, and when he’s happy, I feel happy too. He has a charm that draws the viewers in without them knowing.

Momo: All of the Ainana characters have their own charms, but I personally like Nagi and Momo. I was really happy to see Momo animated in the anime. He was cool when he first appeared and acted dark, and his good-natured big brother aura afterwards was great too. Story-wise, I’m sure many people are already aware, but I’m cautiously looking forward to seeing how the next plot developments are depicted. Momo’s usually the cheerful mood-maker, but in reality, he’s a balancer that thinks deeply about the others. He’s a really kind person, and I think his love runs deep.

Q: Please give us a message for the readers.

Thank you for supporting IDOLiSH7! I have faith that we’ll overcome this situation ((referencing COVID-19)) and bring you the greatest story. Until then, I won’t let my passion for Ainana burn out—I intend on making it even stronger! Please continue to support IDOLiSH7. Ainana is the best!

Recommended Episode: There are so many that it’s hard to choose! But Vibrato’s “Boys Caught Up” was paced like I was watching a movie, and it was an episode I’d like to watch while relaxing on the sofa with an alcoholic drink. It has comedy as well as Nagi being cool, and it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

[Interview] PASH! 2020/7 Edition – Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro

(No scans provided because it was anime visuals only)

Released: 2020/6/10

Features:
Saito Soma (Yoshii Isamu in Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro)

Mentioned:
Sakurai Takahiro (Kindaichi Kyousuke in Kitsutsuki Tantei Dokoro)

“I feel nostalgia from the milk hall scenes”

Q: What kind of person do you think Yoshii Isamu is? Please tell us what you noticed from voicing him, and anything you strive to do while voicing him.

In a way, Yoshii is the most “man of literature”-like of the milk hall cast; you can sense a good kind of greenness from him. He smokes and utters cynical words, but still seems pure somehow… That’s nice; I like that *laughs*. He also plays the role of comedic relief, so I have a lot of fun voicing him.

Q: It seems that you studied literature in university. What did you specialize in? And what kind of impression do you get from this series’ story, Takuboku, and Kyousuke?

I mainly studied Japanese contemporary literature. That said, I wasn’t that serious of a student *laughs*. When I was a student, I’d often get together with friends and we’d discuss literature and ramble about things over drinks. So, I feel nostalgia from the milk hall scenes.

The combination of the innovative and sensitive Takuboku with the unsophisticated yet kind Kyousuke-san makes for a very well balanced duo. I also think it handles the mystery and slice-of-life well.

Q: In Episode 3, Yoshii made an effort to help save Kyousuke who’d been arrested, and in Episode 6, he worked on the murder doll mystery with Takuboku. As someone who’s in close proximity to Takuboku and Kyousuke, what do you think of their relationship where their bond deepens as the episodes progress, despite their quarrels?

First of all, Kyousuke-san’s devotion towards Takuboku is amazing, right? He’s so enamoured with Takuboku’s talent, and in a way, it seems like he’s entrusted his own dreams of adventure to him. But I wonder if it’s actually Takuboku who relies on Kyousuke-san more for emotional support. That’s another reason why I can’t take my eyes off them.

Q: Were there any particularly memorable scenes or lines for you up to Episode 9?

Episode 6 was memorable for me overall, since it was Takuboku and Yoshii’s episode. They both seem similar somehow, right? It was really fun acting out the scene at the end, when they’re going “I don’t want to die yet!”

Q: Since you love literature, please tell us what books and authors you’ve enjoyed reading recently.

For Japanese authors, I like Fukunaga Takehito-san, Tsutsui Yasutaka-san, Maijo Otaro-san, etc. As for the so-called literary masters, I like Uchida Hyakken-san and Tanizaki Junichiro-san.

I recently re-read a novel called The Magus, and I just can’t get enough of that pedantic and aesthetic style. A Japanese novel that I found interesting recently was Murata Sayaka-san’s Shiro-iro no Machi no, Sono Hone no Taion no. It’s rather fetishistic, or rather, it might not be for everyone, but it really struck me.

Q: What do the fans have to look forward to in Episode 10 and beyond?

First of all, thank you for watching up until now! The story is finally in its last stage. It’s been progressing like basso continuo since the start, and the hidden mystery is becoming clear. Please watch until the end, and then rewatch it from the start! Thank you for your continued support!

Q: Out of the unique men of literature that gather at the milk hall, name one for each of the following: someone you think is cool, someone you think is cute, and someone you’d want to be friends with.

  • Someone I think is cool → Nomura-san. He’s everyone’s reliable big brother figure. When he’s there, the conversation develops a rhythm and becomes more fun.
  • Someone I think is cute → Kyousuke-san. Combined with Sakurai-san’s acting, he’s just too cute.
  • Someone I’d want to be friends with → Sakutarou. I’d like to have calm discussions about literature with him.