Tag: Masuda Toshiki

[Interview] Kirai de Isasete – Cast Interview

Original Link: https://www.b-boy.jp/special/kiraide-isasete/cd/interview.html
Published: 2020/9/25

※Only Soma’s section has been translated in this post, as well as relevant parts from the others.

Q: What were your impressions of the recording?

When I read the original work, I read it from Naoto’s point of view, and I cried many times. That’s how wonderful the story was. During the recording, I found myself tearing up at everyone else’s acting, and had to try to hold myself back somehow because I couldn’t cry yet. Since the original work and the recording atmosphere were so nice, I really enjoyed it. I realized again that when the story itself is fascinating, it’ll continue to be great no matter the medium. It was a very fun recording.

Q: What did you think about the character you played?

Naoto has been placed in a difficult environment, especially as an omega. When I was reading the original work, what stood out to me was that Naoto-kun’s focus is on Shizuku-chan rather than his own suffering. Of course, a person’s pain is something only they can know for themselves, but I think Naoto-kun is a wonderful person. An unfortunate experience led to him having Shizuku-chan at a young age, but he truly loves her and raises her with care, wanting to live with her. That said, since it’s an omegaverse setting, being an omega makes his life more difficult. When I read the original work, I really wanted him to obtain happiness. I thought he was a really strong person, not bending to his tough situation and still prioritizing his loved one.

Q: Tell us about your favourite scene.

I talked about it in the talk CD too, but the scene where Hazuki “lies” to Naoto really struck me. As Masuda-san said, Hazuki-kun is an ideal bachelor. That said, he’s only 17, so he’s not a perfect superhuman. He faces things head-on and has the kind of emotional swings that happen at that age, and maybe that’s what led to that lie… That’s what attracted me to him. Also, when Shizuku-chan goes to Hazuki-kun’s place and says “I can’t do anything for Mama, so you protect him,” that scene was really touching for me, even in the original work. I felt that Shizuku-chan was even cooler than Hazuki-kun and his age-appropriate sensitive feelings.

Q: As Shizuku-chan’s mother, Naoto does household chores. What chores are you good or bad at?

I’m best at cooking, and I’m worst at cleaning in general. Well, it’s not so much that I’m bad at it, but I don’t like doing it. I’ll do it since I have to, but it’s annoying. I like cooking, but I really hate washing the dishes… But during this period of self-isolating, I changed my mindset to “doing the cooking and cleaning in parallel and getting them done at the same time feels good,” and that motivated me a lot. I challenge myself to use less detergent and reduce my water bill, and that makes it more bearable. I think that mindset can be applied to housework in general, but when it comes to cleaning, I wish I could buy the most expensive Roomba out there and let it take care of everything by itself. *laughs*

(Massu explaining how he’s bad at everything but cleaning can be fun at first)

It can be fun to break it down into individual tasks. It’s hard to keep it up every day, though. It’s like, you only clean when it gets dirty, right?

Q: Lastly, please give a message for the fans looking forward to the drama CD.

When I read the original work, from the perspective of a normal reader, I thought it was truly fantastic. I was happy that I could be part of its audio adaptation. This drama CD ends on a sort of happy note, or rather, things have settled down for the moment. The original work still goes on, though, so I hope there’ll be more drama CDs too! Please enjoy this CD alongside the original work. Thank you for your support.

Other Mentions

  • Massu said that since it was his first time on an omegaverse work, Soma and Yoshiki explained the setting and alpha/beta/omega dynamics to him.
  • Yoshiki’s very first line in the interview was “The day has come for Saito-san to become a mother *laughs*”

[Interview] PASH! 2020/5 Edition – IDOLiSH7 Second BEAT! – TRIGGER Special Interview

Released: 2020/4/10

Featured:
Saito Soma (Kujou Tenn in IDOLiSH7)

※This was presented as three separate interviews with each of the TRIGGER members. Only Soma’s interview is translated here, as well as Soma mentions from the other interviews.

Mentioned:
Hatano Wataru (Yaotome Gaku in IDOLiSH7)
Sato Takuya (Tsunashi Ryuunosuke in IDOLiSH7)
Masuda Toshiki (Izumi Iori in IDOLiSH7)

Tenn strives for perfection

Q: How did you feel when Season 2 was announced?

Soma: Rather than being excited like “Phew, it’s happening!”, it was more of a natural acceptance, like “The time has finally come.” In the mobile game’s story, the second arc and beyond has the idols’ relationships and surrounding circumstances becoming more complex. I was personally hoping to see it in anime form, so I was very happy about the Season 2 announcement as both an actor and a fan.

Q: Did you talk about the announcement with the other cast members?

Soma: I have a lot of chances to see them at various recordings, so we definitely brought it up. We mostly talked about our favourite scenes and the scenes we were looking forward to. In IDOLiSH7, the characters face many setbacks and obstructions… Honestly, the story is heart-wrenching to read at times, but watching them overcome their trials and grow stronger makes me feel like I’m being given a push on the back. Although it’s not quite the same as them, we’re performers too, so we get excited talking about the scenes that struck home.

Q: What did you think of the completed Episode 1?

Soma: I first watched it at the “IDOLiSH7 Fan Meeting vol.5 Welcome! Ai na Night!!” event. The story was great, but I also noticed that there was a lot of thought put into the details. There was a lot of meaningful direction, not just in the characters’ expressions and lines of sight, but also in the sound effects and blocking. The information was also dense, and Episode 1 felt like it was an hour long. Anyway, there was also foreshadowing scattered throughout, so whether you’ve read the game story or not, don’t blink or you’ll miss something.

Also, I have a personal theory that there must be someone in the staff who wants to make Iori cuter *laughs*. He was cute enough to make me think that. He looks cool at first glance, but he pouts when he’s angry and smiles when he’s happy. It’s a normal thing as far as humans go, but when you’re only looking at them as idols, you tend to forget the finer behaviour that adds depth to the work. But of course, everyone else is cute too!

Q: Was there any memorable direction during the recording?

Soma: At the end of Season 1, Tenn acknowledges his younger brother Riku as an idol, so during the test run for Season 2, I approached it with Tenn’s love towards his brother rather than the strictness of a professional. However, I was told to be strict. In the game, Tenn’s attitude towards Riku has changed a lot, so it was hard to rewind those feelings. But rather than tracing my past performance, I strived to express him in a way that could only be done in anime.

Another memorable instruction was in a later episode, when Tenn gets into an argument with Iori. Even though Masuda-san spoke in a relatively mild, comedic tone, I was asked to make Tenn’s tongue-clicking “dead serious.”

Also, there’s a scene where Tenn sighs after a conversation with Riku. For that, I was told “Please express Tenn’s conflicted feelings after saying harsh words while actually being concerned about Riku, with only a sigh.” It was difficult to get the balance right, but I like that delicate, clumsy side of him.

Q: I see. So, Tenn’s way of breathing is a must-check in Season 2. What else should we keep an eye out for?

Soma: Tenn is TRIGGER’s center, and such a perfect idol that people call him a modern-day angel. He spares no effort in giving the audience the greatest time of their lives. His high degree of professionalism results in him being harsh on both himself and others. In Season 2, I get the feeling that they’re intentionally emphasizing that stoic-ness of his. While watching, if you try to imagine why he’s saying harsh words and taking a cold attitude, and what feelings are hidden behind them, you might be able to sense what’s going on inside him. I believe that the person known as Kujou Tenn has a lot of charm packed in there. Please pay attention to his complicated relationship with Riku, who’s his twin brother as well as a rival competing with him to reach greater heights.

Q: What is Kujou Tenn to you?

Soma: In short, he’s someone I respect a lot. When Tenn says something harsh, there’s always a reason behind it. He says it because it’s necessary to say it. Tenn acts as a helpful warning to me, making me question whether I’m worthy of being the one responsible for his weighty words.

It shows in his attitude towards Riku too—since Tenn is stoic, he has an extreme side to him as well. While he appears perfect, there are times when I think he’s actually someone who’s striving towards perfection. That side of him is really precious, and I’m sure he’s going to keep improving in the future, so I want to improve alongside him too.

Q: You’ve participated in several IDOLiSH7 events so far. Which ones were the most memorable for you?

Soma: It’d have to be the concerts. For the 2nd Live “REUNION,” we went through a lot of ideas trying to figure out how we could make it even better than the 1st Live “Road to Infinity.” The direction intent behind the set list was clear, and I remember discussing and rehearsing with Hatano-san and Sato-san countless times. After the concert was over, I felt a sense of accomplishment, as well as the desire to put on an even more expressive performance as Kujou Tenn next time.

Q: Lastly, please give a message for the readers who are looking forward to IDOLiSH7 Second BEAT!

Soma: First off, thank you for supporting us thus far. TRIGGER and IDOLiSH7 have a perfect rival relationship, teaching and learning from each other at the same time, and now Re:vale is joining in as the reliable big brothers. I think you’ll find the anime even deeper if you pay attention to not just the characters’ words, but also their expressions, tones of voice, and the camerawork. I’ll also be looking forward to the broadcast every week, so let’s enjoy it together until the end. Please continue to support IDOLiSH7.

Q: Out of all the TRIGGER songs that have been released so far, which one stands out to you the most?

Soma: When we were recording “Leopard Eyes,” we were instructed to prioritize sexiness, so we did. When I heard the finished version afterwards, I felt as though I’d gained a better understanding of Kujou Tenn. When I’m singing as Tenn, I change my singing style and enunciation depending on the song, but even now, I still use “Leopard Eyes” as my baseline.

Mentions

  • Satotaku: “Due to scheduling, it was difficult to record at the same time as Hatano-kun and Saito-kun. But even under those circumstances, I’d think ‘Those two would definitely voice it this way,’ and I’m sure they were doing the same. The trust and respect for each other that we’ve built up over the years resembles TRIGGER. On the other hand, when I do get to see them, I’m happy from the bottom of my heart. The moment I open the studio door and see their faces, I go into TRIGGER mode.”

[Interview] CUT 2020/4 Edition – IDOLiSH7 Cast Interview/Survey

Released: 2020/3/19

※Only parts related to Soma will be translated in this post.

Cast Survey:

Q1: Out of all the songs in IDOLiSH7, which one shook your heart the most, and why?

Soma: There’s so many emotional songs that I can’t pick just one… but the one that came to mind just now was “In the meantime.” When I first heard the demo, I instinctively liked it already, but when I saw its incredible synergy with TRIGGER’s situation in the story, I felt moved again. I’ve also experienced a period of time when things weren’t going well, and I felt like I was being swallowed up and didn’t know where to turn to. This song links to that feeling very strongly, and whenever I listen to it, I feel a small yet sure determination.

Q2: What was your personal highlight of your IDOLiSH7-related activities, and why?

Soma: This one’s hard to choose too, but it’d have to be the two concerts. I thought long and hard about how I should approach the songs and stand on the stage, as a TRIGGER member and the voice of Kujou Tenn. The 2019 concert in particular was harder and there was more pressure because it was the second one. But because of that, there was an incredible feeling of accomplishment when we all successfully sprinted towards the finale together as a team. Once again, I felt determined to become an actor worthy of being responsible for Kujou Tenn’s voice. It was a spectacular concert.

Q3: What would you like to do with Tenn, and why?

Soma: Hmm… I want to go shopping and let him dress me up in various clothes *laughs*. I’m also interested in what kinds of books and movies he likes. He seems like he’d enjoy things with fantasy elements, but who knows? I’d also like to eat delicious food and drink apple juice with him, just relaxing. I want to eat with all of TRIGGER actually, the six of us in total. *laughs*

Q4: Describe the relationship between TRIGGER’s members in one phrase, and explain why.

Soma: The strongest group of friends, who all have each other’s backs. They started off without fully opening up to each other, but after overcoming all sorts of trials, I think they’ve truly become the strongest trio. The balance between them is exquisite, and if any one of them were missing, it wouldn’t be TRIGGER anymore. It’s because they butted heads so much and overcame tough times that they know they can rely on each other. That’s what I think of TRIGGER.

Q5: What’s something new you’d like to challenge as TRIGGER or the IDOLiSH7 franchise as a whole?

Soma: Our newest song “Treasure!” reinforced my belief that TRIGGER’s recent songs have been traversing new possibilities in addition to the “trigger” aesthetic. TRIGGER is continuing to evolve, so I’d like to challenge even more new styles of music. Perhaps even a really mellow ballad. But first, we need everyone’s help in order to keep producing new content, so please continue to support IDOLiSH7!

Mentions:

  • Masuda Toshiki: (talking about how Iori’s character changed in the anime) The game’s story is composed of still sprites, so there are fewer facial expressions and Iori has a serious face most of the time. But in the anime, all of the detailed expressions are shown, so Iori felt gentler than I expected… Honestly, it surprised me at first *laughs*. Even Saito Soma-san said to me, “Iori’s become really cute, huh?”