PASH! February 2018 High×Joker Cast Interview

[nebulancer]

 

Episode 7 was when you felt the bonds among the five of them. Getting to feel that all of them are always together, HighXJoker really is good~!

Episode 7 and Episode 10, where you felt their bonds

--The TV anime has finished airing. Please tell us how you feel right now.

Nogami: Even when HighXJoker wasn't the focus, they made many appearances, so I believe that it was possible you could see all kinds of expressions from them.

Chiba: My first thought was that, among the many full-fledged adults, the high-schoolers HighXJoker would get carried away. But that wasn't the case. The other units' members and HighXJoker got excited the same amount, and it was very fun.

Watanabe: Since it was an original work that put units that wouldn't usually be together with each other, we got to see new sides of them that made us go "This kind of expression is done here." or "So the conversation goes this way."

Shirai: Let's see. We understood who they'd get along with other than the members. It was refreshing to know about that as the performers, I guess. Even if the story took a serious turn, they would chat leisurely, messing around, and the area's atmosphere would calm down. Since I understood their roles, I had fun during the recordings.

Watanabe: I was surprised when Natsuki jumped in the pool before everyone else in episode 7. (laughs) In order to change the mood, he made the first move by acting impactfully. I thought it was cute; at the same time, I loved that sight of Natsuki doing all he could.

Nagatsuka: There really were many moments where we got to know new sides of them. Even when Jun fought with the other members with the idea that "he was right," I thought he was an unbending kid. But when episode 10 revealed that he blamed himself, I went, "Aah, I was wrong." And I was surprised that the house's maid had come!

Nogami: His house is really big, too!

Nagatsuka: Up until now, the manga showed how his room looked, but I believe it was probably the first time that his entire house was drawn out? Since there was a grand piano, I felt once again that he was a rich kid, but, surprisingly, he goes along with the flow. I got to know his self having fun with his friends just as high schoolers do.

Watanabe: During the live, he met eyes with the parent and smiled widely. That Jun was cute.

Nagatsuka: It was my first time watching the image of him performing, so I was wondering what kind of expression he'd make. It was a real smile.

Nogami: I thought that Shiki was a character who was always excitable and bright, but in episode 7, there was a scene where I got to peek into his worries that it was because he loved HighXJoker. Thus, I felt a deeper sense of affection and understanding when faced with that.

Shirai: For me, I was moved by watching Haruna's part-time work scenes! He really works a lot. (laughs) At school, during his conversations with Hayato, I was glad that you could get a glimpse into how he acts like an older brother, or what you'd call his being the oldest.

Chiba: Haruna saying, "Go ahead, leader," gives off the feeling that he's always supporting Hayato.

Shirai: That's right!

Nogami: Like, "I'm leaving it to you."

Chiba: Yeah, yeah. You don't know if Haruna's saying something with thinking, or acting without thinking, though. Of course, since Hayato is aware of being the leader, telling the producer, "It's because I'm HighXJoker's leader," that kind of Hayato is being reliable, supporting the other four. Hayato understands it himself, so I thought seeing the five of them helping each other out was a very nice thing.

Nagatsuka: Speaking of Hayato, the scene where he was chosen to say to Jupiter, "Let's ask them to teach us!" made me feel a bit emo.

Nogami: ... This old man still doesn't know what emo means.

Shirai: Emotional?

Nagatsuka: It means that your heart is moved, or you're overwhelmed.

Nogami: I see. Then, talking from now on is going to be all emo. (laughs)

Everyone: (laughs)

-- Everyone talked about how their characters showed new charms. Are there any scenes that you like?

Nogami: Of course, it was episodes 7 and 10, where HighXJoker was the focus! It made me fired up. Rather, it made me emo. (laughs) Shiki usually acts brightly, but he's the only one of a different year. His feelings toward HighXJoker, and how he speaks of them from the viewpoint of an underclassman, are sure to make an impression.

Watanabe: It's about the bonds felt among the five of them, again. Even if Shiki is still a temporary member, he's always with them, giving the feeling that he's stuck close to them. HighXJoker really is good~!!

Shirai: Also, I was so happy to see how HighXJoker was formed, that introductory student live, drawn out!

Chiba: In the TV anime, there were those kinds of valuable scenes that showed the necessary things that the units had to make sure they kept, right? For me, it was episode 2. I was incredibly happy to see that they even made the [characters'] poses the same as that in the game's cards when they first took the promotional pictures.

Nagatsuka: On the music sheets that Jun was holding, the "Really nice song! Jun, you're a genius!!" that Hayato had written was so well reproduced. Also, it made me glad to see Jun playing piano animated in episode 7. Additionally, Jun and Natsuki didn't interact very much, but the scene in episode 10 where they were together made me glad, too.

Chiba: You could really see how much they trust each other!

Nagatsuka: Yes. For some reason, until that point, Jun was mostly getting involved with Shiki. (laughs)

Nogami: For the most part, when Shiki messes around, Jun's the one who scolds him in that kind of casual way. (laughs) If we're talking about rare match-ups, I liked Natsuki's and Haruna's personal interaction.

Shirai: It was the practice scene in episode 10, right?

Chiba: That part was really good! Voicing Hayato, it made me so happy to hear Natsuki's and Haruna's feelings of wanting to "Do it," from themselves!

The new band song that showcases being a high schooler

-- Please tell us your feelings about HighXJoker's song that was released in episode 10, "Sunset★Colors"

Watanabe: It was the first time that Shiki was the main, with the other four as the chorus. Since it had everyone singing up until now. It has a melody that's easy to sing, and the lyrics are easy to understand; you could feel that high schoolers had written it, but it's a different song from the other HighXJoker songs before it.

Shirai: A band with all they've got!

Nogami: Gives off the feeling that they're straightforward.

Chiba: We even got to see them playing the song. I really liked how I could feel Jun playing the keyboard's phrases note by note as it played. And Hayato's guitar solo was so serious and cool! He expressed a coolness that wasn't mature, but it was the coolness of a high schooler's youth. That guitar solo is still my favorite part out of all the songs up until now.

-- How was the recording?

Nogami: Everyone sang the full chorus during recording, right?

Nagatsuka: That's right. It was explained to us before recording, "Shiki is the main in this song, so the other four will be part of the chorus."

Chiba: But it's a song that all members of HighXJoker made together, so it was right for everyone to sing it together.

Nagatsuka: Didn't the key go up?

Nogami: Because I was the first to record...

Shirai: So it's your fault!!

Everyone: (laughs)

-- In episode 2, the idols took their promotional pictures. It may have brought to mind the times that you took your own when you entered your agencies. Are there any incidents involved with the taking of your promotional pictures?

Nogami: This... was a question meant for me.

Everyone: (laughs)

Nogami: There may be a lot of people who know already, but before I changed my picture to the current one, it was in a style of having a third of my hair cut to 3mm. (laughs)

Shirai: It was affiliated with the agency often, wasn't it?

Nogami: It really was. I thought having to stand out was important. When I think about it now, though, it was a huge mistake. Well. I was young too...

Chiba: That might have been the first time I've heard of it.

Nogami: For this picture, my manager told me, "Please make it something that won't have to change 10 years in the future," so I wore a black jacket and a white shirt!

Chiba: My picture was taken right after I'd graduated high school, so my features then and now are completely different. And the day I took my picture, I couldn't set my hair properly, and my face was puffed out... Also, my mouth was halfway open.

Shirai: (While looking at Chiba-san's promotional picture) Eh? Seriously?

Chiba: You're really staring at it while listening. (laughs)

Watanabe: My promotional picture was taken about 7 years ago, so...

Shirai: That was a long time ago.

Watanabe: I thought of changing it, so I took two sets of photos. I wore lame clothes in the first set, and I changed my hairstyle too. I changed my image when I took the second one, and my agency told me, "It's not Hiroshi-ish," and denied it. (laughs)

Chiba: What about Shirai-san? It looks pretty refreshed.

Shirai: Mine was taken 3 or 4 years ago. I did my hairstyle and all that myself, but I would've liked a makeup artist and stylist... So I wanted to change mine too. Naganyan's picture is really fresh.

Chiba: It's amazing how he looks so young!

Shirai: He IS young!

Nagatsuka: This was used when I auditioned for the agency, so the cameraman was looking for it on the internet. I just took that one picture without any incident, and it just happened that way. (laughs)

Chiba: We've gotten to understand the importance of promotional pictures since we're here now. In order to preserve the characters' images, we have to take care of our own images a lot.

Nogami: I understand~!

Chiba: Since the foremost thing that people we work with for the first time match up our faces to the pictures.

Shirai: Promotional pictures are important!

Chiba: Because of that, I thought it was nice for the Producer to allow them to think over how the idols wanted to retake it after they got the first try wrong.

Nogami: Episode 2 stabbed my heart.

Shirai: As a warning.

Nogami: Yes, as a warning. To the people reading this interview, please don't make my promotional picture your plaything. The only ones allowed to make it a plaything are my inner circle! (laughs)

-- (laughs). Then, finally please say something to the fans who have supported the work.

Shirai: Although the TV anime's ended, the 3rd live tour "THE IDOLM@STER SideM 3rdLIVE TOUR ~GLORIOUS ST@GE!~" will begin in February. Through the anime, I think we were able to deliver a new side to them, so being spurred on by that (laughs), I want to keep going ahead vigorously.

Nogami: In order to return my feelings to Shiki, to the members, to the staff, and all the Producer-chan, I'll keep working hard without forgetting a beginner's spirit!

Watanabe: For the 3rd live tour, we'll be performing in places we hadn't gone before, so I believe we'll be able to convey the charm of "IDOLM@STER SideM" to the entire country's producers even more. The reason why we work hard is for everyone's wonderful smiles!

Nagatsuka: Because the TV anime has ended, it feels as if this is the real battle from now on. I want to show the Producer-san the new side of Jun shown in the anime that I've taken in once again. Up until now, the only one singing his solo was Shiki-kun, but we've done our solos as well. It hasn't been decided how we'll announce our solos in the 3rd live tour, but I'll be happy if we could showcase them someplace.

Chiba: First, thank you very much for watching the TV anime until the end. Because 315 Production's bonds have definitely been shown, I feel that we'll have to head to the 3rd live tour as a new step forward as part of the cast too. I think everyone in the cast is thinking the same thing, so it'd be nice if we could get some good synergy from it. Please do take care of 315 Production from here on as well!