One thing that I have always loved is the symbolic meaning of Amu being able to transform with other people's shugo chara.
Because:
It shows that Amu is so empathetic that she understands that part of the original bearer's heart to the point she can transform with their shugo chara. Yes in the series, she only transforms with Utau's, however Peach Pit included these possibilities so I can't help but wonder if it could've been part of the series. I love it because it also reflects so much of Amu's character and her own struggle of being understood beyond her appearance. For example, Yoru is not just a cat, Yoru is Ikuto's dream of freedom. Kiseki is Tadase's dream of being able to protect other's like a good king. El is Utau's dream of moving others' hearts with her song. This shows how Amu is capable of digging deeper from others' impression and wishes someone is willing to do the same for her back (I will get back to this point).
Every time she transforms with someone else's Shugo Chara, it is a tamer version of the original bearer's. She looks so much more like the shugo chara rather than an impressive version of her + the shugo chara. Why? Because Black Lynx, Lunatic Charm, and Yamato Maihime feel like an amplified version of the original bearer. AND I LOVE THAT! It emphasizes that these shugo chara are truly who the characters want to be, thus is a amplified version of the bearers. From S to SSS, Gold to platinum, etc. Hence the idea that you are great, and have the potential to be excellent. AND that it is your own individual dream that will make you great because it's yours.
It's why Dark Jewel looks cool, but IS NOT Utau's best form. Yes, she looks amazing, but certain elements of her transformation feel corporate.
This goes back to Amu's own transformations. Because she has so many Shugo chara, yet they are not her SSS forms. I know a lot of people associate Amu with Amulet Heart for so many reasons. Some because it was her first Shugo Chara, some because she was commercialized more with the normal "pink" main magical girl. Or they may argue that Dia is her SSS form, which is understandable given the entire arc of her believing in herself. BUT when I look at Amu's form of cheerleader and idol, I don't see it as Amu following down those paths as an adult. Same with Su being a pastry chef or homemaker. Individually, I think Amulet Spade has always most aligned with Amu, hence why she transforms with Miki the least.
I think there is a bit of consensus that we all thought about how COOL Amu looked as Amulet Spade. Emphasizing a very unique style that we can see Amu wearing outside of her transformations. This also aligns really well with Amu and fashion as an expression of herself.
Even the original voice actress of Miki (Nanae Kato) believed that Miki was the most like Amu.
The reason why I say individually, is because we know that Amu's true SSS form is Amulet Fortune. With all parts of herself being loved and accepted by someone who looks past impressions as well.
Which is also her best form that brings out Amu's best features as well.
Liella! Magazine - CAST LONG INTERVIEW with Yuina as Wien Margarete, and her message to Margarete.
[This was part of Liella Magazine - Wien Margarete Edition]
The thing Margarete-chan and I have most in common is being big eaters, so in the Salzburger Nockerl shots, I think you'll see a lot of my natural expressions.
Tasting the Salzburger Nockerl that Margarete also made by hand!
āWe hear you got to eat the "Salzburger Nockerl" that Margarete also made in this shoot.
Yuina: Yes, it was super delicious! Actually, the restaurant where we shot, I'd been there before. When I passed the audition for "Love Live! Superstar!!", my agency took me there to celebrate. We were looking for a place tied to Margarete-chan, somewhere with Viennese food, and this restaurant came up. But back then, I had no idea what Salzburger Nockerl even was, so this was actually my first time eating it. It was so good, it blew me awayć! The aroma was like pancakes. It's a dessert made from meringue, and I had it fresh out of the oven, all fluffy, so I polished it off in no time.
Yuina: I really love the scene in the TV anime where the Salzburger Nockerl shows up. Around that time, Margarete-chan still hadn't quite found her place in Liella!, but in her exchanges with Aria-chan (Shibuya Aria), you get to see the real Margarete-chan. She couldn't talk easily with the Liella! members yet, but she was chatting normally with Aria-chan, probably precisely because there's no group or rivalry dynamic between them.
Yuina: Oh, and I also got to play with butterflies (laughs). Lately, in real life too, I feel like I've been getting chased by butterflies more often. Ever since meeting Margarete-chan, I've been buying more butterfly trinkets and accessories, but even around town, real butterflies come after me sometimes. And I've been spotting more black-and-blue butterflies, too, so maybe it's Margarete's power.
āMaybe you've got her aura on you now (laughs). You also did a shoot holding a violin, right?
Yuina: I'd never played or even touched a violin before, so I was super nervous. Instruments are delicate, so I kept thinking maybe there were parts I shouldn't touch, and I was completely stiff. But they taught me carefully, and I somehow made it through the shoot. Holding the bow was especially hard. You hold it in a "fox hand" shape, supporting it without applying force, but just holding it was something I couldn't do at all, and my fingers almost cramped (laughs).
Yuina: When I first picked it up, it felt lighter than I expected, but holding it for a while, my arm started hurting to the point I could feel muscle soreness coming on. People who play the violin are amazing! This is Margarete-chan's special skill. It's so cool, and it kind of made me want to try it too! Now I can clearly picture her doing it ever since she was little. She must have grown up in a wonderful family, always surrounded by music.
āOut of all of them, which is your favorite photo?
Yuina: The violin shot I struggled with is one, but I'd say it's the Salzburger Nockerl shot, because big-eater Margarete-chan's smile in TV anime Season 3 was so memorable. Meringue deflates quickly, so it was like "we have to shoot within a minute!" I was sitting at the table about four minutes early, running simulations in my head while I waited. But what showed up in front of me was even bigger and more delicious-looking than I'd imagined, so I was barely paying attention to the camera at that point (laughs). The thing Margarete-chan and I have most in common is being big eaters, so I think you'll see a lot of my natural expressions in there. Margarete-chan is always cool, but when food's in front of her, even when she's with the other members, she breaks into this really innocent smile. Please pay attention to that side of her!
āThere's a comic in this issue featuring Margarete as the main character, with a theme that you came up with, Yuina. Could you tell us why you went with this content?
Yuina: Margarete-chan has long hair, so I wanted to see her in lots of different hair arrangements. In the TV anime and on merchandise, she's basically always got long hair, so there aren't many hairstyle changes. I wanted to meet a Margarete-chan with new hairstyles, so I went with a hair change challenge. Plus, if they're drawing her hairstyles, her face will be drawn bigger too! I love all the different expressions Margarete-chan shows, like when she's angry, crying, or laughing, so I thought I could see those at the same time. I feel like we'll get to see a new Margarete-chan, so I can't wait for the finished version!
I never had the confidence to say "I'm absolutely number one," so being able to say that is really cool.
I just had to play this girl! The audition she went into with conviction
āLet's go back to the very beginning, when Margarete and you, Yuina, meet for the first time. Do you remember when you got the call that you'd passed the audition?
Yuina: I remember! I was home alone when I got the call with the result. The thing is, in moments like that, even though I'm super happy inside, I ended up swallowing the joy of being chosen and answering the phone calmly, going "yes, thank you so muchā¦" After I hung up, that's when it all really hit me. I wanted to tell someone how happy I was, but there was no one home, so I was just jumping around by myself. But the news hadn't been officially announced yet, so I was also trying to stay as calm as possible, going "calm down, calm downā¦!" (laughs).
āWhat was your first impression of Margarete?
Yuina: Honestly~ I was just like "wow, her visuals are amazingā¦" (laughs). When they first showed me an illustration with her lined up alongside the Liella! members, she caught my eye instantly. I was thinking "this girl is so cute," and then they told me "this is the role you're auditioning for." The moment I heard that, this feeling came welling up: "There's no way I'm not winning this role! I absolutely have to be the one to play her!" She's that much my type!! And then when I got the lines, I thought "oh, she really doesn't hold back" (laughs). But she had a cool look visually too, so my impression didn't really change. I felt like she gave off the kind of cool I felt the Love Live! series hadn't had before.
Yuina: The thing is, the line near the end of the audition was "fluffy pancakes are delicious!" They told me to "try doing it really cutely." I didn't even know how to project my voice as a voice actor yet, but I figured I'd just use my natural voice and try to make it cute, so I gave it a shot. So because I knew she had this side to her, I never thought from the start that she was cold inside or genuinely harsh at heart. I was sure she had a kind side, and that her sharp words came from how strong her feelings were. That's the mindset I approached her with in the beginning.
āAre there any ways you feel you and Margarete are alike?
Yuina: There are times when I think our ways of thinking might actually be pretty similar. Like, the core underneath is the same, but how it comes out on the surface is different. Somehow it feels like I'm looking at my past self. I had that "wanting to act cool, wanting to be the cool version of myself in front of others, wanting to seem dignified" feeling too. The part where I want to take things innocently, where I want to be honest about feelings like "I love this! This is fun!", but there's also a part that suppresses emotion precisely because I want to be a grown-up. I feel like that's something we share.
Yuina: Another similarity is hating to lose. I never want to lose at anything either, no matter what. Even at trivial little games. I feel like Margarete-chan and I are competing right now over which of us hates losing more (laughs). On the flip side, there's one place where we differ that I really envy her for: even when there's a result I refuse to accept, I can't say so out loud. I never had the confidence to say "I'm absolutely number one," so being able to say that is really cool. Saying "I won't accept it" is about more than just being unable to come to terms with the result. It comes from everything she's built up, everything she's done, and that lets her give herself credit for her own efforts. That's where those words come from. That kind of "I've done so much" confidence is something I never had myself, so I'm always thinking how enviable, how cool that is.
Yuina: Even in conversations with the other members, she can hold her own opinion and state it clearly, saying things like "I think we should do this" or "I don't think I should be the one to do this." I really respect that too. Her words being backed by effort gives her this strong center as a person, and that's really cool.
āDid you feel any pressure or hurdles in becoming a Love Live! voice actor, and in playing Margarete, who's also a rival standing in the protagonist's way?
Yuina: Of course, there was, but the "I want to pass" feeling was so much stronger. It was a "no time to mope, just practice!" kind of mood, and that's how I was working through the audition's set pieces. At the time, I also had stage performances going on, so I didn't have much time to spare, and I had to finish things in the gaps and late at night. Rather than worrying like "Will I be OK?" I was going at it with the spirit of "I just have to do this!"
Yuina: I'd touched on dance a little when I was younger, done some acting, sung in a band, nothing major in any of them, but I had at least dipped into each one. And I thought the Love Live! series was the place where you could do all of those at once. "What a dream-filled world this is. I absolutely want to do this, so for now, let me just hold on to that 'just gotta do it' mindset." That's what I kept in mind as I worked. If anything, the practice that came after I passed, when it was time to actually stand on stage, was harder.
āIn the beginning, you were performing solo, right?
Yuina: Once I was cast as Margarete, I started watching the Love Live! series more than ever. I also got to go see a live with the 1st gen members, and when I saw everyone there cheering for Liella!, I started feeling anxious, thinking "standing alone in front of this many people, what's going to happen to meā¦" Margarete-chan is a third-year middle schooler and a genius, while I'd only done dance as a hobby back in elementary school. In my lessons at the time, lots of things I couldn't do started showing up, and I couldn't dance with the full confidence I had during the audition. I got stuck in my own head. But after I shifted my thinking back to "just gotta do it," I just kept singing and dancing to "Butterfly Wing" and "Edelstein" over and over.
Yuina: I think Margarete-chan is also a "just gets on with it" kind of girl, so I figured it'd be faster to move my body and connect the singing and dancing than to overthink things. I went to the studio every day, did self-practice, and built up my confidence. I wanted to absorb how Margarete-chan builds confidence, so while borrowing that quality from her, I just kept practicing, believing that composure comes from however much you put in. Actually, I get so nervous that I start shaking the moment I begin dancing. At the time of TV anime Season 2, Margarete-chan as a character hadn't been deeply explored yet, so she was a mystery to everyone, and to me. So I tried to find hints about her in the song lyrics, and I think a big part of how I approached her was the time I spent reading "What kind of girl is she?" But when you look at the lyrics, it's actually pretty clear.
Yuina: Like in "Butterfly Wing," there's that line, "the more you have someone to fight, the more your heart is gently polished and starts to shine." Exactly! I really resonated with those lyrics. If I say "enemy," Kanon-chan will get mad at me (laughs), but having someone to face off against makes you stronger. I feel like through friendly competition, I can shine too. So there was a part that really linked up. When I stood on stage for my solo, I was alone, too. Compared to now, there was an overwhelming distance between the Liella! members and me, so I shared Margarete-chan's feelings. I couldn't really go to Liella! for advice, and the Liella! members each had their own feelings to work through about Margarete-chan, so I figured I absolutely had to handle this on my own. Back then, I really felt like I was "spending every day with Margarete-chan."
āIt's already been 3 years since you took on the Margarete role. Have you noticed any changes within yourself, Yuina, in things like your expression style?
Yuina: When I was doing it alone, I was desperate. I had inner conflicts like "how am I being seen?" and "I have to look dignified." But once we became 11, mistakes turned into collective responsibility, so maybe that kind of pressure has shifted now. With solo songs, the song itself has its own personality, and I think there's a color that naturally comes with it. Precisely because Liella!'s 11 members have such rich personalities, I really struggle with how to bring out Margarete-chan's good qualities.
Yuina: The songs suddenly got bright, so with songs like "Killer Kyunā," I really wonder, "how do I do this?!" (laughs). When I was thinking things like "I want to bring out a cool side that doesn't tilt too far into fun," in the beginning, I'd get lost in "which is the right answer? Which is best?" But now, on the contrary, I've come to think "whatever I do is the right answer!" I found what I wanted to do, and after thinking about how to present it, I realized that what comes out on stage is the right answer I can give right now.
Yuina: So I've started telling myself not to overthink things in the actual performance. On regular days, I think when it's time to think. On stage, I just go with what I feel. If I'm happy, I laugh; if I want to do something, I do it. That's how I'm doing it. Songs completely different from Margarete-chan's solo songs broaden the possibilities for me, and I love both so much I couldn't pick just one!
How self-conscious, easily nervous Yuina found her own confidence.
āDo you remember your first recording session for the TV anime?
Yuina: It was my first time doing a voice recording, and I was so nervous my throat went dry. Things weren't going the way I wanted, and I was just like "oh no!" When you act on stage, you memorize the script, but with voice recording, you act while holding the script, so it took time for my body to get used to putting emotion in while reading. I didn't have many lines either. At first, I was only saying "Shibuya Kanon!", so acting cold and showing no emotional ups and downs was hard too. I'm pretty much the type whose emotions just come out on my faceā¦ And on top of that, I simply had zero confidence in my acting, and I was just thinking, "What do I do?"
āWere there things about the acting that worried you?
Yuina: When I was a kid, the lessons I went to had this exercise where kids who raised their hand and got called on would go up to the front and speak. But I was the only one who couldn't raise my hand even once in that whole year. I'd always think "next time, I'll definitely raise it," but I just couldn't. That's how much, from the start, I was the kind of person who'd shut down in front of others. Since I'm the type who really minds what others think, I end up thinking about things I don't need to be thinking about, like "what if I do this and they think I'm weird?" So I got nervous during the recording, too. On top of that, all the 1st-gen members were there together for my first recording session. I can say this now, but at the time, I still hadn't really talked with them, so having them watching me quietly was scary, so scaryā¦!
Yuina: Looking back now, being quietly watched during a recording is just normal. But I was panicking, and since it was my first time, I had to redo things multiple times. I was making them wait, and I was so anxious I wanted to say, "Please put me last (crying)." I gradually got used to it, but I was nervous for a long time after. Starting with TV anime Season 3, my dialogue increased compared to Season 2, and I could put more emotion in, but I'd start overthinking again, like "I want to go all out, but Margarete-chan would be more held back than thatā¦" There were still plenty of moments where I was nervous. By the way, there's a behind-the-scenes story about thisā¦!
āPlease do tell us (laughs).
Yuina: Margarete-chan was often looking down at people from high places, like on top of stairs or on top of a slide. So I wore the tallest platform shoes I owned that didn't make sound when I walked, and I did the recording from a slightly higher spot than everyone else. In TV anime Season 2, I was wearing them the whole time! I figured I'd get into character through the look (laughs).
When I first joined Liella!, there was a time when I was off on this "journey to find the right answer." But now, on the contrary, I've come to think "whatever I do is the right answer!"
āSo you were building up the feeling from the look. We'd also like to ask about the (song) recording. How was it for you?
Yuina: Recording started with "Butterfly Wing"ā¦ but all I keep saying is "whoać I'm so nervous!", so right now I'm trying to find other words to use (laughs). But really, the nerves were intense. I had sung at the audition too, but performing a song that had been given to me for an audience was a first for me. And precisely because I have this love for Margarete-chan, I ended up thinking again, "what if they're thinking 'this isn't good enough'?" Since recording is the kind of thing where you build up the song with direction in the moment, I didn't really need to be overthinking before it even started. But back then, I might have been convinced that "everything gets decided in recording." My singing was going to lock in what Margarete-chan's voice sounded like, and it would become an audio recording many people would listen to, so I had to do it rightā¦
Yuina: But the lyrics resonated with me in so many ways, so getting my feelings into the song was never an issue. If anything, the emotional connection was the one thing I had completely internalized, so I just put those feelings straight into the song as they were. And since it's "Butterfly Wing," I could sing it like I was already flying. That first recording was just the beginning. These days, I've come to really enjoy recording. Through my time in Liella!, I realized that "fun" isn't something you can make happen by thinking about it. So I think if I just trust in everything I've built up so far and sing, the fun will come across. The emotions in a singing voice can only come from me, so I want to throw everything I'm feeling right now into the microphone with all my might, and let it reach everyone who's listening. That's why now, it feels so refreshing when I do it.
Margarete-chanā¦ do you love her? How much do you love her? I'm absolutely confident my love for Margarete is just as strong as any of yours!!
āWhat does Margarete feel like to you now, Yuina?
Yuina: It's like we're "back to back." There's a wish to be like that too, but instead of one pulling and the other being pulled, I want us to move forward together. Because we're "the same." It's not that we're competing, but there are parts of me that grow from watching Margarete-chan and resolving to push harder, so I want her to feel that way when she looks at me too. I want us to keep going like that, two rivals who hate to lose. In the beginning, I was often the one being pulled along, but now I want to think "we're together!"
āSo going forward, are there any challenges or ambitions you have as Margarete?
Yuina: Skydiving. I've been saying for ages that I want to fly through the sky. That's because I have to prove that "you can fly even without wings"ā¦! So I'd love to do the scene from the opening dance of "Butterfly Wing," the one where she leaps off a swing and lands, from up in the sky! I want to make my song echo across the big sky, and I want to feel the earth as Margarete (laughs).
Yuina: I'm also the type who wants to climb up whenever there's a high spot somewhere, so loving high places is another thing we have in common. Aside from that, I just want to fly during live performances too! At first, I was thinking, "how do they handle the entrance for 'Butterfly Wing'? Should I practice front-flips?" By the way, I figured back-flips might be a lower hurdle than front-flips, so I actually went to a back-flip class twice. With a spotter, I can actually do one now. I really do want to fly during a live performance. Talking about it now is making me really want to do it!
āWe'd love to see that someday. Is there anything you'd like to do as Liella!?
Yuina: What I've been talking about for a long time is a school festival. Everyone putting on performances together, having exhibits for each member, setting up booths showcasing each person's special skills. For Margarete-chan, it'd be sweet-making. We've got Yuigao too, and we could sing in the gym, do unit performancesā¦ I think it would absolutely be a blast! My high school festival actually got cancelled by typhoons twice, so I really have this feeling of wanting to do one again.
āAnd finally, could you give a message to everyone who's been supporting Margarete?
Yuina: Everyone, thank you so much for reading this far!
Margarete-chanā¦ do you love her? How much do you love her? I'm absolutely confident my love for Margarete is just as strong as any of yours!! Because all of you are supporting Margarete-chan, I'm able to think deeply about things like "what kind of Margarete-chan I want to see, how I want to express her." Truly, every day I feel that it's all thanks to you. When you all say things like "I love Margarete-chan" or "I'm so happy to see her having fun!", it's something I couldn't have imagined back in the early days. So it makes me so happy I could actually cry.
Yuina: I watch her thinking I want her to be even happier, and I want people to know more of the kind sides of her that still aren't widely known, and the cute, bashful sides too. I want to keep giving everything I have so I can help with that going forward. Thank you so much, always! Please keep showering Margarete-chan with lots of love from here on too! I'm sure you all know this already, but even though Margarete-chan plays it cool, I think she's actually getting all shy and happy about it~!
To Margarete-chan,
Meeting you, Margarete-chan, turned my life around a full 180.
Every day being this fun, and me smiling so much more, it's all thanks to you, Margarete-chan.
Your angry faces, your cute faces, even when you're being selfish, you're so precious I just want to hug you tight!!
Ugh, I just love every bit of you!!
Sorry for loving you too muchā¦ (laughs). But this is the only time I really get to tell you properly.
Thank you so much, always.
Whatever walls we face, let's climb over them and make your dream come true together, Margarete-chan!
Let's keep going from here too!!
Liella! Magazine - CAST LONG INTERVIEW with Emori Aya as Onitsuka Natsumi, and her message to Natsumi.
[This was part of Liella Magazine - Onitsuka Natsumi Edition]
"I wanted you to see the natural Natsumi, the side she only shows to people close to her, not the "OniNatsu" Onitsuka Natsumi we usually see."
Trying out the LTuber life! Watch for those "Oni Natsu" expressions too
āThis gravure has so many different settings, indoor and outdoor, and it's packed with shots that feel so Natsumi!
Emorin: We shot in two setups, a Western-style room and a Japanese-style room based on Natsumi's family home! When I heard a Natsumi book was coming out, I told them right away that we absolutely had to include scenes of her doing video streams. I wanted to see her relaxing somewhere that felt like home, but I also wanted to see her in a *yume-kawaii kind of setting, and I couldn't pickā¦! While I was going back and forth, it just kept piling up (laughs).
T/N: yume-kawaii (夢ćććć, "dream cute"): a Japanese aesthetic featuring pastel palettes, soft dreamy atmospheres, and whimsical/fairy-tale motifs. Often used to describe fashion, illustrations, or photo settings with that hazy, magical quality.
Emorin: In the Western-style room, the setup was her actually rolling cameras and recording video as an LTuber. There are shots of her making her favorite smoothie, and her working on thumbnail edits too. I've never done video editing myself, but it was so much fun getting a real feel for what Natsumi actually does! And the park shots weren't even in the original plan, but the staff hunted down a spot for us, so at the last minute we got to shoot at a park with the giraffe playground equipment Natsumi loves. You can really picture her playing outside without a care, so I think they turned out to be great shots!
āThere's also a comic featured in the magazine with Natsumi as the lead. We hear you suggested the content yourself.
Emorin: Since this is a book that people who love Natsumi are buying, I wanted them to see the natural Natsumi, the side she only shows to people close to her, not the "Oni Natsu" Onitsuka Natsumi we usually see. I requested something like child Natsumi, the original Natsumi without "desu no" tagged onto the end of her sentences. I also wanted to see the 2nd years having a pajama party, so the comic ended up packed with everything I could've asked for!
āSo the pajama party was your idea too!
Emorin: Matching pajamas, eating snacks, watching movies, playing gamesā¦ I saw social media posts of girls all having a lively party like that and went, "So cute! I want to see this with the 2nd years!"ā¦! There've been pictures of them in loose loungewear-ish clothes, but I hadn't really seen them in actual pajamas, so I'm so happy! I almost want to go there myself and take the photos! I also love the part at the end where Tomari-chan is smiling in the room saying, "I'm glad."
Emorin: I think the Natsumi we see in this scene is the side she normally shows around Tomari-chan. So having Tomari watch her big sister letting her real self show in front of her friends, and feeling "I'm glad" about it, that part really makes me happy. On top of the 2nd years' bond, the sisters' relationship comes through really clearly. I think it turned out to be a lovely piece.
Turning frustration into fuel for the 2nd gen audition
āThis time, we'd love to go all the way back to when you first met Natsumi. To start, how does it feel looking back on your work up to now?
Emorin: It's went by too fast! There've been so many experiences and just getting to have days this fulfilling is itself something I feel really lucky about. The "Love Live! Superstar!!" project was announced at "LoveLive! Series 9th Anniversary Love Live! Fes," and at the time, I was a 1st year in high school. I'd already been a Love Live! series fan, and it seems my manager at the time remembered that. So I got to audition for the 1st gen.
Emorin: Back then, I was full of hope, like, "This looks fun! I want to do it!" Pure feelings, nothing like frustration. It was all positive emotions, but everything changed in a big way when I failed the 1st gen audition. The flip side of loving it that much was that the frustration hit me really hard, and I ended up all pouty, like, 'Love Live!? I don't even know what that is anymore!' (laughs).
Emorin: But the 1st gen cast announcement and all that news kept showing up on social media. I'd see it, but the frustration still wouldn't liftā¦ What turned my feelings around was when I saw the video of "Hajimari wa Kimi no Sora" being performed at the debut single release event. Even though I didn't want to see it back then, every time a new video went up, it'd show up in my recommendations! (laughs) Even though the frustration had me staying away from watching the Love Live! series, my love for it had never really gone, so I caught myself watching anyway. And I just honestly thought, "There's no way I would've been picked," and accepted it. The 1st gen's performance really was lovely, sparkling.
Emorin: From there on, I was watching the TV anime in real time as a fan, buying merch, all of it. While I was cheering them on like that, the 2nd gen audition came up, and I thought, if I'm getting another shot, this time I don't want to feel that frustrated again! So I auditioned. But there was quite a gap after I submitted the paperwork, so I'd convinced myself I'd failed.
Emorin: I was a 3rd year in high school then, with my career path and entrance exam prep on my mind, so I figured if my application didn't get through, I'd give up on entertainment work, and I was already moving toward leaving my agency. But the day after I had that conversation, my manager got in touch and said, "You actually passed the document screeningā¦ are you really going to quit the agencyā¦?" (laughs). Timing-wise it was right down to the wire, but I talked to my mom about it, and she pushed me forward, saying, "You won't know whether you'll pass or fail unless you try, and so you don't end up leaving the entertainment world with regrets, go in carrying the mindset that this is the last one." So I told myself, alright, no regrets!
But I'd been thinking Natsumi was the only role I could play without forcing it. That Natsumi was the only one I could do.
āTiming-wise, were you doing this alongside your exam prep?
Emorin: Since I'd be going to university if I failed, I was studying too. I'd be at cram school until 10 PM, then go home and practice dance and lines until around 12:30 AM, sending my manager videos of me dancing and acting so they could point out what I needed to fix. I'm not usually the type to ask for advice on my own, so back then I was really desperate.
Emorin: From there, I made it through to the final round, but actually, the role I was first assigned in the final audition was Kinako. And (Suzuhara) Nozomi was assigned the role of Natsumi. But I'd been thinking Natsumi was the only role I could play without forcing it. That Natsumi was the only one I could do. So I was surprised, like, "Wait, Kinako-chan!?" but partway through, they told me, "Please switch roles with Suzuhara," and the audition went on from there, which is how it got finalized.
Emorin: Maybe that's what made all four roles (of 2nd gen) fit just right. I can't forget that "Yes!" feeling I had when they said "Please play Natsumi," and when I actually played her it just clicked, so I thought maybe my instincts hadn't been wrong after all.
āAs you started your activities, did you have any anxieties?
Emorin: The moment I heard I'd passed, I was overjoyed, but as the day of the member and cast announcement actually got closer, the nerves started setting in. Before the announcement, all of us 2nd gens, plus Yuina, got to go see the 2nd Live. We were watching from the audience, and seeing the unity between the five Liella! members and everyone in the venue, I thought, "Isn't the responsibility of joining this group going to be unbelievably huge?"
āEven now, there are still plenty of moments when you feel the 2nd gen bond, right?
Emorin: When we sing as just the 2nd gens at lives, it brings me back to when the four of us were practicing together before the cast announcement. Our 2nd-gen-only songs are "Blooming Dance! Dance!" and "Summer Escape!!," and the moments when we get to perform as just the four of us really feel precious, and even more fun. There've barely been any chances to do something as just the four of us in our activities so far, so even though it's only brief moments at lives, getting to do something with these specific members is so much fun!
From mirror image/two sides of the same coin, to older-sister figure
āNext, let's talk about voice recording. I believe the first thing you did was record the self-introduction videos. Can you remember what that was like?
Emorin: Oh wow, I remember! I went in thinking, "I'll do my acting like this," and they told me, "More punchable! Like, give us a voice that makes you want to punch the person," and I was so confused, like, "Hold on, what?" (laughs). Looking back now, maybe that direction was about her "Oni Natsu" persona. As a video streamer, you need some kind of hook for people to remember you, right? I think now they wanted me to bring out that side of her, but at the time I had no acting experience at all, so I was just thinking, "What do I doā¦"
Emorin: But surprising even to myself, when I actually tried doing it the way they directed, it just clicked somehow. Listening to my acting from back then now, it's pretty rough, but there are traces of my current performance scattered through it here and there, and I guess that's maybe why even I could feel convinced by it. After that, through the TV anime Season 2 and the live interlude video recordings, I gradually built up Natsumi.
Emorin: (Ookuma) Wakana and (Yabushima) Akane both came from voice acting training schools, so I learned things like how to hold the script and how to stand in front of the mic just by watching the two of them. Since it was during COVID, the members we could record with at the same time were limited, so at the start, I was honestly took every single thing I could learn from those two. I didn't want to be the one dragging down the quality of the work, so I remember just trying desperately to absorb everything.
āWith all that going on, what was your impression of Natsumi? And were there any changes in your feelings as you continued playing her?
Emorin: The very first line I saw was "Oni Natsu!," so my first impression was that she's the catchphrase-type character. Personality-wise, she's pure-hearted, bright, and a fresh kind of girl, and I was struck by how straightforward she is about the things she wants to do. Once I got into the TV anime recordings, her inner conflicts gradually started coming into view, but surprisingly, in the Season 2 stage, what specifically she'd struggled with wasn't actually depicted. Because something had happened in her past, lines like "If you're going to give up on your dreams, then please don't talk about them" would come out.
Emorin: But she'd overcome that in her own way, and the impression I had was that she'd often show this bright side of herself. Then came TV anime Season 3, and her younger sister Tomari-chan appeared. As my interpretation of Natsumi deepened, there were times my own feelings couldn't quite keep up. At the Season 2 stage, I didn't know she had a younger sister, so I'd been building her with a younger-sister-type personality. But sometimes you get a younger sister who's the responsible one, with that role-reversal happening between siblings, so I figured maybe it'd be like that, and that they'd get along well, but when I opened the script I was shocked, like, "Wait?! These two don't reconcile until episode 8?!"
Emorin: Saku-chan (Sakakura Sakura) and I would talk about what we should do. Since Natsumi was now being depicted from the perspective of being an older sister, she was more grounded than in Season 2, and I felt this strong anxiety of being left behind by her. In Season 3, Natsumi's past gets revealed, but just being able to find something you want to do in this day and age is itself amazing, right? In Season 2, Natsumi was thinking, "Since I can't find what I want to do, I'll just study, get my qualifications, and have a stable income," and that overlapped with my own thinking. But in Season 3, there's a scene where she actually has so many things she seriously wants to aim for that she could fill an entire dream notebook.
Emorin: I thought it was so cool watching her stand back up over and over, and I think it's amazing that she made it this far without becoming self-destructive after going through those setbacks. I realized, maybe this girl is actually really mature on the inside, and from there my way of seeing her shifted into something closer to respect. In episode 9, Margarete-chan points things out to her, and she actually listens to her own shortcomings. She properly acknowledges the abilities of someone younger and her junior, and works to improve her own performance because of it. Watching that, I came to think Natsumi is the kind of presence who clears the path ahead of me. She makes me feel like I have to do more myself. In a way, I now think of her as something like an older sister.
Listening to my acting from back then now, it's pretty rough, but there are traces of my current performance scattered through it here and there, and I guess that's maybe why even I could feel convinced by it.
āSo between Season 2 and Season 3 of the TV anime, your relationship with her changed quite a lot.
Emorin: Up until now, Natsumi and I felt like similar beings, almost two sides of the same coin, but during the 6th Live Tour, the stronger feeling was wanting to somehow catch up with her standing in front of me, and to portray her as fully as I could through my own ability.
Emorin: If I hadn't passed the audition, I think I would've taken university entrance exams, gotten qualifications, and worked a normal job. That probably would've been a happy life too, but it would've still been different from what I really wanted to do. That's why I'm so truly grateful that I got to meet Natsumi. I wouldn't have been able to spend such exciting days like these and getting to meet so many people who say they love both Natsumi and Emori, I really feel blessed. I'm so glad I took on the 2nd gen audition back then, betting my life on it as my last shot!
āAlong with the relationship change, how did your singing and performances change?
Emorin: Natsumi's voice tone is quite a bit higher than my natural voice, so at first, singing as Natsumi was pretty hard. At my first recording, I hadn't really established my Natsumi voice yet. Honestly, I only really got hold of it in the last six months or so. Up until recently, it was a cycle of moving forward then back, overthinking and ending up unable to sing because of it, so it was around the 6th Live Tour that I finally got a real feel for it. The trigger was definitely my deeper understanding of Natsumi through TV anime Season 3, I think. And Saku-chan's presence is also a huge factor.
Emorin: Saku-chan herself says, "I have to make sure I don't hold everyone back," but her performances are so amazing I think she's way more on top of it than I am! Both as her senior and as her older-sister figure, I can't fall behind. Tomari-chan is such a capable character, so I think Saku-chan is being fired up by her, and watching Saku-chan and Tomari, plus Natsumi running on ahead of me, makes me think, "I'd better step up!" (laughs). That became the trigger for me to reconsider my own performance. I want to catch up to the senpais too, but once I actually had younger sisters and kouhais, I realized, "Oh, so this is what being sandwiched from above and below feels like! I'd better step up."
āYour first performance in front of an audience was at the "WE WILL!!" release event, right?
Emorin: Of course there was anxiety about the fans' reactions, but back then, more than that, getting to be involved in the Love Live! series I loved, being able to dance carrying the character on my back, seeing this many people waving their blades for us, all of it together was so happy and so fun. I was completely filled with this feeling of "right now, in this moment, is fun!" I actually used to be less nervous back then.
Watching the 3rd gens, they're struggling with the same walls I was hitting a year ago. So in the same way, I wonder if I'll end up running into the kind of anxieties the 1st gens have now.
āReally! When were you most nervous recently?
Emorin: ā¦All of it! (laughs)
After all the different experiences, I can look at my performances objectively now, and it's stopped being purely just fun (wry laugh).
It's the kind of feeling that only comes with accumulating years. Even watching old livestreams and lives, it's only been three years and I'm already thinking, "Emori Aya, what a fearless one you were!"
Emorin: These days I sometimes overthink and my expressions stiffen up, so finding the right balance with having fun is also something I'm working on. But there's still so much ahead, right! There are probably walls I haven't even hit yet. Watching the 3rd gens, they're struggling with the same walls I was hitting a year ago. So in the same way, I wonder if I'll end up running into the kind of anxieties the 1st gens have now. I noticed that recently, and now I've started being able to go to the 1st gens for advice. Having members with different lengths of experience means there's a lot we can consult each other about, so I feel really grateful for that.
I want to keep going as the 11 of us for as long as possible. There are views only Liella! lets me see and experiences only Liella! lets me have, and the chance to meet everyone who cheers for us. I want to cherish each and every one of those things.
Solo concerts, sister livesā¦ what's the heartfelt wish bigger than any dream?
āSpeaking of the Onitsuka sisters, you were appointed as Ushiku PR Ambassadors for Ushiku City in Ibaraki Prefecture, a first for the Love Live! series.
Emorin: When I heard, "You're becoming Ushiku PR Ambassadors," I was so surprised, like, "Huh, not Liella!, just the sisters?!" It's not the setting of the work, it's a member's hometown, so it's different from Aqours, you know? And on top of that, they really love us. I was amazed by everyone's open heartedness, in a way no word like 'grateful' could capture. I've gotten to visit Ushiku many times since then, and everyone there is so kind and warm. I was moved, thinking, "Natsumi and her sister grew up in such a wonderful cityā¦"
Emorin: Something Saku-chan and I often talk about is wanting to release a sister song between the two of us, as Ushiku PR Ambassadors! And if that ever comes true, I'd be greedy and ask for even more, we'd want to do a live just the two of us in Ushiku. They hold events like summer festivals, so we want to go as often as we can, just the two of us, and help liven things up! It's such a wonderful place, I really love it.
āI think that's a wonderful dream! Are there other dreams you'd like to try with Natsumi?
Emorin: I've talked about a lot of things, but at the end of the day, the moments I get to stand on stage with Natsumi are what I love most. So, dreaming big, how about a solo concert?! I want to see solo concerts for all 11 of us! And someday, I'd love to try creating a solo song together with everyone who supports us. I think the cast are the biggest fans of their characters, so it'd be fun to also bring in ideas from all of you who watch over us every day, and create the song together. It'd be amazing if we could create the song's atmosphere, the costumes, and the lyrics all together!
āThen, are there things you'd like to take on or dream about as Liella!?
Emorin: Live tour through the hometowns of both the characters and the cast! And for an even bigger dream, I want to keep going as the 11 of us for as long as possible. There are views only Liella! lets me see and experiences only Liella! lets me have, and the chance to meet everyone who cheers for us. I want to cherish each and every one of those things. After live tours wrap up, there are members I don't get to see for a while. And when all 11 of us finally get together again after a long time, we always end up saying how lonely the time apart was.
Emorin: Liella! is a treasure of my life, a presence so big nothing else could ever replace it. So I just hope we can stay as the 11 of us for as long as possible. It's a dream, or rather, a wish.
āLastly, please give a message to everyone who supports you!
Emorin: Thank you so much for supporting Liella!. Going forward in our activities, I think there'll be plenty of things you'll feel positive about, and plenty you'll feel negative about. But I want to work hard so that all of it becomes something you can look back on as good memories! And to everyone supporting Natsumi, thank you so much for finding her! Because you send words like "I love this side of Natsumi," or "she's cute," or "that was great!," I can think, "Okay, next time I'll show you this side of Natsumi!"
Emorin: A girl who'd been working alone, head-down, with everything she had, getting to meet Liella! and getting to meet all of you, I think that's become a treasure of her life for Natsumi too. The girl who used to sing "eyećć”ććć ć" was able to realize "ćć£ćØć¢ć¤ććć¦ććć®" (you've been giving me ai/love this whole time), and that's thanks to all of you. I'd be so happy if you keep delivering lots of love to Natsumi from here on out too!
ToĀ Natsumi,
This is our 4th year since we met and started walking together.
There've been all kinds of things along the way, but every day I spend with you, Natsumi, has been nothing but happy memories.
If I hadn't met you, Natsumi, I wouldn't be here, and I don't think my days would have been this fulfilling.
From here on, forever and ever, let's keep walking together, the two of us hand in hand, laughing, and even if there are times we cry, let's keep walking, okay?
The greatest treasure of my life is being found by you, Natsumi.
With a major live performance coming up this summer, Love Live! Superstar!!ās Liella! reaches a big milestone. As the broadcast of Season 3 and its live tour approach their climax, and with the release of their 3rd album Aspire, we asked four members about their current feelings:
1st-gen members Payton Naomi (Heanna Sumire), Aoyama Nagisa (Hazuki Ren), and 2nd-gen members Yabushima Akane (Yoneme Mei), Ookuma Wakana (Wakana Shiki).
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The 6th Tour That Recreated the Anime
āLove Live! Superstar!! Liella! 6th LoveLive! Tour ~ Let's be ONE was a live tour based on the story of the TV anime Season 3.
Yabushima: It was so much fun. The 3rd live tour (2022ā23), where we 2nd years carried Season 2 for the first time, was fun too. But back then, it was actually more anxiety and fear since it was our first time performing while carrying an anime season. This time, though, the feeling of "itās fun!" came first, and I think that was a big change for me.
Season 3 depicted the four 2nd years becoming seniors, and also showed the growth of my character, Mei Yoneme, as well as Liella! as a whole. So, I really wanted to show an even more grown-up version of us through the live performances, and I feel like we were able to deliver that.
Aoyama: In the lives that are tied to the anime, we dance on stage while syncing with the movements of the characters dancing on the screen. But we only get to see that full production footage during the actual shows. So after watching the footage from Day 1, we'd go into Day 2 thinking, āHey, we can improve this part!ā and we'd start getting ambitious.
This tour had a lot of those "Letās do even better!" moments coming naturally from us as cast members. Like Yabu mentioned, during the 3rd live tour, many of the 2nd years were still having emotional struggles during the MC segments. But this time, we were able to shift into a much more positive mindset, wanting to make things even better. That was a great change, and thanks to that, the opening show and the finale ended up feeling like completely different lives. Each time, there was a strong sense of achievement and a satisfying kind of exhaustion after every performance.
Ookuma: Even after carrying Season 2 for the 3rd live tour, we had other big lives, but this time, we were fully carrying the anime again for the first time in a while. And with so many songs being performed for the first time, I felt a real sense of responsibility to bring out the charm of my assigned character.
That said, even during the Tokyo opening show, I still felt like we hadnāt quite perfected it yetā¦ But as we toured, we started discovering aspects of the characters' growth from the anime that we ourselves hadnāt fully realized before. We kept incorporating those discoveries, and I think thatās how the tour gradually came together and reached completion.
Payton: For some of the members, this was their first time doing a live while carrying the anime. As a 1st year, I was watching the 2nd and 3rd years thinking, āWow, theyāve grown so much.ā
Since weāve been active as Liella! for a long time now, we 1st years have seen the 2nd and 3rd years go through moments where they were down or unsure of themselves. Seeing them happily singing on stage during the 6th live tour made me feel so proud.
Everyoneās grown stronger emotionally too. I feel like I was sharing the same feelings as Sumire Heanna, the character I play. But at the same time, everyone looked so cool that I also felt like, "I canāt let myself lose just because Iām a 1st year senior!" (laughs)
āWhat was the highlight of the live?
Aoyama: I think it has to be during the chorus of Dazzling Game, when we quickly changed into matching purple costumes right on stage.
āIn the Season 3 anime, Liella! was split into two groups, but in this songās chorus, thereās that moment where you take off the top layer of your outfits and all 11 members are suddenly in matching costumes. You completely recreated that moment live, which was amazing.
Payton: Even during rehearsals, none of us knew how it would actually turn out. We were worried whether we could really pull it off cleanly in one go. But when we tried it for real, we nailed it on the first try! In that moment, I felt like, āWeāve totally got this!ā
Yabushima: And since we performed it on the center stage, no matter where you were watching from, or how many times you saw it, I think there were always new little things to notice. I feel like this was a song where everyone could enjoy it in many different ways.
āAnd during the tour, your 3rd album Aspire was also released.
Aoyama: Overall, I feel like it leaned more towards J-POP, or rather, it went in a very different direction from what people who donāt know school idols or Liella! might typically imagine.
āThat might be best represented by the title track Aspire, which is an all-member song with rap parts and an overall really cool vibe.
Payton: It was way cooler than I ever imagined. I was like, āIs this really a Liella! song?!ā (laughs)
Thereās also a lot of English lyrics, and singing them in a cool way is really important, so I practiced a lot while listening to the recording.
Ookuma: For Shikiās character, I was wondering how I should sing this song. I tried to push right up to the edge of what would work for Shikiās character. Shikiās singing style usually has this hazy, airy, delicate feel to it, but if I sang like that, the power of this song would completely overwhelm the voice. That part was really difficult.
And because of the songās vibe, I was thinking, āWeāre definitely gonna be dancing to this!ā so I was mentally prepared for that too (laughs).
Aoyama: I also couldnāt really imagine Ren singing this song at first. So, I started by singing it as Nagisa Aoyama, and then gradually adapted parts of that into Renās style. Since I had worked out the singing style at home pretty thoroughly before recording, the actual recording session went by pretty quickly.
Yabushima: A lot of Liella!ās songs tend to have lyrics that show inner struggles, worries, or emotional shifts. But this song starts right off with a declaration like āThere are no limitsā, and has a lot of these strong, definitive lines. I felt like it really wanted to push out a strong, confident emotion. That actually made it easier for me to sing as Mei, lines like āLetās go from here together!ā totally feel like something Mei would say, so it was easy to put myself into it emotionally.
āNext, letās talk about the solo songs. Mei Yonemeās āSky Linkerā is a rock tune that really brings out Meiās strength.
Yabushima: A lot of Meiās songs have lyrics filled with kindness towards others. While singing, I found myself thinking, āI want to become someone like Mei, who can offer kindness to everyone without discrimination.ā
Also, I really love the lyrics in the second verse: āWhatās wrong with being weak? If you want to cry, then cry and scream it out.ā
Thereās a kind of strength in being able to accept weakness and say, āItās okay to be like that.ā I wanted to deliver that feeling to the hearts of the people listening.
Aoyama: I also love how the ticking sound of a clock is included in the song. Time represents change, so I felt like itās expressing that even if youāre weak right now, itās okay, but thereās still a desire to move forward and do your best.
āHeanna Sumireās āJust woo!!ā feels like a song where you can imagine her walking around Shibuya at night.
Payton: When I saw these lyrics, I was deeply moved from the bottom of my heart. Because in Season 1 of the anime, Sumire had no self-confidence and was even about to give up on her dream of becoming center. And now, she can sing lines like āRight now, Iām crazy about myself!ā Also, in the second verse, she sings āThe tiara shining on my chest.ā That tiara, which appeared in Season 1 and 2, didnāt show up in Season 3. But I imagine that sheās still treasuring the tiara she received back when she was a first year, and now it shines on her chest. It made me feel like: that moment of success back then continues to shine even after she graduates.
Yabushima: Itās very much a "Sumire-chan" kind of song, one that only Sumire could sing. Since I also watched Sumire back in Season 1, imagining her now, confidently singing this song, made me feel really emotional.
āWakana Shikiās āLiLiAā is a ballad, and your vocals were wonderful.
Ookuma: I sang it almost like I was speaking. Up until now, most of my songs were about Mei, so maybe this one felt a little distanced from that (laughs). I think the lyrics reflect Shikiās growth in Season 3 as well. Lines like āI stand in the lightā really carried Shikiās resolve that developed through the anime, and I sang them with that in mind.
There had been a lot of cool, high-energy solo songs up to this point, but I was hoping for a song that could make use of Shikiās voice, so I was really happy to be able to sing something like this.
Also, I thought this song would pair really well with barefoot contemporary dance.
Payton: That would totally suit it!
If Wakana could incorporate the contemporary dance skills sheās been practicing, I think Iād be so captivated watching that I might not even be able to wave my penlight. Itās that kind of immersive song.
āHazuki Renās āMusubihaā has a pop tune, but the lyrics are quite moving.
Aoyama: In Renās first-year solo song āReverbā, there was a line that felt like she was asking herself, āHave I grown a little stronger than back then?ā But in this song, she sings āThese days, Iāve overcome it a bitā. I think sheās telling her mother that the things she used to worry about back then have disappeared after meeting everyone in Liella!, and that she doesnāt need to worry anymore. Since her mother probably worried about Ren right up until she passed away, I feel like Ren is trying not to make her worry anymore, even choosing not to use any negative words.
Ookuma: You can picture Ren writing a letter to her mom. I feel like sheād be so happy if she could share how sheās doing now, but at the same time, thereās a kind of bittersweet sadness that she canāt do that anymore. The fact that the song is upbeat and sheās singing it so cheerfully only makes it feel even more bittersweet in a way.
āAll 11 solo songs were wonderful, so we hope everyone takes time to listen carefully.
Aoyama:
Especially since this was Onitsuka Tomariās very first solo song, Sakura (Sakakura Sakura) was so happy about it (laughs).
To the Next Dream
āThe terrestrial variety program Liella! no Chuutoriera!! (Liella! no TUTOLiella!!) was also broadcasted.
Yabushima: The response was even stronger (in a positive and successful way) than I imagined, and I was really happy about that. During filming, I kept wondering, "How is this even going to be broadcastā¦?" I didnāt really know what I was doing, but I think I just threw myself into it with everything I had. I was also happy to hear many people saying they want it to continue.
Payton: If it continued, it would be a big deal (laughs). I didnāt expect them to use my funny faces eitherā¦
Aoyama: For me, I enjoyed how freely Yabu was able to let loose.
We, the cast, have seen that side of her backstage, but she hadnāt really shown it in public before. Even when everyone was fooling around (on camera), she would often stay back and just watch from the side. I was glad that she could show a side that fans hadnāt seen before, and I hope sheāll show more of that (laughs).
Ookuma: I was totally drained, both physically and mentally (laughs).
Also, I was really impressed by how amazing comedians are.
The MCs, Time Machine 3-gou (San-gou), mentioned that they had another gig after the recording, and I thought: just how much stamina and mental agility do they have!?
āAnd on July 5th and 6th, Love Live! Superstar!! Liella! no Chuutorieraibu!! (Liella! no ChuutoLiellaLive!!) will be held at LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY.
Payton:
I thought it would be fun if we could bring the atmosphere of that show directly onto the stage. Since the show was about learning variety skills, I imagine there might be segments like that as well.
Ookuma:
There probably will be (laughs).
āFinally, on July 26ā27 at Osaka-jo Hall, and August 9ā10 at Ariake Arena, the Love Live! Superstar!! Liella! First Generation LoveLive! ~Wonderful Starlines~ featuring the 5 members of the 1st generation, will be held
Aoyama: Itāll be a revival live that re-constructs both the 1st live tour and the 2nd live. Weāve been preparing while discussing which parts from the two shows we want to highlight, so please look forward to it. I also re-watched some footage from back then, and it brought back so many fun memories, like, āOh yeah, we had this kind of staging too!ā I really want to bring back that atmosphere, and since itās also a chance for people who didnāt know Liella! back then to see us, I hope we can put together a ābest-ofā kind of show.
Payton: The Love Live! Superstar!! project is now in its 5th year since it started, and I feel like weāve been fortunate to continue for quite a long time as cast members. Compared to when we started with the 1st live, I can really feel how much weāve grown. Back then, we were just running full speed through that first live tour, 10 cities, 20 performances. But I believe we can surpass who we were at that time. Still, while cherishing the feelings we had back then, we want to give our very best performance in front of everyone. Weāll do our best!
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