Interviewer: Today I'd like to hear about "the current Kyonosuke" in this online interview. Solo interviews are pretty rare for you, aren't they?
Kyonosuke: I can't talk much when it's a group interview. I'm not good at it (laughs).
Interviewer: You never make eye contact either (laughs).
Kyonosuke: Right, I’d be grateful if we didn’t touch on that (laughs). One-on-one is totally fine though.
Interviewer: That’s a relief. The visuals from this shoot are intense. It really left an impression.
Kyonosuke: It might feel like something new. I'm always thinking about makeup. But if I put on cute makeup and people say, 'You're cute,' or wear a cool outfit and people say, 'You look cool'—that's just normal, isn't it?
Interviewer: Normal seems like the word most distant from you.
Kyonosuke: The appeal I believe visual kei has, the things I want to express, are not about being ‘normal.’ That’s why, even with this shoot, I didn’t go for flattering makeup — I wanted to evoke a sense of ‘cuteness’ or ‘beauty’ even while being covered in mud. The theme is: ‘There is unseen beauty.’
Interviewer: It’s fascinating how you can still feel ‘cute’ or ‘beautiful’ even when it’s not visually obvious at first glance.
Kyonosuke: I think combining opposites like that and surprising people is one of my strengths. At this point, I feel like no matter what I do, my fans will follow me. So I want to keep expressing the beauty and sense of aesthetics that I believe in, and show people things they haven't experienced yet.
Interviewer: Your makeup and costumes never seem to repeat themselves.
Kyonosuke: I just want to pursue the beauty I believe in. I interpret the beauty I feel, and what I love about visual kei, in my own way.
Interviewer: Why do you think you're able to "be Kyonosuke"?
Kyonosuke: Because I’m the drummer of Kizu.
Interviewer: These days, it seems easy to see other bands online and be influenced by them.
Kyonosuke: That’s true. But you can’t let yourself get swallowed up by other bands or by things that already exist. Every member of Kizu has a strong individuality, and I want to be the pioneer in the visual aspect within that.
Interviewer: So your sense of self is strongly rooted in being 'Kyonosuke of Kizu.'
Kyonosuke: I think everything is based on the songs and lyrics that Lime creates in the first place. I, Reiki and Yue perform those songs, and it becomes Kizu. It’s because I have my position as the drummer within that framework that people notice me and appreciate what I do. If I had these visuals in a different environment, maybe people wouldn't accept them, or at least, far fewer people would.
Interviewer: But now there are so many people who look forward to your visual expressions. Among them, do you hear people say things like, ‘I liked that one look the best’?
Kyonosuke: Oh yeah, I hear that, and I’m happy when I do.
Interviewer: Does hearing that ever make you think, ‘Maybe I should go back to that style’?
Kyonosuke: No, never. Every look is completely different, so when someone appreciates my aesthetic, I think 'You've got good taste for appreciating my taste!' (laughs) More than that, I think, Next time I have to create something even more incredible and make people love it. My fans—Nosukko (the nickname for Kyonosuke fans)—really do have amazing taste.
Interviewer: Sounds like there’s a strong relationship of trust there. The visuals for Jigoku were unlike anything we’d done before.
Kyonosuke: I thought it's very ‘us.’ The image was kind of ‘The Four Heavenly Kings of Hell.’
Interviewer: The phrase 'Four Heavenly Kings' really suits Kizu.
Kyonosuke: Right? No matter which era’s promo photo you look at, we’ve always had that final boss kind of vibe (laughs).
Interviewer: Your makeup for that look was unforgettable after just one glance.
Kyonosuke: It was a fusion of a jorōgumo (a spider woman from Japanese folklore) and a celestial maiden. I kind of interpreted the image of a spider from the lyrics on my own. I thought, if there are celestial maidens in heaven, then in hell, there must be some kind of fallen celestial maidens. Before I knew it, the two ideas just merged (laughs).
Interviewer: That’s not a concept most people would come up with (laughs). It’s a uniquely Kyonosuke kind of idea.
Kyonosuke: Watching films or looking at makeup definitely sharpens my artistic sense, but I think I'm also influenced by things like scents or conversations.
Interviewer: You mean smells influence your visual concepts?
Kyonosuke: Yeah, personally I associate scents with seasons, like summer or winter each having their own smell. When I catch those seasonal scents, it brings back all kinds of memories, like, ‘Oh yeah, that happened back then.’
Interviewer: They say out of all the senses, the sense of smell is most closely linked to memory.
Kyonosuke: Really? That might explain why I hate the smell of April. For me, April is when Kizu began. Back then, I didn’t have the luxury to feel excited. We had lives to prepare for, I was writing drum phrases, working on music and it was my first time ever being in a band. It was also a time when I hadn't really become close with the other members yet, so I'd even think, 'I don't want to see them!' (laughs). Whenever I smell spring, it reminds me of how difficult that period was
Interviewer: So what are the four members of Kizu up to these days? Since there haven’t been many lives or in-store events, it’s rare to see all four of you together.
Kyonosuke: We still meet from time to time for photoshoots or band-related stuff, and it’s always fun. Everyone seems happy. Things get really lively. But I still wish we could hang out more often~
Interviewer: The tension you feel before live shows hasn't gone away, if anything, it's gotten stronger, but it sounds like the relationships within the band have become much deeper.
Kyonosuke: I can admit it now, but at the beginning I genuinely hated that I couldn't talk to the other members properly. (laughs). I honestly thought the band would be over in three years.
Interviewer: And now...
Kyonosuke: I just want to see them more (laughs). When I watch us talking as a group, or see Reiki and Yue chatting, I think, ‘It’s so nice how much they care about each other.’
Interviewer: Listening to you talk about the four of you makes me want to see Kizu again soon.
Kyonosuke: I really want to see all the fans again at a live too~! These days, there are no-audience shows and livestreams, but there’s absolutely nothing that can replace a real live performance.
Interviewer: None of us imagined that live houses, places that felt like home, could be taken away from us.
Kyonosuke: It really made me realize how much I’m kept alive by live shows. I mean, I always knew that in my head, but over time, having lives became so normal that I started taking them for granted. But once they were taken away, I realized that we're only able to perform because our fans are there. And because we can perform, the band can keep going. The band is the reason I'm alive as the person I am today.
Interviewer: When live concerts finally come back, the atmosphere is going to be incredible. It almost feels like you'll be so fired up you'll destroy your drum kit.
Kyonosuke: Depends if I can afford to replace it! (laughs) But seriously, yeah, I really feel that. The longer we’re apart, the more amazing I think the live show will be when it finally happens. That’s why I’m actually able to look at this situation in a positive light.
Interviewer: That’s a change, isn’t it? You used to talk about your more negative side, and Kizu has always been a band that doesn’t look back much on the past.
Kyonosuke: That's true! Before Kizu started, I had a ton of confidence. But once we got going, my confidence was completely shattered. There were times when I honestly thought, 'Maybe someone else would be better than me.'
Interviewer: So what changed? How did you become the more positive Kyonosuke we see now?
Kyonosuke: In the end, I realized: I’m someone who stands on stage. I’m in a position to make people dream. And if that’s the case, then I need to show up in front of my fans with confidence. Now, I feel like—Just me being here is enough.
Interviewer: So after thinking it through, you regained your confidence.
Kyonosuke: I spent days, months, thinking about it. No matter how discouraged I get, I never forget the ideal version of myself I'm striving for, or the dreams that are almost like ambitions. Those dreams are what give me courage.
Interviewer: ‘Dreams that give you courage’ that’s a phrase worth remembering.
Kyonosuke: But I couldn't dream those dreams on my own. They only exist because I have my bandmates, our fans, and live houses. That's the foundation for everything.
Interviewer: What kind of dream gives you that courage, Kyonosuke?
Kyonosuke: Now that I said it, it's hard to explain! (laughs) If we’re talking about an ambitious kind of dream, then I want Kizu to take over the world. Ever since I was little, I was like, ‘I’m going to conquer the world with a band!’ And I still think that way. When I’m performing with the members and the fans, it really feels like we could take over the world. I’m so grateful for the environment that makes me feel that way.
Interviewer: Just imagining what your visuals would look like when Kizu become the Four Heavenly Kings of the world is exciting.
Kyonosuke: That is exciting! I’m looking forward to seeing what I’ll be thinking and expressing at that time. If the version of me who started Kizu could see me now, he’d probably be like ‘You’re wearing that makeup?’ or ‘You’re dressing like that?’ I’ve become something totally different. But I think that kind of drastic transformation, the kind your past self couldn’t even imagine, that’s what evolution really is. To me, staying the same is just another form of decline.
Interviewer: One way or another, we have to see Kyonosuke’s final form.
Kyonosuke: I really want all the Nosukko (Kyonosuke’s fans) to see it. That’s why I hope they don’t let boredom swallow them, and that they stay bright and healthy. I’m not falling into negativity either, but I do feel that boredom creeping in. I think it’s the same for everyone right now.
Interviewer: Have you been using this time to reflect on Kizu itself?
Kyonosuke: I have~! I’ve been watching our live footage a lot (laughs). It still gets me hyped.
Interviewer: That’s amazing, to be able to watch your own performances and get excited.
Kyonosuke: I think it’s because I have no regrets about the choices we’ve made. If we had been doing things while thinking, ‘This isn’t really what I want to do,’ then I’d probably be reminded of those compromised feelings when I watched old footage. And if that were the case, I don’t think I’d be able to watch any of it.
Interviewer: You wouldn't be able to feel confident about them.
Kyonosuke: Exactly. The fact that I can look back tells me we’ve been choosing a path without regrets. I think our fans probably want to see that version of us too—full of confidence.
Interviewer: They want to see you shining on stage.
Kyonosuke: I believe there are things only I can do. So to all the Nosukko out there—please look forward to what's coming and wait for me.
