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May 20

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!

―We 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 away〜! 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.

―Maybe 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.

―Out 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!

―There'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

―Let'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 much…" 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 down…!" (laughs).

―What was your first impression of Margarete?

Yuina: Honestly~ I was just like "wow, her visuals are amazing…" (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.

―Are 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.

―Did 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.

―In 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 me…" 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."

―It'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 Kyun☆," 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.

―Do 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 face… And on top of that, I simply had zero confidence in my acting, and I was just thinking, "What do I do?"

―Were 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 scary…!

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 that…" There were still plenty of moments where I was nervous. By the way, there's a behind-the-scenes story about this…!

―Please 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!"

―So 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"… but all I keep saying is "whoa〜 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 right…

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-chan… 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!!

―What 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!"

―So 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"…! 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!

―We'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 performances… 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.

―And finally, could you give a message to everyone who's been supporting Margarete?

Yuina: Everyone, thank you so much for reading this far! Margarete-chan… 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 much… (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!!

Yuina

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