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Dec 3, 2025

Liella! Magazine - CAST LONG INTERVIEW with Yabushima Akane as Yoneme Mei, and her message to Mei.

[This was part of Liella Magazine - Yoneme Mei Edition]

Heading into town to look for cute cat goods, and showing her cool side in the comic too!

―When it came to portraying Yoneme Mei, you suggested the idea of her going for a walk and looking for cat goods. Why did you choose that situation?

Yabu: When you think of Mei-chan, I feel like a lot of people naturally picture “cats.” When I stopped and thought about what “a day off for Mei-chan” would be like, I could really see her wandering around town looking for cat goods, or going to a cute café with a cat motif and taking it easy there.

At the same time, she is the type who wants to invite someone but still feels a bit shy about it, so on days like that she probably often ends up going by herself. She is a girl who can enjoy herself even when she is alone, who knows how to use that kind of time, so I imagined her just strolling around town looking for cats. With that image in mind, I asked for this kind of situation for the shoot.

I pictured her walking around town looking for cat goods, going to a cat-themed café, and spending a quiet, relaxed time there.

―Do you like cats yourself, Yabushima-san?

Yabu: I do like cats, their little gestures and their expressive faces, and the way they are a bit fickle, are all really cute. But actually, I have a dog named Fuu-san, so if anything I am more of a dog person. I like both dogs and cats though, so this time I tried to show what Mei-chan herself would probably do.

―How did the photo shoot go? Could you briefly walk us through how it went?

Yabu: This time we left the studio and shot everything on location. We visited a shop in Yanaka in Tokyo, looked at the cat goods there, and they also let us do a maneki-neko painting experience.

―What kind of cat goods were there?

Yabu: There were small ornaments and keychains, and everywhere you looked the shop was full of cute cat goods. It really felt like a place cat lovers would find hard to resist. Each one had different fur colors, patterns, expressions, and even gestures, so it was to the point where there really wasn’t a single cat that looked the same (laughs). They were all full of personality, so I felt like no matter who went to the shop, they would surely meet a cat they liked.

After that we did an activity where you take a plain unglazed maneki-neko ornament and freely draw on it with pens. You first think about your design on a rough sketch sheet and then draw it, but since you cannot redo it and it’s basically a one-shot drawing, I was so nervous that my hands were shaking (laughs).

―Had you already decided on the design image in advance?

Yabu: I hadn’t really planned anything out; I just drew however I felt in the moment. Even if I thought up a very detailed design, I wasn’t sure I could actually draw it that way (laughs). So I went in with the attitude of “For now, let me just try drawing!” and I think it turned out pretty cute.

Then we moved over to the café space and shot scenes of me spending a relaxed time there. The menu was full of cat-themed sweets, like Mont Blanc and cakes with cat faces, or madeleines shaped like paw pads, so that place was also packed with cats. But it wasn’t too noisy; it had a very elegant, calm atmosphere. I think cat lovers would definitely feel happy there, and as a café too, it felt like a space where you could relax and take your time without having to worry about anything.

―You also went to a nearby temple. How did that place feel to you?

Yabu: We almost never do photo shoots at temples, and just stepping into the grounds made the air feel different, so I was nervous. I also often go out by myself, and at times like that, even places you wouldn’t go with friends become places where you think, “Since I’m on my own, maybe I’ll stop by for a bit.” Precisely because she’s alone, I thought Mei-chan might also feel like going to places like temples or shrines, so we did a shoot at the temple as well.

―Please tell us your thoughts after finishing the shoot, and any favorite or must-see points

Yabu: I feel like the place where Mei-chan’s excitement would go up the most is definitely the cat goods corner. Everywhere you looked it was full of cats, so I can really see her trying hard to hold herself back so her face doesn’t go completely all dere-dere*… Or, because there’s no one she knows there, maybe she’d let herself go all dere-dere*, picking things up and staring at them as much as she wants.

I pictured that scene of her letting her guard down and relaxing, so the shoot at the goods corner is my favorite. I feel like she would have spent an incredibly happy time there.

[TL Note] 「デレデレ」(dere dere) is a Japanese expression for someone being openly soft and lovey, with a dopey, lovestruck, or completely smitten look on their face. Here it means Mei’s face goes all “dere dere” over how cute the cats are.

She has a pretty unconventional look, she’s a girl with a free, easygoing vibe, and I thought, “She’s a type we haven’t had in the Love Live! series.” That was my first impression.

―For the comic, you suggested, “I want to see Mei-chan being sporty and lively!” What led you to that idea?

Yabu: In magazines related to the Love Live! series, I had the sense that they often show the “gap” from her usual image of being kind of delinquent-like by drawing cute illustrations of Mei-chan or telling cute stories about her. Of course, that gap - that she has a cute side you wouldn’t imagine from how she normally is - is one of her charms.

But I think everyone already knows that side of her. So, I just wanted to see a straightforward “sporty, cool Mei-chan” more. In the Season 3 TV anime she’s also been decided as the next president of the School Idol Club, so I wanted to see scenes that show how reliable she is, and how good her athletic sense is to begin with. That’s why I put in this kind of request.

―In terms of ‘type’, she seems like a cool girl who would be very popular with her juniors.

Yabu: Right. She has a straightforward personality, a strong sense of justice, and she’s good at sports, so I think people would really look up to her. If there were a senior like that, she’d definitely be the talk of the school, and I feel like I’d also just end up blurting out, “She’s so cool!” (laughs).

―Is there any particular point you want people to pay attention to, or a favorite scene? Yabu: There’s a scene where she says, “Did it get taken? Leave it to me!” and dashes off, all fired up to take back what the cat stole. But then Ren-senpai warns her, “You must not run inside the school building,” and she immediately answers, “Y-yes!” and properly does as she’s told. I feel like that’s very Mei-chan (laughs). She’s kind of weak when a senior scolds her, and that side of her really makes me think, “She’s such a good girl.”

Passing the cast audition, and taking her first steps as Yoneme Mei

―Please tell us how you felt when you were told you had passed the cast audition.

Yabu: I was so full of disbelief I could hardly take it in. Part of it was that I just couldn’t believe I’d actually passed, but I’d always loved the Love Live! series, I played “Love Live! School Idol Festival” just like any other player and I loved the songs too. For me, though, it was something distant that I only ever saw through screen.

Maybe because I loved it so much, it didn’t feel real at all, and I couldn’t imagine myself joining that world. Of course I was happy, but for a while after that I was kind of spaced out, feeling like I was dreaming.

―Did you apply for the first generation cast audition?

Yabu: At that time I had only just joined my agency, and because I personally liked the Love Live! series, I watched the Season 1 TV anime as a viewer. After that, I learned through the agency that there would be auditions for the second generation and decided to try. I only found out some time later that the other second-generation members had also auditioned for the first generation, and I clearly remember being really surprised, like, “What? Really?”

―In what form did you receive the news that you had passed the audition? Yabu: They contacted me saying, “Please come to the agency on this day at this time,” and I went there wondering, “I wonder what this is about?” Then they told me I had passed. Because it was such an unexpectedly happy piece of news, I felt really relieved.

―From the start, were you aiming to play Yoneme Mei when you auditioned?

Yabu: I didn’t audition thinking, “She’s the type who’s like me.” I actually thought she was a different type from myself, so I didn’t specifically aim for her. But when I first saw the second generation visuals, out of the four of them she really drew my eye - she was the one I kept thinking about.

―What was your impression when you first saw Yoneme Mei’s visual?

Yabu: She was the only one not wearing the ribbon on her uniform, her collar was open with the buttons undone, and she had a pretty unconventional look and a free, relaxed vibe. I thought, “She’s a type of girl we haven’t had in the Love Live! series.” That was my first impression.

―Please tell us your impression when you first read her lines.

Yabu: The first time I read her lines was at the audition, and it was a line where she was shouting. I remember really struggling with it, thinking, “Why is this girl shouting?” (laughs). At that stage, there was no background information like how she loves cats or school idols, it was simply a line where she was yelling. So I didn’t know what she was angry about, how strong her feelings were, or how fired up she should be as a school idol, and I read it while worrying over how to balance all of that.

Wakana and I never talked about the fine details of the scenes. I felt that what comes out naturally on the spot, from our exchanges, is what works best

―Once you came to understand her inner self, how did you interpret her and adjust your approach?

Yabu: I realized she is actually a girl who puts on a strong front. Deep down she has a kind heart and wants to lose herself in the things she loves, but she gets embarrassed. When she tries to hide that or play it off, her way of speaking ends up getting rough. Once I understood that, my impression of her changed.

―In the self-introduction video, what kind of image did you have in mind when you read her lines?

Yabu: It was the first chance for people to hear Mei-chan’s voice, and that would become their first impression. Thinking that from then on their image of her would be fixed by that voice, I felt a lot of pressure and was incredibly nervous. Her visual had already been revealed, but once you add the voice, I felt the impression changes completely. I went into the recording hoping that, even in that short time, at least a little of Mei-chan’s good points and charm would come across.

―From there, how did you face her and build up her character?

Yabu: What really influenced me was her first appearance in Episode 1 of the Season 2 TV anime. She is hiding in the shade of a tree on the school rooftop, imagining Liella! members practicing, with this dreamy look on her face. It made me go, “Wait, she is that kind of girl!?” (laughs). I knew she liked school idols and Liella!, but that was when I first realized she is the kind of girl who will actually put on her uniform before the entrance ceremony and sneak around behind a tree to watch them, that she has that much drive. It threw me off, in a good way, because she had more passion than I had imagined.

Once I knew that, something inside me opened up. I decided to make the contrast really big between the times when she is completely absorbed in Liella! and the times when her way of speaking gets pretty rough, even if it might sound like a different person. Giving it my all like that from the start made the fear go away, and I feel like that became one of Mei-chan’s charms, so in the end I think it turned out well.

Keeping it natural, not overdone or overplanned Playing her exchanges with Shiki with that same mindset

―As you have been walking forward together with Yoneme Mei, were there any turning points or things you realized?

Yabu: I would say that the first appearance I just talked about was the turning point, and after that, as I followed her story, I felt like the distance between us naturally grew closer. Because Episode 1 of Season 2 showed that side of her, from Episode 2 onward I was able to handle and play even scenes where there was a big contrast in her behavior.

―During recording, were there any struggles, challenges, or behind-the-scenes stories?

Yabu: I think the main thing was not overdoing things and not deciding every little detail in advance. Rather than fixing in detail, “I will read this line this way here,” I found that the takes I did in a natural state often turned out the best.

―When it came to how you delivered the lines, was there anything you kept in mind?

Yabu: When she talks with her face all dere dere, all soft and melty, it feels like that classic “gufufu, dehehehe…” kind of dreamy world. I was trying to bring out a voice that felt really “this is Mei-chan,” rather than just my normal voice. But if I loosened it up too much, you would not be able to tell what she was saying, so I stayed aware of that while I acted.

―Her way of responding changes a lot depending on who she is talking to or the situation. Is there anything you pay attention to in that area?

Yabu: She is completely different when she is all dere dere over Liella!, when she is talking alone with Shiki, or when she is casually chatting with her classmates, and the atmosphere around her changes too. I took a lot of care in how I played those differences, and that was a difficult part.

―In the story there are several scenes where she talks one-on-one with Shiki. Did you rehearse those in advance with Ookuma Wakana-san? Yabu: We often talk about technical things and ask each other for advice, but we almost never talked in advance about the really important scenes. We felt that if we talked it through too much, we’d end up overdoing it, so it seemed better not to. That distance between the two of them, where they do not know each other too well, but still understand each other more than they do the others, is not something you can artificially create. I think Wakana (Ookuma Wakana) understood that too, so we did not discuss the fine details of the scenes. While acting, I really felt that what comes out naturally on the spot, from our back-and-forth, is what works best.

―Among the episodes in Seasons 2 and 3 of the TV anime, is there any story that left a particularly strong impression on you?

Yabu: It would have to be Episode 4 of Season 2, “The Two in the Science Room.” It is an important story where Mei joins Liella!. In the anime, you see it from a third-person point of view, but in reality the only ones actually in that science room are Mei and Shiki. Sometimes they argue like they are fighting, and sometimes they say gentle words to each other. Acting out those conversations in a space with just the two of them was very nerve-racking, and I played it hoping that even a little of their sense of caring for each other would get through, so it really stuck with me.

Because she has that charm that makes you want to follow her, I think that is why she was recommended as president. She makes me want to see how the next generation’s School Idol Club will be.

―As the story went on, she moved up a grade and gained juniors, and there were changes. Within that, were there things you changed, or parts of her that changed?

Yabu: I had the impression that she became much more dependable, so my desire to really show her growth and how reliable she is while she grew stronger. She eventually becomes club president, but at her core nothing has changed. From the moment she met Kinako-chan in front of the school gate, even though they had hardly talked, she was already naturally following her with her eyes, always worrying about her, and watching over her from a little distance. I think what is great about Mei-chan is that she can treat anyone with kindness, so I do not think that core part of her will ever change.

―Liella!’s second generation members are in the middle position, with seniors above and juniors below. What kind of impression do you have of each group?

Yabu: I’m giving it my all with both sides so I won’t be left behind. The first-generation members are all so reliable, and I really feel I have to keep up with them. The two third-generation members also have firm ideas of their own, and once they decide to do something, they charge straight ahead, so I get inspiration from both sides. I do not really think in terms of “because they are first gen” or “because they are third gen.” I respect all ten of them, and I think we are all important to each other in helping one another grow.

―Now that the Season 3 TV anime has finished, how would you sum up Mei as a girl? Yabu: I strongly feel she is a kind girl who puts other people before herself. She has a wide field of view and pays attention to those around her, but when it comes to herself, she cannot see things objectively, and even though she has many charming sides, she sometimes rejects them. I think she is a bit awkward that way. Because she is kind, takes action, and has that charm that makes you think “I want to follow this person,” I believe that is why she was recommended to be president. She makes me want to see how the School Idol Club of the next generation will be.

What she keeps in mind for recording, lives, and unit activities

―Please tell us any memories or things you remember from your first recording

Yabu: The song was “Oikakeru Yume no Saki de,” and honestly, all I remember is being way too nervous (laughs). Going into the studio, singing in front of the staff… I was not used to any of that yet, so I was extremely anxious. At that time I still did not understand much about Mei-chan’s inner self, and I did not know what the “right” way to sing as her was. The anxiety and nerves were really intense.

―When you record, is there any mindset or rule you always keep?

Yabu: For ‘cool’ songs, Mei-chan is someone who can really bring out the coolness even within Liella!, so I go in with the mindset of making her as cool as I can. For ‘cute’ songs, I imagine Mei-chan who loves school idols and cats, and try to bring out that cuteness. No matter what the song is, I always try to make sure Mei-chan’s personality and charm reach the listeners.

―Please tell us your thoughts and memories from when you first appeared in front of everyone as Yoneme Mei.

Yabu: My first time was “Love Live! Superstar!! Liella! Live & Fan Meeting Tour ~Welcome to Yuigaoka!!~,” and I was really nervous then too. I kept worrying, “What if I cannot talk well? What should I say? Will people wave penlights in Mei-chan’s color for me?” and so on. Now I can talk normally on stage, but at the beginning I was completely stiff, and it felt like I was not myself.

―Then, during the 3rd Live Tour, you were doing live shows that carried Season 2 of the TV anime with it. What was in your mind when you stood on stage?

Yabu: I went on stage with the feeling that I wanted people to come to love nine-member Liella!, but at the same time that felt a bit selfish to me, almost like forcing something on them, and that part made me very anxious. After Liella! second-generation members were announced, I really understood how people might not be able to immediately accept the four who joined partway through. And as someone who had watched Season 1 of the TV anime as a viewer, I also knew that Liella! felt complete as five. I imagined there would be many different opinions, but even so, I was filled with gratitude toward everyone who came to the venue to see nine-member Liella!, and I just resolved to give everything I could.

―When it comes to lives, is there anything you make a point of doing, or any rules you’ve set for yourself?

Yabu: I always try, as much as I can, to make eye contact with each and every person in the venue. Even if my eyes meet for just a moment with someone who is cheering for us, I feel like that already counts as communication. So every time, I perform with the mindset of, “I’m going to communicate with as many people as I can!”

―As Liella!, as a solo, and as CatChu!, is there anything you’re especially conscious of, or that you change between them?

Yabu: As Liella!, I try to show our unity, the sense of being one, as a group. That’s one of our strengths. When there are many members, even a small mismatch can turn into a big one, so I perform while paying close attention to the small details of the choreography, how we hold out our voices, and staying in sync with everyone.

For solo songs, everyone’s eyes are focused only on me, so I try to put even more feeling into each and every movement.

With CatChu!, there are a lot of parts where there’s no set choreography for the dance, so my mindset is to just go all out and really let loose. I feel like you’ll probably never see exactly the same performance twice (laughs).

I don’t want her to just wait for me. As much as Mei-chan grows, I want to move forward too. I want to grow alongside her, at the same pace.

―In CatChu!, you’re in the role of the one who do tsukkomi to the two first-generation members, Date Sayuri and Payton Naomi. How do you feel about your work in the unit?

Yabu: Within Liella! they’re my senpai, but in terms of age they’re both younger than me, so I watch them with this fond feeling of, “They’re so childlike…” (laughs). When it’s the three of us together, maybe the other two relax, and they let that childlike side they usually hold back come out at full power, which I find really cute. I feel like we’re a trio that can create a space where each of us can feel at ease.

Growing together with her, and taking on cute-type songs too, when the chance comes!

―Right now, how are you facing Yoneme Mei?

Yabu: When I was watching the stories in the Season 2 and 3 TV anime, I really felt that Mei-chan grows at a very fast pace, and I don’t want to lose to that speed. In my mind, Mei-chan is less the type to grab your hand and pull you along, and more the type who, if you stumble a little, will wait for you and walk while matching her steps to yours.

I don’t want her to just wait for me. As much as Mei-chan grows, I want to move forward too. I want to grow alongside her, at the same pace.

―From here on, what would you like to try as the one who plays as Yoneme Mei?

Yabu: Among the people who support us, I think there are actually quite a lot who would like to see her in cute-type songs. For me personally, it’s a little hard to picture a “cute-type Mei-chan,” and there are already many members who are in charge of cute-type songs, so that chance doesn’t really come around to me (laughs). But if we really go all in on “cute,” we might discover a different, new kind of charm. If I get that kind of chance, I’d definitely like to try it.

―From here on, is there anything you’d like to do as Liella!?

Yabu: Because our schedules don’t always match up, it might be hard for all eleven of us to go out together, but if possible, I’d love to make real the kind of things that Mei and the others do after school in the TV anime. For example, having a home party or playing games. I want all of us to have fun and spend time together, chatting and laughing.

―Please give a message to everyone who loves Yoneme Mei and cheering for her

Yabu: To everyone who always supports Mei-chan, thank you so much. I think you already know this, but Mei-chan is a very charming girl, and I get a lot of strength from her too. There are so many moments when I feel your love, like when you tell me what you love about Mei-chan, or when you celebrate her birthday in such a big way, and I really hope she’ll continue to become someone who’s even more loved.

But my love for Mei-chan is stronger than anyone else’s, and I’m not going to lose to you there (laughs). I’d be very happy if you continue to support Mei-chan from here on as well. Thank you very much!

A Letter From Yabushima Akane

Yoneme Mei

To Mei-chan

Thanks for always being there. Getting to meet you is the thing that makes me happiest of all. I can be who I am now, able to laugh and cry from the bottom of my heart and keep doing my best, because you are here, Mei-chan. I love everything about you: the way you act tough, your shy side, kind side, every single part of you. From now on too, let’s keep moving forward together, taking it slow. Someday I want us to go hang out at a cat café or go out for parfaits. Let’s stay together from now on too. ≽^•⩊•^≼♡

Yabushima Akane

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