[Eng TL] Itou Miku Interview - VOICE BRODY Vol.5

#6 Interview: Hello Happy World!'s Itou Miku as Tsurumaki Kokoro

To “make the world smile”, as leader, Tsurumaki Kokoro gathered unique members and

together they do activities as Hello Happy World!

Voice actress Itou Miku when acting as Kokoro had moments where she was “saved”.

Happy! Lucky! Smile! Yeah!

That defining cheerfulness, this unimaginable girl to fool around with, the most important

feeling remembered was ---

“I Need You!”

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The moment I got support from Kokoro

— The previous edition, “VOICE BRODY Vol.4”, thank you for being on the back cover for that. The response was huge, and once again, to experience the feeling of Itou-san being loved.

Itou: That’s not so. But thank you so much! (lol)

— In terms of “being loved”, it’s a common characteristic I thought that you, Itou-san, and portrayed character, Tsurumaki Kokoro shared

Itou: No, no, I…(haha). But, I think Kokoro really is a character that is loved. Her actions, speaking, behaviour and such, how would I describe it? It’s difficult to think about realistically…but I think it’s astounding. Is that also included in being loved? And, I am not kidding.

— She really is pure, isn’t she?

Itou: So pure to the point of not knowing filth (lol). But, Kokoro as a rich person, doesn’t know the rules of the world, that’s why she’s so pure. This point seems to resonates with adults. I think to look at a character like her can cleanse your heart.

— On the internet, if you search “Tsurumaki Kokoro”, the second word that shows up at the top is “quotes”

Itou: Quotes is it? (lol)

— Kokoro’s words resonate and leave an impression on many people. Truly, quotes like, “There is nothing in the world you cannot do, everyone just don’t know it yet”, “Everyone possesses the courage, but just don’t know how to use it”, with no evil intentions, this kind of remark really hits your heart, right?

Itou: Kokoro doesn’t think about what she says, all of a sudden, in a straightforward way, she just says something, which is unexpected. And, as we become adult, we reminisce back to when we lost and forgotten our pure heart. As I portray Kokoro, I can’t help but to also think that “smiles can bring happiness to the world”. For myself, at work, there are times when I would fail at something. I would think, Kokoro wouldn’t let something like this bring her down. Don’t think about it too much, there are people like this, it’s alright, let’s hit back. That was the kind of feelings I had. When I want to have a positive outlook, Kokoro’s sparkle is with me.

— Do you feel that Kokoro pushes you forward?

Itou: Yes. Because she gives me a big push on the back, and my adoration of her, I think it would be nice if I could be like her.

— Up to now, portraying Kokoro, are there anything that left a deep impression?

Itou: I would say from the start, Kokoro is the standout point of the Hello Happy story. Getting the people around her involved, and eventually smiling, this was the part she played. But this changed in Chapter 2 in GARUPA. When I watched it, Kokoro can’t be leading only for herself, she has to make those around her smile. How she thought about the way to go about doing that is how I think she’s grown. I probably forgot some things, but I thought Kokoro is a good high school student.

— Was it because it was “otherworldly” that you forgot them? (lol). In the previous interview, you said that, when acting, you are “the type to adapt yourself to your character”. While acting as Kokoro, do you have any moment where you felt you were adapted?

Itou: Ah~, I think mostly when I was doing the LIVE, I have to get use to being Kokoro. When I do voice recordings, I also talk very energetically, but Kokoro and I are still quite unlike each other. I am the type that always overthinks things. So, when I act as Kokoro, I think about if it really is right for me to be Kokoro. Although, when I got up to the stage the first time as Kokoro, truly, getting to smile was amazing, and I grew to that feeling.

— Are you referring to the “Garuparty LIVE & Garuparty! In Tokyo” held in January 2018?

Itou: Usually, singing on stage as Itou Miku, for the MC and performance, I am the type that thinks a lot about those parts. But when I stood there as Kokoro, I thought that “anything is okay”. Of course, I am not saying to be careless and irresponsible. I would think, “what would I do if I was Kokoro?”, but really, I didn’t have to think about anything. When it’s time, I’ll just do what I want to do. When I went up there feeling like that, I really got used to feel what it’s like to be Kokoro. The audience also showed their amazing smiles. And I thought, this is what HaroHapi was all about. That moment, it was magnificent, and I wasn’t nervous at all.

— From before, I’ve heard that whenever you go on stage solo, you were very nervous.

Itou: Always I feel nervous like I am going to die! But, when I become Kokoro, I felt that “I had to make everyone smile”, so it’s like I was invincible (lol). I’ve stood on various stages, but to stand on one as Kokoro was the least stressful, no matter what anyone says.

— When you go up on stage to perform, do you have any particular choreography?

Itou: I do not. Unlike Maruyama Aya-chan, who is an idol, she needs to decide on what choreography she wants to do. I can just move around freely, so I never do the same dance twice (lol).

— Up to now, has there been any changes in the way you sing and cover songs as Kokoro for HaroHapi?

Itou: Umm~ in order to show the various sides, there was a lot of trial and error. HaroHapi has a fixed worldview in terms of the music and songs, I do realize that is the case. So, sometimes whenever there is a tricky cover song that comes along, I change the way I sing. I thought that for 2 years if I kept doing it the same way, I would get tired of it. So, I talk to the staff about the direction while doing it.

— I see. So then, for the movie released on September 13, “BanG Dream! FILM LIVE”, the animation will have Kokoro actually do a LIVE outdoors, have you watched it yet?

Itou: I have watched it. Ya, it was amazing. Being able to watch it in a movie theatre gives it a novel feel. The band members performing were also drawn very well. It gives the impression of watching an actual LIVE. But, HaroHapi had too many tsukkomi moments.

— As usual, you get blown flying (lol)

Itou: Yeah, personally, I felt that, while Kokoro was singing, with (Seta) Kaoru passing by in the front and (Kitazawa) Hagumi passing by in the back, was too funny.

— Passing right in front of the camera

Itou: Also, Kaoru-san’s rose toss from a place I don’t understand how (lol). But, that’s what’s good about HaroHapi, getting to have fun including such a place.

— HaroHapi members have such strong individual personalities, seemingly unable to perfectly unite, but miraculous able to keep balance. As Sakura Ayane describes it, the “Violence of Individuality”

Itou: Because of the strong personalities, there will be clashes. It’s so strong that you ask why they harmonize with each other (lol). But, I think that is HaroHapi’s “source of fun”.

— From the perspective as a movie viewer…… is it not flying?

Itou: It is flying, and plus, with a golden expensive looking string (lol). Surely, in Kokoro’s mind, she’s probably thinking, “the outdoors stage feels so good, let’s fly”. I think the people in black suits did a lot of trial and error in order for the flying to be possible in the performance.

— Whenever Kokoro have trouble and can’t do something, the mysterious black suits people, who can do anything, shows up (lol). From watching the stage seen in the movie, Itou-san, for when you stand on the stage as Kokoro, do you have anything you want to take in from that?

Itou: Well, yeah …. but, on the “BanG Dream!” LIVE stage, everyone stands there, like Pasupare’s Aya-chan, whose choreography was perfect, or Poppin’Party, where a bond is formed. There’s a very strong link to the anime. To be honest, it pressures me (lol).

— If you were to truly reproduce the anime, you’ll need to fly….

Itou: That’s right! Would I have to fly? Do I have to throw myself down? Would I need to be able to do a backflip? But, I want it to feel as close as possible to the original. If from now on you can keep a lookout for me, I’d be glad (lol). Although I want fans to understand that, Kokoro can do it because her body has the capability to do it. Back flipping and jumping from such a height is not something a human can do!

— Hahahaha, that’s true.

Itou: Also, after watching the LIVE movie, I think that all the members would want to stand on the stage at some point. Yuukichi (Yoshida Yuri) and Koroazu (Tadokoro Azusa) step on the steps. Michelle doing the “Yo----!”. And waving my hand toward where Matsubara (Kanon)-chan is. I think I really want to do this.

— It would be good if at some point, all the members of HaroHapi can stand on the stage. There is one last favour I want to ask.

Itou: What is it?

— To end off this interview, I’d like to ask you to make an AIUEO composition, since it’s about the film, can you please use “Fu I Ru Mu” (フィルム）

(TL Note: an AIUEO composition is a mnemonic poem)

Itou: Wow, what? But that’s a punishment game!

— Last year, it was, at the “HaroHapi CiRCLE” broadcast (lol). So starting off with “Fu”

Itou: (Thought about it for a little)

“Fu” – Fushigina monode (Miraculous things)

“I” – Itsumo egao ni naru (Always makes me smiles)

“Ru” – Run♪ to suru (Be boppin!)

— That's a reference to Pasupare’s Hikawa Hina’s quote, right?

Itou: Even including different bands now (lol). Lastly, “Mu”… Ah, Movie

— Just dropping a basic one, huh (lol).

Itou: I apologize if it seems forced (lol).

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If you see any mistakes, feel free point it out to me. I only scanned the first page, if you want to see the other pictures, considering buying the book.