prettyprettyGANG
The greatest sense of living!
Translation by pretty pretty GANG
original: https://ototoy.jp/feature/2018052507
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[Short term serialization 1/3] GANG PARADE we ask “WACK 2018 audition team” about the auditions, their first one man with 9 members formation, the future after Zepp.
from left: Tsukino Usagi, Haruna Bad Chiiiin, Can GP Maika
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From the same office as BiSH, BiS and EMPiRE, the 9 members idol group GANG PARADE. Kamiya Saki who went to BiS in a rental trade returned tot he group, the 2 members who passed the “WACK training camp audition” held from 2018/3/12~18, Tsukino Usagi and Haruna Ba Chiin, the 9 girls who are now active with the most members so far in the group history released their first single with the current formation “GANG 2”. With a song with great artistic value that GANPARE didn’t have so far they aim for progressing even more. Going on a 9 cities national tour “REBUILD TOUR” from 7/1, and having the final happening at ZEPP TOKYo on 9/20, we’ll deliver a GANG PARADE interview divided in 3 parts.
Interview: Can GP Maika x Tsukino Usagi x Haruna Bad Chiiiin
from left: Can Gp Maika, Tsukino Usagi, Haruna Bad Chiiiin
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OTOTOY custom GANG PARADE short term serialization, this time we did the interview divided in 3 parts. The 1st one is with the 3 members who took part in “WACK 2018 training camp audition” held from 2018/3/12~18. Tsukino Usagi and Haruna Ba Chiin who participated as cadets and successfully won, and current GANG PARADE member Can GP Maika, who had a name change after a fight for points with BiSH and BiS members. What were the feelings of the 3 of them during the audition, how are they building their relation being in the same group, we carefully heard about that.
Interview: Nishizawa Hiroo
Photos: Jumpei Yamada
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I THOUGHT I WANTED THOSE 2 TO BE REWARDED
- We gathered the 3 members who took part in “WACK 2018 training camp audition”. Now, looking back at the training camp, what was the strongest feeling?
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Can GP Maika (under, Maika): I was scared that strangely enough it became fun (laughs). Like, putting everything together including the hardships. Working hard eating and sleeping with strange girls for a week, because it’s not an experience you can just have, it was fun, it was a sensation of savoring the youth.
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- During the training camp, how did the 2 new members looked at Maika-san?
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Tsukino Usagi (under, Tsukino): During the training camp it really felt like she was a big sister, I saw her sharp dancing and skillful singing and thought it was amazing, it was someone who showed me the difference between a pro and an amateur. Now I still admire her but I can see the cute side of her personality, with that my impression of her changed a little.
Can GP Maika
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Haruna Bad Chiiiin (under, Haruna): When I first saw her I thought she was a beautiful person, now it’s still like that but, comparing to the beginning I became used seeing her. My own eyes are scary….
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Maika: Ahahahaha (laughs).
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Tsukino: Saki-san’s crew cut too, at first it was overwhelming but now I’m used to seeing it (laughs).
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Haruna: Because I spent a lot of time with Maika-san she was the easiest person to talk to. Because when she was teaching dance it was the most fun I was relieved.
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- Maika-san, with which feelings did you connected with the 2 of them?
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Maika: At the first group division I was with Haruna but, it was like I couldn’t stop looking at her with concern (laughs). Also, I felt like I wanted to make this girl become able to dance. With Tsuki, before joining the training camp I saw a photo of her on Twitter, all the members talked about how there was a girl with great visual (laughs). When I actually met her, there was also innocence, and I thought she was a really nice girl. Even though her visual was absurdly prepared it was amazing how she was working harder than everyone else, I saw thinking she was a good girl.
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- Midway trough, seems like you thought it would be nice if those 2 joined GANPARE.
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Maika: There’s the fact that those 2 had characters that wouldn’t overlap 1mm with the 7 GANPARE members, I personally thought that the 2 of them conveyed the most how they faced the audition and the spirit of wanting to pass. I didn’t know if new members would join or not but, I thought I wanted those 2 to be rewarded.
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I WAS SELF AWARE I HAD BECOME AN IDOL THE DAY AFTER ZEPP
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- The 2 of you successfully passed the audition but, you didn’t even had 1 month to prepare before the debut live of Zepp DiverCity(TOKYO) one man, you couldn’t stay just happy. How did you passed this period?
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Tsukino: It felt like it was always the test term. Before sleeping or when eating it felt I was always being chased by thoughts like “Is it ok to do things like this” or “I have to learn even one more dance move”. My head was bursting with “There are still more and more things I have to do!”
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Haruna: Anyhow the flow of time was fast…. It was really happy that I had one or other plan every single day. Before joining GANPARE everyday was a day off, because there wasn’t something I would do every day, I thought it was really happy that I had a schedule.
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Tsukino: It’s really like Haruna said “time went by fast”, when I realized we were having the one man live at Zepp DiverCity(TOKYO), the live ended with a blink of an eye…. I was self aware I had become an idol the day after Zepp. I saw fans comments on Twitter “Ah, I became an idol”, I finally realized that. Before that, it felt like I didn’t have time to even think about that since there were too much to learn.
Tsukino Usagi
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- Which feelings did Maika-san had before the one man?
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Maika: During the training camp we have proper time to rehearse one song but, for Zepp DiverCity(TOKYO) the two of them had to learn more than 20 songs. It was a situation we couldn’t take too long in just one song. Because there were more 7 people we thought them while building a GANPARE with 9 people, this was quite difficult. Because I also had activities as 7 members, I was also cornered myself. It was hard for the 2 of them the difference from the capacity compared to the training camp, we all did it fumblingly.
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- You were desperate to the point of calling the 2 of them to Osaka to rehearse.
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Tsukino: When all the other members but me and Haruna went to Osaka, we got a message saying “Can you come to Osaka tomorrow?”. Because we were also anxious we went to Osaka feeling like “Thank you very much!”, and practiced all the time.
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Maika: If you have girls who can learn by watching videos, you also have girls who wont learn if you don’t teach them from start, it felt like Tsuki and Haruna were completely opposites. Tsuki can learn by watching videos but, since it’s hard for Haruna to learn, we would all teach her. That time you practiced from 7am.
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Tsukino: While the 7 of them were performing a live, me and Haruna would to do the studio and practice, we would go to the hotel at night, and on the next morning to the studio… like that.
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- By the way, how is the atmosphere when Tsukino-san and Haruna-san are together?
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Haruna: It’s like this…?
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Tsukino: Haruna, there’s always this fluffy feeling but, there are also times she’s mature. When she’s with me she shows that a lot, the 2 of us talk about important things.
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Haruna: We talk about normal things, we discuss when we have to discuss, we also have meals together.
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Maika: Which reminds me, I received a purikura that the 2 of them took together. I saw it, and lately I’ve been thinking a lot about how it’s nice to have a peer (laughs). I’m envious.
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Tsukino: We also talk a lot about “glad there are 2 of us”. If there was only 1 there would be a whole different hardship. That’s why I think Maika-san is really amazing.
GANG PARADE’S HISTORY SONG “GANG 2”
- The first song with 9 members formation “GANG 2”, what did you think when you first listened to it?
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Maika: Because we were sent the demo recording immediately after the training camp, in comparison when we listen to “GANG 2” normally, it weighted 5 times more. It’s really cool, I was happy we would be able to show another surface. It’s a departure as the 9 of us, it’s a song that makes it easier to show this new form.
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Tsukino: Because when I first listened to it my head was bursting, I don’t really remember things from that time. When recording ended, we all got together and discussed “What meaning is included in this song?”. While surprised that “They do this every time”, I was reminded of the training camp, I thought it was a lyric that overlapped with things from training camp. I was filled with happiness I would be able to sing such a wonderful debut song.
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Haruna: At first the lyrics were difficult, I didn’t really understand it but, now I’m starting to decode that it has a deep meaning. Now we’re doing release events, because I’m singing it a lot I’m in the middle of deciphering it. I don’t like difficult words, I’m the type of wanting to be told things right to the point but, it’s a lyrics written with sufficient sugarcoat, I didn’t understand it at first….
Haruna Bad Chiiiin
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- While deciphering it, how is Haruna-san decoding it?
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Haruna: Including the choreography, it feels like we’re singing GANG PARADE’s history. The part I still don’t understand is “More or less a pile of needles”. Like, is it picturing hell?
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Tsukino: That’s exactly what is straight up pictured inside Haruna’s mind as “pile of needles” (laughs).
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- (laughs). Which theme did you use to make the choreography?
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Maika: When we all talked we saw the lyrics, we talked about what kind of theme we should use but, because there was a strong image of GANPARE’s history, WACK’s history, we thought we wanted to use that as a pillar while also making it look unpleasant. Movements that idols wouldn’t usually do, we all cluster during the intro to convey the impatient feeling, lastly we made it flow one by one staring up. Because Saki-chan is good at telling this kind of stories, we did the choreography together.
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- Zepp DiverCity(TOKYO) one man was the debut live for the 2 of you. How was it looking back now?
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Tsukino: Until there I hadn’t been on stage or did a live once in my life so, I didn’t know if I would be nervous. Before the live the other 7 did a special meeting and were struggling but, on the other hand me and Haruna had a free time so I got unnecessarily nervous. I don’t really understand, I cried all the time on backstage. Just before the Sound Effects sound the song will become louder, when I heard the cheer from audience, I thought there was no way but do it. What I realized after the performance, was that I wasn’t able to do more than I did in rehearsals. There was a part of me that thought I would do more during the real deal but, I couldn’t. Of course I did everything I could, it was a live I thought I gave my best. Also, there was a song I suddenly cried.
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- What song was it?
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Tsukino: “QUEEN OF POP”. During the chorus everyone raises their hand. There, I saw all the audience raiding their hands, and cried while singing the “Don’t cry” part. It’s a deep memory.
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- Looking back now, what kind of live was it Haruna-san?
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Haruna: If I was to score myself, 64 points.
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Everyone: Ooo~~.
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Haruna: Rounding up everything, 60 points. When I was asked by Watanabe-san “How many points to your current self?” I got angry at when I answered “8 points”. Because I was told that it was ok to hold myself when doing everything at my very best, I couldn’t do everything, but I was able to have some fun, I could get over. That’s why, 64 points. I tried to did it while having confidence in myself.
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- How was it to perform in front of so many people?
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Haruna: There was a lot of people, I was surprised but, everyone would look at Haruna and laugh so it was good. They looked at me with warmth so it was good.
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- How was Maika-san’s feedback?
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Maika: It was really fun. But, I was nervous during the short story and MC (laughs). Also, how much would the 2 of them be able to do, would they go somewhere strange (laughs), I ended up thinking things like that but, I thought I wanted them to enjoy their debut live, the audience was also looking forward to it so, I kept looking at them while dancing.
- Maika-san had her name changed after the training camp. Your name changed to Can GP Maika, wasn’t there any change?
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Maika: Since I got the GP, the times I would ask Watanabe-san or other members for advice increased, I was quite troubled. Because it was the first big live since the training camp there was a strong feeling that something must have changed, I also thought about my position now that new members joined. Because I have nothing other than dance that I’ve been doing since as a kid to tell that’s my ability, I thought I should sustain my performance. Haruna and Tsuki too, I performed wanting to show them a good image.
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- As a result it was a good thing that Maika-san went to the training camp.
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Maika: It was. I was able to get trought it. Lately I saw a video from the time there were 4 member but, it’s completely different from now. I don’t know if I had a great change but, by watching old footage again, it was really terrible (laughs). Because I lately understood that this was because I was told “You haven’t came out of your shell”, I think it would be nice to change little by little.
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- As a senior, what advice does Maika-san have for the 2 of them?
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Maika: Eh~… What can it be? There’s really a lot of people, they way of doing lives or expressing yourself is also completely different so, to look at a lot of people and research, I want them to build up their own style. Me too, until earlier it was like “The idol”, even now my origins are HelloPro and I love perfect idols but, there’s also part of me who decided to change after thinking “I’m like that!, there are times I’m hurt when people tell me I’m not out of my shell so, I think it’s good to talk to a lot of people and research and have fun.
“LAI LE” A SONG INEXISTENT IN WACK SO FAR
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- “Lai le” the coupling song for “GANG 2” has a Chinese feeling, a song that GANPARE didn’t have so far.
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Tsukino: About “Lai le”, the nuance in singing was really difficult.
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Maika: We were told to “Sing like it’s in Chinese” but, because it’s a song inexistent in WACK so far, there’s no model, we recorded while gripping on Matsukuma-san’s advices.
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Tsukino: I was told a lot by Matsukuma-san to “Shake off!” but, it’s hard to shake off. Like, I would end up singing in a nice way. There are people in GANPARE who are good at shaking off so, it was a recording I was able to learn a lot.
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- Did Haruna-san shake off while singing it?
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Haruna: The part I was given to sing is just before the last chorus when it becomes like Chinese. Because I like gyoza I thought it fit me, it’s a song I really like. When we went to Taiwan to film I ate gyoza too (laughs).
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- How was the filming in Taiwan?
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Haruna: It was hot, it smelled, it had insects, it was fun.
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Everyone: (laughs).
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Haruna: It was like a different world.
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WE WONT LOOSE TO OTHER GROUPS! I WANT EVERYONE TO LOOK AT US!
- From 7/1, you’ll start the “REBUILD TOUR” national tour that will go to 9 cities. The tour final is at Zepp Tokyo but, what kind of live do you want it to be?
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Tsukino: At the ZeppDiverCity(TOKYO) live, including what’s missing I think we were able to be accepted as “A new GANPARE”, I think we did a live that made people think is a start from now on but, I think we must apply that to Zepp Tokyo. I think the thing we need to show the most on Zepp Tokyo, is how much we grew since DiverCity. I want to make it a live that wont change what GANPARE treasured so far, while watching out growth. I want to show our growth but, I think I also want to make sure to show that some things also won’t change.
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Haruna: Because we’ll go to 9 places in the tour, I want to make each of them a different live, as expected I want to show growth. What I think lately is, I want people in the whole world to like Haruna. By doing that, I think everyone will come to our lives. I also see tweets like “Haruna Bad Chiiiin is a bother” but, I want everyone to like me, I want to change era with GANG PARADE. There are times I’m frustrated when I see BiS and EMPiRE’s new members debuting. I want everyone to look at me more. I want everyone in the world to look at GANG PARADE and love it. I want to fire up the world the most, I want to fly to the world. I want to make a tour that I’ll grow.
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Maika: Because at the Zepp DiverCity(TOKYO) live we were still in the process of being formed, I want to properly build a 9 people GANG PARADE, going to the 9 cities country-wide. If we make a mistake in Zepp Tokyo, I think there wont be anything ahead from there. We will end up being an idol group that stopped at Zepp Tokyo. Because I really hate that thought, I want to make a performance that will make people think they want to keep watching GANPARE. Also, I want to raise the 2 of them. Their peers are debuting but, as expected I think Haruna and Tsuki are the best.
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Haruna: Exactly that. I think we’re the best. Because, we worked so hard. I definitely think we’re the best. If I don’t think I’m the best I won’t be able do anything, I don’t want to lose!
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Maika: The girls who joined the other groups are cute but, as expected I end up thinking like a stupid parent “My girls are the best!” (laughs). The 2 of them are working the most.
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Haruna: Also please let me say something. (Me and Tsukino) The 2 of us have complete opposite personalities, I think it’s incredible we have a mutual understanding. We have a mutual respect, it’s amazing that we can have quarrels while understanding each other. That’s a pride, and something I think the other groups don’t have.
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Tsukino: Because we are exact opposites, we desire too much what the other has. I’m not like Haruna, Haruna is not like Tsuki. I think that’s why we can have mutual respect, and look up at each other.
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Haruna: We won’t lose to other groups! I want everyone to look at us! We’ll disturb things. We’ll blow everything away! I want make something no one can calculate. Write that properly please! In bold, red letters!!
