Magical² Real Sound Interview [English Translation]

Magical² (magical magical) popularity is accelerating. Magical² is a 5 member idol group with Momoka, Rin, Mitsuki, Shiori and Yuria as members who are also cast in the girls special effects TV drama "Magic x Warrior MagiMajo Pures" that began in April 2018. With performances of skilful dancing and professional singing, they are both cute and cool thus admired by many children who long to be like them.

In June of last year, their debut single "Ai ni Tsuite♡ / Chou Lucky☆" charted at 6th on the Daily Oricon Charts. Then in September, their mini album "Harerusa☀" was released and ranked 1st on the Daily Oricon Charts. 5 months after their major debut, they held a successful one man live, holding various release events and special meetings that would hold more than 3000 people. Family fans would line up from early in the morning to watch their performance.

On February 13 2019, their long awaited album "MAGICAL☆BEST -Complete magical² Songs-" was released, the 2nd "magical² SPECIAL LIVE" will also be held in March. I will be interviewing magical² face-to-face. Different from the drama "MagiMajo Pures", a new charm and glancing look will be shown in this truthful talk. (Yui Sato)

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The one with the most differences is Rin!?

-- Since your first interview with Real Sound has started, why don't we start off with a self introduction.

Momoka Aino: Okay! I'm 14 year old Yuki Miyoshi who plays the role of Momoka Aino. Momoka's catchphrase is "cheerful and bright". My special skill is swimming, I can swim 4 kinds. I was afraid of going into the water when I was little and it's regrettable that I didn't swim in the school pool. When I started swimming, I was able to do the butterfly stroke after 1 year, even I was shocked. But I'm in the basketball club.

-- Amazing! So the real innocent Momoka is actually a sporty lady. So then next, we'll have Mitsuki!

Mitsuki Hanamori: Okay. I'm 15 year old Misaki Tsuruya who plays the role of Mitsuki Hanamori. Mitsuki's catchphrase is "outstanding motor nerves"! But in reality, I don't exercise much. I like watching anime. When I go karaoke, I often sing as a vocalist. And I also like to draw pictures.

-- In the drama, Mitsuki is a powerful girl but in reality you're a cultural girl! You can see your private lives one after the other.

Shiori Hoshina: The next is me! I'm 14 year old Youka Ogawa who plays the role of Shiori Hoshina. Her catchphrase is "fashion lover".

Yuria: Shiori is actually the most stylish! She has a lot of clothes. Momoka is also stylish.

Mitsuki: Shiori is quite conscious of the current trends. She even checks things like magazines.

Shiori: But I'm also good at sprints, I always end up being first in the girl sprints. I hate long-distances... I was 2nd.

Yuria: You can do both.

Everyone: Ahahaha (laughing)

-- I see, so you play sports in your private life

Shiori: I'm from Miyazaki. At my house there, I liked playing in the big pool in the garden. There, I practiced my butterfly strokes but they were so bad...

Yuria: I'm also from Miyazaki and I've been to Shiori's house to play. The house is really big, the pool in the garden is also splendid!

-- Eh? You must be a lady!?

Shiori: No no, Miyazaki is just a big place.

Yuria: No no no, you normally don't have a pool in your garden!

-- The more I listen to everyone, the more I see the differences. Then next...

Yuria: Okay. I'm 15 year old Kurea Masuda who plays the role of Yuria Nijiiro. Her catchphrase is "A little shy and goes by her own pace". Since I like Kpop, my hobby is watching the artists MV, I'm still not good but I'm learning Korean.

Shiori: Yuria, Mitsuki and I are fans of Kpop! Surprisingly, Mitsuki is always changing her favorite members.

Mitsuki: You can say I'm "easily cooled and easily heated". But Yuria is amazing, she's very dedicated. Even after many years it's still the same.

Yuria: I've liked Kpop since 6th grade Elementary. I always love and support them.

-- There's a lot of passion in you. So the last one is, Rin

Rin Shirayuki: Okay! I'm 14 year old Momoka Sumitani who plays the role of Rin Shirayuki. Her catchphrase is "lover of reading and studying". I read scary children books and I'm learning to speak English with my little brother so I also read English books. But I don't like to study.

Shiori: She's the type of person to focus on what she likes

Rin: Yup! It'd be nice if I could study slime!

-- Slime?

Mitsuki: Rin likes slimes and squishies, she has a lot at her home.

Momoka: She also makes her own. Homemade.

Rin: I love the squishy feeling, if you make it yourself you can change the hardness, it's interesting. Ah, but I don't like science.

Everyone: Ahahaha (laughing)

Shiori: Rin has a sensitive touch. Like her favorite touch, her favorite sound she's very picky about them.

Mitsuki: Yeah yeah. When the train is coming, I can suddenly hear a "crackle" in my ear.

-- So, what kind of feeling do you do?

Rin: No, I just kinda say something like "how is this"

Momoka: Huhuhu. No you don't. (laughs)

-- So like slime, you want to make more comfortable sounds

Rin: Yes!

-- Earlier, you were talking about liking scary books for children. What kind of books were you referring to?

Rin: Something like "Kaidan Restaurant (Ghost Story Restaurant)", "Zekkyou Gakkyuu (Screaming Lessons)" or "Zetsubou Onigokko (Game of Despair Tag)". The truth is, manga is much more fun but I can only bring a novel to school.

Momoka: Rin has a lot at her home!

Rin: I really like the manga "Zekkyou Gakkyuu".

-- But, because of your sensitive nature, are you okay to read scary things?

Rin: It's okay when I'm reading but it will be difficult living life afterwards. (laughs).

Momoka: Rin is not good with zombies in particular. When staying at a hotel for an event, she turns on everything with sounds when taking a bath like the TV and music.

Shiori: When you're alone in the bath, you'd be worried about what happens behind you, right?

Rin: That's why I always rush from the shower head without closing my eyes! I'm always like (opens her eyes wide) this.

Everyone: Ahahaha (laughing)

Momoka: Even when she's walking in the corridors she's constantly thinking "the zombies are going to come out from here!". (laughs)

Shiori: She always carries a buzzer for crime prevention with her but she always says "the sound doesn't work" (laughs).

-- So you do have a cool image we were expecting (laughs)?

Yuria: She has the biggest difference to us (laughs)

Rin: Eh, maybe (laughs)

----

How did you start dancing

-- Earlier, I heard that both Yuria and Shiori are from Miyazaki Prefecture

Momoka: I'm from Tokyo

Mitsuki: I'm from Fukuoka

Rin: I'm from Osaka

Yuria: Except Momoka, the rest of us were familiar with each other because we went to the same dance school

-- So everyone got through by auditions?

Momoka: Yes. I was doing modelling until then. When I was at the audition, I asked Rin for the first time "what's your name".

Rin: Ah, Momoka kept saying "you all will pass!", I will never forget saying "I won't pass because I have too much hair"! Why did I say too much hair? (laughs)

Momoka: Miike (Takashi), the director, saying "you do have a lot of hair" is left in my mind.

Rin: It was so impressive, I think I heard "What was your name again". Then somebody said "It's Yuki Miyoshi!"

Shiori: It wasn't even Momoka who said "It's Yuki Miyoshi" (laughs)

Everyone: Ahahaha (laughing)

-- Seems like you all got along well fast. The 4 of you went to a dance school so what about Momoka?

Momoka: For me, my mother dances. I watched my mother's dance recital and thought "Ah, amazing". Since I wanted to dance myself, in 3rd grade elementary school I entered the dance group.

-- How long have you all been dancing?

Mitsuki: Since 6th grade elementary school

Shiori: Since I was 3

Rin: I did when I was in 3rd grade elementary school. I was in 5th grade when I entered the same school as everyone

Yuria: For me, I started dance when I was 5 years old. I entered the dance school when I was in 5th grade elementary.

-- For Momoka, she admired her mother's dancing, what made you all start dancing?

Yuria: The first chance was because I was invited by a friend. Knowing about scholarship student auditions, my parents asked "would you like to try?"

Rin: Me too, my mom said to me "there is something of this sorts, would you like to try it out?"

Mitsuki: For me, I originally liked E-Girls, so I thought to myself why not give it a go so I entered

Shiori: Since I was younger I always dreamed "I want to become a celebrity". I was invited to attend by my friend who dances, while I was in Miyazaki, it was my mom who taught me

----

I do my best because my family, friends and fans are here

-- Your activities as magical² began last year, how has your lives changed?

Shiori: Aside from Momoka, living in Tokyo in itself was a huge change. The trains are the most difficult. When I was in Miyazaki, I travelled around by car but by train I accidentally head home in the other direction by mistake

Mitsuki: Shinjuku Station and Tokyo Station are really difficult!

Yuria: I have 7 dogs and 2 cats back home in Miyazaki. When I'm in Tokyo for a long time I miss my pets

Shiori: If there is a dog walking on the street I always say to Yuria "there's a dog". Afterwards, we would go to a cat cafe together

-- In your private lives, do you 5 go out together?

Shiori: Yes! But maybe not as 5... Mitsuki likes to be by herself

Mitsuki: That's right. It doesn't mean that I don't want to be with everyone

Shiori: She makes it clear what she wants to do

Mitsuki: Everyone is kind. Sometimes, when I'm invited to eat lunch they don't say things like "you don't normally go so don't go" but instead say "Huh, is it okay? Let's go". I do like to, we have a good relationship but I prefer to be by myself and they understand.

Shiori: At first we said stuff like "why"

Yuria: Nowadays, we understand each other's feelings such as things like she is who she is

Mitsuki: I'm not the type of person who is greedy or shortens distances, I don't shorten it but I can be a bit cold with other people, it can hurt people's feelings. But, if I don't want to do it when the other person asks me, it makes me think that I come across as selfish. But, little by little for everybody's kindness, I will be conscious of my behavior. I think that being here with magical² helped me become a little more mature.

Momoka: I sensed it. Compared to the first time we met, your heart has opened up so much

Rin: Rather than being alone, with the members there are more people to talk to

Mitsuki: That's for sure, I guess it's because I trusted everyone

Shiori: Somehow, it feels like a family because we're always together

-- There are many ways you have changed, why do you do your best?

Rin: I am close with my grandparents in Osaka. Although it's lonely when we're apart they always tell me on the phone "I saw you on TV, you can do it", so I have to do my best. At first I wanted to do it for myself so I don't want to betray those feelings.

Shiori: In lessons and when studying gets hard and the times where I feel down, I remember the words my father told me. The words of Mitsuo Aida that were on a calendar that said "you couldn't do it or you didn't do it, which one is it?". When I don't have a schedule, I think of the problems I didn't solve.

-- The best album is a compilation of all your hard work. Do you have any songs you like or songs with memories?

Everyone: It's "TOY BOY"

-- It's unanimous, everyone thinks the same

Everyone: There is a part that says "Monday Tuesday Wednesday..."

-- Woah! Perfectly in sync!

Yuria: The hand choreography is really cute

Momoka: So that we can dance with everyone, we teach the dance at release events

Rin: Even the little kids who don't know English work hard

Shiori: The MV has an American vibe so it's really cool. We wear clothes we don't wear in "MagiMajo Pures". I like it because we wear our hair differently than usual

-- I see, I don't want to stop talking but finally, can you give a message to the fans?

Momoka: I have a lot I want to say but the thing I want to say the most is thank you for all your support. At the events, people queue up from early in the morning. We were able to release an album because it's all thanks to everyone who always supports us.

Shiori: I think so too. I am the eldest daughter, so I must take care of my younger sisters, to bring little children to the events is hard work. Also, it feels that we get huge support when you all make our costumes and imitate our hair. Of course, the children at the event, fathers, mothers, I want to convey my feelings of gratitude.

Rin: I get energy with the support from the whole family and fans at the event. Even though you all have difficult schedules, I read letters and think "there are so many people who support us" and "I want to work harder".  Twitter comments are also so encouraging.

Yuria: Since doing magical² activities, the power of the fans that I felt is so amazing. I originally wanted to do works like this and my dreams have been firmly decided with the words from the fans. Also, my voice was originally really complex but fans say "your voice is cute". So now I can talk properly during events. Thank you very much.

MItsuki: I too, first of all want to say thank you very much. Maybe, even more than what you fans think, you have become our support. I surely have confidence now thanks to you all. We have a one man live again in March, I am thinking of returning the favor so please look forward to it.

(Translated by: MiRu MiRu / Mimi Sky)
Original Interview: https://realsound.jp/2019/02/post-323269_3.html