Interview: Maeshima Ami Talks About “The Growth of Aya and Her Gratitude Feelings Towards Her”

From Famitsu Vocalist Interview for Bandori Garupa 3rd Anniversary.
Source: https://www.famitsu.com/news/202003/28194482.html (Published 2020.03.28)

Aya’s Struggle Shows The Realistic Representation of the Modern Age Idol

--How did you feel when you were chosen to play the role of Maruyama Aya?

Maeshima: I got the offer from Bushiroad, and then they talked about Aya and Pastel*Palettes (aka. Pasupare). Since I have loved Anime and Seiyuu since I was a child, I was feeling anxious about the offer and thought “Am I the right person for this role?”. But since I've been asked for such a role, I needed to get myself together because I'm carrying the image of the character on my back, so I took the lesson right away, and started studying to understand being a Seiyuu from the very basics.

--Do you think that being an Idol and being in a Variety Show are two different worlds?

Maeshima: That’s true. They are really different. I discover new things everytime I go to the scene, even now I keep doing my best to be able to make a better voice.

--What do you think is the difficulty of acting as a Seiyuu?

Maeshima: For drama and stage plays, all members are present at the scene, so we can feel close to other people, and also have a direct conversation, but for games, I’m always doing the recording alone,  so I can’t have a conversation with other voice actors, that’s why I need to imagine how my conversation partner will talk while doing the recording, that’s what makes it difficult.

--I see. Then how about Anime?

Maeshima: For the Anime recording, we are gathered and do the acting together, but we aren’t facing each other, instead we are acting while standing in a line side-by-side facing mics and screens, so it’s hard to grasp the feeling of everyone’s voices. It always surprises me every time that a Seiyuu can have a unique characteristic for their acting.

--Maeshima-san had activities as an idol in the past, right? Do you feel like there’s a connection between you and Aya, who started as an idol in-training to become a part of an idol band?

Maeshima: In Pasupare’s Band Story 1, there’s actually an episode which I experienced myself.

--Really? For example?

Maeshima: Like when we had an equipment failure and the sound stopped, when we were selling the tickets while it’s raining, when we had a member selling their solo album because they were doing idol activities both as a solo artist and as a group with us, also when our group leader was in anguish.  While I was reading the script for Aya and the other members, I can really understand their feelings, that’s why I can do the acting naturally and powerfully. When we had the recording for Band Story 1, I was crying at some parts.

Aya: "The tickets are on sale! Please watch us, Pastel*Palettes!"

--With the story linked that far, no wonder you can fulfill the role naturally and powerfully.

Maeshima: Aya-chan is really a hardworking person, even if she doesn’t have any distinctive talent, she doesn’t give up on pursuing her dreams, that imperfect part of her might be able to move other people’s hearts, that’s what makes her suited for the modern age idol. I also don’t have any distinctive talent, even my singing and dancing might be far from perfect. Even so, I still want to show the wonder of being an idol to the audience in various activities, just like Aya-chan’s circumstances and her position as an idol, that’s why I can relate myself to her a lot.

--I see. Now that you have been acting the role of Aya for 3 years, how has your impression of her changed into?

Maeshima: At first, she couldn’t really give opinions about other Pasupare members and the office staff, that shows her weakness as a human being. But as they kept doing the idol activities together, she was able to convey her opinions about others, that’s what I think how much she has improved as a person.

--It feels like she’s more reliable now, right?

Maeshima: That’s right. Before, Aya was still inexperienced so she was being supported by other members of Pasupare, but now she has become a leader that  will push others’ back towards the path of idol, so that the 4 other members can also feel “That’s right! This is Pastel*Palettes!”, I think she has become such a reliable leader.

--Do you feel that continuing the role as Aya changes your self?

Maeshima: I feel like my way of thinking has somehow changed. When I was still an idol, I’m more a realistic person like Chisato-chan, I thought of everything rationally, like when I wanted to do something else, but instead I did the things that must be done, because I must not make mistakes, that’s the kind of idol I was. But as I’m taking the role of Aya-chan, I can really feel the kindness of other casts, like when I fumbled, they are like “You’re like Aya-chan” (lol). “It’s fine to fail at something, just don’t be afraid to make mistakes”, that’s the warmth I felt from other people, and I learned it through Aya-chan.

--It’s thanks to Aya-chan that your way of thinking changed, right? So while you’re acting as Aya, do you have anything from the Garupa Story that left an impression on you, Maeshima-san?

Maeshima: My favorite is from the event story titled “Straight Toward Your Dream”. It’s a story about Aya-chan being in a close coverage interview and other Pasupare members come up with a plan on how to make her more relaxed and show her true feelings. I was crying while reading the script, and I also cried when I looked at the lyrics for the song “Yume Yume Gradation”. I think it shows how much Maruyama Aya has worked hard so far, from she was still an idol in-training until now.

--What part of the story “Straight Toward Your Dream” do you like the most?

Maeshima: There is a scene where Aya and Eve watch the footage of the younger Aya-chan’s audition, and there is a line that goes like “I’m number 261, Maruyama Aya! I like to sing and to cheer for idols!”, and that’s what makes me think “Ah, this is Maruyama Aya’s beginning as an idol”, I couldn’t hold back my tears, so I cried during the recording. Also while they’re reminiscing about Aya’s past, Pasupare’s song “Hanamaru◎Andante” was playing in the background, that song was also played when Aya-chan first met Ayumi-san from Marmalade, the idol which she admired for so long. “This is such wonderful planning”, as I can feel the staff’s love from it.

Aya: "Hehe, thank you, Eve-chan. At that time, I passed the audition and became an idol in-training."

--You also got numerous reactions on your Twitter, right? Do you have anything from the recording that remains in your heart?

Maeshima: There was a lot of cheering that came in, and when Ozawa-san heard my singing voice, she said “Your singing voice is more powerful than the temporary recording! I’m so surprised!”. I’m glad I can represent Aya’s cuteness as well as her strength. I’m really happy.

--What sort of feelings do you hold onto while doing the recording?

Maeshima: Since every word of the lyrics are really important, I did the recording with the hope that they can be conveyed properly to the other people.

The Pleasure of Standing on the Stage Not as an Idol, But as a Seiyuu

--What do you usually keep in mind while doing the recording?

Maeshima: Not only for recordings, but also for games for Anime, I always make sure to listen to Pasupare’s songs in the morning. I also watch the game scenario, listening to Aya-chan’s and other Pasupare members’ voices can make me feel like being in the actual scene. For me, it’s still hard to be able to grasp the soul of the character I’m supposed to act, so I imagine Aya-chan comes inside me, that I hope I can think like how Aya-chan would behave and do the recording with that in my mind.

--That’s the dedicated approach method of doing the recording alone, right? Other than “Yume Yume Gradation”, do you have any other songs that left an impression?

Maeshima: I think it’s “Shuwarin☆Dreaming”. It was the song for my first Bang Dream activities.

--Previously, you did the voice recording of a game, right? What is the hardest thing about having to sing suddenly?

Maeshima: I haven’t any experience of singing, and this is the first time I’m voicing a character that sings, but I still did my best. Also “Shuwarin☆Dreaming” was the first song I sang in a concert, and since then I have been practicing to sing with that song, so it left a strong impression on me.

--You’ve also appeared in live performances, and while also acting as Maruyama Aya on stage, is there anything that you always keep in mind?

Maeshima: That’s true. While on a stage, I keep thinking about how Aya-chan would give her performance, like singing and dancing. When in MC, I’m talking to the audience while also thinking about how Aya-chan would behave on the stage, while referencing some lines from the story.

--From all the live performances you’ve done, is there anything that left an impression on you?

Maeshima: That would be “TOKYO MX presents 「BanG Dream! 7th☆LIVE」” in Budokan in February last year (Maeshima-san made a guest appearance on “DAY2: RAISE A SUILEN 「Genesis」”). I have performed there twice since I've started activities as an idol, but I couldn’t say they were huge successes, so I want to try doing that again someday. But as I quitted being an idol and started as a voice actress, there’s no way I can perform in Budokan again so I gave up that idea. It was really unexpected that “Bang Dream!” would allow me to perform again at Budokan, I couldn’t even dream of something like that.

--What do you think about performing in Budokan as Aya?

Maeshima: All the seats were filled up, and the place was painted in Aya’s pink color, and when I saw it, I thought that my dream had been fulfilled thanks to Aya-chan. I almost cried on the stage, but I thought Aya-chan wouldn’t let herself cry like this, so I held back my tears and was able to continue singing with a smile.

--Just by listening to you talking about how similar you and Aya almost made me cry (lol). As a fan, I want to see all members of Pasupare perform together on a stage.

Maeshima: I also want to do that! When we met on the recording, Ozawa-san and Uesaka-san also said to me “I want to perform on a stage!”. It doesn’t need to be a live performance, a talk event is also fine, I hope the five of us can have the opportunity to gather around and make an appearance together.

--By the way, as a viewer, is there any live performance that left an impression on you?

Maeshima: They were all very memorable! I know they were all doing their best, so seeing them performing on a stage brought me to tears. But if I were to choose one, I think it would be “Poppin’Party × SILENT SIREN Joint Live 「NO GIRL NO CRY」” that was held last year. There were a lot of people gathering in Metlife Dome, and as I cheered for Popipa, it tugged something in my heart. After I came home from “NO GIRL NO CRY”, I talked about “I also want to perform as Pasupare!”, and then the “Pastel*Palettes Special Performance ~Manmaru Oyama ni Irodori Special☆~” was decided to be held in Zepp Tokyo. That’s why the “NO GIRL NO CRY” concert was really memorable for me.

--So the Pasupare Special Performance was triggered by “NO GIRL NO CRY”, right? Have you had talks about “Bang Dream!” with the casts from the other bands?

Maeshima: I was together with Itou Miku-chan during the “7th☆LIVE” in Budokan, so I had the chance to eat a meal together with her and had a conversation about Pasupare and Harohapi. I think all the “Bang Dream!” casts really love the franchise, that’s why we can talk about it without end.

--We talked about Metlife Dome before, and there’s also the upcoming “BanG Dream! Special☆LIVE Girls Band Party! 2020” on May, right? What kind of performance are you preparing for it?

Maeshima: That’s right. Since I’ve watched “NO GIRL NO CRY” from the audience seat, it has been in my mind. Even now I still feel nervous about it, but it’s not just about me, instead it’s like a festival where everyone will perform, I think it would be great if I can do things I couldn’t do on other occasions. Also, it would be great if Pasupare can give a special surprise there, I’m so excited!

--Talking about the activities in “Bang Dream!”, do you have any goal for yourself, as something to challenge?

Maeshima: When I joined “Bang Dream!”, I was the youngest among other members and my experience as a Seiyuu was still short, and I started meeting everyone with that circumstance. Everyone was really kind to me. Now that the new casts are joining, both I and Aya-chan have juniors to take care of. That’s why, together with Aya-chan, I want to develop myself to become a dependable senior. By growing my love for both the character and the band, I hope I can surpass any challenge to be worthy of the representative of Pasupare.

--Thank you very much! For the last one, we would like you to show your enthusiasm about “Bang Dream!” activities from now on.

Maeshima: It’s been an extraordinary 3 years full of emotions. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it changed my life, because thanks to “Bang Dream!” and Pasupare, I can see various scenery, and I want to return the favor from now on. I hope more people all around the world will get to know the charm of “Bang Dream!”, and understand the wonderful existence of Pasupare and Aya-chan, that’s why I will keep doing my best from now on.

(TL note: Please don’t hesitate to point out any mistakes since I’m still learning Japanese.)