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Kyanchi: We want to welcome one of the hottest artists in the anisong world to come as a guest and perform in this corner.
Kyanchi: Today's Pick Up Artist is AKINO with bless4!!
This sibling chorus group made their major debut in 2003.
AKINO went solo in 2005 with Sousei no Aquarion, produced by Yoko Kanno.
This song has become so popular, it is a standard when singing karaoke even to this day.
Their beautiful sibling chorus work and dance performance ...
we can call them the Jackson 5 of the Anime Music Scene.
Kyanchi: So, all of you were all singing together from when you were small?
Yes... AKINO: Actually, we didn't sing when we were small.
AKINO: When we were younger and lived in the States, Oni-chan (AKASHI) loved Jackie Chan.
AKINO: He borrowed a lot of Jackie Chan movies.
AKASHI: I wanted to be an Action Star.
Kyanchi: Really?! You can definitely become one!
AKASHI: Ahhh, I don't think... I know I can. lol... (Joking)
AKASHI: But seriously, I really liked him, and thought if I can do something, that these kids could too.
AKASHI: So when they'd come back from school, I wouldn't let them eat, and I'd...
AIKI: Let me say something... I was in preschool at the time, so I was around 4 years old.
AIKI: We come back home, AKINO's 6 and I was 4, and one-chan (KANASA) was...
KANASA: I was around 11 years old
AIKI: We'd come home, and usually, you're hungry, so you go eat or whatever, but...
AIKI: but the moment we come home, oni-chan (AKASHI) tells us to do back-hand-springs.
AKASHI: I made them practice... yes, training... I was a spartan back then.
AIKI: And we couldn't eat until we finished our daily assignments, like.. 3 back-hand-springs in a row.
Kyanchi: What kind of sparta training is that?! It sounds like you're training for the Olympics!
Kyanchi: I want to ask about your new single.
You are singing "Sousei no Aquarion"'s sequel, "Aquarion EVOL"'s Opening and Ending theme songs
AKINO: I sang "Sousei no Aquarion" when I was 14...
AKINO: I'm now 22. Aquarion was really a life changing event.
Kyanchi: omg wait, no... That's really touching!
I feel that too. Sousei no Aquarion is such a great song, and I love Yoko Kanno.
Kyanchi: When I first heard the song airing on TV, I cried!! This is such a great song!
Thank you. We decided a theme for this song... which is hatsu koi (first love)
Kyanchi: Hatsu koi! OH! In the show, it says "no love in the school"
AKINO: So, hatsu koi was the image we had in our minds for this song.
AKINO: AIKI made the choreography for the dance
Kyanchi: AIKI made the dance choreography for this song, and AKINO made the costumes, right? AKINO: Yes.
Kyanchi: You can do everything with just the 4 of you. It's unbelievable!
AKINO: Thank you. Kyanchi: I thought the dance was really cool!
AKINO: The choreography is kind of cute. AIKI: Yes, I made the choreography to fit the cute lyrics that come out in the song.
AIKI: There's also a section that's like a musical, where we dance together.
Kyanchi: Oh, where you put your hands together (hold hands?)... point you want people to look at? AIKI: Yes
AKINO: I'm kind of boy-ish, so I'm not really good at doing cute facial expressions or dance moves
AKASHI: She's good at doing strong moves, but this time, we knew it would be better to do cute moves.
AKINO: So I would practice at home, but they'd say, "No, you need to do it cuter!!"
Kyanchi: Who says this, KANASA?
AKINO: Oni-chan and... AKASHI: Usually me and AIKI.
Kyanchi: Really?! You tell her that it doesn't look cute from a man's perspective? Boys: Yes. (Laughs)
AKASHI: We are alike in that sense. We look at it and think, no, it should be a bit different.
AIKI: Watching and thinking this kind of facial expression would leave a better impression to men... Kyanchi: Really?! AIKI, you've grown up...
Kyanchi: My last question is... Can you let me know what music means to you?
KANASA: We'll have AKINO answer this question.
AKINO: OK, gambarimasu (I'll do my best.) Music is gratitude.
AKINO: Having the opportunity to sing on stage is something I am really grateful for.
AKINO: There are many people who want to be singers, even a lot of my friends... and being blessed with this opportunity, I want to sing my heart out for them as well.
AKINO: I sing with gratitude in my heart. I'm also grateful to be able to sing with my siblings.
AKINO: I want to continue to express family love through our music to everyone.
Kyanchi: Oh, I'm about to cry... Thank you so much.
Today's guest was AKINO with bless4.
Thank you!!
AKINO with bless4 will be performing "Sousei no Aquarion" and "Kimi no Shinhwa Aquarion Dai Ni Shou"