[00:18] Shinya Takano: A big point packed with music and culture. J-Wave Grand Marquee. Today’s guest is this person.
[00:25] Mori Calliope: [Clears throat] It’s ya boi! I’m Mori Calliope. I am a Virtual Artist and Singer-Songwriter. Nice to meet you.
[00:31] Shinya Takano: Nice to meet you!
[00:32] Celeina Ann: Nice to meet you! It’s been a while!
[00:35] Mori Calliope: It has been a while.
[00:37] Shinya Takano: Welcome back.
[00:38] Celeina Ann: Welcome back.
[00:41] Mori Calliope: Yay.
[00:42] Shinya Takano: I’m happy to have you.
[00:44] Mori Calliope: Yes, well, it’s been a year, so for Grand Marquee...
[00:47] Shinya Takano: Looking back at your activities over the past year, this spring you appeared at the opening ceremony for the Osaka Kansai Expo.
[00:55] Mori Calliope: Yes.
[00:56] Shinya Takano: And furthermore, a live performance was held at the Virtual Pavilion. What kind of memories do you have left from that?
[01:03] Mori Calliope: Oh, right. By the way... during that Expo performance... His Majesty the Emperor was also there.
[01:10] Celeina Ann: Whoa!
[01:12] Shinya Takano: Wow!
[01:13] Mori Calliope: He saw me.
[01:14] Shinya Takano: Amazing!
[01:15] Mori Calliope: That’s right. I was truly moved. I was... well, I was really nervous, but it might have been the first time in the VTuber world...
[01:25] Shinya Takano: Is that so?
[01:26] Mori Calliope: The first time.
[01:28] Shinya Takano: The first VTuber His Majesty the Emperor ever saw?
[01:30] Mori Calliope: Maybe! Maybe. I don’t know for sure, but as a live performance? Maybe. Actually, I don’t know. I don’t know if His Majesty likes VTubers or not.
[01:42] Shinya Takano: No, no, no. But surely, seeing your live performance became a catalyst for him.
[01:46] Mori Calliope: That would be great. Someone please put this in a history textbook! Please!
[01:51] Shinya Takano: Is that okay? [Laughs]
[01:52] Mori Calliope: I’d be happy though.
[01:54] Celeina Ann: That’s a wonderful memory.
[01:56] Shinya Takano: You must have been nervous. The tension must have been incredible. How was it?
[01:58] Mori Calliope: That’s right. That day... actually, I only found out that day.
[02:03] Celeina Ann: Eh!?
[02:04] Mori Calliope: I didn’t know at all before then. About His Majesty...
[02:07] Shinya Takano: Oh, really? before the live show? Or after?
[02:09] Mori Calliope: Afterwards... well, before doing the live show, but about 10 minutes before.
[02:14] Celeina Ann: Ehhh!? That’s surprising!
[02:15] Shinya Takano: That makes the surprise even bigger!
[02:17] Celeina Ann: Conversely, that might make you more nervous!
[02:19] Mori Calliope: Truly. It was like, "This is crazy! I’ll do my best!" I thought. I did my best, but I wonder how it went.
[02:28] Shinya Takano: No, but it’s a huge achievement, truly.
[02:30] Mori Calliope: Ah, dokidoki. My heart...
[02:33] Celeina Ann: Wow. And, this February, you held your first overseas solo live performance at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.
[02:40] Mori Calliope: Yes! We did it.
[02:42] Celeina Ann: That’s amazing. How was it?
[02:45] Mori Calliope: It was amazing. Everyone’s... energy. The energy was truly wonderful. Overseas fans are really, like, "Let's go!!" and "Let's smash it!", that kind of feeling. It was a bit intense.
[02:59] Celeina Ann: [Laughs] It’s intense!
[03:00] Mori Calliope: I was happy. I’m super grateful.
[03:02] Shinya Takano: Heeh. So the vibes are a bit different?
[03:05] Mori Calliope: That's right. But of course, Japanese fans also dance, and cheer a lot for me. They support me. But, naturally, the way they do it is a bit different.
[03:20] Shinya Takano: Heeh.
[03:22] Mori Calliope: The energy levels are different, but both are totally fine. I love both. It was nice.
[03:28] Shinya Takano: After all, America is your hometown, right?
[03:31] Mori Calliope: Yes, I'm American... well, I'm from America... so... yeah, it felt like a homecoming. It was lovely.
[03:45] Shinya Takano: A huge success for the overseas solo live.
[03:47] Mori Calliope: Yes!
[03:49] Celeina Ann: That is Mori Calliope-san. Currently, you are in charge of the opening theme song for the second cour of the TV anime Gachiakuta, which is broadcasting now.
[03:57] Mori Calliope: Yes!
[03:58] Shinya Takano: Powerful! You’re fired up. Originally, were you a fan of the Gachiakuta manga?
[04:04] Mori Calliope: Yes, it’s my number one favorite manga.
[04:06] Celeina Ann: Number one?!
[04:07] Mori Calliope: Yes. About three years ago... there was a Manga Awards show. At that time, I had to read a lot of different manga. I read a lot of them. But Gachiakuta... although I read it... it became my favorite manga.
[04:26] Shinya Takano: What part of it grabbed your heart?
[04:28] Mori Calliope: The art style is super amazing. And, of course, the Japanese manga style is amazing, but it also has a bit of an overseas style mixed in. Like cartoons.
[04:42] Celeina Ann: Hmm, hmm.
[04:43] Mori Calliope: The atmosphere... Urana-sensei's art is seriously stylish.
[04:48] Shinya Takano: Ah.
[04:50] Mori Calliope: East and West. Mixing overseas and Japanese styles to create her own style. Urana is genius.
[04:58] Shinya Takano: So when the offer came to do the voice—or rather the song—you must have been happy?
[05:03] Mori Calliope: YES! But I couldn't believe it, actually. When I first heard it, I was like "Eh? Are you kidding? Is this a joke?"
[05:12] Shinya Takano: Joking, joking.
[05:14] Celeina Ann: So, we would like to listen to that Opening Theme song here. Calliope-san, please introduce the song.
[05:19] Mori Calliope: Okay. [Clears throat] Everyone, please listen. "Let's Just Crash."
[08:38] Celeina Ann: We are listening to today’s guest, Mori Calliope, with "Let's Just Crash."
[08:44] Shinya Takano: Yeah! This dashing feeling really hits you hard.
[08:47] Celeina Ann: It's so cool!
[08:49] Shinya Takano: Rock and roll. It’s the opening theme for the second cour of the TV anime Gachiakuta. This song... right from the verse, the melody is...
[08:58] Celeina Ann: It's difficult! I thought if I went to karaoke, I definitely wouldn't be able to sing it.
[09:03] Shinya Takano: It feels like it goes to places in the melody line that aren't where the chords usually go.
[09:07] Celeina Ann: That's right. How was it?
[09:09] Mori Calliope: It was difficult! It was really difficult, truly. But because it's cool, I did my best. Syudou-san's demo vocal... I wanted to imitate it, but of course, I wanted to put my own vibes into it too. That was the most difficult point, actually.
[09:28] Shinya Takano: But the melody too... it might be hard to sing, but I want everyone to try their best at karaoke.
[09:36] Mori Calliope: Please treat me well!
[09:38] Shinya Takano: The lyrics and composition are by Syudou-san. He is familiar from Ado-san's "Usseewa."
[09:44] Mori Calliope: Yes.
[09:45] Shinya Takano: But it feels like a great combination. It fits Calliope-san's singing perfectly.
[09:51] Mori Calliope: Ah, yes. Actually... before the opening offer for Gachiakuta came... as a fan, I was hoping that the person who would make the opening... was Syudou-san.
[10:07] Shinya Takano: Heeh!
[10:08] Mori Calliope: Syudou-san... if Gachiakuta became an anime, I wanted Syudou-san to make the OP. From a fan's perspective.
[10:19] Celeina Ann: And that actually became reality!
[10:20] Mori Calliope: That's right! So I thought, "Wait, seriously?!"
[10:23] Shinya Takano: You thought, "Me too?!"
[10:24] Mori Calliope: Yes! The best team-up! It was the best team-up.
[10:28] Shinya Takano: It was done with the best team-up! And this song, the Music Video is also good, isn't it?
[10:34] Celeina Ann: Yes.
[10:35] Shinya Takano: We introduced him on this program before, Yohei Kameyama of "Milky Subway" directed it.
[10:41] Mori Calliope: Yes!
[10:42] Shinya Takano: How did it come about that you asked him?
[10:45] Mori Calliope: Actually, I often saw Kameyama-san's art on X [Twitter]. I became a fan. But that was before the release of "Milky Subway."
[11:00] Celeina Ann: Heeh.
[11:01] Mori Calliope: Yes. Actually... I wanted to make a 2D MV. But, various things happened, and creating that was a bit difficult... But I wanted to make an animation. I wondered if there was a creator who could fulfill my hope... And Kameyama-san came to mind!
[11:27] Shinya Takano: I see.
[11:28] Mori Calliope: "Wait a minute, this person is truly wonderful," I thought. "Can I ask him?" And so I asked him.
[11:35] Celeina Ann: And it was okay!
[11:36] Mori Calliope: Yes! He made it for me, so I'm truly grateful. Seriously.
[11:41] Shinya Takano: It’s amazing. The coolness and the cuteness are fused together.
[11:45] Mori Calliope: It's like a Mad Max homage...
[11:47] Shinya Takano: Yes, yes, yes.
[11:48] Mori Calliope: Actually, the idea for that MV... was my idea.
[11:52] Celeina Ann: Is that so?
[11:53] Mori Calliope: I sent references for Mad Max and the anime movie Redline...
[11:59] Shinya Takano: Ah!
[12:00] Mori Calliope: I sent those two movies. But in the end, Mad Max had a lot more references included in the MV.
[12:12] Celeina Ann: I see!
[12:13] Shinya Takano: That's why there are trucks and cars racing through the wasteland...
[12:18] Mori Calliope: Roaring down the road!
[12:19] Shinya Takano: It fits the galloping feeling of the song perfectly.
[12:22] Celeina Ann: It's a synergetic effect.
[12:24] Mori Calliope: Yes. Since it's Rock and Roll... a rock song... I thought a car race or competition would be the best fit.
[12:35] Shinya Takano: I listened to Syudou-san's demo while imagining a car race.
[12:41] Mori Calliope: [Laughs]
[12:42] Shinya Takano: Those who haven't seen it yet, please check it out.
[12:45] Mori Calliope: There is even more!
[12:47] Shinya Takano: The skit program being distributed on Amazon Prime Video, "The Golden Combo 2025: Ultimate New Duo Decision Battle." You performed the main theme for this.
[13:00] Mori Calliope: Yes.
[13:01] Shinya Takano: "Gold Unbalance" featuring Kento Nakajima. A collaboration with Kento Nakajima. It was released last week.
[13:08] Mori Calliope: Hmm.
[13:09] Shinya Takano: Even in the music video, you are dancing intensely.
[13:12] Celeina Ann: Yes, yes, yes.
[13:13] Mori Calliope: Intense dancing.
[13:14] Shinya Takano: It's difficult, that dance. But I hope everyone takes on the challenge.
[13:20] Mori Calliope: Please treat me well!
[13:21] Shinya Takano: How was this collaboration, actually singing and dancing together?
[13:25] Mori Calliope: It was really fun, actually. Simply put. Kenty-san is... truly an amazing person. I have a lot of respect for him. He is a pro idol, seriously. I had never met a professional idol before.
[13:42] Shinya Takano: Oh?
[13:43] Mori Calliope: He does it really seriously/diligently. Kenty-san is...
[13:47] Celeina Ann: In what sort of situations did you feel he was diligent or stoic?
[13:51] Mori Calliope: Well, actually... he is a very kind person. But he sings earnestly. And his dancing is... unbelievable! It's amazing. On the day of the MV shooting... I was truly moved. Before that, I had recorded the motion capture.
[14:14] Shinya Takano: Yes.
[14:15] Mori Calliope: But seeing Kenty-san's dance, I said, "Wait a minute, I want to retake this one more time!"
[14:21] Shinya Takano: Oh!
[14:22] Mori Calliope: But they said, "Sorry Calliope-san, that's difficult, it's impossible."
[14:26] Shinya Takano: Because of the schedule.
[14:27] Mori Calliope: It was too late. But... yeah.
[14:30] Celeina Ann: But really, the power of the two of you colliding...
[14:34] Mori Calliope: That's right.
[14:35] Celeina Ann: It's creating a new chemical reaction.
[14:37] Mori Calliope: Yeah.
[14:38] Shinya Takano: The song and the MV, please check them out.
[14:40] Mori Calliope: We are dancing in space and places like that. It's amazing.
[14:44] Shinya Takano: Also, Kenty-san is wonderful, he can speak English too.
[14:47] Mori Calliope: Yes! We talked together in English.
[14:50] Shinya Takano: You spoke?
[14:51] Mori Calliope: We spoke.
[14:52] Celeina Ann: Wow.
[14:53] Shinya Takano: Good, isn't it?
[14:54] Mori Calliope: It's good.
[14:55] Shinya Takano: And furthermore! Furthermore! Furthermore!
[15:00] Celeina Ann: Yes! Next year, February 6th, the release of the new album "Disasterpiece" was announced last weekend!
[15:08] Mori Calliope: Yay!
[15:09] Celeina Ann: You are busy, Calliope-san!
[15:11] Mori Calliope: It’s fun so it’s okay!
[15:13] Shinya Takano: February next year.
[15:14] Mori Calliope: That's right. New music.
[15:15] Celeina Ann: The title is "Disasterpiece." What meaning is put into this?
[15:20] Mori Calliope: So, "Disasterpiece" is... a remix of the word "Masterpiece."
[15:27] Shinya Takano: Masterpiece. In Japanese, what do you say? The best work?
[15:32] Mori Calliope: The greatest work. "Masterpiece." But "Disaster" is a bit... is it a bad meaning? How is it?
[15:42] Shinya Takano: Like the worst?
[15:43] Mori Calliope: The worst... greatest work. It’s a play on words. English wordplay is a bit difficult I think... "Disaster," but "Masterpiece."
[15:56] Shinya Takano: I see.
[15:57] Mori Calliope: I am not perfect. I'm a VTuber, an idol... but I'm not perfect, you know? But, that isn't a weakness, it's a good thing. That becomes my strength.
[16:15] Shinya Takano: Somehow... "the beauty of being incomplete"... making that into music.
[16:21] Mori Calliope: Yes.
[16:22] Shinya Takano: That’s amazing. Very conceptual. I’m curious what kind of album it will become. Next year! February 6th, everyone. Let’s wait for it.
[16:30] Mori Calliope: Please listen to it a lot. There are many songs with deep meanings. And there is Japanese in it too.
[16:37] Shinya Takano: Oh!
[16:38] Mori Calliope: It's not 100% English songs, of course, there are songs with Japanese too. Since there are a lot, please check it out.
[16:47] Shinya Takano: Please do!
[16:48] Mori Calliope: Yay.
[16:49] Shinya Takano: And...
[16:50] Celeina Ann: Can we move to a bit of private talk from here? Is that okay?
[16:53] Mori Calliope: Okay!
[16:54] Shinya Takano: We’ll go right in!
[16:55] Celeina Ann: Regarding culture you are curious about. On Tuesdays at Grand Marquee, we often talk about anime, games, and comics.
[17:02] Mori Calliope: Oh!
[17:03] Celeina Ann: How about it? Is there any anime or anything you are hooked on lately?
[17:06] Mori Calliope: Well... um... other than Gachiakuta...
[17:09] Celeina Ann: Yes, yes.
[17:10] Mori Calliope: Let's see... recently, I’ve been watching Studio Trigger.
[17:15] Celeina Ann: Oh! Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi)?
[17:17] Mori Calliope: Delicious in Dungeon! It was interesting!
[17:20] Celeina Ann: It's interesting, isn't it?
[17:21] Mori Calliope: It was interesting.
[17:22] Shinya Takano: You previously welcomed Sushio-san as a guest to the studio, right?
[17:25] Mori Calliope: What?! Really?!
[17:27] Shinya Takano: Yes.
[17:28] Celeina Ann: There is such a lineage.
[17:29] Mori Calliope: Amazing. Eh, that’s nice. I love Studio Trigger.
[17:34] Shinya Takano: Sushio-san... Character design, animator...
[17:37] Mori Calliope: Sushio-san! I love him!
[17:39] Shinya Takano: Just now... the connection was made!
[17:41] Mori Calliope: Sushio-san drew me once!
[17:44] Shinya Takano: Wow! That’s a treasure!
[17:46] Mori Calliope: Thank you very much!
[17:47] Celeina Ann: That’s nice.
[17:48] Shinya Takano: So you watch Studio Trigger works?
[17:50] Mori Calliope: I watch them. Yes. My favorite is actually the very first anime, Kill la Kill.
[17:56] Shinya Takano: Ah!
[17:57] Mori Calliope: Back in the day. When I was a high school student. I watched it.
[18:02] Shinya Takano: You’re watching the works you saw back in high school again recently?
[18:05] Mori Calliope: Yes, yes, yes. Watching again.
[18:07] Shinya Takano: Heeh.
[18:08] Mori Calliope: Because it's nostalgic.
[18:09] Celeina Ann: Even now it’s interesting.
[18:10] Mori Calliope: What points are charming about it?
[18:13] Mori Calliope: Hmm... well... Action. The action is cool. And there are a lot of strong women. Female characters.
[18:23] Shinya Takano: Hmm, hmm.
[18:24] Mori Calliope: Truly, I love it. Everyone is very... beautiful... sexy... and cute. Amazing. But, they are strong so I like them. I want to be like that too. Someday.
[18:38] Shinya Takano: Calliope-san likes action-type anime?
[18:41] Mori Calliope: Yes, action-type anime and games too. I love action. Boy’s manga and boy’s anime, I like those.
[18:49] Shinya Takano: I see.
[18:50] Mori Calliope: So really... Calliope-san's work/style... fits quite well with that.
[18:56] Shinya Takano: It syncs up.
[18:57] Celeina Ann: It feels like it’s overflowing with energy.
[18:59] Mori Calliope: Vibes. That's right. And dark... dark fantasy is my number one favorite vibe. In games, anime, and manga. A mix of Dark and Fantasy. If you mix them... Calliope will definitely like it.
[19:16] Celeina Ann: Heeh. But earlier you said the new song has Japanese mixed in, and the new album title is a mix of "Disaster" and "Masterpiece." You like mixing two things to present a new concept?
[19:30] Mori Calliope: That’s right. Actually, all the names of my albums are like that. Palindrome. What is it in Japanese? For example... "Shin-derella" (Cinderella). A mix of Cinderella and "Sin" (Tsumi).
[19:48] Shinya Takano: Ah!
[19:49] Mori Calliope: Phantomime. Phantom and Pantomime. Phantomime. It becomes an English wordplay. It might be a bit hard to understand... but please look it up!
[19:59] Shinya Takano: Word Juggler!
[20:00] Mori Calliope: Word Juggler!
[20:01] Celeina Ann: Word Juggler!
[20:02] Mori Calliope: Yes, Word Juggler! That’s me!
[20:03] Shinya Takano: Takanobu-san uses "Word Juggling" often too.
[20:06] Mori Calliope: That’s nice!
[20:07] Celeina Ann: Instead of saying "puns" (dajare), he says "I'm doing Word Juggling."
[20:10] Mori Calliope: That sounds cool!
[20:11] Shinya Takano: Let's hold a Word Juggling association next time!
[20:14] Celeina Ann: Is that so?
[20:15] Mori Calliope: Let's do it! Definitely!
[20:16] Shinya Takano: Welcoming Calliope-san.
[20:17] Mori Calliope: Thank you very much!
[20:18] Shinya Takano: This is thanks to you!
[20:19] Celeina Ann: So, once again, today's guest Mori Calliope-san's new song "Let's Just Crash" is released this month. And "Gold Unbalance" featuring Kento Nakajima was released last week. Those songs will also be included in the major 3rd album "Disasterpiece" which will be released on February 6th next year, so we are looking forward to it!
[20:41] Mori Calliope: Yay!
[20:42] Celeina Ann: So, today's guest was Mori Calliope-san.
[20:44] Shinya Takano: Thank you very much!
[20:45] Celeina Ann: Thank you very much!
[20:46] Mori Calliope: Thank you very much!