--At the time, I thought, "What is this? But looking at it now, isn't it the starting point of the BEYOOOOONDS groove?
Momonohime Seino: Certainly at the time we thought "What are they doing?" but when we do that video now, it doesn't seem strange at all (laughs).
Takase: It just goes into your gut (laughs).
-Kurumi and Momohime, who were later announced as the new section connected to Amenomori Kawai, and Melina, who was announced as the leader of the new group connected to CHICA#TETSU, became the mother body of BEYOOOOONDS, but then A lot has happened and it's been three years since your major label debut. Are you now able to carry out the activities you imagined at the time?
Takase: There was a possibility that the new section would not be Halo Pro, and I was very anxious. I couldn't imagine that we would be so happy a few years later, BEYOOOOONDS is a group doing something quite different (laughs), but now we can have confidence that this is our colour.
Melina Ichioka: We are far beyond what we imagined at the time. I had no idea that CHICA#TETSU and Amenomori would work together before we decided on a name, or that we would do a skit (laughs). I myself was only supposed to be the leader when none of the members were (laughs), and I wasn't the type to stand on top personality-wise, but now I'm enjoying our activities with the support of the members.
There was a wall between the three of us and it was tense.
Seino: Before we came to our current form, the three of us were tense (laughs). There was a lot of anxiety about what would happen next, and when the three of us sang songs together, we didn't get along, and we were often angry with each other. Looking back at off-shots from that time, there may or may not be one photo of the three of us together. And even the one that miraculously came out, we had awkward smiles on our faces (laughs).
Takase: I can feel the distance between our hearts from the photos.
Seino: I think people have the impression that I myself am energetic, cheerful and funny now. ......
--You are also known as a "Parisian" (laughs).
Seino: That's right (laughs). But at the time I was in the first year of junior high school and shy. We didn't talk backstage either, did we?
Ichioka The three of us rarely laughed at each other.
Takase: To put it in an extreme way, we were people who didn't know whether we were going to be enemies or friends. Especially Melina Ichioka, I thought we would definitely be separated, so the distance between us was even greater.
Ichioka There were about five walls between us (laughs).
Takase That many (laughs)? When we became BEYOOOOONDS together, I thought it would be basically CHICA#TETSU and Amenomori, and we would get together occasionally, but in fact it was the other way round.
Ichioka: That kind of formality has never existed before, has it? In the old Morning Musume。 Since the Otome Gumi and Sakura Gumi?
Takase: Three members joined us from the audition, and we became the basic group of 12 BEYOOOOONDS. The three of us were tense and went through difficult times together, so we became attached to each other. Now I really feel like we are comrades.
I didn't realise that I would become an idol and study to be a lecturer (laughs).
-What did you think of the BEYOOOOONDS line?
Ichioka: It was full of surprises. When I was first told I was going to do 'The Boy with the Glasses', I thought, 'Oh, no? There's dialogue? What is this?" (laughs).
--(laughs). (Laughs).
Ichioka That's really true.
Takase: We were originally told that the new section would have elements of a small theatre company, so we just thought, "We're going to do a play".
Ichioka Now it's become synonymous with BEYOOOOONDS, like skits, but I'll never forget the moment when we first performed it.
Takase The subtle airiness (laughs).
Ichioka Even though we were working hard from rehearsals, we didn't know if we were doing it right, and when we started performing in the show, the audience started buzzing. They were like, 'What's going on?' It was like.
--Momohime-san, you were in charge of starting the performance as a lecturer, so you had a lot of responsibility, didn't you?
Seino: I was so surprised! There are many songs with dialogue in Halo Pro, but there is no such thing as a lecture dialogue (laughs).
--(laughs). - I thought it was very rare, not just in Halo Pro (laughs).
Seino: I couldn't really grasp it in the first lesson, so they sent me a video of a lecturer to "study". I didn't think I would be able to do this after becoming an idol (laughs), but I was more embarrassed at first. At the first performance, as soon as I started to speak, the audience went "Oh, well, well, well". Oh no!" I thought, and tried not to bite.
--As a result, I got a reputation for being funny.
Ichioka I didn't know at the time whether I would continue doing this in the future or whether it would end with 'The Boy with the Glasses'. I didn't know at the time. But we have been doing skits for a long time and they have become an indispensable part of BEYOOOOONDS.
The image of a dog crunching on raw meat (laughs).
-On the other hand, we have seen a broadening of your musicality with this second album. Do you have any favourites among the new songs, including those you have already performed live?
Seino: I would have to say 'Hey! Beyonda', featuring my talkbox with AI's voice. I was allowed to use the talkbox for the first time in the single 'Geki Kare LOVE', and I didn't think I could do it again after about a year and a half. I started it as a hobby at first and never thought it would become a song, so I was happy.
Takase: The first song, "Tiger Eye Tanta Turn", was choreographed by akane-san, who is famous for his bubbly dancing, and it has a lot of moves that I had never done before. The song also has fakes and many new elements.
--It's a black disco tune arranged by Dance☆Man.
Takase: The music video on the Blu-ray that comes with the first pressing mainly features dance shots, which is unusual for us.
--The music video is mainly dance shots, which is unusual for us.
Takase: We challenged ourselves to show off our charm through dance. I feel that the dance itself has a comical quality that goes well with akane's choreography.
--Momotohime-san has a part called 'Bite it off'.
Seino: I wanted to sing that part, so I did my best. I wanted to bite it off (laughs). I recorded it when my hearing was bad and I didn't really recognise my own voice, but when I listened to it I thought 'this is good' (laughs).
--(laughs) - did you have something in mind when you sang the song?
Seino: Recently, there have been a lot of videos on TikTok of dogs eating raw meat. I used that image to create the wildness of the song (laughs).
A sense of unity was created at the Nippon Budokan by banging castanets
Ichioka I like 'Tears of Castanets'. We performed it for the first time at the Nippon Budokan, and the use of castanets was innovative and unique to BEYOOOOONDS. We uploaded a video for practice beforehand and sold it as merchandise at the venue, and the Halo Pro fans have a good sense of rhythm, so they were able to play it well. We also danced while playing castanets, which created a sense of unity in a situation where we couldn't speak.
--I think it's a challenge to beat 16 beats, though (laughs).
Ichioka: It's not easy for the members either (laughs).
Takase: I've never played 16 beats on castanets in my life (laughs). But I was happy to see fans practising without giving up. The more times we do it, the more I think you guys are better than us.
--Kurumi-san is in charge of the dialogue from the beginning of the song, "Is everyone ready? which is the opening line of the show.
Takase: I was aiming for that line, so I recorded it with a lot of energy, saying, "I'm going to get it! I recorded it with a lot of energy. The first performance of the song was scheduled to be at the Budokan, so I imagined that I was going to stir things up in front of thousands of people. In fact, when we performed it as the first song of the encore, I thought I was going to play it cool. But it felt good to lead the band members and say it, and I couldn't stop grinning (laughs).
Putting the cuteness in the song about whether you're a rice or bread person.
-Are there any other parts in other songs that you were happy to receive?
Ichioka: For the opening of "Only Lonely", I said before recording, "I want to sing this part" and started to record it (laughs). (laughs) I didn't often sing the beginning of the song, but I loved the tone of the song.
--It's a good song, isn't it? It would suit the end of a live performance.
Ichioka It's really good! The lyrics really hit home for me because I learnt from the Corona Disaster that meeting people and doing things together is not something to be taken for granted.
Takase: I really like the way she says "Let's play together again". It's a one-way street when you say "come and see us live", but when you say "play", it feels like we're doing something together.
--What part of the song were you happy to sing?
Takase: In 'Never Never know ~Komeha to Panha no Love Wars~', I sang the part before the first chorus, 'Let's stop fighting, shall we? ＞I was given the part "Never Never know". I wasn't the type of person who was expected to be cute. But in the third single, "Hero - Smile! Chopin Senpai~", I was like, "Can you be cute too?" I was like, "Can you do cute too? The song "Never Never know" itself is cute, and I sing the whole song as if I'm whispering in a whisper voice. I was asked, "What would happen if you did it in a cute way?" I was happy that the take I recorded when I was asked, "What would happen if I did it in a cute way?
--This is also a type of song that we haven't had before.
Takase: The choreographer even said, "I didn't expect such a cute song from BEYOOOOONDS", which was a surprise to us. If you listen to the lyrics carefully, it's about whether to have rice or bread for breakfast, and the natto story is very BEYOOOOONDS-like (laughs). But the main character is very healthy and says, "I'm a rice person, but I don't mind if it's 7:3 with bread". I sang the song with that girl's feelings in mind.
-Which side are you all in?
Takase: When I was a teenager I was a bread person, but after I turned 20 I became a rice person. I also put natto on it. But natto on toast is also delicious (laughs).
Seino: I am a banana person (laughs).
Ichioka If it's rice or bread, I'm a rice person, but I have lemon water for breakfast (laughs). Recently I've started to take a little bit of vegetables. I'm conscious of my health, but I also try to look fashionable (laughs).
We recorded several dozen takes of fakes.
--Momotohime, is there anything else besides the 'Bite it off' that you just mentioned?
Seino: I was aiming for the last fake in Amenomori Kawai's 'Circulation' on the UNIT disc. We all recorded many takes of this song, and I think we all struggled with different parts of it, but I recorded many dozens of takes of this fake. From the crying pattern to the slightly funny pattern. It was worth the many challenges.
--Circulation" is a deep song, isn't it?
Seino: It's a cycle of rain, forests and rivers.
Takase: Amenomori Kawai tends to sing unorthodox love songs.
Seino: The other song this time, 'Yabai Koi no Kura', is in a rock style.
Takase But 'Circulation' is based on a mythological motif. I recorded it with various explanations. I had an image of it as a complete change from the stronger songs I've done in the past. But Moeka Kobayashi from SeasoningS said to me, "The main girl has grown up a bit, but I feel like the fundamentals haven't changed. It became clear to me that the feeling of heavy love was a common thread. I was worried about whether people would accept the change in line, but I realised that different listeners feel differently.
Courtesy of Upfront Agency
It's an unusual album, but I recommend it with confidence.
-CHICA#TETSU's new song is another in the station series, 'Meet me at JR Umeda Station'. Are you familiar with trains outside the Tokyo area?
Ichioka: It's the Kanto region that I know well. But in Osaka, there are RapiTrain trains that are very different from those in the Kanto region, and many of them are blue or red in colour. Even though I don't often actually ride them, I try to see them in various ways. So I knew there was no JR Umeda station, but when I saw the name of the song, I thought my knowledge was wrong. But when I heard the song, I was relieved to find that it was correct (laughs).
-That trivia has become dialogue.
Ichioka I'm most worried that I won't bite it at the concert, because I've packed so many words into a short interlude (laughs).
Takase: You probably have the most dialogue ever.
Ichioka In the past, because of the large amount of dialogue in skits, there were times when I bit or couldn't get a word out, like once in every ten times.
Takase That many times (laughs)? But this time the dialogue is factual information.
Ichioka: I can't make any mistakes, because with CHICA#TETSU I got cute songs, and this time it's the same, but with anger in them, like 'I'm getting frustrated' or 'Enough! ＞and anger, I think I'll be able to express myself in a new way.
Takase: I thought the Kansai dialect of Shiori Nishida and Saya Eguchi's dialogue was a new cuteness.
-Did you ever get lost in the Umeda station area?
Ichioka: Yes, I have. There are so many different stations within a short distance that even if you do your homework, you will definitely get lost, so it's best to allow 30 minutes for sightseeing. But if you go on a pilgrimage to the sacred places on the album, once you go there without doing any research and get lost, you can link it to this song (laughs).
-Kurumi-san mentioned that you "fascinate with dance", do you also want to show off BEYOOOOONDS' ability with the album?
Ichioka: Yes, it's been almost three years since our first album, and you can feel the growth of the members, and each song has a different colour; each song has a different voice colour and expression, and I can recommend it with confidence.
Takase: There is an Interlude skit in the album, in which we challenged ourselves to express the characters and the story with just our voices. It makes the songs more interesting and makes it easier to get into the world. It's not often that an album contains one skit, but we've included five (laughs), and I think it's made for a very unusual album.
Courtesy of Upfront Agency.
I forgot that I'm six years older than you (laughs).
--Did you have any interesting experiences while travelling and staying at the places you stayed?
Takase: Everyone was tired during the bus journey, weren't they?
Seino: At times like that, we tend to have fun (laughs).
Takase They say that small children laugh even when their chopsticks fall down. Maybe that's the kind of situation we find ourselves in.
Seino: On the bus, it was popular to imitate Nakayama Makinikun. We were all noisily shouting "Yes! Power! Ha! (laughs).
Takase: The oldest and the youngest laughed at the same thing. When I think about it later, I wonder what was so funny. But at that moment I was laughing so hard my stomach broke (laughs).
--(Laughter) - As the youngest Momohime, do you usually see the oldest Kurumi and Melina as older sisters?
Seino Hmmm .............
Takase Don't bother (laughs)!
Seino No, I forgot that there is a six-year age difference between us (laughs). I do radio with Ichioka, and Kurumi and I are together in Amenomori, and I don't often think of them as adults.
Takase Hahahaha (laughs).
Seino: Not in a bad way, but because we fit in normally. Now that you mention it, I wonder, "I see. I feel strange, like I'm an older sister..." It's not often that I get the chance to interact with 23-year-olds in everyday life, so it's actually a valuable experience, and I've learnt some things.
--For example?
Seino: That they are quick to hand in their submissions (laughs). Ichioka tells me the train timetable, Kurumin thinks about how to act as MC, and so on. When I look back on it, there are many times when I think, "As expected of the eldest".
(Courtesy of Upfront Agency).
Even though I'm the oldest, I'm still a child in the group
--Ichioka: On the contrary, from your point of view, do you feel that Momoyahime is like a younger sister?
Ichioka But the two youngest members, Momohime and Minami Okamura, are very firm. When they express their opinions, they are precise in their words.
Takase I think I might be six years younger than them (laughs).
Ichioka: There are many things I don't know, so she tells me, "Do you know this?" Ichioka: I don't know a lot of things, so she tells me "Do you know this?".
--Melina-san has many anecdotes, such as how she thought the fillet of fillet cutlets was the fillet of a fish (laughs).
Ichioka I'm embarrassed ...... (laughs).
Seino: The other day, I asked him, "What kind of meat is bai meat?" I asked him. Then he said, "Horse stomach meat?" (laughs). I told him that it is written as 'ume (plum) meat', which is interesting.
Ichioka I understand that the Chinese character for 'ume' is read as 'bai', but when the word 'meat' is added, I think the word is confusing (laughs). I am grateful to learn trivia from the youngest 17-year-old, when in fact I, the oldest 23-year-old, should know it all (laughs).
Takase: When I go out, I have to behave as an adult, but in BEYOOOOONDS I can be a child. I think it's great that we are a group where you don't feel your age because we are all independent and can be pampered.
--By the way, Momohime, have you always had a favourite name for yourself?
Seino: I didn't realise I was Momohime until I was about four years old (laughs). At home, I was often called 'Momotan'. But I am my own favourite. There were times when people didn't speak well of me at school, but I never once thought I didn't like it, I just kept saying, "Isn't it a nice name?" And I stuck to it.
--You've grown up to suit your name, but did the name "Princess" put any pressure on you?
Seino: "Princess Momohime" is too conceptual (laughs). (laughs) I didn't really care about the princess, because this name = me. But I want to be a nice princess-like woman.
Ichioka There are many different kinds of princesses.
Seino: I hope I can continue to be a unique princess (laughs).
I will continue to make use of my hobbies and not be bound by stereotypes.
--BEYOOOOONDS is expanding its range, but is there anything you want to strengthen in the future?
Takase: While sticking to our current line, we would like to make efforts to expand our possibilities. Kurumi is also involved in voice-over work.
-Kurumi-san is also a voice actor.
Takase: I'm still a newcomer, but the more I improve myself, the more the direction of the group expands. I've been doing things outside the stereotypes and frameworks, so I hope I can continue to surprise people who are watching us.
Seino: It's a great environment that welcomes hobbies and special skills. The staff tell me, "Let me know if there's anything you want to do". I want to continue to do things that make people say, 'I can do this too'.
Ichioka: I will also work hard on the railway (laughs).
Gaki love 
