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millennialzadr · 5 years

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About Page!

Hello~! Thank you so much for visiting my blog! My name is Koya, I’m 25, I’m pansexual, my pronouns are she/her, and I’m a full time freelance artist! My main blog is @koyakyuuun, so I’ll be liking and following from there!

Below are some guidelines for those who are curious to know more about this blog and what to expect from it, as well as some general info and FAQs!

Content Guidelines!

The focus of this blog!

So this blog is a mish mash of a couple different themes, but above all it is an adult oriented Invader Zim fan blog!! I grew up with the show and and was a BIG fan during highschool, and after rediscovering it this year I have been DAZZLED and DELIGHTED by the fan content being produced today!! I have a deeply nostalgic yet completely new perspective on the show now that I’m in my 20s, so alongside of celebrating iz content and fan content in general, this blog will center around my niche fave: the iz cast + millennial culture! in other words, the characters depicted as if they lived in the real world and aged in real time! I loved and related to the characters as a kid, and I still love them dearly to this day, so to see people experiment with character interpretations and create adult versions of them means I can still relate to them even now, and even make my own versions! and as a queer neurodivergent millennial who loves niche culture, my favorite versions of the characters are queer neurodivergent millennials who love niche culture!! (and by niche culture I mean MEMES, AESTHETICS, BAD FASHION, GAY CULTURE, CRYPTID CULTURE, DARK CORNERS OF THE INTERNET, CREATIVELY WEIRD SELF EXPRESSION ETC!!)

And of course the other main theme which fits into the first: ZADR! while I don’t ship Zim and Dib as they’re canonically presented in the show, I DO adore the idea of the two growing up together, eventually becoming friends, and eventually falling in love. I’m a Big Gay and I love romance and lgbt content, and ZADR holds such a soft place in my heart 😭 I wrote a big post about why I love it so much which you can see here if you’re curious about my interpretation of the ship!

And now, some guidelines!!

Things I enjoy and will be posting/reblogging!

- general IZ content! because holy SHIT I love the show and ALL the content the fandom creates is awe inspiring and amazing!!!

- millennial culture/humor! I FUCKING LOVE IZ + 2019 POP CULTURE REFERENCES AND MEME CONTENT OKAY

- POSITIVE CONTENT! IZ is my comfort content and I deeply admire the positive impact the show has had on so many people. I also interpret Zim and Dib as having hard lives and mental problems but eventually recovering and finding happiness (and making each other happy!!). I do also love vent content and gritty/dark themes from an artistic standpoint (and of course comedic Depression™ memes) but I will be focusing much more on comforting and uplifting content!

- character development/relationships, fluff, comedy, domestic content, daily life, sci fi, conspiracy/cryptid content, fashion portraits and camp horror!! these are my favorite themes!!

- friendship, romance, and found family!! I adore the relationships between the characters and they ALL DESERVE LOVE!!!!! JHONEN CAN BITE MY ASS

- the IZ creators!! speaking of Jhonen LOL I LOVE seeing content about the creators themselves!! I genuinely have such affection and admiration for the wonderful people who brought and continue to bring the world of IZ to life, they are such amazing and inspiring human beings and I will be celebrating them alongside their creations!!

- IZ characters + aesthetics!! some of my MOST favorite IZ content depicts the characters being stylized with or sporting the fashion of vaporwave, goth, grunge, pastel, spacecore, cryptidcore, future funk, 90s disastercore and any and all things strange, niche, glittery and neon, and I FUCKING LOVE IT. GOD

- and lastly, I talk a fuck of a lot, as you can probably tell by this post lol. I’ll be screaming in the tags constantly and am liable to write the occasional super long text post! for those who are into that, I invite you to have discussions with me! and for those who aren’t, feel free to ignore them!

Things I will be staying away from!

- romantic content that depicts the characters as minors AKA underage zadr!! there will be no kid ships here! I’m an adult and only enjoy shipping adult versions of the characters! kid content will be either canon, wholesome, or friendship content! while I do find adult versions of the characters attractive since they have qualities I find attractive in real life, I see the adult versions as almost completely different people since they’re so far removed from the source content, and the love I feel for the canon kids is HIGHLY maternal and very nostalgia centric. this would probably be more clear if I didn’t lump the two types of content into the same blog, but I really do love both the adult fan interpreted IZ world and the canon IZ world in equal measure, just in different ways!

- content that fetishizes or ‘yaoi’-fies gay relationships! I am a queer person and I enjoy queer content made by queer people for queer people, you’re not gonna find any “B-BUT WE’RE BOTH BOYS!” shit here 😂

- content that depicts abuse between friends or partners!! while violence is an active theme in zim and dib’s canonical relationship, I very much dislike zadr content that depicts the two being aggressive or malicious towards each other while they’re supposedly in love. complex relationships are certainly interesting, but while toxic and abusive relationships are realistic, they’re not okay and should not be romanticized. I understand some people use that kind of content to cope, but for me it’s nothing but bad feelings. sparring and play fighting is fine and good, consensual violence could be interesting to explore, but hatred will stay separate from romance on this blog.

- discourse and long conversations about negative topics! I acknowledge the importance of discussing problems within the fandom, however I wish for this blog to be a positive and comforting place, since iz content in general is positive and comforting for me! there may be an occasional post that touches on real life negative topics but overall this will be kept to a minimum.

- explicit content!! while I DO both draw and consume nsfw adult zadr content, it will not be on this blog! since tumblr decided to be idiots and remove any way for minors and people who don’t wish to see nsfw content to hide it, this blog will remain pg-13. I will also not be providing any links to my other sites because of this (I am a nsfw artist and I sell porn commissions for a living, not trying to shove that in the faces of my minor, ace and sex repulsed followers, but by all means seek out my art if you DO wish to!). similarly, I will not be releasing my nsfw zadr art publicly anywhere, since aged up characters are controversial and my career, being online, could suffer if someone wanted to use that against me. HOWEVER, for fellow adult fans with extra cash who take a shine to my art, paid content could be a possibility in the future 👀

Interaction Guidelines!

Things I’m okay with!

- tagging my posts in any way you wish! kinning is fine! any ship interpretation is fine! any gender/orientation interpretation is fine! sharing your thoughts/opinions is fine!

- as long as you CREDIT me! using my art for icons/headers etc, drawing my iz designs, referencing my art, and reposting my art on other sites is all okay!

- asks or anons of any questions you might have about me or my content!

- asks or anons popping in to share thoughts, opinions and ideas! it’s always nice to hear from other fans!

- leaving comments in the tags/replies/reblogs of my posts makes me very happy!! tumblr is the only place I post my fanart and I love seeing what people think of it!

Things I’m not okay with!

- messages, reblogs, tags or asks that are blatantly rude or disrespectful! I really do not care what the subject or reason is, if you act like an asshole, I will not respond and will block you!

- asks or messages that say only ‘hi’ or ‘how are you?’ I have no problem with people trying to be friendly but I never have a single idea of how to reply to these kinds of messages, I’m so sorry 😂 please talk to me about fandom stuff though!!

- pressure to produce content! I like any other creator adore comments and compliments, but things like “DRAW MORE!!” “MORE ZADR!!” “WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DRAW MORE!!” are not compliments!! it is in fact very off putting so please don’t do that! it will mess with my motivation! consider commissioning me if you want more content!

- if you are considering trying to be my friend, please be 20+!! I am not comfortable being friends with teens! nothing against my teen followers, I respect and appreciate you, but please understand I cannot relate to you on a personal level, and besides that, being friends with someone over 20 can be harmful and even dangerous for minors! I am an adult and only wish to have adult friends! please respect my wishes!

About my content!

So since what I like to draw is usually pretty different from the show, here are the basic headcanons for my interpretations of adult Zim and Dib~! Basically they’re queer 2019 millennials who are damaged but doing their best and enjoy niche interests and subcultures. Zim is the type who’s tough to handle but it’s worth it because he’s an amazing and colorful person underneath it all and only those he’s close to get to see that, and Dib is an eccentric but completely reliable, intelligent, passionate, and loyal friend whose company is a familiar comfort and a total safe space. They live together and are mutually beneficial allies to friends to lovers!

I HAVE A FIC, or at least an idea for one lol and when using my designs for the characters, my drawings will most likely be set in its context! Affectionately nicknamed the Soft AU, it’s centered around rest, recovery, affection, care and bonding… bc I’m SOFT OKAY 😂 You can read the full summary here, but here’s the gist!

A little over a decade after arriving on earth, Zim’s banishment is reinstated and as a result his entire base and all his equipment is confiscated, leaving him stranded on Earth with no way off the planet and in danger of being caught and killed by the humans. Dib offers him a deal that he’ll hide Zim instead of turning him in in exchange for letting him study Zim. They live together in Dib’s apartment and eventually get used to each other. Loneliness induced affection ensues. Hooray!!

And now for the boys themselves!

My Dib!

- 25, 6′2″, Mexican, cis boy, bisexual, bilingual

- is recovering from depression and anxiety and has ADD and insomnia, has had a nicotine addiction

- has a ton of ear piercings and a few facial piercings, as well as a few tattoos

- is still just as obsessive about his interests as he was as a kid, just with more curbed enthusiasm due to, yknow, depression. researching Zim however brings his enthusiasm back full force. he still sucks at taking care of himself when enthralled with his work but he’s getting there

- runs various blogs, forums, and youtube channels making content about cryptids and conspiracy theories, the ad revenue of which is his main source of income (he dislikes using his father’s money to support himself, but will dip into the family account occasionally)

- is very patient and can communicate and problem solve very well, and is skilled at handling various conflicts and mental issues

- still has his ‘I hate people’ attitude but is more open minded and understanding than he used to be, and more compassionate. he has difficulty trusting strangers but his friends and family are very important to him

- can be moody and dramatic but he’s a big sweetheart at his core

- being friends with Zim has made him more willing to enjoy acting like a huge dork and total weirdo, even in public

My Zim!

- young adult, 5′5″, androgynous presenting demi boy, panromantic demisexual

- has PTSD and anxiety, is recovering with help from Dib

- displays inhuman behavior such as hissing, growling, chirring, chirping, scratching/biting, screeching, territory guarding and dominance displays

- is a demi boy, meaning he identifies as mostly but not completely male, and is more nonbinary than cis, but he’s never given it too much thought because gender is stupid. he has little to no concept and zero regard for human gender roles

- is a SHIT who’s main entertainment is annoying Dib and ‘winning’ arguments, but Dib seems to get harder to piss off as time goes on, much to his confusion

- pitches a fit when he doesn’t agree with/doesn’t want to do something but can be swayed with rewards such as food, sweets, new clothes, video games etc

- rambunctious and high energy, he gets stir crazy often, but since he hates the city he and Dib often take car trips to more fun/nicer places outside the neighborhood

- moody and bratty with skewed logic but smart and more intuitive than he used to be, he’s more than a handful to deal with, but this also makes him the most entertaining person Dib knows

- after having the free time to discover the world of aesthetics, he becomes very much into clothes, make up, accessories etc (be they masculine or feminine) and enjoys making a hobby out of creating a unique self image using fashion (thus also subconsciously asserting his individuality)

- is much more dependent on Dib than he admits (or even realizes)

- his beliefs in nationalism, fascism and genocide are direct results of brainwashing and personality altering programs run by his PAK, and are not actually part of his core personality (these programs will be overridden and deleted eventually)

Side Note: I haven’t thought as far with the other characters but my Gaz and Tak are definitely lesbians 😂

And finally, my tag list!

#my art - things that I drew!

#my post - any post that I posted!

#asks - asks!

#text post - any text post longer than a couple lines!

#video - videos!

#audio - audios!

#canon - content from the show/comic/movie etc!

#creators - any content featuring the IZ cast or crew!

#memes - memes, shitposts, short comics, comedic posts etc!

#friends - friendship art between any characters!

#family - family bonding between the membranes/found family between any characters!

#ships - ship art between adult characters!

#suggestive - any content that could be considered sexual in nature!

#positive - fluff, friendship, wholesome content, uplifting content, characters being happy/cute/having fun etc!

#negative - angst, vent art, violence, mental illness, dark themes, characters fighting/being sad/getting hurt etc!

#kids - content depicting characters as kids/irkens as their canon designs!

#adults - content depicting characters as adults/irkens with noncanon designs!

#millennials - content depicting adult characters that includes any modern culture! (personal fave)

#aesthetic - highly stylized or surreal portraits centered around aesthetic themes!

ship tags!: zadr (zim and dib romance), tagr (tak and gaz romance), rapr (red and purple romance)

friendship tags!: zadf (zim and dib friendship), tagf (tak and gaz friendship), zatf (zim and tak friendship), tadf (tak and dib friendship), zagf (zim and gaz friendship), zag (zim and gir)

character tags!: zim, dib, gaz, tak, gir, red, purple, membrane, skoodge, gretchen, keef, spork, miyuki, recap kid, bg chars, ocs

#i wrote an about since this blog is growing FAST #and i intend on staying active for a long time!!#i'll be using all the new tags from now on!#about #faq #my post

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la-draws · 5 years

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I've sort of found myself in financial dire straights. I mean, really bad. Any penny helps right now, so I'm opening up special commissions.

-A traditional Ink Drawing will still be $20 per drawing, but I am temporarily opening Digital Ink Drawings in the same styles for $15. -Pet Portraits will now be $20 off for the first order. -I am offering Digital Paintings for a limited time. -As of right now, I do not do commercial work.If you would like something not listed here, feel free to inquire through a private message!

If you can't afford a commission, please help spread the word or feel free to donate through my Ko-Fi page or subscribe to my Patreon! There are also prints and one of a kind paintings for sale in my online store. Links below. PM me or Email me at [email protected] with inquiries.

Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/lasjogren Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lasjogren Web Store: http://lasjogren.storenvy.com/

[TERMS OF SERVICE]

PAYMENT:

Paypal only. Full payment must be sent before I begin any work for art under $50. At least half of payment expected up-front for commissions over $50. A small WIP will be sent after at least 50% has been paid. Art will be completed & sent once full payment has gone through. Let me know the email you’ll be paying from, and the email you’d like the WIPs/hi-res sent to, if different. Please do NOT include any text in the payment, and always be sure to send as SERVICE. For digital art/art that will not be shipped, do NOT include your address. NEVER send as gift! It may be a nice idea to help avoid fees, but this can get you and me in trouble.

PROCESS:

- WIP sketches are typically only sent for approval by request and for larger works over $50. - One free edit for commissions at or over $50. This will only be available after the WIP sketch stage. Limitless free edits as long as it's something that was my fault/that I missed from the given info/references. Cost of edits after the amount of free edits allowed depends mainly on how big they are. - Commissions can take up to a few months to complete depending on the complexity. I work a full time job and sometimes need to carve out blocks of time to work. - I do not stream as of right now. - I do my best to work in order, but don't guarantee that I will. Sometimes I get stuck on a commission and move on to another one and go back to it later. I don't prioritize based on how often you send reminders. -Commissions take priority. However, I am challenging myself this year to do one drawing a day. If you see personal drawings go up, that's why. - I do not use IMs or social sites to discuss commissions. Only email and private messages on this site.ART USAGE:- You may make PERSONAL prints of my art, but they are not to be sold, edited or distributed. - Do not trace, color, edit or rework my art or have it done by someone else without permission. You may ONLY crop commissioned art to use as icons or ask me to crop for you. If there’s something I missed from the original references, just let me know and I’ll fix it! I'm very strict about commissioners having the respect to ask before doing anything with my art and respecting when I want it taken down. FA and other sites WILL remove any commissioned art from any gallery per the artist's request. - Please always credit me appropriately when reposting commissions. If it’s adult in nature, please credit my adult site(s) only (just ask if you don’t know them) and to non-public places (password protected blogs, locked Twitters etc. are fine). - I do not always post every commission I do. Please do not expect me to. - I am not always able to re-send commissions if they’ve been lost, especially if it’s been years, so be sure to keep track of it!

ETIQUETTE:

- Reminders are fine, but please don't spam me. - Please have all details ready and sent to me prior to sending payment. If the details are up to me, say so. Please make sure to have all details sent in one message/email for ease of access. - Don’t ask me to draw in another artists’ style or use other people’s characters as references. All non-life portrait commissions are subject to my style. - Please avoid changing details of a commission after it's already been paid for unless absolutely necessary, especially if it’s something big like a pose or character change. - I retain the right to refuse or drop and refund any commission without explanation and will expect you to be professional about it, both publicly and to me directly. - I retain the right to refuse to take down any art I have done and continue to use them as examples of my work. I will not resell your personal characters, pets, etc. on the side. These commissions are just for you, the buyer. - I also retain the full right, as the artist, to perform a take-down request for any reason without explanation. - If a completed commission is below your expectations or you are dissatisfied for any reason, do not hesitate to let me know how I can improve it! Don't be afraid to mention it; it's my main objective as an artist is to produce art that you’ll be totally happy with. I'm serious, I want you to feel good about the product you've purchased from me! - This should be a given, but do not request I draw any characters that do not belong to you without them sending the character's owner to me to give me their permission directly. If you’re commissioning me for surprise art to a friend, I may do it if it’s clean and/or within the character’s obvious personality/physical description. - Give accurate, clear references or descriptions. I will fill in the creative gaps if necessary. - Colors may not be exact to your references, depending on the lighting/atmosphere of the commission - especially in full-color works with backgrounds. But I’ll keep it as close as possible. - I may work from text, but prefer if it's kept short and simple, and that you're aware that the outcome will be my own interpretation of what you've given me to work with.

#commissions #terms of service #limited time #artists of tumblr

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putschki1969 · 7 years

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Translation of “Kalafina +1″ SPICE Interview

Original article

I really like this interview. I think it reveals a lot and it’s nice to hear Minami Sasuga’s thoughts as well. Big shout out to @kuroiyuki88 who helped me A LOT with this!! Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: As always, be aware that I am by NO MEANS fluent in Japanese, English is also not my first language (beware of random punctuation). I put a lot of effort into this but still, there will most likely be mistakes in my translations so please, take them with a grain of salt! I sometimes take certain liberties because I am just not a big fan of super literal translations. I think it can really interrupt my flow of reading. So yeah, I’ve tried to make it sound as natural as possible. But don’t worry, I am trying VERY hard to stay true to the original meaning.

Find my other translations HERE!!

Don’t repost this translation on other sites without my permisson!!

Please credit me (as well as @kuroiyuki88) when you use parts of these translations! => http://putschki1969.tumblr.com/

Now, please enjoy! (/^▽^)/

“Kalafina + 1” Interview - Minami Sasuga tells us of 「Kalafina’s potential to head towards a much wider world」

Kalafina and Minami Sasuga Photography=Kikuchi Takahiro

Kalafina’s 9th Anniversary Concert Tour 『Kalafina “9+ONE”』 will be held starting from April 15. SPICE got inspired by the title “9+ONE” and invited Kalafina as well as one more person who is closely related to them for a cross-talk interview. For the first time we have choreographer and director Minami Sasuga with us. I have invited Miss Minami who is managing Kalafina’s live productions so she could tell me about how she is planning to produce those 9th Anniversary lives, about her relationship with Kalafina and many more things. Please also enjoy Kalafina’s girl talk.

――This time, for 「Kalafina + 1」 I invited director Minami Sasuga-san for our cross-talk. The tour is gradually approaching, a while back you officially completed your 9th Anniversary Live, now you have taken the next step of starting your tour preparations, right?

Keiko: That’s right. The other day we had a fitting session for our outfits and we were going over our setlist and such, it feels like we have crossed the start line for each and every aspect.

――I’d like to ask Minami-san, how was your first encounter with Kalafina?

Minami: I joined at the time of 『Kalafina LIVE THE BEST 2015 “Red Day”』.

――What was your first impression of Kalafina?

Minami: When I first got told, I watched everything they had done so far and my first impression was 「they are doing freaking amazing!」. It was obvious that they had a lot of intention, with that in mind, I thought deeply about the reasons of why I was called upon to help. It’s not my job to judge and improve the things they are already capable of, no, my role is to urge the girls to add a little Plus One to the things they can already do. I joined with the understanding that I would take up the role of opening previously unopened doors to a variety of knowledge and experience for this group that is capable of doing so many more amazing things.

――From Kalafina’s point of view, what was your first impression of Minami-san?

Hikaru: I was very nervous. She had a great aura, for our first meeting we got together in a sort of conference room and when Minami-sensei walked in, I felt like the tension increased immediately. But once we started talking, my impression of the overall mood and her appearance changed completely since Minami-sensei was such a friendly lady.

Minami: Ah, I see. Being friendly is my selling point after all! *laughs*

Hikaru: So I wasn’t wrong about that “friendly” impression! *laughs*

Wakana: I was really surprised, to think there was a person in the room that looked like an enormous flower. First of all, her glasses were very impressive, she can really wear all kinds of glasses, can’t she? At that time I was like WOW!!! Such a cool person, I immediately wanted to talk to her. I also agree with Hikaru, she was incredibly friendly while talking to us, I was happy that she listened to our stories and also talked about herself. I was excited from the first day we met.

Keiko: I remember everyone being rigid and frozen into place *laughs*. Amazing, it was like people of the business world had come together. It felt like everyone had turned into stone.

Minami: It really was like that! No one was looking me in the eye *laughs*.

Wakana: No one was able to talk *laughs*.

Hikaru: Everyone was a little perplexed since we were wondering how to break the ice without being rude or anything, we wondered what way would be best to start the conversation.

――It’s a relationship that started out with tension and embarrassment?

Minami: Oh yes, I was pretty much the only one who was being all friendly. It’s because my first thought was how I could convey my spirit to them.

――As a director in charge of their lives, what was your first approach like?

Minami: It was at the time of their first Budokan live, I came in when most of the content had already been roughly decided, it was my priority to focus on their wishes, Budokan was solely devoted to bringing out the best of all the things they wanted to do. As a result, I think it was a starting point for many things but we couldn’t accomplish everything. Therefore I had hoped that over the course of a longer time, I’d be able to build up something great together with the girls.

――It shouldn’t just be a one-time thing, you wished for a continuous relationship?

Minami: That’s right. It felt like we had started to have a mutual understanding of each other, for me, that’s the most important thing ever. That’s why they became my top priority artists.

――To be honest, I think there must have been quite a bit of surprise regarding this match-up when Minami-san first joined. 「Can we do this together?」 I’ve got this hunch that it must have somewhat felt like that at first.

Minami: I was actually expecting that, I was waiting for it!

――I see.

Minami: If you build up a new world, it often happens that your well-meaning manner will betray your intentions and concerns. For that reason I think it’s fine if there’s some opposition in the beginning as well.

――So you kicked it off starting at a Minus?

Minami: I love starting from Minus!

Keiko: We started out from a point where Sasuga-san asked us, 「I think your style is totally fine as it is, but how about other stuff, you wanna do that?」 It’s because she felt like there were so many different presentation techniques which we could use for our live performances and tours. 「The base is already there!」, that’s what she told us.

Minami: That’s right. Something like that.

Keiko: We’ve never before met such a director, so there was this moment where it felt like fate that we had met Sasuga-san.

Photography=Kikuchi Takahiro

――When watching Kalafina’s recent lives, there are some songs that have been produced in a very dramatic and theatrical fashion, is there a meaning behind all of this?

Minami: I do have some strong feelings about this deep in my heart but it’s something that all the fans have to find out for themselves, within themselves and with the utmost care. I am sure all of them feel something like this as well. I didn’t imagine Kalafina like that but it’s amazing! It should be something like that. I am constantly racking my brains, trying to find ways of how to make people feel like there’s a Plus added to everything. Kalafina’s songs have amazing world views, therefore I work with the consciousness that even though you should be getting a glimpse of them, you shouldn’t be getting too close.

――Do you mean that [your interpretation] shouldn’t be too attached to the song and its lyrics?

Minami: Yeah, I guess I also mean it like this. Getting close but not too close. It should be something you prefer but it shouldn’t be given top priority. I want to open a new door for everyone. After all, the girls have been doing fine up until now so if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Kalafina have been great up until now. But it’s just that I want to present Kalafina in ways you have never seen them before.

――Ah, I definitely felt that way while watching.

Minami: It’s because they were flawless. Kalafina, I mean. Truth is, I had been going to their events even before I was working with them, only a handful of staff members knew about it, I told the official people that I wanted to work together with Kalafina.

Keiko: Oh really? I didn’t know that!

Minami: I had been aware of you for many years before we officially met. However, I didn’t have a way to get in contact with you, it didn’t happen for a long time so I honestly thought that ship had sailed.

Wakana: Hahaha *laughs*

Minami: I am too late! It kinda felt like that *laughs*. Then I saw you about two years before our first proper meetup. At Budokan.

Keiko: If that’s the case...that should have been our 2013 『Lisani! LIVE-3』...?

Minami: Yes, at that time I was in charge of a different artist and when I saw your performance I was like 「What’s this? Who are those people?!」 *laughs*. One day, I wanna try working with them! That’s what I told the official staff members who immediately remembered me. Oh, it’s Minami Sasuga again, the one who really wants to work with Kalafina. They must have thought something like this...

――How is it to receive such a heartfelt request?

Wakana: It makes me very happy. Right from the beginning, she has told us so many interesting and intriguing things, I am grateful for that as well. We are not just doing band-style concerts anymore, acoustic lives have also become an established practice, it makes us capable of performing at various venues, all of that is thanks to Sensei who has kicked open all these doors for us, she has let me see new sceneries as well. I was so glad that right from the get-go we received positive feedback for everything we had achieved already.

Minami: They can sing and dance, their producer Kajiura Yuki-san is awesome too. Even though I have already been in charge of hundreds of artists, I feel a much bigger sense of excitement when it comes to Kalafina, they can head towards a much wider world!!

Photography=Kikuchi Takahiro

――Well now I’d like to hear your impression of each of the girls if that’s all right?

Minami: That’s a bit difficult to talk about, isn’t it?

――From the view of a director that is *laughs*

Minami: I don’t know how the girls themselves feel about this but I think there is a very becoming and nice balance between them. It’s because they are very aware of each other’s strengths and shortcomings. The three of them are creating this balance by skillfully supporting each other. Among them, it is Keiko who is always saying that she feels like we are closely related.

――Like a daughter?

Minami: More or less, maybe my child, maybe my little brother?

Keiko: Little brother? *laughs*

Minami: Not little sister, definitely little brother. Somehow there are many occasions when our intuition is very similar, it is a little scary actually.

Keiko: Yes *laughs*

Minami: The other day we had a briefing session together. Everyone brought a little supply of snacks with them, Keiko and I bought the exact same thing.

Keiko: Ehhhhhhhh!! No way!!!

Minami: That’s why I never handed them out. The wafers.

Wakana: That’s crazy! *laughs*

Keiko: It’s because we are so very much alike.

Minami: At least once every other day there will be something that I want to convey to them but she will beat me to it and say the exact same thing 「I think of it like that...」. Even during rehearsals Keiko and I will convey our shared ideas and feelings to the other two, we often work in that sort of manner. Including all of that, the beauty of Keiko is that she takes on risks. She will deliberately throw herself at challenges. I love that.

――I get the impression that you certainly share this sort of sporting spirit, this spirit of competition?

Minami: We’re alike because I’m also the sporty type. I think she is a clever girl, she has a clear goal in sight so she can guide everyone, for the sake of the group, her own self and the future of Kalafina, for all these things she will take every step that's necessary.

――What do you think, Keiko-san?

Keiko: How should I say it, Sasuga-san exposes everything related to Kalafina. I feel nervous when she analyzes me because it is beyond embarrassing to reveal certain things to others *laughs*. As Sasuga-san has mentioned, I’ve often felt like we shared the same sentiment. Amongst the things I have to do there are so many aspects where I am still lacking, I still got a long way to go.

――Then, what about Hikaru-san?

Minami: Hikaru is the calmest. You’re supervising a bit, aren’t you? Keiko and I are the type who apply our passion, feelings and imagination as well as our dreams and ideals in real life, but Hikaru knocked us straight out of the ring by relying solely on her strength, it feels so much like she guides those who stray away to go straight ahead. Even as we are drifting, Hikaru’s presence tames us with her calmness a little bit. Also, if she thinks there’s not enough material, she will properly write it down, and share it with everyone. What’s with that kindness! *laughs*

Hikaru: Kindness *laughs*

Minami: It’s not something an artist should do, you know. It’s the staff’s job. It’s amazing that she can do so.

Keiko: It’s like she’s a secretary, isn’t it? She will sit quietly beside us and put anything I, or Sasuga-san, say enthusiastically in order.

Minami: She does. Moreover, she has neat handwriting!

Keiko: Her memory is impressive too.

Wakana: She memorizes a lot!

Keiko: For example, she has vivid memories of what I did in a concert from two years ago. It’s amazing.

Minami: But you know, I believe Hikaru is the artist with the most undiscovered talents slumbering within her. That’s why she’s such a delicious subject for me. She still has so many great potentials I have yet to draw out. She is made up of many versatile elements.

――How does the person herself think of this?

Hikaru: Thank you. I’m the type who’s poor at proposing new ideas, so I memorize everyone’s ideas. I want to be the person who submits general opinions. I want to at least save the information even if I don’t voice my opinion vigorously. Like what’s the best thing to do in order to properly implement everyone’s proposals. Since I rarely initiate ideas, I wanna try to consider ways of how to develop them.

Minami: You are able to analyze yourself as well.

――And lastly, Wakana-san.

Minami: Wakana has wonderful imagination, like, she is very in touch with her creative side. However, there are many things that only she can understand. She’s poor at explaining *laughs*. I have many moments of going “Oh!” when I talk with Wakana. She also has other skills, such as drawing pictures. I consider Wakana’s talents, which she doesn’t reveal to the public and keeps to herself, very important to Kalafina hereafter. Still, Wakana has been speaking out recently. She can be interesting just by saying a single word.

――You can tell how interesting she is.

Minami: The “interesting” factor is important to Kalafina. If I had to tell you why, I’d be hard-pressed, they are not considered a group that needs to be interesting, are they?

――I guess so.

Minami: However, still, when you come to like an artist, you really follow their every step, at that point you are shown everything. It’s not only their looks, or their work you are also shown their weaknesses. Wakana is the one who really stands out in that regard. She will be fine wherever she goes. She stays true to herself even if her company is an auntie or an elderly man she just met for the first time. It’s a wonderful talent, I want its merits to return. Moreover, there are lots of glittering and bright ideas within her. In Kalafina, Keiko’s talents come out fully. And she keeps improving day after day. As for Hikaru, there are still parts she keeps to herself. I want to bring out Wakana’s hidden talents. I guess my current challenge is to find out how I can stimulate these two.

――Indeed, I guess there are certain moments when you get that sense while watching a live. Hikaru-san’s potential, and Wakana-san’s awakening.

Minami: The three of them have always been amazing since the first time we met, you know. Yet, they believe they’re still lacking in achieving the perfection they strive for. I have to lend them a hand a little longer, such is the challenge.

Wakana: Giving input is my forte, but I have difficulties with the output. Then again, I talk for like 7 hours straight during a long phone call. Things that can only be told to a particular person. Like how I call my family, and talk to my mother for about 2 hours, and 3 hours with my father. I’m that kind of person. That’s why, I don’t really understand it either, the things I can do, so I want to sort that out.

Minami: I think you can do many things.

Wakana: Somehow, I’ll do it when I am told to do so. When I try to do those things, I’ll appreciate and understand them. It made me think of how there are so many things that I am not yet aware of, I want to seek out and explore many more of them.

Photography=Kikuchi Takahiro

――Now, we should talk about the tour 『Kalafina “9+ONE”』. I wonder, is there a certain image in Sensei’s head, do you want to do it in a certain manner?

Minami: I do, but let’s hear from the girls first, because it will make me look uncool if my answer differs from theirs *laughs*.

Keiko: We already talked about 『Kalafina “9+ONE”』 during our previous interview which we did for our 9th Anniversary concert, at that time we said 「We wanna make a tour by listening to the audience’s voices as much as we possibly can」, it’s been about a month since then. However, I think that alone is not enough. I feel like we are not going to achieve the kind of performance we are aiming for in regards to the surprise and entertainment factor by simply listening to the audience’s voices, by simply showing the ideals and imaginations of the fans. Of course it is our main wish to have a performance for the fans. But since it is for the fans, we really wanna do something that they couldn’t have imagined…..recently we have all been thinking about that a lot.

Minami: Yes, there’s this thing that one must not forget, that we must not lose track of, let’s try not to forget that this is just for the sake of the audience. However, we wanna do something that goes beyond the audience’s wildest imagination, it would make me happy if that were something they miraculously wished for. Therefore, we have to think deeply about it in order to create that. Besides, there is also the awesome 10th Anniversary milestone coming up.

――Indeed.

Minami: I wanna make their 10th Anniversary the most spectacular thing ever so because of that I wanna lay great emphasis on their 9th Anniversary as well. I feel like by doing that we’ll be able to make the 10th Anniversary have an even heavier impact, so for this 9th year I wanna pull out all the stops. I wish for this tour to end on a lovely note, you should feel satisfied, like you have a full belly. However, we have to finish by leaving the satisfied fans with an appetite for more, they should get the faint scent of something they still want to eat. We need to create an earth-shattering ardor so people won’t be thinking, oh, I’ve had enough, bye bye Kalafina!

――For the 10th Anniversary I was expecting it of course. I think it’s fascinating how you are putting so much effort into your 9th as well.

Minami: We gotta do something fun and intriguing, otherwise there is no point of me being here. I guess there are some people out there who doubt the compatibility between Kalafina and Minami Sasuga. But the girls have great ambition, confidence as well as an amazing imagination. That is why we have reached an agreement and we are now going to head towards that direction. This time I got the chance to talk to SPICE so I thought it would be a great opportunity to let you know of all the things we are creating with the utmost care. I want all of the fans to know that we are all working and talking together in order to create this performance. With all our confidence we want to make you feel like 「Oh wow!! I never thought of this kind of expression!! That’s amazing!!」, that is our challenge. Right here for one time only, I want to organise this compilation of nine years worth of Kalafina, even though I have only been working together with them for two years. Perhaps that way we are awaiting an unimaginable evolution on the 10th Anniversary? I want you to get excited. Now I ended up saying way too much, that’s not wise *laughs*

Keiko: That’s all right!

――Do you have anything you wanna add to that?

Keiko: There’s a distinct difference to before, that is a lot of fun. Ever since we’ve met Sasuga-san it really feels like our motivation towards live performances is getting stronger and stronger. Kalafina is made up of three people so we each have this feeling that we have to put our heads together with all our different characteristics and features.

――Put your heads together you say?

Keiko: Yes. Since Kalafina has always had a certain image, it seemed like we had to do things in a particular manner, the pressure always weighed on us to convey a good image. Meeting Sasuga-san has made us believe that we ourselves are also capable of constructing that Kalafina image. For example, we are considered to be a group that has a classical component because Wakana’s voice is part of Kalafina, we really wanna work on expressing more things like that, we want to expand on that charm. Hikaru and I would also like to approach the things that Wakana is expressing with her singing, instead of approaching it within the framework of Kalafina, we wanna get closer to Wakana’s expression. And then there’s Hikaru who has been acting in plays ever since she was teeny tiny girl, she is great at creating entire worlds for songs in her mind. Therefore her vocals are ever-changing. In the old days when it came to singing Kalafina’s songs she ended up entering those worlds all by herself. I think that at that time Hikaru must surely have been quite troubled. That is why today if Hikaru wants to express something in a certain way, Wakana and I also wanna familiarise ourselves with those things, we want to incorporate all the things she wants to show.

――I see…...

Keiko: The world you see changes in accordance with the song, therefore we wanna try many different expressions. There is difficulty in that and there are also aspects that have been completely ignored so far. It took us a while but ever since we’ve met Sasuga-san we have been able to create our very own Kalafina image by means of cultivation and pioneering.

――You were really impressive right before your Arena Tour. Even though I got the chance to see your rehearsals, it felt like, oh wow, this is the result!

Minami: 「Magia」 felt like it was all about using Hikaru’s very distinctive features to their fullest potential. As for 「red moon」 right before that, the focus should lie solely on Wakana’s voice, I kinda thought it would be nice if Wakana moved around as little as possible. Then there’s Keiko who is opening with her a-cappella singing. For the Arena Tour we picked out their respective charms.

――For this tour, you will add something that is beyond the audience’s imagination?

Minami: That’s right. There are times where it seems like the more briefing sessions we have, the more we realised that oh, we missed something there...like we could have done better, you know? Thinking back and forth about things and then presenting what we are gonna do next, it is a lot of fun. The creating period is the best time ever. It is a great delight and true blessing to be able to do the choreography and such for an entire production, to create all these little things together with a group that you really wanna work with. Practise is also not a hardship at all, it’s because our hearts and minds are miraculously very much in tune, they are nestled close to each other. As far as Kalafina and I are concerned, we have made this promise that we would challenge ourselves by sharing good as well as bad feedback with each other in order to improve. It takes effort to try new things but it’s so much more fun. I would like to unite everyone’s feelings. I would love for the fans, the staff as well as the girls, for everyone really, to get this sense of 「We are as one」. I want everyone to feel like they are important. I wanna make it a good team. For each of you there is a door that has yet to be opened!!! I feel like for Kalafina’s sake I want you to show this! I think if we can do this it’s just a small step till we can challenge the entire world. Seriously!

Interview・Text: Kato Takeshi Photography=Kikuchi Takahiro

#kalafina #SPICE interview #my translations #this took longer than expected #as always XD #sorry to all mobile users in case the read more thingy doesn't work >_<#ahhh #I really love the relationship between Kalafina and Minami Sasuga #I am so happy that she was able to encourage the girls this much #and I love that they finally get the chance to create their very own Kalafina image #YAY for more classical Kalafina #YAY for more theatrical Kalafina #I hope this will silence some of the haters who have been complaining non stop about Kalafina's more dramatic stage productions #it is not something that's being forced upon them by Minami Sasuga #it's just the girls being true to themselves and doing what they want to do #if you can't be bothered with who the girls really are then you've got no business calling yourself their fan #their old image as nice as it was is no longer restraining them #Minami really had an impact on them #it's also obvious in the little details like their outfit choices #to see them wear outfits that they love and are comfortable in makes me happy #like Hikaru's pants or Wakana's wide and long dresses #also #that final part by Minami Sasuga #is that a hint?#world tour maybe?#sorry for all these tags :P #can you tell I am passionate about this?

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