Hikaru Makishima has appeared in 2.5-dimensional stage productions such as “The Prince of Tennis” and “Touken Ranbu,” as well as in stage productions such as “Kingdom,” “Setoutsumi,” and “Hamlet Q1,” and has also appeared in live-action films and TV dramas. He is also actively involved as an artist.
“Phoenix” is the first anime tie-up song for the artist Akira Makishima. With an emotional rock sound, he sings a refreshing and powerful message about the anime’s protagonist Ichiyo, himself, and the listeners.
In addition to sharing his impressions of “Haigakura” and introducing “Phoenix,” Makishima also spoke about his solo exhibition “PALEDA -Melt-” held in September and some personal topics.
–Please tell us how you feel about singing your first song in conjunction with an anime.
Hikaru Makishima (hereinafter, Makishima): I was honestly happy. I also love manga and anime and watch them a lot, so I thought it was a great honor to have my song played as the ending theme for the anime.
–Ms. Makishima, you have appeared in many 2.5-dimensional stage productions, and you are also an artist. Since you have worked in areas related to anime, I was surprised that you hadn’t yet sung an anime tie-up song.
Makishima: It’s true that I was close to it, but I never imagined it would happen, so it was a strange feeling to sing the ending theme for an anime.
–You’ve already seen the first episode of “Haigakura,” but what did you think when you saw your song playing as the ending theme?
Makishima: I was very moved. And it made me want to show it to my fans, friends, and family who support me.
–Opening and ending videos for anime are often made to match the music and lyrics, how was that this time?
Makishima: I felt like they made the video to match my song. The video was simple, but the colors were beautiful, and there were moments when it seemed to link with the lyrics, which made me happy.
–Please tell us your impressions of the original “Haigakura” manga and the anime, and what you found appealing about it.
Makishima: Each character is charming and has a strong presence, and there are many cute and cool characters. The setting is very detailed, and although the story is fantasy, there are many points that I can relate to, so I thought it was a manga worth reading. When it was made into an anime, it was made even more three-dimensional with the colors, movements, voices and acting of the voice actors, and I was excited while watching it.
–It’s interesting that even though the story is set in a fantasy world, modern-day Tokyo also makes appearances.
Makishima: Both worlds are depicted, and in the world of the gods, the existence of beings called singers uses song and dance to bring back the gods who have escaped, which I felt was similar to the stage plays I usually watch. And even when I read the manga, the movements are easy to understand and beautiful, so when I saw it on screen, it felt even closer.
-Please tell us who your favorite character is.
Makishima: I think the main character, Ichiyo, is really cool.
–Do you think that the way he sticks to his beliefs and works hard is similar to yourself?
Makishima: No, no (laughs). He has a strength that I don’t have. Although there are moments when I feel weak, he has an unwavering strength and kindness, and he’s also clumsy at times, so he’s full of humanity and I admire him.
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