We had the pleasure of interviewing singer-songwriter Mika Kobayashi during her seventh visit to the French convention Japan Expo Paris. The artist held various concerts, including a show with the samurai artist troupe KAMUI, and a joint performance with the “Eurasian rock” band STARRYSKY at Anisong Festa, the main musical event at the convention.
Mika Kobayashi is well-known in the anime community for being a vocalist on anime soundtracks composed by Hiroyuki Sawano, such as Attack on Titan, Kill la Kill, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, Guilty Crown, Blue Exorcist, and Aldnoah.Zero. In this interview, we talk about her anime collaborations and her take on the music industry.
Portions of this interview have been lightly edited for clarity. This interview was conducted with the assistance of an interpreter.
Q: Kobayashi-san, if you could direct an anime, what genre would it be?
A: Good question! Maybe horror.
Q: I attended your performance with KAMUI earlier today. Do you think that Japanese music shares any mindset with bushido philosophy?
A: Maybe it was the case a long time ago. But since the expansion of American culture in Japan, the music industry has become more worldwide-oriented.
Q: This is your seventh time in Japan Expo Paris. How has your experience been performing overseas so far?
A: When you do shows abroad, you notice that the audience tends to be more direct. Fans give their opinions and openly show their interest in what you do. Even if they don’t know you or don’t know the songs, they express interest.
Q: Last year I interviewed Nakashima-sensei, playwright of Gekidan☆Shinkansen. During the event, the play Tengosei: Shaman Star was screened in movie format. Would you say that bushido performances for concerts are the same as for theater? If there are any differences, which ones?
A: When you work on a theater play, you have a story that has been thought to develop in around two hours or more. In contrast, when you sing songs with performers like KAMUI, the singer becomes sort of the narrator of the feelings of the samurai.
Q: Why did you opt for an independent path? What are the advantages of having your own record label, ‘miccabose’?
A: The best part of being independent is that you can make your own choices and manage your own work. If you are part of another label, you will have to take into account other people’s decisions.
Q: Why do you think your voice matches the fights and climactic moments in anime?
A: I wonder why [laughs]. I think it’s because I have a strong voice. For fight scenes, you get to express a whole range of feelings, like anger and sadness. Those are also emotions I have experienced, which allows me to express them in songs.
Q: In previous interviews you mentioned that you put yourself in the mind of a titan for performing the track “Attack on Titan,” used in the anime of the same name. What emotions do you want to convey when performing the song?
A: When we were recording the song, the composer [Hiroyuki Sawano] told me the story was about titans and the idea was to convey such feelings. I thought “I have never seen a titan. What kind of feeling can that be?” [laughs]. The characters in the story didn’t want to become titans; it was “their fate.” This feeling of fighting your fate inspired me.
Q: For the track “Bauklotze” you sang German lyrics. Did you have to research anything about German culture? Or the composer told you everything you needed to know for the performance?
A: The composer decided to use German lyrics because it’s a language not widely spoken by Japanese people and it’s not immediately understandable. It has the kind of mysterious aura that, if performed in another country or time period, you would still have all these ranges of emotions included with it.”
Q: Would you like to sing in other languages too, that you haven’t performed before? How have you ended up performing in so many languages [English, German, Italian, and Spanish]?
A: As I was able to perform in different countries, I noticed that if you were to perform in only one language, people would still be moved and feel something. But as an artist you would feel kind of sad. Singing in the language of the country I’m performing in helps bring the artist and the audience closer together. In the future, I want to keep singing in the language of the country I’m performing in, but also in languages that are in danger of disappearing, as a way to keep a trace of them and keep them alive.
Q: In Peru, we have many languages that are in danger of disappearing too.
A: I have to use them!
Q: We’d love to have you in Peru!
A: I’ll be going to Peru for the first time in November [Kobayashi-san will hold a concert in Lima, Peru on November 14].
Q: Moving to your participation in the anime Kill la Kill, the song “Before my body is dry” is for sure an encouraging song, as it features Ryuko and Senketsu’s goals. What was your mindset when performing the song? Did you use any real life experience as reference?
A: When I received the song from the composer, I didn’t know for which anime it was going to be used. I relied on the power of the song itself, so I’m pleased that the song matched the anime spirit.
Q: Did you expect that the phrase ‘Don’t lose your way’ used in the lyrics would become known as the song title for many fans? What do you think is the reason for that?
A: I think the phrase is a good title, too! [laughs] Yes, I expected it and I found it more fitting for the song.
Q: One of my favorite soundtrack songs is “Through My Blood” from the anime Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. As the anime features an apocalyptic world similar to Attack on Titan, did you use that as reference for the performance?
A: I wasn’t aware of this when I performed the song for the first time, but the team behind Attack on Titan and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress are the same, including the composer. They follow a similar style. If people picked up on that, that’s good.
Q: Was it difficult to convey the emotions with the full song lyrics in English?
A: From the artistic point of view, the lyrics and the melody fit together. It was easy to sing and the emotions came naturally with it. Singing it in English made it easy because it all fit so well.
We want to extend our thanks to Mika Kobayashi and Japan Expo Paris for the opportunity to talk about the singer’s career. We hope to see her again at future conventions.
Fans will also have the opportunity to see her live again at the Spanish convention Japan Weekend Bilbao on October 3 and the Peruvian convention Geek Festival on November 14.
Concert photos by: @cdecasa_s (me)
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