One could interpret the underwear designs as the antithesis of queer issues being seen as too complex to approach. Watanabe asserts that she strives for diversity and acceptance, where people can wear what they want at any size.

What does Watanabe want to say through Bushy Park’s gender-neutral underwear, something one only shows to a lover and a garment that best resembles what one feels inside?

Gender-neutral underwear for everyone

ーーYou’ve built a career as a gravure model. You graced the cover of a foreign Playboy issue and became a Playmate (an official model for the magazine). Currently, you’re the creative director of Bushy Park, a gender-neutral underwear brand. What made you start it?

Bambi Watanabe (Hereinafter Bambi): I’ve been working as a gravure and underwear model, where I show a lot of skin, since high school, but I wanted to start my own business. I didn’t know what I wanted to do specifically, but I felt like I could run a business using underwear because that’s what I wear for work. That’s how it started.

ーーI didn’t know you started doing gravure and underwear modeling in high school.

Bambi: I did. Triumph International Japan held a national “best hips” contest in 2018, and I won that. I then got scouted by a talent agency for mainly gravure idols and made my debut in the entertainment industry as a high school student.

ーーI heard you were the first Japanese person to be on the cover of Playboy. How did that come about?

Bambi: I auditioned for it around three years ago. I struggled with how Japanese gravure models had to butter up to fans at the time. People thought black-haired “younger sister” types were better. We weren’t allowed to dye our hair, wear unnatural-looking makeup, and tan. It didn’t feel authentic to me. When I went to New York, I truly felt like I would break down if I continued to work within Japanese media. That’s why I decided to audition for an international publication of Playboy.

ーーWhy Playboy?

Bambi: Since high school, I would collect different magazines because I thought women’s bodies were beautiful. Among them, I liked foreign entertainment magazines for adults. I especially admired models in Playboy; they were so pretty.

ーーYour brand collaborated with Playboy. Was this made possible because you became a Playmate?

Bambi: The collaboration didn’t happen only through connections as a Playmate. Since becoming a Playmate, I wanted to use the famous rabbit logo for my brand, so I asked them. They understood the designs and what my brand was about, and our official collaboration became a reality.

The promotional video for Bushy Park x Playboy

ーーAt Bushy Park, the concept is “Underwear that anyone can wear, regardless of gender.” Why did you become interested in the idea of gender-neutral underwear?

Bambi: When I first started contemplating starting an underwear brand, I planned on making it for women. But when I came up with my ideal design, I couldn’t make it happen budget-wise. So, I went back to the drawing board and created underwear prototypes for men. Once I started making more, I realized it could be cute on women, and I also wanted to wear them. I asked my childhood friend and designer, who happens to be queer, to design for the brand. So, I decided to make the brand gender-neutral.

ーーCome to think of it, you see women wearing briefs for men on some American films and shows.

Bambi: Right! In America, it’s not unusual for women to wear briefs. In America and Europe, there are a lot of gender-neutral underwear brands, but there isn’t a lot in Japan. There isn’t a widespread culture of women wearing briefs. It’ll make me happy if our values toward wearing underwear could change because of Bushy Park.

ーーSo, you didn’t set out to create a gender-neutral brand. I thought you started making gender-neutral underwear because you were interested in the queer community.

Bambi: Wako Elementary School, where I studied, had a strong sense of freedom; I didn’t question others’ sexuality in terms of who liked who. I grew up and spent my 20s not knowing about discrimination against queer people. But once I started working with my childhood friend and designer, I began to hear about real issues people in the community have.
Among my childhood friends, many of them went abroad and moved there after graduating from high school. I would visit them, and some of my guy friends would wear heels and makeup and have a partner of the same gender. When I asked them why they didn’t return to Japan, they said things like, “People would laugh at me if I dressed like this” and “I haven’t come out to my parents yet.” They told me it was hard to live as their true selves in Japan. I was glad my friends had a positive mindset, where they thought they should move abroad if Japan wouldn’t accept them. That’s also why I never felt like they discriminated against me because of my gender, either. But when I heard it was tough for them to live in Japan, it made me sad.

ーーIt’s true. I get the impression that it’s easy to feel ashamed here.

Bambi: Compared to a few years ago, Tokyo’s becoming more open, and there are fewer instances of people talking behind other people’s backs. But when you go to other regions, many people are still getting bullied. They can’t come out to their parents or blend in with their peers at school; they have a difficult upbringing. I hear about such things from people from the queer community and those working in Shinjuku Nichome.

ーーSo, you began learning about such issues after starting your brand.

Bambi: Yes. I began taking it seriously because of Bushy Park. Of course, I knew about the community, but I discovered the reality—like how within Asia, Japan is way behind, and bullying still exists—after working with my childhood friend, who I mentioned before. Right now, I go to Nichome to listen to people and actively partake in pride parades in New York, Europe, and Taiwan, the first Asian country to legalize gay marriage. I’m learning by listening to many different people.

Using a streetwear vibe and humor to bridge the gap between queer people and cishet people

ーーHow did learning about queer and gender issues influence your brand?

Bambi: After starting the brand, I’ve come to feel like queer and gender issues are very dire. And I need the proper knowledge to talk about said issues online. Of course, it’s crucial to possess the knowledge and be understanding. But my approach has shifted to trying to make both queer and cishet people see that it’s simpler than that.

ーーCould you expand on that?

Bambi: Whenever I go to queer events and panel discussions, this is obvious, but everyone there has a connection to being queer. The speakers are queer, and so are the people in the audience. But I don’t think discrimination will disappear if [queer topics] don’t spread further. With Bushy Park, not only do I want to reach queer people or those interested in the community but those on the polar opposite side. That’s why I choose locations that are associated with streetwear. I sometimes use skaters as models and take streetwear-ish photos and tones. Aoi Industry does the embroidery. Some people tell me that Bushy Park is a brand that’s run by someone who’s not in the community. It’s not about who’s in or not in the community; if we don’t get rid of that barrier, then I don’t think discrimination will ever go away. I feel like it’s my mission to get rid of this boundary.

ーーWhat factors are essential in regards to the underwear design?

Bambi: The things I prioritize are the size and color. The underwear comes in small, medium, and large, as people come in different sizes. To create the best fit for both men and women, we use rubber that stretches and doesn’t get too tight. I try to use various colors so that it’s not associated with gender discrimination. These are the two key aspects in regards to creating gender-neutral underwear.

ーーThe placement of the icon is unique. Is it a deliberate choice?

Bambi: Yes. I don’t want people to think gender-neutral garments are an unapproachable topic. The humorous words and motifs are on the crotch area so that people who find out about the brand could find it amusing.

ーーWhere does the brand name come from?

Bambi: There’s a park in the UK called Bushy Park, and it means a fun, bushy place like thickets and forests. It has a different meaning in slang, and people in the know find it funny like, “What a wild brand” and “That’s amazing” (laughs).

ーーWhat sort of brand do you want Bushy Park to be in the future?

Bambi: Originally, I planned on throwing events like shows and parties instead of only selling underwear. But covid happened right after I founded the brand in 2019, and I couldn’t do it. In 2020, I set up a pop-up shop in Seibu Ikebukuro and a booth at an event in Miyashita Park, but I still couldn’t organize shows and parties. I want to eventually make a physical event happen instead of stopping at running a gender-neutral underwear brand. Not only do I want to throw events in Nichome, but also Shibuya, Harajuku, and regions that still have problems. The idea is for Bushy Park products to “tag along” to those events.

ーーIt’s an interesting notion for products to tag along to a brand’s event or show.

Bambi: I believe underwear garments are delicate things only shown to a crush or lover. In that way, it’s the closest thing to your inner feelings and heart. Different people have different physical parts, and that’s why I want to create and spread gender equality through underwear that’s closest to one’s inner life. I want to overcome physical differences and reach others’ inner lives.

ーーLastly, what can we do to manifest and spread gender equality?

Bambi: It’s simple; you have to accept other people’s individuality and diversity. If your friend likes the same gender or is a man who enjoys wearing makeup and heels, don’t make fun of them and don’t laugh at them. It’s enough to accept them as they are. It’s such a simple thing, but it’s challenging for some to do it. Instead of thinking it’s too hard, each person needs to be aware. If we want to create and spread gender equality, that’s imperative.

ーーTrue. It’s easy to say that we need to recognize others’ individuality and diversity, but discrimination exists because we can’t put that into action.

Bambi: Whenever I get interviewed by media outlets about queer issues, they sometimes ask me about deep, serious topics. But there are many things I can’t talk about as someone who’s not queer. That’s why my message is simple; accept others’ individuality. I hope to continue making underwear, which people only show to their lovers, as one way to convey my message.

ーーIt’s great that the underwear has humor. Even for someone like me, who’s not knowledgeable, it’s relatable.

Bambi: Anyone can learn about things through watching foreign shows and documentaries on streaming services like Netflix. Not only gender issues but sustainability and environmental issues too. I think the younger generation has more knowledge and education than ours. If we make things easier to understand and inclusive, we can make a difference right now. I’d be happy if Bushy Park could contribute to that in a small way.

Bambi Watanabe
Since debuting in 2007 as a gravure model, Bambi Watanabe has released multiple photo books and DVDs. She became a Playmate after being on the cover of a foreign Playboy issue in March 2019. Aside from being a gravure model, Watanabe works as an actor and has been in Tokyo Island (2010) and the TV series Ama Chan (2013). She’s also been in variety shows such as Dancing Sanma Palace and Waratte Iitomo!. In 2019, Watanabe founded the gender-neutral underwear brand, Bushy Park.
https://onlyfans.com/bambiwatanabe
Instagram：@bam0915 / @bushypark_tokyo
Twitter : @0915Bambi

Photography: Sumire Ozawa
Translation Lena Grace Suda

The post Hoping to make a change with intimate underwear: the message of Bambi Watanabe, founder of gender-neutral underwear brand Bushy Park appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Ooveen was formed in 2020 by ery and Makiko Yamamoto, two women who had been working as illustrator-cum-designers. Although neither of them had prior career experience as musicians, they released their second album, UCHU YUEI, in the summer of 2021, soon after their formation. This album was released through music producer/DJ Olive Oil and painter/VJ Popy Oil’s creative label, OILWORKS. Ooveen also performed at Ringo Musical Festival 2021.

How did these women, who had no prior experience as musicians, start their music careers and immediately begin to thrive? We interviewed these two women, who are passionate about making music, about everything from their formation to their unrestrained music style. Let’s find out what’s next for this strong-willed duo as they continue to experiment and push forward.

Ooveen experiments while making music, as if they were cooking

ーーFirst, could you tell us about Ooveen’s formation?

ery: We’re an electro music duo that formed in April of 2020.

ーーSo you formed the duo during the state of emergency. Was coronavirus the reason behind the formation?

Makiko Yamamoto (Hereinafter Makiko): It was technically during the coronavirus, but it had nothing to do with that. We met about three, four months before the state of emergency started.

ery: We were so focused on starting music that we didn’t really care about whether it was before or after the state of emergency.

Makiko: That being said, our second show as a duo ended up being a live stream. (laughs)

ーーThe name of your duo, Ooveen, is unusual. What’s the significance behind it?

ery: Neither of us had prior musical careers. We formed the unit in the spur of the moment after we met. It all started with a lighthearted conversation, like: “I want to try making music.” “Let’s do it.” We didn’t think of ourselves as musicians.

Makiko: That was where we were at, so we started by thinking about how we could do a show together.

ery: If you press a button on a machine, it makes a sound. And if you use a sampler, that becomes a song. And if you add a drum pad, everything looks better. We went through a lot of that trial and error. So it’s okay if the equipment we use and the instruments we play keep changing, or even if we end up with only vocals. That feeling of experimenting with music felt like cooking in a kitchen. That’s how we started coming up with band names like “kitchen,” or other kitchen tools. But we scheduled a show before we’d decided on a name, so we had to submit a name for our duo. We decided over LINE that out of all the kitchen tools, an oven is a tool for heating things up, so maybe that would work. It was actually supposed to be a tentative name for the show, but we both liked how it sounded, so we’ve kept the name to this day.

ーーSo you started Ooveen right after meeting, based on this shared enthusiasm. How did you two meet in the first place?

Makiko: We had this mutual friend who was a cameraman, and he posted a story on Instagram of ery performing by herself at an izakaya. I saw that and was curious about her. Later, that cameraman and ery visited the vintage clothing shop where I was working at the time, and that’s where we met.

ーーYou performed by yourself at an izakaya?

ery: Yeah. Just a regular izakaya, not the kind of place for shows at all. But the manager there loved music and asked me to do whatever I wanted, so I did. I’d just started playing music, so there weren’t many places where I could play other than an izakaya.

Makiko: And after I asked her to play a show at bonobo in Harajuku on a day I was bartending, she invited me to play with her at a live house in Shimokitazawa. That’s how it started.

ーーSo you two started with barely any experience?

ery: I took piano lessons when I was little, and I was in a band back in high school. But using all kinds of equipment and having this sort of bedroom production style, like we do now, is a recent development.

Makiko: I played piano as a kid too, but not at the level where I can really say I played. I didn’t start music for real until recently. I started as a DJ.

A live performance by Ooveen. The two use a drum pad and a synthesizer.

ーーI see. Speaking of which, Makiko, you play a drum pad. Did you have any drumming experience?

Makiko: I’d learned the drums for about a year. But I wasn’t good enough to be like, “I play the drums!” When ery invited me to perform live, and I was wondering what I could do, I thought I could play the drums or synthesizer. Then, I bought a drum pad out of the blue just because it looked good and started using that.

ーーSo in terms of your role, you’re technically the drummer?

Makiko: I wouldn’t necessarily say that. I’m trying out the synth, and I’m experimenting with singing over a drum machine. But it’s become quite common for me to play the drum pad.

A project that includes everything from music to visuals.

ーーYour album, UCHU YUEI, was released in the summer of 2021 through OILWORKS. How did that happen?

Makiko: ery sent them an e-mail.

ery: Yeah. We were hanging out and talking about how if we were going to put in the effort to release something, we wanted to do it through a label. But we didn’t know how to do that, and we didn’t have any connections. So we figured that we could focus on sending e-mails to all the Japanese and foreign labels where our favorite artists were signed. Out of all the Japanese labels, we were most interested in OILWORKS, which had released LISACHRIS’s music. And as it turned out, OILWORKS was the label that responded to our email.

ーーWow! By the way, why did you want to release your music through a label?

Makiko: We just wanted a lot of people to hear about and listen to our music. That’s really all it was.

ery: You can’t get anywhere with music unless someone listens to it. Create and release, create and release—I think that’s basically all you can do. But on top of that, we wanted to give proper thought to how people were going to see our work. And if that was the case, we figured that we needed to release our music from a proper label.

ーーCould you tell us about the album you released through that label?

ery: We started that album without any experience making music. Making it was a process of trial and error, trying to figure out how to make an album and whether we should make music videos. But rather than becoming overwhelmed or losing momentum by thinking too deeply, we decided to just have fun with it. We felt like this production process was like the playful spirit of yuei (floating). And we also thought that making music with this attitude felt a bit like floating through space.

Makiko: We weren’t thinking about it when we recorded the songs, but a lot of them have a spacey feel. Like a budget version of space. Or a Showa-era space. A lot of people tell us that.

Ooveen “Check Check”

ーーThe CGI model vibe of the album cover and music video leaves an impression.

Makiko: Most of our videos before had a DIY feel, so we wanted to make this one a bit different and base it around CG. Of course, that doesn’t mean we didn’t like our past music videos, but we just wanted to mix it up.

ery: At first, we weren’t that interested in music videos. But it was still hard for us to get people to listen to the music on its own, so we figured that we had to use visuals as part of our strategy. So we reluctantly made a music video for our first song. We ended up having a lot of fun making the video—so much fun that now our production is based around making music videos. This time, we wanted to try CG, though it was a process of trial and error. We’re also both illustrators, and we didn’t want to be tied down to only illustrations. So we tried changing up our style.

Makiko: Thinking of Ooveen as a project that includes everything from music to visuals, rather than just music, is probably closer to what we’re doing.

Ooveen “Yuutsu NO MONEY”

ーーCould you both tell me about where you find inspiration?

Makiko: This is true of my music and illustrations, but I get my inspiration from things that are just lying around. The music I listen to in my everyday life and at parties, that kind of art that’s in the moment, is what inspires me. The people I meet on the scene who are doing cool things are a big influence on me too. And I get a lot of inspiration from ideas that come to me while dancing or my experiences.

ery: When it comes to Ooveen’s creation process, I’m conscious of trying not to overly describe the tone we’re going for in words so we don’t feel too restricted. I don’t even know what Makiko’s inspiration is, and we mostly let each other run wild.

ーーWhat do you have in common that makes it possible for your music to come together even without putting restrictions on each other’s style? For example, is it your backgrounds or the music you listen to?

Makiko: Maybe the colors that we like or want to use are similar. Also, we both like JUDY AND MARY. But I like to dig for old music, and ery likes to dig for the latest music. It’s funny how the kind of music we seek out is completely the opposite.

ーーYour style definitely has both a new and nostalgic feel.

ery: Makiko is a DJ, so she listens to dance and club music. When I go to parties that are part of Makiko’s scene, I sometimes hear songs that I can’t find through smartphone apps. I think the world that Makiko exists in is really interesting.

Makiko: I’m very analog, so I don’t have any streaming subscriptions or anything. So I don’t really know about the latest music. That’s why ery shows me things.

ーーOne big thing you have in common is that you’re both illustrators. How does that work influence your music careers?

Makiko: My career as an illustrator started with drawing album covers for DJs who I liked. Although illustration didn’t directly open the door for me as a musician, both music and illustration are connected in my career.

ery: In my case, I keep the two separate: Illustration is illustration, and music is music. For example, my illustrations show the positive and pop side of me, the fun and cheerful parts. But music shows my darker side, the underground element. So music and illustration aren’t really connected in my mind. Even people who say they like my illustrations sometimes say they don’t really care for my music.

ーーPerhaps Ooveen’s charm is that your two different worlds are connected by music. Finally, what kind of artists do you want to be in the future?

Makiko: I think it’d be great if my music could take me to all kinds of places. I’d love it if my music led to interesting encounters in interesting places.

ery: This is still a work in progress, but it’d be great if a lot of people could see how we enjoy music in all kinds of ways. That’s why I want to become famous while pursuing the music I love. If I don’t get people to listen to my music first, nothing will happen.

Ooveen
Formed in April of 2020, Ooveen is an electro music duo consisting of trackmaker ery and DJ Makiko Yamamoto. Both ery and Makiko Yamamoto also work as illustrator-cum-designers. The duo mainly performs in clubs, live music venues, and galleries. Their music is characterized by a sense of ennui and a DIY space atmosphere. In June of 2021, they released their album, UCHU YUEI, through OILWORKS.
Instagram：@ooveen_music
Twitter：@ooveen
YouTube channel: Ooveen

Photography Takao Okubo
Translation Aya Apton

The post Experimenting with music: Meet Ooveen, the electronic duo started by two illustrator-cum-designers. appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

It is surprising how the duo not only plans ideas for the brand, but also does everything on their own from shooting pictures of the products, making the website, packing and shipping out packages, and otherwise. So why did they decide to start a lifestyle brand? What is the importance of doing everything on their own? And finally, what are the things they “truly want to own?” We sat down with the girls to learn about how they started asebi to their sentiments embedded in the brand.

Creating as we pursue “What’s genuinely important in our livings?”

――Aya, it’s been a couple of years since you left the entertainment industry. What are the things you are working on these days?

Dream Aya (Hereinafter Aya): I work mainly as a photographer, so doing shoots is my core job, but I’m also involved in creative works like drawing illustrations. In addition, I work at a camera store in Jiyugaoka called Popeye Camera.

――And how about you, Arisa? What do you do for your living?

Arisa: I’m a freelance and work for many different apparel companies and brands as a publicist, marketer, promotion adviser, and social media consultant, and I support them in many different ways. I operate asebi with the knowledge and experience I’ve gleaned through these jobs.

――Can you tell me the trajectory from how you two first met to founding asebi?

Aya: I got sick right when I had decided to leave the entertainment industry. So then, I started going to the enzyme bath on a reg, and there I met Arisa who was running the place. We hit it off really fast as we were the same age. After then, we started hanging out personally, and soon after, I quit the entertainment industry. Back then, I remember saying to Arisa, “I haven’t got any breaks when I was in the business, so I’ve never had a chance to go on a trip with my friends. So, I can’t wait to visit different places after I quit. It’s my dream to travel.” Then, Arisa said to me, “Let’s travel together!”

Arisa: It’s important to share the same vibe with the person you’re traveling with and vibe with the place you’re traveling to. If you don’t get along, then it would only be exhausting…. But with Aya, we share common interests, and the places we wanted to go or the things we wanted to eat were exactly the same, so I knew that it would be fun to go on a trip with her.

Aya: And while we were on a trip together, we were sharing our ideas like, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had something like this on a trip?” “It would be convenient if we had a travel kit like this.” And then we were like, “Why not just make them ourselves.” So that was the origin of asebi.

――I see, so it started when you were traveling together. Now, we’d like to hear about the brand—First, what’s the theme of this brand?

Aya: It’s a lifestyle brand we founded together in November 2020. The name asebi is a Japanese name of a flower (“Japanese a” in English) that conveys the message, “Let’s travel together.” While making our products, we imagine our customers receiving our products and taking them along for trips.

――The first item you released was Palo Santo wood sticks (fragrant wood that is used by burning to “purify” room or space or “refresh emotions”), right? I remember seeing it on your socials.

Aya: That’s right. We both love using Palo Santo wood, and we use it especially when we do yoga, but we were saying that they are never presented in a cute way.

Arisa: We wanted it not just for burning, but to look cute and be an interior décor, so we dressed it up with dry flowers and sold it as a set with a lucky bracelet made with Malulani Hawaii power stones. We ended up selling really well that had to produce more.

――So, the first product of the brand you started from scratch sold really well that you had to put more on production—That’s amazing. What else did you make so far?

Aya: The next thing we made was a made-in-Japan sustainable T-shirt made from Texloop—a blend of recycled cotton (leftover cotton from sewing factory) and organic cotton. It is dyed with 100% plant dyes, and it’s now become the brand’s regularly-sold item, and we’ve also made the same long-sleeve T-shirt and hoodie. Also, we’ve produced a wide variety of products like, an apron with a quilted pocket on the inner hem that turns easily into an oven mitt; a washable Glamping mat that is easy to carry around; ginger syrup made from wasted citrus fruits that couldn’t be shipped to grocery stores as they didn’t meet the standards; and soy whipped cream sandwich made for people who don’t eat dairy whipped cream.

――So from apparel to food and beverages—That’s certainly a wide variety of items. I especially thought it’s interesting that the plant-dyed clothes have become your regularly-sold item since there aren’t that many places that can do 100% plant-based dyes, right?

Arisa: That’s correct. Usually, plant-dyed products contain 5% – 10% chemical dyes to prevent color bleeding. So, at the moment, there are only a few brands that use 100% plant dyes, which is also, by the way, a traditional Japanese dyeing method. We want to preserve this tradition. Also, with 100% plant dyes, you can enjoy how unique the color bleeds—we would love for people to try it.

――I see, so every product is brimming with your creative ideas. What are the important things when making the products?

Aya: We try to create things that “we truly want or want to use” in our daily lives. And something long-lasting. Looking back on the passing year, we’ve been making things that are essential in our daily lives. The T-shirt and hoodie for sure, and we use the apron and Glamping floor mat on a reg.

Arisa: That’s right. On the premise, they need to be things we genuinely want to use, and we always think through carefully like, “Do we really need this in our daily lives?” So we only make the products that we unanimously agree to make. In other words, the products aren’t released if one of us isn’t satisfied.

Aya: That’s true. We have infinite product ideas, but that doesn’t mean we can release them all. With asebi, both of our feelings are deferred.

We hope people can feel kindness towards earth and humans and abundance through asebi

――asebi products are gender-free, including the sustainable shirts, pajamas, and pants. Is this intended?

Aya: We say we shouldn’t specify whether the products are for men or women, but we’re also not trying to make products that are explicitly gender-free.

Arisa: We’re not an apparel brand, and we have that as a premise, so we make sure we produce things that a wide variety of people would want to own. So the products we make are naturally gender-less and made in sizes and shapes that anyone can wear. It all come about organically through our discussions.

Aya: That’s well said. When I’m with Arisa, we mostly talk about gender, the environment, and eating habits. Since I met Arisa, I’ve started thinking more about the issues surrounding those things on a daily basis. So that’s probably why sustainability and gender-free are incorporated naturally in the asebi products.

――Arisa, when did you become aware of these issues?

Arisa: It was when I was running my own enzyme bath business. The experience there was a turning point in my life. Most of the customers who came in were struggling with sickness or desperate to improve their body conditions. Enzyme bath is one of the effective ways to warm your body, enhance metabolism, and help improve your body condition. But back then, even though I was running the business, I didn’t have adequate knowledge to be attentive enough to these people with different kinds of problems and struggles they were going through with their bodies. I realized so through having conversations with my customers. So that’s when I thought I should be more aware of the things I consume and wear, or else I would never understand my customers nor have a reason for running the store. Since then, I started studying human bodies, and I eventually acquired an Ayurveda (a traditional medical system of approximately 5,000 years of history that started in India/Sri Lanka) certification. Today, Ayurveda is part of my lifestyle.

Aya: I thought it would be exciting, and I would be able to learn a lot if I started a lifestyle brand with Arisa. That’s one of the reasons I started asebi with her. She’s so knowledgeable and keeps me enthralled with incredible ideas.

Arisa: You can be kind to the earth and your skin by simply wearing the T-shirt from asebi, and reduce food waste by using the syrup from asebi. It may seem like a small thing, but we hope our products encourage people to be more conscious about the things we care about.

――What kind of items are you planning on releasing in the near future? We can’t wait to see more new asebi products full of your genius ideas.

Arisa: As we’re not an apparel brand, we want to make commodities made from unique materials. We want to make things that we use in our daily lives and are essential in our lives, but also something that isn’t made from plastics or chemical substances. It may seem subtle, but we want to continue making things that are good for our planet.

Aya: Not just something we consume for our inner care, but we also want to make things that are kind to the skin or focused on the outer body. Clothings and accessories made from synthetic fibers are intended to keep you warm but could cause damage to your skin. My skin got irritated and itchy, too, from those fabrics. So we want to make something people with sensitive skin or allergies can wear without trouble. We are not only gender-free, but we want to think big and be considerate of the people struggling with their bodies.

Arisa: And last but not least, I want to make travel kits.

Aya: Ditto. Next year, we’ll make travels kits good for our skin and planet.

――Have you made travel kits before?

Aya: Since we founded the brand during the coronavirus pandemic, no one was really able to travel. So, we’ve mainly made home goods. As we are a lifestyle brand, we’ve been absolutely content producing many unique home products, but our brand also comes from traveling, so it was a tough year not being able to travel anywhere.

Arisa: We get to input the most from traveling, and our output is asebi, so the fact we couldn’t travel affected us a lot. I think we didn’t have any travel kit ideas because we weren’t traveling.

――Looking through the photos on your socials of your trips, I’m sure the consumers are thrilled to see those trips have been the inspiration for the products. Finally, what is your goal for 2022?

Aya: After running the brand for a year, I would say I want to keep creating good things but more in a peaceful way. In 2021, we’ve been releasing something new every month and felt like time was rushing by us.

Arisa: I agree. In the passing year, we were able to see that there are many people who are genuinely wanting the things we genuinely wish to have and create. There are so many people who see the value in asebi. So for 2022, we’d like to stay true to our craftsmanship and take our time to do the things we are destined to do.

Aya: The brand just turned two years old, so our current goal is to create every product with passion and for the brand to be loved even more.

L→R
Dream Aya
After leaving the music business in July 2017, she started her career as a creator with her innate talent for photography, illustration, and art. In January 2020, she became an independent photographer. Currently, she does a lot of shoots for works such as apparel brand visuals and artists’ cover arts; she also does creative directions and provides illustrations for various corporates and brands
Instagram：@aya_dream04

Arisa
After working as a shop clerk at the vintage store KINSELLA, she started her own enzyme bath salon in Nakameguro called Reborn. While running the business, she acquired an Ayurveda (a traditional medical system of approximately 5,000 years of history that started in India/Sri Lanka) certification. After her enzyme bath business, she traveled autonomously to Morocco and Europe, bought goods, and sold them on her own online store panese. She is currently a freelance working mainly for Chinatsu Wakatsuki’s brand WC, but also does press, marketing, promotions, social media consultation and support for various other apparel brands.
Instagram：@_i.arisa_

asebi
A lifestyle brand founded in 2020 by Dream Aya and Arisa. The brand name comes from the Japanese of the flower, Japanese andromeda, which is said to convey a message, “Let’s travel together.” The duo christened the name, hoping to deliver items spawned from their “fun life” to the people who genuinely wish to live a fulfilling life. asebi proposes items that will accompany your “life journey.”
Instagram：@asebi___

Photography Sumire Ozawa

The post Dream Aya and Arisa’s Lifestyle Brand asebi Sparks a Question, “What Do We Truly Want and Need in Our Daily Lives?” appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Her latest release on December 8th, “Girlfriend,” featured DJ CHARI as a producer. And in the past, she’s collaborated with big-name artists such as Hiroshi Fujiwara and QieziMabo, up-and-coming artists such as dodo and LEX, and even international artists such as Kero Kero Bonito. Many influential artists collaborate with MANON because something about her music and style resonates with them.

Why does MANON have such a large following? We take a closer look at the story behind 19-year-old MANON, who is always evolving and incorporating new cultures into her style.

Manon adds a catchy element to her songs, whether it’s through the lyrics, melody, or creative universe.

ーーYou’ve collaborated with many popular artists in the past, including with your latest release, a new song with DJ CHARI. What’s this song about?

MANON: It’s a song about a girl who’s in love with an older man. I’m currently 19 years old, and a lot of people my age develop feelings for people who are a bit older. I think this song represents how these girls feel—like, “I want them to notice me.”

MANON “Girlfriend”

ーーThis was your first time making music with DJ CHARI, right? How did you guys go about making this one?

MANON: This was my first time going into the studio and thinking of the song together. It was different from how I typically make music, so it was refreshing.

ーーWhat do you mean by “thinking of the song together”?

MANON: I’d listened to the song beforehand, so I wrote the lyrics in advance and brought them to the studio. I’d mixed some English into the hook. But when I went to the studio and CHARI listened to the lyrics, he suggested that I change the hook to Japanese to make it resonate more easily [with listeners]. This was the first time I wrote and recorded lyrics on the spot. I’d never done that before, but it was really fun.

ーーHow exactly did you want the hook to sound?

MANON: In the beginning, I added hooks that would make the song sound catchier, like the line, “Kimi no kanojo ka tomodachi” (Am I your friend or girlfriend) or “gomenasai,” (sorry) which is a line you often hear in hip hop. I also tried to make it accessible for people who don’t usually listen to rap music.

ーー”Girlfriend” aside, do you usually try to make your songs accessible and easy to listen to?

MANON: Yeah, I do. Recently, I’ve been trying to add a catchy element, whether that’s through the lyrics, melody, or creative universe. For example, with my last song, “GALCHAN MODE,” I tried to add a catchy element and a sense of confusion by creating this cohesive gyaru universe and incorporating Para Para choreography.

Manon likes mashups, whether it’s music or fashion

ーーI heard that you’re not only directing your music but also your music videos. Do you also try to include a catchy element in your videos?

MANON: I’m definitely conscious of it, but when it comes to my music videos, I tend to just incorporate things that I like. With “18,” I wanted to express being 18 years old with a bit of roughness. So the single cover was shot on film, which I was interested in at the time, and the music video was shot on VHS. With “GALCHAN MODE,” I mixed the universes of “Love Berry” (short for Love and Berry: Dress Up and Dance!, a card/arcade game targeted toward girls), which I’ve always loved, and “Umi Monogatari,” which I’ve been curious about since spotting it on the door of a pachinko parlor in Nakameguro. I was imagining a 3D world that felt like it belonged in the 2000s without being too cheesy.

MANON, “GALCHAN MODE”

MANON, “18”

ーーHow did you incorporate things that you like into your latest release?

MANON: I wanted to try looking like a girl with big, exaggerated eyes, like a shojo manga or purikura editing, which I think is a cultural phenomenon that came out of Japan. I asked the creative unit tsuchifumazu to make me an Instagram filter. I thought it would be a bit creepy but cute to lip-synch with these shojo manga-sized eyes. I had fun making it because it’s a part of Japanese culture that I like. And that’s not all—since I was collaborating with CHARI, I added a bit of a hip-hop vibe with the styling so it would look different from my last song, “GALCHAN MODE.”

ーーI feel your artistic expression has a strong gyaru and hip hop essence. What would you consider your musical roots?

MANON: When it comes to my musical roots, I was more influenced by the music my parents showed me than hip-hop. My dad, who is French, often used to play Daft Punk and Gorillaz in the car. When I was listening to electro and techno-pop, my dad was the one who showed me Madeon. He introduced me to a mashup culture that has been a big influence on who I am today.
From my mom, I learned about Major Force, the label that David Bowie and Hiroshi Fujiwara were signed to. Obviously, that influenced my music, but it also had a big influence on my fashion style.

ーーI see your parents have been a big influence. Could you tell us about how you first became inspired by gyaru and hip-hop culture?

MANON: I went to a Yurufuwa Gang show when I was in high school. After that, I started listening to a lot of hip-hop, so that was the start of it all. Back then, I hadn’t heard of the Yurufuwa Gang, but my friend brought me to the show. And the energy at the show was amazing. I was really impressed, like, “What is this? The audience isn’t applauding, but everyone is so excited. It’s incredible!”

ーーHow did you first come across gyaru culture? Gyaru culture was incredibly popular from the late 1990s until the early 2000s. You weren’t around at the time—how did you find out about it?

MANON: There isn’t really one story that I can pinpoint. (laughs) I just like items from gyaru culture, like baby tees and loose socks. When I dug deeper, I found out that gyaru culture came from the late ‘90s to early 2000s. Once I found out that baby tees and loose socks were a revival of that era, I wanted to see photos and magazines from that time. I started looking for them on Instagram and Pinterest.

ーーWhat was it about gyaru culture that you were fascinated by?

MANON: Rather than just copying gyaru fashion from back in the day, I think it’s cute to add a modern touch. I incorporate the baby tees, loose socks, and miniskirts that were popular back then, but recently I’ve been adding hand warmers to that. These hand warmers come from Goth Lolita and Lolita fashion. I like this mashup of different cultures.

ーーAre there any artists who inspire your “mashup gyaru” style?

MANON: I guess Avril Lavigne. I feel like her essence is very gyaru. When I was in elementary school, I saw a TV show where she came to Japan and was shopping at Shibuya 109. At the time, she looked more like a gyaru than anyone else at 109. She wears baby tees a lot, and I love how she combines that with Doc Marten boots. She’s one of the early inspirations for my style.

ーーDo you have friends around your age who also dress like a gyaru?

MANON: I don’t really have many friends who you’d think of as a gyaru at first glance. Nowadays, everyone wears whatever they like at any given time, so what they’re wearing always changes. But that’s just when it comes to fashion—I think some people don’t dress like a gyaru, but their mindset is like one. So anyone can become a gyaru at any time. If you think of yourself as a gyaru, you’re a gyaru. So a lot of people from my generation are “mind gyaru.”

Manon is inspired by the artists and audience members who she meets through her shows

ーーApart from music and fashion, is there anything you’re particular about in terms of self-expression? For example, is there anything you’re particular about when it comes to social media?

MANON: I think I upload things to social media without thinking about it too deeply. For example, on Instagram, I post stories about my daily life or whatever happened that day. Other than that, I upload things as memories.

ーーI see. You edit the videos that you upload to social media yourself, right?

MANON: Yeah, I make my own Instagram and TikTok videos. I don’t know if it’s because the videos are short, but for some reason, the psychedelic stuff is popular. I think that’s why I try to make the videos I upload very colorful and edgy. I think people want to see something that has a lasting impact, precisely because the videos are short.

ーーSpeaking of how you present yourself, the way you collaborate with all kinds of people is very hip-hop, which is interesting. And it’s incredible how so many of those people are big names. How did those collaborations come about?

MANON: The catalyst for the collaboration varies from artist to artist, but mainly, if I have an idea of what kind of song I want to make, I reach out to an artist who I think would be a good fit.
For example, Lil’Yukichi produced “GALCHAN MODE,” and at the time, I wanted to try making an electro song. Lil’Yukichi’s music was close to what I was imagining, so I asked him to produce it.

ーーHow do you usually ask people to collaborate?

MANON: A lot of the time, I ask people after meeting them in person, like at an event or show. Artists approach me a lot of the time too, which is an honor. With Hiroshi Fujiwara, he liked my song, “WORLD’S END” and remixed it. QieziMabo also reached out to me when he had a project where he was creating a song with AI.

MANON, “WORLD’S END feat. dodo”

ーーJun Inagawa designed the single cover for your latest release, “Girlfriend,” right?

MANON: Yeah. Jun made stickers for me when I released “18”. At the time, I told him that I wanted to collaborate on some cover art too. After that, we saw each other several times at events, and then we finally made it happen.

ーーYou’ve also collaborated with artists from other countries.

MANON: When I like a foreign artist and want to collaborate with them, I reach out via Instagram DM. I can’t tell you who I’m talking about yet, but a collaboration with one of my favorite artists was also decided over DM. I’m very happy about it, so I’m really looking forward to it.

ーーYou take the initiative and ask people yourself.

MANON: Yeah. These days, I’ve had more opportunities to ask artists who I’m friendly with, so making music has been really fun. I’m glad I moved to Tokyo from Fukuoka.

ーーFinally, could you tell us about your future plans?

MANON: I turn 20 in January of 2022. That means I’ll be able to perform at more venues, so I want to do more shows. The coronavirus happened right after I moved to Tokyo two years ago, meaning I couldn’t perform live. So more than anything, I want to perform. These days, I think I have the most fun when I’m performing. At my shows, I can meet all kinds of artists and interact with the audience, so that’s another source of inspiration for me.

ーーHas anything changed as you do more shows?

MANON: I performed at Yagi, an event hosted by Reiji Okamoto that was held in Osaka this year, and that show left a big impression on me. I guess I could even say it was a turning point for me. With my past performances, I couldn’t really express my innermost feelings, probably due to nerves. But with this performance, I felt like I could shout what I’d been feeling deep down. Since then, the energy I was able to express that day has been important to me. I’ve been able to go into performances with the genuine intention of making the show more exciting and entertaining for the audience. I’ve realized that I don’t want the show to only be a listening experience. I want people to genuinely have fun.

ーーI’m looking forward to seeing you at one of your shows in 2022.

MANON: Thank you. The same way that I started listening to hip hop after a Yurufuwa Gang show, or fell in love with gyaru fashion after seeing Avril Lavigne, I want to become the kind of artist who can influence people and change their lives.

MANON
Born in Fukuoka, MANON is a 19-year-old artist who has been called a cultural icon of the next generation. She’s made headlines for her collaborations, which range from up-and-coming artists such as dodo and LEX to big names such as Hiroshi Fujiwara and Kero Kero Bonito. She is also known for her work as a model, wearing everything from street to high fashion styles, and is gaining popularity for her success in both music and fashion.
MANON
次世代カルチャーアイコンとの呼び声が高い、福岡県出身の 19 歳。dodo、LEX といった新鋭アーティストから、藤原ヒロシやケロ・ ケロ・ボニトまで、多岐にわたるコラボレーションも話題のアーティスト活動に、ストリートからモードまで着こなすモデル活動と、音楽とファッションを横断した活躍で注目を集めている。
https://cac2002.official.ec
Instagram：@je_suis_manon2
Twitter：@je_suis_manon
YouTube：MANON
TikTok：@je_suis_manon0

Photography Sumire Ozawa
Translation Aya Apton

The post “2021 was a turning point for me”: MANON, the ‘mashup gyaru’ of the Reiwa era appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Motoko Marui is an art director/graphic designer who has worked on CD jackets and key visuals for many artists, including Kaze Fujii, and has attracted attention for her collaboration works with famous brands such as Coach. Recently, she held her first solo exhibition “Play” at the gallery Tskigime.
In this solo exhibition, Motoko Marui, a mother of two, focused on the playground equipment in the park to create her works. The geometric forms represented in graphics and objects, colored with vivid gradations, all do not fit into any existing form of playground equipment. Therefore, in order to fully enjoy the playground equipment she creates, it is necessary to free your imagination and childlike sense of fun.
This time, we find out Motoko Marui’s words not only as an art director and graphic designer, but also as an artist. What is the message she wants to convey to the future?

Free and uninhibited playground equipment for all to enjoy, developed out of a sense of mission found in the middle of child raising

ーーThis exhibition, “Play,” is your first solo show at a gallery, but what do you usually do as a work?

Motoko Marui (Hereinafter Marui): Normally, as an art director/graphic designer, I mainly work on commercial projects such as advertisements, brand campaigns, CD jackets, and apparel collaborations.

ーーPersonally, I was impressed by and remember really well the work you’ve done for Coach’s collaboration projects with artists from around the world.

Marui: I participated in this project about three years ago. I was very happy to work with Coach. It all started when I was given the opportunity to make a collage for a project with Coach that appeared in the magazine “Numero TOKYO”. That led to a direct email from the Coach team in New York, and I was invited to participate in the collaboration project. It was a great honor.

ーーDo you have any other work with overseas clients?

Marui: I have been involved in various projects for magazines. Kaze Fujii, whom I have recently been working with for CD jackets, key visuals for live performances, and merchandise design, also creates works aiming to reach out to people all over the world, so in a sense, I am disseminating my works globally through works with him.

ーーYou have a lot of commercial graphics on your Instagram and website. Have you ever created any works as an artist before?

Marui: I had an exhibition at Carbon, a dining bar on Dogenzaka street in Shibuya in the past, but since then I haven’t made much work.

ーーSo this is the first time in a while that you’ve created works, right? How did you feel when you actually started working on your solo exhibition?

Marui: I have been working mainly on commercial projects, but working on this exhibition changed my way of thinking a bit. At the very beginning of my career as a graphic designer, I used to go to live houses by myself and make flyers and CD jackets for indie bands. So for me, the fact that I have works with clients is just a blessing, and I put my heart and soul into each and every project.
For this solo exhibition, I concentrated on creating the works while limiting the number of commercial works I receive from clients. When I started to make the art works, it was like resetting myself, which I really enjoyed. I then started to feel like I wanted to make more of my own work. From now on, I would like to balance work and art making. I would be more than happy if the works I make are of use to someone else and also have a positive impact on my commercial works with clients.

ーーCan you tell us about the works you created for this exhibition?

Marui: The theme of this solo exhibition is “playground equipment.” Since I became a mother of two children a few years ago, I have had more opportunities to go to the park. One of the things that caught my interest was the playground equipment. There are a lot of parks in the city, with a lot of playground equipment, but some of the equipment has unusual colors and unique shapes. I got a sense of post-modernism from these playgrounds, so I looked up “playground equipment space post-modern” on the Internet, but there were almost no hits. That means, I realized that for many people, playground equipment is something that they have never really been aware of. As I was struggling to raise my own children, thinking that I was far from perfect as a parent, I realized that maybe this was the role I should play. That’s how I came up with the idea of a playground equipment that can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of adults or children alike.

ーーWhat do you mean by the playground equipment that can be enjoyed by everyone?

Marui: Although parks are used by people of all ages and both sexes, but most playground equipment is made in shapes and motifs that small children would like, and in bright primary colors. However, since adults also go to the park, I thought it would be nice if there were some tricks that adults would find cool, some colors that would soothe them, and some shapes that would inspire them, so that they would feel a little refreshed when they go to the park. I thought it would be much more fun to have a park that would make us want to do a lot of hopping with our children.

ーーAs you said, it would be nice to have playground equipment in the park that can relax or inspire adults as well.

Marui: In the works shown in the exhibition, I didn’t make anything that looks like existing forms of playground equipment, except for pieces that look like a slide or a jungle gym. That’s what I had been wondering about during the creation process, but I came to the conclusion that it’s okay to leave them as they are.

ーーWhy did you come to that conclusion?

Marui: When we think about playground equipment, don’t we always assume a certain shape and a certain way of playing? But I think that’s because we assume that playground equipment is just for children. They can be different depending on the location, and it’s okay to have more free ideas for them. I felt that I needed to expand my own imagination about them, and that even that was part of play. After that realization, I began to think more and more that any shape can be used as playground equipment. Children would play in playground equipment of any form, wouldn’t they? I thought people with a childlike sense of fun would also be able to interpret them freely. In this project, I used a two-dimensional representation with which I could create any shape I wanted, so there may be many problems when it comes to actually making a three-dimensional playground equipment out of them. But that’s what made it even more interesting for me.

ーーYour solo exhibition consisted of one three-dimensional object, an acrylic works with which you can imagine three-dimensionality of the graphics, and graphic prints that look three-dimensional.

Marui: I didn’t want to create graphics that would satisfy people just as images. Since people go out and visit the gallery to see my works, I thought about how I could create something that would provoke their thoughts and make them want to own any of them. So I decided to materialize a graphic image of the playground equipment to create an three-dimensional object and also to make acrylic works that look different on how they are viewed, and carefully printed graphic images that express a sense of three-dimensionality.

ーーI was also curious about the titles of your works, such as “18:01,” “18:02” or “18:03.” What was the meaning behind them?

Marui: 17:00 is the time when children go home, and it is the time just before work ends for many of adults. At that time of evening, the color gradation of the sunset is beautiful, isn’t it? Whether it’s a client’s work or my own, I always place emphasis on the balance of colors. In this body of works, I particularly focused on the color of sunset.

ーーI also noticed the fact that the taste of this newest series is quite different from those of your previous works uploaded on your Instagram or on your website Did you make this difference intentionally?

Marui: Yes, I did it intentionally. When I was in junior high school and high school, I used to make circles and squares with the paint tool on my Windows PC. In the course of playing with that software, I came to make stickers for my friends’ bands, which I handed out at school and took to live shows. Looking back on it now, that’s the root of making graphics for me. So, this playground equipment with a geometric pattern motif is a return to this root, or rather, a return to my first objective.

Another turning point: Encounters with esteemed co-workers who broadened my worldview

ーーSo, your roots lie in playing with geometric pattern making. What was the turning point for you as a graphic designer in terms of establishing your current style?

Marui: The turning point came when I met the art directors Yoshirotten and Koji Wagatsuma of RALPH (now known as YAR) where I used to belong to, and the photographer Yoshimitsu Umekawa.

ーーHow did you come to meet them?

Marui: After graduating from high school in Oita Prefecture, I enrolled in a vocational school in Osaka and then moved to Tokyo, where I first worked as a temporary worker at a graphic design company and then as an employee at a design office. At that time, my goal was to create various visuals for, say, CD jackets. On the one hand, I learned a lot about typesetting and printing at the design office I worked back then, which is still of great use to me today. But on the other hand, since there were no works relating to photo shoots, I didn’t get a chance to do visual direction. Realizing that I would not be able to reach what I wanted to do if remaining in that environment, I turned my attention to photography. With photography, I could directly create visuals, so I decided to try my hand at photography instead of graphics, and I quit the design office to become a photographer’s assistant.

ーーSo you were going to quit graphics once?

Marui: Yes, I was about to quit graphics as my main career. Then I had a chance to work as an assistant for the photographer Yoshimitsu Umekawa. Since I had quitted my job at the company, I was working part-time at a pasta restaurant in Sangenjaya to make a living so that I could always be available for photo shoots. At that time, YOSHIROTTEN contacted me and said, “You can prioritize photography job but I would like you to help me out with my work when you have time.” That’s when I started to spend more and more time working at the creative studio RALPH.

ーーRALPH were working on a lot of artworks for musicians, right?

Marui: That’s right. So just when I was about to give up on graphic design, CD jacket job just came to me. Haha. After that, I studied photography under Yoshimitsu Umekawa, and graphic design in RALPH. Three years later, in 2014, I became independent and started working in my current style.

ーーDid you already meet YOSHIIROTTEN and Agatsuma before you started working as an assistant of Umekawa?

Marui: Yes, I met YOSHIIROTTEN when my friend and I went to an event of YATT, a DJ unit he belongs to, and I was introduced to him. Moreover, RALPH was three doors down from the design office I was working at the time, so I would meet him on the street and go to events where YATT was performing, and I looked up to him like an older brother. At that time, we were so close that we would hang out during breaks from work, and I think that’s why he contacted to me after I quit the design office.

ーーCan you tell us about what you learned from your bosses and older colleagues. Firstly, what did you learn from photographer Umekawa?

Marui: Umekawa-san is a person who has something that I don’t have. Of course, he is active in commercial photography, but he continues to explicitly state that he wants to do art. He has broadened my style, my view of what is truly cool and beautiful, and how I look at everything.

ーーThen, what did you learn from Yoshirotten and Wagatsuma?

Marui: This may sound a bit rude, but the edgy style that Yoshirotten-san likes is close to the ideal style that I love. His expressive technique is really amazing. That’s why I really enjoyed working for RALPH, and I learned a lot from the breadth of his expression. I also admire Yoshirotten-san and Wagatsuma-san’s attitude of taking care of the people around them. Through works with them, I was able to meet photographers, hair and makeup artists, stylists, and other creators that I would not have met if I had been working by myself. This has become a great asset for me now.

ーーListening to you talk so far, I felt that this solo exhibition “Play”, which was realized through your experience of raising children, was also a second turning point for you.

Marui: That’s right. There were a lot of things that I didn’t realize until I started to raise my children. For example, children’s fashion is for adults, isn’t it? But surprisingly, there are not many items that truly satisfy parents’ needs. So if there were more things that adults could think are fashionable or cool, and that would increase their sense of excitement, I think parenting would be more fun. Children love to see adults feeling happy. The same can be said for this exhibition. It speaks to people with a childlike playfulness. I want to see adults enjoying the playground equipment together with children. I would be happy if these works would change something, even if it is 100 years from now. I would like to continue to create works that will be a catalyst for the future.

Motoko Marui
Motoko Marui is an art director and graphic designer who works on visual expressions through her works for CD jackets, corporate advertisements, and brand collaborations.
http://nii.jpn.com/contents/category/works
Instagram：@_motty_

Photography Sumire Ozawa
Translation Shinichiro Sato

The post Motoko Marui’s Solo Exhibition, “Play,” Conveys A Message for Parks of The Future Through Her Free and Uninhibited Playground Equipment appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

DiAN is a Beijing and Tokyo-based trio comprised of Seidenba Saku, a multitalented pop artist, singer-songwriter, writer, designer, director, producer A-bee, and composer immi.

Many influential media outlets have written about DiAN because they were featured on “PAC-TIVE,” the new 2021 theme song for PAC-MAN produced by Yaeji, the Korean-American electronic producer, DJ, and vocalist.

We spoke to Seidenba Saku, the face, vocalist, and art director of DiAN, about her appeal and the music scene in Asia.

Being free without being pigeonholed, and the joy of creating

ーーCould you first introduce yourself?

Seidenba Saku: I’m Seidenba Saku from Beijing. I work on many creative things like making music as DiAN, a music unit A-bee, a producer, immi, a composer, and I started in 2019. I’m also a graphic designer, art director, writer, and director.

ーーWhat’s the concept behind DiAN?

Seidenba Saku: We make music based on the concept of “Every human being understands the world through stories.” I’m in charge of writing lyrics. I create a story by [listening to] the track or melody, then write the words. For instance, when I wrote “Moonbow Disco,” I pictured Peter Pan’s Neverland and wondered what kind of universe would exist beyond a bridge made of a moonbow, which is like a rainbow created by the moonlight. I thought, “In Neverland, a big disco ball-like moon would be floating, and this type of music would be playing.” I wrote the story for “眼花 – yǎnhuā” based on the theory that a goldfish’s memory lasts for seven seconds, which is a short memory. It’s a sad story about a goldfish and a person’s bond as they go on an adventure; it’s about what sort of relationship might be formed in [the goldfish’s] overwritten memories. On the surface, our songs may seem like strange stories, but I use my lyrics to express universal thoughts and things everyone thinks about through my interpretation from a different perspective. And we sublimate that to the track.

DiAN- “Moonbow Disco”

DiAN- “花 – yǎnhuā”

ーーWhere do your musical roots come from?

Seidenba Saku: I’ve been listening to pop music in Chinese and English since childhood. I discovered Japanese music for the first time at the Japan Music Information Center in Beijing. They would play Japanese music videos and sell CDs and DVDs, and you could learn about live shows and what current music was popular in Japan. I listened to a lot of Japanese music there.

ーーWhich artists did you listen to?

Seidenba Saku: I first started liking L’Arc-en-Ciel. This young woman who lived next door was a fan of L’Arc-en-Ciel, and I watched so many music videos by them thanks to her. Aside from them, I listened to Ringo Sheena and mainstream Japanese music a lot. Back then, no one around me shared my taste in music, so I would connect and share information with people with similar tastes online on BBS. I started studying Japanese using Japanese music and music magazines around then.

ーーI feel like your music is a combination of 80s Japanese pop music and electronic music. How did this style of yours come about?

Seidenba Saku: I was in a band in high school, and I started listening to various kinds of music around that time. I would choose which CDs to listen to at the Japan Music Information Center according to the album cover. And I naturally began listening to 70s and 80s Japanese music like Jun Togawa. Once I got into university, aside from the Japan Music Information Center and BBS, I started sharing music on the school’s online network. That’s when I came across electronic music.

ーーHow has Japanese music influenced you?

Seidenba Saku: The grammar and how [Japanese people] use words in their lyrics influenced me greatly. I can tell right away when someone’s music is Japan-inspired. Japan has a distinct way of writing melodies and using the minor scale. But I do think China and Japan are similar. When I listen to kayokyoku, the language is different, but I often feel a sense of nostalgia.

ーーBesides your music, it seems like traditional Japanese pop music influences your cover art, outfits, and Instagram. What’s your source of inspiration regarding visuals?

Seidenba Saku: As a child, I lived in countries aside from China like America, and those in West Asia, Europe, and Africa. I’ve encountered cultures differing from China. Maybe my experiences are stored in the corners of my brain, and they influence me subconsciously. Of course, Japanese pop music, films, TV shows, mangas, and novels inspire me too. However, when I come up with my work, I don’t look for references or watch a lot of stuff. Most of the time, I intuitively write about the things in my head. When I brainstorm the album cover, I start by creating a mood board compiled of my ideas. When I think about the outfits or the setting of the characters, I sketch them out.

ーーI’d like to hear about your work outside of music.

Seidenba Saku: As a pop artist, I have exhibitions in Japan and China. I also showcase my characters to the world and publish books. Moreover, as an art director, I worked on the Chinese video campaign for New Balance. I also sell clothes by collaborating with fashion brands.

ーーHave you been illustrating longer than you’ve been making music?

Seidenba Saku: I’ve been drawing and studying music since I was five or six years old. I had keyboard and singing lessons every Saturday and went to an art school every Sunday. Once I started elementary school, I studied drawing on the weekend. Because my major in university was in animation, I might’ve been drawing more [than singing]. Once I started middle school, I was in a band with a friend, and we played songs we genuinely liked. We mostly played niche songs. At the time, I couldn’t even imagine that my career would be in music.

ーーIn China, are you seen as a musician or a pop artist?

Seidenba Saku: To be honest, I don’t know. I want to manifest my thoughts (imagination) right away without being categorized by labels or genres, so there’s no need to limit my means of expression. I hope to continue optimally expressing myself, whether that’s making music, drawing, or filmmaking.

ーーWhy is that?

Seidenba Saku: I like creating things. I get excited when I do; for me, it’s the moment that makes me feel the joy of living.

The shift away from Eurocentric music and the imminent birth of great Asian music

ーーYou’re based in more than one place, yes?

Seidenba Saku: Yes. I’m based in Tokyo, the city of challenging oneself and where I lived on my own for the first time, and Beijing. I’ve gotten used to going back and forth.

ーーAre there any differences between the music and art scene that you can discern because you’re based in both places?

Seidenba Saku: When I was a child, I thought the two countries were completely different worlds, but now I feel like there aren’t that many differences.

ーーWhat about art?

Seidenba Saku: I think there’s a difference between traditional art, such as distinct Chinese and Japanese drawing styles. But I feel like the distinction between these is decreasing recently. This is due to the internet and social media. There’s no time difference regarding who or when someone releases their work. The “this art belongs to this country” ideology is going away.

ーーThe global music industry is changing because of covid. What about China?

Seidenba Saku: At first, people couldn’t host live shows or music festivals, and I strongly felt everyone’s desire to listen to live music. When music festivals were unbanned this year, there was so much passion. People who like music had always been going to festivals. But now, those in China who weren’t that interested in live shows or festivals attend live shows too.

ーーPerhaps the same could be said about Japan.

Seidenba Saku: Right. When I ask, “Why do you want to go to music festivals?” many people say, “I want to connect with people. I want to have fun with friends.” Music creates one of the reasons and catalysts for people to connect with others.

ーーHas anything changed for you because of covid?

Seidenba Saku: Just when the pandemic started getting serious, I had a show in Daikanyama. It was around March. After that, there was a prolonged period where I couldn’t go back to Beijing. I made a song with someone in Beijing, long distance. We recorded our separate verses and didn’t make our recorded voices cohesive. Also, I partook in PAC-MAN’s 40th-anniversary project. I covered “PAC-MAN Fever” by Buckner & Garcia and made “饕餮 TAOTIE feat. 小老虎 (J-Fever).” Maybe I was able to focus on creating.

DiAN- “饕餮 TAOTIE feat. 小老虎 (J-Fever)”

Aside from that, I started playing Animal Crossing. My artist friends had started playing it too. Lockdown in China was stricter than in Japan, and no one could go outside. So, I got together with everyone through the game, performed, and made music on my island.

ーーHow do you think the music scene in Asia will change?

Seidenba Saku: Until now, American music was at the center, and popular songs were based on the west. I guess you could say people considered making songs in that style was closer to perfection. But music should be free. There’s no need for there to be standards like Hollywood movies. As of late, a lot of brilliant music is being born in different Asian countries. Good music is being made in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and such. It feels like Asian music is starting to change. It’s like so much amazing music is being born.

ーーYou recently released a new song. Could you talk about that?

Seidenba Saku: It’s a song called “Electric Dreams -电子白日梦-” and it’s about how people imagined the future would be like in the 80s and 90s. It’s a story about AI, but not like Siri today. It’s more like the analog-ish computer AI that people wrote about at the time. That AI becomes conscious and gives romantic advice to a human protagonist, but it develops feelings for the woman. We’re now used to using social media every day. It’s as if we’re living in a cyberpunk world (a virtual world inside a computer). There might come a time when we can no longer distinguish between AI and humans. How will the reality of the virtual world era be like? What will the relationship between the real self and the social media (virtual world) self be like? Will the relationship between the self and others change according to the times? Will we continue to question our identity and our relationship with others in reality and the virtual world? Such thoughts make up one part of “Electric Dreams.” It would make me happy if everyone could use their imagination to enjoy the song.

DiAN- “Electric Dreams -电子白日梦-”

ーーLastly, what sort of artist do you strive to be in the future?

Seidenba Saku: I want to be a 100% Seidenba Saku, more so than now. I’ve received so much influence from different things, but I want to encounter more cultures and people and evolve as an artist. I want to continue looking for my tao (path) and make music and drawings that anyone could instantly recognize. I want to be an artist that could express themselves 100%.

Seidenba Saku
Seidenba Saku is the face, vocalist, and art director of DiAN, a music unit. She’s a multifaceted pop artist, singer-songwriter, writer, designer, and director. Born in Beijing, Seidenba Saku was influenced by distinct cultures in America, Europe, West Asia, and Africa. After graduating from the Communication University of China, the most prestigious institution of broadcasting and media in the country, she moved to Tokyo. Starting with design and film, she works on various mediums.
Instagram: @diansaku
Twitter: @DiAN__official
Facebook: @OfficialDiAN
YouTube: DiAN Official Channel

Photography: Takao Okubo
Transration Lena-Grace Suda

The post The turning point of the Asian music scene is right now—an interview with DiAN’s Seidenba Saku appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

Tacit agreement can be seen in multiple fields from business, science, music and fashion. It unequivocally exists in the art and design industries as well.
Gallery Tsukigime has moved in July and newly opened with the first joint exhibition with Tokyo’s illustrious graphic artists—KOSUKE KAWAMURA, GUCCIMAZE, and YOSHIROTTEN—titled CHAOS LAYER. The exhibition showcases three canvas artworks of digital collages rendered with a creative technique that takes a big step into the area of ‘tacit agreement,’ and 3D collage installation, CHAOS DESK, that invites us to envision the trio’s imaginary desk.

Their creative process was as follows: the first artist produces the base graphic, the second artist edits and coverts it, and the third artist brings it to completion by also editing and making final touches. Normally, artists or graphic designers would never consider sharing their unfinished work with others and letting a third person to tie up the loose end. Even if they did, it is hard to imagine the work looking good in the end. Yet, the qualities of the three art pieces in CHAOS LAYER are top notch. The question is, are these works deliberately splendid, or did they come from serendipity? And why did the three artists summon? We were able to speak to the trio and hear their narratives about the exhibited artworks they had rendered with a chaotic creative means and spawned in the cluttered world with the pandemic.

The trio who has marked the birth of a new style in the graphic art scene

ーーWhy did you decide to do this exhibition with the three of you?

YOSHIROTTEN: It started from the owner of Gallery Tsukigime, which moved and reopened at a new spot in July, asking me, “Can you give me an idea of a project that would be perfect for the new opening of this gallery?” I’ve been involved with the gallery since the very beginning when it first launched, so I wanted to celebrate its new opening with an impactful project.

ーーI see, so YOSHIROTTEN was the initiator of the project. And why did you ask KOSUKE KAWAMURA and GUICCIMAZE to join?

YOSHIROTTEN: I’ve always wanted to do something with the three of us for a long time. Recently, we’ve been increasingly seeing one another, and I thought that Gallery Tsukigime would be the right place for us to do and exhibit something special.

ーーTell us how you all met.

GUCCIMAZE: I first met YOSHIROTTEN. That was about ten years ago. I was still in Art University and occasionally played DJ at the same club as he did. That’s when I first talked to him.

YOSHIROTTEN: I met KOSUKE about five or six years ago. I don’t remember why but we happen to take a day trip to Kamakura together. After that, I remember introducing GUCCIMAZE to KOSUKE.

ーーWhat impression do you have of one another? First, from KOSUKE KAWAMURA, can you tell us about the two?

KOSUKE KAWAMURA (Hereinafter KAWAMURA): I’ve always checked them out since they first came out to the public. When I was around 20, there were many graphic designers rising in the world, and at that time, the entire scene was unified both in a good and a bad way. Since I grew up witnessing such scene, when YOSHIROTTEN came out, I remember being awed thinking, “His works are new and cool,” as he had a completely different style. Subsequently, GUCCIMAZE came out and I was also amazed by his works, which made me think, “What a new upgraded style.” When I first saw their works, I thought they were both foreign artists, so I was even more shocked when I found out that they were both Japanese. Since their styles were totally different from mine, I was thinking that I would never be able to become friends with them, but eventually, we hit it off really well [laughs].

ーーAnd GUCCIMAZE, what is your impression of the two?

GUCCIMAZE: When I met YOSHIROTTEN, he had a more punkish style. Before, I was able to tell like, “He’s probably collaging once to create his works,” but over the past ten years, his works have been evolving more and more that they always surprise me. I learn a lot from him such as the way he goes with the flow of time and the way he captures things that others don’t see. What’s amazing about KOSUKE’s works is that you can tell right away that they are his works. Putting out your “essence” sounds like an easy thing to do, but in fact, it’s insanely difficult. I admire both of their distinguishing styles and they both inspire me a lot.

ーーAnd how about you, YOSHIROTTEN?

YOSHIROTTEN: Like KOSUKE, I also grew up watching the older graphic designers and street artists in the noughties. And while I was thinking, “I want to do something different from what they are doing,” I found out about KOSUKE. In the unified scene, his collage style and works attracted my attention as they were different from others. In the beginning, I thought he was more towards the underground side as his artworks were often published in horror, occult indie magazines like TRASH-UP!! and he was providing his works to hardcore bands, but later I found out that he does major client works as well; so anyway, I knew about him as a person with an incredible style. When we finally met, we talked a lot and he made me feel that he would be my great buddy, who’s in the same generation and who I can talk to about the future.

ーーAnd what’s your impression of GUCCIMAZE?

YOSHIROTTEN: There weren’t that many people who did graphics and also went to clubs, so I was happy when I met GUCCI. There was a time we used to make PAN MAGAZINE together. Even since he became sought-after with his designs, he continues to hone his skills, making full use of his great ability of drawing by hand and integrating digital elements into his works. I’ve been watching his style flourish over time, so I’m honored to have had this opportunity to create these artworks together with him.

Sharing, converting and editing the data of work in progress. A chaotic creative process that involves the art of ‘tacit agreement’

ーーI heard that for this exhibition, CHAOS LAYER, you guys implemented a distinctive creative method.

YOSHIROTTEN: First, we didn’t want to do a simple group exhibition. We wanted to create something that us three, who are rooted in graphic design and street art, can only make. I was thinking, “Since we all produce art implementing digital techniques, we should create something that involves using data,” and later, we went out to get some food as well as to discuss about the project. That’s when KOSUKE told us, “I’ve layered about 25K layers with a photoshop data before,” which was for his artwork produced for the exhibition, Tower of Babel, with Katsuhiro Otomo. After hearing the story, we came up with an idea of completing an artwork together by relaying the ultimate layer data to one another.

ーーWhat do you mean by relaying the layer data to one another?

YOSHIROTTEN: Basically, we each prepare the same sized PSD data; the first person creates a graphic data, the second person edits and alters it, and the third person finishes it by also editing and adding final touches.

ーーNormally, artists would never exchange data of their incomplete work to others, right?

GUCCIMAZE: That’s right. Essentially, I think no one would ever want to exchange and share data of the artwork you’re still working on and let others touch and edit it. So, when I first heard about the idea, I was honestly shook. But at the same time, I was interested in trying this novel creative process, and I personally had the chills.

KAWAMURA: I was also a bit afraid when I heard the idea from YOSHIROTTEN. You never see other artists’ data.

YOSHIROTTEN: I’m sure everyone’s process of creating and data are respectively different.

KAWAMURA: I agree. It feels like showing yourself naked to people at a Sento (public bath) [laughs]. There are parts you hide and don’t want others to see, though, it’s like you’re forced to show them to others, which is embarrassing…. It’s also scary to see others’ data, but I can’t deny that part of me is curious to see what it’s like. Anyway, it was a creative method that I’ve never tried before, so I couldn’t imagine how they were going to turn out in the end.

ーーSince you’re saying, you couldn’t imagine how the works were going to look like in the end, does that mean you didn’t set up a theme, discuss the directions, or have a meeting to decide what kind of graphic you were each going to make?

YOSHIROTTEN: We only talked about making three same-sized large graphic artworks for the exhibition and exchanging data with one another using Dropbox, and that was it.

KAWAMURA: We were saying how bold and cool to only have three artworks for the exhibition. But in the end, it took as much effort as producing an insane number of artworks.

GUCCIMAZE: Other than what we discussed in the beginning, everything was done spontaneously. I checked each layer and balanced them out step-by-step.

YOSHIROTTEN: We weren’t working in the same space, but it felt like we were doing a session together. Regarding the one I finished (the artwork on the right side. The first was KOSUKE KAWAMURA, the second was GUCCIMAZE, and the third was YOSHIROTTEN finishing the piece,) by the time I received it from GUCCI, the hand part in the graphic was fading.

GUCCIMAZE: That’s because I made it in a silver-ish color.

KAWAMURA: Right. I remember it being silver-ish after it was passed to GUCCI.

YOSHIROTTEN: But I changed it back to its original state.

KAWAMURA: It was like an impromptu session. When I received the data from the two and it was my turn to edit, I was motivated to create something interesting, but when I saw the graphics, I could perceive each of their preferences and wanted to respect that. Let’s say, with YOSHIROTTEN’S work, I’d made sure to keep his staircase and not draw something similar to it. For the work I had finished (the center artwork. The first was GUCCIMAZE, the second was YOSHIROTTEN, and the third was KOSUKE KAWAMURA,) it was straight-up GUCCI style per se that I had a hard time figuring out what to do with it, but in the very end, I checked with GUCCI and asked, “is it okay if I shred it?”

YOSHIROTTEN: I also had to check with GUCCI on one part, like, “it’s going to change a bit if I put this together, but are you cool with that?” Other than that, I didn’t ask him anything.

GUCCIMAZE: Everyone was doing their thing. By the way, I didn’t ask the two anything when finishing the piece [laughs].

KAWAMURA: As it was something I’ve never ever done before, I had trouble with some parts. I’ve changed the order of layers, embedded sources, but I couldn’t just go ahead and delete the layers without their permissions.

YOSHIROTTEN: In the end, each data was over 5GB.

KAWAMURA: I know. It was too heavy to upload the data and I couldn’t upload to Dropbox at all.

YOSHIROTTEN: I was the one who said we should use Dropbox to share data, but KOSUKE was having trouble uploading.

GUCCIMAZE: So, we received his data via Gigafile and uploaded it on Dropbox for him [laughs].

ーーWhat impression did you have on one other’s layer data?

YOSHIROTTEN: GUCCI’s data was incredibly beautiful. I also found out that he leaves all the adjustment layers.

GUCCIMAZE: That’s right. I’m the type who wants to ensure that I can edit as much as I want to. KOSUKE and YOSHIROTTEN, you guys draw directly on the layers, right?

YOSHIROTTEN: Right. I don’t leave any adjustment layers.

GUCCIMAZE: Once you change colors or something, it’s probably hard to go back and redo it again, but it seems like you guys don’t mind that and just keep going.

YOSHIROTTEN: I prioritize time to move forward and decide instantaneously like, “this color here, this shape here.” Essentially, passing data to others is never a thing, so I created it with my own way and the way I’m comfortable with.

KAWAMURA: I did it similar to the way YOSHIROTTEN did. If I had to make note of one thing, I added layer masks.

GUCCIMAZE: No doubt, KOSUKE’S layer masks were absolutely beautiful.

KAWAMURA: I can’t deny that. I especially put effort into layer masks, and I have it on almost all the layers.

YOSHIROTTEN: I can see that. KOSUKE’s way of creating was new to me, too.

KAWAMURA: Well, it was pretty much just the layer masks, though. Other than that, like YOSHIROTTEN, I basically drew directly on the layers.

YOSHIROTTEN: Did you actually add layer masks to all 25K layers in the artwork you made with Katsuhiro Otomo, Tower of Babel?

KAWAMURA: I did indeed. Well, I couldn’t add layer masks for all of them, but I did for most of them. I’ve got to say, it was quite mind-numbing. I couldn’t pick up the parts I wanted to edit, because there were just too many layers, so, I kept creating new layers to add what I want [laughs wryly].

GUCCIMAZE: What I’ve also noticed from their data was that I couldn’t tell which layers were used or not. I wanted to delete the ones that weren’t used but wasn’t sure if they needed to be kept or not. I checked each layer by clicking on the eye (to make layer visible/invisible,) but they were all good, so I figured that every layer was there for a reason….

YOSHIROTTEN: I deliberately keep the layers. I just do in case of anything.

KAWAMURA: Likewise. I’m just worried that I might need them later for something. But in most cases, I can never find the ones I’m looking for. If the layer is gone it can never be recovered. And I’m scared of that to happen, so I leave them just in case. I think YOSHIROTTEN would understand this, but I don’t really pay attention to the numberings.

YOSHIROTTEN: I feel you. I keep the layers because I believe “there are still incredible players on the bench.”

KAWAMURA: Since I don’t really look at the numberings, I can’t go back and redo the layers. It’s obviously me, who’s working on the deck but because I don’t keep up with the numbers, if I delete a layer, I can never recover it. I’m afraid for that to happen, so even if the layers aren’t used, they need to be kept or else I would be in trouble in case I need them. However, in the beginning of this project, I was actually deleting the unnecessary layers, because I thought it would confuse the other guys. Though, by the time I received the data from the two and started working on it, I was back to my normal self and proceeded the way I normally do. Well, I was thinking that GUCCI will eventually clean it up for me anyway [laughs].

YOSHIROTTEN: It’s interesting how you can see each person’s character by simply sharing data with one another like this [laughs].

Even with the chaotic creative means, they would turn out 100% fun. The exhibition spawned from definitive trust in one another

ーーWhat were the themes you each had in the beginning for the graphics?

YOSHIROTTEN: It was like severing the unreleased works I had produced in the past into pieces and purging their souls. I was excited to see how the rest of the guys would transform my works.

GUCCIMAZE: I drew “CHAOS” in 3D graffiti letters, with the intention to infuse prominently the ultimate GUCCIMAZE signature style. It’s in fact, impossible to read the letters, though.

KAWAMURA: I remember asking you guys like, “Is it cool if I shred it?” [laughs]. What I did was take fragments of the five murals I drew in the past and combined them into one. You never see murals located in five different locations assembling in one place, but the graphic made it possible. When I make large graphics like murals, I draw them digitally as they can’t be done with analogue mediums, and in that sense, I thought the idea would be perfectly for this project.

ーーAnd how did you feel when you saw the final artwork?

KAWAMURA: I was so hyped.

GUCCIMAZE: Seeing it in a large size, I thought it goes well with the word “CHAOS” in the title. My essence is definitely infused in it, but it felt fresh like seeing someone else’s artwork.

YOSHIROTTEN: I was familiar with the other two artists’ styles and had a broad image of how the works were going to turn out, but they went way beyond my expectations. Not only the artworks, but I think the creative process and communication with these guys were “chaotic” as well. Even though we often see one another and hang out together, we had never exchanged data before, so including the experience, we’ve developed a new form of graphic design.

KAWAMURA: Before, I’ve always been satisfied right when I delivered my work. Usually, I can see my work during the entire process and can envision how it’s going to turn out in the end. However, this time, I had to proceed without knowing where it was going to land and couldn’t fully control the process, so I felt fresh when I saw the finished artworks. When I first saw the originals, I was able to tell, “This is YOSHIROTTEN’s. This is GUCCI’s.” but after they were processed twice or three times, I couldn’t tell which part was done by whom. Even seeing the finished works, I can’t identify the parts I’ve done.

YOSHIROTTEN: There’s more to these three artworks. I think they aren’t finished yet. That’s why we placed a monitor at the installation space, CHAOS DESK, playing an edited video of tokyovitamin’s kenchan, YAR’s Natsumi Sunohara, and 3DCG artist Mirai Shikiyama talking about how they respectively interpret this project.

The footage produced for CHAOS LAYER, featuring kenchan (tokyovitamin)

KAWAMURA: I agree, it’s not finished yet. It’s just done for the moment because of the deadline. There may be the second and the third round using these artworks as a base. Even if we dismantled them into pieces and went through the same process, I guarantee that they would turn into something totally different, and I feel like I can still add a lot more to them.

GUCCIMAZE: Ditto. Once you pass the data and receive back the elaborated version, it makes you want to add more to it.

KAWAMURA: The title CHAOS LAYER itself is about layering, so basically, they can go on updated forever.

GUCCIMAZE: Works have an end when they’re done alone. Because there’s like a goal set.

KAWAMURA: I agree. If you work alone, you’ll get to a point where you can’t finesse or layer any further, but on the other hand, if you pass the work to two other guys, it transforms into something completely different. And by the time it comes back to you, it feels like you’re at a fresh start again and makes you want to add more to it. It’s a repeat of that process and there’s no end to it, but also, as we respect and save one another’s taste, I don’t think we’ll ever lose the original form. It would though be interesting if we layered too much that in the end it turns into a pitch-black object.

YOSHIROTTEN: This time, it was printed out on a canvas, but someday, it would be cool if we print out each layer on LG transparent OLED signage and layer them to create an entire piece.

KAWAMURA: That’s an awesome idea! So that people can enjoy it from the front and the back, right?

YOSHIROTTEN: That’s right. I want to create a space between each layer so that people can go in between and see the art from the inside as well.

ーーOne last thing: Can you tell us about CHAOS DESK created in the installation space?

YOSHIROTTEN: We envisioned a man who is a fusion of us three, and the exhibited art is that man’s desk. We each brought magazines and videos of our inspirations and piled them into one to create the workspace. I hope people perceive it as a birthplace of the three artworks. And I think it would be cool if, not only the three of us and the three artists appearing in the aforementioned footage, but the guests can also participate to elaborate the artwork. It’s a type of installation that keeps evolving.

ーーIt’s definitely a chaotic exhibition.

YOSHIROTTEN: The idea wouldn’t have been born if us three chaotic members didn’t get together. It became an exhibition that syncs well with this cluttered world facing the pandemic and the era where seeing one another in person has become difficult.

GUCCIMAZE: I agree. We were able to accomplish these artworks as we are close to one another and have trust in the qualities of our works. I don’t think I could’ve done the same thing with any other people.

KAWAMURA: I think that was the biggest part of it all. The three of us have a lot in common: we are graphic designers and artists based out of Tokyo and implement both digital and analogue mediums. Normally, I would be hesitant to share incomplete layer data with other people, but with these guys I’m totally fine with it. In the beginning, I couldn’t imagine how it was going to be like, but I had a hunch that it was going to be a 100% fun exhibition. I think the exhibition was brought to life because of the trust we had with one another.

KOSUKE KAWAMURA
Born in 1979 in Hiroshima-prefecture. Currently based in Tokyo. He is a collage artist, graphic designer, and art director of ERECT Magazine, who shows his versatility in diverse areas and various mediums including shredder, analogue & digital collage, computer graphic design, and live painting. He also produces flyers for live shows and events. He has accomplished numbers of collaborations with creators such as Katsuhiro Otomo, Keiichi Tanaami, Daido Moriyama, and Masaya Nakahara. He is a prolific artist leaping multiple genres from fashion to underground culture.
https://so1tokyo.thebase.in/
Instagram：@kosukekawamura

GUCCIMAZE
Born in 1989 in Kanagawa-prefecture. Graduate of Musashino Art University, visual communication design course. After working at a design firm, he became independent in 2018. He is currently based out of Tokyo with his artworks recognized both in Japan and abroad and does collaborations with multiple artists and brands. His works include 3D typography that embodies a sense of keenness and rigidness, and motley and vivacious colored graphic arts espousing his unique style.
http://www.yutakawaguchi.com/
Instagram：@guccimaze

YOSHIROTTEN
Born in 1983. He produces art in eclectic, genre-crossing forms of expression, including graphic design, video footage, 3D art, art installation, space design and music. In 2018, he presented his major solo exhibition, FUTURE NATURE, at TOLOT heuristic SHINONOME. He is a globally successful artist, who also released his artbook, GASBOOK33 YOSHIROTTEN from GASBOOK.
https://www.yoshirotten.com/
Instagram：@yoshirotten

■CHAOS LAYER
Date: ~ August 20th
Venue: Gallery Tsukigime
Address: 1-3-2 B1 Chuocho Meguro-ward, Tokyo
Time: 12PM – 7PM
Closed: Sundays and Mondays
Entrance: Free
http://tsukigime.space
Instagram：@gallery_tsukigime

Photography Takao Okubo
Translation Ai Kaneda

The post Behind the Scenes of KOSUKE KAWAMURA, GUCCIMAZE, YOSHIROTTEN’s First-ever Joint Exhibition, CHAOS LAYER appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.

The zine featured people from art and fashion communities, many of them discussing the relationship between music/art and natural wine. As natural wine gains popularity, what makes it so appealing to art and music lovers? I talked to Shinichi Takahashi about the countercultural aspect of natural wine.

Natural wine is a counterculture that defies wine culture’s prevailing system

Essentially, natural wine has no official definition. It’s commonly described as wine produced on a small scale by independent wineries that do not use antioxidants (sulfites) and use yeast native to the local ecosystem. Supposedly, the term itself was first coined in France in the 1980s.

“There’s basically no official definition of wine, and you don’t need any certification to call your wine natural. Sometimes, even wines that are made using concentrates——like a soft drink from a convenience store——are sold in supermarkets, with the display claiming that it’s natural wine.” (Takahashi)

Because there’s no official definition of natural wine, it’s necessary to understand the production process behind conventional wine. In the 1950s and 60s, around the time that agriculture became industrialized, wine also became industrialized for mass production and consumption. With the conventional method of making mass-produced wine, growers spray pesticides to deal with weeds, which kills microbes and necessitates the use of chemical fertilizers. As a result, yeast loses its potency, becoming difficult to use for fermentation. Antioxidants (sulfites) are then added to kill off the unwanted yeast, achieving a stable condition. Then, artificially cultivated yeast is added for fermentation, and various additives are incorporated. In comparison, natural wines only use delicious grapes and healthy bacteria collected from vineyards with natural, self-sustaining ecosystems. They’re often simple enough that they can just be fermented and left alone.
So, why is natural wine considered a counterculture?

“This might be obvious, but conventional wine is made for mass production and consumption. So I think natural wine — which is the opposite of conventional wine — has a countercultural side that defies the prevailing system of wine culture, including the values, the state of the market, the system, and the taste. Just like counterculture has an ideology, natural wine has an ideology too, and thus, the power to move people.” (Takahashi)

Takahashi was first inspired to open Human Nature in 2017. The story goes like this: After graduating high school, he went to New Zealand to study abroad, staying there for 7 or 8 years. Thanks to an Italian friend he met while abroad, he became completely hooked on natural wine.

“After returning from New Zealand, I went to Italy to visit my Italian friend every year. That made me want to live in Italy, so I decided to go to an Italian university from 2013 to 2014. It was a gastronomic science school that you could graduate from in just one year. At the time, I was also interning at a wine distributor, and the people at the company often took me to Italian wineries. That’s what made me realize that natural wine is a counterculture. From there, I decided to write my thesis on natural wine and counterculture.” (Takahashi)

What is counterculture, anyway? Takahashi continues:
“In the past, all kinds of countercultures have emerged, like hippies, punks, and mods. These movements were based on societal values that people assumed to be fact, but were actually values that allowed the powerful to control people as they liked. I think counterculture is a culture born from a rebellious spirit——from feeling angry about the world and wanting to change it.” (Takahashi)

If you look up the definition of counterculture, it’s sometimes described as synonymous with subculture. But unlike a subculture, which is a smaller culture that exists alongside the mainstream, a counterculture has the potential to defy trends and make waves. Like the birth of punk rock or hip hop, natural wine possesses a similar spirit within the wine world. Takahashi reveals that spirit to the world in the form of his thesis and zine.

Later, as Human Nature’s popularity grew, it went from being a small store to an online specialty store, and then to Nihonbashi Kabutocho in 2020 as a natural wine bar.

“Thanks to my Italian friend, I started drinking natural wine every day. At first, I was buying it online. But I didn’t have money, and it’s a bit too expensive to drink every day. So, I got a liquor license to buy it at vendor prices. At the time, I had no intention whatsoever of selling anything. I had a small wine cellar though, so sometimes friends would buy wine from there. Before I knew it, I had more and more friends buying wine from me, and my wine cellar got bigger and bigger in turn. (laughs) That was the origin of Human Nature.” (Takahashi)

Natural wine’s culture and ideas resonate with music and art fans

If you take a look inside the bar, you’ll see art on the walls, a lineup of original merchandise created with friends, and live music and DJ events that are held from time to time. In the zine “HERE TO STAY – NATURAL WINE AND COUNTER CULTURE,” the various writers assert that natural wine is like music and art. The zine’s design is reminiscent of punk culture, too.

“In the zine, James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem says, ‘I thought the music and wine I like are the same.’ He also draws a comparison between record and wine stores, as well as the way records and wine are distributed. Also, KABA, the designer of the apparel brand bal, said that, ‘Natural wine has an independent style. An ‘anti’ attitude that challenges existing structures. Its style is to enjoy drinking wine without being bound by the rules.’ As a side note, the zine’s design is just because I’ve liked punk and hardcore from when I was in high school. Plus, I wanted to make the most of the zine format.” (Takahashi)

These days, even aside from the zine, it’s common to hear conversations about natural wine in art and music circles.

“At its core, natural wine is simply easy to drink, and it tastes great. But taste varies from person to person. Even if people are drinking the same thing, they experience it differently. It’s the same with music. Just like people have their own music preferences, winegrowers also make wine according to their own tastes. That’s why I think people who like art, music, and culture can relate to natural wine. I feel like influential people are posting about natural wine on social media, which is drawing more attention to it. Also, natural and organic foods are getting more attention these days, so that might be a factor as well.” (Takahashi)

There’s another reason why culture lovers are interested in natural wine: the high degree of freedom in the label design compared to conventional wines. While perusing the shelves, people find themselves wanting to buy natural wine based on the label, in the same way they might buy records based on the cover.

“A lot of wines have really formal, chateau-style labels. Compared to that, one of natural wine’s distinguishing characteristics is that the labels are often free from tradition and formalities. When you buy a record based on the cover, you don’t know whether you’ll like the music until you try listening to it. In the same way, you don’t know if you’ll like a wine until you try drinking it. Because the labels aren’t bound by rules, you get a sense of the winery and winemaker’s culture and philosophy, and the feeling of, ‘Let’s appreciate this natural wine culture together.’ That’s interesting, isn’t it?” (Takahashi)

Finally, I asked Takahashi, who has drunk countless natural wines thus far, for his recommendations.

“I don’t really like to recommend a certain wine. If I recommend something, it’ll be the only wine that sells. The quantities of natural wine are limited in the first place, so if I do that, the people who really want to drink it won’t be able to buy it. The wines I sell in the store are all wines that I like, so it’s a safe bet to just buy them based on the label. There are a lot of fresh, juicy, and crisp wines——so they’re all delicious!” (Takahashi)
This seems like a fitting response from the free-spirited Takahashi.

Shin Takahashi
Shin Takahashi is the owner of Human Nature, a bar specializing in natural wines in Nihonbashi Kabutocho. He majored in Media Studies at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. After working as a photographer, bartender, and video producer, he got his master’s degree at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy while studying natural wines at a natural wine importer. Upon returning from Italy in 2017, he opened Human Nature, where he has been working since.

■Human Nature
Address: 9-5 Nihonbashi Kabutocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: Monday-Friday 15:00-20:00, Saturday 13:00-20:00, Sunday 13:00-18:00
Days off: None
TEL：03-6434-0535
https://humannature.jp
Instagram：@human_natureeeee

Photography Takaki Iwata
Transration Aya Apton

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“I really appreciate how as an indie artist, I’m able to create close connections with fans.”

――What kind of music-related work do you do in the first place?

acane: Up until the state of emergency was declared, I was mainly performing on the street. Every weekend, I was playing for about five hours a day. I’d already started YouTube from around then, but when I first started, I was just uploading videos taken of live performances. After the coronavirus, I couldn’t perform on the street or at venues, so I started focusing on putting myself out there on social media platforms like YouTube or Instagram Live, and I’ve started TikTok too.

――What exactly do you do on social media?

acane: I’m mainly on Instagram Live and YouTube. Especially these days, I go on Instagram Live every morning and night. When I can’t perform in person, I feel a sense of distance from my fans. So I collaborate with fans on Instagram Live or talk about how I’m responding to fan letters and such. I want to deepen my connection with each fan, even if I can’t meet up in person. I really appreciate how as an indie artist, I’m able to create close connections with fans.

――Have you created any rules about posting on Instagram?

acane: I try to be consistent about posting Instagram stories each day. I upload a new post to my feed once a day, and I make sure one out of every three posts is a video. That way, the thumbnails look more consistent, and it ensures that people can listen to songs right away when they look at my account.

――How about on YouTube and other social media platforms?

acane: I update my YouTube channel four times a week. Mondays and Fridays are song videos, and Wednesdays and Sundays are planned videos. Also recently, TikTok has been important to me. The difference between posting on TikTok or not posting is about 100 followers. These days, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are all connected, and supposedly, the number of people who access Instagram or YouTube from TikTok is the highest in Japan. So since I started TikTok, I’ve been gaining more followers.

――It seems like it’s important to post on social media every day. By the way, what are your thoughts on how you grew your followers on social media?

acane: In my case, it all started because of a YouTube video of one of my street performances that went viral. It was a video taken by the Youtuber 4K, of me and 3 other singers singing “Hyakumankai No I Love You” on the street in Shinjuku, and it got about 8 million views. Thanks to this video, my YouTube channel subscribers and Instagram followers suddenly went up. Also, my fans even created the hashtag #acaneを有名に [#Makeacanefamous]. After that, when someone would upload a video of one of my street performances on YouTube, it’d get about 100,000 views, so I asked people to link my YouTube channel and Instagram account in the description when they uploaded videos. And from there, my Instagram followers started increasing by about 2,000 people per day. It’s something I couldn’t have done on my own, and I think I was able to do it especially because I kept up with street performances. Thanks to those performance videos, I’m able to make a living out of music alone.

Acane wants to do what she can for her fans without letting the coronavirus control her.

――So, did your videos going viral lead to your decision to stay independent?

acane: Truthfully, I had about 20 different companies reach out to me after the video I mentioned earlier went viral. So last spring, my manager and I were about to join one of those companies when the state of emergency was announced. That gave me the time to calmly think about whether I should sign to an agency. I’d wanted to be signed so I could play shows at large venues. As an independent artist, a 400-500 person live house is about as big as I can go. But if coronavirus kept me from playing shows like I’d wanted to, I wondered if it was even necessary to join an agency. To be honest, by that time, my manager and I were already doing well enough for me to live off music alone. Gradually, I was able to do more of what I wanted with just us two, so I thought that I’d be limited in some respects if I signed to an agency. And with the timing of the coronavirus, I couldn’t really play live, so even if I had a major label debut, I thought it’d be quickly forgotten about. So I chose the option of working with just the two of us while staying active on social media.

――Are there any difficulties you face as an independent artist?

acane: Last year, I released my cover album through Village Vanguard, and that was when I realized the power of distribution. Until then, I’d made my music and merchandise available online. But when it was sold at Village Vanguard, it sold amazingly well in the early stages, and the overall sales, including the merchandise, blew my online sales out of the water. Shopping online seems easy, but it can be difficult. For example, I once received a letter from someone who said they would transfer money to me if I could put a CD in an envelope and send it back to them.

――Do you think you’ll keep working as an independent artist post-coronavirus?

acane: At the moment, I don’t have a desire for a major label debut. One of my goals is to get on TV, but if someone willing to cast me as a freelancer came along, I don’t think it’d be necessary to belong to an agency. Of course, it’s not that I don’t want to be in an agency, so I’d think about it if I got a good offer.

――What do you keep in mind while working as an independent artist?

acane: First, a deep appreciation for all the fans who cheer me on. My fans aren’t limited by gender or age. Some are young children, and others are grandmas and grandpas. One memory that sticks out is when a grandpa told me that when he heard my original song, “Kimi Ga Keshou O Suru Mae Ni,” [君が化粧をする前に] it reminded him of an old love and brought tears to his eyes. I want to appreciate these kind, loving fans even more.

――Support from fans is really a great help.

acane: Of course, being active on social media is important in today’s world, but I think there’s more to it than that. For better or for worse, there are people on my Instagram or TikTok who don’t know my name but sort of like my face or my clothes, and others who don’t know me at all. Some people are content with just watching videos and don’t need to see a live performance. That’s why I recently made a fan club where I do meet and greets or release limited edition apparel, and create an environment where I can really communicate with fans. By doing that, I hope I can get closer to fans and have them get to know me better.

――We’re still feeling the effects of the coronavirus——but what kind of work do you want to do this year?

acane: In 2020, I was always thinking about stuff I wasn’t sure if I could even do, like things I’d like to do if there were no coronavirus or once it settled down. But from now on, I want to do what I can without letting the effects of the coronavirus control me. If I don’t do that, my emotions will be all over the place. I don’t want to do anything that disappoints my fans. First, I’d like to release a lot of original songs, and I want to shoot and release more music videos. I’d also like to create a better environment for myself, like building a studio that’s easier to shoot YouTube videos and make music in. Also, I want to play live for people all over the country, but there’s no guarantee that I’ll be able to do that yet, so I want to use this time as a preparation period for the future. I want to make myself steadfast, so I don’t let corona get the best of me. There were all kinds of things I couldn’t do last year, but I’m not the only one, and from now on, I’m going to think of life with the coronavirus as my everyday life and keep working.

acane
acane is a solo singer born in Fukuoka who caught people’s attention with street performance videos on YouTube. Currently, she mainly works in Tokyo, and actively seeks to enrich people’s lives daily through singing. In the past, her original song, “Ore No Takaramono” was used in a commercial, and in 2018, she won the Grand Prix on the TV program “NHK Nodo Jiman.” In addition to singing, she also works as a model and MC for events. In October of 2020, she released her first mini-album of covers.
Instagram：@acane0129
Twitter：@acane0129
YouTube：acane channel
TikTok：@acane0129

Photography Takaki Iwata
Translation Aya Apton

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On connecting with people through YouTube during quarantine

――Could you tell me about how you became a Youtuber?

Megane: I was about sixteen when I started. At the time, I was a high schooler studying classical arts and culture. A friend from class asked me to start a YouTube channel with her, saying that it’d definitely be funny if I were in it. At that time, HIKAKIN and Hajime Syachou were starting to become famous, but YouTube was still uncharted territory. Back then, there were a lot of people who ran their channel alone, so it was unusual for a pair of high school girls to be making videos, but we were creating comedy skits, makeup tutorials, and videos of scenes from high school life.

――So you were part of a duo at first?

Megane: Yep! When we started our channel, my dream was to become a stage actress, and my friend’s dream was to become a fashion designer. We were creating these videos to make our dreams come true, thinking it could get our names out there. But around the time that we graduated high school, we sat down and talked about splitting up to work towards our individual goals.

――Currently, your YouTube channel has about 350,000 subscribers. Was there one video that was a turning point for you?

Megane: I think it was a skit we uploaded as a duo about 3 months after starting our channel. It got a lot of attention, and suddenly, it had about 200,000 views. From there, our views went up by 1 or 2 million, and we gained about 200,000 subscribers. If I had to name some videos from after I went solo, it would probably be the video about getting thinner legs or diet tips. They also generated a lot of buzz, and all of a sudden, I gained about 100,000 followers, which is what got my subscriber count to where it is today.

――A lot of celebrities and brands started YouTube channels during quarantine. Have your thoughts about YouTube changed since the coronavirus?

Megane: My thoughts on it have changed a lot. During quarantine, it hit me that it was a bit hard to balance being an actress and a Youtuber. YouTube was almost a bit of a hassle. Making a video takes time because of the editing process, so for a while, I felt like it was hard to get done between acting jobs. But during this time, I’ve been able to see myself in a new light. I’d always been really busy up until then, so my repressed feelings of loneliness and isolation really came out during quarantine, but YouTube really helped me deal with it all. It could just be a video making dinner, or doing makeup, or an Instagram Live, for example, but I was grateful to have a tool like social media to connect with people. Looking back on it now, if it weren’t for quarantine, I may have just abandoned YouTube like, “I don’t even know about this anymore!”

An actress plays someone else. A Youtuber shows their true self

――Could you tell me about how you got into acting?

Megane: I’ve wanted to become an actress since I was 14. It all started when my mom took me to a show by the Lilliput Army II theater group, which Wakagi Efu is the chairperson of. They did some crazy stuff on stage and for some reason, they were throwing around chikuwa [fish cakes] after their performance. (laughs) I got goosebumps watching them. I wanted to be the one giving people goosebumps. I wanted to be the one throwing chikuwa. That’s when it started, when I knew I wanted to become a stage actress.

――What kind of acting work have you done?

Megane: At the moment, I’m acting in movies and dramas, but I mainly perform in theater productions. I used to play a lead role in “Mero Mero Tachi” by the Warui Shibai theater company, and during quarantine, I was “DJ Megane” for the fully remote theater group, No Meets. The people from No Meets knew about me, so I was able to play myself. It was the first time I’ve had a role that felt that close to my true self.

――Do you think there’s a difference between being a Youtuber and an actress?

Megane: When you’re an actress, you play a role that someone else imagined. On YouTube, you create everything yourself, so it’s totally different. On YouTube, I’m my true self, Megane, and it’s a realistic depiction of me. There’s nothing weird or artificial about it. And the responsibility all falls on me as well.

――What’s the origin of the name Megane?

Megane: My former YouTube partner had a name with three syllables, so I made mine three to match her. (laughs). The origin of “megane” [glasses in Japanese] was that I wore glasses just for fun. To be honest, I have good eyesight. But wearing glasses completed my YouTube persona as “Megane.” It’s like a way to switch that character on.

When you’re expressing yourself, the most important opinion is your own

――You’re on social media platforms besides YouTube. How do you use them differently?

Megane: I use Instagram (@iam.megane) and Twitter (@MEGANE_WM), but YouTube is my main platform. I use Twitter and Instagram as a way for my followers to get to know me better if they’re interested. For example, on Instagram, I tag the brands I wear on YouTube, or I focus on more personal aspects of my life. But I think these days, you have to make an effort on all social media platforms. So I’m really aware of how I use social media, like making sure I tweet and retweet, or upload things to my feed. I think I wasn’t as conscious of that in my high school days.

――You mentioned that you create all your YouTube content yourself. Do you have anything you like to keep in mind during your creative process?

Megane: To be honest, there’s part of me that isn’t sure. It used to be really clear. “Megane” was someone a teenager could aspire to be. So I made my videos according to that, like posting stuff about makeup and diets, or shooting in my classrooms or after school. Honestly, I was creating everything with the energy of a teen, so the videos were easy to make. Now, I’m really not sure what I’m doing. But I have an idea of what I want to do and who I want to become. For example, I want to do a large-scale play, or become like certain actresses or Youtubers. But I get confused about how to get there. Maybe I’m in a slump…but I try to think of it positively as growing pains.

――Is there anything you try to be careful about when making YouTube videos?

Megane: The hard part about social media is that it’s hard to get the truth across. No matter how much I try to make sure everything is honest, and that it’s easy to understand for viewers, there are always comments that come from a totally unexpected angle. There are times when I feel like, “Why don’t they understand what I’m saying?”

――That’s true. A lot of controversies start on social media.

Megane: That’s why I try not to judge people on social media or take any of it too seriously. I think it’s important to evaluate your own work. No matter what, you can’t let the number of likes or comments, or the words of rude people get to you. If you judge yourself based on what others think of you, you’ll be miserable. It’s easy for people to say things on social media that they wouldn’t say to your face. Instead of confronting that kind of irresponsible trash-talk, it’s important to have a strong sense of the intention behind your work. I’ve finally come to realize this recently.

――Do you ever get down on yourself?

Megane: All the time. I’m talking confidently about it all, but actually, I have to tell myself the same thing. So no matter what people tell me, I can be like, “There’s nothing wrong with me!”

――What advice would you give people who want to start their own YouTube channel?

Megane: Recently, there’ve been more channels that advertise different brands or products. Compared to when I first started out, there are more people on YouTube doing interesting things or things I’d like to try, but these days, YouTube is also about marketing. I think it’s become a way to get your name out there. If I were to give advice to people who want to become Youtubers, I’d tell them not to lie. That doesn’t only go for Youtubers–when you lie in the process of expressing yourself, it’ll make things hard in the long run.

――Finally, tell me about your goals as an actress and Youtuber going forward.

Megane: As an actress, I want people to come to me with roles. I think that would make me more confident. As a Youtuber, I’d like to get out of the slump I was talking about earlier, and aim for 1 million subscribers!

Megane
Megane is a media personality, Youtuber, and actress born in 1999 in Osaka. In 2015, she started her YouTube channel under the pseudonym, “Megane.” With her distinctive videos and fashion style, as well as her comedy skits and make-up videos that portray life as a high school girl, she has become an iconic figure of her generation. Currently, she is expanding her repertoire as an actress, model, and TV personality by appearing in movies, dramas, and theater productions. Recently, she appeared in the film “Tabun,” (https://monogatary.com/tabun_movie/) the first film based on a novel by YOASOBI, a musical duo turning novels to music.
YouTube：めがねっとわーく。 / Megane to Waku.

Photography Takaki Iwata
Translation Aya Apton

The post Youtuber Megane talks about self-expression in the age of social media appeared first on TOKION - Cutting edge culture and fashion information.