[Nork22]

Here's the last part of the interview.

Aida Rikako interview

"Surely this is a fateful encounter! My love for Riko did not change since my very first impression."

First off, please tell us your reason for wanting to join the Love Live! Sunshine!! Project.

I’ve loved μ’s music from the start; I put it in my player and listened to it, I’ve seen the TV anime, and played SIF. When I passed the auditions and knew I got accepted for the role of Sakurauchi Riko, I was so happy and shed tears! Until the results of the assessment were in, there was a lengthy time period, and I found myself waiting every day, you know. I always carried my mobile phone around and took it out, and be all like “is it out yet, is it out yet?” (laughs). I felt like I waited for a very long time. When I heard the results, even when I was with my mother, we got so emotional we hugged each other and cried. To top it all off, Riko-chan was the member I wanted to play as the most! That I passed for the member (character) of my heart’s desire made me so happy I might explode... anyway, I was moved [by that event]!

Riko-chan really is Aida-san’s favourite, huh?

Yeah! During the audition, when I was shown Riko’s picture, should I say I fell in love at first sight... she even came with a [hair]pin. “This girl... so cute!” was my pure thought. At the same time, she’s a transfer student, and that characteristic resembles my own self in many ways. “Among these nine, Riko-chan is number one!” was what I made up my mind about from the very start.

Aida-san was a transfer student during her school days, right?

Riko-chan also has that feeling of being confused about being in a place she’s not used to...
I understand it very well! Riko-chan also came from Tokyo, so she’ll definitely be anxious if she transfers to Numazu, Shizuoka, which is a place she knows absolutely nothing about. As for me, when I moved overseas from Japan, I suddenly felt bad [about leaving] my high school back home, so I was plagued by a lot of anxiety.*

Anyway, I remember my affinity with Riko-chan. While dubbing episodes 1 and 2 for the TV anime, I was like “I get you, I get you,” as I intensely expressed my agreement in response to Riko’s scenes and behaviour. That’s why Riko-chan seems to be the one who understands the “me” inside and someone I can compromise with. Really, this is a fateful encounter, and I’ll always come to Riko-chan’s aid. That’s why I feel even until now that Riko-chan and I are of one body. Indeed, when I was like “if I dance the routines and sing the songs, won’t I be able to be more like Riko-chan” during my trial and error phase, that was when I felt most rewarded. Even at the dubbing session of the TV anime, I would often think about the things Riko-chan would say, that when I converse with the sound director and the others, I’d still be acting the part. At the beginning, when I felt idle, I also had come up with voices for different people. However, I received this advice from the staff; “since Rikako has a lot in common with Riko-chan, then if you act like yourself, it still would be like Riko-chan, wouldn’t it?” From then on, I acted using my own plain voice with my all. I feel like I am more honest and face to face with Riko-chan now, more than when I first met her.

“Hearing the voices from the venue saying ‘thank you’ encouraged me.”

Moving on, we’ve been hearing about Aqours’ activities. It’s been a year since the CD debut. Looking back from your days until now, what is the impression left in you?

When the Love Live! Sunshine!! Project was announced last February 28, 2015, the future which I wanted for myself back then, and the thing I was searching within myself were still vague... and the feeling of wanting to write μ’s next story with the others did not gush forth. Of course, I wasn’t feeling any pressure back then, but when the recording for the first single and the dubbing for the TV anime were brought in advance, I was severely pressured. My most unforgettable memory in that one year was when I heard the fans’ voices say “Thank you!” to us during the Aqours’ 1st Single Limited Purchase Event, held last January 11, 2016. Saying ‘thank you’ back is mandatory for us, but nevertheless, receiving these warm words made me very happy... “Regarding our performance, it would be nice if we could get used to everyone’s energy, even if only a little,” was what I was thinking to myself back then, so it felt like my feelings reached them. Through that event, as well as the summer camp and that event where we toured all over the country, [our] achievement was declared; there was even a presentation, you know. I felt that my efforts were rewarded, and I thought it was a really good thing that the fans so kindly accepted Aqours. From here on, too, to have the chance to meet our fans would be happiness. Words may not be exchanged, but if [we] could see [our fans’] faces, everyone’s feelings will reach me. That is a really wonderful thing, I think.

We’ve heard that fans loved your singing and dancing during the 1st Single Limited Purchase Event.

Thank you very much! That time, when I stood on stage I knew for the first time what a battlefield is like. Up to 3 songs were revealed, but I found myself out of breath... μ’s were even all smiles as they sang and danced; that is the result of athletic strength combined with daily training, you know. In fact, the most important requirement for a school idol, is that no matter how out of breath you are, you have to keep dancing with a smile; willpower as well, probably. Once again, μ’s has won my respect. Even in the anime, [μ’s] became legendary school idols, and in fact, the yearning for μ’s is also within us, as we shine and try to be more like them. Even if [they’re] far away, far away, where we might not be able to reach them. In the TV anime, Chika-chan and company, in their admiration for μ’s, established Aqours, but I believe that there is a link between our minds and feelings.

We’re in our final question. What does it mean, for Aida-san, to be a member of Aqours?

To be a friend and comrade-in-arms, I guess. Frustrating thoughts, sad thoughts, happy things, all emotions are to be similarly experienced and shared among the 9 of us. When you share important feelings with [some people], [these people] are important friends. Since everyone is lacking something, if even one of us is missing, it’s no good. There is to be a division of roles for each, doing things while compensating for each other. Members are on good terms with each other, but since there is a good sense of rivalry, each [member] has to have this indomitable spirit somewhere in her heart. That is why I’ll also train by myself, and do my best in my dance and voice training. From now on, too, if [we] could cherish the feelings from fans who give us support, and add these feelings to the strength of all members as we face our dreams and move forward, that would be great. Also, I want to grow together with my beloved Riko-chan.

*Biggest change in life was when she and her mother migrated to Los Angeles during her school days. “It was a ‘survival’ experience” were her words..