CATDOLL: Interview with anime singer LiSA: I love everything about Minions

Since becoming famous in 2010 with the TV animation "Angel Beats!", singer LiSA has been in charge of the theme songs of many animation works and has frequently performed at Budokan in recent years. Recently, she showed her girlish side and talked about her love for "Minions".

Minions is an American 3D computer-animated comedy film released in 2015. It is a spin-off of the 2010 and 2013 films Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2. It was written by Brian Lynch, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Jenna Haley. LiSA is not only a fanatical fan of this work, but will also do the dubbing work in the Japanese version. She has also been appointed as the review committee chairperson for the female-only audition for the Japanese dubbing of Minions. What does she think of this work? The full interview is as follows!

I love everything about Minions

Q: I heard that Ms. LiSA particularly likes the mysterious creatures, Minions. So what is it about these creatures that attracts you?

A: I really like their optimistic attitude towards any problem. The Minions love to play pranks and play the role of bad boys, so they can't be said to have all the advantages. However, I was impressed by their attitude of supporting the boss with all their strength and enjoying the crisis when it happened. So I like the attitude of these little things, including their useless aspects.

Q: The Minions had an active role in Despicable Me 2, but were you already a fan of them in the first film?

A: That's right. For example, the invention of the experiment caused them to expand and explode into space. This is a very easy-to-understand picture for children. They sing and wave their blankets. The posture of running out of the child's room is lovable.

Q: You really know a lot of details, which surprised me.

A: After all, I don't even remember how many times I've watched it (laughs). When I need motivation or don't know what to do on my days off, I'll open it and watch it without thinking. Not only the Minions, but I also like the other characters and worldviews in the work. This is a work that always makes me excited and I want to watch it on holidays.

Q: Among so many Minions, do you have a particular favorite?

A: I like the one-eyed Stuart. This is my favorite one in the promotional images. He can calmly show his fierce eyes (laugh). The not-so-cute, monster-like look with work clothes looks very strange, but it hits my cute spot. And once you take off the work clothes, you will find that he has a butt (laugh).

The Minions fit the world LiSA wants to realize

Q: I feel like the innocence of the Minions resonates with Ms. LiSA herself.

A: Yes. I think it would be great if I could stay optimistic and energetic no matter what happens. Even I have my down times, my bad times, and my troubles. But seeing them always smiling, I immediately feel full of strength. I also hope to be like the Minions.

Q: So do Ms. LiSA and the Minions have anything else in common or something they can resonate with?

A: They are mischievous. They are cute, but they have bad blood in them, so they are a bit evil. In Despicable Me, an incident happened and a fire broke out in the room. Then they used water to make a mess of the room and imitated the alarm in a leisurely manner. How should I put it... they are not good kids anyway.

Q: You are always happy, which is similar to Ms. LiSA's performance on stage.

A: Yes. So I want to be like them. I also conceived a world called LiSA, and created many characters, and let them appear in concerts and videos. Including the world view, the Minions are exactly the same as the world I want to realize. So I like them very much. I resonate with them to the point that I even want to live in the Minions world.

The little yellow man is waiting for the woman he likes very much

Q: "Minions" will be officially released in Japan on July 31. So which part are you looking forward to?

A: Anyway, this is a work where the Minions are the protagonists. They were featured in Despicable Me 2, so I thought, "It's about time they become the protagonists," and it turned out to be a dream come true (laughs).

Q: It seems like you have anticipated this.

A: Yes, I expected it, and it became a reality. I think it's because so many people like the Minions. Not only are they cute, they are fearless, optimistic at all times, and they laugh together. We all want to enjoy the Minions like this.

Q: This time you also served as the review committee chairman for the Minions dubbing auditions.

A: I enjoy the Minions from the same standpoint as everyone else, so I will look forward to the Minions' performance with the same eyes as everyone else. It would be great if I could meet some great people during the audition.

Q: What kind of people do you think will sign up for this female audition?

A: I hope that women who feel like "I love Minions" will definitely sign up. I think just thinking "I love them!" is enough. That's the most important thing. And since it's a voiceover performance, age doesn't matter, right? For those who think "I love Minions as much as anyone else!", please definitely sign up.

I want to create music that can make today better for more people.

Q: This is Ms. LiSA's first time dubbing.

A: To be honest, I kept thinking, "Can I really act well?" However, this work tells the story of the Minions chasing their dreams, and they embark on a journey to find the boss. Personally, I am also chasing my dream at the moment. Then when I said, "I like Minions!", I got this job. As someone who has realized a dream, I hope that my challenge this time will make people like Minions and become an opportunity for everyone to take a step forward.

The feeling of "I want to challenge" outweighs my uneasiness, so I will give it a try this time. I will try my best and do my best with my love for the Minions.

Q: So what role will you play this time?

A: A bad guy named Maji. She is the mother of a family of bank robbers called the Nelsons. During the dubbing process, Mr. Shitara was my husband and Himura was my son. And even though Himura was a child, he looked exactly like the character in the promotional image.

Q: Ms. LiSA just mentioned that she is pursuing her dream, so please tell us about your dream.

A: I came up with the theme of "Today is a good day". That is, "Every day, good things must happen, even if they are insignificant, so this is a good day". And I sang with this feeling. I hope that everyone's day can be better, and if the opportunity to become better is my songs and my concerts, it will be even better.

There are still many people who don’t know me, so my goal now is to create “music that can make today a better day” for more people.

Q: You performed at the Nippon Budokan last year and this year. Is this also a dream?

A: Yes. Of course, from a formal point of view, this also means that I have stepped onto a bigger stage. I think I have a goal of "letting so many people hear my singing!" It's just that all the dreams are gathered together, that is, "to pass on the singing to more people!" This statement is very consistent with my dream.

Q: Thank you very much. We are looking forward to the audition and the feature film of Minions.

A: I was really surprised. After watching the trailer of Minions, I thought, "Great! See you in the theater in July!" I was really looking forward to it. And when I suddenly got the news of dubbing, I even wondered if I was dreaming.

If you want to realize your dream, you need someone who can help you realize it. I think everyone will have such an opportunity. I think it is amazing that the Minions can realize other people's dreams. Therefore, I hope that everyone can also realize the dream of "becoming a Minion companion" through the audition.