Mix Speaker's Inc. Interview at Anime USA

Last month, the eccentric visual kei band Mix Speaker's, Inc. made their way over to the United States for the second time. This time, they performed at the convention Anime USA in Washington D.C.

In the midst of their hectic schedule, the sixtet made time to have an in-depth conversation with us.


Please introduce yourselves to our readers and tell us if anything crazy (funny, embarrassing, weird) has happened to you so far at the convention?

S: I'm S, the drummer of Mix Speaker's, Inc. Being part of this event, I felt this the previous time too, but I can really feel the freedom and enjoyment of the attendees who are cosplaying. They are very enjoyable to watch.
keiji: I'm keiji on guitar. This is an anime convention so there are a lot of people cosplaying. I'm sure that mainly are people cosplaying from anime shows but when we see people cosplaying us during the live, it really leaves an impression.
MIKI: I'm MIKI on vocals. As everyone said, there are a lot of cosplayers. Our costumes stand out a lot but because there are so many cosplayers, we blend in well and that is very much a unique experience.
YUKI: I'm YUKI on vocals. There are times I wander around this hotel in the middle of the night with MIKI. All the cosplayers are so interesting but even though it's an anime event, it's funny how there are non-anime related cosplayers.
Aya: I'm Aya on guitar. This is my 3rd time in Washington. I've participated in events like this in the past, it reminds me of home so it makes me happy.
seek: I'm seek on bass. I'm happy to fulfill our promise to come back again, for Mix Speaker's, Inc. to be able to come to the USA for the second time. I was able to feel the happiness from the fans seeing them smile, so we would like to work hard to tie this into coming back again soon.

It has been just over one year since your visit to the US at Anime NEXT. How was that experience for you? Do you have different expectations for this convention?

seek: Maybe it's better for someone who has never been here before to answer, so what about you MIKI?
MIKI: What I was surprised about is that where we had the live isn't a live house. Having a live in a hotel is a new experience. The cosplayers are so free spirited, and I was surprised by these things. Like "oh, that's accepted too?" kind of thing. I felt that there are all different types of people in the world.
seek: How about you S?
S: I didn't realize Japanese anime has such a huge impact here. I really like anime and I was shocked to find out all the different series everyone knew.
seek: Yes, it's like that in Japan too. Depending on the location, the atmosphere changes. We do feel like there's a difference between Anime USA and Anime NEXT but in all, the American crowd's reaction, or say the "emotion" - yes, I threw an English word in there - the type of feeling is similar, and I'm really glad everyone at Anime USA enjoyed our performance.

Your costumes are very elaborate. Who designs each costume set?

seek: Miss Aya!
(everyone laughs)
Aya: I draw out the image of the character in my head first and show everyone. Then each of us will discuss ideas and details on what the character will be like. Then we meet with the costume designer and discuss it more in depth. It takes all different types of discussions to finish a design.

Your costumes look amazing, but is there anything uncomfortable (itchy, heavy, hot) about them? What is their best attribute?

S: All together, it's really hard to maneuver, it's hot, it's hard to drum, I think there is nothing good about them as a drummer, but I also think the only ones doing such a thing is Mix Speaker's, Inc., so I feel that's our weapon.
seek: This time around, I came to the US with the octopus costume. My costumes are usually very eye-catching and uncomfortable, but when it's overseas, I have to bring it. As for this costume, it was packed tightly in the suitcase so when I opened it up, it came out in the shape of the suitcase.

When we interviewed you in 2009 in Europe, seek said that the band's style was to "create a concept of a story and with it, the music." So when the story is created, does that mean the costumes/stage presentation are also created before the music?

seek: Well, it's mostly produced at the same time. I said that in 2009....It's been three years? Or is it four? Nothing has really changed since then (laughs) but we're still following through with that style. First, the story is decided and then the sound is created, right?
Aya: But usually, about six months to a year before the release information is put out, we throw a bunch of ideas about costumes and songs out to go over, so I guess everything is produced at the same time?
seek: That's what Miss Aya is saying.
(everyone laughs)

How do you select your name for each costume set?

seek: Miss Aya selects our names.
(everyone laughs)
seek: So it takes about half a year for everyone to learns their names.
(everyone laughs)

So, this month you're releasing your fifth album, Hoshifuru Yuuenchi. What can we expect from the new album that is different from your previous albums?

seek: Hmm... what do you think, Aya?
Aya: Me? It's our fourth album but...
seek: No, it's our fifth.
Aya: Oh, including the best of album it's our fifth. It feels like it's our first album. It's not exactly the first, but kind of like it's grown to become more than a first album.
seek: As an original album, it's the fourth one, but I think there was a lot more amplitude which came into play. As the stories changed, the songs differed from each one so we feel as we made an album with all this together as one.

Let's play pretend and imagine your next concept is "underwater odyssey." Look to the member next to you and pick out their name.

seek: S will be an monk fish.
S: Oh - that's not fair!
(everyone laughs)
S: keiji huh...
seek: Wonder what lives in the abyss... I couldn't think of anything else than a monk fish.
Aya: Abyss, under sea right?....Abyssal fish? Under the sea is okay right? So fish should be okay.
S: keiji would be, some type of cool shrimp.
everyone: SHRIMP!?
(everyone laughs)
S: I couldn't come up with any fish.
keiji: Well MIKI would be, you know the abyssal shark? The type with eyes sticking out and when he goes out into the air, it goes BOOM!
(everyone laughs)
keiji: So a shark that's affected by change in air pressure.
(everyone laughs)
MIKI: YUKI huh... A "pop" coelacanth.
YUKI: A "pop" coelacanth? (puzzled look)
YUKI: (looks at Aya) Aya...right...
Aya: I'm a hard one.
YUKI: You are. I don't know, maybe a pearl shell.
everyone: Ah... (sound of agreement)
Aya: (looks at seek)
keiji: (blurts out) A boulder.
(everyone smirks)
YUKI: (blurts out) He's an abyssal boulder.
Aya: But he's able to be anything. I guess he'll be a sea anemone. He has that kind of stature.

Imagine you are talking to your future selves. What would you tell yourself? It can be band related or just about your life.

seek: Please live long.
Aya: Please save up. (laughs)
YUKI: I would say, "Continue to sing."
MIKI: Please be careful about your alcohol intake.
keiji: Isn't selling real estate a lot better than renting?
(everyone giggles)
Aya: He's so diligent.
S: Get it together.

Please give a final message for our readers that ties in Hoshifuru Yuuenchi's concept.

seek: JaME has interviewed us before and I'm sure there are those who found out about us through JaME. We were able to create the album Hoshifuru Yuuenchi which perfectly fits for our current attraction. Just like a carnival attraction, many songs were born. So we would like everyone to listen to it. This was Mix Speaker's, Inc. Thank you very much!


JaME would like to give a big 'thank you' to Midori Maejima for translating and thank Anime USA for making this interview possible.