Interviewer: Nishizawa Hiroo
Photographer: Sotobayashi Kenta
Translation: Ganba Renai
Note: The shorthand version of “GANG PARADE” used by members and fans is “GANPARE”, so we’ve kept it as that whenever the phrase is used.
“If I become negative, there’s no meaning in joining”
GANG PARADE, the idol group who changed their name from POP. At the last “TOKYO IDOL FESTIVAL 2016,” the youngest member Shigusawa Ao withdrew, and when the remaining 4 members would start again, Inukai Maaya went on a hiatus only then announce withdrawal. In the midst of this agitation, on 10/2 at the Nagoya oneman the new member, Can Maika joined. During her debut live, she suddenly participated in all songs, fascinating the audience with formation and intense dance. OTOTOY will publicize Can Maika’s first interview.
A new member joined GANG PARADE. A girl by the name of Can Maika. That girl who used to be active in anther idol group, has a father who is a kenkyuuin (BiS fan name), and herself likes HelloPro. She learned dance since she was a child and, to Maika who has the experience of being completely absorbed in dance during middle school, there’s no doubt she’ll become a great weapon in GANG PARADE with intense moves and formations. We heard from Can Maika, who has a strong feeling for changing GANG PARADE we caught on a glimpse.
I was with my older sister, but I screamed (laughs)
Please tell us what made you apply to the new member audition
Can Maika (henceforth Maika): Actually my father is a kenkyuuin. Of course I’ve seen lives since POP era myself and I liked GANG PARDE too so, I sent my application email around 2am of the day it started. But after I sent, I thought it would be a bother since it was late at night and started to think what should I do if I fail… (laughs).
Ahahaha. Since you father is a kenkyuuin, did you listen to BiS songs often?
Maika: Yes. Actually I also applied to BiS and BiSH auditions but I ended up failing at the document screenings… (At groups produced by Watanabe Junnosuke-san) This time is the 3rd time, I thought 3rd time is the charm so I sent it.
When the answer that you passed the paper judging came you were really happy, right?
Maika: When the email came, I was with my older sister but, I screamed (laughs). Because I had failed twice I thought it was a lie.
During the interview after the document screening, GANPARE members were there as judges.
Maika: They were. When I entered the office everyone was there and I got nervous at a breath. Not only that, I thought there would only be question and answer session, but I was told to sing and dance, my mind went blank. Because I like HelloPro, I did a song from Matsuura Aya-san but, because I’ve been doing dance since elementary school. I was good at dancing, so I took a lot of movements from other dances and made an improvisation (laughs).
After passing the nervous interview, how did you feel when you got the message saying you would be joining the group?
Maika: Until that there was a message on the day right after the interview but, the final results message didn’t really come. That’s why I thought they had decided on someone else and were delaying the message but, a call from the manager Tashima-san came. Because the tone of the voice was low I thought “Ah, as I thought, I failed” and got prepared but I was told “Please, we definitely want you to join.” I just froze there. I got a lot of information like “The recordings will begin” but, my feelings wouldn’t catch up. After that I slowly started to see the reality, the tears just started to fall.
Happy tears?
Maika: That, mixed with surprise tears.
“I wasn’t awake at the beginning, but I ended up knowing joy”
I want to hear from Maika-san herself but, how was you time as a child?
Maika: When I was a child I did dance and gymnastics and I loved being in front of other people. Before that I also learned piano but, I couldn’t stay still and sitting all the time was tiring. So I quit (laughs). During elementary school I also did cheerleading.
And studying?
Maika: I dislike it (laughs).
Ahahaha. Other than that, was there anything you liked?
Maika: Since kindergarten I like Hello Project. My older sister and father also like HelloPro, I think the beginning was them taking me to concerts. Now I really like Ikuta Erina-chan from Morning Musume. 16’, her dancing and influence is amazing, she noticeably stands out and is cute.
Do you want to become like Ikuta Erina-san?
Maika: I’ve also auditioned for HelloPro before but, it seems like a different world. Instead of wanting to be like her the feeling of wanting to support her is stronger. Of course there’s also admiration from someone who also stands on stage.
Did you have any after school club activities?
Maika: I was consistent during middle and high school, always in dance club. Because during middle school the teacher didn’t really dance, I went to a school dance outside since I wanted to learn more about dance. With club activities there was also a nationwide tournament, but you couldn’t participate if you had bad scores in school. From 1st to 3rd year of high school, I was chosen from the 10 member election from over 50 club members but, because my scores at tests were bad I continued to be left out of the tournaments… That’s why I haven’t been in any (laughs).
3 years in a row?
Maika: Yes, I didn’t participate once in high school.
It’s like you lost in everything (laughs).
Maika: That’s why I lived a high school life that was like performing at the cultural festival, since all clubs had exhibitions.
Did you also train in singing?
Maika: If I had time I would go to karaoke alone 3 or 4 times a week. I always liked to sing, so I went to a music technical school, so I also had singing lessons at the vocal classroom.
You were also an idol before joining GANPARE.
Maika: I like to support idols but, I didn’t really think about becoming one. At the course of events I ended up passing an office’s audition and started to be an idol but, I wasn’t awake in the beginning, but ended up knowing joy…
As you thought, you wanted to be an idol.
Maika: I was torn between being an idol or an actress but, since I liked idols from the start, I went to see lives after leaving my previous group, so the feeling of wanting to be on the stage became stronger.
“I want to live up to fans’ expectations while also betraying them, in a good way”
There are a lot of idol groups but, why did you decided to join a group produced by Watanabe-san?
Maika: There’s the fact that my father likes BiS but, I also started to listen to them and came to like them too, so this was a big part of it. Also, rather then an idol idol group, I like groups that are cool and intense.
When you joined GANPARE, what were your father’s feelings?
Maika: He was definitely happy. I called him after being accepted but, when he came home that night he was happy saying “Congratulations” while crying (laughs).
GANPARE is a group with a different color than BiS and BiSH, what kind of group you think it is?
Maika: I think it’s a group where the dance is intense, and the members enthusiasm is so high that they perform recklessly with all their strength, I really like that. There are aspects that are comparable to the other two groups but, it’s captivating how they are earnestly working hard, I want to aim for high places with them.
After joining GANPARE, what’s the first thing you did?
Maika: After joining, the first time I met the members was during the album recordings but, because it was along with the songs I was nervous from the beginning to the end. Because it was a compilation of songs made for the album, there were only songs I hadn’t even heard once, I didn’t know how I should sing them. Even listening to everyone sing, it didn’t feel real… Of course it was but, it’s not like it wasn’t, it was more like I didn’t understand. I too became a member, so honestly I was anxious to wether it would be GANPARE-ish.
The current state of GANAPRE, in comparison to BiS and BiSH, is in a period where they have to go all out, I think Maika-san is one of the triggering explosives. With the exception of Saki-chan, there were a lot of members who had no experience as an idol, within that it’s a group that solidified by stacking experiences and desperately learning dances. Among that there were members who left, so you joined in situation that a change is needed but, isn’t there an insecurity to that?
Maika: Of course there is. My debut live is 10/2 in Nagoya but, there are around 25 songs from pre-existent songs to album tracks, in order to learn all that, I’m currently desperately practicing. I still can’t call members using “-chan”, I use formal speech but, if I start to become too negative, it’s like there’s no meaning in joining.
How does Maika-san want to change GANPARE?
Maika: I don’t have any merits outside of singing and dancing, so the fact that I joined, I want it to become an opportunity for people to say that GANPARE and our performance improved. Also, I have to work hard and increase the number of fans. Now, in order to sell out the oneman at Shinjuku BLAZE, everyday I post videos on twitter or make a countdown, I’m also considerably practicing in lessons, so I want to catch up with a lot of things in that month after my debut live, I definitely want to have Shinjuku BLAZE sold out.
During a BiSH live where new members will join, it’s a situation where they’ll only participate in the last 3 songs. But Maika-san suddenly participated in every song.
Maika: If I just participate in the last songs then it’s the same as BiSH, isn’t it? If I show something that’s complete since the very start, the response will also be different. I want to live up to fans’ expectations while also betraying them in a good way!
To change the present, you challenge it by going maximum speed from the start.
Maika: So that I don’t become negative, I have no choice but to do it!!
going going WACK 