#moving is super fun

Cross Talk #1 (Kenta, Kagechan, KT, Justin, Naoki)

Translator’s Notes:
1. As before, the interview was conducted before rehearsals began.
2. Brackets are preserved from the original text.
3. Scans available via @engekihaikyuuhere.

The “Summer of Evolution” over, they meet their official match with new weapons in hand. “The audience always banishes our uncertainty” – facing ever-new portrayals, the bond of the second years and the resolution of the first years!

Q: “Summer of Evolution” was a bit different from the other Haikyuu stage productions to date.

Shiota: Obviously we always have that “onward, onward” feeling each time, but this time it was mixed with uncertainty over “Will this actually work?” The show was created amidst that conflict. This is just a what-if, but now I really feel that if we were to restage Summer of Evolution we could go much much deeper. But we’re on to the next!

Kawahara: Our audience understands that the Haikyuu troupe is always on the attack, and on top of that they enjoy every production… Although in rehearsal we may feel lost and uncertain, when you experience the audience’s actual response, it makes you think, “the audience really banishes our uncertainty.” I think that’s why we’re able to keep pushing forward even further.

Miura: What everyone said last time was that “this is the most ‘theatrical’ production so far.” We challenged ourselves with showing the development of a story, something we couldn’t just force our way past with intensity, but this time we’ve returned to an intensity-based style, so… It’s rough. (laughter) It’s rough for those of us on the bench, but even more so for those in the match, probably.

Q: “Summer of Evolution” also had Tsukishima and Yamaguchi confronting each other over their feelings.

Kosaka: I wonder how we should work off of that fight and the feelings that Tsukishima and Yamaguchi overcame… The Tsukishima before and the Tsukishima after “Summer of Evolution” are a little different, so that’s still an issue for me, I think.

Q: Fuchino-san, the previous production was your first Engeki Haikyuu.

Fuchino: At first when we began rehearsals I was pretty bewildered. I was constantly relying on everyone else for help. What surprised me the most was Worry-san’s rehearsal style. It felt like even when we were practicing our group choreography if you didn’t add something of your own you’d go under… I’d honestly end up [just] being there, [just] doing what was decided. But I couldn’t come up with my own ideas like everyone else, and then the real show began… Around the time we got to the Tokyo rerun, I finally felt like I’d gotten the feel of the Haikyuu troupe and started to fit in. So my goal this time is “to be relied on.” We’re bringing in new members, and I’d like to leave a strong impression, point-by-point. Plus, at last we’re getting a close-up on Ennoshita, so I want to back him up right.

Q: Against Wakutani Minami (Wakunan). The time to show the meaning of Ennoshita’s presence has come.

Kawahara: Ennoshita is a character who represents the emotions of what it is to not be a starter. So I wonder how much the people watching will sympathize with that. I want to show “a normal person doing their best.”

Shiota: Ennoshita’s the NPC ace!

Kawahara: Uh-huh. I really think I’ve ended up as the audience stand-in on stage, so… Up til now I’ve seen precisely that point – soothing the audience, or giving them a break – as a critical responsibility, or to put it the other way around, I didn’t want anyone else to take it over. “This is my job.” Because of those experiences, I think Ennoshita and the audience have similar feelings. I want to work off of that, leverage it, and express the drama of this storyline with the right emotion and technique.

Q: And the connection between the second years, which we haven’t seen much of so far, is coming sharply into focus.

Kawahara: That’s right. These two [Tanaka and Nishinoya] have gone with the momentum of their “Soi soi!” thing (laughter), and there have been almost no opportunities for the second years to show their relationship in conversation.

Shiota: There are this time. The flashback where Ennoshita runs away and then comes back is like the proof of our history together and all our words and deeds so far.

Fuchino: We want to convey that to everyone.

Q: Yamaguchi’s also called onto the court… for quite a bitter experience.

Miura: Yeahhh… Yeah, that’s right. Um, there’s the part where Ennoshita comes to his rescue… it’s painful. You know how the subtitle this time is “The Start of the Giant”. But for me, the subtitle “Battle of the Cowards” is bam, right there.

Kosaka/Shiota: Ahhhh!

Kawhara: That’s good. Ennoshita and Yamaguchi, right?

Miura: The battle the two of them have with themselves leaves a really powerful impression.

Kosaka: The “giants” are Hinata and Nakashima, right? But just now… I kind of felt like the two cowards will go on to get bigger, or something.

Kawahara: Yeah. Maybe that’s one of the hidden meanings!

Shiota: The ones who read deep into a work to enjoy it more are the winners.

Kosaka: Okay, I’m going to think of it that way.

Shiota: But Tsukki’s been a giant from the beginning so… “Still a Giant?”

Kawahara/Miura: (burst out laughing)

Kosaka: There it is. (laughter)

Shiota: There it sure is. (laughter)

Q: Engeki Haikyuu’s famous raked stage is back, too!

Fuchino: This is my first time on a raked stage. I’m going to strengthen up my legs… I’m prepping for my thighs to be on par with a major leaguer’s this year.

Shiota: They really bulk up.

Miura: When you get up there once, the same day you’re immediately sore.

Fuchino: That’s what I thought.

Shiota: Just standing is tiring. (laughs)

Miura: We sat down whenever we could get a chance.

Kosaka: Now we’ve started to forget what it was really like, so I’m afraid.

Kawahara: But you know, a raked stage gets you more excited! Last time I caught myself thinking, “A level stage is a little bit sad.”

Shiota: I get what you mean, that moment when your adrenaline spikes. During matches, you’re moving for thirty minutes straight for a single match… Fucchi, soon.

Fuchino: No… that’s why… I went to see “Shousha to Haisha”, and even then it was like… just watching I thought I was gonna puke…

Kosaka/Miura: (explosion of laughter)

Kawahara: (laughter) That one was definitely a little abnormal!

Shiota: My feeling is… the ones before that were just right. For me.

Kawahara: Same! Of course even then you’re moving plenty, but that feeling where you think “A heavier load fires me up"… Well, I’m a little scared too, but. (laughs) Also, there’s the distance between us and the audience. There’s this sense of urgency like the audience gets on our level (of energy), or maybe we’re able to pull them along. Of course, the issue is always how far we can follow what Worry-san wants to do.

Shiota: Worry-san doesn’t hold on to anything. We leave what we’ve tried before there and move on to the next thing. But there are some points I want to keep…

Kawahara: That’s something you should definitely say at the moment you think it. "I want to keep this thing we made.”

Kosaka: Lasers!

Fuchino: The lasers were cool.

Miura: They were! I hope we use them again.

Kawahara: The LED panels are heavy, it was hard switching them out.

Shiota: I like the transparent panels more. They have a good vibe.

Q: Objects are a crucial part of Engeki Haikyuu, aren’t they.

Kawahara: These plays verge on shows, so the tempo shift between the appeal of movement based in a show aesthetic and the captivation of proper acting technique is what makes Engeki Haikyuu good. To optimize that balance we fight with the director, then receive inspiration from him in turn. We have to create it together.

Q: Karasuno have to make the adults think, “They’ve changed,” since last summer, after all.

Shiota: Definitely! That’s important.

Kosaka: I… think I’m going to bulk up. I mean, going through that summer, then stopping all these strong opponents in the matches after that, volleyball muscles must build up naturally. Even for Tsukishima. So when Tsukishima stands on the court I want him to give off an aura like"Huh? Has he gotten bigger?“ – like a sense of pressure. Plus, his glasses change. (laughter) I want to grow both inside and out.

Miura: This is our first official match after defeat. Karasuno is going on to become stronger, and in the middle of them is Yamaguchi. I think he’s changing inside, between his relationship with Ennoshita who’s also in the bench squad and especially his feelings when he saw Tsukki being so pathetic. Plus, this is when Hinata meets Nakashima and also starts to change even more… When it comes to the strength necessary to change, we also have to figure out "something” that will allow us to fight back agianst the talent of the new cast.

Shiota: It’s fine, we’ve got experience with that.

Miura: I know! That persuasiveness that makes the audience think “Oh, sure enough Karasuno are winning.” It would be great if we could use our experience to show these changes. Plus, we’re going to sweat a ton. We sweat on the bench, too!

Shiota: Johzenji is a “fun” school, but first, I want to show them just how much fun we have on stage. “Can you do this?” “Come on, let’s all have fun!” (laughter) Then, I want them to produce the power to overcome that, so I think “Oh, y'all are having fun yourselves,” and then I try to overcome that – I want that kind of synergy. Hopefully that will keep going from rehearsals. The drama with Tanaka and Daichi-san in the Wakunan match… I’ll show you Tanaka’s power in getting back on his feet! And then I’d like to be better about raising others up. I’ve learned that, that it can’t be all about me. Worry-san told me that pulling others along and lifting them up makes me better, too. That’s my issue to tackle!

Fuchino: Johzenji’s a high-energy team, so I don’t want Noya-san to lose on those terms. Last time, I somehow managed to get by on energy and meager skill, so this time I want energy plus equivalent skill. Noya-san’s a genius so I want to portray an appropriate mood. I have to show “he really is good.” I want to be a presence that doesn’t reveal his desperation, and rather has calm to spare.

Kawahara: Noya-san has to encourage Ennoshita when he tells him “Nice receive"… I want to get that from Fucchi’s Nishinoya.

Fuchino: My Noya-san will be able to say such a convincing line naturally!

Kawahara: Amidst the pressure of the Wakunan match, where loss means elimination, I hope I can portray Ennoshita’s feelings as they change from "I have to pull everyone here along somehow” to “Everyone here is helping me” with the right sensitivity, and… Kouhei said this too, but I also want to be conscious of when I’m standing by myself and when others are helping me stand.

Q: Team play.

Kawahara: Haikyuu is the story of Hinata, yearning to be the Little Giant, and in relation to him Kageyama, and of the rest of Karasuno. So as our ultimate destination we have to show, within the match, how Karasuno’s evolved and then also the moment that Hinata awakens as “a giant at the beginning”. Amazing performances from Johzenji and Wakunan mean that the more we compete there the better. I want us to travel along the path of the performance and convey a story as one.