"This is the beginning of the story of these six" ── Love Live! New Series "Hasunosora Girls' High School Idol Club" Cast Interview Series Vol.2: Hanamiya Nina, the Voice of Otomune Kozue
March 30, 2023
As a new project in the Love Live! series, details were announced on February 10th during the unveiling livestream for Hasunosora Girls’ High School Idol Club. A new “story to be realized by everyone (school idol project)” begins at the private Hasunosora Girls’ High School, located in a secluded area of Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture.
The debut mini-album Dream Believers was released on March 29th, and will be followed by a release commemorative event at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo on April 21st and an opening live event at the Pacifico Yokohama National Hall on June 4th! The app Link! Like! Love Live! is also currently accepting pre-registrations.
We will be publishing a series of interviews daily in which each of the six cast members portraying the members of the talked-about Hasunosora Girls’ High School Idol Club discusses the appeal of Hasunosora!
The second installment features Hanamiya Nina. We talked to her about her character Otomune Kozue, her subunit Cerise Bouquet, her personal life, the songs she sings in the debut mini-album Dream Believers, her enthusiasm for the release commemorative event and opening live just about a month away, and more.
Please enjoy the interview along with keyword talks inspired by Love Live!.
Hanamiya is a “stylish big sister” who loves cooking, visiting cafes, and playing rhythm games
First, please introduce yourself.
Hanamiya Nina (voice of Otomune Kozue) (hereinafter, Hanamiya): Nice to meet you, I’m Hanamiya Nina. I was born on October 24th. I’m a Scorpio, blood type O, 162 centimeters tall, and right-handed.
My hobby is listening to music, analyzing song lyrics, and reading blogs of others who also analyze music like me. Also… I enjoy baking sweets. I can cook pretty much anything, as long as I have a recipe.
(Nirei Nozomi, the voice of Hinoshita Kaho, sitting next to her: “Even with a recipe, I can’t make things look right. I get injured just cutting ingredients.”) (Nonaka Kokona, the voice of Murano Sayaka: “The sweets you made were delicious.”)
Hanamiya: Thank you (laughs). I’ve play rhythm games as a hobby. I started playing Love Live! School idol festival after a friend recommended it to me, and I got hooked.
I also enjoy cute cafes and tea, so cafe-hopping is another hobby of mine. I often go to my favorite places alone and spend some relaxing time listening to music.
You sound like a stylish big sister.
(Nirei and Nonaka: “That’s right!”)
Hanamiya: Not at all! (sweating)
It’s also amazing that your special skills are classical ballet and jazz dance.
Hanamiya: My mother is good at playing the piano. Since my hands are also big like hers, I started learning the piano when I was very young. However, I didn’t have the talent for it.
During that difficult time, my mother noticed that I might be more suited to dancing along with music, like the piano, rather than playing it. When she asked 5-year-old me if there was anything else I wanted to do, I liked princesses and sparkly things, so I thought ballet would be nice. That was the beginning.
In high school, I started learning jazz dance to prepare for the Takarazuka Music School entrance exam. I even majored in dance at university, so my dance history is quite long!
You also hold a teacher’s license in ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement).
Hanamiya: In high school, we had etiquette lessons and a curriculum where we could learn the Ohara school of ikebana. Since I really like flowers, so I’ve continued practicing ikebana even after graduating. I’m aiming to become an associate professor.
That’s just like the flawless Kozue.
Hanamiya: No, not at all. I still have a long way to go.
You’re even modest, just like Kozue (laughs). What is your personal motto?
Hanamiya: It’s “Koshitantan” (虎視眈々, looking vigilantly for opportunities). I can be laid back at times, but I believe I must seize the moment when it matters. I think now, after diving into this industry because I love Love Live! and having seized this opportunity, is the time for me to give it my all. Also, four-character idioms are difficult, so… I thought it’d be nice to appear knowledgeable (laughs).
That was surprising to hear that phrase coming from you, considering your gentle way of speaking.
Hanamiya: Maybe I should have chosen something like “Meikyoshisui” (明鏡止水, clear and serene as a polished mirror) since it sounds more elegant (laughs).
Auditioned three times for a role in Love Live! and the third time’s the charm
Please tell us how you felt when you were chosen for the role of Kozue.
Hanamiya: I actually auditioned for a role in Love Live! three times. I found out about the open audition for Love Live! Superstar!! while I was in college and applied, but… I didn’t make it in.
When I learned about the audition, I realized, “I’ve only done dance, so I need to study acting!” and decided to attend a voice acting school. I worked part-time to pay for my tuition, but… despite my efforts, I still failed the audition.
I just couldn’t give up there… so first, I entered the audition for my current agency to become a voice actor, but… I never thought I would be accepted.
Being accepted into a voice acting agency itself is a huge accomplishment.
Hanamiya: My encounter with Love Live! was during my middle school days. I became a fan of “Love Live!” because Ayase Eli, like me, had studied classical ballet and experienced setbacks, which I could deeply empathize with.
I wanted people to know about my love for Love Live!, so I always declared, “I love Love Live!” within my agency (laughs).
Of course, I had no idea if I could participate in a Love Live! audition, but… miraculously, a manager I often talked to had a connection with someone in charge of Love Live!…!
When I found out about the Hasunosora audition, I thought, “This might be my last chance,” so I took it extremely seriously… and I managed to advance to the final judging.
After I did the final audition, my mind was filled with thoughts of whether I passed or not… “When will the results come? When?” These thoughts filled my head every day. It was then that my manager called me over.
And as they said, “I have something to tell you,” they handed me the Hasunosora documents… I couldn’t understand it even when they told me, “You passed”… I just cried my eyes out.
And since that day, I’ve had a stronger feeling that I need to cherish my life more than ever (laughs).
Please tell us your impression of Kozue, who you play, the similarities and differences between you and her, and what you find charming about her.
Hanamiya: There was a time when I could talk about the good points and charms of other members, but I couldn’t do the same for Kozue. I was told, “It’s probably because you probably don’t like people who are similar to you.”
At that time, I thought Kozue was a mature high school student who knows and has experienced many things. She’s reliable, but she’s sheltered and often naive like a pampered young lady, which is cute, right? When I asked, they said, “Ah, that’s right.”
When I looked at the documentation for all six characters, I couldn’t help but tear up when I saw Kozue’s profile. I wonder if it’s because she’s similar to me.
When you look at her profile, she seems to be perfect in every way.
Hanamiya: I think you’ll also be able to see some of Kozue’s flaws here and there, though (laughs).
Her hobbies include music appreciation and classical ballet, which are the same as Hanamiya.
Hanamiya: That’s true. But I’m not a refined young lady at all, nor am I good at both academics and sports. I’m jealous of how quick-witted Nonsuke and Nasuchan are.
(Nirei and Nonaka: “That’s not true!”)
After watching Kozue speak at the beginning of the live debut stream, I thought you and her seem quite similar.
Hanamiya: It seems that the managers at my agency watched the debut stream as well, but only my assigned manager knew which role I was playing. Even so, when they saw Kozue’s standing posture, they all knew right away, “It’s her!” (laughs). I wonder if it’s because both Kozue and I have the standing posture of someone who does ballet.
(Nonaka: “You even stand like that on the train.”)
Hanamiya: But I don’t say things like “I wonder~” (laughs). Since I’m from Osaka, it’s hard for me to speak like Kozue is supposed to sometimes…!
It seems like we can look forward to finding the differences between Kozue and Hanamiya-san through the work and talk in the future.
Hanamiya: Yes, that’s right (laughs).
Kozue and Kahou’s subunit name “Cerise Bouquet” means “Cherry Blossom-colored Bouquet”
Please tell us about the subunit Kozue belongs to and its charms and appeal points.
Hanamiya: Kahou-chan and Kozue-chan’s subunit, “Cerise Bouquet,” is French and translates to “Cherry Blossom-colored Bouquet”. It’s a unit that combines beauty and cuteness, and I think you’ll feel exactly that when you listen to one of their songs.
Since we always have to deliver a strong performance, the two of us always say, “Let’s do our best” (laughs). We always strive to deliver singing and performances that evoke beautiful scenes in everyone’s hearts for each song. I think it’s a very Love Live!-like unit, and since Nonsuke and I both love Love Live!, I think it’s a perfect fit for us.
Kozue-chan is a reliable club president, but she has difficulty conveying her thoughts straightforwardly. In contrast, Kahou-chan is a girl who can honestly say what she wants and dive right in.
Kozue-chan, who always calculates and thinks before taking action, admires Kaho-chan, and Kaho-chan admires Kozue-chan too. They have a wonderful relationship.
Please tell us about your impressions of the debut song “Dream Believers” and its highlights.
Hanamiya: I remember crying when I first listened to this song with everyone when we met face to face (laughs).
The Love Live! series itself is created with dreams as its concept, and since it was my dream to be in “Love Live!” as well, the first recording, the song of a beloved work… my emotions just overflowed.
On the day of the recording, I felt like I hadn’t fully become Kozue-chan yet, but I hope that I can be more like her when we perform the song live in the future.
My favorite phrase is the opening line when everyone sings together, “I want to see it together, an unforgettable dream, I believe!”. We didn’t know who the other members were when we first met, and the moment we heard the song, we thought, “This is the beginning of the story of these six.” Every time we sing together, I feel like I’m experiencing the youthful energy I didn’t have during high school (laughs).
This song is filled with feelings of wanting to work hard towards our dreams, so I hope we can convey those feelings to everyone in our live performances.
Please introduce “Suisai Sekai”/”Watercolor World” by Cerise Bouquet, which will be included in the debut mini-album.
Hanamiya: The charm of this song lies in the beauty of the way it paints a scene. During the recording, I changed my singing style slightly between the first and second verses to immerse the listeners in the song’s world. I sang while thinking about how to express the cute, faint, and fleeting feeling of the song so that just by listening to one phrase, you can visualize the watercolor imagery.
The instrumental was so beautiful that I thought it was complete even before I started singing, so I carefully sang each part, thinking, “I want the instrumental to be audible here, but if I sing too weakly, my emotions might not come through.”
The released lyric video further expanded the song’s image.
Hanamiya: I’m grateful for the beautiful video they created. I think this song will be even further enhanced after you read the story in the upcoming app and listen to the song again.
I hope our performance will become legendary in the future.
The mini-album release event is scheduled for April 21st at Toyosu PIT, and the opening live event is set for June 4th at Pacifico Yokohama. Please tell us your enthusiasm for these events.
Hanamiya: This will be my first live performance. I’ve participated in recitals and competitions before, but this will be my first time performing on stage as Kozue-chan and Hanamiya Kana, so… I’m very nervous already.
However, since Kozue-chan is used to being on stage, I’ll strive to perform in a way that makes it seem like “it’s my first time, but it’s not actually my first time.” Everyone will be seeing the cast’s actual performances for the first time, so I hope to be able to express emotions and create scenes on stage that will make everyone happy.
I’m not good at holding conversations, but I’ll do my best to lead everyone in the performance. Now that I’ve said that, I’m sure I can do my best (laughs).
We are a group of six with unique personalities, and we all have different singing styles, but I’d like everyone to pay attention to the sense of unity when we sing together.
Please give a message to everyone.
Hanamiya: First of all, thank you for reading this article. Even with limited information, I appreciate your interest in Hasunosora and checking out this article, the unveiling live stream, lyric videos, and more.
We have upcoming release events and opening live events, and I hope that those who watch them at the venue or online will feel that it was worth seeing and that our performances will become legendary in the future.
To make that happen, I feel a sense of responsibility and excitement to work hard in my lessons. I will do my best in acting, singing, and performing to make people love Hasunosora and Kozue-chan, and I will cherish every second of it.
I want everyone to feel the happiness of having an oshi (laughs). It doesn’t have to be Kozue-chan, it can be other members or the whole group. Please experience this precious time together with us, living in the present with you.
