This interview has been edited for clarity and was conducted on July 3, 2024. The first part of the questions was submitted by Ariel Chan of Utapri International Fan Projects. Fan questions compiled by Utapri International Fan Projects through X.
Utano☆Princesama is a powerhouse series that just celebrated its 14th anniversary in June. Starting in 2010 as a romantic music game on the PlayStation Portable, it has branched out into many forms of media, such as such as anime, movies, stage plays, and app games. One of the latest releases is the Utano☆Princesama 3DCG concert series, which brings all the idols to life on a realistic stage for concert-goers to enjoy.
Anime Expo 2024 is even more special as the latest release of the concert series, Utano☆Princesama ALL STAR STAGE-MUSIC UNIVERSE-was brought just a few months after the concert that took place in Japan and played at Home Theater Novo in Los Angeles, California on July 3, 2024.
Fans came from all over the world, including from Japan, to see this limited concert performance of the beloved series, and with pen lights waving during the songs, the energy The energy in The Novo is electricity. The screams and cheers during the singing and MC sections are proof of Utapri's popularity abroad. Before the event, fans came together in front of The Novo to cosplay, show off handbags featuring their favorite characters, and build excitement for the upcoming event. Although there are not as many Utapri fans abroad as in Japan, the joy of unity among the fans has created a “Beat of Happiness” that everyone, including the staff present, can feel. receive.
We sat down with Frontier Works PR Director Maki Sato to chat more in-depth about the concert as well as what's ahead for Utapri and the future of 3DCG concerts both in Japan and abroad!
Congratulations on the successful event! What are your initial reactions and thoughts on how the show is going?
Maki Sato: I love that the audience is energized and fired up during the show, and seeing that means a lot to me. Also, this is the first time (at Anime Expo) that this is a ticketed event, so we [Frontier Works] it was uncertain how the concert would be received by attendees, but fortunately it was well received. We were so relieved.
For those who are unfamiliar with Utano☆Princesama but are interested in the 3DCG concert format, what can they expect when watching it?
Whether it is a 3DCG concert or a regular concert concert, the important thing to focus on is the idol's music and performance, and simply enjoy the performance. All the princes performing today had amazing dances and songs, so for those who are new to Utapri, don't worry about anything and just have fun.
This was the third time the Utapri 3DCG concert was shown at AX, but the first time it was shown with lighting and concert direction, as the concert was performed in Japan. Is there any specific reason for this choice of format?
From the beginning, we always wanted to hold a proper Utapri 3DCG concert at Anime Expo, but with the technology and preparation required for this type of event, coordination was difficult and there was always something that was not successful. The staff and I are so happy that we were finally able to bring the concert to Anime Expo to perform as intended and that everyone enjoyed it as much as they did.
Previous CG concerts have featured members of Shining Agency's ST☆RISH and QUARTET NIGHT, but this is the first time we're introduced to the members of HE☆VENS from Raging Entertainment. How does their participation change the concert atmosphere, and what can fans expect that they haven't seen from the Shining Agency members?
When we first held the Utapri 3DCG concert in Japan, most people had their favorite group or idol. Therefore, fans were initially concerned about the decision to include HE☆VENS in the concert because it would reduce the time that their favorite idol or group would be on stage. But when HE☆VENS was included in ALL STAR STAGE-MUSIC UNIVERSE-and fans were able to watch their performances, they saw the appeal of HE☆VENS and Utapri as a complete brand. It gave them a chance to like another idol and was generally received positively. Additionally, the interaction between groups during the concert cannot be seen elsewhere and only happens thanks to HE☆VENS and this concert format.
Utapri recently celebrated its 14th anniversary, and the date and location of the sequel to the 3DCG concert have been announced. What can you tell us about that event compared to the one we see today?
The sequel, Utano☆Princesama ALL STAR STAGE-Dramatic Magical Story-, as you can tell from the concert's title sequel, will feature the idols performing as themselves as well as characters in many different stories. So fans will be able to see them as normal but also see other sides of them as they play their respective roles in the story. We hope fans will look forward to it.
There was a positive reaction online to this concert and fans expressed hope that their hometown or country would have a similar event. Does this provide any further opportunity for that possibility?
Our dream is to bring Utapri and its 3DCG concert and technology to the world. However, of course, depending on where they hold the concert, there will be different cultures and business circumstances that influence that decision, but if given the opportunity, we would absolutely love to share about Utapri and the 3DCG concert in addition to Anime Expo.
© UP-ASSMU Illust.Frontier Works Inc.
Fans were given the opportunity to ask questions before the event and we were able to ask a few of them!
How was the original production team involved in the US concert? Did the American and Japanese teams work together to ensure the same quality as Japan's performance? (Sent by: Megan Kurosaki)
The original production committee was involved in organizing this concert abroad. We sent the same staff who worked on the Japanese concerts to the United States to supervise The Novo's production and lighting staff during the concert so that the experience was comparable to the music in Japan.
As someone who was unable to attend the Makuhari Messe event in Japan, it was a relief that we were able to have a similar experience.
Makuhari Messe is a large venue so there is a bit of a difference in terms of production, but since The Novo is a smaller venue the opportunity to see the idols in an intimate setting and very close to the audience is something fans in Japan don't get to experience. Both have their good and bad sides, but both experiences are enjoyable.
The two previous shows at Anime Expo were the first concert of Utapri 3DCG SHINING STAR STAGE-LOVE in DREAM-. What made you choose to do a third concert, ALL STAR STAGE-MUSIC UNIVERSE-, instead of a second CG concert? Do you intend to bring-SONG PARADE☆-in the future? (Sender: Maiya)
At this time, we have no intention of showing 3DCG's second concert, SHINING STAR STAGE-SONG PARADE☆-, overseas. Since we were able to bring technicians and technology to the recent concert, we wanted to bring the latest version to Anime Expo. Also, every time a Utapri 3DCG concert is held, the technology and quality improve, so we just want to deliver the best we can.
When you're developing a project like this, what is the development process like after the lists and scripts are created? For example, dancing, filming or working with idols? (Sender: Janae)
In terms of production, we as staff did practically nothing. The idols themselves do everything from their hearts. What you see [tại buổi hòa nhạc] are idols who are working hard and the results of that hard work. They are responding to the cheers and joy of their fans, so their fan service and spontaneous interactions are a result of that. There is no script so the idols just do what they want and perform what they want for their fans to see. The staff doesn't know how it was created because it was the idols' own decision! They worked really hard in rehearsals, so we hope it shows in their performance!
Were there any particular challenges in trying to bring this show to the United States? (Sent by: Noe)
As we mentioned earlier, there are considerations for business and cultural differences between Japan and other countries. For example, something that is normal in Japan may not be so in another country and vice versa. So that created many problems over the years and difficulties in exporting concerts abroad. Technically, the production process generally went smoothly and the idols always worked hard so that aspect was never going to be an issue.
The majority of questions asked by fans online highlighted hopes for the concert to be brought to other states and countries, with some wishes coming from Australia and Europe. I, as an Utapri fan, would like to convey once again that we hope that there will be more opportunities outside of Japan to enjoy Utapri as we saw at Anime Expo.
We certainly dream of being able to bring this concert to other places. Especially since this is a first for us in many ways – showing this kind of concert and also selling paid tickets – we can see the results of the live performance and all the fans are all interested. We consider this livestream a huge success and see what it means to our fans, which in itself can allow the genre to grow and create more possibilities in the future.
We thank Frontier Works and Maki Sato for taking the time to answer all these questions!