What important thing did SCANDAL feel from the movie Turning Red? - "The most wonderful thing is to just be yourself"

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Turning Red, Disney & Pixar's latest work now out exclusively on Disney+, is an animated feature film about a girl who turns into a fluffy red panda. This time, Crank In!'s editorial department interviewed the members of all-girl band SCANDAL, who celebrated their 15th anniversary last year! The quartet said after watching it how great it was, and even enthusiastically talked about memories from their student days that sponaneously resonated with the charm of this film.

You can't show your true self to your parents, but you are able to be yourself when you're with friends. This work depicts the turmoil and secrets hidden behind the transformation that occurs when Mei, the girl who worries about that aspect of herself, suddenly transforms into a red panda one day. Another highlight of this work is that its direction and presentation were inspired by Japanese anime and culture.

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Pixar's works guide you to becoming a "cool adult"

――First, please tell us your honest opinion of the movie.

HARUNA: I felt so encouraged by the message of how it's okay to be yourself. It's been important for me to preserve my identity after entering my thirties. I was moved by this work because I felt it was relevant to my current life.

TOMOMI: It was awesome!I thought it was a work that was a great fit for the current era, when the word diversity has come to be used a lot. Same goes for gender issues, nationality, and age. I think there are many people who are living while feeling that they're different from others, and this movie gives those people a supportive push forward. I know everyone has times when they think, "Is it strange that I feel this way?" It's a work that I could relate to, and it reminded me that the most wonderful thing is to just be yourself.

RINA: It's a film that'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy after watching it. The story depicts all kinds of feelings from different viewpoints, and it doesn't leave anyone behind. There are symbolic scenes that depict characters setting free their true selves, and in one of them there's a live venue. It was exciting that it linked to my own feelings. I realized that concerts are an important place to release all of my feelings, after all.

MAMI: It was so moving that once I cried, I couldn't stop until the credits rolled. A friend of mine is already a mother and has children about the same age as Mei. That's why I was able to symphathize more with it⁠—or rather, if I didn't choose the band path, maybe I would have become a parent and raised my child by imposing my ideals like Mei's mother... That's what I imagined.

But, in reality, as someone who has been doing music⁠—something they love⁠—as a job since they were in middle/high school, I wondered what my mom thought of me doing that. I also have the perspective from the child's side. I think this is a work that can be seen from the viewpoint of women of a range of different ages.

――Do you have any favorite past Pixar works?

HARUNA: I watch a lot of Pixar works, but I liked Inside Out so much that I bought it on Blu-ray. It's similar to Turning Red in the sense of introspection.

Since entering my thirties, I've especially been focusing on and asking myself how I could set free the me that I've come to terms with. So, I think that the worries and emotions that I have, have a lot in common with the themes of Pixar's works.

TOMOMI: I love all of Pixar's works, but I especially like Luca! We all love adventure stories that transcend things that are forbidden. Even if you're told no, you may not understand until you transcend it, and the friendships and the true self you discover are what's most important. As you face your shortcomings and insecurities while making repeated mistakes, there eventually comes a time when you're able to love them.

All of the adults whom I think are cool are those who love themselves and properly do some "self-love." I'm a fan of and really like Pixar's works that are like guides on how to become that kind of cool adult.

"So many things resonated with us" - We're where we are today because we stayed true to ourselves

――Were there any parts of Turning Red that were similar to your youth?

RINA: Like Mei and her friends, the four of us have been together since we were in middle/high school, so of course my band members came to mind. Right now we're the closest we've ever been and each other's best supporters. We make allowances for each other any number of times. When I was in my teens especially, there were so many things I was able to overcome and forgive myself for because I had good friends like them...thinking back on things now. (SCANDAL) is a precious place to me.

HARUNA: As I watched it, I recalled that, like Mei, I clashed a lot with my mom when I was younger. When I began pursuing music, I tried to start it off with my dream of debuting instead of going to school. My mom was initially opposed to it because it was expensive and I had go to to a studio far from home.

Sometimes I would be crying as we were quarreling because she didn't think my dream was a dream. But I think we're where we are today because I was able to stick with it and stay true to myself. There were so many things that resonated with me.

MAMI: My mom was also complaining when I joined our training school. Being serious about music is not just about lessons that take time and money. You also don't know what'll happen in the future.

I started attending the school when I was in my first year of middle school, just like Mei, so I now very much understand how worried my mom felt, like, "Is it okay to let my kid do this?" But my mom was happy that my world expanded so much by interacting with people at the school and making friends. My mom also wanted to be a musician, so I was able to be a good daughter by making my musical dreams come true.

――Are there any similarities in the relationship between the four of you in SCANDAL and the relationship that Mei has with her friends?

RINA: They may have different personalities but do have a shared language for many aspects, which is exactly the same as us (laughs). All four of us have different interests and personalities that aren't similar to each other. However, we can all pull together as one. Though we're different, it's very comfortable when we can act as one.

HARUNA: Mei and her friends were kind to each other, even if they quarreled a bit. There was a scene where a friend picked up the mobile simulation game that Mei dropped and took care of it by raising her levels for her. That part was so emotional.

I really understand times when consideration outweighs any small fights you have. The four of us aren't always on good terms, and sometimes we clash and get into quarrels during production, but that definitely isn't something we hate happening because everyone knows each others' good points. I really sympathized with how the friends wouldn't abandon Mei.

A movie that teaches you important things such as loving yourself

――Now, please tell us a moment in your life when you felt you were glad that the four of you stuck together.

TOMOMI: Hm... Since it's the norm [for the four of us] to be together, it's difficult to say what I've been glad about (laughs). But firstly, we wouldn't have made it 15 years if the four of us weren't together. I think the job of making music is to fight against loneliness. There are no correct answers, and continuing to make music to the point where we're satisfied is much too lonely to think about. If I were to do it alone, I wouldn't last a day. It feels like we've made it this far while helping and complementing each other while all having different personalities.

MAMI: That's exactly the case with concerts. I think it would be impossible if we were each told to stand alone on a big stage. The people who come to see us also have all sorts of emotions, right? Sometimes we wonder if they might not be able to come to terms with it all... But when our quartet's circle overlaps to form a bigger circle, it becomes powerful enough to accept everything because of our repeated performances.



――Lastly, please tell us some of your highlights of the film once more.

HARUNA: It shows you how to accept your insecurities and love yourself. This film teaches important things not only to teens, but also to people of our generation. You learn who you are by acknowledging the things about yourself that you dislike or that are still undeveloped. By doing so, you'll love yourself more as well as your friends and family. It'll make your life much easier. Look yourself and all your different sides right in the eye. I'd love for everyone to pay attention to that as you're watching the movie.

MAMI: I personally was surprised at how fan culture was depicted. I was so happy for Mei when she met her bias that I cried (laughs). I'm sure there are many people right now who are unable to meet their biases, but by knowing Mei, you'll feel cheered up! Please take note of Mei and her bias as you watch it.

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hogradish wrote:By "bias" does she mean like "fave"?