This contains unmarked spoilers for the Princess Principal TV series. If
you have not seen all of the show, do not read this document. Major
plot points will be revealed. If you have already seen all of the
episodes of the show, then please continue. Again, there are major spoilers
here. If you haven't already seen the show, you should do so before
reading this. Thanks.
BEGIN PAGE ONE
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The first movie to continue the Princess Principal
series, Crown Handler Episode I, 
Q: Inside all of that, Koga-san was playing the part of Ange. What was it
like playing a character within the circle of Team White Dove?
Koga Aoi: It was really lively and bustling (lol). When we were not recording
and on break the words would go flying back and forth. Someone commented
[Wow, your singing voices are strong
Kageyama Akari: When we weren't recording, the comment [Ange and Princess must
need to confer with each other often, so it'd be good if they were neighbors. ]
And maybe they would change seats.
Wardrobe Malfunctions in the Continuation!?
Q: Koga-san, from what you have experienced, what do you think is the appeal
of Princess Principal?
Koga Aoi: When I saw the tv series as a viewer, I enjoyed the entire thing.
Each was like a short film, and there were many elements you enjoyed with repeated
viewings.
Kageyama Akari What was your favorite story?
Koga Aoi: The time when Ange and Princess swapped places when they were
little.
Q: Gotcha - that was episode 9 「Case 20 Ripper Dipperã€.
Koga Aoi: Princess was desperate to talk to the Princess. It was a terrible situation.
Furuki Nozomi: It was overwhelming. (lol)
Koga Aoi: "Because it's ange, she cares about the Princess that much."
The episode grabs year heart and makes it hard to breathe.
Kageyama Akari: In episode 2 「case1 Dancy Conspiracyã€, the two reunite and they're both
wearing evening dresses.
Koga Aoi: Oh yes!
Kageyama Akari: And they talked to each other to confirm that to themselves.
It was like a passord.
Koga Aoi: Very nice.
Sekine Akira: It's too much. No matter how many times I see that I
still tear up (lol).
Q: There were very many serious moments with episode 8 「case 11 Pell-mell Duelã€.
That difference was very surprising.
Kageyama Akari: That's right, it was everyone going up against the
Princess.
Furuki Nozomi: Chise's tsukemono were so fragrant.
"It stinks" was Beatrice's comment as she plugged her nostrils.
It's good that they include these small little moments. They're
done really well.
Taichi You: Indeed!
Q: But Dorothy, who Taichi-san voices, doesn't have comedy chique
elements.
Sekine Akira: Quite so, it's mostly serious stuff with her.
Taichi You: Yes. But Dorothy's got some funny elements, such as the
time she pretended to be a heavy smoker in episode two. The real Dorothy
can overlook those dark elements and live her life. That kind of female is
appealing, and "The darkness is close by!" is the feeling you get from
Dorothy.
Koga Aoi: Dark! (lol)
Taichi You: I want Dorothy to rely on other people. Although I don't
hold to that myself. Even though she tells other people to rely on her,
she doesn't rely on other people. That's the type of person she is.
We must protect her!
Kageyama Akari: I'm glad that Dorothy is in charge of sex appeal.
She'll show a little cleavage or underwear and enemy soldiers becoem
very agreeable.
Taichi You: They are nice. But there are not that many of them.
They are pretty rare. That's why I want the fans to watch for them in the
continuation. I want to get them to say "It's heeeerrrrreee!" when those
moments occur.
Kageyama Akari: "Yes, a masterpiece!" Will there be any wardrobe malfunctions?
Taichi You: (lol) Is it okay for the interview to go like this?
Q: So long as the comradery of Team White Dove is communicated,
it's all right. (lol)
END PAGE ONE
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BEGIN PAGE TWO
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Episode 7, which Traumatized the People of the World
Q: Comic Natalie ran a special article on "Princess Principal The Live
Yuki Kajiura x Vocal Chords." Were all of you able to attend
the event?
Taichi You: Maybe I'm the only one who didn't. The that was the first
the the OP of the continuation was first introduced.
Kageyama Akari: Sorry. That interview was hidden by a wave of
photographs.
Taichi You: Yes. I wanted to hear it. It looks really cool.
I listened to it while thinking about what they'd do.
Kageyama Akari: I heard [the music] before the live, but it powerfully
reverberated in a way that was different from the tv show.
Furuki Nozomi: It was stylish and cool. "I can't produce this
kind of voice." but "I want to try this!" were thoughts I had.
Q: We got to hear Taichi-san in the February PV for the movie.
Taichi You: Oh. Yes.
Koga Aoi: That is very fun.
Q: Was there a part of the live event that gave a particularly
strong impression?
Kageyama Akari: Yes. It would be 「moonlight melodyã€. In
the seventh episode 「case 18 Rouge Morgue〠it was used as background
music.
Taichi You: Indeed!
Kageyama Akari: The seventh episode had a lot of suffering, but
it was very interesting. Maybe describing it with those
words isn't enough (lol).
Taichi You: That episode caused trauma to everyone around the
world.
Q: Dorothy finally understands the heart of her father, but then
. . . It's a very sad episode.
Koga Aoi: Watching that was pretty rough. 「moonlight melody〠finished
out the live.
Taichi You: W-wow, is that how it was!? That'll make the
customers cry.
Q: Kajiura wrote the song to be part of a "PuriPuri" type film,
but it is the type of powerful theme you'd hear at the denouement.
If we continue with this, it might be hard for Taichi-san.
Furuki Nozomi: Watch it on blu-ray!
Taichi You: Buy the blu-ray and watch it in the theatre of
your home! (lol)
To Remember the Characters' Voices, A Few Lines Before the Music
Q: On the subject of music, the ED for the TV series, 「Nowhere Landã€, had the
entire cast singing. Once again, this time it's all in English.
Koga Aoi: That's right. I was so impressed that they were singing in
English when I heard it.
Kageyama Akari: Even though they're other peoples' work [TL note: lit. affairs] (lol)
Koga Aoi: But you all did so well! It was as if you really were the characters!
When I heard the recording I thought "It's okay! I can do this!"
Taichi You: Everyone was worried about that. We even remarked, "What, we have to
sing in English?"
Furuki Nozomi: We were shivering while we were singing.
Sekine Akira: I was singing the katakana (TL note: phoentic alphabet for
sfx and foreign words). (lol)
Kageyama Akari: English pronunciation was like that, but it was also difficult
for us to imaging how our characters would feel speaking in English. I've
mostly portrayed characters in Japanese.
Taichi You: It was difficult. The way to speak is totally different.
Kageyama Akari: How do you show the feeling while speaking in English? (lol)
Beatrice is a cute character, but she ended up sounding a little cooler in English.
Koga Aoi: I heard everyone other than Kageyama-san before I had to sing.
"Wow, it's like the characters are really singing!" is how I felt.
Although it's just one song, I could tell how much effort and thought you
were putting into every word.
Q: The four of you got used to singing in English.
Kageyama Akari: That's not the case.
Koga Aoi: When I was singing, I ended up with a voice that was slightly
higher than Ange's. So I decided to say "I've come from the Black Lizard
Planet" and "That was a lie." Saying those lines allowed me to bring my
voice back to Ange's.
Furuki Nozomi: I understand what you mean about having to speak a little. I
brought the episode one script to the recording studio when it was time to
sing.
Everyone: (lol)
Kageyama Akari: As a method for self-suggestion?
Furuki Nozomi: I did. "Leave it to me" "Okay, let's go" were
the phrases I had in mind when singing.
Sekine Akira: I did as well. "I'm a spy", "Ange" were some things
I said often.
Kageyama Akari: I'm an actress who has trouble with tones so my
key word was "Hime-sama" (Princess). That allowed me to sing as Beatrice.
Q: What was your impression of the song?
Taichi You: This time the lyrics were really good.
(Everyone nods)
Taichi You: We also got a Japanese translation for the song. That was
genius.
Kageyama Akari: It's suddenly become very otaku! (lol)
Taichi You: While looking at it, I said, "Translating 「Nowhere Landã€, what a genius!"
I wanted to share it with everyone, but it was a secret. Everyone work hard and translate
it!
Kageyama Akari: I had the phrase "Just don't say your 'goodbye'". I like it.
Taichi You: That's it! Right there!
Kageyama Akari: It's a little positive but there's also the sense of saying goodbye.
The person who listens to it will have various memories rise to the surface.
Taichi You: That is absolutely right.
Kageyama Akari: From the title 「Nowhere Land〠I learned the word "nowhere".
and I thought it must be different from the word "Neverland" so I asked Konnie Aoki
about it. Konnie made the song, you see. "Neverland" doesn't exist, but "Nowhere"
is a utopian ideal land. When I heard that, I thought "what a wonderful title!"
Taichi You: Everyone's a "PuriPuri" otaku!
Furuki Nozomi: So hot!
Sekine Akira: After all of the tv episodes, we had a discussion of how
the songs were written with thoughts of the characters in mind. (lol)
When you sing them, Team White Dove members think "Oh yeah, this is
for that scene!" And it is a bit like looking at the future. This is the
best music!
Kageyama Akari: And the character songs are great too. While they fit "PuriPuri"
very well, the people who haven't experienced "PuriPuri" can expereince a lot from
just the songs. It's good that they are such a highlight.
END PAGE TWO
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BEGIN PAGE THREE
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Packing the "PuriPuri"ness into Chapter One
Q: Now I will ask you about the first movie. We can't reveal any spoilers in this interview,
so tell me about your impressions as you read the script.
Kageyama Akari: When I read the script, at first I thought "I _need_ to understand this!" (lol)
When you get absorbed into PuriPuri, you want to think about the
story and the world it's in. That's what happened again here.
Beatrice doesn't have many difficult conversations as she exists as
a kind of mascot character, so I focused on undestanding the story to
harmoniously fit into the world.
Kageyama Akari: What is your impression of Chapter One?
Kageyama Akari: The thrills and tension of PuriPuri are certainly there.
There's a scene where Ange and another person try to learn about (probe into)
each other and I really ilke it. If I hadn't been cast in it, it's a story I would have
loved to watch as a customer.
Furuki Nozomi: When I read it, I thought "Ah, this is interesting. I want to hurry and
read the next part." Just from the words on the pages, I could tell how cool Chise
was. "Chise is soo coool!"
(Everyone laughs)
Furuki Nozomi: I also really wanted to hear everyones' voices as they performed the
parts. The off-record part was also really fun. It was a very stimulating stage for me.
The art was also really nice too. The PuriPuri quality is jam-packed into this work.
Koga Aoi: I first watched the TV series as a member of the audience, and now I'm
responsible for acting as Ange. I thought of how to approach that without upsetting the
balance that already existed. I've had a lot of thoughts about that and
now I did my best. It was acting that made my heart pound.
Q: What about the other four? Were there any parts that made you anxious?
Furuki Nozomi: I can't think of anything that made me nervous. It was cool/composed.
Q: How like Team White Dove's Ace, Ange.
Sekine Akira: I carefully read the script while on my break. I was nodding my head while
worrying about it.
Kageyama Akari: That's cute!
Koga Aoi: Everyone pulled me along. Somehow it all got done.
Taichi You: No, no. We didn't do anything (like that).
The Five People Running Through Six Chapters!
Sekine Akira: When it came time to go off-record, I thought "Hey Princess,
let's go back to Casablanca."
Q: At the end of the tv series, our feelings went with Team White Dove to Casablanca.
And they stayed there!
Sekine Akira: Yes. "One again, the Royals need us. Now we have returned!"
But as I read it, I naturally became the Princess again. Rather than when I was practicing
by myself, when we were gathered in front of the mikes together everything
clicked into place. That didn't change from the TV series. It's still PuriPuri.
Like the TV series, the sequel will continue to improve the more you watch it.
Taichi You: When it came time for the off-record part, I thought "I'm finally able to play
this!" I was so happy. I wasn't sure if the long blank between the TV series and this
continuation would cause problems.
Furuki Nozomi: It's been three years.
Taichi You: About that much, yes. Even though I was inexperienced I was lucky to be called in to
work on various projects. But this time I think everything went well. When I went to the
recording site no one had changed, and neither had I. That gave me a mysterious
calm feeling (lol). It all got done, but we also have more to do. Keeping up
this tension requires everyone to keep playing.
(Everyone laughs).
Taichi You: I also have trust in the staff to keep making more after Chapter One.
In return, I feel the need to have Team White Dove answer everyone's expectations, so
my motivation is at 100%. We'll keep running to the finish line.
Taichi You: Let's go somewhere soon!
Q: Fans are still very eager to know about future developments.
Kageyama Akari: We haven't been told what will happen after Chapter Two.
Taichi You: I don't know what's going to happen. What will, I wonder?
Will Dorothy survive until the end?
Kageyama Akari: She's a character on the battlefield. Of course you
worry about her.
Furuki Nozomi: Chise is strong, so she'll be okay. Probably.
Sekine Akira: At the end of the TV series, the dangerous word 「guillotineã€
appears. You wonder what will happen to the Princess. It's fun and also scary!
Taichi You: Me too! I'm really interested to see what's going to happen next!
END ARTICLE
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Princess Principal: The LIVE (Yuki Kaajiura x Void.Chords)
Orders from Control! Review the Classic Pieces of Music!
After two years comes a continuation to the popular story of spies in London
in the 19th century. On 10/19 and 10/20, a live event called
Princess Principal: The LIVE (Yuki Kajiura x Void.Chords) was held.
We get some precious comments from Takashi Ryou (Void.Chords) and
Kajiura Yuki.
The Setting is a 19th Century London Enriched by Aerial Supremacy
The stage was set: The end of the 19th century. A country divided by
a gigantic wall. To the east, the royal kingdom of Albion. To the west,
the Commonwealth. In Princess Principal, the decisions of the
Commonwealth's intelligence agency, Control, are carried out by
five girls who are hiding within the kingdom of Albion. These five
girls are spies. The gravity-manipulating material known as cavorite
further enriches the plot of this steampunk action show. Let's talk about
the OP song, which captures that essence.
Opening Theme 「The Other Side of the Wallã€
B.Chords: The opening theme suggests the worldview of the show at the beginning.
Within disorder and chaos is concentrated energy. It's like sound trying to
break through to the other side. There's a primitive energy and a cool
intelligence. It gives an expectation of madness and destiny for the awaiting story. The piano b-melody gives an image of hopelessness.
The Spy Girls by Kuroboshi Kouhaku
The character designer for this previously worked on Kino no Tabi and has continued
on to work on many other anime and games. With Team White Dove, their utilization
of cavorite allows for more dramatic car action, sword battles, and cute characters
that can act violently. Each has her own character song to allow you to experience
more of the characters' depths.
A link to the character song compilation album.
Here is where it can be obtained from amazon.co.jp.
_____________________________________________________________
Ange - CV:
Imamura Ayaka
Chara Song: 「Take Me Up Higherã€
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: The A-part has a cool 16 beat rhythm. The
metro funk fits surprisingly well. The hidden
feelings are like many footsteps. The base part
was very difficult (pained smile).
_____________________________________________________________
Dorothy - CV: Taichi You
Chara Song: 「Under the Moonlightã€
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: It's a simple melody with a big sound. It's arranged so that
cute and pure elements float over the adult-sounding vocals. It owes
a lot to Taichi-san.
_____________________________________________________________
Chise - CV: Furuki Nozomi
Chara Song: 「閃光刀æŒã€
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: I didn't want to pair her with a Japanese-sounding
song just because she's a Japanese. The music has a sense of being neutral in
origin. It has a strong beat. There'sa kind of running flash-type image to the
song. I think it represents Chise well.
_____________________________________________________________
Beatrice - CV: Kageyama Akari
Chara Song: 「リトルブレイãƒãƒ¼ [Little Braver]ã€
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: Beatrice's cuteness is all over the surface of the song.
It's very much a tribute to her. I think it might be the most fun.
_____________________________________________________________
Princess - CV: Sekine Akira
Chara Song: 「Into the Skyã€
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: This song contains the high-class nature of Princess. The repetitions
within it help connect it to that. AT the same time, in the sound there's a sense of
inescapable time and destiny that might sweep someone away. The hook melody imparts
a sense of strength.
The Episodes Which are Colored by Lies
"Spies start with lies" is a catchphrase that we used when composing the story.
Five girls who are students at Queen's Mayfair school are secretly active as
spies. The subcharacters in the episodes often are false or tell lies.
The stories are full of tension and the unexpected. The ED though, talks
about their seemingly quiet and ordinary everyday lives.
Void.Chords: The quiet nature of the song is very conspicuous.
ED: A Page of My Story
Comment/Remark(s)
Void.Chords: This was written to serve as a palate refresher. The series is serious
and has a dark tone, so this is a holiday to reset your emotions. The traditional hook
in the song evokes the everyday mood. It's so ordinary as to be a little maddening.
You'll notice the cello, tuba, and trumpet.
END PAGE ONE
=====================
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Thank you for staying with us. If you enjoy this content,
please consider buying me a ko-hi or making a paypal donation:
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BEGIN PAGE TWO
=====================
Playing Back the Episode Names and Background Music!
Episode 1 「case 13 Wired Liarã€
Young Eric, a cavorite researcher, wants to defect from the Kingdom of Albion to the Commonwealth, so
Control tasks Team White Dove with his protection. Eric, whose
sister was injured in a cavorite accident, asks for his Commonwealth allies to
also help her defect. In truth he was working as a spy for the Kingdom of Albion.
Ange, upon learning of his deception, killed him. (TL Note: I'll add some parts here
to make this next part clear. Ange had taken out a large life insurance policy
against Eric some time before this. Ange arranged for the life insurance
payout to be given to his sister so that she could get the surgery she needed.)
Music: 「operations in actionã€
(Used in the endgame stage of Team White Dove's activity)
Kajiura Yuki: This is what the music was written for. You feel the
excitement as the girls get to work. It's lighthearted but not overpoweringly
cheerful. When I saw the show, I thought "Yes, I'm hooked!" That was good.
Episode 2 「case 1 Dancy Conspiracyã€
"Operation Changeling" was Control's scheme to replace the Princess with a lookalike,
namely Ange, who shares the same face. In order to accomplish this, Ange and Dorothy
went to a formal party the Princess was attending. After suddenly being told to focus
on a different mission, Ange successfully established contact with the Princess.
In truth the two had already exchanged identities ten years before. During the London
revolution, the Princess and Ange swapped positions. Although they had been separated
for a long time, they were finally reunited.
Music: 「shadows and fogã€
(Used when Ange comes into contact with Princess)
Kajiura Yuki: This was originally used in a PV for episode 1. It was written
with the image of a "startline" in mind. There's a sense of fog, a plain brass
band overlaid with a cool chorus. I thought it conveyed the color of the work
along with the level of humidity. I was glad to see it paired with many
scenes!
Episode 6 「case 16 Loudly Laundryã€
A killer appeared who used nerve gas to slay his targets. He soon earned the
sobriquet "Poison Gas Jack". A soldier was suspected as the culprit for these
killings. Team White Dove infiltrated a laundry plant which cleaned soldiers'
uniforms to look for evidence [TL Note: traces of the gas would adhere
to his uniform when he was stealing the material.] The plant was on the
verge of bankruptcy and was staffed by poor women. In order to continue
the investigation without interruption, the Princess bought the plant.
As the girls improved working conditions at the plant, they were able to
discover and apprehend "Poison Gas Jack".
Music: 「もã²ã¨ã¤ã¾ã‚ã—ã¦ã€
(A work song taught by Chise to the girls at the plant)
Kajiura Yuki: The key words I had in mind are "Chise's work song" and "everyone
sings it acapella". It was made in a way that the girls would be able to learn
it in one try. I also thought about the idea of "peace". Work conditions of the
past were much harder and there were lots of lyrics. The girls' feelings toward
work are included in the song.
Episode 7 「case 18 Rouge Morgueã€
This mission required the team to gather evidence from a morgue. The person selected
for the mission was Dorothy, because she was the daughter of one of the workers
at the morgue, a man named Danny. While she hated her father for his alcoholism,
she wanted to accomplish the mission. The two came to an understanding and were
supposed to share a drink together, but Danny was slain by an agent of the Duke
of Normandy, a woman spy with the handle "Gazelle". Dorothy had no idea this
happened and drank at a pub while waiting for Danny to arrive.
Music: 「moonlight melodyã€
(A song performed by Dorothy and Beatrice)
Kajiura Yuki: "Make this a song that the world inherited, a song that everybody knows!"
That was the difficult request I got before making this song. (lol) To say more
will require a lot of time, so I'll cover it more in detail during the MC
part of the live event.
Episode 12 「case 24 Fall of the Wallã€
The military of the Commonwealth overwhelms Control and issues a new order
to Ange: assassinate the Princess. This is part of a larger attack against the
Kingdom of Albion with the aim of accomplishing a coup d'etat. Disobeying her
orders, Ange acts as a solo agent in order to save the Princess. Towards the
end, Dorothy, Chise, and Beatrice work together with Ange and are able to
escape with the Princess.
Music: 「battle of the shadowsã€
(played when Ange rushes to rescue Princess)
Kajiura Yuki: This is a serious tune with a feeling of speed. It gives you a
sense of the situation. There aren't many "battle tunes" in Princess Principal.
Presenting the Live Event for Princess Principal in October!
Princess Principal's music has been rearranged and will be performed in a live event at
Maihama Amphitheatre in Chiba prefecture. Kajiura Yuki and Void.Chords(Takahashi Ryou)
will be participating in the event. You'll be able to experience the atmosphere
of the work freely at the event. Chise's katana swipes, support from Dorothy and
Beatrice, and lies from Ange and the Princess. The secret actions of the girls
in a world of shadow, as told by powerful music. I'm also happy that people will be
able to experience the world of Princess Principal again at the live! Thank you all!
Comment from Kajiura Yuki:
Even if I'm thinking of how to make live arrangements of the score, the images of
the girls and the world they inhabit flash through my mind. I'm happy that my
music can be used for this work.
Comment from Void.Chords (Takahshi Ryou):
The OP, ED, and chara songs will all be expressed with freedom at
the live. Once again, immerse yourself in the world of Princess Principal.
The charm of the music will be fully conveyed.
With plenty gratitude for:
梶浦 由記 - Kajiura Yuki
高橋諒 - Void.Chords (Takahashi Ryou)
å¤è³€è‘µ Koga Aoi (who voices Ange)
大地葉 Taichi You (who voices Dorothy)
å½±å±±ç¯ Kageyama Akari (who voices Beatrice)
å¤æœ¨ã®ãžã¿ Furuki Nozomi (who voices Chise)
é–¢æ ¹æ˜Žè‰¯ Sekine Akira (who voices Princess)
END
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