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seraphlight · 17 days ago

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Translation of Shinya's interview on RealSound about being a YouTuber

The following is my imperfect translation from my knowledge and whatever I could find to fill the gaps. It should at least give you an idea of his life as a YouTuber.

DIR EN GREY's Shinya discovered his place on YouTube. He talks about his unique rules, his passions and even his own transformation.

"YouTube is a 'battle with myself', and that's the reason why I can keep going despite the hard schedule"

-- You don't really get interviewed about YouTube a lot, do you?

Shinya: This is my first time (laughs).

-- Thank you for this precious opportunity. "ShinyaChannel" started as a way to provide videos to subscribers of the email magazine, but in January 2021 you began streaming videos to the public. What prompted you to switch?

Shinya: I was always envisioned for it to be public. I created the channel in 2016 though, when the atmosphere was like: "From here on out, YouTube is the next big thing!". I thought I should also make my own channel. Therefore, I thought I'd first use it to introduce videos for the [email magazine] members, then I would change it gradually when the timing was right.

-- I see. Many artists opened channels during theC OVID-19 pandemic, so 2016 is quite early.

Shinya: I think so.

-- Even among a band like DIR EN GREY with an established worldview, Shinya-san has particularly taciturn image, so I think that a lot of people were surprised when you started on YouTube. Before launching it, were you already checking out YouTube often?

Shinya: I watched it a lot and was thinking: "This is it." Ever since I was making videos for the email magazine subscribers, I've loved filming videos.

-- Do you remember filming your first video: "[Q&A] Answering Basic Questions!"?

Shinya: I remember it very well. I was wondering for a long time: "What kind of video would be best to put out as a first video?" Even after deciding that I would answer questions, it took me about two months to think of everything from how to formulate the questions to the music, the lighting and the background. In any case, I watched a lot of channels and wondered how I should do it.

-- You don't have a manager, and from the start you had your own style?

Shinya: That's right. When I watch my early videos, I find them really awkward (laughs).

-- Did you originally have an idea of what direction you wanted to take?

Shinya: My hobbies are solving puzzles and board games. Therefore, I thought that I could do an infinite number of puzzle-solving and board games, and I was trying to push in that direction at first. But it seems that fans didn't understand what I was trying to do with that genre or what was fun about it...

-- (Laughs) Do you meetings where you plan your videos?

Shinya: I don't. Because I come up with everything myself. I think of my material on my own, and when I need a cameraman, I check my manager's schedule and ask him. I also do the editing on my own.

-- Is that so?

Shinya: Every single video that's on YouTube, I made by myself. The composition schedule is easier that way. And I can just say: "Let's start filming a bit right now."

-- That's amazing. How did you learn to edit?

Shinya: When I first started making videos exclusively for the [email magazine] members, I had an acquaintance who knew how to edit, so I could ask them to do it for me. But seeing as I was asking for small things like: "I want it done this way", I thought that it would be faster if I did it myself, so I watched YouTube and learned how to do it.

-- About how long does it take to edit one video?

Shinya: In the beginning it took a long time, but recently I have determined a format, so I can now work smoothly. Even though typing subtitles is a pain, I think it's relatively quick.

-- It is not the kind of editing where subtitles suddenly appear on the teleprompter [very common on Japanese TV shows], the atmosphere is rather calm like Shinya-san.

Shinya: That's right. From the start, I was thinking of giving up extreme subtitles.

-- How much time does it take to film?

Shinya: It depends on the project. When I film at a location outside, it's easy, but when I film at home, it takes quite a lot of time to set up the camera and the lights to get the footage ready. I just film in my regular home's living room.

-- You don't have a dedicated room or anything like that?

Shinya: I don't often film from home. I bought equipment early on and have been using it since. When I film at a location (outside), there's a camera that YouTubers often have, right? That one is the only one I use.

-- With your band activity as well, you shoot and edit videos every week. Is it actually possible to manage your schedule?

Shinya: It is unreasonable (laughs). But I have imposed a weekly update on myself, so it's a challenge to me. Many professionals update daily, so I admire how amazing that is.

-- That's plenty awesome. There's also the touring, right?

Shinya: On the contrary, when there's a tour, it's good because I have material to work with. Instead of the scheduling and editing, it's finding material that is hard. Each time, until the last minute, I work to incorporate anything that could become material (laughs). In fact, I sometimes don't have anything decided until 3 days before the release date.

-- When an overseas tour is decided, instead it's like: "Alright, I can film here!"

Shinya: Right, right. I search for material every day. Recently, when the DIR EN GREY collab café was decided, I felt that it would be fine material (laughs). That kind of thing is the easiest. It's a close call each time, but I haven't run out of material at this point.

-- You update X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram diligently as well. You must be busy.

Shinya: I have decided to update X every day. From the time that I created the account until now, I have not missed one. Nobody told me to do it, it is a decision that I made myself, but making that decision makes it possible to keep it up. If I leave a gap between posts, it will be: "That's enough", and I think I might never update again. I also set a schedule to update the members-only blog three times a month, on days that have a 2 at the end, and I have not missed an update there either.

-- Where do you get the motivation to keep going for so long?

Shinya: When it comes to YouTube, I guess that it is because I love it. On top of that, I also love editing. Even if the footage that I take is trivial, when I can make it interesting thanks to editing, it becomes like: "I did it! Cool!" and it's fun.

-- How do you usually find material?

Shinya: I constantly browse YouTube and X. First of all, when I wake up, my daily routine is to open YouTube and watch the recommended videos. With X too, I only look at the "Recommended" tab, not the tab of people that I follow. A lot of things there give me a hint of what the buzz is and that could be my material. Recently, because there was a lot of ASMR circulating about slicing fruit made of glass, I actually filmed a video of myself cutting fruit too. I filmed it right when I got the idea, then uploaded it the following day, it felt very fast (laughs).

-- When you consider material, do you have any rules that you've decided "I won't do that"?

Shinya: I do not have any particular ones. I watch a lot of YouTube, and I think: "I wonder if I should try this." If there's one thing, it is that I decided not to feature any of the DIR EN GREY members. I cut them out completely if they appear on film.

-- Indeed, you hide the members when they're about to appear (laughs). That said, you have featured a lot of YouTubers and bandmates as guests. Yobinori Takumi-san made an appearance in a recent video, but do you do that sort of booking yourself?

Shinya: That's right. It's an honour to have such an influential figure. With Takumi-san, because we used to see each other to hang out and do quizzes every week, I made him an offer.

-- Did you already have interactions with younger band members like HIROTO-san from Alice Nine and Kagemaru from ZigZag?

Shinya: I had interacted with some of them already, but there are some with whom I only formed a connection on YouTube. I first spoke to Kyounosuke, the drummer of Kizu, and voice actor Hiromu (Mineta)-kun at a video shooting.

-- Kyounosuke is a junior at the same agency and a drummer, however you only met on YouTube?

Shinya: That's right (laughs). I thought it would be fun to gather and film drummers together, so I picked up some promising youth and contacted them.

-- You had fun playing rhythm games and board games. By the way, have you always liked board games?

Shinya: I have liked board games and quizzes since about 7 years ago. I got into quizzes around last year. I have always loved puzzle-solving and I would go to interactive events too, but a friend happened to have a board game. I tried it and it was so much fun that I bought this game on Amazon before we finished it.

-- Are you the type who gets really hooked on something once you're hooked?

Shinya: I totally get hooked (laughs).

-- Forever, you have been the type to keep your antenna open to a lot of things rather than focus on "Drums only!". Were you reluctant about sharing your hobbies and your real self through a medium like YouTube?

Shinya: Not at all. Personally, even from the early days of the band, I have not been geared toward "hiding my true face". On the contrary, our manager at the time warned me: "Please don't show your true self too much".

-- On that note, you also appeared on shows like Ariyoshi Hanseikai (Nippon TV).

Shinya: Yes (laughs). I also like comedy.

-- These days, does the band ever tell you off by saying things like: "Isn't that a bit too much?"

Shinya: At this time no. However, I'm not sure what the other members think.

-- I sometimes see you guys replying to your posts on X, but don't they ever directly tell you what they think?

Shinya: Not particularly. Kyo-san is probably the only one who posts anything related to YouTube, isn't he? I think the other three probably don't watch (YouTube) (laughs). But people from the industry often tell me that they watch my videos. When they say that, it's easier to ask them: "Well, please be a guest", so I'm grateful for that.

-- So far, which episode has been the most memorable?

Shinya: It would definitely have to be the time Mana-sama (Moi dix Mois) was a guest. I think he was the first guest in the history of the channel. I was nervous when I invited him.

-- It was part of a project titled "Shinya's Walking Trip Around The Yamanote Line" and you strolled together around the Sugamo station. The gap between Mana-sama's gothic style and Sugamo city made quite an impact, did you deliberately invite him to an outdoor project?

Shinya: Outdoors and Sugamo were deliberate (laughs). I thought that if he was to appear, then it would have to be Sugamu station, so I made the offer. It can't be imagined, Sugimo and Mana-sama. On that day, many people on the street were staring at us (laughs). Whenever I film alone, people don't look at me much, but that time everyone was looking at us. It got the most views by far, and even now, I think that it is still my most-watched video.

-- Speaking of guests, the time when you went to Disney Land with Kirito-san from PIERROT/Angelo also became a hot topic.

Shinya: Kirito-san approached and me said: "Let's do a collaboration together". Disney Land was fun. Other than that, I'd go anywhere, if he invites me, and I would like to collaborate with him again.

-- You're saying: "I'm looking for partners to collaborate with!" In the mean time, are you thinking of trying music-related videos, like drum videos?

Shinya: There are drum videos sometimes. A drummer releases drum videos, isn't that ordinary? So obviously, from the beginning, I decided not to release them frequently.

-- Then you're not using the fact that you're a drummer as a weapon.

Shinya: That's right. Therefore, I would only release the next drum video if the first one reached 100,000 views. However, the latest drum video released for "Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita" got to 100,000 views in about a month. Until now, it used to take approximately one year to get there, I'm troubled that the pace is faster than I expected. I have to figure out what to do next (laughs).

-- For Shinya, YouTube has become a place to express yourself outside of music. Has starting a YouTube [channel] changed your life?

Shinya: For example, when I went on overseas tours, until now I would basically stay isolated inside the bus or the hotel, I never went out to the city. But, thanks to YouTube, I started thinking: "I need to go out." and it was great to experience multiple cities. I was a complete shut-in, so without YouTube, I definitely would not have gone.

-- DIR EN GREY does a lot of shows overseas, but you never walked out at all?

Shinya: Not at all. Now, becaue it has become a treasure trove of material, I am really grateful for it (laughs). My behavior pattern has done a 180°. Well, that's how it feels when the cameras are rolling. Most of the time, I'm still a shut-in... ... .

-- Did it have an influence on your own personality and character?

Shinya: Maybe I have become slightly brighter. When I watch my earlier videos, it seems that my speaking style was quite gloomy. As various shootings piled up, I inevitably had to be cheerful and say stuff like: "Yes! I am here today!", so it tempered me. I still have a long way to go though.

-- Do you check the comments extensively?

Shinya: I read all of the comments. On videos of projects that I think are funny/interesting, sometimes I get comments like: "If you don't have any content, why not take a break?"or "You don't have to try too hard to get material", but I think: "Huh?" (laughs) It seems as though what I think is funny isn't interesting to those who check out my channel.

-- Those are harsh comments. By the way, what kind of projects were they?

Shinya: I personally find that my video where I quiz my apprentice on proverbs ("[Proverbs] I gave my apprentice Hitode kun a proverb quiz and it turned out to be a huge challenge!") is a masterpiece (laughs), but the response was not good. The puzzle-solving videos, I release them because I think that they were "so much fun", but I don't think they get a very good response.

-- (laughs) Do you ever reflect the opinions in the comments?

Shinya: No, I am not influenced by the comments. But I do check the number of views of course, so I take the number of views into consideration.

-- In the reactions, aren't there some voices that are like: "I didn't know about DIR EN GREY, but I learned about them on YouTube" or "I didn't know Shinya was like that"?

Shinya: I hear that quite a lot. Ever since I started the channel, I have wanted to attract that sort of fan, so it feels good. In no way did I have any intention to ruin the band's or my own image. Like I said earlier, I feel as though I have always been natural with my fan club, but it feels like the people who know that are more numerous now.

-- From a YouTuber's perspective, do you ever have ideas for what DIR EN GREY's official channel should share?

Shinya: I try to think about that separately a little. I can't think of anything at all for the band channel (laughs).

-- Have your YouTube activities not reflected on your band activities, or have they really not given back much for [the band]?

Shinya: Hm... Probably not much. Although, by releasing drum videos, people are able to carefully see the drums. In live footage, the drums are almost not shown. In the past, when they were not shown, I used to think: "Why is that?!" or "I wish they had shown this part!", but now I think: "It's fine, I can show what I want on my own channel", so it's less stressful.

-- It must be great for people who want to try drumming too.

Shinya: I do hear people say that. For example, "Hageshisa to, kono mune no naka de karamitsuita" is a song from about 15 years ago, but there was a comment that said: "It would have been great to have this video at the time when I wished to cover it!"

-- I see. By continuing to be on YouTube, one of your goals is to make DIR EN GREY and your music be known more, right?

Shinya: Of course it is. It seems that there were people who heard DIR EN GREY's songs for the first time through the drumming videos and thought: "This band plays such cool songs!" I think it is a new gateway.

-- From here on out, I hope that you will continue to take on various challenges. Are you planning to keep updating once a week?

Shinya: That's right. For the time being, until my channel reaches 100,000 subscribers, I project to continue updating once a week. At the moment, I'm a little ways from reaching 60,000 people (the interview was conducted mid-July), but my immediate goal is to get to 100,000 subscribers.

-- And finally, this will be a cliché question but... What does YouTube mean to you, Shinya-san?

Shinya: Hm... ... My life work, I guess.

-- By the time this article is published, Dir en grey will be in the middle of their acclaimed tour.

Shinya: Yes. Seeing as it has been a while since we toured, everybody should please come along.

-- "TOUR25 THE MORTAL CHAPTER 0" is a meaningful title, but what kind of tour do you think it will be?

Shinya: That is... I guess you will have to wait to come and see it for yourself (laughs).

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seraphlight · 19 days ago

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TOUR25 THE MORTAL CHAPTER 0

2025/8/8 (Friday) [Fukuoka Prefecture] Zepp Fukuoka

Concert Report

Review by @akira_199702 (veteran fan of the band)

The long-awaited domestic tour, which started in Yokohama after 7 months. The latest album information was kept under wraps for this tour. The setlist was widely selected from past albums while incorporating two new songs. The current unleashed state of DIR EN GREY. The tour is already at its midpoint. The setlist, including new songs, has matured. Etching it until the end.

The Fukuoka show has arrived. Today’s venue is Zepp Fukuoka. After hall performances in Omiya and Ichikawa, this is the first standing show since Sendai. Fukuoka shows had never been held before, so this is the first participation here. Arrived at the venue around 17:10. Lined up a bit away from the entrance. Today’s numbered ticket was VIP 29. VIP ticket numbers continue to be favorable. Moved to the front of the entrance, each number was called one by one. Entered. Received a wristband and lined up to proceed to the floor. Waiting in the second row, center of the VIP area. Wonderful view. On the black board of the platform, the tour title is engraved in large red letters with a “0.” A small hole has a red lamp lit inside. Waiting for the start with high expectations.

Around 18:40, the lights went dark. SE and visuals started playing. Multiple wavy lines. Members appeared one by one, with Kyō last. Makeup only around the eyes. Casual outfit with a T-shirt. Necklace around the neck. Nose piercing. The tour title was displayed on the rear screen. The first song started. An ominous intro played. Green laser lights poured down in a cone shape, surrounding Kyō. [Karasu (Crow)]. He climbed the platform during “Madamu to Kawahite.” At the end, on the platform, he threw the microphone cord over his right shoulder and quickly clasped his hands upside down once at the last note. Shinya’s drums echoed as [The Devil In Me] started. After the first chorus, he moved to the front of the platform. At “Kono jinkaku de--” (“With this personality--”) he strongly shouted, “I was born like this!!” Before the second chorus, he yelled, “Hey!! Let me hear your voice!!” The phrase “Kaketa nawa ni wa” was sung by the audience. A beautiful melody enveloped the venue. Then [LOTUS (Symphonic Ver.)] followed. During the intro, he stood still at his position and gently closed his eyes. Singing under lighting that evoked underwater. At “Hitori” (“Alone”), he raised his left index finger and pointed forward...

He raises it. At "Let the lotus bloom—" he sings powerfully. "What is believing?" The moment he finishes singing, the lights go down. Truly enjoyable.

Short break. Words appear on the rear screen:

Living

After the short break, [DISABLED COMPLEXES]. "Tonight I got mad," he climbs the platform at the front and the mood shifts. The energy rises. During the interlude, he shouts, "Fukuoka—!!" "Can you do it—!!" urging the crowd on. At the end, he moves to the front of the platform and during "Psycho killer" he shouts "Say!!" demanding voices. "Hey!!! I can't hear you!!" "More—!!" "More—!!" he urges, demanding more voices. The power is intense up close. Then follows [Deity]. A ritual. Standing still at his position. He climbs the platform and sings the first half in falsetto. "кровь" ("blood") "пробовать" ("to try"). He extends his left fist forward while singing. Next, he extends both fists forward, demanding voices, repeating this several times. Then a [new song]. "Just feeding," "No looking away allowed." He places his foot on the platform on the upper right front side and sings. In "Saying my motto," he shouts "Say!!" urging voices. In "Then what's different," he strongly shouts, "Then you!! What’s different between you and me!!" while moving to the front of the platform. The second time "Saying my motto," at the front of the platform, he points the microphone to the crowd demanding voices. Clapping. He lowers his stance and glares at the crowd. The stage is dyed bright red. [Otogi]. In the intro, he raises the microphone held with both hands high, then strongly strikes it against his chest. From the middle, he climbs the platform and sings. After the first "Release from pain," he slowly makes a slashing motion at his neck with his left hand.

Short break. Words appear on the rear screen:

Destruction

After the short break, [Hibiki]. He sings the chorus with heightened emotions. Then a [new song]. "Only wishes," "Overflowing from the heart, drowning, overflowing and staining from the heart." At the second verse, he moves to the front of the platform. "A terrifying world," "The era you live in." The mood shifts. Sounds quiet down. "The time that can't save me who buried my face in the pillow saying no no," "Life shattered, a world of losers where no one is left," "Killing memories, unforgettable...

Still widening his eyes." He opens his eyes wide and glares at the audience.

Short break. Words appear on the rear screen:

Despair

After the short break, [Zetsuentai]. He climbs the platform. The mood shifts. He raises both hands and brings them down. "To believe." The stage is dyed pure white with "Ah." During the interlude, he shouts, "Fukuoka--!!" He strongly utters "I am" and also "worthless." Then continues with [Ash]. Early on, he places his foot on the platform at the front right side and sings. Moving to the front of the platform, before the chorus he shouts "Say!!" and the crowd sings "We don't know each other--." Climbing the platform at the front left side, he points to the crowd during "world of sewer rats," shouting "Full rats!!" "Sewer rats!!" repeated multiple times, "Sewer!! Sewer!! Trash!! Trash!!" and "Die!!" During the interlude, he shouts "Fukuoka--!!" "You're alive, right--!!" "Bring your heads!!" He shouts "Uninvited someone!!" and the crowd sings "Song killed by ideals." Before the chorus again, he shouts "Say!!" demanding strong voices. At the end, he climbs the platform, places the microphone cord over his right shoulder and strikes his usual pose. Then he shouts "Hey!! There aren’t enough heads!!" "Behind--!!" "Bring your heads!!" "Fukuoka--!!" and moves into [Revelation of mankind], intensifying the performance. Before the second chorus, he moves to the front of the platform shouting "Intersect!!" and the crowd sings "Way of life--." Shouting "Thorns!!" he demands voices again. During the outro, he shouts "Fukuoka--!!." The last song of the main set is [CLEVER SLEAZOID]. He moves to the front of the platform and, at "Right and left, front and back," points sequentially to the audience sections: left, right, front, back. He shouts "Let me hear your voices!!" and the crowd sings "No voices--." He shouts "Fukuoka--!!" Kyō drops the microphone and immediately leaves the stage.

Main set ends. The members leave the stage briefly.

Encore calls. The crowd calls out with full force.

The members return to the stage. Kyō appears without makeup. He sets up the microphone stand. Toshiya’s bass echoes, leading into the intro of [Bottom of the death valley]. Deep sea. "I will..." From the microphone stand—

He removes the microphone from the stand. [THE FINAL]. The intro begins, and Kyō slowly raises his left hand high and closes his eyes. For "Reason to Live," he strongly shouts "I’m alive!! Reason!!" After the first chorus, he shouts. For "Why can't I laugh," he strongly shouts "Why!! Even now I can't laugh!!" He moves to the front of the platform, and during the second chorus, he shouts "Hands!!" demanding voices. Again, he shouts "So!!" demanding voices. The phrase "So I can't live..." echoes. The final phrase "Let it bloom" is stretched to the limit once again today. At the moment he "cuts his wrist" with the microphone, a signature shout is heard. The audience is thrilled. Then he shouts "Fly--!!" to hype up the crowd and moves into [THE IIID EMPIRE]. The atmosphere changes completely. The second verse features clapping. The second time "SPARK SUBLIMINAL VISION" is sung by the audience. From the outro, the final hype begins. "Fukuoka--!!" repeated multiple times. "You’re alive, right--!!" "You’re alive, aren’t you--!!" "Then you can do it--!!" "Can we become one--!!" "Can you become one with us--!!!!" "Fukuoka!!!!" "Fukuoka!!!!" "LAST----------- !!!!!!" [Saku]. During the interlude, he shouts "Don’t look this way--!!!!" to hype the crowd. In the second chorus, he climbs the platform. The stage is dyed pure white. He shouts "Ashes, tears, and silence!!" and "cruelty--" is sung by the crowd. Near the end, he shouts "Bring all your heads!!" "Bring them here!!" "Fukuoka--!!" hyping the audience. The crowd gives their all.

After finishing the song, Kyō points, claps along, and finally makes a peace sign near his eye in time with the music before leaving the stage.

Show ends.

First time performing in Fukuoka

Center, second row

Gave his all

Burned out

Next is Takamatsu