The popular character Rilakkuma's TV anime "Rilakkuma" will begin airing on TBS and other networks from 9:25 AM on April 4th. The theme song, "stay with me," and the narration for the series are provided by singer-songwriter Rira Ikuta. Ikuta grew up surrounded by Rilakkuma merchandise since childhood and says that Rilakkuma is an important part of her life, saying that it has "supported her throughout her life." We asked her about her love for Rilakkuma, the feelings she put into the theme song, and the "voice" that she has continued to work with.
◇Rilakkuma's words that encouraged me as I pursued my dreams
When asked about her first encounter with Rilakkuma, Ikuta said, "I realized that before I knew it, Rilakkuma was just there beside me."
"My name, 'Rira,' is similar to Rilakkuma's, so my mother used Rilakkuma merchandise like spoons and mugs for me from a very young age. I felt a strong connection to Rilakkuma because our names were so similar, and when I was little, I felt like Rilakkuma was practically my own character (laughs)."
It wasn't until she started reading the "Rilakkuma Life" series (Shufu to Seikatsu Sha), a book collection featuring Rilakkuma's words, that Ikuta began to feel that she had truly "spent time with Rilakkuma."
"From when I was little, and even when I was pursuing my dreams as a teenager, Rilakkuma's words have always given me so much courage, and Rilakkuma has supported me at various points in my life. In the 'Rilakkuma Life' series, there is a volume called 'Gentle and Skillful,' which contains the message to people who have difficulty relaxing, 'You don't have to try so hard.' I myself, both as a student and even now, tend to worry about a lot of things, like whether my words and actions are hurting someone, or what others think of me. But in that volume, instead of denying my personality that makes it difficult to relax, it affirms that 'there are people like that,' and contains many words of encouragement to help me relax, which gave me courage."
Rilakkuma is also someone that Ikuta "admires."
"I think there aren't many characters that so openly embrace laziness as their defining characteristic. For someone like me, who tends to get bogged down in things, Rilakkuma is someone to aspire to. He makes me realize that it's really important to live like that. If you're always thinking, 'I have to work hard!', it can feel suffocating, and there are moments when you miss out on happiness. I think Rilakkuma is someone who affirms that side of many people."
◇The love and gratitude poured into the theme song "stay with me" - a song that resonates with those you cherish.
She expressed her joy at being chosen to sing the theme song for the Rilakkuma anime, a character very important to her, saying, "I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to be involved with a work like Rilakkuma in the form of music, so when I heard about it, I was very happy, and I thought it was great that my name is 'Rira'."
The theme song, "stay with me," was written and composed by Ikuta herself, and is said to be a song filled with her love and gratitude for Rilakkuma.
"I wrote this song primarily with the intention of expressing my love for Rilakkuma and my gratitude for the support it has given me throughout my life. When this song reaches someone, I hope they will imagine a Rilakkuma-like presence in their own life. That could be family, friends, or a lover—it could be anyone, but if there's someone who simply being there makes your heart feel a little lighter and warmer, I wanted this song to be something they could relate to. While there is a single image of Rilakkuma, I wrote it hoping that it would become a song that everyone can relate to with their own important person."
The melodies were also designed to be "music that allows you to relax through listening."
"When I thought about how the music would blend seamlessly into the world of Rilakkuma, including being set to animation, I wanted to create music that was so comfortable and uplifting that it would make your heart feel light and airy. I wanted to create music that would be reassuring for listeners of all generations. I was very conscious of that when I was working with the arranger, and we even added whistling sounds. I'm not very good at whistling, so the arranger added it for me (laughs)."
◇A past when I didn't like my own voice, but I still couldn't stop singing.
Ikuta will be in charge of both the theme song and narration for the anime "Rilakkuma." When she received the offer, she was worried, saying, "Is it really okay for me to do narration?"
"When the voice recording started, the staff told me, 'For this anime, we want to create the entire work from beginning to end using only Ikuta-san's voice, including the music and narration,' and I was so honored to hear such kind words. I myself have always focused on my voice, whether it's singing, speaking, or voice acting, and I've always been particular about how I express myself through it, so being able to color a single work with my singing voice and narration was a treasured experience for me."
Regarding voice acting and narration work, she says, "It's fun because I get to discover a new side of myself every time."
"When portraying a character, a person, I think we sometimes pick up information visually, but when it comes to 'voice only,' we have to express everything about the character through our voice. That's what I find enjoyable. Creating a voice that allows people to feel the life that person has lived, their humanity, and their personality is difficult, but that's what makes it so rewarding. There are hundreds, even thousands, of correct ways to express something through voice, so I feel like I can keep exploring as far as I want. Voice acting is a world that is always fresh and fun because each project brings out a different side of my voice."
Ikuta, who continues to explore her own voice and engage with her work and music, captivating many people, also went through a period where she felt she "didn't like her own voice."
"When I was in junior high school, I listened to recordings of my speaking and singing voices and was shocked, thinking, 'Is this what my speaking voice and singing voice sound like? It's disgusting!' But I couldn't stop singing. I had this strong desire to make a living through music and to express myself through my voice, so I figured if that's how I felt, then I had no choice but to keep studying my voice until I could love it. As for singing, I covered a lot of songs by my favorite artists and various other songs, recorded myself, listened to them repeatedly, and kept trying to see if I could produce a different voice, if I could express myself in a different way. I think I found my voice through those repetitive days."
Ikuta says that she continues to dedicate herself to working with her voice. So, how will she use her voice to bring to life the world of her beloved "Rilakkuma"? Let's listen carefully while being soothed by Rilakkuma and his friends. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
