INTERVIEW: Frontier Works on Utano☆Princesama ALL STAR STAGE -MUSIC UNIVERSE, its success at Anime Expo, and delivering 3DCG concerts beyond Japan
This interview has been edited for clarity and was conducted on July 3rd, 2024. First part of questions submitted by Ariel Chan of Utapri International Fan Projects. Fan questions compiled by Utapri International Fan Projects via X.
Utano☆Princesama is a powerhouse series that just celebrated its 14th anniversary in June. Started in 2010 as a romance music game on the PlayStation Portable, it has branched into many media forms, such as anime, movies, stage plays, and app games. One of the latest iterations is the Utano☆Princesama 3DCG concert series, which brings all of the idols to life onto a physical stage for concert-goers to enjoy.
Anime Expo 2024 was extra special, as the latest release of the concert series, Utano☆Princesama ALL STAR STAGE -MUSIC UNIVERSE- was brought over only months after the concert run in Japan and presented at The Novo Theater in Los Angeles, California on July 3rd, 2024.
Fans came from all around the world, including from Japan, to see this limited showing of this beloved series’ concert, and with the penlights waving during the songs, the energy within The Novo was electric. The screams and cheers during the songs and MC segments were a testament to the popularity of Utapri abroad. Prior to the event, fans came together in front of The Novo to cosplay, show off their bags with their favorite characters, and build hype for the upcoming event. While Utapri fans abroad are not as numerous as within Japan, the unified joy of the fans creates a “Happy Pulse” that can be felt by everyone, including the staff present.
We sat down with Frontier Works’ PR Manager Maki Sato for an in-depth conversation about the concert, as well as what’s to come for Utapri and the future of its 3DCG concerts both in Japan and abroad!
Congratulations on a successful event! What are your initial reactions and thoughts on how it went?
Maki Sato: I loved the fact that the audience was energetic and fired up during the show, and seeing that meant a lot to me. Also, this was the first time (at Anime Expo) that this was a ticketed event, so we [Frontier Works] weren’t sure how well the concert would be received by the attendees, but thankfully it was well received. We’re very relieved.
For those who are unaware of Utano☆Princesama but are interested in the 3DCG concert format, what can they look forward to while watching it?
Whether it is a 3DCG concert or a regular concert, the important things to focus on are the music and the idols’ performances, and to simply enjoy the show. All of the princes who performed today have amazing dances and songs, so for those who aren’t familiar with Utapri, don’t worry about anything and just have fun.
This is the third time an Utapri 3DCG concert has been shown at AX, but the first time it was presented with concert lighting and direction, as the concert was performed in Japan. Was there any particular reason for this choice of format this time?
From the beginning, we had always wanted to do the proper Utapri 3DCG concert at Anime Expo, but with the technology and preparation required for this type of event, the coordination was difficult and something always fell through. The staff and I are very happy that we can finally bring the concert to Anime Expo to be shown as it is meant to be seen and that everyone enjoyed it as much as they did.
The previous CG concerts included the members ST☆RISH and QUARTET NIGHT of Shining Agency, but this is the first time we’re being introduced to the members of HE☆VENS from Raging Entertainment. How does their inclusion change the concert dynamic, and what can fans look forward to that they haven’t already seen with the Shining Agency members?
When we first released the Utapri 3DCG concerts in Japan, everyone pretty much had their favorite group or idol. So 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 the stage. But when HE☆VENS was included in ALL STAR STAGE -MUSIC UNIVERSE- and fans could see their performances, they saw the charm of HE☆VENS and Utapri as a complete franchise. It gave them the chance to like another idol, and overall was received favorably. Plus, the inter-group interactions during the concert cannot be seen elsewhere and only occurs thanks to the inclusion of HE☆VENS and this concert format.
Utapri just celebrated its 14th anniversary, and the dates and location of the next installment of the 3DCG concert have been announced. Is there anything you can tell us about how that event will compare to the one we saw today?
The next installment, Utano☆Princesama ALL STAR STAGE -Dramatic Magical Story-, as you can tell from the next concert’s title, will have the idols perform as themselves, but also as characters from various stories. So fans will be able to see them as they normally are, but also see another side of them while they act as their respective roles in the stories. We hope fans look forward to it.
There has been an overwhelming response to this concert online, and fans have expressed hope for their hometown or country to have a similar event. Has this given any more chance to that possibility?
It is our dream to bring Utapri and the 3DCG concert itself and its technology to the world. But, of course, depending on where they bring the concert, there are different cultures and business circumstances that affect that decision, but if the opportunity arises, we would absolutely like to share Utapri and the 3DCG concert beyond Anime Expo.
© UP-ASSMU Illust.Frontier Works Inc.
Fans had the opportunity to ask questions prior to the event, and we were able to ask a couple of them!
How involved was the original production team in the US concert? Did the US and Japan teams work together to make sure it was of similar quality to the Japanese performances? (Submitted by: Megan Kurosaki)
The original production committee was involved with the delivery of this concert abroad. We brought over the same staff who worked on the Japan concerts to the US to oversee The Novo’s lighting and production staff during the concert so that the experience is comparable to the concert in Japan.
As someone who wasn’t able to attend the Makuhari Messe event in Japan, that’s a relief that we’re able to have a similar experience.
Makuhari Messe is such a large venue, so there’s a slight difference in terms of production, but because The Novo is a smaller venue, the opportunity to see the idols in such an intimate setting and so close to the audience is something that fans in Japan didn’t get to experience. There are good and bad aspects to both, but both experiences are enjoyable.
The previous two screenings at Anime Expo were of the first Utapri 3DCG concert SHINING STAR STAGE -LOVE in DREAM-. What made you choose to hold the third concert, ALL STAR STAGE -MUSIC UNIVERSE-, passing over the second CG concert? Is there any intention to bring over -SONG PARADE☆- in the future? (Submitted by: Maiya)
At this time, there’s no intention to screen the second 3DCG concert, SHINING STAR STAGE -SONG PARADE☆-, abroad. Since we were able to bring over the technicians and technology for the recent concert, we wanted to bring over the most recent iteration to Anime Expo. In addition, every time an Utapri 3DCG concert is held, the technology and quality improve, so we only want to deliver the very best that we can.
When you’re developing a project like this, what’s the progression of development after the set list and scripts are created? For example, choreography, cinematography, or working with the idols? (Submitted by: Janae)
In regards to production, we as staff aren’t actually doing anything. The idols themselves do everything from their hearts. What you saw [at the concert] was the idols working hard and the results of that hard work. They were responding to the fans’ cheers and joy, so their fan service and spontaneous interactions were a result of that. There’s no script, so the idols only did what they wanted and put on performances that they wanted to show their fans. The staff doesn’t know how it was made, because it was up to the idols themselves! They worked really hard in the rehearsals, so we hope that showed in their performances!
Were there any specific challenges with trying to bring this show to the United States? (Submitted by: Noe)
As we mentioned earlier, there’s the consideration of business and culture differences between Japan and other countries. For example, something that is common sense in Japan might not be so in another country, and vice versa. So that created issues over the years and difficulty in exporting the concert abroad. Technically, the production has been generally smooth and the idols were always working hard, so that aspect would never be an issue.
The majority of the questions asked by fans online emphasized the hope for this concert to be brought over to other states and countries, with some wishes reaching from as far as Australia and Europe. I, as a fellow Utapri fan, wanted to convey again that we hope that there are more opportunities outside of Japan to enjoy Utapri as we saw at Anime Expo.
It is definitely our dream to be able to deliver this concert to other places. Especially since this was a first for us in many aspects — showing this concert format and also with paid ticketing — we were able to see the results for the live and all the fans enjoying themselves. We consider this live to be a big success and clearly saw what it meant to fans, so that in itself can allow this genre to grow and create more possibilities in the future.
We thank Frontier Works and Maki Sato for their time to answer all of these questions!
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