A Cool Finish, True to the BG Brand Style

—What was the design theme for the new items?



TodaOf course, it's great to wear on its own, but I think the design really comes alive when layered with shirts or outerwear, allowing for more playful coordination. It's nice to wear it under a jacket to subtly dress it down. Plain might be boring, but something too flashy can look childish. In such cases, this T-shirt is recommended as it offers a chic color while still creating a moderate sense of flair.

A Playful Smile Mark is the Key Accent!

UekiSince the base is a fake print, the smile mark is a three-dimensional felt appliqué rather than a print. It's designed to look like a badge attached to the draped scarf. When you wear something over it, the smile peeks out from underneath (laughs). I like the mischievous expression that's so characteristic of the BG brand.

TodaThe eyebrows were added at the very last minute (laughs). But thanks to that, I think we managed to capture the brand's atmosphere. By layering two patches, it adds more depth and creates a nice contrast in the design.

A Subtle Balance in Design for a Wide Range of Ages

—What is the most challenging aspect of designing?

TodaSince we want a wide range of people to wear our items, the subtle balance is crucial. We've developed the brand with the concept of "adult rock," aiming to encourage adults to "try a little more adventure" in their fashion. However, overly adventurous designs can be off-putting. Yet, designs that are too safe would contradict our message and be uninteresting for younger people. We always carefully consider the balance between a rock-inspired taste and current trends.

UekiThe age range of people who come to Sister's live shows is incredibly wide, from teenagers to seventies (laughs). So, I keep the live venue in mind and design with the thought that it should suit everyone there.

Proceeds from the Previous Collection Were Turned into Long-Sleeve T-shirts and Sent to Disaster-Stricken Areas

—Last time, you made caps for the Great East Japan Earthquake charity. What about this time?

TodaWe sold them at the live venue again this time. Normally, a portion of our sales goes to supporting Love Junkies to help children with Down syndrome, but the proceeds from these caps are being donated to support those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since they are only sold at the live venue, it's a shame they can't be purchased online...

We heard that the long-sleeve T-shirts were very useful when we visited the disaster-stricken areas. While I will continue to do what I can personally, I hope to continue this as something the BG brand can do.

The Earthquake Prompted a Reconsideration of the BG Brand's Purpose

—Looking back at the BG brand's activities, what kind of year has it been?

UekiWhile the theme of supporting Love Junkies remains unchanged, this year, with the earthquake, we became more conscious of our creations reaching people. Since childhood, I was passionate about drawing until I discovered dance in college. I always wondered about the purpose of that time, but seeing customers wearing our designs at live shows made me realize its meaning. Simply drawing doesn't achieve anything, but when it takes shape, reaches someone, brings them joy, and leads to supporting others – I've recently come to strongly believe that nothing is truly wasted.


TodaThe earthquake prompted me to question why we are doing this. Creating clothes and merchandise are things I wanted to do from the start, and it's wonderful that it connects to supporting Love Junkies. But perhaps we don't need to do it. I pondered the meaning of creating new things in these times, taking time away from my acting career. I wonder if our work as actors is also necessary? But it's been a year of consciously recognizing the meaning of doing something "deliberately," that I am doing it "deliberately."

Excited to See How It Evolves in the Future

—Next year marks the brand's 5th anniversary. How do you look back on its journey?

UekiGrowth... I wonder if we've grown (laughs)? We've learned techniques as needed for the designs, so our technical capabilities have expanded. From a design perspective, I've realized it's not just about wanting to wear a certain drawing, but about wanting to wear something I want to wear. When buying a T-shirt, or choosing outerwear, bottoms, shoes, and accessories, you consider coordination, right? I've become more conscious of those aspects than before. Looking back at the items we've created side-by-side feels like looking through a diary; each has a theme and a message, and they bring back memories of that time, including our feelings and circumstances. I'm excited to see how we'll evolve from here.

Katsumi Takahashi, Sayaka Aoki, and Director Koki Mitani Appeared at the Tokyo Performance

—What was the content of this live performance?

TodaWe usually hold the live performance at the end of the year, but this year it was moved up due to a stage play commitment. Since Go couldn't participate in the Tokyo performances, we brought back the special guest segment, which we hadn't done since the first live show, exclusively for Tokyo. The Tokyo shows were on October 23rd (two performances) and the 27th. On the 23rd, actor Katsumi Takahashi performed at the matinee, comedian Sayaka Aoki at the evening show, and director Koki Mitani on the 27th.

—Did everyone sing?

Actor Toshiyuki Nishida Made a Surprise Appearance!

Since the invitations were last-minute, everyone somehow adjusted their schedules. Katsumi had to rush off to his next engagement immediately after his performance, and Sayaka arrived just in time. Koki Mitani, it seems, adjusted his schedule as part of the promotional activities for his film "A Ghost of a Chance" (laughs).


We actually promoted the movie on stage, and suddenly, a voice from the audience shouted, "Rokubei is here too!" It turned out that actor Toshiyuki Nishida was in the audience that day, and "Rokubei" is Nishida's character name in the film... The audience was overjoyed. In the end, we spontaneously invited Nishida to join us, and he performed a song with ad-libs. Nishida is excellent at improvising songs and has even held concerts at Budokan. That day, with just a simple chord progression on the piano, he sang a song called "Keiko, Full Tank" (laughs). It was about how "Keiko, who always fills everyone up, is so busy." The lyrics were surprisingly good and brought tears to my eyes (laughs).

First Performance in Sendai

UekiI really wanted to go to Sendai, so I pleaded with my manager to adjust the schedule somehow (laughs). I personally had a great time, and it made me so happy to see the audience enjoying themselves. It wasn't about the dancing or the singing, but the words "Thank you for coming," which were different from what I usually hear, left a strong impression.

Singing "Sukiyaki" with Someone

—What was the theme for the song selection?

TodaThe song lineup remained the same as always, a mix from anime songs to enka, an a la carte selection (laughs). We also did a reading of lyrics by Takashi Yanase, which was popular last time. Also, as Takashi Yanase's song "Tegara wo Taiyo ni" celebrated its 50th anniversary this year, we performed a slow version with the message "We are all alive." Then, in Tokyo, we sang "Sukiyaki" with our guest performers, and in Nagoya and Sendai, we sang it with Go. In Sendai, it was quite symbolic, sung at the very end of the live performance.


The reason for the song selection is clear without needing many words, isn't it? "Sukiyaki" is a very positive song that encourages us to keep going, but the lyrics "lonely night" repeat, giving it a somewhat sad quality. I wanted to sing this part, "lonely night," not alone, but with someone. The message was in singing it together, not alone.

A 98% Created from Scratch is Cooler

—In our previous conversation, you mentioned that you were finally able to relax and enjoy the live performances. How was it this time?

TodaI was nervous, but I feel like I was able to express my passion more directly. Since I have limited time to focus solely on singing, it took about seven or eight live performances to finally catch up. There's been a change within me since the last live show, possibly influenced by the earthquake. I think I've clarified for myself why I sing.


UekiWith both singing and dancing, there are aspects where sheer effort isn't enough. Even when watching a dance with perfect choreography and precise timing, you can only think, "They worked hard to create this." Anyone can create something that's a perfect 100%. However, a 98% created from scratch can sometimes be cooler. Even with music you've heard many times, when you can deliver something born from what you feel in that moment, in that space, it becomes incredibly cool, whether it's dance or song. Watching Sister's live performance, I felt that.

TodaKatsumi Takahashi and Sayaka Aoki even told me, "We rarely see you looking that happy." It's encouraging when close friends say that, and I suppose I do feel that way myself.

New Song "Dancing on the Earth"

TodaThe song is called "Dancing on the Earth." It received rave reviews in Nagoya and Sendai, so I'm eager to perform it in Tokyo soon. Dance not only refers to the act of dancing but also carries the active image of "living," and the song conveys the grand theme that everyone is alive on this earth. This is our second original song, and I hope one day we can create something solely with unit songs.

—Thank you very much.