Q11 How were you able to combine A SCENE and "OKAME"?
Furuya: Did you have any thoughts or concerns when trying to unify A SCENE and "OKAME" into a single worldview?
ISSEI: Yes, I'd wanted to film the two of them for a long time. When it came to making it A SCENE, I naturally thought, "Ah, I can film them now." I also thought it would be more interesting for A SCENE to shoot it as a music video rather than an advertisement. It was like I was filming everyday items that appear in a music video, and I could also make an A SCENE advertisement. When editing, there wasn't much difference, or rather, the places where I used the footage were different, but the feeling was that I didn't need to switch much, which was a new sensation. And the quality of this song? Considering the lyrics and everything, I actually put fireworks in the music video. (laughs)
Furuya: I thought you did that. (laughs)
ISSEI: That was special. I projected free-use fireworks footage onto a projector and then re-filmed it with a VHS camera. (laughs) I made fireworks on the ceiling of my room and made the room completely dark so it looked like they were looking up at them. (laughs)
Everyone: Wow! Amazing!
ISSEI: It wasn't fireworks season, but I thought the two of them reminiscing was enough, and precisely because it wasn't the season, it was more effective.
Furuya: In the PV version, the feeling from the initial forest scene to the "Tamaya" text above the airplane was also really good.
ISSEI What I felt from these lyrics wasn't simply romance; it could also be interpreted as a song about not being able to meet someone anymore. Did you write it in a way that allows for various interpretations, like a falling out with friends or a death?
MANA I didn't start writing with such a specific meaning in mind. For example, I might just have fireworks in my head, meaning the image comes first. Also, I thought "It's scheduled." was interesting. I can't break up. (laughs) I can switch gears quickly when it comes to work, but I've experienced great heartbreaks before, and back then I couldn't move on at all. But if someone had told me "It's scheduled," at that time, it would have been so much easier. (laughs) I thought it could help me distract myself. So, it's like I built it from the idea that it's a goodbye, isn't it?
FURUYA It's good that MANA-chan's real-life coping mechanisms are clearly included.
ISSEI I interpreted "scheduled" not as a scheduled breakup, but as scheduling the process of sorting out your feelings after a breakup.
MANA/KANA I see! That's a good interpretation too!
ISSEI The scene where they're watching fireworks from the pedestrian bridge, I envisioned it as them looking up at the sky, reminiscing about the fireworks. Since there were no fireworks, I matched it with the airplane scene.
FURUYA KANA's house scene was also incredibly good. Everyone who saw it at the exhibition thought it was shot in a studio, you know. (laughs)
ISSEI It really was amazing, wasn't it?
Q12 Ratio of videographers to rappers
Furuya: ISSEI, you're a filmmaker and a rapper, but what's the ratio between the two?
ISSEI: I don't really think about it, and it's not even 50/50.
Furuya: And I imagine you're also something of a music producer, too.
ISSEI: That's right. I enjoy working on music with both music production software and video software open on my computer, and if I get stuck on the music, I switch to the video. It's like changing game software. So I really don't know which one I put more emphasis on.
Furuya: That's amazing!
KANA: So you can switch between producing for others and your own songs?
ISSEI: Yes, I can switch.
KANA: Wow! That's incredible!
ISSEI My individuality or habits might show through, but when I'm writing one of my own songs, for example, and I get that feeling, I can move on to the next one. I can also change my emotional involvement.
All Wow!
Furuya What kind of visuals do you want to create next?
ISSEI I received an offer to film something I hadn't done before, like a dance vocal group, and I really enjoyed that last year. Dance is the best way to express emotional ups and downs, and dance vocal groups can do that. Even in my previous directing work, when I was given creative freedom, I often ended up with dancing. (laughs) It's not like an Indian movie with a happy ending, but close. (laughs)
Q13 A product you want to see in the "SCENE" series
Furuya: Is there anything you'd like to see from A SCENE?
ISSEI: I've told you this before, Furuya-kun, but I'd love to see a MagSafe-compatible item. Being able to charge is the ideal.
MANA: I'd like to see something that utilizes the snap buttons on the case, like if you remove the pocket, you can attach a bag too. I thought it would be super convenient if it could be attached to a waist pouch. I wish this case could be used in various situations.
ISSEI: That's a good idea. (laughs)
MANA: When I'm putting my phone down for a meeting, if there was a stand with snap buttons. And A SCENE would even release tripods. (laughs)
KANA A guitar strap, maybe.
MANA That would definitely be cute.
FURUYA A guitar strap, that's a good idea.
MANA That's really cool.
KANA Furuya-san also loves music, so products related to music would be great, wouldn't they?
FURUYA If we look into that area, there are some really interesting ideas. Items that can be used at live performances, that's a good idea! Thank you!
Q14 What you like about A SCENE
Furuya What do you like about A SCENE? (laughs)
MANA I like A SCENE's colors.
Furuya I'm happy you're still using the check clear pocket in red.
MANA All the colors are cute. It's sporty, and it's fashionable; the balance is really good.
Furuya Thank you.
MANA I'll say it again, you can use it in so many different scenes. (laughs)
All (laughs)
ISSEI When you're wearing plain-colored clothes, just dangling the strap adds a great pop of color.
MANA It feels like it's really hitting the bullseye. It's not a B. It's an A.
All (laughs)
MANA It really is an A.
ISSEI What does ASCENE mean?
FURUYA It's like this brand is quietly present in various people's scenes, their individual scenes.
ISSEI So that makes it right at the heart of it all, doesn't it?
MANA The colors are really A-class.
FURUYA As we develop smartphone accessories with various cultures, showcasing our items with new visuals, like in this MV with the music scene, was a very good experience for the brand.
Q15 What's next for the three of them?
Furuya Please tell us about your future plans.
MANA The documentary film "OKAME REVOLUTION THROUGH MUSIC" will be released next month on February 11th. It will be screened at Euro Live in Shibuya, so please come and see it! OKAME's first album "DEBUT" will be released on February 4th. The lead track "Tamaya" will be pre-released and its music video will be unveiled on January 21st, so please listen to that as well.
ISSEI On the music front, there will be a "Tanaka Raunagi" event on January 31st at CONPASS in Osaka. I'd love for you to come and see my growth as a music artist.
CHAI, who disbanded on March 12, 2024, at EX THEATER ROPPONGI in Tokyo. MANA and KANA, who captivated audiences worldwide as the frontwomen of CHAI, launched a new project starting in September 2025. Under the theme "Revolution through music," this project explores new musicality that transcends genres, clearly distinguishing itself from their previous band sound. Through an approach different from traditional rock bands, MANA and KANA are recontextualizing the expressive power and pop sensibility they have cultivated.
While continuing his musical activities as a HIPHOP artist and producer, he became interested in video production around 2011. He initially only produced music videos for himself and artists around him, but gradually began producing music videos for numerous artists regardless of genre or region. Relying on his musical sensibility as an artist and his knowledge of graphic design, which he had been involved with since his student days, he continued to create entirely self-taught, and as of 2025, he has directed and produced 590 works. In 2022, he put an end to his freelance activities and established PLUTOS Co., Ltd. as a company that also handles video production, design work, and music label operations to support his own and his fellow artists' activities.
Recently, he was also responsible for the filming and editing of Chanmina's "Documentary of AREA OF DIAMOND."