After debuting with their first single in 2013, LINKSTAR’s has finally had their first U.S. performance at Japan Expo 2015 Los Angeles on October 16 to 18! A four member group that wants to dominate with their visuals and performances, LINKSTAR’s was definitely able to bring the energy all weekend long with their constant smiles and powerful dancing. From performances to handshakes and photo sessions, LINKSTAR’s provided U.S. attendees the idol wota experience without them needing to fly to Japan. Take a look at these cute, powerful idols showing their quirky side in our interview below.
Please introduce yourselves.
Otomo Haru: (English) In english?
Whichever is ok but English would be interesting.
Haru: Let’s do it?
Matsunaga Arisa: Yes, we’ll do our best.
Haru: Yes! (English) My name is Haru Otomo. My emblem is “ribbon”!
Everyone: Yaaaaay!!
Arisa: Yes! (English) My name is Arisa Matsunaga. My emblem is “star”!
Everyone: Wooooo!!
Hinano: (English) My name is Hinano Ayakawa. My emblem is “strawberry”!
Haru: (English) Strawberry!
Arisa: Yeahh!
Hinano: (English) I lost my voice. I [am] sad.
Mana: Yes! (English) My name is Mana Haneda. My emblem is “wing”!
Arisa: (English) Yaaaay. We are-
Everyone: LINKSTAR’s!!! WOOOO!!
Why did you all want to become idols?
Arisa: We want everyone, the fans, to catch our smiles, (English) Smile.
Hinano: (English) Smile!
Haru: (English) Present, smile!
Hinano: (English) Present for you!
Do you all like singing?
Everyone: YES!
Do you like singing more or dancing?
Haru: Dance!
Mana: I’m conflicted.
Hinano: Both.
Arisa: Yeah [both].
Mana: Both.
(To Haru) Dance?
Haru: Dance! Singing… (English) Song? No. (Japanese) I’m bad at it.
Arisa: (English) Very bad.
What music do you like? Which artists do you like?
Hinano: J-pop?
Mana: J-pop.
Arisa: Yeah. Momoiro Clover Z.
Hinano: Anime songs!
Haru: I like Western music so Ariana Grande.
Mana: I like J-pop. E-Girls.
What achievement or goal do you have as a group?
Arisa: First, in Japan, there is a place called Nakano Sun Plaza. We want successfully hold a live filled with fans there.
If you were a dessert, what would you want to be and why?
Arisa: Dessert?
Haru: Dessert?
Arisa: Dessert?!
Everyone: EHHHHH?!
Hinano: (English) Strawberry parfait! Because I’m [a strawberry] emblem.
Haru: (English) Strawberry.
Arisa: (English) Strawberry parfait? Are you strawberry parfait?
Hinano: (English) I’m sweet girl.
Arisa: Ohhhhh?
Haru: (English) Ohhhhh? Really?
Hinano: (English) Oh yeah!
Arisa: (English) Not really.
Hinano: (English) Nooooo!
Haru: (English) Very spicy.
Hiano: (English) No no no! Sweet! Sweet! Sweet girl!
Haru: (English) Spicy.
Haru: Soft cream!
Vanilla?
Haru: (English) Vanilla! Because I like soft cream!
Everyone: Whooo!
Arisa: (English) Cake! Because, because, (Japanese) To make sweet. I’ll make everyone sweet.
Hinano: (English) You are sweet girl?
Arisa: Yeah!
Hinano: (English) Woah! Yeah! Me too! Me too!
Haru: Me too!
Arisa: (To Haru) No!
Mana: (English) Crepe! Because, (Japanese) It’s sweet so it’s tasty.
Haru: (English) Sweet girl.
Hinano: (English) Love? Eat it up?
Mana: (English) Yeah, eat it up.
Everyone: (English) Eat it up! Eat it up!
If you all were a family, who would be the father, mother, older sister, and younger sister?
Arisa: Ohhh? Ehhh?
Mana: Ehhh?
Haru: (To Mana) (English) Sister. Younger sister. (Japanese) Younger sister.
Arisa: Yeah, yeah yeah.
Hinano: (To Mana) Yeah! Younger sister.
Haru: Uhhh, (To Hinano) pet. Pet!
Hinano: (English) No! No! No! No!
Arisa: (Imitating a dog bark) Wan wan! Wan wan!
Haru: (Imitating a dog bark) Wan wan! Wan wan!
Hinano: (To Haru and Arisa) (English) Children!
Arisa: (English) Children?!
Mana: (English) Children?!
Haru: (English) Children?! Oh, no father, no mother!
Hinano: (English) No father, no mother!
Arisa: (English) Children, yay!
Haru: (English) Ah, children.
Hiano: (Points to everyone) (English) Children. Children!
Arisa: (English) Children!
Everyone is a child?
Everyone: Yeah!
There is no father or mother?
Everyone: (English) No! No!
Haru: Sometimes, just sometimes, because I’m the oldest-
Hinano: (English) Most, most-
Haru: (English) Most old.
The oldest sister?
Everyone: Yeah! Yeah! Yes!
Haru: Sometimes, right?
Hinano: Sometimes.
Arisa: Sometimes the mother.
Hinano: Just a little bit. Just a little bit.
Haru: (To Hinano) (English) But, but pet. (Japanese) But leader. (English) Real leader.
Hinano: (English) Yeah! Group leader! I am group leader!
Haru: (English) But pet. But pet.
Hinano: But pet.
Arisa: But pet.
Hinano: That kind of feeling.
What is the difference between Japanese fans and American fans?
Arisa: Energy. The energy is good in America.
Hinano: America, “Wooooo!!!”
Haru: Friendly.
Arisa: Friendly.
Hinano: During meeting times, when we cross paths, the eye contact. They’ll give us smiles. When a Japanese fan would meet [eyes] (she turns her head in example of a Japanese fan avoiding eye contact).
Arisa: (English) Shy! Japanese, shy!
Hinano: (English) Shy! Shy!
Haru: (English) Shy! Shy! Shy! Japanese, shy!
Arisa: American-
Haru: Friendly!
Can you please give a message to your fans?
Arisa: Yes! Today, LINKSTAR’s came to let people experience Japanese culture but we wonder if we properly had the American fans experience it? We will work hard in order to come back to L.A..
Haru: (English) Come back.
Arisa: Please wait for us!
Haru: (English) I’ll be back.
Hinano and Mana: (English) I’ll be back.
Haru and Arisa: (English) I’ll be back.
Everyone: (English) Woooooo!!!
Arisa: (English) See you!
Hinano: (English) See you next time!
Haru: Bye bye!
Arisa: (English) I’m happy!
Haru: (English) Very happy!
Everyone: Woooooo!!
Check out LINKSTAR’s most recent single at their official Youtube channel.
In addition, LINKSTAR’s is going to be debuting a new member soon! To keep up with LINKSTAR’s and their new member as soon as she debuts, follow them on their social media.
Links:
Interview and photography by Serrina Lam, David Chang, Zach Keo.
Interview edit by Garry Mackenzie.