The official cheerleading team of the Rakuten Eagles, "Tohoku Golden Angels", and the girls support unit of Vissel Kobe, "Vissel Seleia", made their first joint appearance at the Rakuten Super Baseball Game on August 1st. They performed a live performance to the tune of "Dekikkonai wo Yaranakucha" by Sambomaster.Get a close look at the valuable collaboration of these women who usually operate from different bases!I spoke just before the performance.

――How do you find the atmosphere at Tokyo Dome? I assume that  members of Vissel Cereia rarely get a chance to visit a baseball stadium?

SUZUKA (Vissel Selreia) It’s quite spacious, isn’t it?The Noevir Stadium Kobe, where we always perform, has a close distance between the pitch and the stands, making it easy for our voices to reach the audience. However, I think it wouldn’t be as simple with such a large space.We must be creative in the way we communicate through performance.

SENON (Vissel Seleia) It also has a large number of spectators. The Tokyo Dome can hold about 50,000 people, so it seems like the atmosphere can be overwhelming.

SUZUKA (Vissel Seleia)

SENON (Vissel Seleia)

—What are the things you both are conscious of, considering this is your first collaboration?

HARU (Tohoku Golden Angels) Opportunities like this are very rare, so I think we will be figuring things out as we go along. For instance, I believe it is important to frequently communicate and confirm movements with those who perform in close proximity to us.

HARUKA (Vissel Celeia) It’s important to make eye contact during a performance. There are quite a few things that can be conveyed just by making eye contact, even without speaking.Since we don’t usually work together, I feel it would be beneficial if we could understand each other’s characteristics and adjust to each other.

HARU (Tohoku Golden Angels)

HARUKA (Vissel Seleia)

――What impressions do you have of each other’s units?

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels) Seireia is cute, and especially her Kansai dialect is great!I believe it has a strong sense of community involvement, making it easy for the people of Kobe to relate to.

CHINARU (Vissel Seleia) I thinks that Angels dialect is very cute.In professional baseball, the Rakuten Eagles is the only team in Tohoku, so I feel there is a charm that significantly attracts fans just by speaking in the Tohoku dialect.

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels) Not only from Miyagi and Sendai, but also from places like Aomori, there are members who bring a unique flavor to the group with their slight differences in intonation.

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels)

CHINARU (Vissel Seleia)

— Do you feel that through your daily activities, you are able to contribute to the excitement of the athletes and fans?

OUKA (Tohoku Golden Angels) Sometimes during the game, I cheer with the cheerleading team. When the team scores in such situations, I feel like I’ve been able to contribute a bit.The power of each individual may be small, but if everyone combines their strength, it becomes a great cheer.It’s a moment when we can feel the significance of our existence.

CHINARU (Vissel Seleia) Rather than getting hyped up with cheers, we use halftime and such to go to the audience with the club mascot, “Movi”, and do greetings, so the distance with the fans might be close.I would be happy if I could serve as a bridge connecting the team and our customers.

OUKA (Tohoku Golden Angels)

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels)

――The Rakuten Super Baseball Game is being held under the slogan”Powered by Sports. Playing for All. A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER”. What does a “Better future of sports” look like to you all?

SENON (Vissel Seleia) I believe the charm of sports is that it can be enjoyed with various people such as family, lovers, friends, and colleagues.I believe that it would be a good situation for the sport if people start to watch sports that they have never seen or played before, regardless of their gender or age.

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels) In the Angels, there are members who are instructors at cheerleading dance schools, and I believe it is also our role to popularize cheerleading.I would be delighted if the children who come to watch baseball games not only admire the players but also become fond of cheerleading.That is the “Better future of sports” we want to realize.

——Lastly, please tell us about the charm of each team you are supporting.

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels) Both the Rakuten Eagles and the Angels celebrated their 20th anniversary this year.Thanks to the support not only from Sendai, our home base, but also from everyone across Tohoku, we have been able to come this far.With our feelings of gratitude, we plan to participate in various events in different regions of Tohoku.I believe that our connection with such regions is part of our charm.Furthermore, Rakuten Eagles has raised the slogan “Itadaki!” this year and their pose is also cute, so please pay attention to them!

SUZUKA (Vissel Cereia) With players like Yuya Osako and Hotaru Yamaguchi, who have made their mark overseas and in the Japanese national team, I believe it’s a team with a lot of flair.Even if it’s your first time coming to watch a Vissel Kobe match, you might say, “I know this player!”I think it might turn out to be like that. Since they won the J.LEAGUE last year, I think it’s definitely interesting to support a strong team.I hope you strive for a second consecutive win!

During the live performance held before the game, the cheerleaders of the Taiwanese professional baseball team, Rakuten Monkeys, known as ‘Rakuten Girls’, also participated, delivering a brisk performance in perfect harmony.Although it didn’t happen this time, next time I would like to hear from the Rakuten Girls’ members who are familiar with different Baseball cultures.Watching sports is not just about the games, but also the “cheering” is one of the real pleasures.The atmosphere of the venue is crucial for boosting the team’s momentum.And for hyping up the audience, the presence of cheerleading and support units is indispensable.Now, having overcome the period when they couldn’t voice out due to the COVID-19 crisis, their presence is gradually increasing.

INTERVIEW&TEXT: Kodai Wada
PHOTO: Teppei Hori
EDIT: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)