The "Tohoku Golden Angels," official cheerleaders for the Rakuten Eagles, joined forces for the first time with the "Vissel Sereia," Vissel Kobe's cheer unit, at the Rakuten Super Nighter on August 1st. Together they performed live to Sambomaster's track "Dekikkonai wo Yaranakucha." We went behind the scenes with these two groups who normally work in completely different parts of Japan, speaking with them right before their big performance.

— It must be a unique experience for the Vissel Sereia members to visit a baseball stadium. What’s your impression of Tokyo Dome?

SUZUKA (Vissel Sereia) “My first impression was that it’s huge. At the Noevir Stadium Kobe where we normally perform, the pitch and stands are placed close together, so it’s easier to have our voices heard by the supporters. But I imagine it must be difficult to make yourself heard in a venue this size. We’re going to have to think about how to project ourselves.”

SENON (Vissel Sereia) “The crowd size is different, too. I hear that Tokyo Dome holds about 50,000 people, so the atmosphere will probably be something else!”

SUZUKA (Vissel Sereia)

SENON (Vissel Sereia)

— This is the first time you’re working together. What are some thoughts as you prepare?

HARU (Tohoku Golden Angels)think we’re going to be figuring it out as we go, but it will probably come down to communicating well with members performing close to you, making sure our movements are in sync, things like that.”

HARUKA (Vissel Sereia) I think making eye contact during the performance is important too. I’ve learned that so much can be communicated with just a look, even without words. Since we don’t usually perform together, I think it would be best to try to understand each other’s performance habits so we can be on the same page.”

HARU (Tohoku Golden Angels)

HARUKA (Vissel Sereia)

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

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels)“The Sereia are so cute, and I especially love the Kansai dialect! It gives a real sense of local connection, and I think it’s something that endears them to Kobe fans.”

CHINARU (Vissel Sereia) “I think the Angels’ accents are really cute too. The Rakuten Eagles are the only professional baseball team in Tohoku, so I think just speaking the Tohoku dialect gives you this magnetic charm that pulls fans in.”

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels) “We have members from different parts of the Tohoku region, like Aomori, so the slight differences in intonation might actually be part of what makes each of us unique.”

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels)

CHINARU (Vissel Sereia)

— Are there moments in your daily activities when you feel you’re genuinely contributing to the excitement for players and fans?

OUKA (Tohoku Golden Angels) “Sometimes during games we raise our voices to cheer with the cheering section, and when the team scores right after, I feel like we helped contribute a little. The role of each person might be small, but together we can turn it into a huge roar of support. Those are the moments when I feel our presence really means something.”

CHINARU (Vissel Sereia) “It’s a little different for us, we go into the stands during halftime and do fan greetings with our club mascot ‘Movi.’ It’s more of connecting with supporters, as opposed to hyping the crowd during the game. We want to be the bridge that connects the team and the supporters.”

OUKA (Tohoku Golden Angels)

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels)

— The Rakuten Super Nighter is held under the slogan “A Better Future Together Through Sports.” What would a “better future for sports” look like to you?

SENON (Vissel Sereia) “I think the charm of sports is that you can enjoy it with all kinds of people, be it your family, your partner, your friends, or your colleagues. When people start going to watch sports they’ve never seen or tried before, regardless of gender or age, I think that’s a great sign for any sport.”

HONOKA (Tohoku Golden Angels) “Some of our members are also instructors at cheer dance schools, and we see spreading cheer as part of our role. If kids who come to watch the Eagles’ games take an interest in cheerleading as much as in the players, that would make us so happy. That’s the ‘better future for sports’ I want to help create.”

— Finally, can you each tell us what makes your respective teams special?

MEI (Tohoku Golden Angels) “The Rakuten Eagles and the Angels are both celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. We’ve been supported by people across Tohoku, not just in Sendai, and that’s what brought us this far. In order to express our gratitude, we plan to participate in events across various regions of Tohoku. I think that local connection is one of our most important qualities. The Eagles’ team slogan this year is ‘Itadaki!’ ― and the pose that goes with it is so cute, so we definitely want you to keep an eye out!”

SUZUKA (Vissel Sereia)“Vissel Kobe has so many famous names who’ve shone in overseas leagues and with the Japanese national team ― like Yuya Osako and Hotaru Yamaguchi. It’s a really star-studded club. Even someone coming for the first time would probably recognize a player and go, ‘Oh, I know that person!’ And having won the J.League last year, cheering for a strong team is always exciting. Here’s hoping for back-to-back titles!”

A live performance before the game also featured the Rakuten Girls cheerleaders for the Rakuten Monkeys in Taiwanese professional baseball, and wowed the crowd with perfectly synchronized moves with the Angels and Sereia. While we couldn’t get an interview with the Rakuten Girls at this event, next time we’d love to bring in their perspective on a different baseball culture. Game-day experience isn’t just about the match, after all ― cheering has come to play a vital role, too. The atmosphere in the stadium makes a big difference in firing up the team, and cheerleaders and support units are indispensable for energizing the crowd. With the restriction of cheering during the COVID years finally behind us, their presence is more powerful than ever.

Interview & Text: Kodai Wada
Photo: Teppei Hori
Edit: Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)