An Interview with Takanashi Kiara of hololive English

#4 in our series of interviews with the members of hololive English is a fiery girl fluent in German, Japanese, and English, whom one might even say she is the cultural bridge between the members of hololive production: Takanashi Kiara! We scored a one-on-one conversation with Kiara covering everything from her obsession with Japanese culture and hololive production, and her debut as a VTuber, to the ins-and-outs of her super popular talk show, HOLOTALK.

――You mentioned that you had your hololive English audition during your stay in Japan. Can you share how you became interested in Japan and what brought you to Japan?
Kiara: It was a mix of things that all happened around the same time. For example, when I was very young, my sister gifted me a manga in German called Sugar Sugar Rune! However, it was not the first volume, but the third or fourth. So that got me curious to see more. Around the same time, I went to the city library often and found a small corner with manga. One that I fell in love with was Oh My Goddess! So I started reading manga. Another big reason was that my mother gave me and my brother a copy of Tales of Symphonia for the GameCube. Back then, I did not know anything about Japanese RPGs, and did not watch anime yet either. So the art style was very new to me, and I loved the system and story of the game. When I tried to play it, I found myself lost sometimes and looked up some guide online, which led me to a big fan community for Tales games. Knowing that there were so many more games like this, I got hooked and wanted to play them all! My love for Tales games then got me to start drawing in anime-manga style, because I really wanted to draw characters like in Tales of Symphonia. With that, I fell deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole that was Japanese pop culture, growing a deep interest in many other aspects of Japan too.

――You have mentioned that you faced many hardships because of the global pandemic during your stay in Japan. Despite all the hardships, are there any memorable achievements or fun moments that happened during your stay in Japan?
Kiara: I need to note that this one-year in Japan was not my first one, I had lived in Japan before. So, most things were not really new to me, I already was feeling very cozy and at home in Tokyo. But when I stayed in Japan before, I only got to live in and visit Kanto and Kansai areas mostly, so I wanted to use this 1 year stay to travel more, see more. Immediately after I arrived in Japan, the pandemic started, so I could not travel much, but I did get to go to Fukuoka and Hokkaido, and they were amazing!

――It is well-known to the viewers that you have become obsessed with Usada Pekora from hololive Gen 3 during your stay in Japan. Could you share with us what it is about her that appeals to you?
Kiara: When I moved to Japan for the one-year stay, I had many plans. hololive English auditions were not in sight yet, so that was not my plan. However, the pandemic stopped me from doing pretty much anything. I had a working holiday visa that you could use only once in a lifetime, and can neither extend nor pause, so I felt like I was wasting my precious time. It made me feel very sad and I cried a lot out of frustration. I had so much time on my hands, but could not do anything, so I started watching Pekora-senpai’s streams every day. I scrolled all the way to her oldest streams and started watching her archives until I caught up to the newest ones. It took me weeks, but I really grew to respect and love her, and she cheered me up in some dark hours when I had nothing else.

――When you found out that hololive production was hosting VTuber auditions, what made you decide to audition?
Kiara: I saw the auditions a while after getting into Pekora-senpai and I watched some other members too so at this point I was already a fan of hololive production. I thought that with my skills and my interests, it was the perfect opportunity for me. I was super motivated to give it a try, and I thought I was the ideal candidate! Conveniently, I did not have a proper job at the current time, so nothing was holding me back. I thought maybe this is my last chance to use my talents, too.

――How did you feel when you were informed that you had passed the audition and got accepted into hololive production? Were there any changes in your life after you passed the audition?
Kiara: Of course I was super excited and happy. I felt super proud of myself but also could not quite grasp yet that I would be part of the same company as Usada Pekora, Shirakami Fubuki, and many other great, talented people. My life changed a lot after that. I felt so free and motivated. Having a big audience that appreciates your hard work makes you want to work harder, right? I used to be very lazy before joining hololive English, but now, and only when it comes to hololive production, I am a bit of a workaholic. I stream the longest hours in holoEN. I can do that now because I feel like it is worth it. I am very happy to have been given this opportunity.

――What kind of special skills and charms did you want to show to the viewers on your debut stream? Looking back on it, how successful do you think it was?
Kiara: I really don’t like thinking of my debut and the time after, [laughs]. I don’t think it was that great, especially because my genmates were very impressive in showcasing their skills. I think I have great skills too, but some of them are difficult to show off in a one-hour debut stream. People nowadays say I have the best social skills in holoEN, that I bring out the best in people, that I’m a great organizer and mood maker too. These are things that only really stand out after a longer period of time. I feel like I had to prove my worth and worked hard for it.

――What are some things you have personally wanted to improve on after you debuted?
Kiara: The first few months were stressful for me and I had a lot of technical difficulties. Also, dealing with a lot of eyes on me suddenly was difficult too. So, I naturally wanted to of course improve the environment and equipment I was streaming with, first and foremost. For someone who streams almost every day, this is extremely important. A good microphone, a soundproof room, although the latter is difficult to get in Japan. I did my best to move out of my old small one room apartment as soon as possible because my neighbor would bang on my wall even when I was just whispering. Other than technical things, I tried to improve on other things like interacting with others and balancing the amount of Japanese I would speak in my streams, since my main audience is English speaking, but I spoke a lot of Japanese too to appeal to everybody. In hindsight, I think in general that is a good idea, but not everybody is going to enjoy that, when they look for an English-speaking streamer. I still speak a little bit of Japanese these days but it’s definitely less than before.

――The project “HOLOTALK”, the program to introduce Japanese hololive members, started in November 2020 and it was only two months after your debut. Is this project something you wanted to do before your debut? How did you come up with “HOLOTALK?”
Kiara: I think I came up with it after my debut when I was struggling to find something that I was the best in my generation, and something that would make me stand out. Something that only I could do. Out of Myth, I had the best Japanese skills, and I had good social skills, so I thought of this concept where I could use my talents!

――You often surprise viewers of the HOLOTALK with episodes that even Japanese hololive fans don’t know about. Please tell us about how you prepare for your interviews.
Kiara: I am a fan of hololive, but I don’t know everything about the girls in holoJP, so I do take some help from viewers. I always gather questions from the guests’ real fans, preferably not from random people. That is because I think if you know someone well, then you know what questions are best to ask to show off your Oshi. After that, I filter out the questions, I have to go through hundreds of them, to find the good ones, sort them, translate them, and put them into graphics for the stream. At the same time, I explain the whole rundown of the show and what I need to the talent, gathering materials for the opening scene, thumbnail, and singing performance. The opening is always put together by Watson Amelia, but the singing performance is something I edit myself. The preparation takes a week, but I am most nervous during the actual stream. I have to focus a lot to change scenes, note down everything the guest says, then translate it all and keep the conversation going. I am not a professional translator, and live translating is actually really tough. Of course I want to translate everything accurately to also respect my senpais, so there is a lot of pressure.

――There are 20+ “HOLOTALK” episodes and many guests were interviewed. However, there still are lots of hololive members who have not made their appearance yet. Are you planning on interviewing all Japanese hololive members?
Kiara: Generally yes, but for new members like holoX I want to wait until they have “stories to tell.” At least a year, if not more. I have been doing HOLOTALK for a while now so a part of me also thinks about moving on to newer projects, but for now I am continuing it! It is my baby, after all.

――You have a lot of fans who hold your communication skills and drive in high regard. Were you always a proactive communicator and someone who liked to try new things even before your debut?
Kiara: Supposedly yes, but even though I am good at it, it does not necessarily mean I like it or feel confident in it. My social skills are good because I don’t like awkward moments. But I don’t like being at parties or other situations with strangers, where I have to socialize. Even with close friends I don’t meet often because I prefer being alone, at home. But still I am an open person and I can make friends easily if I want to, I think.

――Are there times when you feel nervous or scared to try new things? If so, how do you overcome those feelings?
Kiara: There are so many VTubers now, that we have to try new things, otherwise we don’t stand out. For example, a while ago I did a collaboration with my genmates where I taught them dance in VR chat. I am not a good teacher but dancing is my hobby and it was something new! I was nervous about being able to entertain well while dancing and teaching, but to be honest, people really enjoy even the scuff moments.

――You’re trilingual in German, English, and Japanese. How did you learn all these languages? If you have any tips you can share, we would love to hear them.
Kiara: Well, German is my mother tongue, English I learned at school, so I think both of these don’t count. For Japanese, I did not have a teacher, I did not use any textbooks whatsoever. I just was really passionate and motivated to learn the language, so I talked to Japanese people every day. I learned how to read and talk in Japanese through pure communication, and I can definitely recommend that. To be honest, it probably was also easy because I was young, it does become more difficult to learn a language the older you get so don’t beat yourself up over it. If you can, communicate a lot, maybe even travel or move to the country of the language you want to learn. If you live there for one year I can almost guarantee you, you will become fluent in those languages!

――Are there any specific archives aside from “HOLOTALK” that you would recommend to the new fans and why would you recommend them?
Kiara: I love to play long RPGs on my channel, so if you are into that, maybe check out my Tales of Arise or Yakuza: 0 game play. If they want something non-RPG, people love my Sims4 streams, as they are very chaotic and funny. Minecraft of course always works too! I prefer to go on adventures rather than building though! I also have some fun cooking streams or similar streams where I use a webcam and show my hands. For example, a recent series of mine is WORLD SNACKS, where I order and try snack boxes from various countries. So far we have tried snack boxes from Guatemala, Korea, Sweden, and Spain. I show off the snacks and give them a rating!

――What are the moments that make you feel happy about your life as a hololive production member?
Kiara: Basically every time I stream, I feel very happy because my fans are just so sweet and kind. It makes me feel so warm and loved. But if I had to mention any big things, it would be that I get to make more music and have it actually be appreciated by people. Also, of course I love interacting with other hololive production members in collaborations. I am really glad I met all these lovely girls and hope I can work with them for much longer.

――What impressions do you want to give to your viewers with your live streams?
Kiara: I want to come across as energetic, I want to entertain people. Give them something to laugh and talk about! I really dread awkward silence in my streams, so I talk a loooot. I want every moment to be special, every stream to be worth watching. I want my fans to think they chose the right person to support!

――How do you feel about the other holoMyth members who debuted with you? What do they mean to you?
Kiara: I think it took me a while to warm up to all of them, because we all live in different time zones, and I barely had a chance to talk and collab with for example Gura and Amelia. Nowadays I think we all have grown closer and are very comfortable with each other. Being the first generation of something big, means we had to experiment a lot and do a lot on our own, and even if there was a lot of trial and error and problems throughout all of it, I think we became a really strong generation that makes great content and has a perfect balance. We complete each other, because everybody contributes something. There are many things that we could not have done, if it wasn’t for this specific lineup of people. I am really glad we grew into this together, and that fate brought us to this place.

――Now that you have more “Kouhai”, how does it feel to be called “Senpai”? What are some of the difficulties of being a senpai?
Kiara: From where I am from, the whole Kouhai-Senpai mindset is not really strong. I did however pick it up well in Japan when I worked there also before joining hololive production, and I do appreciate it. I think in some ways it can create an unnecessary wall or hold people back and intimidate them, but in general, at least within hololive production, it can be a very fun dynamic. I, for example, also benefitted from it when I asked Marine senpai for advice. We met up for an all you can eat cake buffet, and talked for hours. It is great to have someone to ask about things that have been troubling or challenging, so I hope I can help my juniors the same way. I think that the hololive English management did not want to divide us by generations, so they called us “Myth” ” Project:HOPE” and “Council”, but it still feels like generations. It is kind of inevitable, I think, and I don’t think it is a bad thing to have some kind of seniority going on, because at least Project:HOPE and Council can come to Myth if they need help, inspiration or advice. But I do think we generally have a different approach to it and interact a bit differently than holoJP for example. Those are cultural differences, and it’s fun to see how the western mindset mixes with the Japanese one here.

――On March 19 and 20, you participated in the hololive SUPER EXPO 2022 and hololive 3rd fes. Link Your Wish. How was the event?
Kiara: It was the first time that Myth and first generation of ID showcased their 3D models. We waited for this a long long time, so we were all really excited and nervous about it. I think all of us did great and left a good impression, and performing in a huge venue like Makuhari is definitely something I am proud of and want to show off to my friends and family!! I was watching previous hololive concerts on my channel together with the viewers until then. So I think my fans were also very moved by the fact that the girl they used to watch these concerts together with, was now finally is on the stage by herself. Now, I have many new goals and aspirations! I am super motivated to plan for more concerts, hopefully one day with all of holoEN, or a Myth solo concert, or a Kiara solo concert… The possibilities are there, we just have to make them a reality!

――How would you describe your road as a hololive production member so far? What has changed the most?
Kiara: It was pretty rocky in the first few months. I feel embarrassed when looking at my old archives. But I did work hard every day, every month. What changed the most was not really myself, I think I mostly stayed the same while improving myself. But my environment changed a lot. I left Japan in 2021. However, I do have my friends, family, and cats here. Overall, I feel more comfortable now. Another thing that changed is, I was very self-conscious in the beginning. I always compared myself with my genmates and was worried about my growth and success too much. Nowadays, I can look at everything more relaxed, I think. I do think it is inevitable if you are being put into a group like this to compare yourself, almost everyone does it. But that kind of competition at least makes you want to improve yourself, right?

――What kind of dreams that you have fulfilled by becoming a hololive production member and what dreams you want to fulfill in the future?
Kiara: I think one of my biggest accomplishments personally was being sponsored by my favorite video game series, the Tales of series, specifically for their newest game Tales of Arise. I was their ambassador to the English region, so it went on for several months, and I was so happy and honored to be part of it. It was great working with them and I hope we can do it again in the future. Actually, looking back at my debut stream, I already accomplished pretty much all of my goals that I listed there back then. I do want to continue making more music and be integrated as a character in video games or voice a character for an anime or video game! Now that we showcased our 3D, I want to make 3D music videos, 3D birthday concert, plan my own solo concert at a real venue, and many more. I also want to do lots of collaborations with other members in 3D, because it gives us much more ways to express ourselves with our full body! And I want to reach two million subscribers this year!

――Last question, do you have any messages for your Japanese fans?
Kiara: I really love my Japanese fans, for their humor and kindness, so I hope they did not forget me yet, and I would love to see more of them joining me in the future too. I do still occasionally mix Japanese language in my streams, trying to make it understandable for the ones who can’t speak English well. Also I hope I can come back to Japan soon to not only interact with holoJP members again but also to just enjoy the food, culture and scenery again. I really miss being in Japan! So please support me, and I will continue to do my best! Thank you for watching my streams and I hope to see you soon!