How The Second Half of 2023 and The First Half of 2024 Will Profit MusicRay’n Generation 3
Surprisingly, MusicRay’n Generation 3, now shifts completely, only to 3 people: Hinata Moka, Aikawa Kanata, and Natsume Kokona. Natsume Kokona just did the best ever performance, even on par with Aikawa Kanata’s performance as Ooto Ai in Wonder Egg Priority 2 years ago, and even in a better timing. Meanwhile, Aikawa Kanata and Hinata Moka now do more essential …
MusicRay’n Generation 3 itself, approaching the 4th anniversary of their debut on December 9 2023, is surprisingly walking in a direction that is not only positive, but also full of optimism for the future. This is quite interesting considering that the anime industry in Japan is experiencing a counter-productive post-pandemic period which has resulted in a decrease in anime production compared to usual.
Indeed, if we look at the facts, the Summer and Autumn 2023 period is more intended as an incubation period for the next anime rennaissance, at least for A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks which are still in the same holding as MusicRay’n (Sony Music Japan). In fact, because of this, MusicRay’n chose to oversee Drama Renaissance which is happening for these 2 seasons in Japanese television, which are happening, interestedly, by the moves of TBS and TV Asahi-ABEMA (both are still related to anime industry, and even the other one are part of Idoly Pride’s production team), and surprisingly, Nojima Shinji-san (Wonder Egg Priority) as one of the individuals.
1. Drama Renaissance and Recent Trends of Japanese Television
As mentioned at the beginning, the Drama Renaissance on Japanese television at the moment is driven by TBS and TV Asahi-ABEMA, even Nojima Shinji-san too. The drama(s) who made this Renaissance, like TBS’s VIVANT, Nojima Shinji-san & TV ASAHI-ABEMA’s Nanyoubi ni Umareta No for Summer 2023, or just look at TBS’s Autumn 2023 drama collections (which one of the dramas are also casting seiyuus like Date Sayuri which is more known for Liella of Love Live Superstar), when technically they are also working for Gotoubun no Hanayome’s special TV OVA this Summer and Autumn:
https://youtu.be/opcygPxteTY?si=lCNDPQ0bIEOAG-DX
What’s interesting is that in the majority of existing series, romance and love themes between a girl and a boy, appear quite a lot.
With the facts those dramas went so successfully in Japan, now, of course it’s undoubtedful if then light novel industry as the leading actor of publishing among today’s Japanese demographics, want to discover more the romantic genres. And, of course, it might influence also anime industry for the next 3 years.
2. “A lot of changes happened too, in Idoly Pride”
Not many people realize that the situation within Idoly Pride is really getting different day by day. For example, Takao Kanon who currently also plays a role in Bang Dream series (related to MyGO), or a reduction in specific content distribution, especially throughout Summer and Autumn 2023. Of course, this isn’t a good situation for MusicRay’n Generation 3, considering they’re just re-promoting older content like "shiny shiny" by Narumiya Suzu (CV: Aikawa Kanata) and Hayasaka Mei (CV: Hinata Moka).
However, good news has also emerged, such as from Ishiya Haruki-san, who has been filling in for Makino Kōhei since 2020, who is now starting to move beyond his original genre (in idol contents) to light novels, especially Kadokawa’s light novels. Only 2 weeks ago, he just went to work with Iwami Manaka-san (Otonari no Tenshi-sama, Uma Musume) and Suzushiro Sayumi (Bokutachi wa Benkyo ga Dekinai, Shine Post, Bocchi The Rock), to promote the newest romantic light novel from Kadokawa:
3. And The Fool Was Coming, Called “Moshi mo Kimi-to Koi wo Shitara”
No one could believe about what they have already seen, in May 2023, if it was also part of April Fool’s Day (of course it could not be said as part of it, because of the release date in May 2023) …
Let me tell you a story, it was May 2023 too in Hoshimi Production, and suddenly, Makino Kōhei were receiving and accepting offers from game industry to cast Hoshimi’s idols in their own game; one of them are becoming main character’s voice actress for their game. The first idol to doing this job is Ichinose Rei (CV: Moeko Yūki). And yet, I am the one who didn’t like the concept of the story in this visual novel “game-in-the-game” for Rei’s part. You can watch by yourselves, as one of Idoly Pride fans has uploaded it:
https://youtu.be/rhb7O_FNOrA?si=cnxM4K6cg407tHAp
Anyway, Ishiya Haruki-san also voices the male protagonist of MoshiKoi.
4. But then, the miracle comes, through Ibuki Nagisa and Natsume Kokona
And now, the story turned up into different path, when a fool is transformed into a miracle …
On the November 13th, 2023, we have received the announcement, there will be a new MoshiKoi in the future. This edition of MoshiKoi will cast Ibuki Nagisa (CV: Natsume Kokona) as the main character’s voice actress.
What makes me greatly appreciated on this is “the story.” Contrary to the Rei’s MoshiKoi, Nagisa’s MoshiKoi is probably the first ever Idoly Pride-related work without any connections to Idoly Pride itself! MoshiKoi’s Ibuki Nagisa, here, is in the most different with Idoly Pride’s Ibuki Nagisa. In the Idoly Pride universe, Ibuki Nagisa is a bisexual character, who always does tributaries-in-romance to Nagase Kotono, her childhood “friend-girlfriend,” and some days, goes flithring on the manager, Makino Kōhei. In the next edition of MoshiKoi, Ibuki Nagisa is, compared to HoneyWorks’s Setoguchi Hina (CV: Asakura Momo, Natsume Kokona’s direct senpai in MusicRay’n) or another HoneyWorks character which is voiced by Tomatsu Haruka, Kokona’s great senpai in this Sony-related agency, a girl who has aspirations to be light novel writer, but also a crush to her childhood friend, who then becomes her boyfriend-by-accident related to her light novel project, until her own marry with him, in real and literal situation.
For MusicRay’n Generation 3, this highly-difficult task is secondly casted. The previous one is when Aikawa Kanata did voice acting for Episode 11, 12 and Special Episode of Wonder Egg Priority as Ooto Ai. In those episodes, 2 episodes were actually resemblances of another Nippon TV-Nojima Shinji’s drama, High School Teacher, in the 90s, and the other one was actually the genesis of Nanyoubi ni Umareta No, which is co-produced by Nojima Shinji-san with TV Asahi, and interestedly, one of Idoly Pride’s producers, ABEMA of CyberAgent. With these facts, don’t be surprised if Aikawa Kanata is quite happy with Natsume Kokona on the latest episode of their own radio show on Second Shot Channel, even going as far as teasing Natsume Kokona’s style of personality.
Indeed, it is quite rare for a MusicRay’n Generation 3 member to be able to accept the role of main protagonist, so it is natural that everyone is really happy.
5. From Hinata Moka’s well done jobs to Natsume Kokona’s remarkable MoshiKoi, will year 2024 become the best year of MusicRay’n Generation 3?
By considering all these facts, it should be quite easy to come to the conclusion that MusicRay’n Generation 3 will enter its best year in 2024. Moreover, considering the entire industry in Japan, today, Natsume Kokona can be said to be on par with Iwami Manaka-san, because of her dynamic balance with Ishiya Haruki-san. The success of Nanyoubi ni Umareta no with Kurome Sui as "the perfect Wonder Egg Priority," by Nojima Shinji-san, ABEMA, and TV Asahi, also gave new life to the original series, and of course, Aikawa Kanata as the voice cast of the main protagonist, Ooto Ai.
However, the greatest hope still lies with ANIPLEX, especially A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks. We received information that A-1 and CW are looking for new staff for 2024, so we can predict that those staffs must be on working for, at least, Winter 2024 or Summer 2025’s animes. If we remember again, Wonder Egg Priority was created also for training new animators and new staffs in CloverWorks, who then brought up us Sono Bisque Doll, Bocchi The Rock, and next Winter 2024’s Nige Jōzu no Wakagimi. We can also hopefully see another cast besides of Aikawa Kanata, from MusicRay’n Generation 3, to be also casted with A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks.
