Takanori Nishikawa
People
That introverted aspect of myself contributes
to communicating with people through my music.
T.M.Revolution
Born in Shiga, Japan, Takanori Nishikawa made his debut in the pop music world as T.M.Revolution (short for Takanori Makes Revolution) in 1996. Over next six years, he would develop a massive following in Japan, with his fanbase turning international in 2002 with the release of “INVOKE,” the theme song to the epic anime series Gundam SEED. T.M.Revolution has built a global funbase and performed at major anime conventions in America including Otakon in 2003 and Pacific Media Expo in 2004.
Takanori Nishikawa, a.k.a. T.M.Revolution, has led the Japanese music scene for over a decade. He has been working avidly in numerous fields, and he draws the attention of a cross-cultural audience. A month before his live performance at New York Comic Con in April, he opened up for Chopsticks New York readers.
What does T.M.Revolution aim at?
Since it’s a solo act, I use my own voice and even my way of living to reach people and communicate with them as much as possible. In accomplishing this, I have been performing inside and outside Japan. Through these performances, I do love meeting more people.
Your voice represents your message?
Through my long career, I have come to realize that the act of singing is very close to that of talking and telling. So, yes, your guess is right.
What kind of musicians or artists influenced you?
There is no end to the list of names. Not only from the field of rock’n’roll but also rhythm & blues and club music–I would say I have been influenced by every kind of music that I’ve ever listened to. But if I must pick one person, it would be my grandfather on my mother’s side, although he has nothing to do with music. He was my role model in my childhood. He’s a retired police officer, and his way of living influenced me to build up my personality. I think it’s because I stayed with him all the time while my parents were out working.
T.M.Revolution has been at the top of the Japanese music scene for a long time. Would you share any tips for being a sprinter in the long run?
The most important thing is to keep being grateful to my fans, my staff, and my family members who support me. Being a sprinter is hard, and painful sometimes, but if you have supporters’ encouragement, you are able to challenge hardships and even overcome them. So, I think gratitude to them is the key to being on top for a long period.
What is hot in the Japanese music scene now?
In my opinion, the current music scene in Japan is in recession. It’s like the industry itself is exhausted. This is a global trend, I think, but downloading and file sharing are more popular than buying CD albums. Even in these circumstances, I’d like to create music that makes listeners want to buy the CD. Also, due to the advancement of computer software, it’s easy to compose music on a household computer program. This might discourage people from playing instruments, and, actually, I notice that the number of players is decreasing these days. I am from a band generation, and that spirit dominates a large part of my music. So I formed a band called “abingdon boys school” the year before last and started performing aside from my T.M.Revolution activity. This is my wishful thinking that things would go back to the original, something more human and something born from flesh and blood.
Your activity is not limited to T.M.Revolution—you are also a voice actor and radio personality, among other things. Do you have a personal goal? If so, please tell us about that project.
Last year I appeared in a musical after an interval of eight years. Through this performance–and I know this is a repetition of my previous statement–I have been reassured that singing, talking, delivering a message, and communicating are all connected.
Aside from your job, what interests you most now?
Last autumn, I happened to start keeping a puppy. It’s a female toy poodle. It is nice to feel somebody is waiting for me at home. She’s friendly and easily attached to anybody. In a way, she’s so friendly she’ll follow anybody–her groomer once advised me to be careful of dognappers.
It’s often said that the pet resembles its master.
Well, I don’t know. I am friendly with everyone except my own family. [laughs]
New York Comic Con in April will be the third event you appear at in the US. Please tell us about your eagerness before this third performance.
It’s the third time, but it’s been 4 years since I performed at my last event in Anaheim. In that sense, I feel I am standing on the starting line. Especially because New York is the mecca of entertainment, it makes me feel like a pure challenger.
For T.M.Revolution fans in America, you are a charismatic figure. Would you reveal the funny side of the charisma?
It is an honor to be called charismatic, but I am far from it, to be honest. I am withdrawn, shy, and not good at communicating with people, to tell the truth. And I’m even feeble at sake. But that introverted aspect of myself actually contributes to communicating with people through my music. What I cannot express easily through personal communication can be transformed into music and messages. This is how they balance out.
Would you pick one “must-visit place” in Japan?
I recommend my home prefecture, Shiga. It has the biggest lake in Japan, and the nature is amazingly beautiful. It is in the outskirts of Kyoto, which is a popular destination for tourists from America. It’s only a 20-30 minute drive from Kyoto, so please come and see my hometown when you visit Kyoto.
———- Interview by Noriko Komu
New York Comic Con
April 18-20 in the Jacob Javits Center
New York Comic Con is the East Coast’s biggest popular culture event. An enormous show floor plays host to top entertainment industry leaders showcasing the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, television, and more. New York Comic Con gives attendees access to top entertainment industry talent, panels, and autograph session as well as sneak peaks and at upcoming telelvision shows and motion pictures. And with dedicated professional hours, New York Comic Con is a market, bringing together the major players in the worlds of comics, film, and television.
www.newyorkcomiccon.com
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