After working as members of the e-Girls group, Annababy and Yurino have now launched the project “Episode” and are actively working around YouTube.
Until now, they were two people who couldn't get in close contact with fans, but we asked them why they chose Fanicon this time and how they would like to get involved with fans.
――Can you ask again about the circumstances of the launch of the current project “Episode” since the dissolution of e-Girls?
ANNABABY: e-Girls disbanded, and I began to think about my own life rather than the life of a group. Of course, I really liked group activities, but there were also things I wanted to do individually.
YURINO, who was very close to what she wanted to do, said, “I want to do that kind of thing!” even in private “I want to do something like this!” I've been talking about that for a long time. When they reached the e-Girls milestone, they both came to an age where they could concretely shape what they had imagined and wanted to do, so they thought, “Isn't it the perfect time to restart our lives?” and said, “Let's try it!” I decided to jump in.
I think I'm going to make a lot of mistakes at first, but I think even that would be fun. Up until now, I think we've been in a place where we've been protected a lot, so we've launched an episode in the form of our own challenge, thinking it would be better to look at the outside world.
Of course, we launched it with the cooperation of not only the two of us, but many staff members, but we ourselves decided to work on this project with a sense of responsibility, and we are proceeding by thinking about ways to realize what we want to do seriously while being excited.
――Please tell us why you chose Fanicon at such an important milestone.
YURINO: Once I decided to quit my job and do something new, I had a strong feeling that I wanted to quickly create a place where I could have close contact with fans like a fan club.
We can post on our newly launched Instagram and YouTube, and we can also communicate through DMs and comments, but I wanted a place where everyone could gather with more proper tools.
The fan club that existed when it was e-Girls has also disappeared, so we aimed to create such a place faster than to confuse fans for a long time, and launch it with the highest priority so that everyone can stay close.
While considering what kind of fan club to create, I learned about the existence of Fanicon, received an explanation, and when they were shown the inside (of the app), it was filled with lots of things we wanted to do, and they said, “We were looking for something like this!” I thought so, and it was almost a quick decision.
――What was the most important thing or something you were conscious of while preparing your fan club?
YURINO: It's a special feeling.
Instagram and YouTube are also big content places where even people who don't know us can watch, so there is a part where we have to consider our branding somewhat.
Since I belonged to e-Girls, I had a habit of writing long sentences on my blog, but I had a very unnatural feeling that there wasn't such a place where the voices of our hearts could be heard after our activities as An N Yuri began.
So I want to have such a special relationship with everyone here that we can recognize our fans. I think there are a lot of things we don't know unless it's the fans and us, so “I want to create a lot of special things like a “space just for us”!” That's what I've always thought.
――The fans are also very happy that they have thought so far!
Incidentally, while the special feeling is given particular importance, why did they dare choose “Fanicon” from among the many fan club services?
ANNABABY: Compared to fan clubs and blogs that have been run as e-Girls until now, I was attracted to the “crazy” part because it has various functions. Group chats and live streaming are also really easy.
Also, I haven't been able to reply to fan letters until now, but the point was that since it has a DM function, I can communicate with fans with just one smartphone! There are a lot of young kids in our fan base, so I think there are many people who are good at it. Anyone can send us a message on Instgram, etc., but if it's limited to fan clubs, we can now communicate with fans in a different way.
――Certainly, when I looked at the fans, I felt that they quickly got used to the community! lol
ANNABABY: That's amazing! lol
As is the case with exchanges between fans, I was surprised that so many topics etc. were created!
――What are your favorite features since you started using it?
YURINO: We do group chats, and it's really fun.
There is a strong sense of camaraderie among the fans, and when you write “good night,” everyone returns “good night.” I think it's a new form of communication where everyone gets into conversation more and more like that. When YURINO has free time, they always play with everyone. (lol)
ANNABABY: Understood! It's like a big LINE group, isn't it? And they reply so fast! (lol)
Everyone distracts me when I'm really lonely.
Normal SNS is free content, so various comments come in, but when I go back to Fanicon, there are only terribly positive words, and it's a very bright and kind world, and I can feel good energy, so I want to open it right away.
▲The situation in the group chat
YURINO: Also, when I was watching Fanicon, they often used the same name as the name displayed in the Instgram and YouTube comment sections, and they gradually recognized it and came to agree.
The communication was so close that I was able to understand it even when appearing on other SNS, so I thought, “Oh, this person is also in the fan club!” It's like that. That's also an interesting point.
――You have a really close communication. It's very nice.
YURINO: I think everyone feels safe here.
ANNABABY: You have a lot of trust. There's absolutely nothing negative about it.
it was so peaceful...
This was also something that was important when starting a fan club, and I think there will surely be a lot of long-time fans, so I wanted to create a place where I could feel safe, and a place where fans can cheer without getting bogged down.
There are various comments on the open internet, so fans may be misled at times, but if they come here, I think “I can honestly support them.”
Recently, bad things about SNS have begun to stand out, and even though the people themselves haven't said anything else, I think everyone often clashes with each other's opinions on SNS, but I don't think it's very good to watch it.
After watching it, those words stay in my head for a long time, and it's like they fight against each other by colliding with negative words and words that don't have to get that heated up...
But that's definitely not what Fanicon has.
Because it's a place where everyone has love.
――It's true that love is overflowing, isn't it? Incidentally, the two of them are also streaming live on YouTube, but what kind of differentiation are they making from Fanicon's live streaming?
ANNABABY: Absolutely not! It's slow and relaxed (laughs).
YURINO: It really is. “(to viewers) Eh, what?” I'm streaming it while saying it (laughs).
ANNABABY: I stream while applying makeup before shooting, but when I say “I have to leave the house at XX o'clock,” they say, “There are only 5 minutes left, but that's okay?” There were comments like that. They're like friends! (lol)
YURINO: I hardly speak, and occasionally distribute video editing work. “I'm editing now, so I don't need to speak?” While saying something like that (laughs).
▲Live streaming
――We are also happy that you enjoyed operating it while having a lot of fun. By the way, how many points out of 100 is AN&YURI & CUPIDS at this stage?
ANNABABY: Well, it's still around 60 to 70 points, isn't it?
Right now, I'm still only able to do group chats, live streams, and DMs, so I just want to meet all the fans in person. Also, I wanted to sell limited-edition goods, etc.
Until now, I've found kids wearing e-Girls goods, but if we make goods with cupids designs on them and see everyone carrying and wearing them, that might make me moved again.
YURINO: There are a lot of features I haven't used yet, and there are a lot of projects I haven't done.
There's room for growth there, isn't it? I haven't been able to do my best yet!
ANNABABY: It's not done! When I think the fans might have expected more, I want to do more things. That's because this place is special!
――It looks like it will continue to evolve more and more in the future!
By the way, would you recommend the service Fanicon to others?
YURINO: Well, I feel that it's packed with all the tools to communicate with fans, such as streaming and chat, and I think it's especially recommended for people who want to be close to their fans.
On the other hand, it's a fan club service that looks like today, so I think it can be used by any method, even for people who don't want it to become that crowded, feel a little more like an artist, or feel more cool.
There are plenty of features that make fans happy, so I think it's great that it can be made into various shapes.
ANNABABY: I feel like the core fans will become clear when it comes to people who are popular from all walks of life. I think I can learn more about the attributes and feelings of fans who always think about me.
When we used to create fan clubs, we were artists, so the main thing was tickets, newsletters, etc., but after using Fanicon, I really felt that “just because you're an artist doesn't mean you don't have to have a fan club.”
――― Finally, please leave a comment on Fanicon in the future!
YURINO: I'm really glad I first started Fanicon.
It's a service that perfectly matches our desire to communicate closely!
We look forward to your continued support!
ANNABABY: There was an image that fan clubs = pre-sale of tickets, but I thought we could create a new way for fan clubs through Fanicon. Even if there were no ticket sales, so many people gathered for us and joined the fan club for the purpose of connecting... times have changed (laughs)
We look forward to your continued support!
―――Thank you so much for visiting us! It's not a missionary activity, but I think the fans will gradually spread the goodness of the two of them to the outside in a form called sales at a company, and I hope we can continue to build a better fan club together.
Thank you so much for your time.
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If you want to deepen interaction with fans and want to make running a fan club easier than it is now, then Fanicon is useful.
