The idol ideal is of young women who say all the right things, smile at the right time, present themselves the right way and, no matter what, glittering away without letting the facade crack for a second.

But as we saw in the past look into the mind of Hug Me, homicidols are somewhat … different.

Take Yamaguchi Kassei Gakuen, a self-managed group whose rock-metal-idol hybrid sound has developed a sharper edge over time. In promoting the release of their fifth seventh (seriously, was I drunk when I wrote that?) single, “One,” five of the members and their producer joined Optimanotes for an interview that ranged all over — stage behavior, respect, favorite animals. Here are some choice snips:

Tamanoi (P): Well, all idols we aren’t able to respect totally quit, don’t they! (laughs)
Everyone: (laughs)
Yuly：Saying “See you!”, haha.
Tamanoi (P): So, the pretense is obviously like “Take it and go!” More than what the members say, I wonder if what I say is OK. That song [“Guardian” above] was made to shove battle-of-bands-style down our opponent’s throats. It is entirely a dis on incomplete idols. That last “See you”…towards other damn idols (said with a smiling face) “Bye-bye, go quit now!”.

Tamanoi (P): Dealing with something less that you expect at festivals, or being somewhere where no one can really see you, just means you have to get even MORE fired up for the audience. It’s not like “Oh man…” and you slump your shoulders, it’s like a “Don’t mess with us!” kind of feeling. [“Don’t mess with us”: picture this meaning, but with the pretext of “Don’t you fucking dare…”]
Mugi: We’ve been told that it is a better way to do performances. (laughs)
Tamanoi (P): It’s like “We’ll shove it down your throat!”

Mugi: I also didn’t have an interest in or listen to idols. When I started doing idol I would listen to stuff like AKB’s famous songs, Momoiru Clover, we would be together a lot…Himekyun Fruit Can, whom I respect…groups we were against in band battles…stuff like that, but I don’t really listen to the foundation of idol. I listen to Aiko, and Ikimono-gakari a lot.

Momoka: Momoka. I was called Yankmi. Yeah, I was called Yankmi, but now I’m called by my name.

Yuly：I want to go on tour around to all the prefectures outside of Tokyo.
Yui: Tokyo’s Makuhari hall, or the Seibu Dome [in Shinjuku], I want to go to those kind of big venues.
Moi: I want to do concerts abroad.

Go read the whole thing. And thank Phillter for dedicating who knows how much time to making this real for us.