Come April 29th, the stages of Japan will darken with the promise of a new era for Satanic Punish, who will go through a major lineup change with the graduation of Legendary Members, Webshiki and Himeno Usagi. After making their debut in March of 2020, both Webshiki and Usagi created an image and sound for Satanic Punish that is undeniably theirs, but after three years with the group, both are ready to pass the baton and allow Satanic Punish to flourish under a new system.

Now, new member and soloist Bokuga Sakura will be joining the front lines of Satanic Punish alongside fellow member Mana Manomu – who joined the group at the tail-end of October 2022 – and crafting her own image within and for the group upon her official join date, which begins on April 29th, 2023.

In preparation for her Satanic Punish debut, Sakura has already been attending events with the group, and even participated in the latest single, Across the Future (Beyond 2049), where she features as a guest vocalist and makes an appearance in the groups first music video. Now, she is getting ready for her official debut stage, where she will stand beside Manomu as they ready for themselves as the new faces of Satanic Punish.

To commemorate her impending debut, Beyond Senpai were able to talk to Sakura about her aspirations for the group, her thoughts on the Legendary members and fellow member Manomu, and how she came to sing with her iconic death voice.

Interview by: Beyond Senpai
Edited by: Kelly

Thank you for joining us here at Beyond Senpai! Please can you introduce yourself to the readers.

S: At this time, I will be joining Satanic Punish! My name is Bokuga Sakura.
I’m usually based in Osaka, but I also hold performances in Tokyo and Nagoya, as well as Osaka. I am currently 23 years old, and originally started my Idol activities in my hometown of Kagawa Prefecture at the age of 15.

さくらさん、本日はBeyond Senpaiのインタビューにご協力いただき、ありがとうございます。まずはじめに、読者への自己紹介と、ご自身のことを少し教えていただけますか？

「この度Satanic Punishに加入する事になりました!!撲我さくらと申します。
普段は大阪を拠点に東名阪で、ソロでもライブ活動をしています!現在23歳で､15歳から地元香川県にてアイドル活動を始めました!宜しくお願いいたします!!」

In February this year, it was announced that Sakura-san would join Satanic Punish as a new member! Can you tell us in a little more detail what went into your decision to becoming a member of this group?

S: Back in February of this year, the group I had formed in April of 2018, Doll Insert Death Mask, disbanded, and the person who had been in charge of running the group was also retiring from the industry. Around the same time, I was approached by Satanic Punish’s manager, Mr. Fudou, and I decided to join the group.

今年2月、さくらさんがSatanic Punishの新メンバーとして加入することが発表されましたね。このグループのメンバーになることを決めた理由をもう少し詳しく教えてください。

 「2018年4月に自身が結成した”ドールインサートデスマスク”が2月に解散､そして運営を担当していた方が業界を引退されるタイミングで、Satanic Punish運営の不動さんからお声がけいただき、元々Satanic Punishさんの音楽が好きだった事もあり、加入を決意しました。」

Have you worked with Satanic Punish prior to joining the group?

S: I had the opportunity to perform with Satanic Punish for the first time in October 2021, and I remember being shocked when I saw them on stage that day and thinking, “I’ve found an extraordinary group.” I actually cried with frustration on the way home.

今年Satanic Punishに加入する前、メンバーと一緒に仕事をしたり、ライブを観たりしていたのですか？

「2021年10月に初めてSatanic Punishさんと共演させていただく機会がありまして、その日のステージを観て”とんでもないグループを見つけてしまった”と衝撃を受けたのを覚えています。帰り道に悔し泣きをしたレベルでした。」

What do you think about the music and presence of Satanic Punish, that both Webshiki-san and Usagi-san have cultivated so far?

S: If I hadn’t met Satanic Punish’s Webshiki and Usagi, I would have been convinced that I was the coolest metal idol in Japan. Satanic Punish is the group that really turned my common sense around.

うぇぶ式さん、うさぎさんともにこれまで培ってきた「Satanic Punish」の音楽、存在感についてどう思われますか？

「メタル系のアイドルで1番カッコいいと思っています。Satanic Punishのうぇぶ式｡ちゃん､羽咲ちゃんに出会わなかったら、自分が日本のメタル系アイドルで1番カッコいいと自惚れたままでした。本当に自分の中の常識が覆されるような存在がSatanic Punishです。」

You will also be featured in the up-coming single, “Across the Future (Beyond 2049)”. Can you tell us how you feel about this release, and its significance to Satanic Punish?

S: I was really excited to create this song as a member of Satanic Punish, even though I am only featured on it! It would be great if people who listen to this song and watch the music video think, “Oh man, here comes an impressive newcomer!”

さくらさんは、近日発売のシングル「Across the Future (Beyond 2049)」にも登場します。今回のリリース、Satanic Punishにとっての意義についてお聞かせください。

「feat.とは言え、自分がSatanic Punishの一員として作品を作り上げるというのは、物凄く痺れました!!この曲を聴いた人､MVを観た人に”ヤベェ新人が来た”と思っていただけたら最高です!!」

What were your impressions of the song when you first heard “Across the Future (Beyond 2049)”?

S: At first, it felt like a song with a kind of atmosphere that I had never tried before, so it was quite refreshing! I can’t wait to perform it live!

「 Across the Future (Beyond 2049)」を初めて聴いたときの印象はいかがでしたか？

「まず自分が過去に挑戦した事ない雰囲気の楽曲だったので､かなり新鮮でした!! 早くライブで披露したい思いでいっぱいです!」

TRIGGER WARNINGl Viewer discretion is advised. The above music video contains graphic imagery, including depictions of self-harm, murder, blood, etc.

Is there a particular song you are excited to perform on stage as the new Satanic Punish?

S: Of course I’m really looking forward to performing Across the Future (Beyond 2049), as well as Alpha Omega, which had the biggest impact on me the first time we performed together, and WHITEWOLF, whose lyrics are very poignant for me, personally, and deliver a sting when I hear them.

新生Satanic Punishとして、ステージで披露するのが楽しみな曲はありますか？

「今回のAcross the Future (Beyond 2049)はもちろん､初めて共演した際に1番衝撃を受けたAlpha Omega、個人的に歌詞が物凄く刺さるWHITEWOLFはとても楽しみです。」

Will you continue to work on your solo project alongside Satanic Punish?

S: Of course!! There are expressions that can only be done by Bokuga Sakura, the soloist, so I will continue to pursue those activities until the day I die!!

さくらさん、Satanic Punishと並行して、ソロ活動も続けていくのでしょうか？

「もちろんです!!ソロの撲我さくらでしか出来ない表現もあるので、その追求は死ぬまで続けます!!」

You are also known for doing metal screams and death voices during performances, and they are very impressive! Were they any artists that inspired you to practice this particular style, and can you tell us how you learned to do it?

S: Thank you for listening to my voice! I was mainly influenced by Minami from Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas and Broken By The Scream, and I thought “If I could do this kind of shout and death voice during a performance, then I would have a wider range of expression”, so I started practising from there! I had a friend who was a voice training teacher, so I asked her for tips, but other than that I mainly listened to the death voices of SSBMV of FROZEN CAKE BAR and Spell of MEJIBRAY and tried to sound more like them through copying by ear. I tried my best…!!

さくらさんは、演奏中にメタルの叫び声やデスボイスを出すことでも知られていますが、とても印象的でした。さくらさんがこのスタイルを実践するきっかけとなったアーティストや、それを習得した経緯を教えてください。

「自分の声を聞いて下さってありがとうございます!!Fear,and Loathing in Las VegasのMinamiさん､Broken By The Screamさんから主に影響を受け､”こんなシャウトやデスボイスが出せたら､表現の幅も広がるだろうな”と思って､そこから練習を始めました!!知り合いにボイトレの先生が居たので､コツを聞いて、それ以外はFROZEN CAKE BARのSSBMVさん､MEJIBRAYの綴さんのデスボイスをメインに聴いて､耳コピで”こんな感じかな？”と頑張ってました…!!」

Your co-member, Manomu, also has an incredible death voice. It really feels like the power of Satanic Punish is levelling up for the future. Can you tell us what your first impressions of Manomu’s voice and character were?

S: Manomu is really awesome, too! I can’t believe she’s just started trying out (with her death voice). She’s seriously good at death vocals!
My first impression was that she has such a neat face, but she also has this super powerful death voice, which I thought was a huge gap…
Also, I love girls who look exactly the opposite of me, so I had to be careful not to fall in love with her, lol.

愛ノ夢さんもすごいデスボイスですよね。Satanic Punishのパワーがすぐにレベルアップしそうな感じがします。愛魔夢さんの声やキャラクターに対する第一印象を教えていただけますか？

「魔ノ夢ちゃんも本当に凄いです!!挑戦し始めたばかりとは思えないくらい、マジでデスボイス上手いです!第一印象は、こんなに端正なお顔立ちなのに、超パワフルなデスボイスを出しちゃうって、物凄いギャップだなぁ…と思いました。あと私は自分と正反対の見た目の女の子が大好きなので、恋しちゃわないように気をつけないとダメだとも思いました笑」

How do you think Satanic Punish will evolve now that the baton has been passed between Legendary and TRUE members? Do you think that both yourself and Manomu will bring a new sound to the group?

S: I honestly think that without the two legendary members, Satanic Punish will be a completely different group. But even if it is different, we won’t let it deteriorate. I promise to make Satanic Punish grow even more with Manomu as we work together.

レジェンドとTRUEのメンバーでバトンタッチされた今、Satanic Punishはどのように進化していくとお考えですか？さくらさん、魔ノ夢さんともに、新しいサウンドをグループにもたらすと思いますか？

「レジェンドのお2人が居ないSatanic Punishは、正直全く別物になると思います。しかし、別物になったとしても劣化は絶対にさせません。お2人が残してくれたSatanic Punishを、魔ノ夢ちゃんと更に成長させていくと誓います!!」

Before Satanic Punish begins with a new lineup, please tell us what you admire the most about Webshiki and Usagi.

S: Webshiki has this incredible death voice that is so much bigger than mine! Other than that, she attacks you with the strength of her singing voice even during the clean parts, to the point where you can feel the metal in her voice!
On the other hand, Usagi’s singing is so beautiful and it’s something I could never reproduce myself. She is also the only idol I know of who can sing opera, so I’ve learned a lot from her. I honestly respect people who do what I can’t do, in any field.

Satanic Punishが新体制で未来に向かって走り出す前に、伝説のメンバー、うぇぶ式さん、うさぎさんの憧れを教えてください。

「うぇぶ式。ちゃんは本当にデスボイスが自分より圧倒的にデカいんです!!他には､クリーンパートでもアタックの強い歌唱をされていて､メタルを感じます!羽咲ちゃんは､私には絶対出せないような綺麗な歌声で、自分の周りのアイドルで唯一オペラ歌唱をされる方なので、とても勉強になります。どんな分野でも､自分に出来ない事をしている人は尊敬しますね。」

Currently, what are your dreams and aspirations for the group?

S: I definitely want to do a world tour with Satanic Punish!! I will do my best to become a person who can be accepted worldwide! And this might sound a bit big-headed, but I want to be the face of Satanic Punish one day. If I didn’t feel this way about the group, I don’t think I’d be able to show my face to Fudou, who gave me this opportunity to be a part of the group.

現在、さくらさんはグループに対してどのような夢や希望を抱いているのでしょうか。

「Satanic Punishでワールドツアーは絶対にしたいです!!世界で通用するような人になる為に努力します!そして大口を叩くようですが、いつかSatanic Punishの顔になるような存在になりたいと思っています。そのくらいの気持ちじゃないと、誘って下さった不動さんに顔向け出来ないです。」

As the new Satanic Punish is ready to begin its chapter, what would you like fans to watch out for with yourself and Manomu leading the group into the future?

S: First of all, I think that Manomu is as shy as I am, so I have a feeling that the MC segments will be interesting in the beginning. I’d like everyone to burn that image of us together as we slowly get used to each other, haha.
Other than that, I think this will become a place where two people who are completely opposite one another in looks can become one during a live performance. I will do my best to get everyone’s approval as we grow!

新生Satanic Punishの幕開けとして、さくらさんと魔ノ夢さんがグループを引っ張っていく未来に、ファンの皆さんに注目してほしいことはありますか？

「まず魔ノ夢ちゃんも私と同じく人見知りだと思うので、最初の内はMCが面白い事になると思うので、お互い慣れてしまう前にそこを目に焼き付けて欲しいですね笑
他はやっぱり正反対な見た目の2人が､ライブでは1つになってる所ですね。良い評価をしていただけるよう頑張ります!!」

Finally, please leave a message for the fans of Satanic Punish.

S: I am the self-proclaimed “Bakumon” from the west of Japan! We are going to betray your expectations in a good way, so please keep your eyes on Satanic Punish in the future!
We are really looking forward to seeing you all at the live house!!!!

最後に、「Satanic Punish」のファンに向けてメッセージをお願いします。

「自称西日本が生んだバケモンです!!良い意味で皆さんの期待をガンガン裏切って行くので、今後のSatanic Punishにも大注目して下さい!!ライブハウスで皆さんに会えるのを､心より楽しみにしています!!!!」

Beyond Senpai would like to thank Bokuga Sakura for taking part in this interview, and we would like to extend our thanks to Fudou Gantetsu for making this interview possible.

Please remember to support Satanic Punish, and keep an eye out for the new lineup that will officially debut on April 29th, 2023!

Links:

Bokuga Sakura Twitter
Bokuga Sakura YouTube
Bokuga Sakura BASE Store

Satanic Punish Twitter
Satanic Punish Website
Satanic Punish YouTube
Satanic Punish BASE Store