(NOAH) An overflowing love for pro wrestling, about Mitsuharu Misawa, and the behind the scenes story of the production of "VOYAGE". Funky Kato interview - Part 1
Proresu Today
Note, the interview discussed something other than Noah initially so I have cut out that.
Q: The most noteworthy point for "PRO WRESTLING TODAY" is "VOYAGE", which Pro Wrestling Noah always plays in the venue before the first match starts.
FUNKY KATO: This is a good song (laugh) No, I think it's a really good song.
Q: I think so. After reading "Unfinished Voice", and listening to "VOYAGE" again, I thought that Mitsuharu Misawa, the founder of Pro Wrestling Noah, would surely be happy.
FUNKY KATO: That's nice. I had my own thoughts about dedicating it to Misawa-san.
Q: When I hear "VOYAGE", I can picture the scene when Noah was founded. After leaving All Japan, Misawa launched Pro Wrestling Noah, named after Noah's Ark, with show names "DEPARTURE" and "GREAT VOYAGE". The concept of the promotion, of everyone setting out on the open sea, is woven into "VOYAGE".
FUNKY KATO: That's right.
Q: That's why the lyrics of "VOYAGE" resonate especially with wrestling fans. I think that non-Noah wrestling fans who haven't heard it before should listen to it.
FUNKY KATO: I'm so happy. It's not a double meaning for me, but even if someone who doesn't know anything about pro wrestling listens to it, they can just listen to it as a normal "support song", and if someone who likes wrestling listens to it, it's sprinkled with all kinds of famous lines and words from wrestling, so I made it so I could show them that scene.
GENERAL MANAGER YAMAGUCHI: I really thought the way those famous lines and words were woven in was exquisite.
FUNKY KATO: Thank you, I'm happy
Q: Apparently it was originally written to be used for just one show, but it would be a shame to end it like that.
FUNKY KATO: I'm grateful that Noah still uses it.
Q: The song plays before the show starts, and when I get to the lyrics, "Emerald water surface" at the end, I can see the image of Misawa-san standing in the ring, and it really gets me emotional.
FUNKY KATO: Thank you, I was deeply moved when writing the lyrics.
Q: Of course
FUNKY KATO: I once had a chat with Misawa-san. At first, I was supposed to talk to Kobashi (Kenta), but I was told that Kobashi couldn't do it. I later found out that it was around the time when Kobashi's illness was discovered.
Q: It was about the time that Kobashi was diagnosed with cancer, and was absent due to his illness.
FUNKY KATO: So I asked him who was the person to talk to? I thought that it was very Misawa-san like, and even though he was very busy, he said to me "If Kobashi can't do it, I'll do it"
Q: So Misawa-san appeared with a sense of chivalry, right?
FUNKY KATO: Yes. It was the first time that I met him, and I was so nervous that I don't remember much about what we talked about (laughs). He was very kind, and listened to what I was saying. This may sound strange to put it this way, but I remember him being a very tolerant person, as if he took all of my clumsy and awkward attacks.
Q: There are all kinds of wrestlers, and there are some who are able to take our clumsy questions and give funny responses, and Misawa-san was that kind of person. Was it a magazine project?
FUNKY KATO: I was planning to release a book called "Just Like That Funky Monkey Babys" (KADOKAWA), and I loved pro wrestling, and I had the opportunity to do this interview. It was released in January 2008.
Q: Misawa passed away in 2009.
FUNKY KATO: Yes. Actually, on Misawa-san's birthday that year, June 18th. I stood on the stage at the Nippon Budokan for the first time, and looked up the ceiling thinking, "I am standing at the Budokan, the place where Misawa-san fought so many fierce battles, on his birthday..." While thinking this, I looked up at the ceiling thinking, "This must be the view that I've seen countless times, with Misawa sprawled out in the ring..." I remember standing at the Budokan for the first time, with my own feelings of mourning for Misawa-san, saying "Thank you, Misawa-san" in my mind.
Q: That's right.
FUNKY KATO: Misawa was 46 when he passed away. This year, I reached that age, and I thought, "I'm finally older than Misawa-san*"
Q: Listening to "VOYAGE" after hearing your memories of Misawa-san at the Nippon Budokan, makes me feel even more emotional.
FUNKY KATO: I was really happy when I got the offer from Noah, and I thought, "Maybe only I can make this", and so I made it with the feeling of "Leave it to me!"
Q: In "Unfinished Voice" you said that "VOYAGE" was made smoothly, but I feel like it must have been difficult to sum up, because you have so much feelings for it, and so many overflowing thoughts.
FUNKY KATO: When I write songs, it's always the hardest to go from 0 to 1. I always struggle with that first step, and what kind of picture I should paint. As for "VOYAGE", I had already drawn a picture, or rather how I wanted it to look, inside of me. So I just drew it my view without going against it. The rest was about how much fun I could have, and how I could sprinkle words that would make wrestling fans smile (laughs) seamlessly within the framework of a support song? I even imagined the music video while I was making it.
Q: I see. So that's why "VOYAGE" makes me think of the fierce battles in the ring.
FUNKY KATO: When I had a drink with Naomichi Marufuji, he said to me, "Thank you, Kato, for making such a great song." He said, "When that song plays before the show, the wrestlers get into the mindset of, "Okay, it's about to begin". I was really happy to hear that.
Q: It's hard to put into words, but I think it's a shame that it's a great song that only Noah fans know. I want all wrestling fans to listen to "VOYAGE" and remember Misawa-san. There's no one who doesn't like Misawa-san.
FUNKY KATO: That's true!
GENERAL MANAGER YAMAGUCHI: He's also the one who has the greatest trust from his fellow wrestlers.
FUNKY KATO: That's amazing too. I only met Misawa for a short time, about an hour or two, but I thought, "He's the kind of man that other men fall in love with." Anyway, Misawa-san was just so kind, so tolerant, and had a bit of a sense of humor* too, he was really cool...
Notes
Misawa's age: Naomichi Marufuji thought the same, he can't believe that next year (2025), when he turns 46, he will be the same age as Misawa.
Sense of humor:....a blue sense of humor.....
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