Interview With MCU, The First Artist to Sing a Theme Song For Famista!
The Famista series will feature a theme song for the first time in its 32 year history. And we’re here with the artist who will sing “Famista Evolution”, MCU of Kick The Can Crew!
Born 08/01/1973, and grew up in Sugamo in Tokyo. He’s an MC for popular hip-hop group Kick The Can Crew.
You’re very well known for liking video games MCU, but what made you get into them in the first place?
(MCU) I grew up in Tokyo, in Sugamo to be exact. There’s an arcade in Sugamo called Carrot, and I hung out there a lot from a young age.
Ahh, Carrot was a very well known arcade in Sugamo, wasn’t it?
(MCU) At that time arcades had notebooks in them, and you’d trade information on games like Tower of Druaga with others by writing in them. That’s just how it was back then.
Arcades did have those, didn’t they. You’d write down how to get treasures to appear, and share it with others.
(MCU) Right. So Carrot in Sugamo was a big reason that I love video games.
I assume you also played Famicom games at home…?
(MCU) Famicoms were all sold out when I went to buy one, so I got a Super Cassette Vision instead. That was the first home game console that I ended up with. So I played Super Cassette Vision at home, my arcade was Carrot, and I played the Famicom at friends’ houses. Of course that made the desire to have a Famicom of my own that much stronger. Because of that I’m still suffering from “second year of middle school syndrome” (“chuunibyou“)…or in my case, should I say “fourth year of grade school syndrome”? (Laughs)
I see (Laughs). So then you played Famista at friends’ houses then?
(MCU) Yeah, and I always pick the Namco Stars team (a team that features members named after Namco games and characters). I was playing a lot of games like Toy Pop at the time, so I had to pick the team that had the same characters on it that I was playing as in games at Carrot. Pino (from Toy Pop) was a fast runner, so my friends would tell me I was cheating (Laughs)
That’s hard to resist (Laughs). And MCU, you’ve been chosen to sing the first ever theme song for the series, “Famista Evolution”.
(MCU) I’m very happy about that. It may be presumptuous of me, but I feel very strongly about Famista starting off with the crack of a bat….Don’t worry, I’ll make sure that the series is in good hands.
It’s well known that you’re full of love for video games MCU, so I’m sure it will work out fine! I was able to listen to the song, and I can say that it was a very cool song that’s full of love for Famista. And you were also announced as a member of the Namco Stars, right?
(MCU) Of course I’m very happy to be singing the theme song, but I’m happiest of all to be a part of the Namco Stars, the team that I’ve loved to play as since I was in grade school. However, I’m really bad at playing actual baseball (Laughs Bitterly). I can’t throw the ball well at all, and my batting form is a mess…so I can’t help but think including someone like me on the Namco Stars isn’t much of an evolution at all (Laughs)
The name of your player on that team is “Emushiyu”, which I thought was a very uniquely Famista way of representing you.
(MCU) That’s very appropriate for the Namco Stars. It’s difficult to fit the whole thing in there.
How would you like to see people playing the game use “Emushiyu”?
(MCU) I’ve been told that he doesn’t pitch very fast, but because of that he has amazing curve and screw balls. So I’d like to see players making use of those. At any rate, I’d like for him to be used a lot.
With a slow pitch but good curve and screw balls, it reminds me of Kyaraka from the Namco Stars. So you’d like for game fans and Kick The Can Crew fans alike to play as “Emushiyu”.
(MCU) I think there are quite a few of them in the Famista generation. It’s a series that’s been continuously released since the Famicom days, so I think a lot of Kick The Can Crew fans play Famista as well. I also think a lot of people who don’t normally play video games know the name Famista.
Absolutely! Incidentally, this game is being released on the Nintendo Switch, so what are your thoughts on the Nintendo eShop?
(MCU) This has been the case since the Wii, but it makes the hardware very convenient to use as a family. My daughter sunk her teeth into Nintendo Labo right away.
The game supports shared play, so you can probably say it’s aimed at families in that way. I think it’s a game that will be great for families and competitive play alike.
(MCU) I’d definitely like for people to over to friends’ houses and have fun competing in it. Of course playing online has its own charms, but it just feels so good to get everyone together in one place to play. By the way, Famista Evolution will be released on August 2nd, and my birthday is on August 1st.
Oh! It’s on sale the day before your birthday!
(MCU) Whether you’re a fan of mine or not, please use “Emushiyu” in the game. That can be your birthday present to me (Laughs)