This interview was originally published in Japanese on barks.jp. Translated by VK Chronicle.

Interview: MAD’S iNK 2026 START!!!!! [Part 2] New Year Round-table Discussion

Dark compositions and lyrics that lay bare negative emotions have captivated the hearts of countless listeners. Through meticulous world-building that encompasses costumes, makeup, and music videos, MAD’S iNK—a company housing numerous groups that command support not just from idol fans, but from rock fans and Visual Kei fans alike—has become a representative force in the booming “dark idol” and “landmine system rock idol” scene.

Following its predecessor company in Nagoya, MAD’S iNK was established as a new company in Tokyo in October 2024, and now operates from two bases—Tokyo and Nagoya—with nationwide reach. Five groups and one unit are currently signed to the company.

In this special feature article titled “MAD’S iNK 2026 START!!!!!” [Part 2], we held a New Year round-table discussion with five members: 猿馬虎 (Enmatora) from MADMED (Tokyo), 米粉パン (Komekopan) from マザリ (Nazari) (Nagoya), Q酸素 (Kyuu Sanso) from 神様の言う通り (Kamisama no Iu Tori) (Tokyo), みゃおみゃお from めっ! (Mex!) (Nagoya), and コ鳴しぐれ (Ko Nari Shigure) from 絶望キネマ (Zetsubou Kinema), which just launched on December 25, 2025. They spoke freely about their thoughts and future outlook.

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MAD’S iNK is Close-knit (米粉パン)

Q: To start, could each of you introduce yourselves?

虎: I’m 猿馬虎 from MADMED, the yellow member. I’m an idol with an established “tiger” character. Nice to meet you, GAOOO!! (tiger pose)

パン: I’m 米粉パン from マザリ, the white member. I’m sharp every single day, GAOOO!! (tiger pose)

Everyone: Hahahaha!!

酸素: I’m Q酸素, the green member. I’m in two groups—神様の言う通り and ちちゃめど. I’m doing the two-sword style of cool and cute! Kachiiing!! (batting pose)

虎: She’s like Shohei Ohtani of the idol world (laughs).

みゃお: I’m みゃおみゃお from めっ!, the sky blue member. I’m the only light blue member in MAD’S iNK. My theme is the “soft and fluffy mysterious type”—basically a “girl who makes no sense.” Kachiiing!! (batting pose)

しぐれ: I’m コ鳴りしぐれ, the white member of 絶望キネマ. Nice to meet you. I just joined MAD’S iNK, so I’m looking forward to working with all of you! G-Gaooo…!! (doing the tiger pose shyly)

酸素・虎・パン・みゃお: So cuteee!!

▲虎

Q: Today we had all five MAD’S iNK groups (plus one concurrent group) together for a photo shoot with about 30 people total. Things got really lively all at once. Q酸素, you’re the senior who’s been with the predecessor agency since 2022—how does it feel?

酸素: As a senior, I’m just happy so many new members have joined! We became five groups in just one year! Smiley mark!

みゃお: Every sentence in this article is going to end with onomatopoeia, huh (laughs).

Q: しぐれ, as the newest group joining MAD’S iNK, how are you feeling?

しぐれ: There’s still a lot I don’t understand, and this is my first photo shoot like this, so I was thinking, “I wonder what it’ll be like?”

Q: You’re meeting most of the members for the first time today, right?

みゃお: I passed by some people during lessons and said, “Hi, nice to meet you!” but I wasn’t wearing makeup, so they probably didn’t know who I was (laughs).

虎: I’ve actually done the choreography for two of キネマ’s songs, so we’re kind of close friends already! …Oh, but since everyone’s here, I shouldn’t mention it. It’s a secret.

しぐれ: Hehe.

酸素: Woohoo!!

Q: Is there any kind of hierarchy or seniority-junior dynamics? Like, is Q酸素 throwing her weight around as a senior?

酸素: (jumping in quickly) No! No! No! No! No!!

しぐれ: I didn’t feel that at all. But she’s a senior I’ve been following on SNS for a while…

虎: She was like, “Go buy me yakisoba bread!”

みゃお: And I was like, “I’ll buy it! Want me to massage your shoulders too?”

酸素: Hey!

パン: This is what MAD’S iNK is like—we’re close.

Q: That’s a nice relationship. I know there’s 死ヰメロアンチ from マザリ who joined MAD’S iNK because she admired 酸素. How does it feel to be looked up to like that?

酸素: Ehhhh, I’m not admired like that (embarrassed).

虎: I’ve heard the story about someone becoming an idol because they admired you. Just not from us.

酸素: Not just from you?!

虎: But MADMED members reference your voice when they sing, like, “I want to be like that.” You’re like the inspiration and symbol of MAD’S iNK.

酸素: Yay!! But I don’t really go around thinking, “How about that!” (looking at しぐれ) More like, “Let’s all get along, okay?”

しぐれ: Oh, yes, let’s be close.

パン: Your face is twitching (laughs).

Everyone: Hahahahahaha!!

▲米粉パン

Q: 神様 and めっ! had their debut lives just a day apart, and 酸素 and ありすりあ from めっ! also work together in ちちゃめど, and beyond that, you two have been working together in MAD MEDiCiNE—so in every sense, the two groups are kind of cohorts. How does that feel?

みゃお: Our bases are in different cities—東京 for 神様 and 名古屋 for めっ!—but there’s definitely a sense of camaraderie. When we have a live together, it feels like “friends have come!” But we can still get much closer from here.

酸素: We can! There are definitely individual members who are close with each other, so I’d love for everyone to get along! World peace, you know? That’s what I’m asking for!

▲Q酸素

Q: 酸素, were you always this high-energy character? (laughs)

酸素: Yes, I’m energetic! Since everyone’s here, I felt like as a senior I should be pumping things up, you know? (stands up and claps) Tambourine!

虎: (looking up from beside her) Wow. You’re in top form.

Everyone: Hahahahahaha!!

Q: When I interviewed you before, you answered things pretty coolly, so this is a change (laughs).

虎: Maybe it’s not that it changed—maybe it just came out? Like, something that was hidden inside.

酸素: Yeah, a little bit. Since I’ve made so many new friends, I don’t want them to think I’m a scary senior, you know? So I want to be friendly. Hellooo! Tap tap tap, tambourine!! (dancing)

Other 4 members: (wry smiles).

Q: Everyone seems a bit…taken aback…

虎: Not at all. Wow, you really are something (wry smile).

みゃお: I can see the ちちゃめど tambourine floating in the air right now (wry smile).

Read the original Japanese interview on barks.jp