This is a translation of Terashima Takuma’s blogpost after the SideM first live. Thanks to @PuchiTL for the editing help!

To the producers who came to watch THE IDOLM@STER SideM 1stSTAGE ST@RTING!, all regional producers who came and watched the live viewing, and those producers who weren’t able to watch us, and of course all of our fans, a very big thank you!
The venue all clad in green got me…!
But Amagase Touma won’t show his tears on stage!

This is gonna be a long one!

It’s been 5 years since Jupiter’s debut was announced on 18 September 2010. We, along with the fans, have a lot of feelings bottled up inside.
Thank you very much for waiting for 5 years, and not giving up on Jupiter.

I mean, five years!! That’s enough time for a first grader to become a sixth grader!
Although since SideM started a year ago, so I guess its actually closer to 4, eh? They showed up in the anime so we can confirm their existence, but we never got to see their idol activities come to light. The story of their efforts after leaving 961 pro that was touched upon a bit surprisingly linked well with the past 4 years.

Matsuoka-kun said “There were a lot of things that happened with Jupiter…” on stage while tearing up. This was also mentioned  in the pamphlet interview.
I can look back on the things that happened with a sense of nostalgia now.
It all lead up yesterday’s drama.
The heartbeats, the excitement, the troubles, the sadness, the anger, the laughter, the hard work, and yesterday.
So many things happened, but it’s all in the past now.
We are here now because of everything that’s happened.
Thank you very much for turning all history into nourishment that Amagase Touma can use to perform with all he has, and thank you for giving Jupiter a place to belong.

I’m gonna talk a bit about my personal thoughts, so I’d love it if you could stick around for a bit.

All the performers who went on stage yesterday were voice actors.
A voice actor’s job is to act using their voice.
The thing that seemed so normal yesterday, a stage performance by voice actors is actually a very special case.
But, a voice actor is an actor. I feel like being able to act is everything.
For us who live in this world, the role itself only exists in imagination.
Being an actor is reading up about the person based on the script and information we got, and expressing it as if it was real.

In anime and manga, these two dimensional characters are created from setting based on the staff’s trial and error, then a character design is prepared and finally a voice is added.
There are a lot of standards that can be used to choose. Be it people with the appropriate vocal quality, the appropriate acting, the unpredictable ones that gets into it and people who are similar to the character.
Sometimes the expression “winning the part” is used, but I feel that in the end it’s all about being chosen, not actually winning the part in that sense.
Because of that, the responsibility is even heavier.
“I’m leaving this role to you.” is how it actually is.
A voice actor is only in charge of the voice, because of that visually, they will not always be similar.
So, I feel as if voice actors beingon stage and acting the part of characters with existing visuals is very difficult.

Now let’s go back and talk about iM@S.

Being able to sing and dance is a skillset that is required of being an idol.
There are actors who are good and bad at singing and dancing.
But I believe that the voice actors who performed on stage yesterday gavetheir best effort to express the roles they have.

In the afternoon session, Nagatsuka Takuma said that “As a voice actor, I had mixed feelings about being on stage as an idol, but that was the best. Now I can understand better why a keytarist like Fuyumi Jun is an idol.” and that left an impression on me.
A voice actor who is able to see his role face to face. Honestly, I thought that was amazing.

Terashima himself was appointed with the role of Amagase Touma, and dreamt of being on stage together with Touma. Aim to be a top idol. I was worried whether creepy otaku Terashima Takuma would be able to express the stoic and determined Touma (especially physically and visually).Still, Amagase Touma was a role I had responsibility over, and so I started rehearsing together with Kanbara and Matsuoka.

I truly felt that Kanbara Daichi as Ijuuin Hokuto and Matsuoka Yoshitsugu as Mitarai Shota were amazing.
They’re the best partners I could ask for.
The calm and composed Kanbara.
Matsuoka who inspires you by just working hard and not saying much.
I have nothing but gratitude for these two.
I’m counting on you guys from now on.

I performed on stage as Touma as best as I can.
Now, I can’t evaluate it personally, so I hope you have some high spec filters on (lol)

This is a long post, but as a voice actor, Touma is not the only one that is special. I don’t live solely for Touma, and of course the other characters I’ve played as are as important.
But these past five yers have been important.
I know I’ve said this several times, but thank you for waiting these 5 years.

I’ve also said this in the night venue, but during yesterday’s stage, five years worth of build up is now gone! (lol)
From now on, Jupiter will stand side by side along with other 315 Pro idols and do our best!
That being said, both Touma and Terashima have the careers that have been built up. We’re not gonna lose!
I’ll keep running with Touma so that my juniors won’t be able to catch up!

Just Keep On Going！

The pain and sadness are engraved in my heart but I won’t look back.
Because warmth and kindness will take me there.
Just Keep On Going!

Even though there are still parts I can’t entrust him with, there isa man I can stand side by side with ease.
Nakamura Syuugo, the center that has been there this past year, together Uchida Yuuma and Yachiyo Taku who supported him.
The first unit together with the first unit.

And then Beit and HighxJoker and W and S.E.M. And the ball of idiosyncrasies that is 315 Pro that will get voiced and be on stage with us from now on.
Friends and rivals! I’m counting on you guys!

Keep on going ever more forward, the world begins to move!

Did you see that, 765 Pro!!