Tuesday 31 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 03: Tsugunaga Momoko x Tokunaga Chinami

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Tsugunaga Momoko X Tokunaga Chinami

☻☻☻

First of all, why are you said to be on bad terms with one another?

Tokunaga: We did a radio programme when we were still small (JOQR 'Berryz Kobo Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki!') All of us spoke from our core, Momo as well, with her inner cutesy character, that's not it....

Tsugunaga: My merits, my merits.

Tokunaga: She talked using her merits, but I hated it when she put on that facade, so we would end up seemingly clashing. What's more, debates were held on that radio programme, and we both would say what we wanted to say, so the fans started to think that we were on bad terms.

Tsugunaga: Even on TV, lots of people would ask us whether we got along, and we'd just reply that we get along normally.

Tokunaga: Your run-of-the-mill idols would probably try appeal to the audience by declaring their friendship, but we're be like, 'Nah, it's nothing out of the ordinary (laughs)'.

Tsugunaga: But whatever she says, Chinami likes me, right?

Tokunaga: That's what I hate about you.

You really said it (laughs).

Saturday 28 May 2016

Our Music History ~Ongaku to Watashitachi~ Morning Musume。’14 Special - Part 2 of 3 (2014/10/08)

This special show happened during MBS' 'Music Week', which held in October 2014. In this programme, four members of Morning Musume。´14 talk about their music history. Our hosts for this programme are Morning Musume。 9ki Fukumura Mizuki and Sayashi Riho, and 10ki  Iikubo Haruna and Ishida Ayumi.

If you missed it, here's the first part. Or perhaps you might want to skip to the third part?


A comment concerning music
Sayashi Riho'Music is something that brings out your uniqueness'

Morning Musume。´14 history

With Morning Musume。 celebrating its 17th anniversary, in this second part, the girls look back on Morning Musume。's history, albeit from from when they joined.

2nd January 2011. The 9ki were announced at the Winter Hello! Con in Nakano Sunplaza. Fuku-chan's passing came as a surprise even to the other three 9ki, who had thought that they were the only successful candidates. So when Fuku-chan came out, Riho was like 'Who's this? Who's this?' Tsunku♂-san was the only one who knew about it, so there was a flurry of activity even amongst the cameramen, who had to quickly try to figure out where Fuku-chan was.

Mizuki herself was curious about who'd be getting in the 9ki at that announcement concert, and when her name was called, her mind went totally blank. As she went down the stairs, she felt like she could fall at any moment, her legs were trembling, she was crying hard,

After that, she had a chance to greet the other three. At first she was worried whether they would be on their guard around her, what with her being an experienced Kenshuusei and all. But with the shooting they had the day after, they soon got familiar with one another. Riho recalls referring to Fuku-chan as 'Fukumura-san' at the start, but now Riho is all touch-as-much-as-she-pleases with Fuku-chan's marshmallow skin. Fuku-chan does remembers Kanon and Riho-chan referring to her as Fukumura-san at first, but Eripon immediately went 'Can I just call you Mizuki?'

Ishida remembers watching videos of the announcement, seeing Fuku-chan's name being announced, the look of surprise she had in the bleachers, and coming down the stairs. 'How childish...' Ishida thought, despite being a kid herself. After all, the 9ki seemed so tiny in the midst of the mostly grown-up members of Morning Musume。at the time.

Thursday 26 May 2016

Morning Musume。´14 and guitars

In 2014, each H!P group had the opportunity to make their own digital photo book as part of the au Book Pass campaign. Each group got to choose their own theme, and would take photos and choose which pictures to use. The theme chosen by the Musume was 'Bunkasai Joshi' - 'Liberal Arts Girls'. Along with that, each of the then-five groups were also interviewed about the process. Here's an excerpt from Morning Musume。´14's interview.


Sato It was my first time holding a guitar, and I thought that it was heavy. I can't play it at all, so if I'm able to play the guitar someday, I'd like to try playing a song composed by Tsunku♂-san.
──Singing to your own accompaniment?
Sato Yup. When the day comes where I'm able to do it, I'd like to surprise people, make them go, 'Eh, Is that Maachan playing the guitar?'

Tuesday 24 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 40: Yajima Maimi x Kumai Yurina

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Yajima Maimi X Kumai Yurina

ʕ♡˙ᴥ˙♡ʔ

When I think about Maimi-chan and Kumai-chan, the only word that comes to mind is 'airhead'...... (laughs). Do the both of you think that you're of similar types?

Yajima: I've thought that recently. Kumai-chan is a cool beauty, so it feels like she's kind of difficult to approach. Even when the only thing she's doing is standing up, she looks so cool, so it's like she's a prickly girl. But she's actually laid-back (laughs). We had lots of BeriKyuu activities last year, and from then on, I thought of her as a girl with this airy feel to her.

That's quite recent, isn't it? What made you think that?

Yajima: At the BeriKyuu tour ('Berryz Kobo & ℃-ute Collab Concert Tour 2011 Autumn ~BeriKyuu Island~'), Kumai-chan often taught me the choreography, and her way of teaching was really airy (laughs). 


ʕ♡˙ᴥ˙♡ʔ

Kumai: I heard that Maimi was a real big airhead, so I thought that she would have an extraordinarily high level of airheadedness. 

Yajima: And that's coming from Kumai-chan (laughs).

Kumai: Like she doesn't realise when she makes mistakes, and she'll still go on doing the wrong thing at full throttle. Like even if you were to point out to her that she might be a bit off the mark, she'd ask back, 'What is it that I'm doing wrong?' while continuing to do it at full power (laughs). But that's also a good thing about Maimi. She does everything at max power, and I've never seen her cut corners.

Yajima: Skilful people might good at glossing over their mistakes, but since I make mistakes while rushing with all my strength, I can't gloss over them (laughs).

Maimi-chan is the types that rushes through, while Kumai-chan is calm and moves at her own pace. While you're airheads, there are slight differences.

Kumai: I'm told that I'm somehow inattentive. Even at MCs, while I'm just listening normally, I'll be asked if I'm listening, or they'd ask me if I could pay a bit more attention.

Yajima: I feel like that's something I've got in similar to Kumai-chan, which relieves me a little.

Kumai: Ah, I kind of understand.

Saturday 21 May 2016

Miyamoto Karin x Uemura Akari - Cross Talk between H!P's Platinum Generation!! (Top Yell May 2014)


Appearing from Juice=Juice, H!P's youngest group, we have Miyamoto Karin, the person from the born-in-'98 group who has spent the longest time in H!P,  and even as we boast about Uemura Akari's exemplary beauty and proportions, it's permeated by the contrast that's created through her airhead character. In contrast to Miyamoto who carries around grave worries, Uemura comes out into the open with her day-by-day innocence. So let's have this contrasting pair unveil stories of the '98 group that we haven't heard about!


Does it weigh in your mind that there's someone in the same group who is also in the same grade?

Uemura: I'm reminded that we were born in the same generation whenever we talk about school.

Miyamoto: As we were concentrating on Juice=Juice activities last year, we didn't really talk about school.

Uemura: When I joined the H!P Kenshuusei, I respected Karin-chan as a dai-senpai, so it was difficult to get close to her. She was so level-headed that I didn't even think about her being the same age as me.

Miyamoto: When Uemuu joined, we talked about how a lovely girl had joined us, a calm Osakan beauty. But now, I know that she's quite the airhead who'll immediately give out hugs, so my impression of her has changed (laughs).

And when did you close the distance with the difficult-to-get-close-to Miyamoto-san?

Uemura: After quite some time had passed since Juice=Juice's formation. From when we first formed, I thought about how we'd become friends, but I know that I'm the type of person who makes aggressive moves, little by little, and I enjoy hugging people (laughs). Using that, I just went ahead. I've always been bad at talking with people whom I'm meeting for the first time, I'm the shy type.

Miyamoto: Rather than saying I'm shy, it's more that I'm the type of person that builds a wall between myself and others.

Uemura: Karin-chan, you did build a wall around you.

Miyamoto: At first, I was the fastest to speak out to anyone, but that was just at the start. Then I closed my heart, and while I wanted to get close, I was stumbling around for companions.

Uemura: Recently, I realised that Karin-chan had built a wall around her, but she wouldn't honestly say what she felt. It's like she'd feel out how the other person felt first, and then she'd aim to follow along with that person.

Miyamoto: I guess so. Now, I'm slamming into the wall of trying to figure out what my true feelings are. Like when we were small, we'd just say outright what our true feelings were, right? Little by little, I became unable to do that, and started thinking about how people would see me. I'd like to fix that, but I'm quite the worrywart.

It's become a therapeutic, grave discussion, hasn't it (laughs)?

Uemura: Karin-chan is someone with a personality that I've never met before.

Miyamoto: I'd like to get better at maintaining communication.

Thursday 19 May 2016

Miyamoto Karin and Uemura Akari (UTB May 2016)

Released at the end of the school year, this edition of the magazine came out about a week or two before Juice=Juice got the fateful news about their Budokan performance. Karin-chan and Aarii were interviewed as part of the magazine's promotion for H!P Best Shot Vol 23.

I think that making the Budokan performance a reality will be how we repay the favours we owe
Looking back over the school year, what do you think?

'I grew out my hair that I'd cut drastically short (laughs), we released an album, had a nationwide live tour, starred in a drama. It was a busy year with lots of changes that left us dizzy, but we were really watched over warmly by the members of staff around us and the Juice=Juice family, so I think that it was a year where we were enveloped in love'

In particular, taking on the role of Hidaka Aiko in the drama 'Budokan' must have been a huge challenge.

'Though I'm an idol, I thought that I shouldn't act in a way that would be disrespectful to actresses, and my co-stars were also amazing people, so I was worried that I might feel out of place. But I really learnt a lot, and I think it helped me develop. And I'm glad that even after we were done with the shooting, I was still able to interact as Aiko through NEXT YOU events'

Looking at the entirety of Hello!, there are kouhai who admire Miyamoto-san (laughs).

'It makes me extremely happy when Country Girls' Musubu-chan and Yanagawa-chan say that, but I've got to make up for it by being reliable, and I'd like to tease them.

Finally, what's your goal for the next school year!

'Firstly, we've got to respond in kind towards the love that we've received over the past year, and I think that a Budokan performance would the biggest way to repay the favour. In the midst of that, while we're raising the level of our dancing and singing individually, our powers become different when all 5 of us are together. I'd like us to become a group that's terrifyingly amazing. Personally, I'd like to become even more knowledgeable about 80s idols. I like Matsuda Seiko-san, and I'd like to learn more about the other idols from that generation, and make use of that knowledge in my own performances'


I've become used to solo photo shoots and interviews (laughs)

This past school year has been a year with a lot of firsts, hasn't it?
In April, Juice=Juice acquired our first Oricon Weekly first, our first starring role in a drama, and personally, I came out with my first photobook. Personally and as a group, it was a year where we were able to do all sorts of huge jobs. I was nervous at first for solo magazine work, and interviews were hard for me since I get tongue-tied. I can't conclude my statements, I just take up too much time (laughs). However, our member Kanazawa Tomoko-chan knows a lot of difficult words, so using her as a reference, I'd like to overcome that'

What memories do you have of your photobook 'AKARI'?

'The Labrador Retriever that I took shots with was adorable, and I'm really curious how much that doggy has grown. The shooting was at Okinawa, but after that, as Juice=Juice were on our way to conquer the 47 prefectures, we went to Okinawa, and I felt a connection. It seems that the fans had gone to the places where I'd done the shootings, which made me happy'

The drama shooting must have been tough as well though.

'The staff members of the drama were really warm, and it made me happy to see them come to our concerts, waving glowsticks for us. It was sad to part once the filming ended, but from now on, I'd like to challenge myself to acting work, in the hopes that I'll work with those staff members again'

And, as Juice=Juice, your goal is also a Budokan performance.

We'd like to polish up my singing and dancing, so that we'll be able to stand on the Budokan stage in perfect condition!'

UTB (UP to boy) / Wani BooksNext is you ! / Karada dake ga Otona ni Nattanjanai / NEXT YOU / Juice=Juice

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 33: Tsugunaga Momoko x Kumai Yurina

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Tsugunaga Momoko X Kumai Yurina

♥♥♥

Momochi, from your eyes, do you think that Kumai-chan has changed recently?

Tsugunaga: She's changed. Specifically, she got good at singing all of a sudden. How good she's become at singing has even become a topic of discussion among the members.

Kumai: No way- I'm getting really self-conscious. I was aware that singing wasn't my strong point, but I wonder how it ended up that way? Personally, I don't think that I've changed in any particular way.

Tsugunaga: That's great. If possible, we wouldn't really like to raise the topic, and if we were to say 'Kumaicho, you've changed in this way!', you'd be conscious of it, which might make you veer off the course and fall short of everyone's expectations. 


♥♥♥

By the way, Momochi, how did your way of referring to her as 'Kumaicho' come around?

Kumai: When we were still small, the name of the Imperial Household Agency, 'Kunaicho', happened to come up, and I was like 'Kunaicho? If you're looking for Kumaicho, I'm here', and all the members started calling me that.

Tsugunaga: So for a period of time, all of us were calling her 'Kumaicho'. Then at some point it reverted back to Kumai-chan, but I was the only one who missed the boat.

Kumai: The other day, by some chance, Momo called me Kumai-chan after so long, but it felt really out of place, like 'Who is she calling out to?' I won't turn to her if I'm not being called Kumaicho (laughs).

As for Momochi, you haven't changed in that sense (laughs).

Tsugunaga: That's right. It's also often said about my face and my voice as well. But last year, Kumaicho actually became the centre of a Berryz Kobo single ('Shining Power'. To be exact, it was released on the 10th of November, 2010), and she also became the lead role for a movie ('Ousama Game'), she was placed in a lot of high-pressure situations.

Saturday 14 May 2016

Funaki Musubu 'Member I'd like to go on an on-location shooting with' ranking



ーーFunaki-san, the other day, you went for your first on-location shoot with Yanagawa-san to Enoshima on the Internet programme 『Girls Night Out』. Based on that experience, we'd like to ask about your 「Member I'd like to go on an on-location shoot with」 ranking!

Funaki Right! 6th place is Yanagawa Nanami-chan though…。

ーーEven though you've just been on an on-location shoot together! Could there possibly be something that you dislike about her…?

Funaki No, you've got it wrong! In the sense that we've gone on one together once, I'd like to go with someone else next time…。 However, even at that on-location shoot the other day, Nanami-chan properly took the lead, and she was really reliable, so I'm glad that my first on-location shoot was with Nanami-chan!

Yanagawa Thank you very much (laughs)。

ーーThat's a weird concern…。 Well then, 5th place?

Funaki Morito Chisaki-san…。 Obviously it doesn't mean that I'd hate to be on-location with her, but once, when it was just Morito-san and me in transit, since I had just joined, the ride just continnued on in complete silence. So, even now, I worry about how it'd turn out…。

Tsugunaga That's true, on-location shoots are tough when it's silent!

Funaki But recently, we've got increasingly more opportunities to talk a bit, so I think it'll probably be fine! And then at 4th place, Yamaki Risa-chan! Risa-chan is from the same H!P Kenshuusei generation as me, and we even go and hang out together on our off-days, so I feel like an on-location shoot with the two of us would be comfortable。

ーーYou wouldn't have to worry about silence?

Funaki Yup (laughs)。 But on the other hand, I can predict how it'll be like, how we'll enjoy ourselves. So in the sense that I'd like to venture out a bit more, she's 4th。

Thursday 12 May 2016

Momochi in Shuukan Shounen Champion (2016.03.24)

{Country Girls' Playing Manager Tsugunaga Momoko gets interviewed by Shuukan Shounen Champion for their Info Express corner.}


Purported to have been a 'pro idol' since long ago, we have 'Momochi' Tsugunaga Momoko, who is flourishing in the variety programme circuit! Currently acting as Playing Manager for Country Girls, we talked with Momochi about 'Idol theories'! Well then, let's take a peek into Momochi's idol soul~!

Well then, we now have the 'Pro idol who is the pride of H!P'. Many H!P members have made an appearance in this corner. A great number of wise words have been expressed here.

Thank you very much. In Momochi's case, anything that escapes my lips are wise words.

No doubt about that (laughs). And with that said, talking about Tsugunaga-san, you stopped with those characteristic twintails, the 'Momochi Musubi', that you had been continuing on with for the longest time. Quite some time has passed, hasn't it?

It's been just about one year. But I don't think that my core has actually changed. Though lots of people around me have often been saying that I've changed or gotten prettier. Yup.

Indeed (laughs). But if we count from Berryz Kobo who went into a hiatus in March last year, it's been 12 years, and if we count from your time as the H!P Kids, you've been an idol for 14 years. Tsugunaga-san, you've continued to be called a pro idol since back then. 

It makes me happy. But I wonder how many of those fans remain, the ones who said that back then (laughs).

That's sad (laughs). But how about it? What were you thinking back then, about being an idol?

I was still in primary school, so I was only recklessly doing what had been set in front of my eyes, I didn't think about anything. Now I'm in Country Girls,and all of the members are kouhai, so there more or less is this feeling that I should keep an eye on those around me. But in Berryz Kobo, we were all contemporaries, and we were primary school students. However, even under those circumstances, I was called 'Tsugunaga-pro'. Like what kind of person was I? (laughs)

Tsugunaga, always pro

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 57: Shimizu Saki x Sugaya Risako

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Shimizu Saki X Sugaya Risako


Do you remember your first appearance as the Hello! Project Kids, at 'Hello! Project 2003 Winter ~Tanoshinjattemasu!~'?

Shimizu: We were still so small back then, so we did it without thinking. The 15 of us made our appearance dressed as angels......

Sugaya: Watching it now, it's like, why angels!? (laughs).

Shimizu: That's right. It had a strong impact (laughs). At any rate, I remember doing just what we were told to do, with everything we had. 

Your first concert as Berryz Kobo was 2004's 'W Standby! Double U & Berryz Kobo'.

Shimizu: At the time, there was such a feeling of nervousness. There were members who couldn't stand on-stage because they were hyperventilating.


■■■

Shimizu: Tsuji (Nozomi)-san was concerned about us, and was open for advice, 'If you've got anything, Non will listen to you!' As for rehearsals, Berryz Kobo would rehearse with Berryz Kobo, we had but a few rehearsals together with W-san, which was also worrying.......

Sugaya: I had to sing together with Kago (Ai)-san, but I couldn't sing well, and I kept being taught by Kago-san. I remember that well, even now.

Saturday 7 May 2016

[2ch] Where are the Momochi Musubi now?


1: 名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/ 2016/02/23(火) 20:03:08.95 0.net
While she said they were made in the image of wings, it was a hairstyle that was weird, lame, and shitty


But thinking about them now, they were cute

18 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:13:32.87 0.net
>>1
They're sleeping in a warehouse along with the ManoPiano

2 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:04:38.92 0.net
They're left in the middle of the Budokan stage

3 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:04:55.99 0.net
They've become a replacement for a member's broken bone

5 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:06:36.34 0.net
Every time we see Momochi's grown-out long hair, we remember that lame hairstyle

6 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:07:20.29 0.net
I opened some photos of people trying to do the Momochi Musubi
The not-so-stiff, incomplete versions were cute

7 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:07:38.48 0.net


9 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:09:00.28 0.net
They've been converted to Miyabi-chan's personal property

10 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:09:30.59 0.net
They're hung at the entrance to Momochi's home

11 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:10:08.10 0.net



14 :名無し募集中。。。@\(^o^)/:2016/02/23(火) 20:11:19.45 0.net
>>11
This was awesome

Thursday 5 May 2016

JOQR Otenki Nori no Recomen! - Captain & Momochi (2014.11.24 )

Snippets from a radio show Captain and Momochi were on, doing promotions for their final single 'Towa no Uta / Romance wo Katatte'. For reference, this was way before Captain announced that she'd become a H!P Advisor, though after it was revealed that Momochi had been named as Country Girls' Playing Manager.


The host has an extremely enthusiastic welcome for Saki-chan... and a terse, much-less-excited welcome for Momochi. Momochi immediately points out the difference in treatment, but the host brushes it off. As you'll see, this'll be a recurring theme. All in good fun though.

Thoughts on their hiatus
Shimizu: It's not as if it isn't sad to part, but beyond that sadness, we'd like to enjoy the moment.
Tsugunaga: Yup, it's really sad.

Their plans post-hiatus
Shimizu: I don't have anything decided yet.
Host: You haven't thought of anything?
Shimizu: Not yet, though it is something that's playing on my mind.
Host: It's playing in your mind. While on the other hand, you've got Momochi, who's all carefree. (laughs)
Tsugunaga: Lots of things have been playing in my mind as well~
Host: So Momochi, what have you been thinking about?
Tsugunaga: ...Lots of things... ♥
Shimizu: (laughing) She's running away from the question!
Tsugunaga: ...Lots of things! (laughs)

What they do on their days off
Tsugunaga: For me, the greatest luxury is getting to sleep without my alarm clock on, and waking up at noon.
Shimizu: I go shopping, I love it. But I'm generally indecisive, so if I go with friends, I'll end up taking lots of their time. So I generally go alone.

What's most important to you
Host: What's your eternal thing, the most important thing to you, something you can't give up?
Shimizu: Berryz Kobo is important to me-
Host: I see. Well, that's obvious-
Tsugunaga: (cutting in) It's the same for me~!
(Laughter)
Shimizu: She said something different before.
Tsugunaga: No, that's what I think from the bottom of my heart.
Shimizu: Momochi, just a moment ago, you were like, 'It's definitely got to be my cuteness ♥' (laughs)
Tsugunaga: Well, that's a fact after all (laughs)
Host: Well of course Berryz Kobo is important to you, but besides that, is there anything that's important to you?
Tsugunaga: Well, as mentioned before, it'd be my cuteness. It's not that I want it to continue forever, but it continues to remain eternal of its own accord.
Host: Scary, isn't it? It's neverending?
Tsugunaga: It's neverending. It never stops evolving. (laughs)

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 19: Nakajima Saki x Suzuki Airi

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Nakajima Saki X Suzuki Airi

╖╖╖

In a different way from Berryz Kobo, ℃-ute's dances have their own characteristics. I think that Airi-chan's sharp dancing and Saki-chan's flexible dancing are highly regarded, but what do you think?

Suzuki: Nacky's got long limbs, and I always think that it's nice how her movements seem wide, that they've got a charm to them. Actually, I'm flexible. I feel like I've got no sharpness to my dancing. I can't stop at where I should, and when I studied dancing in the past, I was told that I don't stop at the parts where I should. So I wouldn't say that I've got sharpness. I think that there's lots that I have to learn by watching, but so far, I still haven't grasped them.

Nakajima: Dancing is difficult, isn't it? The experience changes depending on the viewer. We've been told that I've got sharpness, while Airi's got flexibility. The weave of Airi's dancing is amazing. She really is supple.

Suzuki: Nacky's amazing too!

Nakajima: Airi, you're skilled at moving your hips. And that's why you've got such an amazing waist (laughs). And recently, you've gotten good at using your neck. 

Suzuki: Thank you! I think that I found out the importance of the neck by watching Takahashi (Ai)-san. Also, (Natsuyaki) Miyabi's the same as well, she's good at using her neck, her hair moves so nicely. Miyabi's also good at using her shoulders.

Nakajima: Ah, Miyabi-chan, she's good with her shoulders.