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sweetlittlelie48 · 5 years

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[Translation] BUBKA (Feb’19) Goto Rara interview

It’s been a (long) while since the last time I posted on tumblr.

To be honest, I didn’t plan to release this translation upon her grad announcement but...well, here I am. She’s the type of going all out on everything she does anyway,so I’m happy for whatever choice she made. In this interview, she said she loves living a busy life. Maybe she’s found that university life is busy enough lol (or maybe planning to study abroad??) Enjoy reading!

The reason of “gap”

- It’s the first gravure shooting after you came back.

Rara: Thank you so much! (clap)

- Your expression is somehow…

Rara: Has it changed?

- I guess it looked pretty relaxed.

Rara: It was fun! I was really looking forward to it. It was a shooting session and I was also the only one there, I thought ‘I wonder what it feels like?’

- It was also the first time for the photographer to shoot for this magazine. Felt so frantic (laugh)

Rara: Though it was her first time, she conveyed her heedfulness well and also concerned if it went as what she planned. I really look forward to how it will be published.

- We think that it’s quite good. Well, you came back on stage on Nov.6 after half year of absence, but wasn’t the feeling different from before?

Rara: I was very nervous since it was a long time, but beyond that, I felt sorry for members that they need to remember new position as I came in. So, I was worried how everyone would think.

- And how was it actually? What did they think?

Rara: There were some who seems to have it tough but still said “welcome back” to me. I’m glad. There were also some members that I meet for the first time (laugh)

- You were apart only in that period of time. How did you spend your days?

Rara: I went to school and went to cram school as it is on my way home. For weekends and summer vacation, I went to cram school all day. Though I passed university’s AO entrance exam, I also thought of it in case AO is futile. The pass rate is also not much different from general entrance exam. So, I studied like I was going to take general entrance exam.

(T/L note: AO (Admission Office) entrance exam = the admissions office of a university decides who is admitted based on the student’s application, interview and an essay test.)

- Like an ordinary high school girl.

Rara: Very ordinary (laugh)

- How about your consciousness of being “SKE48’s Goto Rara”?

Rara: None. But, even when I’m in SKE48, I’m not so conscious about it. That’s why…(laugh)

- Hahahaha

Rara: I don’t mind it at all

- However, we think that there must be something different between an ordinary high school girl Goto Rara and SKE48 Goto Rara.

Rara: Umm, of course there was always the sense of urgency. Going to school in the morning, getting out of class early for work, going to work and getting back home late at night, then going to school in the morning again. Since it was like that every day, so without SKE48, maybe the sense of urgency had disappeared. But, instead of that, I need to study. So, it was another kind of difficulty.

- Exam was certainly tough. And in SKE48, you also had difficult time, right?

Rara: Yep, yep.

- (Matsui) Jurina-san was also on hiatus.

Rara: There was also 10th anniversary.

- That’s right. When you came back, is there any point that makes you think SKE48 atmosphere has changed?

Rara: Umm, I guess it hasn’t changed. But, I heard from senior’s opinion regarding the movie “Idol” that there’s a gap (of view) between early gens and later gens towards SKE48. I was like “Ahhh…”

- “Ahhh…” (laugh) I watched it, too. In that movie, the so-called “early gens” are the ones who decide SKE48’s direction, right?

Rara: Yeah.

- The movie was portrayed that the aiming direction should be equally decided by SKE48 as a whole.

Rara: Yeah.

-About this, actually, I wonder if the gens like Rara-san’s gen and the later gens would feel constrained. I became a bit worried.

Rara: Umm…how should I put it? But, everyone has their own dream, everyone has their own thought about the future, it’s separate. I think it’s different in each individual. It doesn’t have to be all the same. For me, I really love SKE48 that everyone becomes one when performing a live performance. So, when it comes to live performance, there are no such things like “gap” or “individual”. We did it with the thought that ‘I will not lose to seniors’, with the same feeling as them. We enjoy just as much as them.

- “feeling” or “the feeling of a gap”, of course it’s not what we can see with eyes, especially, for the receiving side.

Rara:Yeah, right.

- This is difficult, though (laugh)

Rara: The longer I stay in SKE48…The more I think that seniors really put their lives into it. Talking about the weight (of the feeling they have for SKE48), I think it’s absolutely different. Well, we have different way of living. Therefore, if someone tells me “(the feeling is) different”, then it certainly is different.

- I couldn’t agree more.

Rara: For example, giving that there were 2 choices, as the time passed by, it became as 1. The weight (of feeling) would get heavier, right?

- This is such a substantial conversation, talking about ‘Is this the only way?’ ‘Isn’t it so?’

Rara: Yeah. Since I still haven’t watched the movie so I don’t know what was being said there. I wonder whether that is “the feeling of a gap” or not. But from my point of view ‘even though there are a lot of differences, do we hold the same feeling when we work as SKE48 or perform lives?’ I thought to myself. I don’t think we are losing to seniors on this point.

- Working in a group called ‘SKE48’, performing live shows and lightening up together with fans, all of these feelings have never changed.

Rara: Even those other young gens, I think the feeling of fun hasn’t changed. I’m also like that.

Things I noticed

- You are having fun, everyone is also having fun because it’s “Rara”, right?

(T/L note: Rara’s name contains the word “fun/enjoy” )

Rara: Yes (laugh). However, up until now, I have thought that it’s fine as long as I can have fun. Even in theater stage performance…because I’m a shy person, I couldn’t make eye contact with fans. Is it called response? Right? I’m really not good at it. Since I couldn’t look them in the eyes, I always look far ahead.

- You were staring far ahead although it’s theater (laugh)

Rara: It’s embarrassing!! But, the things like ‘not looking because I’m shy’ or ‘enjoying it’, I think maybe it’s my own satisfaction. It may sound extreme, but even in handshake events, I would wear the outfit I like rather than the one that would please the fans. I am who I am. It’s like I don’t want to be tainted. When fans told me something, I would go “yeah, yeah…but!” However, once I tried to pull away from it, when I thought that I want to fulfill my dream, the power from fans that are supporting me is definitely indispensable. I began to think that I have to return it properly to those people.

- Because there are people who support you, you keep being an idol. Something like that?

Rara: Yeah. ‘Because I am like this, nevertheless’ I continued just like that…You may understand if you are 15 years old (laugh). Looking at it now more calmly, that was unfair. Wasn’t it only me gaining one-sided? Didn’t I return anything?

- You gained it, anyway. (laugh)

Rara: I felt strongly that I gained it even if I know it’s one-sided! So, for the people who are supporting me right now, though they may think that it is okay for me to gain, I can’t leave it like that. I want to return it.

- Even doing something embarrassing.

Rara: Huhu…yes (laugh) Argh, it’s embarrassing. I really adore people who can do something like flying kiss or wink! It’s cool!

- Cool (laugh) How about try doing it?

Rara: That can’t be! No way, no way, no way! I still can’t make eye contact properly. Even in handshake events, some also said “you divert your eyes”. I talked to them while I was looking away.

- Being idol is tough.

Rara: It’s tough! (laugh) If I were not an idol, I wouldn’t mind about this at all.

- During your hiatus, was there any moment that you thought ‘it’s fine even if I’m not coming back’?

Rara: Um…No.

- Something like ‘isn’t it fun to live like a normal university student?’

Rara: I never thought of that. I never thought living a normal life is fun. I think I wouldn’t be satisfied with that. Maybe, it’s because I have been living a busy life all along, I don’t like lazing around at home.

- If you were not an idol, is there a way to not laze around at home?

Rara: But I have no interest in clubs. Even though I once entered a very strict club, I still felt ‘so boring’ (laugh). There were also many unreasonable things. I really hate that. So, I wanted to come back quickly when I was on hiatus. It wasn’t enough for me.

- So you are not sending mail (SKE48 mail) so frequently (laugh)

Rara: Huhuhu! Yes, not frequently (laugh). I was told that I can send it whenever I like so I send it when I feel ‘I’m so tiredddd’

- Did you watch anything about SKE48? General Election, for example.

Rara: I watched it! When I was on the way back from cram school, they were announcing Senbatsu and Suda (Akari) san didn’t get called yet. Then, she got 2nd place! At that time, I was in tears.

- Why was that?

Rara: Well…I was so happy. I was happy when Suda-san got 2nd place. And at that moment when I knew that (Matsui) Jurina-san got the 1st place, I was really happy. I was like ‘this is so nice’ because I love both of them.

- Actually, many things happened when you were not here. Did you contact with any member? Obata (Yuna) san also wrote on Twitter ‘That dork is back’

Rara: Nihihihhi! Yunana (laugh). There wasn’t any member that I talk with all the time but there were some that I talk with quite often, like Maayan (Sugawara Maya). I knew that Maayan entered AKB48 Senbatsu.

- Time flies (laugh). Since Rara-san is back, what is your goal hereafter?

Rara: I want to do works involved with speaking! In the future, my dream is to become an announcer.

- It has been this one all along, right?

Rara: Though it has been this all along, it has never been so clear. I want to try a lot of things but when I was on hiatus, I watched “Dodesuka!” (a news report program on NagoyaTV), there was an announcer called Natchan-san (Shiojiri Natsuko). I always got a lot of power from her. It’s amazing that she can make people think ‘I will do my best today, too’ even if she can’t see them. So, I decided that I want to be announcer.

- Ohh, you will definitely make it.

Rara: Ah…maybe (laugh). I feel strongly that I want to become announcer.

- We are looking forward to Goto Rara who is back as idol. And, please make your dreams come true.

Rara: Yes! Ah, it was so much fun, today! I want to see the photos soon.

#goto rara #ske48 #後藤楽々 #bubka #interview #translation

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sweetlittlelie48 · 5 years

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Goto Rara “BUBKA Feb’19 issue” offshots

I love this set so much

#goto rara #後藤楽々 #SKE48

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sweetlittlelie48 · 5 years

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[Translation] EX-Taishu online article: Welcome back Jurina! 2018/09/14

Welcome back, Matsui Jurina of SKE48! Looking back to the famous "Glory Days" until the day she got 1st place in Senbatsu Sousenkyo.

Matsui Jurina of SKE48 who got the 1st place in "10th AKB48 World Senbatsu Sousenkyo" had been on hiatus since June due her poor health condition but she made a surprised appearance in Team S stage on 6 September. Moreover, on 7 September, she also returned to be on TV after 2 and a half months in "Music Sation", performed the new song "Sentimental Train" with full 16 Senbatsu for the first time. Since entering SKE48 in 2008, we will look back on Jurina's "Glory days" that has been supported the group as the backbone.

"Everyone, nice to meet you. We are SKE48"

Matsui Jurina, who started learning hiphop dance since elementary school 3rd grade, attended SKE48 audition in 2008. In karaoke round, she was intended to sing "Okaeri" by Ayaka but she got to be the last to sing because of machine trouble. She had to sing "anytime" by Koda Kumi instead and passed the audition wonderfully.

On 23 August, SKE debuted in AKB48's live performance at Hibiya Amphitheater. Jurina was the one who gave the greeting "Everyone, nice to meet you. We are SKE48", she has been the center since the very beginning.

"Without that 'smack', I might not have been here"

Jurina was suddenly thrown into professional world at 11 years old and became AKB48's center in "Oogoe Diamond". The one who supported her was Shinoda Mariko, the eldest Senbatsu.

In the interview with Myojo magazine, she reminisced about that time "Up until now, that could be the hardest time"

"I thought that everyone would be annoyed because of my immatureness, I felt sorry for them and I felt bad. When I thought...I might be no good, Shinoda-san came and 'smack' on my back without a word. I got encouraged by the feeling of 'Do your best'/ 'It's okay' from it" She said, "without that 'smack', I might not have been here"

"I will keep continuing until I am the eldest"

In Team S 2nd stage "Te wo tsunaginagara", Jurina was assigned to be the center of unit song "Glory days" and in Team S 3rd stage "Seifuku no me", she was the center of unit song "Omoide Ijou"

At her 14 years old birthday stage in 2011, she confessed the troubles of being AKB's senbatsu while being SKE member. "For people who do not acknowledge me, I will try my best with the feeling that 'I will make you acknowledge me someday' within my heart. I will keep continuing until I am the eldest, until I can make it" She revealed her feeling.

"Rena-chan is always the sun for me"

Jurina and Matsui Rena who was 6 years older than her were called "JR". By being sisterlike and the best opponent, it led to her growth. However, Rena announced her graduation in 2015. Jurina wrote a letter to Rena in the graduation concert at Toyota stadium.

Jurina confessed "Though many people say Rena-chan is like the moon and I am like the sun, Rena-chan is always the sun for me" "I have never frankly spoken till now, but I love Rena-chan after all" She was in tear. "Since I want Rena-chan to graduate without worries, I will be stronger!" She made a promise.

"Of course, no one can replace Masana"

In the single "12 gatsu no Kangaroo" which released on 10 December 2014, Kitagawa Ryoha and Miyamae Ami were assigned to be the center. And in the single "Igai ni Mango" which released on 19 July 2017, Obata Yuna was the center. SKE48 has been carrying new challenges. At this time, Oya Masana who was in 1st gen, same as Jurina, decided to graduate. If Jurina is "sword", Oya would be "shield" that keeps protecting for many years. Her existence was hugh. Jurina spoke out her thought in Oya Masana graduation stage on 29 November 2017.

"What Masana often said to me recently is 'you are not alone, there are many reliable juniors around you. Please rely on them, pamper them well' " She said with gratitude to her SKE48 comrades. Furthermore, she confessed that "of course, no one can replace Masana" "It's my beloved Masana, so I want her to graduate happily. I won't say 'lonely' anymore. I'll be strong" She promised.

"I will make 48group to be the top of idol world again"

Masana farewell, "Tofu Pro-wrestling" TV drama and etc. had passed, Jurina finally became the 1st place in "10th AKB48 World Senbatsu Sousenkyo". The event that was held at Nagoya Dome ended with her and Suda Akari's 1-2 finish.

Long-awaited champion Jurina made a statement of her decision to lead the way for 48group to be the top of idol world on stage "If everyone believes in each other, 48group will be the top of idol world again. It's not 'we want to' but 'we will' " She also thanked to Miyawaki Sakura of HKT48 who got the 3rd place "Thanks for being a rival"

"From now on, I'd like to draw a step to become adult, gently and calmly step by step"

In TV show "SKE48 Musubi no Ichiban" which was broadcasted on 18 September, it was "Matsui Jurina comeback special" episode. In the same show on 11 September, there was preview of this special episode on-aired. She gave a comment "From now on, I'd like to draw a step to become adult, gently and calmly step by step"

Since entering SKE48 at the age of 11, Jurina has been walking through half of her life, full of ups and downs. She has gone though emotions many more times than a normal person and has grown up with encounters that determined by a twist of fate. In the future, what kind of message will she leave to this world? Jurina's "Glory days" will continue on.

Good article :)

#Matsui Jurina #SKE48 #Glorydays

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sweetlittlelie48 · 5 years

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Here’s an interview with Nacky from July. It was posted in two parts on Melos. It’s different from the usual idol interviews but I liked it.

https://melos.media/hobby/29073/ https://melos.media/hobby/29075/

In this interview entitled “Idol, sports, and youth” we’ll hear about the wonders of competition from an idol who has a background in athletics. The idol in question whom we asked to take part in this interview is Kamata Natsuki of SKE48, who released their 23rd single, Ikinari Punchline, on July 4. It ranked first on Oricon on its release day. Kamata is a liberal arts type who likes reading and manga. She’s known as a shougi idol and has played against the former pro Kato Hifumi (Hifumin). However she’s also a sports idol, having done swimming for six years, ballet for seven years, archery for three years, kendo for two years, rugby for three years (in her P.E. classes). She has a rich history of doing sports, and this year she ran the Nagoya Women’s Marathon. In this first part we’ll go over her infancy and her reasons for picking up swimming and ballet and we’ll ask about her experiences and impressions. The road to becoming the best swimmer in SKE48 -You have the image of being the indoor type since you like shougi, books, and manga, but you have a long history of sports too. I’m not particularly good at exercising, but I’ve always loved moving around. At home I was raised to try my hardest at everything I do, so I think my strong point is continuing to do things for a long time. -What got you interested in swimming? My kindergarten was linked to a swimming school so when it was summer I’d go to the pool once a week after the classes. It was fun. We were divided by skill into the eel, goldfish, and crab classes. -Those are some funny names. Which class were you in? I started in the crab class and thought it’d be nice if I could be like the other kids around me who could swim, so I practiced floating. After that I practiced the backstroke so I wouldn’t be scared about putting my face in the water. By the second year of elementary school that school ceased to exist. I went to another school after, but their plan was to start with floating and move onto the crawl, so I had to start over and float again. -That seems quite frustrating. After learning the crawl we moved onto the backstroke, which I already learned, so it felt like a waste of time. It’s a bitter memory. -When did you stop taking swimming lessons? I had classes until the fifth grade of elementary school, I think. I learned the crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. After that I did a medley of them. However there were middle schoolers at that school and I wasn’t able to compete with them endurance-wise. People around me thought it was a waste to quit, but I did so since I couldn’t compete at that level yet. -Staying on that topic, you used your swimming experience in your idol life too. You got the best spot on the swimming competition on Zero Position in 2014. For the first part we swam in teams, and then I raced against the members of the winning team… I was in the water for almost an entire day. I must have swam ten kilometers. The second battle was more a battle of endurance than anything else. -That sounds tough. It was really fun. I was happy that a pro told me that my swimming form was good. I hadn’t swum in a while but it was like riding a bike. Discovering the importance of being on the side through ballet -When did you start ballet? I did ballet from the second grade of elementary school until the second year of middle school. I ended right in time to focus on my studies for high school acceptance exams. -What got you to pick up ballet? I had a close friend who was doing ballet, and I was surprised by how flexible her body was. I saw how she could bend her legs and thought that I wanted to be like that too. -So it wasn’t because you liked the outfit then. Well, it’s impressive that you continued doing it for so long after starting ballet so casually. It was fun to discover new things I wanted to do with ballet, such as wearing pointe shoes, doing different kinds of moves, and performing a certain role during a recital. -You had swimming and ballet lessons during the same time. How did you manage that schedule? I did ballet four times a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. When a recital was coming up I’d have practice on Sunday as well. I did swimming on Wednesdays and Saturdays. -That sounds like a tough schedule. Ballet started at seven at night, so I had time to play with my friends. On the days where I didn’t have any extracurriculars I went to borrow books from the library. That practice has stayed with me, as I still love reading. -What did you start your ballet lessons with? In the preclasses for small kids we’d hold a ball while elevating our bodies, that was fun. I made a promise with my mom to stretch for thirty minutes a day, so my body got very flexible. -So you’d get that promise done with your class. So why did you continue ballet? While learning the moves during elementary and middle school I really got the feeling that I wanted to wear pointe shoes quickly. At the school I went to we didn’t all get to wear the shoes at the same time. Therefore I wanted to wear them faster than anyone else and I adopted a competitive mindset. -Did you get to wear them before others? The school I went to didn’t let you wear the shoes until you matured past a certain age. -Why’s that? If your feet get accustomed to the shoes while your body is still forming your body isn’t able to grow properly and you become unable to dance. Your feet become really warped if you wear the shoes while you’re still growing. I didn’t start wearing the pointe shoes from such an early age, but some of my toes still became weird. My index toe is long, but if I push downwards with it, it bends outwards. -Are there a lot of people whose feet change shape? Ballerinas upload pictures of their feet on social media, and you can see that their feet are messed up. They often say that they can’t sleep at night due to the pain. Those who start ballet at a very young age are especially like that. -I’m assuming that people continue to do it because it’s fun in spite of all the pain? I found it fun to complete the units one at a time. You begin with standing up, then learn how to spin, and eventually become able to do a pas. (Step/movement) -Was there any particular moment in which you felt a sense of achievement? I felt a sense of accomplishment when I was able to do my first pique (tiptoe and twirl) while wearing pointe shoes. At first my body swayed while I tried tiptoeing, and I couldn’t keep my balance steady, and in the worst cases I’d fall on my butt. Therefore when I was finally able to do the movement cleanly I remember feeling extremely good. -Where there any recitals that left an impression on you? There are many! The one I’ll never forget is when I danced on the side. -Rather than the center? The dancers in the center are more noticeable, but during big performances side dancers and soloists are also present. The side dancers hardly move at all during a song. A song lasts around five minutes, and they only move three times. The rest of the time they don’t move at all. -That sounds pretty tough. Yes, but doing that part is the way to success. A lot of people are entrusted those parts and then become picked to dance in the center -So if you can’t do the side role you can’t be in the middle. I was entrusted with that role too, but only because I raised my hand. It was hard to concentrate while following other people’s dancing, and people got mad at me, it was really hard. In elementary and middle school you really want to move, so I wanted to practice spinning rather than standing in place. I don’t remember it, but my mom told me I complained about being fed up of just standing. But looking back at it I think it was a good experience. You need to experience that before becoming the prima donna of any ballet group, and now I know that ballet productions are propped up by the people who have such roles. -So it was a good lesson then. Did you feel a similar thing in SKE48? Yup. For example, if only one person’s arms are slumped while dancing lined up next to everyone else, the whole scene looks bad. In ballet and idols, as well as many other things, the center isn’t always the most important thing. Archery in middle school and an appearance at the prefectural tournament -It seems like you started kyudo (Japanese archery) in middle school. Why did you start? During that time I was still doing ballet, so my evenings were very long. Therefore I thought it’d be good to take a sports club that took place in the morning. I thought about a liberal arts club, or the cooking club. However I thought it’d be better to move around, so in the end I settled on kyudo. -How was it when you joined? I heard it wasn’t popular, but there were about twenty girls from my grade alone so I was surprised. But there were only four circular targets and two hay targets. So we’d practice by substituting each other during each half. Other than shooting arrows we’d go running around the school and up the steps. -How far would you run? The school’s circumference was about one kilometer, and we’d do five or six laps, and sometimes ten when we’d do a lot. There were some quiet girls who weren’t good at sports in the kyudo club who’d think things like “we’re running so much despite being in the kyudo club”, and so they resented the club. -What kind of firing practice did you do? First you spread your feet and face forwards, and you follow the same order until you fire the arrow, called the eight steps of archery. First you hold the arrow with the kake, the glove made out of deer’s hide, and practice your stance while looking in a mirror. Once you do that, you fire from nearby the hay targets, but it’s quite hard to hit. -It’s difficult merely to fire an arrow. What’s more, a bow and arrow have enough force to make a hole. If your arm shakes just a little, the bowstring will hit your arm and you’ll get some marks on your arm that look like earthworms. So it’s really dangerous. For this part we got some thorough coaching. -Did you appear in any tournaments? Yes. I took part in the prefectural tournament when I was a first grader. -That’s great! Few schools have a kyudo club in middle school, and I won twice at the municipal tournaments, and I went on to the prefectural tournament. -How were members chosen? First we were picked by our school, and my grades happened to be good so I was picked. At the time I was doing ballet and I wasn’t practicing kyudo very passionately, so I felt some stares when I was picked which was a bit scary. -What are the rules at the tournaments? There are a bunch of rules, but when I went we were a team of three competing against other teams, and each person fired at a target six times, with your hits getting you points. -Was it ok merely to hit the target? Archery and Kyudo are both part of the same discipline where you fire arrows, however it’s rather easy to hit the target in archery. Therefore it becomes a competition to see how close to the middle your arrow can land. However it’s much harder to hit the target in kyudo. When I went to the tournaments it was enough to hit three of your six shots to advance onto the prefectural tournament. -Were you able to focus more on your club after appearing at a prefectural tournament in your first year? Not at all. I think it was pure luck that I got to the prefectural tournament. I leaned towards ballet over kyudo, so I just tried to enjoy myself when I was practicing the latter. -How was it balancing it with ballet? I had kyudo every day of the week, and before a tournament we’d go on Saturdays to a neighbouring city to practice. I went to do ballet after the kyudo club. -I said this before, but that’s a tough schedule. I don’t have any recollection of it being that way during that time. I only remember being bitten a lot by mosquitoes! The shooting range was outdoors, and you spend much of the time maintaining the same movements in stillness, so you’re an all you can eat buffet for the mosquitoes. The biggest impression I have of that club is how itchy it was. Starting kendo with aspirations of becoming a police officer -In high school you moved onto the kendo club, correct? At that time I wanted to be a police officer. In order to become one you need to pass the first dan of a martial art. At the school I went to lots of people wanted to become police officers or JSDF officers, so there was a reference book for that in the club room, and the club was built around that. I planned to do kendo for a long time, but in autumn of my first year I passed the auditions for SKE48 and I was unable to continue the club. However I absolutely wanted to pass the first dan, so I tried my best until I was able to pass it. -When did you pass it? I was already in SKE48, so I think it was during my second grade. After that you had to practice for tournaments, so I thought that if I’d participate in those I’d be a bother, so I didn’t participate in those, but I stayed on as part of the club, so I’d show my face near the end. -So there was a period where you were an idol and did kendo. That’s right, and there were many people who were of a high skill level, so it felt natural to drop out. One of my seniors ranked number one in Aichi in terms of physical strength, they were really strong. It was scary to face them, the pressure of facing a certain blow once you moved was intense. -Posture is important in both kyudo and kendo. Did your experience with ballet help? Hm, I wonder… Image-wise, ballet has the feeling that you’re being suspended from above. However it feels like your body is firmly on the ground in kendo, so it’s different. You also focus on the area below your navel. -So they’re opposites. Yes. In kendo your lower back is curved a bit, while it’s completely straight in ballet. Therefore when I was told to fix my posture in kendo and thought I fixed it, I was startled when the problem turned out to be my lower back. -By the way, you also have experience playing rugby. When did that begin? I only played rugby in my school classes. We played it every winter. -It’s still impressive for girls to play it. My high school was on top of a mountain, so there weren’t any sports like baseball where objects go flying a great distance. It seems like rugby was its replacement. The boys also wanted to be made to play rugby but it would’ve led to injuries if they went at it for real so only girls did rugby. -Did you practice tackling? We did tackles and lined up for scrums too. We learned how to hit with our shoulders and chest, and we learned the proper way to hit others so that our collarbones wouldn’t break. -That’s the real deal. At the time I thought that kind of class was perfectly normal but it seems rather rare. Her current interest is mountain climbing. She’s running in preparation. -What exercise do you do nowadays? You recently ran the Nagoya women’s marathon. I run about three times a week. -How far do you run? About five kilometers. On days where I want to challenge myself I run ten. Depending on the day I’ll run after a theatre performance too. -By the way, how long did it take for you to run the marathon? 5 hours and 51 minutes. However I had some help from the trainers and other helpers along the way, so it felt like I was being helped along. -Even so, completing the race is impressive by itself. I don’t mind steadily doing the same action. I’m bad at having to do something like dancing, where you have to move while thinking. -So you feel like you’re not good at dancing despite having done ballet. Doing ballet and doing idol songs are two completely different things. In ballet you dance in a certain form that’s been decided from the start, with a clear idea of what is correct. With dance there is no feeling of correctness. It also seems like I have no sense about it, since even though others around me tell me that my movements are creepy, I can’t pinpoint those movements myself. -SKE48’s new single, Ikinari Punchline, has a rather hard choreography, right? The new song has a jazz-like choreography, so my ballet experience has no relevance. -You don’t get dizzy? I don’t. I’m actually good at games where you need to tag someone after spinning around. This ability comes in useful for dance and other things. -This is your second time being in the SKE48 senbatsu. You’ve surely felt some frustration seeing people from your generation and your juniors making leaps within the group. Did the lesson you learn in ballet that being the center isn’t everything help you succeed in continuing to work hard? It did. When I first joined the group I was the type put to the side, and I just thought that my moment hadn’t come yet. I was commuting to my ordinary high school on my bike and thought that the important things you need to do in any kind of work are always the same. There was a period where I didn’t worry about being in the senbatsu. -That’s what you thought, then. However Oya Masana told me that it was too early for me to think that way, and I changed my way of thinking after being told that. Being an idol is about making your fans smile, and it wasn’t good to worry my fans with my lack of confidence and cowardice. Since then I got myself to start saying that I wanted to enter the senbatsu. To be honest I think I was given a lot of chances to enter the senbatsu, and my fans gave me the ticket to make it in, so I want to -Is there anything you’d like to do? This year is SKE48’s tenth year, so I’d like to work hard to spread the group from my home area to all over Japan. The first step is a live concert at Nagoya Dome! -How about for you personally? I want to do some mountain-climbing related work. A lot of my friends from the kendo club used to climb mountains and it looked fun. So I’ll keep running while waiting for that opportunity to come knocking.

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