We Still Subbing

  Q This year’s ”5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIVE” has become a concert with the biggest scale in Sakurazaka46’s history, first can you tell us how you were feeling right before the show during the D-day?  Fujiyoshi Karin: Ten-chan, didn’t you… what was it again? The vice captain announcement. How was it? Yamasaki Ten: Uh, rather than that “Samidare Yo” performance was especially scary for me. (※On the day of the concert, “Samidare Yo" performance starts with Yamasaki Ten’s solo singing, with a new arrangement. ) All I could think about was regarding that. I wasn’t afraid at all regarding the vice captain announcement. Since it’s already been decided anyway, it’s not like I can do anything about that. But I’m really scared of performing “Samidare Yo”... they made time for voice training for me right up until the last minute.  Other than that, there are also so many things I had to do that I didn’t know where I should start first. I would write it all, think about that, rememberi...

  Q I would like to hear about what you have gained through the experience of “5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY”. Yamakawa: Before I joined Sakurazaka46, my first Sakurazaka46 concert was the Tokyo Dome performance two years ago, and my seat was right next to the pathway in the arena and I found myself completely absorbed as I looked up at the members performing. And now, being able to stand on the pathway of an even larger venue,  I wasn't feeling only positive emotions…. Since I still vividly remember what it felt like to look up at my seniors back then, I couldn't help but wonder how I looked like to all the Buddies watching me from the audience.  And when I see myself in an objective way, I really feel that I am still far from the level of the seniors I admired. Ever since I joined Sakurazaka46, all I’ve been doing is chasing after their footsteps, and being able to stand on such a big stage has turned it into a period where I deeply think about how I should be and how I should p...

  Q I imagine that you must have experienced various emotions during the rehearsal period for the “5th YEAR ANNIVERSARY LIVE”, such as from excitement, pressure, to worries as you prepare for the actual performance. Yamashita: When I first heard about it, I couldn’t help but feel anxious. Given the scale of it, I think that there must have been members who felt worried whether we could fill the venue or not. But before the rehearsal, as we received the setlist and explanation about the stage productions, my excitement grew bigger than my worries as the details were becoming a lot clearer. I became more focused on what can I do to make this concert even better, and I ended up feeling excited about it. Matono: We started the rehearsal for this at an earlier time than usual, but once we started, it really flew by fast until the time of the performance. I was really looking forward to this day, and I couldn’t wait to do the show. But once the show has started, it will come to an end, s...

  Q As you approached the “5th Anniversary Live”, what kind of concert did you want to make it to be? Tamura: While of course it was such a big venue, it is first and foremost a concert “celebrating the 5th year anniversary of Sakurazaka46”, so there was a strong feeling of wanting to make it into a concert where we could properly convey our gratitude to all of the Buddies who have been supporting us until now. And I’d be happy if, by watching our performance, they could feel glad to have been supporting such a group. I also think there were a lot of people coming to see us for the first time, so I hoped that those people could also come to think “Sakurazaka46 is kind of good” or “This concert feels so good, it’s so fun”... It’s a rough way of putting it, but I wanted it to be a concert where those people could feel glad to have come, that they could have fun. If you point out that it’s no different from any other concert, then indeed, it doesn’t. Morita: In the setlist and stage p...

Q What did you sincerely feel when you first found out about doing a concert at the National Stadium? Matsuda: It was a bit of a shock, as if seeing something that had never really been in my field of vision suddenly appearing right in front of me . While of course I feel happy, but at the same time there was also a part of me thinking, “Really? Isn’t it too soon?”. To be honest, at the time, I didn’t have the confidence yet. I felt like it wouldn’t be good if I stayed the same. But even I don't understand why I thought like that, there was also a time when I was caught up in this vague sense of anxiety. Q What kind of discussions did you have with the members toward the concert? Matsuda: Just like what I always do before a concert or tour, I gathered everyone for a discussion before we start the rehearsal. We’d talk of how to spend our days toward the tour, or things that we should be conscious of in our activities as Sakurazaka46. But this time, I asked everyone to send me their ...

  Q It… somehow doesn’t feel real yet, I’m even still thinking to myself “Is she really graduating soon?” Takemoto: Truth is, it’s the same for me. When I announced it, I had this solemn feeling, “Oh… I’m really graduating, huh?” but day by day that feeling has started to fade (laughs). It’s something we won’t really get until the day it actually happens I guess. Even right now, I’m rehearsing together with the other members (* At the time of interview) in preparation for performing at the National Stadium (The 5th Anniversary Live), so every day I’ve been dancing over and over again, and the thought of graduation hasn’t popped up much. It feels like I’ve just been able to spend my days like I always have. But I feel very fortunate to be able to spend my activities normally like that to the end. I sincerely feel that way. Q Your graduation blog was very wonderful. You clearly explained your feelings down to the fine details, so much so that I was feeling at a loss on what to ask y...

  Q Since this pairing is considered quite rare, please start by telling us about how you two first met. Murai: We shared the same dressing room during the final round of the 3rd generation audition, didn’t we? Mukai: We did! To distract ourselves from the nerves back then, we all played a game together. Was it the ‘Spinach Game’*? T/N: A rhythm game where you “pass spinach” to other person(s). The number of spinach being passed around will increase / decrease along the game, and if you fail to keep up you lose. Murai: That’s right! How nostalgic. Mukai: Very nostalgic, doesn’t it? Q What were your impressions of each other back then? Mukai: During the training period before the passing announcement, I fell ill and couldn’t participate in the dance presentation. I was feeling really down and that’s when Yu reached out to me. I thought “What a warmhearted girl”. Murai: I don’t remember that at all (laughs). What did I say? Mukai: You said “Hang in there!”. Even though we hadn’t talk...