Unshakable Things (Kobayashi Yui BRODY August 2018)

To be stout-hearted at any times. And now, we can no longer see her only pretending to be tough. That’s why Kobayashi Yui’s words have persuasive power. She is the type of friend that is more reliable than anyone at a pinch.

The summer where she continue to shout “I want you to look at me” has been settled, and now a dream that has secretly budded…

With the blog getting popular… The difficulties with publishing it

On your 18th May blog, it was written that you are recently getting more interested in dramas and movies.

Kobayashi: Yes, recently i’ve been watching it. I like watching comedy, and i watch the serious one with suspense. I have almost recorded all the current broadcasting drama, so i spend my day off watching them at home. When i saw the staffs name that took care of me when i given the chance to appear in a drama in a drama credits, i will be surprised and happy.

You appeared in a drama part in Sukatto Japan, did your interest in acting become stronger?

Kobayashi: I have the feeling that i want to try.

Was it from before? Or was it from all your acting experiences?

Kobayashi: For example, recently i’ve been doing modelling jobs, and everyone else also have an increased number of individual jobs. Among them, there are parts of me that becomes stronger like ‘I want to try doing a stage play’.

Kobayashi-san also did modelling jobs with ‘with’ magazine and such, but at the same time your interest in acting also increased. What kind of role you would like to do?

Kobayashi: Hm~... High school student.

You was a high school student until this March (laughs).

Kobayashi: (laughs). Because i thought that i can only do that role when i’m still in my teens, so it’s something that i can only do now. “An active high school student” is one of my few weapons.

I think that there is no “few” for you (laughs).

Kobayashi: But there is the anxiety of when that weapon disappears. Besides, i don’t have the confidence to say “I want to play this role!”.

And what is the reason?

Kobayashi: I don’t know whether i could be the one asking out for it.

But if you put it in your blog, it will look like a very sincere and polite self declaration

Kobayashi: Because i only write what i want to write in blogs, something that i have confidence in like “I’m watching lots of drama these days”,

So you can make a call, but you doesn’t have the confidence about what kind of job you want to do, right?

Whether or not you can actually do the role, if you doesn’t have the confidence…

Kobayashi: That’s why i’m a little hesitant to make such remarks.

By making preparations in advance, you’re being able to express something that you are confident in, but it doesn’t mean you can say anything and everything carelessly, right?

Kobayashi: That’s right. So for example, i become hesitant about talking about my favourite artist. When someone who likes the artist more than me ask something like “Then, do you know about this?”, and i got puzzled, i would feel bad about it.

If you say anything carelessly, you might got attacked (by netizen), it’s a problem of modern era (laughs).

Kobayashi: I like Detective Conan, and i watched the movie before going to bed, but i did not watch everything from the beginning, so i was a bit nervous when writing about it (laughs). I think that i have to put myself out more (both personality and feelings), but i’m still bad at doing so. I thought that it’d be great if i have something that i can put out.

The unified mind of 19 members that wipe out anxiety

Still about the blogs, in your blog on 15th March before the 2nd year anniversary live, you expressed your feelings by writing “I think that the current Keyakizaka46, is a group that you cannot watch with confidence.” It certainly has a certain determination, but at the same time there are also ones that are negative, instead of keeping such a complex emotions inside you published it. The reason why you published it before 2nd bday live, was it because “I can’t perform with this feelings inside of me”, or do you want the fans to understand your current situation, or was it an entirely different reason, what are you trying to say?

Kobayashi: That was, of course, something that i thought inside of me, and i don’t want to write a lie and write something that is different to what i felt, even if i tried to write a normal blog, it won’t be a well written blog. I think that’s why i wrote it.

So it’s that you can’t keep it bottled up. In a sense of show business, right before a big live, it’s expected that you’ll keep it hidden and think “I’ll do my best!”. I also think that it is one of the correct action as a “pop star”.

Kobayashi: I ended up not writing that “I’ll do my best!”. But, that was my real intention, if i couldn’t write that i feel like i wouldn’t be able to write anything else. In the other hand, i want us to be able to say “I’ll do my best” or “Please look forward to it” or “Please support us”.

So you want to be able to say it with a pride, but you couldn’t say it.

Kobayashi: That’s right.

It’s a sincere attitude. So, how did you feel of having actually finished the 2nd bday live?

Kobayashi: It was very fun, and i feel that the fans are having fun too. The reaction of fans felt fresh in this live because it’s a special one, and because of that, we also enjoyed it.

It’s a “special one” in form of the absence of Hirate (Yurina)-san and Shida (Manaka)-san, and performing in an irregular form of 19 members, with the participating members taking turn to becoming the Center of each song, turning it into a special form. But what about the “negative feelings”?

Kobayashi: In last year’s tour (Keyakizaka46’s National Tour Masshiro na Mono wa Yogoshitaku Naru), i feel anxious more than i feel “Let’s have fun”. That time i was exploring myself too, there are negative feelings inside my mind. It’s not entirely zero, but through the rehearsal, this time we managed to unite in “It’s not a live where all 21 members are gathered, but let’s have fun together”. I think that’s why it was okay this time. I think that each member has their own different thoughts, but this time, before the performance we would form a circle and shouts together, during the rehearsal too we cheers for each other by saying “Let’s do our best” through the ear monitor. And there was a feeling that those words came out from the bottom of our heart.

So to say, there’s a different passion?

Kobayashi: The tension was different. Like, “Let’s do our best!” or “It’ll be okay!”, so there was no negative emotion and we are able to enjoy it.

Why did everyone got such tension?

Kobayashi: I think that everyone are able to concentrate in the live, by doing the unit songs and acting as Centers, everyone has a change of consciousness.

So there was like an effect born from the responsibilities and roles of each members have, and it spreads to everyone. I think that Kobayashi-san has that kind of feeling from before, but it seems that now members have able to have the similar consciousness.

Kobayashi: I think so.

When i talked with Habu-san and Watanabe-san, i was told that they felt a sense of crisis within Keyakizaka46 about the current form and situation, and the feeling that they had to do something about it. What about Kobayashi-san?

Kobayashi: Of course, there was a sense of crisis. I think that there are fans who are disappointed that not all members are present, so we really thought about how we lift up their spirit.

In that sense, then the sense of crisis of how to entertain the audience who are right in front of you are more important than the circumstances surrounding Keyakizaka46?

Kobayashi: That’s right, we thought about it more. We always thought about making the audience have fun, but this time it’s particularly become stronger.

Did you think about the reaction and response?

Kobayashi: As expected, the happiest response is to hear the loud voices of the audiences (the sound of encouragement and cheering), it felt that they are enjoying this. The view of audience twirling the towels during Abunakkashi Keikaku makes me happy.

There is no correct answer but to look forward for Hirate in that song.

In the 2nd bday live, Kobayashi-san acted as Center for Kaze ni Fukaretemo, right?

Kobayashi: This time, when a song started, it’s easy to find who will be the Center this time, the cheering that happened when the song started and when the audience find out about the Center makes me happy, it stimulates me. In Kaze ni Fukaretemo too, it surprised me how excited the audiences are. It truly makes me happy.

I interviewed Nomura-san, who acted as the live director, he said that one of the yield from 2nd bday live is that how Kaze ni Fukaretemo could bring so much excitement. When it could bring that much excitement, it’s able to change the direction of the live. In that sense, i think that it is one of the highlight and point of attention.

Kobayashi: If it’s so, then i’m happy.

Have you ever feel afraid about acting as a Center? I think that there will be parts of you that will be compared to Hirate-san, not because you’re “someone who stood on the same stage as her”, but because you’re “someone who stood as Center”.

Kobayashi: I think it’s only natural that we will be compared, and we are standing as Center by not minding them. No matter what they say, i thought “Right now, because i am the Center of this song, let’s enjoy it now.” as i performed. Kaze ni Fukaretemo itself is a song that ignores all the problem and just laugh kind of song, it’s the main factor I could think that way.

So to say, there is a link about the situation you are in and with the song itself. I think that’s why there are only a small number of people saying “As expected it’s no good without Hirate” or “Hirate is the definite Center”. That is something amazing, and it seems that fans also felt the same way.

Kobayashi: If that’s true, that i’m happy to hear that.

And in Garasu wo Ware!, you acted as Center with Imaizumi (Yui)-san.

Kobayashi: In Garasu no Ware!, there is no “correct” performance.

Do you mean that there is no “correct” as in ideal way?

Kobayashi: No, in the songs that we performed so far, Hirate basically is there as the Center, so that is one of the correct answer. So when the Center changed, i think that the change will be compared. But, for Garasu wo Ware!, there is no such scene in the MV, from the first time the song is performed on TV it was already performed in Double Center formation, i’ve thought about whether it’s okay to be like that (not having a fixed Center). That’s why, when Yuichanzu received the important role to perform this song at the opening, I thought the “correct” answer was to perform in our own way, and by thinking like that our feelings become stronger. On the contrary, i think that there are a lot of people who think what sort of performance it’ll become if Hirate was there. I too, also looks forward to what kind of Kaze ni Fukaretemo performance we can show with Hirate present.

You also performed a Yuichanzu song after a year.

Kobayashi: It’s been a while since we performed in such a large venue, but i felt at ease. I was very nervous, but i felt “It’ll be okay”

Did you feel at ease because of your own performance, or because there’s Imaizumi-san by your side, or because you have a confident towards Yuichanzu?

Kobayashi: Having Zuumin could make me at eae, how to put it into words... I can’t express it properly, but somehow I could feel “It’s gonna be alright”.

That’s interesting. Interpreting the story so far, Kobayashi-san said “If i doesn’t have the confidence in myself, then it will lead to anxiety and hesitation” but for Yuichanzu, you doesn’t have that feeling, does that mean that you feel confident?

Kobayashi: At the 1st bday live, we have worries such as “I’m worried that i can’t sing well” or “I’m worried that i won’t be able to play the guitar well”, but this time the both of us are relaxed. I think that we did some mistakes on playing the guitar or singing the song, but we do not worry about such things and enjoyed the performance. That’s why, i think that the feeling of “I want to sing together” is bigger than the anxiety.

What do you think of Imaizumi-san, who can put you that much at ease?

Kobayashi: Hm… ‘Someone i can trust’ (laughs)

Rather than being an existence that’s like a good friend you can lean to, is she more like a performance partner that you can trust and ease your worry?

Kobayashi: That’s right. But, recently, i think that members have become that kind of existence to me. Last year, There was a feeling like “I’ve got to do this!” but when i’m with the members there are people who feel a bigger anxiety and worry than me. To be honest, there are the feelings of “Will we be okay?”, and if i got caught in such feelings it will affect the performance, but now i think that i can push away that feelings when i’m with everyone. I can think that way as days go by. That’s why, this time, i think that everyone has the feelings that “We can do this with 19 members”.

It maybe an abstract question, but what do you think about being told “Keyakizaka46 with 21 members”? Although that may be beautiful, but at the same time it could turn into a statement, that it’s a “curse” that binds both members and the listeners.

Kobayashi: Because the current Keyakizaka46 has the perfect number, “Keyakizaka46 with 21 members” are such like leaving a message to the absent member that we await their return, and to put out words to ease the fans. On the other hand, there are the thoughts that “So if someone graduates, or the number of members increased, it won’t be ‘Keyakizaka46’?”, but even if such situation happens, i think that “the bonds of 21 members of the first gen” and in that sense, “21 members” is something that “won’t change”.

I see. So this summer, as Keyakizaka46, what kind of things do you want to show?

Kobayashi: Now that i’m having fun at live, and that members too have come to love doing live performance, i want us to do cheerful and Summer-like live like Republic of Keyaki. I want us to perform in a lot of live, and become closer with the fans. We are worried about what the fans are thinking, but the fans are also worried about us. I think that the shortest way to say “There’s nothing to worry about” is by doing lives.

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Raw: toomuchidea
Translation: toomuchidea
QC: hunter934