A 3-part Interview about Keyakizaka46, the documentary movie, and Fukyouwaon (Modelpress 29th August - 31st August 2020)
Note: As suggested by the hairstyle and uniform, this interview is probably conducted in early 2020
[PART 1]
Q Keyakizaka established a new idol presence, and while your cool image is strong, are you worried about how that image takes precedence?
Akanen: While the “cool” song image takes precedence, we are actually rich with emotions and filled with laughter in like backstage and such, but we rarely get the opportunities to show that side to the screen… Even though the members are very close and have built a trusting relationship with each other, there are those who say that we are on “bad terms” and I’m frustrated that we cannot show people what we are truly are like.
Q What kind of group do you really want to convey?
Yuuka: I think Keyakizaka46 is a group with a lot of gaps, in a good sense, so I hope more people can see that although we sing songs that are cool or show a rebellious spirit, the members are just normal girls of their age.
Yuipon: When I'm on stage, I try my best to convey the feelings that are put into the songs to everyone, but when I get off the stage, I'm able to put it on pause and be true to life.
Q There must have been many conflicts over the course of your activities. What was the thing that supported you at those times?
Yuuka: As a group, we’ve had a lot that’s happened, but the voices of people who always seek out Keyakizaka46 have always supported us. People who would support even people like us make us want to do our best, and I genuinely want to continue our activities together with everyone.
Risa: There was a time where I felt very troubled as well, and wondered about what I should do from then on. But when I thought about how the people who support us resonated with our feelings through our performances and that our presence cheered them up, it made me want to work a little harder with these members. I really am able to do my best thanks to the members, fans and everyone around me who supports me.
Q Even if there are hardships, the existence of people who support Keyakizaka46 is the reason why you didn't give up on the group
Yuuka: Even if there are setbacks and sad things, in order to overcome it, in order to make that setback something of the past, the only thing we can do is change reality. That is why running away is not a choice. Even if something comes up, because the members and fans are together, the feeling that we don’t want to be sad becomes our driving force.
Q In the film, you said that there was a moment in the film when each person's resolve changed, but why did you feel that way?
Akanen: From the beginning, we've been doing choreography that highlights the center, and I thought I would dance for Hirate or that I could do my best because Hirate was there. But to be honest, there were moments when I didn't understand Hirate and wondered what I was doing, and there were times where I couldn't help but to think negatively about it. But as we go through our activities, that sort of thing wasn’t happening anymore, but the joy of making things together and the feeling of being able to do so because this is where I am grew, and I feel that each of our wills toward the group and our work has become stronger.
Q Harada-san, starting in May of 2018, you spent a year on hiatus to focus on your studies. Did you feel any differences within the group when you returned?
Aoi: When I had just gotten back I didn’t know how to interact with the members since I had been gone for a year, but through the tour (2019) that Hirate was absent for, as well as our first performance at Tokyo Dome, having a strong feeling of “let’s do our best, all 21 of us” turned to an awareness that “if each of us doesn’t work hard, Keyakizaka46 might be ruined.” The 2nd gen members had joined us as well, and I felt that each of us had to work even harder.
Q Has speaking with director Takahashi Eiki left an impressions with you?
Yuipon: He’s a kind person. It’s very easy to talk to him because he doesn’t try to listen to what you’re saying, but instead treasures the words that flow out of you naturally.
Yuuka: He’s been with us for a long time, so he’s felt the joy and sorrow we’ve felt together with us. If I’m not mistaken, in the last interview he was moved to tears listening to me talk, and I felt so happy that he’s also thinking of Keyaki.
Koike: I’m not very good at expressing my feelings, and I wasn’t sure I could convey my thoughts very well and wondered how it would go. But the interview didn’t feel like “Ok let’s start the interview now,” but rather more like a casual conversation that became about Keyakizaka46 and before I knew it, I felt like I was in an interview. Since it doesn’t feel like I’m being pressed for answers, I felt I was able to put my thoughts into words.
[PART 2]
Has been translated by Keyaki_Talk
Q Thinking it over now, what kind of song is “Fukyouwaon” to Keyaki?
Yuuka: I was surprised that people have gone so far as to start calling it the “bewitching song.*” It was the first song I was in the front wrong for and felt a sense of responsibility for it. At first I felt that the lyrics were very powerful and difficult to express and was troubled by a sense of distance with the intention of the song. Even if there were difficulties with it, I think it’s because of “Fukyouwaon” that Keyakizaka46 became what it is now. It’s a big strength to have a song that can make people excited just by hearing the intro, so having this song as an “ally” to support us makes Keyakizaka46 strong.
*T/N: A term derived from high school baseball. A certain song that is when played, comebacks or insane plays would happen
Yuipon: I think that the impression we made debuting with “Silent Majority” was made even stronger by “Fukyouwaon.” There are some of us that developed the ability to express their emotions through Fukyouwaon and it’s made it possible for us to express different things in many other songs.
Akanen: Since there are many people who learned of Keyakizaka46 from “Fukyouwaon,” we’re grateful that it’s an important song that helped create Keyakizaka46 as it is today. It’s not easy to say when considering the feelings and burden it puts on the Center, but when we had fewer opportunities to perform “Fukyouwaon,” it frustrated us that we couldn’t dance it. We were as happy as everyone else when it was announced that we’d be performing it at Tokyo Dome after so long. I thought “We can finally do it!” and even though we were all tired from rehearsal, we went in fired up by yelling “We’re doing ‘Fukyouwaon’ at the end!”
Q When you performed it in Tokyo Dome, the venue literally shook.
Aoi: We could hear the cheering even though we were wearing in-ear earphones. “Fukyouwaon” is an emotionally powerful song and the line “Boku wa yada” had a big impact on me from the moment I heard it. The battle-like choreography that’s like we’re attacking and defending is full of powerful meaning, and it’s fun to dance to. The formation is difficult and that’s why it’s the song that took us longest to perfect when the 2nd gen members came in and had to learn it from scratch. But because it’s a song that the fans love so much, their cheers when it was performed after so long at Tokyo Dome empowered us to do it. We were able to think “Let’s do our best!”
Koike: This is really a personal story, but I was full of regret around when we released “Fukyouwaon.” I was frustrated because I was moved back to the 3rd row where I was for the 1st and 2nd single after being moved to the front row for the 3rd single and I think I vented my irritation into my expression of the song. But I don’t feel that way anymore; in Kouhaku it felt like being in battle and during live performances I feel like I want to show what Keyakizaka46 is made of. So I think “Fukyouwaon” may just be a song that each person expresses their individual thoughts and emotions through each time.
Aoi: Right. Truly a “Fukyouwaon (Discord)”
[PART 4]
Despite their unique “idols who don’t smile” and “cool” image, off stage the members are ordinary, pure and cute girls. Yuuka described the dressing room as “a school classroom.”
“Everyone has grown into an adult now, so it has become calmer, but we try to have fun in a really harmonious way. There is no one acting like a leader and everyone comfortably and naturally does their own thing in a good way.”
In the dressing room, they talk about places they want to visit, meals and other trivial things, and there are games that sometimes start up suddenly. Harada said “Fuu-chan (Saito Fuyuka) and others would gather everyone by yelling something like, 'Who wanna play!’, and we would do games such as Word Wolf or Werewolf, and those times are so fun, I like it.”, and when asked who is the strongest member, Harada cheerfully replied "Me!” as she raised her hand, causing the members to laugh.
Furthermore, Moriya-san testified that, “(Sugai) Yuuka is teased quite often”. While curiously wondering who teased her, Sugai gently points at Watanabe who is sitting next to her. "Just now, when we were coming into the room, (Watanabe) Risa came after me from behind, quickly passed me and said 'You’re last now' (laughs).”
Watanabe, who has been unexpectedly exposed, said “She’s like an older sister. She has a big heart and laughs when I tease her, so it makes me want to mess with her”. It appears that Sugai’s ability to be loved is so great, that Watanabe’s “sadistic consciousness” came out.
They don’t forget about the friends they have grown together with until now. Kobayashi talks about Imaizumi Yui, who has graduated from the group to take a different path, and used to form the unit Yuichanzu with her. “Since we've been together for a long time, I think that we've overcome a lot of things and grown together. As someone who felt the same way as me, whenever I felt like “I wonder if they’re thinking of something different right now.” it was because of her that I could think “I wonder why I’m feeling that way.”
And last, when asked about their favourite Keyakizaka song, Sugai, even though she struggled, saying “Eh~~! I like any of them…” answered Silent Majority, the song that started the history of Keyakizaka46. “Because of Saimajo the current shape of Keyakizaka exists, and it’s also a song that makes you feel positive so I like it.” -- Seeing the pride on Sugai's face as she said this, I couldn't help but feel her overflowing love for the group.
[POST-SCRIPT]
The interview was short, but the members carefully formed their words one by one. When the cameraman called out, "Gather around, please!" Sugai touched Watanabe's arm, who was sitting next to her, and although bashful, as if she made up the mind to do so, she then shyly embraced her with a hug. The filming proceeded harmoniously from start to finish
Between the shots, Harada and Watanabe sticking close together as if they are playing train and bantering with each other
Koike and Moriya explained the costume design, and when Kobayashi's hair color -- which had undergone a makeover for a drama -- was praised, she bashfully showed her happiness. The members looked relaxed and true to life. Sugai went out of her way to the reporter, explaining “I couldn't put my words together well during the interview,” so she went to the trouble of explaining it again in a way that was easier to understand.
Keyakizaka46, whose group motto is “Humility, Kindness, Bonds”. Looking back on their debut, in the eyes of the reporter, they were always full of energy, straightforward and positive, even though they continued to struggle with many challenges.
At the end of the interview, as the reporters were leaving the room, despite being at a distance, the members said loudly, "Thank you very much!”
“The future is yours” -- Seeing their smiling faces as the door was closed, we thought from our hearts that we would like to continue to watch the members of Keyakizaka46 challenge themselves and grow. Shine brightly, Keyakizaka46! (modelpress’s editorial department)
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Translation: toomuchidea, fuyupz
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