Saito Fuyuka solo interview in Bessatsu Kadokawa Keyakizaka46 / Sakurazaka46 1013/1209

“After performances, there are always things I feel I should have done differently, but this time I didn't really have any regrets. I wonder if I've done everything I can do.” These are the honest feelings Saito Fuyuka shared with us following the end of Keyakizaka46's Last Live. She's someone who has supported the group from the beginning with her strong dancing talents and cheerful nature. Regarding the Last Live, she wrote in her blog the day before the performance, “It still doesn't feel real.”

Fuyuka: Even when I was on stage for the opening, it still didn't feel real. However, I gradually started to more intensely feel it and thought things like “This might be the last time I'll see this scene of this song...” My feelings towards live performances have never really changed, but this is the first time I performed while thinking it could be my last time performing each song. I think I was able to enjoy it at least enough as to not have any regrets... although there were some songs I wasn't physically able to dance well enough to 100% satisfy me, so maybe there was some leftover regret after all (lol).

On the topic of Keyakizaka46, even until now they've received support from fans for their performances that can “entrance” viewers with the use of stylish imagery and representation of the world perspective they establish in their songs. Even for these girls, who have since formation experienced a wide variety of different performances, faced many struggles for this last live, such as performing for two consecutive days, performing with all their might despite having no audience in front of them, and putting together collaborations with the use of thoroughly calculated imagery.

Fuyuka: There were a lot of songs where we used projection mapping for the production over the two days of the live. While we were practicing, the staff would tell us “this kind of image with be projected here,” but no matter what I couldn't get a good sense for it. The place we were rehearsing wasn't as big as the actual venue so I couldn't really understand their explanation with words alone. Even for rehearsal on the day of the performance, some parts took us a while to do. But they're all professionals so they didn't give up, continued to instruct us while they worked, and as such it turned out to be a great performance (lol).

The staff who supported the girls from a variety of places were powerful themselves, helping the girls put on a performance that touched the hearts of many people. On top of that, because the production was on such a large scale, there may be some things that surprise us to see when watching the recording that weren't noticed live.

Fuyuka: I really liked the production for “Getsuyoubi no Asa, Skirt wo Kirareta” on the first day of the live and was personally looking forward to how it'd look once it was finished. We filmed the music video in places like a bus and the ticket gate of a station so I was happy that we were able to express a realistic scene of the song by using screens. We had smoke flow in while we were dancing in “Mou mori e kaerou ka?” and I wasn't sure how that'd end up looking either, but when I watched the recording, it's like we were really in the middle of a forest. It made a powerful impression on me how different the scene looked in the recording compared to what I was seeing while performing. I loved it about as much as the production for when we played it at Budokan and had the plants progressively growing more and more wild.

Just like the live performance in July, the Last Live was held with no audience. For every live performance that's been experienced to this point – arenas, outdoor locations, Tokyo Dome – the points that should be reviewed and reflected upon come to change for each one.

Fuyuka: Normally, the staff send us recordings of rehearsals and footage that's played on the monitors so everyone can check their own parts. When it's done that way, the footage is taken at a zoomed out angle so the entire performance is in view. However, since we've been doing online distribution for our performances, I've started to just check the recording of what was broadcasted to viewers. This time I watched the footage once the entire thing was over and with us being blessed by all the professionals around us that worked on everything, once again I felt like we were truly saved in terms of both production and performance. If it was up to just our abilities alone, making everything we've done so far wouldn't have been possible.

So then it's also the parts being improved upon that are different now. Things that aren't in the zoomed out recording, things that can only be seen through the camera, she's taking her own performance to a new level by having that perspective.

With the online format we have face-zooms and are looking forward much more than usual as well, so there are things I've been using as a reference, like looking at members expressions. There are times when your own interpretation isn't enough, so I'll imitate the way other members dance and for each girl's own interpretation of the dance, I'll try expressing the ways they did it differently from me.  

She discussed how Koike Minami centering “Futari Saison” and “Ambivalent” were particularly impressive.

Fuyuka: Though Miichan's cute and cheerful image might be strong because of the impression her face and voice give, her eyes and the way she dances changes quite a bit from song to song. For me, I can practice what I've been taught the way it was taught to me and improve how precise I do it, but I can't reimagine it a new way at all. But we can't just dance, we also have to convey each song, so I rely on intently studying members like Miichan who can utilize a variety of facial expressions. It's caused me to consider that with being given the same dance as others, I have to go beyond where I'm at now with how I personally interpret and express it, as well as find a balance between my individual qualities and expressing it in a way that fits the song. 

If you become complacent with yourself now, you won't be able to grow beyond that point. It's because she was never satisfied with the status quo that her energetic performances became such a vital part of Keyakizaka46. Although she says maybe she's “done all she can do,” with each live performance there are new challenges outside of dance and expression that appear to her.

Fuyuka: I've been reminded that practicing until you feel confident is also important for enjoying yourself. The level of joy, or rather the level of satisfaction you feel after dancing is completely different between songs that you dance full of worry and unease, and songs you can enjoy once you've completely absorbed the choreography and movements. 

So far, every song that's been released by Keyakizaka46 has a story and the girls are always thinking about how they should move or what they should look for in order to best express each song. There's no correct answer, but they look together for what solution is closest to the best. It's something they started doing with their debut song “Silent Majority” and have continued to do time and time again.

Fuyuka: Rather than new songs, Keyakizaka46 often performs the same songs in varying patterns, so because of that I think maybe we've been able to take in each song one by one and make the expression for each one something special. In that regard, even though I enjoyed the 1st day because we performed a lot of songs that we've done many, many times, on the 2nd day we performed a lot of new songs or songs we haven't had the chance to perform very often so I really wish I had practiced more. Honestly I wanted to be able to dance the songs so well that I could do it without thinking, but in reality there were many parts I couldn't give 100% either because of nerves or stamina. It ended up being a live performance that left me with some regrets.

It wasn't just the setlist that was different for the 2 days of the live. The girls' thoughts facing each individual performance also varied.

Fuyuka: I tried to take on the 1st day feeling like I wasn't going to have any regrets, but on the 2nd day I felt that way even more since it was the last time I'd be able to perform together with Sato Shiori. “Futari Saison” and “Seifuku to Taiyou” were announced for the setlist that day and those are songs I have a particularly strong emotional attachment to, so there were a lot of different thoughts going through my head at the time. Since Shiichan was really close to me back then too, I danced while thinking back on those things.

Following this last performance, Sato will graduate and begin chasing down her dreams on a new path. What kind of person was she to Saito, who is close in age and walked together with her through the group's history since its formation?

Fuyuka: Shiichan is truly my emotional support. Among the members, she's the one I've had the most chances to talk to about the group. She's such an important person to me; it'd be no exaggeration to say that it’s because of the times I've been saved by her that I've been able to come this far. There were many times our positions were close or we worked in group activities together and it's because of us having the same perspective and being in the same situation that we could talk so much. In that sense, we talked about the painful things, the happy things, our doubts, and honestly so many other things. When we were together, we mostly only talked about Keyakizaka46, but Shiichan is always making me laugh, so more than serious conversations, I feel like we were mostly having a good time chatting.

Graduating doesn't mean the relationships you have will change. However, during the (last) live, somehow the mood was different.

Fuyuka: We always chatted and sat next to each other in the dressing room. Before the live this time, surprisingly we didn't talk about how sad it is that she was leaving. It's true she's graduating, but that doesn't mean it's goodbye. So I think we said to each other things like “Let's enjoy this last live.” But like, I happened to see 2nd generation member Takemoto Yui-chan crying, I'm guessing because she felt like she wouldn't have any more chances to meet with her beloved senpai.

While on one hand the kouhai members were experiencing some painful feelings, there were many moments where you could feel a sense of hopefulness from them. The new 2nd generation members participated in almost all of the full group songs. Regardless of seniority, they were as one in their thoughts towards the group and put together a performance more powerful than what we've seen up to now.

Fuyuka: The nine 2nd generation members were able to participate in the 21 member formations this time. I'm not sure if it was by chance or inevitable, but personally I was happy about it. So far whenever someone enters the group, they have to wait for there to be a chance for them, but sometimes I'll hear them say “I want to try performing this song,” or “I want to try wearing this uniform,” so I was really happy I could perform with all the 2nd generation members at the very end of the show.

I think the time that the new 2nd generation members could be active as Keyakizaka46 was really brief. However I was super happy I could perform what you could say is the representative song of the group, “Silent Majority” not only with all the members, but also in the same uniform. I hope it was a wonderful experience for the new 2nd generation members. I'm sure it was difficult for them to perform “Kuroi Hitsuji” as well, but it was really impressive how they practiced with all their might and were able to really get into it.

Putting a live together provided her an experience that opened up more opportunities to get in touch with her kouhai than she'd had before. As a result, there are some things she noticed.

Fuyuka: Everyone learned the choreography and the line movements precisely in rehearsal. But no matter what, there are things I think they can't understand if they're by themselves, but I didn't think I could attend to them and ask them about it. Now when I do try asking, some girls will say “Honestly I'm not sure,” so I'd like to become someone who notices such things from now on so I can help out. I think you pick up on the significance of the choreography by being involved in the process of making the song, and the way you express it changes depending on whether or not you know the meaning. Maybe that's something that can help everyone. But everyone's been individually improving so much that that's not something that's completely necessary, and for that I have nothing but gratitude.

When asked about the unforgettable performance of the 2nd generation members during the two day live, Saito praised Tamura Hono's expressions.

Fuyuka: There were a lot of close-ups for the online live, but in particular I noticed that Tamura Hono-chan has a smile that can liven up viewers. I especially got to thinking that on the 2nd day of the live when there were many cheerful songs. Everyone has their own feelings and way of expressing themselves, so it's unnecessary to have everyone smile in the same way, but Hono-chan's smile really energized me. I felt the same about Matsuda Rina, and whenever (Yamasaki) Ten-chan is in the shot, it's like the screen is locked on to her, or rather I could feel a unique aura about her. Everyone has a big repertoire of expressions and I'm looking forward to seeing the changes they make for all sorts of songs.

The 2nd generation members joining the Keyakizaka46 that the 1st generation members created, adding more personality to the foundation of the group. It became a performance where you could feel that their journey will go on to shine brightly on the future of the group. During the Last Live, videos for each member were played between songs, showing them looking back on their journey. Saito shed tears recalling the time of the group's formation as well as everything she experienced in the group's 5 year history. 

Fuyuka: I was embarrassed the first time I saw that video (lol). At the time of our formation all our faces were lined up, and we're a big group, so there aren't many times that it was just me being shown. It was awkward, so at first it would make me smile. I figured I probably shouldn't laugh after rehearsal and wondered what I should do about that, but as I was watching all the videos being played I remembered back on how I felt back then and before long I was already crying. The videos and sounds being played really got to me (lol).

After finishing their performance of “Silent Majority” as Keyakizaka46, at the end of the live they came out as Sakurazaka46 in a brand new, pure-white outfit that seemed as if it was covered in sakura petals. There were many fans that were surprised by this, but we were curious what kind of things were going through Saito's mind at the time.

Fuyuka: It was a strange sensation. Half of me felt excited about what the future would be like, and the other half of me felt like we were starting over from scratch (lol). It wasn't that I was feeling pessimistic about it, I was mostly just enjoying that I could be present for such an amazing moment. But I think I was probably just simply worried about my age and stamina. Somewhere in my head I was thinking “Uwahh~! I'm gonna really have to work hard!” (lol). There has truly been a lot that's happened these past 5 years, and of course it's been fun, but when I think about how we'd have to build it up all over again, it feels like we truly have to give it our all.

It's because of her experience in the creation of the group that she wound up thinking that. After all, both stamina and willpower are vital in creating something from the ground up.

Fuyuka: But I'm staying in the group because I have high expectations going forward, and the truth is I won't know how it'll go if I don't try. I'm excited wondering how it'll all turn out. I'm just hoping I can be even somewhat useful by watching over the group so that I don't drag everyone else down.

Saito talks about how she felt up on stage without exaggerating any of the details. Naturally, she also puts her honest feelings into words regarding the closure of her activities as Keyakizaka46, as well as her feelings from just after the name change had taken place.

Fuyuka: When I first heard about the name change, somehow I just naturally accepted it. There were a lot of reasons behind it I think, so I felt “ah, nothing we can do about that.” But as time passed, I began to think “Wait, is this really okay?” and started asking the other 1st generation members as well as Staff-san for their opinions. As a result, now I think it was a great decision. I'm not sure how it would have gone if we continued our activity as Keyakizaka46, but because of the timing of the name change we were able to leave things in a tidy state, or rather I feel like we were able to end Keyakizaka46 as it always existed.

Perhaps this stopping point isn't a farewell, but rather a moment to gently cherish our unforgettable memories of the unbreakable existence that Keyakizaka46 established over these past 5 years, and stow them away in our hearts.

Fuyuka: I think there are a lot of idol groups that frequently change their image or appearance, but I don't think I could imagine Keyakizaka46 changing that way. That's why I think this is a good way to do it. If we shut the door on Keyakizaka46 in this way, when we look back after so many years we'll realize we were able to continue to exist without changing who we are. That's why I have no regrets now.

The starting line they're standing on, the circumstances around them, and the members they walk together with are all completely different from that of Keyakizaka46. Because of the experiences they've accumulated as well as the company they've met that weren't there at the time of debut, they can clearly see the new challenges they want to try.

Fuyuka: Ever since I learned that (Morita) Hikaru-chan's special skill is Japanese drumming, I've wanted to do a performance that includes Japanese-style production in it. I wondered if we could do it for Republic of Keyaki. Yuipon (Kobayashi Yui) also said she wanted to try sword fighting, and I used to do Awa Odori (lol), so everyone has their special skills and things they want to try that they've come to want to make more use of. I think if we can keep taking on challenges that we couldn't do as Keyakizaka46, the width of what the group can do will keep expanding.

She's slowly expanding her outlook, not only for the group but as Saito Fuyuka herself. Once the period of social distancing due to coronavirus is over, she wants to dig deeper into her likes and interests, using it as a chance to grow and evolve as a person.

Fuyuka: I love dancing of course, and would like it if I could give that off as my specialization. I'd like more people to see our performances as Sakurazaka46, so I've been thinking about what I can do with videos for example. Also I started taking care of a dog last year and as I've been looking into it, I realize I need to study up on it more. The more I look into the reality of what pets go through, the more I realize how painful of a thing it is.

That's why I'd like to try doing volunteer work as well. It's because I have a dog that I want to know and do more than I used to. Even while social distancing, I've been able to enjoy doing some of the things I've wanted to try, and I'd like to keep exploring different challenges to undertake without deciding on one in particular. I'd like to try doing the things I want to do while I still can, and continue looking into things I like more and more.

If she's able to do what she imagines, her charm within Sakurazaka46 will grow more than ever before, and perhaps the day will come that we'll be seeing her flourishing in a new position. Saito wishes to become someone indispensable to the members as well as the future of the group.

Fuyuka: I want to become the kind of member that's thought of as someone who makes people feel comfortable and reassured. It'd make me happy if I could be that for the group, someone who can make the members say “I can be at ease because I'm performing the same song as her.” I want to become stronger and solidify my place in the group in order to become someone who can be thought of that way. Some of the members often work too hard without telling anyone about it (lol). I'd like to be someone those members can snuggle up to and take away even just a little bit of the burden they carry. 

She came to feel that way not only because she was supported by the members she worked so hard together with, but because she also experienced the graduation of those members.

Fuyuka: Honestly, Shiichan, who was that kind of person to me, as well as other members who were my emotional support, graduated over this past year, and there are times I still have difficulty expressing my true feelings towards that. But I think this is an opportunity for me to become stronger, so I'd like to capitalize on that and do my best as Sakurazaka46 together with everyone who's still in the group now.

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Translation: fuyupz

QC: SatoneShichi

Raw: fuyupz