The decisive difference between “Sakurazaka46” and “Keyakizaka46” before is that the Center is rotated between 3 people! The Centers are Fujiyoshi Karin, Morita Hikaru, and Yamasaki Ten trio who are appearing this time.
Ka: When I first heard about the new system, while I unsurprisingly felt happy to be selected as a Center, there is a bigger excitement towards the atmosphere that will surely change with each Center, and how we will surely be an interesting group. I want us to aim to be a multifaceted group!
Ten: Instead of thinking ‘the 3 of us must lead the group’, more than that, I think that the feeling that we all should fight together as a group is stronger. Because I know that in the end, we can’t do anything unless we work together. I believe that because everyone is here, I could shine; and because I am here, everyone could become stronger too!
Hi: Everyone has their own individualities and strengths. I think it would be ideal if each and everyone’s shine could come together to form one big light. Takahiro-sensei, our dance choreographer, has divided the members into parts in a way that allows us to show our individuality through movements. That’s why I hope that you could see each person, and not just who is in the center.
The atmosphere inside the group that’s become brighter than before, could it also be because the uniforms have been changed with white based designs!?
Ka: The staff would often tell us, “Everyone’s brightened up ever since starting ‘Sakurazaka46’ activities”, but I didn’t feel much change within myself; Just the same as before.
Hi: Yeah. We tend to be seen as quiet, perhaps because of the atmosphere of Keyakizaka46-era lyrics, but the truth is that everyone has been cheerful all this time. We’re always messing around and making noise.
Ten: Don’t you think there’s been more members who enjoy arranging their hair, because black hairs stood out thanks to the white uniform?
“Run-chan” aka Morita Hikaru becoming a Center in the 1st single “Nobody’s fault” has become a hot topic in Japan
Ka: The lyrics of “Nobody’s fault” is very mischievous. We are Idols, but it’s unconventional to sing “Don’t be so conceited”, and it’s refreshing to be able to boldly say words I wouldn’t normally say. Personally, it’s fun to imagine, “Is this a continuation of Keyakizaka46’s world-view?”
Hi: The drum bass in the intro is so cool, when performing I get caught in its trance. I look forward to the day we can perform it in front of everyone
They want to pursue a high level of performance with greed. The pride and skills they built up during their time in “Keyakizaka46” is still alive and kicking, and is strengthening even more as “Sakurazaka46”
Ka: From here on too, I’d like us to continue to aim to be a group where each and every member focuses on our performances. Sure, we might be Idols, but I don’t want to be bound to that title. It is precisely because stereotypes are scarce nowadays, that our goal is to be a unique existence. I want to gradually renew the concept of ‘Idol’!
Pay attention too to the songs centered by Karin-chan and Ten-chan that are included in Sakurazaka46’s debut single!
Hi: As the title suggests, “Naze Koi wo Shite Konakattandarou?” that’s centered by Karin-chan is a song with a theme of love, but it’s become a story where you can feel our growth. It’s upbeat and has that fast movement vibe, very cool drums; the MV also has a unique atmosphere, and we practiced hard for its dance and formation. I’d want you to see is the 2nd chorus the most
Ka:I felt really confused about centering a love song! I’m not the type who watches romance dramas or movies, and I don’t listen to love songs either, so I had to do some research to study the emotions. But I like thrills and excitement, so when I snapped back I’d end up watching action movies.
Hi:Ten-chan’s centered song “Buddies” is truly cheerful, and you can keenly feel the “Let us move forward” power of it. I think that if we perform this live, it will be easy for the fans to cheer to it. Since we visit famous Tokyo places in the MV, it might make you feel like traveling. The MV director for each song is different, so I think that you can enjoy three different experiences with each one!!
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Thank you for coming today for the ViVi photoshoot
Ten: Thank you very much! I've never really understood fashion and beauty, but when I get a chance to do a photoshoot like this, my interest starts to grow. I've bought a lot of clothes this season. Today's outfit was also very, very cute.
Ka: I also had a lot of fun today, getting to experience makeup and clothes I don’t normally wear. I have a small forehead, so I almost always let my forelock down; It was quite refreshing for me to have my forehead fully exposed today.
Ten: It’s the hairstyle you had when you were wearing the mint green outfit right? Karin, that suits you!
Ka: It’s relieving to hear that from Ten-chan during the photoshoot. Thank you
Hi: This might be the first time I do a photoshoot wearing a hat. I really liked the atmosphere, and I was delighted to be photographed using a film camera, and I also really liked the pink set-up. I stumbled on clothes that made me want to wear them for a performance one day. The little bit of gloss is lovely, and although it’s pink, it has a crocodile pattern so it’s not all cute and sweet. The ring is pretty too, everything hits right for me
Ka: Just like this photoshoot, I am happy to have been given many opportunities to try things I've never tried before since our debut as “Sakurazaka46’ was set
Seeing the three of you speaking, you’re like sisters
Ten: Since our activities as “Sakurazaka46” began, the three of us have started spending more time casually, and it’s really comforting. We have a matching atmosphere, don’t we?
Hi: It really feels like we’re already used to being with each other, right?
Ten: That’s the case with the three of us, with our seniors and fellow genmates too, we all get along very well. The atmosphere is very relaxed and calm. But when we get rowdy, we really do make a lot of noise. Karin and Hikaru have a very low bar to their humor, so I often watch them laughing with a heartwarming feeling. It happened a few times during today's shooting, didn't it?
Ka: Yeah, for some reason we couldn’t stop laughing in the stairs scene… (laughs)
The three of you look cool at a first glance, but actually you are all very innocent. That’s unexpected!
Ka: I think the fans would probably think Hikaru and Ten have this cool image, but Ten is very cheerful and talkative, and Hikaru would always mess around, so they’re more than just cool
Hi: I’ve always thought Karin-chan is a girl who knows how to enjoy her time alone. But recently, I’ve been spending more time with her, and I realized how interesting she is, so I felt like I learned something
Ten: I really think so too. It's the first time I've met someone like her before, she's really unique, so looking at her from a distance would make me feel very happy, although she herself doesn’t appear to be aware of it
Ten-chan’s little sister character is in full bloom, it seems~
Hi: It really is. From her mature appearance, you’d wonder if she’d also have a mature personality, but when I see how she’s being spoiled by the seniors, once again I’d realize she really is the youngest member of the group; It’s soothing to think she’s cute like that
Ten: I get paired in a lot of MV filming scenes with (Watanabe) Risa-san, and from there we became ‘sisters’ (laughs). Big sis (Onee-chan) is always quick to spoil me, like asking me “Should I buy you some snacks?”. In the prayer hit campaign from our show, we did our best and shared a “Jyagariko Salad flavour” together
Ka: I often see her getting spoiled by the others, but you don’t really come to me, do you?
Ten: Is that so (laughs)?
Ka: But for some reason, she’d really praise me, like saying “You’re cute”
Ten: Well, that’s because Karin-chan is cute
Hi: When you speak with Ten-chan, she’s cheerful, but in performances she’s cool. I think it’s great for her to have that gap
Ten: Thanks. But even though I’m seen that way, I actually really, really respect the two of you
In 2020 there were only online live performances, but after all, do you think you want to get fired up in the same space as your fans?
Hi: Yes. It’s because I think that after all, to perform live is to “convey”. And it feels sad to not be able to see the fans’ faces directly. There is no limit to audience numbers in online performances, so everyone can watch it, and we could create a novel production that uses the entire venue, so there is a positive in terms of the experiences we’d gain, but we have produced many new songs, and so I have a stronger feeling in wanting to share that excitement with everyone
Ten: There’s this feeling of sadness coming from not being able to directly feel any of the reaction, and we do receive encouragement from the fans cheering and reacting. Some of the new songs have a lot of fan cheers, and there are songs with cool intro sequences, so I’d be glad if we could create those experiences together
Ka: Yeah. I hope everyone can listen to the new songs on loop until the day we can meet again. You can discover new things about the music depending on how you listen to it, and in what situation; you’d realize, “Oh, it can be viewed this way too”. And that's why I'd like you to listen to our songs in many different situations! I hope to be able to meet everyone a lot in 2021...
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Translation: toomuchidea
QC: mentos
Raw: Kiryu
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