TAKAHIRO interview from BRODY June 2021
Two sides of the same coin
Q: As we move from Keyakizaka46 to Sakurazaka46, I would like to hear from TAKAHIRO-san, a creator who knows the Keyakizaka46 era intimately. Your journey here has been marked by twists and turns of fate, but what did you envision when you came up with the choreography for “Nobody’s fault”, including to differentiate between the two groups?
TAKAHIRO: Both Keyakizaka46 and Sakurazaka46 take on as their motif the changing feelings of young hearts when they feel repressed emotions, as a presence that comforts those who feel that way, and moves forward together with them. That is something you feel when listening to songs from any of the Sakamichi groups, but each group has their own answer to how they face that repression.
For example, in Keyakizaka46, the characters of the story continually face their heavy emotions on a deeper level, and follow a Thanatos-like path. In the face of reality, their relaying of the message that “It’s hard right now, but that’s how reality is. It’s the same with me. It’s hard for me too”, is I believe one of the defining features of Keyakizaka46.
By facing loneliness and shadows head-on without masking them in colorful language, they are able to get close to those who share those feelings, and head toward the future. And the newly renamed Sakurazaka46 also feels the same repression in their young hearts. They fight against it. The words they use when confronting it are not idealistic, nor of fantasy or self-indulgence, but raw with reality. You can feel the same worldviews as Keyakizaka46 there.
The difference is that the direction of the characters’ resolve has changed from that of going beyond their defiance. You can feel a change from the impulse of destruction to the emotion of life. In other words, their conscious distancing from getting involved with others and heading toward a point deep within one’s heart, is now reversed and headed outward. By facing outward, this means that interaction with others will follow.
For example, Sakurazaka46’s “Nobody’s fault” and Keyakizaka46’s “Kuroi Hitsuji” are both songs that confront repressed emotions, but there is a difference in the words they use. The line in the lyrics of “Nobody’s fault” that stands out in particular is “It’s nobody’s fault”, which shows a contrasting perspective to “It’s all my fault” in Keyakizaka46’s “Kuroi Hitsuji”.
Q: I see
TAKAHIRO: What is also symbolic, is how they are pleading with God in the latest song, “BAN”. In the past, in response to the repression, Keyakizaka46 would have carried it all on their backs and shut others down, while looking for answers from deep within themselves. But now, they are seeking some kind of connection with others through their output in finding a way to not give up, and I think that is perhaps what Sakurazaka46 is all about.
When you think about it that way, the title songs that express the “urge to live” like “Nobody’s fault” and “BAN”, the songs centered by Fujiyoshi Karin-san that express the feeling of being alive through the forming of relationships with others, or the songs centered by Yamasaki Ten-san that express opening up and holding hands in trying to communicate with the person beside them — the paths taken by Morita (Hikaru)-san, Fujiyoshi-san, and Yamasaki-san, which seem like three different omnibuses, are all connected as one.
When people are feeling lonely or are going through tough times, they experience an impulse toward darkness and emotions toward living at the same time that are two sides of the same coin. It is Sakurazaka46 that shows us yet another side of that coin. And it’s the same for both Keyakizaka46 and Sakurazaka46 in sharing the reality that we face right now. They have the same point of view, and their chosen direction is the same, but the paths they have headed down at the fork in the road are very different. I think that Sakurazaka46 is showing us this other possibility.
Q: When looking at the choreography for “Nobody’s fault”, while I feel that the song’s ideas and its lyrics are well-expressed, I feel that the overall impression it gives has changed considerably compared to the Keyakizaka46 days. For example, during the Keyakizaka46 era, the members would dance dynamically using their entire bodies, whereas with Sakurazaka46, a sense of delicateness through dancing down to the fingertips is also conveyed. What did TAKAHIRO-san have in mind when coming up with the choreography of this song?
TAKAHIRO: I think that their phase is changing once again between “Nobody’s fault” and “BAN”, but one thing I felt when I first listened to “Nobody’s fault” was that “Boku has become Watashi”. I also felt like the depicted worlds have been connected.
However, when I listened to the other songs, it’s not that their voices have changed, but it was like they have grown up. Up until then, the choreography was an ark that carries emotions. So I focused on how much the impulse could be visibly expressed over the finer details down to the fingertips. But as they have become "Watashi” in “Nobody’s fault”, I have placed greater importance on delicateness.
There is finer detail than usual in their approach to the music, they are paying more attention to the shape of their fingers, and there are moves that makes use of the skirt, and on top of that, there are a greater number of curves in the costumes at the waist and neck, which I think adds to their feminine curves.
Q: And from there it changes again in “BAN”
TAKAHIRO: It’s as if they ran through it all at once. After going from “Kuroi Hitsuji”, “Kado wo Magaru”, to “Dare ga Sono Kane wo Narasu no ka?” in Keyakizaka46, they came out with “It’s nobody’s fault” with a hint of Keyakizaka’s heftiness in “Nobody’s fault”. Just when I thought they were going to take the next step slowly from there, the all-out intense “BAN” came next like “Bam!” In my mind, the story and themes are connected, but the degree of freedom that each song sought escalated at such a rapid pace that it gave me the impression of a four-step leap up the stairs.
Budding
Q: When I talked to Director Kato Hidejin, I heard that birds are one of the themes for this song’s dance.
TAKAHIRO: That’s right. We had the concept of a “birdman” in mind. While all the members of the production team wanted Sakurazaka46 to make a leap forward, I feel that Director Kato in particular taught me something very important. When creating something new, I used to have the impression that you shouldn’t look back. But Director Kato said, “No, look at it closely. Acknowledge and accept your past, then overcome it”, from which I sensed a strong will and determination not to run away, to carry everything on our shoulders and take it all in.
And regarding the group’s performances, since becoming Sakurazaka46, there has been a greater emphasis on the presence of each member and the way they present themselves. In the past, everyone converged on a single purpose, gathering on a single spot of light like creating a sunspot using a magnifying glass. But what would happen if each of them communicated the song with their own will? That is a challenge I’m also taking on.
Q: When I watched the music video for “Nobody’s fault” and their performances on music shows, that is exactly what I sensed the most. Especially when looking at the 2nd generation members, it seemed that getting their own positions and singing parts has given them more confidence.
TAKAHIRO: In Keyakizaka46, the 2nd generation members mostly slotted into the positions their seniors have left open. There, they had to focus their efforts on protecting the legend that existed up until then. But now they can grow in the new positions given to them, and develop their roles. This “growing” is very different from the way it was in the past.
In each performance, you can see how the girls are improving themselves in challenging ways that they have thought of themselves, and a completely different side of them is beginning to shine through. It’s the same for the 1st generation members. With the new structure and positions, many of them are taking on new roles, so each team will evolve their respective songs little by little. I sense a new strength in that.
Q: The three-Center system is also a new challenge, isn’t it?
TAKAHIRO: While I believe that each member will bring out a new charm in whichever song it is that they perform, I think that they are now each starting to see the themes that they are to show. They are each beginning to create a sense of what perspective they should take and what side they should show for their songs, for their team. By having separate teams, we can compare them. By having another team next to them, they can look at themselves subjectively and also objectively. I think that they are able to gain a new perspective in that regard. I feel that they have learned a new way of looking at the group, and I think that through this experience, they can create something we have never seen before.
Q: So, for Morita-san, Fujiyoshi-san, and Yamasaki-san, who are the Centers of their respective teams, do you feel growth or change from each of them compared to the Keyakizaka46 times?
TAKAHIRO: All three of them shine brightly, even if you look at them up close. Moreover, they are each distinctively different from one another. What I can say is that all three of them are very kind and still crystal clear. There is a uniqueness about them, and they are straightforward in their expression. All three of them are very hardworking, always staying behind to practice and thinking a lot. They are stars of promise and hope.
Q: What about Kobayashi Yui-san and Watanabe Risa-san, who are supporting the Centers at their sides for two works in a row?
TAKAHIRO: I guess you can say that they are like veteran heroes. They both have a very strong sense of professionalism, and I get the impression that they cherish every moment.
Kobayashi-san never misses a practice while continually improving on her skills. Her explosiveness and how she gives her everything has never changed, and she is always full of energy. Watanabe Risa-san has dramatically improved her ability to show strong expression on her own. And she is also a hidden mood-maker.
Both of them have their own distinctive qualities. I’m sure that the 2nd generation members and the other 1st generation members are inspired by them, and at the same time, they are both surely also inspired to move forward from seeing how the other members have grown because of them.
Q: What about the other non-Center 2nd generation members?
TAKAHIRO: It was Takemoto (Yui)-san who told me herself that she realized she had changed. She said that when filming the music video for “Guuzen no Kotae”, she was able to overcome a wall within herself and get the feeling that “This is it!” for the first time. I was also fascinated seeing that moment, so I said, “I hope they’ll use that (scene)!”, and it was actually used in the MV. During a video shoot, there are usually a lot of materials that they work with, so it’s difficult for a moment like that to be used in an MV, but quite incredibly, it was picked up. I remember how happy we felt, saying, “The videographer must have been feeling it too”.
And then there’s Tamura Hono-san. She was worried about her own expression at the end of last year, but this year she has given me the feeling that she had broken through a wall. Ozono Rei-san’s heart has begun to move gently. She cried during the filming and her emotions came through, but she didn’t know how to organize it yet. But it’s impressive how she talked about wanting to cherish that feeling. Watanabe Rika-san’s movements have super evolved, and Kousaka Marino-san has become comfortable with showing a natural smile. Moriya Akane-san remains forthright at all times. All of them have grown. They are all very serious about the group. I feel that each of them has begun to grasp something that is like a catalyst.
Recreating the MV
Q: I see. This goes back to a previous topic, but I’ve been wanting to ask you something about the choreography. The string performance in the MV for “Naze Koi wo Shite Konakatan darou?”, was that TAKAHIRO-san’s idea?
TAKAHIRO: That was suggested by Director Kato, who said, “I’d like to try doing it with strings!”. I gave it a go thinking that it was amazing to be able to visually express the relationships between people and the lingering emotions within oneself, but it was much harder than I had imagined to get it right (laughs).
Q: I thought it was amazing that it was not only done in the MV, but also recreated in the live performances.
TAKAHIRO: Right. The first time we recreated it was at MTV’s live performance, but at first there was a conversation that was on the lines of, “It’s hard to replicate it so let’s not”. But those who are watching are surely wondering if the string performance will come, right? And it would be sad to show them something less than what they expected. It is exactly because people think it’s impossible for it to be done in a live performance, that I thought that we should deliver the excitement of, “Here comes the strings!”.
Since we couldn’t divide the scene like in the MV, we experimented with a lot of things. If the material is bad or if there is even the slightest mistake, the strings will become entangled. It required exquisite teamwork, and the process in finding the formula for success was a lot of fun. We were able to complete it thanks to the staff members who helped us, from finding the right string material, the right tools to wrap the strings around, to adding pockets on the costumes to store the items.
Q: In looking forward to the actual performances, I am also interested in “BAN”, which will be shown more often on music shows in the near future (*This interview was conducted before any TV performance was shown).
TAKAHIRO: “BAN” has an MV version, a TV version, and a full performance version with different lengths, and they have been further updated since the MV filming. In particular, the members’ strong emotions in moving forward, and the sounds and lyrics of the song have helped boost the impact of the choreography. And during the production of the song before it was given to the members, I made it, broke it, and remade it again until I was convinced that “This is it!”. There are many parts of the choreography that are not shown in the MV, so I hope that you can look forward to it.
Q: Is there anything that you have become newly aware of through this choreography?
TAKAHIRO: The girls seem to seek to emphasize the message of the lyrics in Sakurazaka46 as well, so that remains my first priority. In the midst of all this, the feel of the lyrics has changed, and so has the method of expression. The approach to the choreography has changed from the past, where there was a prominent aspect of self-dialogue, to the present where the intention is to connect with others. Take the direction of their gazes for example. In the current lyrics’ world expressed by the girls, their feelings are often directed toward others, so their eyes look toward the audience more frequently. For the same reason, they also find themselves with more opportunities than usual to look at the camera on TV shows.
Q: That is certainly a big change.
TAKAHIRO: Yes. Also, in the past, there were many choreographies that expressed the true feelings hidden behind words, but now, in addition to that, I think there are more moments that express the lyrics intuitively and directly. Choreography that allows the audience to feel and share the moment, rather than choreography that makes the audience ponder how to interpret it. Even if you are saying the lyrics word for word, the depth to which the words in it are trying to connect with the audience will vary. Instead of thinking that it’s always best to visualize the depths of the lyrics, I face the lyrics while thinking about what this song is trying to say to the group and what mission it was born with.
Q: A lot of things have become clear to me.
TAKAHIRO: As I have talked about up to this point, I believe that Sakurazaka46’s story belongs to everyone. I’m convinced that the story from here on out will be created by both the members and those who support them.
Q: At the moment, I don’t think a distinctive “Sakurazaka46-likeness” has been established yet, and I think that it will be gradually found with the 3rd and 4th singles. With that said, what do you expect from the girls, and what words do you want to convey to them right now?
TAKAHIRO: Although they currently have a similar theme to that of Keyakizaka46, a clear-cut difference is presented at this point. The path seems to be gently leading to a new world that is different from the past. The question is whether we can nurture the buds and minds of individuality that are certainly here now. At the same time, because they are still small buds, they can grow in any direction. I hope that the members can go wherever they want to go with the fans. My dream is for the group to become one where the members can say, “Sakurazaka46 is just like us.”
This is just so awesome 👍🏻👏🏻
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