Sugai Yuuka and the members' message to each other [Sugai Yuuka's Graduation Memorial Book] Part 1 / 2

 

Uemura Rina

“Thank you very much for your hard work in the past 7 years, truly. I’m sure that there must have been times when you just wanted to run away, so thank you very much for staying this long. I am very grateful. As our well-spoken and courteous Captain, Yukka has always done the greetings on behalf of the members. There were a lot of members who used Yukka’s blog as reference when we were at a loss on what to write in their own blogs. I think that she was the best role model for everyone, both as an individual and as an idol. But when Yukka slipped on her words at a very tense moment, we all burst into laughter, and it created a good atmosphere (laughs). From now on, live as you want, Yukka. Let's continue to be friends!”

Yuuka: Lately, there are many moments where I feel that Rina has “grown mature”, and she has become someone I could talk about the group with. As she became such a person to me, it makes me happy how we have built a comfortable relationship, like how before I even realized it, she would already sit by my side. Rina is so cute that I would always look at her, pay attention to her surroundings and would notice even the smallest change. It would make me happy if not only Rina’s cuteness and kindness, but also her other charms, such as how funny she is or her wittiness that hasn’t appeared on TV yet, could be shown to the fans more, and she could enjoy her future activities as an idol– a job she longed for– even more from now on.

Koike Minami

“Yukka, together with Fuu-chan, was the first person to show me around Tokyo when I first moved. It made me, an only child, so happy to hear her say “It’s okay to treat me like I’m your older sister”.I felt warmth as if I had made a family in Tokyo. Yuuka has always been the main pillar of the group up until now, and has always led us with her strong and yet warm back. Truly, truly, thank you very much. Yuuka will be my one and only “big sis”. Yuuka, let’s continue to be friends from now on! Please take care of yourself, put yourself first, and live your life happily. Let’s have another 1st gen hang out again!”

Yuuka: Mii-chan is like the first little sister I ever had! Ever since “Silent Majority”, I always thought that she had an amazing dance sense, but I think that she improved even more as a result of her efforts. She has a sense of pride towards her performance, and so Mii-chan has become someone who can lead the group. It’s very cool how even though she keeps bumping into many walls, she keeps challenging them in order to change herself. A person like Mii-chan is truly a reliable presence for me. It makes me feel relieved, and I would like to entrust Sakurazaka46 to her from now on.

Kobayashi Yui

“Because Yuuka spoke as our captain with firm words, I think that Sakurazaka46 has a profound and graceful impression. She is a very kind and wonderful person who checks the programs that the members  appear in,  relays her impressions of it and gives the members [birthday] presents every year. In the taxi ride that we shared, she listened to my many thoughts, and I was greatly saved. I hope that in the path she walks on from now on, she can do many things that she wants to do. Truly thank you for everything up until now! Thank you very much for your hard work in the past 7 years. I will continue to support Yukka!”

Yuuka: There were many turning points and moments where, when I listened to Yuipon’s thoughts, I ended up thinking “If Yuipon says so, then it’ll be fine”. Yuipon’s performance has become a reference for the juniors, and I think that there must be many members who want to be like her and are following her footsteps. I think that Yuipon will continue to be a very good role model for the group, but I hope that Sakurazaka46 could have an environment where Yuipon could enjoy her activities while being a role model.

Saito Fuyuka

“Yuuka is one of the members I can speak honestly to, someone I would definitely go to whenever I have a problem or a suggestion. That’s why we often went out for meals together. When the group didn’t work as well as we wanted, Yuuka was the one who continued to protect the members. I have nothing but gratitude for Yuuka, who always acted with the members as her first priority. Yuuka has the ideal image of becoming a captain who is stricter, who can get angry when she needs to, but I’m glad that Yuuka became the captain she is now. Truly, thank you for the past ~7 years. I loved the Yuuka-led Keyakizaka46 and Sakurazaka46.”

Yuuka: Fuu-chan is someone with the power of words, who can always cheer everyone up. It might have been a word spoken by her in a very casual dressing room setting, but I was saved by Fuuchan’s words, and I think that both 1st gen and 2nd gen members must have been very saved by them as well. I am sure that there must have been times when she felt worried, but she always talked about how much she liked dancing, so I hope that she can enjoy the dancing that she likes even more. I find myself liking Fuu-chan who has fun while performing very much, so I hope that in the future I could see Fuu-chan being lively together with everyone.

Habu Mizuho

“When I was worried for a time, Yuuka was the one who put me back on my feet. We regularly spend time together, laughing from our chats about trivial things, traveling overseas to eat delicious food, all the times I spent together with Yuuka are wonderful memories for me. As genmates, I was happy to be able to overcome difficult and frustrating things, and see beautiful sceneries together. Yuuka, who is graduating, will remain in everyone’s hearts as an “unforgettable person”. From now on, please take care of yourself even more and challenge the things that you want to do with no regrets. You are truly the captain we can be proud of!”

Yuuka: I think she is the member I spoke to the most with among the 1st gen members. For some reason, since the beginning, it’s comfortable to be with her and I naturally felt that we were on the same wavelength. Because we are [always] together, I could tell what Habu-chan was thinking, and Habu-chan could also tell how I was no matter what the situation. That is something that saved me, and she is one  of the few people that I can let myself be pampered to my heart’s content. She also gradually grows as a person, and it’s very cool how she has become a lovely woman. Seeing how she livens up the place while making everyone laugh always makes me respect her. Habu-chan took the news of my graduation the hardest and cried about it many times. Habu-chan might be worried about it, but even if I’m not in the group, Habu-chan will be loved by the people around her so she’ll be fine. I hope that Habu-chan will be happy and live a life that is even more fulfilling, in both her activities as a group and as an individual. Thank you very much for going out with me a ton ♡ .

Inoue Rina

“When the 2nd gen first met the 1st gen members, it was a quiet atmosphere filled with nervousness from both sides, but I was very relieved to see how Sugai-san, who looked like a goddess to me, kept smiling the whole time. She is the captain we can rely on, but how she acts and the smile she shows when being teased by the members is so cute, it made me think that she is such a great idol. I love Sugai-san’s smile, so I hope that she will continue to be active in various spaces such as TV and stage plays. I think that you have gone through a lot of hardships for the group, but thank you very much for always supporting us!”

Yuuka: Inori is truly such a hard worker to the point it makes you worry. But she has a very sharp intuition, and the 1st gen members feel very grateful with how Inori  livens up the shows. It makes me very happy to see that Inori, who has taken over the radio and is working very hard, is being well received. However since she relies on her intuition a lot, it can sometimes cause her to act reserved or cautious. But once she loosens up, she is one of the funniest and most fascinating people to watch. I hope that she can do her activities without much thinking and can purely enjoy it. I’m handing over “stumbles over her words during MC” character to Inori! (laughs).

Endo Hikari

“She has always cared for us, 2nd gen members, ever since we entered the group. I’ve been saved by Yuuka-san’s kindness all the time. I still remember how after I entered, she told me, “You have a very wonderful personality, so please continue to be Hikari-chan-like!”. Yuuka-san who, until now, always thinks about the group more than herself, I hope that she can put herself first from now on. I’d like to work even harder so that Yuuka-san can be at ease, and so that I can be one of the members who support the group. I love you!”

Yuuka: Hikarin has caught my eye ever since she joined. She is someone who will leave a strong impression on you with a unique charm that you don't often see. It’s wonderful how she’s gaining attention, mainly from her performance, it made me happy as well. Hikarin is strict with herself, pressuring herself with ideals that she wants to be, and I think that sometimes she ends up hurting herself. But there are a lot of people who appreciate the current Hikarin, and I am one of them. I truly feel that she is amazing, so I hope that she can love herself even more. I look forward to Hikarin’s future as well!

Ozono Rei

“She is usually calm and someone who can soothe you by just looking at her, but there are many things about her that will make you fall for her all over again, that will make you feel that “She’s our captain!!!” Yuuka-san is someone strong and beautiful like a cherry blossom tree, someone who protected the group. Yuuka-san is also someone who made me want to have a beautiful heart like hers. Yuuka-san, truly, thank you very much for being our captain! I am happy to have been able to work in a group where Yuuka-san is the captain! For all the time that you have spent for the group and members, I hope that you can use it for your own self!”

Yuuka: Her features are very Japanese, and she has a slightly mysterious look, which made me think that she is someone suitable for the “Sakurazaka46” group name. Rei-chan has an intelligent, graceful, and elegant vibe to her, but recently she’s been laughing even more, she even laughed a lot at what I said (laughs). When I see Rei-chan being like that, I thought that she must be getting a sense of fulfillment from her current activities. She has an aura of someone who could become an actress, and since she’s smart I hope that she can appear in quiz shows, she is a reliable junior with a lot of potential. I hope that she can continue to find many areas that she finds enjoyable.

Onuma Akiho

“Yuuka-san sums up everyone’s feelings when she spoke during the group circle before concerts and such. If I cried, she would rub my back. If I did something weird, Yuuka-san would laugh out loud. Yuuka-san told me how she really likes the “Numa Song” that I created, so when the make-up artist told me how she would always listen to “Kusa (草)” even when I’m not around, it made me so happy and thought about how lovely she is. I will do my best to protect Sakurazaka46! When Yuuka-san appears in another stage play, I will definitely come to watch! I will love you forever!”

Yuuka: Akipo was truly one of the juniors that was easy to talk with. It made me so happy how she would always say “Yuuka-san~” while approaching me in small steps (laughs). During rehearsal for concerts and such, even during the songs that she is not participating in, she would always give it her all to practice in a corner of the mirror. I also know that she is a very hard worker. I believe that her efforts will definitely bear more fruits, and I think that she will come even closer to Akipo’s own ideal than she is now. I could already feel how her presence in our concerts is growing more and more. However, there are moments when she is being too humble that I’m worried that she might hurt her own heart. It’s okay for you to be more confident in yourself!

Kousaka Marino

“Sugai-san, congratulations on your graduation. I’ve been saved a lot of times by Sugai-san’s enveloping kind smile. Sugai-san always thought about the group and gave her best in everything, seeing that makes me feel that I need to work harder as well. Being able to give others the power to work harder without knowing is Sugai-san’s innate talent! I was able to learn many things from Sugai-san. I hope that I will be able to pass what I have learned from Sugai-san to my juniors. Thank you very much for pouring so much love into Sakurazaka46 up until now!”

Yuuka: I always felt that Marino-chan is “someone that you cannot conquer” (laughs). But, when I went out with her and Kira-chan for yakiniku, I came to learn that she’s actually pretty funny (laughs). Even though she’s very cute and calm, I like how frank she can be. I feel that her grit and qualities are suited for this industry. I look forward to seeing how much more this junior can show in her future activities.

[PART TWO HERE]

Translation: toomuchidea

QC: keishi, reicar, cirrus

Raw: nira