Odakura Reina interview from BUBKA June 2023 edition
Q: How did you spend your childhood?
Because I love to move, I would often run around. Back then I can also jump the vault box until the 12th step. Because my body is flexible, I did rhythmic gymnast from 5 years old until 8 or 9 years old. But I also liked reading books.
Q: What’s the reason you stopped doing rhythmic gymnast?
Because I just feel like that it was my limit.
Q: So early! Is it because there are more amazing kids around you?
Yes. I also realized that I think I’m more suited with reading books.
Q: You started playing violin when you’re in middle school right?
Why did I start playing violin again… Oh, I remember! I have always liked reading books since I was in elementary school, and I could read up to 700 to 800 books in a year.
Q: If it’s like that you’d become to not mind what the genre is right
I’ve read various books from novels, picture books, to encyclopedia. Though it’s not like I am the diligent type, but that time I was the student committee chairman, and also the was assigned as the school’s representative. But rather than me arguing with my own opinion, it’s more like I do presentations after I gather and summarized everyone’s opinions. When I realized it, I already become someone that doesn’t know how to express my own will. And then I thought that if it were with music instruments, I’d be able to express my feelings, and then I started playing violin in the orchestra club.
Q: So in your blog you’ve written that you have lived a life somewhat full of hurt feelings, what do you mean by that?
When I was in elementary school, I was the type of kid that likes studying, but it seems like my homeroom teacher that time on the contrary likes the kid that doesn’t study more, and he told me that “your kind of kid isn’t cute, you know.”
Q: That’s so mean…
When I was in middle school, I was the captain and manager of my club, so I’d often intervene when there’s a dispute. Because of that I caused some resentment. Maybe since I like reading, I become a sensitive person, and I was the type that’d mind what the others think about me. Whether it was good intent or bad intent, I’d realize it even when they didn’t say anything, and I’d get hurt on my own, and without telling anyone, I’d ended up thinking about how people are a lot.
Q: Do you ever thought of wanting to change that personality of yours?
Back then I used to hate how empathetic I am, I’d write down the feelings that have built up inside me on my notes and letting it all out. But lately I came to think it’s fun when I can understand how others feels, and it no longer became a painful thing.
Q: Please tell us what made you know about Sakurazaka46 or Keyakizaka46, and what song has an impact on you?
In high school, I got a task to write a novel. Since I like imagining stories and writing sentences, I’d write stories with mixing up my personal experience and my imagination. But when I was writing I’d thought about “What kind of feelings would the main character say these words with?”, “Why did the main character choose to do this action?”, there are things that are unreachable with my imagination. When I was going to get some hints from lyrics and actors by watching various artists music videos on YouTube, I passed by Sakurazaka46’s “Guuzen no Kotae”, and when I saw Fujiyoshi Karin-san’s expression, I thought to myself, “I know this emotion”. And then realize that the expression I wanted to write about is this one, and I managed to write the story smoothly. The exceptional expressiveness of the seniors and how everyone has the same approach to things really left an impression in me. And that made me wanted to join that kind of group.
Q: And then you entered Sakurazaka46’s 3rd generation audition.
I knew about the audition from “Soko Magattara, Sakurazaka?” (from TV Tokyo). Also, this is once again going to be about Fujiyoshi-san (laughs), but there was a recruitment CM right?
Q: Yes, there was.
I was captivated by her “I also still don’t know it” answer to the question of “What is an idol”. I wonder what kind of idol that Fujiyoshi-san is still searching and got interested in it. When I imagine to be able to stand in the same place as her, I got excited to think that my world will become larger, and so I applied for the audition.
Q: Did your mom approved your decision?
A while before the last round of the audition, my mom really opposed my decision, and she said to me, “If possible I want you to not go to the last audition round, and even if you got accepted please think about it thoroughly”. Since I’m also in my 3rd year of high school, she is worried whether I can balance between my study and my activities. Since I’m the type that’d talk a lot, my mom also knows that I love Sakurazaka46 (laughs), so I promised to her that I’ll manage to balance both of them and got her approval.
Q: How did you feel when you stand in front of the fans in “Omotenashikai”?
When I stand at the stage, I saw the many amount of penlight that I can’t even count anymore. And them having a penlight, means they bought the merchandise, and I thought that means they’re also having expectations with the “Omotenashikai” that’s about to start. Obviously I feel happy about it, but I was worried with whether I can answer that expectation or not. But that worries was flown away by the cheering from the fans, even when I was wearing the ear monitor, I can hear it. I feel like it’s not just with the 11 of us, we’re making a concert together with all the fans, and that made me want to do my best harder and harder.
Q: Please tell us what song that left an impression on you when you perform it!
It was “Natsu no Chikamichi”. During the MV shooting, the image of the song from what explained by the director, “Freedom from solitude” was mentioned. As I live, I’ve lived it with the theme of solitude and love, that’s why I sang and danced to it as it is intuitively. In “BAN”, there’s this image of “Because this main character is this kind of person, I wonder if they are thinking like this”, but in “Natsu no Chikamichi” I can perform just by being myself and made me enjoy it.
Q: What kind of idol do you want to be?
I thought that, when you’re hurt, and there’s someone that would hug you close even when you didn’t say anything, it’d sure ease your mind right? (Reina tearing up). That’s why, I want to be the kind of idol that can embrace the fans.
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