Mukai Itoha & Murai Yu's interview in BOMB May 2026 edition
Q Since this pairing is considered quite rare, please start by telling us about how you two first met.
Murai: We shared the same dressing room during the final round of the 3rd generation audition, didn’t we?
Mukai: We did! To distract ourselves from the nerves back then, we all played a game together. Was it the ‘Spinach Game’*?
Murai: That’s right! How nostalgic.
Mukai: Very nostalgic, doesn’t it?
Q What were your impressions of each other back then?
Mukai: During the training period before the passing announcement, I fell ill and couldn’t participate in the dance presentation. I was feeling really down and that’s when Yu reached out to me. I thought “What a warmhearted girl”.
Murai: I don’t remember that at all (laughs). What did I say?
Mukai: You said “Hang in there!”. Even though we hadn’t talked much until then, the fact that you spoke to me made it really stick in my mind.
Murai: Oh, so that’s what happened (laughs).
Mukai: I was sure you wouldn’t remember (laughs).
Murai: What I remember is the (runway) walking lessons. I was paired up with Ito-chan and we practiced together.
Mukai: We did practice together!
Murai: Ito-chan has such long limbs and a slender great figure, so I was really envious. Then she even taught me things like how to move my feet.
Mukai: I was teaching you? That’s so embarrassing… (laughs).
Q Speaking of the 3rd generation, there was the training camp in Yamanashi (broadcast on the official YouTube channel). During that time, Mukai-san was unable to participate due to poor health and Murai-san was unable to have her face or profile made public due to school related reasons.
Mukai: I can look back on it now but at the time, I thought it would haunt me for the rest of my life. That was around the time when final results were announced after the training period, right?
Murai: That’s right.
Mukai: I lost the chance to get close with everyone and I was in a situation where I couldn’t even take the lessons. I felt like I wasn’t even at the starting line and I worried about it a lot.
Murai: I also felt like I wasn’t communicating much with everyone at that camp. I was too focused on my own dancing and singing, and I think I wasn’t aware of my surroundings. I felt that I was lagging behind everyone else, partly because the release of my profile was delayed.
Mukai: But in the lessons after the camp ended, Yu took the lead and checked everyone’s dancing and gave us advice. That became a great support for me.
Murai: Was that really the case? I’m happy to hear that.
Q After overcoming those hardships, you had your first event in front of the fans, the 3rd generation Omotenashikai.
Mukai: In Yu’s special talent segment, doing dance and basketball together was so innovative (laughs). We were all constantly imitating it!
Murai: I remember that clearly (laughs). At the time, I truly thought it was cool and was doing it seriously. But looking back now, I can see why people would want to tease me about it (laughs).
Mukai: No, no, I thought it was cute. Yu is so pure and straightforward, the way she just charges ahead at whatever she’s doing hasn’t changed at all and it makes me feel very fond of her.
Murai: I think that side of me was especially strong back then, so when I look back at it, even I found that to be cute (laughs).
Murai: You’d think so, right? (laughs). Oh that’s right! I just remembered taking my first two-shot with Yu during the rehearsal period for the omotenashikai.
Murai: Eh, when was that?
Mukai: We were both taking selfies separately and then Yu just happened to be behind me so I said “Shall we take one together?” I was so awkward at taking selfies that even though I’m filling up the whole screen, Yu was actually captured with her whole body in the shot (laughs).
Murai: Ahahaha (laughs). I want to look back at that photo!
Q So through those kinds of interactions, your bond gradually deepened.
Mukai: Actually, there was a moment much later on where it deepened significantly all at once.
Murai: Hehe (laughs). That’s right.
Mukai: This was last year. But on the plane ride back from an event we attended in Taiwan, our seats ended up being next to each other. The flight was about 4 to 5 hours and we talked the entire time, didn’t we?
Murai: We really talked a lot~.
Mukai: It was the first time we were able to have a lot of deep conversations like about our personal values.
Murai: I was able to get to know Ito-chan’s personality. Until then, we didn’t have many chances to talk just between us or go out to eat together. I think even our fellow 3rd generation members said before that the two of us would probably never cross paths (laughs).
Mukai: They did say that (laughs). But at that time, our feelings for each other suddenly accelerated. We went out to eat together right after that, didn’t we?
Murai: Yeah. It was a coincidence, but I’m really glad we ended up sitting next to each other.
Q Did you find parts of yourselves that are alike or feel like your hearts are on the same wavelength?
Mukai: Yu is someone open-minded. She’s a very empathetic person, so even for the small things, she listens very kindly and sincerely. That’s probably why she’s so easy to talk to.
Murai: That makes me happy. I also feel very comfortable talking to Ito-chan, and whenever she has something on her mind, I want to be there to listen. Though, I do end up talking quite a bit myself (laughs).
Mukai: Ahahaha (laughs). In the beginning, I had this image of Yu as someone who didn’t talk much, so I never imagined she is such a talker. Plus, I feel like the tone and speed of our speech are surprisingly similar.
Murai: When I’m in a large group, I think I often end up playing the role of the listener. But I personally love talking and I’m having so much fun being able to talk with Ito-chan right now with this same tempo and shared vibe.
Q Listening to your conversation just now, I really felt like you have a great tempo. Do you really keep talking at this speed for 4 to 5 hours?
Mukai: That’s right! We’re at full speed from morning until night, aren’t we?
Murai: We can just keep talking forever!
Q Are there any items that serve as a special memory to you two, now that you’ve become so close?
Mukai: An item… let’s see. Oh that! That thing we drank at the bathhouse!
Murai: Strawberry milk?
Mukai: Yes, that’s it! The strawberry milk we drank together is our ‘memory item’.
Murai: That really is a memory.
Mukai: The two of us went to a bathhouse together. It was around 4 or 5 in the morning (laughs).
Murai: I’ve always liked saunas and I thought the timing was right, so I invited her. It was Ito-chan’s first time at a sauna, wasn’t it?
Mukai: Yeah. I couldn’t handle the cold bath, so in the end I didn’t get that ‘sauna high’ (laughs).
Murai: That’s right (laughs).
Mukai: There was a rest area, so we bought strawberry milk and chatted. Then before we knew it, we both fell asleep and when we realized it, it was already light outside (laughs). It was so much fun, I want to go again.
Murai: Really? Anytime is fine with me~.
Q By the way, in terms of performance, what parts of each other are you drawn to?
Murai: I really love Ito-chan’s singing voice…
Mukai: Wait, really? That’s the first time anyone has told me that (laughs).
Murai: Your voice in the unit song ‘Manatsu no Datouryou’ is so cute, I was actually paying close attention to it.
Mukai: That’s embarrassing (blushes). For me, I love Yu’s facial expressions when she sings. I think it’s great how the shape of her eyes changes between cool songs and cheerful songs.
Murai: It makes me happy to be praised for my expressions.
Q Now then, on April 11th and 12th, the Anniversary Live will be held at the MUFG Stadium (National Stadium).
Mukai: (Tamura) Hono-san was just saying how amazing it would be if we could perform at the National Stadium someday. Then about five minutes later, we were told the news, I was so shocked!
Murai: Yeah. I never imagined we would be allowed to stand on the stage of the National Stadium at this timing. But since we are doing it, I have a strong desire to make it a success. I want it to be a concert that makes people look forward to the future of Sakurazaka46.
Mukai: Because it’s such a vast venue, I want to make my movements large while still remaining conscious of the fine details. I’ll do my best to ensure our performance reaches everyone, all the way to the very last row.
Q By the way Mukai-san, as part of the younger group of the 3rd generation, you are turning 20 this year as well, aren’t you? Is there anything you want to do while you are still in your teens?
Mukai: I’ve always wanted to go on a solo trip and since I went out to Korea recently, I was able to achieve that goal. But before I turn 20, I’d like to go on at least one more solo trip, this time within Japan.
Murai: That’s nice. Lately, I’ve been into traveling to different regions to watch basketball games and doing some sightseeing while I’m at it. I didn’t have the courage to do that when I was in my teens, so I think Ito-chan is amazing.
Mukai: I’m heavily influenced by the other members. I heard our seniors talking about how they went on solo trips during the New Year holidays, and I thought it was so cool.
Q Murai-san, do you have any advice for Mukai-san as a fellow adult?
Mukai: I want to hear it!
Murai: I think it’s best to just try taking action on anything. I believe the things you can do will expand once you turn 20, so act as soon as you have an idea. Like the solo trip we were talking about earlier.
Mukai: Thank you~. That really touched my heart. From now on, I want to become a reliable adult without fooling around too much (laughs)!
---
Raw & translation: tree
QC: tmi
Comments
Post a Comment