MoMusu。 Ishida Ayumi 「Michishige-san mentioning that I was cute made my day！」

A commemoration event was held for the sale of the photo book  『shine more』（Wani Books）featuring currently active Morning Musume。’14 member Ishida Ayumi-san's  。

12th May 2014  （Mon） Fukuya Shoten Shibuya Subnade Store

◆ How does it feel to release a photo book？
「I wasn't alone when I first got a copy of the completed photo book myself、 and all the members gathered around, going 「We wanna see！ We wanna see！」, which made me really happy」

◆ How was the response from the members？
「They said things like, 「It's cute」、 and we had laughs over the occasional page in the photo book where I'm making weird faces. And even though Leader Michishige Sayumi-san always says that she's the cutest、 she went 「So cute」as she looked at my face in the photo book, that really made my day！」

◆ Which is your favourite page？
「（Photo with hood drawn up） When I first saw this, I thought “Eh、 I made that face!?” and laughed、 but when Michishige-san and the others saw it, this photo made them go  「How adorable」. I think that one of the good points of the photo book is that it isn't made up entirely of cute photos、 but is sprinkled occasionally with weird faces、 so I think that this is the best photo」

◆ What is the appealing point of that photo？
「Normally、 most of the time my mouth is open in a grin or a smile、 but my mouth is closed in this photo、 and through this photo I made a new discovery - “I'm able to make this kind of facial expression”」

◆ Are there any other sexy shots？
「I get the feeling that there wouldn't be anyone who'd want sexiness in my photo books（laughs）　（Profile shot in a black bikini） This is also one one of my favourite photos、 and I'll leave it up to you to decide if it's sexy or not、 but there were a lot of fans who told me that 「Profiles are lovely」、 and this shot was taken in profile. The theme for the photo book this time around was  “Smiling and energetic”、 so I wondered how a photo that looked mature would appear inside such a photo book」

◆ Where was the photo shoot done？
「The photo shoot was in Okinawa、 all of it」

◆ How was Okinawa？
「I've been to Okinawa twice、 but since we were shooting at the end of February、 I honestly thought it would still be cold and the wind would be freezing. But since the cold was nowhere to be found、 you can see me gambolling around in high spirits」

◆ Shooting in a swimsuit must have been cold。
「It was cold。 Particularly where we shot for the black swimsuit you just saw, it was cold since that spot didn't get any sunlight. But most importantly, I didn't feel it、 since that was the challenge at the time、 I wanted to be able to get through that challenge」

◆  With the theme being “smiling and energetic”、 are there other thoughts you had included besides those？
「Since this is my 2nd photo book、 the first thing in my mind was to show how I'd grown from the previous photo book. In the previous, 1st photo book I was really nervous、so somehow or another I wanted to have photos where I'm smiling. With that in mind, I wanted to let the fans see me as my regular self」

◆ You took photos that were true to yourself？
「That's right。 Now I'm 17、 but I'm told that my mental age is about 10 years old, and I love romping around、 so I thought I'd let them see me that way, frolicking around in a big way」

◆ You were told that your mental age is about 10 by the kids around you？
「That's right。 Currently、 Morning Musume。’14's youngest member is 14 and in her 3rd year of middle school、 but that girl said to me something on the lines of 「You seem younger than me」、  with me frolicking around youthfully」

◆ Today's sailor uniform is？
「An outfit I'm wearing in the photo book。As a 17 year old in her 3rd year of senior high、 there's a high school-like scene in a school uniform」

◆ Personally, how many points would you grade this photo book？
「I'd like it to be 100 points、 but the title of this photo book is 『shine more』, which means 「To shine brighter」。 Since I discovered lots of things I still need to challenge when looking through this photo book、 I'd like to give it about 83 points」

◆  Which parts remains as a challenge？
「I get the feeling you'll get it when you see it、 but with smiling as the theme, I'm smiling a lot in it、 but those smiles look the same no matter how you look at it、 so it would be great if I could include more variety in the midst of those smiles」

◆ With Michishige-san graduating、 have there been any changes in your mental state？
「Honestly nothing's changed yet、 but the moment I heard that Michishige-san was graduating I did feel sad and lonely and the tears wouldn't stop. Yet, Michishige-san doesn't give of that impression in our recent performances、 and since we're having fun together、 that feeling of sadness isn't there、even though we should have some awareness about the proximity of her graduation. Instead I'd like to make lots of memories」

◆ Is there any intense feeling of competition among the members？
「From when Michishige-san announced her graduation、 there this 14 year old, Sato Masaki-chan, in the same generation as me. She's already very attached to Michishige-san like a sister、 and that announcement made her stick even more to Michishige-san、 so the other members can't get close to Michishige-san, which makes me envious（laughs）」

◆ Do you have any personal memories with Michishige-san？
「I have lots、 but since I'd been looking at Michishige-san since before I joined Morning Musume。、 if I have to think about it again, riding cars normally with Michishige-san、 going for a meal together with her, it's like I'm in a dream。 Michishige-san said recently that 「Ishida's funny」、 and within Morning Musume。’14 I have this suberi (fail) character、 but it's Michishige-san drew out that character. So I'm truly, deeply grateful to her」

◆ After Michishige-san graduates、I think that Ishida-san's own personality becomes more important、 is that the case？
「Currently、there are parts of the talk aspect when I'm reliant on Michishige-san、 and since Michishige-san lets me follow up with my suberi character. Without Michishige-san, I wouldn't have anyone to follow up to、so I think I should watch her and take responsibility for making remarks and figure out when I should say them myself」

◆ Previously you've stated that 「I fit being a second leader who supports the leader」、 but who will be the leader after Michishige-san graduates？
「In terms of age it would be Fukumura Mizuki-san、 but since everyone's about the same age、 I think it would be best if us as a group would give support to whoever becomes leader」

◆ Putting aside your emotions、 once Michishige-san graduates, what direction would you like MoMusu。 to head towards？
「Once Michishige-san is no longer around、 I think that Morning Musume。 will undergo a complete image change。 With Michishige-san leaving behind the statement 「Since the juniors have become reliable」、 I think that it would be good to be even more aware that we are “Morning Musume。” and to tie it back to our history. I think with Michishige-san's graduation, the topic of “Michishige-san wil no longer be in Morning Musume。”  will gain interest from people. With that topic as the starting point、 I think that if we can show that “The current Morning Musume。 is amazing！”、 we'll be able to connect it with Michishige-san handing over the baton」

◆ What would you do if you were told to become the leader？
「I guess I'd have to do it if I was told to、 but I think that there are things for which I can rely upon the other members、 so that'd be a great help、 and if another member becomes leader and has difficulties、 I'd like to help them out」

◆ Finally, please promote your photo book。
「This time around、 my photo book 『shine more』 is going on sale、 and the theme is “smiling and energetic” and you'll be able to see me being myself and frolicking around in Okinawa. I'd be glad if the people who take a look at my smiles in this photo book would come to smile themselves、so please make sure to check out 『shine more』。 I'm begging for your kindness！」

Souce: Idol Bunka TV