Thursday 5 March 2015

Berryz Kobo's final address to the fans

Thanks to Barks-san, we have transcripts of Berryz Kobo's final words to the fans at the Nippon Budokan, before they launched into their final performance of Love Together. You may want to prepare tissues.


Everyone、 thank you very much for today。

Including our time as the Kids、 we've been in Hello! Project for 12 and a half years、 and it's unimaginable that we'll be closing the books on it today。 I seriously have no idea what would be best to say today、 but it was really fun。

All sorts of things happened in these 12 and a half years、 there were a lot of things that were fun and enjoyable、 but honestly、 there were tons of times when it was tough、 honestly、 there were a lot of times when I thought about dropping everything and going somewhere(cries)。

But I think that it was due to the presence of my family and the staff-san around me、 everyone around me, the fans that are here、 that I've been able to do it until now。 Thank you so very much。

It's a pity that my voice is like this、 but since I've sung with everything I had until now…… I've got no regrets。

Honestly、 everyone、 thank you so very much。



For about 11 years、 we've been active as Berryz Kobo、 and it's been  about 12 and a half years if you count from our audition、 doing activities in the world of showbusiness like this、 the thing I thought about the most is that、 I really am blessed by those around me。 Standing on such a wonderful stage together with the members、 a lot of staff did their best to make this stage for Berryz Kobo's sake。 And a lot of people、 all the fans cheered us on、 and of course the people watching through the live viewing、 and of course those who couldn't come here、 and my friends too, you cheered us on together。 And I feel that above all, I was supported by the family that was closest to me。

I'll always treasure the words “ENJOY” until forever、 but for “ENJOY”, there was a questionnaire at our début asking 「What's your favourite word?」、 and I wrote 「Tanoshimi (enjoy)」、 but our manager at the time wrote 「ENJOY」 of that manager's own accord (laughs)。 Actually, that was the place where the first “ENJOY” was born。

But these 11 years、 I'm glad that I never actually tired of always continuing to say “ENJOY”、 I enjoy in fun times、 and I think about enjoy in tough times、 and haven't we made a lot of wonderful memories together with everyone。 1 more time、 I'd like to hear enjoy from everyone、 so let's all shout it out?

One, two, 「ENJOY! ENJOY! ENJOY!」。

Thank you very much。 This was Kumai Yurina。



Following up from Kumai Yurina's address) It's really great that everyone “ENJOY” (laughs)。

Well, honestly、 12 and a half years is a really long time。 Standing on-stage from a small age、 singing songs、 wearing lots of sparkly outfits、 doing only the things that I like、 it was a bit of a trying experience though (laughs)。 When we'd just joined, there were a lot of dance lessons、 we got lots of scolding from our teachers、 and we were told off by our manager-sans countless times。 I wondered why I coloured my hair brown (smiling through tears)。 It really seemed that it made me appear to be a bad kid。 I have a menacing look too、 so the manager-sans would often tell me to please spend the days with a smile on my face。 I was strong-minded when I was small。 But、 that hasn't changed even now。 I thought that I wanted to stand out when I stood in front of everyone、 that hasn't changed at all。 I still feel that I want to stand again on a such a large stage、 singing、 dancing。

Just now、 Chan(Chan-Rii / Sugaya Risako) or Kumai-chan said this、but there were a lot of tough times、 and there were a lot of things that made me think about giving up。 However、 the members that are here are people who really listen to miya's problems。 You know、 with our sudden selfish statement、 I think it probably made everyone worry。 But you always supported this selfish miya…… Not only the members、 all the fans、 the staff-san、 all sorts of people、 all my family。 For always cheering on this kind of miya、  thank you very much。 There are guests who came here today from overseas, right。 Hehe。 I really understand that Berryz Kobo is loved around the world、 and it really makes me feel happy。

Until now、 I've been getting lots of love from all of you、 and we had lots of enjoyable times……I'm fully satisfied! I hope that I'll meet everyone again、  practise my favourite singing more and more、 it would be great if I could do this again sometime。

Faces back) But honestly、 I love all the members。(cries)。

Since I can only say these feelings in words while doing this as usual with my back turned、(Confirming each and every members' face) Meeting eyes like this、 「Thank you」 is the last thing I want to say。 I'm truly grateful to all of the fans as well。

And finally! Will you let me do it?

So、 all the staff、 I'm begging for your kindness。 Hehe。 Well then, here I go! Shakiーn!

「miya、be~~~~~~~~~~am!!!」
The lights at the venue followed along。 The venue dyed in purple was enraptured in tears

That was truly a joy。 Thank you。 This was Natsuyaki Miyabi。


Everyone、 thank you so so very much。 It's been about 12 and a half years if you include our time as the Hello! Project Kids、 and at the time we were often asked the question 「Why did you take the Hello! Project Kids auditions?」、 at those times I'd answer 「I love Morning Musume。-san、 I saw them on TV and in the papers、 I thought I'd apply since there were auditions。」、 but actually that's a lie (Venue starts to make noise)、 I took the opportunity to apply as my younger sister was doing so (Venue bursts in laughter)。 So at the time、 I couldn't even differentiate between Tsuji-san and Kago-san (Venue erupts in laughter)、 and it was the same for Morning Musume。、 I had no interest in being an idol (Great laughter from the venue)。

So I was really bad at singing、 I wasn't concerned with singing before this, but recently I've come to enjoy singing、 and a smile would naturally appear on my face、 and at times when I thought it was enjoyable、 the members would always be next to me、 and the ones who crafted such an enjoyable atmosphere were the fans。 And so this place where we could sing was crafted、and before I noticed it, it felt like even the dancing and singing that I was bad at had become my greatest joy。

At first、 I took (the auditions) since my sister was、 but、 about 12 and a half years ago on the 30th of June、 even if I were to return to that day、 I think I definitely would have chosen the same path。 Now I can say with confidence that it was good that I took the auditions。 These 12 and a half years、 meeting all sorts of people truly is my treasure。

But it makes me really sad to think that it ends today、 but I can't retain this lovely space、 I'm truly sorry。

However、 I've got no regrets since it's the path that we decided on。 We'll be heading down our own paths from tomorrow、 but it would make me happy if you could somehow give the 7 of us a push on the roads we go down somehow。

Meeting everyone, it truly was an enjoyable 12 and a half years。 Thank you very much。 This was Sudo Maasa。


Everyone, thank you very much for today。 On today、 the 3rd of March, Berryz Kobo enters our indefinite hiatus。 Yes、 that's right、 it's the path that we decided on、 but it definitely makes me really sad to think that starting tomorrow, the members will be split up (Voice trembling)。

Thinking about things like our usually noisy dressing rooms turning quiet、 that I'll be watching the DVDs we always watch together by myself、 it's really sad。 However, this hiatus didn't come from negative feelings、 the 7 members decided on our hiatus with positive feelings。

Since we announced out hiatus on the 2nd of August 2014、 time really has passed by in a flash、 it's been 12 and a half years since we joined Hello! Project、 it passed in a flash、 but that half a year was really、 well、 every moment passed by in a flash。 From the beginning of this concert, it made me sad as we finished songs one by one、 and as for dancing with the members、 at any rate, thinking that it comes to an end today、 「Ahhー It's sad」、 these feelings of sadness、 honestly、 now I'm full of them。

12 years “and a half”…… 12 and a half years (laughs)、 getting to be part of Hello! Project、 and Berryz Kobo、 there are two things I noticed。

One is that we can't stop time。 And the other is ──  I do love dancing and singing, of course。 But above all, what I love the most is Berryz Kobo。

Holding back tears

Today、 the 3rd of March、 this many people came regardless of it being a weekday、 and those who cheered us on even thought they couldn't be here、 being able to do such a wonderful concert truly is a joy。 Thank you very much!

For someone who gets easily bored like me、 continuing on for one thing for over 10 years、 I think that I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the assistance of all the members、 all the staff、 all my family、 all sorts of people。

From tomorrow、 we'll be walking on our own individual paths、 but with a cheerful and joyful smile、 I'd like us to plunge forward on our own paths。 For today、 thank you so very much! This was Tokunaga Chinamiー!


Everyone、 for the 11 years of support towards Berryz Kobo、 thank you so very much!

Our activities as Berryz Kobo、 were really、  realllly fun、 and because of that, coming to this decision to enter a hiatus required a lot of resolve。 Since we announced it、 the fans have told us 「Ah、 you're already part of our lives, so don't quit」 or 「It's really sad」、 it made me feel once again that 「Ahh、 this is how much we're loved」。 At the same time、 there were words from people like 「I'll lend my support since the members decided on it」 or 「Just as much as you've given us joy up until now、 I hope that Berryz Kobo becomes just as happy from now on」、 that really saved us。 Thank you so very much。

Without seeming like it、 we suddenly mentioned that 「We'll be entering a hiatus」、 it might have made you think that we were a completely selfish group、 but that Berryz Kobo received lots of your feelings of love and gratitude。 Tomorrow we'll be starting down our own separate paths、 but、 I believe that our hearts are one。

For Momochi herself、 I'll be walking down my 2nd idol life again、 but this is the conclusion that resulted from thinking 「I definitely do love being an idol」。 And、 thinking about why do I like being an idol?、 I thought that 「It definitely is because of our activities as Berryz Kobo that I came to like being an idol」。 Everyone、 for coming to love Momochi's beloved Berryz Kobo、 thank you so very much!

I pray that there'll be a day where we meet again! Thank you so very much! This was Tsugunaga Momoko!


Everyone、 we've all become this grown up!

We made our début when we were in primary school、 and we were referred to as Morning Musume。's younger sisters、 being able to stand on the stage of the Budokan like this is a dream、and getting to continue doing my favourite dancing and singing for 11 years、 it truly was because of the presence of everyone。 Thank you very much。

For me、 I acted as the Captain of Berryz Kobo for 11 years、 but thinking about what I could do as Captain、 I thought that I couldn't really do anything…… and yet、 when fans say to me 「Captain、 you aren't just captain for the members、 for us、 you're our Captain too」 at handshake events and such、 I think it was really great that I did my best for 11 years(cries)。

Just as everyone said、 it wasn't just fun times, there were many tough times and trying times、 but、 however, because we went through all sorts of experience、 I'm completely how I am now。 This might sound trite、 but it truly is thanks to all the fans、 that we as Berryz Kobo could continue running for 11 years。Berryz Kobo will enter our indefinite hiatus today、 but it'll forever be immortal!

However、 these 11 years、 please don't forget them!

These 11 years、 are my、 are Berryz Kobo's、 lifelong treasures。 Thank you so very much for the wonderful memories! This was Shimizu Saki!

{And, to Berryz Kobo, for these 12 and a half years, thank you very much. May the next chapter of your lives give you as much joy as you have given us. - Skoban}

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