Friday 17 March 2017

1001 Nights - The 41st Night (Morito Chisaki)

On the 13th of March 2017, Country Girls' Morito Chisaki featured in the 41st instalment of  the 1001 Nights series of Hello! Shop talk events. Usual disclaimer that these are based on tweeted fan reports and thus should be considered summaries rather than comprehensive coverage.

This event was partly in conjunction with the release of Chisaki's self-titled photobook.
The theme for the first part was '50 questions to Morito Chisaki', while the theme for the second part was 'First photobook release commemoration - Let's get to know Morito Chisaki even better'.
Twitter hashtag for this event was  #ちぃ (#Chii).

Country Girls Morito Chisaki First Shashin Shu (Photo Book) "Morito Chisaki" / Akihito Saijyo

The first part: 50 questions to Morito Chisaki

Koidorobo plays as chairperson Nishiguchi enters, while Chiitan enters to the tune of Good Boy Bad Girl.

Q1. What’s the secret to your cuteness?
Let’s see…
(Nishiguchi: Spit it out.)
If pushed to say, I try as much as possible to practise half-body bathing. Give it a try, your skin will turn out pretty smooth. In the past, I would immerse myself for just 5 minutes, but now I try my best to stay in for 20 minutes. I watch videos while I'm in the tub, with my phone in hand.

*Chiitan gets angry as she reads the next question*
Who wrote this! You’re poking fun at me! Since this person wrote their nickname as ‘You purposely make your ears turn red, don’t you?
(Nishiguchi: You're actually the type of person who flares up in anger, aren’t you?)
Unexpectedly, I am.

Q2. What if Momochi-senpai nominates you as the next leader of Country Girls?
I’ll do my best. But I’m probably the furthest away, position-wise.

Q3. Please talk about what you’re wearing today while doing a sexy pose.
*While doing a sexy pose* There’s no particular reason why I'm dressed like this today. My clothes looked a bit too sober, so I put on a choker, which is something I haven’t worn in a while.


Q4. What do you like about Osaka?
The dialect. I love Osaka. Particularly the dialect. Funaki Musubu-chan’s from Osaka, and she’s given me a lecture on it. I love their dialect, and their kushikatsu. I’d also like to go to Universal Studios Japan.

Q5. Please show us a full power sexy pose.
Seriously?…
*Looks over her shoulder and throws her head back*
Right. That’s enough. Since my clothes aren’t revealing. I’m in long sleeves. By the way, these are my own clothes.

Q6. Favourite Country song?
If it’s Country Musume。... Bye Bye Saigo no Yoru. For Country Girls, it’d be Koi ha Magnet or Good Boy Bad Girl.

Q7. Between your mother and your father, whom do you prefer? By the way, I prefer Chisaki-chan.
I prefer my mother. By the way, Ozeki Mai-chan is a father-con.

Q8. Is there anything that you're particular about when it comes to your hair?
It's always the same thing. How far do I go with my braids - it's always a tough fight.

Q9. What's the secret to your beauty?
Beauty? This is difficult... I drink fruit juice every day. I drink it with soy milk.

Q10. Say you can make your own shuffle unit. Who would you pick, and what song would you sing?
Um, I can't make up my mind.
(Nishiguchi: It'd be something like a Chisaki Factory)
Eh, I can't make up my mind. Well, I'll pick one person from each group. Hagiwara Mai-san from ℃-ute. Akanechin from '17. Kamikokuryo Moe-chan from ANGERME. Juice=Juice is difficult... Miyazaki Yuka-san. For Kobushi, Inoue Rei-chan. Niinuma Kisora-chan from Tsubaki. I picked them for their 'airiness'. For the song... Nothing's coming to mind. I'd like to do a cute song. Like Umbrella.



Q11. I have problems controlling my appetite. Can you recommend any strategies to help curb it?
Eh~ Let's see~ No idea, no idea. It doesn't happen to me, so I don't know. How about eating lots of konnyaku?

Q12. Please talk about Sato Masaki-san
I've never really talked with Sato-san... So I can’t talk about her.
(Nishiguchi: What impression do you have about her?)
Eh.. My impressions of her... I've never been able to have a conversation with her... We've talked once before, but I couldn't figure out what she was talking about... Sato-san’s not to blame, my lack of comprehension is at fault.

Q13. Tell us about a recent embarrassing incident that made your ears turn red.
This is difficult. Really... Yesterday, I put my DS into my bag, which got wet because some orange-coloured vegetable juice spilled on it. So while in the train, I earnestly tried to wipe it clean.

Q14. Once Momochi-senpai has graduated, how will Country liven things up?
Currently, I've still got my guard up, I haven't shown my true self. So I'd like to bring that out. Since people have told me recently that I've become more cheerful. I'd like to change.
*Scattered applause from audience*
What's up with that half-hearted applause!?

Q15. Who from ANGERME would you like to hang out with?
Kamikokuryo Moe-chan. I've come to like her recently. She's cute. The way she moves, her face, everything about her is cute. But when it comes to ask her to hang out, I can't say a word. But I'll work at it. It'll happen this year, for sure.

Q16. When do you think that you're at your cutest? Please show us that pose.
You know, I'm not like Ozeki Mai-chan. I'm not the narcissist character inside Country. Let's see. This is difficult. What I think is cute about me? Umm... My height? Since I'm short. It's a cute height.

Q17. Do you have any stories involving Sayashi Riho?
I do! This was about a month ago. We have each other's contact details, and she sent me a birthday message last month. She was a bit late, but she apologised for it. Belated or not, I was grateful. I immediately replied with a thank you.


Q18. Any stories about being in your sweet seventeen?
I'm fully enjoying it. I feel like this seventeenth year is going to be my season. So if I miss out this year, it'll come to an end. So I want people to come and meet me, to come and watch me now.

Q19. What do you think about Kudo-kun? You're definitely for Ozeki-kun, right?
*Chii takes her time picking her words, worrying about commenting on a senpai*
Kudo-san.. Kudo-san… Eh… She talks with a lot of people. (laughs) I'm for Ozeki-kun. Well, rather than saying Ozeki-kun, I’m for Oze-chan.
Q20. How do you maintain your cuteness?
I do sit-ups about once a week. They seemed to really build up my muscles at first. I started around summer last year, since I realised that I was lacking in strength. At first I would do 20 every other day. But I've been taking it easy recently, since our tour hasn't started yet. Maybe I'll start doing them once every three days. Perhaps I'll start next week.

Q21. What if you could switch places with a H!P member?
Among the current members? If it wasn't a current member, it would obviously be that person. Um, this is difficult. Got it. Ah, this is difficult. It'd be ANGE's Kamikokuryo Moe-chan. I'd like to have that face, and I'd like to be in the middle of that atmosphere of ANGERME-san.

Q22. What do you like about yourself?
I keep getting this question since I can never come up with an answer... Umm, I'm positive!

Q23. What would you like to do when you've turned 25?
Whoa, that'll be in 8 years! Momochi-senpai's amazing. She's really amazing. I'm not confident that I'd be that high-spirited when I'm 25. I'd like to be properly working.
(Nishiguchi: So you aren't working properly right now?)
I'm working properly right now as well though! But I'm not confident that I'll be doing this when I'm 25...

Q24. What's something that amused you recently?
In general, things are amusing whenever I'm with the members. It's funny when Funaki-chan makes all these weird movements. I never grow tired of it. So let's go with Funaki-chan!

Q25. Is there something you'd like to apologise to Momochi-senpai about before she graduates?
Momochi-senpai, I'm sorry that I built a wall between myself and you when I'd just got started.


Q26. What if you were to join a different H!P group?
It'd be Morning Musume。

Q27. What games do you play on the 3DS?
Pokemon! I started Pokemon recently, since I saw Yanamin play it on the train. I often play it now when I'm on the move, when I've got free time in the train. I've currently been playing it for four days.

Q28. You like ANGERME's Kamiko. Is there anyone else from a different group that you oshi?
Umm! Umm! This is difficult. I don't know what makes someone an oshimen. Since there are all kinds of ways to like someone. Is it someone I'd like to cheer on? I like '17's Iikubo-san, but I also like the atmosphere that Tsubaki's Niinuma Kisora-chan has got going on. Tanimoto Ami-chan too. We often chat.

Q29. What song would you like to sing in a future solo event?
For H!P, it'd be Berryz Kobo's Sabori. Momochi-senpai sang it at her birthday event the other day. I thought it was cute, so I'd like to try singing it. Beyond H!P... I only listen to idol songs, but I'd like to try singing WaSuta-san's Suki na Hito to ka Imasuka.



Q30. What do you think about people who oshi other groups or members?
But if they come to concerts, I'd be glad. They like H!P, right? If it's H!P, then it's completely OK.

Q31. Who's a H!P member who you can't believe is the same age as you?
It's got to be Kobushi's Hirose Ayaka-chan. She doesn't look at all like she's the same age as I am! She seems so mature.

Q32. At an MC at a previous event, Momochi's younger brother picked you as his favourite member based on your looks. What did you think?
When I asked about it, it was apparently because he liked my round face. So it served as a reminder about the roundness of my face. But it made me happy.

Q33. What are you into right now?
It's got to be Pokemon. It's hit me like a shock, and it surprises me so much that I ended up getting into it.

Q34. Tell us about the moment in your life when your face turned its reddest due to embarrassment?
Its reddest? Eh, let me see. It often happens during MCs, I guess. I don't know. If I were to choose a year where it happened most, it'd be 2015. Since I'd just joined.

Q35.  What did you think about your very first Hello! Con rehearsal?
I was just so nervous that I wasn't in any position to have an impression about it. Since it was my first time, I had to remember all sorts of things. But after that, at my first Countdown Concert, Iikubo-san and Sayashi-san came to talk with me and we took a 3-shot together. That was memorable.


Q36. A dance move in a non-Country song that has caught your interest.
Let's see... Generally, a lot of ANGERME-san's songs have dance moves that I find really memorable.

Q37. I like Chii-chan so much that I tried to distance myself before. However, the flames just got stoked again. What should I do?
So you tried distancing yourself once? (laughs) That's fine. Just keep on as you are!

Q38. Hello! member that you'd like to get closer to? Please take a 2-shot with that member at the HinaFes.
That's quite tall order. It'll depend on my motivation at the time. It'd be ANGERME's Takeuchi Akari-san.
(Nishiguchi: Doesn't seem all that difficult.)
I'd be really embarrassed though. It's really hard if it's someone who's older than me. Well, I'll do my best.

Q39. A place in your hometown that's good, that you like.
There are a lot of famous things and yummy things. Like Nikko Tosho-gu, strawberries, gyoza.
(Anywhere you recommend for gyoza?)
Wherever you go, it'll be delicious!

Q40. Let's say there was a kids team and a grown-ups team. Which would you hope to be in?
Eh, I'd prefer to be in the middle. With Namida no Request, I was put into the older team. Well, whatever, either is fine. There's only a two year difference between me and Ozeki Mai.

Q41. Please allocate the Country Girls into family member positions.
Momochi-senpai would be the mother. Age-wise, Risa-chan would be the older sister. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Funa-chan would be the little sister. Mai-chan would be my best friend. As for the pet... Well, you know who's left. The pet would be Yanamin. (laughs) She'd probably bark a lot. (laughs)

Q42. Pon-chan handshake, when?
Pon-chan's really cute. I'd like to hold an event with Pon-chan, and bring Pon-chan out in front of lots of people.
(Okai-san and Nakajima-san have brought their dogs to events.)
I'd like to bring Pon-chan too someday!


Q43. There was an emergency button during an event last year. Where is it now?
The emergency button was a device used at my birthday event last year. It even made some sort of noise. But I'm in much less emergencies than before, so I wonder where it went?

Q44. Recommend a place in your hometown of Tochigi prefecture.
Nikko Tosho-gu
(Ah, it recently got closed for remodelling.)
Is that so?
(Nishiguchi: It's going to become even more beautiful.)
Ah... That's right... It's closed...
*Murmuring in the audience*
I knew about it! I really do! I remember that. (laughs)

Q45. In the dance club, who is your rival who do you look up to?
I don't have a rival, but for my aspiration, that would be among the current members, right? It'd be '17's Ishida Ayumi-san. We're both petite, but her dynamic dancing is twice as eye-catching as mine.

Q46. What were Morito-papa's thoughts about your photobook?
I haven't asked him yet. Well, it's not like I said, 'Here it is'... I think he's had a look though. He didn't mention anything. When I first joined, he'd comment on how I looked. Now, nothing. He doesn't say anything about my activities. What's up with that? I dunno. (laughs)

Q47. When eating takoyaki, do you eat the octopus first or last?
I'm in between - I split the octopus into two and eat them before and after.
(Would you like to have a takoyaki party with the members?)
I would! Mai-chan got a takoyaki maker from Funaki Musubu at our Christmas present exchange. Mai-chan wants to hold a takoyaki party, but it hasn't happened yet.

Q48. Any amusing stories from last year's Isumi bus tour?
At dinner, there were melons! And the rest left for the dressing room without touching their melons. It was just Momochi-senpai and me remaining. And then Momochi-senpai told me to eat them up, since there was a lot more left behind. Those words spurred me on to finish up all of them. They were delicious.


Q49. Do you purposely turn your face and ears turn red?
I don't do it on purpose. If it was on purpose, then I wouldn't be saying that it's not happening any more recently.

Q50. Would you like to take on the role of leader or subleader?
Eh... I'd be fine with either. I'd give my best if I were told to do it, but it wouldn't come from myself. I'm willing to do it. It's not like I just keep quiet most of the time, I do give dance advice.

😳😳😳

Before finishing up the first part, Chiichan tries her luck at a collection refill to promote the Hello! Shop's products. For her first pull,  she gets Maria-chan and Nakajima-san. She then opens another.
Morito: Looks like I got a pet.
She got Yanagawa Nanami, as well as Kasahara.

😳😳😳

The second part: First photobook release commemoration - Let's get to know Morito Chisaki even better

In this second part, they first look back on Chisaki's life, followed by talking about her first photobook. For this section, we'll be ditching the Q&A format for a more readable summary style.

Nishiguchi-san enters.
Nishiguchi: Good evening to all of you who think you know Morito-san, but don’t actually know Morito-san.


2000.02.19 - Born

Nishiguchi: Like it was yesterday.
Morito: It was 17 years ago.
Nishiguchi: I’m sure that the people in the audience were already working at that point
*Laughter from the wota, as well as shaking heads*
Nishiguchi: Ah, there are some people here for whom that wasn’t the case.

2001 - A year and a half - ‘I have a sister, so when I was small…;

When she was small, she was close with her mother, they had the same hairstyle.

Photo: A 2-shot with her sister when she was a year old, during the Hinamatsuri

2002 - Around 2 years old - 'I’d often catch colds, like almost every day...'

At this time, she used to catch colds almost every week, but she’s never caught one since she entered Country. It was like she seemed to use a cooling pad every day.

Photo: At a sports meet with a cooling pad.

2003 - Around 3 years old - 'I came to like Sailor Moon'

She also liked purikura. Besides that, she had been scared of No-Face from Spirited Away.

Photo: Dancing at what looked like a kindergarten recital, with her hair done up similar to Sailor Moon.

2003 - Around 3 years old - 'Playing a lot with a Mini Moni。 toy with my sister'

She memorised Mini Moni。 Telephone through that toy.
Nishiguchi: That kind of imprinting is important, isn’t it.


2004 - Around 4 years old - 'Started going to swimming school together with my sister and my friend'

She joined to train her body, since she often caught colds.Her friend was good, so her friend was placed in the second class. She liked swimming, and got up to the highest level before leaving the school.

Having built up expectations, the next photo that was put up was NOT a swimsuit picture.
Wota: Eh~....

Photo: A 2-shot of her with her treasured pig plush toy.

She lost that plushie at a shopping centre. She tried buying other pig-styled goods, but it never filled the hole in her heart.

2005 - Around 5 years old - 'Loves to move. Camping in summer, skiing in winter'

She ran wild throughout the year. Her parents are active as well, and they’ve gone up to the 8th station of Mount Fuji.

Photo: At a sports day at the time.

2006 - Around 6-7 years old
She watched Gorie-chan dancing on TV when she was around six, which made her want to do learn dancing. So she and her sister started to go for dance school, a school that was attended by about 30 people. She would go to the dance school five days a week, and since the school wasn’t close to home, she had to go to Gunma.

Photo: Around the age of seven, wearing a kimono for Shichi-Go-San, in front of a koto.

Nishiguchi: Did you learn the koto?
Morito: I didn’t. (laughs) This was how it was set up. (laughs)


Photo: Wearing a parka at a recital for the dance school

Starting from hip-hop to jazz to jazz hip-hop, she generally learnt all sorts of dance styles.

2012 - Graduated from primary school

Photo: Graduation ceremony

She had kept on going to dance school.

2012 - First year of primary school - 'I achieved the certification that I had been aiming for, and so I finished with swimming school'

She passed by swimming a 200m individual medley. She can’t do it now, but she also swam the butterfly. Nowadays, she thinks that distance-wise, she can swim 100m.

2012 - Middle school - 'I came to like idols'

She was particularly entranced by Sayashi Riho-san. She's watched a lot of videos, but the video where Sayashi danced together with Takahashi-san and Niigaki-san in particular gave her shivers. Riho was so good at singing and dancing that Chiitan can’t express it in words



Nishiguchi: You were in CoCoRo Gakuen, right?
*The unexpected mention of Chii-chan's former group caused a stir amongst the wota.*
Nishiguchi: Eh? Should I not have mentioned that name?
Morito: Not at all. It’s fine. I just don’t mention it often.

She joined as a backdancer to help out a friend at first. Before she knew it, she had been added to the group and had been given a mike.

Photo: Wearing a yukata-like outfit from when she was in CoCoRo Gakuen
The other members’ faces had not been hidden
Nishiguchi: You admired Sayashi-san even though you were an idol, isn’t it strange?
Chii-chan had to explain that they were different worlds.

Chii during her CoCoRo Gakuen days
2014 - 3rd year of middle school - Tried out for the Morning Musume。´14 Golden Audition, chosen to be a member of Country Girls

That was the first time she auditioned to be an idol. She was surprised to have been picked for Country, as she hadn't even gotten to the training camp stage. On being selected for Country Girls, while she did want to become a Morning Musume。 But ultimately, since she’d be singing and dancing regardless, she didn't think that it would be much different.

2015 - Country Girls major debut

She’d never thought when she started dancing that she’d become an idol in the future. When she was small, she wanted to work in a cake store.

Country Girls Morito Chisaki First Shashin Shu (Photo Book) "Morito Chisaki" / Akihito Saijyo

The topic now turns to her photobook.

When she first heard that she would be releasing a photobook, she couldn’t believe that it was true. It's not that she wanted to have one, but it was an unexpected surprise as no one else in Country besides Momochi-senpai had done a photobook before.

In spring, it still hadn’t fully hit her yet, so she just went through the shooting as if it were a regular magazine shooting. In summer, they spent two days in Okinawa for the shoot. Since it was her first time in Okinawa, she was in high spirits.

Photo: In a retro-looking shaved ice store

She was so nervous during the first cut that her forehead was scrunched up, and she ended up being told that she looked stern.

Photo: In a white dress, her favourite outfit

Photo: Watching over Okinawa’s setting sun


She was asked what she ate at Okinawa, and the only things that came to her mind were grapes and jasmine tea.
Nishiguchi: Eh? That’s it? You missed out.
She didn’t any eat Okinawan cuisine.

Photo: At an Okinawan teahouse, wearing a yukata

Photo: In a sailor uniform in winter in Gunma, doing a peace sign with a huge smile on her face

At this point, she’d grown used to the cameraman. She’s glad that the shooting was done over the period of a year.

Photo: On the top of a mountain in Tsumagoi. Her eyes weren’t open because of a blizzard.

It was cold, even though she was wearing multiple Heattech layers and 2 sets of tights.

Photo: Looking like a snow child

The cameraman must have had it tough to hold a camera with his bare hands through that snow storm.

😳😳😳

Besides the white dress, another photo she liked was one that was taken in summer. The shot had her sitting on top of a rock in Okinawa, taken from below. The sunlight just worked so well in that shot.

😳😳😳

A tough experience she had during the shooting was when she had to do a swimsuit shot in a stream. It was in Okinawa, but the stream was cold.


😳😳😳

Morito: For magazine shoots, there would be other idol-sans. But since this photobook features just me, I aimed to make sure that the readers wouldn't lose interest. But I’m glad about the changes throughout the seasons.

😳😳😳

Nishiguchi: There might be a second photobook in the works, right?
Morito: Hypothetically speaking though.

When asked where she'd like to do a shooting for a second photobook, she feels that Kyoto’s atmosphere would be fashionable.
Nishiguchi: Like you could take swimsuit shots in front of Kinkakuji!
She’d also like to go to Okinawa again, and her favourite Osaka.
Nishiguchi: Tsutenkaku is close to the Osaka Hello! Shop. You could take swimsuit shots in front of Tsutenkaku.
If the shoot were overseas, she’d like to go to Guam, where Momochi-senpai went to. She felt that New York seemed cool as well.
Nishiguchi: Well, swimsuit shots in front of Times Square.
Morito: Do I have to be wearing a swimsuit in front of buildings? (laughs)

Nishiguchi: Satoda-san is there as well.
Morito: Our Playing Manag...Wait, I got that wrong.

😳😳😳

Wrapping up the second part of the event, she makes some promotion for events including the HinaFes.

Nishiguchi: Country Girls are pretty unlucky when it comes to the lottery.

Their bad luck at the HinaFes lottery has been a topic of discussion amongst the members as well. They're just glad that someone from their ranks made it in. But don't forget, there's a ‘Tsugunaga Momoko premium’.

Chiitan tries her hand at another collection refill. This time around, she gets Hirose Ayaka-chan... followed by fellow member Yamaki Risa-chan, which had the wota applauding.
She got Oda Sakura and Wada Ayaka in her next pull.

😳😳😳

The wota were asked what they'd like to have Chiitan talk about if she had another 1001 Nights talk event.
Wota: Pon-chan!
Nishiguchi: How about Sayashi-san?
Chiitan feels that she'd also like to talk about idols.


Country Girls Morito Chisaki First Shashin Shu (Photo Book) "Morito Chisaki" / Akihito Saijyo

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