First half of a November 2015 Hustle Press interview with Kobushi
The dreamed-of major début
They froze in surprise!?
――How did you feel when you found out that your major début was set in stone？
Hirose「It was a surprise announcement, so my mind was completely blank immediately after. I couldn't make head or tail from it、 but when I got back home and my parents greeted me with a 『Congratulations』, that was when the feelings gushed forth。 While we ushered in our major début on the 2nd of September、 there hasn't really been any drastic changes. But it's a big step on the way to our dreams、 so I'll be grateful and will do my best」
Ogawa「Kobushi Factory had no idea whether we'd be able to make our major début when we were formed. But our début came as a surprise when they made the announcement、 and we got to go around the whole country to do promotions. The realisation gradually welled up」
Hamaura「I'd been a Kenshuusei for about 4 and a half years、 and I had lots of worries, like would I be able to make a major début？ Would I get into a new unit？ I was really glad when Kobushi Factory was formed, and my tears really flowed despite me being completely clueless. On the way to our major début、 Kobushi Factory got to experience all sorts of things like stage-acting。 I don't think that anything changed on the 2nd of September、 but at handshake events、 everyone would give me words like 『Congratulations』、 『You'll be making your major début』 That's when the realisation hit me、 and I was really glad」。
Taguchi「For me, the announcement went 『You'll be making your major début this autumn！』、 but at the time、 everyone froze for a moment. After that、 everyone was screaming out 『Kyaー！』。 However、 at the time、 I didn't cry。 I was looking at it quite objectively、 without thinking about myself」。
――Ah、 that's somewhat mature。 Taguchi-san commenting about the rest in such a way doesn't jive with your image though （laughs）。
Taguchi 「Thank you very much （blushes）。 I was glad、 but we had to do all sorts of things until the 2nd of September。 I was a Kenshuusei for ４ and a half years as well、 so I've been active just as long as Hamaura Ayano-chan、 and we were able to do performances and promotions at places that we hadn't been able to go to as Kenshuusei…Ah、 I'm gonna sneeze…」。
――（laughs）。 That's fine。
Taguchi「…It's gone （laughs）。 When the 2nd of September came、 I understood that I was able to make my major début as a member of the Hello！ Project that I admired」。
――Amongst the songs in your 3 major début songs、 please tell us what you'd like to highlight。
Hirose「I like 『Nen ni ha Nen （Nen-iri Ver）』. The whole song is cool and makes use of all our members' punchiness。 But、 what I want you to keep an eye out for most is the interlude for 『Dosukoi！ Kenkyo ni Daitan』、 where Fujii Rio-chan and Wada Sakurako-chan have a sumo match、 and I act as the referee。 I'm also in charge of saying the line 『Mattanashi！』、 so I want you to watch that！」。
Ogawa「Mine is from 『Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta』、 where there's a call ＆ response after the interlude。 We couldn't really hear the voices the first time we performed it 、 but slowly、 everyone matches their voice to our call、 and that sense of unity lifts me up」。
――Because it's built up with the fans、 you can enjoy how it gradually grows。
Hamaura「For 『Dosukoi！ Kenkyo ni Daitan』、 I'd like you to keep an eye on the choreography when you watch it at concerts. But since it's a song with positive lyrics、 I hope you pay attention to the lyrics when you listen to it」。
――Eh？ Although I'd heard that Hamaura-san was the one who liked ramen the most…（laughs）。
Hamaura「I really love ramen！ As for how frequently I have it…。 I had it at night the day before yesterday、 but I had it in the morning of that same day as well…。 If we go far away、 I'll have it in the mornings、 and I'll eat ramen again at the hotel」。
――You eat it in the morning!?
Hamaura「If I go to a place that I've never been before、 I'll find cup ramen that doesn't get sold in Tokyo or Saitama。 I want to give them a taste、 so on days that we'd be staying overnight、 I'd buy ramen from the convenience store、 and I'd put in about 4 into my bag」。
Hirose「If I'm in the same room as Hamaura Ayano-chan、 there'd be the nice smell of ramen in the morning （laughs）。 Ramen or edamame （laughs）」。
――Doesn't that make her like some hybrid of an old man and a young girl （laughs）！
Hirose「When I get up、 I'd see Hama-chan in her pyjamas, slurping up some ramen （laughs）」。
―― 「Ramen Daisuki Hamaura-san」。 I wonder if the fans know about this？
Hamaura「I think they know about it。 They'd tell me 『Be careful about eating too much ramen！』 at handshake events」。
―― I heard that you actually do eat a lot though…。
Hamaura「I don't know if it's a lot、 but I only eat the things I like。 Like Hamburg steak or omurice or noodle dishes」。
―― How impish。 Do you eat quite a lot, quantity-wise？
Hamaura「To the extent that I eat other people's ramen portions！」。
