Yamabe Miyu and Shoji Mei's LoGiRL interviews

As part of LoGiRL's 2016 feature on Tokyo Joshiryu, they had solo interviews with each of the girls. The interviews have the girls looking back on their tumultuous 2015 - in which they declared that they were 'artistes', and lost member Konishi Ayano - as well as touching on their thoughts about the future.

Here are some translated excerpts from Yamabe Miyu and Shoji Mei's solo interviews.

Yamabe Miyu: We'll do what we want to do

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Konishi-san announced her graduation on the 28th of December 2015. When did the members find out about it?

Ayano met with the staff during the later half of November, which was when Ayano expressed her desire to graduate. However, she met with us the following week as it was only proper for her to inform the members herself. Then she herself informed us that she wanted to graduate.

When you found out about how Konishi-san felt, how did you feel?

I'd always thought that we'd go on as a five person group, so I couldn't believe it immediately. It was like something unthinkable was happening.

When you met with Konishi-san, what did you talk about?

I really didn't want her to quit, so I asked her not to. But the decision to graduate was Ayano's, and it wasn't my problem, it was TGS' problem, so I felt that it might be wrong for me to push on with my opinion... And then, the 5 of us discussed it together, and reached the conclusion that she would graduate. In the end, we agreed that despite going down different paths, we'd each go on doing our best.

And Konishi-san announced her graduation about a month later.

Up until the announcement, my emotions were a bit mixed. We were doing live performances, and the fans were expecting Ayano to come back someday... It was the toughest when we held a fan club event just a couple of hours before the announcement of Ayano's graduation. Since we did an introduction touching on the memories of the five of us.

Once Konishi-san's graduation was set in stone, were there any changes to your mental state?

As for my mental state, I couldn't really accept the graduation up until it happened. Even when I laughed, my smiles would end up being stiff somehow... But after some time had passed, my feelings changed completely. I started to think that the four of us had to do our best.

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Shoji Mei: I don't want to lose to our past selves

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Konishi-san announced her graduation in December last year. What did you think when you first found out about it?

We were a group that had been going on for five years since our debut without a change in members, which is something that's pretty rare. It was like our forte, our source of confidence. But when Ayano said that she wanted to graduate, it was a huge shock, I really hated it, and I was also worried about how things would turn out beyond that.

How did you feel towards Konishi-san?

I felt that a lot of the fans would prefer Tokyo Girls' Style as a five person group, and I too would like to have activities with the five of us. So I hoped that she would somehow reconsider the graduation. I actually did mention those feelings to Ayano, but her heart was set.

Our first music ~ Tokyo Girls' Style talks about memorable spring songs~

Music and Tokyo Girls' Style

──What got all of you first interested in music and singing？

Shoji Mei　I've enjoyed dancing ever since I was small、 I would listen to songs until the very end in order to dance to them。 I never really paid attention to singing until I entered TGS （laughs）。 Ever since I started with TGS activities、 I've taken the initiative to listen to music、 and watch music programmes。

Nakae Yuri　Just like Mei, I enjoyed dancing since I was small as well、 I danced following the rhythm of the music、 feeling the flow of the rhythm with only my body。 I started getting interested in singing when I sang as TGS。

Arai Hitomi　It started with my grandmother （laughs）。 My grandma taught me nursery rhymes、 and we sung them together。

Konishi Ayano　Even before I was aware of things, I was dancing and singing in front of the television。 I've always yearned to be a singer。 I've been singing ever since I could stand。

Yamabe Miyu　The only one who wanted to become a singer was Ayano （laughs）。 When I joined Avex in my 5th year of primary school、 my ambitions at the time were to become a model or an actress。 I was strongly aware that I wasn't good at dancing nor singing、 and it was tough when I was just starting out with TGS、 but my interest in music gradually surged as we continued on with our activities。 It's thanks to TGS that I came to like music。

Tokyo Girls' Style on Konishi Ayano's graduation

Below are translations of the blog posts from the Tokyo Girls' Style members upon the announcement of Konishi Ayano's graduation.

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Yamabe Miyu blog: To everyone who has always been cheering us on

It's been officially announced
That our member Konishi Ayano
Who has been working together with us since we made our debut
Will be graduating from Tokyo Girls' Style
And retiring from the world of entertainment.

 While Ayano was taking a break,
 The members and staff continued on with activities
 Thinking that Ayano would return
 That we wanted Ayano to return.

Time and time again
She discussed it with the members and the staff
But it ended up with Ayano no longer being with us
And we truly feel that it is inexcusable
To everyone who has always been cheering us on

Even for us, who discussed it over with Ayano
We're filled with sadness
But we didn't want Tokyo Girls' Style to end just here
So us members
Would like to still work hard as Tokyo Girls' Style

All of us think
That it's truly heartbreaking
But the 4 of us will still be doing our best
And be continuing with activities
So that we'll be able to
Stand once again on the Nippon Budokan stage
And thus, we beg for your kindness from now on as well

Tokyo Girls' Style Yamabe Miyu