Excerpts from Kudo Haruka's interview in Top Yell May 2017

♂♂♂

Kudo: I'm not the kind of girl who can talk like Michishige-san, and it's not like I'd flourish on the variety circuit. So I asked myself: What can I do? When I thought about it, since I had received many opportunities to do gravure modelling for magazines and the like, at the Budokan, I made a statement that I would work hard as a visual member.

So that's how things started?

Kudo: I knew that there were many more members who were better at singing and dancing than I was. It'd take ages for me to overcome their skill. However, I don't have the time to spare. I had to get myself to the best possible condition in a short amount of time and become someone who stands out, and link it back even more with my work. Thinking about it, I've got nothing else but my looks. I resolved to be the person who would draw people's eyes whenever they took a glance at us.

♂♂♂

In Michishige-san and Tsugunaga Momoko-san's case, they became the butt of jokes by asking for it by saying things like 'I'm cute'. Compared to the two of them, I got a different impression from your declaration to move forward as a visual member.

Kudo: While I said that I'd be a visual member, I don't know how to retract that statement. (laughs) So I'm like, what should I do here? I couldn't turn it to a gag, people would say that I was halfheartedly asserting myself......  Actually, staff members have suggested to me that it'd be better to quit saying that. I was told that it was hard to make a comeback when I said it, since I was so serious. Or that unlike Ikuta (Erina), it couldn't be turned into a gag. Ikuta-san herself has commented that it's more of a joke when she says it compared to when I say it. Actually, it's more amusing for the audience when it's her.

However, wasn't your presence in the group gradually diminishing?

Kudo: And that's why I wasn't establishing a character or pulling a joke, the only thing I could do was seriously focus on improving my looks. When I said that I would lead in looks, I said it with the belief that words have power. Having put it into words, I now had the responsibility of staying true to my words.

Morning Musume。´14 and guitars

In 2014, each H!P group had the opportunity to make their own digital photo book as part of the au Book Pass campaign. Each group got to choose their own theme, and would take photos and choose which pictures to use. The theme chosen by the Musume was 'Bunkasai Joshi' - 'Liberal Arts Girls'. Along with that, each of the then-five groups were also interviewed about the process. Here's an excerpt from Morning Musume。´14's interview.

Sato　It was my first time holding a guitar, and I thought that it was heavy. I can't play it at all, so if I'm able to play the guitar someday, I'd like to try playing a song composed by Tsunku♂-san.

──Singing to your own accompaniment？

Sato　Yup. When the day comes where I'm able to do it, I'd like to surprise people, make them go, 'Eh, Is that Maachan playing the guitar?'

Fukumura, Kudo, and Ogata in Shounen Sunday

Fuku-chan, Duu, and Haachin appear in the pages of Shounen Sunday. This appearance also marks Haachin's first photo shoot in a swimsuit.

--- This time, let's ask your fellow members gathered here the questions you wouldn't normally ask.

Kudo + Ogata: Eh!? What sorts of questions?

Fukumura: Right, then we'll start from me. Firstly, to Ogata-chan. How was your first swimsuit (mizugi) photo shoot?

Ogata: My first Mizuki?

Fukumura: That's not it (laughs). Swimsuit!

MaaDuu Returns: Sayu interview - Top Yell November 2014

{Note that the interview itself was conducted on the 22nd of September, a week before the 12th gen were revealed at the Nippon Budokan. Also, included in the compilation is a short discussion between MaaDuu and the interviewer while they waited for Sayu to show up, which doesn't appear in the pages of the magazine. The interviewer even alludes to their pre-interview discussion near the end.}

▬○▬○▬

---[H]as your impression of Michishige-san changed  from the time of your début?

Sato: At first, I was really scared of her. It was the same for Minishige-san, Tanasa-tan, Niigaki-san, Takahashi-san... I was scared of all of them.

▬○▬○▬

I want people who are older than us to join as 12th generation members.
Since I want the MaaDuu combi to eternally be junior in age
(Sato Masaki)

In the final stretch towards her graduation, what's in the hearts of the MaaDuu combi?

MaaDuu interview Airi - Top Yell January 2014

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Suzuki Airi in the 15th and final instalment of their serialisation Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan from the magazine Top Yell.

☼☼☼

--- Well then, why don't we let both reporters ask their questions.

Kudo: Here's a question about singing! I watched videos of Suzuki-san during the Kids Audition, and your singing was amazing. You were really adorable.

Suzuki: I wasn't adorable! Seriously (laughs).

Kudo: At the time, you were in primary 2nd? What I don't get is how you were so good at singing at such a young age?

Suzuki: Eh~! Why is that? Rather than being good, I just enjoyed singing. What I heard was that my mother let me listen to music even before I was born. All sorts of songs, like classical music and nursery rhymes. And then I became a child whose mind was dead set on singing, and I've been singing ever since I was 2.

Kudo: Isn't that education for the gifted!

Suzuki: That isn't it~ My father and mother are both pro golfers, so they wondered, 'Maybe she might be interested in golf?', but that wasn't the case at all. At any rate, I liked singing, so it seems I exchanged golf clubs for a microphone and sang.

Sato: I see. Naturally becoming good at the things you like.

Suzuki: Also, I woke up at 5 every morning since I was in kindergarten. Then, until the bus for kindergarten arrived, I'd definitely sing my favourite song, and grandpa told me to make recordings of those. Grandpa was my mentor. I even sang when I caught colds, so there's some with really nasally voices (laughs). But perhaps my love of singing came about thanks to grandpa saying things like that to me.

Kudo: Ama~zing! And do you even listen to them now?

Suzuki: Yup. They were played at my solo live when I was changing outfits (laughs).

Kudo: For me, my dad's horrible, but my mother's good. So when my mother comes to a concert, she'd always say, 'Since you're my child, I expected that you'd be better at singing'. Uselessly putting on pressure. Well, now she says, 'Compared to when you were an Egg, you've gotten better', though (bitter laugh).

Suzuki: That's strict (laughs).

Kudo: My parents are scary. If I'm asked what I'm scared of most in this world, I really can't handle haunted houses, but what I'm most scared of is my mother. I can't defy her.

MaaDuu interview Captain - Top Yell November 2013

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Shimizu Saki in the 14th instalment of their serialisation Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan from the magazine 'Top Yell'.

--- Sato-reporter is normally scared of nothing when it comes to dealing with people, but are the rumours that you are scared of Shimizu-san true?

Sato: ...... That's true. I was scared of Shimizu-san and Sugaya-san. Of course, that's not the case at all now though.

Shimizu: I heard about that. Maachan had a ranking of people she was scared of, right? I think that I was ranked 3rd or 4th. I also heard that there were 2 people at the same rank.

Sato: Shimizu-san didn't laugh at all during rehearsals. I had this image of you sitting fixedly on the floor, gripping your knees. So, I thought that you were a grouch......

Kudo: Isn't that just her being serious during rehearsals? Instead, Maachan guffawing away during rehearsals is weirder.

Sato: But, somehow Shimizu-san was emitting this scary aura. Like I'd get told off if I got too close...... Masa's scared of people who'd tell her off.

Shimizu: You wouldn't get scolded just for getting close (laughs). That'd make me seem like some crazy person, wouldn't it?

Sato: Then, I asked Tanasa-tan. 'What sort of people are Sugata-san and Shimizu-san?' Since Sugaya-san was 2nd in my scary person ranking.

Shimizu: Since you've talked about it so far, I'd like to know, who was number 1?

Sato: Tanasa-tan...... 3rd was Shimizu-san and Natsuyaki-san, 2nd were Sugaya-san and Okai-san.

--- That's an unexpected ranking. All those people named in the upper ranks now have this image that they're familiar with Sato-reporter.

Kudo: That's true! Maachan's really open with them~

Sato: The moment that made Masa not scared of Shimizu-san was when Shimizu-san referred to Masa as 'Maachan'. Since someone who actually was scary would call me something like 'Sato'. Tanasa-tan even referred to me as 'Masaking'. Since they're referring to me in such a caring way, to Masa, they're really caring people.

Kudo: So simple that it's startling (laughs).

♫♫♫

Kudo: Shimizu-san is Berryz Kobo's captain, but first of all, why are you a captain, rather than a leader?

Shimizu: I have no idea why. When I asked, the reason was that Berryz Kobo were contemporaries whereas in the case of Morning Musume。, there were senpai-kouhai relationships.

♫♫♫

MaaDuu interviews Nacky - Top Yell September 2013

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Nakajima Saki in the 13th instalment of their serialisation 'Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan' from the magazine 'Top Yell'.

♠♠♠

{Done part of this before, but no harm in repeating}

Sato: Nakajima-san, wasn't there a time when you coloured your hair brown? Aren't you going to go back to brown?

Nakajima: I tried out having it brown for about 2 months. But it seemed that I went over the line (laughs). Among the fans, there are a lot of them who prefer the pure type. When I dyed my hair brown for a while, they went like 'Ah, is that what you’re going for?'. For me, that was pretty scary. Fundamentally, I'm a timid person (lol). Besides, since it fits me, I definitely ended up settling with black.

Sato: Eh~, is that so?

Nakajima: That's right. Maachan, you want to dye your hair brown, right?

Sato: Masa wants to have brown hair. Once I'm out of middle school 3rd year, I think I'd like to immediately dye it.

How quick they grow

♠♠♠

Sato: Um...... Nakajima-san, what's your favourite tree?

Nakajima: Eh, tree? Favourite tree? That's pretty sudden (laughs)

Kudo: For this serialisation, ever since we started with Mano-san, the favourite tree question has become a standard question that definitely gets asked (bitter smile).

Nakajima: Seriously? Eh~ tree.... I wonder...... It's not exactly my favourite, but for each of the 3 sisters in the Nakajima household, on the occasion of each of our births, a new tree would be planted.

Kudo: Whoa!

Nakajima: For my older sister, I remember it being a peach tree. My younger sister was definitely an angsana...... What was it for me!? A plum tree, maybe. Eh? It might have been the angsana for me.

Sato: That's important!

Nakajima: I'll confirm it later (laughs).

♠♠♠

Kudo: [...] Oda-chan's presence had a huge impact on the 10th gen...

Nakajima: Why, why?

Kudo: Oda-chan joined as the 'Utahime', so she has lots of singing parts, she often sings at the forefront. Of course her singing is good, it's a fact that'll be admitted by anyone who listens her, she definitely can't be beat......

[...]

Sato: Even though only a year has joined since Oda-chain joined...... When I heard that the director-san listened to Oda-chan's singing and said 'Her singing voice was surprising', the director-san never said anything like that about any of the 10th gen, so I was really frustrated. And so, even though we're friends, I was really vexed. Even though we're entering our second year......

Nakajima: How wonderful! In a good way, it became your motivation.

Kudo: That's right. It motivated us, and there was this huge feeling that there was a hole that needed to be filled when Tanaka-san graduated. The singing parts were divided amongst everyone, but it felt like Oda-chan had become the core of the parts that Tanaka-san brought out, filling that hole. That was frustrating.

Morning Musume。´15 Nationwide Simultaneous Handshake Events: Duu in Miyagi and Saitama

Promoting their new single 'Seishun Kozou ga Naiteiru / Yuugure ha Ameagari / Ima Koko Kara', Morning Musume。 have once again held nationwide handshake events on the 16th and 17th of April. Their journeys were covered on Twitter, and I've compiled them by member, with accompanying translations.

The dashing Morning Musume。´15 shounen goes around, hugging pillars and turning into a local speciality.

Day 1 - Miyagi

【宮城／工藤】 宮城県着きました󾌶︎♫ お仕事と同時にある企画もやりまーす！ お楽しみに！ pic.twitter.com/MphjO5JDTh
— モーニング娘。'15マネージャー (@MorningMusumeMg) 2015, 4月 16

Arrived at Miyagi prefecture 󾌶︎♫
We'll be doing a project at the same time as workー！
Look forward to it！

【宮城／工藤】 Date fmさんの 「FLICK MOTION」ラジオでコメントを流していただきます！！ O.Aは5月予定なので、また近くなったらお知らせしまーすっ＼(^o^)／ #morningmusume15 pic.twitter.com/H3jTTOEoaU
— モーニング娘。'15マネージャー (@MorningMusumeMg) 2015, 4月 16

Making some comments through Date fm-san's
「FLICK MOTION」 radio！！
It's scheduled to go On Air in May、 so we'll remind you again when it gets closeー っ＼(^o^)／

【宮城／工藤】 笹かま食べたよ！ そして笹かまになったよ！ #morningmusume15 pic.twitter.com/mvCj2idb3k
— モーニング娘。'15マネージャー (@MorningMusumeMg) 2015, 4月 16

Ate sasakama, bamboo-leaf-shaped boiled fish paste！
And became sasakama！

MaaDuu interviews MaiMai - Top Yell July 2013

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Hagiwara Mai in the 12th instalment of their serialisation 'Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan' in the magazine 'Top Yell'.

Kudo: There's a legend that Maachan called Hagiwara-san 'Mai-chan'. Should I believe that? Even as a joke, this was in regards to a great-senpai, right?

Hagiwara: Well, Mai-chan would have been more preferable! The time I couldn't believe my ears the most was when my name got messed up. All of Hello! were gathered for a goods photo shoot, but it seemed that Maachan still didn't know everyone's names and faces at the time. While pointing at the members that were there, she was giving names to each and every one. 'That person is XX-san, that person is XX-san'. It's just that, most of them didn't fit (laughs).

Kudo: What a horrible story...... (bitter smile).

Hagiwara: And, as Maachan was giving out names, she gradually got closer to my name, it was then when I heard her half-give up, 'At any rate, I can't memorise them at all'... I was called 'Akihabara' (laughs). At that moment, I was crushed, 'It's not~'. Akihabara... even if you were to get it wrong, I would at least have wanted a person's name (laughs).

MaaDuu interviews Maasa - Top Yell May 2013

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Sudo Maasa in the 11th instalment for their serialisation 'Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan' in the magazine 'Top Yell'.

Sudo: I know about this serialisation! Our Sugaya (Risako) worked together with these 2... She was in an uproar, going 'They asked nothing but weird questions!' (laughs)

--- It truly is a corner that brought nothing but trouble to the H!P senpais (bitter smile). 

MaaDuu interviews Chii - Top Yell March 2013

Excerpts from Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka's interview of Tokunaga Chinami  in the 10th instalment of their serialisation 'Maachan Kuduu no HaroPuro Senpai Tanboudan' in the magazine 'Top Yell'.

♦♦♦

Tokunaga: Maachan, you're good at English, aren't you? Chinami's been studying English, so I've really got an interest. How much can you speak?

Sato: Now, nothing at all. Even though I used to speak English normally ages ago.

--- Eh? The members of your family are Japanese, aren't they?

Sato: My family is all made up of Japanese people living in Japan. It seemed that it was just the education policy of the Sato household, where we'd just converse normally in English at home.

Tokunaga: So, you'd refer to your mother as 'mother' (in English)?

Sato: 'Mummy'. Like, 'I love you. Good night, mummy!' (in English)

2015 HinaFes Blog Relay - #31 Kudo Haruka

The blog relay continues from Sasaki Rikako to Morning Musume。´15's Kudo Haruka.

(Original blog post in Japanese)

Ah、 that reminds me, the blog relay has come around to me via ANGERME's Sasaki Rikako-chan！

Rikako-chan has said that she likes Haru ♡♡♡
It makes me really happy to be told that by a kouhai！！
Rikako-chan、 thank you (*v.v)｡


The topic of the blog relay this time around is 「Is It Just Me？」。

Haru's 'Is It Just Me？' is
My rose running when I'm applying eye drops。 lol


For many years I've been harbouring the question 'Is this really just Haruー？'。 lol
And that is why、 I've wondered 'Am I using eye drops in the wrong way？'！！


How about itー？


Well、 the baton will be passed to Juice＝Juice's Kanazawa Tomoko-chan next！
KanaTomo's a real beauty、 her bob-cut is cute and really suits her！

H!P Summer 2014 KOREZO: Share it if you like it (Part V - 9 & 16 Aug)

For the KOREZO! performances held during the current Hello! Con (Summer 2014), there's a corner where the girls can bring up photos they want to highlight. A  Facebook page has been set up, entitled 'Hello! Pro Ki ni Ittara Share'. (H!P Share it if you like it).

Here's a selection of what piqued my interest. As the page says, if you like any of these photos, then 'Like' and 'Share' them on Facebook. Links are in the first line below the photo, the post titles.

If you missed them - Part I (12, 19 & 26 July), Part II (27 July), Part III (2 Aug), Part IV (3 Aug)

Photograph from　S/mileage　Takeuchi Akari
Seeing her writing at events and in her comments that accompany her bromides, people often say that her 「handwriting is bad」
But in truth、 calligraphy is a skill that she's studied since she was in primary school until now、 where she holds an adult １st-dan。
This photo shows her ability。
The words 「Tennyo Rakka Mai (天女落下舞)」、 have a meaning of 「An angel dancing as if she was a scattering flower」。

Dressing Up Duu

Just thought I'd give a homage to my very first translation post by updating it and putting the translation into the dialogue bubbles. By the way, if anyone knows where the source is, please hit me up.

H!P Summer 2014 KOREZO: Share it if you like it (Part III - 2 Aug)

For the KOREZO! performances held during the current Hello! Con (Summer 2014), there's a corner where the girls can bring up photos they want to highlight. A  Facebook page has been set up, entitled 'Hello! Pro Ki ni Ittara Share'. (H!P Share it if you like it).

Here's a selection of what piqued my interest. As the page says, if you like any of these photos, then 'Like' and 'Share' them on Facebook. Links are in the first line below the photo, the post titles.

If you missed them - Part I (12, 19 & 26 July), Part II (27 July)

【KOREZO！Nuntun】
Photograph Juice=Juice　Kanazawa Tomoko
Photos of her pet cat 「Nuntun」。
Currently weighing ８ kilos、 the doctors warned that he was overweight and shouldn't be given food outside his diet、
So 「Nuntun」 is currently on diet。
His name is difficult to say、 but apparently his real name is 「Nekotaro」、
From the person herself: 「It slowly deteriorated and became 「Nuntun」」
That was the case。
How did it deteriorate into 「Nuntun」?・・・ At any rate、 it slowly got stuck to him。

Millenium Girls: Sato Masaki x Kudo Haruka

Cool-up Girls Vol. 1 (April 2014)

The big opening feature

Millennium Girls!

Middle school idols taking over the scene!

In this so-called Idol Warring States Period, there are many idol groups currently flourishing. Having to balance school life and work as an idol, they are intently doing their best. Amongst them are the so-called 'millenium' generation of those born around the year 2000, and it's remarkable how these girls in middle school are flourishing. And thus, the editorial department felt that there should be a discussion with this next generation, and would like to try tackling in this in a feature that puts the spotlight on idols currently in middle school. Well then, let us have a careful look at what these girls are thinking about now, and what their goals are for the future!!

Cool up Girls Front Special 01

Sato Masaki x Kudo Haruka 

from Morning Musume. '14

With a concert tour from March, and a single release in April, plus commercial appearances; it's getting harder and harder to tear your eyes away from Morning Musume. '14! From their ranks, we will be care~fully asking these 2 girls from the 10th generation, Sato Masaki and Kudo Haruka, about their activities as middle school students and their thoughts at present, as well as about Morning Musume. '14 in the future!

MM'14 nationwide 10 location simultaneous handshake event: Kudou Haruka in Okinawa

【沖縄／工藤】 おはようございます！！ 全国10ヶ所同時握手会@沖縄(^^) たくさんの方々が来てくださることを信じてますっ #morningmusume14 pic.twitter.com/J71F2cgfGL
— モーニング娘。'14マネージャー (@MorningMusumeMg) 2014, 4月 1

[Okinawa / Kudo]
Good morning!!
Nationwide 10 location simultaneous handshake @ Okinawa (^^)
I have faith that a lot of people will be coming

H!P Blog Relay #25

{We drop the relay from Kumai Yurina into the hands of MM'14's shounen, Duu.}

Kudou Haruka - 20th March

Finally！ The cooperation Blog？ has arrived from Kumai-san！(｀∀´)

Sometimes、 Haru misses out Kumai-san！

Because of her stature！

Also！ Matchaーz、 please let me in。(°_°)

Haru too、 loves matcha。♡

And with thatー、 something that recently moved Haru was、

The formation of the new・SATOYAMA unit 「Triplet」 being decided、 furthermore！ I'll be getting to participate in activities together with my favourite Okai-san and Sayuki。

I'm profiting in the midst of my profits。！ lol {internet slang - She says 'Oretokuchuu no oretoku'. 俺得(oretoku) comes about as a response to 誰得(daretoku) . 'Daretoku' is roughly "Whose benefit is this for?" and the response would be 'oretoku', which roughly means "For my benefit," with speaker strongly implied to be male. Here's a Japanese dictionary definition, and here's one of the few English explanations I could find. Suggestions for alternatives always welcome.}

Together with the senpai I look up to and my bosom buddy、 I've never had such a good thing happen to  me (*´ｪ｀*)

I'm looking forward to our first performance at the HinaFes～♡

Well！ After Haru will be Juice＝Juice's Miyamoto Karin-chan (*_*)♡

Karin is close to me in age、 it might be presumptuous for Haru to think of her as a close friend。 Is it？ lol

What does Karin thinnkkk？？？？

Please tell us-chonmage [sic]！lol {Chonmage is the samurai haircut. I think she's just slipping it in.}

{This was probably the hardest so far.  What's up with the random slang? You'd think that the youngest in H!P would be easier to understand. Is this what they call the generation gap? But I'm only twice Duu's age...

Anyway, Karin has posted for the day, so we'll see what she has to say tomorrow, most like.
Here's what Miyamoto Karin has to say.}

Speaking of Valentine's

Weekly Shounen Sunday No. 11 26/02/2014
Extract from Morning Musume '14's 4 Musume (Michishige, Fukumura, Sayashi, Kudou) interview

- By the way, as this week's Sunday is the Valentine's issue, what are your memories of Valentine's?
Sayashi: For us, the members mutually exchange chocolates. One time, I made chocolate pie. Despite working hard at making it from the morning, it ended up looking horrible... I cried...
All: Ahahaha
Sayashi: I'll never make it again!
Kudou: Speaking of Valentine's, my younger brother's pretty popular, and since he gets tons, I'm always the one in charge of eating them¹ (lol)
Michishige: For Sayumi, when I was in primary 4th, for the sake of exchanging them with the girls², I brought chocolates to school even though they were prohibited. But, when I was thinking of bringing along the chocolate, I ended up really wanting to have some chocolate, so I quietly ate some. Then, saying that I smelled of chocolate, the sensei discovered it and they were confiscated (cry).
Sayashi: Leader, that's funny
- No stories about guys turned up.
Fukumura: After all, in reality we love nothing but Hello! Pro! That feeling of love is extremely strong (lol)
Michishige: There are other things we like as well!
Fukumura: Ah-, like lift buttons? I LOVE buttons that look round and gothic!
Kudou: I LOVE Komaba Ichirou from "Silver Spoon"!
Michishige: For Sayumi, a person devoted to Sayumi would be great. A person who persists! A person who won't drift to the young ones³  (lol)

¹ Slight ambiguity issue - Duu doesn't actually say that it's her, so it's entirely possible that the brother is the person who is 'always the one in charge of eating the chocolates'. In fact, that might be the more prudent translation. However, given that it's a transcript, and I can imagine how it's possible to interpret it that way given that it was originally spoken, I chose the more compelling story.
² But I thought Sayu's only friends when she was small were pill bugs
³  Sayu's 2012 birthday T-shirt:

In the end, Michishige
I drifted to the young ones, but I came back.

As a bonus, here's my favourite shot from that magazine:


Ref: 2ch Matome

Duu's birthday shock

For a moment, it looked to me that someone had shoved a huge turd under Duu's nose and she was in shock.