Interview with a selection of H!P's Next Generation Aces, Complete version!! (Weekly Shonen Sunday)

An interview with a selection of H!P's Next Generation Aces, Complete version!!

The grand unveiling of the complete version of the [Selection of H!P's Next Generation Aces interview] published in Shonen Sunday issue 34, including parts that weren't published in the magazine!!

Miyamoto： Today's the first time it's just been the 4 of us grouped together. How did you find it？

Makino： It's not like we were always together the whole time though…

Miyamoto： It was kind of fluffy, like a cloud. We're pretty much the kind of people who don't take the initiative to get close to others, even those in our own group. Well, Maria-chan probably does take the initiative though (laughs)。

Makino：（For the photoshoot） The 4 of us, we had to get on top of one another, right? I'm sorry if I was too reserved.

Morito： Even below you, I knew that you were holding back (laughs）。

Hamaura： It definitely feels like there's still a wall between us (laughs).

Makino： A wall that's as thin as cling film though (laughs).

Miyamoto： Since this issue is going on sale in the summer, is there anything that you want to do when summer comes along？

Makino： Yup. I want to eat warabimochi。

The rest： Warabimochi？

Makino： Ones chilled with ice are delicious. I prefer ones made from kinako though. At times when I'd be taking an afternoon nap, a cart would pass by,  'Waーrabiーmochi♪　Warabiーmochi♪　They're cold and delicious. Waーrabiーmochi♪　Warabiーmochi♪　 You've got to be quick！'

The rest： Ehー That's interesting.

Makino： It's just that I've never bought warabimochi from a cart, not even once. I never make it in time (laughs). After I hear it, I'll go to the supermarket to get some (laughs).

The rest： Ehー We'd like to go and buy some someday.

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 53: Yajima Maimi x Sugaya Risako

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.

Yajima Maimi X Sugaya Risako

This may sound rude, but I get the strong impression that the 2 of you forget lyrics. Are the two of you aware about this?

Sugaya: About five to six years ago, I'm sure that I forgot lyrics due to nervousness, but that hasn't been the case recently. Actually, I now have so much fun standing on-stage that I don't skip lines, but there are times when I slip up a little (laughs).

♫♫♫

Sugaya: In cases when I slip up, the usual pattern is that I'll feel something's off, even though I might not know what it is. It's only once I've finished singing that I'll realise I made a mistake. But since I've already sung that part, I feel like the only thing that I can do is switch it up next time, to show the fans a good performance. 

♫♫♫

Well, instead of songs, have there ever been times where you couldn't get your dance moves down?

Yajima: Previously, at ℃-ute's fan club bus tour, we had a set-up where we'd draw lots to see what song we would sing on that day. We thought about reviewing all of our songs since we'd have no idea what song would come out, but we had so many songs that I couldn't keep up. So I was the only one who didn't know my positioning on the day itself. Since at concerts, our positioning changes depending on the stage, I end up getting all mixed up.

Sugaya: But the others can remember theirs, right?

Yajima: Yup. So I really think that they're all amazing. 

Sugaya: I keep making mistakes until the last moment, but I can pull it off at the real thing.

Yajima: You're the kind of person who's strong when it comes to the real thing. That's nice. I envy you.

Sugaya: Since I can't pull it off at rehearsals, I panic, but I review the performance by watching the DVD before going to bed, and then I end up being able to do it at the real thing. 

♫♫♫

Fukuda Kanon's Path to being the greatest idol Vol 3 (UTB April-June 2011)

In the third part of this serialisation, it's a showdown of luck! The universe's greatest idol should also possess the greatest luck in the universe, shouldn't she!?

And as a special guest, we herald the appearance of someone who possesses good luck and competency = Suzuki Airi-senpai, who adorns [this issue's] UTB cover by herself!

Mission: Showdown of luck

In order to become the greatest idol in the universe, luck is also required! And with that, this month, we're trying out a battle of luck!! But before that, we are graced by the presence of a special guest. Adorning this issue's cover, it's the star Suzuki Airi-senpai~.

Airi: 'I've got good luck, and I'm also good when it comes to a real challenge! I'm stronger than my (pro-golfer) father!!'

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 07: Kumai Yurina x Nakajima Saki

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.

Kumai Yurina X Nakajima Saki

┘┘┘

When you first got into the H!P Kids, were both of you aware that you were in the same academic year?

Nakajima: Not at first. But when we were together for 'Guardians 4', we did talk about being the same age.

Kumai: That's right. We'd grown up by then, so we'd ask one another things like 'How was school?'

What impression did you have of one another at the time?

Nakajima: I'd heard rumours that Kumai-chan was an airhead. But it didn't feel that way at all in the beginning, I thought that she was mature, her dancing was cool, and her figure was great (laughs). But when we did the play 'Sengoku Jieitai together' together, she really was an airhead, and I found out that she really moves at a relaxed pace. I realised that that's just the sort of girl she was (laughs).

Kumai: Ahaha. I can't deny that~.

Nakajima: We only had about 15 minutes for our midday break during 'Sengoku Jieitai', but even at times when we had to eat our meals hurriedly, Kumai-chan would moan that it was impossible~ (laughs).

Kumai: I really couldn't eat. The more I was rushed to finish, the longer I'd take (laughs). My impression of Nacky was that, just as she herself often says, I felt that there was a real wall...

Nakajima: Ugh, is that so (laughs). In the past, I really didn't talk, I was shy.

Kumai: So when Nacky had torn her walls down, I was surprised! Also, she's very decisive. I'm the type that wavers, so I envy how Nacky can make decisions in a snap.

┘┘┘

[Is it better to be on the older or younger end of your group?]

Nakajima: I like my position. I can talk with [both the younger and older members], so it's fun. Though it's not like our Leader Maimi-chan doesn't speak to the younger ones. Well, there are times when it's like there's this generation gap that she alone is on the wrong side of. Maybe it's because our Leader is pretty behind the times (laughs).

Kumai: There's quite an age difference.

Nakajima: Yup. There's a 4-year difference between our oldest and youngest.

┘┘┘

Nakajima: I'm right in the middle of three sisters.

So even at home, you're in the middle position?

Nakajima: Yup (laughs). I'm really comfy at home as well. If I'm partnered with my older sister, we'll go shopping together, and if I'm with my younger sister, we talk about dramas. It's fun to be part of three sisters.

I'd like to ask you if you remember any impactful memories about the other over these past 10 years?

Nakajima: I feel like there was an incident with Kumai-chan. Ah, sweat! When we were doing a shooting as part of 'Guardians 4', Kumai-chan couldn't stop sweating. You know, where we had the red capes at first!

Kumai: Ah, we were shooting the PV (Omakase ♪ Guardian), right (laughs)?

Nakajima: We were shooting the PV at a gym hall, and the gym itself was hot, plus it was even hotter since we had a cape that seemed to be made for winter, so I remember Kumai-chan constantly being at the blowdryer (laughs).

More interview excerpts from this book

Our Music History ～Ongaku to Watashitachi～ Morning Musume。’14 Special - Part 3 of 3 (2014/10/08)

This special show happened during MBS' 'Music Week', held in October 2014. In it, four members of Morning Musume。´14 talked about the Musume。's music history. Our hosts for this programme are Morning Musume。 9ki Fukumura Mizuki and Sayashi Riho, and 10ki  Iikubo Haruna and Ishida Ayumi.

If you missed them, here's the first part and here's the second part.

A comment concerning music
Sayashi Riho: 'Music is something that brings out your uniqueness'

MoMusu Lyrics Talk

To commemorate the upcoming release of Morning Musume。´14's triple-A single 'Tiki Bun/ Shabadabadoo/ Mikaeri Bijin', the girls will be picking out a random word from the song lyrics, and they'll talk about something related to the chosen word.

First up is Tiki Bun! While the other girls go on about how cool it is, Mizuki likes the positive lyrics. Fuku-chan makes the first pick, and gets 'Uso' - 'Lie', in the sense of not telling the truth. The girls do often tell many small lies, like to family. Iikubo dredges up an incident where she had ice cream from the fridge without telling her mother.

Iikubo: And when my mother asked me if I knew what happened to her ice cream in the fridge, I was like 'No idea, I was at work the whole time, I wasn't at home'.

Fuku-chan then brings up an incident that happened to her: She was using her phone in the bath and fell asleep. Her phone ended up submerged in the bath. By the time she noticed it, the screen was no longer responding, stuck at Michishige-san's blog. Fuku-chan didn't admit that it had gone underwater. Instead she went for the classic kid's standby: feigning ignorance. 'Why isn't it moving?'

Ishida admits that the same thing happened to her recently. Ishida's mother had often been telling her to stop using her phone in the bath, so when it happened, Ishida said that her phone had been left in the wash instead of admitting that it had fallen in the tub.

Iikubo: And your mother still hasn't found out?
Ishida: I haven't been found out yet.
Iikubo: What'll you do if your mother's listening to this show?
Sayashi: Let's just keep it to ourselves, okay?
Ishida: Please don't spread this story.

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 63: Tsugunaga Momoko x Hagiwara Mai

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.

Tsugunaga Momoko X Hagiwara Mai

The 2 of them were great friends when they were in the H!P Kids.
As we go deep into the discussion, it takes an unexpected turn, and ends up becoming a serious discussion where they talk about what lies behind their hearts!

The 2 of you seemed to be really close friends when you were in the H!P Kids.

Hagiwara: I remember always being together with Momo. Profile books were all the rage at the time, and one of the questions was 'What will you be doing in 10 years time?' Momo wrote 'I'll be living with Mai-chan'.

Tsugunaga: And here we are, 10 years later.

Hagiwara: Not living together at all (laughs).

Tsugunaga: If anything, Mai-chan, you were adorable. You know, you'd keep on practising 'I'm Mai-chan, in my first year of primary school, peace'. I mean, don't you always say 'I'm Mai-chan, in my first year of primary school'? But you were practising just because you'd added 'peace' at the end. Even to this day, I'll never forget you coming to me and asking 'Was that okay?' You were adorable~!

Hagiwara: We really were always together when we were in the H!P Kids. But once we'd been split into BeriKyuu, it was like we naturally had less time to hang out. Now we've settled down as friends who'll have a chat whenever we occasionally meet one another.

Tsugunaga: Recently, I feel that you've been doing self-deprecating jokes. At the concert the other day, you were like 'Buy a yellow T-shirt (Mai's image colour)'. You were so cute that even I thought about going out and getting one. Even while you were trying to act tough with the fans, making self-deprecating jokes, you were still adorable. I'm glad that I got to see you bringing yourself down by going 'That's not the case'~

So rather than saying that Mai-chan is the little sister, it's more like everyone spoils her like a princess since she's so cute? Momochi, did you buy her yellow T-shirt in the end?

Tsugunaga: Eh, of course...

Hagiwara: So you own one? How nice of you.

Tsugunaga: What do you call them, 'Hagimi and Hagishige'?

Hagiwara: 'Hagio and Hagiko'! This is useless. Someone like you wouldn't have a T-shirt of mine (laughs).

H!P Maruwakari Winter 2016: One-day-only unit combinations

Here's the question:

Q5: Amongst the H!P members, if you could be in a one-day-only unit together with someone, who would it be with? Please tell us your reasons.

52 members is a pain to put in a graph, so I've got two versions below: A compact version where the arrows are a bit harder to read, as well as a 'spread out' version where it's easier to follow the connections.

Compact

Spread out