Tuesday 8 March 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 48: Tsugunaga Momoko 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.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Tsugunaga Momoko X Sugaya Risako

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Tsugunaga: I have no idea what to do when I have days off, so I end up answering questionnaires for work or doing some graffiti for goods. Even while watching television, I often think about work.

Sugaya: I'd explode without rest days, so I hit my tipping point when I don't have days off. My body gets out of shape, my skin gets rough, it shows on my body. It makes me irritated, and I'd unintentionally have arguments with our manager-san, thinking that it wouldn't be possible for me to go on,

Tsugunaga-san, if you're working all the time, doesn't the stress build up ?

Tsugunaga: More than being stressed about having no breaks, I get irritated when I can't do anything. 

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The two of you really are complete opposites. Besides breaks, are there any other differences between the two of you?

Tsugunaga: Maybe our approach when it comes to singing. I'm defensive, thinking that being in tune comes first, so I can't really sing my heart out or make facial expressions that differ from my norm. On that point, in my mind, Riichan has always put more emphasis on singing with feeling than being in tune, so your singing really shifts. I think that you're far and away the best in BeriKyuu at that. You're particularly amazing when it comes to ballads, and at rehearsals where I'm not singing, my heart would tremble as a fan of yours as I sat in the audience seats.

While you do like her singing and expressive power, you also like her shifting approach?

Tsugunaga: 3~4 years ago, I once asked Riichan if she ever worried about getting thrown off-balance if she missed a note, but she told me that she didn't, and I think that's what I lack. In my case, perhaps because I'm afraid of getting told off by the members of staff after I make a blunder, I ended up becoming defensive. The members of staff we had at the time were unsparingly harsh on me. Even if I just missed a single part, they'd say things like 'You're a singer, aren't you?'

Sugaya: That's true. That's what I remember (laughs).

Tsugunaga: I'm not exaggerating, right? But, while the staff members loved Riichan's magnetism, in another way, scolding is also a form of love. So I might have been laden with more love than Riichan (laughs).

Sugaya: With Momo, even when there's MC slip-ups...

Tsugunaga: Wait, my slip-ups?

Sugaya: When we have moments of awkward silence (laughs), 'Momochi' would be there, and I think it's amazing how you can't be thrown off-balance. I think it's great that you have the stance that 'I am myself', no matter what anyone says to you. It's something that no one else can mimic, and that strength is the sole thing I admire.

Tsugunaga: The sole thing? There was a pitfall at the end (laughs).

Sugaya: Even while it's easy for me to get a scolding, I'm the type that grows with praise, but I think that Momo gets things better if things are a little harsh on you.

Tsugunaga: No, I want to be praised too! I've even written it on my official profile, 'I grow with praise'. 

Sugaya: That might be the case, but you might get carried away if they're sweet on you, so being harsh might be just right.

Indeed, we feel that Tsugunaga-san does have a strong heart.

Tsugunaga: I'm only getting praised for the strength of my heart. But I was originally really nervous

Sugaya: Were you actually that nervous?

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As talked about just now, Risako-chan, are you not afraid of ad-libbing in songs?

Sugaya: I was scared in the past, but there was a time in the past where Tsunku♂-san wrote a really long message to me, telling me that it might be better for me to do things the way I'd like to, and that made me think that I shouldn't be scared. While I do fear getting told off by the teachers after I make slip-ups, my central idea is to fully enjoy myself where I am, so I haven't really been that scared lately. Momo, do you have any central idea for concerts?

Tsugunaga: Fundamentally being an idol, I'll clap with the backs of my fingers bent backwards, even if it's only for a single clap......

Sugaya: Ehh!? (extremely surprised)

Tsugunaga: It looks more idol-ish like that, doesn't it? We were often told by the dance teachers, 'Use your nerves, from the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers', so we all did it properly, but using my nerves to set the state of my fingers when I'm clapping, as I clap my hands, I think 'Right, they're arched backwards today too'.

Sugaya: Is that so? That gave me a bit of a surprise. 

Tsugunaga: I think that everyone is probably careful about it, it's just that they take a different point of view. Like for Saki-chan, in order to dance stylishly, she looks at herself in the mirror to set the angle of her neck, her facial expression, her fingertips. But for me, the focal point is how much I can get my skirt to flutter in a cute way, or the extent of how cutely I can clap. And that's why I get told off by the teachers (laughs).

Sugaya: I see (laughs). So you even keep an eye on how your hair sways?

Tsugunaga: Yup, the swaying of the Momochi Musubi is important. Also, so that it doesn't get touched after I've tied them, it's important to check how much they fall on my shoulders during MCs. I really put in efforts for those aspects (laughs).

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Tsugunaga: The period at when I was acknowledged as Momochi changes depending on person. There are people who think that I've been Momochi since half a year ago, and there are also people who think I've been Momochi ever since we made our debut. I wonder when this difference in time happened?

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When she turns 40, how do you think Momochi will be like?

Sugaya: Since she's the member whose outward appearance hasn't changed in these 10 years, she probably won't have changed that much even when she's 40.

Tsugunaga: That's because I'm an eternal idol. I feel like Riichan will become an actress. Ah, but maybe you might go towards the path of a singer. What's it called, a songer-singer-writer?

Sugaya: Singer-songwriter (laughs).

Tsugunaga: I feel like that's what you'd become, composing your own songs, and ad-libbing the singing.

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