Inoue Rina x Takemoto Yui Interview (EX Taishu 11/2019)

Interviewer: Inoue-san, Takemoto-san, how was your summer this year?
Inoue: It flew by.
Takemoto: It went by really fast. (laughs)
Interviewer: Because you were doing concerts all over the country, right?
Takemoto: The response isn’t the same at every venue.
Inoue: You’re right. It’s different.
Takemoto: I also didn’t think we’d get to each so much local food. (laughs)
Interviewer: So you were happy with the catering. (laughs) What was the best thing you had?
Inoue: Sendai’s beef tongue was delicious. I lined up at the shop the moment I got a ticket. (laughs)
Takemoto: I loved the ramen in Fukuoka. I was surprised at how thin the noodles were. (laughs) The members from Kyuushuu also told me, “the soft udon is great too.”
Interviewer: The concerts themselves had pretty stoic content.
Takemoto: We did a lot of shows, but I was nervous every time.
Inoue: There were changes for each concert and I was intensely conscious of trying not to make any mistakes. There was a dance part with just the 2nd gen, but it didn’t go well during rehearsals. A day before the concerts started TAKAHIRO-sensei gave us some critiques and we all talked it over and improved it, but it was still difficult.
Takemoto: It was really hard to synchronize taking out and putting away accessories like glasses and batons. If one person is off the whole thing falls apart.
Interviewer: After overcoming that trial and finishing with the Fukuoka concerts you had the Tokyo Dome concert waiting for you with a different setlist.
Inoue: The manager announced in front of everyone, “it’s been decided that you’ll be doing a concert in Tokyo Dome.” I was dumbfounded like, “what’s this about Tokyo Dome?” I couldn’t believe it had anything to do with us.
Takemoto: When I first heard about it I was also like “Doing a concert in Tokyo Dome? That’s amazing.” It didn’t feel real. It was all thanks to our senpais that us 2nd gens could stand on stage in Tokyo Dome less than a year after joining, so I wanted us to be of help to them during their Tokyo Dome concert.
Interviewer: I believe there were a lot of things you had to learn in the less than two weeks up to Tokyo Dome.
Takemoto: My notes got tattered. In the end I memorized everything while looking at my worn out notes. (laughs)
Inoue: We had new things to learn with every rehearsal so I had to rewrite my notes over and over. When we did our rehearsal in Tokyo Dome on the day of the concert I noticed things I had memorized incorrectly.
Takemoto: The main stage had the same set during rehearsals as during the actual concert, but the sense of distance and the orientation of things like the walkway out into the audience and the backstage area are things you only know by going to the actual venue so I was a bit flustered.
Interviewer: Takemoto-san, you have an image of being rather skilled.
Takemoto: No, not at all. (laughs) I used to do dance so I have expereince memorizing positions, but I can’t get a grasp on which way I’m supposed to face or how far away the stage is. When the hook end and I’m in a position I have a hard time determining when the best timing to change positions is.
Interviewer: It’s no good if you’re too early or too late.
Takemoto: That’s right. So I checked it a bunch of times during the rehearsal on the day of the concert.
Inoue: I moved down the stage that stretches out into the audience as I danced and I was supposed to arrive at my position while maintaining some distance from the other members, but I inadvertently went past my spot. I noticed and backpedaled while still dancing. (laughs) I’m sure the fans in front of me were thinking “Inoue got her position wrong.”
Interviewer: I think it’s amazing to be able to deal with that while still dancing.
Inoue: I was really panicked on the inside, but I made a face that said “I’m not wrong everyone.” (laughs)
Interviewer: The first song at Tokyo Dome was “Glass wo Ware!” Takemoto-san, in your blog you wrote, “the moment I went out on stage my hands and legs were shaking and it felt like my feet weren’t on the ground.”
Takemoto: During other concerts, like Keyaki Republic and the tour, even if I was nervous up until that point the moment I got on stage I’d be fine. At Tokyo Dome I wasn’t nervous before going on stage and I thought it was strange. I was still excited when I got into position for “Glass wo Ware!”, but when the intro started and I heard the crowd cheer my hands and legs started shaking and had this feeling of “Oh crap!” I was like that until the second half. I was back to normal on the second day.
Interviewer: It was the first time you’d done “Glass wo Ware!” with the 1st generation members. Could you feel their intensity?
Takemoto: Yes. I was nervous, but their intensity had an effect on me and as we headed towards the last hook I was able to dance my way.
Interviewer: You don’t seem to show your nervousness.
Takemoto: Of course, I desperately hide it. (laughs)
Interviewer: The first song you participated in, Inoue-san, was “Eccentric”, which, during the MC portion, you described as “a song that says you should express yourself as who you truly are on the inside.”
Inoue: When I was just a fan I fell in love with the song the moment the MV was released. (laughs) I would always listen to it and found it encouraging. Since joining the group, it’s the song that feels the most liberating to dance to and I performed it hoping the message reached everyone.
Interviewer: You also participated in the next song, “Sekai ni wa Ai shika nai”.
Inoue: Takemoto is usually in what used to be Shida-san’s position, but I was in it this time. I asker her what I should do and she gave me a bunch of pointers. We used umbrellas this time and it was difficult to synchronize the timing of changing hands and opening them. I was happy because there were a lot of letters we receive through our app that said “Inoue-chan was great during ‘SekaAi’.”
Interviewer: Takemoto-san, during the MC portion you spoke about how “Sekai ni wa Ai shika nai” is “a song that encouraged me.”
Takemoto: “Sekai ni wa Ai shika nai” was the reason I became a Keyakizaka46 fan and the song saved me. I think everyone has times when they feel like they don’t want to go to school and want to run away, but when I listen to “SekaAi” I feel refreshed and optimistic. The truth is, every morning I would watch the performance of “SekaAi” that aired on “Keyakizaka46 SHOW” before going to school.
Interviewer: You both performed in “Kimi ga Inai” and the performance with the water was beautiful.
Takemoto: There were colored lights under the water so the water was beautifully lit up different colors. I was moved when the water shot up in time with us raising our hands. It was like we were controlling it. (laughs)
Inoue: The water shot up really high so I got wetter than I imagined. (laughs)
Interviewer: Is that when you calmed down, Takemoto-san?
Takemoto: It was. But I had to keep the talk going during the MC portion, so I was shaking again. (laughs)
Inoue: Takemoto practiced her MC part over and over again in the dressing room and then while we were waiting backstage she still said to me, “let’s rehearse one more time.” (laughs)
Takemoto: I felt bad for having Inoue go along with me until the last minute. I learned during the tour that if there’s even a bit of an awkward pause during the MC portion the crowd’s reaction changes, so I wanted to be extra prepared. Even so, when I thought “MC is next,” I teared up.
Inoue: I consoled her saying,”don’t cry!” (laughs)
Takemoto: I don’t think I could have done anything if Inoue hadn’t been there.
Inoue: No no, I was scared of the 2nd gen only MC parts at Tokyo Dome too, but you led the conversation so well it was a big help.
Interviewer: Inoue-san, you were in Imaizumi-san’s position for “Futari Saison”, weren’t you?
Inoue: My heart skipped a beat when I saw Kobayashi-san’s smile when we were doing the pair dance when the lyrics go “Kimi wa totsuzen♪”. I may have looked normal doing it, but I was super happy on the inside.
Interviewer: Takemoto-san, you were in all 5 songs following “Hiraishin”.
Takemoto: Up until then even if I was in a lot of songs there would be songs without me in between them, so it was the first time I was on stage until the end. I was worried about whether or not I’d have enough stamina.
Interviewer: Were you able to pace yourself?
Takemoto: No, I can’t do that. I go all out from the start. I used up all my energy in “Ambivalent” and “Kaze ni Fukaretemo” so running down the stage into the crowd during “Abunakkashii Keikaku” was the hardest part for me. (laughs)
Interviewer: When you were singing “Fukyouwaon” during the encore, did you hear an ear-splitting roar from the crowd?
Takemoto: It was so loud I couldn’t hear the sound coming through the ear monitors. I went into the performance keeping in mind how expectant they were.
Interviewer: I imagine it’s a song that’s taxing on both your physical and mental stamina.
Takemoto: I danced it in a trance, with my whole body and soul like never before. I don’t really remember it. (laughs)
Interviewer: Did you go back and watch video of “Fukyouwaon”?
Takemoto: I did, but the way you feel at the time is something you can only experience on stage.
Inoue: I watched “Fukyouwaon” on the monitor, but I took out the ear monitors on the second day and the cheers coming from the crowd were amazing. I’m proud that 2nd gens got to be in the performance, but not being out there myself… It’s not frustrating, but I wanted to experience it too.
Interviewer: Would you like to be in more songs in the future?
Inoue: During the anniversary concert in May I was thinking how I wanted to not negatively stand out as much as possible, but now I want to dance songs I’ve never been in. I’m sure the other 2nd gens want to be in lots of songs too.
Takemoto: Someday I want to be in a concert from start to finish. I’m going to build up my stamina for that.
Interviewer: How did you feel when the Tokyo Dome concerts were over?
Takemoto: I greeted the staff that were taking down the set, but there were a lot more of them than at most concerts. I got this feeling that we need to put on concerts that make those around us feel like they’re glad to have been a part of it. I want to keep my appreciation towards the staff in mind as we do concerts in the future.
Inoue: TAKAHIRO-sensei said, “I want you to convey the feelings of Team Keyaki as well.” Having done the Tokyo Dome concerts, those feelings have become even stronger.
Interviewer: Lastly, as of the 9th single you’ve switched to a senbatsu system, so please tell me how you feel having made it into senbatsu.
Takemoto: My mind went completely blank during the senbatsu announcement, so I don’t remember it. But I need to do a good enough job to show all the fans with their varying opinions that “this is why I was picked.”
Inoue: I didn’t think I would make it into senbatsu because I’m lacking in ability and it’s not as if the fans acknowledge me. That’s why I was surprised when my name was called. But I’m looking at it positively, realizing I’ve been given a chance. I want to improve myself even more over the course of the 9th single.