These are the highlights (as arbitrarily chosen by me) from the “150 Questions to Michishige Sayumi” event held at the Akihabara Hello! Shop on 6/21. Jicchan and Ice Cream & My Jiggly also recently translated questions from a similar Q&A event with Kanazawa Tomoko.
Please note that almost all of Sayu’s answers were actually much more verbose — think of the answers below as just quick, tweet-sized summaries.
Onto the questions!
— If you could take one member with you on a deserted island, who would it be?
I’d be nervous being with an OG, so not them. Maybe I’d go with Iikubo. She seems like she would do everything so I could just sit back and relax. Definitely one of my juniors. Berryz members seem like they’d eat a lot, so not them.
— If you were to hold an event together with Eri, what kind of an event would it be?
The other day I went to Kamei Eri-chan’s house and we watched the Rival Survival Sokkou DVD together. If we did an event together, I’d want to watch a DVD with everyone while talking about it.
— What would you do if you were the producer of Hello! Shops?
I’d change the exteriors to something that would make even the people just passing by see how big H!P is getting lately.
— If you could be the fashion coordinator for the members of Morning Musume ’14, what would you make them wear?
Fuku-chan: kimono.
Oda-chan: swimsuit.
Sayashi… I have lots of ideas… but let’s say a baggy animal costume.
Suzuki: a deep blue one-piece dress.
Ikuta I don’t really care about so I’d just make her wear whatever.
Iikubo: I’d make her hair all curly and gorgeous and have her wear an extravagant dress.
Kudo: soccer uniform.
Sato: kimono.
Ishida: a cheap-looking jersey — the jersey having to look cheap is very important.
— Do you think you’ll ever cut your hair short?
No! I did that photo shoot for Ray while wearing a short wig, but it looked awful if I took off my hat. People did tell me I looked cute, but I think saying that was very irresponsible on their part.
— Would you really say that right now is the peak of your cuteness?
I’ll still be cute next year and so on, but this year really is my peak. I can tell that my time is coming soon…
— Which member would you want to inherit your pink member color?
No one. There are no members in the group right now that like pink that much. Back when it was still yellow for me, I couldn’t wait until I got to change to pink. When I finally got my first pink T-shirt, I remember just hugging it. I want to pass it on to someone who loves it as much as me.
— I thought of a new nickname for you: “Sayuyu.” What do you think?
Reminds me of a girl from a certain other idol group, but I guess I could turn that to my advantage so it’s pretty good, I guess.
— You’re called things like the “legend of Morning Musume”, but if you could be born again as any member of H!P, who would it be?
Risako-chan. Her face is just too cute. It leaves a huge impression on me every time we meet. Although I wouldn’t try to look quite as “individualistic” as her. (laughs)
— Please tell us a recent funny episode concerning Kamei Eri.
The other day she told me about something that’d happened to her before we’d met. Eri had been on her way back home from some lesson when she fell asleep while riding her bicycle. When she came to, she found herself and her bicycle collapsed at the side of the road.
— Before now, when did you think you were at your cutest?
Recently, I liked how I looked on Mille-Feuille. The shoot lasted for several days, but on each of those days I liked how my face looked. This morning I thought I looked really, really cute, but by the time I started setting up my ponytail is when I realized it wasn’t perfect.
— Which of your juniors would you not want to be in the same generation with? Conversely, which members would you like to be in the same generation with?
The first one: Sayashi. She has so many singing parts, so always feeling like I’m losing to someone from my generation would make me have some mixed feelings. I would want to be in the same generation with everyone from 10th gen, apart from Sato.
— Any haircare advice?
Use a fine comb to undo any knots when rinsing.
… Oh, sorry. Looks like there are some people in the audience who this advice won’t really help… (wota explode with laughter)
— Do you do anything to maintain your figure?
You lose weight when you’re touring, so it doesn’t even matter if you eat snacks and so on. You still won’t gain weight.
… Saying it like that makes me wonder just how much certain members do eat…
— If you could have all members of Morning Musume ’14 sing one song solo, what would it be?
Fukumura: “Papa ni Niteiru Kare” — it was cute when Konno-san sang this before.
Sayashi: “Dekiru Onna” (Able Woman) — because she herself isn’t perfectly able at everything.
Suzuki: “Popcorn Love” — just went with something that’s food-related.
Ikuta: “Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari” — all the lyrics would be about Ikuta herself.
Iikubo: “Subete wa Ai no Chikara”
Oda: “Tsuyoki de Yukouze!”
Kudo: “Ganbare Nippon Soccer Fight”
Sato: “Ii Koto Aru Kinen no Shunkan”
Ishida: “Shanimuni Paradise”
— If you had to compare each member to an animal…
Fukumura: hippo.
Sayashi: lion.
Ishida: cheetah.
Suzuki: I did think of one, but I can’t say it out loud…
Ikuta & Iikubo: flamingo.
Oda: owl.
Sato & Kudo: lesser panda.
— What’s your best memory as Morning Musume?
The concert when I had my triumphant return to Yamaguchi. The first performance really moved me. Also, last year’s bus tour made me so happy, it gave me strength to last me a whole year.
— Why are you so cute?
I was just born this way.
— If you were a boy, what kind of a girl would you want to date?
Someone natural, someone who isn’t too calculating. I wouldn’t want to date myself.
— How far along are you in Candy Crush?
Level 246. I just cleared level 245 yesterday.
— If you had a daughter, what would you name her?
I’d want to put a part of my name in hers, too. Up until now I was thinking “Sayuki” would be good, but then Takagi Sayuki-chan appeared. I tried thinking about every other possible name like “Sayua”, “Sayui”, etc, but couldn’t come up with any other good ones. I want it to have some connection to my own name…
— Out of all previous Musume members, which members did you have the most problems getting along with and why? How did you deal with it?
There’s no one like that except Koharu! I think you already know why — you know how Koharu is. We don’t get along but it’s not like I hate her. I was like “well good for you” when she got to do solo work before many of us, but yeah. That was just Koharu for you.
— Your fans were very much looking forward to seeing your birthday T-shirt for this year. Did you have to fight with the office as far as its design was concerned?
I wouldn’t really call it a “fight“, but I was worried because of the whole recent “Cool Hello” thing. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to put one out on my last year before graduating, so I consulted some people in high positions about it and strongly insisted that I get to do it.
— Who is cuter: Rihoriho when she had just joined the group, or Rihoriho now?
Rihoriho when she had just joined was cuter. For me, it’s the younger, the better, you see… Anyway, she was so cute when we did the stage play so I was really excited when I heard that she’d be joining the group.
— Formerly you were known for kissing other members on stage when you got really excited. Do you not do that anymore with the current members?
No, I don’t. I’m worried it might be gross if I did. I mean, if Iida-san kissed me, I might think she was a gross senpai, too. I worry that they might be put off being kissed by their leader who’s a decade older than them.
— You used to say that Ishikawa-san was someone you really admired, but that seems to no longer be the case. Could you tell us why?
It wasn’t anything specific, but since we worked together all that time, I got to see everything about her — both the good as well as the bad. And yeah, the fact that she was so scary was a big factor in it, too.
— Who would you pick as your successor from the current members of H!P and the Kenshuusei?
Well, if it’s my successor, I’d want it to be someone who’s told me they like me, so maybe Yoshihashi Kurumi-chan or Tanabe Nanami-chan. Yamaki Risa-chan, too, has told me that she really likes me.
— If Fukumura Mizuki said she would do anything for you, what would you ask for?
Money! I’d ask for money. That’d be the quick and easy way to get some.
— If you could be reborn again as either yourself or Sayashi, which would you choose?
I’d be reborn as Michishige Sayumi, absolutely. I’m fine with just looking at Sayashi. I want to be myself. Well, I guess I wouldn’t mind if I got the face of someone else who’s equally as cute… Anyway, it’d be rude to say I want to become someone else in front of people who like me.
— On last week’s Konusapi you mentioned that you like the MV of Kashimashi. Do you still go to the supermarket without wearing any makeup?
I don’t feel at all embarrassed about being without makeup. Rather, if I go somewhere without makeup, no one recognizes me at all. It’s like a form of disguise. I don’t even have to wear a mask because the people just don’t recognize me. I can go anywhere without makeup.
— What do you think about the recent H!P T-shirt designs?
Ummm… Wow, I really have to think about how I want to word this… well… let’s just say that I think about them the same way as all of you do! (applause from wota)
— Is there any song that you definitely want to sing on the Fall tour? By the way, I’d like to hear your solo version of Ookii Hitomi.
One time when we did a couple of performances without Reina (Michishige Eleven Zama evening performance, Shizuoka noon and evening performances) I did sing Ookii Hitomi alone, but it was just disastrous. (laughs) Ookii Hitomi… yeah, I don’t know. Anyway, I want to sing Lalala no Pipipi.
— Have you met with Kamei Eri lately? Have you told her about your graduation?
We met two weeks ago and watched the Rival Survival DVD. I told Eri about my graduation at the same time as I told my family. When I sent her an email saying I’d be announcing my graduation at our Yamaguchi performance, she just replied “good work up until now.” That’s all I needed to hear.
— Is that Kagome juice really that delicious? Be honest.
Huh?! What a question. I love it! It’s really good!
— Right now I’m using an orange bag, but I was thinking I’d buy a new one. Should I go for a pink or a red one?
Whichever! (laughs)
— Is there anything you’ve come to understand after being an idol for 11 years?
I think being an idol is a really great job. It’s fun, and it’s like, it feels like me and my fans have been building this relationship of trust for the past 11 years. I really believe I’ve been allowed to experience something amazing.
— Do you like trains?
Yes. I do.
— Is there anything you’d like to experience again?
My audition. That footage is really embarrassing…
— When did you last feel loved by the members?
When I got emails from them as I was going to go overseas — although it was just from Sayashi and Iikubo. By the way, I even got a “welcome back” email from Sayashi.
— Is there anything you want to do before graduating?
A Rokkies MC. (applause) I’m peeved that the Rokkies MC was cut from the Countdown Live DVD.
— Who do you see becoming a leader in the future?
I think any one of them could become a leader… Kanon after losing just a bit of weight first, though — the leader is the face of the entire group after all.
— If the members confessed their love to you for real, whose feelings would you accept?
Sayashi and Fukumura. Why not Ishida, too.
— Who is Anishige’s oshi?
It used to be Ichii-san. Also, Hirosue (Ryoko)-san. He likes short-haired girls, more so Kudo than Ikuta’s type. By the way, I still haven’t told him about my graduation.
— Which member shows the most drastic change between her on and off modes?
Ishida. It’s pretty incredible when she’s in off-mode — in a good way. Maa-chan once emailed me a picture of Ishida and she seriously looked like one of our male managers.
— Which music video left the strongest impression on you?
Kare to Issho ni Omise ga Shitai. I was like, “you’re making it the B-side even when I’m featured on it this heavily?!” That song actually became the B-side because of a staff slip-up.
— Are you close with any of the other Rokkies’ siblings?
I’ve spent time with Eririn’s and Ai-chan’s little sisters.
— Are there any goods you’d like to produce?
I want to create goods that let you experience the members’ skin. I really want to reproduce Fuku-chan’s skin.
— Which tour have you liked the best?
Single Daizenshuu. That was the first time I got to sing a solo number. Getting to sing “Furusato” there really boosted my confidence. It was very physically demanding though.
— If you could make any past or present member your girlfriend, who would it be?
Eririn. Every single one of her gestures is so cute and her heart is in the right place. Also, Ai-chan. Her figure hasn’t changed much at all ever since she joined the group. She has an amazing body.
— Any chance for a Platinum Era comeback after your graduation?
I net patrolled the thing we did at the Countdown Live and when I saw the footage, I realized it hardly shows me at all. It’s scary because it feels like I don’t stand out in that company at all.
— What’s the secret behind the creation of usa-chan peace?
I was at purikura with my big sister and we just noticed that doing that pose looked really cute.
— Whose photobooks do you like looking at the most?
Sugaya, Airi, Ai-chan, Eririn, Sayashi, and my own.
Henkka: A hippo. Do you realize that this is how Fuku-chan looks in Sayu’s eyes?
Sources: @tozamasan, @touchan0713, @kktaxmaster, http://helloprocanvas.ldblog.jp/archives/39486769.html, http://www.colorful-hp.net/archive/entry-11761.html
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This is so great. She really knows how to put everything in the best way to say it. :D
“Eri had been on her way back home from a lesson”
… Is Kamei Eri in school? Not a driving school, I hope… oh my god.
Oops. That was actually a pre-Momusu era episode. I should be sleeping and not translating. Edited for clarity.
Thank you for the translation as always!
Sayu sheds some interesting info about some things, as always.
“as always” lol, didn’t catch that
Hahaha, Kamei wota have to get their info from Sayu.
Suzuki: blue whale.
There. I said it for her.
I was thinking more along the line of pig since buta is more commonly used in japan
Fukuhippo? I can visualize it.
http://nsa34.casimages.com/img/2014/06/23/140623025101582483.jpg
Oda as an owl too…
This is not pejorative, just graphic. Animals are neither ugly nor beautiful…
I have to disagree. There definitely are more and less cute animals. Owls are cute. Stylized hippos are cute too. Real ones less so. Fukumura has something of a stylized hippo. I can definitely see that.
Wonderful work Henkka-sama!
First, even without make-up, Sayu is insanely beautiful.
Second, how sharp her comments are! It should silence anybody who still believe she’s just a pretty but empty shell.
Third, final proof that without her, Momusu will lose a lot a flavor. Huge shoes to fill for the other members.
Wow that’s harsh though, Fuku-chan being compared to a hippo? Really?
Round of applause for Henkka for translating another monster thread… All Hail the Queen Sayu for giving us wota what we want
Highlights of this thread….
-Sayu slyly calling the Berryz members fat lol
-Her knowledge of the “poor” daishi joke
-Answering questions about the goddess Kamei
-Saying nobody deserves her pink color… I whole hardheartedly agree, save it for Rikako
-Her appearance on Mille-Feuille dvd… To me, she has never looked better than on that dvd
-Her choice of solo song for Eripon… Eripon could definitely make a JKM completly about her
-Sayu calling Kanon fat several times, bet you guys wont get mad at her though :)
-Her hatred of the recent Morning Musume t-shirt designs
-Revival of the Rokkies MC segment just once before her graduation… dear god, please let this dream come true
Sayu calling Kanon fat several times, bet you guys wont get mad at her though :)
Only Sayu. I’d be furious if anyone else said it. Only Sayu.
I am pissed, that little shit shouldn’t call anyone fat, when she looks like a bargain brand sex doll that is only half inflated.
lmao damn, go in
As much as I agree on the “I am pissed” part, I do not agree with your comment about Sayumi. That’s way too rude from you dude.
I do believe she was harsh on her way of saying stuff though.
“Ikuta I don’t really care about so I’d just make her wear whatever.”
Wow.
“Suzuki: I did think of one, but I can’t say it out loud…PIGGU!!!”
-Sayuyu.
how does it feel, fat justice?! trolololol
The hippo joke. lol
Another highlight missed………hitting Fukuhime up for money, either verifying she’s rich or just adding to the meme.
She’s probably jealous of the fact that Fukuhime’s PB sold out and goes for a premium in the after-market, she doesn’t mention enjoying looking at it! LOL!
She was hilarious thoughout the entire interview, she can still use that poison tongue whenever she feels the need.
Haha, all the fat jokes…
So goddamn funny. :) She’s really in tune with what fans are thinking.
Gonna miss her when she graduates. Best of luck to her.
Hippo?
Not a cow?
Well, I’ll be damned…
What’s this whole thing about Cool Hello and t-shirts? All I know is that lately, all the birthday t-shirts have been awful.
Have you seen the last tour t-shirts of Morning Musume ? the group one was black with a small gold Lightning on the heart, and the name of the tour on the lower back. The member ones were grey with the color member instead of gold. and the textile, half the density than before; nearly the same you can find in a 100Y shop.
Nearly everybody was wearing the previous tour t-shirts or the birthday t-shirts or even others bands t-shirts.
even the t-shirts announced back then were awful, sakura one was dark purple with just a small sakura flower on the heart. Sayashi was black with a rectangular box and only her birth date like a serial number.
°C-ute tour t-shirts had the same design as Morning Musume but with the Initial letter of their name in romaji instead of the lightning.
I never seen anyone wearing them.
— If Fukumura Mizuki said she would do anything for you, what would you ask for?
My Answer: At a handshake event, I asked Mizuki if I could give her a creampie as her 18th birthday present. As expected of the innocent, pure princess that she is, she asked me what it is, since it sounds like a delicious pie. I told her its a genuine NAKADASHI that I’ve actually been longing to give her all this while. The next thing I knew, I was thrown out of the hall by Security.
Write fanfiction.
Does the internet really need any more of this shit though?
The good old poison’s still there, eh?
And she just hits all of those member stereotypes/memes. As expected of our beloved net patroller…
I want one of those t-shirts. ;_;
> rihorihorubsfukuarm.gif
I didn’t notice Rihoriho winking before! She’s all like “see, it’s so nice, too bad you can’t feel it!”
Now, for the only possible way to end this comment:
CHAYUUUUU!
>And she just hits all of those member stereotypes/memes. As expected of our beloved net patroller…
If she did she would have called Riho/Ayumi “korean grandmas”, called Ikuta/Masaki/Oda/Kanon fugly and said Fukumura should do AV.
But judging from her answers she only seems to read threads made by her own wotas.
This was more informative than usual…. It wouldn’t surprise me if Chayu started the ‘Zukki is fat’ and ‘Ishida is poor’ memes in 2ch herself.
I wonder if the answer to what she would make Ikuta wear was made jokingly? Otherwise, it would be pretty odd for her to give that harsh answer. Maybe she’s had a falling out with Ikuta? I know they’ve never been particularly close but it’s an odd answer.
Also, surprised no one has mentioned her Koharu answer… Even though this issue died down since the ‘stepping stone’ comment, you can still see it hits a raw nerve for Sayu.
I’m pretty sure Zukki herself started the “Zukki is fat” meme. You know… By being obese.
obese??? what is wrong with you???
Wow H!P fans are even dumber and more hypocritical than I thought.
If you watched any of their TV appearances together lately you should be aware that Sayu shittting on Ikuta is a running gag lately. Ikuta is trying new shticks out like to be center and like Sayu’s successor.
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Hahaha, Sayu, so brutally honest. I dare anyone not to love this girl. She’s one of a kind.
Not crazy about the Zukki fat jokes, though, but at least she’s pretty critical of everyone in the group (either about their looks or their personality)…
let’s hope her fans don’t forget how often Sayu says that Zukki has a pretty face and get too butthurt about this.
Zukki also has her own “self-deprecating idol” thing going, so it’s perhaps a bit in jest. Still I hope she loses some weight. :P
Sayu as always : Narcissistic, High Self-Confidence &… Sharp tongue, xD xD
there’s really a “something with sayu and yasshi, :3
“Ikuta I don’t really care about so I’d just make her wear whatever.”
meh. Stupid Sayu. I’m excited about the group’s downfall after she graduated.
Downfall? The group is going to be SO MUCH better without her.
No more auto-tune perhaps.. no more annoying robot-like sounds..
Exactly, its not like we ever actually hear her crappy voice, its always covered up so the fans dont have to suffer.
Fuck you guys. Sayu is a goddess, and you’re just mortal nerds (but not as lowlife sleazebag as taylornerd) XD
The goddess of a poop bucket.
How corny can you get? *facepalm*
Sayu is not cute enough to be shitting on everyone like that. She’s very pretty, but without the make up she really depletes in the looks department. I find Mizuki to be much more of a natural beauty.
>without the make up she really depletes
But she looks exactly the same with makeup as she does without…. I can’t tell which pic is supposed to be which.
Its pretty obvious she looks bloated.
And gosh, look at her nasty monkey ears.
Stop describing yourself, tailorniw. We all know you’re ugly as dehydrated penis.
I’m sure that’s the only type of genetalia you will have experience with. Please express more concerns of your vexed virginity.
So now this dude actually resorts to using other peoples name to write these stupid ass messages… I would never even waste my time writing shit like that… Grow up!!! this shit is not funny, nobody is laughing but you
@Novakayne: Just changed the default avatar to Identicon. Hope that helps a bit.
Thanks Henkka, hats off to you again… I love this site and its sad that these jack assess do shit like this that detracts people from coming here… You do alot of hard work translating these threads and it shouldnt be ruined by the nonsense of others
*runs thread through google translate*
*breaks a sweat*
Mommy, where are you?
Sayu: the bitch of a pack of dogs.
Man, this girl. She’s frank yet knows how to toe the line with her tongue. All of the rokkies were great in their ways. Not to take anything away from the generations after.
Apart from everything:
I vote for Sayu’s possible future daughter to be named Sayuri.
Oh shit.
Henkka, help.
Email in the name field?
Oh yes, thank you very much :-)
See? Idiots.
i enjoyed the translation but the comments were crazy awful.
anyways, thanks henkka for all these translations!
As a Sayu fangirl, and not a thin one (I’m kind of working on it though) I am a bit hurt by her words, but is not too much to stop loving her or anything. I know that I’m fat, and I know that I HAVE to lose weight because it’s ruining my health, and I feel it, and I don’t need anyone to tell me “but you’re not fat, you’re pretty” because that’s not the thing, the thing is that I need to lose weight for my health, is something more serious than “beauty”.
Yes, the words are too much since the girls are so young but, the wotas say more hurtful things, you know? And if you didn’t notice, Sayu doesn’t hate Mizuki or Kanon, I don’t think she hates any of the members (yes she is closer to some members but that always happen), and you know how she is, she has the sharp tongue, that’s her character, she can’t change that right now and Michishige Sayumi, as an idol, without that, is not the Michishige Sayumi that we all know..
As for the “Zukki is fat”, don’t try to deny that she is not thin. She needs to lose a bit of wheight, it surprises me the changes that her body since her debut in the group, and it scares me because maybe she has some hormonal problems, stress or anxiety and she needs help if that’s the case, because you know, she is an idol, and she goes to dance practice and the concerts, and it surprise me that with all of those excercise her weight is not according to her height.
Sayu knows that she has a lot of potential, and she has said that Kanon has a pretty face, a really pretty face, her face is just so cute with and without makeup and she is photogenic. But that’s not enough, the fans constantly criticize Kanon’s weight and that doesn’t help to her popularity. That doesn’t mean that she has to be thin like…the girls who have anorexia, but her weight needs to match her height. You don’t realize it, but maybe Sayu is trying to tell her what would help her to increase her popularity, because she is cute, she has a great personality and her voice is not bad. She just need to lose a bit of weight, not too much, just a bit.
I don’t hate Kanon, she is one of my favorites. And yes, Sayu’s words can hurt a lot, but is not a reason to hate her.
>girl wotas, worst wotas
and fat. this is a fact
So… Do you have anything to back up your statement or are you just bitter?
I’m pretty sure that what Sayu says to Kanon seriously, she’ll say backstage, in private. All these comments are just her famous “poison tongue” schtick, and they’re a big joke, which Sayu, the fans, and the MM14 Round Mound of Sound are all in on.
Looking at some reactions, it seems that there are a few who are not quite in on it…
I wouldn’t worry about hormonal problems, in a recent interview Kanon said that she dieted for the auditions then stopped when she got in. So her weight was below normal, for her, when she joined.
Ugh, they’re really going to have to ask for an image dating six months prior to the audition to applicants in order to prevent this in the future.
Because that’s just bait and switch.
They shouldn’t have to ask that… or more like they should not
It is that time again……….
2nd birthday after here graduation
happy birthday. sayumin
I’ve a got question, I wonder if anyone can help me… but… why exactly does Sayu dislike Ikuta?
Sayumi does not dislike Ikuta at all. Erina plays a masochistic character who is willing to put up with any insult or put down because it means that she is being the center of attention. Sayumi plays off of that because Sayumi felt that it was her mission to increase the popularity of the other members of Morning Musume so she was willing to do anything that was necessary, including putting Ikita down. Of course, the fact that Sayumi is a grandmaster of insults with a deadly poison tongue probably made Sayumi’s put downs of Ikuta seem more harsh.
Great answer.
SAYUKI-CHAN. HAS A NICE RING TO IT