Matsui Rena x Yoshida Hisanori 【SKE48's Future Map】 from Documentary of SKE48 pamphlet
Long due translation of Rena x Yoshida exchange from 「Idol no Namida✾Documentary of SKE48」 pamphlet (sold only in theaters where the movie was screened). The interview must have taken place around January~February, hence the mention of Rena still being kenin in Nogizaka.
Enlightening discussion regarding Rena’s state of mind a few months before announcing her graduation, her opinion on the current SKE48, the need for a deep change she was feeling… Even maybe the necessity to scrap the group entirely if it had to come to it.
Enjoy!
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Yoshida – I’ve met Matsui Rena-chan numerous time at the occasion of the radio show we host together yet I’m a novice when it comes to SKE48, so it was with an open mind and curiosity that I took the opportunity I was offered to watch the documentary movie ahead of its official release.
Rena – Thank you very much. What did you think of it ?
Yoshida – Your eyes expressed totally different emotions from what I’m used to, I was surprised to discover a whole new Rena-chan. (laugh)
Rena – How did you perceive me ? (laugh)
Yoshida – You didn’t laugh even once, you often bear a serious, hard expression. When I’m use to see you laughing all the time in the studio.
Rena – I’ve a lot of hobbies in common with Yoshida-san, not restricted to work, so I’m smiling naturally around you.
Yoshida – I’m glad you’re enjoying your time at the radio, but I didn’t mean to say that your serious expression in the documentary was weird or unnatural in any way, it appeared to me like the face of someone working, of a pro focused on her task. I also noticed how the « typical SKE48 girl » doesn’t seem to be a pro-idol like Rena-chan, but rather a more common Nagoya girl. They seem to be satisfied with what is for them like a training, a number of them sound like good, obedient daughters.
Rena – There might indeed be a lot of members of that type, yes.
Yoshida – I didn’t expect them to talk about pursuing an academic cursus like if it was an evidence. For good and bad, it results in a strong club activity impression. Having someone with such strong professionalism as Rena-chan is this group is somewhat heartwarming, but a bit frustrating too.
Rena – I agree that there are too little girls focusing 「only on here」.
Yoshida – What do you mean by “only on here”
Rena – Lately I’ve become aware that there were only a handful of girls in SKE48 who were willing to raise above others, to stand at the top. But it’s exactly why if there is a girl in SKE48 right now with the ambition to raise, who wants to stand on top, she has the possibility to do it more than any other group! It’s a chance. So I’m hoping for the maximum of girls to become aware of this opportunity, and to stir up things in SKE48…
Yoshida – You sound like their mother. (laugh) When the centers for your last single 「12Gatsu no Kangaroo」 changed to two of your juniors, you and Jurina-chan looked somewhat relieved. Was it just my imagination?
Rena – No, you’re right. For the past 6 years the group has gone on with Jurina has its top and me by her side, we also beneficiated of the exposure given by being in AKB48 senbatsu. The same configuration remained unchanged all this time. But is it alright to keep on like this? Can we expand further if we don’t evolve? Even if she says nothing, I think Jurina is concerned too. So when the new two centers were announced I saw this change of trajectory as a chance for SKE48 to reach new horizons.
Why she never backs up in front of her comrade in arms Jurina
Yoshida – By the way, why did you choose to become an idol?
Rena – In my case, it’s not that I wanted to be an idol, I want to be an actress. From the day I joined to now, always.
Yoshida – Did you made your intentions clear when you passed the audition?
Rena – Yes. After all the original concept of the 48 Group is “To be a place for girls with dreams where they can gain experience in order to accomplish them once they leave”.
Yoshida – Was it so now…
Rena – 6 years ago when I heard SKE48 was to be formed my first thought was that I wanted to stand on stage. I was already a fan of AKB48 so I knew about the theater and how it worked. If I made it, I was going to be able to be on stage everyday and get accustomed to people watching me and singing is a form of expression too so it was going to be a plus for me who aimed at becoming an actress. That’s how I decided to pass the audition. I was also in the acting club in my school.
Yoshida – Really? What did you do there? Playing I would guess?
Rena – I was in charge of the direction the whole time. (laugh) I was on the production side. But it’s not like I did much really. For the cultural festival for example I played a cockroach…
Yoshida – What kind of play has a cockroach in it?! (laugh) 「Terra Formars」 wasn’t even out at the time. (laugh)
Rena - *Ahahaha* We were even ahead of the manga.
Yoshida – So, and without meaning it in a bad way, by becoming an idol you’ve entered a role of sort.
Rena – In a way, that’s it. But I gave up on everything in the springtime of my life for it and played my part with my whole being.
Yoshida – Meaning you’re different from the natural born idols out there then.
Rena – We’re a bit different indeed. I’m normally just an otaku.
Yoshida – I know that. (laugh) Speaking of which, after watching the movie I noticed how different was Matsui Jurina-chan was. She might be one of those natural born idols don’t you think?
Rena – She lives rushing straight ahead.
Yoshida – People who are playing a role, whatever the situation, have to take a moment, even a split second, to process how to react, right?
Rena – I know I do. I start calculating my options. (laugh)
Yoshida – While Jurina-chan’s reactions pop-up without delay. It’s easy to see she isn’t playing them. I thought then that you two were complete opposite.
Rena – People have said that if Jurina was like the sun, I was like the moon. Jurina is very straightforward, she goes right where her mind is.
Yoshida – Is it correct to say that in the movie Rena-chan is being more careful?
Rena – Certainly, having in mind all sorts of parameters and trying to balancing them I end up adopting a more cautious stance. But in my relationship with Jurina, I don’t take any such precautions.
Yoshida – Oh? Is that because it would be hard to bear for you?
Rena – That’s not it… It’s because everyone around her is being excessively cautious that I, on the contrary, am not treating her with special attention. Jurina is definitely an extraordinary being for SKE48, so everyone take a step back when it comes to her. It’s true that she is on the front line, others are overly conscious that she at the vanguard of the group leading it, which also means that nowadays there are barely any member who will talk straight to Jurina to express their opinion. So I think that if even me, who’ve been to her side all this time, was taking a step back too, it would destroy the balance we’ve created. Believing it wouldn’t be good in any way for Jurina herself, I’ve decided not to exercise caution in the slightest around her.
Yoshida – I see… Your dynamic is the complex result of everything you’ve overcome together, right?
Rena – We’ve been constantly together for the past 6 years after all. (laugh)
One to exert herself for fans
Yoshida – You’re currently in concurrent position with Nogizaka46, and just last week we received them together in our show, but I couldn’t help to notice how Rena-chan treatment in the group was more like that of a guest.
Rena – I’m getting along with Nogizaka46 members, we perform together, we discuss how to improve together too. But may it be with Nogizaka46, AKB48 or even SKE48, I’m still acting as a lone wolf. Nothing unusual there. (laugh)
Yoshida – But pushing a bit further in the “loner” topic, if your otaku nature certainly explains part of your tendency to isolate yourself, watching the movie I also felt that your “loner” character was accentuated by the fact that there was nobody thinking on the same level as you do.
Rena – It might be partially true… However there is Suda Akari who also always thinking of reaching for what the perfect idol should be, always trying to elevate herself and has the same state of mind than me. When she joined Team S, I could feel we were thinking alike and immediately felt a strong sympathy for her.
Yoshida – In what sense were you similar?
Rena – We would turn all our attention toward fans and exert ourselves for them, rather than prioritizing blending with other members, we would focus all our energy on fans and make them our number one priority.
Yoshida – Did that probe bashing from other members?
Rena – It did lead to some misunderstandings , but she was giving her very best in her own way, and her stance was so close from mine when I joined SKE48 that I immediately noticed her. We are now in the same team and I fully rely to Akarin, she make a very easy to communicate with leader.
Yoshida – Suda-san was determinate to raise and took every opportunity, no matter where she standed, to reach her goal.
Rena – Yes. And she managed, she made it to where she aimed to be.
Escaping the boiling frog fate!
Yoshida – Listening to the interviews in the movie I got the feeling that you were bearing some sort of mission “We have to do something to restore SKE48”, does the question of what you should do also weighs on your mind?
Rena – There is a way.
Yoshida – Which is?
Rena – To break it.
Yoshida – Wohoo!
Rena – Fastest option. But it would mean big losses too.
Yoshida – How many victims would that make? (laugh) Not to mention fans would be impacted too. Well, in last resort it might be a solution, better than to end like a boiling frog I suppose. (tln : better than to die slowly)
Rena – Even if it’s worth considering, it’s hardly realistic. So we must provoke as much changes as possible in SKE48 right now. Just like Jurina and me have been for the past 6 years, I think it’s ok to make the two centers of our new single the stable centers of the group for the next 6 years. Or to fast-track one of the freshly arrived 7th generation girl to be center just like Jurina when she debuted. .. I don’t think it’s effective to make changes just to return to the status quo immediately after.
Yoshida – New shifts you says… Rena-chan really holds a producer’s eye on the situation. What would you say about producing idols inside of SKE48 itself?
Rena – I’d love that! I want to try producing an unit of 5 girls or so. With a distinct colour from everything seen in SKE48 so far, with tons of performances outside, thus attracting new fans.
Yoshida – I’m curious of the result you would obtain. Anyhow, if that becomes reality one day, you can be sure the quick-sighted idol fans won’t let it slip. (laugh)
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There is a lot to discuss here. How Rena “played” (sublimely!) being an idol for 7 years ; her idea of putting a 7th gen center all of the sudden which may have had an influence on management’s choice to put Rara front row in Mae Nomeri and why Rena has been backing her so heavily in her various posts ; how the idea of forming a sub-unit could relate to Babymetal phenomenon and Sakura Gakuin ; her dynamic with J etc…
On a lighter note though : “I was in charge of the direction the whole time.” ( ･´ｰ･｀)ゥﾌﾌ
