Takahashi Minami talks about AKB48 before her graduation.
N°41 : The Princess of Nagoya, Matsui Rena, was Japan’s ultimate “at home wota”!
Rena always worked really hard, even as AKB48 senbatsu member. But even after time had passed I found her… a bit cold. We only talked together on rare occasions. But there was a reason behind it. She was a fan of our group before she entered SKE48. She one day explained me why she was so set back : “For me Takamina-san and Maeda (Atsuko)-san were idols I was watching on TV, idols I admired and who made me dream. I really wanted to get to know you, become friend with you, but I was too nervous and couldn’t bring myself to approach you.”
I had perceived it might be the case. Like she was keeping her distances on purpose, never showing signs that could let other think she was acting as fan.
But having surrounded herself of this particular atmosphere, she felt hard to reach, “distant”.
When she debuted Rena was extremely thin. I seriously wondered 「Is that girl going to be alright? Can she pull it off?」(laughs)
She had a weak constitution and her legs and back could barely carry her. SKE48 focused on dynamic dancing and although she had little physical abilities she was promoted as front member.
And before I knew it she standed there firmly, her who was once like “a poorly articulated puppet” had bloomed into “a girl of steel”. She had kept making efforts so she who wouldn’t fall behind Jurina who had always been a great dancer. And thus one day there she was, standing at the vanguard of SKE48. Pushing over the limits of her body, she exceeded all expectations by her talent in making efforts. I think she is a really hardworking person.
But I her “strength” didn’t lie only in her ability to “push twice as hard as others”. As an idol she was also very talented for handshakes.
Matsui Rena is a bit like… That delicate girl at her desk by the window in the back of the classroom. She is there, reading a book, the curtain moved by the wind brushing her arm gently. That’s probably the image she gives to boys.
「She is so pretty…. Yet she doesn’t have any friends.」
Solitary and somehow inaccessible, always by herself. Because of her frail constitution she is often absent from school. And most boys are attracted to that kind of girl. But since nobody usually approaches her, it requires some courage to dare and go talk to her.
But against all odds, that unapproachable girl has become an idol.
You can meet her during handshake events. You can talk to her and she will carefully listen to you, smiling frankly and being incredibly cute.
After that there is no doubt everyone will be thinking 「I’ll be be the one protecting Rena now!」.
She was this solitary and refined beauty.
An unique figure in AKB48 group.
Many members of the group are actually former idol-fans, the most famous of them being Sashihara Rino. The majority is up-front about it and have participated in other idols events in the past. They’re so called “On the spot wotas”. (tln : on the spot wotas = 現場ヲタ in the text)
But Rena was different, she didn’t let her wota side show and was a “At home wota”. (tln : at home wota = 在宅ヲタ)
I think that’s what made her able to grasp that sort of fans so rightly. I’d dare and say that Matsui Rena was Japan’s ultimate “at home wota”. For people who live their passion remotely, Rena was someone they could relate to, someone who finally understood them, and whom in return they wanted to root for with everything they had.
As I see it, it’s because Rena was always loyal to Nagoya that she shed a particular light on the group 「SKE48’s dance is top notch but there is more to it, it also has refinement.」.
The Matsui Rena I depicted hereinbefore was inextricably linked to Nagoya. Even when she was with us in AKB48 senbatsu, I think her soul was still in Nagoya.
It may not be the best way to put it but I’m under the impression that when she was in AKB48 senbatsu Rena didn’t give her 100%. Not that she was slacking off or anything, she was focused and professional, but she didn’t make use of the full scope of her abilities.
Her true strength was for SKE48 only.
Nobody could take that away from the Princess of Nagoya. Dignified, she stand firm, always, true to her fans.
As General Manager this reality was a bit frustrating for me back then, but now looking back I think it was part of what made Matsui Rena who she was.
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「Her true strength was for SKE48 only」( ˘ω˘)♥