Q&A (Okamoto Hina, BOMB; 23.03.2025)
"The 6th generation girls are so lovely... I hope they'll feel free to come talk to me."
Q&A featuring Hinadani talking about her 5th generation center song, the 6kis and the overall photoshoot.
23.03.2025
Q: Hina-chan, since this is your first appearance on BOMB, how was today's photoshoot?
A: The shoot was so relaxing and enjoyable that it almost felt like it took place in my free time. During the shoot at the park, I got to eat some of my beloved baked sweet potatoes - which were really delicious (laughs).
Q: So you like baked sweet potatoes.
A: I LOVE sweet potatoes. In autumn, whenever I go to the supermarket I buy some, steam them at home and then bring them to rehearsals (laughs).
Q: How'd you like the costumes?
A: The shirt I had on over my loungewear was super duper cute. 'T was a bit unusual in its design and quite large. I don't usually pick out such baggy shirts myself, so it felt fresh.
[Shirt in question ⬇️]
Q: 'Tis what you'd call a 'boyfriend shirt'.
A: Ah, I see. 'T was large because it was a boyfriend shirt. Understood. I put it on while thinking it was a size too big or something (laughs).
Q: You've made great progress since the latter half of last year, and you were even selected as the center of the 5th generation song on the 37th single.
A: All the fans, the members and the staff were incredibly happy, and that's what made me the happiest. But I myself couldn't rejoice innocently, [due to] feeling pressure and anxiety... I feel like I was fighting against all sorts of things.
Q: The song itself - including the dance - feels like it was made just for Hina-chan.
A: Really? The song starts with a beautiful piano tune, and in the midst of the song there's some harp, turning it into a beautiful classical-style piece of music.
Q: Your fleeting singing voice matched the melody like a glove, and it was really wonderful indeed.
A: Thank you very much (laughs). The dance also has a lot of ballet elements, and the choreography wouldn't work unless I danced it properly. I was happy to think that so much love was put into making it, but at the same time, I thought it was super difficult LOL. It was a cold day when we shot the music video, but everyone worked hard and I think it turned out to be a very wonderful piece.
Q: In the New Year's card project on Nogizaka Koujichuu too, you ended up receiving the most cards out of everyone in the 5th generation, didn't you? You also received cards from 3rd generation members such as Ito Riria-chan and Sato Kaede-chan... Perhaps you're the type that gets doted on by your seniors.
A: No, no. I felt bad for receiving more New Year's cards than I sent out... But I was REALLY happy. Riria-chan put in a hidden message in origami in my New Year's card, and the moment I read it, I burst into tears even though we were in the middle of recording.
Q: Hina-chan has great 'junior power', but at last the 6th generation will be joining the group.
A: I understand their feelings, so much so that it hurts - like how much pressure they must be under or how anxious they must feel - because I went through it myself three years ago. Seeing them trying to introduce themselves with all their might in the midst of it all, I found them INCREDIBLY precious.
Q: Among the 6th generation members, there's also 14-year-old Hina-chan.
A: Right! The youngest girl has the same name as I do. Kawabata Hina-chan. She looks so grown-up, so I was surprised to hear that she's only fourteen. I may be an unreliable senior, but I think that makes me easy to talk to, so I hope the 6th generation girls will feel free to come talk to me. Such is the atmosphere I'd like to create.
Q: Recently, what exchanges have you had with the members?
A: I meet with Sacchan (Sugawara Satsuki) almost every day. When we were working on the musical 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon', I felt that we had the same enthusiasm for the stage so we started talking, and even though she's younger than me, I feel like her mental age is that of a grown-up's, so I feel at home around her. Above all, she's really funny (laughs). I never thought I'd be able to make such like-minded friends as an adult, so I'm happy.
