Tuesday 31 May 2016

Berryz Kobo x ℃-ute Cross Talk 03: Tsugunaga Momoko x Tokunaga Chinami

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hello! Project Kids in 2012, a book entitled Rival - 12 shoujo no 10-nen monogatari - (The 10-year legend of the 12 girls) was released. The book contains 2-page discussions between various pairings of the girls, covering all 66 possible combinations. In the process of reading this book, I'll be putting up some highlights as I read through the interviews.


Special Crosstalk Book "RIVAL 12 shoujyo no 10 nen monogatari (10 years stories of 12 girls)" / Berrz Kobo / Cute

Tsugunaga Momoko X Tokunaga Chinami

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First of all, why are you said to be on bad terms with one another?

Tokunaga: We did a radio programme when we were still small (JOQR 'Berryz Kobo Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki!') All of us spoke from our core, Momo as well, with her inner cutesy character, that's not it....

Tsugunaga: My merits, my merits.

Tokunaga: She talked using her merits, but I hated it when she put on that facade, so we would end up seemingly clashing. What's more, debates were held on that radio programme, and we both would say what we wanted to say, so the fans started to think that we were on bad terms.

Tsugunaga: Even on TV, lots of people would ask us whether we got along, and we'd just reply that we get along normally.

Tokunaga: Your run-of-the-mill idols would probably try appeal to the audience by declaring their friendship, but we're be like, 'Nah, it's nothing out of the ordinary (laughs)'.

Tsugunaga: But whatever she says, Chinami likes me, right?

Tokunaga: That's what I hate about you.

You really said it (laughs).

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What was the first impression that you had about one another?

Tokunaga: From way back, with her cutesiness, she was my complete opposite. I wondered what was up with this girl. I come from a noisy family of four sisters, and in summer, I'd wear a T-shirt and shorts, but Momo would wear things like pink-coloured clothes. It surprised me how much Momo was my exact opposite.

Tsugunaga: Despite us having anime voices and even with us sharing the same 'Naga' in our family names, I thought that we were completely and totally opposite types. And while pink is a colour that I really like, when Tsunku♂-san decided on our image colours, Chinami got pink as a base. And so when we were small, I thought that Chinami was underhanded.

Tokunaga: But I had no idea whether it would have been a good idea to mention that I don't really like pink...

Tsugunaga: When I heard that, I wondered why you didn't like pink. It would be fine if you would be proud of it, but I was like 'the heck?' (laughs)

Tokunaga: Be it the colour pink, or be it Momo, I've never been good at dealing with them since I was small (laughs). 

Tsugunaga: But that's become a joke now. Even on stage, you'd say that you really hated me.

Tokunaga: Because of that, at handshakes, Momo's fans would tell me not to bully Momochi. It's been happening all the time since 4 years back, and while I think in my heart, 'I'm not bullying her though', I'm also wondering how I should answer. What's more, if Momo's next to me and catches it, she'll grin, and thank that person.

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As a person, what do you acknowledge [about Tsugunaga-san]?

Tokunaga: She's amazing as an idol.

Tsugunaga: Oh my, to that extent (laughs)?

Tokunaga: I think it's really amazing that even now, you're able to sing Berryz Kobo's cute songs from way back, maintaining the cuteness of how we sang when we were small. In the midst of growing up, there are songs that we feel are too cute for us, but since Momo has kept on maintaining how she is from back then, it's like she's not letting the fans down as an idol. I think it's amazing how all of those so-called classic idol songs are her forte. I don't have sexiness nor cuteness, which is no good......

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The both of you have your own distinctive characteristics, don't you? Looking at the both of you, you aren't the bestest of buddies, yet it doesn't feel like you find it difficult to talk with one another, it feels like you just bandy about what words you need.

Tsugunaga: Yup, that's really how it is.

Tokunaga: As that doesn't get through to the fans, I'd like to take this opportunity to get that across. So that I don't get told to stop bullying Momochi (laughs).

In the future, do you feel like it's possible that the 2 of you might become bosom buddies?

Tokunaga: I don't think so (immediate reply).

Tsugunaga: Well, isn't it possible? We might end up so close that we'll give each other wake-up calls every morning.

Tokunaga: I can't listen to your voice in the morning (laughs).

Tsugunaga: So it's not what we talk about, it's the voice (laughs).

Tokunaga: Generally, people change throughout middle and senior high, right? But the both of us haven't changed ever since our debut, so I think we'll be as we are our whole lives.

Tsugunaga: On that topic, Chinami, you sent me a message with a heart attached, didn't you. It was a black heart for some reason though (laughs). But that itself, despite being black, meant that you felt like you wanted to send me a heart, didn't it? For you, something like a star shape is more befitting of your image, but you took it upon yourself to pick a heart, but you picked a black one because you were embarrassed, weren't you? 

Tokunaga: Unfortunately, your way of thinking is mistaken (laughs). Momo, you'll always send pink hearts. So with the black heart that's made of simpler code rather than emoji, I'm just trying to show you that I'm taking it into consideration (rather than wanting to use a heart to make up for emoji). Momo, you're reading too much into it, all of it (laughs).

Tsugunaga: No, no, you're not realising it. Those are your true feelings (laughs).

Tokunaga: That's what I hate about you.

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1 comment:

  1. This bantering is perfectly hilarious. I have always thought that these two should put together a stand-up comedy act and take it on the road.

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