Quick Japan Vol.135 – Tsuchida Teruyuki & Sawabe Yuu

Tsuchida Teruyuki and Sawabe Yuu (Haraichi), two MCs that always watch over the girls at their own regular television programs “Keyakitte, Kakenai?” that started airing right after their establishment, were looking back at the group in 2017!


- Which is the most memorable segment this year?

Sawabe: For me it was “let’s arrange who is the favorite among members!” segment (ep78). We didn’t know anything about the relationship among members, and then they were suddenly crying in the middle of the show, I thought it’s just crazy (laugh).

Tsuchida: The first member who cried was Shida. And then, Ozeki cried, Kobayashi also cried… I was like “What are you crying for!?”.

Sawabe: It seems like I was watching “Terrace House” or “Ainori”. Of course other female idol groups also have “relationship diagram” like that, but no group ever revealed it as clear as this group did.

Tsuchida: Then, something silly also happened on the “True Horror Stories” segment (ep93). The top batter Sugai even laughed from the beginning, and Saito Kyoko also laughed all the time, she is really a psychopath.

Sawabe: On the segment where individuals really stand out, we’re able to understand their personalities.

- Is there any member which your impression toward her changed?

Sawabe: My impression changed toward the new front members: Ishimori, Ozeki, and Habu (ep99).

Tsuchida: That’s right. Since last summer, we can see “Let’s do it” spirit from Habu.

Sawabe: On the sport festival (ep103-105), we made fun of Kanji Keyakizaka as “a bunch of PTA aunties”, actually Habu secretly told us “I often feel pain on my waist, please make fun of me”. She gave us that auntie-like information on her own (laugh). *PTA = Parent-Teacher Association*

Tsuchida: Ishimori and Ozeki really want to be someone like Kobayashi, and when they tried to be silent just like her, they disappeared from the screen, it made me really surprised. I told them, “Hey, that’s not your portion!”. (laugh)

Sawabe: From our perspective, they actually understood that such a character doesn’t fit them, but there must be an inner conflict within themselves.

Tsuchida: Last year, their personalities didn’t really stand out as they do now. They want to be a character as elegant as their sister Nogizaka46, so apparently they had a hard time to accept that themselves are too far away from their ideal at first. Ishimori even said, “Finally I got used to my stupid character”. I think 2017 might be the year where they could finally accept their respective characters.

Sawabe: It must be difficult for them. Even us, as comedian, wanted to be a comedian like Downtown-san at first, but we just can’t be like them.

Tsuchida: There is no single comedian that want to be like Dachou Kurabu right from the beginning. Ueshima Ryuuhei (Dachou Kurabu’s member) even said, “Honestly, I want to be a MC” (laugh). Speaking of showing personality, Nagasawa-kun seemed pretty normal at first, but now she understands that she have to respond back whenever we make fun of her. And there was “troubled Oda Nana” situation, normally she always responds back to everything we said without a bit of reluctant face, but this time, when we asked her to act as a snake (ep97), she said “I don’t get it at all!”.

Sawabe: Ah, that’s right, it turned out we’re relying too much on her (laugh).

- Hiragana Keyaki appeared more often this year, didn’t they?

Tsuchida: I used to appear together with various kind of idols on televison programs back then, but Kanji Keyakizaka is surprisingly very quiet (laugh). Compared to them, Hiragana is more classic idol. With oldest members like Kato and Sasaki Kumi as their core, airhead Iguchi, quiet Mei-chan, and super funny Kyoko, I think they worked really hard. In order to get more chances to promote themselves, I think they should get their own television program somewhere else.

Sawabe: Without Neru, their working-hard spirit is even stronger now. And they will receive more courage from the 2nd generation.

Tsuchida: I’m pretty sure they can work hard in any kind of segment. I think it might be somehow connected to the interesting part of Kanji Keyakizaka46 that doesn’t seem to aim anything.

- Both of you also came to see their summer tour. Compared to when they are in the studio, do you think they had different aura at that time?

Sawabe: The atmosphere around them was really different compared to when they are in the studio. After the concert ended, I was too nervous to greet them at the backstage.

Tsuchida: Well, it’s their main job after all. But they didn’t change a bit when they met us, so we didn’t feel any sense of distance between us. Compared to their Ariake Live back then, there was an improvement in their dance and expression, I thought they had worked really hard.

- Do you mind to tell us your expectation toward them next year?

Tsuchida: I don’t expect anything (laugh). This is not kind of program that trying to do something funny, I just want them to think of this program as something like “Tetsuko’s Room”. “Keyakake” is a talk show. So, they don’t have to push themselves too hard to do funny things, all they need to do is to behave as usual.

Sawabe: If they can come to the studio with enthusiasm every week, it’s more than enough.

Tsuchida: That’s right, this program is their hometown after all.

- I think your words will make them happy.

Tsuchida: Well, I’m not even sure (laugh). Since they’re very busy, if they can think that way, they will go through several years to come. When things like member graduation and position change make the balance of this group altering, whether they can overcome it or not, they will face that kind of trials in the future. Even at such hard times, it will be good if they can still enjoy things.



PICKUP 1:
“Let’s arrange who is the favorite among members!” segment revealed the complicated relationship among members (ep78). At the end of the show which is somehow full of tears, Yonetani said “This group is wrong in every aspect!”

PICKUP 2:
In the “True Horror Stories” segment, Sugai failed to make progress with her story because she couldn’t restrain herself from laughing. She received one last chance, and finally could make it until the mid of the story, but suddenly blurt out a phrase that sounds so familiar before she failed once again.

PICKUP 3:
In the episode of Hiragana 2nd generation’s first appearance (ep101), there was a battle between Watanabe Miho, who has 10 years experience of playing basketball, and another experienced person, Sawabe. Watanabe kept provoking Sawabe before the battle started. This battle of destiny happened once again in the later sport festival.

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sorry for my bad english, special thanks to toomuchidea for the RAW