Lovey Dovey Interview (Shunkan AKB Habu Mizuho x Koike Minami)

From keyakizakamatome Tumblr

'I' stands for 'Interviewer'

I What do you like about each other?

Koike: Everything! I like everything about Habu-chan! (Smiling as she relaxed)

Habu: I like her “sense of femininity”.

I Eh. Suddenly you become “serious” (laughs). Do you usually get along well?

Habu: Yes we do. We sit next to each other in the dressing room. When we talk it’s always at the same pace. I become relaxed around her, and I started to think that she’s similar to me. When did we begin to speak with each other?

Koike: It feels like I was aiming for her because I like her. Habu-chan is often with Yuuka (Sugai Yuuka). I aimed for the moment Habu-chan is alone without Yuuka and started talking with her, fufufu

I Habu-chan just recently went to FujiQ with Sugai-san

Habu: Sugai-chan and Mii-chan are also close with each other. When we went to FujiQ, I could feel Mii-chan’s jealously (laughs)

Koike: Yes, I was pretty jealous. I got jealous after reading the blog, but I am not good at thrill rides so that’s why I might not have been invited. I thought that it was my fault

I Have you two gone out together?

Habu: We went once. We took purikura together too.

Koike: After that, we went shopping. But, we like different styles of clothing so we went shopping on our own. Sometimes when we meet each other we go “Ah~!”. That already happened 3 or 4 times (laughs)

I How do you two interact backstage?

Koike: Actually, not much when everyone’s present… Especially when Habu-chan is with Yuuka… But when we’re with Niji-chan (Ishimori Nijika), I would close in purpose. When it’s only the two of us, I don’t hold back (Serious eyes)

I The two of you by coincidence started becoming radio regulars in April at the same station (MBS). How did you two feel about it?

Habu: This is a solo job, and I am not used to radio. I was worried whether I could talk well or not, but I learned a lot. Since I am not good at talking, iI think this is a great opportunity for me.

Koike: This is also my first solo job. I don’t really stand out in Keyakitte Kakkenai and Keyabingo. I am not good at reactions like Oda Nana (reacting to what’s going on/what the MC says to you), nor do I have the confidence in talking. I am nervous since it’s a one on one talk with Yoshida Terumi-san (her co-MC), but I’ve unexpectedly had a lot of fun since the first time. I can say now what I couldn’t say at first.. I am happy if the people listening could think “So this is who Koike Minami is”

I And Habu-chan’s radio is a 4 person girls talk.

Habu: I am with older ladies,  Asahina Aya-san, Makino Yumi-san, and Hasake Mai-san. At first I didn’t understand the atmosphere. I could not keep up with the speed either, but everyone started talking with me backstage. Lately I’ve been able to speak little by little.

Koike: Every Saturday I have my mom call me from Kansai and she listened to Habu-chan’s radio over the phone (It’s broadcasted in Kansai).

Habu: Eh~ Is that so?

Koike: Lately, my mom has been talking about Habu-chan a lot. She said “It ended in a flash”

Habu: Fascinating!

I Sometimes it’s not only about girls talk but also news about society.

Habu: When I was suddenly asked about that, I was unable to answer. Every since I started the radio I’ve begun to watch the news. There are also talks about love, like your ideal love, and talking about the future, like what kind of person do you want to marry. There are a lot of delusions.

I On the other hand, Koike-san’s radio has popular Showa songs as the theme. Is there is any reason why you like Showa songs?

Koike: When i was 3rd grade of Elementary School, I was still sleeping with my parents. My father likes to sleep while listening to music. At that time he was listening to a song by Anzen Chitai-san and he told me that “This is from Showa”. From then on, I began searching for Showa artists on my own using my computer.

I What did you learn from the experienced Yoshida-san?

Koike: There are many things. I think it’s amazing how he quickly come out with something after pausing with “Eh~”. I started to think about how to be able to think so quickly, so I started writing in my script with a blue pen. I took notes of all our conversations. That way I can revisit it again

I Do your parents and friends listen to your radio?

Koike: Yes they do. Every week. My father would send me a mail the next day after the radio. I often talk about my father in the radio, so he would send me some information about himself and say “I want you to say this”. I’m absolutely not going to (laughs)

Habu: Eeh~ (laughs)

Koike: My mother is also a listener. She listens to the songs we played on the radio and says things like “I like that song too”. The other day I sang “Machibuse” and she told me “You should do it more seriously, that one was definitely not”

Habu: I am not from Kansai, I am from Hiroshima. Keyakake is only broadcasted in Kanto. Fans from Kansai would come to me handshake and say things like “I always look forward for it” “I listen to your radio” and that makes me very happy. They also give me advice, and say “So Habu-chan likes this”

I What is your goal as a radio regular?

Habu: The 3 older ladies are very good at talking. They also have a lot of knowledge. I want to watch more news. I also want to talk about the things that are currently popular like anime and games- which is my speciality. I want to show more of my personality.

Koike: I always depend on Yoshida Terumi-san, so I want to be able to start a topic on my own. I want to get better and I want to tease Yoshida-san. I always get teased, so I’m going to give it back (laughs). There’s still a lot of me that i haven’t been able to show

I It’s been one year since your debut. Your latest single, Fukyouwaon, has sold 740.000 copies (Orion chart). The momentum is still going strong

Koike: In the end, we think we are still lacking. It’s because of AKB-san and Nogizaka-san that things went so smoothly for us. Everything is going so well for Keyakizaka, and I have not felt a sense of accomplishment within myself. Even so, I still want to put in a lot more effort. I think it is good to go further beyond what the fans expected of us. Something that only “Keyaki” can do

Habu: I am thankful for the working opportunities given to us, like the drama. But like Miichan, I think that we must give more than what expected of us. Personally, there are still so many things that I regretted. Now that I have been given an opportunity like radio, I want to let myself out and try my best to be myself!

“Program’s Mail”

I To understand what the listener feels, why don’t you to send out mail to each other’s programs? Please write your trouble with your radio work

Habu: I got hungry mid-radio. What should I do?(Radio name: Habu-chan).

Koike: You used the wrong character “途”… (laughs) [[This one is lost in translation]]

Habu: Eehh~!? This is embarrassing! (laughs). I ate my dinner at about 7PM, but I always get hungry again at midnight. Sometimes people tell me “Your stomach rumbles”

Koike: My radio also airs late at night. When I’m hungry, when the songs are playing I drink water. So much that my stomach starts to inflate

Habu: Water, huh! I’ll try it next time

Koike: After a radio broadcast, it’s hard for me to fall asleep because I’m already awake for too long. What should I do so I can sleep? (Radio name: A human being who loves Habu-chan)

Habu: Ah~ After a broadcast, huh? After a broadcast I always went to sleep but it seems like Miichan is the type that stay awake.

Koike: I usually sleep at 10 or 11PM, but when I have radio I want to talk as much as possible so I try to wake up. After the radio ends, I stay in that condition and when I realise it’s already morning…

Habu: When Miichan listens to music you always use earbuds, right? Why don’t you try listening to music on the way home? When I can’t sleep, I usually listen to music. “Music that makes you fall asleep” like, if from Keyakizaka, it’s ‘Kimi ga Inai’

Koike: I see… I wonder if the problem comes from myself. Oh well, i’m going try listen to Shigeshi-ra Band (laughs)

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Special thanks to Eiffel from Discord46 for proofreading