#quick japan

I’m struck by how many people are reacting with, “Wait, Perfume were idols?” The full answer is written in Quick Japan issue 74, published in 2007, so I’ll share its contents when I have time. It’s a copy I’ve carefully kept for 18 years.

"Are Perfume idols or artists?” Idols can become artists, and there are countless cases where artists are treated like idols. There’s no real basis for saying idols are beneath artists, either. Brushing aside questions like that, these three have achieved feats that countless artists never could. The strongest trio in history. Today, we witness them.

Hating beautiful things, Want for the honest feelings to reach.

It was never meant as 'I'm in pain.' nor 'I didn't want to do it.' This girl knows the beauty, and the self-demon of a living human being, who cannot be easily cleaned up by those simple words. This girl's name is Hirate Yurina. To whomsoever out there who shoulder the same teen loneliness, same pain-- 'those emotion, get through' and her figure walking in the wilderness of people without crying as much as she can, is too transient, too noble.

Q: I'll be starting with a bit personal questions. This year, you're starting highschool. In your highschool life, what did you enjoy the most?

Techi: I don't know if I could tell that she's a good friend, but I'm able to talk to the kid. When I was with the kids, then I forgot that I had job, I think they said “I'm just a normal highschool kid.”

Q: But I think if you could be confident when you're with them, that's good. Usually, what did you talk with the kids?

Techi: Stuffs about the school.......Very very normal. Things like “That kid, I really liked him, but... what do you think?”, and also love consultations also often happened. I don't know the reason why, but They often consulted their love problems with me (laughing).

Q: Maybe it's because of Hirate-san, they want to consult it with you. Maybe they expect to get good answers from you.

Techi: But I cannot give good advice. Just like 'The way people think is different from one another' or 'isn't it good?' That kind of reply might not really ease their problems but, we're not junior high students anymore, so we should answer those expectation by ourselves way of thinking and that we will be fine that way.... I think.

Q: in reverse, is there any switch to change between natural Keyakizaka and work-mode Keyakizaka?

Techi: how should I put it.... well, there's a lot of things to think about. Sometimes things are heard in talks between members and staffs, the I think like 'Ah, I think so, too' and got a bit curious about it. I might become a bit more sensitive at work.

Q: Can you have a moment to properly relax a bit?

A: I really like strolling around. Between shooting I often idly walking around. I don't like being confined in one site, so occasionally I stroll around with Manager-san. That time, I really like to have some meaningless talks, like, for example “If Hirate-san is going to be reincarnated, what do you want to be?” “maybe dandelion~”, really talks without any meaning (laughing). Maybe that's the time I feel really relaxed.

'What do you know about me?'

Q: This year Keyakizaka appeared in the national arena tours, also the Fes and events, with a very fierce performances. Isn't that really harsh physically and mentally?

Techi: That has been asked a lot. But we don't feel any bother doing performances fiercely. We said that we want to do it. There are times when our physical condition couldn't keep up, too. When 'ROCK IN JAPAN 2017', I suddenly thought I'd ask staffs, 'Water please, I want to wear hat.' Because it was really hot, but because we need to get fired up that was not a right time...that time I really think ‘I wanna wear a hat' (laughing).

Q: In the last national arena tour, you solo performed 'Jibun no Hitsugi.' The figure of Hirate-san that strummed the guitar while singing, and engulfed by flame is really beyond the word of impactful.

Techi: Actually, there's something that I had thought before. But that level of performance would make the venue couldn't be used for the next performance (laughing). At first, I will get into a coffin, then the coffin will be burned. Meanwhile when I was inside the coffin I will change into Fukyuwaon costume. Then afterwards I will come out of the coffin tattered up, then continue to perform. (That way) I didn't just wanna perform flashily, but after I thought hard, that's how I thought the song had to be shown. I thought that it would be better to play the guitar by myself, and I played it properly.

Q: How do you share that brilliant and crisp image with the staff?

Techi: When I heard the song, the image of myself being engulfed in flame came. Then I searched pictures that quite close to the image in the internet and send them. I always send everything without any logical reasoning in context at all and saying 'How 'bout this?' But a reply came (laughing).

Q: Is it the same with live performances and the album 'Masshiro mono wa Yogoshitaku Naru', how's the production process?

Techi: This year, the feeling of wanting to deliver songs has become very strong. For that reason, our visual, as well as design, song order, all of it should be ideally designed so it's not only music that will be delivered. We always thought about how this song should be performed on stage, but that alone is bad, I think. I told (the staff) that I want the handwritten 'Getsuyoubi no asa, skirt wo kirareta' lyric inserted in the end of the album.

Q: Why, especially that song, you want to be included in the album?

Techi: I'm a bit loss in explaining my feeling at that time, because it will not really connected to the album. Because the song that mostly represent the album is 'Getsuyoubi~', the main protagonist of the song's that had the strong feeling of 'wanting to be delivered' is 'What do you know about me?' like the lyric, so it was inserted.

Q: The thing that Hirate-san really wanted to convey is clearly visible, right.

Techi: That's right. For example the setlist, roughly, a month or two before a live, we will share the theme we want to tell and then decide the order of the songs. TAKAHIRO-san's presence is really big in this process. In MV or Album's visual, we were directed by and worked with similar director and cameraman, so I think that really helps. We were blessed.

Q: Often when talking about the focal point of Keyakizaka46 and Hirate-san's expression, I think the remark of 'Otona wa shinyoudekinai' often cited, but in reality it doesn't seem like that at all.

Techi: 'Adults cannot be trusted' that I said was.....how do I say it, in work and business, I really hate people with the mindset of 'for now just do it as it is (without any real effort).' It's not talking about people like TAKAHIRO-san and the staff that really bring seriousness and live full-spirited...

Q: I see. Shall I say that 'adults' as a concept cannot be trusted?

Techi: Sometimes in the recording session, my sound wouldn't come out. When that happened, I became really indebted to the Recording Director. As usual when in the album production process, there might be some people that hurriedly do and say 'let's just record it, fast.' But that person said 'It's okay'....He dimmed the light and let me sing, also did the recording with a minimum number of people. All of us with that person also went eat together. We also thought together how to convey the phrase [what do you know about me?] from 'Getsuyoubi~.' The staff also often really understand my thoughts. If theirs was different (with me) It might have been conflicted. I don't hate if the ideas I brought being told like it's not good like this, or that is not quite right, I'm rather glad that way.

'If I'm not lonely, it will not be delivered'

Q: ‘I want to change', you said when you're auditioning for Keyakizaka46. Until now, how positively have you change?

Techi: I didn't think about it at all. How did it come to this....(laughing). But even so I think I wanted the songs to reach. There are also lots of things I think I'm able to do now. Like performances, costumes, camera proportion, etc. After all no matter how many times you watch, it's needless to say that Keyakizaka's image is 'if it's this much, it's still not gonna be delivered.'

Q: Carrying that much of burden alone, isn't it that much lonely?

Techi: I might not consult about it much with the members...but as expected it's becoming lonely. It is becoming lonely but....maybe it's because I'm still 16 years old. If I grew a little bit more, maybe my way of thinking will change too.

Q: So intentionally, there's a part of you that accepted that loneliness?

Techi: If i don't feel lonely, then I wonder if i can deliver (the song's feeling) to a teenager who shared the same feeling. Because of that, it's impossible (to reach) if I didn't force myself to feel the same suffering. Now, I think I should deliver the song so it reaches the kid whose feeling is really painful. Wherever the teenager who feel the same pain are, they have a strong heart.

Q: That feeling, I think it's not only to the kids, but also delivered to the adults as well. It woke up the stinging important feeling inside, I think Keyakizaka46 also had that urgency to convey.

Techi: Is that so! So it is true. People are just forgot about it. I think anyone actually have that kind of emotion somewhere inside their heart. I'm not joining Keyakizaka because I'm supposed to look cool or cute.... I want to honestly express the feeling that human being can, but do not want to peek inside.

Q: It's really delivered. That's why, I think performance from Keyakizaka46's Hirate-san evokes a sincere reaction.

Techi: I want to deliver that much of honesty feeling. It's okay to be lame. Conversely, it's even better if it's really really lame.

Q: You want to deliver the raw emotion, without any indirect expression, I think.

Techi: I hate beautiful things. People that hid something, people that made lies, I hate those dishonest people. I think the fastest way to express it could only be on the national tour's final show. That's why, those people should really watch it.

Q: As expected, you really want to express it directly. In today's interview I personally thought so. Is there anything you wanna say?

Techi: Fufufu (laughing). Actually I kept things I'm thinking daily in a note. But, if one day I wrote a lyric that will still be a secret. I want to say many things (laughing).

Q: I really really want to hear that.

Techi: After secretly announcing it for a long time, then I'll say 'Actually I'm the one that wrote the song'....It might be interesting (laughing).