sakaeandfrog:

Jurina solo interview Hot Express music magazine website, January 24th.

Where we lean that … she needs to beg Churi every damn time she wants to have lunch with her. What kind of heresy is that? Is there really nobody to be nice with Ju’ in SKE? (´；д；`)　Or is that some kind of curse that makes that the girls she likes act like ice queens toward her… Poor kid.

——

After a year of trials…. Jurina solo interview!
 
A first ranking on top of Oricon charts overshadowed by the great earthquake, the struggles during the General Elections, the defeat at the doors of the selections during janken tournament and Kohaku.
At the difference of SKE48 who made a big leap in popularity this year, wasn’t 2011 a year of trials for Jurina? With that idea in mind, I head to interview SKE48 immutable center, Matsui Jurina! Of course, I’ll also ask her about the new and shocking single 「Kataomoi Finally」.
 
— To start, should we review the past year from start to end?

Jurina - Please, go ahead.

— SKE48 released its spring single 「Banzai Venus」 and obtained for the 1st time its so long awaited Oricon n°1. But this release occurred on March 9th, making the success hardly enjoyable.

Jurina - I turned 14 the day before the release, I was really happy at that time. But then, the great earthquake occurred… By singing and dancing, we wanted more than anything to bring even a little bit of life and give courage to the people, even if only to one person, but there were words like “Banzai!” in those lyrics…
And then when SKE48 got the chance to perform in Sendai, remembering the area stuck I had visited previously, I wondered if the atmosphere would be solemn there too. Wasn’t the case at all! Everyone had regain their smiles and we were said 「Thank you for coming!」.
At that time, I thought to myself that we had to repay our fans the best that we could, no matter what. We’re are based in Nagoya, but there are certain persons who can’t go there. Our will to deliver smiles and energy to not only Sendai but the whole country grew stronger than ever in us at that time.

— And then at the beginning of summer SKE48 transferred to Avex, right after were hold the General Elections, where you drop to the 14th place being effectively put out of the media selection. You didn’t shed a tear on stage, I imagine however that you must have been quiet frustrated by this outcome.

Jurina - I allow myself to cry when I’m moved (tl : excitement, overjoy, because of deep emotion), but I hate when I let tears out due to vexation or frustration! It’s thanks to all those who cast a vote for me, all the fans for whom I was number one that I reached that position. I realized I had to accept this result as it was and was sincerely grateful.
After the election fans apologized 「Sorry…」, maybe was it a way to express their will to push me further from then on. Being sad together, sharing the same emotions, made me really glad but more than anything I wanted to express my gratitude toward them.

But then of course if was frustrating… So when I’m a bit more mature, I want to reach the media selection.
Even now, there is the problem of my age and the hurdle that comes with it that is I can’t work late. I think it’s ok if I only enter the media selection when this problem is completely solved!

— If you had to guess, why do you think your ranking dropped compared with the previous elections?

Jurina - Hum~…., why indeed? It’s hard to tell….. Hummmm !?

— As SKE48 immutable center, who has pushed her team forward since its very formation, could it be that you start thinking “That’s ok if we don’t support me individually”?

Jurina - Maybe that’s part of the answer. I absolutely don’t think I’m perfect and I can’t help but think that people who are a bit clumsy are cute. But then I’m often told 「You can do anything, right Jurina?」…
But you know, I’m a bad swimmer! (laugh) During the swimming competition, people found out and I heard things like 「Even Jurina can’t do certain things….. Actually, that’s really cute!」. When there is something you can’t do, it allows you to progress by getting over this obstacle, to have the 「Let’s do our best!」spirit.

Also lately, to my own amazement, I’ve often been said that I was like (Ooshima) Yuko-san. She is also the kind of person who can do anything, isn’t she? When people think 「It’s only natural for you to be able to do that」it comes with benefits, but also disadvantages.

— In addition, you’re the kind to look after the other members right?

Jurina - On certain aspects I believe I’ve grown up to act too much like an adult, but truth is I get my feelings hurt really easily and I’m weak. Weaker than anyone else I think. If I don’t pretend to be tough I won’t be able to pull everyone forward, so I arbitrarily tell to myself 「Be strong!」. I do realize this and sometimes I wonder 「Do I really need to be that harsh with myself?」.
But then I put pressure on myself and give my best by thinking 「I must be the one to do it」!(TL : alternative translation 「If I don’t do it myself, nobody will」)
The members say that a lot, when I’m on stage I’m very focused and they can safely rely on me, but as soon as we reach the dressing room I revert back to being a kid (laugh).

— The summer release 「Pareo wa Emerald」 sold over 500k copies, SKE48 fame and degree of popularity exploded. As the leading force of the group, did you feel the weight of your responsibilities or pressure on your shoulders increase at that time?

Jurina - Before we were saying 「Let’s be N°1!」, at unison with our fans. But now that we’ve ranked 1st in charts it shifted to 「Next time too we need to top the charts!」. I think everyone felt that change.
In the past, lots of people asked 「are you AKB48?」or 「SKB?」 (laugh), but now they recognize us. It came to the point that we need to be vigilant when we walk in town. I’m gad we became popular but we need to be careful about our personal appearance at any time. I talked to the members, urging them to have a professional attitude but I wonder how much came across …. (laugh).

— During the 2nd janken tournament in autumn, you’ve been defeated one round away from entering the selection. But in reality, at that time SKE48 had a lot of work to deal with. Didn’t you feel actually relieved by this turn of event?

Jurina - Indeed, I felt a bit relieved. But in term of bringing more light to SKE48, two members would have been much better than only one. Plus, isn’t it totally cool to be able to say 「I can enter the selection even with janken!」? So in my mind I absolutely had to win this tournament! I was sure nobody could beat me, thus I decided to wear this bousouzoku jacket (tl : motorcycle gangs’ typical long coat), so it was hard to lose so close from the goal….

—Then came request hour in November. For the 2nd year in a row Rena’s 「Kareha no Station」 ended up 1st, 2nd being 「Omatase Set list」from the freshly implemented Team KII first original stage. To tell the truth, I wanted Jurina’s unit song to rank higher.

Jurina - Thank you very much. I was slightly anxious before the results came out 「We have more songs now, it will certainly rank lower….」. But amazingly enough, it didn’t drop! (tl : Omoide Ijou ranked 5th in 2010 and 2011) I really felt it was a miracle that 「Glory Days」 didn’t drop much either. I’m extremely happy that the unit songs I participated in ranked that high.

— Speaking of which, Jurina’s solo song…

Jurina - I want one!

— That’s a straight answer isn’t it (laugh)?

Jurina - I want it! It’s about time, for my solo song! (TL : that’s one of her famous pun with そろそろ/ソロ)

— I expected you to say that (laugh). What kind of song do you hope for?

Jurina - I want to try a sexy song with an adult feel in it. Rena-chan has a song with a quiet feel in it, while something hyper  would be better for me. I’m dieing to have a song with a cool dance a la Namie Amuro! I really really want to dance! (laugh)

— Could you tell us how you perceive Rena, what kind of person she is to you?

Jurina - Honestly, I don’t think she is a rival. Everyone ask me 「Actually, you’re rivals right?」 but, after thinking carefully about it, only our family names clash together! We are years apart and our personalities are different too.
Even though, we are often compared and my fans often tell me 「Don’t lose to Rena-chan!」, but it’s not about winning or losing. Rather, even if we all compete against each others and people around us get really excited about it, we don’t really pay attention to it.

— And of course, with the end of the year came Kohaku, I think it’s extremely regrettable that SKE48 couldn’t perform by itself on this occasion.

Jurina - Hum, that’s a shame… But you know, that may sound cheeky but I also think it’s a good thing we didn’t perform solo this time. Right now, we are the object of a lot of attention, that brings us a lot of satisfaction and makes us want to work harder. But if SKE48 had performed solo for Kohaku I think everybody would have felt satisfied with our present condition. I’m scared they would have thought 「They let us perform for Kohaku, we don’t have to progress anymore」.
When we will have polished our skills to the utmost limit and be able to deliver everything we’ve got on stage. When the 5th generation will be able to show all its talent. When I think 「With this SKE48 is up to the game!」, then I want us to perform by ourselves.
I believe this time’s bitterness will make us stronger.

— Successfully ending 2011, SKE48 is releasing its first single for 2012 「Kataomoi Finally」 but the MV is quite a shocking one no?

Jurina - I felt really embarrassed, I was like 「No way! Don’t look at us doing this!」(laugh), but it was also an opportunity to show skills I had developed a bit lately. 2012 only just started but we had to deliver something of that caliber no matter what. NMB48 talk about iron pants in 「Junjou U-19」, when I heard that I thought 「If we don’t strike hard, we will be no match for them」.

— What has been the most embarrassing scene to shoot for you?

Jurina - When I kiss Rena’s ear. The music video doesn’t reflect it properly I think but, during the shooting I kissed Rena’s ear for 15 seconds, 3 times! It lasted for about 45 seconds!! (laugh)….
Plus in the script it said “light kiss on Rena’s ear”, but it didn’t turn to be light at all! Kumi and Kanon kiss scene had been filmed right before this, so the crew was in really high-spirit when our turn came (laugh).
So I persuaded myself 「You’re a boy, you’re a boy….」. As a result, everybody says my expression was one of a boy, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Being the only guy in an all girls school… That’s the kind of situation I pictured to be into, in my mind.

— As a result, I think this work shows a face of Jurina we had not seen before. (TL : “face” as in “aspect of personality”)

Jurina - You know, I felt sad when Churi-tan turn me down… I ended up giving the necklace Churi had offer me to Rena, but the truth is during the shooting Churi was so so cute…  Oh gosh! I feel like crying….

— Eh!? You’re really crying! Why!?

Jurina - When I remember how cute she was, tears come out! (laugh) Since it’s an MV, we don’t need to speak up but during one of the scene, Churi asks me 「Let’s have lunch together ♪」. Since I’m always the one who needs to invite her, it made me really happy.

— Even though, in the end you face Rena and her rival and ensue a memorable scene.

Jurina - After going so far, we thought we had to “do it!” and so it turned like that, we slapped each other but in fact, I’m the only one who received that many hits…. (laugh). After the shooting, I cooled down my checked for a long time and the next day there was no mark left, but sometimes, where I had been slapped would hurt and my ears ring. It was terrible!

— Again, according to me, the coupling songs all fit perfectly in the single. White team 「Hanikami Lollipop」is a nice song.

Jurina - Really? I’m so glad! I like it too. Among white team’s songs, it’s the one fitting the idol type the most, I can’t wait for everyone to hear it. In the MV there is a shot right before the chorus where I do a “pop” sound with my mouth, I feel really embarrassed when I look back at that scene, but I’m looking forward to hear the fans’ reactions!

— And what do you think of red team 「Koega kasurerukurai」?

Jurina - I really like that slightly dark feel of that song, I even said things like 「They’re so lucky~ 」, but then I pull myself together 「It’s ok for the white team to be cute!」. That was crying for the moon anyway (laugh).

— There is also selection 8 「Kamoku no tsuki」and 「Imamade no koto, korekara no koto」 sung by all the members, making it a very varied single.

Jurina - All considered, most of the songs are about love but each of them are different. Sometimes written from a male point of view, sometimes they bring life and courage like  「Imamade no koto, korekara no koto」, I think there is a good balance.
In my opinion, the message of 「Kataomoi Finally」is that when it comes to love there is no rule. I believe things like “love should be between a man and a woman” or age difference don’t matter.
Lately, doesn’t the age gap between husbands and wives tend to spread? (laugh)

— If you were given the freedom to do so, what kind of love story would you like to experience?

Jurina - Ehh- ! Hard to give an answer to that— !　I’ve been in SKE48 since I was in elementary school, so I would like to try going on a date in my school uniform! …. But I also love people older than  me, I want the other one to be in charge and lead me. In matter of love, I strongly desire to be lead. As long as it’s someone younger than my parents and whom my mother approves of, it’s absolutely OK! (laugh)

— To wrap up this interview, what is your aim for 2012? Not in regard to SKE48, but your personal goal please.

Jurina - Ah, it’s true that I always speak about SKE48 without focusing on myself much. Well then…. My goal for 2012, it’s to be given more opportunities to work as an actress. Though I may not be naturally skilled in acting. Even 「Majisuka Gakuen 2」, if I had to play it now it would be completely different in my opinion. I totally want to rectify it! If we were to film it now, I would play so much better! or at least that’s what I think.
It’s frustrating, but since I’m constantly growing it’s unavoidable. Last autumn, thanks to the role I was given in 「SKE48 no Magical Radio」, I think all the members felt I put all my energy in my acting. I think I’ve now a good grip on my power of expression on stage,  but if possible I’d like to capitalise on that experience quickly.

— What kind of female personality would you want take after?

Jurina - Who else than Kuroi Meisa! I want to become a cool beauty too. Who can dance, sing and work as a model. Being all mighty sounds so cool, I want to grow into someone esteemed by women too!

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I like how Jurina always ends up her interview by mentioning her female fans and how she wants to appeal to them more ( *///)