Nagahama Neru blog: Keyaki House, plus Neru's words

Keyaki House,  336

Nagahama Neru
2019.03.20


Good evening!

There were handshake events last week in Tokyo
And Saturday in Nagoya.

I was so happy you came to see me.
It was a calm and pleasant time. I was enveloped in kindness.
It was really, really enjoyable...

Thank you very much for coming by.


The 21st at Index Osaka
Will be my final national handshake event.
If you like, I definitely want to meet you.


Since I announced my graduation
I have undeservedly received many kind words that made me happy.
I feel I have been drawn to want to
Do better.

Truly, thank you very much.


There are a lot of things
I want to write about in the blog.

But for now...
I wanted to get these to everyone!

Nagahama Neru blog: The new film "A Star is Born"

Films,   325

Nagahama Neru
2019.01.02


Good evening.


I've just seen the film A Star is Born,
Starring Lady Gaga.

I kind of want toPut my feelings into writing,
But it feels as if it would be difficult and clumsy.


Maybe I'll just say a bit (which is it?)

It was so heartbreaking,
But after it I somehow felt determined.

The thing that gives me encouragement every day is music.
But what gives me determination for each program I do is film,
Or so it seemed to me.



For me, it seems everyone is different,
And that's a very wonderful thing.

Hirate Yurina IS Hibiki

Hirate Yurina stars as Akui Hibiki in the film Hibiki. The author of the original manga recommended her, so we know she is a bit like Hibiki. But now she has posed as Hibiki in reproductions of cover illustrations from the manga, and it is now certain: Techi IS Hibiki.

Mangaka Yanagimoto Mitsuharu was thrilled at how well Hirate portrayed Hibiki in the photos, which were published by Nikkan Sports. He said that the moment he saw them, he felt a burst of happiness. He was impressed by how well she portrayed Hibiki, even down to small details. Click photos to enlarge.

Praise for Keyaki Republic, and especially for Hirate Yurina

Hirate seems to be back in full form. That may not have been true for the Friday event at Keyaki Republic. But things seem to have been ratcheted up a notch for the Saturday performance.

First, I've got a few comments from members of the audience. Then I will translate this piece from the editor-in-chief of Rockin'on magazine, in which he praises Hirate and Keyakizaka to the skies.

First, some individual audience members:

-- In Garasu wo Ware, Hirate Yurina-chan was serious. This was the Hirate Yurina-chan I wanted to see. I was filled with emotion.

-- The final Garasu wo Ware from Hirate was fantastic. To be shown something like this left me speechless.

-- Hirate-san worked hard right to the end today!!! Garasu was so fine!!

-- Overall, today was better than yesterday, and Hirate seemed in better form today, too. In the final Garasu wo Ware, she was totally for real. I was shaking.

-- My feelings about Keyaki Republic. Yesterday, at the end Hirate Yurina was smiling, covered in bubbles. It seemed to me that she did not give everything she had. But today's sharp dancing in the Futari Saison solo was what I had wanted to see. And the head-banging in Garasu wo Ware was right on. Why did her switch turn on for the weekend? lol. Hirate Yurina is great.


Now for Koyanagi Daisuke, editor-in-chief of Rockin' On magazine:

Kakizaki Memi blog: Handshake event dresses, flowers, reports; pics with Paripi, Neru

Pii-tan

Kakizaki Memi
2018.06.11


Hello, it's Kakizaki Memi.

I've recently become close with Paripi -- Tomita Suzuka

I call her Pii-tan. lol.

I'm actually not very good with the food of that name [note: piitan = Chinese pidan preserved eggs]

Hibiki author visits Hirate on the set...and is totally tongue-tied

Mangaka Yanamoto Mitsuharu 柳本光晴 is the one who first suggested Hirate Yurina was the right person to play Hibiki, the title character of his award-winning manga, in its film adaptation. He has finally gotten the chance to meet her, and here is a translation of his blog post about it.

____________________________________________

Going on a field trip to a Hibiki location

I went to visit a location-shoot for the Hibiki movie. I won't write too much, just be super brief.

I finally met Hirate Yurina. Before I met her, I went through all kinds of simulations: I'll say this, or I'll say that. Anyway, more than anything I was just nervous to be meeting an idol. And it was Hirate, whom I admire so much.

And it seemed that Hirate-san had said she liked the manga. This made me even more nervous.

It was a situation where it would be fine if when she saw me, she went "kyaa" and I went "waah!" and with our eyes never meeting....

But she was beautiful. The only thing I could say to Hirate-san was: "Uh... You're beautiful...." Super creepy.

But it seemed like a very happy shoot. And she really was beautiful. She was Hibiki. Her presence. She was amazing.

Kakizaki Memi mini-interview: loving Techi, loving acting, hoping for a photo book...when she's 20

In a little interview just posted, Memi says that when Hirate cut her hair, Memi told her she looked "handsome." Techi's reaction? To push her up against a wall in a "kabe-don." Here's what that looks like in manga:
 

And here's the interview. I'm not sure yet what publication it comes from:

Hirate Yurina blog: untitled poem, 15 December

(untitled)
Hirate Yurina
2017.12.15





Feelings are different every day...

Each day, each moment, seeing that moment's scenes, colours, objects, people's actions, their expressions.
Each day, each moment, one's body touched by that moment's wind, by its objects,

By the voices and sounds one hears.

There is much, much more, and I think a person's feelings will continue to casually change, as the days and months go by.

I want to treasure that heart.

Living in a world

Where time never stops...


I want to be honest with myself.

Hirate Yurina: long interview from December Rockin' On Japan magazine

from Rockin' in Japan magazine, December 2017:

Hirate Yurina of Keyakizaka46

A 120-minute interview talking about her encounter with Fukyouwaon, the first national tour, her feelings toward the other members, and the new single, Kaze ni Fukaretemo.

I guess this was a year in which I faced myself. And came to understand myself a bit

Interviewer -- It’s been a while.

Hirate: It has.

-- Our previous interview was in February. Since then, you have had your first outdoor live, you have produced numerous works, and above all you have had your first national tour. In asking you about these things one by one, I very much want to know what Hirate-san has been thinking over the almost eight months since our last interview, as you continue to stand there in the centre of Keyakizaka46. Now I hope to hear from you in detail about these things.

Aki-P once again compares Hirate with Yamaguchi Momoe

Akimoto Yasushi

There's some reaction to a recent interview with Aki-P in which he once again compares Hirate Yurina with the great idol Yamaguchi Momoe.

It's from a series of TV conversations called:
Special conversation - Matayoshi Naoki's "Performers I want to meet before I die," #3: Akimoto Yasushi

...
Matayoshi: In comedians, the standard is basically "are they funny or not?" But when it comes to entertainment talents, there are lots of cute and lots of cool ones. What rule is there for deciding whether they will sell or not?

Akimoto: ...Umm. Probably having things read into them.

Matayoshi: By the people seeing them?

Akimoto: Yes. So, for example, Hirate in Keyakizaka46 or Yamaguchi Momoe, people like that, somehow make you read too much into every little thing they do. Such as when they look downcast.

Matayoshi: They are not ordinary people.

Akimoto: Yes, exactly.
...
source

Aki-P has said this before: that Hirate is someone special, someone whom you can't help reading things into.

Kakizaki Memi blog: Foound it! A poster of Techi in Shibuya Station

Fooound it! ♥

Kakizaki Memi
2017.11.19


Good evening,
It's Kakizaki Memi.


Hey, hey! Look at this «٩(*´∀`*)۶»

Yurina...⸜(* ॑꒳ ॑* )⸝⋆*

I discovered it in Shibuya Station ♥♥

Looove (*´˘`*)

Kakizaki Memi blog: Late Halloween handshake event...plus Techi-Memi together

Woof ∪･ω･∪

Kakizaki Memi
2017.11.07


Good evening,
It's Kakizaki Memi.

A few days ago there was a handshake event in Kyoto!
It was "late Hallowe'en"
And we wore costumes!


This was the first session:

Techi's November greeting card -- she forgot, but here it is

Hirate Yurina has posted her November greeting card -- two days late:

"November. I apologize. I forgot. Hirate Yurina."

When the greeting cards came out, Techi's wasn't there. Now it is.

Is this the first time she has drawn herself as an otter? Probably not, but it's the first I remember (if that is an otter). She and everyone else says she looks like an otter (a river otter, not a sea otter). If she had followed her previous pattern, she would have drawn "Master Painter" portraits of the six members who have birthdays this month. I prefer the otter, lol.

Keyakizaka -- and especially Hirate -- fascinate the famous

Keyakizaka46 and Hirate Yurina continue to fascinate people in media and entertainment in Japan. These names and comments just showed up on a Keyakizaka news site. Consider this part of my long campaign to convince those few who need convincing that there is something very special about Hirate Yurina. Here are new and old comments from a few famous people, after a photo by one of them, the great photographer, Araki:

• Araki Nobuyoshi (photographer) -- Happening to see Hirate singing and dancing on TV, he expressed a strong desire to photograph her. He carried this wish out by including her as the first non-actress in his magazine series "In Praise of Actresses."
• Oomori Seiko (singer-songwriter) -- "Seeing Hirate-san, various creative ideas spring to mind. She's totally a muse."

Kakizaki Memi blog: Memi and the snake

Snake-san

Kakizaki Memi
2017.10.29

Good evening.
It's Kakizaki Memi.

A few days ago, the 5th single, Kaze ni Fukaretemo came out \(❁´∀`❁)ﾉ

In the extra videos this time are trips to pray for the group's development!
In four different teams, we went to pray for the group, and there are different videos in each of Types A, B, C, and D (’-’*)
I was in the Saitama video, and went to the zoo, where I was able to touch an animal that brings good luck!

Ta-dah!

Hirate Yurina Rockin On Japan interview short preview

This is just a preview of the full interview in the December Rockin'on Japan magazine, which comes out October 30th. They interviewed Techi for two hours, and have produced a 44-page special insert booklet for the magazine. What's presented in this preview are a series of quotes from Techi's answers. (Interview by Koyanagi Daisuke. Photo by Fujiwara Erina.)
_______________________________________________________________

"There were times when my spirit seemed like it would be crushed, but I guess I always just looked to myself, over this year. In the end, I got through things somehow, but I always felt cornered, and I'd have to say I was worried about a lot of things."

Hirate Yurina: handsome photos, meaningful interview

With the new single coming out next week, magazines are cranking out the Keyakizaka features. Playboy is featuring some amazing photos of Techi: handsome and cute at the same time.

And in the fashion mag ViVi is a fascinating interview in which Techi says that she makes her own decisions, and will not just follow orders. But she also says how much she loves Aki-P's lyrics, and is always amazed at how he seems to know her feelings. (click photos to enlarge)

Nagahama Neru blog: Gazing at Techi

Gaze,  239

Nagahama Neru
2017.10.18


Good evening.


For our 5th single, Kaze ni Fukaretemo,
We sing wearing suits (^｡^)



Tecchan!

She's cute, but she's handsome.
You think how handsome she is, but when you get closer, she's cute!

Kakizaki Memi blog: Sunday handshake event pajamas, plus a new pic with Hirate

Just woken up

Kakizaki Memi
2017.09.11


Good evening.
I'm Kakizaki Memi.

Today was a handshake event at Makuhari!

In the first session, I wore a black hooded dress. In the second, it was pajamas (*^-^*)

They have a kitty pattern ♥

Nagahama Neru blog: Thanks, failings, and rededication

Morning Glory,  230

Nagahama Neru
2017.08.31


Good evening.

Yesterday
Our national tour "Masshiro na Mono ha Yogoshitakunaru"
Came to an end.

Wow...
Summer will soon be over.


This summer was very long.
But rather than "So sudden!" or "A feeling of accomplishment!"
What I'm feeling is: "What happened over the past month?"

Day after day passed in a bewildering frenzy.



I don't want to make a judgement based only on what's visible.
I want to look right down into the depths, at the essence of things.


However
We couldn't share the entire burden together...
It was difficult!


Continuing to come face to face with performances,
Struggling in agony to do both school and work,
Tormented by responsibility and heavy pressure,

All 32 members fought with their own burdens.