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“I’m here today with the famous idol group, Yume Yume Jump! In front of me, we have An Shiraishi, dancer and visuals, Kanade Yoisaki, vocals and visuals, Shiho Hinomori, vocals and dancer, and last but certainly not least, Shizuku Hinomori, vocals, dancer, visuals and center of the most popular group in Japan.”
“Thanks for the warm welcome, Akako! You don’t mind if I call you that, right?”
“Not at all, An. Since Yume Yume Jump! doesn’t do these types of fan interviews often, we here at XXXX broadcasting station have decided to split this interview into three parts. First, we’ll ask some questions to you guys as a group, the usual. Then, since so many fans out there have been dying to see you up close, we’ll have some very dedicated fans ask their burning questions. Then, at the end, you’ll teach us the choreography to your debut song, Happy Synthesizer. How does that sound?”
“It sounds lovely, Akako. I’m looking forward to everything!”
“Just what I hoped to hear, Shizuku! Alright, first question: how did you all start as a group?”
“It was actually all thanks to my manager here, Kanade. When I was working as a solo idol, she was my producer, and over time grew to be my friend. I noticed her talent for singing as well, as she would often provide background vocals. I invited her to join me as a duo, and the rest we all know.”
“That’s such a heartwarming story. But what about the other two members of your group, Shiho and An?”
“When my sister was a solo idol, I actually played in a band with a few of my friends, which is where I picked up how to sing and play the bass. At home, Shizuku would often ask me to help her with the choreography, which is where I learned how to dance. Shizuku noticed my skill for dancing and asked me to join as a temporary member.”
“That’s so interesting! I hope I don’t come off as rude, but you don’t really seem the type to want to become an idol. Were you initially reluctant to accept Shizuku’s offer?”
“Oh, certainly. Shiho here wouldn’t even consider it at first. After a lot of convincing and pleading, I finally got her to become a temporary member, but that kind of snowballed into where we are now.”
“I see. More on that later, but for now, there’s one last member who’s origin story we haven’t heard yet. An Shiraishi, how did you become an idol and decide to work with the rest of Yume Yume Jump!?”
“Oh, that’s easy. This used to be a big secret, but I was close childhood friends with the now-retired Haruka Kiritani.”
“The famous solo idol? The Haruka Kiritani?”
“Yup! That’s the one. Since Haruka and Shizuku also knew each quite well, what with being in the industry together, I sometimes saw Shizuku when Haruka came over to visit. It wasn’t uncommon for them to practice their choreography together in front of me, and I would give critiques, since I have lots of background in professional dance. Shizuku saw me perform at a live house once with a few of my friends, and the rest is history.”
“There’s another fun fact for all you An fans out there: the uber-famous idol was close friends with another ultra-famous idol before they were both idols! Such a small world. Moving on, how did you all decide on a concept? All of your personalities seem so at odds with each other, it’s hard to imagine that sort of conversation taking place.”
“As the producer, whatever concept we had was mostly derived from whatever I produced. When all four of us got together to solidify our plans for this group, I don’t think we ever had any serious conversation about any concept.”
“So you mainly produce happy, upbeat music, right, Kanade? Why is that?”
“This is rather personal, but… Due to a close family member of mine overworking themselves due to music, my goal has always been to reach as many people as possible with my music, and make them feel strong emotions, like happiness. That’s why most of my music is very bright and sunny.”
“I never thought of it that way. Do the rest of you have a specific reason for becoming idols? We’ll hear from Shizuku, An, and then Shiho.”
“I’ve mentioned this in interview back from when I was a solo idol, but I was never intentionally working to become an idol. A friend submitted an application for me as a joke, but I got accepted, so I decided to turn up to the audition and see how it went. Back then, I was just going along with this idol path, but then I met someone who is now very close to me who inspired me to try and reach out and inspire hope in others just like she did for me.”
“That’s so charming! Maybe we’ll hear more about this mysterious inspiration later down? But for now, let’s hear from An.”
“My story is less inspiring than Shizuku’s, but as I told you, it all started when Shizuku offered to make me a temporary member. I found that I liked performing onstage with friends, and I liked singing like this. I’ve just been kind of going with the flow for now, but who knows? Maybe I’ll find someone or something later down the road who inspires me too.”
“As expected from someone as easygoing as you, An. Here’s to hoping that you find that special inspiration! Shiho, what about you?”
“My main source of inspiration for being an idol comes from wanting to help others befriend people. When I was in high school, I was, and still am, pretty stand-offish, and people saw me as a bully. That meant that a lot of friends were dragged down by my poor reputation, so I was left alone. I want to become the sort of idol that helps people never feel alone again, so they always have a friend.”
“Shiho, that’s… so unexpectedly sweet! Who knew you could be so heart-warming? To end this segment of the interview on a good note, what are your plans for the future? No set order to this, feel free to answer however you want.”
“I think that we all agree that this isn’t forever. Sorry, any die-hard Yume Yume Jump! fans out there! It may be a little bittersweet when we part for the last time, but everyone knows that we will all be moving on to bigger and better things. Yes, even better than Yume Yume Jump!, which, in my opinion, is pretty hard to top.”
“Oh- that’s… that’s great, An. Do you have any specific ideas for what you’ll do after Yume Yume Jump!?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure! But that’s kind of the way life goes, isn’t it? I’m thinking I’ll try to get into street music a little. My dad’s a decently famous street musician, so I’ll have a head start. I’ve got a few old friends waiting for me back in my hometown, too, so maybe I’ll go visit them first.”
“I wish you best of luck in your endeavors, An! Does anyone else have any future plans?”
“I think I’ll try and reconnect with my old friends from high school. The band we started together had some potential, I believe. Or not, maybe I’ll go solo with my bass. It might be nice to take a break from group work.”
“Certainly! If we have time today, I’m sure everyone would love to hear you play the bass for a little.”
“Oh, I don’t know. I might be rusty, after so long.”
“No problem! Any music you play is good music, so it’ll turn out beautifully, I’m sure of it. If you do go solo, I’ll be looking for your name in the headlines soon! What about you, Kanade?”
“I think I might try producing another type of music, maybe for another group. It may seem surprising, but I work better when I have a close group to bounce ideas off of. I’ve been looking into some underground music, which seems like a nice change of pace. I don’t have a group that I’m willing to produce for, yet, but I’m certainly looking.”
“That’s such a big change! Will we still be able to find you, just in a different scene, in the upcoming years?”
“Perhaps. I doubt I’ll go by Kanade again, so if any fans can recognize my music once I’m in a drastically different scene, that’s kudos to you. Keep it a secret for me, okay?”
“So mysterious. That’s very like you, Kanade. Hopefully you’ll keep us entertained with lots of fan theories about you in the next few years! And last but not least, Shizuku! Got any plans to share with us?”
“I’ve been an idol for so long, it’s hard to even think about doing something else. I know it’s hard to stomach, but I’ll probably… retire. I have a very close… friend who’s waiting for me.”
“That’s so little information, Shizuku. How will you all respond to the fans who’ve followed you since your debut as a solo idol, followed you to your duo with Kanade, and finally your idol group Yume Yume Jump!?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. The idol industry has been part of my life for so long, there was a time when it became my entire life. I’d… I’d have to take a rain check on that question, Akako!”
“Not a problem! Just in time, because I’m glad you’ve all been able to share with us your thoughts on Yume Yume Jump!, but now, it’s time for some Fan Questions! First question, from Usagi: who designs your group costumes? They’re always so stylish, and they set the trends for the entire season of fashion!”
“Oh wow, I didn’t realize we were going to get a question like this! The secret is, I have an old high school friend who’s really into fashion. They make their own clothes, know how to tailor them, all sorts of cool stuff. So when Yume Yume Jump! was just starting to get into the whole self-producing thing, I called them up and asked them to do us a favor and make the group costumes. They’d be ecstatic to hear your praise, haha. Here’s a fun fact: my secret friend also designs the costumes for the famous traveling troupe, WonderlandsxShowtime.”
“It’s really interesting to hear about all these connections you have, An. I suppose it’s just part of your natural charisma! The next question is from Saeko: who is your secret crush? Celebrity crush? We can go Shiho, An, Kanade, and then Shizuku.”
“Well, I’m not much for celebrity crushes, but I did have a crush on a couple of girls back in high school. I thought I was head-over-heels for them, but I ended up leaving anyway to become an idol.”
“Oh, wow. That’s-“
“A mood-killer, I know. Sorry.”
“No need to apologize! I’m glad you’re being honest. Who knows, maybe your high school sweethearts are watching right now. An, got any secret crushes we should know about?”
“God, this is embarrassing. Um, when Haruka and I were younger, much younger, I had a big crush on her. She was so graceful and pretty all the time, I kind of got sucked in by her idol charm. But then later, I met my high school friends, especially this one girl. I hung out with her a lot, and developed a crush on her. But same with Shiho, I left to become an idol before I could ever really say anything.”
“I’m wishing you best of luck that you finally confess, if you ever return to that girl! Celebrity crushes, or just regular crushes, Kanade?”
“I thought I was aromantic for the longest time, to be honest. When I was going through a hard time, where I could barely bother myself to make food and clean the house, I had this girl over to help clean the house and cook meals for me. I guess I slowly started to be interested in her, especially after one time, she baked me an apple pie. It was really sweet, but I was in denial of my feelings the whole time, so I left to produce music for Shizuku before anything happened.”
“You all have such tragic love stories. I hope you can give them a happy ending someday! That goes for you as well, Shizuku, if you’ve got any stories to tell?”
“My celebrity crush and regular crush are one and the same, I suppose. It might be kind of obvious by now, but my greatest inspiration and biggest crush has always been Airi Momoi.”
“The… variety show host and idol, Airi Momoi?”
“Yes, her. We met as idol trainees, and I’ve known her since as long as I can remember. Over the years, I realized that most of where I was now was due to her support and inspiration. My admiration for her developed into feelings over the years. It was really gradual.”
“So? How did it end?”
“Airi eventually confessed that she felt the same way that I did, but due to our idol contracts and our high-profile line of work, we couldn’t expose our relationship. I think we started dating in secret… in XXXX. It seems like so long ago.”
“What changed, that allowed you two to be together publicly?”
“Well, everything. Yume Yume Jump! is a self-producing group, which means we aren’t under any contracts to present ourselves a certain way. Airi started hosting her own variety show, which meant she wasn’t under contract either. And of course, fans’ viewpoints started shifting towards openness. It was a long discussion with the rest of my group mates, to be openly out. I’m glad that we were all able to come out with you today, Akako.”
“It’s my pleasure, truly. I’m glad that Yume Yume Jump! is a sign of the changing ways of the idol industry, and how you’re all pioneering the way for a better future, just like your motto states. Next question, from Haruto: even though Shizuku and Shiho are siblings, you treat each other like you’re just fellow group members, not close sisters. Why is that?”
“I’d say that it’s because I was working as a solo idol while Shiho was growing up. She relied more on her high school friends than me, and so we never really became sisters in the way that you might think of it. When I finally had enough time to spend time at home, Shiho had already grown on her own without me.”
“Shizuku’s right, her being out of the city so often for idol reasons left me alone in the house at a really young age, which meant that I just naturally grew to be more independent. That might be why we seem to treat each other more like group members than sisters.”
“It’s all in the past now, though. Shiho and I have talked about it, we’ve resolved our issues, and all that’s left to do is look forward to the future.”
“I’m glad to hear it, Shizuku and Shiho. To be honest, I was wondering the same question, so I’m happy to hear your response. Next, for a more lighthearted question from Akira: what is your favorite flavor of bubble tea?”
“Oh, we all fight over what the best flavor of bubble tea is. Personally, there’s this store with a special rum raisin bubble tea that I absolutely adore. Rum raisin is my favorite flavor of everything, but it’s so hard to find!”
“My favorite is taro, especially in the summertime. It’s so refreshing, and taro is good for the skin, too! An idol always has to take care of herself!”
“I’m not much for bubble tea. If I had to pick, I’d say the regular fresh milk kind. Milk is good.”
“I don’t like bubble tea that much either. Probably chocolate-mint for me.”
“It’s so interesting to hear how all your personalities show up, even in things like favorite flavor. My personal favorite is strawberry with crystal tapioca pearls. But I digress… the next question is…!”
“I exercise once in the morning, and once in the evening!”
“Brushing my hair usually takes 5 minutes each day.”
“My cat’s name is Mimi, and she’s a calico.”
“I usually reward myself by eating dango.”
“And, that wraps up the Fan Question segment of today’s interview! Thank you so much, all you Yume Yume Jump! fans out there for submitting so many questions. If your question didn’t get chosen, please wait until our next idol interview event to submit more questions. Now, the long awaited choreography lesson!”
“Thanks for giving me the microphone, Akako. Since I’m the center, you’ll fill in for me, and I’ll teach the choreography in front. Everyone please welcome Yume Yume Jump!’s new center, Akako!”
“I’m honored to be here. Cue the music!”
“Pop your hips out like this… spin right and left, arms moving to the beat… jump from one foot to the other foot… wink!”
“That’s it, you’re getting the hang of it! Now bounce, extend your hands… spread them out so it’s like you’re giving a hug… point your toe out and side to side, just like that!”
“Wow, this dance is so much fun! I’m a little out of breath, so why don’t we sit down? Shizuku still has that one last question to answer, so it would be lovely to end with that. We talked about what everyone is thinking about doing after Yume Yume Jump!, but since you’re the most loved idol in all of Japan and probably around the world, I wanted to know how you plan to respond to your fans after the official announcement comes out. Take your time, Shizuku.”
“I’d have to say… all my fans, and just fans of Yume Yume Jump! in general, please know that I adore you very, very much. You’ve supported us for so long, it feels like we’ve traveled this entire journey together. We couldn’t have done it without your unconditional love and all the hope you’ve given us. Even if we part now, please know that we will always carry your love in our hearts. So I want to repeat to you all, what my source of inspiration told me: always believe that tomorrow will be a better day. And if it isn’t, work to make it a better one, not just for you, but everyone else around you, as far as you can reach.”
“Shizuku… that was so moving! Thank you for your words of wisdom! I would expect no less from a seasoned idol like you. This perhaps wasn’t the happy note we were going to end on, but I think we can all agree that this is much better.”
“Thank you, Akako.”
“And with that, we conclude our idol interview. Thank you all so much for joining us today to talk with Yume Yume Jump! Please look forward to more idol content, coming from your favorite variety show host, Akako. Now, let’s gather together, and say Yume Yume Jump!’s motto one last time-“
“Inspiring a better tomorrow!”