Long due translation of Rena x Yoshida exchange from 「Idol no Namida✾Documentary of SKE48」 pamphlet (sold only in theaters where the movie was screened). The interview must have taken place around January~February, hence the mention of Rena still being kenin in Nogizaka. Enlightening discussion regarding Rena’s state of mind a few months before announcing her graduation, her opinion on the current SKE48, the need for a deep change she was feeling… Even maybe the necessity to scrap the group entirely if it had to come to it.
Enjoy! —-
Yoshida – I’ve met
Matsui Rena-chan numerous time at the occasion of the radio show we
host together yet I’m a novice when it comes to SKE48, so it was with
an open mind and curiosity that I took the opportunity I was offered
to watch the documentary movie ahead of its official release. Rena
– Thank you very much. What did you think of it ? Yoshida –
Your eyes expressed totally different emotions from what I’m used to,
I was surprised to discover a whole new Rena-chan. (laugh) Rena –
How did you perceive me ? (laugh)
Yoshida – You didn’t
laugh even once, you often bear a serious, hard expression. When I’m
use to see you laughing all the time in the studio. Rena – I’ve
a lot of hobbies in common with Yoshida-san, not restricted to work,
so I’m smiling naturally around you.
Yoshida – I’m glad
you’re enjoying your time at the radio, but I didn’t mean to say that
your serious expression in the documentary was weird or unnatural in
any way, it appeared to me like the face of someone working, of a pro
focused on her task. I also noticed how the « typical SKE48
girl » doesn’t seem to be a pro-idol like Rena-chan, but rather
a more common Nagoya girl. They seem to be satisfied with what is for
them like a training, a number of them sound like good, obedient
daughters. Rena – There might indeed be a lot of members of that
type, yes.
Yoshida – I didn’t
expect them to talk about pursuing an academic cursus like if it was
an evidence. For good and bad, it results in a strong club activity
impression. Having someone with such strong professionalism as
Rena-chan is this group is somewhat heartwarming, but a bit
frustrating too. Rena – I agree that there are too little girls
focusing 「only
on here」. Yoshida – What do you
mean by “only on here” Rena – Lately I’ve become aware that
there were only a handful of girls in SKE48 who were willing to raise
above others, to stand at the top. But it’s exactly why if there is a
girl in SKE48 right now with the ambition to raise, who wants to
stand on top, she has the possibility to do it more than any other
group! It’s a chance. So I’m hoping for the maximum of girls to
become aware of this opportunity, and to stir up things in
SKE48…
Yoshida – You sound like their mother. (laugh) When the
centers for your last single 「12Gatsu
no Kangaroo」
changed to two of your juniors, you and Jurina-chan
looked somewhat relieved. Was it just my imagination? Rena – No, you’re right.
For the past 6 years the group has gone on with Jurina has its top
and me by her side, we also beneficiated of the exposure given by
being in AKB48 senbatsu. The same configuration remained unchanged
all this time. But is it alright to keep on like this? Can we expand
further if we don’t evolve? Even if she says nothing, I think Jurina
is concerned too. So when the new two centers were announced I saw
this change of trajectory as a chance for SKE48 to reach new
horizons.
Why she never
backs up in front of her comrade in arms Jurina
Yoshida – By
the way, why did you choose to become an idol? Rena – In my
case, it’s not that I wanted to be an idol, I want to be an actress.
From the day I joined to now, always. Yoshida – Did you made
your intentions clear when you passed the audition? Rena – Yes.
After all the original concept of the 48 Group is “To be a place
for girls with dreams where they can gain experience in order to accomplish them once they leave”. Yoshida – Was it so
now… Rena – 6 years ago when I heard SKE48 was to be formed my
first thought was that I wanted to stand on stage. I was already a
fan of AKB48 so I knew about the theater and how it worked. If I made
it, I was going to be able to be on stage everyday and get accustomed
to people watching me and singing is a form of expression too so it
was going to be a plus for me who aimed at becoming an actress.
That’s how I decided to pass the audition. I was also in the acting
club in my school. Yoshida – Really? What did you do there?
Playing I would guess? Rena – I was in charge of the direction the whole time. (laugh) I was on the production side. But it’s not like I
did much really. For the cultural festival for example I played a
cockroach… Yoshida – What kind of play has a cockroach in it?!
(laugh) 「Terra
Formars」 wasn’t
even out at the time. (laugh) Rena - *Ahahaha* We were even ahead
of the manga. Yoshida – So, and without meaning it in a bad way,
by becoming an idol you’ve entered a role of sort. Rena – In a
way, that’s it. But I gave up on everything in the springtime of my
life for it and played my part with my whole being.
Yoshida – Meaning you’re
different from the natural born idols out there then. Rena –
We’re a bit different indeed. I’m normally just an otaku. Yoshida – I know that.
(laugh) Speaking of which, after watching the movie I noticed how
different was Matsui Jurina-chan was. She might be one of those
natural born idols don’t you think? Rena – She lives rushing straight ahead. Yoshida – People who are
playing a role, whatever the situation, have to take a moment, even a
split second, to process how to react, right? Rena – I know I do. I
start calculating my options. (laugh) Yoshida – While
Jurina-chan’s reactions pop-up without delay. It’s easy to see she
isn’t playing them. I thought then that you two were complete
opposite.
Rena – People have said that if Jurina was like the
sun, I was like the moon. Jurina is very straightforward, she goes
right where her mind is. Yoshida – Is it correct
to say that in the movie Rena-chan is being more careful? Rena –
Certainly, having in mind all sorts of parameters and trying to
balancing them I end up adopting a more cautious stance. But in my
relationship with Jurina, I don’t take any such precautions.
Yoshida – Oh? Is that
because it would be hard to bear for you? Rena – That’s not
it… It’s because everyone around her is being excessively cautious
that I, on the contrary, am not treating her with special attention.
Jurina is definitely an extraordinary being for SKE48, so everyone
take a step back when it comes to her. It’s true that she is on the
front line, others are overly conscious that she at the vanguard of
the group leading it, which also means that nowadays there are barely
any member who will talk straight to Jurina to express their opinion.
So I think that if even me, who’ve been to her side all this time,
was taking a step back too, it would destroy the balance we’ve
created. Believing it wouldn’t be good in any way for Jurina herself,
I’ve decided not to exercise caution in the slightest around her.
Yoshida – I see… Your
dynamic is the complex result of everything you’ve overcome together,
right? Rena – We’ve been constantly together for the past 6
years after all. (laugh)
One to exert herself for fans
Yoshida – You’re
currently in concurrent position with Nogizaka46, and just last week
we received them together in our show, but I couldn’t help to notice
how Rena-chan treatment in the group was more like that of a
guest. Rena – I’m getting along with Nogizaka46 members, we
perform together, we discuss how to improve together too. But may it
be with Nogizaka46, AKB48 or even SKE48, I’m still acting as a lone
wolf. Nothing unusual there. (laugh)
Yoshida – But pushing a
bit further in the “loner” topic, if your otaku nature certainly
explains part of your tendency to isolate yourself, watching the
movie I also felt that your “loner” character was accentuated by
the fact that there was nobody thinking on the same level as you
do. Rena – It might be partially true… However there is Suda
Akari who also always thinking of reaching for what the perfect idol
should be, always trying to elevate herself and has the same state of
mind than me. When she joined Team S, I could feel we were thinking
alike and immediately felt a strong sympathy for her. Yoshida – In what sense
were you similar? Rena – We would turn all our attention toward
fans and exert ourselves for them, rather than prioritizing blending
with other members, we would focus all our energy on fans and make
them our number one priority. Yoshida – Did that probe
bashing from other members? Rena – It did lead to some
misunderstandings , but she was giving her very best in her own way,
and her stance was so close from mine when I joined SKE48 that I
immediately noticed her. We are now in the same team and I fully rely
to Akarin, she make a very easy to communicate with leader. Yoshida – Suda-san was
determinate to raise and took every opportunity, no matter where she
standed, to reach her goal. Rena – Yes. And she managed, she
made it to where she aimed to be.
Yoshida – Listening to
the interviews in the movie I got the feeling that you were bearing
some sort of mission “We have to do something to restore SKE48”,
does the question of what you should do also weighs on your
mind? Rena – There is a way. Yoshida – Which is? Rena
– To break it. Yoshida – Wohoo! Rena
– Fastest option. But it would mean big losses too. Yoshida – How many
victims would that make? (laugh) Not to mention fans would be
impacted too. Well, in last resort it might be a solution, better
than to end like a boiling frog I suppose. (tln : better than to die
slowly) Rena – Even if it’s worth considering, it’s hardly
realistic. So we must provoke as much changes as possible in SKE48
right now. Just like Jurina and me have been for the past 6 years, I
think it’s ok to make the two centers of our new single the stable
centers of the group for the next 6 years. Or to fast-track one of
the freshly arrived 7th generation girl to be center just
like Jurina when she debuted. .. I don’t think it’s effective to make
changes just to return to the status quo immediately after.
Yoshida – New shifts you
says… Rena-chan really holds a producer’s eye on the situation.
What would you say about producing idols inside of SKE48 itself? Rena
– I’d love that! I want to try producing an unit of 5 girls or so.
With a distinct colour from everything seen in SKE48 so far, with
tons of performances outside, thus attracting new fans. Yoshida – I’m curious
of the result you would obtain. Anyhow, if that becomes reality
one day, you can be sure the quick-sighted idol fans won’t let it
slip. (laugh)
—- There is a lot to discuss here. How Rena “played” (sublimely!) being an idol for 7 years ; her idea of putting a 7th gen center all of the sudden which may have had an influence on management’s choice to put Rara front row in Mae Nomeri and why Rena has been backing her so heavily in her various posts ; how the idea of forming a sub-unit could relate to Babymetal phenomenon and Sakura Gakuin ; her dynamic with J etc…
On a lighter note though : “I was in charge of the direction the whole time.”
( ･´ｰ･｀)ゥﾌﾌ
On 19/4, a water park in Hanoi, Vietnam called ‘Ho Tay’ opened for free admission from 8AM-10AM (GMT+7). The chaos was terrifying, when the staff decided to close the gate due to overcrowded. Many people tried to climb over the fences to get in.
However, that was the least of the problem.
Inside, at the lazy river area, around 70 to 80 guys (even men who already had wives and kids) went together in groups. Whenever they saw girls, they started attack them by splashing water and WORST part was, they pushed her head down, DROWNING her and at the same time, RIPPED OFF HER BIKINI and started MOLESTED her. Some girls fainted and despite all the crying and screaming for help from friends, the group of animals won’t stop. They even PULL girls standing near the river down and started doing all those nasty things. AT LEAST, 20 girls were being sexually assaulted.
There was a girl with her bikini torn apart and all the guys surrounding her, cat calling: Link
Below is some photos of the incident.
The victims after they went home had anonymously leave confessions. Here are some of the confessions:
#1: We were holding onto the swim ring at the lazy river for about 3 minutes. Then we heard a commotion at the back, as we turned around we saw hundreds of boys crowded the whole river, screaming and going towards the three of us. I was shock and choked on water, many arms pushed my head down. I felt my breast and my private area being grab and pull and scratch very painful, my butt was groped too. My bikini top was pull up to my neck and the bottom was pull till my knee. Even though i was choking, but i felt clearly someone was fingering me, my legs was spread apart. My head was still pressed down, I was out of breath and I thought I was going to drown. The water go up my nose to my brain, my throat. Those arms scratch and pull me up, my head hit the coping. Then there was people grab my hair, my arm to pull out of the swimming pool. I was coughing really hard so I didn’t even realize I was completely naked…
#2: I was swimming in the lazy river with my friends. Behind us, all the boys kept splashing water like crazy, we were so freak out that all of us decided to go out of the river. As we just got out, one of my friend, who were still near the river, were pulled down and dragged to the centre of the river and was being splashed water and her head was pressed down. We saw our friend being surrounded by bunches of guys, we kept crying and called out: please help my friend, someone please help my friend. Around us, people kept on using phone to record and laugh like they were at the circus.
#3: My sister went with her friends. When they came back, they were crying their eyes out. Their necks, shoulders and thighs are full of scratches and bruises.
#4: It was too crowded so my boyfriend and I just played near the swimming pool coping. Suddenly I saw on my boyfriend head some milky fluid, when I touched, it was slippery and a bit thick. I dragged my boyfriend out of the pool immediately and asked him to wash his hair and we went home right after. Those animals masturbated in the swimming pool.
The facebook of the guy who started all these nasty thing had been tracked down. (This is the link)
And many other guys went home and updated their facebook status about their “achievements" at the water park like how many boobs they had grabbed or how many girls they’d molested on that day.
However, the Vice Managing Director of the water park said that “There was NO such thing as sexually assaulted at the water park, it’s just their bikini quality" regarding about the girls who had their bikini ripped. (Source / please note that it’s in Vietnamese) despite all the evidences and feedback.
Those guys are currently trying to take down photos of themselves and facebook statuses that they’ve updated (click here for the photo of some of them). But luckily, all of those have been screencapped. Most of their identities are revealed and all over the internet.
Even worse, when all the news are up, the comments make me sick to my stomach, many of them said that it’s THE GIRLS FAULT for wearing bikini.
LIKE HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DRESS TO GO TO WATER PARK? ARMOR?
THOSE ANIMALS THOUGHT THEY’RE GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT AND APPARENTLY AT THIS RATE, THEY WILL.
SO I AM HERE TRANSLATING THIS INCIDENT TO YOU GUYS HOPING THIS WILL SPREAD AS FAR AS POSSIBLE.
PLEASE SHARE AND POST WHEREVER YOU WANT. YOU DON’T HAVE TO CREDIT ME OR ANYTHING. JUST SHARE AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL REACH BIG NEWS SITES OR ORGANISATIONS.
PLEASE HELP THE VICTIMS GAIN JUSTICE. I HOPE THIS WILL GO BIG ENOUGH TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT TO PUNISH THOSE GUYS.
UPDATE: A professional psychologist with a Master’s Degree of Education said: “It’s THE GIRLS’ FAULT for not knowing how to protect themselves.”
He said “First thing first about this issue, the one who should be BLAMED THE MOST ARE THE GIRLS, in the environment where people are naked 80% or more, the action (referring to molestation and rape) is inevitable.”
He also mentioned that it’s the environment that can cause someone to lose their control over excitement and that’s why the girls should know how to protect themselves, like if you want to protect your valuables, for example, motorbike, then you should locked it carefully etc. (source)
Another VICTIM BLAMING by a person who has high education. I’m so fucking done with all this shit.
I'm inactive forever
