(2025-06-25) Tsunku♂ note about current Morning Musume。
Current Morning Musume。is in an offensive phase. From my perspective, here's where each of the 12 members currently stands.
The Music Videos for both "Ki ni Naru Sono Ki no Uta" and "Akaruku Ii Ko" have been successfully out.
I've been reading various opinions and impressions through social medias, and one way or another, I've been grinning to myself.
In reality, I've already started working on Morning Musume。next single.
Assuming that the timing and nature of any graduations or new member additions are all completely undecided, I'm proceeding with everything while imagining various possibilities.
※ Translator's comment / Tsunku released another note two weeks after saying he indeed knew about Haga Akane's and Yokoyama's sotsugyou incoming.
Anyway, right now, Morning Musume。is in an offensive phase. I believe there's nothing to do but try all sorts of patterns without hesitation or fear.
Ikuta Erina
It's been about 14 and a half years since she joined Morning Musume。and she’s finally graduating. It's deeply moving that all the 10th generation members have already graduated before her, but as a personal feeling, I feel quite lonely.
She herself says she's also graduating from Up-Front and embarking on a new path in life, so all I can do is support her.
Whether she goes into business using her wild instincts or takes on a mentoring role, I feel like she'll be able to overcome whatever comes her way.
Oda Sakura
If she's a member who can think about singing and music logically, then I want her to face music even more than she does now: fight, analyze, research, and be able to verbalize her own logic.
She should understand 16-beat and "keeping the rhythm", but there are times when, while Oda is singing, it looks like things have stopped. How will she overcome that? I think Oda will be able to find the answer and pass it on to her kouhai.
If I trust the impact I felt when I first met her at the S/mileage audition, when I thought "Oh! Who's this girl?!", then I don't want to lower the bar for my expectations of her. That's how I feel about her.
Nonaka Miki
With Nonaka's versatility, I end up relying on her and leaving things to her. Even after Fukumura graduated, I think both the staff and the fans, and even myself, have had some degree of emotional dependence on Nonaka.
On the flip side, despite being in Morning Musume。for almost 11 years and doing so many things, somehow "right now" still feels the freshest. It's strange to have such a member.
In my personal analysis, I think that by watching senpai members graduate, she's finally been able to express herself. I don't think she was pretending or hiding, but maybe unconsciously she was holding back.
I feel like the curtain is about to rise on Nonaka 2.0.
Makino Maria
I don't know how much she uses her head in her work, but I think even if she became a solo artist and jumped into gravure work or variety TV as a talent, she would somehow still succeed.
But maybe this is partly my own wish. I believe that for Makino to maintain (or rather, constantly update) her power, she needs to be in Morning Musume。.
Within the framework and rules of Morning Musume。, she can worry, struggle, work hard, challenge herself, and produce new results. That's exactly why, among the many idol group members out there, people will say "Makino is different".
As a working adult, she's now at an age when her career should be at its most fulfilling. At this moment, I want her to be a forerunner for Morning Musume。, waving a splendid flag boldly, walking down the red carpet as if to declare "I'm right here!".
Haga Akane
Honestly, I didn't expect to be having exchanges about rhythm with her like this.
Back in her trainee days, she seemed kind of airy, like you couldn't tell whether she was motivated or not. I assumed she wasn't particularly interested in music, rhythm, dance, or other details.
But last year, when I happened to catch a glimpse of a concert video, I was shocked to see that Morning Musume。overall rhythm had stopped. I ended up send a LINE to members whose contact I had, asking "Why? What happened?".
Everyone's answers were different, but Haga's reply was strangely convincing. There was a moment when I thought "Yeah, if we have members like this, Morning Musume。will still be okay".
I won't write the details here because it would get too long, but like Makino, I think Haga's self-esteem has been strengthened by joining Morning Musume。. Please keep working hard!
Yokoyama Reina
Right now, one of the members in her prime is Yossan, also known as Yokoyama Reina.
What is this sense of ease she has? Some days she's very boyish, other days she's an ultra-girly girl. Sometimes she's elegant, other times she's like a yankee girl. She's mysterious, but all of it becomes nourishment for Morning Musume。.
Originally, she wasn't one of the top dancers, so I'm not sure where this current sense of reassurance comes from, but I'm truly happy she's grown into such a fine member.
Recently, I think her presence and growth have been most evident in the way she carries herself on her radio program with Akashiya Sanma.
Okamura Homare
I was the only one still thinking of her as a child, but she's actually already a fine adult.
And more than that, as you can see from her singing and dancing in these two new songs, she's now capable of throwing some serious punches. Her voice has warmth and roundness, yet carries well.
If she breaks through one more shell, she'll probably explode in a big way. But now is not yet the time.
I want her to keep warming up and then launch at the perfect moment. By "warming up" I don't mean hiding or holding back, I mean giving her all in every stage performance and recording, while continuously studying, researching, and training, so she's fully prepared when the time comes.
In any case, her voice will be a weapon. I'm looking forward to it.
Oh and of course, in "Ki ni Naru Sono Ki no Uta" Yumigeta's "Nan nan?" stands out, but I really like Okamura's expression in that MV scene too.
Yamazaki Mei
Her voice is strong. Predatory-strong.
She talks about pandas, but that feels like a smokescreen; I sense a burning heat inside her.
Rather than blending into Morning Musume。's overall balance, she's still taking her own individual attacks right now. But having a period like this is important, eventually she'll start balancing. For now, I think it's fine for her to just keep attacking without overthinking.
On a technical note, when she holds a note for a long time, I want to still feel the rhythm coming from that sustained note. In dance too, I want her to be able to convey rhythm no matter where you freeze the frame.
Sakurai Rio
I may have said this before, and maybe it's just her innate personality, but if she comes across as a model student in every sense, that's a waste.
Come to think of it, I feel like Makino also had a model-student label attached to her in the past, but now you don't sense that at all. So perhaps Sakurai's "model student" image will also fade, but for now I want her to consciously be more ambitious.
That doesn't mean becoming a delinquent, goofing off, or slacking, it means becoming someone with spring-like elasticity.
One thing I expect from Sakurai is, in my view, there's never been a past member quite like her. In other words, she's unique, so I want her to stir things up rather than stay small.
One reason I trust her is that I like how she pushes up her bangs and opens her heart.
Inoue Haruka
She's full of potential.
In that sense, like Yaguchi or Ishikawa in the past, who joined as complete amateurs but exploded a few years later, I expect Inoue to have that kind of moment. Actually, she already gives off that vibe.
That said, she still has a lot she needs to do, she has to drill singing and dancing into her body.
I don't know much about baseball or soccer, but in sports, even if you think strategically in your head, once the game starts, your reaction to the ball comes from the repeated practice your body remembers, right?
It's the same with singing, dancing, and interacting with fans at live shows. It's not about doing it with your head, but letting your body naturally do what it's learned, as naturally as breathing. Drill it in.
Yumigeta Ako
When I first met her, I thought "She's the type to direct herself". At that time I worried "I hope this doesn't go in a pretentious direction" but that concern was blown away. She's dazzling.
Being on the taller side in Morning Musume。might not seem like a center position trait, but I hope Yumigeta can change that common perception.
She's poised, she makes people laugh, she's not calculating, she's not irritating, and she's not overly bubbly either. So is she just well-balanced and safe? No, she's got plenty of instability too.
Honestly, there's still a lot she needs to learn, such as love and expression in her singing, stability in rhythm and pitch, but of course I want her to always be mindful of these things. Still, there are things only she can do right now, so I want her to keep shining without restraint.
Kitagawa Rio
I'm aware she's been through a lot, but I'll write this anyway.
Music, of course, can be fun, but it can also teach you sadness, loneliness, failure, emptiness, absurdity, and meaningless excitement. All in just a few minutes.
Morning Musume。alone has a history of hundreds of songs, and Kitagawa is one of the people singing them. That's why I want her to sing songs that can change destiny in just a few minutes, to truly face them head-on.
If she sings with conviction, it will absolutely come across. I have high hopes.
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