Sakura Gakuin graduates about their time in Sakura Gakuin and their future plans

The recently graduated from Sakura Gakuin, Moa Kikuchi, Hana Taguchi, Yui Mizuno and Yunano Notsu were interviewed by Oricon Style to talk about their time in Sakura Gakuin and their future plans. Hana wants to sing and dance, Yunano being actress, Moa stay with BABYMETAL and Yui have lots of plans for the future. Read the full interview translated by our translated Thomas Malone. 

Some members of the `limited to the period of growth` Idol unit, Sakura Gakuin where the students are active until graduating from Jr. High school are getting ready for the graduation season. At present, the 3rd grade students of Mizuno Yui and Kikuchi Moa who are well known as members of Babymetal, along with Taguchi Hana and Notsu Yunano sat down to talk with us about their lives in Sakura Gakuin and their plans for the future.

There may have been times of friction but we all get along greatly and are happy to have been members together.

-- When did you get the actual realization that the March 29th NHK hall show is about to be upon you?

Mizuno Yui: "It has only been recently that I have begin to realize that, `I am really about to graduate` (laughs). We have almost come to the end of using the word, the `final` something, like the `final recording` or the `final jacket photo shoot`. At live performances I strongly get the feeling from the Fukei-san that `This is almost the last show so let`s have fun`."

Taguchi Hana: "When we performed the graduation songs of `My Graduation Toss` and `Jump Up` at the Valentine day event there were some Fukei-san who were crying."

Notsu Yunano: "When there were only 3 and now only 2 shows left..."

Kikuchi Moa: "Part of me does not want to accept it."

-- Can you tell us of episodes where you felt a deep friendship with the other members?

Taguchi: "I guess when I got Birthday mails."

Mizuno: "Yes, everyone writes in a way that makes one emotional."

Taguchi: "Isono Rinon who entered at the same time as I did is usually a very cool and unflappable girl but at the end of one of her mails she wrote, `I love you`."

Mizuno: "This appears in the lyrics of `Sayonara Namida` but there is a member who makes a phone call wanting to talk about her troubles and begins the call with, `I`m sorry to call you so late at night`. It is a nice feeling to be depended upon while it is also nice to be supported and cheered on by the words of encouragement we get from the members who have already graduated. I feel we are extremely blessed in having such wonderful Koohai and Senpai."

Kikuchi: "After becoming the Student Council President it was always these 3rd grade members that supported and helped me when I ran into difficulties. The kindness they showed by acting in a regular manner around me and giving me space until I decided I needed to talk about something upsetting me made me very happy. When I became the Student Council President Yunano wrote me a nice letter."

Notsu: "I wrote, `I am so glad that I could be a member of Sakura Gakuin when Moa was the President`."

Kikuchi: "We often write letters in Sakura Gakuin. Recently I have been talking seriously with Yui and I think that she ponders deeply on the way I feel, and Hana is someone I can really rely on. There are times that we clash, but we all really get along wonderfully. I am very happy that I was a member of this group of 3rd graders."

-- Our lives at Sakura Gakuin were even more dense and rich than those at our actual schools.

--After graduating what do each of you plan on pursuing?

Notsu: "I have loved comedy since I was a little girl. I liked such things as the overseas TV show, `Sweet Life` and the movie `The Magic Hour` starring an actress I really respect, Fukatsu Eri-san. Whenever I felt down I would watch comedy shows like these and laugh away all my troubles so I would like to become an actress who can make people laugh. Also, after becoming the Talk Chairperson I have come to really like talking and so I would also like to appear in variety shows and do gourmet reporting."

Kikuchi: "Because I was spending all my time focused around Sakura Gakuin I have no idea what to do outside of my activities involved in being Moametal of Babymetal after graduating. However, even before entering Sakura Gakuin I wished to become `Super Moa-Chan`. When I was little I loved an Idol anime called `Kirarin Revolution` and so my dream was to become the heroine of the anime named, `Tsukishima Kirari-chan`. Being a girl like Kirari-chan is what I mean by becoming Super Moa-chan."

Mizuno: "I have too many things I want to do. In Sakura Gakuin I learned to enjoy expressing myself through song and dance and when we were making the PV for `Aogeba Tootoshi` I also had a good time acting after not having done so for awhile. When we shot the photo album for the 3rd graders I was also happy to experience the feeling of being a model wearing my own clothes and costumes instead of the usual school uniforms. I want to try all of the jobs that one can in the entertainment world so I hope I will be able to focus on each one as it comes up."

Taguchi: "I want to continue to sing and dance. If I had to choose I would prefer to perform on stage rather than on TV. But, I will to anything to become famous (laughs)."