Sakura Gakuin Sara Kurashima talk her beginnings, 2016 Nendo students, advices from Moa & Yui

--You first watched the concert on March 30, 2014. And about a month later, you transferred in to Sakura Gakuin on May 5. At the moment you watched the graduation concert, did you know you'd be a new transfer-in?

"It seemed the staff teachers knew it. (Laughs) But, I didn't know. It was the day I was waiting for the result of the audition for Sakura Gakuin, with butterflies in my stomach. I was informed of my success about two weeks before the transfer-in ceremony. When I heard it, my mind went blank and the news wouldn't sunk in me. A few days later, I met other members and finally realized I was gonna be a Sakura girl."

 

--You joined Sakura Gakuin and I assume your life changed a lot. How do you think about these two years?

"In retrospect, I feel these two years just flew by. The days in Sakura Gakuin are very fulfilling and time really flies.I joined Sakura Gakuin when I turned a middle school student. So, at first, it was very tough to manage to balance school studies and Sakura activities.

 

But, at real school, I can enjoy making myself improve by studying, and spending times with my friends. At Sakura Gakuin, I can enjoy sending something to people by performing or acting. I can learn a lot, and can try several new things. I think my days are very profitable."

 

--You can experience two different school lives at once. I know it's very valuable experience which is hard to get. Well, there is a 'Key Person' of Sakura Gakuin (in a sense), Mori Hayashi-sensei. Did you learn something from him?

"When I was new to Sakura Gakuin, he gave me an advice "Just try to give your biggest voice. Don't mind how other people take it". At first, I couldn't speak out loud, and at LoGiRL, I kept silent.

 

It's partly because I'm too sensitive to others' feeling. But after taking his advice, I managed to speak out what I thought. Also, Mori-sensei is a kind of a person who tries to send something with his whole body. I learned the importance of it from him."

 

--He is really a person who is always moving around. (Laughs) Well, in the song 'Mezase! Superlady', you are called as 'Kokeshima'. What made it happen?

"It's my nickname in my real school. When my hair was shorter, I was said to be alike Katagiri Hairi-san. (An actress, age 53. Well known for her distinctive kokeshi-like hairstyle) And somehow, I came to be said to be alike a kokeshi. Rinon-chan said I looked alike a kokeshi too. I studied my profile in a mirror. Looking me directly from the front, I might be quite alike a kokeshi."

 

-It's a funny nickname. (Laughs) You also have a 'magician character'. What is it from? At your transfer-in ceremony, you played a magic trick levitating a stick.

"Since I was a kid, I've been into magic tricks. At the Ciao girl audition, I said my special skill being magic tricks. I watched Cyril-san on TV and liked it. I wanted to play it by myself, and asked parents to buy cards for magic. I had been playing magic tricks in front of my family or friends. I'm good at playing cards tricks!"

 

"When I was appointed to the President, they gave me emails 'Please try to make Sara-like Sakura Gakuin'"

 

--At the transfer-in ceremony on May 5, 2016, you were appointed to the sixth president of the student council. How did you feel when you were named?

"It was very sudden and it made my mind go blank. In a few transfer-in ceremonies I had watched, the President had been appointed lastly. But this year, Principal Kuramoto called my post first. I was very surprised and was petrified.

As I'm now one of seniors, I was ready to accept a post in the student council. But when it came to the reality, the speech I had prepared for it was instantly gone."

 

--There was a special tense atmosphere among Fukei-sans. And now, how do you feel about your being the President?

"I'm not a kind of a person who is willing to take a post in a school committee or others. I like to follow others' leadership. But now, I'm proactive to say something in my mind, at a lesson or otherwise.

I prefer 'encouraging from behind' to 'leading at the head'. And I came to watch other members carefully when we perform. I think I can't enjoy fully if I try too hard leading members. I feel it good to watch over them and support them."

 

--You'll soon have the 'Transfer-ins Orientation' event on June 19. Do you get to know how the President should be?

"Yes, little by little. We are taking lessons for the event, and I've got to realize I must get a firm grip on myself first. Now I can tell clearly what I must tell, what we must correct."

 

--Has it sunk in that you're also a senior, not only the president?

"To be honest, I had been feeling empty inside since the graduation ceremony til the transfer-in ceremony. The graduates of 2015 -- Rinon-chan, Saki-chan and Saki-chan -- had told me "You're gonna be a senior!", but it never penetrated my mind. Gradually, I came to realize what they wanted to send to me."

 

--What do you think is the ideal President?

"The person who can tell what she must tell. I still have a way to go. I'm too considerate to the feeling of others. I'm afraid of hurting someone and I sometimes can't tell what I should tell. I need to be gentle sometimes, need to be strict sometimes. And also, I must correct myself and improve myself, in order to be a good example for kouhais."

 

--Now you're in your third year as a Sakura girl. How do you think about your precedent Presidents, Kikuchi Moa-san in 2014nendo and Isono Rinon-san in 2015nendo?

"Two of them just devoted all of them to Sakura Gakuin. Moa-chan usually was a 'touchy-feely' girl. But at a lesson, she carefully told us the meaning of the lyrics or the choreography. When I was new to Sakura Gakuin, I often showed absent-minded face... even though I myself was trying to show my big smile. Moa-chan taught me how to make a good expression.

 

And Rinon-chan sent me an email after the transfer-in ceremony of mine. It said 'I know you're worried about several things now. But I promise it gets more and more fun to perform together, if you try your hardest. First, just keep trying in this one year, so that you'll regret nothing'.

Thanks to their advice, now I can give my own singing and dancing."

 

--I think it's a good episode special to Sakura Gakuin. Some other impressive events with senpais?

"Senpais gave me emails 'Please try to make Sara-like Sakura Gakuin' after the transfer-in ceremony this year. As for the words of senpais...It's unforgettable they taught us how to show our dancing. I had had experience in dancing, but the choreography of Sakura Gakuin songs are special. It elaborately express the meaning of lyrics. We show good formation, with synchronizing our movements. At the same time, each girl has to work out the good way to show herself, by changing the angle of face or body subtly. It's never easy. Senpais instructed me specific movement, and after a long practice, they praised me 'Now you look nice!'. It was so fulfilling! And it made me practice more and more."

 

--What's the most impressive word of Senpais?

"In 2014 summer, I once went to a lesson without taking good practice in advance. It was when I came to get along with other members, and I was a little off-guard. Yui-chan said 'Everyone comes here with good preparation at home. Get a good grip on yourself'

 

It made me brace myself. And seeing the senpais working really hard, I myself could try my hardest. I asked the good way to practice at home, and got to make more effective practice."

 

 

"I myself don't know all history of Sakura Gakuin. I want to carry everything to the transfer-ins"

 

--This year, Sakura Gakuin accepted three transfer-ins -- Shintani Yuzumi-san, Aritomo Tsugumi-san and Mori Momoe-san. How are they like?

"Tsugumi and Momoe are elementary school students and they are like young sisters to me. Yuzumi is one year older than other transfer-ins and is more self-possessed. I myself joined Sakura Gakuin at the age of Yuzumi, so she reminds me of myself in those days. I want to tell several things to them.

 

At the transfer-in ceremony, I watched them carefully and found them perform fairly well and very cutely, even at the choreo they had found difficulties in lessons. I was glad they could do well."

 

"I myself don't know all history of Sakura Gakuin. I want to carry everything to the transfer-ins"

 

--This year, Sakura Gakuin accepted three transfer-ins -- Shintani Yuzumi-san, Aritomo Tsugumi-san and Mori Momoe-san. How are they like?

"Tsugumi and Momoe are elementary school students and they are like young sisters to me. Yuzumi is one year older than other transfer-ins and is more self-possessed. I myself joined Sakura Gakuin at the age of Yuzumi, so she reminds me of myself in those days. I want to tell several things to them.

 

At the transfer-in ceremony, I watched them carefully and found them perform fairly well and very cutely, even at the choreo they had found difficulties in lessons. I was glad they could do well."

 

--It's a pleasure unique to seniors. With accepting transfer-ins, has something of the group as a whole changed?

"The remaining members got more matured. Singing and dancing of them made improvement. The transfer-ins are trying their best to catch up with senpais. And the overall atmosphere of the group got more joyful and cheerful."

 

--How about the each grader?

"The middle-2nd graders are all very distinctive. Megu is a burikko and Aiko is a bit harsh. (Laughs) Momoko is boisterous and it seems there is no cohesion among three of them. I'm very looking forward to seeing them as seniors.

 

The middle-1st graders looks promising, Maaya and Marin getting new transfer in Yuzumi. And elementary-6th graders are all powerful and lively. Kano has been always super-boisterous. (Laugh) Four of them -- Kano, Soyoka, Tsugumi and Momoe -- have been good friends since before they join Sakura Gakuin. They are always having fun together. As the number of 6th graders are doubled, the boisterousness gets doubled. I hope they give Sakura Gakuin more joyful and cheerful vibes."

 

--This year, Kurosawa Mirena-san was appointed to the MC Chairperson. Do you feel uneasy for there being only two seniors?

"I'm not feeling uneasy, I'm just determined to do my best together with Mirena. I had no fellow member of the age when I transferred in, so I was very glad to accept Mirena -- we've been good friends since Ciao girl Audition. Now I have a girl I can consult with. She is really supporting me."

 

--And Aiko Yamaide-san was appointed to the vice-President. She is a 2013 Nendo transfer-in and has the longest career as a Sakura girl. This year, no current member shared time with the first generation graduates, and I think Sakura Gakuin is facing a turning point in a sense.

"I myself don't know all history of Sakura Gakuin. I want to consult with the graduates and carry everything to the transfer-ins. Aiko must be a good help for me in order to succeed the tradition of Sakura Gakuin. There are concerts and events Aiko only participated in. Now I'm having long talk with Aiko after lessons."

 

"It's a special feature of Sakura Gakuin that we can show our improvement. With succeeding the good tradition, I want to show something surprising"

 

--What is the charm of Sakura Gakuin, as for your understanding?

"The member of Sakura Gakuin is renewed every year, and Sakura Gakuin of each nendo is very different. By accepting new transfer-ins, remaining members also are forced to change in several ways. It's a special feature of Sakura Gakuin that we can show our improvement. Every time Fukei-sans see us, we grow taller and make improvement in singing and dancing."

 

--Sakura Gakuin is now in the 6th year since its foundation. As the President, what do you want to keep unchanged?

"I think some songs of Sakura Gakuin are sung properly by only Sakura Gakuin. For example, some songs have lyrics featuring 'Height competition', because 'Growing up' is one of our important themes. I think it an important job of the President to send the meaning of lyrics and choreography to transfer-ins."

 

--There are things which must be succeeded, and there must be something new you want to try.

"I want to try very new ways of expressing the meaning of lyrics. I want to show something surprising. Each song of Sakura Gakuin has its theme. For example, we are trying to send the image of 'flower garden' in 'Hana x Hana'. I want to make you visualize totally new flower garden this year. Please look forward to it."

 

--Speaking of 'something new', the uniform of Sakura Gakuin has changed into the grey one. We saw the new uniform at the transfer-in ceremony. Are you accustomed to it?

"We first wore it about two weeks before the transfer-in ceremony. And the day after, we were accustomed to it. (Laughs) Thanks to the new uniform, we could play lessons and rehearsals with fresh resolution. At the very first sight, I thought the uniform was just good for Sakura Gakuin. Especially, I like the white line at the collar. Wearing the uniform of Sakura Gakuin always make me settled and braced."

 

--Maybe wearing it is a switch to reboot your mind. There is about 10 months to your own graduation. Lastly, please give your personal resolution.

"As a senior, I want to show 'clever Sara'. We have a pop-test every year, and I was just one-point behind Megu last year. Megu is very sweet and a burikko. It's not fair that such a sweet girl can be the smartest. (Laughs)

I know Fukei-sans assume the 2nd graders are smarter than us 3rd graders. I'm a bad loser and I can't stand being second to someone. I'm determined to show my smartness to Fukei-sans. I can do it!"

 

 

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Interview by: Ure Pia. 

Translation by: Onji Kobe.