Takahashi Ai - She took the audition because of her competitive spirit rather than her dreamIn the nationwide popular group Morning Musume, Takahashi Ai (17) is already one of the members who have top class popularity. This summer will be her third summer since joining Morning Musume. She originally wished to become a different kind of Musume, a Musumeyaku i.e. an actress who plays female roles in Takarazuka. The classic ballet lessons she had since the age of 8 endowed her with a flexible body and an honest, pure heart.
[Her dialect has disappeared!?]
It’s been 3 years since she moved to Tokyo. I’m very surprised when she tells me that she has already lost her Fukui dialect which used to be one of her charmpoints(?). “It just happened naturally when I kept talking to people in Tokyo. When I’m talking with my friends in Fukui on the phone I tell them that ‘Ahh, I’m already speaking standard Japanese, ya know? But the people here in Tokyo understand what I’m saying if I talk like this too. Though some still say I haven’t lost my dialect yet.’.”
Wearing casual jeans and a black cardigan on top, she shows me her specialty, classic ballet moves, while facing the mirror. It’s beautiful to watch and you get the impression that she looks more mature like this.
When I tell her that she looks pretty, she says “No! I’m not. I’m definitely not. No one has ever told me that I’m pretty!” with a bright red face. She seems so embarrassed that she hides her face with both hands, so I ask her “Someone at school probably told you the same thing and confessed his love to you, right?”. She becomes angry and denies many times saying “Ain’t nobody telling me that. Ain’t nobody telling me that!”. When she realizes that she spoke with her dialect in agitation, she corrects herself saying “Ah! Nobody tells me that!” one more time. Very lovely.
“Once there was a letter in my shoe box at school… But, but, I thought it was a downright lie. It’s true!” she says, trying very hard to explain to me what she means while blushing. She has an honest character and a very expressive face.
[But she loves Fukui]
Then I bring up Sauce Katsudon, the specialty of Fukui and tell her my impression that “It wasn’t very delicious…”. She brusquely counters with “That’s only because you went to a bad place!”. She’s surprisingly strong-willed.
This girl, Takahashi, has been dreaming of becoming a Musumeyaku of the Takarazuka Revue since she was in elementary school. “If I didn’t have this dream, I think I wouldn’t have continued ballet and wouldn’t be able to do my best now either.” she says.
Relieving stress with Takarazuka
Her best method of relieving stress is as expected… “Takarazuka”. “I buy their videos and I still go watch their plays. I don’t mind watching while standing either. Then it costs 1500 yen. I collect the cards too. Even if something bad happens, Takarazuka blows my gloominess away and I feel like I can do my best again.”.
The type of man she likes: the exact opposite of her father
Talking about the type of man she likes: “I’d like someone who does the talking. Even though I’m an idol, I usually don’t talk much.”. She respects her father, but someone like him couldn’t be her lover. “I wouldn’t like someone like dad who always goes to pachinko parlors on off-days. I feel like ‘Why do you even try if you already know you’ll only lose?’.”
[Her father was against it]
She took up classic ballet when she was in third year of elementary school. After that she got interested in Takarazuka and started watching their TV shows. “Mom and I both became fans of Takarazuka. The first troupe I watched was the Flower Troupe. I still remember it.”.
Her first favorite Takarazienne was Takahashi Fubuki who was a top star of the Snow Troupe at that time. “I put up posters of her in my room. When friends came over, they said “Ehhh! Scary!” though.”.
Because of her lack in height, her goal was to become a “Musumeyaku” and she would continue practicing ballet even if a toenail came off. In middle school she joined the chorus club. She even took part in a national tournament. The reason she took the Morning Musume audition wasn’t because it was her “dream”, but rather because… “I was watching it on TV and got envious of the people who passed it. I didn’t take the audition to become an idol, I rather took it because I wanted to pass it. I thought I can’t lose to them.”.
Her father(38) was against her joining Morning Musume. He asked her “You wanted to join Takarazuka, didn’t you? Is it ok to give that up?”. Hearing that from her reticent father was “tough” she says.
“Now dad puts up posters of me and copies sites on a computer he never used before. But it seems like he doesn’t want me to think that he’s accepted it, so all he does is telling me to do my best from time to time. He’s reticent as usual.”.
The person she respects is her father. “He works in an express home delivery company. Even if he gets home very late, he still puts his all into his job. I know it’s only natural. I know that, but that’s what I like about him. Earlier, I often went to wave hands at my dad when his truck passed by the station.”.
[In the new song, she’s already…]
Once her goal was to become a “Musumeyaku”, but now she’s doing her best as a Morning Musume. The dream of this pure hearted girl now is to become an adult. “When I’m feeling down or when I’m worn out, Abe (Natsumi)-san or Gotou (Maki)-san would talk to me or write me a letter to cheer me up. I want to become someone who can listen to others and has an own opinion about everything.”.
In the cover of the new song “Joshi Kashimashi”, she’s boldly sitting in the center. This girl will soon reach her “Musumezakari“.
Captions of the pics:
[Aichan’s signed illustration where she drew strangely long eyes.]
[As might be expected from someone who dreamed of becoming a Musumeyaku of Takarazuka, she was very good at classic ballet she took up in third year of elementary school. Left pic: Aichan when she was 3 years old. She’s easily recognizeable because of the big and beautiful eyes.]
[Takahashi Ai giving the interview with Fukui dialect mixed in and a smile on her face]
[Full name: Takahashi Ai
Date of birth: September 14th, 1986
Origin: Fukui prefecture
Pet names: Aichan, Tettekete
Her favorite thing: Red towel. (She’s used it since she was small and can’t sleep without it.)]
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