Translation: Morito Chisaki's Explanation at a Whisper (Tsunku♂)

Morito Chisaki's Explanation at a Whisper

2022.03.02 21:0)

Text: Tsunku♂
Editing: Ozawa Aya
Illustrations: Mizushina Takayuki
Translation: Lurkette


It's good for the music producer of Morning Musume. to understand the nature of the members, naturally.

Thinking about it, back then I would see everyone at the very least twice a year in summer and winter, at the rehearsals for the all Hello!Project concerts. I'd see them again at rehearsals for individual tours for Morning Musume. or other groups, when they had them.

A lot of time has passed since I retired as the overall producer and moved away from that. The likes of Tanaka Reina and Michishige Sayumi are in their 30s, and Sayashi and Sato who were just middle schoolers when I first met them are now adults and have graduated from Morning Musume. Time flies.

I say that, but I hate sounding like some distant uncle who lives out in the country, saying things like, "Oh, time goes by so fast." It is true, though, so I guess I've just gotten older... (cries).

Morito was the 14th generation member of Morning Musume., but she auditioned in 2014 as someone who could take the place of Michishige Sayumi and all of them in Hello!Pro.

In that sense, I haven't watched her closely since before her debut, and I don't pretend to know everything about her. Still, as a general impression, getting selected from Country Girls to join Morning Musume. makes me think people had a lot of faith in her.

Normally, while I'm producing, I get little updates on things from the people working at Up Front, so I had heard that Morito was starting to think about graduating.

Just as I was wondering when it would happen, it came to pass. I got a message the other day from the staff, saying, "Morito says she would like to say hello to you, so do you want to open a line of communication with her?" I usually get what they're asking at times like this, so I said that was fine and I waited for the response.

At times like this, they're getting their own emotions in check, making definitive arrangements, sorting out their reasons. Sometimes they reach out to me right away, sometimes it takes several days. Sometimes it has even taken a week or two.

Well, there is no right or wrong answer here. Every situation is different, and they really don't need to be oddly concerned about me. I earnestly believe that the best thing to do is focus on yourself when you're graduating. Morito reached out quickly. Kind of funny.

She wrote a message explaining her desire to study abroad, that was mentioned in the public announcement, as well as her feelings of gratitude towards Morning Musume., and even though it was all text, her personality came through. What she wrote showed the personality of someone who is a perfectionist and modest, and I caught myself smiling in satisfaction. She's all grown up, even though she could still be more selfish~! I think.

Nevertheless, she's a girl with strong convictions that clearly communicated that she's of the age where she should graduate and she wants to improve herself by studying abroad.

She's about the age when you'd graduate from college, so she's going to try taking her next steps from now on. I think this will spur something within the current members, and depending on how Morning Musume. reacts, it will spur something within her, as well. I think I'll have to work harder, too!

So, I wrote this on Twitter, as well, but she has some time until her graduation on June 20. I want her to have fun until the end and find her remaining days fulfilling. I also hope she'll always be fond of Morning Musume.

Good luck! And have fun!