On February 27th, Morning Musume’s Takahashi Ai and Michishige Sayumi attended a sales commemoration and handshake event for their new photobook, “Rival Survival”. This photobook is from their 2011 Fall tour, where 6th generation member, Kamei Eri, and 8th generation exchange students, Jun Jun and Lin Lin, graduated from the group. The book also includes performances from other places, backstage pictures, and an interview with the members.


Since the title of their photobook is “Rival Survival”, the press asked them who the rivals of the revamped Morning Musume were. Both girls declared together, “Dream Morning Musume”; the group with former Morning Musume members. The average age of Morning Musume’s current lineup is 17, and Michishige laughed, “It’s like the age difference between a mother and child. It’s scary in a good way. It makes me nervous, or perhaps I should say, it sends chills down my spine.”.

This book focuses heavily on the graduation of Kamei, Jun Jun, and Lin Lin, but the next person in line to graduate is actually Morning Musume’s leader, Takahashi Ai; she will be graduating from the group next fall. Takahashi sighed, “My viewpoint has changed. The countdown has started and I wonder how much I can teach the new members in the limited time I have left. I’m a bit troubled”. She has also been thinking about different things to do after she’s graduated, “I’ve decided to do musicals, so I want to take lessons in order to head towards that goal.”

Michishige then commented on the cover of the new photobook, “It’s rare that I’m center on front covers, so I like this. It feels like a Michishige Sayumi photobook, and I thought ‘finally, my time has come!’”. Michishige is Takahashi’s junior, so she praised her, “I usually say this, but you’re really reliable. I think Ai-chan is really awesome and I’m glad to be here during Ai-chan’s time as a leader. Even those who look away, I want you all to see how great Ai-chan is.” Lastly, Michishige displayed her narcissistic character, “I put myself at number one, but Ai-chan is definitely number two!”




source: tokyohive