Tag Archives: Iikubo Haruna

Henkka: This will be the last summary I’m going to do of Morning Jogakuin for the time being. I’d really hope to pass it on to someone else, so if you think you might like to give a shot at translating this show (or any other show not yet covered on Hello! Pro Radio), please see this page.

Maa-chan, Ikuta and Harunan begin by talking about how Oda-chan has now been a member of the group for two years. Maa-chan notes how much Oda-chan has grown, and the other two laugh because Maa-chan is in no position to say that about anyone. Harunan points out that there’s something even more significant about this day: Morning Musume itself is now going into its 18th year as a group (Tsunku chose their name on ASAYAN exactly on September 14, 1997).

Opening Question
“Your favorite memory of the past summer?”

Ikuta says that her favorite memory was going to her first summer festival after coming to Tokyo, whereas for Harunan, she says that not only was the group’s trip to Hawaii one of her favorite memories of the summer, it was one of the best times of her entire life thus far.

Maa-chan‘s favorite memory was going to the beach. The beach Maa-chan visited was actually the same one her mom and dad used to frequent when they were just around 12 years old or so — her parents have known each other since they were in elementary school, but as they were still just kids back then, Maa-chan’s dad used to think of her mom as basically Godzilla (as Maa-chan puts it). The two finally started dating in around junior high school or so.

Maa-chan’s explanation about the beach takes an even more interesting turn. She says that in her mind since the sea has “known” and looked over her parents for so long, it now also helps Maa-chan with her work troubles and such. She doesn’t mean that figuratively: when she goes into the sea and dives really deep, she can literally hear the sea talking to her.

Ikuta suggests that it’s just the buzzing in Maa-chan’s ears. While Maa-chan can’t deny this possibility, she nevertheless explains that when she just dived in, stayed below water for about five seconds and meditated with her eyes closed, the sea suddenly became very “energetic.” Maa-chan claims this must be because it got to meet her and her mom again after such a long while.

Harunan: Me, I’m just surprised you even know the word “meditate.”
Maa-chan: Why?
Harunan: That’s a pretty difficult word. I don’t think someone like Ayumin would know it.
Maa-chan: Ahh. Well yeah, but Ayumin is stupid.
Harunan& Ikuta: (laughs)

Continue reading →

September is here which means Ikuta and Maa-chan are now back in school. Ikuta teases Harunan by saying she’s the only adult of the three as she’s no longer in school, but Harunan says that she, too, began a new life starting this September. “Oh? Like what?“, Ikuta inquires. “Like… like a life where I’m spending all my time on games,” Harunan answers, laughing.

Opening Question
“What’s something you’d like to try challenging by yourself?”

Harunan says she’d like to try going to a manga cafe by herself.

Ikuta: Those places have huge amounts of manga, don’t they?!
Harunan: Well, yeah. ‘Cause they’re manga cafes.

After Ikuta finishes complaining about how Harunan is making fun of her, she asks her if she has any manga she would like to recommend to her specifically. Harunan says Ikuta wouldn’t be moved by anything she could recommend her, but Ikuta denies this and says she just cried the other day on a flight when reading Ao Haru Ride. Harunan is surprised to hear this, and thus recommends Ikuta another work by the same mangaka called Strobe Edge.

Maa-chan says she would like to try living on Earth all alone by herself.

Maa-chan: There would be no sharks, no dolphins, no whales, no humans… just me. And food.

Continue reading →