Kudo Kasumi (Kasumin)

Kazumi did great and dominated the show. The hosts called her a variety monster ome

https://x.com/yuiyuihan/status/1818705353435177420?s=46&t=2KxRQXvcVugy3WXUixRjTg

This is great for kazumi and very hopeful for AKB48 needs a variety show presence. Kazumi is also excellent energy in the theater. I get the feeling that she really enjoys every minute on stage. That said, she can also wreck a melody faster than shinozaki ayana or shimizu Maria yet kazumi always goes full force on the vocals

 

WeeklyPlayBoy's Interview Series, [Why AKB48 in Reiwa] continues!
This week and next is Kasumin's turn!

Kasumin article, part 1 (Aug 15, 2024)
https://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/news/entertainment/2024/08/15/124156/

video:

if the video does not show watch the video here

Translation assisted by ChatGPT:

AKB48 18th Generation Research Student Kudo Kasumi :
"I Was Happy to Pass the Audition, But My Mom Cried, 'Don't Go.'"
[Series: Why AKB48 in the Reiwa Era?]



In December 8, 2005, AKB48 made its debut in Akihabara, and has since become a nationally recognized idol group, producing numerous stars such as Atsuko Maeda, Minami Takahashi, Haruna Kojima, Mariko Shinoda, Yuko Oshima, and Rino Sashihara.

Over the years, the era has changed to Reiwa, and new star candidates have continuously joined the group. What motivates these new members to join AKB48 under different circumstances than before? What are their goals? We dive deep into interviews with fresh members to explore their appeal.

In this 10th edition, we feature Kasumi Kudo from Oita Prefecture, a research student of the 18th generation. She recently gained attention through her interaction with the comedy duo Cream Stew on the TV show Cream Nantara (TV Asahi). In the first part of this interview, she talks about her journey to joining AKB48, including her school days as a member of the newspaper club and her audition experience.


■ I Once Competed at the National Level in the Newspaper Club.

—Let's start by talking about your childhood.

Kudo: I was able to get along with everyone and was fortunate to be surrounded by good people. As the youngest among my relatives, I was doted on. My mother was very overprotective, so she would drive me everywhere, whether it was to school or cram school. Even when moving from one park to another, I’d be driven, whereas everyone else would be on their bikes.

—You sound like quite the young lady! Didn’t you ever want to walk home with your friends?

Kudo: When I did, I would just have my friends ride in the car with me.

—Did you have many friends?

Kudo: In elementary and middle school, I had quite a few. Although I was shy, people surprisingly approached me.

—Were you popular in your class?

Kudo: I’m not sure about that (laughs). But I did serve as a class representative or student council member. Friends would ask me to join them, or teachers would encourage me to take part. Since not many others were interested, I ended up doing it.

—When did you start taking on these roles?

Kudo: I was a class representative from first to sixth grade. In sixth grade, I was the student council president, so I would give speeches during morning assemblies and at sports events. Looking back, those were nostalgic times... But since I had done all that in elementary school, I didn’t want to do anything similar in middle school, so I joined the library committee instead.

—So you're comfortable with leadership roles?

Kudo: Yes, I’ve never had a problem with public speaking. Even now, among the 18th-generation research students, I often take on a leading role, like hosting events.

—What clubs were you in?

Kudo: I didn’t join any clubs in middle school, but I joined the newspaper club in high school.

—Wasn’t club participation almost mandatory in middle school?

Kudo: It was, but I would just go home and sleep. There was a relay race at the sports festival where all the clubs competed, but I was the only one sitting in the audience, which was really embarrassing.

—Didn’t your parents say anything about that?

Kudo: Maybe because I was the third child, they told me to do whatever I liked. I was always encouraged to live life my way.

—So you have siblings.

Kudo: Yes, I have an older brother and an older sister. They are eight and five years older than me, respectively, and they doted on me a lot. My sister even created an X (Twitter) account to follow me, and she’s always the first to like my posts and tell me what she enjoyed. My brother can’t seem to bring himself to say that his sister is in AKB48, so he just tells his coworkers how cute the current AKB members are. He’s been spreading the word about AKB48.



—You have wonderful siblings. So, why did you join the newspaper club in high school after not participating in any clubs before?

Kudo: My homeroom teacher in first-year high school was also the advisor for the newspaper club, and they really encouraged me to join. It seemed like the activities were interesting, so I decided to join.

—How many members were in the newspaper club?

Kudo: We had quite a lot, about 100 members. The advisor was really persuasive, even encouraging people to join as ghost members.

—What was your role in the club?

Kudo: I was part of the reporting team. We’d go to events like sports festivals and cultural festivals with our notebooks, cameras, and armbands to interview students. We’d ask them how their day went or what they worked hard on and jot it down. But since I often scribbled, I sometimes couldn’t read my notes later (laughs). I would do my best to recall the details when writing the article, and the newspaper would be posted in classrooms or hallways.

—Are there competitions for the newspaper club?

Kudo: Yes, we once competed at the national level. There’s a cultural festival that gathers cultural clubs from all over the country, and each year it’s held in different regions. We interviewed people in those regions and compiled our year’s activities into a newspaper, for which we won an excellence award.

—Writing articles requires strong language skills. Were you good at school?

Kudo: I was fairly good. In elementary and middle school, my grades were excellent, often among the top in my class. But in high school, my grades slipped a bit, and I was slightly above average.

—That’s still impressive.

Kudo: I aimed for all fives on my report card, but I wasn’t good at sports, so I only got a three in physical education. I could only swim about seven meters, and in the 100-meter dash, I’d finish just as the next group was about to start. I was really bad at sports.

—But a three isn’t too bad, is it?

Kudo: Hardly anyone got a two or a one. I aced the written tests, so they gave me a three.

—Did you enjoy studying?

Kudo: I hated it. But I’m the type who takes everything seriously. Whether it was studying or the student council, if I was given a responsibility, I would give it my all and approach it sincerely.



■ Listening to ‘Vegetable Sisters’ Helped Me Start Eating Vegetables

—Can you tell me about your first encounter with AKB48?

Kudo: In kindergarten, we danced to songs like "Heavy Rotation" and "Aitakatta" during playtime.

—Were you a fan of AKB48?

Kudo: I loved them. They were so sparkly and inspiring. When I was five, I heard the song "Vegetable Sisters" and it helped me start eating vegetables. I thought it was amazing how these girls could turn something I disliked into something I liked, and even at that young age, I found them incredibly appealing. That’s when I started wanting to become an idol. I saved up my allowance to buy CDs like "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" and "Heavy Rotation" from the CD store at the shopping mall. I treasured those CDs and listened to them carefully.

—Did you have a favorite member?

Kudo: I loved Yuko Oshima the most. Her smile was so bright and made me happy just watching her. Her performances were powerful, and she had a strong presence. Her natural and funny personality during talks was also something I admired.

—Why did you decide to audition for the 18th generation?

Kudo: I had always admired idols since I was a child, but I didn’t think I could become one or that I would pass the audition. By my second year of high school, when it was time to decide on my future, I realized that I didn’t want to do anything else but become an idol. I figured it was now or never. If I hadn’t passed the 18th generation audition, I probably would have just gone to university.

—So this was your last chance to become an idol.

Kudo: Yes, so my mindset was completely different. I couldn’t perform well during the dance audition and thought I had no chance. I was so upset that I cried outside while the other girls were still auditioning. The next day, I went to school with swollen eyes.

—Did your classmates notice anything?

Kudo: They noticed that I was really down and quiet, so they asked me what was wrong, but I just told them it was nothing. I hadn’t told anyone that I was auditioning.

—So you kept it a secret. How did you feel when you passed the audition?

Kudo: I couldn’t believe it. I was like, “Really?” My family was overjoyed, but my mom cried a lot and said, “Don’t go.” I think she didn’t want me to go to Tokyo alone.

—Your mom, who always took such good care of you, must have been really protective. How did you convince her?

Kudo: My mom has always supported my dreams, so even though she said, “Don’t go,” she ended up encouraging me with a “Do your best.”

—Did you tell your friends that you passed the AKB48 audition?

Kudo: I only told my family.

—But you had to go to Tokyo, right?

Kudo: I thought my friends would be sad if I told them, so I decided to tell them about three days before leaving. I figured it would be better to keep the sad period as short as possible.

—If you had told them earlier, maybe you could have created more memories together.

Kudo: Tokyo isn’t that far, so I told myself we could still see each other and then I made the move.


[The serialization "Why AKB48 in the Reiwa Era?" is updated every Thursday. The second part, where Kudo talks about the challenges of lessons and her current goals, will be published on August 22!]

 

WeeklyPlayBoy's Interview Series, [Why AKB48 in Reiwa] continues!

Kasumin article, part 2 (Aug 22, 2024)
https://wpb.shueisha.co.jp/news/entertainment/2024/08/22/124216/

video:

if the video does not show watch the video here

Translation assisted by ChatGPT (inform me if there are any mistakes!):

AKB48 18th Generation Trainee Kasumi Kudō:
"I'm Not in a Position to Choose Work Right Now, So I'm Ready for Anything!"
[Series: Why AKB48 in the Reiwa Era?]



AKB48 was born in Akihabara on December 8, 2005 (Heisei 17). The group has produced numerous stars like Atsuko Maeda, Minami Takahashi, Haruna Kojima, Mariko Shinoda, Yūko Ōshima, and Rino Sashihara, becoming a national idol group known by everyone.

More than a decade has passed since then, and the era has changed to Reiwa, with a new wave of star candidates joining the group. In a situation different from back then, what are these new members thinking as they join AKB48? What are their goals? We bring you an in-depth interview to uncover the charm of these fresh members!

In the 10th installment, we feature Kasumi Kudō (Kudō Kasumi) from Ōita Prefecture, a member of the 18th generation trainees. She recently gained attention for her interactions with the comedy duo Cream Stew on the TV Asahi show "Cream Nantara." In the first part, we heard about her school days, but in the second part, she talks about the challenges she faced in AKB48, the difficulties of training, and her current goals.

■ There Were Times I Thought About Quitting After Not Being Chosen as a First-Day Member
――What was it like when you first met the 18th generation members after passing the audition?

Kudō: From the very first lesson, I realized how incredibly skilled everyone was at dancing and singing. That was my first setback. Many of them had dance experience, and their skills and potential were naturally high. Since I had no experience in either singing or dancing, I was desperate to catch up. I knew I had to work much harder.

――Do you remember your debut performance?

Kudō: I was so moved to be standing in a place I'd only seen in videos. I still think about it now—being able to see the stage and members I watched on TV in person makes me really happy. I'm so glad I joined.

――Was there anyone in particular who made you feel that way?

Kudō: Definitely Yuki Kashiwagi. I also got to meet Takamina (Minami Takahashi) on a TV show. Seeing the members who made me want to join AKB48 made me think, "Wow, they're amazing." I got a bit fan-girly, like, "I can't believe I actually get to meet them." My manager even told me, "You need to maintain a professional mindset."

――Was the training tough?

Kudō: The debut song for the 18th generation trainees was "Nemo Hamo Rumor", you know?!

――That's a very challenging song, even for current members.

Kudō: I thought, "Are you serious?" I was convinced I couldn't do it. The video from our first lesson was so bad I can't even show it, but we had no choice but to practice. I practiced in my hotel room, at home, and sometimes I didn't sleep at all. But the members with dance experience kept progressing, and I was struggling to keep up.



――In February this year, the joint 17th and 18th generation performance of "Soko ni Mirai wa Aru" started. You weren't chosen as one of the 16 members for the first-day performance.

Kudō: I was told before the performance rehearsals started that I was not selected as a first-day member. I love theater performances, and I treasure them. I wanted to perform as much as possible, and many fans became fans because of theater performances, so I was really frustrated about not being chosen for the first day. During that time, I was so down and even thought about quitting.

I hated myself for not being able to give anything back to the fans who supported me. When you have good news, your fans feel like it was worth supporting you and want to cheer even more, right? But I didn't have anything like that, and I felt so bad for my fans.

――How did you recover from that state?

Kudō: The fans said things like, "We're waiting for your first performance," and "I'll definitely come to see your first performance, Kasumi," which made me realize there were people waiting for me. For me, the fans are my motivation. It might sound cliché, but I can do my best because the fans are there.

――Hearing words from fans like that really makes you happy, doesn't it? How was the training?

Kudō: I participated in all the rehearsals without missing a single day. From learning the choreography to regular practice, I watched all the run-through rehearsals and dress rehearsals. I even watched the actual performance via streaming.

――That's amazing.

Kudō: I turned that frustration into motivation, thinking, "I'll make sure my first day is even better than everyone else's."

――Now, you've been performing as a kenkyuusei in senior members' performances and have grown a lot, haven't you?

Kudō: Even now, I'm still slow at learning choreography, so I do a lot of prep work in advance and practice repeatedly. But I've gained a bit more confidence in my performances.

■ I Think AKB48 Today Has a Lot of Potential to Surpass Its Past

――What do you enjoy most about your activities now?

Kudō: Honestly, I'm not satisfied with myself, and there are many things that don't go well, but I feel like I'm really having a youthful experience with AKB48. I couldn't really enjoy my youth during my school days, so I'm genuinely having fun with AKB48. It's the best.

――You kept playing AKB48 songs during the photo shoot too.

Kudō: I was thinking about how I want to perform this song at a festival or this stage. I think my passion for AKB48 is stronger than most people.

――Speaking of which, you transferred schools without telling your classmates that you joined AKB48. How did that turn out?

Kudō: When my debut was announced on the news, I got a lot of messages like, "You're in AKB?!" and "Congratulations!" Everyone has been supportive—they followed me on Instagram and X, joined online talk events, and some even came all the way to handshake events in Tokyo. They didn't tell me anything, so it was kind of awkward when they suddenly showed up, and time ran out before I could say much (laughs).

――It's funny how you could have talked to them normally as friends.

Kudō: Even so, I was really happy they went out of their way to come.



――Recently, some 18th generation members have been selected for senbatsu (main lineup).

Kudō: I want to be in the senbatsu too. I think if you start thinking it's okay not to be chosen, it's over. I believe everyone is working hard with the goal of making it into the senbatsu. I'm willing to do anything to be selected, and I'm committed to approaching everything with care and sincerity.

――What do you think you need to improve the most?

Kudō: Singing, I guess... I'm really bad at singing. And what else... I know I need to work hard in many areas. "Effort" is a simple word, but I know I have no choice but to keep making an effort.

――You've loved AKB48 for a long time. How do you compare the group from the past to now?

Kudō: There are a lot of people who know the old AKB48 but don't know the current AKB48. Many of the songs that are still used are from the old days. But I think today's AKB48 has a lot of potential to surpass the past, and I want to share the charm of the current AKB48 with more people.

――How do you think you can contribute to the current AKB48?

Kudō: I love talking and making people laugh, so I'd like to develop those skills. I enjoy making people laugh because it's fun when you're laughing. I want to do work that makes people happy. But I'm not in a position to choose work right now, so I'm ready for anything.

――That's the spirit!

Kudō: You never know what's coming your way, but I want to always be prepared to seize any opportunity.

――What does AKB48 mean to you?

Kudō: It's something I can dedicate my life to. It's my youth. I still want to stay in AKB48 for a long time.



[Series "Why AKB48 in the Reiwa Era?" is updated every Thursday. The next installment featuring Hotei Moka is scheduled for September 5th!]
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I agree with Kasumin here, the biggest rival for the Current AKB48 in people's mind is neither Sakamichi nor K-Pop, it's the Old AKB48.
And she almost quitted when not chosen as Sokomira starter member.
Reminded me the girls endured lots of hardships behind their smiles