Takahashi Ai’s Radio-graphy

Takahashi Ai
Born 1986 in Fukui prefecture. She joined Morning Musume as a 5th generation member in 2001. Since June, 2007 she’s been serving as the 6th leader. She appeared in dramas like “Tenka Souran ~ Tokugawa Sandai no Inmou”, “Hitmaker Aku Yu Monogatari” etc. In 2008, she starred in the 2 plays “Ojigi 30do” and “Cinderella the Musical”. Morning Musume’s tribute album to Aku Yu “COVER YOU” has been released too.

A master of kendo brimming with curiosity…… Takahashi Ai-san plays the role of high school student Kana in “Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou” (NHK production / at 8pm on Thursdays).
“I took kendo lessons before the filming started, but it was the first time for me to hold a fencing stick and I was dripping with sweat because the uniform was so heavy. I’m supposed to be a master of kendo, but since I’m far from being one, I just stand around holding the sword and do my best trying to look like a master. (lol) But I can relate to Kana because she’s lively and bad at math like me.”
The story of the drama is about Kana solving difficult cases together with genius transfer student Sou (Nakamura Aoi). It’s a live-adaptation of a popular comic of the same title.
“The story is really interesting! I like ‘Detective Conan’ and ‘Kindaichi Case Files’ too and I often try to guess the criminal, but “Q.E.D.” surprises me every time because the criminal is someone I hadn’t even suspected. The viewers should try putting their detective skills to test too. The biggest difference from the original work is that Kana’s mother has passed away. The relationship between her and her father Koutarou is a highlight too, so I hope you’ll watch it together with your family.”
She’s normally active as Morning Musume’s leader, but this time she’s working without the other members.
“The dressing room seems more spacious without the members. (lol) But even if I’m not with them, we exchange mails and I still feel close to them. In 2008, we could play a tour through Asia which was our hearts’ desire and we’ve been running at full speed for the whole year. I want to make 2009 a year where we 9 can make a big jump with all the experience each one of us have gained.”
She let us peek into the world of a level-headed, leaderesque woman.

Page 2:

Drama8
“Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou”
NHK production 8:00~8:45pm

A murder has been commited at an altitude of 10.000 feet!

This is an entertaining mystery drama about the unusual combination of an energetic female high school student and a genius male student solving cases in a logical manner.

It all starts with Sou(Nakamura) transferring into Kana(Takahashi)’s class one day. Wondering why such an exceptionally intelligent boy would transfer into a normal high school, Kana forcibly drags him to a skydiving event. The Japanese skydiving delegation is putting on a show there, but suddenly one of the members starts falling down like a rock. As that man Nomaki(Honda Daisuke) hits the ground, he’s dead with a knife stuck in his back where his parachute was. The members say that he was alive before the jump, but then who stabbed him with a knife at an altitude of 10.000 feet?
Kana’s dad Mizuhara (Ishiguro), who is a detective, starts looking for the truth.

caption #1: Kana and Sou run into a murder case at a skydiving event

caption #2: Kana and her father Koutarou quarrel all the time

Staff & Cast
Original work / Motohiro Katou
Script / Fujimoto Yuki and others
Direction / Iseda Masaya and others
Cast / Takahashi Ai, Nakamura Aoi, Ishiguro Ken and others

Introduction of the characters:
Mizuhara Koutarou (Ishiguro Ken)
He’s Kana’s dad and a detective. He has a scary look and a good constitution, but lacks a bit of common sense. 45 years old.

Touma Sou (Nakamura Aoi)
He’s a genius boy who graduated from the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the age of 15. He lives alone in a mansion and has a weak constitution. 17 years old.

Mizuhara Kana (Takahashi Ai)
She’s in 2nd year of high school. She’s not good at studying, but her kendo skills are extraordinary. She’s brimming with curiosity and energy and drags around Sou a lot. 17 years old.

Nishimaru Hiroki (Nakayama Takuya)
A member of the kendo club. Even though he’s a guy, he doesn’t stand a chance against Kana. He doesn’t like the genius Sou. 17 years old.

Kousaka Madoka (Nakamura Shizuka)
A member of the Kendo club. She’s always amazed at how much of a scatterbrain Kana is and makes sharp comments. 17 years old.

Umemiya Eriko (Chikage)
She’s a classmate of Kana and a member of the kendo club. She’s a very ordinary high school girl. 17 years old.

Yamamoto Kouji’s “Let’s take a little break!”

45th guest:
TAKAHASHI AI
(Morning Musume)

Takahashi Ai-chan is the youngest guest of this corner so far. Host Yamamoto, confronted by Aichan’s breathtaking cuteness, completely turned into a grandfather figure sighing “How lovely she is~” during the interview. Ai-chan, who is usually busy with concerts and plays, was chosen to play the role of the heroine in the NHK drama8 “Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou”! The drama is being filmed right now and will air in January, just like the special of the historic drama “Kagero no Tsuji ~ Inemuri Iwane Edo Soshi” with host Yamamoto in the leading role. This is the talk of these two lead actors of NHK dramas.

Yamamoto Kouji: Well, wow… *grin*
Takahashi Ai: Eh? (lol)
Yamamoto: You’re really cute… (lol)
Takahashi: No, no, not at all. (lol) Yamamoto-san, we were both guests in Gussan’s show once! (watch it on Youtube)
Yamamoto: Back then… I didn’t do anything, did I? (lol)
Takahashi: No. (lol)
Yamamoto: I was just sitting there drinking. I’m sorry. (lol) This is the first time we get to talk properly like this, I’ll be in your care today!
Takahashi: I’ll be in your care too!
Yamamoto: You’re going to play the leading role of the NHK drama “Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou” in January. Has the filming already ended now?
Takahashi: No, not yet, today I came here straight from the film set!
Yamamoto: I see, thank you for coming here when you’re so busy! What kind of role is it? I heard it’s a mystery story.
Takahashi: Yes! It’s a live adaptation of a manga. I play the role of a girl who solves different cases together with the genius boy Touma-kun (Nakamura Aoi), who graduated from an American university at the age of 15. She’s basically hopping around him all the time.
Yamamoto: She hops around him? (lol)
Takahashi: Yes, she drags Touma-kun around a lot. (lol)
Yamamoto: Hoh… (lol) So she doesn’t say “I’ll solve this case on my own!”. Does she give him hints and stuff?
Takahashi: Ummm, she doesn’t. (lol)
Yamamoto: She doesn’t, I see. (lol)
Takahashi: But since Touma-kun is a very shy person, his classmates stay away from him and she thinks of ways to bring him together with them. That’s how meddlesome she is. She also often drags him along to a crime scene and tells him to solve the case.
Yamamoto: Heh, she’s very energetic. I see. (lol) How’s the atmosphere in the NHK recording studio?
Takahashi: It’s a lot of fun! When I think about how NHK broadcasts their program into the whole world, it’s amazing. (lol) But I’m not used to the set of a drama yet, so everything is new to me right now! I learn a lot of different things from the people around me!
Yamamoto: It’s nice to hear that! But you know, you’ve been doing your best in Morning Musume as a singer and as a result you’re well-known nationwide, even among small children, right? When I was on the set of “Shinsengumi!“, I thought to myself “Ahh, music artists are really amazing, no one could beat them.”. There was this little boy on the film set, I think he was about 2 years old. He said “Shingo!” when he saw Katori Shingo-kun! I thought being recognized by such small children must give you a different kind of energy. I think no matter how hard I try and keep acting, I’ll never get recognized by 1 or 2 year old children. (lol) But Aichan, you’re really… sparkling.
Takahashi: No, no. (lol)
Yamamoto: How old are you now?
Takahashi: I’m 22.
Yamamoto: I see, no, you’re really sparkling. Where are you from?
Takahashi: I’m from Fukui prefecture.
Yamamoto: Eh! From Fukui prefecture?! There aren’t many people from Fukui in show business.
Takahashi: There’s Itsuki Hiroshi-san!
Yamamoto: Ohh, I see. (lol) So this sparkle is from Fukui prefecture…
Takahashi: There was an audition and I joined Morning Musume at the age of 14.
Yamamoto: I remember that audition!
Takahashi: Thank you very much. (lol) But I had a lot of trouble because I couldn’t get used to standard Japanese. Even when I was with the Morning Musume members, my dialect would show and I used to get scolded for it a lot.
Yamamoto: For example?
Takahashi: “Haya, shinema!”
Yamamoto: …!?
Takahashi: When I said it, everyone reacted like “Eh?”! It means “Hurry up and do it”, but everyone thought “She just told me to hurry up and die…”.
Yamamoto: That’s what I thought too. (lol)
Takahashi: It doesn’t mean that. (lol) There’s also “chokin”. “Ochokin, shinema!”.
Yamamoto: “Save up money”?
Takahashi: It means “Sit correctly!”.
Yamamoto: Heh! That’s interesting. But now you speak standard Japanese perfectly, right? So you fixed it.
Takahashi: I used to take lessons from a teacher for standard Japanese. (lol)
Yamamoto: Teacher for standard Japanese?
Takahashi: There was an announcer in my agency and he taught me.
Yamamoto: Hoh! Then you got used to standard Japanese. (lol) And now you’re the heroine of an NHK drama! I see, since you joined Morning Musume at the age of 14, you’ve been a member for 8 years… You’re the leader now, right?
Takahashi: Yes! I’m the oldest member of Morning Musume.
Yamamoto: Ehhhhh, really?! That’s a bit of a shock. (lol) You play concerts and act in dramas. In plays too, right?
Takahashi: Yes. I’ve loved musicals so much that I wanted to join Takarazuka before joining Morning Musume. That’s why I like watching musicals on off days and it’s of course fun to take part in a musical myself too.
Yamamoto: Have you watched any of my plays? I’m starring in a musical right now.
Takahashi: Ah, I’m sorry, I haven’t yet… (lol)
Yamamoto: It’s ok, it’s ok. (lol) Are there plays you’d like to star in, in the future?
Takahashi: For example, the play “Les Misérables” where you starred in or the play “Elizabeth” which is currently being performed! I went to NY with my mom when I was 19 and I watched “Producers”, “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Blue Man Group” there. While watching, I thought I’d love to be one of the actresses. I’ve had the opportunity to take part in quite a few plays so far and I’ve really come to think that a play is something that’s alive. Even if you perform the same play again and again, it feels different every time. Like when you’ve performed it in a certain way today, you decide to do it in a different way tomorrow, it all changes according to the way you feel. Thus the play is completely different on the first day and on the final day. It’s probably not supposed to be like that though…
Yamamoto: No, no, I think it’s a good thing! First of all, I think it’s true that the play is different every time. There are often people who don’t watch a play more than once because they think it’s a repetition of the same thing everyday, but it’s not the same. Today I’ll do it better than yesterday, tomorrow I’ll do it better than today etc. Humans tend to aim gradually higher… I also try to aim as high as possible on the first day of a play, but as soon as the curtains rise and you see the guests on the seats look at you, everything starts moving by itself. I’m sure there’s a lot you can learn from that. Definitely. Of course, there are times when you stumble and fall too. Are you the type to get depressed in times like that?
Takahashi: Shortly after joining Morning Musume, I got scolded because I couldn’t get things done correctly and I was so depressed that I looked down all the time.
Yamamoto: Hee… So you get scolded too, huh?
Takahashi: By my coaches for example.
Yamamoto: Not by your senpai? (lol)
Takahashi: I get advice from my senpai.
Yamamoto: Are they scary? (lol)
Takahashi: (lol) But they don’t scold me in a way that makes me resent them afterwards, so I’m rather thankful!
Yamamoto: And who scolds you in a way that makes you want to resent them?
Takahashi (lol) Since I’m the oldest members now, I’m in the position to scold the younger members. Now I can understand how my senpai must have felt back then and I know how difficult it must have been for them. I respect them for that!
Yamamoto: I see… Is there anything you’d scold me for right now?
Takahashi: No. (lol)
Yamamoto: Really? (lol) What do you do on off days?
Takahashi: I go shopping or go out like everyone else. I’m more the type to do something outside on off days!
Yamamoto: The type that thinks it’s a waste to stay at home all the time?
Takahashi: Yes! But even now, it sometimes happens that I get scouted when I’m walking around on my own outside. (lol)
Yamamoto: No way! Seriously? Some scout that was. (lol) Don’t you say anything then? Like “WHO do you think I am?”. (lol)
Takahashi: I don’t!! (lol)
Yamamoto: I bet I would have! (lol) What else do you do on off days?
Takahashi: I go watch musicals or go to dance lessons.
Yamamoto: Lessons on off days! That’s admirable! You must be very busy right now with the concerts and the filming of the drama.
Takahashi: But it’s a nice change of mood to go from one to the other. For example, playing a concert after filming is really fun. The cheers of the fans give me a lot of power too!
Yamamoto: I’ve never been to a Morning Musume concert… I never really had the opportunity to and don’t you think I’d totally stand out if I went to one? (lol)
Takahashi: No, it’ll be alright! Please come to our concerts, by all means. (lol)
Yamamoto: The cheers of the fans are all in sync too, right?
Takahashi: When it’s a member’s birthday, the fans all shout her name in sync during the encore!
Yamamoto: Ohh! That’s what I call love! But there are quite a lot of people who have never been to a Morning Musume concert, but are actually closet fans! For example in karaoke bars, everyone’s going off on Morning Musume songs. (lol)
Takahashi: Ehh, I’m happy to hear that. (lol)
Yamamoto: It’s really fun to sing Morning Musume songs with everyone. (lol) But when I’m talking to you like this, Ai-chan, I get the impression that you’re someone who never runs out of energy. There are people like that. I’ve always been doing this job, so I’ve become unable to tell off days apart from work days. That’s why I can be full of energy at work and in my free time, but when I’m tired from work, I’m tired on off days too. This might sound highbrow, but these two sides together make up what we call “life”. I think I have to draw the line somewhere. If you manage to open your heart, it’s possible to change anything into something fun, no matter how tough it is… When you think about it like this, you start-… I’m sorry for lecturing you like an old man. (lol)
Takahashi: It’s not like that at all. (lol)
Yamamoto: When you ever have some free time and don’t know how to spend it… and when I’m starring in a musical at that time… please come watch it… well, only if you feel like it. (lol)
Takahashi: I’d definitely like to go watch it! Honestly! (lol)
Yamamoto: I think I’ll watch your drama too. Thank you very much for today! I’ve been meaning to say this for a while now… you smell wonderful. (lol)
Takahashi: My make up artist put on body cream for me. (lol)
 

Today’s “After the little break…”

Yamamoto: I think I turned into an old man or should I say I was turned into an old man by today’s talk. (lol) As I expected, it was amazing because she was overflowing with energy! I could never match that sparkling energy of hers! That’s why today, after talking to someone who had that kind of energy, I think a little of that sparkle (lol) might have… somehow… rubbed off on me. (lol) But even though she’s that cute, I noticed how level-headed she is when I talked to her!! When I ever get the opportunity to attend one of her concerts, I’d definitely take it, even though I’d be very nervous in a sense. (lol)

Let’s greet the new year in B.L.T. style with Morning Musume dressed in their finest kimono!

THE CHARMING FIGURES OF THE 9 MUSUME IN KIMONO

It’s become a yearly custom, and B.L.T. can’t really start the new year without this. Kimono and Morning Musume. Now, this is a combination that calls for celebration, isn’t it? Please enjoy the comments from each member which show how much they’ve grown in this year.

Ai Takahashi
In 2008, we performed the play “Ojigi 30do ON STAGE”, “Cinderella the Musical” and we were also able to tour Asia. It was a year full of new challenges. Personally, the biggest news for me was that I was chosen for the leading role of the drama “Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou”. The drama will start airing in January next year, so I hope lots of people will watch it. As for Morning Musume, I think the biggest theme in 2008 was the Asian tour. In 2009, I hope we’ll face even bigger challenges and many more people will get to know Morning Musume!

Risa Niigaki
2008 had many new challenges in store for us. The musical was an especially big challenge for me since the role I had to play wasn’t only that of a man, but that of a prince. I learned a lot from it e.g. about singing. Having learned how to sing properly from my belly, I could make use of it in the concerts after the musical. In our cover album, I could challenge songs of new genres too. It was tough at times, but very fulfilling too. In 2009, I want us to take on many new challenges without ever taking for granted that we can play concerts and challenge new things. I also hope that we’ll have more opportunities to meet our fans face to face!

Eri Kamei
Speaking from my point of view, 2008 is the year where I bought many boots. Sometimes I bought two pairs of shoes in my favorite store. Of course I restrained myself from buying other things to compensate for it. As for work, there’s my new photobook. I’m laughing really naturally in many of the pictures. The photobook is a perfect new starting point for the 20 year old Eri. In 2009, I’d like to become better at singing and dancing. The situation has changed compared to the time when I had many senpai, so I think I have to become even better at it. Even I feel that kind of responsibility, you know? (lol) That’s why in 2009, I want to show that I’m serious.

Sayumi Michishige
A lot of things happened in 2008 and time passed in the blink of an eye. I’m most thankful for the many concerts we could play. In 2008, my approach to concerts has changed. Earlier I used to think that it’s enough if both the guests and I enjoy it, but now I started thinking that we all 9 have to do our best together in concerts. I’ll turn 20 in 2009, but I’ve become too aware of the fact that I’m turning 20… When I look at Gakisan, I think she has changed since she turned 20. That’s why I want to become an adult like her while staying cute!

Reina Tanaka
“Ojigi 30do ON STAGE” was in 2008 too, right? It feels like it was such a long time ago. During our concerts in Taiwan, when we were separately performing our solo songs, I was moved when I saw the color of the penlights of the audience change to the color of the member on the stage. The fanclub tour in Hawaii was fun too and we were very close to our fans this time. If you didn’t know, you’d think we’re all friends. It was fun to talk to my fans like we were just friends. I’ll turn 20 in 2009 and my intuition tells me that the year 2009 has some new developments in store for us. When I think about it, I get nervous and excited at the same time. There’s lots of things I want to do too, so whatever may come, Reina is INVINCIBLE!

Koharu Kusumi
As for memories of 2008, the best one is when I ate huge fried prawns! I love prawns a lot, but what I ate was about 30 cm long and it really was prawns. Another big news for me is that I started raising a dog called Rui-kun. As for work… I was able to play “Kirarin☆Revolution” concerts and the Hawaii tour was fulfilling too. In 2009, I’ll make my dreams come true one by one and jump higher in concerts than the fans! If you ask me what my dreams are, I don’t really know yet. I don’t think I’ll know until they’ve come true. That’s why I’m looking forward to it. Everyone please look forward to it too~♪

Aika Mitsui
In 2008, I was very happy that I could have an event in my home area Shiga for the first time. It was the last episode of my own radio show and I invited Kamei-san to it. I took part in a musical for the first time too and of course I was worried first, but it was a relief that Michishige-san was with me all the time. As for my private life, I kept saying again and again that I wanted to have a Siberian Husky and I couldn’t get one, but I got myself a dog of a different race. In concerts, I was really happy to get my own solo song, but it pushed me to my limit and I let my head hang down. That’s why I want to become able to perform in a more impressive manner in 2009.

Junjun
I was very happy that we could tour Asia for the first time and play concerts in my mother country. I went to Hawaii for the first time on our fanclub tour! I sang a song solo for the first time. I was so very nervous that I confused the lyrics, but the fans were so kind and sang together with me. The Olympic games in Beijing were in 2008 too, right? We were having our musical at that time, but no matter how late I got home I still turned on the TV to watch it. In 2009, I want us to play more concerts and make more promotion in China. And since I’m already 20, I want to become a cool adult. Well… I don’t think anything about me will change though. (lol)

Linlin
I was happiest about the concerts in Shanghai because my mom and dad came to watch us. But it was a bit sad that they didn’t pay much attention to me and only said “The Morning Musume are so cute!” afterwards. (lol) Going to Hawaii for the first time was fun too. The Spam in Hawaii was so delicious that I ate it everyday. When I returned to Japan, I had eaten so much Spam that I feared I’d get a Spam-like figure. (lol) My biggest goal for 2009 is to grow taller. I said it in 2008 too and I only grew a bit, so I’ll stick to this dream. I also hope that all the fans will stay healthy and everyday will be fun for them.

I enjoy acting without being too conscious of the fact that I’m playing the “role of a high school student”!

After becoming an outstanding member of Morning Musume, this will be your first leading role in a drama! You’re supposed to play the role of a high school student at the age of 22, was it difficult to act the part?

“Without thinking too much about how a high school student would act, I just act like how I would in that situation because Kana-chan isn’t an overly cutesy girl and her personality resembles mine in many ways. I guess being similar in certain aspects makes it easier for me to play her role. But what’s different about her is that she’s quite aggressive. I don’t think I meddle with others’ affairs like she does. (lol)”

Are you getting along with the other actors?

“Nakamura (Aoi)-kun is a real high school student, so he’s as youthful as you’d expect. (lol) When I first met Ishiguro (Ken)-san, I was really nervous. He plays the role of my father, but his face was so close to mine in our first scene. *embarrassed* Ishiguro-san is very kind and he even came to me to give me the advice that ‘it’s difficult to express emotions when you blink too much.’. I thought he’s as amazing as I expected him to be.”

Then please tell us what we should pay attention to when watching the drama!

“The story is about Kana-chan played by me and Touma-kun played by Nakamura-kun solving different cases e.g. murder cases, problems on campus etc. The story is full of variety and since the episodes are self-contained, you can watch it at ease without having to worry about missing an episode. But the drama gets more and more exciting as it nears it’s final episode, so I recommend to you to watch all of them!”

By the way, are you good at guessing the criminal in detective stories?

“Not at all… When I read a book and try to guess the criminal, I ALWAYS pick the wrong person. (lol)”

The role of a person who thinks more of others than herself

Right after coming in, she says “I’ll be in your care!” energetically and bows quickly. A cheerful 22 year old girl with good manners. She’s the 6th leader of “Morning Musume”. She’ll be playing the leading role in the NHK drama8 “Q.E.D. Shoumei Shuuryou” (Thursdays, 8pm) which will start airing on January 8th, next year.
“When I first heard of the role, I was very surprised. It was not until I got my hair made and I got to try on her costume that I realized that ‘it was all for real’”. She doesn’t hide her innocence.
It’s a mystery drama about two female and male high school students solving difficult cases. “The main protagonist thinks more of others than herself and acts without considering the consequences.”. However, “I usually practice my acting in the bath or in my bed, but it’s embarrassing when my mom’s around. (lol)” she says.
She took up acting because she was fascinated by Takarazuka. Later she passed an audition and joined “Morning Musume”. “I struggled through the first 2 years. Now I’m the oldest member and the leader, but the girl who’s the subleader is very helpful and reliable, so I can act like the silent father figure.”. She’s quite the lovely father.

Article: Kiyabu Kenji
Photo: Mitsunobu Satou