Maimi appearing on “Yoyogi Pirates”

Maimi will again be appearing on FM-FUJI’s “Yoyogi Pirates” on 9/1 (Thursday), broadcasting live from Studio VIVID in Yoyogi. In addition, her appearance will be shown live on the Yoyogi Pirates USTREAM channel. Yoyogi Pirates will be airing from 9:00PM JST to 11:30PM JST, and the Hello! Project official site lists Maimi’s appearance at around the 10:00PM JST (9:00AM EST) mark.

Maimi Sightings for 8/31

Fellow ℃-ute member Nakajima Saki shared several group photos of the ℃-ute members in the update on her Ameba blog titled “Peace“.

In addition, Suzuki Airi uploaded a 2-shot with Maimi in her blog entry “Without a care. (Airi)“.

Full translations of the members’ blogs can be found at blog!project.

Blog update: “Filming finished~”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/31 blog update, titled “Filming finished~“:

Good evening
It’s Maimi

Finally, the filming for volume 3 of the 3-month serial release of solo DVDs…
has finished

Ah What a feeling of accomplishment

Volume 3
is the conclusion of this DVD release project,

and at any rate, it’s become something amazing

When I heard of the project,
“This filming will require a lot of fighting spirit…”

I thought,

but “If I work hard though, it’ll absolutely become a wonderful thing”

I also thought

The filming took more time than expected,

but to that extent, it became something that’ll make everyone say
“Ah” and surprise them, I feel

Before filming, I imagined the finished product,

and yesterday, I was shown a clip during a break in the filming, and already it had exceeded my imagination

What kind of filming it was…

I can’t say yet m(__)m

Though, in the future at ℃-ute’s YouTube channel, I think they will show some scenes from the filming,

so definitely look forward to it, please

And then today,
there was poster signing,
comment recording, and information session

for the new song “Sekai Ichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko”,
which is released on 9/7

All of ℃-ute was present

Now, last is today’s pictures…

(1) Oka-chan signing

(2) A 2-shot with Mai

Well then, I will tanobaru tomorrow too
Good night

Blog update: “Settle down”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/30 blog update, titled “Settle down“:

Good morning
It’s Maimi

Yesterday’s bottle gourd talk…

“I put it in miso and eat it like cucumber…”

I wrote

“Mai, you don’t put it in miso and eat it What we put into miso is melon”

my mom told me

Somehow or other, it seems I misunderstood

So, here’s a correction

We don’t eat bottle gourd in miso

I’m worried that I will cause everyone’s stomachs to hurt

I’m sorry

And then, today is
the recording for volume 3
of the 3-month serial release solo DVDs

Though I had a lesson yesterday,
I’ve been really impatient

Settle down
Yajima…

If I lose my cool, I don’t think I can make something good, so even if I make mistakes…
I will magnificently tanobaru

Changing the subject,
yesterday before work, I went with my mom to the bakery

Just being inside a bakery,
my heart dances lol

“Whoa This looks good”

“Eh They have things like this”

“Ah This is also nice~”

I’ll say…

I’m really stumped and unable to choose

It’s a place that’s fun just to be in

In the end,
I bought coffee anpan,
soyflour fried bread,
and teriyaki bread

What’s that Just now,
“Hey hey, you ate too much”
you said(・・;)

It’s okay
Since all of them were small

Well well, when I talk about food, I become hungry

I wonder what today’s breakfast is

Now then, today, I’ll settle down, and tanobaru

Ah… deja vu…

p.s.
Today’s picture is everyone in ℃-ute
Lately, it seems like Oka-san isn’t feeling well though… Get well soon…

Blog update: “Bottle gourd phobia”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/29 blog update, titled “Bottle gourd phobia“:

Good morning
It’s Maimi

The weather is so nice today~

It feels like summer＼(^_^)／
But, if you notice, August is almost over

Fast

That’s right
the pre-order period for volume 2 of my 3-month consecutive solo DVD releases,

“a rainy day”,
ends today at 11:59PM〓

Those who say “I haven’t reserved it yet“,
definitely check it out, please

And then, today I will practice for the filming of volume 3 of those solo DVDs

My memory is bad
so I’m a little panicked…

But I’ll work hard so that it becomes a DVD that everyone can enjoy(^^ゞ

Now
Changing the subject to yesterday’s suprising event…

First, I opened the refrigerator,
and there was this giant bottle gourd…(゜ロ゜)

This thing was taking up half of the vegetable shelf itself lol

Look look
Lined-up with Aroma it’s like this

(1)

When I was taking this picture,
the leaning bottle gourd fell down

In addition, the shocked Aroma developed a bottle gourd phobia

…………………

(2)
She won’t approach it

…………………

(3)
She walks around it

It looks like Aroma hates it, though bottle gourds are really, really delicious

My grandmother sends some every year,
and I put it in my miso soup like cucumbers
and with fried vegetables…

Sooner or later, this giant bottle gourd will also
disappear into our stomachs…

And then, there’s one more surprising thing…

My brother also broke his cell phone
is what happened…

My cell phone broke, and I just got a new one the day before yesterday,

and yesterday, when my brother returned home,
“I dropped my cell in the water…”
he said,

and “How unexpected”

I thought, and was a little surprised

Everyone,
so that your cell phone doesn’t break, please be careful

Well then, let’s tanobaru all day today

Berikyuu news for 8/28: Berryz Koubou x ℃-ute single

■ According to a listing on the Sony Music Shop, the members of Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute will collaborate for a single titled “Amazuppai Haru ni Sakurasaku” (Blooming cherry blossoms in the bittersweet Spring), to be released on 11/09. The single will be the ending theme for the movie “Ousama Game”, which members from both groups star in. There will be 3 editions for this release (Limited A, Limited B, and Regular), and the releases on Berryz’s label Piccolo Town will feature a Berryz Koubou song as the c/w, while the releases on ℃-ute’s label Zetima will feature a ℃-ute song as the c/w.

■ Also from Sony Music Shop, Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute will also be participating in a single with the rest of Hello! Project titled “Busu ni Naranai Tetsugaku” (Must not become ugly philosophy), to be released on 11/16. This release will have 7 editions, and the coupling songs for limited editions B through F will be handled by each H!P act individually.

Blog update: “The new”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/28 blog update, titled “The new“:

Good morning
It’s Maimi

Lately, the condition of Yaji’s cell phone
became bad…

I couldn’t send or receive texts, and there were various other inconveniences,

so I resolved to get a new phone…

It’s hard to use

But, I will type this update full of fighting spirit lol

Accidentally erasing this update midway
would be terrible

I must be cautious, cautious…

Yesterday, I went with the members of ℃-ute members on a field trip to the Buono! concert

Ahh
Buono!’s concerts are really, really hot

Having a live band there is intense
With the live band, you can really get into the powerful singing

Buono! have a lot of uplifting songs, so each and every time I watch their concerts, I have a fun time

Of Buono!’s song, I particularly like
“Nakimushi Shounen”

This song, it’s really uplifting

I wrote in an earlier blog
the story of going to karaoke with my close friend during summer vacation

My close friend
sang ℃-ute’s
“Maasara Blue Jeans”

I wrote,
and I sang “Nakimushi Shounen”

While on the train too,
I often listen to Buono! songs

The concert this time is for the new album,

and there’s also a feature song
for everyone,

so I could feel all of the members’ charm again

I really respect Buono!…

It seems they’ll also be performing in Fukuoka,
so I hope that Buono!’s power can be spread over everyone in Fukuoka too

(1.2) Now, here are pictures from yesterday…

And then, this also finally started

Rehearsal for
the 9/3 B℃ST event “LIVE NEXT!”

This is an abbreviation for
“Berryz Koubou & ℃-ute Special Team”

The participating members are, from Berryz Koubou,
Shimizu Saki-chan,
Tokunaga Chinami-chan,
Kumai Yurina-chan,

and from ℃-ute,
Nacky,
and myself

Doing an event with these members is
really, really fresh

I’m really looking forward to finding out what kind of event it will become from here

p.s.
Today is Maeda Yuki-san’s birthday

Recently I haven’t had a chance to meet her at all, but a little earlier I noticed her on TV, and “We used to stand on stage together in the past…” I felt deeply

Maeda-san, happy birthday

Well Anyhow, I was able to get this far without erasing the entry

I’m relieved

Well then, I will tanobaru today too

I’m off”

Maimi Sightings for 8/27

In her update on the official ℃-ute blog titled “Today is~~“, fellow ℃-ute member Hagiwara Mai shared a picture of Maimi, ℃-ute, and Buono! from backstage at Buono!’s live today, which was posted again in Airi’s entry, and then Chisato’s.

Full translations of the members’ blogs can be found at blog!project.

Blog update: “Everyone assemble♪”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s fifth update on the Sengoku Jieitai Kikan-seyo blog, titled “Everyone assemble♪“:

Hello(^^)
It’s Maimi♪

Yesterday was the first practice where all of the performers were present(^-^)

The performance is getting close!!!!!!

It’s only 3 weeks awayΣ(゜д゜)

That’s fast☆

Now then, yesterday
we finally did a full rehearsal(*^ー^)ノ♪

The feeling of steadily advancing makes me happy,

and when we do a full rehearsal, I can clearly connect to the feelings of the earlier scenes,

so I can catch the flow of it all♪

Though Miya had another job,
and couldn’t participate in the rehearsals,

she was amazingly able to do the full rehearsal☆

On the bus over, she was always going over her script,

and I think that she had a lot of unease at being behind everyone in practice,

but since she can participate in practice from here on out too,

everyone will cooperate,
and it’ll be nice if we can make a wonderful play♪ I feel!!

For that Miya, a cake made a surprise appearance yesterday(^-^)b

On the 25th, Miya turned 19-years-old!!

We celebrated with eeeeeveryone☆★☆

Miya~, congratulations( ´∀`)/

These members are
“Sengoku Jieitai ~Female Self-Defense Force Kikan-seyo~”

We will do our best!! Whoa↑↑

Blog update: “Thank you, Sakichii.”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/27 blog update, titled “Thank you, Sakichii.“:

Good morning
It’s Maimi

In yesterday’s blog,

when I should’ve wrote
the play “Sengoku Jieitai”…

I instead wrote
the play “Sengoku Jidai”…

I’m sorry

Yesterday,
before practice for that “Sengoku Jieitai”,

the ~Female Self-Defense Force Kikan-seyo~ team
(Sudou Maasa-chan,
Natsuyaki Miyabi-chan,
Kumai Yurina-chan,
Sugaya Risako-chan,
Nacky,
and myself)

ate lunch

“Cold noodles… chilled Chinese noodles… which should I have…”

While I was mulling that over,
Maasa seemed to be having the same conflict

“Let’s order both, and split them”

is what we did…

Furthermore,

I was conflicted as to whether to get white soup or red soup

with the cold noodles…

Then,
Miya, who ordered the red soup, said

“Miya will give you a little”

to me,
so I ordered the white soup, and ate a little of the red soup

The red soup was spicy~

Like that, everything was shared~

Similarly,
everyone also shared dessert

I enjoyed a lot of flavors

Though I often eat together with the members of ℃-ute,

eating together with the Berryz Koubou members is fresh…

It was really fun,
and really delicious

And then, today S/mileage has an event.

At today’s event, Ogawa Saki-chan
will graduate from S/mileage, as well as Hello! Project,

and

I feel that all the excitement and memories the she’s taken in up until now will always, always remain as a treasure in Sakichii’s heart.

From when she was an Egg until today, Sakichii…

Really, thank you for all your hard work.
Thank you.

Maimi’s summer wish and “Cooler Hoop”

All the members of Hello! Project gathered this summer for the annual Hello! Project summer tour, titled “~Nippon no Mirai wa WOW WOW/YEAH YEAH Live~”, and as per usual the goods list featured several DVD magazines. The second of the two DVDs (volume 26) asked all the members what they hope to do this summer, and then come up with an invention they’d like to see in Japan’s future.

Maimi revealed that her desire this summer is to begin gardening. She’s always thought it’d look cute with flowers blooming around her house, but she considers herself the type to leave projects unfinished. This year, though, she hopes to kill two birds with one stone by overcoming that shortcoming and making her home prettier, and since her mom likes plants, she’d like to try doing it together with her. Maimi added at the end that she’d like to try raising sunflowers and lavender.

Maimi then introduced her idea for an invention for Japan’s future: the “cooler hoop”. A play on the name “hula hoop”, which it shares the appearance with, Maimi also spelled the name using the kanji for “wind” (whose Chinese reading is “fuu”). Since the summer is so hot, people sweat just from walking. Maimi explained that at those times, the person could pass the cooler hoop over their body and instantly be refreshed. She originally had herself in mind when she invented it, but she recommended it to anyone who sweats a lot, including fellow Hello! Project member Kumai Yurina. Afterwards, Maimi gave a short demonstration on how to use the cooler hoop.

Blog update: “Full rehearsal”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/26 blog update, titled “Full rehearsal“:

Good evening
It’s Maimi

Yesterday we were with Berryz Koubou all day

We had a photoshoot,
and suddenly with a click the lights in the studio went off,

and Berryz Koubou’s Shimizu Saki appeared holding a cake

The 11 members of Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute celebrated Miya’s birthday together

I took a picture with everyone, but since I can’t reveal the outfits just yet, I’ll upload it some other time

Afterwards, the mixture of Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute split into two halves and headed to different locations

On the bus there,

Berryz Koubou’s
Tokunaga Chinami-chan

with her eyes closed,

“Hey, right now~, I had a dream I was shaking Maimi’s hand~…”

she said…(lol)

“I’m gonna go shake it again~…”

she said, and went back to sleep (lol)

Here’s a picture of that Chinami taken earlier…

(1)

And then, today

we finally did a full rehearsal

for the play starting 9/16,

“Sengoku Jidai”

Though my heart was pounding,
I was able to get into the flow today,

so I’ll continue to work hard to overcome today’s shortcomings, and stand on the stage with confidence at the performance

And then, we also celebrated Miya’s birthday at the practice hall today,

so I’ll include a picture here

(2) The full line-up with everyone

Well well, today’s update has become the first night update in awhile

Tomorrow I will cheerfully tanobaru

Good night

Please have wonderful dreams

Maimi joins special unit “B℃ST”

Maimi will take part in a special unit formed for the upcoming “LIVE NEXT!! Featuring Hello! Project” event on 9/3, called “B℃ST” (pronounced “bii kyuu es tii” and standing for “Berryz Koubou & ℃-ute Special Team”). Maimi is joined by Berryz Koubou members Shimizu Saki, Tokunaga Chinami, Kumai Yurina, and fellow ℃-ute member Nakajima Saki.

The October issue of B.L.T. magazine features a light-hearted interview with the members of the “mysterious unit” B℃ST (pictured above, courtesy of the fans at 2ch), where the girls try to figure out the reason they were put together, decide on who will be the leader of the group (Chinami gets elected), and try to come up with a concept for the unit (“a fumbling group”). Unfortunately, it seems as though for the time being B℃ST is a one-shot unit for “LIVE NEXT!!”, as B.L.T. describes them as a group formed just for that purpose.

More information on “LIVE NEXT!! Featuring Hello! Project” can be found at the official Hello! Project website.

Maimi Sightings for 8/25

Fellow ℃-ute member Suzuki Airi shared a 2-shot with Maimi in her blog update “Today! (Airi)“, likely from the Hello! Project photoshoot she mentioned earlier in the entry.

Full translations of the other members’ entries can be found at blog!project.

Blog update: “19♥Miya”

Here’s the translation for Maimi’s 8/25 blog update, titled “19Miya“:

Good morning
It’s Maimi

It seems like today will become another cool day

Hooray

Well, today is
Berryz Koubou’s Natsuyaki Miyabi-chan’s birthday

Miya has turned 19 too

The same age

Though we’re appearing together in the play “Sengoku Jieitai”, she seems really busy because of the Buono! rehearsals and performances

But the day before yesterday, Miya came to the practice hall for the first time in awhile

Though she wasn’t able to participate until mid-way, I’m happy that we can practice with everyone now

It looks like she’ll be able to participate from here on out

Actually, we had practice and another job together yesterday too, and I was surprised at how fast she learned

She wasn’t able to appear much at practice, and though she said “I’m nervous, I’m nervous…”, Miya snapped to when it was time to perform… as expected

I really respect everyone in Buono!~

Moreover,
Miya is a really fashionable person, so girls of the same age group want to consult her about fashion… There’s probably a lot of girls who think that… I often think

Ah And, and, “SOME BOYS! TOUCH”, which Miya sang at an earlier Hello! Project concert,

was really, really sexy, and amazing~ I thought

In addition, Miya’s dancing is, how should I put it, smooth, flexible…

So cool… I’m often fascinated

There’s a lot of activities that we participate in together this year, so discovering various things about Berryz Koubou’s members every day is fun, and I get really motivated

Miya is also in her final teen years, so next year today she will turn 20-years-old

I hope she enjoys her last teens without regret

…and though I say that, I gotta spend my remaining days as a 19-year-old having fun without regret too, huh

I’ll also meet Miya today

So when I meet her, I want to tell her “Happy birthday” directly

Well then, I’m off゛