Interview with Hamaura Ayano

-- It was impressive that you bursted into tears and fell down on the floor at the announcement that you're to form the new group of H!P Kenshuusei.

Hamaura: At the beginning, I thought Yajima-san had happened to come in the room by mistake (even though she was the one who was going to be surprised by us), since she's innately a bit spacey. But then Yajima-san spoke of "new group", I started realizing "this situation could possibly be...".

-- Then you happened to weep for joy?

Hamaura: Yes. It was for joy, at first. But then, I got antsy worrying "They might gonna pick up some regular members out of these six" or "Not everyone of us could remain" or something. So many thoughts and anxieties came to my mind at once in that brief moment, and I got moved to tears. It was not until I heard her telling "These members form the new group" that I finally got happy.

-- Whom did you tell about it first?

Hamaura: I send emails to every member of my family. My mother replied soon telling "You must meet their expectations". My mom is always a bit strict on everything, like urging me to improve in posing for photos.

-- What's the most impressive thing you've ever experienced in your training period?.

Hamaura: First of all, It's the audition for 11th Gen of Morning Musume held in my first year in H!P Kenshuusei. It was surprise to me that I had moved on to the final round of the Make-Up Less Song-Stress Audition despite having no confidence in singing. And it was also an unforgettable experience that I had took part in S/mileage-san's concert tour (S/mileage Live Tour 2012 Aki ~Choi Kawa Banchou~) for the first time. I was really glad to perform the very first original song for Kenshuusei Kanojo ni Naritai!!! in the tour as well.

-- Did you have any senpai who took care of you in the tour?

Hamaura: Miyamoto Karin-chan was so excellent in performing that I was uneasy about whether I could keep up with her or not at first. But she kindly gave us kohais advices actually, and that helped us to manage to follow senpais during that S/mileage-san's tour.

-- I suppose Hamaura-san has been quite well known for a kenshuusei. What do you think about it?

Hamaura: Every time I introdeced myself on stage in concert tours I took part in, I would hear some people in audience calling my name or cheering me up. That has made me think I must do my best also for them.

-- In the first place, what made you aim to become an idol?

Hamaura: As I saw Morning Musume-san performing on TV, I thought "They're cool! I wanna be like that" and headed for it.

-- What songs of Hello! Project do you like?

Hamaura: I have an attachment to Berryz Kobo-san's Koi Itoshiki Kishetsu, since I have performed it together with Taguchi Natsumi-chan and Nomura Minami-chan. I also like Berryz Kobo-san's Gag 100 Kaibun Aishite Kudasai very much, although I've never performed it. My admiration for Tsugunaga-san is a reason why I like the song.

(HPW note: Hamaura, Taguchi and Nomura have performed Koi Itoshiki Kisetsu in H!P Kenshuusei's Nama Tamago Show in September 2013.)

-- If you were to liken yourself to an animal, what would it be?

Hamaura: It'll be a cat. They often liken me to a cat because I have wide-opened and round eyes just like cats. I have a cat in my house, BTW.

-- What kind of cat do you have?

Hamaura: I really don't know what breed my cat is of, since I picked up a stray cat.

-- Is she attached to you, Hamaura-san?

Hamaura: She'd fawn on me meowing a lot only when she wants food. But once I gave her food, she'd stop fawning.

(HPW note: I'm not sure whether Ayano's cat is female or male for now. But I use "she/her" for convinience' sake.)

-- What's her name?

Hamaura: It's "Non". Originally I thought of "Nora" for her name, because she was a stray cat originally. Since I found "Non" sounds good, I call her "Non-chan".

(HPW note: A japanese term for stray cats and homeless cats is "nora-neko".)

-- What kind of girl are you at school usually?

Hamaura: Although I think I'm one of the most talkative ones in Kenshuusei, I tend not to stand out at school, like just looking others talking.

-- How about in the new group?

Hamaura: I would take the role of listening when I talk with more talkative ones like Nomura Minami-chan and Fujii Rio-chan. With other members, I might take the role of talking.

-- Have you found anything you think you need to improve or any weak point to be resolved in your career so far?

Hamaura: I tend to try to do everything perfectly too much, and to be regretful. I think I want things to meet my expectations more than others. I'd often tell other members "Why don't you do it like this?", and it's what I think I need to restrain.

-- Have you already got along with the other members of the new group?

Hamaura: Inoue Rei-chan is shy of strangers, and she even didn't smile at first. So I, Taguchi Natsumi-chan and Ogawa Rena-chan tried hard to make her smile. As we kept doing funny things to her, she started to smile little by little, and now we're quite on good terms.

-- What skill do you want to improve for the new group?

Hamaura: Although we have some members who're good at singing or dancing in the group, I want to lead the group in both fields.

-- If you were to have a rival in the group, who would it be?

Hamaura: It'd be Nomura Minami-chan. She's excellent at singing and dancing, and her smiling face is really attractive. I don't wanna lose to her.

-- Are there anyone you regard as competitor among all the new members in Hello! Project?.

Hamaura: I've been regarding Murota Mizuki-chan of Angerme ever since we're in Kenshuusei.

-- What do you think would be a goal next to making major debut for the group?

Hamaura: I want to have our own concerts at Nihon Budokan, and stadium concert tours as well.

-- It's a big dream, isn't it?

Hamaura: I know. But I want to make the group the best known one in Hello! Project!

(HPW note: Never say "Hama-chan's running out of time". Who knows what would happen to the princess who has been turned into a frog by magic?)

source: http://logirl.favclip.com/article/detail/268