Watanabe Mayu ArticlesQ. Rather than being an idol, you wanted to be a member of AKB right?A. Yes! I thought that since they worked in Akihabara, that they were otakus like me! But I was surprised since they were just normal girls. Q. Being on stage, did you realize how idols were different than your preconceived notions?A. Seeing people become happy by watching us, I realized the many things that idols were capable of. Q. This question might be a bit awkward..butA. Ahh! I don’t wanna hear it!Q. What kind of person is your type? And at what age do you want to get married?A. I’m not thinking about stuff like that. If I had time to think about stuff like that, I’d be doing something else. Q. What’s the theater to you?A. It was the place where I debuted as an idol, and probably the place where we grow the most. Q. You seem to appearing frequentlyA. That’s true! I have been appearing in the theater as of late. When I go I see all these new guests and the way they call and their timing is off, and trying to entertain them the best I can is a new thing that I think about.Q. What kind of team do you think Team B is right now?A. A few years ago, I would have said “The youngest” but now we have SKE and NMB, but I think ‘Team B Oshi’ still illustrates and represents the team the best all these years. It’s our song.Q. What if you transferred to another team in another shuffle?A. Unthinkable. I couldn’t imagine being another team other than B (Tell that to Milky and Jurina)Q. Seeing your relationship with Kashiwagi Yuki is fun thoughA. Yukirin is basically my mother and she always takes care of me. Yukirin knows when I’m not right and I always feel safe with her. Q. Next year, you will graduate high schoolA. I can’t imagine being a member of society yet, I still feel like a kid. But I can feel myself growing older and take more responsibility and act more mature. Q. You will eventually graduate AKB, but are there dreams you want to accomplish before you graduate?A. I am loving music and singing more and more, so I want to be able to hold a live concert for them!Q. Your ideal live?A. I watch famous voice actors DVDs and I fall in love with them! They become one with the audience, and I hope to be able to do that one day. Q. What do you do on your off days?A. Recently I’ve been watching a lot of takarazuka Musical Theater DVDs. I’ve had a DVD before, but now I really watch them, it’s incredible. When I got to visit the theater and see them live, I was blown away. They build a world from the stages and it’s such a contrast from our stage. I’ve been falling in love with Ranzu Tomu and Ayaka Manato. They’ve dedicated years and years to their craft, and I look up to them. Q. What about at home?A. I look unsightly. When I do get an opportunity to stay at home, I just lay around and be lazy. Q. How do you want to be when you are 20?A. When I see other members that are 20, they’re not very different, so I doubt I will be that different -laughs-Q. What about 30?A. I’ll be in France. I am actually French! I can’t believe they didn’t take me when AKB went to Paris (This is a joke)Q. But since you’re shy wouldn’t it be tough to speak to them?A. On the contrary, I think I would be all “Hey, Hey, Hey—!” since we’re in a foreign country!Q. What’s your favorite part of AKB?A. I love how we have announcements after concerts!Q. But everyone finds the surprises scary!A. That’s true. I did cry during the shuffles, but deep down, I felt excited at the new possibilities. When Togasaki-san brings a white paper out, I think ‘Here it is!’Born in 1994 3/26, the youngest of 3 children, Mayu was jokingly told by her mother that she was “Came out butt first instead of head”. Wanting her to grow up with many friends, her grandmother gave her the name “Mayu”. Raised in a warm and loving family, Mayu was a bright child until the age of 3. When she first began to attend preschool, she was so shy that she would hide behind her mother. She would frequently not go to preschool and spend her days watching NHK’s child videos. But her friends and teachers sent her letters and she changed her mind and went back to school. Loving to draw, her childhood dream was to become a manga artist. She had a group of friends until third grade, but when they reached the third grade they had become bullies and were mean to her. “I was never the kind to talk back and defend myself. I think that made me more of a target” Onto the 30 and 30 portion of this article!Q. Favorite food?A. Don’t have any. I don’t eat a lot really, and I eat a little and I get full -laughs-Q. Favorite television program?A. Late night anime. It’s not really for everyone, and there are a few fans, but I love it. Q. Favorite sport?A. Figure skating! I actually pay attention to it. My favorite athlete is Evgeni Viktorovich PlushenkoQ. Favorite manga?A. I don’t really read manga. I read Ginatama and Genshiken, but I haven’t finished it yet, so I really can’t say I enjoy it. If you don’t finish a manga it’s a bit rude as a fan.Q. When do you feel happy?A. When I’m with my family. Being alive makes me happy. Q. What do you sing at karaoke?A. Usually anisongs, but I actually really like Sound Horizon. Q. How long do you bathe?A. Like, from the moment you open the door? Haha, I bathe around 40 minutes. I like bathing haha.Q. How many mails do you receive in a day?A. Ones that I send out? Around 15, but I mostly talk to my mom.Q. Happiest moment of your life?A. When I made AKB.Q. Saddest moment?A. When my grandmother died. Q. Recent failure?A. I forgot a shoe as part of my cosplay at a handshake event recently…Q. Have you gotten mad recently?A. Not really mad per say, but recently at a handshake event, a fan asked “How many have you dated?” and I said in a real tone “zero”, but the fan said “BS!” and I accidentally snapped back “Who the hell would date someone like me!”. -laughs-Q. Something you cried about?A. When I receive fan letters, I naturally cry.Q. What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought with your own money?A. Wasting money is something I don’t like to do. I think the most is around 70 dollars for my own cosplay. Q. What’s something you reward yourself with?A. Sleep! Lots of sleepQ. What do you wear at home?A. Tank tops and shorts. I call it the ‘tan-tan’. This summer I’m going to dress more eco-friendly and wear tank tops!Q. What’s some of the points of your room?A. I recently cleaned it up but there is still this big cardboard box with anime goods and figures inside haha.Q. Any housework you are good at?A. Nothing. Maybe cleaning haha.Q. What’s something that is always in your fridgeA. Toner. By keeping it in my freezer its cold and tightens my skin. Something all girls should do!Q. What do you buy at convenience stores?A. I randomly buy hard boiled eggs. They’re good and cheap!Q. What would you do with 100 million yen? A.Put it in savings. I am worried for the future, so I think I would keep it ready.Q. What would you do during a long break?A. Go to France! I might even live there. I want to experience it!Q. What would you do if you weren’t in AKB?A. I would be living a normal life. Just go to college and work and maybe work at an anime store.Q. A recent thing you’re addicted to?A. Sound Horizon! I want to go to their lives!Q. Where would you work part time?A. At a male danso cafe. Q. Ideal guy?A. Someone like Francis from Hetalia. With long, flowing hair, cool and smells good!Q. Ideal date?A. Going to France and sailing along the Seine river and seeing the lit up Eiffel Tower at night.Q. A word to your fatherA. Good luck at work!Q. A word to your mother!A. Thanks for everything you always do.