WHITE SCORPION Serialization: Episode 10 – CHOCO’s Aspiration to Become an Idol Like Watanabe Mayu-san

WHITE SCORPION, an idol group produced by Akimoto Yasushi, was formed through the “IDOL3.0 PROJECT” audition held for about six months starting from April ’23.

They debuted on December 7, ’23, with their digital single “Gazing Sniper.” Releasing a new song every month, they unveiled their 4th digital single, “Loneliness in the Crowd,” on March 7, and their 5th digital single, “Satisfaction graffiti,” on April 7.

In this special series, we delve into the personal lives of these girls.

For the 10th installment, we bring you a long interview with CHOCO!

I finally became an idol for the third time.

── Where are you originally from?

“I was born in Tokyo, but I moved to Hokkaido when I was in the 6th grade of elementary school. One day, my father said to me, ‘We want to move, but if we’re going to move, I want to move to the edge of Japan, either Hokkaido or Okinawa. Which one do you prefer?’ We used to visit Okinawa every summer vacation as a family, and I wanted us to continue traveling together, so I chose Hokkaido. My father has a free-spirited personality, or rather, he’s quite independent.”

── Did you also grow up freely and independently in Hokkaido?

“My parents were relatively strict, especially when it came to studying. They were against me auditioning for idols for a long time. Even though I didn’t know if I would pass, they said, ‘It’s not good to audition and neglect your studies.’ So when there were auditions in Tokyo, I paid for my round-trip plane ticket from Hokkaido to Tokyo myself. I saved up money little by little by working part-time at a call center. I don’t even want to think about how much money I spent on transportation until now. (laughs)”

─ Did you want to become an idol all the way down to that?

“Yes. I became interested in idols when I saw AKB48 when I was in kindergarten. I used to look forward to AKB48’s general elections every year and I have memories of being glued to the TV screen watching it. My oshimen (favorite member) was Watanabe Mayu. Not only was she visually perfect, but I was also drawn to her sparkling aura on stage. I admired how she continued to embody the essence of an ‘idol’ while being active in various fields such as variety shows and acting. I wanted to become a mainstream idol like Watanabe Mayu.”

── Did you ever tell anyone about your dream of becoming an idol?

“I never told anyone. I kept the fact that I was auditioning for idols a secret for a long time. So when my high school friends invited me to hang out and I declined, they wondered, ‘You work so much, why don’t you have any money?’ They didn’t know that I was using my earnings for plane tickets. (laughs)”

─ ─ What did you study in high school?

“I attended a high school that had a course for becoming a veterinarian, which suited my love for animals. We formed groups and did research presentations on different themes, and I learned specialized topics like thin slicing of pig corneas. However, even though I liked animals, if someone asked me if I wanted to become a veterinarian in the future, I couldn’t confidently say ‘yes.’ The truth is, I’ve always wanted to become an idol, which I’ve admired since I was young. So I auditioned for Hinatazaka46 and Aozora (the group I wanted to join), but unfortunately, I didn’t pass. Both of my friends got in, so I felt a little frustrated at the time.”

── Were they friends from your high school?

“No, I became friends with them during the auditions. They are both from Hokkaido like me. One is Fujishima Kahochan (a member of Hinatazaka46) and the other is Kudou Yuiachan (a member of Aozora, the group I wanted to join). When the results were announced for the Aozora auditions, I was sitting next to Yuiachan. Those who weren’t called leave the room first, and as she was leaving, Yuiachan said to me, ‘Let’s definitely meet again.’ That made me happy. If we have the chance to perform together at festivals or events in the future, I’m looking forward to meeting Yuiachan again.”

How did you feel when you passed the audition and were chosen as a member of WHITE SCORPION?

“I had no experience in singing or dancing, so I never thought I would pass. Moreover, my name was the first one called among the successful candidates, so I was like, ‘Huh? Did they call my name?’ and my mind went blank. We were supposed to move to the stage in the order our names were called, but I was so surprised that I was a bit confused at first. (laughs)”

──So, you finally grasped your dream of becoming an idol on the third try. Your school friends must have been surprised, right?

“Since WHITE SCORPION had public auditions, my audition became kind of an open secret among my friends (laughs). It was the first time I challenged something with the support of those around me, so their encouragement really gave me strength. When it was time for me to transfer schools as the activities started, on the last day of school, my classmates said, ‘It’s our last chance,’ and they gave me chocolates as a farewell gift, inspired by my stage name CHOCO.”

“Also, my homeroom teacher and classmates made a surprise video message for me. It was like a huge production, around 15 minutes long (laughs). When I watched the video, after their words of encouragement, everyone danced to our debut song ‘Ganbashi Sniper’ together. It was so heartwarming to receive such a warm send-off from everyone.”

──Has becoming an idol changed your perspective on idols?

“My respect for idols has grown even more. Especially watching Sakurazaka46, I was always impressed by their dance skills and synchronized performances. Now, being part of WHITE SCORPION and receiving choreography from TAKAHIRO sensei, I’ve realized how challenging it is to create something of such high quality in a short period. Since I had no prior experience in singing or dancing, I feel like I have to work extra hard.”

──What’s your ideal image of an idol?

“I still aim to be like the classic idols, like my idol Watanabe Mayu. With WHITE SCORPION, we have members with dance experience and others who excel in cool expressions, so among them, I hope to bring out cute expressions and gestures during performances. I think there are people who pay attention to those aspects too.”

─ What kind of character do you often get described as by the members?

“It’s embarrassing to say it myself, but the members often compliment me saying, ‘You’re a natural idol.’ I tend to do cute gestures and poses (laughs). There’s this gesture where I put my index finger under my chin, and at first, I did it unconsciously. Then the members started teasing me, saying, ‘You’re acting cute!’ and before I knew it, it became known as the ‘CHOCO pose’ (laughs). Even at handshake events, fans request, ‘Please do the CHOCO pose.'”

──Do you have any special skills you’re proud of?

“I’m a big fan of anime and games, I’m what you’d call an otaku, and I can build custom PCs. I enjoy games like ‘Genshin Impact’ and ‘Fortnite,’ so I wanted to enhance my gaming experience. I bought high-spec graphics cards and other parts to assemble my own PC for a better gaming setup.”

─ Did you always have knowledge of computers?

“No, I researched everything from scratch on the internet (laughs). Also, in terms of knowledge, I learned about animals in high school. I raise rare creatures like chinchillas, sugar gliders, and Japanese giant salamanders. I hope to showcase this side of me to broaden my fan base, appealing to both DIY PC enthusiasts and animal lovers.”

──As a group, what dreams do you want to fulfill in the future?

“Since the audition, we’ve aimed to become a group that can be recognized not only in Japan but also worldwide, so our ultimate goal is a world tour. I believe all the members share the same dream, and it’s something we absolutely want to achieve. However, for that, we need to focus on each step diligently. By doing so, I think our activities will gradually expand, and more people will support us. Rather than aiming for something big right away, I want to steadily move forward and continue our activities while being loved by everyone.”

─ What would you like to challenge yourself personally?

“I’d love to work with animals! I’d like to appear on TV animal programs, visit the backstage of zoos, and help zookeepers or take care of newborn animals. Also, as an anime-loving 2D otaku, it’s like a dream, but I’d love to try voice acting someday. I’m just passionate about animals and 2D, so I hope I can incorporate that into my work in the future.”

 

Idols are like different creatures

──Do you ever reveal your true self as CHOCO?

“For me, idols are the ones who allow us to dream. Just like Watanabe Mayu, they are perfect and somewhat ephemeral, creating an illusion. I tend to support them as if they were a different creature, not just another human being. So, personally, I feel like showing my true self or being too relatable might not align with that image.”

“So I’d be glad if fans could love CHOCO as an idol. If they come to love me more from there, I’m sure my human side will naturally become apparent. It would be really appreciated if people could get to know me deeply, like ‘So this is what she’s really like’ or ‘She’s not just a cute character,’ you know?”

── What do I want for 2024? 

“I want it to be a busy year, first and foremost. It’s important for more people to know our group’s name, so I want to challenge myself with various jobs. Personally, I have some unique hobbies and skills, and other members also have talents that are not common, so I think if each member can excel in various fields and contribute that to the group, we can reach a wider audience. I want to work hard to make it a year where we can do a lot of jobs that showcase each member’s charm and talents.”

 

PROFILE
CHOCO
Born on December 27th. Born in Tokyo.
Hobbies: Watching anime, playing games, loving my pet Chira.
Special Skills: Home-built PC, horseback riding, piano