Watanabe Rika (Berika) / 1st Generation

Name: Watanabe Rika (渡辺 梨加)
Nickname: Berika (べりか), Pe (ぺ)
Birth date: May 16th, 1995.
Bloodtype：O
Birth place：Ibaraki, Japan.
Height：165cm​

 

She is so cute
hope she will be the center

 

My impression of her being somewhat the Shiraishi-type senpai of kentucky is totally destroyed now. I'm thinking she's going to be more like the NyanNyan-type. :v

 

Her image is even more airheaded than Kojiharu. At least Kojiharu looks bubbly and cheerful. She is like an air-headed version of Nanase, lol.

 

She's like a tall, awkward, air head, and Japanese version of Yogi Keira lol

 

After seeing that cooking episode on Keyakitte, she's definitely a klutzy version of Nanase.

 

new photos from Rika-chan

http://purplebunnykawaii.tumblr.com/post/139229219760/neverendworld-blt-gemstone-watanabe

credit : uploader

 

Wow she is beautiful (not in a cute way but more like elegant way), and i have never found an ugly Watanabe before
So welcome to the Watanabe family (Mayuyu,Miyuki,Rika)

 

And... there is Watanabe Risa too in Keyaki, who looks very elegant imo.

 

Uhm i actually have a problem with short hair members>>i don't even like my short hair mayuyu eventhough she is my firstlove oshi (big exception for sayanee, yuuri, and riripon ) but i hope she will grow on me in the future.

Ah thanks for pointing that out, i rushed to google her name and found out she is so cheerfull,loli, and still 16 years old and this photo of her totally looks like CHUBBY milky version hahaha

Spoiler

 

After watching Keyakitte, Kakenai? and various clips with her in it. I am convince that her ponkotsu isn't an act. It's funny to see her fail and really sad at the same time...

 

She get me everytime she does this routine.

https://vine.co/v/iwLxYXDTQEH

 

Her ponkotsu it's real. I have a female friend who is as ponkotsu as her. And worse, she is 12 years older than her XD, each time that I see her I see my friend XD

 

Rika is the queen of Ponkotsu and Neru is in the same league when they faced each in this episode

episode 23


but if i have to pick a captain, my vote will be Rika

 

http://mayuukahanami46.tumblr.com/post/141523487858/watanabe-rika-blog-translation-update

Blog translation of Berika. It confirmed that she was indeed very nervous during the debut. Her head was blank. Which we all notice
It's funny when she mention her favorite Aoko's name broad appear on stage

 

I recently started a blog to translate keyakizaka stuff (http://keyakizakamatome.tumblr.com) and I translated the model press interview Yurina, Miyu, Suzumoto, and Rika did back in november.

I will only post Rika's answers here, but you can read the other girl's answers on my blog



It has been about two months since the audition results were announced. Tell me about the things you did your best to improve on throughout the audition and your state of mind when the results were announced.

Watanabe: Because I had always wanted to be an idol, I was really happy when my dream came true. In order to join Keyakizaka46, every day I would practice dancing and I’d go to Karaoke to practice my singing.

Compared to two months ago, do you feel that anything has changed?

Watanabe: There are a lot of foods I’m picky about, so instead of thinking about whether I like it or not, I’ve come to keep in mind the food’s nutritional value.

Is there anything about yourself you want your fans to know?

Watanabe: My hobby is to go with my friends and little sister to cat cafes. I also have a ragdoll cat at home. It’s very therapeutic for me.

Is there anything you do differently than normal in order to be cuter?

Watanabe: Everyday I practice my smile/laugh in front of a mirror. My smiling/laughing face is really bad… (feels awkward).

What is your style and what is your favorite fashion magazine?

Watanabe: I like clothes that have a soft and cute feeling. Because I love the color white, I buy a lot of white colored clothes. As for magazines, I read Ray. I always think, If only I could be a model like Shiraishi Mai!

What is your current dream?

Watanabe: Dancing, singing, performing, modeling, my goal is to become an idol who can do anything, just like my idol Shiraishi Mai.

In order to fulfill your dreams, what are some things you think are necessary to do?

Watanabe: I want to be diligent when taking my lessons without failing to prepare and revise for them.

Lastly, please give a message to the fans that will support you.

Watanabe: Because I’m the oldest, I want to be seen as everyone’s kind older sister. Even when we face hard times, I want everyone to support each other. I hope that we can become a group where everyone is a good friend. From here on out, please support me.

 

More than her performance skills, she should focus on her communication skills, IMO it's the only thing that she is lacking.

 

the two watanabe's are going to make their gravure debut in young magazine no.18. it's on sale 4/4!

 

I translated the Hustle Press interview Berika did with Nagahama Neru and Ozeki Rika on my blog (http://keyakizakamatome.tumblr.com)



It's really long, so I'm only posting some of the interview here (Read all of it by on my blog by clicking this link. It's a really funny interview I think!)

— First, Ozeki Rika, please introduce us to Watanabe Rika’s good points.

Ozeki Rika: Ehh~, good points… (goes silent)

Watanabe Rika: …… I have some don’t I?

Ozeki: You do, you do! Even though she’s the oldest, she’s so gentle and warm, and she always comforts all the members. When we go on stage, even though Rika-chan shouts out “se-no!” [translator’s note: in english, “one, two!”], it’s still in a really gentle and tiny voice. (laughs) Without thinking everyone starts giggling until we’re worn out.

– That makes you calm down, huh? (laughs) Nagahama Neru, what do you think of Watanabe Rika?

Nagahama Neru: I thought to myself almost immediately “This person is a natural airhead” (laughs). When I see her talking to the other members, it’s like, she’s really [translator’s note: she mistakenly uses a word that means “to treat others cruelly”]? How should I put it…

— The word you used means to make others suffer but… (laughs).

Nagahama: Ah, that was a mistake! I meant she’s someone I feel has to be looked after. But she does things for us like when we’re all riding the trains together she’ll look up all the transfers for us. Things like that make her seem really older sister-ish I think.

— Really? I heard before that Watanabe made a mistake when transferring trains and went all the way to Chiba.

Watanabe: That’s happened many times…. Sometimes when I’m planning to return to the dorm, if I’m not paying attention, I’ll end up in Chiba instead. Every time this happens, I realize it when I notice we’re getting close to the ocean and I’ll be like “huh…..?”

(I've cut Ozeki Rika and Neru's parts for the sake of making it shorter for this post)

(Ozeki Rika was talking about Neru's continued use of honorifics)
—For the time being will you change from calling them “Beri-san” and “Rika-san”? [translator’s note: he means “will you begin using informal speech by dropping the honorific “san” from their names?”]

Ozeki: Yeah! If she throws away the honorifics, I think that the wall between us will disappear. [to Neru] Will you try saying “berika” just once?

Nagahama: Ehh~! But…. Ehh!?! (squirms uncomfortably)

Ozeki: Right now Rika-chan will call out “Neru” and you reply with “Berika.” Ready…

Watanabe: Ne-Ne [like “hey hey” but it’s the sound of her name], Neru?

Nagahama: …. What is it, Berika?

Everyone applauds

Nagahama: Ahh~, as I thought, I need to fix it! Beri-sannn….

—Nagahama-san, what do you think Watanabe-san’s bad points are?

Nagahama: When I look at Beri-san (she takes a firm tone), I become worried. At the other day’s handshake event we were in the same group. Before she went on stage to do her introduction, Beri-san really practiced the things she was going to say over and over again. Because I was next to her I heard it many, many times so I completely memorized the entire thing. But when Beri-san took the stage she completely forgot everything [translator’s note: literally “her memory flew away”].

Watanabe: (stares at the ground bashfully and fidgets)

Nagahama: Beri-san gets flustered like “ehh, what was it that I was going to say~ (sweats),” and the whole time in my heart I’m trying to send her a telepathic message, like “Beri-san, it’s this! It’s this!” But she always remembers eventually (laughs).

Ozeki: Because she’s the oldest I want her to become a little more reliable. Before she joined Keyakizaka46, Rika told me she lost out on like 50 jobs when she was job-hunting, and I totally understood.

—About 50 jobs?! Is this true?
... to be continued...http://keyakizakamatome.tumblr.com/post/142048490400/hustle-press-interview-with-ozeki-rika-nagahama