[TRANS] DUeT (Jun 2021): WHICH IS THE BEST COUPLE?
WHICH IS THE BEST COUPLE?
15 colours of Relationships
This month, we had photoshoots with all 15 pairings of members in SixTONES. The interviews were about the member other than themselves. Which pair is your favourite?
JESSE × JURI TANAKA
FROM JESSE TO JURI
You always bring everything together wherever we are. Especially during the talks. I’d try to do it if you told me “you coordinate it all together!”, but I can’t do it because my choice of wording isn’t as strong as Juri’s. No one asks me to be the coordinator in the first place (sweats). One thing I’m worried about is that he plays games the whole time and has no interest in eating, so I feel that he’s going to get skinnier and skinnier. That’s why, eat more! By the way, Juri has a hammock on his veranda at home and it’s stylish.
FROM JURI TO JESSE
He has kindness that doesn’t ask for anything in return. For example, when an acquaintance asked me in a hurry about a shop that fulfilled certain conditions, Jesse gave me an answer straight away when I consulted him. When I messaged him “thank you”, his only reply was a thumbs up emoji. I like that pleasing aspect about him. He’s great communicating with others and has a wide network too, so comedians and the like will often come up to me and talk about Jesse when I appear on a show alone. The recording goes smoothly from that so I’m grateful!
YUGO KOCHI × HOKUTO MATSUMURA
FROM YUGO TO HOKUTO
He’s been active outside of the group a lot lately and I’ve been able to see different sides of Hokuto which is fun. There are times where Hokuto gives off a “cute youngest-child” vibe, and then times where he’s prim and proper when he’s the lead actor. It’s like he doesn’t put on airs, or rather, it’s like being with family when we’re together as SixTONES, so he has no qualms about looking unexcited (laughs). I guess he has a bit of a workaholic feel. I hope he can find something to detox with and continue as an actor for a long time. Let me see you on the red carpet one day!
FROM HOKUTO TO YUGO
I think he’s reliable. I feel like he’s someone who has a clear image of what he’s aiming for. And on top of that, I think he’s got a meticulous personality where he’ll have a route planned out. This is just my analysis though (laughs). However, there are moments where that personality works against him. When the 6 of us are in the middle of an MC corner, he can read into the conversation too well and say the punch line prematurely. He goes “ah, sorry! Ignore that” when I point it out (laughs). Lastly, I will return the leader’s position [to him] at any time.
SHINTARO MORIMOTO × TAIGA KYOMOTO
FROM SHINTARO TO TAIGA
He’s a child in a good way. He gets absorbed into clearing all the levels of the game where you collect monsters [Pokemon Go] and he collects merchandise of his favourite anime right? I like people who can have fun from such things even as an adult. But, he does have a stubborn side too. When we talk about “only Jesse and Kyomocchan don’t have their driving licenses in SixTONES”, he’ll say “I do have it!”. Even when we counter back with “being a paper-driver [having a license but not actually driving] is the same as not having one”, he won’t budge and insist that “but, I do have one!!” (laughs).
FROM TAIGA TO SHINTARO
His pure and innocent, plus forthcoming attitude is amazing. His rampant curiosity shown on TV isn’t just for show, it’s just how he is usually. That ingenuity makes me envious. In regards to concerts as well, he has humungous ideas that exceed all our imaginations. He’ll try to explain them using the whiteboard, but his drawings are bad-… no, drawing doesn’t seem to be one of his strengths. It is a shame that no one can understand Shintarou’s out-of the-world imagination. (laughs)
KOCHI YUGO × KYOMOTO TAIGA
FROM YUGO TO TAIGA
He has a rich imagination and he’s good at capturing that in his expression. Maybe it’s a characteristic of only-childs, but I’ve got this image of him being able to play well by himself. He’s the total opposite of mikkabouzu [lit. 3 day monk; someone that gets tired of things quickly] Shintarou, and the fact that he stays interested once he’s falls for something is amazing! His love for music and “Meitantei Conan” love has been capitalised on in work as well so that’s nice. However, since he can get too obsessed, he’ll go to a ramen shop for days in a row or start making sweets when he gets interested in food, he gets rounder and rounder so I hope he watches out for that (laughs).
FROM TAIGA TO YUGO
He doesn’t speak up often during briefings, but he actually has firm grasp of his own ideas. He’s called the heart-warming one, but he has stubborn traits despite that. Even if he doesn’t say it out loud, he looks ahead to the future a fair bit. I hear about it when it’s just the two of us in the car when we’re on the move. But I get why he can’t talk about it in front of everyone else. Because I’m like that too (laughs). It seems like his smartphone is playing up lately so he can’t open the game that we played together. Hurry and fix it!
JESSE × MORIMOTO SHINTARO
FROM JESSE TO SHINTARO
Shall I give you loads of info on Shintarou? His merits are eating lots, a bright personality and owning a dog. Apparently he goes on walks with his dog properly as well? And also, maybe that he likes frozen fried rice is a merit? Maybe he doesn’t like feeling stuffy but he doesn’t like to wear socks, and he’ll say “I don’t like it” when he has to wear socks for a stage outfit. And, he’s bad at soccer games, plus even though he’s so well built, he’s so weak at arm wrestling that it makes you think “forreal?!”. Shintarou’s muscles aren’t so much “for show” as they are “fake”.
FROM SHINTARO TO JESSE
Jesse can read the atmosphere. And, if he deems it’s appropriate to “muck about”, he’ll go all out and make everyone laugh which is good. But his perception of when it’s “a good time to mess around” “or not” is unique, so it bewilders me during times when Jesse quietly tunes out when Juri and I are on total messing-around mode. Also, even though he’s always in high spirits in the passenger seat when I’m driving, grooving like “huu~♪” to the music, he’ll come to a standstill when we stop at the lights. When I ask him “what’s wrong?!”, he’ll say things like “I was replying to a message”, but that contrast in his mood is too much isn’t it?!
MATSUMURA HOKUTO × TANAKA JURI
FROM HOKUTO TO JURI
His decision-making’s accuracy when he gets into gear is amazing. That’s why we can freely boke [act dumb] comfortably (laughs). However, there are times where I think we’re limiting Juri’s potential because of how we are. For example, when Juri has a joke that would totally get the room in stitches, he’ll think “if I joke around now then all hell would break loose” and commit himself to being the serious one. I want Juri to trust us and boke more and more. We won’t make the tsukkomi [quip] with paper but with a rock [from rock, paper, scissors]!
FROM JURI TO HOKUTO
I chat with Hokuto quite often about each other’s work. When Hokuto was doing “Red Eyes Kanshisousahan”, I asked “Hokuto, do you get kidnapped?” and he said “I get kidnapped often”; and when I found out about him joining the asadora on the news, I thought “that’s amazing” and called him immediately. What I’m sorry about though, is that I don’t watch them real time often even though we talk about it so much. Hokuto will tell me everything about the story, where his scenes are and where he filmed, so I get satisfied from that (laughs).
JESSE × KOCHI YUGO
FROM JESSE TO YUGO
What’s good about Kouchi is that he’ll come over to pick me up and drive me around when we go out. He looks nonchalant during the drive and from the eyes of someone like me who can’t drive, he looks cool (laughs). He’s the sort of person who would say “I hate dancing” in front of the scary choreographer, but he still continues to dance before the audience and that’s amazing. It doesn’t matter if he’s good or bad at it. Johnny-san told him “it’s fine as long as you’re there” after all. …But did Johnny-san really say that to him~? (laughs)
FROM YUGO TO JESSE
He makes everyone laugh with his gags, but sometimes I think “that won’t do”. For example, say I’m watching a soccer game and praise that “this team has improved two-fold since last year”, he’ll add in a gag like “but that’s less than five-fold isn’t it”. I don’t think he realises it, but gags that devalue someone aren’t good! Though he does raise the spirits all the time in general. Also, his voice is so incredibly loud that he can’t whisper. I ended up only criticising him (laughs).
MORIMOTO SHINTARO × MATSUMURA HOKUTO
FROM SHINTARO TO HOKUTO
He’s actually the most guileless. He’ll chomp down on a burger even if it’ll get sauce all around his mouth, and he’s the most excited out of everyone when we go to Disneyland. Also, he has a kind side- when Hokuto, me, Jesse & Juri went to kaitenzushi [sushi train] the other day, we were going dutch. Jesse and Juri finished paying first and went outside, and after Hokuto finished paying, he had this “what should I do…” expression on his face for a split second, and ended up waiting for me close-by until I finished paying. That was cute (laughs).
FROM HOKUTO TO SHINTARO
The gloriousness and volume of when he laughs is unmistakeably a talent of his. That carefree smile is a direct representation of his way of life. That’s why he has a charm that attracts people just by being there. That makes me envious. He’s someone who always knows the right answer deep down, so he’s reliable as well. But, there’s a part of him that doesn’t accept others’ answers because of that. He gets heated easily and hates to lose. That’s why there are times where we all tease him together during talks (laughs).
MATSUMURA HOKUTO × KYOMOTO TAIGA
FROM HOKUTO TO TAIGA
He’s actually someone who can do anything, so I wonder why he always makes a face as if saying that “I can’t do anything” (laughs). I keep thinking that he should try more genres and flourish in them. Even in terms of performance, he’s the type to maintain a certain standard in any situation. I’m quite the type to be controlled by my mental state, or rather, my feelings tend to spill out in that moment. We really are polar opposites. But I guess that’s why he can do long-running musicals and such.
FROM TAIGA TO HOKUTO
It’s hard to maintain a hungry spirit, but Hokuto’s passion to “I want to act more!”, “I want to go to more locations and soak up different things!” comes through all the time. He must love work. I’m the type who’s satisfied if I can do one thing that I like, so I think that passion is amazing. Something that catches my attention is when the other 5 of us start talking first and he joins in after, he sometimes joins in with an unexpected energy. I hope he can read the atmosphere a little at those times (laughs).
KOCHI YUGO × TANAKA JURI
FROM YUGO TO JURI
He’s good at communicating. Whether it’s a superior or someone younger, being able to maintain a fine distance is Juri’s strength. One day, I hope to see Juri as a solo MC amongst multiple tarento-san in a variety show without us. A cute side to him [showed] when work finished later than scheduled one day. He said “I have tomorrow off so no matter how late I’ll finish today, I’ll go back to my family home and have a drink with Mama!”. How he says what he thinks out loud is adorable.
FROM JURI TO YUGO
There is something that I want to say! When I went to NTV station a while back for “Quiz Hacker” filming, Kouchi was there for “School Kakumei!” filming, so I went to his dressing room but he wasn’t there. The staff-san said “he’ll be back soon” so I went again a little later. But he wasn’t there again so I waited [in my room] thinking that he’d come by, but there was no trace of him at all! (Kouchi: sorry, I couldn’t be bothered (laughs)) Urgh, so mean!!
MATSUMURA HOKUTO × JESSE
FROM HOKUTO TO JESSE
No matter how dire the situation is, he definitely won’t show any signs of it on his face. That’s his strength and I really depend on that. But I also worry that all the feelings he’s quashed down might explode violently one day. I hope I can be by his side so that won’t happen. His love for the group is strong in any case, but I hope he can let himself shine a little bit more sometimes. Speaking of which, when I stayed over at Jesse’s place pre-debut, we stayed up all night chatting away. Memories of our youth…!
FROM JESSE TO HOKUTO
He may look cool, but he’s actually talkative and also the type to get the most excited at amusement parks and such. Back when the two of us did performances at Theatre Crea, he was pretty self-assertive. He’d clearly say “I like this better!” about the outfits and said “I want to sing it!” about the English lines in the songs too. But now he thinks about the balance within the group and everyone’s personalities, so I think “he’s matured” and “so this is the merit about being in a group”.
TANAKA JURI × MORIMOTO SHINTARO
FROM SHINTARO TO JURI
I’d always been in the same dressing room as Juri when we did stage plays, so I know by looking at the Juniors who’d come to say their greetings. Juri’s appearance and image frightens the kouhais. Especially when we did shows like “Johnnys Island”, Juri would loudly yell “Igari (Souya)!!” in our dressing room to call him over, and I think that startled everyone? (laughs). But I know this from being together with him - he may be overwhelming, but he’s not a scary person. Look at him when he’s joking around. It’s bright and sparkly!
FROM JURI TO SHINTARO
He invites me to drives a lot. He invited Kouchi just then too but apparently Kouchi said “I’ll go if Juri goes” so he turned sulky, but Shintarou’s invites are often not serious either. It’s what he feels like on the spot… more like, he enjoys the whole process of inviting someone and getting rejected. I know that so I usually say no (laughs). Also, he’ll say that he’ll start learning guitar or art, but he’s a mikkabouzu. He might as well really become a monk for 3 days in that case!
JESSE × KYOMOTO TAIGA
FROM JESSE TO TAIGA
There’s a side of him that finds things bothersome and when I go over to his place, he’ll use paper cups and plates when eating something. Apparently it’s a bother to wash up regular plates after using them (laughs). It seems like that Taiga has been cooking lately, and from what I’ve heard, he talks like he’s good. When I told him “make something next time” so I could try his cooking, he replied with “ok then, curry”. No one screws up curry though?! Isn’t choosing that a bit weak? (laughs)
FROM TAIGA TO JESSE
Jesse’s image doesn’t change no matter who you ask. There’s a sensitive side to him that only we know, but overall, what person Jesse is like is the same to everyone’s eyes. And that’s amazing! I suppose something I want him to fix is “asking twice”. We’ll be chatting and every time a word that he doesn’t know comes up, he’ll ask “what does that mean?” and interrupt the conversation (laughs). We’ve highlighted the 6 of our voices after debuting, so there have been lesser chances featuring twin vocals, but the 2 of us singing together on “The Shounen Club” and such is fun after all.
KOCHI YUGO × MORIMOTO SHINTARO
FROM YUGO TO SHINTARO
I think he’s skilled. Like, he manages to take a break even when work is busy. I’m unskilful so I’m envious of Shintarou who can balance his on and off well. But, he often tells us “I started ___!” and I haven’t heard of him continuing with whatever it is (laughs). He’s the type to get prepared superficially, so whether it’s fishing or the guitar, he’d buy all the tools and goods immediately once he’s interested. And advanced-level ones too! The remains of those are probably scattered around his room~ (laughs).
FROM SHINTARO TO YUGO
Kouchi’s merit is his kindness and composure. He doesn’t get angry even when we tease him and even when I complain to him when I get annoyed, he’ll say “there there, just let it go” and calm me down. If it was Jesse, he’d throw in a joke and say “that annoyed me too!”, which doesn’t pacify my anger at all (laughs). But, he can be moody; although he said “okay” to my invite to a drive a few days ago, he said no when I invited him again today and I can’t accept that!
KYOMOTO TAIGA × TANAKA JURI
FROM TAIGA TO JURI
He’s clever. Everyone likes him and the character “Juri” is already established as a brand, so his mischievousness is allowed to a degree (laughs). On the other hand, he’s the person who brings everything together, so that gap is unfair! Well, he does have many brothers and he must’ve lived life balancing that. He’s actually the sensitive and considerate type. I’m awkward and bad at interacting with people, so I respect that. I’m often with Juri for radio shows. Being able to talk excitedly even without briefing beforehand is nice.
FROM JURI TO TAIGA
There’re a lot of private chats that only Kyomo and I are privy to. We were in the same class at high school and our seats were behind each other. At the time, Kyomo didn’t like sports and I’d often tell the teacher “Kyomoto is in the infirmary” for him. In return, he helped me a lot with studying. Talking about recently, it seemed like Kyomo was nervous about going on variety shows and when he appeared with me, Jesse & Kouchi previously, he was moved and said “whoa. I’m appearing with the 3 musketeers of variety…!” in a small voice (laughs).