[TRANS] Potato (Sept 2021): Wandering Man + Johnnys Doji-kyun Collection

[6ix_neiro]

WANDERING MAN

In search of freedom and a place of belonging, these wandering youths gather at their secret hideout…
That was the theme of the photoshoot.
They also comment on their new song “Mascara” to be released on August 11.



Matsumura Hokuto × Tanaka Juri

I only get a sense of freedom when I’m at home away from the public eye

Tanaka: There’s something that I feel strongly about lately. That there are many people who don’t understand that “freedom” comes with responsibility. I’m not in any position to preach, but at the very least, I believe we thoroughly understand that.
Matsumura: Yeah. SixTONES generally get told we’re free but…
Tanaka: But we have the resolve to take responsibility if something goes wrong. We don’t do things that we can’t take responsibility for, and having someone else shoulder the responsibility isn’t true freedom. Also, I feel like there are a lot of people who understand that using weapons and violence to hurt others is not okay, and yet think it’s okay to hurt verbally on SNS and things. SNS is your own platform and you’re free to write whatever you want, but people need to be responsible.
Matsumura: I know what you mean. I was thinking this whole time, but I think the only sense of freedom I get is when I’m at home on my days off.
Tanaka: True! I guess that’s what our freedom is! (laughs)
Matsumura: In the end, it’s about being in my own frame, away from the public eye. There are rules when I’m outside and there are morals above those rules as well. Maybe freedom is about rules without morals. I guess this is the same as what Juri just said.
Tanaka: I don’t know. I couldn’t keep up since you said everything at once (laughs).
Matsumura: The place where it’s okay to have no morals but still have rules is my own home, so in other words, freedom.
Tanaka: Got it. I think that too!

Kouchi carries all the member’s dreams but…

Matsumura: In terms of members, we’re surprisingly on the not-free side.
Tanaka: Yeah. Even in the radio where we act unrestrained, we talk about “let’s bring this up on radio next time” beforehand.
Matsumura: Ah, there is a free person. You know, him (points at Kouchi). He didn’t discuss it with us at all even though he cut his hair that short.
Tanaka: I know right. I liked Kouchi who had a longer nape line.
Matsumura: I wanted him to get M-shaped front bangs, or even have straight hair at the front with a perm at the back.
Tanaka: And then he just went ahead to get a crew cut. It’s true that no one reports to the other members that they got a haircut. But I had hoped Kouchi did.
Matsumura: Us member’s dreams are Kouchi’s “M-shaped front bangs and grown out nape line” after all.
Tanaka: It’s a huge betrayal from someone who carried everyone’s dreams.
Matsumura: Well, we didn’t tell him that our dreams were riding on him. It’s our fault but still, we trusted him.
Tanaka: The sense of loss is immense right now. But I’m still waiting for him to reveal that he tricked everyone with a wig and confess “I actually have M-shaped bangs with a grown out nape line”…!
Matsumura: It might’ve been an illusion that gave me hope, but I felt like I saw long hair when he got out of the shower the other day…
Tanaka: Just as I thought…! That’s who our Kouchi is. What a relief! Now how about “place of belonging”?
Matsumura: This isn’t about what I said before, but in the sense that I can be free, I guess it’d be my room. What about you?
Tanaka: Me too. I think that’s why I’ve gone out less in comparison to the past.
Matsumura: As we grow older, we can decorate our rooms with the things that we like and choose. That’s why it’s comforting and becoming of a place of belonging that we get attached to.
Tanaka: I only had the bare necessities when I first moved out. Then I bought a vacuum cleaner to keep my place clean; a side table for my bed when I want to grab some water easily… it slowly grew from there.
Matsumura: What was the latest thing you got?
Tanaka: A microwave. The shop assistant recommended it to me. It’s a good one with recipes installed, where it can make a meal if you just add the ingredients together, but I’ve only used it to heat up nuggets once.
Matsumura: A waste of the functions… What I do to make things more comfortable is to not change smells, like my fragrance or shampoo, or the scent of my fabric softener. I feel like the same scent will be more comforting.
Tanaka: Ah, I get that. I’m the same.
Matsumura: Right? Scents are important.

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
The other day, my finger got stuck in the door and the skin peeled off. I didn’t think it was a serious injury, but it shocked me when I saw blood dripping down. It hurt so much! (laughs) (Matsumura)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
I’ve always done this, but I’m trying to cut down on my carbohydrates. I’m in the middle of eating sushi at the moment, but I’m trying hard to not eat too much rice (laughs). (Matsumura)

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
My slowing recuperation speed. Like a small injury from 2 months ago hasn’t healed, or a mosquito bite that I scratched at stays swollen for 3 days. None of this happened in the past… (Tanaka)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
Sleeping after preparing the things and clothes I need for the next day. I’m usually in a daze in the mornings and it’s usually tough, so I thought it’d be better if I did it while I was still up at night. It’s working hard for my tomorrow’s self. (Tanaka)

Kouchi Yuugo × Morimoto Shintarou

I wanted to escape from dance practise and be free!

Kouchi: “Freedom” is achievable only because there are rules. If it was a world where we could do anything freely, then I wouldn’t realise I was being free. It’s not the same as “being friendly while being well-mannered”, but similarly “there are rules within freedom too”.
Morimoto: In the first place, there are rules like the law and morals that we must abide by in life. If that’s the case, then what is SixTONES’ freedom?
Kouchi: It’s hard to say. On the converse, a rule that we must preserve is “acting as a group” right? It’s not solo work, so there’s a part where we must adapt ourselves no matter how free we are.
Morimoto: I guess. The line between ‘rule’ and ‘freedom’ is different for everyone so it’s difficult. Have you ever thought “I want to be free” when you were working?
Kouchi: I have. I was terrible at learning dances when I was a Junior. I always wanted to escape from dance lessons and be free.
Morimoto: Ah~ it figures (laughs).
Kouchi: I really hated it. It’s okay now because I’m an adult and I treat it as my job, and I want to deliver something great too. But I don’t think there’s anyone in SixTONES who likes to learn choreography.
Morimoto: I do. It’s something that the choreographer-san put their heart into creating as well.
Kouchi: You’re trying to get brownie points!
Morimoto: When I went to the beach for a drama filming previously, there was a high-school couple walking by the beach. They did young things like stone skipping. When I watched them, I thought “I wanna throw stones with a girl too!” (laughs).
Kouchi: Go ahead and go by yourself.
Morimoto: That’s not the point. I’m saying that I want to enjoy that free young life. The members who are free are Jesse and Kyomo. They’ll sing when they have the chance right? In between filming breaks or even when “this is not the time”, they’ll start singing nonchalantly, at quite a loud volume too (laughs).
Kouchi: That happens~ It doesn’t happen as often now, but Taiga was singing just then (laughs).

On a bicycle with no destination in mind… finding myself surrounded by nature before I realise!

Morimoto: Have you ever been on a “wandering journey”?
Kouchi: I go on trips alone often.
Morimoto: Same. When I went to my grandmother’s place in Kanazawa when I was a high schooler, I remember exploring on a mamachari [utility bike] without looking at a map or anything.
Kouchi: With no destination?
Morimoto: Nup. I pedalled for hours, and by the time I’d realised, I was surrounded by nature. Naturally, I had to use the map on my phone to get back, but it took around two and a half hours.
Kouchi: You went pretty far~ I’m a person who wants a goal. Like going into an onsen, or seeing Mt. Fuji… I still want to draw up a schedule even if it’s for something vague like that. If I find a shop or delicious-looking restaurant on the way, I’m totally okay with stopping by even if I didn’t plan for it. But I just get uneasy if I go with zero planning.
Morimoto: For example, if you planned to get home by 8pm but the onsen was so nice that you stayed for an extra 2 hours, something like that?
Kouchi: Hmm, that’s okay too but I think I’d leave before that. Rather than the comfort from the onsen, the unease from majorly wrecking my schedule would win over.
Morimoto: That’s interesting. You like going on trips alone rather than with a group of people right?
Kouchi: Yeah, any more than 3 is too much. I have my share of big groups of people from work already (laughs).
Morimoto: I think I’d be fine, but I haven’t experienced it before. The most was 5 people. School trips were about the only other time with a big group.
Kouchi: School trips and travelling to different localities for senpai’s concerts when we were Juniors was fun.
Morimoto: It was fun~ Rather than “I look forward to it!”, it’s more “I’ll have fun if I go” now.
Kouchi: We got used to it hey.
Morimoto: And there was a rule where we weren’t supposed to go to someone else’s room when we were Juniors. I think there was the fun in trying to sneak into someone’s room without the manager-san noticing (laughs).
Kouchi: That thrill from breaking the rules.
Morimoto: We don’t have that rule now but we don’t visit each other’s rooms.
Kouchi: There are less of those rules as we grow into adults.
Morimoto: It’s boring being an adult (laughs).

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
I sometimes watch videos of people clearing land on mountains, and they got bitten by a horse fly in one of their latest videos. That alone was shocking, but seeing them swat it away with their hand like it was a mosquito was shocking…! (Kouchi)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
For my goal of becoming more flexible this year, I’m still working hard at the stretches that I started doing in January. I’ve gotten pretty flexible and I can stick my chest flat on the ground when we’re doing stretches before concerts! (Kouchi)

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
Ohtani Shouhei-san is on the news everyday lately, and I’m shocked by how amazing his records are. The achievements of Osaka Naomi-san who’s the same age as me, people in the same generation as me - it truly makes me feel that times are changing. (Morimoto)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
I learnt about disposing bulky waste. I used to hire a waste collector for my unwanted goods, but I looked into it when I heard that the district council also collected them, and it was super cheap. I did my best to make the booking and bought the ticket too, now all I have to do is wait for the day! (Morimoto)

Jesse × Kyomoto Taiga

Jesse who can’t understand Kyomoto who can’t read maps

Jesse: Taiga’s pretty free. When we performed in “Shounentachi”, Taiga would always make a mess in the dressing room. His boxers would be lying somewhere, and when I told him “you forgot your boxers”, he’d insist that “they’re not mine”. They were definitely his though (laughs).
Kyomoto: I don’t remember what boxers that I wore (laughs). Even when I was on a school trip, there were a few times when I almost put someone else’s boxers in my bag.
Jesse: Boxer thief! (laughs)
Kyomoto: Jesse’s super free too though. Something that I can’t forget is when we went on “Otorakushon” together. Jesse standing up and saying “thank you!” suddenly. He stole Panther Ogata-san’s mochi-neta [signature joke] loud and proud (laughs).
Jesse: I did it first even though he was there too (laughs).
Kyomoto: I definitely couldn’t have done that.
Jesse: But, if that was scripted, I think I wouldn’t be able to do it because of my nerves. I don’t think it works unless I’m allowed to be free.
Kyomoto: Huhh. When I’m told “do as you like freely”, I actually get confused. Our talks and performances were relatively relaxed in our Junior days, but almost all the things we do are defined now and I’ve gotten used to it. Though I do like to have fun within certain parameters like adlibbing in a stage play.
Jesse: Ahh, I too set out my schedule to a degree for my private time. Even when I’m strolling on the streets, I think ahead with “I’ll grab lunch next, then go to the cinemas…”
Kyomoto: I don’t think about it at all. If my work finishes early, sometimes I’d unnecessarily spend 2 hours to walk home. I also visited Nara alone before, and randomly went around different temples, going here and there. I couldn’t find a hotel that night, so I stayed over at my grandmother’s place in Osaka (laughs).
Jesse: In my case, I wouldn’t go on a trip or eat meals alone in the first place.
Kyomoto: Well, I couldn’t either if it was to overseas. I’m bad at reading maps too.
Jesse: Eh? Can’t you get the gist when you look at one?
Kyomoto: Nah, I don’t even know which direction I’m facing when I’m reading one. I have to walk a little and double check which direction the arrow is pointing in…
Jesse: You’ll be fine as long as you find where the station is.
Kyomoto: That’s impossible! I get lost inside buildings too. Even when we appeared on a music show last year, I got lost in the TV station when I went to the bathroom. When I thought that I finally found our dressing room and opened the door, it was the room of the supporting band (laughs).
Jesse: Ahaha! When I was in “Sprout”, I got on the wrong location-bus before. People that I didn’t know kept boarding and I thought that was weird, so when I asked about the production they were on, it turned out to be a different drama (laughs).

Sticking their favourite sofas together?!

Kyomoto: I guess, right now, the place that gives my heart peace is Anzu (pet dog). Even when I’m just going to the bathroom, I’ll tell her “I’m going to the bathroom ‘kay”, and when I’m watching a movie, I’ll ask her “Anzu, do you know what they’re saying?” (laughs).
Jesse: Show me what tone of voice you use when you’re saying that.
Kyomoto: No! But actually, I call her An-chan when I’m at home…
Jesse: (in a sweet voice) An-chan♡ The sofa at my place gives me the most peace. There are 2 Moroccan-style lamps and the sofa sits in between them, so I sit there under the lamp’s lighting (laughs).
Kyomoto: My sofa’s comfortable too. It’s a huge L-shaped sofa and it can be extended if you add another sofa to it.
Jesse: My sofa is extendable too. We could join them together if we lived together.
Kyomoto: Huhu… That’s actually why I bought it.
Jesse: Me too♡

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
Hokuto confessed to me in a dream (laughs). He confessed “I really like you!” and gave me a hug, and I replied “I like you too”. I haven’t told Hokuto about this dream. Cos it’d be cray if it happened in real life (laughs). (Jesse)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
I often use a bathroom dehumidifier after I shower, so the floor is always wet when I dry my laundry. Hanging up my clothes without stepping into those puddles… is what I’m challenging myself to (laughs). (Jesse)

■Something you’ve been shocked by lately?
Juri said “I went skydiving” at a concert MC. Juri who has a fear of heights…? That was shocking. I also want to try it out once, so I felt a little envious. (Kyomoto)
■Something that you want to work hard at right now?
I started going to the gym. Since I gain muscle easily, my chest and shoulder muscles are pretty pronounced already. I actually want to get even more definition, but I don’t think it’d match my face if I get too bulky? (laughs) (Kyomoto)

About Mascara

Hokuto’s Talk
The rhythm is unique. It took quite a while until I made sense of it. What I like is the part where we sing one line each after one another at the end. It’s fitting as a song where the 6 of us are expressing a single story, and it’s also a part where you can experience the different qualities of our voices.

Juri’s Talk
I only thought it was “cool” at first, but when I actually sang and performed it, I continued to pour my emotions into it. I think it’s because the lyric’s picture is very real and easy to see. It’s a mysterious song where I find myself in the song’s character’s mind before I realise it. …That being said, it’s hard (laughs).

Yugo’s Talk
When I first heard it, I thought “it’s cool but… can I sing it?”. As we went through recordings and MV filming, a sense of our unity developed and it felt like the song was coming along too. Tsuneta (Daiki)-san who composed and penned this might’ve envisioned this situation.

Shintaro’s Talk
When I first listened to the demo, I was told “it’s only a preview so it’ll get brushed up”. It was plenty amazing already so I thought, “even more?”, but the final song was even better and stylish too. And just like I thought, it was difficult to sing. But it’s an addictive song that you can’t quit once you get it.

Taiga’s Talk
Singing in a rock style is orthodox in my eyes, so I think I was able to do it in my own style during the recording. I think the highlight is the bridge. It’s a part that’s something in between a rap and singing, and it was really difficult since it’s got a fast tempo with lots of words. I sang it at the recording after practising heaps beforehand.

Jesse’s Talk
It’s difficult all-round, but getting the hang of the melody in the verses was particularly hard. My final falsetto was included after I adlibbed in the recording. In the MV, I asked the staff to let me do 2 hairstyles, one with my hair slicked back and the other with my hair down, so check that out too.

******

Johnnys Doji-kyun Collection💕
“I too did that…”
SixTONES edition

We got the idols to talk about their clumsy experiences like that comedian, in that self-deprecating neta [joke] style that’s swept the world. Let their cute and doji [clumsy] side make your heart skip a beat.
[T/N: They’re referring to Hiroshi and his “Hiroshi desu” [I’m Hiroshi/It’s Hiroshi] joke.]

Hokuto desu.
I bought socks online.
…They were baby socks.

Matsumura Hokuto
I saw Crayon Shin-chan socks online and bought them, but they were a bit small when I opened the package. I thought “huh?”, but when I took a closer look, they were actually for babies (laughs). That’s why I have a pair of baby socks at home right now. What should I do with them… (laughs).

Taiga desu.
I bump my pinkie toe into the table so much that my nail died.

Kyomoto Taiga
I keep bumping my pinkie toe into the table in my living room. I pass by the table when I go to the kitchen, but the space is just ever so tight that I hit my toe. My pinkie toe swells up a lot and turns red as well, and my nail is dead too (laughs).

Jesse desu.
I washed my face,
But I forgot if I washed it already or not…

Jesse
When I put some cleanser in my palm so I could wash my face in the bath, I thought, “hm? I think I washed it just then”. When I thought about it, I was going to wash my face again even though I’d already washed it… I rinsed off the cleanser as I thought “what am I doing…” (laughs).

Shintarou desu.
I fell asleep on the couch,
and it was morning when I woke.
Everything was still on.

Morimoto Shintarou
I always drift off to sleep on the sofa, but I only planned to take a nap yesterday night, but found myself awake in the morning. It was quite a deep sleep. Thanks to that my body was aching, the lights were on, the air-con was on full blast, the video I was watching continued looping; it was such a huge waste of electricity that it made me sad…

Yuugo desu.
To my precious pot plant,
I gave it carbonated water
thinking that it was tap water.

Kouchi Yuugo
I have a cute pot plant that I’m growing, and I usually water it with a plastic water bottle. I think I was zoning out that day, but I watered it with the bottle of carbonated water that I was drinking instead of its usual water bottle. It fizzed the moment it touched the soil (laughs). It was a close call, but I guess it was okay since it’s still healthy.

Juri desu.
I picked up a call in the middle of brushing my teeth,
I swallowed everything.

Tanaka Juri
My friend called when I was brushing my teeth, and I carelessly picked it up before rinsing my mouth out. I had to say something so I was going to talk with the bubbles in my mouth, but then I swallowed. I tried to spit it out in a hurry after ending the call, but it was no use… My whole body felt minty fresh (laughs).