How is everyone enjoying June Yellow month? Today, I bring you interview translations! :D In this issue, Ray magazine asks our boys about girls' fashion, what they'd like for the girl to wear on a summer date, and what their date plans would be. <3 Another revealing interview? You bet. You might find yourself melting... I don't think it's because of the summer heat, either. ;)
Just a few notes:
# The translations under the cut appear in page order, and the translations follow below the thumbnail.
# I've added quite a few translator's notes (as superscripts). You can find them underneath the translations of that specific interview/scan (ex: translator's notes for Jun's interview follow the translations of Jun's interview, notes from Sho's interview follow the translations of Sho's interview, and so on).
# The seemingly random bold-faced parts in the translations reflect the bold-faced phrases/sentences in the scans. Same goes for the magenta parts.
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The much-awaited project has finally taken place! Your summer date look has got to be this! The five members of Arashi are here! The proper “summer date” look
Arashi, the group, continues to lead the times. These five are here to participate in this “date photo shoot”! From their favorite fashion on girls to their ideal date plans, we’ve given them a thorough interview. So long as you read this, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to conquer all their summer dates!
Question: As of late, what is your best line for getting a girl to fall for you?
Ohno: What could I say to make you fall for me?
Nino: Stay safe on your way home!
Aiba: Le~t’s play!
Sho: When’s the next time I’ll see you again?
Jun: Want to hang out again tomorrow?
Jun’s interview
Regarding yukata1, I’d like to start by shopping for them together and picking out the ones we’d like for the other to wear
Where would we go… a summer date, right? Hm… then, the beach. Taking a walk there after a drive would be nice, so would swimming together in our bathing suits. Taking our surfboards to surf is another idea. Basically, I’m not very good at planning, but if it was for a date, I’m sure I’ll take the effort to plan it through. When the time comes, I’d be super happy if she made a boxed lunch and brought it along. Just the thought that she brought it so that we could eat it together is more than enough to touch me. And the music we’d listen to in the car. If she brought her mp3 player and said, “I brought this along today so we could listen to it. Want to play it?”, I bet my heart would skip a beat [laugh]. What I’d like for her to wear is a pair of pants rather than a skirt, or a jumpsuit. I don’t imagine going to the beach wearing a skirt. I’ll be wearing a t-shirt, jeans, and some flip-flops, so I wouldn’t want her to outdo me. I don’t feel like outdoing her, either. Maybe there’ll be some fireworks or a festival going on nearby, so going to see those in our yukata would be nice, too. The date could start off with us leaving our belongings inside the car while we shop for our yukata. I think it’d be fun to choose for the other. Of course, I’d buy her the yukata… or rather, I wouldn’t have a choice but to buy it for her [laugh]. For the time being, I wouldn’t be able to do anything special in particular, but I’d try my very best so that she has a good time.
That, and I’m totally okay with tagging along with her shopping. In other words, it’d be a city date. People usually say girls take so long to shop, but I think it’d be fun to go window shopping, tagging along right beside her the whole time. If she asked, “Which do you like better?”, I’d put in my efforts in choosing. It seems like shopping for girl’s clothes is quite difficult, but I haven’t done that before so I’d like to experience it once!
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1A casual, summertime kimono
Sho’s Interview
We’d go someplace near Yatsugatake1, play tennis, take a walk… I’d like a date where we could enjoy nature to the fullest!
I think a date would be fun whatever you decided to do, but I think a place like Yatsugatake would be cool and pleasant. We could play tennis, take a walk in the mountains… I think a date where we could fully enjoy nature would be nice. And during the drive there, she’ll fall asleep in the passenger’s seat. Then, I’d turn down the music a bit… Isn’t that nice? It means that there’s a sense of trust there. I guess my heart is beating fast because of the situation rather than the girl [laugh]. It’s a summer resort, so she’d be wearing a dress or something with stripes. I’d be too nervous if she wore something that showed too much skin. When she falls asleep in the passenger’s seat and she’s wearing a mini skirt, I wouldn’t know what to do [laugh]. So, even for tops, I’d much rather her wear something that covered her up than showed off her shoulders.
If there was a summer festival and she said, “I’m going to wear a yukata, so you wear one, too!”, I don’t think I can do that. I think girls in yukata are cute and I like that. But when it comes to wearing one myself, I’d definitely be embarrassed wearing it alone, and I’d still be embarrassed wearing it with someone else. I’ll end up wearing flip-flops, shorts, and a polo shirt. The only things I’m particular about when it comes to my own style are my wristwatches. I bought them as gifts for myself, so each one holds special meaning. If I’m trying to impress during a date, I’m sure I would choose a certain wristwatch.
A date at Yokohama Cosmo World in Yokohama2 or at any amusement park would be nice, too. I’m not too good with thrill rides, but if she asked me to go on them, I bet I would have to. However, the Ferris wheel is the only no-no because I’m afraid of heights [laugh]. And so, since amusement parks are, in general, full of rides that take you high up, we’ll nix that idea. A date at Yamashita Park, located next to Osanbashi Pier3, would be better. The other day, I went there for a filming and thought it was really pretty, since it is located right next to the ocean. If it was a date, I bet just taking a walk together would be incredibly thrilling.
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1A group of inactive volcanoes near Nagano and Yamanashi prefectures
2An amusement park in Yokohama; scenes from Hana Yori Dango 2 were filmed here
3The main international pier, located in Yokohama
Aiba’s Interview
When you say summer, I think of festivals! The ideal girl would watch on as I carry the mikoshi1 in my happi2
Usually, most would imagine going to the beach for a summer date, but I absolutely love festivals. Which would mean that I’d wear a happi, so the girl would naturally have to wear one, too [laugh]. When it comes to festivals, I want to do it right by partaking in carrying the mikoshi. It’s dangerous for a girl to carry a mikoshi, so the ideal girl would watch over me from a distance.
I like girls who wear overalls and such, too. I own overalls myself. Not like the ones I wear on Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen, but a more loose-fitting, straight leg one. When I wear that, I wouldn’t want her to wear hers. It’s not that I don’t like matching outfits, it’s just that this particular article of clothing screams attention, don’t you think? If both of us were to wear a pair, we’d stand out. However, if we had similar tastes in style, it’d be nice, since it would give a sense of closeness. Also, I would be a bit embarrassed to go to zoos wearing overalls. People might say, “Just as expected!” [laugh]. If it were an at-home date, I wouldn’t mind her wearing sweats. Or rather, I really love sweatpants, so I wear them quite often. They surprisingly go with anything; they go well even when what you’re wearing on top is formal. Maybe I like the convenience store style.3 All that said, even if I were to have a girlfriend, I wouldn’t be able to complain much about her fashion sense. I don’t have a look that I’d want her to wear. Rather, I like people who are able to wear all sorts of styles depending on the settings in which they are placed. One part of her outfit shouldn’t stand out over another. Her hat and her shirt should work together, so that when I see her, I think, “That’s it! That’s cute.” Well, if I must say something about this, I’m from the Hikaru GENJI generation4, so I’m a fan of hot pants [laugh].
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1A portable, but heavy, Shinto shrine which is carried on the shoulders of many as they make their way through a specified path
2This is a traditional Japanese coat. In recent years, happi are popularly worn during these summer festivals.
3In Japan, many who shop at convenience stores late at night come in sweatpants. This is the style Aiba is referring to here.
4A 7-man JE group active from 1987-1995, known for performing on stage in roller skates. They also wore hot pants. :P
Nino’s interview
Wouldn’t it just be awesome if the two of us held a hand-held fireworks contest on a quiet, deserted beach?
I’m twice as imaginative as the average person, so it’s so much fun when I’m experiencing unrequited love. What’s great about it is that in my imagination, I am holding her hand as we take a walk on our first date [laugh]. The date will flow smoothly and I’ll be able to say what I want to say. This isn’t something I’ve developed in recent years. That’s why I don’t really feel the need to ask a girl to go out with me. If we started dating, I bet it would be completely different from how I had imagined it. I’d definitely be lost as to what to do then. If it’s a one-sided love, it wouldn’t matter how many people there are. All I would have to do is keep my eyes only for her; then, I wouldn’t have any trouble deciding where to look. In fact, if we were to be alone together, I’d panic [laugh]. If I were to go on a summer date with said girlfriend of my imagination, I’d go to the beach. But I don’t like how my clothes get sticky, so we wouldn’t walk in the sand. If I make up my mind to change into a bathing suit, then I’ll be okay with that. But I suppose the beach would be crowded with people. Okay, let’s not do that! We won’t go during the day; the date will be at night [laugh]. And we’ll do fireworks! We’ll hold a fireworks contest on a quiet, deserted beach, just the two of us. Wouldn’t this be the perfect scenario!? In this situation, I’d like for her to wear clothes that don’t restrict movement. Since we’ll be doing fireworks, she should wear shoes that she can easily walk in. It makes me happy as a man if a girl bears wearing heels knowing she’ll likely get blisters, but today, I’d like for her to wear casual sandals.
Also, there are many guys who like girls in yukata, right? But rather than the yukata itself, I like the hairstyles when girls wear yukata. I like the way they put up their hair. She can tie her hair all up, or she can leave some hair down at the nape of her neck; I like both looks. However, I don’t really like going out... But unless I take her out on dates, she wouldn’t be able to wear yukata or dress up for me. Wait, girls dress up for at-home dates, too? I see… but that makes me happy. If she came to my place with grocery bags and cooked for me, I bet I’d be happy.
Ohno’s interview
If she wore her best dress even for fishing dates, the thought alone is endearing
A festival with the ocean just a few steps away… it’d be nice to have such a luxurious date. So long as there’s a beach, we could do some fireworks, too. It’d be incredibly romantic to have a conversation while we enjoyed some hand-held fireworks1. When I was young, I used to attend the neighborhood summer festivals. What I liked there were those mizuame2 poured on top of ice, with fruit mixed inside. The fact that it was cooled from the ice made it even tastier. If I were to go with a girl, I’d definitely want to eat that. Well, unless she tells me she wants to go, I don’t think I’d ask her [laugh]. However, if it were my first date with her, I’d like it to be low-key. We’d stroll around town, grab a bite to eat, take a walk. She doesn’t need to dress up for me. Instead of a dress, I’d like a casual outfit, maybe a tank top with something over it.
A scenario with the girl that would make my heart race? That’s really hard to answer, but… I’ll go shopping with her and we’ll separate to look at different things. I go looking for her and when I find her, she’s eyeing a huge stuffed animal. She wants it but can’t buy it; I love how adorable the girl is in that situation. Even if I ask, “Want me to buy it for you?”, she’ll reply, “What? No, it’s okay…” [laugh]. I’m positive guys will agree with me!
Then, there’s the fishing date. If it’s during wintertime, I’ll buy her fishing clothes that fully protect her from the cold weather, but if it’s during the summer, she should wear a t-shirt and jeans, or anything that she wouldn’t mind getting dirty. If she comes wearing her best dress, anyway, the thought alone is endearing. And she might even bring one of those basket bags that are in style these days. If she brought a boxed lunch inside it, it’d set the most fantastic mood for a picnic. If I were to enjoy her hand-made rice balls aboard a boat, I bet it’d taste delicious~.
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1The type of fireworks Ohno is referring to here, called ‘senkou hanabi’, look like
THIS, and are usually the last kind of fireworks to enjoy among a batch of hand-held fireworks. Relatively, they are neither showy nor loud, and two people enjoying senkou hanabi can come in closer proximity than with other hand-held fireworks.
2Similar to corn syrup, but much more viscous
Arashi’s concluding remarks
What we want girls to wear: a fashion keyword collection
Let’s review Arashi’s key words regarding the five members' ideal date outfits♪ There were lots of opinions, but each of them were packed with a “man’s particulars”!
- “If her look is well-balanced, then all is well!”
- “I like yukata that are of somber shades.”
- “Stripes are somehow refreshing!”
- “I’d be worried if she showed too much skin, so it’d be nice to tack on a shirt or a vest, something she can wear over her outfit.”
- “I think it’s stylish if a girl can pull off wearing clothes that aren’t form-fitting.”
- “If she can add a colorful accessory to her look, I’d think she’s an advanced stylist!”
- “A low-key outfit would give me a sense of comfort.”
- “An eye-catching, red yukata would be nice, since I’d be able to spot her right away even if we separated from each other!”
- “I’m weak for the rolled up jeans look~”
- “I’m more of the skirts type than the pants type!”
- “If her skirt is too short, I wouldn’t be able to drive [laugh].”
- “A monotone dress is a mature look <3”
- “Jumpsuits and maxi dresses look comfy and they’re cute.”
- “If she showed up at my place wearing a floral dress, I’d be done for. ♥”
♥ Original scan credits: SNG (Thank you, as always~)