Ninomiya Kazunari's "It" - More 2016.11 [TRANSLATIONS]
Happy "Are You Happy?" Day! :D I come bearing a gift...
UUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNFFFFFFFFFF!!! _(:3 」∠)_ I can't. I just can't...
He's always full of wise words, and this time is no different. I truly enjoyed what he had to say about being gifted and putting in effort. I especially recommend this read to those who are struggling to find meaning or worth in their careers and their lives. Also, leave it to Nino to use gaming examples to prove his point. xD This interview proves once and for all that he is handsome, inside and out. :3
Just a few notes:
☆ The translations under the cut appear in page order, and the translations follow below the thumbnail.
☆ My translations are not available for retranslating purposes.
Ninomiya Kazunari’s “It”
Though his core values may not waver, there are changes that happen without him knowing. On an Olympic year, he realizes these changes. What subtle developments have taken place within?
On a windy day in August, as we began our shoot on the roof of a building, he was unusually talkative with the cameraman. I eavesdrop on their conversation and find that they are talking about the Olympics. Indeed, that was the talk of the town, headlining the TV and the internet. “Are you following the games?” I ask. “Quite a bit,” he replies. During the Beijing Olympics eight years ago and the London Olympics four years ago, his response to the same question was an indifferent, “Just what they show on the news.” Suffice to say, his change was quite surprising.
Nino (hereafter “N”): It was during our tour, so I had the chance to watch the games a lot with the other members. I was most moved by the swimming races. Swimmers Hagino Kousuke and Seto Daiya are not only best friends, they’re also rivals. They both made it to the final round and won the gold and bronze. The moment they finished their race, we all screamed “Yeah!!” and celebrated [laugh].
Yoshi Rei (hereafter “Y”): How unusual to openly express your emotions in the green room. You normally spend that time quietly.
N: I also watched gymnastics live. That was so exciting. By the way, I found out watching the news: Ichiro-san’s 3,000th hit was incredible. I heard that during the post-game interview, he said, “Next up is 4,000th.” I think Ichiro-san is able to say that because in reality, he isn’t interested at all in setting records. This is merely my assumption, but if he were really only interested in setting the next record, he wouldn’t come out and say such things. This isn’t confined to just sports; it applies to us in the entertainment industry as well. Those who care about breaking or setting records are the people around us. We aren’t really focused on that. Arashi isn’t interested in ranking first or selling however million copies. But, unlike Ichiro-san, we aren’t athletes who can reach the top on our own. That’s all thanks to staff members and our fans, who go out and buy our music.
Y: Still, celebrities also need to be gifted and put in the effort, just like athletes do, I said. “Sure, but being gifted and putting in the effort are one package,” replies Nino.
N: Those who are gifted will put forth effort without a single complaint… In fact, those who can put in the proper work in any given field are whom I call “talented.” What I mean by “proper work” is not continued, vain attempts at something you’re not good at, or trying to overcome painful experiences. I’m talking about things you’ve tried and thought, “I can do this,” “This is fun,” or “I can become the best at this.” That’s where effort should go. When someone teaches you, you get better and better the more you know. In short, something you can continue simply because it’s enjoyable. It’s not about whether or not you’re cut out for it. Do you truly, sincerely want what you’re striving for? Can you work for it without straining yourself? Ichiro-san is said to have practiced more than any other baseball player, swinging the bat more than anyone else has. But to him, it’s part of life. I don’t think he sees practice as some special effort he’s putting forth.
Y: That goes for actors and idols as well. Nino is sensible, intuitive, and clever. People see him as a gifted genius of sorts, and yet…
N: Well, I’d argue that I’ve put in a lot of effort into my career. But that act itself was so enjoyable that I’ve never referred to it as “effort.”
Before asking for advice, rely on your own experiences and failures
Y: Then, what would you tell people who do not enjoy their jobs, who find their jobs boring and don’t want to put in the effort, or believe their efforts are all in vain?
N: Hm… to be completely honest, those are petty problems. If you just can’t bring yourself to put in the effort into your position or workplace, the easiest solution is to change careers or surroundings. But I think the problem lies elsewhere. What do you enjoy doing now, what do you hate? Do you really know what you are capable of doing and what your limitations are? If you can’t answer those questions, perhaps what you’re lacking is experience. This isn’t just limited to careers. Whether you’re soul-searching or honing your abilities, what’s important is repetitive trial and error. There are tons of people like this in online gaming, too. They’ll ask, “How do you clear this game?” without even trying first. Before you utter that question, I want to ask, “How many hours have you played?” If you’ve only played 1,000 hours or so, you’ll gain nothing from what I tell you [laugh]. Try playing the game for a couple thousand hours first. The way you see the game and what you’re able to accomplish will inevitably change. Work and personal lives are the same. The more experience you have under your belt, the more you find yourself transforming without even trying.
Y: He must be able to say such things because of the countless challenges and failures he’s experienced in his career. When it comes to your personal life, though, aren’t you still spending most of your time at home?
N: That’s true. I don’t leave the house, that hasn’t changed. But even that could naturally change. I may start going out and partying. I’m not trying to change, but I’m not trying to stay the same, either. I’m a wild card [laugh].
"Before you start worrying away, work on gaining lots of experience and make many mistakes. If you don’t know what you love, what you hate, and what you’re capable of doing, you can’t move forward."
Ninomiya Kazunari
Born on June 17, 1983 in Tokyo. Arashi’s new single, “Power of the Paradise” (theme song for Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 coverage on Nippon Television), is now on sale. During the interview, he reached for a chocolate bar, a rare occurrence for Nino. As he peeled the inner packaging to open it, an exaggerated grimace crossed his face. “I hate the sound of the aluminum wrapper scratching against the box. The sound of nails on a chalkboard? I can’t stand that, either, of course. [laugh]”
UUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNFFFFFFFFFF!!! _(:3 」∠)_ I can't. I just can't...
He's always full of wise words, and this time is no different. I truly enjoyed what he had to say about being gifted and putting in effort. I especially recommend this read to those who are struggling to find meaning or worth in their careers and their lives. Also, leave it to Nino to use gaming examples to prove his point. xD This interview proves once and for all that he is handsome, inside and out. :3
Just a few notes:
☆ The translations under the cut appear in page order, and the translations follow below the thumbnail.
☆ My translations are not available for retranslating purposes.
Ninomiya Kazunari’s “It”
Though his core values may not waver, there are changes that happen without him knowing. On an Olympic year, he realizes these changes. What subtle developments have taken place within?
On a windy day in August, as we began our shoot on the roof of a building, he was unusually talkative with the cameraman. I eavesdrop on their conversation and find that they are talking about the Olympics. Indeed, that was the talk of the town, headlining the TV and the internet. “Are you following the games?” I ask. “Quite a bit,” he replies. During the Beijing Olympics eight years ago and the London Olympics four years ago, his response to the same question was an indifferent, “Just what they show on the news.” Suffice to say, his change was quite surprising.
Nino (hereafter “N”): It was during our tour, so I had the chance to watch the games a lot with the other members. I was most moved by the swimming races. Swimmers Hagino Kousuke and Seto Daiya are not only best friends, they’re also rivals. They both made it to the final round and won the gold and bronze. The moment they finished their race, we all screamed “Yeah!!” and celebrated [laugh].
Yoshi Rei (hereafter “Y”): How unusual to openly express your emotions in the green room. You normally spend that time quietly.
N: I also watched gymnastics live. That was so exciting. By the way, I found out watching the news: Ichiro-san’s 3,000th hit was incredible. I heard that during the post-game interview, he said, “Next up is 4,000th.” I think Ichiro-san is able to say that because in reality, he isn’t interested at all in setting records. This is merely my assumption, but if he were really only interested in setting the next record, he wouldn’t come out and say such things. This isn’t confined to just sports; it applies to us in the entertainment industry as well. Those who care about breaking or setting records are the people around us. We aren’t really focused on that. Arashi isn’t interested in ranking first or selling however million copies. But, unlike Ichiro-san, we aren’t athletes who can reach the top on our own. That’s all thanks to staff members and our fans, who go out and buy our music.
Y: Still, celebrities also need to be gifted and put in the effort, just like athletes do, I said. “Sure, but being gifted and putting in the effort are one package,” replies Nino.
N: Those who are gifted will put forth effort without a single complaint… In fact, those who can put in the proper work in any given field are whom I call “talented.” What I mean by “proper work” is not continued, vain attempts at something you’re not good at, or trying to overcome painful experiences. I’m talking about things you’ve tried and thought, “I can do this,” “This is fun,” or “I can become the best at this.” That’s where effort should go. When someone teaches you, you get better and better the more you know. In short, something you can continue simply because it’s enjoyable. It’s not about whether or not you’re cut out for it. Do you truly, sincerely want what you’re striving for? Can you work for it without straining yourself? Ichiro-san is said to have practiced more than any other baseball player, swinging the bat more than anyone else has. But to him, it’s part of life. I don’t think he sees practice as some special effort he’s putting forth.
Y: That goes for actors and idols as well. Nino is sensible, intuitive, and clever. People see him as a gifted genius of sorts, and yet…
N: Well, I’d argue that I’ve put in a lot of effort into my career. But that act itself was so enjoyable that I’ve never referred to it as “effort.”
Before asking for advice, rely on your own experiences and failures
Y: Then, what would you tell people who do not enjoy their jobs, who find their jobs boring and don’t want to put in the effort, or believe their efforts are all in vain?
N: Hm… to be completely honest, those are petty problems. If you just can’t bring yourself to put in the effort into your position or workplace, the easiest solution is to change careers or surroundings. But I think the problem lies elsewhere. What do you enjoy doing now, what do you hate? Do you really know what you are capable of doing and what your limitations are? If you can’t answer those questions, perhaps what you’re lacking is experience. This isn’t just limited to careers. Whether you’re soul-searching or honing your abilities, what’s important is repetitive trial and error. There are tons of people like this in online gaming, too. They’ll ask, “How do you clear this game?” without even trying first. Before you utter that question, I want to ask, “How many hours have you played?” If you’ve only played 1,000 hours or so, you’ll gain nothing from what I tell you [laugh]. Try playing the game for a couple thousand hours first. The way you see the game and what you’re able to accomplish will inevitably change. Work and personal lives are the same. The more experience you have under your belt, the more you find yourself transforming without even trying.
Y: He must be able to say such things because of the countless challenges and failures he’s experienced in his career. When it comes to your personal life, though, aren’t you still spending most of your time at home?
N: That’s true. I don’t leave the house, that hasn’t changed. But even that could naturally change. I may start going out and partying. I’m not trying to change, but I’m not trying to stay the same, either. I’m a wild card [laugh].
"Before you start worrying away, work on gaining lots of experience and make many mistakes. If you don’t know what you love, what you hate, and what you’re capable of doing, you can’t move forward."
Ninomiya Kazunari
Born on June 17, 1983 in Tokyo. Arashi’s new single, “Power of the Paradise” (theme song for Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 coverage on Nippon Television), is now on sale. During the interview, he reached for a chocolate bar, a rare occurrence for Nino. As he peeled the inner packaging to open it, an exaggerated grimace crossed his face. “I hate the sound of the aluminum wrapper scratching against the box. The sound of nails on a chalkboard? I can’t stand that, either, of course. [laugh]”