Nonno 2018 September (Nino and Jun) Crane Game Arashi vol. 126
Scan credit: scrap-fabulous
I translated an interview with Nino and Jun from Nonno 2018 September, vol. 126 of the Arashi series. Nino and Jun play crane games and talk about playing games at arcades in their childhood, sometimes with other Arashi members.
Please let me know if I've made any mistakes!
[Japanese text]Japanese text
二ノ宮和也ｘ松本潤
Vol. 126
「クレーンゲームノアラシ」
大人になって久々に挑むクレーンゲーム。夢中になって楽しむ2人の姿をキャッチ！
やるからには大物をゲットしてみせる！
相葉くんの提案で実現した今回のテーマは、”クレーンゲーム”。「ぬいぐるみを山盛り取る、子どもの頃の夢を叶えてね」というエールを受けて、意欲満々で集合した二宮くんｘ松本くん。大物を狙って見事につり上げたり、難易度の高いテクニックに挑戦してみたり、機械の裏側に回ってこっそり悪だくみしたり。。。（笑）。大人のゲームタイムを満喫した2人の、アフタートークをお届けします！
クレーンゲームはハマるとなかなかやめられない！
二宮：この企画、先月相葉さんが決めてくれた時はら楽しみにしてたんだ。クレーンゲーム、なかなかできないでしょ。
松本：確かに。久しぶりにやってみたら、やっぱりシンプルでおもしろいね！つい大物が欲しくなっちゃった。取り出し口に詰まるほどデカいアザラシとか（笑）。
二宮：あれには笑った～！オレは、最後にバランスがとりにくいペンギンをゲットできたのがうれしかったな。子どもの頃は、クレーンゲームってやってた？
松本：小学生の頃「ドラゴンボール」のキャラクターのフィギュアが欲しくて熱中したことがあったよ。戦利品を大事に並べてたのもいい思い出。貯めてたお年玉、全部つぎ込んだんじゃないかな（笑）。
二宮：クレーンゲームって、なぜか「次は取れる！」って気がしてやめられなくなっちゃうんだよね（笑）。子どもの頃は家でテレビゲームをすることが多かったけど、大人になってからクレーンゲームにハマった時期があった。お芝居を見て、ごはん食べて、その流れでゲームセンターに行く、みたいな（笑）。ぬいぐるみが欲しかったわけじゃないから、景品をどうしたのかは覚えてないんだけど。
松本：ゲームセンターには、ジュニアの頃、仕事の帰りに家の方向が同じメンバーでよく行ったなぁ。洋食屋さんでお腹を満たしてから向かうのが、お決まりのコース。翔くんとリーダーもいたと思う。みんなで同じマシンを囲んだり、それぞれ好きなゲームに集中したり。翔くんは、一般的なイメージとは違うかもしれないけど、実は結構ゲーム好きだよね。
二宮：いわゆる隠れゲーマーですや（笑）。大野さんは、どんなのやってたの？
松本：それが、一緒にやってたはずなんだけど思い出せないんだよね～。何か一つあげるとしたら、コインをずらして落とすゲームとか！？似合うでしょ（笑）。
二宮：ピッタリです（ニヤリ）。いかにも一人で黙々とやり続けてそう！
松本：当時、ニノは相葉さんと一緒にゲームセンターに行ってたんじゃない？
二宮：そうそう、総武線チームだからね。ゲームはもちろん、バッティングやボウリングやビリヤードもできるような場所で遊んでた。手だけじゃなくて、体もハードに動かしてたような気がする。
松本：さすが１０代（笑）！最近は、ゲームセンターとはご無沙汰しちゃってるけど、技術の進歩に伴っていろんなところが変わってきてそうだよね。
二宮：クレーンゲームの景品は、ゲーム機とか電化製品とか、ハイテクなものも増えてるらしい。あと、最近できたVRのゲームセンターも人気だって聞いたよ。
松本：そうなんだ。今でも行ってみたら、きっと熱くなっちゃうんだろうな！
Vol. 126 Crane Game Arashi
Ninomiya Kazunari x Matsumoto Jun
It's been a long time since they've played crane games after becoming adults. See their two figures as they get absorbed in enjoying the game!
If we're going to play, I'll catch something valuable!
As suggested by Aiba-kun, the theme of this edition is "Crane Game". After hearing the command, "Make your wish as a child come true, and grab the stuffed toys from the pile", Ninomiya-kun and Matsumoto-kun are full of enthusiasm. They skilfully aim and pick up large toys, try to use difficult techniques, and sneak around the back of the machine with a conspiracy in mind… Here is their conversation after fully enjoying their adult game time!
It's hard to stop playing a crane game once you've gotten into it!
Nino: I've been looking forward to this ever since Aiba-san chose it for us last month. You don't often get a chance to play a crane game.
Jun: Indeed. It's been a while since I last played one, and it really is simple but fun! I ended up wanting the large ones. Like that huge seal near the chute.
Nino: I laughed when you got that! There was a penguin which was hard to grip onto, but I got it in the end, which made me happy. Did you used to play crane games as a kid?
Jun: When I was in primary school, there were Dragon Ball figures I really wanted, so at that time I was obsessed with crane games. I have a nice memory of carefully lining up my spoils of war. I probably used up all of the money I was given on New Year's Day that I'd saved (laughs).
Nino: For some reason crane games make you feel like you'll win the next time you play, so it's hard to quit (laughs). As a child I played a lot of video games at home, but there was a period when I was obsessed with crane games as an adult. Like I'd watch a play, have dinner, and then head to a game arcade (laughs). It's not like I wanted stuffed toys, so I don't know what happened to the prizes I won.
Jun: When we were [Johnny's] Juniors we often went to arcades with the same members on the way home after work. We'd eat until we were satisfied at a Western restaurant and then we would always head to an arcade. I think I went with Sho-kun and Leader. We'd all stand around the same machine, and we'd each gather around the game each of us wanted to play. He might not seem like a gamer but Sho-kun actually likes games quite a lot.
Nino: He's a "secret gamer" (laughs). What kind of games did Ohno-san play?
Jun: We must have played games together, but I can't seem to remember. If I were to give an example, maybe the game where you slide coins and they fall!? It seems like his kind of game, right (laughs)?
Nino: It's exactly his kind of game (grins). And it feels like he'd just keep on playing by himself without saying a word!
Jun: Didn't you used go to a game centre with Aiba-san when you were Juniors?
Nino: Yep, because we're Team Soubusen. We'd hang out at the kind of place which, of course, had games, but you could also do things like batting, bowling, and billiards. I have a feeling we were active, not using just our hands, but using our whole bodies to move around.
Jun: Typical teenagers (laughs)! I haven't been to an arcade lately, and it seems like a lot of things are changing as technology advances.
Nino: I've heard that the prizes in crane games are things like consoles, electrical appliances, and even more high-tech things as well. And I've heard that newly-made VR arcades are also popular.
Jun: I see. If we went there now I bet we'd get really get into it!
Notes:
- お年玉 = otoshidama = money relatives give to children on New Year's Day
- I'm not sure what kind of game Jun is talking about when he describes what Ohno would play. Maybe this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqJ98lnIrvc. If you know the game's name please let me know!