GQ JAPAN FEBRUARY 2010
GQ MEN OF THE YEAR 2009
scan credits: to the owner
finally I started to see that my work can only continue if I do it recklessly.
Their 10th anniversary album 「ALL THE BEST! 1999 - 2009」has been marked as million-seller. Then they have accomplished the first in history of having live concert in National Stadium for 3 days in a row and their first appearance in Kouhaku Uta Gassen. ARASHI where Sakurai belongs to has now grown up as a so-called national idol group. Then as an actor, his movie 「YATTERMAN」is such a breakthrough and able to collect 3 billion yen that means he beats the so-called entertainment dark-period with low cd-sales and flop movies. He’s surely a million-dollar star, now.
But even with those breakthroughs in front of him, he humbly said “It’s all thank you to many people that have supported us. It’s just one of the checkpoints for us”. Surely, it's not just because of his humble and thoughtful humanity, but because he has a greater ambition.
Pursuing his potential while keeping his framework as an idol. And for that, he takes efforts and risks as if it’s nothing. There is definitely unshakeable passion behind his calm manner.
I want to express myself without being bound by stereotypes.
How was last year for you?
It’s such an awesome year. At first, my dream was to have a concert in Tokyo Dome and I never expected things more than that. So, having concerts in national stadium made me feel that there was more beyond what you ever dream of. We’re not a group that targeted big venues to do our concerts. That’s why together with staff, we did thorough discussions whether it’s best for us to do our 10th anniversary concert in such a big venue.
But did you feel sense of accomplishment with that?
Of course, I pretty much feel that but I’d rather not overthink it since our work don’t really have a goal.
In 2009, 「YATTERMAN」 Movie was a big hit. And then, this year also marked the third year of your personal work as a caster.
Do you see it as an achievement for your personal work?
Each of Arashi members has their individual works not involving others as a group. But actually, we’re still attached to each other through our interactions. In our work, experience is a provision. I would like to be able to output in different places what I have input in each field.
Your work in 「ZERO」is entering its 4th year. Could you tell us the secret of your coexistence?
I remember it was because of the shock I received after the happening of 9.11 terorism. I read a lot of books related to religious war and ethnic conflict. I was interested to how the world would turn out. Another reason was during one of Arashi tv show enabling us to work with an announcer from a night news programme. I started to wonder if I could do newscasting work as well. After debut, I just wanted to increase my potential as an idol. I was exploring the coexistence between working as an idol and as a newscaster. Rather, there may be some parts I need to do to prove that these two things can coexistence.
In the first place, you even stand out just being an idol graduated from Keio University.
There is this big question of what an idol is. If we try to define it, people can see the difference between the idol work I’m doing now with the one done 5 years ago. And I couldn’t be any happier if one can mention that it has changed because of a group named ARASHI.
Do you feel pressured to work with many professionals in journalism field?
I wasn’t that mentally stressed. But rather than worrying about small stuff like people might give their weird-look with those cameras projecting me while doing my news-report, I choose to focus on bigger stuff. I have to believe that there are things only my work can make people aware of.
We see that your dreams have come to realization. Is there any moment you feel uneasy or discouraged?
Uneasiness makes me want to amass various experiences. Ever since 2 - 3 years ago, finally I started to see that my work can only continue if I do it recklessly.
And 30 years old as a turning-point is approaching as well.
I'd like to go to the next stage. I need to be more self-reliant as a grown man. I need to grow older to see how the seeds I have planted all these years finally begin to bud. Keeping that in mind, I want to make them bloom into flowers after I become 30 years old.
Mr. Sakurai, what does it mean for a man to be bright according to you?
People tend to put up with it more and think about whether it is impossible or not as they grow older. Rather than that, I prefer someone whose curiosity takes precedence. In that sense, he is a man who never loses his child-like heart.
Sakurai Sho, born in Tokyo, 1982. Entering Johnnys agency in age of 13.
Having his CD debut in 1999 as a member of ARASHI. Graduating from Keio University in 2004.
Being a caster at Nihon Television programme's [NEWS ZERO] since 2006.
Working as a NTV's main-newscaster for Beijing Olympic in 2008.
As a personality delivering the news from perspective of people in their twenties.
Since October 2006, he has performed as a newscaster of Monday’s news programme 「NEWS ZERO」 in Nihon Television (NTV). Delivering more news from perspective of people in their twenties, he has actively done various things such as doing live-reports and interviewing influential figures. And since October 2009, he keeps on implementing a hands-on approach to seeing and listening on his own.
His live-action movie of a 70's anime has made a hit
YATTERMAN live-action movie starring Sakurai Sho as the main-role and directed by the talented director Takashi Miike is a movie based on a well-known anime in 70’s with the same name. This movie has been a hit with 3 billion yen as revenue. The main soundtrack 「BELIEVE/Kumori Nochi Kasei」sang by ARASHI so far has topped the half-year chart for gaining 650 thousands CD sales.
scan credits: to the owner
finally I started to see that my work can only continue if I do it recklessly.
Their 10th anniversary album 「ALL THE BEST! 1999 - 2009」has been marked as million-seller. Then they have accomplished the first in history of having live concert in National Stadium for 3 days in a row and their first appearance in Kouhaku Uta Gassen. ARASHI where Sakurai belongs to has now grown up as a so-called national idol group. Then as an actor, his movie 「YATTERMAN」is such a breakthrough and able to collect 3 billion yen that means he beats the so-called entertainment dark-period with low cd-sales and flop movies. He’s surely a million-dollar star, now.
But even with those breakthroughs in front of him, he humbly said “It’s all thank you to many people that have supported us. It’s just one of the checkpoints for us”. Surely, it's not just because of his humble and thoughtful humanity, but because he has a greater ambition.
Pursuing his potential while keeping his framework as an idol. And for that, he takes efforts and risks as if it’s nothing. There is definitely unshakeable passion behind his calm manner.
I want to express myself without being bound by stereotypes.
How was last year for you?
It’s such an awesome year. At first, my dream was to have a concert in Tokyo Dome and I never expected things more than that. So, having concerts in national stadium made me feel that there was more beyond what you ever dream of. We’re not a group that targeted big venues to do our concerts. That’s why together with staff, we did thorough discussions whether it’s best for us to do our 10th anniversary concert in such a big venue.
But did you feel sense of accomplishment with that?
Of course, I pretty much feel that but I’d rather not overthink it since our work don’t really have a goal.
In 2009, 「YATTERMAN」 Movie was a big hit. And then, this year also marked the third year of your personal work as a caster.
Do you see it as an achievement for your personal work?
Each of Arashi members has their individual works not involving others as a group. But actually, we’re still attached to each other through our interactions. In our work, experience is a provision. I would like to be able to output in different places what I have input in each field.
Your work in 「ZERO」is entering its 4th year. Could you tell us the secret of your coexistence?
I remember it was because of the shock I received after the happening of 9.11 terorism. I read a lot of books related to religious war and ethnic conflict. I was interested to how the world would turn out. Another reason was during one of Arashi tv show enabling us to work with an announcer from a night news programme. I started to wonder if I could do newscasting work as well. After debut, I just wanted to increase my potential as an idol. I was exploring the coexistence between working as an idol and as a newscaster. Rather, there may be some parts I need to do to prove that these two things can coexistence.
In the first place, you even stand out just being an idol graduated from Keio University.
There is this big question of what an idol is. If we try to define it, people can see the difference between the idol work I’m doing now with the one done 5 years ago. And I couldn’t be any happier if one can mention that it has changed because of a group named ARASHI.
Do you feel pressured to work with many professionals in journalism field?
I wasn’t that mentally stressed. But rather than worrying about small stuff like people might give their weird-look with those cameras projecting me while doing my news-report, I choose to focus on bigger stuff. I have to believe that there are things only my work can make people aware of.
We see that your dreams have come to realization. Is there any moment you feel uneasy or discouraged?
Uneasiness makes me want to amass various experiences. Ever since 2 - 3 years ago, finally I started to see that my work can only continue if I do it recklessly.
And 30 years old as a turning-point is approaching as well.
I'd like to go to the next stage. I need to be more self-reliant as a grown man. I need to grow older to see how the seeds I have planted all these years finally begin to bud. Keeping that in mind, I want to make them bloom into flowers after I become 30 years old.
Mr. Sakurai, what does it mean for a man to be bright according to you?
People tend to put up with it more and think about whether it is impossible or not as they grow older. Rather than that, I prefer someone whose curiosity takes precedence. In that sense, he is a man who never loses his child-like heart.
Sakurai Sho, born in Tokyo, 1982. Entering Johnnys agency in age of 13.
Having his CD debut in 1999 as a member of ARASHI. Graduating from Keio University in 2004.
Being a caster at Nihon Television programme's [NEWS ZERO] since 2006.
Working as a NTV's main-newscaster for Beijing Olympic in 2008.
As a personality delivering the news from perspective of people in their twenties.
Since October 2006, he has performed as a newscaster of Monday’s news programme 「NEWS ZERO」 in Nihon Television (NTV). Delivering more news from perspective of people in their twenties, he has actively done various things such as doing live-reports and interviewing influential figures. And since October 2009, he keeps on implementing a hands-on approach to seeing and listening on his own.
His live-action movie of a 70's anime has made a hit
YATTERMAN live-action movie starring Sakurai Sho as the main-role and directed by the talented director Takashi Miike is a movie based on a well-known anime in 70’s with the same name. This movie has been a hit with 3 billion yen as revenue. The main soundtrack 「BELIEVE/Kumori Nochi Kasei」sang by ARASHI so far has topped the half-year chart for gaining 650 thousands CD sales.