[Johnny's Jr.] Wink up - Toma x Yara - 10/2008
Here's another cute cross talk! This is between Ikuta Toma and Yara Tomoyuki from Musical Academy. They take a trip down memory lane and also name drop a few people from other groups (including Arashi and TOKIO) in the process.
I labelled this as a Jr. talk since as far as I know Toma didn't graduate from Jr. status until 2010, and Yara is still considered a Jr. If anyone can let me know where I can post this article to (ie. main Toma and Yara communities), that would be great!
Wink up - Toma x Yara - 10/2008
jeunesse
Ikuta Toma x Yara Tomoyuki
After a very long time, the two of them are co-starring in the stageplay "Grease" together. Not only did they join the agency around the same time, they also shared many memories together. Please take note of this talk in which they looked at the history they shared.
Yara: They've prepared something weird for us today (laugh).
Ikuta: They're old Wink up issues, I see. Really makes you want to go "Man, gimme a break...", doesn't it? (laugh)
Yara: It's scary just looking at them. Uwah, is this Toma's first appearance ever!? You're so cuuuute~. And Aiba hasn't changed at all.
Ikuta: Yep yep. Aiba-chan's the type whose facial features don't change much.
Yara: I'm the type that changed quite a bit.
Ikuta: Is that so...
Yara: Hey now, of course it has. I mean, look at this (as he points at an old issue of Wink up)! (laugh) Uwah, there's a report on "Ai LOVE Junior"! You appeared in it too, right Toma?
Ikuta: Yep, I did. But my position was that of a Jr. kiddo, so I was far off to the back. We used to sing Shounentai's "PGF" and V6's "Can do! Can go!" a lot, didn't we? Like hundreds of times...
Yara: Seriously. I don't think I'll ever forget the choreo for those two songs (laugh).
Ikuta: "Can do~" went something like this, right? (and he demonstrates) ...I just realized this now, but if you mess up one step it becomes a "Sonna no kankei nee!" (laugh) [T/N: A popular schtick by a Japanese comedian called Kojima Yoshio]
Yara: Ahahaha, you're right! We were way ahead of the trend (laugh).
Ikuta: At the time, it was Takizawa-kun, Tsubasa-kun, and then Yaracchi and Yonehana-kun who were called Srs. that were the centers for the dance.
Yara: Srs., huh~ That takes me back!
Ikuta: This always comes up when we're talking about the past, the people who would wear suits as their everyday wear! (laugh)
Yara: I used to wear jerseys! But y'know, I wonder why suits were so trendy back then. I mean, we were junior high students! It's weird to have third year junior high kids wearing suits in private no matter how you look at it (laugh). Though Yonehana would just wear it like it was nothing out of the ordinary (laugh).
Ikuta: And with a white shirt. Of course, I preferred jerseys too. My impression of Yaracchi at the time was that of a "super idol" (laugh).
Yara: Ehhh, really?
Ikuta: Yeah. You'd wink as you sing and stuff. I was like, "Wowww!" in my head. Only the "super idols" of all idols can do that (laugh).
Yara: I wonder why... I probably figured, "I have to do it". Let's stop talking about that already (laugh). I remember what you were like at the time too, Toma. You were tiny and a lot of people were fond of you. But I didn't have any direct links to you like I do now.
Ikuta: Yeah. You and I are only a year apart, but there's a difference in our respective generations. I was with Matsujun, Aiba-chan, Nino... and I guess Yamashita. Yaracchi definitely had a "senpai" position.
Yara: I guess you're right.
Ikuta: This is a must-tell story about the old times, but I was a witness to the time when our choreography teacher told you to "Go home!" and you really ended up going home (laugh). "Yara-kun's an awesome person!", I thought to myself.
Yara: Ahhh, that time. The choreography teacher still brings that up even now, like, "This guy really did go home" (laugh).
Ikuta: And then, it was already bad enough that you left, but you left your personal belongings in the rehearsal room too... (laugh).
Yara: You remembered that much of it? (laugh) That was the worst situation ever, wasn't it. I couldn't go back after all. I finally called up Machida-san and asked him, "Please, just bring them outside!". I was never ever that bratty again afterwards (laugh).
Ikuta: We've worked together on Jr. shows and "~SHOCK", but it was "PLAYZONE" and "Vacation" that really brought us really close together, wasn't it?
Yara: Yes yes yes! Along with Kazama and Hasejun. We lived together often in Osaka too, so that brought us even closer.
Ikuta: Yeah! And didn't we watch a Japanese horror film together in a hotel room in Osaka?
Yara: Yeah we did! We kept pausing it and analyzing every scene, so it wasn't scary at all (laugh).
Ikuta: We weren't even allowed to go to the convenience store because of this house arrest rule that we had, so we were just so bored. We were all crowded into one small room (laugh). Speaking of "PLAYZONE", how was the final day?
Yara: There was something that really touched me, for sure. Someone in the audience was crying from the first song onwards... that was really bad!
Ikuta: I see. I got to watch it this time and it brought back so many memories for me. I watched it together with people from TOKIO so I asked them "When did you appear in your first PLAYZONE?", and they all had their own stories... it really gave me the sense that it was a stageplay with a lot of history.
Yara: It's so true. I watched the "Maou" that you're in too, Toma! That role really suits you.
Ikuta: Really? I'm so happy to hear that. And this time around, the two of us are paired up again for the stageplay "Grease" that's starting in October.
Yara: Yeah. We haven't even started rehearsing yet so I have no idea how it's going to turn out, but I'm really looking forward to it. I won't lose when it comes to dancing! Though Toma's gonna be dancing in it too.
Ikuta: About that... it's been such a long time since I've danced that I'm a little discouraged about it (laugh).
Yara: Really? Then you're gonna have to train really hard during rehearsals! (laugh) Although I'm a little worried this time...
Ikuta: Eh? About what?
Yara: The choreographer's apparently left-handed, so all the turns and whatnot are going to be the complete opposite. I've never done it that way before.
Ikuta: I've experienced that in "West Side~" before. It's really hard to dance opposite to your dominant foot.
Yara: You've already met the choreographer?
Ikuta: I have! He's a foreigner.
Yara: Did he not tell you to dance?
Ikuta: After hearing about that from you, I kept chattering away at him like crazy and somehow managed to avoid that topic (laugh).
Yara: Are you serious!? (laugh) I was told to "do an opposite turn". It's gonna be harder than anything else I've ever done so I can't imagine how it's going to turn out, but I'm kind of looking forward to it too.
Ikuta: It's really reassuring to have someone I know who's going to be in this sort of stageplay with me. Not only that, to have that be Yaracchi means there's areas that I can depend on you for and also to learn more from you.
Yara: No no, I should be saying that to you. I'm gonna get you to treat me to dinner every night (laugh).
Ikuta: Why? You've got such a low tolerance for alcohol (laugh). At our last launch party, Yaracchi actually drank which was rare for him, and he kept going "Toma, eat some ikura! Please~!!" That became a running joke for a while, that line (laugh). [T/N: ikura = salmon roe]
Yara: I wonder why I said that at the time. I think because Toma ordered ikura but didn't eat any of it. So I just really wanted Toma to eat that ikura no matter what (laugh).
Ikuta: Yaracchi's so cute about things like that. We're starting rehearsals in September, aren't we?
Yara: Yeah. Let's do our best together!
I labelled this as a Jr. talk since as far as I know Toma didn't graduate from Jr. status until 2010, and Yara is still considered a Jr. If anyone can let me know where I can post this article to (ie. main Toma and Yara communities), that would be great!
Wink up - Toma x Yara - 10/2008
jeunesse
Ikuta Toma x Yara Tomoyuki
After a very long time, the two of them are co-starring in the stageplay "Grease" together. Not only did they join the agency around the same time, they also shared many memories together. Please take note of this talk in which they looked at the history they shared.
Yara: They've prepared something weird for us today (laugh).
Ikuta: They're old Wink up issues, I see. Really makes you want to go "Man, gimme a break...", doesn't it? (laugh)
Yara: It's scary just looking at them. Uwah, is this Toma's first appearance ever!? You're so cuuuute~. And Aiba hasn't changed at all.
Ikuta: Yep yep. Aiba-chan's the type whose facial features don't change much.
Yara: I'm the type that changed quite a bit.
Ikuta: Is that so...
Yara: Hey now, of course it has. I mean, look at this (as he points at an old issue of Wink up)! (laugh) Uwah, there's a report on "Ai LOVE Junior"! You appeared in it too, right Toma?
Ikuta: Yep, I did. But my position was that of a Jr. kiddo, so I was far off to the back. We used to sing Shounentai's "PGF" and V6's "Can do! Can go!" a lot, didn't we? Like hundreds of times...
Yara: Seriously. I don't think I'll ever forget the choreo for those two songs (laugh).
Ikuta: "Can do~" went something like this, right? (and he demonstrates) ...I just realized this now, but if you mess up one step it becomes a "Sonna no kankei nee!" (laugh) [T/N: A popular schtick by a Japanese comedian called Kojima Yoshio]
Yara: Ahahaha, you're right! We were way ahead of the trend (laugh).
Ikuta: At the time, it was Takizawa-kun, Tsubasa-kun, and then Yaracchi and Yonehana-kun who were called Srs. that were the centers for the dance.
Yara: Srs., huh~ That takes me back!
Ikuta: This always comes up when we're talking about the past, the people who would wear suits as their everyday wear! (laugh)
Yara: I used to wear jerseys! But y'know, I wonder why suits were so trendy back then. I mean, we were junior high students! It's weird to have third year junior high kids wearing suits in private no matter how you look at it (laugh). Though Yonehana would just wear it like it was nothing out of the ordinary (laugh).
Ikuta: And with a white shirt. Of course, I preferred jerseys too. My impression of Yaracchi at the time was that of a "super idol" (laugh).
Yara: Ehhh, really?
Ikuta: Yeah. You'd wink as you sing and stuff. I was like, "Wowww!" in my head. Only the "super idols" of all idols can do that (laugh).
Yara: I wonder why... I probably figured, "I have to do it". Let's stop talking about that already (laugh). I remember what you were like at the time too, Toma. You were tiny and a lot of people were fond of you. But I didn't have any direct links to you like I do now.
Ikuta: Yeah. You and I are only a year apart, but there's a difference in our respective generations. I was with Matsujun, Aiba-chan, Nino... and I guess Yamashita. Yaracchi definitely had a "senpai" position.
Yara: I guess you're right.
Ikuta: This is a must-tell story about the old times, but I was a witness to the time when our choreography teacher told you to "Go home!" and you really ended up going home (laugh). "Yara-kun's an awesome person!", I thought to myself.
Yara: Ahhh, that time. The choreography teacher still brings that up even now, like, "This guy really did go home" (laugh).
Ikuta: And then, it was already bad enough that you left, but you left your personal belongings in the rehearsal room too... (laugh).
Yara: You remembered that much of it? (laugh) That was the worst situation ever, wasn't it. I couldn't go back after all. I finally called up Machida-san and asked him, "Please, just bring them outside!". I was never ever that bratty again afterwards (laugh).
Ikuta: We've worked together on Jr. shows and "~SHOCK", but it was "PLAYZONE" and "Vacation" that really brought us really close together, wasn't it?
Yara: Yes yes yes! Along with Kazama and Hasejun. We lived together often in Osaka too, so that brought us even closer.
Ikuta: Yeah! And didn't we watch a Japanese horror film together in a hotel room in Osaka?
Yara: Yeah we did! We kept pausing it and analyzing every scene, so it wasn't scary at all (laugh).
Ikuta: We weren't even allowed to go to the convenience store because of this house arrest rule that we had, so we were just so bored. We were all crowded into one small room (laugh). Speaking of "PLAYZONE", how was the final day?
Yara: There was something that really touched me, for sure. Someone in the audience was crying from the first song onwards... that was really bad!
Ikuta: I see. I got to watch it this time and it brought back so many memories for me. I watched it together with people from TOKIO so I asked them "When did you appear in your first PLAYZONE?", and they all had their own stories... it really gave me the sense that it was a stageplay with a lot of history.
Yara: It's so true. I watched the "Maou" that you're in too, Toma! That role really suits you.
Ikuta: Really? I'm so happy to hear that. And this time around, the two of us are paired up again for the stageplay "Grease" that's starting in October.
Yara: Yeah. We haven't even started rehearsing yet so I have no idea how it's going to turn out, but I'm really looking forward to it. I won't lose when it comes to dancing! Though Toma's gonna be dancing in it too.
Ikuta: About that... it's been such a long time since I've danced that I'm a little discouraged about it (laugh).
Yara: Really? Then you're gonna have to train really hard during rehearsals! (laugh) Although I'm a little worried this time...
Ikuta: Eh? About what?
Yara: The choreographer's apparently left-handed, so all the turns and whatnot are going to be the complete opposite. I've never done it that way before.
Ikuta: I've experienced that in "West Side~" before. It's really hard to dance opposite to your dominant foot.
Yara: You've already met the choreographer?
Ikuta: I have! He's a foreigner.
Yara: Did he not tell you to dance?
Ikuta: After hearing about that from you, I kept chattering away at him like crazy and somehow managed to avoid that topic (laugh).
Yara: Are you serious!? (laugh) I was told to "do an opposite turn". It's gonna be harder than anything else I've ever done so I can't imagine how it's going to turn out, but I'm kind of looking forward to it too.
Ikuta: It's really reassuring to have someone I know who's going to be in this sort of stageplay with me. Not only that, to have that be Yaracchi means there's areas that I can depend on you for and also to learn more from you.
Yara: No no, I should be saying that to you. I'm gonna get you to treat me to dinner every night (laugh).
Ikuta: Why? You've got such a low tolerance for alcohol (laugh). At our last launch party, Yaracchi actually drank which was rare for him, and he kept going "Toma, eat some ikura! Please~!!" That became a running joke for a while, that line (laugh). [T/N: ikura = salmon roe]
Yara: I wonder why I said that at the time. I think because Toma ordered ikura but didn't eat any of it. So I just really wanted Toma to eat that ikura no matter what (laugh).
Ikuta: Yaracchi's so cute about things like that. We're starting rehearsals in September, aren't we?
Yara: Yeah. Let's do our best together!