[TRANSLATION] Popolo February 2021 The Two of SixTONES (Matsumura Hokuto x Kouchi Yugo)
Notes: If you want to use the translation or re-translate it, please credit Rena ( @oreranoneiro)
The calm and laid-back combi
‘“I will go on with Hokuto, so it’s alright,” I said.’
The two who’s been together for over 10 years, about the past until now… We got them to converse a lot. It surely is an edition to be saved forever!
Their first meeting was on a magazine coverage
H: When was our first meeting?
Y: A magazine coverage, right? The one where we had a shoot at bowling place. At that time, there was a problem whether I will be included in B.I.Shadow. We took a version where I was included and where I wasn’t.
H: Ah! We did that!
Y: Fuma, Kento, and Hokuto took their photo first. In that time, I waited in the waiting room, but I was kind of sulking (laugh).
H: Ah, I remember.
Y: Hokuto felt like a younger brother character, a kid who was cheerful and talked a lot. The impression I got was he enjoyed working.
H: I didn’t really get whether Kouchi is older or younger. That was the first time we talked?
Y: That is, I think.
H: Huh, or KAT-TUN’s concert rehearsal was before that?
Y: But KAT-TUN’s concert was before I join B.I.Shadow.
H: One of my memory was the Jr. mansion on KAT-TUN’s concert ‘White X’mas’.
Y: We did that!
H: I think that time I was paired with Kouchi.
Y: Really?!
H: Nah, I don’t have a clear memory of that either. So let’s think of it as Kouchi…
Y: Let’s leave it like that (laugh).
Hokuto took care of me
Y: When I just started working, Hokuto took care of me. We were a pair, and he taught me a lot. And then, when we had lives on Yokoari Hokuto slept over at my home because he lived in Shizuoka. The nuance is different, but we were like brothers.
H: Bro, right (laugh). But we were just practicing together. If I was 1 or 2 years Kouchi’s senior, I might have the duty to teach him… But unexpectedly, Kento and Fuma didn’t do it for us (laugh).
Y: They didn’t!
H: It was Snow Man who taught us properly.
Y: Yes. Abe-chan and Sakuma-kun taught us dance.
We felt like leaving a scar on history
H: Gratefully, we were allowed to perform in Kouhaku on the year we joined the company. But it really felt like we ‘somehow’ appeared.
Y: Yes. Felt like we left a scar on Johnny’s history.
H: Of course, it was a careful decision that were made after taking various factor into consideration, but what we did was pretty atrocious (bitter laugh).
Y: That’s right.
H: Because that happened, this year’s Kouhaku felt like we appeared properly.
Y: Yeah! I thought let’s do our best as an artist. The feeling was completely different with back then. To be honest, I wasn’t happy to perform back then (bitter laugh).
H: But we understood various stuff because a lot happened at that time. Even if someone tell me “So you didn’t have the awareness as a professional,” well maybe I didn’t have it.
Y: So am I. I wanted to apologize honestly.
It also became a negative thought
H: But when Sexy Zone debuted, we became uneasy.
Y: However, I feel bad for Hokuto, but the gap between our passion was really big. I was frustrated, but the feeling of “Well, of course.” was bigger.
H: That time, Kouchi…
Y: Ah, that was when I broke a bone?
H: Yes. And I somehow found myself working with Jesse, Kyomoto and the others.
Y: For around a month I only had magazine works and ‘School Kakumei!’, but I remember feeling really at ease.
H: I see.
Y: I thought I finally became alone. The people around us said we’re on elite course, and I think about negative things, like how other Jr. think about us. Since we saw Kento and Fuma working right in front of us, I sensed that they also went through hardship. A part of me were relieved that I don’t have to see that.
The lack of sense of unity is interesting
H: If we look at it now, ‘Shiritsu Bakaleya Koukou’ was our turning point.
Y: That’s right. At that time, from the start I feel close to these six people. I also faced it while understanding the situation properly. I honestly thought “I’m happy with these members.”
H: Which reminded me, at that time Johnny-san mentioned Kouchi as ‘YOUr friend’ to me.
Y: Fufufu. At first, I was included in Sexy Zone. At that time, Johnny-san asked me “What do you think?” but then Hokuto would be alone, so I said “I will go on with Hokuto, so it’s alright.” I think this relationship between us started at that point.
H: You said such a good thing, but soon after that you broke your bone and went missing (laugh).
Y: Fuhahaha!
H: For ‘Bakaleya’, the producer did the casting while seeing the condition of our live, right. It was right when Kouchi couldn’t join the live because of an injury, so at first Kouchi wasn’t in the cast.
Y: Later, I heard Johnny-san picked me and said “Because this kid is compatible with Hokuto.”
H: I was told by the producer. “I heard Hokuto-kun’s friend is here, I thought a non-celebrity is coming.” (laugh).
Y: Ahahaha!
H: When all six members was gathered, the members was just like a shuffle medley. There was a feeling that the six members gathered didn’t have any relation, and it felt like a one-time project. That ‘sense of different upbringing’ was interesting though.
Y: Yeah, that’s true.
H: If we think about it that way, at that point SixTONES’ correct shape already started.
When spring comes, let’s go fishing!
H: I never met Kouchi in private. We also rarely talk (laugh).
Y: That’s right. Because we’ve been together for over 10 years.
H: So I think if we were to go somewhere together it should be something where we don’t have to talk much. I wonder what will be good~ Ah! What about fishing? Recently I just thought I want to go.
Y: Isn’t that okay? But I got seasick so quickly so fishing at the sea is impossible. Also, I really don’t want to go fishing when it’s cold.
H: It’s alright like that.
Y: Then when spring comes let’s do it while bathing on sunshine~
To the Kouchi 10 years from now,
My wish is for Kouchi to be a man who still fits yellow hakama in 10 years. Even now he's working hard on radio during promotion period, but I want him to be an influential figure who spend new year on radio booth 10 years from now.
To the Hokuto 10 years from now,
Thank you for spreading SixTONES' name by acting in drama and movie. Thank you for doing your best without getting discouraged for 10 years. Our relationship didn't change much compared to 10 years ago, so I will be happy if we stay this way forever.
The calm and laid-back combi
‘“I will go on with Hokuto, so it’s alright,” I said.’
The two who’s been together for over 10 years, about the past until now… We got them to converse a lot. It surely is an edition to be saved forever!
Their first meeting was on a magazine coverage
H: When was our first meeting?
Y: A magazine coverage, right? The one where we had a shoot at bowling place. At that time, there was a problem whether I will be included in B.I.Shadow. We took a version where I was included and where I wasn’t.
H: Ah! We did that!
Y: Fuma, Kento, and Hokuto took their photo first. In that time, I waited in the waiting room, but I was kind of sulking (laugh).
H: Ah, I remember.
Y: Hokuto felt like a younger brother character, a kid who was cheerful and talked a lot. The impression I got was he enjoyed working.
H: I didn’t really get whether Kouchi is older or younger. That was the first time we talked?
Y: That is, I think.
H: Huh, or KAT-TUN’s concert rehearsal was before that?
Y: But KAT-TUN’s concert was before I join B.I.Shadow.
H: One of my memory was the Jr. mansion on KAT-TUN’s concert ‘White X’mas’.
Y: We did that!
H: I think that time I was paired with Kouchi.
Y: Really?!
H: Nah, I don’t have a clear memory of that either. So let’s think of it as Kouchi…
Y: Let’s leave it like that (laugh).
Hokuto took care of me
Y: When I just started working, Hokuto took care of me. We were a pair, and he taught me a lot. And then, when we had lives on Yokoari Hokuto slept over at my home because he lived in Shizuoka. The nuance is different, but we were like brothers.
H: Bro, right (laugh). But we were just practicing together. If I was 1 or 2 years Kouchi’s senior, I might have the duty to teach him… But unexpectedly, Kento and Fuma didn’t do it for us (laugh).
Y: They didn’t!
H: It was Snow Man who taught us properly.
Y: Yes. Abe-chan and Sakuma-kun taught us dance.
We felt like leaving a scar on history
H: Gratefully, we were allowed to perform in Kouhaku on the year we joined the company. But it really felt like we ‘somehow’ appeared.
Y: Yes. Felt like we left a scar on Johnny’s history.
H: Of course, it was a careful decision that were made after taking various factor into consideration, but what we did was pretty atrocious (bitter laugh).
Y: That’s right.
H: Because that happened, this year’s Kouhaku felt like we appeared properly.
Y: Yeah! I thought let’s do our best as an artist. The feeling was completely different with back then. To be honest, I wasn’t happy to perform back then (bitter laugh).
H: But we understood various stuff because a lot happened at that time. Even if someone tell me “So you didn’t have the awareness as a professional,” well maybe I didn’t have it.
Y: So am I. I wanted to apologize honestly.
It also became a negative thought
H: But when Sexy Zone debuted, we became uneasy.
Y: However, I feel bad for Hokuto, but the gap between our passion was really big. I was frustrated, but the feeling of “Well, of course.” was bigger.
H: That time, Kouchi…
Y: Ah, that was when I broke a bone?
H: Yes. And I somehow found myself working with Jesse, Kyomoto and the others.
Y: For around a month I only had magazine works and ‘School Kakumei!’, but I remember feeling really at ease.
H: I see.
Y: I thought I finally became alone. The people around us said we’re on elite course, and I think about negative things, like how other Jr. think about us. Since we saw Kento and Fuma working right in front of us, I sensed that they also went through hardship. A part of me were relieved that I don’t have to see that.
The lack of sense of unity is interesting
H: If we look at it now, ‘Shiritsu Bakaleya Koukou’ was our turning point.
Y: That’s right. At that time, from the start I feel close to these six people. I also faced it while understanding the situation properly. I honestly thought “I’m happy with these members.”
H: Which reminded me, at that time Johnny-san mentioned Kouchi as ‘YOUr friend’ to me.
Y: Fufufu. At first, I was included in Sexy Zone. At that time, Johnny-san asked me “What do you think?” but then Hokuto would be alone, so I said “I will go on with Hokuto, so it’s alright.” I think this relationship between us started at that point.
H: You said such a good thing, but soon after that you broke your bone and went missing (laugh).
Y: Fuhahaha!
H: For ‘Bakaleya’, the producer did the casting while seeing the condition of our live, right. It was right when Kouchi couldn’t join the live because of an injury, so at first Kouchi wasn’t in the cast.
Y: Later, I heard Johnny-san picked me and said “Because this kid is compatible with Hokuto.”
H: I was told by the producer. “I heard Hokuto-kun’s friend is here, I thought a non-celebrity is coming.” (laugh).
Y: Ahahaha!
H: When all six members was gathered, the members was just like a shuffle medley. There was a feeling that the six members gathered didn’t have any relation, and it felt like a one-time project. That ‘sense of different upbringing’ was interesting though.
Y: Yeah, that’s true.
H: If we think about it that way, at that point SixTONES’ correct shape already started.
When spring comes, let’s go fishing!
H: I never met Kouchi in private. We also rarely talk (laugh).
Y: That’s right. Because we’ve been together for over 10 years.
H: So I think if we were to go somewhere together it should be something where we don’t have to talk much. I wonder what will be good~ Ah! What about fishing? Recently I just thought I want to go.
Y: Isn’t that okay? But I got seasick so quickly so fishing at the sea is impossible. Also, I really don’t want to go fishing when it’s cold.
H: It’s alright like that.
Y: Then when spring comes let’s do it while bathing on sunshine~
To the Kouchi 10 years from now,
My wish is for Kouchi to be a man who still fits yellow hakama in 10 years. Even now he's working hard on radio during promotion period, but I want him to be an influential figure who spend new year on radio booth 10 years from now.
To the Hokuto 10 years from now,
Thank you for spreading SixTONES' name by acting in drama and movie. Thank you for doing your best without getting discouraged for 10 years. Our relationship didn't change much compared to 10 years ago, so I will be happy if we stay this way forever.