More 2017.08 - Nino's 'It'
More MORE! Nino fanboys Kimutaku and talks about a bunch of old men.
...And 久々に an Ohno interview! Enjoy💛💙
- - - - -
It {一途}
With earnest feelings he walks his path. For someone who’s always composed and neutral, what manner of things or people excite him? He now talks about what he considers important.
Chapter 104
Seniors
Filming for the new work will start soon. It’s the movie in which he co-stars with Kimura Takuya-san, ‘Killing for the Prosecution’. When asked what’s his current mental state like, he replies, “all I can say is that I’m incredibly looking forward to it”. For the ever-composed Nino, saying that he’s ‘incredibly looking forward to it’ is rare.
“Well, naturally, right? (laughs) It’s my first time with Kimura-kun and on top of that to co-star in a movie is something I’d never even dreamed of. Objectively speaking, wouldn’t you think being able to perform together with THE ‘Kimura Takuya’ is incredible?”
Certainly, although they’re both walking the top idol main road, they both differ in personality and generation. I can’t imagine the sort of chemistry that would occur.
“Mm. I can’t imagine it either (laughs).”
Kimura-san aside, he’s always said that he likes co-starring with his seniors. “Since I’ve met so many seniors worthy of respect so far,” he says. Sure enough, whenever he talks, anecdotes of his seniors naturally surface. Seniors in his company, certainly, as well as Kuramoto Sou-san, Takahashi Katsumi-san and the late Ninagawa Yukio-san…… etc. Speaking of which, I’ve also heard him talk about how he had dinner with Beat Takeshi-san. One could say his disposition ever endears him to his seniors.
“That’s not true (laughs). First off, I don’t go and approach my seniors. Even meeting Takeshi-san again was just at the launch party of ‘Akamedaka’. I just listened to the stories of (Tachikawa) Danjun-san and Takeshi-san.”
Nino has several things he’s careful about when interacting with his seniors. The aforementioned ‘not approaching them’ is one of them.
“I don’t approach them because I believe that the boundaries and ways of socialising with them is something to be set by my seniors. Not only that, I definitely wouldn’t assert myself to someone greater than me in performance history or years or anything. Of course, I’ll answer if they ask, but I don’t enthusiastically go on and on about myself. Generally I’m the one listening, but that said, I don’t try to get anything out of my seniors. I don’t think about getting them to teach me things I don’t know. I mean, if I were in their shoes, I’d be at a loss on how to respond. In work or anything else, the ones teaching naturally have responsibility, but the ones learning also have their responsibility. Aside from just asking, I believe they also should be responsible for putting what they’ve been taught to practice. Even if it’s a method that doesn’t really suit them, they shouldn’t just simply give up.”
I want to fulfil my duty to those who would be willing to die together with me
He never asks his seniors to teach him anything. Even so, he says that there’s naturally a lot to be learnt from the time spent with them. Out of everything, sometimes he recalls the words of the late Ikariya Chousuke-san, from an episode of ‘Nino-san’ which aired in May [1] that especially touched him.
“It was the quote, ‘work with people that would be willing to die together with you’. It’s telling you not to work with people who would live by profiting off other influential personalities and to value people who would expend everything they had on your work to the point where you would be willing to die together with them. Simply put, it means you should really size people up properly when you work.”
Aiba-kun of Arashi also said something very similar in a recent interview [2].
“I’ve never talked to Aiba-kun about that quote before, but when it comes to work, we’re sensitive to ‘people who use other people’. We’ve met all kinds of people, so we’ve learned how to quickly size people up. But you know, this sort of thing is a problem to people everywhere regardless of their line of work or position, right? How you socialise with others varies from person to person, but I’d rather live by my own responsibility than by using other people. It’s precisely because they’re so hard to come by that I’d want to fulfil my duty to people who would be willing to die for me.”
Live without expecting anything of others while being responsible for yourself. Never forget debts of gratitude to those who have taken you seriously. That’s what he cherishes in social relationships as well as in life.
“Ultimately, I don’t live for myself but for others. I’ve thought so every year ever since I got this job. If I were to live for myself, I’d eventually become unable to accept what others want to do, right? That’d be a disservice to the other party and it’d be pointless. It’s my life, but I don’t need to have a lead role in it. Actually, even in the production I’m not the so-called lead character anyway (laughs).”
Despite having acted so many lead roles?
“Mm. But I’m not the stereotypical protagonist type and I act supporting roles, too. There are very few who are overwhelmingly leads or stars like Ishihara Yujiro-san or Takakura Ken-san. In this generation, about the only one in that league would be Kimura-san, right? Thinking of it that way, I’m looking forward to filming all the more (laughs).”
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo. Arashi’s 52nd single ‘Tsunagu’ (‘Bond’) is currently on sale. The song of the same title is the theme song for Ohno-kun’s movie ‘Shinobi no Kuni’. The conversation turns to the topic ‘senior idols are wonderful!’. “Like TOKIO or KinKi Kids. I’ve heard stories like how everyone gets so enthusiastic at their concerts that they end up crying. I’m blessed to have such seniors; I think that’s incredible.”
|| Words / Yoshi Rei ||| Photography / Emori Yasuyuki ||
|| Hair & Makeup / Hattori Yukio ||| Stylist / Iga Daisuke (band) ||
- - - - -
f o o t n o t e s
[1] Referring to the 2017.05.14 ‘Nino-san’ episode. On the show, Nino was talking about tough moments in his life and mentioned Ikariya’s advice is the one thing that has always stayed with him. Ikariya had told Nino that he had talent and could make it big; people would come flocking when he did, looking to use Nino for TV shows etc. So he advised Nino to ‘find even at least one person who would be willing to die together with you’, and Nino said he bears that in mind for every new production he’s worked on ever since. Apparently Ninagawa Yukio did say to Nino ‘let’s die together’, though sadly the director has already passed.
Nino acted with Ikariya in ‘Namida wo Fuite’ in late 2000, and Ikariya also attended Arashi’s spring concert in 2001. His praise for their concert apparently led to the higher-ups eventually giving Arashi their first TV show, ‘Mayonaka no Arashi’ later that year. [According to Arashi on the 2009.01.18 Shonen Club Premium]
[2] Referring to the interview in the May 2017 issue of MORE. Yoshi Rei asked Aiba what he looks at in other people, to which Aiba replied he tries to see what they’re really like so he’d understand how they’d act in unforeseen circumstances. Will probably be translating Aiba’s interview too. Stay tuned!
...And 久々に an Ohno interview! Enjoy💛💙
- - - - -
It {一途}
With earnest feelings he walks his path. For someone who’s always composed and neutral, what manner of things or people excite him? He now talks about what he considers important.
Chapter 104
Seniors
Filming for the new work will start soon. It’s the movie in which he co-stars with Kimura Takuya-san, ‘Killing for the Prosecution’. When asked what’s his current mental state like, he replies, “all I can say is that I’m incredibly looking forward to it”. For the ever-composed Nino, saying that he’s ‘incredibly looking forward to it’ is rare.
“Well, naturally, right? (laughs) It’s my first time with Kimura-kun and on top of that to co-star in a movie is something I’d never even dreamed of. Objectively speaking, wouldn’t you think being able to perform together with THE ‘Kimura Takuya’ is incredible?”
Certainly, although they’re both walking the top idol main road, they both differ in personality and generation. I can’t imagine the sort of chemistry that would occur.
“Mm. I can’t imagine it either (laughs).”
Kimura-san aside, he’s always said that he likes co-starring with his seniors. “Since I’ve met so many seniors worthy of respect so far,” he says. Sure enough, whenever he talks, anecdotes of his seniors naturally surface. Seniors in his company, certainly, as well as Kuramoto Sou-san, Takahashi Katsumi-san and the late Ninagawa Yukio-san…… etc. Speaking of which, I’ve also heard him talk about how he had dinner with Beat Takeshi-san. One could say his disposition ever endears him to his seniors.
“That’s not true (laughs). First off, I don’t go and approach my seniors. Even meeting Takeshi-san again was just at the launch party of ‘Akamedaka’. I just listened to the stories of (Tachikawa) Danjun-san and Takeshi-san.”
Nino has several things he’s careful about when interacting with his seniors. The aforementioned ‘not approaching them’ is one of them.
“I don’t approach them because I believe that the boundaries and ways of socialising with them is something to be set by my seniors. Not only that, I definitely wouldn’t assert myself to someone greater than me in performance history or years or anything. Of course, I’ll answer if they ask, but I don’t enthusiastically go on and on about myself. Generally I’m the one listening, but that said, I don’t try to get anything out of my seniors. I don’t think about getting them to teach me things I don’t know. I mean, if I were in their shoes, I’d be at a loss on how to respond. In work or anything else, the ones teaching naturally have responsibility, but the ones learning also have their responsibility. Aside from just asking, I believe they also should be responsible for putting what they’ve been taught to practice. Even if it’s a method that doesn’t really suit them, they shouldn’t just simply give up.”
I want to fulfil my duty to those who would be willing to die together with me
He never asks his seniors to teach him anything. Even so, he says that there’s naturally a lot to be learnt from the time spent with them. Out of everything, sometimes he recalls the words of the late Ikariya Chousuke-san, from an episode of ‘Nino-san’ which aired in May [1] that especially touched him.
“It was the quote, ‘work with people that would be willing to die together with you’. It’s telling you not to work with people who would live by profiting off other influential personalities and to value people who would expend everything they had on your work to the point where you would be willing to die together with them. Simply put, it means you should really size people up properly when you work.”
Aiba-kun of Arashi also said something very similar in a recent interview [2].
“I’ve never talked to Aiba-kun about that quote before, but when it comes to work, we’re sensitive to ‘people who use other people’. We’ve met all kinds of people, so we’ve learned how to quickly size people up. But you know, this sort of thing is a problem to people everywhere regardless of their line of work or position, right? How you socialise with others varies from person to person, but I’d rather live by my own responsibility than by using other people. It’s precisely because they’re so hard to come by that I’d want to fulfil my duty to people who would be willing to die for me.”
Live without expecting anything of others while being responsible for yourself. Never forget debts of gratitude to those who have taken you seriously. That’s what he cherishes in social relationships as well as in life.
“Ultimately, I don’t live for myself but for others. I’ve thought so every year ever since I got this job. If I were to live for myself, I’d eventually become unable to accept what others want to do, right? That’d be a disservice to the other party and it’d be pointless. It’s my life, but I don’t need to have a lead role in it. Actually, even in the production I’m not the so-called lead character anyway (laughs).”
Despite having acted so many lead roles?
“Mm. But I’m not the stereotypical protagonist type and I act supporting roles, too. There are very few who are overwhelmingly leads or stars like Ishihara Yujiro-san or Takakura Ken-san. In this generation, about the only one in that league would be Kimura-san, right? Thinking of it that way, I’m looking forward to filming all the more (laughs).”
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo. Arashi’s 52nd single ‘Tsunagu’ (‘Bond’) is currently on sale. The song of the same title is the theme song for Ohno-kun’s movie ‘Shinobi no Kuni’. The conversation turns to the topic ‘senior idols are wonderful!’. “Like TOKIO or KinKi Kids. I’ve heard stories like how everyone gets so enthusiastic at their concerts that they end up crying. I’m blessed to have such seniors; I think that’s incredible.”
|| Words / Yoshi Rei ||| Photography / Emori Yasuyuki ||
|| Hair & Makeup / Hattori Yukio ||| Stylist / Iga Daisuke (band) ||
- - - - -
f o o t n o t e s
[1] Referring to the 2017.05.14 ‘Nino-san’ episode. On the show, Nino was talking about tough moments in his life and mentioned Ikariya’s advice is the one thing that has always stayed with him. Ikariya had told Nino that he had talent and could make it big; people would come flocking when he did, looking to use Nino for TV shows etc. So he advised Nino to ‘find even at least one person who would be willing to die together with you’, and Nino said he bears that in mind for every new production he’s worked on ever since. Apparently Ninagawa Yukio did say to Nino ‘let’s die together’, though sadly the director has already passed.
Nino acted with Ikariya in ‘Namida wo Fuite’ in late 2000, and Ikariya also attended Arashi’s spring concert in 2001. His praise for their concert apparently led to the higher-ups eventually giving Arashi their first TV show, ‘Mayonaka no Arashi’ later that year. [According to Arashi on the 2009.01.18 Shonen Club Premium]
[2] Referring to the interview in the May 2017 issue of MORE. Yoshi Rei asked Aiba what he looks at in other people, to which Aiba replied he tries to see what they’re really like so he’d understand how they’d act in unforeseen circumstances. Will probably be translating Aiba’s interview too. Stay tuned!