[Translation] Myojo 2016/08 - Miyata Toshiya 10,000 words interview
Kisumai are the Big Dipper (an asterism of 7 stars).
Each shines on its own, and when it’s the 7 of them together, they form a shape.
With the “Otaku” character like no Johnny’s has ever been as a weapon, Miyata pulled together the 3 lines of the group.
In the ever-changing relationship of these 7 people, the man who once started as “Kisumai’s final weapon”, what will his next move be?
It’s like “Don’t underestimate an otaku!”
In the MV of your solo song “Otaku dattatte It’s Alright” recorded in the “I SCREAM” album, your Wota-acts* is a big bang, right.
Thank you very much! I haven’t done the Wota-acts for a while, not because they aren’t interesting anymore, you know. It has just begun, you know. I’m also really looking forward to the next concert. Because I will be doing a really cool Wota-acts. It’s like “Don’t underestimate an otaku!!” Huh, eh!? Don’t tell me you’re pulling back?
*Wota-acts refers to a type of dancing and cheering gestures performed by wota, fans of Japanese idol singers.
I-It seems like fun, above all. But I was just thinking, weren’t you supposed to aim at (Domoto) Koichi-kun, how did it turn out this way…………
…… Certainly, my mom did tell me,”You’re going to be a prince like Koichi-kun or Takki (Takizawa Hideaki), you know.” It’s just, it’s just you know, Koichi-kun is an F1 Otaku who really likes F1, Takki is a pro-wrestling Otaku who really likes pro-wrestling. Then, I am an anime Otaku. I think I’m not that necessarily far-off. When it comes to junior, Sato Shori is a car Otaku too. After all, Koichi-kun, Takki, me, and Sato Shori, we’re kind of like continuing the lineage of Otakus, I think somehow we are walking on the same route.
Not at all! They’re different routes! But well, compared to when you just debuted, the need for “Kisumai’s final weapon” has lessened, I thought you were worried, but it’s a good thing you’re taking it positively.
No no no no, they still ask me even now, you know. When we show up in VTR for TV programs and such, the directors still ask me something like,”Miyata-san, please close it with a really funny one!” even now. It’s tough, you know, such spontaneous act. The hurdle is high. But I still continue to fight even more, you know!
Even with those unreasonable requests, you’re really trying hard to do it, right.
I’m trying hard, I am! Well, my hit rate is low though, LOL. But once I get into something, it’s amazing you know. Of course, I am also careful to not only do what I want to do. Sometimes, I also feel anxious, thinking whether I’m only satisfying myself. What I want to show and what the fans want to see, I wonder if there’s a gap between them.
You are thinking about that, huh.
Yes. For example recently, when we were having a meeting about my solo song for the concert, I was thinking how it would be if I collaborate with a footage using the latest technology, but once I got home and thought about it carefully, I had a doubt if the audience will be able to shout along with it. I think it might be wrong, and I’m still worrying over it.
You’re taking into consideration what the fans would think.
Yes. That’s why I really check on the fan letters too. “Miyacchi, seriously, really cool!” or stuff, sometimes there are some who wrote like that. If I am pampered, I might get carried away, so I have to be careful.
Hahahaha. But the other members told us that you stayed at home alone feeling down, when you failed to do a joke.
That one, I was just releasing a feeling down atmosphere, that’s all LOL. Because you know, I, is it okay for me to say it!? Recently, I started to think nothing about failing or being bad-mouthed. As a human, I feel it’s getting a little bad, you know. Hahahahahaha.
Be an extraordinary Otaku. What’s important is extremity and thoroughness.
Frankly speaking, don’t you wish to act more cool, to become more popular?
No, I want to become popular! Of course I want to be popular!! However I don’t want to be popular because I act cool. Because there’s no such human. A human who is cool all the time. I’m sure even a Kimura (Takuya)-san picks his nose at home. I don’t want people to be disappointed after seeing such scene, that’s why I bare everything from the start, then if there are people saying,“Despite that I still love you!”, how nice it would be.
I wonder if there is such person……
There is, my mom! On concerts or such, she tells me,”Toshi-kun, you’re the coolest there!” you know. And then the Miyata girls. I have faith that my mom and Miyata girls won’t betray me. I have decided, you know. Only in front of my fans, I will seriously stay as a prince. The moment I can show my coolness, like on concerts or stageplays or such, I will definitely continue to be a prince. But, “On variety shows and the like, please forgive me okay” something like that. I’m sorry, okay.
Then when Busaiku was formed, did you feel a bit unpleasant or something?
That one, I accepted it without objection at all. I didn’t care about the form, I wanted to stand in front line. Because for me, among “The PV you-still-don’t-want-to-see” rank, no 1 is “We Never Give Up” you know. I seriously want you to confirm it, Kitamitsu (Kitayama Hiromitsu), Gaya-san (Fujigaya Taisuke), Tama (Tamamori Yuta) the 3 of them, they wore really cool costumes. But the 4 of us, we were only wearing 1 piece of a reddish-brown cotton shirt! I really thought about it during the shooting of that PV. “I want to stand in front!”. Because I thought after debuting, I would be able to wear glamorous costumes and look good while singing and dancing in front of the camera. “Why only 1 piece of reddish-brown shirt? Moreover, I don’t get shot at all!”. At first, I didn’t really feel that we had debuted. LOL.
With Busaiku, the chance for you to stand in front finally came.
Yes. That’s why, I want to do a concert tour or something as Busaiku someday. Yes. I definitely want to.
At first when it is formed, how did the other members respond?
I knew that at first Sen-chan (Senga Kento) was hesitating. Because Sen-chan really likes dancing after all. I think he wanted to stay as a cool image. But that isn’t Busaiku’s image at all.
What about Nikaido (Takashi)-kun and Yokoo (Wataru)-kun?
Nikaido was eager about it, while Yokoo-san was, how should I say this. The light of Busaiku!? Probably like The King of Busaiku. The way he stood out was the best, right!
His singing skill has a wow effect, right.
You’re terrible LOL. But Nakai (Masahiro)-san also said it too. “Yokoo sings with all his might, it’s not about he’s good or bad at it, but how his feelings get through.” There are really times I think,”Certainly!”
Miyata-kun, has Nakai-san ever advised you or something?
Me, he never said anything particular to me. Although there’s this anxiety if he’s forsaken me, but we were once told,”There’s no first or last among the four of you”, I believe we all receive the same amount of love. Just, it was a long time ago though, but I remembered being told,”Be an extraordinary Otaku.” And also,”What’s important is extremity and thoroughness.”
Is there anything else you’re being extreme and thorough in, aside of anime?
Yes, if you mean the thing that I will do thoroughly from now on. I really love my mom, I don’t really understand but is that a weird thing? I think it’s quite normal, this level of parent-child relation. Then, as I recalled when the last time I took a bath together with my mom was, I still did until I was in 6th grade of elementary school. Then when the members heard it, they all told me,”That was too late!” I had just started to be made aware that I might be a mother complex. So I was thinking to get thorough about that. LOL.
To become like Nakai-san, it’s totally impossible!
The 4 Busaiku members, you have really been taken care of by Nakai-san, right?
Yes. He even gave us formal suits too. I have also received Nakai-san’s down jacket too. I wear it a lot during winter, you know. It is really warm. I looked it up in the internet and it’s really expensive! It was so expensive that I wondered if such expensive jacket is sold in Japan? Also, I received snickers from him too. Around the timing “UTAGE” ended, we had a party, and every artist who appears regularly at the show received a present from Nakai-san. I wanted to become a person like Nakai-san though, but that’s totally impossible. Because I don’t want to spend that much money for other people.
Hahaha… that’s not good, you know. LOL.
I also seriously think it’s not good. LOL. But you see, I love money. If someone treats me, that’s lucky, right? But on contrary, when I have to treat people, I would think,”Why I should spend my money on this guy?” The other day, They Budoh was doing the CREA concert, then Yamamoto (Ryota) phoned me a lot, asking me,”Come to the party!” so I came. There were several Jr boys there too, then not long after I arrived, everyone was like,”Miyacchi, thanks for your treat~” and they went home. I had no other choice but to pay the bills, but the next morning, I thought,”Wait, why did I have to pay for the after party of a concert I didn’t even take part in?” and I turned sad.
Hahahaha. But you’re good friends with Sakuma (Daisuke)-kun, you would of course unhesitatingly treat him, right?
That one is okay. If it’s him, I do treat him. Because he’s one of the few Johnny’s that I hang out with in private. Instead of a junior, I consider him more like a hang out friend. He doesn’t really consult me about work too, though.
Is that so.
Yes. But, the other day, Sakuma, Abe (Ryohei)-chan and Tsuka-chan (Tsukada Ryoichi), we had a meal together, and that time Tsuka-chan was so passionate, he told them,”You guys, it’s better if you guys do it like this!!”
That time, did Tsukada-kun unexpectedly say good things?
No, I was like,”Here he starts again”, I didn’t listened to him at all, so I didn’t know what he talked about. LOL.
Hahahahaha. But lately Tsukada-kun got to do many activities on TV. Do you feel somewhat jealous?
I don’t really feel jealous to people. Although Tsuka-chan, his “SASUKE” was a good one, but somehow his genre is different than mine, right? I can’t do what he did even if I’m asked to do it. That’s why I simply think he’s amazing. Although I don’t know what he thinks about me, but I reckon we are quite in good relationship.
So when you go on a meal with Tsuka-chan, who pays the bills?
Well for once, formally Tsuka-chan is my senior, so to represent that, I got to let him pay. But Tsuka-chan asked me,”The next one is Miyacchi’s turn, okay?” and got me to treat him on an expensive restaurant, the cost ratio is too high. So I decided to go Dutch with Tsuka-chan. Hey hey, let’s stop talking about money already? We’re talking about nothing but my bad points. LOL.
But even that stingy Miyata-kun, you told Kitayama-kun who was down,”Today it’s on me!” and treated him once, right?
Ah, probably!? I didn’t really remember though. I remembered! It’s a different story though, but I went to eat steak with Kitamitsu, and because he said,”Ah, I don’t bring cash. If you treat me I’ll pay you back” so I lent him 10,000 yen, and I haven’t gotten it back!
”Because you always treat me all the time, today it’s on me”. Say it for once.
No no no. Even though we’re in the same group, he’s older. This one is firm. Probably Kitamitsu doesn’t remember it anymore, so the talk just now, make sure you write it down, okay!
So when Kisumai are going on a meal, does it mean the older ones always pay?
Yes, when I’m with the members… basically I never pay. Sen-chan often says,”It’s okay, it’s okay, you guys just have fun!” and with that he pays, I think.
You’re letting someone younger pay then!
Hahahahaha. Because the members are different genre. LOL.
The moment I fought the hardest in this year.
Aside of Nakai-san, are there any other senpais you are indebted to?
If it’s outside Johnny’s, then the ones I had a chance to work together with in “Kozure Shinbee”, Harada (Ryuji)-san or Sasano (Takeshi)-san, they taught me about a samurai’s gesture and others, the things that I don’t understand even I looked it up in the internet or in the books, I’m indebted to them. There was a time I did a filming in the same location in Kyoto with Higashiyama (Noriyuki)-san, that time he took me along to a meal. Because I had no experience at all in a historical drama, I got taught many things from A to Z. After the meal we went to a karaoke, and he told me,”Sing your own song”. I was like,“What should I do?” and doubted for a moment, but in the end I sang “Tititi Terete Teretititi ~Dare no Ketsu~” with all my heart and soul.
You’ve worked hard, huh. LOL.
That was the moment I fought the hardest this year. But Higashiyama-san, even though he clapped his hands following the song beat, but his figure was really cool, I couldn’t tell if he’s actually having fun or not. I was like,”Oh crap!” and danced with all my strength and I was able to finish the song, dripping with sweat. And then he said to me,”It was a really fun song.”
You did it!
Sometimes I got texts from him too. Something like.”What are you doing today?”
When I replied him,”I’m sorry, I have a variety filming today”, he said,”Is that so. Let’s have a drink again next time.” I thought,”Ah, I wanted to go!” It was a rare chance. So I gathered my courage and texted him,”What about this weekend?”, but he never replied. LOL.
Uhm, too bad!
But I will still get my courage out and text him again. Although I hadn’t gotten his reply yet, but I invited him,”Please definitely come see our concert this year.” It seems Higashiyama-san once came to Sexy Zone’s concert and gave Nakajima Kento some advice. If we get advised by Higashiyama-san, it will surely be a good input for Kisumai, right? That’s why I will get my courage out, and I’m thinking to invite him once again just before our concert starts.
You’re right. Are there any other Johnny’s you keep in contact with?
At the Baseball Tournament in April, I met lots of people I haven’t seen in a while and it was fun. I talked with lots of people. Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny’s WEST, NEWS, Koichi-kun, Uchi (Hiroki)-kun. With Massu (Masuda Takahisa) for example, we had talks about ways to create concerts. With (Nakama) Junta-kun, we had meal just the two of us for the first time.
What kind of conversation you had with him?
Various things. Junta is the oldest in his group, isn’t he? So he talked about how he’s taking the responsibility for many things. Makes me wonder if somehow Kitamitsu is thinking about the same things? Junta talked about he chose to tell “jokes that don’t hurt anyone”. That time it crossed my mind that Kisumai’s jokes might unintentionally hurt someone else. I was thinking if that might actually be Kisumai’s weakness. Probably that’s why lately, be it on TV or radio, I especially pay attention so that I don’t hurt others with my joke.
I want the members to always laugh.
So, once again, tell me about the members. 5 years after your debut, did your relationship change? Let’s start with Senga-kun.
Sen-chan huh, he’s the most-, how should I say it, like on radio or such, when it’s the two of us appearing, I feel the best. Because we bully each other, probably there’s a point where it turns good. LOL. We also talk about work, you know. It’s a relationship we built up after our debut. In “DREAM BOYS”, we discussed about,”In this part, why don’t you say this line?” “Then, I will reply you this way.” We also created our scenes from zero. He’s probably the member I can discuss with the most.
Senga-kun set your picture wearing the tie-up knot wig in “Kozure Shinbee” as his phone wallpaper, right?
Yes yes. I thought it would make the members laugh so I sent them the image. They praised me “It really suits you!” and I gained confidence. LOL.
You wanted the members to laugh so you sent the image yourself.
Yes. That’s right. Somehow I always had this wish somewhere, I want them to always laugh.
Then, what about Nikaido-kun?
I think Nikaido really changed. Before debut, when I greeted the people who came to our concerts or stageplays,”Thank you very much. Please take care of us again in the future”, Nikaido yelled at me,”Hey, what are you doing acting soft and flattering people!”. But now that guy,”Thank you very much! Please take care of us again in the future!!” he said that deeply, bending his head lower than anyone else. He changed, he really changed. He’s like going with the flow, LOL. That was a joke, but I think that guy, he changed the most. Like he turned serious. Well but, he was originally serious, though.
Which one is it!
Hahahahaha. In “UTAGE”, we did a band performance with Tsuruno Takeshi-san, me and Nikaido although we were quite newbies, I was on drums and Nikaido on bass, we were doing the rhythm so we couldn’t go wrong. Me and Nikaido the two of us, we practiced everyday until late at night, then went for a meal afterwards, we went through the lives of band members for a while. Even that time he practiced really hard, that guy. I think that guy is serious, after all.
What about Yokoo-kun?
Yokoo-san huh, I’ve been thinking about it lately. About how he turned calm. Anyway he had this kind of “I want to deny everything in the world!” attitude towards everything, right? Like if you met him, he would definitely talk bad about you. In my Junior days, I was fat and my face was chubby. The moment he saw me, he said something like,”Your face looks like a drowned corpse.” LOL.
Hahahahaha.
He was that kind of Yokoo-san, you know! There’s this song titled “Re:” which lyrics was written by the seven of us. When we held a meeting about the song, something like “The song of 7 people (Miyata in center)” was written there. I was like,”Huh!? Me?” at first, but I got myself in the mood to do it. Then since the seven of us were doing it anyway, I thought about what the current us can do. I thought, how about we convey our feelings by writing the words we couldn’t normally say to the fans or to the members into letters. At first, I thought to just combine the letters I had the members wrote as they are, that’s how we could convey our real feelings the best right? Then when I asked,”Why don’t we write letters?”, everyone replied,”That’s a good one.” But when I actually tried to combine what’s written in the letters, I couldn’t get them to fit perfectly if they’re what they are. For them to fit, I had to change some expressions a bit.
That was how the song was finished, huh.
Yes. I read everyone’s letters so many times, then I showed the lyrics I somehow managed to finish to the members. I was nervous, wondering about what the members would think, when Yokoo-san made the first comment,“It was really good!”. If it was the usual Yokoo-san, he would say something like,”This part, isn’t the meaning unclear?” or at least say some criticism first. But instead, he agreed on the first go, I was happy. Moreover he even asked,”How long did it take?”. In such times, no matter how hard he’d worked, a man would say,”No, not at all.” or something like that, right? That was also what I said. Then, he said,”No, it must be tough, right? Thanks for your hard work.” He thanked me. That was also a first! So for me, I had quite an emotional attachment to that song. Because I didn’t think Yokoo-san would say that to me.
What do you think caused Yokoo-san’s change?
What was it, I wonder!? But not only Yokoo-san, actually after we debuted, not even one person in Kisumai had it easy. Although bit by bit, little by little, everyone started to see their own directions, so probably because we started to feel some ease, we were able to become more gentle. Yokoo-san took his qualifications and got a regular in a pet TV show, I wonder if he sees his direction a bit clearer now. Anyway, Yokoo-san certainly changed a lot.
The letters that all the members wrote themselves for “Re:”, does Miyata-kun still have them?
Yes. I have the originals. I have the hand-written letters at home. If this song gets really popular, I’m thinking to put them up for auction. LOL.
Oi! Then, what about Fujigaya-kun?
Gaya-san he-, Gaya-san huh, he doesn’t change, in a good way. You know Kisumai is divided into older and younger groups. But I think the ones in the midfielder position who connect Kitamitsu and Yokoo-san from the older group with the 3 Heisei-borns, are me and Gaya-san. That’s how we form this triple layered structure. Probably that’s why I think I get along well with Gaya-san. Even though we’re both in the midfielder position, the indecisive me and the firm Gaya-san, we make a good contrast.
I see.
Somehow with Gaya-san, we quite click with each other. The other day when the two of us had a talk about,”What do you want to do the most in the future?”, I told him,”I like stageplays, I want to do it.” Gaya-san also likes to act in the stageplays so we were caught up in the concersation. I went to see all Gaya-san’s stageplays, of course the latest “TAKE FIVE” too. But after all I really like “Colt Governments”.
Then, what about Kitayama-kun?
Kitamitsu huh, somehow, his look doesn’t change at all. LOL. Ah but, after debut, I think his ego is growing stronger. Yes. Now Katori (Shingo)-san is the one who produces SMAP’s concerts, but it was Nakai-san before. That time, I heard Nakai-san did everything as how he wanted it. As a result, SMAP’s concerts became very popular. Nakai-san once said,”Probably carrying out our own beliefs is not a wrong thing.” After hearing such words, I think Kitamitsu released his own self and took the first step. Taking in all members’ opinions equally of course won’t create any conflict, but it will result the finished work to be unclear, like,”Huh, what did we want to express again?”. That’s why, even with the burden of someone’s dissatisfaction, sometimes a decision needs to be made. I feel Kitamitsu is in the middle of looking for his own way while watching Nakai-san’s back. Probably Kitamitsu is the one who’s going to change the most, the one who’s got the most potential. Of course, everyone loves the group, but probably the one who holds the deepest love for the group might be Kitamitsu.
The last one, what about Tamamori-kun?
Tama, he is now able to communicate with people. He changed. He was really shy until now, his manager was even worried that,”He doesn’t talk at all with his co-stars on filming locations”, but the other day when I was filming “Kozure Shinbee”, the actor who had acted with Tama before told me,”Tamamori-san was really kind.” I replied it with,”HUH!? You’re kidding! Actually he didn’t talk to you at all, right?”, but he said,”No no no, we talked normally.”
Tamamori-kun has changed, hasn’t he.
Yes. He has met a lot of people, so probably he changed gradually. Even though we’re doing the “DREAM BOYS” every year, but I still think,”After all he’s got the charm”. And when we act together, the rhythm of Tama’s acting feels good. He’s been in many doramas and movies, he certainly must have learnt a lot, right? He’s really growing up.
Tamamori-kun becomes more sociable. Looking from the perspective of Miyata-kun who received his love a lot before, don’t you feel a bit lonely?
Not at all. I don’t feel that way at all. How should I say it, that guy, he’s moody. But inspite of that, no one hates him, right? That’s probably what I love the most about Tama. He doesn’t even need to fix himself, people still love him. Isn’t that amazing?
Someday I want to try to do a one man show.
Then ever since your debut, is there any change on you, Miyata-kun?
Probably, the part where I’ve come to think I want to do stageplays. Being able to meet the playwright Koukami Shoji-san in “Kifushamu Kuni no Bouken” was a big influence on me. I think Koukami-san is the second person I’m indebted to the most after Johnny-san.
Is that so.
Because he taught me, someone who was no one, acting skill from zero. I, who had never been anything aside of comedian character, he was the person who gave me the chance to act as a cool character for the first time. Ah, before, I said something like,”I don’t really get jealous to people”, but I kind of envy Kazama (Shunsuke)-kun. Because he got to act twice in Koukami-san’s stageplays last year and this year too. “Koukami-san, what about me? What about me!” I thought that way. LOL.
Do you remember if Koukami-san had ever said anything to you?
Probably, the one,”To act something you’ve never experienced before is definitely impossible”. If the real Miyata and the acting Miyata are two different yen coins, to make these yen coins completely identical is impossible. How to get these coins as close as possible to each other, how to act using only the overlapping part as a reference, he said that’s how a good actor acts. At first, I didn’t understand the meaning at all. Moreover at first, I spent a whole day to practice only one single scene over and over again. He asked me how it was, and I answered,”It’s my first time acting as the leading role, moreover I’m acting with people outside Johnny’s, so frankly speaking I feel uneasy. I feel like I’m losing my self confidence. But I feel that I have to do it!” I told him honestly. Then, he said,”That was it!” My role was certainly someone in distress. He told me,”That was the part where you overlap with him. Make the best use of it!” That moment, I started to link the pieces together. I thought, the way this person produced me was too good! LOL. Acting is fun, that was the first time I realized it. I will keep polishing my acting skill, and someday I want to try to do a one man show.
What a wonderful dream.
One more thing, even though people think my current otaku self is funny, but from now on I will change it bit by bit. I think I also have to show my cool self. Because you see, when I read the fan letters and others, somehow it seems even the Miyata girls are starting to give up on some part of me. I want to again let them see the part they’re giving up on. It is for that purpose, lately I’ve been working out on my body. I’m aiming to be a Wota-macho. Because I also want to show my cool part.
Last one, please let me feel refreshed. Even without anyone treating you, when you’re on a date you will of course pay, right?
That one I will pay, I’m a man after all! When I go for a meal with my mom, I’m definitely the one who pays. For my family, I always pay and pay and pay. Ah, then, if I’m not paying for Kisumai, it means they’re not my family? LOL.
But if a member is really troubled, you’d of course pay, right?
Yes. That one I will pay and pay and pay. Not only money, but I will do anything that I can. I am stingy so I might not extend my hand to just anyone, but for the members, I will extend my hands unconditionally. Yes. Because I have faith in the members after all, I do.
Then, what does Kisumai mean to Miyata-kun?
What is it, I wonder. Somehow when we just debuted, I spent more time with them than with my own family, I felt they were really like a family. But now I feel it isn’t like that anymore. I feel our relationships are slowly changing. Of course, towards a good direction. Yes, to think of it all over again, what does Kisumai mean to me? I don’t know. What should I call this bond?
What is it, I wonder?
Yes.
….. Probably the Big Dipper, I guess.
The Big Dipper?
When A.B.C-Z and Kisumai did our first concert, our members chose to do a performance about the Big Dipper. Probably that’s how it feels. When we’re together the 7 of us is a sure thing, but lately we also get more solo works. It’s like each star starts to shine on its own. These 7 individual stars, when they are together, they start to form and shine together as a constellation called Kis-My-Ft2. Yes. I want us to become a group like that.
Next is Tamamori Yuta from Kis-My-Ft2!
Miyata passes on the baton of bonds.
**********
Awwww Miyacchi~~
Seriously I didn't expect Miyacchi to be this delicate and sensitive! He always looks very kind and humble, but to read him talking in such details about the members, even the stuff I don't really realize... wow Miyacchi I heart you!!!
I don't know what else to comment, this is one good one!!!
And finally next edition will be Tama's. Bring it on, baby, I'm ready!!! :D
Each shines on its own, and when it’s the 7 of them together, they form a shape.
With the “Otaku” character like no Johnny’s has ever been as a weapon, Miyata pulled together the 3 lines of the group.
In the ever-changing relationship of these 7 people, the man who once started as “Kisumai’s final weapon”, what will his next move be?
It’s like “Don’t underestimate an otaku!”
In the MV of your solo song “Otaku dattatte It’s Alright” recorded in the “I SCREAM” album, your Wota-acts* is a big bang, right.
Thank you very much! I haven’t done the Wota-acts for a while, not because they aren’t interesting anymore, you know. It has just begun, you know. I’m also really looking forward to the next concert. Because I will be doing a really cool Wota-acts. It’s like “Don’t underestimate an otaku!!” Huh, eh!? Don’t tell me you’re pulling back?
*Wota-acts refers to a type of dancing and cheering gestures performed by wota, fans of Japanese idol singers.
I-It seems like fun, above all. But I was just thinking, weren’t you supposed to aim at (Domoto) Koichi-kun, how did it turn out this way…………
…… Certainly, my mom did tell me,”You’re going to be a prince like Koichi-kun or Takki (Takizawa Hideaki), you know.” It’s just, it’s just you know, Koichi-kun is an F1 Otaku who really likes F1, Takki is a pro-wrestling Otaku who really likes pro-wrestling. Then, I am an anime Otaku. I think I’m not that necessarily far-off. When it comes to junior, Sato Shori is a car Otaku too. After all, Koichi-kun, Takki, me, and Sato Shori, we’re kind of like continuing the lineage of Otakus, I think somehow we are walking on the same route.
Not at all! They’re different routes! But well, compared to when you just debuted, the need for “Kisumai’s final weapon” has lessened, I thought you were worried, but it’s a good thing you’re taking it positively.
No no no no, they still ask me even now, you know. When we show up in VTR for TV programs and such, the directors still ask me something like,”Miyata-san, please close it with a really funny one!” even now. It’s tough, you know, such spontaneous act. The hurdle is high. But I still continue to fight even more, you know!
Even with those unreasonable requests, you’re really trying hard to do it, right.
I’m trying hard, I am! Well, my hit rate is low though, LOL. But once I get into something, it’s amazing you know. Of course, I am also careful to not only do what I want to do. Sometimes, I also feel anxious, thinking whether I’m only satisfying myself. What I want to show and what the fans want to see, I wonder if there’s a gap between them.
You are thinking about that, huh.
Yes. For example recently, when we were having a meeting about my solo song for the concert, I was thinking how it would be if I collaborate with a footage using the latest technology, but once I got home and thought about it carefully, I had a doubt if the audience will be able to shout along with it. I think it might be wrong, and I’m still worrying over it.
You’re taking into consideration what the fans would think.
Yes. That’s why I really check on the fan letters too. “Miyacchi, seriously, really cool!” or stuff, sometimes there are some who wrote like that. If I am pampered, I might get carried away, so I have to be careful.
Hahahaha. But the other members told us that you stayed at home alone feeling down, when you failed to do a joke.
That one, I was just releasing a feeling down atmosphere, that’s all LOL. Because you know, I, is it okay for me to say it!? Recently, I started to think nothing about failing or being bad-mouthed. As a human, I feel it’s getting a little bad, you know. Hahahahahaha.
Be an extraordinary Otaku. What’s important is extremity and thoroughness.
Frankly speaking, don’t you wish to act more cool, to become more popular?
No, I want to become popular! Of course I want to be popular!! However I don’t want to be popular because I act cool. Because there’s no such human. A human who is cool all the time. I’m sure even a Kimura (Takuya)-san picks his nose at home. I don’t want people to be disappointed after seeing such scene, that’s why I bare everything from the start, then if there are people saying,“Despite that I still love you!”, how nice it would be.
I wonder if there is such person……
There is, my mom! On concerts or such, she tells me,”Toshi-kun, you’re the coolest there!” you know. And then the Miyata girls. I have faith that my mom and Miyata girls won’t betray me. I have decided, you know. Only in front of my fans, I will seriously stay as a prince. The moment I can show my coolness, like on concerts or stageplays or such, I will definitely continue to be a prince. But, “On variety shows and the like, please forgive me okay” something like that. I’m sorry, okay.
Then when Busaiku was formed, did you feel a bit unpleasant or something?
That one, I accepted it without objection at all. I didn’t care about the form, I wanted to stand in front line. Because for me, among “The PV you-still-don’t-want-to-see” rank, no 1 is “We Never Give Up” you know. I seriously want you to confirm it, Kitamitsu (Kitayama Hiromitsu), Gaya-san (Fujigaya Taisuke), Tama (Tamamori Yuta) the 3 of them, they wore really cool costumes. But the 4 of us, we were only wearing 1 piece of a reddish-brown cotton shirt! I really thought about it during the shooting of that PV. “I want to stand in front!”. Because I thought after debuting, I would be able to wear glamorous costumes and look good while singing and dancing in front of the camera. “Why only 1 piece of reddish-brown shirt? Moreover, I don’t get shot at all!”. At first, I didn’t really feel that we had debuted. LOL.
With Busaiku, the chance for you to stand in front finally came.
Yes. That’s why, I want to do a concert tour or something as Busaiku someday. Yes. I definitely want to.
At first when it is formed, how did the other members respond?
I knew that at first Sen-chan (Senga Kento) was hesitating. Because Sen-chan really likes dancing after all. I think he wanted to stay as a cool image. But that isn’t Busaiku’s image at all.
What about Nikaido (Takashi)-kun and Yokoo (Wataru)-kun?
Nikaido was eager about it, while Yokoo-san was, how should I say this. The light of Busaiku!? Probably like The King of Busaiku. The way he stood out was the best, right!
His singing skill has a wow effect, right.
You’re terrible LOL. But Nakai (Masahiro)-san also said it too. “Yokoo sings with all his might, it’s not about he’s good or bad at it, but how his feelings get through.” There are really times I think,”Certainly!”
Miyata-kun, has Nakai-san ever advised you or something?
Me, he never said anything particular to me. Although there’s this anxiety if he’s forsaken me, but we were once told,”There’s no first or last among the four of you”, I believe we all receive the same amount of love. Just, it was a long time ago though, but I remembered being told,”Be an extraordinary Otaku.” And also,”What’s important is extremity and thoroughness.”
Is there anything else you’re being extreme and thorough in, aside of anime?
Yes, if you mean the thing that I will do thoroughly from now on. I really love my mom, I don’t really understand but is that a weird thing? I think it’s quite normal, this level of parent-child relation. Then, as I recalled when the last time I took a bath together with my mom was, I still did until I was in 6th grade of elementary school. Then when the members heard it, they all told me,”That was too late!” I had just started to be made aware that I might be a mother complex. So I was thinking to get thorough about that. LOL.
To become like Nakai-san, it’s totally impossible!
The 4 Busaiku members, you have really been taken care of by Nakai-san, right?
Yes. He even gave us formal suits too. I have also received Nakai-san’s down jacket too. I wear it a lot during winter, you know. It is really warm. I looked it up in the internet and it’s really expensive! It was so expensive that I wondered if such expensive jacket is sold in Japan? Also, I received snickers from him too. Around the timing “UTAGE” ended, we had a party, and every artist who appears regularly at the show received a present from Nakai-san. I wanted to become a person like Nakai-san though, but that’s totally impossible. Because I don’t want to spend that much money for other people.
Hahaha… that’s not good, you know. LOL.
I also seriously think it’s not good. LOL. But you see, I love money. If someone treats me, that’s lucky, right? But on contrary, when I have to treat people, I would think,”Why I should spend my money on this guy?” The other day, They Budoh was doing the CREA concert, then Yamamoto (Ryota) phoned me a lot, asking me,”Come to the party!” so I came. There were several Jr boys there too, then not long after I arrived, everyone was like,”Miyacchi, thanks for your treat~” and they went home. I had no other choice but to pay the bills, but the next morning, I thought,”Wait, why did I have to pay for the after party of a concert I didn’t even take part in?” and I turned sad.
Hahahaha. But you’re good friends with Sakuma (Daisuke)-kun, you would of course unhesitatingly treat him, right?
That one is okay. If it’s him, I do treat him. Because he’s one of the few Johnny’s that I hang out with in private. Instead of a junior, I consider him more like a hang out friend. He doesn’t really consult me about work too, though.
Is that so.
Yes. But, the other day, Sakuma, Abe (Ryohei)-chan and Tsuka-chan (Tsukada Ryoichi), we had a meal together, and that time Tsuka-chan was so passionate, he told them,”You guys, it’s better if you guys do it like this!!”
That time, did Tsukada-kun unexpectedly say good things?
No, I was like,”Here he starts again”, I didn’t listened to him at all, so I didn’t know what he talked about. LOL.
Hahahahaha. But lately Tsukada-kun got to do many activities on TV. Do you feel somewhat jealous?
I don’t really feel jealous to people. Although Tsuka-chan, his “SASUKE” was a good one, but somehow his genre is different than mine, right? I can’t do what he did even if I’m asked to do it. That’s why I simply think he’s amazing. Although I don’t know what he thinks about me, but I reckon we are quite in good relationship.
So when you go on a meal with Tsuka-chan, who pays the bills?
Well for once, formally Tsuka-chan is my senior, so to represent that, I got to let him pay. But Tsuka-chan asked me,”The next one is Miyacchi’s turn, okay?” and got me to treat him on an expensive restaurant, the cost ratio is too high. So I decided to go Dutch with Tsuka-chan. Hey hey, let’s stop talking about money already? We’re talking about nothing but my bad points. LOL.
But even that stingy Miyata-kun, you told Kitayama-kun who was down,”Today it’s on me!” and treated him once, right?
Ah, probably!? I didn’t really remember though. I remembered! It’s a different story though, but I went to eat steak with Kitamitsu, and because he said,”Ah, I don’t bring cash. If you treat me I’ll pay you back” so I lent him 10,000 yen, and I haven’t gotten it back!
”Because you always treat me all the time, today it’s on me”. Say it for once.
No no no. Even though we’re in the same group, he’s older. This one is firm. Probably Kitamitsu doesn’t remember it anymore, so the talk just now, make sure you write it down, okay!
So when Kisumai are going on a meal, does it mean the older ones always pay?
Yes, when I’m with the members… basically I never pay. Sen-chan often says,”It’s okay, it’s okay, you guys just have fun!” and with that he pays, I think.
You’re letting someone younger pay then!
Hahahahaha. Because the members are different genre. LOL.
The moment I fought the hardest in this year.
Aside of Nakai-san, are there any other senpais you are indebted to?
If it’s outside Johnny’s, then the ones I had a chance to work together with in “Kozure Shinbee”, Harada (Ryuji)-san or Sasano (Takeshi)-san, they taught me about a samurai’s gesture and others, the things that I don’t understand even I looked it up in the internet or in the books, I’m indebted to them. There was a time I did a filming in the same location in Kyoto with Higashiyama (Noriyuki)-san, that time he took me along to a meal. Because I had no experience at all in a historical drama, I got taught many things from A to Z. After the meal we went to a karaoke, and he told me,”Sing your own song”. I was like,“What should I do?” and doubted for a moment, but in the end I sang “Tititi Terete Teretititi ~Dare no Ketsu~” with all my heart and soul.
You’ve worked hard, huh. LOL.
That was the moment I fought the hardest this year. But Higashiyama-san, even though he clapped his hands following the song beat, but his figure was really cool, I couldn’t tell if he’s actually having fun or not. I was like,”Oh crap!” and danced with all my strength and I was able to finish the song, dripping with sweat. And then he said to me,”It was a really fun song.”
You did it!
Sometimes I got texts from him too. Something like.”What are you doing today?”
When I replied him,”I’m sorry, I have a variety filming today”, he said,”Is that so. Let’s have a drink again next time.” I thought,”Ah, I wanted to go!” It was a rare chance. So I gathered my courage and texted him,”What about this weekend?”, but he never replied. LOL.
Uhm, too bad!
But I will still get my courage out and text him again. Although I hadn’t gotten his reply yet, but I invited him,”Please definitely come see our concert this year.” It seems Higashiyama-san once came to Sexy Zone’s concert and gave Nakajima Kento some advice. If we get advised by Higashiyama-san, it will surely be a good input for Kisumai, right? That’s why I will get my courage out, and I’m thinking to invite him once again just before our concert starts.
You’re right. Are there any other Johnny’s you keep in contact with?
At the Baseball Tournament in April, I met lots of people I haven’t seen in a while and it was fun. I talked with lots of people. Hey! Say! JUMP, Johnny’s WEST, NEWS, Koichi-kun, Uchi (Hiroki)-kun. With Massu (Masuda Takahisa) for example, we had talks about ways to create concerts. With (Nakama) Junta-kun, we had meal just the two of us for the first time.
What kind of conversation you had with him?
Various things. Junta is the oldest in his group, isn’t he? So he talked about how he’s taking the responsibility for many things. Makes me wonder if somehow Kitamitsu is thinking about the same things? Junta talked about he chose to tell “jokes that don’t hurt anyone”. That time it crossed my mind that Kisumai’s jokes might unintentionally hurt someone else. I was thinking if that might actually be Kisumai’s weakness. Probably that’s why lately, be it on TV or radio, I especially pay attention so that I don’t hurt others with my joke.
I want the members to always laugh.
So, once again, tell me about the members. 5 years after your debut, did your relationship change? Let’s start with Senga-kun.
Sen-chan huh, he’s the most-, how should I say it, like on radio or such, when it’s the two of us appearing, I feel the best. Because we bully each other, probably there’s a point where it turns good. LOL. We also talk about work, you know. It’s a relationship we built up after our debut. In “DREAM BOYS”, we discussed about,”In this part, why don’t you say this line?” “Then, I will reply you this way.” We also created our scenes from zero. He’s probably the member I can discuss with the most.
Senga-kun set your picture wearing the tie-up knot wig in “Kozure Shinbee” as his phone wallpaper, right?
Yes yes. I thought it would make the members laugh so I sent them the image. They praised me “It really suits you!” and I gained confidence. LOL.
You wanted the members to laugh so you sent the image yourself.
Yes. That’s right. Somehow I always had this wish somewhere, I want them to always laugh.
Then, what about Nikaido-kun?
I think Nikaido really changed. Before debut, when I greeted the people who came to our concerts or stageplays,”Thank you very much. Please take care of us again in the future”, Nikaido yelled at me,”Hey, what are you doing acting soft and flattering people!”. But now that guy,”Thank you very much! Please take care of us again in the future!!” he said that deeply, bending his head lower than anyone else. He changed, he really changed. He’s like going with the flow, LOL. That was a joke, but I think that guy, he changed the most. Like he turned serious. Well but, he was originally serious, though.
Which one is it!
Hahahahaha. In “UTAGE”, we did a band performance with Tsuruno Takeshi-san, me and Nikaido although we were quite newbies, I was on drums and Nikaido on bass, we were doing the rhythm so we couldn’t go wrong. Me and Nikaido the two of us, we practiced everyday until late at night, then went for a meal afterwards, we went through the lives of band members for a while. Even that time he practiced really hard, that guy. I think that guy is serious, after all.
What about Yokoo-kun?
Yokoo-san huh, I’ve been thinking about it lately. About how he turned calm. Anyway he had this kind of “I want to deny everything in the world!” attitude towards everything, right? Like if you met him, he would definitely talk bad about you. In my Junior days, I was fat and my face was chubby. The moment he saw me, he said something like,”Your face looks like a drowned corpse.” LOL.
Hahahahaha.
He was that kind of Yokoo-san, you know! There’s this song titled “Re:” which lyrics was written by the seven of us. When we held a meeting about the song, something like “The song of 7 people (Miyata in center)” was written there. I was like,”Huh!? Me?” at first, but I got myself in the mood to do it. Then since the seven of us were doing it anyway, I thought about what the current us can do. I thought, how about we convey our feelings by writing the words we couldn’t normally say to the fans or to the members into letters. At first, I thought to just combine the letters I had the members wrote as they are, that’s how we could convey our real feelings the best right? Then when I asked,”Why don’t we write letters?”, everyone replied,”That’s a good one.” But when I actually tried to combine what’s written in the letters, I couldn’t get them to fit perfectly if they’re what they are. For them to fit, I had to change some expressions a bit.
That was how the song was finished, huh.
Yes. I read everyone’s letters so many times, then I showed the lyrics I somehow managed to finish to the members. I was nervous, wondering about what the members would think, when Yokoo-san made the first comment,“It was really good!”. If it was the usual Yokoo-san, he would say something like,”This part, isn’t the meaning unclear?” or at least say some criticism first. But instead, he agreed on the first go, I was happy. Moreover he even asked,”How long did it take?”. In such times, no matter how hard he’d worked, a man would say,”No, not at all.” or something like that, right? That was also what I said. Then, he said,”No, it must be tough, right? Thanks for your hard work.” He thanked me. That was also a first! So for me, I had quite an emotional attachment to that song. Because I didn’t think Yokoo-san would say that to me.
What do you think caused Yokoo-san’s change?
What was it, I wonder!? But not only Yokoo-san, actually after we debuted, not even one person in Kisumai had it easy. Although bit by bit, little by little, everyone started to see their own directions, so probably because we started to feel some ease, we were able to become more gentle. Yokoo-san took his qualifications and got a regular in a pet TV show, I wonder if he sees his direction a bit clearer now. Anyway, Yokoo-san certainly changed a lot.
The letters that all the members wrote themselves for “Re:”, does Miyata-kun still have them?
Yes. I have the originals. I have the hand-written letters at home. If this song gets really popular, I’m thinking to put them up for auction. LOL.
Oi! Then, what about Fujigaya-kun?
Gaya-san he-, Gaya-san huh, he doesn’t change, in a good way. You know Kisumai is divided into older and younger groups. But I think the ones in the midfielder position who connect Kitamitsu and Yokoo-san from the older group with the 3 Heisei-borns, are me and Gaya-san. That’s how we form this triple layered structure. Probably that’s why I think I get along well with Gaya-san. Even though we’re both in the midfielder position, the indecisive me and the firm Gaya-san, we make a good contrast.
I see.
Somehow with Gaya-san, we quite click with each other. The other day when the two of us had a talk about,”What do you want to do the most in the future?”, I told him,”I like stageplays, I want to do it.” Gaya-san also likes to act in the stageplays so we were caught up in the concersation. I went to see all Gaya-san’s stageplays, of course the latest “TAKE FIVE” too. But after all I really like “Colt Governments”.
Then, what about Kitayama-kun?
Kitamitsu huh, somehow, his look doesn’t change at all. LOL. Ah but, after debut, I think his ego is growing stronger. Yes. Now Katori (Shingo)-san is the one who produces SMAP’s concerts, but it was Nakai-san before. That time, I heard Nakai-san did everything as how he wanted it. As a result, SMAP’s concerts became very popular. Nakai-san once said,”Probably carrying out our own beliefs is not a wrong thing.” After hearing such words, I think Kitamitsu released his own self and took the first step. Taking in all members’ opinions equally of course won’t create any conflict, but it will result the finished work to be unclear, like,”Huh, what did we want to express again?”. That’s why, even with the burden of someone’s dissatisfaction, sometimes a decision needs to be made. I feel Kitamitsu is in the middle of looking for his own way while watching Nakai-san’s back. Probably Kitamitsu is the one who’s going to change the most, the one who’s got the most potential. Of course, everyone loves the group, but probably the one who holds the deepest love for the group might be Kitamitsu.
The last one, what about Tamamori-kun?
Tama, he is now able to communicate with people. He changed. He was really shy until now, his manager was even worried that,”He doesn’t talk at all with his co-stars on filming locations”, but the other day when I was filming “Kozure Shinbee”, the actor who had acted with Tama before told me,”Tamamori-san was really kind.” I replied it with,”HUH!? You’re kidding! Actually he didn’t talk to you at all, right?”, but he said,”No no no, we talked normally.”
Tamamori-kun has changed, hasn’t he.
Yes. He has met a lot of people, so probably he changed gradually. Even though we’re doing the “DREAM BOYS” every year, but I still think,”After all he’s got the charm”. And when we act together, the rhythm of Tama’s acting feels good. He’s been in many doramas and movies, he certainly must have learnt a lot, right? He’s really growing up.
Tamamori-kun becomes more sociable. Looking from the perspective of Miyata-kun who received his love a lot before, don’t you feel a bit lonely?
Not at all. I don’t feel that way at all. How should I say it, that guy, he’s moody. But inspite of that, no one hates him, right? That’s probably what I love the most about Tama. He doesn’t even need to fix himself, people still love him. Isn’t that amazing?
Someday I want to try to do a one man show.
Then ever since your debut, is there any change on you, Miyata-kun?
Probably, the part where I’ve come to think I want to do stageplays. Being able to meet the playwright Koukami Shoji-san in “Kifushamu Kuni no Bouken” was a big influence on me. I think Koukami-san is the second person I’m indebted to the most after Johnny-san.
Is that so.
Because he taught me, someone who was no one, acting skill from zero. I, who had never been anything aside of comedian character, he was the person who gave me the chance to act as a cool character for the first time. Ah, before, I said something like,”I don’t really get jealous to people”, but I kind of envy Kazama (Shunsuke)-kun. Because he got to act twice in Koukami-san’s stageplays last year and this year too. “Koukami-san, what about me? What about me!” I thought that way. LOL.
Do you remember if Koukami-san had ever said anything to you?
Probably, the one,”To act something you’ve never experienced before is definitely impossible”. If the real Miyata and the acting Miyata are two different yen coins, to make these yen coins completely identical is impossible. How to get these coins as close as possible to each other, how to act using only the overlapping part as a reference, he said that’s how a good actor acts. At first, I didn’t understand the meaning at all. Moreover at first, I spent a whole day to practice only one single scene over and over again. He asked me how it was, and I answered,”It’s my first time acting as the leading role, moreover I’m acting with people outside Johnny’s, so frankly speaking I feel uneasy. I feel like I’m losing my self confidence. But I feel that I have to do it!” I told him honestly. Then, he said,”That was it!” My role was certainly someone in distress. He told me,”That was the part where you overlap with him. Make the best use of it!” That moment, I started to link the pieces together. I thought, the way this person produced me was too good! LOL. Acting is fun, that was the first time I realized it. I will keep polishing my acting skill, and someday I want to try to do a one man show.
What a wonderful dream.
One more thing, even though people think my current otaku self is funny, but from now on I will change it bit by bit. I think I also have to show my cool self. Because you see, when I read the fan letters and others, somehow it seems even the Miyata girls are starting to give up on some part of me. I want to again let them see the part they’re giving up on. It is for that purpose, lately I’ve been working out on my body. I’m aiming to be a Wota-macho. Because I also want to show my cool part.
Last one, please let me feel refreshed. Even without anyone treating you, when you’re on a date you will of course pay, right?
That one I will pay, I’m a man after all! When I go for a meal with my mom, I’m definitely the one who pays. For my family, I always pay and pay and pay. Ah, then, if I’m not paying for Kisumai, it means they’re not my family? LOL.
But if a member is really troubled, you’d of course pay, right?
Yes. That one I will pay and pay and pay. Not only money, but I will do anything that I can. I am stingy so I might not extend my hand to just anyone, but for the members, I will extend my hands unconditionally. Yes. Because I have faith in the members after all, I do.
Then, what does Kisumai mean to Miyata-kun?
What is it, I wonder. Somehow when we just debuted, I spent more time with them than with my own family, I felt they were really like a family. But now I feel it isn’t like that anymore. I feel our relationships are slowly changing. Of course, towards a good direction. Yes, to think of it all over again, what does Kisumai mean to me? I don’t know. What should I call this bond?
What is it, I wonder?
Yes.
….. Probably the Big Dipper, I guess.
The Big Dipper?
When A.B.C-Z and Kisumai did our first concert, our members chose to do a performance about the Big Dipper. Probably that’s how it feels. When we’re together the 7 of us is a sure thing, but lately we also get more solo works. It’s like each star starts to shine on its own. These 7 individual stars, when they are together, they start to form and shine together as a constellation called Kis-My-Ft2. Yes. I want us to become a group like that.
Next is Tamamori Yuta from Kis-My-Ft2!
Miyata passes on the baton of bonds.
**********
Awwww Miyacchi~~
Seriously I didn't expect Miyacchi to be this delicate and sensitive! He always looks very kind and humble, but to read him talking in such details about the members, even the stuff I don't really realize... wow Miyacchi I heart you!!!
I don't know what else to comment, this is one good one!!!
And finally next edition will be Tama's. Bring it on, baby, I'm ready!!! :D