more september 2010 translation
I can't believe i'm translating magazine articles again. keke~ but oguri shun + ikuta toma is uber cute! now i need to get back to earning real money after wasting spending roughly four hours on this post. lol~ enjoy!
Crosstalk of male friendships ~Bonds~
Oguri Shun x Ikuta Toma
Oguri Shun has directed his first movie, “Surely Someday”. Ikuta Toma’s the protagonist in the much-talked about movie, “Hanamizuki”. These two talented actors with all attention on them are close friends in private!! They spoke plentiful of the “real faces” they know each other have because they’re “frequent drink buddies”, their private matters and discuss male friendships.
“Does a drunk Oguri Shun sleep or cry? Lately it’s the former entirely. (laughs)”
“A drunk Toma is cute. Perhaps he gets lonely when he’s alone so he always doesn’t want to go home.”
We drank together too yesterday (laughs)
On this day, Oguri Shun-kun and Ikuta Toma-kun exchange their hellos with a “we just met a few hours ago (laughter).” In fact, they met for a drink last night.
Oguri: Yesterday, Jun (Matsumoto-san from Arashi) and I were drinking. Then we thought of “asking Toma out too.” We called him and he said, “I’ve an early day tomorrow. I’ll call you back.” He was hesitating and after roughly 20 minutes…
Ikuta: I made my appearance (laughs).
Oguri: It was like he had on this “I was here in the first place” look (laughs). Then the three of us drank lots and it got more and more fun. We went out of the next bar and were going to return home when Toma whined like a kid, “Shun-chan, let’s go. Let’s go to another bar~ ♡”…
Ikuta: Then, this person, he grabbed his bag and made a run for it (laughs).
Oguri: While Jun was paying. I thought that was the only time I could escape. But in the end I was caught and the whining Toma forced me into a taxi and said he would let me go home. That was what happened last night (laughs).
My first impression was “he became an adult”
Ikuta-kun went to Oguri-kun’s place to play and Oguri-kun visited Ikuta-kun during the New Year’s. With Ikuta-kun and his family, he criticized the dishes prepared for New Year’s. These two are close at work and at play.
Ikuta: We first met on the set of the drama, “Hana Yori Dango 2 ~ Returns~” Back then, we didn’t become close… We became acquaintances (laughs).
Oguri: When we first met, I felt that “this person has somehow become an adult." (laughs) It was because I’d grown up watching Toma being actively involved in Johnny’s Jr’s activities.
Ikuta: My impression was “the showy one is here, hey." (laughs)”
Oguri: We didn’t interact much when we first met. It was only that time when we had a good chat. That time when we went to Jun’s place for a second round of drinks with the staff. Jun made vermicelli for us.
Ikuta: That’s right. We exchanged numbers then...
Oguri: We didn’t contact each other for a while. When it was confirmed that we would be co-actors in the drama “Hanazakari no Kimitachi He ~Ikemen ♂ Paradise~”, I called him.
It was “Hanazakari~” that pulled them closer from being “acquaintances”
Ikuta: I was on the train at that time. Shooting was held at a place real far away. Then Shun-chan gave me rides home. In the car, we talked deeply about things like “how our acting should be from now on” and “what kind of work we want to show”. We started from there.
Oguri: After that, we drank almost every day (laughs).
Ikuta: We went to the okonomiyaki* place near Shun-chan’s place often too (laughs).
*okonomiyaki: griddlecake containing vegetables and meat or seafood
We’re addicted to TV games
After drinks outside, they head to Oguri-kun’s place. Lately, playing TV games there is a must for the two of them.
Oguri: That reminds me, we were drinking at at an unbelievable place.
Ikuta: This person kept saying, “I’d absolutely loathe it if my picture was taken with a mobile phone while I was in the middle of drinking.” Even so, just as we found an open, street stall, he said, “Let’s drink here!” (laughs)
Oguri: The passers-by, the passers-by, for a moment, looked startled at the sight of us. We were drunk so we must have looked funny (laughs). Things gradually got more interesting and after a while, I said, “I feel good so let’s walk!!” Then we swayed our way home…
Ikuta: And played TV games again.
Oguri: We’re unexpectedly boring (laughs).
“Passionate” and sometimes, “silly” guy
The two of them know deeply about each other. What kind of a man does Oguri-kun think “Ikuta Toma” is?
Oguri: The Ikuta Toma I know is a “lively guy”. Anyway he’s really passionate and sometimes, he’s ridiculously silly (laughs). Would you like to know one of Toma’s silly stories? Well then, let me tell you. Once, we drank till dawn and were walking home. Then we saw a small pond with swimming carp in it. Once he saw that, he said, “Let’s catch carps!!”
Ikuta: I went into the pond just like that (laughs).
Oguri: He suddenly wanted very much to catch a carp with his bare hands. He has such a silliness and innocence about him. There’s a part two to the story. That day, he stayed over at my place…
Ikuta: I woke up saying, “There’s a fishy smell!!”
Oguri: We tried following the source of the smell and realized it was our feet (laughs).
“I love myself” kind of guy
What kind of a man does Ikuta-kun see in “Oguri Shun”? It’s interesting too.
Ikuta: Oguri Shun is… a man who loves himself (laughs).
Oguri: I love myself and others too!
Ikuta: First off, he wants to show people works he acted in. When you go to Shun-chan’s place, he’ll bring out his dramas, movies and even CMs. At first he’ll say, “Just watch the first five minutes.” But we always end up watching till the end. Thus, no one believes in Shun-chan’s “just the first five minutes.” (laughs) Also, he shows his works at strange timings!! Like he’ll choose the time just after someone gets the atmosphere high and then he’ll ask, “Want to watch?”
Though the both of them drink together a lot, lately they drink with many others noisily too. Oguri-kun is often at the centre of it all, but he displayed such an unexpected aspect openly!?
Oguri: I really love to introduce friends to other friends. I think everyone who thinks I’m good are all friends (laughs). I always say, “Let’s all join in together!”
Ikuta: He may say this, but when I drink with friends introduced by Shun-chan, he sulks. He’ll say, “I brought you together. Why didn’t you ask me out too!!” (laughs)
Oguri: But… it’s lonely for me ♡.
The reason they’re attracted to each other
Oguri: Toma is gentle-mannered. When we’re together, even if I can’t do something, Toma will do it somehow… He gives me a sense of security. In other words, he’s my “babysitter” (laughs).
In the friendship, Ikuta-kun is the “older brother” while Oguri-kun is the “younger brother”!?
Oguri: I planned to have him help out with my moving house and said ordinarily, “Let’s play.” Even then, Toma helped out without getting angry.
Ikuta: I went and was suddenly asked, “Can you carry those things?” But I don’t dislike this aspect of Shun-chan (laughs). Meeting Shun-chan makes me think, “I can still act silly.” If high school was youth, then “Hanazakari~” felt like “youth has come a second time!!” It was super fun.
Oguri: The Toma that I first met was his true self. Fundamentally he hasn’t changed but it is more like “it’s impossible to go to the set without sleeping!” During the filming of “Hanazakari~”, we chatted till morning and went straight to the set.
Ikuta: Many times we arrived at the set after having a high time the previous night (laughs).
The time that brought them together
The two of them are bound by a strong bond but there was such a time in the past.
Oguri: It was 2008, I think. I was very busy. I was running and running and after that, I felt that I was suffering from burnout syndrome. Everything wasn’t going well, and work wasn’t interesting. Even when I drank… after getting high, I felt somewhat vexed and started crying. That was the time when we didn’t meet.
Ikuta: Yep. For a period of time, there was a blank. The reason? We simply didn’t feel like drinking together.
Oguri: I heard this from him after that. Toma thought, “I don’t wanna drink with such a depressing person.”
Ikuta: Yeah. Then, after a long while we got together to drink again and he said, “I feel like I’m the worst actor of all now. That’s why, every morning, every morning, I train under (Yoshida) Koutarou-san.” He was talking about it happily. At that time, I thought, “He has come back.”
Oguri: Right there and then, I said, “Oguri Shun has come back!” (laughs)
Ikuta: That was a “Welcome back, Shun-chan!!” moment (laughs).
The same “actor”
At the moment, Oguri-kun’s maiden directing effort, “Surely Someday”, is playing in theatres. Ikuta-kun plays the lead in the movie, “Hanamizuki”, which plays in August. They’re both brimming with acting talent. Is there a sense of rivalry between them?
Ikuta: Rather than a sense of rivalry, it’s more like “I don’t want to have a piece of work I’m ashamed of”. I want Oguri Shun to think that I “did a good job”.
Oguri: I don’t feel rivalry but there are times when I watch Toma’s performance and think “I’ve been beaten!!” Which performance was it? There are many but… the best would be Nakatsu Shuuichi in “Hanazakari~”. Nakatsu’s “solo performance” was something I thought I couldn’t do. He had to ad-lib and impersonate. I really thought he was the “master”. Back then, everyone, not just me, was looking forward to the scenarios. Whenever there were scenes of Nakatsu, there was a “I’ve been waiting for this!!” atmosphere at the set. And, this person acted perfectly again.
Ikuta: It was the movie “Crows ZERO” that made me feel that “I’ve been beaten!!” When men look at Oguri Shun, they think “he’s cool” and I felt they watched him with a bang. I can’t act as Takiya Genji.
The both of them definitely check out each other’s works.
Ikuta: He let me read the script of “Surely Someday”. I was honestly happy for him when I heard he was directing it. That’s because I’ve seen him working hard at realizing his dream.
Oguri: I haven’t watched “Hanamizuki” but I’ve heard about it from Toma and of course I intend to watch it.
Ikuta: I called him from Hokkaido where we were filming.
Oguri: Takahashi Tsutomu (co-actor in “Crows ZERO”) acted in “Hanamizuki”. When he returned from Hokkaido, he had an “I’m good friends with Toma” look on his face. So I told him, “Tsutomu-kun, sorry but Toma will definitely be chummier with me. Will you quit showing that look?” (laughs)
Oguri-kun and Ikuta-kun are building their strong male friendship as they’re spurred on by each other. What are they aiming for?
Ikuta: For me, it’d have to be co-acting with this guy again. I want to act in a piece of work with Oguri Shun.
Oguri: I want to shoot a movie with Toma and other talented actors around the same age. I talked about this yesterday too. I don’t know what it’ll turn out to be yet but… I want a piece that battles with society. It’s because we’re still in an age where we’re the “youngsters”. I want to shoot a movie that reflects the passion of “youngsters” with Ikuta Toma in it.
Crosstalk of male friendships ~Bonds~
Oguri Shun x Ikuta Toma
Oguri Shun has directed his first movie, “Surely Someday”. Ikuta Toma’s the protagonist in the much-talked about movie, “Hanamizuki”. These two talented actors with all attention on them are close friends in private!! They spoke plentiful of the “real faces” they know each other have because they’re “frequent drink buddies”, their private matters and discuss male friendships.
“Does a drunk Oguri Shun sleep or cry? Lately it’s the former entirely. (laughs)”
“A drunk Toma is cute. Perhaps he gets lonely when he’s alone so he always doesn’t want to go home.”
We drank together too yesterday (laughs)
On this day, Oguri Shun-kun and Ikuta Toma-kun exchange their hellos with a “we just met a few hours ago (laughter).” In fact, they met for a drink last night.
Oguri: Yesterday, Jun (Matsumoto-san from Arashi) and I were drinking. Then we thought of “asking Toma out too.” We called him and he said, “I’ve an early day tomorrow. I’ll call you back.” He was hesitating and after roughly 20 minutes…
Ikuta: I made my appearance (laughs).
Oguri: It was like he had on this “I was here in the first place” look (laughs). Then the three of us drank lots and it got more and more fun. We went out of the next bar and were going to return home when Toma whined like a kid, “Shun-chan, let’s go. Let’s go to another bar~ ♡”…
Ikuta: Then, this person, he grabbed his bag and made a run for it (laughs).
Oguri: While Jun was paying. I thought that was the only time I could escape. But in the end I was caught and the whining Toma forced me into a taxi and said he would let me go home. That was what happened last night (laughs).
My first impression was “he became an adult”
Ikuta-kun went to Oguri-kun’s place to play and Oguri-kun visited Ikuta-kun during the New Year’s. With Ikuta-kun and his family, he criticized the dishes prepared for New Year’s. These two are close at work and at play.
Ikuta: We first met on the set of the drama, “Hana Yori Dango 2 ~ Returns~” Back then, we didn’t become close… We became acquaintances (laughs).
Oguri: When we first met, I felt that “this person has somehow become an adult." (laughs) It was because I’d grown up watching Toma being actively involved in Johnny’s Jr’s activities.
Ikuta: My impression was “the showy one is here, hey." (laughs)”
Oguri: We didn’t interact much when we first met. It was only that time when we had a good chat. That time when we went to Jun’s place for a second round of drinks with the staff. Jun made vermicelli for us.
Ikuta: That’s right. We exchanged numbers then...
Oguri: We didn’t contact each other for a while. When it was confirmed that we would be co-actors in the drama “Hanazakari no Kimitachi He ~Ikemen ♂ Paradise~”, I called him.
It was “Hanazakari~” that pulled them closer from being “acquaintances”
Ikuta: I was on the train at that time. Shooting was held at a place real far away. Then Shun-chan gave me rides home. In the car, we talked deeply about things like “how our acting should be from now on” and “what kind of work we want to show”. We started from there.
Oguri: After that, we drank almost every day (laughs).
Ikuta: We went to the okonomiyaki* place near Shun-chan’s place often too (laughs).
*okonomiyaki: griddlecake containing vegetables and meat or seafood
We’re addicted to TV games
After drinks outside, they head to Oguri-kun’s place. Lately, playing TV games there is a must for the two of them.
Oguri: That reminds me, we were drinking at at an unbelievable place.
Ikuta: This person kept saying, “I’d absolutely loathe it if my picture was taken with a mobile phone while I was in the middle of drinking.” Even so, just as we found an open, street stall, he said, “Let’s drink here!” (laughs)
Oguri: The passers-by, the passers-by, for a moment, looked startled at the sight of us. We were drunk so we must have looked funny (laughs). Things gradually got more interesting and after a while, I said, “I feel good so let’s walk!!” Then we swayed our way home…
Ikuta: And played TV games again.
Oguri: We’re unexpectedly boring (laughs).
“Passionate” and sometimes, “silly” guy
The two of them know deeply about each other. What kind of a man does Oguri-kun think “Ikuta Toma” is?
Oguri: The Ikuta Toma I know is a “lively guy”. Anyway he’s really passionate and sometimes, he’s ridiculously silly (laughs). Would you like to know one of Toma’s silly stories? Well then, let me tell you. Once, we drank till dawn and were walking home. Then we saw a small pond with swimming carp in it. Once he saw that, he said, “Let’s catch carps!!”
Ikuta: I went into the pond just like that (laughs).
Oguri: He suddenly wanted very much to catch a carp with his bare hands. He has such a silliness and innocence about him. There’s a part two to the story. That day, he stayed over at my place…
Ikuta: I woke up saying, “There’s a fishy smell!!”
Oguri: We tried following the source of the smell and realized it was our feet (laughs).
“I love myself” kind of guy
What kind of a man does Ikuta-kun see in “Oguri Shun”? It’s interesting too.
Ikuta: Oguri Shun is… a man who loves himself (laughs).
Oguri: I love myself and others too!
Ikuta: First off, he wants to show people works he acted in. When you go to Shun-chan’s place, he’ll bring out his dramas, movies and even CMs. At first he’ll say, “Just watch the first five minutes.” But we always end up watching till the end. Thus, no one believes in Shun-chan’s “just the first five minutes.” (laughs) Also, he shows his works at strange timings!! Like he’ll choose the time just after someone gets the atmosphere high and then he’ll ask, “Want to watch?”
Though the both of them drink together a lot, lately they drink with many others noisily too. Oguri-kun is often at the centre of it all, but he displayed such an unexpected aspect openly!?
Oguri: I really love to introduce friends to other friends. I think everyone who thinks I’m good are all friends (laughs). I always say, “Let’s all join in together!”
Ikuta: He may say this, but when I drink with friends introduced by Shun-chan, he sulks. He’ll say, “I brought you together. Why didn’t you ask me out too!!” (laughs)
Oguri: But… it’s lonely for me ♡.
The reason they’re attracted to each other
Oguri: Toma is gentle-mannered. When we’re together, even if I can’t do something, Toma will do it somehow… He gives me a sense of security. In other words, he’s my “babysitter” (laughs).
In the friendship, Ikuta-kun is the “older brother” while Oguri-kun is the “younger brother”!?
Oguri: I planned to have him help out with my moving house and said ordinarily, “Let’s play.” Even then, Toma helped out without getting angry.
Ikuta: I went and was suddenly asked, “Can you carry those things?” But I don’t dislike this aspect of Shun-chan (laughs). Meeting Shun-chan makes me think, “I can still act silly.” If high school was youth, then “Hanazakari~” felt like “youth has come a second time!!” It was super fun.
Oguri: The Toma that I first met was his true self. Fundamentally he hasn’t changed but it is more like “it’s impossible to go to the set without sleeping!” During the filming of “Hanazakari~”, we chatted till morning and went straight to the set.
Ikuta: Many times we arrived at the set after having a high time the previous night (laughs).
The time that brought them together
The two of them are bound by a strong bond but there was such a time in the past.
Oguri: It was 2008, I think. I was very busy. I was running and running and after that, I felt that I was suffering from burnout syndrome. Everything wasn’t going well, and work wasn’t interesting. Even when I drank… after getting high, I felt somewhat vexed and started crying. That was the time when we didn’t meet.
Ikuta: Yep. For a period of time, there was a blank. The reason? We simply didn’t feel like drinking together.
Oguri: I heard this from him after that. Toma thought, “I don’t wanna drink with such a depressing person.”
Ikuta: Yeah. Then, after a long while we got together to drink again and he said, “I feel like I’m the worst actor of all now. That’s why, every morning, every morning, I train under (Yoshida) Koutarou-san.” He was talking about it happily. At that time, I thought, “He has come back.”
Oguri: Right there and then, I said, “Oguri Shun has come back!” (laughs)
Ikuta: That was a “Welcome back, Shun-chan!!” moment (laughs).
The same “actor”
At the moment, Oguri-kun’s maiden directing effort, “Surely Someday”, is playing in theatres. Ikuta-kun plays the lead in the movie, “Hanamizuki”, which plays in August. They’re both brimming with acting talent. Is there a sense of rivalry between them?
Ikuta: Rather than a sense of rivalry, it’s more like “I don’t want to have a piece of work I’m ashamed of”. I want Oguri Shun to think that I “did a good job”.
Oguri: I don’t feel rivalry but there are times when I watch Toma’s performance and think “I’ve been beaten!!” Which performance was it? There are many but… the best would be Nakatsu Shuuichi in “Hanazakari~”. Nakatsu’s “solo performance” was something I thought I couldn’t do. He had to ad-lib and impersonate. I really thought he was the “master”. Back then, everyone, not just me, was looking forward to the scenarios. Whenever there were scenes of Nakatsu, there was a “I’ve been waiting for this!!” atmosphere at the set. And, this person acted perfectly again.
Ikuta: It was the movie “Crows ZERO” that made me feel that “I’ve been beaten!!” When men look at Oguri Shun, they think “he’s cool” and I felt they watched him with a bang. I can’t act as Takiya Genji.
The both of them definitely check out each other’s works.
Ikuta: He let me read the script of “Surely Someday”. I was honestly happy for him when I heard he was directing it. That’s because I’ve seen him working hard at realizing his dream.
Oguri: I haven’t watched “Hanamizuki” but I’ve heard about it from Toma and of course I intend to watch it.
Ikuta: I called him from Hokkaido where we were filming.
Oguri: Takahashi Tsutomu (co-actor in “Crows ZERO”) acted in “Hanamizuki”. When he returned from Hokkaido, he had an “I’m good friends with Toma” look on his face. So I told him, “Tsutomu-kun, sorry but Toma will definitely be chummier with me. Will you quit showing that look?” (laughs)
Oguri-kun and Ikuta-kun are building their strong male friendship as they’re spurred on by each other. What are they aiming for?
Ikuta: For me, it’d have to be co-acting with this guy again. I want to act in a piece of work with Oguri Shun.
Oguri: I want to shoot a movie with Toma and other talented actors around the same age. I talked about this yesterday too. I don’t know what it’ll turn out to be yet but… I want a piece that battles with society. It’s because we’re still in an age where we’re the “youngsters”. I want to shoot a movie that reflects the passion of “youngsters” with Ikuta Toma in it.