TV Guide Person 2013 Vol. 12 - Ohno Satoshi - Ready to Move [1/3]
Have I told you guys that I love translating Ohno's interviews best?
Well, now you have it.
Interviewer Hashimoto Tatsunori sits with Ohno as he reveals his thoughts on singing, dancing, acting, hobbies and family.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
“You’ve lost weight.”
That’s the first thing I said.
I heard that Ohno was going to slim down for the drama, “Kyo no Hi wa Sayonara”, and I’ve seen him on TV programs; but once again, he conveyed his resolve for the project. (People tend to look fatter on TV, so he’s actually much thinner in person.) However, he’s someone who rarely speaks about the thoughts which he hides within his heart. Perhaps it’s also because we’re both men. Although I’ve asked him point blank questions numerous times in previous interviews, he always manages to evade it in an absentminded manner… That’s how it felt like, I guess. However, as someone who is honored to watch him whenever he takes on something, once again, I wanted to ask, “What’s the driving force in Ohno Satoshi’s life?”
The drama cast was just announced the other day. I saw the four members of the Fujioka family on the morning news, and it just felt right.
“That’s right. Miura Tomokazu-san and Kishimoto Kayoko-san. And Mimura-san. That wasn’t the first time we had met each other, but it was our first time working together. Was Miura-san the only one whom I was meeting for the first time…? But it felt good, it was as if I had known them from way back.”
Perhaps it’s because the Ohno family is structured the same way?
“You’re right. I have a dad, mom and an older sister. [T/N: Ohno uses the more affectionate term, Tou-chan, Kaa-chan, Nee-chan.] I was attached to them ever since the scene where the four of us first gathered around the dining table. The seating position was the same as my family’s. That’s probably a factor too. (laughs)”
Kishimoto-san looked like she could be your mother.
“Oh man, the way she’s always laughing… Because she’s a lot like my mom, I felt so reassured even though it was my first time working with her. Miura-san, too… he trusts in Kouta, and even though various things happen, he’s a father who doesn’t nag too much. Mimura-san, who plays my sister, is also a cheerful person. It felt just like my real family.”
And because it felt just like your real family, did it happen? In a role where you have 3 months left to live, did your family come to mind? Was it tough at some points?
“Yeah it was. It would suddenly come to my mind when I was on set. Kouta was a character who dropped out of university without finding what he wanted to do… That could have happened to me too. If I hadn’t been told to go to Hawaii (for my debut), it was very probable that I would have been in a different world. Parts of my personality are similar to Kouta’s. When I imagined, “If I were in Kouta’s situation, what would my real family think?” I felt really sad in various scenes. Of course, I portrayed Kouta with the intention of showing his forward-looking perspective to real life patients who were suffering.
Before your debut, you aspired to be an illustrator and wanted to quit being a Johnny.
“Yeah. But even that was due to the fact that I got to meet various people through my time in JE. If I had lived like a regular guy, I would have just “liked drawing”, and that would have been the end of it… Now I’m grateful that I’ve encountered dancing and singing, but I think I would have just lived my life without thinking too much about it.
If memory serves me right, when you appeared in the stage play “KYO TO KYO”, you began to draw properly after the makeup artist taught you about art in detail, didn’t you?
“Yes. You have a good memory! (laughs) When I was 16, for 2 years I lived in Kyoto, performing on a stage reserved for JE. I felt like I couldn’t see my future before me, or rather, it was the age whereby a high school student would determine his career path. Then I thought, I’d like to try becoming an illustrator. But I had fun singing and dancing too, so on second thought, I felt that I would be able to continue drawing even after my debut.”
I see. So you were able to empathize quite a bit with Kouta, who was lost about his future, right?
“That’s why, even though I wouldn’t go to the extent of saying that Kouta is just like me, I projected a lot of myself onto him. When Kouta was on his deathbed, he would have wanted to stay at home. Although I think he wanted to spend his last moments with his family, I would have done the same thing. In that sense, I’ve never really prepared for a role that way.
How about your weight? I heard Tomokazu-san [T/N: the actor portraying Ohno’s father] comment that you restricted your diet.
“Well… I didn’t drink any alcohol. And I also ate less rice. It was nothing spectacular. In any case, I’m the kind who loses weight whenever I began filming a drama.”
Come to think of it, that’s probably true.
“That’s probably because I eat at fixed timings (during drama season), right? My life follows a daily routine. (laughs)”
Aiba-chan also mentioned this when I interviewed him for TV Guide Person; apparently a man’s bodily constitution changes every 8 years while a woman’s constitution changes every 7 years.
“Really. Why, that’s my age. (Ohno was 32 at the time of this interview, which is a multiple of 8.)”
How about it? Has your physical strength ebbed or something?
“The strange thing is, it hasn’t. If I had to say, my body feels sharper than it was during certain years in my twenties. I guess it feels lighter now that I’ve lost weight! (laughs)”
Talking about cycles, Arashi is hosting 24 Hour Television every 4 years.
“2004 and 2008. And last year, yes.”
In particular, you held your first art exhibition, “FREESTYLE”, in 2008, and starred in your first leading role for a drama, “Maou”. It was a defining year for Ohno Satoshi, and for Arashi, which experienced a rapid increase in popularity.
“I remember thinking that the year before coincided with the Olympics, that’s about it. Now that you’ve mentioned it, 2008 might have been a turning point for Arashi and myself.”
Maou’s theme song, “truth”, was Arashi’s first single to top the charts for that year.
“Is that so. We’ve hosted 24 Hour Television for 2 consecutive years now.”
I would like to look forward to the beginning of a new era for Arashi.
“I wonder how things will go… I really don’t understand stuff like that. (laughs)”
During the photo shoot, even though Ohno said he was tired from jumping, we had him dance for a short while and sweat it out. He normally appears mild-mannered and unassuming, but he delivers when he has to. Next up, we’ll close in on Ohno’s honest feelings.
Scans: satopi
This translation dedicated to all the Blues on my T-list who have nudged me to do this. You know who you are. *shifty eyes*
Well, now you have it.
Interviewer Hashimoto Tatsunori sits with Ohno as he reveals his thoughts on singing, dancing, acting, hobbies and family.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
“You’ve lost weight.”
That’s the first thing I said.
I heard that Ohno was going to slim down for the drama, “Kyo no Hi wa Sayonara”, and I’ve seen him on TV programs; but once again, he conveyed his resolve for the project. (People tend to look fatter on TV, so he’s actually much thinner in person.) However, he’s someone who rarely speaks about the thoughts which he hides within his heart. Perhaps it’s also because we’re both men. Although I’ve asked him point blank questions numerous times in previous interviews, he always manages to evade it in an absentminded manner… That’s how it felt like, I guess. However, as someone who is honored to watch him whenever he takes on something, once again, I wanted to ask, “What’s the driving force in Ohno Satoshi’s life?”
The drama cast was just announced the other day. I saw the four members of the Fujioka family on the morning news, and it just felt right.
“That’s right. Miura Tomokazu-san and Kishimoto Kayoko-san. And Mimura-san. That wasn’t the first time we had met each other, but it was our first time working together. Was Miura-san the only one whom I was meeting for the first time…? But it felt good, it was as if I had known them from way back.”
Perhaps it’s because the Ohno family is structured the same way?
“You’re right. I have a dad, mom and an older sister. [T/N: Ohno uses the more affectionate term, Tou-chan, Kaa-chan, Nee-chan.] I was attached to them ever since the scene where the four of us first gathered around the dining table. The seating position was the same as my family’s. That’s probably a factor too. (laughs)”
Kishimoto-san looked like she could be your mother.
“Oh man, the way she’s always laughing… Because she’s a lot like my mom, I felt so reassured even though it was my first time working with her. Miura-san, too… he trusts in Kouta, and even though various things happen, he’s a father who doesn’t nag too much. Mimura-san, who plays my sister, is also a cheerful person. It felt just like my real family.”
And because it felt just like your real family, did it happen? In a role where you have 3 months left to live, did your family come to mind? Was it tough at some points?
“Yeah it was. It would suddenly come to my mind when I was on set. Kouta was a character who dropped out of university without finding what he wanted to do… That could have happened to me too. If I hadn’t been told to go to Hawaii (for my debut), it was very probable that I would have been in a different world. Parts of my personality are similar to Kouta’s. When I imagined, “If I were in Kouta’s situation, what would my real family think?” I felt really sad in various scenes. Of course, I portrayed Kouta with the intention of showing his forward-looking perspective to real life patients who were suffering.
Before your debut, you aspired to be an illustrator and wanted to quit being a Johnny.
“Yeah. But even that was due to the fact that I got to meet various people through my time in JE. If I had lived like a regular guy, I would have just “liked drawing”, and that would have been the end of it… Now I’m grateful that I’ve encountered dancing and singing, but I think I would have just lived my life without thinking too much about it.
If memory serves me right, when you appeared in the stage play “KYO TO KYO”, you began to draw properly after the makeup artist taught you about art in detail, didn’t you?
“Yes. You have a good memory! (laughs) When I was 16, for 2 years I lived in Kyoto, performing on a stage reserved for JE. I felt like I couldn’t see my future before me, or rather, it was the age whereby a high school student would determine his career path. Then I thought, I’d like to try becoming an illustrator. But I had fun singing and dancing too, so on second thought, I felt that I would be able to continue drawing even after my debut.”
I see. So you were able to empathize quite a bit with Kouta, who was lost about his future, right?
“That’s why, even though I wouldn’t go to the extent of saying that Kouta is just like me, I projected a lot of myself onto him. When Kouta was on his deathbed, he would have wanted to stay at home. Although I think he wanted to spend his last moments with his family, I would have done the same thing. In that sense, I’ve never really prepared for a role that way.
How about your weight? I heard Tomokazu-san [T/N: the actor portraying Ohno’s father] comment that you restricted your diet.
“Well… I didn’t drink any alcohol. And I also ate less rice. It was nothing spectacular. In any case, I’m the kind who loses weight whenever I began filming a drama.”
Come to think of it, that’s probably true.
“That’s probably because I eat at fixed timings (during drama season), right? My life follows a daily routine. (laughs)”
Aiba-chan also mentioned this when I interviewed him for TV Guide Person; apparently a man’s bodily constitution changes every 8 years while a woman’s constitution changes every 7 years.
“Really. Why, that’s my age. (Ohno was 32 at the time of this interview, which is a multiple of 8.)”
How about it? Has your physical strength ebbed or something?
“The strange thing is, it hasn’t. If I had to say, my body feels sharper than it was during certain years in my twenties. I guess it feels lighter now that I’ve lost weight! (laughs)”
Talking about cycles, Arashi is hosting 24 Hour Television every 4 years.
“2004 and 2008. And last year, yes.”
In particular, you held your first art exhibition, “FREESTYLE”, in 2008, and starred in your first leading role for a drama, “Maou”. It was a defining year for Ohno Satoshi, and for Arashi, which experienced a rapid increase in popularity.
“I remember thinking that the year before coincided with the Olympics, that’s about it. Now that you’ve mentioned it, 2008 might have been a turning point for Arashi and myself.”
Maou’s theme song, “truth”, was Arashi’s first single to top the charts for that year.
“Is that so. We’ve hosted 24 Hour Television for 2 consecutive years now.”
I would like to look forward to the beginning of a new era for Arashi.
“I wonder how things will go… I really don’t understand stuff like that. (laughs)”
During the photo shoot, even though Ohno said he was tired from jumping, we had him dance for a short while and sweat it out. He normally appears mild-mannered and unassuming, but he delivers when he has to. Next up, we’ll close in on Ohno’s honest feelings.
Scans: satopi
This translation dedicated to all the Blues on my T-list who have nudged me to do this. You know who you are. *shifty eyes*