switcher-roo

Switch - April
sorry this took so long.. various real life issues got in the way.. ^^; it was a little hard in some places as well.. but at least it'll give you a good idea :)
coloring is also being very stupid.. sorry if some of the gray is missing ):

Day 1　相葉雅紀　リハ用スタジオ
　この日、相葉はこちらを笑顔で迎えてくれた。だがその笑顔にいつもの人懐っこさは無かった。二年振りの舞台「グリーンフィンガーズ」の初日を四日後に控えた緊張感と重ねてきた稽古のせいか、その表情からは精悍さが強く感じられる。
「明日から劇場に入るんです。本番前が一番気持ちが揺れる時期なんで、いろいろなラインを探りながらやっています」
・久々の舞台だけど、“相葉ちゃんの演技”自体、他の四人に比べるとレアですね。
「そうなんですよね。でも舞台は好きです。本番ももちろんだけど、稽古が好きなんです。何ヵ月かの間、身体が空いている時間はすべて稽古場に来る。修行じゃないけど、怒られたり褒められたりして精神的にも肉体的にも引き締まるのが好きなんです」
・今回の囚人という役については？
「リアリティを突き詰めるととても答えが出せなくて。弟殺しの囚人ですからね。俺にも弟がいるんです。でもそんな状況、想像もできない。それでも想像に想像を重ねながら稽古をしてきた感じでしたね」
Day 1 - Aiba Masaki - Rehearsal Studio
Today Aiba greeted us with a smile. But it wasn't his normal lovable smile. Perhaps the fault of his rehearsals and his growing tension with only four days left until opening day for his first stageplay in two years, Greenfingers, but you could really feel the fearlessness in his expression.
"We're going to start using the theater starting tomorrow. Just before the show like this is the worst on your nerves, we'll be sound testing different lines and such."
-It's been awhile since your last stageplay. Your acting is a much rarer sight than the other four members.
"That's true. I like doing stageplays though. The show itself is a given, but I like the rehearsals too. For months you devote your entire self, coming to the practices anytime you're free. It's not training, but in getting scolded and praised, I like how you become enhanced both physically and mentally."
-How did you feel about your role as a prisoner this time?
"If you really think about it realistically, I'm really at a loss of words. I mean he's in there for killing his younger brother. I have a younger brother myself. But I can't even imagine doing that kind of thing. It felt like the things I imagined just kept piling up as I went on with practice."

・演技におけるモチベーションは？
「歌もバラエティも舞台もやることは全部違う。でもゴールは一緒。観てくれる皆さんに届けて、それがきっかけで何か少しでも前向きな気持ちになれる後押しができたらっていうのが、俺はいつも一番の目標だから。舞台にプレッシャーは全然ないんです。キツいこともあるけど、ワクワクする気持ちの方が全然強い。ただ公演一回終えると疲れ果てますけどね。課題もその都度ちゃんと出て来るし。コンサートだって一回終われば小さなダメがいっぱい出る。でもダメって、ダメだから出てくるんじゃなくて、さらにいい方向に持って行こうとするからこそ出てくるものだから」
・同感です。十周年というワードには率直に何を感じますか。
「感謝ですね。その感謝を、たとえばそれこそ九十九年から応援してくれている人達にどうすれば一番伝えることができるのか。そこはすごく悩みます。ただ、記念すべき年ではあるんだけど、振り返るには早い気もするんです。四十歳とかになったらアリかもしれないけど、「まだいいかな」っていう気持ちの方が強い。四人も俺も、少しは変わったこともあるだろうけど、でもやっぱり全然変わっていないと思う」
・変わりませんか？
「変わりませんね。中もいいし、たとえば翔君とで言えば、こないだも一緒に買い物行って。「似合う？」、「いいじゃん」って。デートじゃないんだからと思ったよ。あと「Believe」のPV撮りの直前に、声掛け合って自主練習に集まってみたり」
-What was your motivation in acting?
"It's different for singing, variety shows, and stageplays. But the goal is always the same. It's always about delivering to the people watching, if I can give them support and help them find the courage in themselves, that's always the number one thing for me. There's no pressure at all for plays. There are some tough parts, but my enjoyment overshadows any of that. Though I'm exhaused after just finishing one play. Challenges always come up too. Even concerts have lots of little mistakes pop up. But just because we make mistakes, doesn't mean we're bad, more and more, its exactly because we're purposely taking it in a good direction that it comes up."
-I agree. How does the term "10 year anniversary" make you feel?
"Grateful. And that thanks, just how can we express it to all those people who've supported us, especially those who've been around since 99. That's really been a trouble for me lately. It is a year to be given special notice, but it seems a bit early to be looking back over the years. I might feel it when I'm 40, but I still feel like I'm not ready to yet. I'm sure there are small parts of me and the other four that have changed, but really I don't think we've changed at all."
-You won't change?
"We won't change. We're on such close terms, like with Sho for example, just the other day we went out shopping together. 'How about this one?', 'Looks okay'. I was thinking it's not like we're on a date or something. Also just before shooting for the Believe PV, we talked it over and tried to get together for some volutnary practice."

・相葉雅紀個人で変わったことは？
「一人で出来ることの変化かな。実家にいた頃は洗濯も食事も親まかせでしたから。ウチは両親が共働きだったから、親は俺のご飯を作って仕事に戻ったりしていた。でも時々はそのご飯に好き嫌いとか文句つけて残していたりしていた。今思えばとんでもなかったなと思いますよ」
・他に自分のことで頓着があることは。
「ほとんどないかも。生活に必要最低限のこと以外は。貯金とかもあまり興味が無いし。大事だとわかってはいても、そこに楽しそうな匂いがしないと身体が動かないのかもしれません」
・最近オフは何をしていますか。
「外に出ます。ゴルフや野球に出掛けたり。あとは旅行かな。去年ね、休みが出来た時に、友達と国内旅行に出ようとしたんですよ。でもいつも人任せで悪いから、「今回は俺が幹事をやる」って言って。で、飛行機取ろうとして、俺あろうことか羽田空港に電話しちゃって。宿もホテルに直で電話して。全部正価だからとんでもない金額になって。「こんなの払えるか！」って友達にすげえ怒られた。そりゃそうだよね」
・“相場ちゃん”全開のエピソードだ。
「そんなもんなんですって、俺なんて。いろいろと知らないことだらけですよ。でもだから昔も今も楽しいんですよ」
-Any parts of you personally that have changed?
"Things I can do on my own now I guess. When I was living at home I left everything from laundry to cooking up to my parents. Both of my parents always worked, so they'd make me something to eat then go right back to work. But sometimes I'd complain about the things they'd make or wouldn't eat it all. Now that I think about it, that was just awful of me."
-Is there anything else concerning yourself that you're careful of?
"Probably not. Except just the bare necessities to live. I'm not really interested in things like saving money either. I know it's important, but when I don't sense any fun in something, I just won't start it."
-What have you been doing in your free time lately?
"Going out. For things like golf or baseball. Maybe a trip. Last year when I had some free time, my friends and I made a plan to go somewhere in Japan together. But I'm always just leaving everything up to others, so I said I'd take care of all the arrangements this time. I called up Haneda Airport to try to get a flight, and directly called different hotels and inns too. They all had a fixed price, and it turned out to be a ridiculous amount. My friends got mad at me like "How the hell are we supposed to pay that?!". And it was true."
-A full blown 'Aiba-chan' episode.
"And that's what I am. The world is full of things I have no idea about. But I have fun because of it, both now and back then too."

Day 2　松本潤　映像編集スタジオ
　松本はスタジオで夕飯をとっていた。彼は現場の合間に、DVD「ARASHI AROUND ASIA 2008 in TOKYO」の確認のためここを訪れていた。昨年は二作の映画とTVドラマが続き、今春からもドラマ「スマイル」の現場に入る。食べながらですみませんという詫びを受ける。互いに笑ってしまう。そしてレコーダーのボタンを押す。
「去年は「花男」と「隠し砦」があってドラマにレギュラーもあったから、九月の国立（競技場。コンサート）まで、ずっと四つも五つものことを同時に考えていました。やっと身体が空いた時期は部屋でボーっとして人にもほとんど会わずに。正月明けにやっと友達とアリゾナに行って。プライベートの旅行も三年振りくらいでしたね」
・そうしたピークをどう泳ぎましたか。
「もう逃げでもヤケでもなく、最低限の武器で全力を出して立ち向かうぞっていう覚悟で進んでいった感じでした」
・国立の後はアジアツアーに出た。
「正直ドームとか国立をやらせていただいた後だったんで、アリーナサイズにちょっと戸惑いました。「どう動くんだっけ？」っていう。あと上海が大変だった。演出の規制とか難関がいっぱいで。でも最後は全力で暴れましたけどね。そういえばストーンズの「シャイン・ア・ライト」を観たんですけど、映画の冒頭でミック・ジャガーが曲順考えているシーンを見て感動したな」
Day 2 - Matsumoto Jun - Image Editorial Studio
Matsumoto was taking his evening meal in the studio. He was visiting, between other work, to check over their DVD, Arashi Around Asia 2008 in Tokyo. Last year he was in two films and one tv drama, and now this spring he'll be starting a new drama, Smile. He aplogized to us for having to meet while he was eating. And we both ended up smiling. And so we pressed the record button.
"Last year I had both 'HanaDan' and 'KakushiTori', along with a regular drama, so up until the concert at the National Stadium in September, I always had about 4 or 5 things on my mind at all times. So once I finally got some free time, I just sat around spacing out in my room not even seeing anyone at all. When the New Years came I finally got to go with some friends to Arizona. It had been probably about 3 years since my last private vacation like that."
-How did you get through it all?
"There's no giving up or running away, I just kinda prepared myself for a fight and kept moving forwards always giving my best effort."
-After the National Stadium you proceeded onto an Asia tour.
"Since it was after performing at places like the dome or the National Stadium, working with an arena size place again was a bit of a bother. "How did we do this before?" kinda thing. Shanghai was rough too. There were tons of restrictions on what we could and couldn't do. But we struggled through to the end. That reminds me, I watched the Stones, Shine A Light, but I was really moved when I saw the scene with Mick Jagger at the beginning working on the song lists."

・それは「ミックもなんだ」っていう共感から？
「そう。俺にはあんなに余裕はないけどね」
・思えば三年前嵐に出会うまで、松本潤を中心にメンバー自身がコンサートの構成を考えているなんて知らなかった。
「本来知られていなくてもいいことだし。やっぱり前のツアーが確実に次のツアーに繋がる。どれが欠けていても今この瞬間のステージは作られないと思います。でも最近はどこかのタイミングで作り方を変えてもいいのかなって考えることもあって」
・たとえば具体的に言うと？
「お客さんの声を反映させるとか俺らいがいの人の声が加わるとか。ただ仮にストーンズやサザンさんなら三十年なり四十年分の歴史や想い出があるけど、俺らは十年だから成立するかな、とか考えてみたり」
・仮に、時系列っていう手法は？
「失敗する、と俺は思う。年表みたく並べると成長や抑揚って見えづらくなるから」
・そうか。では成長で語る嵐の十年は？
「ファンのみんなのおかげでいろんな経験をさせてもらいました。十三歳でジャニーズ入って今二十六で、人生の半分以上この仕事だった。さすがに「あっという間でした」とはいえない気持ちもありますね」
-Because you felt a connection with him, like 'Oh Mick does it too..'?
"Yeah. Mine wasn't on a scope like his though."
-Now that I think on it, I never knew that you had worked out all the concert details until we met 3 years ago.
"Because it's not something people really need to know. The previous tours definetly have tie ins to this one too. If only one of them had been missing, I don't think we'd have been able to create the stage we did. But lately I've been thinking maybe it'd be okay even if we changed the way we make things at some other time."
-If you were to give a more specific example?
"Like letting the fans voice their opinion, or having someone other than us affecting things. Like for example, the (Rolling) Stones or Southern (All Stars) have 30 or 40 years of history and memories together, and we have ten years, so I wonder things like whether we'll make it that far."
-Like using a chronological order for instance?
"I don't think it'd work. When you line it all up like a yearly chart, it becomes hard to see the growth or any special accents."
-I see. Then how about your growth as Arashi over these 10 years?
"We've been allowed to undertake so many things because of our fans. I joined Johnny's when I was 13, and soon I'll be 26, so I've spent almost half my life doing this job. So there is a part of me that can't really admit it all happened in the blink of an eye, even though it feels that way."

・観る側だった少年がアイドルという“観られる側”になった時間でもあった。
「ええ。アイドルとして期待されるのは嬉しいんです。ただ、ある取材で俺が、「長く応援してくれることも嬉しいけど、嵐が誰かの生活の楽しいキッカケに一瞬でもなれればもう満足だ」みたいな話をしたら、後で「そんなネガティブなことを言わないで」っていう声が届いたことがあって。「難しいな」って悩む日もありますね」
・ただ期待は大きいからこそ応え甲斐があるとも言える。
「ええ。不思議であり貴重な職業だと思いますよ。人が人を観て気持ちが動くんですから。そこに何かしらの代償が必要なのも頭では理解してるし。でもその期待に応えるためにこそ、俺自身は血が通った一人の人間なんだってことを意識していたい。自分を特別だって周りが言ってくれても、自分でそう認めることはしたくない」
・それが松本潤のルール？
「はい。許容してもらえたら嬉しいけど」
・今後の嵐や自分にビジョンはある？
「個人的には仮に五年後、その時に自分がどう思われて、どんなクリエイティブに関われるのか。それが十年分を基盤にしたこれからにかかっているんだと思います。嵐については...常にせめぎあっていたい。五人それぞれに種を持ち寄って、いつも新しい芽が出て。その上でその時それぞれ一番興味のあることに向かっていける場所であればいいですね」
-There's also that moment when you switched from the kid that watches idols on tv, to becoming the one being watched.
"Yeah. I'm happy to be sought after like an idol. In one interview I had, I mentioned something like "I'm glad to have fans following us for so long, but I'm more than content if Arashi can bring even just a single instant of something fun to other's lives", and afterwards I had someone tell me I shouldn't say such negative things like that. So there are days where I'm upset with how hard it can be too."
-You could also say that its exactly because of the high expectations that such responses exist.
"Yeah. I think of it as a mysterious, yet precious profession. People watch other people and find themselves moved. So I can understand how they'd desire something in return. But in order to live up to those expectations, I want to exist as a just another solitary, living human being. Even when everyone else around me goes around calling me special, I don't really want to admit to it so much myself."
-Is that one of your personal rules?
"Yeah. I'd be happy if I could be allowed though."
-Do you have a vision for the future Arashi or yourself?
"For me personally, like how other people will see me five years from now, or what kinds of interesting things I"ll be involved in then? I think that's all reliant upon the things coming up now. For Arashi... I always want to be in conflict. We each bring in our own peice of the world, always letting something new blossom. I just think it's best when we're all just following our own interests of the moment."

Day 3　大野智　Switch編集部
　おやようっす。その挨拶の言葉通り、リーダーは寝起きだった。ドラマ「歌のお兄さん」の収録が佳境に入り、睡眠時間の少なさも手伝って移動車のなかで眠っていたという。過密なスケジュールが窺える。話を訊くのもやや気が引けるが、とは言え遠慮をしてもらいられない。
「ドラマは「魔王」が終わってまたすぐやるなんて思ってなかったの。俺、連続ドラマは「魔王」が初めてだったから、ひとつの役に三ヵ月も入ったままでいるのはしんどかった。終わってもしばらく役が抜けなかった。でも「歌のおにいさん」の現場に入ってみて、段取りとかリズムとか、前より勝手が分かっている自分に気が付いてね」
・たとえばこれまでは舞台ならまず理想型を頭に描いて、そこにむかって稽古と本番を重ねるというアプローチでした。
「ドラマはないよ。舞台とは別。まだ二回目だし、最後に自分がどんな姿なのか想像もつかない。だから、楽しむことが最優先。自分の着地点よりも、スタッフやキャストのみんなやTVを観ている人達が楽しんでくれたらいいなって、そればかりだよ」
Day 3 - Ohno Satoshi - Switch Editing Room
"Morning." Just as his greeting implies, Leader had just woken up. As his drama, Uta no Oniisan, reaches its climax, in order to help out his lack of sleep, it seems he was sleeping in the car. One can only assume he has a crazy schedule. It feels little awkward to be asking things, but even so we can't not ask either.
"I never thought I'd be doing another drama so soon after Maou. Maou was my first drama series, so becoming and existing as a single role like that for three months was tiring. I couldn't quite get out of my character for awhile though, even after fiming had ended. But when I started working on Uta no Oniisan, I realized the overall setup and pace was more convenient for me."
-Well if you take your stageplays up until now, you always approached it by envisioning the ideal image in your head, then build it up through rehearsals and the actual show itself.
"Not for dramas. They're different from stageplays. This is only my second time doing a drama, but I can't imagine what I'll be like at the end of it at all. The most important thing is to have fun. It's not about me though, it's always about the staff or cast or all the people watching, I just want them to enjoy themselves."

・「歌のおにいさん」の、あの望んでいないのに成り行きでスターになっちゃう主人公の設定は、デビュー前に何度も「辞める」って言っていた自分と重なる？
「それはあるね。最初は俺も少し役を作ろうと思っていたんだけど、プロデューサーの方が「そのままでいい」って。「ああ、そういうことなのかな」って」
・劇中で子供と接するのは楽しい？
「俺ね、以外と苦手じゃないんだよ。番組のロケでも結構あったし。何十人もまとめてこられるとさすがに体力奪われるけど」
・さすがにドラマが続くと絵を描いたり釣りに出掛ける時間も無い？
「うん。だから現場を離れて気がつくと釣りのことばかり考えている。絵もいいけど、今は釣りだね。海釣り。朝方船で出てさ」
・釣りのどこに惹かれますか？
「自然の中にいるのが好きなの。単に気持ちいい。だから釣れなくても楽しい。でも待っている間は“無”だね。俺ね、釣りで無心が始めて解った」
・時間が許せば毎日でも生きたい？
「もちろん。釣れても釣れなくてもまたすぐ行きたくなる。でもそうもいかないから、今は「まあいいか」って」
-With a main character who unwillingly becomes a star like that, did it overlap for you with your own self at your debut talking about quitting over and over?
"Yeah. At first I thought of trying to get into character at least a little, but the producer told me I'm fine just as I am. "Ah, so that's what you wanted."
-Was it fun to interact with kids on the set?
"I'm actually not bad with them at all. They were often around, even when we would go on location places. But it does tax your strength when you get that many kids all at once."
-As the drama progressed, I assume any time you had for drawing or fishing all but disappeared?
"Yeah. So I'd always find myself thinking about fishing whenever I wasn't on the set. I like drawing too, but right now I'm into fishing. Fishing at sea. Where you get up and leave early on a boat."
-What part of fishing is attractive to you?
"I like just being among nature. It just feels nice. So I'll have fun even if I don't catch anything. But it really is this feeling of 'nothingness' while you're waiting on a bite. I think the first time I found true inner peace was with fishing."
-If you had the time, would you want to do it everyday?
"Of course. I always want to go right back, whether I catch anything or not. But it can't be, so for now I just think "oh well."

・それは「今は頑張り時だから」みたいな意識ということ？
「頑張り時っていうか、いい経験の時期なんだろうなっていう感じ。そういうことをあれこれ考えた時期もあったけど、途中で面倒くさくなっちゃってさ。俺の場合、考えても変わらないし、考えれば考えるほど、逆に縮こまったり悪い状況になる。自由が減っちゃう気がするんだよ」
・リーダーらしい。嵐の十年を問われたら大野智は何と答えますか？
「早いっちゃ早いし長いっちゃ長かった。ただ、何も考えないできたわけじゃない。そうだな...地道だったかな」
・地道、ですか？
「地道。近道はしてこなかった。誰だって地味な努力ってしたくないじゃん？でも嵐は今思われているよりしてきた方だと思う。こんな話はあまりしたくないけど」
・四人の昔と今をどう感じますか？
「変わらないけど大人にはなった。あとバラエティ番組とか頭の回転が速くてすげえなって。俺は出来てねえなって思うよ」
・大野智はどう？変わらない？
「俺は一番変わってない？時間は昔の方が融通効いたけど、その分昔とは違う自由もあるし。個展とか、いい経験もいっぱいあたしね。海でも何でも、気持ちのいい場所が好きなんだよ...でも本当は、もうちょい釣りに行ける時間があると言うことないかもね」
-Because you realize that now is the time to put in all your efforts?
"I guess, it feels more like now is good experience. There was a time when I used to think of those little things, but along the way it just become kinda burdensome. For me, it's not going to change even if I think about it, so the more I think about it, I feel confined and start to dislike it even more. It feels like I'm losing my freedom."
-Just like a leader. If you were inquired as to Arashi's 10 years together, how would you respond?
"It was short, and it was long. Just, it's not like we made it this far without thinking of anything. Yeah... I guess it was straightforward."
-Straightforward?
"Yeah. We didn't take any shortcuts. No one really wants to take such a boring route, right? But I think its more of what we've done along the way, than how we're seen now. I don't really want to talk about it so much though."
-How do you see the other four members now versus back then?
"They've grown up, but haven't changed. Also, they've gotten much better at talking on variety shows and such. I don't think I can do it though."
-What about yourself? Have you changed?
"I'm the least changed? I used to be more flexible with time before, but now in place of that I have different freedoms. I've had many good things happen, like my exhibition. I like places that make me feel good, like the sea or wherever. ... but really I don't have anything to say except wishing I had just a little more time for fishing."

Day 4　二宮和也　ラジオ用スタジオ
　静まり返ったスタジオはさっきまで二宮の軽妙なトークによって何度となく笑いが起こっていた。ラジオ番組「BAY STORM」の収録現場。その表情がTVのそれよりも幾分リラックスしていたように見えたのは、気のせいでもなかったようだ。
「ラジオは楽しいですよ。独特な自由度。本当に得意って言える唯一の仕事かもしれない。雑という軽いでしょ？六年になるけどゲストを呼んだこともないしね」
・元々ラジオ体験っていうのはあった？
「十四、五歳のあたりでもうラジオに出ていたから、聴くより出るほうが先でした。最近はラジオの聴き方が分からないっていう若い子も多いらしいですね」
・去年は「流星の絆」、この本が出る頃には「DOOR TO DOOR」というスペシャルドラマが放送される。あいかわらず演技について話すのは落ち着かない？
「むしろ苦手の域ですね...でも恵まれていますよ。いい作品に呼ばれて、いろんな人達とお仕事させてもらって」
Day 4 - Ninomiya Kazunari - Radio Studio
The now silent studio had just moments before been filled with Ninomiya's witty talking, producing countless little smiles. We were at the recording studio for his radio show, Bay Storm. It seems it wasn't just our imagination that he seemed somewhat more relaxed here than if he was on TV.
"Doing radio is fun. A unique degree of freedom. It might just be the only job I have that I can say I"m good at. It's miscellaneous and light, right? It's been about 6 years since I started, but we've never once had a guest on."
-Did you have experience with radio originally?
"I was appearing on the radio since I was around 14 or 15, so I was on it more than I listened to it. It seems that lately a lot of younger kids don't really get listening to radios anymore."
-Last year was Ryuusei no Kizuna, and about the time this magazine comes out you'll have a special drama, Door to Door, being shown. As always, doesn't talking of acting relax you?
"It's actually a weak area for me.... but I am blessed with it. I get asked to do such amazing productions, and work with so many different people."

・出演作をあらためて観直すことは？
「ないです。まったく。現場でも監督に言われなければモニターチェックもしないから。全部撮り終えた時点で完成だと思っているんですね。こういう物差しは人それぞれだと思うけど、ともかく俺は作る過程が楽しい人なので。それがすべて。だから極端な話、現場が楽しかったらそれでいい。それで結果が付けばラッキーっていう」
・では演技における二宮和也のモットーとは？
「その時に想定できる一番ベタな感情の真逆でお芝居をしたりする。簡単に言えば笑っているシーンで泣いてみたりとか。僕はちゃんとレッスンを積んだ役者ではないので、現場で御一緒する俳優の方々がちゃんと監督のリクエストに応える姿を見ると、素直にカッコいいなと思います。その引き出しの多さに感動する。でも一方で、じゃあ俺がこの現場に呼ばれている意味は何なのか、とも考える。そんなある種の違和感みたいなものが無くなれば、演技ももう少しやり易いのかもしれないんだけど」
・なるほど。嵐で十年を過ぎましたね。
「誰が言ったか忘れたけど、「人生は振り返るには短か過ぎる」って言葉があって。こういう取材にはうってつけだと思って覚えていて...俺ね、写真ってあまり持っていなくて。それこそ雑誌でいい服着せてもらって五人で撮られる写真が記念写真。だから五人で毎月想い出作っているようなもんですよ。十周年はありがたいけど、俺にはむしろ十よりも四とか八っていう数の方がピンとくるんだよな」
-Do you ever revisit your previous works?
"No. Not at all. I won't even check the monitor if the director doesn't ask me to. I concider it a finished thing once we've finished all the filming. I think such decisions are different depending on the person, but in the end I'm just a person who enjoys the making of it. That's everything for me. So on one extreme, I'm fine as long as the set is fun. I guess I'm lucky that's all it takes for me."
-Well then what is your personal motto regarding acting?
"Trying to act out the most unnatural emotions I possibly can for that moment. To put it more simply, trying to cry in a scene where we're laughing. I'm not an actor who's taken any proper lessons, so when I see the other actors I work with doing just as the director asks of them, I'm always so awed. I'm moved by their many facets. But on the other hand, I'll also wonder just why they called me to work on it anyhow. I'd probably have a much easier time acting though, if I could only get rid of that feeling of being out of place."
-I see. You've been with Arashi for 10 years now haven't you.
"I don't remember who said it, but there's a saying, "Life is too short to be looking back on." I thought this interview was really perfect and remembered it... I don't really have, or keep pictures. So because of that, coming here and being allowed to wear such nice clothing, and have our pictures taken together, those are my memorial photos. So it's like we're creating memories together every month. I'm grateful for our 10 year anniversary, but for me, numbers like 4 or 8 hit much closer to home."

・四と八？
「俺らバレーボールのワールドカップでデビューしたでしょ？だからHey! Say! JUMPがデビューすると、「俺らもう八年目なの？」とか「V6は十二年か」って思う。リーダーなんか去年「十年ばかり騒ぐと九年目がかわいそうだ」って言ってたし。でも嵐は祝われないよりも祝われたほうが嬉しい人達の集まりでもあるから、結局「おめでとう」なんていわれると盛り上がっちゃうんだけどさ」
・歳を重ねることをどう感じますか？
「楽しいですよ。あまりにも未知で。俺ね、ノストラダムスの大予言を本気で信じてたから、世紀未が来て十六で死ぬって本気で思っていたんですよ。でもいまだいっこうに死ぬ気配がない。大予言もいいとこだよ。貯金叩いて好きなゲーム全部買ってやると思ってたからね」
・他の面ではすごくリアルストなのに。
「メンタルが弱いんですよ。先のことを考えることに耐えられないの。二〇〇〇年問題の時も、機械全部止まったら死ぬとかマジに怯えていましたからね」
・それでも二宮さんは小誌の二年前の特集で、嵐というアイドルの未来に理想的なビジョンを抱いていることも話していた。
「ああ、「単なる五人のアンちゃんがどこまで飛べるか」ってヤツね。それは変わっていません。“若さ”も“老い”が、“楽しい”も“辛い”がなきゃ語れないわけであって。そういう意味では十年とはつまり嵐のすべてある、といえると思います」
-Four or Eight?
"We debuted along with the Volleyball World Cup, right? So when Hey! Say! JUMP debuted, i was like 'So we're already in the 8th year?" or "So V6 is in their 12th year". Last year Leader mentioned, "If they make this big of a fuss over our 10th year, I kinda feel bad for our 9th one." Arashi is more likely to be celebrated than not, and also seen as a gathering of happy people, so in the end if we're told 'Congratulations!', w'ere going to end up having fun and getting excited."
-How do you feel about getting older?
"I enjoy it. There's so much I don't know yet. I really believed in Nostradamus's predictions, so I really thought I was going to die at 16 when the new century came. But so far there aren't any signs of dying. The prophecies were a good thing to me. I thought i'd abuse my savings and go to the store and buy all the games I liked and play them."
-Even though you're such a realist normally.
"I'm weak mentally. I can't stand thinking about those things we were talking about before. Like in 2000 with all those problems, I was really scared that I'd die when all the machines stopped."
-But even in our special section two years ago, you talked about the ideal vision you had for Arashi as idols in the future.
"Ah, the "just how far can five simple guys go" thing. That hasn't changed. If we're not both 'old' and 'young', both 'fun' and 'hard', we can't talk. So because of that, I think you could say that of 10 years, or the whole of Arashi."

Day 5　櫻井翔　TBSテレビ楽屋
　この時期、五人で最も慌ただしかったのがラストの櫻井だった。映画「ヤッターマン」の公開に向けた取材やイベントが、レギュラーの仕事の合間にびっしりと詰まっていた。音楽番組の収録の合間。楽屋でテーブルを挟んで、まずはNYプレミアの感想からまず彼は語りはじめる。
「アメリカでのCool Japan現象っていうのは俺の予想以上でした。本屋に行けばMANGAっていうコーナーがアメコミより広い面積を使ってたり。コミコンっていうイベントに行ったんだけど、みんな日本のマンガのコスプレとかしていて、作品の名前とか言われるんだけど、俺、マンガ詳しくないから全然知らなくって。ちょっと反省させられました」
・当初は「ヤッターマン」のオファーを受けるかどうか悩んだと聞いています。
「そうですね。リスクを感じたというか、聞いた瞬間はさすがに自分のキャリアにおいてどういう位置づけになるのかがイメージできなかったんです。でも監督が三池さんで、細かい内容を聞き進んでいくうちに「これはスゴそうだな」って」
・相変わらずリスクヘッジだ。でも今ふと思ったけど、石橋を叩いて渡らなかったことって、実のところどのくらい...。
「えっ...あれ、ないかも。そっかあ！だから結局感じたりスクが勘違いや取り越し苦労だったかどうかも、きっとその後の自分の動き方次第なんですよ。それも分かっちゃいるんですけどね！」
Day 5 - Sakurai Sho - TBS TV dressing room
The busiest of the five, and also the last, is Sakurai. Interviews and events for his upcoming movie release, Yattaman, are closely packed together between his normal work. We meet during an interval between taping for a music program. We brought a table into the dressing room, and he began to talk of his impressions of the premier in NY first.
"The 'cool Japan' phenomenon in America was even bigger than I had imagined. If you go to a bookstore, the section for 'manga' took up a larger area than for their own comics. I went to see the Comicon itself too, and there were people dressing up like manga characters. They told me which characters they were, but I'm really not into manga at all, so I had no idea. It really made me think."
-I heard that you were hesitant at first when you were offered the role in Yattaman.
"I was. It kinda seemed like a risk, I couldn't really picture how it would fit in with my career at the time I heard about it. But with Miike as the director, the more I heard about the details of it, the more I started to like it."
-Avoiding risks as always. I was just thinking, just how many times have you tested the waters, but still not gone through with something...
"Eh... I don't think it's like that. Oh I get it! So whether the risks I felt were just misunderstandings or my own over-anxieties, is surely dependent on how I move later. I know that too though!"

・元々この作品は「アニメでバラエティ番組を作ろう」っていう志で作られた。そういう意味では嵐に近いとも言える。
「それは笹川（ひろし。アニメ「ヤッターマン」総監督）さんともお話ししました。だから映画版も、見終わった後にスカッとしてもらえたらそれで成功だと思う。なんか景気悪いとか元気がないとか言われているんで、元気が出る映画になれば、と」
・時事で言えば、報道番組でのキャリアも長くなってきた。
「はい。インタビューも、教わりながらではなく、回数を重ねて自分なりにやっている感じなんで、いまだに手探りですけど」
・でも僭越ながら最初に比べると確実に上達してきた印象を受けますよ？
「何かイヤだな。でも思えばSwitchとか他のメディアとか、俺はインタビューアさんの数だけは無数に見てきたわけで」
・何かイヤだな。急に話しづらくなる。
「ふふふ。でしょ？」
・あの番組で興味深いのは、櫻井さんは“櫻井翔”なわけだから、ともすれば対談としても成立するのにあくまでインタビュアーのスタンを守っている点です。
「それはアスリートの方々に対する敬意からです。あとは視聴者の方々の達和感を少しでも和らげたいから。俺はプロじゃないんで、プレーについて細やかに訊けるわけじゃない。その分、あくまで二十七歳の自分の視点で訊けること、訊きたいことにフォーカスを絞ることで、お茶の間で観てもらい易い会話を心がけているんです」
-Originally it was made with the intention of, 'let's make a variety show through anime'. So with that you could almost say Arashi is a kind of similar.
"I talked about that with Sasagawa (Hiroshi, general director for the anime, Yattaman) too. So in the film version too, if after watching it they can feel refreshed, I'd consider it a success. I'm told things like it has a bad condition, or it's not energetic, so I hope it can become a film that cheers you up."
-Speaking on more current terms, you've been working on your news program for awhile now.
"Yes. Interviewing as well, it's not so much learning as it feels like I'm just building more and more experience in my own way, but I still fumble sometimes."
-But if you'll allow me to be so forward, I get the impression that you've definitely improved compared to how you started out.
"Somehow that's bad isn't it. But now when I think of it, Switch and other media, it's because I've always just seen all the interviewers up until now as some infinite number."
-Somehow that's bad isn't it. It's suddenly become hard to talk.
"Heheh. Right?"
-The thing that interested me about that show was that you go as "Sakurai Sho", even if you're already prone to conversations, you take this stance of interviewer until the very end.
"That's because of the respect I have for the athletes I meet. I also want to help the listeners feel closer to us, if only a little. I'm no professional, so it's not like I can listen concerning their play in a friendly manner. I just always focus on what my 27year old self can and wants to ask, and work hard to make it a conversation you can easily enjoy from your living room."

・嵐は五人とも年齢が近い。自分の世代をどう解釈していますか？
「「昭和の残党」かな。俺が小学校に入学したのって昭和六十三年なんです。まだ携帯電話も普及しなかった、生活がもう一段便利になる手前の経験をしている世代なんです。だから好きな子の家に電話して親が出ちゃって焦った想い出とかもあるんですよ。今は携帯があるから便利ですよね。それでいて、もう終身雇用制っていう概念を持っていない世代でもある」
・終身雇用かどうかともかく、嵐は十周年を迎えました。
「本当に十年続くとは思っていませんでした。でも年々嵐をやる面白さは増えしてきている。だから十一年目がすごくたのしみですよ。皆さんが祝ってくれる記念日が終わって、最初の一歩にしたいですか？
・どんな一歩にしたいですか？
「どうだろう...ただ言えることは、応援してくれる皆さんの夢たる存在でありたい。それして嵐の五人は前線の五人で、そのうしろにいてくれる数えきれないスタッフの支えや先輩達に感謝しています、と言いたい。この先何が待ち受けているのか。もっと面白いことに出会えるのかどうか。きっと十一年目に、それがかかっているんじゃないかって気がするんですよ」
-All of the members of Arashi are also close in age. How do you view your generation?
"Maybe 'the remnants of Showa'. I entered elementary school in Showa 63. Cell phones weren't so mainstream yet, it's the generation where life began to become easier. So I have memories of stuff like calling a girl's house I liked, and worrying about if her parents would pick up. Now we have cell phones, so it's much easier. And yet, we were also the generation that didn't have the general idea of a system of life employment."
-Whether or not it's life employment or not, Arashi is now looking at 10 years together.
"I really didn't think we would continue on for 10 years. But as the years pass, being a part of Arashi just becomes more and more fun. So I'm really looking forward to our 11th year. Like after everyone has celebrated our anniversary with us, I want to take that first step again afterwards?"
-What kind of step do you want to make?
"I'm not sure... But I can say, we want be the embodiment of all our supporter's dreams. And through that, Arashi only stands in front, we want to give our thanks to all of the uncountable number of staff and elders always behind us. I wonder what's awaiting us in the future. Whether we'll be able to have even more interesting things happen. I'm sure that it's all dependant on our 11th year."

Comments

Yeeya!! I am so eagerly waiting for this one..I have the magazine but Kanji was giving me a hard time..so only able to read hiragana and some parts.lols. Thanks!

Posted by: mitchiko | 03/31/2009 at 08:32 PM