[Translation] Popolo 09/2023 - Snow Meeting, Mukai Koji & Miyadate Ryota interview
Hi everyone! It's been a long while! Even though I have many WIP projects, real life really got in the way this year, so I'm really sorry if I haven't been as active as I was before. I'll try to get back on track and finish the other projects, but for now, here I am with the translation of the latest interview Datekoji had for Popolo mag. If you follow me on twitter, you know how much I love them, so I translated it as soon as it came out. My dear friend Mara ( @mvllas on twitter) helped me with it, so a big thanks goes to her! 💜
N1: I recommend to use the browser to read, in case you use the LJ app.
N2: This post will stay public for the moment, since I'm sharing this interview on twitter.
N3: Sorry if the formatting appears odd at times, LJ's html is sending me insane orz.
Mukai Koji & Miyadate Ryota
A conversation between two very close friends.
Miyadate = Cool
Mukai = Muay Thai?
“Their presence, or rather, the atmosphere around them was cool.” (Mukai)
Mukai: So, first of all, we should talk about our first encounter! However, if we consider when I actually started to develop a connection with Date-san, it wasn’t our first encounter but rather during Shounentachi?
Miyadate: When we first met, I told Mukai-kun, “You’re noisy!”
Mukai: You didn’t tell me that (lol).
Miyadate: Hahah (lol).
Mukai: You fooled around suddenly! You’re such a noisy guy (lol). We never had that kind of talk before (lol).
Miyadate: We didn’t?
Mukai: Without a doubt, I don’t have any memory of you saying that.
Miyadate: Right, I would never say that (lol).
Mukai: As expected, such a conversation didn’t happen in our first encounter. Also, I wouldn’t have annoyed you to the extent of being told that. I mean, you were scary after all (lol). I have the impression that rather than the atmosphere of that situation, everyone’s aura as a whole was cool.
Miyadate: We probably didn’t have a busting and lively aura indeed. Our real first encounter was when we were 11, 12 years old? It was still when Koji used his Muay Thai clothes after all.
Mukai: Ah, right!... No, wait, wait. The Muay Thai era had finished at the time (lol).
Miyadate: What? It had finished?
Mukai: Where the hell is that memory even coming from? (lol)
Miyadate: Sorry, my bad. The impression of you doing Muay Thai is too strong (lol).
So, Date-san laughs this much.
“We also went to Disneyland together, didn’t we?” (Miyadate)
Mukai: I can say it now, but at the time Snow Man was a bit scary as expected. Well, ‘scary’, how to explain it. They were “The Senpais”, kind of? They used to hang chains on their waist, to wear boots which would make a knocking sound on the floor. There was that era. They looked cool, but their aura was a bit scary (lol).
Miyadate: It was the result of the fashion that was popular in those years, and because of the aura which our own admired senpais used to have.
Mukai: To be frank, that’s why we can’t recollect what we talked about during our first encounter, right?
Miyadate: That’s the case, yeah. Even though it’s not like there wasn’t anything. However, we started to actually talk during Shounentachi, like Koji said, when he, (Muro) Ryuta-kun and Nishihata (Daigo) came to Tokyo to do the stage play with us. We would go out to eat, wouldn’t we?
Mukai: Yes! We did, we did!
Miyadate: I remember when we would go home after practice, and then we would go eat and talk about a lot of things.
Mukai: Yeah. We used to do that.
Miyadate: We also went to Disneyland, didn’t we?
Mukai: We did~ (lol)!
Miyadate: I can’t really remember how we first met, but those memories of us having a blast together still feel fresh in my mind.
Mukai: I also have the feeling to have thought, “So, Date-san laughs this much,” when we went to Disneyland. I hadn’t had the impression of you being someone who laughed up until that time.
Miyadate: Because I used to cast smiles aside.
Mukai: Don’t cast them aside (lol).
Miyadate: I would give them to everyone though.
Mukai: Don’t throw smiles away! Pick them up (lol)!
Miyadate: I lied. I didn’t cast them aside. I couldn’t do something like that. Then, I’ll go have my shoot with a smile on (lol).
Mukai: Have fun (lol). Ah, is it alright for me to speak now that Date-san is not here? Can I talk about the things I’d do with Date-san from now on?
Miyadate: Go ahead (lol).
A location shooting trip for two lovable people!
“Looking forward to Date-san’s food reportage on the shooting trip!” (Mukai)
(Miyadate is away because he’s doing his photoshoot)
Mukai: Right, if we talk about something I’d like to try together, going on a location shooting trip! I want to appear on a TV show all about traveling. We would go around a town as we like, taking a walk, talking to the locals, and eating the main dishes of that area. I’d like to enjoy a carefree location shooting. Rather than being in the studio, I want to be right in the heart of the town! Ah! It would be nice if we could also cook something~♪ Like, the two of us making something delicious out of the local products and eating it! That would be the best! I have expectations of Date-san’s comments on the food!
(Miyadate returns from his shooting)
Miyadate: What, what is it? A location shooting trip?
Mukai: I want us to go together!
Miyadate: That’s nice. Let’s do it! When we had the chance to do that before, we had a lot of fun.
Mukai: Yeah. It was lots of fun~
Miyadate: I’d like for us to go somewhere like a shopping district and mingle with a lot of people.
Mukai: That’s right. Since there are a lot of people there, there are many things we can learn from them.
Miyadate: Since we both like interacting with people, it would be nice if we could have a TV show where we cherish that.
Mukai: That’s it. One day, let's definitely do it!
(Miyadate is called for the photoshoot)
Miyadate: Why is it happening that I’m getting called right when we start talking~ (lol).
Mukai: Such an awkward timing (lol).
Their own characters become a firepower.
“Koji is someone who captivates people, he’s loved by everyone.” (Miyadate)
Miyadate: I’ve returned!!
Mukai: Welcome back! Anyways, Date-san. Readers have been saying that we bring the humor to Snow Man!
Miyadate: Eh~, that makes me happy.
Mukai: When we’re together, Date-san usually fools around.
Miyadate: That’s not true. I don’t do that.
Mukai: You’re lying! You do fool around! Just now, and the day before yesterday too?
Miyadate: What?
Mukai: Come on, don’t play innocent. You’re always goofing around.
Miyadate: Is that so?
Mukai: Yes, the day before yesterday too, you were fooling around!
Miyadate: The day before yesterday?
Mukai: When we went out to eat together!
Miyadate: Ah, right. And it was during our private time (lol). If we talk about work, the number of times in which we appear together on TV shows has increased, hasn’t it?
Mukai: It has. I’m grateful about it. When Date-san is around, the other guests and entertainers go all “Data-sama~♡.” It’s hilarious! Having Date-sama as a character adds to our comedic arsenal, and it’s really reassuring!
Miyadate: Thank you very much (lol). Koji can get along with anyone, and he can take the lead and make them laugh, so he’s someone I can rely on. I feel once again that with his lovable character, he’s a presence who captivates people.
Mukai: You’re really saying some nice things!) Is this what people mean when they talk about the chill and happy vibes laughter brings to others?
Miyadate: Moreover, even though he teases everyone, he never forgets to step forward himself (lol). You’re amazing, Koji, really.
The indication for the hair color was Mukai Koji?!
“Date-san’s hair color is similar to mine, right?” (Mukai)
(For some reason, suddenly, the two of them make them same gesture)
Mukai: You know, I’m sorry. Can you please stop doing the same thing as me (lol)?
Miyadate: (laughs hard). Which reminds me about our high synchro ratio, it seems like the readers have also been saying that too.
Mukai: Eh~!? Is that so? Did we do anything? Ah, but the current hair color of Date-san is completely similar to mine (lol)? It’s a bit of a problem though (lol).
Miyadate: About that, well, yeah. Indeed I dyed my hair after you did.
Mukai: Exactly~
Miyadate: Even if you tell me that I made it similar to yours, I actually didn’t say anything (lol).
Mukai: When you asked the hairdresser, didn’t you show them my picture?
Miyadate: No, no, no (lol). Rather, even though our hair colors look similar, our personal appearance, or better the substance is totally different!
Mukai: What’s with that? What the heck! “Our personal appearance is different,” (lol). Despite saying all that, that hair color suits you though. It looks cool! As expected from Date-sama!
Miyadate: Koji, you should hurry and make your hair black again. It looks good on you.
Mukai: I return black? In the first place, when I first asked you about your preferred hair color, didn’t you tell me that you‘d go for red? Since you told me that, I decided on this color. But then, it was pretty much the same color (lol). And after that too, our timing to re-dyeing overlapped, right?
Miyadate: Yeah, it did.
Mukai: That time I was told that you had decided to dye your hair silver. For that reason, I kept this color… But once again Date-san had my same hair color (lol)!!
Miyadate: No, look, my hair was really dyed silver.
Mukai: Are you saying that the color faded?
Miyadate: Yes.
Mukai: Then, you told them to dye your hair in a color that once faded would look just like Mukai’s, didn’t you?
Miyadate: … If that was the case, it would be scary~ (lol).
Mukai: Hahaha (lol). We are indeed in synchro I guess~ It’s something to be grateful for.
Miyadate: What the heck is that (lol). But, well, I can’t deny that!!
N1: I recommend to use the browser to read, in case you use the LJ app.
N2: This post will stay public for the moment, since I'm sharing this interview on twitter.
N3: Sorry if the formatting appears odd at times, LJ's html is sending me insane orz.
Mukai Koji & Miyadate Ryota
A conversation between two very close friends.
Miyadate = Cool
Mukai = Muay Thai?
“Their presence, or rather, the atmosphere around them was cool.” (Mukai)
Mukai: So, first of all, we should talk about our first encounter! However, if we consider when I actually started to develop a connection with Date-san, it wasn’t our first encounter but rather during Shounentachi?
Miyadate: When we first met, I told Mukai-kun, “You’re noisy!”
Mukai: You didn’t tell me that (lol).
Miyadate: Hahah (lol).
Mukai: You fooled around suddenly! You’re such a noisy guy (lol). We never had that kind of talk before (lol).
Miyadate: We didn’t?
Mukai: Without a doubt, I don’t have any memory of you saying that.
Miyadate: Right, I would never say that (lol).
Mukai: As expected, such a conversation didn’t happen in our first encounter. Also, I wouldn’t have annoyed you to the extent of being told that. I mean, you were scary after all (lol). I have the impression that rather than the atmosphere of that situation, everyone’s aura as a whole was cool.
Miyadate: We probably didn’t have a busting and lively aura indeed. Our real first encounter was when we were 11, 12 years old? It was still when Koji used his Muay Thai clothes after all.
Mukai: Ah, right!... No, wait, wait. The Muay Thai era had finished at the time (lol).
Miyadate: What? It had finished?
Mukai: Where the hell is that memory even coming from? (lol)
Miyadate: Sorry, my bad. The impression of you doing Muay Thai is too strong (lol).
So, Date-san laughs this much.
“We also went to Disneyland together, didn’t we?” (Miyadate)
Mukai: I can say it now, but at the time Snow Man was a bit scary as expected. Well, ‘scary’, how to explain it. They were “The Senpais”, kind of? They used to hang chains on their waist, to wear boots which would make a knocking sound on the floor. There was that era. They looked cool, but their aura was a bit scary (lol).
Miyadate: It was the result of the fashion that was popular in those years, and because of the aura which our own admired senpais used to have.
Mukai: To be frank, that’s why we can’t recollect what we talked about during our first encounter, right?
Miyadate: That’s the case, yeah. Even though it’s not like there wasn’t anything. However, we started to actually talk during Shounentachi, like Koji said, when he, (Muro) Ryuta-kun and Nishihata (Daigo) came to Tokyo to do the stage play with us. We would go out to eat, wouldn’t we?
Mukai: Yes! We did, we did!
Miyadate: I remember when we would go home after practice, and then we would go eat and talk about a lot of things.
Mukai: Yeah. We used to do that.
Miyadate: We also went to Disneyland, didn’t we?
Mukai: We did~ (lol)!
Miyadate: I can’t really remember how we first met, but those memories of us having a blast together still feel fresh in my mind.
Mukai: I also have the feeling to have thought, “So, Date-san laughs this much,” when we went to Disneyland. I hadn’t had the impression of you being someone who laughed up until that time.
Miyadate: Because I used to cast smiles aside.
Mukai: Don’t cast them aside (lol).
Miyadate: I would give them to everyone though.
Mukai: Don’t throw smiles away! Pick them up (lol)!
Miyadate: I lied. I didn’t cast them aside. I couldn’t do something like that. Then, I’ll go have my shoot with a smile on (lol).
Mukai: Have fun (lol). Ah, is it alright for me to speak now that Date-san is not here? Can I talk about the things I’d do with Date-san from now on?
Miyadate: Go ahead (lol).
A location shooting trip for two lovable people!
“Looking forward to Date-san’s food reportage on the shooting trip!” (Mukai)
(Miyadate is away because he’s doing his photoshoot)
Mukai: Right, if we talk about something I’d like to try together, going on a location shooting trip! I want to appear on a TV show all about traveling. We would go around a town as we like, taking a walk, talking to the locals, and eating the main dishes of that area. I’d like to enjoy a carefree location shooting. Rather than being in the studio, I want to be right in the heart of the town! Ah! It would be nice if we could also cook something~♪ Like, the two of us making something delicious out of the local products and eating it! That would be the best! I have expectations of Date-san’s comments on the food!
(Miyadate returns from his shooting)
Miyadate: What, what is it? A location shooting trip?
Mukai: I want us to go together!
Miyadate: That’s nice. Let’s do it! When we had the chance to do that before, we had a lot of fun.
Mukai: Yeah. It was lots of fun~
Miyadate: I’d like for us to go somewhere like a shopping district and mingle with a lot of people.
Mukai: That’s right. Since there are a lot of people there, there are many things we can learn from them.
Miyadate: Since we both like interacting with people, it would be nice if we could have a TV show where we cherish that.
Mukai: That’s it. One day, let's definitely do it!
(Miyadate is called for the photoshoot)
Miyadate: Why is it happening that I’m getting called right when we start talking~ (lol).
Mukai: Such an awkward timing (lol).
Their own characters become a firepower.
“Koji is someone who captivates people, he’s loved by everyone.” (Miyadate)
Miyadate: I’ve returned!!
Mukai: Welcome back! Anyways, Date-san. Readers have been saying that we bring the humor to Snow Man!
Miyadate: Eh~, that makes me happy.
Mukai: When we’re together, Date-san usually fools around.
Miyadate: That’s not true. I don’t do that.
Mukai: You’re lying! You do fool around! Just now, and the day before yesterday too?
Miyadate: What?
Mukai: Come on, don’t play innocent. You’re always goofing around.
Miyadate: Is that so?
Mukai: Yes, the day before yesterday too, you were fooling around!
Miyadate: The day before yesterday?
Mukai: When we went out to eat together!
Miyadate: Ah, right. And it was during our private time (lol). If we talk about work, the number of times in which we appear together on TV shows has increased, hasn’t it?
Mukai: It has. I’m grateful about it. When Date-san is around, the other guests and entertainers go all “Data-sama~♡.” It’s hilarious! Having Date-sama as a character adds to our comedic arsenal, and it’s really reassuring!
Miyadate: Thank you very much (lol). Koji can get along with anyone, and he can take the lead and make them laugh, so he’s someone I can rely on. I feel once again that with his lovable character, he’s a presence who captivates people.
Mukai: You’re really saying some nice things!) Is this what people mean when they talk about the chill and happy vibes laughter brings to others?
Miyadate: Moreover, even though he teases everyone, he never forgets to step forward himself (lol). You’re amazing, Koji, really.
The indication for the hair color was Mukai Koji?!
“Date-san’s hair color is similar to mine, right?” (Mukai)
(For some reason, suddenly, the two of them make them same gesture)
Mukai: You know, I’m sorry. Can you please stop doing the same thing as me (lol)?
Miyadate: (laughs hard). Which reminds me about our high synchro ratio, it seems like the readers have also been saying that too.
Mukai: Eh~!? Is that so? Did we do anything? Ah, but the current hair color of Date-san is completely similar to mine (lol)? It’s a bit of a problem though (lol).
Miyadate: About that, well, yeah. Indeed I dyed my hair after you did.
Mukai: Exactly~
Miyadate: Even if you tell me that I made it similar to yours, I actually didn’t say anything (lol).
Mukai: When you asked the hairdresser, didn’t you show them my picture?
Miyadate: No, no, no (lol). Rather, even though our hair colors look similar, our personal appearance, or better the substance is totally different!
Mukai: What’s with that? What the heck! “Our personal appearance is different,” (lol). Despite saying all that, that hair color suits you though. It looks cool! As expected from Date-sama!
Miyadate: Koji, you should hurry and make your hair black again. It looks good on you.
Mukai: I return black? In the first place, when I first asked you about your preferred hair color, didn’t you tell me that you‘d go for red? Since you told me that, I decided on this color. But then, it was pretty much the same color (lol). And after that too, our timing to re-dyeing overlapped, right?
Miyadate: Yeah, it did.
Mukai: That time I was told that you had decided to dye your hair silver. For that reason, I kept this color… But once again Date-san had my same hair color (lol)!!
Miyadate: No, look, my hair was really dyed silver.
Mukai: Are you saying that the color faded?
Miyadate: Yes.
Mukai: Then, you told them to dye your hair in a color that once faded would look just like Mukai’s, didn’t you?
Miyadate: … If that was the case, it would be scary~ (lol).
Mukai: Hahaha (lol). We are indeed in synchro I guess~ It’s something to be grateful for.
Miyadate: What the heck is that (lol). But, well, I can’t deny that!!