Abe Ryohei: QUIZ JAPAN Magazine (Vol 13) Cover Interview (Translation) (PART 3)
Part 3 of Abe-chan's crazy long interview!
I’ve always thought, “Someday I’d love to be featured on QUIZ JAPAN!”
This past year, the opportunities on quiz shows for both yourself personally as well as the Johnnys Quiz Club have increased. Is there a talent who you view as a rival?
The idea of rivals is presumptuous! Everyone is knowledgeable.
Might it be more of feelings of admiration or respect?
Yes. Ujihara (Fuminori)-san is a hero-type existence who I’ve been watching since I was young, and Ijuin-san as well, his ability to comprehend in a flash, especially in “Pressure STUDY”, is amazing. To arrive at the answer even without knowing the answer is really mathematical, I think. Of course, Kazu-san has also been very kind to me, and I respect him. When we study together, he supplements our learning, and I’ve learned a lot.
[T/N: Ujihara Fuminori is a Japanese comedian who frequently appears in quiz shows; he has been appearing in “Q-sama” as a regular for many years.]
Do you talk about quizzes with people other than the members of the Johnnys Quiz Club?
The Snow Man members often say, “Abe-chan, give us a quiz” (laughs). Also, I’m a big fan of quiz-type phone applications, and the other members also say “Oh, that looks interesting” and download the same application, so there’s times when we’re all doing the quizzes (on the application) together during break time.
It’s good that everyone can enjoy together while studying for quizzes.
Yes.
Since you’ve been recognised as “someone who loves quizzes”, have you received things like published collections of quiz questions?
I’ve received them from myself (laughs). Right now, Snow Man is hosting their show called “Sore, Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai” (TBS), and when the staff of the show asked me what I’d like for my birthday I said “A collection of quiz questions”. Then, I received a ton of past records from this quiz competition called “Kachinuke-hai”, and also a whole bunch of past question collections. Recently, I’ve taken to watching the first round of “Kachinuke-hai” on Youtube while en route to my next destination. Although, I think most of the questions are ones I don’t know. (Laughs)
[T/N: “Kachi-nuke-hai” is a yearly quiz competition that takes place in stages. Each stage, only the top ranked participants can advance to the next stage, and each stage features a different type of quiz.]
It’s pretty difficult, isn’t it.
It is difficult. But I did think, “Is it really okay for me to appear on this magazine?” (Laughs) It’s a huge honour! I’ve been working to be recognised as a Johnnys who likes quizzes, and I’ve always thought ‘Someday, I’d like to be featured in ‘QUIZ JAPAN’’. So, to have that dream fulfilled here… And what’s more, to be able to be on the cover of the magazine! (Laughs)
To be thought of like that, we’re very happy as well.
There really is no other privilege like this, really. It’s like saying “Nice to meet you”. To all of the quiz players, nice to meet you. I am but a novice, but please take care of me.
[T/N: “Quiz players” are people who specialise in participating in quizzes, whether in quiz competitions or otherwise.]
To the Abe-san of now, what is your motivation for continuing to do quizzes?
When I appear on quiz shows, I think that ‘To be knowledgeable is really cool’. So when my fellow participants answer questions correctly, I often think “Wow, that way of answering was super cool, wasn’t it!” “I want to be able to answer with this kind of vocabulary!”, and that really becomes a source of motivation for me.
And it really links up with the studying episodes you mentioned at the start.
I think studying for school and studying for quizzes are a bit different, but whenever you are studying anything I think the most important thing is motivation. You absolutely can’t run short on that.
Does your hates-to-lose personality also come alive in quizzes?
Yes. The side of me that hates to lose is really awakened. That being said, quizzes aren’t just ‘something only smart people can do’. For example, I’m good friends with Fukura and Kou-chan from QuizKnock, so when I do (quizzes) with them it really does feel like studying; but for simple questions, even the other Snow Man members can enjoy them. Everyone probably has ‘something they are able to talk about’, so if they’re able to display that knowledge and have people around them go “Oh, you knew that!” “Amazing, so cool!” then I think it would definitely feel pleasant. Even more so for shows like “99-nin no Kabe” where they really hone in on a certain topic. Exactly because it’s the closest thing to everyone’s interests, that’s why everyone can enjoy them; further, for TV quizzes I think it’s important to show off your area of specialty, so I’ll keep working hard from now on.
[T/N 1: QuizKnock is a Youtube channel formed of ex-quiz players, who post videos about quizzes and appear regularly on quiz shows. Two of the members are Fukura Ken (Fukura-P) and Watanabe Kouhei (Kou-chan).]
[T/N 2: “99-nin no Kabe” is a quiz show where a guest participant will take part in a quiz in an area they think they’re very good in, competing against 99 people who are knowledgeable in the area, to see if they can answer questions faster / more accurately than all 99 other people.]
Please, definitely keep getting stronger and stronger from now on as well.
Yes! Since I’m the club president for now. (Laughs)
Part 1 | Part 2
I’ve always thought, “Someday I’d love to be featured on QUIZ JAPAN!”
This past year, the opportunities on quiz shows for both yourself personally as well as the Johnnys Quiz Club have increased. Is there a talent who you view as a rival?
The idea of rivals is presumptuous! Everyone is knowledgeable.
Might it be more of feelings of admiration or respect?
Yes. Ujihara (Fuminori)-san is a hero-type existence who I’ve been watching since I was young, and Ijuin-san as well, his ability to comprehend in a flash, especially in “Pressure STUDY”, is amazing. To arrive at the answer even without knowing the answer is really mathematical, I think. Of course, Kazu-san has also been very kind to me, and I respect him. When we study together, he supplements our learning, and I’ve learned a lot.
[T/N: Ujihara Fuminori is a Japanese comedian who frequently appears in quiz shows; he has been appearing in “Q-sama” as a regular for many years.]
Do you talk about quizzes with people other than the members of the Johnnys Quiz Club?
The Snow Man members often say, “Abe-chan, give us a quiz” (laughs). Also, I’m a big fan of quiz-type phone applications, and the other members also say “Oh, that looks interesting” and download the same application, so there’s times when we’re all doing the quizzes (on the application) together during break time.
It’s good that everyone can enjoy together while studying for quizzes.
Yes.
Since you’ve been recognised as “someone who loves quizzes”, have you received things like published collections of quiz questions?
I’ve received them from myself (laughs). Right now, Snow Man is hosting their show called “Sore, Snow Man ni Yarasete Kudasai” (TBS), and when the staff of the show asked me what I’d like for my birthday I said “A collection of quiz questions”. Then, I received a ton of past records from this quiz competition called “Kachinuke-hai”, and also a whole bunch of past question collections. Recently, I’ve taken to watching the first round of “Kachinuke-hai” on Youtube while en route to my next destination. Although, I think most of the questions are ones I don’t know. (Laughs)
[T/N: “Kachi-nuke-hai” is a yearly quiz competition that takes place in stages. Each stage, only the top ranked participants can advance to the next stage, and each stage features a different type of quiz.]
It’s pretty difficult, isn’t it.
It is difficult. But I did think, “Is it really okay for me to appear on this magazine?” (Laughs) It’s a huge honour! I’ve been working to be recognised as a Johnnys who likes quizzes, and I’ve always thought ‘Someday, I’d like to be featured in ‘QUIZ JAPAN’’. So, to have that dream fulfilled here… And what’s more, to be able to be on the cover of the magazine! (Laughs)
To be thought of like that, we’re very happy as well.
There really is no other privilege like this, really. It’s like saying “Nice to meet you”. To all of the quiz players, nice to meet you. I am but a novice, but please take care of me.
[T/N: “Quiz players” are people who specialise in participating in quizzes, whether in quiz competitions or otherwise.]
To the Abe-san of now, what is your motivation for continuing to do quizzes?
When I appear on quiz shows, I think that ‘To be knowledgeable is really cool’. So when my fellow participants answer questions correctly, I often think “Wow, that way of answering was super cool, wasn’t it!” “I want to be able to answer with this kind of vocabulary!”, and that really becomes a source of motivation for me.
And it really links up with the studying episodes you mentioned at the start.
I think studying for school and studying for quizzes are a bit different, but whenever you are studying anything I think the most important thing is motivation. You absolutely can’t run short on that.
Does your hates-to-lose personality also come alive in quizzes?
Yes. The side of me that hates to lose is really awakened. That being said, quizzes aren’t just ‘something only smart people can do’. For example, I’m good friends with Fukura and Kou-chan from QuizKnock, so when I do (quizzes) with them it really does feel like studying; but for simple questions, even the other Snow Man members can enjoy them. Everyone probably has ‘something they are able to talk about’, so if they’re able to display that knowledge and have people around them go “Oh, you knew that!” “Amazing, so cool!” then I think it would definitely feel pleasant. Even more so for shows like “99-nin no Kabe” where they really hone in on a certain topic. Exactly because it’s the closest thing to everyone’s interests, that’s why everyone can enjoy them; further, for TV quizzes I think it’s important to show off your area of specialty, so I’ll keep working hard from now on.
[T/N 1: QuizKnock is a Youtube channel formed of ex-quiz players, who post videos about quizzes and appear regularly on quiz shows. Two of the members are Fukura Ken (Fukura-P) and Watanabe Kouhei (Kou-chan).]
[T/N 2: “99-nin no Kabe” is a quiz show where a guest participant will take part in a quiz in an area they think they’re very good in, competing against 99 people who are knowledgeable in the area, to see if they can answer questions faster / more accurately than all 99 other people.]
Please, definitely keep getting stronger and stronger from now on as well.
Yes! Since I’m the club president for now. (Laughs)
Part 1 | Part 2