[10000 Words Interview] Kouchi Yugo - Part 2 (end)

[narqissa]

Part 2 of Kouchi's 10k interview, and the last part.

you can find the part 1 here



- You were in attention again after being selected in the drama “Shiritsu Bakaleya Koukou” right?

We were suddenly being called, and in there the 6 of us who later on becoming SixTONES met. But, the one who chose the casts was the TV station, and apparently at first I was not selected. Apparently Johnny-san put me in a hurry. Hokuto was the one telling me that. He said Johnny-san told him, “I put your friend in too”. I guess Johnny-san remember that I said “I want to do it with Hokuto”. But I didn’t told Hokuto that I said “I want to do it with Hokuto”, so if he read this now he’ll probably understood what Johnny-san meant by “I put your friend in too” that time (laugh).

- I think Hokuto-kun knows. When he appear in this, his message to Kouchi-kun was “We’re together for lifetime” after all.

….I see. I think it’s okay even if we don’t telling to each other our correct answer now, but someday, maybe when we’re in our 10th or 20th debut anniversary, I hope we can talk and say out what we actually have in thought that day together.

- For Kouchi-kun, what was the meaning of meeting with the Bakaleya team?

It really means a lot. It was the first time I actually thought a job was fun from the bottom of my heart. Since I always thinking I’m not suited to be an idol. But when it’s with these guys, it’s fun. It was not something like a page from your youth, but the 6 of us was always together. Be it shopping, eating meal, we did everything together the 6 of us. Without any reason all of us thought “If we’re together nothing is impossible!”.

- I wonder why the 6 of you was so attracted to each other.

I wonder. Probably because all of us 6 each have something weighing in, frustration, scars inside our hearts. But putting aside the frustration, the drama shooting was really fun. I just naturally got in the thought to give my all with these 6. It’s mysterious.

- It is mysterious.

I especially got really close with Jesse. Because our roles was something like “the two of us as one”, we were always together. We even often going to the shooting location together with the trains just the two of us. We talked about a lot of things. Mainly it was about the Bakaleya story, but sometimes we also do serious talk like about our future. I remember, there was a time where me and Jesse finished the shooting earlier than everyone, but the staffs was all so busy so no one told us how to get back home. So we spent 30 minutes walking being lost on our way to the station, and we ranting to each other “What’s with this treatment!” “When we debut let’s make them pay this back!”.

- But then your activity as 6 getting lesser, with Hokuto-kun and Jesse-kun’s activity gotten more. Wasn’t it a complicated feelings?

I thought this is also a fate. However, I was always in good terms with Jesse. For Jesse, there was times where he do activity together with Hokuto, or alone, or with other Jrs. He was aaalways saying “It’s not this. Something doesn’t feel right”. He said “That balance, passion, atmosphere, all of it was because it was the 6 of us. That energy when the 6 of us together was amazing right. So it was no good if anyone is not here”.

- The one who suggest for you to gather again was Jesse-kun, and the one who called out to everyone was Kouchi-kun, right?

Yes. When after sometime we got shooting with the 6 of us, the two of us went back home together and Jesse slips out “as expected I want to do it with the 6 of us”. That guy is really shy, he won’t be able to say it out himself so he beg me “Will you gather everyone please?”. I replied, “I will if you’re serious”. Then, even though he’s usually in such funny character, he replied with serious face, “I’m serious”. So I immediately contacted the other 4 for a meal, arranging our schedule for a gather. Since I thought a place where someone our generation won’t be there will be good, I raised the bar and reserve a place in Unagi restaurant inside Shibuya’s Hikarie.

- How was everyone’s reaction about the meal gathering?

Everyone was up for it. Saying, “I want the 6 of us to stand together in the stage again. Let’s try asking Johnny-san”. I can still remember it even now. Then Jesse said, “Let’s move while we’re still up to it?”, and since there’s no reception inside the restaurant, Jesse and I went to the entrance in 11th floor, and calling Johnny-san while sitting in a sofa there. Because he said he can meet us if it’s now, the 6 of us immediately went to meet him. We asked him, “Just one song is fine. We want to do it with the 6 of us”. Johnny-san was really kind to our request and up for discussion, he even thought out our group’s name. I think it took us half a year till we get to announce our group name. In the Crea stage, we announced “Our group’s name is decided. It’s SIX TONES!”. That day, we had a talk with Johnny0san “How to read the SIX TONES?”, and then Johnny-san suddenly said “I don’t want to put in the number”, we said back “Then what to do? We announced it already”, and he just said “You can just not read the ‘ix’ part”. So in the next stage, we announced it once more that it’s “SixTONES”. That day, the time that was halted for the 6 of us finally started to move.

- For Kouchi-kun, the birth of SixTONES was a big change right.

Everything changed. That day when we went to Johnny-san to say “We want to do it with the 6 of us”, was the first time in my Jr history that I stated out my determination. That day, the button within we was switched. I truly feel sorry for all the staffs and fans who supported me all this time, but that day was the first time I’m ragingly working hard in something, I don’t really want to say this, but it was the first time I actually decided “Let’s do this!”. We already passed 20 years of age too. This group is our last chance. I started training on my singing and dancing skills, for acrobatics Sakuma (Daisuke)-kun and other people also teached me. I went out to learn using my own money to be able to do Backflip (bakuten) and air-backflip (bakuchuu). At home I put mirror in my living room so that I can practice dancing while checking my own form. Even though until then I never thought even once to do anything regarding with Johnny’s at home. That right, I also trained my voice percussion in the bathroom so much, that I got scolded by my parent. Even though I was the first one who got in, I got too focused in my voice percussion training that I didn’t check on the time and my mom said “The next person can’t get in you know!” (laugh).

- You truly think to change.

Yes. But it was full of regrets. Why did I didn’t put any effort even though I was in such a great environment. It was too late, but I need to absorb everything that I can get. In School kakumei too I decided to be more greedy, and did harsh tsukkomi (retort back at joke) towards Yamada-kun, after the shooting I went to apologize to him with my all “I’m sorry!” (laugh). But they’re truly such a big hearted senpai, with the trigger that I want to change, Yamada-kun, Chinen-kun, Hikaru-kun, I become even closer with the 3 of them.

- However, by the formation of SixTONES doesn’t mean that you’re going into the next big thing

It was not that easy right. We were given the chance to be handling “Shounentachi”, but with just us SixTONES we couldn’t gather enough guest. It was as if our popularity during Bakaleya times went away just like that. Apparently that’s how we got tagged as double starring with Snow Man. But Snow Man’s stage experience different was too big, we got scolded so badly every day. We don’t want to just be given name and done, but we also want to create more opportunity for SixTONES to appear, so we were given our original song. It was “Kono hoshi no HIKARI”. After that, we continued on “Shounentachi” for the 2nd, and 3rd years, and even went around the prefectures stages. I also feel that SixTONES name and popularity starting to raising up. Youtube “Johnny’s Jr Channel” also started, and we were let to do things quite freely, we became somehow fixed into our characters, and became our big boost.

- In June 2019, when you were told about debuting in Johnny-san’s hospital room, what did you have in thought?

It’s like I got goosebumps. But, I think I managed to received it pretty calmly. Somehow….yeah, I was really calm about it. During the debut announcement in August too, I think I was pretty calm about it. However, when I get to hold “Imitation Rain/D.D” CD physically in my hand, I tremble a bit. I always thought that the output is not always have to be put in to a CD in this age, where you can get it through streaming or such. But, to have a physical proof of the CD right in my hand was an amazing feeling. When imagining that the same thing are also in the hand our fans who always supported us, it pump me up.

- In the commemorative debut day, lots of people were happy for you right.

That’s true. Right after the announcement, Fuma sent me a message. “Congratulations. But, you’ll be quitting when School Kakumei is over right?” he said (laugh). Fuma is a really persistent guy, but that time, if he wasn’t there and I had to hold everything inside all by myself, it’ll probably be hard for me. I’m grateful to him. School Kakumei’s staffs and casts was also really happy about it. During New Year party, I said my greeting “I was thinking of quitting Jr when this show over. Thanks to this show to keep continuing, I managed to get in a new start as a Johnny’s”, then Uchimura-san say “Thank god we continued on~!” while laughing. All the staffs were also laughin.

- Aren’t your friends who sent out your application forms also happy about it?

Yes. During my Jr days, he kept apologizing to me. He thought he had make my life a complete mess. Since he knew how much I was bashed around in the internet. He kept apologizing to me many times. But on the contrary now, it was me who can’t thank him enough.

- Your parents are also happy right?

Yes. Though, my Mom was a pretty hard headed. Even though I invited her saying “I got 2 tickets for the 8/8 concert, can’t you go with Dad?”, she said “Why? It’s Tokyo Dome, such a waste so I’ll go with your lil sister”. Even after I pleaded “I think it’ll be better if you go with Dad though” it still didn’t get through her. After the debut announcement, as I got back home, I found my Mom on the verge of tears apologizing to me “I’m sorry! I should’ve gone with your Dad!” (laugh). My Dad also started saying “I didn’t hear about this!” and they started fighting, turning the debut night celebration into a fighting scene. To make them make up, I ask them “Please come together on the debut tour okay”.

- Being a Jr for 10 years, as expected felt long?

It was a blink. It didn’t feel like I’ve experiencing it for 10 years. I think it was mostly because my switch was only flipped after we became SixTONES. Even now, I feel like I’m lacking so many things.

- Then, what if you have to give any advice to the Jr?

Someone like me who spent many years in menial can’t give any advice (laugh). However, if there’s anyone who’s here out of his own will like me, letting yourself flow with the stream is also a way. Trust your own faith. Then some day, when you feel like giving your best, when you found that comrades that you treasure so much, give it your all.

- Please give your message to the members. First, for Jesse-kun.

Message for Jesse will be simple. “Thank you for calling out to me that day”. If not for Jesse’s one word, SixTONES will not be born. This is something I can only say now, but that time I had little hope that someday Jesse will probably say out “once more with the 6 of us”. I guess deep inside I was hoping that he will say it. I believe I will be saved out by Jesse many times more from now on. I’ll be counting as you from now on too as the nuclear of SixTONES.

- For Shintaro-kun.

When I was still in B.I. Shadow, Shintaro was right in the midfront among Jr. There was time where Shintaro came to play to my house, and then suddenly gone, when we all went looking for him we found him sleeping in my bed. That troublemaker part of him never change, but his curiosity and vigorous power was too strong that he never think past ahead, it’s dangerous. But that part of him that never scared of anything, that cheerfulness of Shintaro always bringing the group to positive direction. That’s why I always rely on him and want him to do it as he want, aside from when we’re in LIVE show where things can’t be fixed anymore (laugh).

- For Juri-kun.

During lots of hard times, I was beside Juri watching over his emotion changes. Well it was also like that with Shintaro, many of SixTONES members are those who fall to the dark after all (laugh). Of course it was like that with his rap and MC skill too, currently many of Juri’s weapon are polished for the sake of SixTONES. He looked for what’s lacking in the group and pulled it all to himself. I think Juri’s sense of responsibility is what makes our group as one.

- For Kyomoto-kun.

Taiga’s personal skills are overwhelming. He never lacking in the will to keep improving. That’s also why many times he came to me saying “I want to quit the group”. I totally understand that feeling. After all, seeing the motivation difference from the member who’s hardly show it will makes you think “Even though I worked this hard”. When you came consult to me, never once I stopped you right. Every time, I said “Whatever decision you come too is okay. But just one thing I want you to remember. There are indeed those who’s hard to see that they’re indeed working hard. But all of us are betting in SixTONES”. I never asked why he ended up staying in the group. It meant everything that right now, Taiga is with us in SixTONES.

- Lastly, to Hokuto-kun.

There are Hokuto that only I know, and of course there are me that only Hokuto knows. I don’t know, it might be the play of fate that let us meet, but for us to be in the same group now, to be debuted together, makes me really happy. Thank you for saying “We’re together for lifetime”. Even if Hokuto came to hate me, I will always be with you. But if possible, please don’t come to hate me (laugh).

- As a leader, what kind of role do you think you can do for the group?

Just to be there (laugh). Until the members say they don’t need me, I will always be in this group.

- If Kouchi-kun is not there, SixTONES won’t be born. I think I starting to get what Johnny-san meant when he said “YOU just have to be there”.

You’re overestimating me (laugh). Rather than just to be there, it’s just because unlike the other members I can’t do any special thing. Ah, but to be among these thick characters of people, on the contrary not doing anything is a delicious standing out position huh. I actually want to do such things.

- Then, let us know your personal dream.

It’s embarrassing to say. Well I’ll say it though. To be a proper person. I really love Variety Show, so I want to be able to be that someone who’s in top ranked of starring in many shows in year long. I want people to say “Ah this guy again”. It’s not such an easy world where you will be called for no reason, you will only be called for a reason. That reason to be called. I want to be such person where audience gonna say “It’s this guy again. But his comment are interesting after all”. My dream is to be an all-might person that many people will think they need me.

- How about your dream as SixTONES?

We decided that we won’t put a goal for our group. Not that we’re letting it all as a dream, but we want it to be “when we realized it, we’re in Tokyo Dome”, “we also did Kokuritsu”. Of course after we continued as a group for 10, 20 years, some things will changes. Like if at first people are looking at the small details like “Kouchi now can sing like this huh”, it will become “so SixTONES will do such things now”. We want many fans to enjoy those changes as we went to our 5th, 10th anniversary from debut. I hope everyone will walk along the history that we will carve as SixTONES.

- I see.

However, there’s only one thing I absolutely don’t want to change. Even now, when we’re in our dressing room and someone mentioning oppai, everyone will be super excited. I want us to always be the comrades who will laugh together at the useless things like a high schooler forever. We’ll be together as 6 for lifetime. I think that’s my only dream.

I'm just glad I can finish this, for my boy.

Ciao!