Nino More 03/2010
More: Nino: It 03/2010
The Seasonal Idol
The shoot is at the home of the cameraman. Nino turns his gaze out the window from where he's sat down upon the sofa. His eyes seem to be gazing far away. "I wonder how things will be in the future…? I absolutely have no idea."
Last year was Arashi's year in name and deed. Their CD was a number one hit on the yearly ranking, they had numerous high ranking variety programs, and they were able to perform on Kohaku for the first time.
We were surprised about Kohaku ourselves. We never thought we'd be allowed to perform on it… The other day, after a concert, when I greeted one of the higher-ups from the TV station, he said, "Ninomiya-kun, you should keep on with your conversational skills just like that." It was a concert, so it was like, you're not focused on the songs, but on that? Though of course I was happy. (smiling) For me this year has been primarily a year of talking. If you're given three variety programs a week, your conversational skills grow much stronger. I always used to prefer variety programs to dramas, but now they've just naturally become something that I learn from. Recently, I've realized anew that Neptune is really something special. Though they seem to be running around recklessly they're actually quite ordered, and the members are all really close… Arashi's similar, right? So I find them interesting, and feel secure when I watch them.
The situation surrounding Arashi has changed drastically these last couple of years. Two years ago, in a documentary program that followed Nino, he said, "It's interesting doing this work while Johnny's is being looked down on by the young generation of boys out there," however-- "I don't feel that way anymore," says Nino. Arashi has been accepted by society while remaining "idols". Their world has naturally expanded.
I never had a complex about being an idol. I think it's more the people on the outside watching that have the impression that "This is what an idol is," and to what degree. That's why when I would perform in movies and dramas I kept on saying, "I'm not an actor, I'm performing as an idol." It's really not about being proud of being an idol. I'm just telling the truth. In that one piece of work, the person acting is not just an actor, but also an idol and an entertainer and a musician, and I think that point is something interesting. At the very least, I'm aware of the fact that I'm offered parts because of being in Arashi, so to have that ignored and be coined an acting performer is missing the point. So it's just that I'm insisting upon [that being recognized].
He's grown up an idol, and it can be said that that path is Ninomiya Kazunari. That's his identity, shaped in life-size.
I think I've come all this way without being confined by the things people say you can't do because you're an idol, both in work and in my personal life. Whether I'm facing a batsu-game on a variety show or when I'm quoted in an interview, if you're letting yourself be restricted because you're an idol, you won't be able to make things interesting because your priorities are askew. I really want to be in a setting where anything goes. I'll do things to the most of my ability, and leave it up to everyone else how that's to be judged and interpreted. I want to take a stance where I can accept everything, no matter what happens, or how I'm treated.
No matter how small the chance, it may never come again.
It's a really wonderful thing that Arashi is in such demand right now. On the other hand, I do sit back and think that we're at our max. I think we may be at our limit when it comes to work. If we had any more work than this, the quality of each project would deteriorate. That's the one thing I definitely don't want to happen, and so I really, honestly feel that we can't keep up with the rate we're going. Realistically, I can't think that we'll keep on like this. I mean, right now is the season of Arashi. And seasons are something that come to an end. (smiling)
He's unconcerned and smiling as he talks about being called seasonal, and of seasons coming to an end, even though this is normally something one would want to avert their eyes for.
Why? The fact that there are seasons, and that seasons end, isn't a good thing or a bad thing. Our potential won't change, and the fact that we're sought after by this generation is something to be happy about. And then it's true that seasons come to a close, but if we're talking about true seasons, don't they someday come around again? Like how in summer I want to listen to TUBE and Southern All Stars, but in winter it's Yamashita Tatsurou. Though I think it takes a long time before one can really become such a seasonal thing…
He knows nothing of his future, and has no clear goals. But when talking about when his season might end, within himself he has a firm resolve as to how he wants to proceed, and how he wants to be. And so he says that nothing is frightening.
From here on out, I believe that all I can do is to pour all my power into bringing quality to each and every project I work on. Putting aside the question of seasons, we're being given amazing opportunities, and we have a firm motivation. Since the beginning, when we saw a chance we wouldn't think "There will be another." We strongly believed "There may not be a second chance." And so I want to treat everything that comes my way as something important.
The Seasonal Idol
The shoot is at the home of the cameraman. Nino turns his gaze out the window from where he's sat down upon the sofa. His eyes seem to be gazing far away. "I wonder how things will be in the future…? I absolutely have no idea."
Last year was Arashi's year in name and deed. Their CD was a number one hit on the yearly ranking, they had numerous high ranking variety programs, and they were able to perform on Kohaku for the first time.
We were surprised about Kohaku ourselves. We never thought we'd be allowed to perform on it… The other day, after a concert, when I greeted one of the higher-ups from the TV station, he said, "Ninomiya-kun, you should keep on with your conversational skills just like that." It was a concert, so it was like, you're not focused on the songs, but on that? Though of course I was happy. (smiling) For me this year has been primarily a year of talking. If you're given three variety programs a week, your conversational skills grow much stronger. I always used to prefer variety programs to dramas, but now they've just naturally become something that I learn from. Recently, I've realized anew that Neptune is really something special. Though they seem to be running around recklessly they're actually quite ordered, and the members are all really close… Arashi's similar, right? So I find them interesting, and feel secure when I watch them.
The situation surrounding Arashi has changed drastically these last couple of years. Two years ago, in a documentary program that followed Nino, he said, "It's interesting doing this work while Johnny's is being looked down on by the young generation of boys out there," however-- "I don't feel that way anymore," says Nino. Arashi has been accepted by society while remaining "idols". Their world has naturally expanded.
I never had a complex about being an idol. I think it's more the people on the outside watching that have the impression that "This is what an idol is," and to what degree. That's why when I would perform in movies and dramas I kept on saying, "I'm not an actor, I'm performing as an idol." It's really not about being proud of being an idol. I'm just telling the truth. In that one piece of work, the person acting is not just an actor, but also an idol and an entertainer and a musician, and I think that point is something interesting. At the very least, I'm aware of the fact that I'm offered parts because of being in Arashi, so to have that ignored and be coined an acting performer is missing the point. So it's just that I'm insisting upon [that being recognized].
He's grown up an idol, and it can be said that that path is Ninomiya Kazunari. That's his identity, shaped in life-size.
I think I've come all this way without being confined by the things people say you can't do because you're an idol, both in work and in my personal life. Whether I'm facing a batsu-game on a variety show or when I'm quoted in an interview, if you're letting yourself be restricted because you're an idol, you won't be able to make things interesting because your priorities are askew. I really want to be in a setting where anything goes. I'll do things to the most of my ability, and leave it up to everyone else how that's to be judged and interpreted. I want to take a stance where I can accept everything, no matter what happens, or how I'm treated.
No matter how small the chance, it may never come again.
It's a really wonderful thing that Arashi is in such demand right now. On the other hand, I do sit back and think that we're at our max. I think we may be at our limit when it comes to work. If we had any more work than this, the quality of each project would deteriorate. That's the one thing I definitely don't want to happen, and so I really, honestly feel that we can't keep up with the rate we're going. Realistically, I can't think that we'll keep on like this. I mean, right now is the season of Arashi. And seasons are something that come to an end. (smiling)
He's unconcerned and smiling as he talks about being called seasonal, and of seasons coming to an end, even though this is normally something one would want to avert their eyes for.
Why? The fact that there are seasons, and that seasons end, isn't a good thing or a bad thing. Our potential won't change, and the fact that we're sought after by this generation is something to be happy about. And then it's true that seasons come to a close, but if we're talking about true seasons, don't they someday come around again? Like how in summer I want to listen to TUBE and Southern All Stars, but in winter it's Yamashita Tatsurou. Though I think it takes a long time before one can really become such a seasonal thing…
He knows nothing of his future, and has no clear goals. But when talking about when his season might end, within himself he has a firm resolve as to how he wants to proceed, and how he wants to be. And so he says that nothing is frightening.
From here on out, I believe that all I can do is to pour all my power into bringing quality to each and every project I work on. Putting aside the question of seasons, we're being given amazing opportunities, and we have a firm motivation. Since the beginning, when we saw a chance we wouldn't think "There will be another." We strongly believed "There may not be a second chance." And so I want to treat everything that comes my way as something important.