Nino More 03/2011
Nino: More: 03/2011
Episode 27: A Hit
"The busiest period for Arashi was two years ago, I think. I don't know how the world sees it, but in my opinion, it was probably then."
Nino talks in a murmur about how in 2010 his work expanded both personally and as a member of Arashi, his attitude relaxed. Being blessed with a large number of hit works, why would he think this?
It's really just a matter of my own opinion. Even though we're busy, I haven't had any sense of this being our peak. Of course, I feel like last year was a great year for Arashi too. Even though I did personal work for eight months out of the year, to the world, Arashi's achievements stand out. Being part of a group, it's a wonderful thing when that group is sought after. But I don't share the idea that because we've had a lot of hits, that puts us at our peak. I mean, why is it people use hits as a standard? Are numbers a global standard? But things like viewer ratings and number of copies sold change as the times change, and so I actually think they're very vague.
He's always skeptical of stereotypes.
For example, when you look at "Freeter, Ie o Kau" and "Ryuusei no Kizuna", "Ryuusei" was better in terms of numbers, but you can't judge just on that. But don't think I'm just ignoring the numbers. What I mean is that if you're doing your best but viewership is only 5%, I can't agree that that production's potential is only 5%. Any assessment would be the same. If lots of people watch something, then it's likely that viewership will increase by word of mouth, but it's not like the essence of that production has changed.
And we had thought that Nino's frequent claim of being bad with praise was possibly half feigned…
I really have no interest, and I always wonder what the people who compliment me want from me. (smiling) People who put stock in the value of others really have a lot of free time. For me, I have too many things to do before I even start to think about things like that, and if I start to pay attention I'll get myself stuck. It's particularly that way when I'm on camera. If I tried to change the way I presented myself in fashion and idol magazines, I wouldn't be able to keep it up, and even if I tried to make myself one way I would only appear to be a person who "wants to be seen like this." (smiling) So that's why I always leave it to the staff.
Without seeking his own value, he complies with what the people about him desire from him. This stance stays solid to the last. Well, then, what if he were to become a creator? If he reached his dream of becoming a director and could freely create, what would he take care with, and what would he make?
If someone told me to make something the way I wanted, I would. If someone wanted that from me. (smiling) But something like, "Please freely create what you want" has the same lack of reality for me that a question like "What would you do with a month's vacation?" does.
So he says, but in his early twenties, he went to his agency and said, "One day I'd like to direct a stage play." They told him to write three scripts in one week as a test, and despite his busy schedule he accomplished this task that would even be difficult for a professional writer.
The common point between the three pieces is that they're all stories about people dying. But it's not as if I want to be a scriptwriter. I do like to create things, but stuff like expressing what's in my head, and creating starting from zero, I'm not really interested in. Rather, it's the opportunity to show just how interesting a producer can make an existing script. If you're going to put something up to battle against meat sauce, it's not carbonara you'd bring along, but another meat sauce. That's what I find interesting.
I might seem like a difficult person, but really I'm very simple.
I think it's good for there to be creators who are looking to create hit works. But I don't think I'd aim for that. For example, with "GANTZ", I wasn't looking to create something that would be judged by fans of the original work. I already knew that even if we tried to do that, it just couldn't be done. In which case, I could only try to create something that satisfied myself. If I understand that I put in 100% and did my best, that's enough. And in reality, that's something that's hard to do. Even if you can fool others, you can't fool yourself.
Listening attentively as he says something so very like him, Nino goes on to say, "Saying something like this might make people think I'm a confusing guy. I think I'm actually very simple."
It's not just with something that's a hit, or with value judgments. Everyone wants to be able to see the things that they can't see, and to search out concrete answers to those things that are vague. So everyone gets caught in the complexities, and becomes insecure. I can imagine those feelings. But I only pay attention to what's in front of me, and to what gives me a sense of reality--that's what I believe in. On that point, I feel like I live very simply.
Certainly it could be called simple, but it could also be said that it's a wisdom the aged possess.
It's true, I'm often told I'm like an old man. (smiling) It's not something I've gained through experience. This has been the only way I've been able to see the world since I was a child.
~~
★ I don't often respond to comments, since there are a lot, but I do read every single one. Feel free to discuss! And thank you for reading!
★ You may quote pieces of this translation freely on graphics. If you are reposting parts to Tumblr or elsewhere, please link back to this post so people know where to find the original. (Preferably to sunina, not aeslis.)
★ Please do NOT re-translate this into other languages.
★ If you have any questions or corrections, feel free to comment or message. Not all the nuances get translated, so even though I can't presume to know Nino's mind, sometimes what he means by something is more easily understood in the Japanese than the English, and I can try to elaborate.
Episode 27: A Hit
"The busiest period for Arashi was two years ago, I think. I don't know how the world sees it, but in my opinion, it was probably then."
Nino talks in a murmur about how in 2010 his work expanded both personally and as a member of Arashi, his attitude relaxed. Being blessed with a large number of hit works, why would he think this?
It's really just a matter of my own opinion. Even though we're busy, I haven't had any sense of this being our peak. Of course, I feel like last year was a great year for Arashi too. Even though I did personal work for eight months out of the year, to the world, Arashi's achievements stand out. Being part of a group, it's a wonderful thing when that group is sought after. But I don't share the idea that because we've had a lot of hits, that puts us at our peak. I mean, why is it people use hits as a standard? Are numbers a global standard? But things like viewer ratings and number of copies sold change as the times change, and so I actually think they're very vague.
He's always skeptical of stereotypes.
For example, when you look at "Freeter, Ie o Kau" and "Ryuusei no Kizuna", "Ryuusei" was better in terms of numbers, but you can't judge just on that. But don't think I'm just ignoring the numbers. What I mean is that if you're doing your best but viewership is only 5%, I can't agree that that production's potential is only 5%. Any assessment would be the same. If lots of people watch something, then it's likely that viewership will increase by word of mouth, but it's not like the essence of that production has changed.
And we had thought that Nino's frequent claim of being bad with praise was possibly half feigned…
I really have no interest, and I always wonder what the people who compliment me want from me. (smiling) People who put stock in the value of others really have a lot of free time. For me, I have too many things to do before I even start to think about things like that, and if I start to pay attention I'll get myself stuck. It's particularly that way when I'm on camera. If I tried to change the way I presented myself in fashion and idol magazines, I wouldn't be able to keep it up, and even if I tried to make myself one way I would only appear to be a person who "wants to be seen like this." (smiling) So that's why I always leave it to the staff.
Without seeking his own value, he complies with what the people about him desire from him. This stance stays solid to the last. Well, then, what if he were to become a creator? If he reached his dream of becoming a director and could freely create, what would he take care with, and what would he make?
If someone told me to make something the way I wanted, I would. If someone wanted that from me. (smiling) But something like, "Please freely create what you want" has the same lack of reality for me that a question like "What would you do with a month's vacation?" does.
So he says, but in his early twenties, he went to his agency and said, "One day I'd like to direct a stage play." They told him to write three scripts in one week as a test, and despite his busy schedule he accomplished this task that would even be difficult for a professional writer.
The common point between the three pieces is that they're all stories about people dying. But it's not as if I want to be a scriptwriter. I do like to create things, but stuff like expressing what's in my head, and creating starting from zero, I'm not really interested in. Rather, it's the opportunity to show just how interesting a producer can make an existing script. If you're going to put something up to battle against meat sauce, it's not carbonara you'd bring along, but another meat sauce. That's what I find interesting.
I might seem like a difficult person, but really I'm very simple.
I think it's good for there to be creators who are looking to create hit works. But I don't think I'd aim for that. For example, with "GANTZ", I wasn't looking to create something that would be judged by fans of the original work. I already knew that even if we tried to do that, it just couldn't be done. In which case, I could only try to create something that satisfied myself. If I understand that I put in 100% and did my best, that's enough. And in reality, that's something that's hard to do. Even if you can fool others, you can't fool yourself.
Listening attentively as he says something so very like him, Nino goes on to say, "Saying something like this might make people think I'm a confusing guy. I think I'm actually very simple."
It's not just with something that's a hit, or with value judgments. Everyone wants to be able to see the things that they can't see, and to search out concrete answers to those things that are vague. So everyone gets caught in the complexities, and becomes insecure. I can imagine those feelings. But I only pay attention to what's in front of me, and to what gives me a sense of reality--that's what I believe in. On that point, I feel like I live very simply.
Certainly it could be called simple, but it could also be said that it's a wisdom the aged possess.
It's true, I'm often told I'm like an old man. (smiling) It's not something I've gained through experience. This has been the only way I've been able to see the world since I was a child.
~~
★ I don't often respond to comments, since there are a lot, but I do read every single one. Feel free to discuss! And thank you for reading!
★ You may quote pieces of this translation freely on graphics. If you are reposting parts to Tumblr or elsewhere, please link back to this post so people know where to find the original. (Preferably to sunina, not aeslis.)
★ Please do NOT re-translate this into other languages.
★ If you have any questions or corrections, feel free to comment or message. Not all the nuances get translated, so even though I can't presume to know Nino's mind, sometimes what he means by something is more easily understood in the Japanese than the English, and I can try to elaborate.