More 2012.09 - Nino's 'It'
Procrastination strikes again! Decided to catch up with Nino's column in More instead of translating stuff I should be translating. Le sigh.
- - - - -
It {一途}
Although he doesn't voice his motives, he never lies about things important to him. The path walked by Ninomiya Kazunari runs with his true intentions.
Chapter #45
Your own worth
Somewhere downtown by the river, he leans against a fence. With his hair dyed blond for a drama role in the upcoming '24 Hour Television', Nino looks even younger than he usually does. He's already celebrated his 29th birthday.
"Personally, it doesn't feel any different than from my teens. It's not that I want to appear young. If you ask me, I'm not fussed about looks. No matter how much my outward appearance changes, I'm fine with doing whatever roles come my way. Up til now, there's probably never been any job that gives you the ideal outward appearance (laughs). Especially for actors; there are probably very few actors who are all that particular about their appearance, right? Since they know work comes with having the right face and air."
So your personal worth isn't determined by youth or beauty. What comprises Nino's worth then?
"I have no idea (laughs). I've never considered my own worth - or wanted to."
What about the art of conversation, for example? Be it in variety shows or communicating on set, Nino's conversations are naturally interesting. Whether young or old, male or female, all are drawn by it. It's one of your many great charms.
"I've never thought I was skilled in the art of conversation. I guess I just try to create an atmosphere where it's easy for the other person to make conversation... For example, if you take the way I sit or behave in the 'Himitsu no Arashi-chan!' Share House, my manners are much worse than usual (laughs). The premise of the show is that it's like having a chat at home, so in order for viewers to get that, we want the guest to be relaxed. It's not essential that we draw out an unexpected side of the guest or ask about things they've never been asked about. The most important thing is to create an environment where it's easy to talk about anything."
So the main concern would be to get people to loosen up.
"I think the main point would be to do your best to keep the conversation going smoothly without talking about yourself. Someone who only keeps adding new developments into the flow isn't necessarily a good conversationalist. I just look at the overall picture and make jabs[1] at certain people when I see fit to help create the flow and atmosphere. It's not a board meeting where you have to take turns or something (laughs). I do the same thing in Arashi and even in my everyday life. Saying "This is what I think!" or asking if anything interesting happened lately isn't a conversational art; it's all unsolicited (laughs)."
When asked if not talking about himself was more of a 'I don't want to talk about it' sort of thing rather than a conscious technique, he laughed: "Well, I'm just good at evasion". Nino's thinking is the exact opposite of the 'self producing'[2] trend.
"I don't really talk about myself. Maybe I just don't get it, but does obstinately trying to make yourself appealing increase your worth? (laughs) I've talked to people from all walks of life and well, I think your value is something that others decide."
"The only one who picks up on when I'm being foolish is Aiba-kun."
Nino's come-backs comprise of picking up on the person's faults; while doing so he also safeguards against leaving himself exposed.
"When you think about it, this isn't just restricted to comedians; I have a hunch that those who are disposed to making witty retorts are actually intensely spacey people. At least, the people I know are like that. Actually, those who play the fool are really shrewd, aren't they? So in terms of comedy, how good the funny man is determines just how easy it is for the straight man to make a come back. As for the straight man, there are a lot of them who lose all common sense when they're surprised. So then they reach a level of foolishness that you'd never get in comedy. When such people are told straight up like that in their own private lives, the odds that they'd withdraw are overwhelming, right? (laughs)"
Is that also true of Nino himself?
"Probably (laughs). It's not like it's something I consciously want to acknowledge, though I do try to avoid pointless things as much as possible... It's something I don't realise; I guess it just naturally manifests."
With regards to the sea, you once muttered in an interview, "I don't like the sea, it's too big" while gently strumming a guitar. Certainly if one thinks about it, there are many trivial air-headed things that Nino has said or done which could have been picked up on.
"I tend to be the one making the come-backs, so it's harder to notice when I'm being air-headed. Even if people do notice, there's nobody else to pick up on it. For me there's probably only Aiba-kun, I guess. Even if other members did notice, I've been together with Aiba-kun so long - ever since we were kids - that he realises it sooner than anyone else. Usually even on our shows, he doesn't go easy on picking up on those things so I'd be like, "Ah, I'm being an idiot right now" and realise it (laughs)."
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo, Nino gets the overwhelming majority of his social disposition from his seniors. Isn't it about time he spared some attention for his juniors? "Like Sexy Zone? They're cute but there's no way I'd be having them hang around with me (laughs). I guess it's part of my nature to hang out with those older than me. When I turn 40, I'd definitely be hanging out with 60 year olds."
- - - - -
[1] The concepts of ツッコミ/'tsukkomi' and ボケ/'boke' come into play here. In Japanese comedy, the boke/funny man is the one who says or does something stupid and the tsukkomi/straight man is the one who picks him up on it. ('Man' being a poor substitute for a gender-neutral pronoun here, that is). Since tsukkomi and boke can be used as both verbs and nouns, there aren't really any true English equivalents so you may find my phrasing reads a little oddly / stronger than the original text intended.
[2] 'Producing yourself' in the sense of 'to market' / 'to advertise' / 'to make a product of' yourself. Kinda like how Lady Gaga or Kyary Pamyu Pamyu create personas for themselves.
>> 'It' column by Yoshi Rei from the Sept 2012 MORE magazine.
>> Photography by Emori Yasuyuki.
>> Scans from Nchan @ bulaoge.net.
>> Any corrections/suggestions/feedback? Feel free to give me a shout ^__^
>> Not too fussed about credit/re-use as long as no profit or harm comes from it.
>> More MORE
Sharing the Nino-love is much encouraged <3
[originally posted August 12, 2012, 00:01]
<< back || index || next >>
- - - - -
It {一途}
Although he doesn't voice his motives, he never lies about things important to him. The path walked by Ninomiya Kazunari runs with his true intentions.
Chapter #45
Your own worth
Somewhere downtown by the river, he leans against a fence. With his hair dyed blond for a drama role in the upcoming '24 Hour Television', Nino looks even younger than he usually does. He's already celebrated his 29th birthday.
"Personally, it doesn't feel any different than from my teens. It's not that I want to appear young. If you ask me, I'm not fussed about looks. No matter how much my outward appearance changes, I'm fine with doing whatever roles come my way. Up til now, there's probably never been any job that gives you the ideal outward appearance (laughs). Especially for actors; there are probably very few actors who are all that particular about their appearance, right? Since they know work comes with having the right face and air."
So your personal worth isn't determined by youth or beauty. What comprises Nino's worth then?
"I have no idea (laughs). I've never considered my own worth - or wanted to."
What about the art of conversation, for example? Be it in variety shows or communicating on set, Nino's conversations are naturally interesting. Whether young or old, male or female, all are drawn by it. It's one of your many great charms.
"I've never thought I was skilled in the art of conversation. I guess I just try to create an atmosphere where it's easy for the other person to make conversation... For example, if you take the way I sit or behave in the 'Himitsu no Arashi-chan!' Share House, my manners are much worse than usual (laughs). The premise of the show is that it's like having a chat at home, so in order for viewers to get that, we want the guest to be relaxed. It's not essential that we draw out an unexpected side of the guest or ask about things they've never been asked about. The most important thing is to create an environment where it's easy to talk about anything."
So the main concern would be to get people to loosen up.
"I think the main point would be to do your best to keep the conversation going smoothly without talking about yourself. Someone who only keeps adding new developments into the flow isn't necessarily a good conversationalist. I just look at the overall picture and make jabs[1] at certain people when I see fit to help create the flow and atmosphere. It's not a board meeting where you have to take turns or something (laughs). I do the same thing in Arashi and even in my everyday life. Saying "This is what I think!" or asking if anything interesting happened lately isn't a conversational art; it's all unsolicited (laughs)."
When asked if not talking about himself was more of a 'I don't want to talk about it' sort of thing rather than a conscious technique, he laughed: "Well, I'm just good at evasion". Nino's thinking is the exact opposite of the 'self producing'[2] trend.
"I don't really talk about myself. Maybe I just don't get it, but does obstinately trying to make yourself appealing increase your worth? (laughs) I've talked to people from all walks of life and well, I think your value is something that others decide."
"The only one who picks up on when I'm being foolish is Aiba-kun."
Nino's come-backs comprise of picking up on the person's faults; while doing so he also safeguards against leaving himself exposed.
"When you think about it, this isn't just restricted to comedians; I have a hunch that those who are disposed to making witty retorts are actually intensely spacey people. At least, the people I know are like that. Actually, those who play the fool are really shrewd, aren't they? So in terms of comedy, how good the funny man is determines just how easy it is for the straight man to make a come back. As for the straight man, there are a lot of them who lose all common sense when they're surprised. So then they reach a level of foolishness that you'd never get in comedy. When such people are told straight up like that in their own private lives, the odds that they'd withdraw are overwhelming, right? (laughs)"
Is that also true of Nino himself?
"Probably (laughs). It's not like it's something I consciously want to acknowledge, though I do try to avoid pointless things as much as possible... It's something I don't realise; I guess it just naturally manifests."
With regards to the sea, you once muttered in an interview, "I don't like the sea, it's too big" while gently strumming a guitar. Certainly if one thinks about it, there are many trivial air-headed things that Nino has said or done which could have been picked up on.
"I tend to be the one making the come-backs, so it's harder to notice when I'm being air-headed. Even if people do notice, there's nobody else to pick up on it. For me there's probably only Aiba-kun, I guess. Even if other members did notice, I've been together with Aiba-kun so long - ever since we were kids - that he realises it sooner than anyone else. Usually even on our shows, he doesn't go easy on picking up on those things so I'd be like, "Ah, I'm being an idiot right now" and realise it (laughs)."
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo, Nino gets the overwhelming majority of his social disposition from his seniors. Isn't it about time he spared some attention for his juniors? "Like Sexy Zone? They're cute but there's no way I'd be having them hang around with me (laughs). I guess it's part of my nature to hang out with those older than me. When I turn 40, I'd definitely be hanging out with 60 year olds."
- - - - -
[1] The concepts of ツッコミ/'tsukkomi' and ボケ/'boke' come into play here. In Japanese comedy, the boke/funny man is the one who says or does something stupid and the tsukkomi/straight man is the one who picks him up on it. ('Man' being a poor substitute for a gender-neutral pronoun here, that is). Since tsukkomi and boke can be used as both verbs and nouns, there aren't really any true English equivalents so you may find my phrasing reads a little oddly / stronger than the original text intended.
[2] 'Producing yourself' in the sense of 'to market' / 'to advertise' / 'to make a product of' yourself. Kinda like how Lady Gaga or Kyary Pamyu Pamyu create personas for themselves.
>> 'It' column by Yoshi Rei from the Sept 2012 MORE magazine.
>> Photography by Emori Yasuyuki.
>> Scans from Nchan @ bulaoge.net.
>> Any corrections/suggestions/feedback? Feel free to give me a shout ^__^
>> Not too fussed about credit/re-use as long as no profit or harm comes from it.
>> More MORE
Sharing the Nino-love is much encouraged <3
[originally posted August 12, 2012, 00:01]
<< back || index || next >>