MORE 2012.10 - Nino's 'It'
You know what, nepheliads?
Since I missed your birthday (and Nino's and Jun's and Arashi's), imma make it up to you by continually posting Nino-related stuff DAILY for a month, mmkay? Ready steady STRAT!
- - - - -
It {一途}
If there are things that unintentionally continue, then there are also things that end before we know it. Ninomiya Kazunari's path continues on to an unpredictable future.
Chapter #46
Continuity
Today's photoshoot takes place in an old shoe shop that was established in Asakusa in the first year of the Taisho era. The tasteful yellow of his setta (traditional Japanese leather-soled sandals) matches the tinges of gold still left in his hair.
"It's difficult to continue anything." That's something Nino always says. Be it in work, TV shows or in relations with other people, 'continuity' is valuable because it's so hard to come by. As of September, it will be Arashi's 13th year since their formation. The upcoming concert in the Kokuritsu Kasumigaoka Stadium also marks their fifth year performing there.
"For Kokuritsu, it'd be fine to have festival-like concerts that everyone enjoys, just as we always do. Just because it's the fifth year there doesn't meant that we get all worked up and think that we have to try something new. I'm sure the members feel the same way. We'd like to keep creating quality work, but that doesn't mean we'd be drastically breaking rules or new ground in order to show everyone a new side of us."
He tells us this is also true of Arashi's activities in general.
"It's the same when we create a show or a CD. It's not so much showing our inner selves or thoughts; our job is first and foremost to respond to what society wants of us. I'd wager that people aren't really asking for 'a new Arashi' all that much. Of course, everyone individually has their unique demands of Arashi, but I think the Arashi most people want to see is five guys who get along well and have fun. That's why we get offered many projects in that vein. We don't take on everything offered and there are times when we want to propose new things ourselves, but it's not like the cheerful and close-knit Arashi you've seen up 'til now is a lie. It really is fun when the five of us are together and the laughter is all natural. It'd be great if we can respond to everyone's demands while having fun as we do now.
However, Ninomiya's way of thinking and approach varies slightly when it comes to solo work.
"Solo work is something you accept, but you get some degree of freedom to do what you like or try things out and I think it's important to take responsibility for it. Especially for acting; I have my own thoughts on 'continuity' there. That is, you have to have different acting techniques each time. For example, the movie 'Platinum Data' was filmed before the 24 Hour TV drama this year but the drama was aired first. So I made an effort to avoid using techniques from 'Platinum Data' in the drama. It's a matter of ettiquette for the audience, of course, but also for the director, my co-stars and everyone involved in creating the piece. After all, it'd be rude to use the things specifically created for one set in the next set I go to, right?
As an actor, you encounter things from time to time that provoke you, that you may personally struggle with - I want to discover and present something new from this. It's not so much for my own sake of wanting to continue acting, but more for those people who create the piece with me and for those watching me."
It is for this reason he is considered an actor of high calibre and that there is no shortage of people who want to work with him.
"But you know, rather than having people say 'Somehow or another, I'd like to work with Ninomiya Kazunari', I'd be happy if it's an offer out of passion towards the work. I'd be grateful the day I'm told, 'I'd like to work with Ninomiya because I want to create this piece'."
Be it Arashi-related work or solo work, I'm glad they both keep coming in.
"It's because I have both Arashi-related work and solo work that I can strike a balance. I'm glad I have both, " says Nino. With each passing year, it seems that simple sentiment grows stronger. Continuing with both shapes the path only found in Ninomiya Kazunari.
"I can't really categorise things into being either major or minor; there's no real need for that... It'd be incredible as long as we can create something major, be it films, music or whatever. If 'major' means having a large budget to draw in a vast audience, then the pressure and responsibility grows accordingly (laughs). Being able to experience that to some extent is a big thing for me.
On the other hand, I feel that the demands that people of today have of a piece are divided depending on the individual. That said, perhaps we should change our medium as well rather than continuing as we always have."
He's not afraid to change. After all, intentionally or otherwise, what continues or ends will do exactly that - continue or end.
"The year after next, even the Kokuritsu stadium will undergo renovation. So we don't know how much longer we'll get to hold concerts at a venue as famous as Kokuritsu. Now people may say, "Holding concerts at Kokuritsu is incredible!" but decades from now, there may be kids who won't even know the significance of holding concerts there (laughs). But I think that's okay. New things are born because of there are things that get old. It is because the era progresses that - even if it were to end - 'the act of continuing' is worth something."
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo. In June, it was Nino's birthday during 'Arashi's Waku Waku Gakkou 2012' and he received a letter from his mother as a surprise. His thoughts? "Well, I was honestly happy (laughs). Other than events like these, I don't really get the opportunity to receive letters. I was never the type to ask about stories from my childhood, so I bet my mom was glad to have the chance to share those stories with everyone (laughs)."
- - - - -
>> 'It' column by Yoshi Rei from the October 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 2012-10-20 00:17:00]
<< back || index || next >>
Since I missed your birthday (and Nino's and Jun's and Arashi's), imma make it up to you by continually posting Nino-related stuff DAILY for a month, mmkay? Ready steady STRAT!
- - - - -
It {一途}
If there are things that unintentionally continue, then there are also things that end before we know it. Ninomiya Kazunari's path continues on to an unpredictable future.
Chapter #46
Continuity
Today's photoshoot takes place in an old shoe shop that was established in Asakusa in the first year of the Taisho era. The tasteful yellow of his setta (traditional Japanese leather-soled sandals) matches the tinges of gold still left in his hair.
"It's difficult to continue anything." That's something Nino always says. Be it in work, TV shows or in relations with other people, 'continuity' is valuable because it's so hard to come by. As of September, it will be Arashi's 13th year since their formation. The upcoming concert in the Kokuritsu Kasumigaoka Stadium also marks their fifth year performing there.
"For Kokuritsu, it'd be fine to have festival-like concerts that everyone enjoys, just as we always do. Just because it's the fifth year there doesn't meant that we get all worked up and think that we have to try something new. I'm sure the members feel the same way. We'd like to keep creating quality work, but that doesn't mean we'd be drastically breaking rules or new ground in order to show everyone a new side of us."
He tells us this is also true of Arashi's activities in general.
"It's the same when we create a show or a CD. It's not so much showing our inner selves or thoughts; our job is first and foremost to respond to what society wants of us. I'd wager that people aren't really asking for 'a new Arashi' all that much. Of course, everyone individually has their unique demands of Arashi, but I think the Arashi most people want to see is five guys who get along well and have fun. That's why we get offered many projects in that vein. We don't take on everything offered and there are times when we want to propose new things ourselves, but it's not like the cheerful and close-knit Arashi you've seen up 'til now is a lie. It really is fun when the five of us are together and the laughter is all natural. It'd be great if we can respond to everyone's demands while having fun as we do now.
However, Ninomiya's way of thinking and approach varies slightly when it comes to solo work.
"Solo work is something you accept, but you get some degree of freedom to do what you like or try things out and I think it's important to take responsibility for it. Especially for acting; I have my own thoughts on 'continuity' there. That is, you have to have different acting techniques each time. For example, the movie 'Platinum Data' was filmed before the 24 Hour TV drama this year but the drama was aired first. So I made an effort to avoid using techniques from 'Platinum Data' in the drama. It's a matter of ettiquette for the audience, of course, but also for the director, my co-stars and everyone involved in creating the piece. After all, it'd be rude to use the things specifically created for one set in the next set I go to, right?
As an actor, you encounter things from time to time that provoke you, that you may personally struggle with - I want to discover and present something new from this. It's not so much for my own sake of wanting to continue acting, but more for those people who create the piece with me and for those watching me."
It is for this reason he is considered an actor of high calibre and that there is no shortage of people who want to work with him.
"But you know, rather than having people say 'Somehow or another, I'd like to work with Ninomiya Kazunari', I'd be happy if it's an offer out of passion towards the work. I'd be grateful the day I'm told, 'I'd like to work with Ninomiya because I want to create this piece'."
Be it Arashi-related work or solo work, I'm glad they both keep coming in.
"It's because I have both Arashi-related work and solo work that I can strike a balance. I'm glad I have both, " says Nino. With each passing year, it seems that simple sentiment grows stronger. Continuing with both shapes the path only found in Ninomiya Kazunari.
"I can't really categorise things into being either major or minor; there's no real need for that... It'd be incredible as long as we can create something major, be it films, music or whatever. If 'major' means having a large budget to draw in a vast audience, then the pressure and responsibility grows accordingly (laughs). Being able to experience that to some extent is a big thing for me.
On the other hand, I feel that the demands that people of today have of a piece are divided depending on the individual. That said, perhaps we should change our medium as well rather than continuing as we always have."
He's not afraid to change. After all, intentionally or otherwise, what continues or ends will do exactly that - continue or end.
"The year after next, even the Kokuritsu stadium will undergo renovation. So we don't know how much longer we'll get to hold concerts at a venue as famous as Kokuritsu. Now people may say, "Holding concerts at Kokuritsu is incredible!" but decades from now, there may be kids who won't even know the significance of holding concerts there (laughs). But I think that's okay. New things are born because of there are things that get old. It is because the era progresses that - even if it were to end - 'the act of continuing' is worth something."
- - - - -
Kazunari Ninomiya
Born 17th June 1983 in Tokyo. In June, it was Nino's birthday during 'Arashi's Waku Waku Gakkou 2012' and he received a letter from his mother as a surprise. His thoughts? "Well, I was honestly happy (laughs). Other than events like these, I don't really get the opportunity to receive letters. I was never the type to ask about stories from my childhood, so I bet my mom was glad to have the chance to share those stories with everyone (laughs)."
- - - - -
>> 'It' column by Yoshi Rei from the October 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 2012-10-20 00:17:00]
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