[Stage Navi Vol. 52] Close up: Miyachika Kaito x Shimekake Ryuya

[pigs-canflyy.livejournal.com]

You got to back dance for Arashi’s “This is Arashi LIVE 2020.12.32”, how was it?

💗: I was really really touched! Aiba-kun takes really good care of me so I was really happy to be able to work with him before the hiatus.
❤️: It was especially so for Shime.
💗: Arashi appeared from the top in the beginning of the concert, and the all the juniors watched them climb up. They started hugging and shaking hands silently, and that really made us emotional.
❤️: That’s true... they hugged without speaking.
💗: Everyone was focused during rehearsals, so there weren’t many conversations and there was nervousness in atmosphere.
❤️: On the contrary, it’s amazing that the atmosphere didn’t differ much from their usual concerts. It was their last live before the hiatus, and people all around Japan? No, the world were looking forward to it so we had special feelings towards that concert but Arashi-senpai treated it like any other concert. That surprised me.
💗: Yup, just that the members silently shook hands and hugged before it started.
❤️: Shime was smiling really brightly too, right?
💗: Tears just naturally appeared when I looked at the five of them. I think that’s what it means to be a star.
❤️: Oh, Shime too?
💗: Yup. Actually it seemed that everyone’s eyes had tears in them. Before the live started, they spoke to us juniors right? (Matsumoto) Jun-kun said, “We’re starting our hiatus, but the ones to support Johnny’s next will be all of you.” He even said it to each of us individually...
❤️: That really made me emotional!
💗: During rehearsals when they point out our mistakes or make requests of us, they make sure to say our names. I was really grateful for that. I was already happy with them just remembering our names, but they even gave us some really good pointers.
❤️: Matsumoto-kun always studies really hard, but he really powered up this time. He was able to communicate well with the technical staff and incorporated all the latest, newest technology.
💗: Above that, his love is amazing. Jun-kun has a cool image and seems like he speaks harshly but getting to back dance this time really made me realise that Jun-kun really loves Arashi. It’s because he loves Arashi that he always wants to keep showing new sides of Arashi. It’s because of that he sometimes sounds harsh too. Everything he says is for Arashi, to make Arashi better, for the other members to look better.
❤️: He’s not doing it to stand out.
💗: Yup, you could tell he was really looking at the other members.
❤️: I learnt so much from his hungry spirit.
💗: We received new year’s money from them and they even told us, “This is for (Nakamura) Kaito (who was recovering at the time).” They also wrote our names “Shimekake-kun”, “Miyachika-kun” on the packets.
❤️: Yup, we received them from all 5 members.
💗: They gave it to all the juniors. That was probably a huge sum of money (laughs).
❤️: It’s because it’s Arashi-senpai!
💗: I’m glad we were able to send them off before their hiatus~ and I’m already wishing for them to return (laughs).
❤️: That’s true!
💗: “Someday... no, hopefully sometime soon we’ll be able to see them as five together again” were my thoughts. “This isn’t the end, I want to see them again, I want to meet them again.” were my strong feelings.
❤️: The five of them were really great.
💗: I’m sure every junior who participated felt the same way. Stars are really amazing, I once again decided that I want to be like them. I mean, Jun-kun told us “We’re leaving Johnny’s to you!!”
❤️: That’s true, he left Johnny’s to us.

Other than Arashi’s concert, there were many other online concerts, the solo concerts for Summer Paradise 2020, Toraja NINJAPAN. It was a year of growth.

❤️: Looking back at last year, the solo concerts for Summer Paradise 2020 were huge for us. Rather than us changing individually, we became better at being able to face each other with what we had, and we were able to show our individual strengths.
💗: Yup, we were each able to show our powers.
❤️: I thought it was great that lots of people got to know our potential. The seven of us are always showing our synchronised dances, so lives were we get close ups individually are rare.
💗: That’s true. Through that live we were able to do and think of things we wanted to do, and it was an experience that really increased our power.
❤️: We were all praising each other saying, “That was really good!” (laughs)
💗: Yup, in a good way we have all become more particular. Everyone was more sure of their core, and who they were!
❤️: Like confidence.
💗: During our discussions for our concerts, we tend to say everything we want to. I think that sort of started when MatsuMatsu joined. The group atmosphere became better and through the solo concerts, we’re all better able to state our opinions.
❤️: The solo concerts were really huge, but the other work was really fulfilling too.
💗: That’s true! Our individual work has increased too!
❤️: We were able to go through various positive and negative experiences last year, but the seven of us were always moving forward.
💗: Yup, I felt that too. The group atmosphere is also really great now.
❤️: Our motivations are high.
💗: This year we’d like to appear on music shows as Travis Japan!
❤️: Like Music Station or FNS Kayousai.
💗: Yup, we’d like to make a solo group appearance!

You’re currently preparing for your nationwide tour “IMAGE NATION”. Could you share with us the current concept for the tour?

💗: Before our concerts, we do a group huddle and we decided to incorporate that in our tour title. The fans call it “Sansei-con” too.
❤️: Yup, also “IMAGE NATION” means imaginary nation where we bring ideas from our heads to the stage.
💗: Yup, it’s imagination, where everyone’s the king of their own nation.
❤️: In the concert, everyone takes charge of their own corners. Each person is the main and does the staging for their corner.
💗: By the way, the concept for mine is “Love”. There’s princely love, and slightly bitter love.
❤️: Everyone’s theme is different.
💗: It’s interesting, and everyone’s individuality really shows.
❤️: The hidden theme is what happens when the seven nations join. It’s good if you enjoy it, and the concert would include your thoughts and how you feel after as well.
💗: Chaka’s amazing! Thinking that far...
❤️: No no (laughs). We don’t want to share everything about the concert because if we explain everything there won’t be any blanks left to be filled in, and that would be boring. We want to leave it to the fans to imagine and fill that in for us, play around with us.
💗: I see!
❤️: I’d like everyone to experience the fun of talking about the live after experiencing it. It’ll become a live that’s twice as fun!
💗: As expected, our dependable leader!
❤️: The setlist is mostly decided, but we still have rehearsals to go through. It’ll probably change once we start rehearsing, so who knows what it’ll be like in the end.
💗: Now we still don’t know when the first show will be. We’re really sad that there was no choice but to cancel some shows. This time was the Kyoto, Yokohama and Osaka shows being cancelled and I was really depressed. I wanted to write about it in my blog but I was so sad that I didn’t know what to say. I still haven’t been able to write it....
❤️: Ah, I see.
💗: When it was decided that the shows were cancelled, I immediately wanted to apologise to the fans but I was so depressed I couldn’t. ENTER1234567 also became an online stream, so this is the second time this has happened...
❤️: It can’t be helped.
💗: Of course, health is the most important so it can’t be helped. Even so it feels unfinished... Once I sort out my feelings, I’ll write about it on Johnny’s Web (laughs).
❤️: I’m sure the fans are waiting for your blog update.
💗: Please wait a little more. Please bear with what I currently post (laughs).

This is a part of Stage Navi’s “Shinme series”. How do the both of you feel about each other?
(Shinme refers to a pair who dance in symmetry)

❤️: Oh, this is a shinme series?
💗: When we say shinme, we mean people who dance in symmetry. But the fans probably have a different interpretation.
❤️: Yup, fans see it as a pair who go well together, and their story together. It’s really amazing how they see it.
💗: Shinme is a culture unique to Johnny’s. Like Fuma-kun and Kento-kun, or KinKi Kids. The one I think of first is Kamenashi-kun and Akanishi-kun. I was from the generation that watched “Gokusen 2”, so I’m really just their fan.
❤️: You’re a fan??
💗: I even watched the recent reruns! I decided to join Johnny’s after watching that drama!!
❤️: I see.
💗: What’s Chaka’s image of a shinme?
❤️: Isn’t it a brand? It’s not something you bring up, but it naturally becomes that way. It’s not like Johnny-san is looking to create shinmes by grouping people together. That’s why shinmes that emerge become a powerful weapon for the group. If we look at it that way, I feel that MatsuMatsu are more of a combi then a shinme.
💗: I see. As a Gokusen fan, I looked up to shinmes, but I wasn’t very particular about it. In Travis Japan, it would be (Nakamura) Kaito and I? I’ve never really had a shinme since I joined the agency though.
❤️: What about people from Snow Prince?
💗: No no, that’s different (laughs). What about Chaka’s past shinmes?
❤️: When I just joined, my first shinme was... someone who’s no longer around. I haven’t had a shinme since.
💗: I see...
❤️: My shinme is no longer around, and I’ve ended up seeming like the center. We’ve never really discussed about who is the center, and I really wasn’t confident in being the center. I thought that the group I was center of would end up terribly (laughs). I thought that the group was weird.
💗: Is that so?
❤️: My self-confidence is low.
💗: Huh? Even though Chaka is an essential presence to me? We’d be troubled without you around. You’re our dependable leader!
❤️: Thank you (laughs). I’m able to stand in the center because of members who say such things like Shime. For me, I’m the closest to Travis Japan, including Shime of course, within Johnny’s. I love the group, and it’s where I belong.
💗: Chaka...
❤️: Don’t make such a face ~ (laughs)
💗: Sorry (laughs)
❤️: I was also able to gain confidence because of fans who praise me, so I figured out how to look cool.
💗: That’s right, Chaka is cool! You’re totally dependable when it comes to work, and you’re a friend I can be at ease with in private.
❤️: A friend, I feel that way too.
💗: The ShimeChaka combi are quiet when we’re together.
❤️: That’s true.
💗: We’re both members of Kyomoto-kai too. Abe-chan is a member too. We’re all on the quieter side.
❤️: It’s a gathering of introverts.
💗: Yeah, we’re introverts. But Chaka is able to match the people around, like you’re able to be both an introvert and extrovert.
❤️: I see Shime as someone who’s strange, but has a strong core.
💗: Ahaha, I’m the strange kind.
❤️: You’re also like a textbook example of an idol. It’s not like you were like this from the start, but you worked hard and studied to become the Shime you are now.
💗: Yup, you understand me (laughs).
❤️: You’re able to do stuff that’s symbolic of being a Johnny’s, and you learn from our seniors too. You challenge things that fascinate you, you’re true to yourself.
💗: Thank you. I see Miyachika Kaito as someone decisive. When we’re in a group, the one who makes the final decision is Chaka, and even in private too. I often can’t make such decisions, so I really respect that about you. It’s essential to have such a person in the group, and I respect you as a friend!
❤️: If Shime were in the same school as me... I wouldn’t be able to approach Shime because I’m shy. Shime would approach me though, he has great communication abilities.
💗: That might happen. Would we be in the same group in school? We might be in different groups... Chaka seems like the type to be noisy at the back of the class, while I'd be near the window in the middle of the classroom, slightly lost.
❤️: That wouldn’t happen!
💗: Ahaha!
❤️: Ah, I just thought of something. I’ve noticed something about Shime recently.
💗: Eh, what?
❤️: Has Shime always laughed like this? You used to laugh differently in the past.
💗: Hmm? What do you mean?
❤️: You used to laugh without sound in the past, but now you laugh out loud. It seems slightly fake, have you learnt that for TV? You’re getting used to being on TV? You’re getting bad at laughing.
💗: Yup, there might be some truth there (laughs). I’m being criticised! Let me say something too. I wish you’d stop calling me in the middle of the night. Once a month, you’d call me from 12am to 3am.
❤️: Eh, sometimes you’re on the top of my message list so I feel like calling you. Just wondering what you’re up to.
💗: Hey.. is that “Kousui”? (The song by Eito)
❤️: You’re my ex-boyfriend? (laughs)
💗: That’s my relationship with Chaka!