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rainofashe · 4 years

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VOGUE GIRL with BOY FRIEND: Starring JO1

VOGUE GIRL with BOY FRIEND Guest: JO1

In this first instalment of a series of interviews, we sat down with the hottest boys this season who have gained the attention of many with their fresh talent and looks to learn more about them. Set in the retro-pop 「Café & Bar CHAOS」, a café in Shinjuku frequented by fashionistas from around the world, the Associate Editor of VOGUE GIRL and the guests sat down for a no-frills chat. In this 31st edition, we have 5 members from the global boys group JO1, who just had their grand debut after surviving an audition program. Let’s welcome Kawanishi Takumi, Kimata Syoya, Ohira Shosei, Tsurubo Shion and Kinjo Sukai!

Firstly, let’s ask Kawanishi Takumi. What was the thing that changed the most after your debut?

I think it definitely has to be the environment around me. Literally everything changed. I’ve never been looked at by so many people before, and I’ve never lived apart from my parents either.

You were born in Hyogo?

Yes. It made me realise how precious my parents are.

JO1 had gained a lot of attention before your debut since it’s the group formed by the winners of the audition program. How did you feel back then, to see your fans’ support in hard numbers?

I knew from the start that we would be ranked, but when you work hard with other people you’d naturally form a sort of comradeship. I felt that it was really cruel. I didn’t want to do it anymore (laughs).

After debuting, when do you have the most fun?

I’ve always admired this world ever since I was in middle school, so right now I’m having fun everyday. Really, I never thought there’d be a job where I’d get to experience new things everyday, I’m really happy.

So you’re getting closer to the dream you’ve had since your 3rd year of middle school?

That’s right!

After analysing your personality, what sort of person do you think you are?

I’m a really shy person.

Do you ever feel that you’re being misunderstood by others?

I feel like I am, but I can’t really pinpoint it…

Like you’re actually really macho, or something like that (laughs).

I’m actually really muscular! I think I’m the kind who would approach someone first. Rather than approaching everyone else, it’s more like the members would come and talk to me first.

Those kinds of people tend to attract attention, I believe. Like in school, there’d always be that person who people would naturally be drawn to.

It’s a good thing, I guess.

Within JO1, is there anything you think you won’t lose to anyone, or don’t want to lose to anyone?

I want to become someone who can lead the team in our performance. Not just in dance and vocals, but also self-production.

What do you have in mind for self-production?

Like writing our own songs, or directing our own live performances, I hope to do that in the future.

Being in a big group of 11 members, is there anything you take special note of?

I don’t get angry when we’re having practice, but when someone warns everybody else, I try not to say anything. For example, if the dad gets angry the mom won’t get angry, so I keep quiet when someone else is angry.

So you try to maintain balance.

Yes, that’s what I take note of the most.

So you’re the mom (laughs).

Hahaha! (laughs)

What do you want your occupation to be called?

Charisma.

Nice! So you want to become charismatic?

Yes.

“Charismatic” tends to refer to someone who stands out from the rest, so what do you think sets you apart from others? I can already feel your charisma from your beautiful skin!

Really?!

Looking at you from the side, it’s really beautiful!

That makes me really happy! But I guess I’m really quick at picking up things…like dancing.

You’re able to grasp the main points?

Maybe it’s because I’m living based on sense and intuition.

I see. What makes a charismatic person, in your opinion?

I think people who are confident in themselves are really cool.

Do you have confidence in yourself?

I hope to gain more confidence from now on!

Is there anyone you respect or think they’re cool, amongst the members?

I think our leader, Yonashiro, is always thinking about the team and the people around him. I really respect him. I’m glad that he’s our leader.

So everyone sees him as the boss?

Not really (laughs). We always tease him, but having the leader always being teased creates a really nice atmosphere in the group.

What is the selling point of your second single STARGAZER, which was released on August 26th?

The concept this time is “students”, and when you’re a student, it’s a time when you’re chasing your dreams. We want to send the message that even if you’re on the brink of giving up, don’t give up! The music video is also really impactful and sends a really strong message. I hope that seeing us united and not giving up will bring across the message we want to convey.

From here on, answer us as fast as you can from the top of your head! Firstly, which part of your face do you like?

My eyes. I’ve been told that the look sharp.

The favourite part of your body?

Hands. I think they’re manly.

What do you do when you feel lonely?

I call my mother.

What is your ideal date plan?

I want to go to the amusement park and play a lot.

What is the one piece of advice that has left the deepest impression on you?

When a staff member told me, “You’re working too hard, you don’t have to.”

If you were to invite one of the members out for a meal, who would you go with and what would you eat?

I’ll go with Sato Keigo to eat roast beef.

Lastly — 10 years from now, what would you like Kawanishi Takumi to be like?

I want to meet all sorts of people from different genres and work with them. Not only in dance performances, but acting, and magazine shoots as well.

That truly embodies “charisma”! I look forward to seeing such a Kawanishi Takumi.

Thank you very much!

Next, we have Kimata Syoya. How was it after your debut?

Since I’m an only child, it felt like I gained a lot of brothers after we all started living together.

You’re together from day till night, right?

And we all go to work together.

It really does feel like you’ve gained a new family. Is it fun?

Yes, since I wanted siblings.

How did it feel like to have your fans’ support reflected in your ranking during the audition program?

I braced myself for that when I decided to apply. But I was able to remain much longer than expected and even managed to debut, so I guess I did have a bit of fun. It felt like my effort was being recognised and I’m glad I worked hard. Although there was a part of me that didn’t really want to see the ranking, but when I got a good result I was really happy and I gained confidence from it.

Do you think it will be useful in your upcoming career?

During the audition, we had to constantly produce ourselves. I was able to learn how to carry myself and how to show myself on stage, so it feels like a small step towards showbiz.

So you were already being trained back then. That’s why everyone is so polite!

Yes. We don’t have any knowledge at all about showbiz, but we were able to learn these things thanks to the audition program.

Do you ever feel that you’re being misunderstood by others?

I think many people think that I’m a person who doesn’t think (laughs).

Really? After meeting you in person, I don’t think so at all.

I’m really bad at explaining things. So I usually don’t explain things in details, and this comes off as if I’m not really thinking. And when I try to explain things in detail, I tend to become long-winded. I’m not really smart, but I do think about things!

What part about yourself do you think you won’t lose to the other members?

Boyish atmosphere.

Oh, that was an unexpected one!

I’m really shy, but I think i’m the most energetic one when I’m with the members.

Yes, yes, so you’re the mood maker?

There’s actually someone else who’s the mood maker (laughs), so it’s a little different from that. It’s more like I’m energetic enough to keep talking endlessly.

So you don’t get tired of people?

When I’m close to you I really won’t. When the cameras are rolling my shyness takes over and I can’t really express myself well, but when we become close I’m able to express my feelings, which puts me at ease and gives me energy, I think.

Is there anything in particular you take note of while working in a group with so many members?

I think that we have to carry ourselves properly when we work as a group. Let’s see…it’s like we’d all voice our opinions clearly, but eventually we’ll summarise the main points and make sure everyone’s on the same page. I think that’s important.

What would you like your title to be?

I’d like to be called an artiste.

Are there any artistes you look up to?

I’ve always liked K-POP, so someone like BTS. In Japan, I’d say someone like King Gnu, where everyone’s unique personalities shine. I want us to become something like that.

So, what kind of unique personalities do you think JO1 has?

For example, when you audition for an agency, the agency would always have their own likes and dislikes. I think such subjectiveness results in the same type of people gathering together. But we were chosen by different viewers with different tastes, so we’re all different in our own ways. I think that’s what makes up our unique personalities.

When do you have the most fun?

I think it’s when I’m eating.

What’s your favourite food?

Sushi and steak!

Moving on to your new song. In your opinion, what is the selling point of your new single?

I would say it’s the dance choreography in the chorus of OH-EH-OH. Students and office workers would wear jackets, right? Everyone can use that to try out our dance and enjoy the song.

That means everyone can become JO1! It’s a song to encourage those in their teens, right?

Yes, but personally I don’t want it to be just limited to teens, I hope everyone can feel encouraged by it! When I hear this song, I also feel that I need to work hard.

From here on, answer as fast as you can. What’s your favourite part of your face?

The mole on my eyelid. I think it’s pretty rare.

Favourite part of your body?

I’ve been told that my shoulders and collarbones are nice.

What do you do when you’re feeling lonely?

I hang out with my friends.

What is your ideal date plan?

Maybe going out for a meal.

What is the one piece of advice that has left the deepest impression on you?

My friend once told me “if you believe you can do it, you actually can”, and when I convinced myself to think like this, I was really able to do it!

If you were to invite one of the members out for a meal, who would you go with and what would you eat?

I’ll go with Tsurubo Shion to eat Sundubu!

10 years from now, what would you like Kimata Syoya to be like?

I want to become an adult that looks good with a beard.

What sort of work would you do?

I want to try running my own business. Like a restaurant, or maybe my own fashion brand since I’m interested in fashion, or producing my own cosmetics.

That’s a really broad range!

I’ve been watching K-dramas recently, and it made me want to run my own restaurant one day.

Do you cook?

I do when I have the time.

What’s your best dish?

Seaweed soup.

Seaweed soup! That’s unexpected (laughs).

But it’s really legit! (laughs) I’d grill some meet and leek then add in the seaweed. I like using a Korean or Chinese seasoning.

So an artiste that is also a businessman in multiple areas. That’s definitely new! I’m looking forward to it!

Yes. I’ll do my best!

Thirdly, we have Ohira Shosei. How was it like after your debut?

I became bolder and gained confidence.

In what way?

I wanted to refine myself even more after debuting. I was wondering how I should go about it and tried changing my makeup and hairstyle, but as expected the best way to refine myself is to stand with my chest out with confidence (laughs).

That’s true!

If there isn’t anything overflowing from inside, nothing will work.

Was there anything within you that changed after your debut?

I became more skilful, and I think I’m able to show myself better on stage, like during out performances.

And I guess it’s because there are more opportunities for you to perform as a professional?

Yes. I’ve received a lot of stimulation and I think it has changed quite a lot.

What sort of personality would you say you have?

Calm and quiet.

Really? (laughs)

(laughs) I am, but somewhere in me there’s an American feeling.

So you’re clear about yourself, and are strong-willed.

That’s right.

What part about yourself do you think you won’t lose to the other members?

In terms of being an artiste, I think I’m able to fit any sort of song. I can do a cute song since I have a baby face, and I can do cool songs too. I can do songs with a tough atmosphere too, I can do anything.

So you can change yourself as and when.

Yes!

Oh! And amongst, that what are you the best at?

A lot of people think I’m the cute kind, but actually in my heart, I really like the tough type of songs. But because my face isn’t like that…but I like everything.

So do you ever feel that you’re being misunderstood by others?

When people tell me I have a fluffy atmosphere.

You’re actually more of a tough guy?

That’s right!

Oh! Is there anything in particular you take note of while working in a group with so many members?

To maintain a good sense of distance between one another, and to communicate with one another properly.

That’s very mature of you. When performing as 11 members, do you ever feel like you’d be overshadowed?

I do, I do! In my case, since I have lesser lines in our songs compared to the rest, I try my best to show my charms when I’m performing in front.

What would you say your occupation is?

An artiste.

Are there any artistes whom you look up to?

He’s an actor, but I like someone like Miura Shohei.

Who do you think amongst the members is impressive?

Shion.

In what way?

He’s very level-headed and he looks at things with a calm mind. He’s a serious guy.

When do you have the most fun?

When I’m listening to tough songs and get into the mood (laughs).

You’re passionate about hair and makeup, but is there anything about beauty you take particular note of?

I’m really particular about skincare!

As expected. Is there anything you will do without fail?

It’s a rather long process. I have about 6 steps.

Wow! And where do you get your information from>

I consult my makeup artist sometimes.

From here on, answer as fast as you can. Firstly, your favourite part of your face.

My eyes. I have droopy eyes.

Favourite part of your body?

Everything. I have a an unexpectedly good body shape.

What do you do when you’re feeling lonely?

Watch anime!

What is your ideal date plan?

Going to the movies and then shopping!

What is the one piece of advice that has left the deepest impression on you?

“Who cares?” I heard this line in an American drama I watched and it really stuck with me.

If you were to invite one of the members out for a meal, who would you go with and what would you eat?

Myself. Because it’s calming.

10 years from now, what would you like Ohira Shosei to be like?

A calm and manly person.

And as an artiste?

I want to be able to draw out more of my own uniqueness.

So you’d still be working in the field of dance and music?

Yes.

What about acting.

I’m not interested. I’ll purely do artiste work.

What is the best moment for you as an artiste?

I want to be able to stand on the stage of the domes. Hopefully it’ll come true in 10 years’ time…I want to become someone who’d be able to go overseas too. I want to become someone who can work overseas.

With your studious attitude, I’m sure you’ll be able to overcome country borders! Thank you for today.

Thank you very much!

Next, we have Tsurubo Shion.

Thanks for having me!

What does it feel like to have your dream of debuting come true?

Before applying for Produce 101, I was actually under a Korean agency. I wasn’t able to debut and came back to Japan, and I felt really apologetic to my family. Apparently back then, I told them to wait and see that I’ll be in Tokyo 1 year later. And I really did make it, it gave me goosebumps and I was really surprised. I didn’t finish high school, so if I don’t enter showbiz I’ll just cause even more trouble for my parents, so I was like, I definitely have to debut! After debuting, I feel like I was able to repay my parents even if just a little.

Not being able to debut in Korea, in retrospect, worked to your advantage.

It helped me gained confidence, and when I first when to Korea, I was totally inexperienced and wasn’t able to do anything. I learned how to dance, sing and speak Korean for 10 months over there, and now that I’m in JO1 there are times when people ask me to speak in Korean, and I’m glad I’m able to make use of these skills I picked up in these situations.

During the audition, the fans’ support was reflected clearly in your ranking. It was a pretty rare experience, wasn’t it?

Right off the bat, they already showed that I had a bad attitude. I thought that everything was over (laughs).

How did you feel back then?

I felt really hurt. I was 7th in the first rankings. I thought it was pretty meh.

7th is amazing.

And then after they aired the bit where they said I had a bad attitude, I rose to 5th place. I was like what? What’s going on? And I’ve never dropped since then. 5, 3, 5, 3, 3, 2 and then 5th in the end. There were members who managed to debut without their ranks dropping. I wanted to debut as the top 3, so I missed it just by a bit!

But to place 5th even after being criticised about your attitude!

But I really felt that 1st, 2nd and 3rd are amazing, and I won’t be able to reach that. So I thought I did pretty well by placing 5th.

What sort of personality would you say you have?

I’d say I’m selfish.

In what way?

I’ve never said this before, but I hate being told what to do by other people. I want to think on my own before acting. Although I’m happy to have been able to enter showbiz, I get pumped up about the things I want to do, but lose motivation for things I’m not interested in (laughs).

(laughs) So you don’t like to be bound. I guess if things don’t sit well with you, you won’t do it?

That’s right. I won’t be able to.

But there are times when you have no choice, right?

Right now, I want us to become even bigger, such that when people talk about Japan’s idol boys group, they’d say JO1. I want us to go overseas too, one day. So rather than my own wishes, I want us to work hard together as a group.

Just now you said that your attitude had been criticised, but after talking to you like this, I feel that it’s not the case at all. Are there any times you feel like you’re being misunderstood by others?

Uhm, I’m just a really normal person. A lot of people say the I’m weird or scary (laughs), but I’m really just a normal person!

Doing work in showbiz, it’s important to keep remembering that you’re a normal person too. What part about yourself do you think you won’t lose to the other members?

I’m confident that I’m aware and considerate of my surroundings.

Considerate of your surroundings?

I think I’m someone who will consider my surroundings first before acting. For example, when we dance, I won’t just look at myself, but at the big picture.

So you would say you’re a considerate person?

Let’s leave it at that! Let’s leave it on a positive note (laughs).

(laughs) Is there anything in particular you take note of while working in a large group with 11 members?

To not fight and to not get angry.

And what do you take particular note of so as to not get into fights?

To always be calm. And tolerant. With 11 people, being tolerant becomes an important trait.

So you try your best to control yourself and to look at the big picture. That’s amazing.

Before, I’d get irritated and say whatever’s on my mind, but now I’ve learned to think before I speak!

With so many members, I think there’s always the worry of being overshadowed. Is there anything you’re working hard on so as to not be overshadowed?

Staying true to myself.

So to always be your true self?

Yes. Of course there are limits, but when we’re recording TV programs I’d say whatever I like, and to always maintain my unique character. I don’t freeze up or get nervous so I say what I think, but sometimes I say the wrong things (laughs). Yes. There are times when in acts in my favour and times when it doesn’t. I think that a unique aspect about myself.

What would you say your occupation is?

An artiste.

What sort of artiste do you look up to?

I think there are a lot of people in the younger generation that know about us, but I think a lot of people in the 40s and 50s wouldn’t know about us. Everyone knows ARASHI, right? I want to become as big as them.

Who do you think is the coolest member?

Mame-chan. Our youngest Mame-chan. He’s two years younger than me, but he’s really mature. To be honest, sometimes I feel like Mame-chan is the most mature one.

He is calm person?

He’s really considerate of his surroundings. I think that’s amazing, and I respect him for it. Mame-chan also warns the other members when needed, even if they’re older.

When do you have the most fun?

When I’m singing. Or when I’m gaming. I think I’m the one that likes gaming the most in JO1, I’m always gaming.

Let’s talk about your new single. Personally, what do you think is the selling point of your new single?

This time we have 6 songs, from ballads to chic and sexy to tough tracks. Since there is a wide variation, I think everyone can listen to a song that fits their own mood at any time.

Which is your favourite song?

The rap title, So What. As one of the rappers of the group, I have to choose this song (laughs). But I really like it.

From here on, answer as fast as you can! Firstly, the favourite part of your face.

My eyes. They’re droopy, but almond-shaped.

Favourite part of your body?

Shoulders. I swiped for 10 years so I think my body shape is good.

Your favourite colour?

Transparent. Because it won’t be dyed by anything.

What do you do when you’re lonely?

I call my friends.

What is your ideal date plan?

Just going to the countryside without thinking too much.

What is the one piece of advice that has left the deepest impression on you?

Something that my father said, “When you’re torn between what to do, choose the cooler option.”

If you were to buy yourself a reward right now, what would you buy?

Lifeguard.

If you were to invite one of the members out for a meal, who would you go with and what would you eat?

I’ll go with Kimata Syoya for a Chinese buffet!

Who do you want to say “Thank you!” to the most right now?

My family. They’ve always believed in me and supported me.

10 years from now, what would you like Tsurubo Shion to be like?

It might be a little early, but I want to be a refined and mature adult. And as for work, I want to challenge anything that comes. I’m in interested in acting and theatre. There are many things I want to do!

And what would you want to do continue doing?

Singing, I think.

You have a really nice voice.

Thank you very much!

A multi-talented artiste the can also sing ballads. I’m looking forward to it!

Thank you very much!

Lastly, we have Kinjo Sukai! What did you do during the Stay Home period?

I think everyone worked on polishing themselves. Like working out and practicing dancing.

Was there anything within you that changed after debuting?

My whole life itself changed drastically.

And you’re able to really feel it?

Yes. In the past, I used to part-time at construction site. I didn’t know it felt so good to sweat in front of an audience and the fans, and it felt so different from sweating at a construction site.

What sort of personality would you say you have?

I think I’m a pretty passionate person. Although I’m often seen as scary because of my appearance (laughs).

Maybe because you’re tall as well? (laughs)

I think so. But I love talking, so I think I’m pretty sociable.

So you’re always being misunderstood!

I’m always seen as scary because of my appearance, and my fans gave me the catchphrase “Always poker face”. Even when I appear on TV or during magazine shoots, I always have a calm expressions on and don’t really smile. But I’m not actually doing it on purpose…that’s the only thing I don’t want people to misunderstand.

What part about yourself do you think you won’t lose to the other members?

Rather than shining in the front, I’m always acting as everyone’s shadow. If someone has to be the light, someone else has to take on the role of the shadow, When the other members are troubled, if there’s a good opening for me to jump in to help them, I think I won’t lose to anyone in terms of speed.

I like the idea of light and shadow!

We have 11 members! So if everyone is fighting for the limelight when we appear on TV, it won’t be fun or interesting.

Is there anything in particular you take note of while working in a group with so many members?

Even though our leader Yonashiro Sho is older and is a very tolerant person, the number of members isn’t something that he himself can handle alone. So each one of us has to do our own part, for example, I always try to be polite in our greetings.

Do you guys ever fight?

Yes. At first we didn’t, but that actually made me worry. Personally, I’m the type that if we actually fight until it becomes a full-on brawl, I won’t be overly considerate of you anymore. Because we’ll end up understanding each other, and sharing our pain. And as we get more and more jobs, I think it’s only natural that we would have more of our own opinions, so I hope that we can grow to be able to talk to each other frankly.

It left a deep impassion on me just now when you mentioned “becoming the shadow”. Are you ever worried that you’ll be overshadowed by the other members?

Ah, but I hope that people would be able to see me for who I am. My mother told me that “the people who are looking are definitely watching you”, and I believe her words. The people who are looking at me will reach out to me one day, so until then I’m putting in effort to quietly hone my skills.

Is there anything in particular you’re working hard for as JO1?

When we’re dancing, just in our everyday lives, we look at the mirror a lot. But just dancing won’t convey anything, so I pay attention to show my cool side and better angles. And during magazine photoshoots, when the staff members praise my angles, I would take note of their feedback and look at my own photos and see what I can continue to adopt next time.

Who do you respect amongst the members?

Ren-kun. He’s our dance leader, and he’s always been shining ever since our audition days. He’s a great dancer, and has a bright and cheerful personality. He’s really reliable and I respect him.

What do you think is the selling point of your new song?

The theme this time is “students”, so it’s aimed at people around our age. Even though there may be worries and troubles, we want to tell them positively that everything will be okay. In the lyrics, there’s a line that goes “The shining light is waiting for us”, and that light is us and we’ll be waiting. That is the message of our new song.

From here on, answer as fast as you can. The favourite part of your face?

My left profile.

Favourite part of your body?

Shoulders

What do you do when you’re lonely?

I call my friends.

What is your ideal date plan?

Going out for lunch and then shopping, then returning home at night for a movie.

What is the one piece of advice that has left the deepest impression on you?

It’s something that one of the members, Kimata, said to me when I couldn’t remember the dance choreography. “Sleep and you will remember.”

If you were to invite one of the members out for a meal, who would you go with and what would you eat?

I’ll go with Tsurubo Shion for ramen.

10 years from now, what would you like Kinjo Sukai to be like?

I think I’m someone that shines more when I produce myself, or like someone that conveys better when I explain it with my own words, so I want to try writing my own songs. I also like perfumes, so I’d like to try making my own perfume. There are many things I’d like to try out.

What do you think was the weapon that allowed you to survive in the audition?

My voice.

So you should take good care of it!

That’s right! That’s why I want to become even better at singing and become acknowledged by professionals and people around the world.

I’ll be supporting you! Do your best!

Thank you very much.

#jo1 #vogue #vogue girl #japan #produce 101 #produce 101 japan #jpop #kpop

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rainofashe · 4 years

Audio

Voice (Kimi no Koe) -- JO1 [JP/EN]

very kdrama ost-esque vibes.

「夢か？」雲が切れて夜が明ける癒されてゆくような気がする君の光と目があった瞬間すべてが変わるそして始まる

“Is this a dream?” As the clouds clear and dusk turns to dawn It feels like I’m being healed When my eyes meet your light, Everything changes And begins

胸の鼓動も微かな勇気もだけど　今　なぜだろう迷い戸惑っている「眩しい君を悲しませたらどうしよう」って

The beating of my heart And this slight bravery But I wonder why, right now I’m lost and confused “What should I do if I make you sad?”

本当バカバカしい僕を呼んでいるだろう走れ　君へ迷わず

You’re really silly You’re probably calling for me I’ll run to you Without hesitation

風で波が立ち海が揺れる君と一緒なら怖いことない今まで世はいつも暗かったよ濃い霧の中をずっと泳いでたよ

The wind rocks the seas and waves rise and fall When I’m with you, there’s nothing I’m scared of Until now, the world was dark Fumbling around amidst the thick fog

心の行き先は　君の居場所を指す誰も止められない愛の印どんな時も一つの道を

My heart points to you No one can stop this feeling This symbol of love No matter what happens, Unwavering from that single path

だけど今　なぜだろう迷い戸惑っている「眩しい君を悲しませたらどうしよう」って

But I wonder why, right now I’m lost and confused “What should I do if I make you sad?”

本当バカバカしい僕を呼んでいるだろう走れ　君へ

You’re really silly You’re probably calling for me I’ll run to you

All eyes on me All eyes on you

僕のそばにいて欲しい今　この手を握って

Stay by my side Right now, grab hold of my hand

だけど今　なぜだろう迷い戸惑っている「眩しい君を悲しませたらどうしよう」って

But I wonder why, right now I’m lost and confused “What should I do if I make you sad?”

本当バカバカしい僕を呼んでいるだろう走れ　君へ

You’re really silly You’re probably calling for me I’ll run to you

だけど今　なぜだろう迷い戸惑っている「眩しい君を悲しませたらどうしよう」って

But I wonder why, right now I’m lost and confused “What should I do if I make you sad?”

本当バカバカしい僕を呼んでいるだろう走れ　君へ逃さない

You’re really silly You’re probably calling for me I’ll run to you I won’t let you go

#jo1 #jpop #kpop #produce 101 #produce 101 japan #stargazer

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rainofashe · 4 years

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Kessen Spirit (Spirit of the Deciding Match) - CHiCO with HoneyWorks [JP/EN]

wahh this song for the haikyuu ed really embodies the whole story...listening to it now when hq has ended really hits differently! at the same time, it feels like a shoutout to all the schools who had to suspend classes and club activities during COVID as well as to all the athletes who had the Olympics delayed...please enjoy!

プレッシャーそれがどうした神様の助けはいらないエゴイストそれがどうした勝ちたいに理由などない

So what if there’s pressure? I don’t need the help of God So what if I’m an egoist? There’s no reason for wanting to win

Break out　挑まずにはいられない Break out　影さえも振り切ってけ Break out　現状の限界乗り越えろ　チャンス We are　全力をかけた We are　怯えることない Winner　確信へ変われ高く高く高く舞い上がれ

Break out! I can’t stop myself from taking on this challenge Break out! Break free from the past shadows Break out! From your current limits Overcome them all and take this chance We are! We’ve put in our all We are! There’s nothing to be afraid of Winner! Make it come true Higher, higher, higher To the top

味わった敗北のキズは涙やって花を咲かせる “諦めろ”と笑えばいいさそんな言葉　僕は知らない

The wounds of defeats that we have experienced The tears we shed will eventually bloom flowers When they say “give up”, just return them a smile Because such words don’t exist in my dictionary

背負うもの　それも楽しめ同情に付き合う気はないリアリスト勝手にしろよ番狂わせ壊してしまえ

The weight on your shoulders, enjoy it I have no intention to be pitied at all The realists should just mind their own business Show them and unexpected result and break free of the norm

Break out　このまま燃え尽きたって Break out　恥じることない生き様 Break out　感情の高鳴り力に変えてけ We are　勇敢な心 We are　前進あるのみ Winner　満身創痍で足掻け足掻け足掻け掴み取れ

Break out! Even if I burn out Break out! I’ve lived my life without shame Break out! As my emotions reach a climax, Turn it into power! We are! The brave-hearted ones We are! Move forward with no distractions Winner! With our wounded bodies Struggle, struggle, struggle And grab hold of it!

ぶつかって転けては立って膝の傷　勲章になる “粋がってろ”馬鹿にされても勝利掲げ　僕は生きたい

Stand back up after bumping and falling The wounds on our knees will become a medal Even if they make fun of us, saying we’re too try-hard Rise up in victory, I want to live!

臆することない Wow　強き風が背中押す Wow　宿れ青い炎 Wow　時代を作れ風雲児 Wow　頂上へいざなう道

There is nothing to be afraid of Wow! The strong wind propels me forward Wow! The blue flames residing within Wow! Create a new era, trailblazer Wow! Take on the path that leads to the top

Break out　挑まずにはいられない Break out　最強の最前線 Break out　戦場の均衡ぶち壊せ Ready Go!! We are　逆境の嵐 We are　恐るるに足らず Winner　喝采を浴びて強く強く強く清くあれ

Break out! I can’t stop myself from taking on this challenge Break out! To reach the strongest frontline Break out! Of the balance at the battlefield Destroy it all, ready go!! We are! A storm of adversity We are! Is not worth fearing Winner! Listen to the cheers Stronger, stronger, stronger, Become noble

味わった敗北のキズは涙やって花を咲かせる “諦めろ”と笑えばいいさそんな言葉　僕は知らない “粋がってろ”馬鹿にされても勝利掲げ僕は生きたい敗北を知り花は咲く

The wounds of defeats that we have experienced The tears we shed will eventually bloom flowers When they say “give up”, just return them a smile Because such words don’t exist in my dictionary Even if they make fun of us, saying we’re too try-hard Rise up in victory, I want to live! Only by knowing defeat, will flowers bloom

“不可能”と笑えばいいさそんな言葉　僕は知らない

When they say “it’s impossible”, just return them a smile Because such a word doesn’t exist in my dictionary

#honeyworks #vocaloid #chico #gero #utaite #niconico #english translation #haikyu #haikyuu #to the top #anime #manga #volleyball #lyrics

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rainofashe · 4 years

Photo

#being able to understand half of this after starting to learn french is probably the best thing that happened #this is so beautiful i shed metaphorical tears in my heart

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rainofashe · 4 years

Text

wish there were some unseen omnipotent voice shouting “WARMER” or “COLDER” everytime i make a decision because i am pretty much flying blind here

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rainofashe · 4 years

Text

Da Vinci April 2014 Issue - 10,200-word Interview with Haruichi Furudate

--To wrap up the special feature on Haikyuu!!, we’ll be delivering the words from the very author himself, Haruichi Furudate! How did Haikyuu!!, a series overflowing with the brilliance of youth and sports, come about? What sort of passion did Furudate weave into this series? Conducted in the pockets of time amidst their busy schedule, this is Furudate’s second-ever documented interview -- delivered full-length, sans cuts!

Part 1 - The Miracle of Chapter 1: “Endings & Beginnings”

Early spring, 2012. I heard that a new story centred around volleyball had just started serialising in Weekly Shonen Jump. I was pleasantly surprised after reading the first chapter. The attacker, Hinata and the setter, Kageyama, first met each other in their third year of middle school as opponents during the Inter-Middle School Preliminaries, which cemented their fate as rivals. “If you are the “King” that rules the Court...!!! I’ll defeat you and become the one that stands on the court the longest!!!” “...The one that gets to stay on the court, is the victor...The stronger one. If you want to continue standing here, become stronger.” Despite exchanging such words, the both of them went on to enrol in Miyagi Prefecture’s Karasuno High School for high school and became teammates in the volleyball club. Hinata couldn’t help but exclaim, “Why are you here?!” When foe becomes friend -- in a way, it’s a very Jump-esque development, but it has never happened so early on in the story before! The portrayal of the match was so realistic, it makes you want to continue following these two boys and their story. It was a perfect first chapter to hook readers in. So to begin the interview, we’ve asked a question about the first chapter. Let’s hear directly from the author of Haikyuu!! about the behind-the-scenes of how this story was conceived!

--Q1: Before this serialisation started, what sort of “spirit to challenge” or “ambition” did you have?

Furudate: Volleyball was a theme that I really wanted to work with, so I was only filled with thoughts on writing this story till the end without it being cut short. Personally, volleyball has a special place in my heart, so I might have felt that way much more strongly, but no matter what kind of manga I would’ve started, the feelings I have at the beginning wouldn’t have changed. I would’ve still been scared of having to cut my story short (laughs). Even when I heard that Haikyuu!! would be serialised, rather than feeling the joy of grabbing the opportunity of serialisation, I thought, “So it’s finally the beginning of the ‘ending’...” I’m always surprised by how pessimistic I can be. This would be my first and last chance to be able to write a story about volleyball in Jump, so if I ever lose focus, that would be the end. This positive pressure and negative urgency that I feel hasn’t changed since the serialisation began. However, when I receive letters from readers about how they joined the volleyball club in school after reading Haikyuu!!, or when I go down to watch matches for research and see elementary and middle school students who know of Haikyuu!!, I can see that this manga has become a springboard for many people to start playing volleyball or to continue playing volleyball, and that makes me happy and lifts me out of my pessimistic state. I feel that the genre of the manga, or whether the sport is major or minor, has nothing to do with how successful (or interesting) the story can be.

--Q2: Why did you choose volleyball, out of all the numerous sports? What is the charm of volleyball as a competitive sport?

Furudate: I didn’t want to write a story about sports. I started this series because I wanted to write a story about volleyball. I was a member of the volleyball club when I was student, and especially during my high school days, I only went to school for the sole purpose of playing volleyball. I am still attached and unable to let go of that period of time in my life, so via the medium of manga, I wanted to play a volleyball that would “come to an end once I lose” just once more. Volleyball is a sport where you’re not allowed to hold or drop the ball, so to be honest, it’s a really tough sport. It’s really difficult to feel a sense of accomplishment or to feel that it’s fun. The foundations are especially difficult, and at the beginning, it’s difficult to even get the ball to go where you want it to. In fact, I myself didn’t like volleyball that much at the start. However, it is precisely because of that that got me thinking -- it’s the sense of ease that comes with the act of being able to control the ball freely that makes volleyball such an attractive sport. That’s why, even if it’s boring at the start, I want children to continue to play volleyball.

--Q3: Every single scene depicting a match is portrayed so realistically. For example, how “hands” are expressed. Or how the “sounds” are expressed. Do you often go down to do research?

Furudate: When I went to watch some high school matches for research, I was hit by the familiarity of the atmosphere and the sounds. It refreshed my memory and I thought, “Ah, so this was what it was like!” So I pay particular attention to the atmosphere and sounds while drawing. When I go down to research on tournaments, especially those such as the prefectural qualifiers, I don’t just pay attention to the matches themselves. I also take special note of the atmosphere before a match starts, and what the corridors and lobby are like. In the first match of the Inter-High preliminaries in the manga, there is a scene of complete silence just before the match starts. That scene was directly taken from the qualifiers for Iwate Prefecture, which I went to watch just before drawing it. As for the scenes depicting the actual matches and techniques, I can only say that I still have a long way to go for my drawing skills. I’m still unable to truly convey the beauty of the players’ forms and how cool volleyball is. I’ll work hard.

--Q4: By reading Haikyuu!!, I’ve come to learn that volleyball as a sport and Jump manga are highly compatible (some also say it’s because volleyball is a sport where you have to jump continuously...laughs). And I think that’s because of the sense of comradeship (friendship) in volleyball. Were there any instances where you felt this way?

Furudate: Volleyball is a sport where you can’t drop the ball, but if you connect it to the next player, it’s a game that can continue on forever. I think this characteristic is what makes volleyball a sport that allows for a dramatic showcase of abilities, but now that I think about it, all sports allow for a dramatic showcase of abilities (laughs). If you think about “friendship, hard work and victory”, almost every sport would fit these three terms. However, I do think that for volleyball in particular, the fact that it becomes unplayable without the existence of your teammates is something that stands out. If we talk about the most extreme scenario, it would probably be a single player scoring all 25 points by himself just by serving. But in reality, such a thing happening is close to zero. As long as not all the points are scored with service aces, you definitely have to “entrust” the ball to someone else. If the ball isn’t received, it would be impossible to set it and of course, it would be impossible to spike it. The game wouldn’t even be a game. So if bonds are forged by playing volleyball with someone, at the other end of the spectrum, one would also come to realise the pressure of not being able to do anything by yourself on the court. This is where people would start to butt heads, and I think this aspect of volleyball is what allows us to see the interesting developments and growth in characters. Other than the part about “friendship”, the “rotation” system in volleyball is another factor that can greatly change how interesting the manga can be, depending on how it’s drawn. During a match, every time someone gets to serve, the position of the players shift in a clockwise manner. That is the volleyball rotation. And because of this rotation, all the players except the libero have to be able to receive, block, spike, serve and sometimes even do a set-up. And of course, each player would have different strengths and weaknesses. There is the protagonist, Hinata, who is an exceptional attacker; Tsukishima, who while lacking in attack, is a great blocker; the captain Sawamura, a player balanced in both offense and defense but lacks decisiveness; the ace, Azumane, who has high attack power but a nervous mentality; and Tanaka, who although not the best in either attack or defense, has a rock-hard mentality that allows him to be decisive in stressful situations, and so on. With each player being so different, there would be rotations that would be stronger in defense or offense, and there would be a variety of ways as to how a match can progress, which makes it interesting. The players in the manga have more obvious differences in their personalities because they’re “characters”, which I think would be able to further highlight this interesting aspect of volleyball.

--Q5: Was the title decided smoothly?

Furudate: Because I didn’t really dwell on it, I ended up going with the most “straightforward” title.

--Q6: Round-eyed Hinata is short in stature, but is an attacker with exceptional jumping ability. The setter Kageyama Tobio who frowns and glares, has garnered the nickname, the King of the Court. Their appearances and personalities (as well as their names) are polar opposites. How did you come up with these two characters?

Furudate: I had the most trouble with finalising Hinata’s character within this series. On the other hand, Kageyama hasn’t changed much from when he was first conceptualised. In the first one-shot, Hinata was of an average build and had a timid personality (though he is still a scaredy-cat even now). As for his build, since Haikyuu!! is centred around the techniques (especially quicks), being “quicker” was more important than being “higher”. Hinata makes up for his lack of height with his jumping ability, but just that alone is not enough -- this was resolved when he realised that in the first chapter. They key to winning against bigger players lies in how much faster he is able to reach the “summit” as compared to them. There is a limit as to how much physical abilities can compensate for the difference in build. So what will he do? This is where the story really starts, so that’s why I decided to give Hinata this handicap that cannot be compensated for. As for his character, I just doodled a lot of his different expressions. And while reworking the storyline, he slowly started to take form. There are two one-shot versions of Haikyuu!!, and even though I drew him myself, I don’t really like the Hinata in the second one-shot version of Haikyuu!! (laughs). I was overly conscious of making him Shonen manga-like, so he ended up becoming a bit “false”. I couldn’t grasp his character even at the very end. I couldn’t draw the storyboard as I had wanted to and the deadline slowly approached while I was worrying over it. Even now, just thinking of the three days before that deadline brings back nightmares. After that, I continued to panic because I still didn’t know what sort of character the protagonist, Hinata, was. But after reworking the storyline countless times, I felt that he started to become more human-like. And because I’ve worked so hard to come up with him, Hinata is my favourite character. Although Kageyama hasn’t changed much since the initial stages, I think personality-wise he’s become a quite a bit softer? Kageyama is a character that takes on all of the angst that I, the author, had when I was in high school, so in the beginning that was especially prominent. In the serialisation, after the match against Aoba Johsai, the character Shimada Mart had a line that goes, “Strength is needed to truly enjoy a match”. However, this was originally Kageyama’s line in the second one-shot version. I made Kageyama take on my own shortcomings. In the initial stages of the story, Kageyama’s mentality of “I should just do everything on my own” was actually the same mentality I had for a period of time when I was in high school. Although unlike Kageyama, I’m far from being a prodigy (laughs).

--Q7: What grasped my heart in chapter 1 was Hinata’s very first line, “The smell of Air Salonpas...!!” (laughs) It is a line that is reprised during the scene of the Inter-High Preliminaries. How did you come up with this line, and what were your thoughts and intentions in doing so?

Furudate: For both middle school and high school tournaments, the preliminaries are usually held in the gymnasium of a school, but sometimes they’ll be held at a bigger venue like the city gymnasium. When I was in high school, when we got to play in newer, bigger and cleaner venues like the city gymnasium, we would all get excited. And that gymnasium would always smell like Air Salonpas. So in my head, “a match -> the smell of Air Salonpas -> get even more excited” is the sort of correlation chart I have, so this line came really naturally to me. Even now, when I smell Air Salonpas, it sends chills down my spine. It’s a smell I really like. The newest version of Air Salonpas has a milder smell, so I’m a little disappointed.

--Q8: The manga-esque roundness (cuteness) of the characters and the increased head to height ratio to depict the coolness of the characters -- these two distortion techniques synergise very well and makes your art stand out. How do you differentiate when to depict realness and when to use such distortion? Is there anything in particular you pay attention to while drawing?

Furudate: For scenes depicting the matches, my art tends more to “realness” in order to express the “weight” of the players’ bodies. To be honest, I don’t really take note of when I’m drawing “realness” or “distortion”, but I try to express actions and expressions with more exaggeration. Even in the match scenes, in order to express momentum, I would insert a lot of parses into the character’s body. Although it looks like I’m half-assing the characters’ caricatures in the comedic scenes, I actually am pretty much half-assing them. (t/n: i kid you not furudate actually says this) However, the half-assed expressions turn out the best when I draw them on the storyboard, but since I can’t paste them directly onto my manuscript, I’m a little disappointed. In my previous work as well as the initial stages of the serialisation of Haikyuu!!, I used a lot of elaborate angles and paneling so as to not bore the reader. But recently, I’ve been doing a lot of trial and error to see what is the most “readable”. My friends in other professions and my neighbours, just people of the general population, have told me many times that my art is difficult to follow and find my manga difficult to read, so I’m always looking to improve. Once, when I was on a Shinkansen, the person sitting next to me was holding on to the latest issue of Jump that went on sale that day. When I took a nervous peep at them, I saw them just completely skip over Haikyuu!! and it gave me such a huge shock (laughs). (t/n: oh no furudate ;-;) Once again, it really sunk in that nothing would start if I can’t even get readers to read my story. And in order to accomplish that, I needed to make my manga more readable. In recent months, in both the comedic scenes as well as the usual scenes, I’ve been making my lines thicker to simplify my art overall. I even have a paper stuck in front of my desk that reads “distortion” (laughs). While drawing, I pay particular attention to SFX. Although I always think about how powerful manga would be if it could incorporate sound in addition to art and words, but alas such a thing is unfortunately impossible, so I constantly try my best to express sound, momentum, atmosphere and depth via SFX. It’s something I’m trying to balance with “readability”, so it’s still in a stage of trial and error. However, the one thing that I’m always not satisfied with is the sound when a ball is hit. With SFX, the resulting sound is always subpar -- the ball sounds “rubbery” and not realistic. Nevertheless, I’m trying my best while having high hopes for the anime adaptation.

--Q9: The first chapter of the serialisation of Haikyuu!!, is one of the most interesting and intense ones in manga history. What sort of thoughts went into creating and drawing this first chapter? And what were the reactions from your readers like?

Furudate: Both my editor and I were confident in the first chapter. When the plot was finalised, I thought, “This is it!!” But in the very crucial readers’ survey, I think the first chapter had a pretty average ranking (laughs). I conceptualised the first chapter for serialisation after drawing the second one-shot version of Haikyuu!!. I started by reflecting on the one-shot version. The core idea of “Why does Hinata want to play volleyball so badly?” was completely left out in the one-shot version, so it became a reason that was difficult for readers to empathise with. So in the first chapter, I wanted to delve into what sort of character the protagonist, Hinata, was. The story is as simple as it gets, and the key lies in how Hinata would make this story progress, and that’s what I focused on. Other than that, personally, I tried analysing how to make the series survive in Jump, and I think the most important key, or should I say the first stage, would be the fourth chapter.

--Q10: When you were conceptualizing the first chapter, how much of the story had you already thought of at that point in time?

Furudate: Until around the eighth chapter. In fact, at first, I didn’t even have the first chapter we have now -- the first chapter I had was basically a summary of the events in chapters 2-8. I shouldn’t have done all 8 of those chapters (laughs). Other than that, I only had very brief memos about certain events that would happen in the story.

--Q11: If you don’t mind, please tell us more about yourself. Where is your hometown and what was your family like? What was your childhood like?

Furudate: I was born in Iwate Prefecture and lived there until high school. I lived in the boonies and was surrounded by mountains. I would make traps out of cans to fish in the river and ride my bicycle to the mountains to search for crystals (laughs). Other than studying, I think I did everything else with passion. (t/n: relatable) After graduating from high school, I went to a vocational school in Sendai and got a job. I lived in Sendai for about 8-9 years. Miyagi is my second hometown.

--Q12: Have you always been an avid reader of Jump? Was there any manga which you drew inspiration from?

Furudate: I’m sorry. The first time I bought Jump was when I decided to send in a submission in my mid-twenties. I didn’t buy any manga magazines regularly. I first watched the One Piece anime when I was in high school. I was so moved that I went to buy the manga. I definitely drew a lot of inspiration from One Piece. During my days as a student when I just wanted to rebel and act cool, I remember thinking, “So it’s okay to say things so straightforwardly,” “It’s so cool to say things so straightforwardly!” Also, I was really impacted by the feeling of cutting out “a still moment from something happening at great speed” in Matsumoto Taiyo’s works, so I really admire him. Recently, I’ve also been crying while reading Space Brothers sometimes (laughs). (To be honest, I’m not really a reader of manga, so I don’t really have much to talk about, I’m sorry...)

--Q13: When was the first time you drew manga? Did you let your friends and family read the manga you drew? When did you start to aspire to become a mangaka?

Furudate: The first time I drew a proper piece of manga on manuscript paper was in high school. I’ve never shown my friends or family the manga I drew. After retiring from club activities, I started drawing a lot more. I don't know when I started wanting to become a mangaka, it just happened somehow before I realised. To be honest, I don’t remember much.

--Q14: Please tell us more about the events leading up to your debut as a mangaka. What did it feel like to have your dream come true?

Furudate: My first published one-shot was a storyboard I had submitted to my very first competition which, with a stroke of luck, had won. At that time, I was like, “What?! Really?! Are you sure?! It’s really okay?!” Of course, I was overjoyed, but since my first submission was done when I was 25 years old, it felt as if that I’d barely scraped by and managed to make it to the start line. Also, since I was a regular office drone back then, I was always worried whether I could make the deadline.

Part 2 - The Highest Point that Haikyuu!! is aiming towards

--Q15: This time, working on the Haikyuu!! special feature had motivated me to watch my very first Spring High Volleyball Tournament. Your art was everywhere at the station and at the venue! (I’m sure you were very happy when you received these requests!) I could feel the passion everyone had towards the impending match before them. And that got me thinking -- is “High School Volleyball” something that holds a special brilliance? What is so attractive about about Boys’ Volleyball?

Furudate: When I heard about the collaboration with Spring High Volleyball, I was really excited. I was really moved when a boy of elementary/middle school age pointed at the panel display of Haikyuu!! at the venue and exclaimed, “Ah! It’s Haikyuu!!” (laughs) As to why I feel “High School” is special, it’s because the full-stop to “club activities” happens then. I think this applies to everything, not just sports, and also because for many people, high school marks the end of whatever they were doing as “club activities”. And as for what “Spring High” means to High School volleyball, if the third-years choose to stay on, it would be the last major tournament of their high school career. And for some, this might end up being the very last tournament in their lives. As for what makes Boys’ Volleyball so attractive, I have to say that it’s the power and speed when two top teams face off. The difference between Girls’ and Boys’ volleyball in high school is that by the time they reach high school age, Girls’ volleyball would have already reached a stage close to “perfection”, but on the other hand, Boys’ volleyball would have only just started “developing”. The factors that should have been shaved away in the process of leveling up and polishing themselves are still present in high school, so I think each team’s “personality” is much more prominent in Boys’ High School volleyball. For example, in Haikyuu!!, the technique that Hinata frequently uses (a broad attack) is one that you’d see in high school matches, but in higher level matches (for boys), it is hardly used. And I think being able to see the incompleteness and unstable stage of the players before they reach a level of perfection is one of the reasons that make Boys’ Volleyball so attractive.

--Q16: Thank you very much for answering our survey the other day! And...we’d love to go into detail about the “Issue with the fourth chapter” (laughs). The key idea in chapter 4 is, if “the strongest enemy” has joined the team, he becomes “the strongest ally”. And with such reverse thinking, the connection between Hinata and Kageyama did a 180. What’s important is the character that said this line -- it is Sugawara-senpai, who became a substitute player when the prodigy, Kageyama, joined the team. One of the charms (discoveries) of Haikyuu!! is done through Sugawara -- to express the feelings of a substitute player, the sadness and pride he had. What sort of feelings do you have towards Sugawara-senpai as a character?

Furudate: In short, Sugawara’s birth(?) came about when I was thinking, “If a first-year that just joined suddenly becomes the regular setter, then who was it before that? So let’s come up with a senpai setter!” I think the setter is a position that, compared to being a spiker, requires less aptitude. It wasn’t my intention to create drama here. It’s just that right now, Sugawara is the character whom I want the most to stand at the national stage. But I haven’t thought of whether he actually would actually do so, so I don’t know... (t/n: but now we know) Anyway, I don’t want to make Sugawara into a “sentimental” character (laughs). Although Sugawara may be seen as the “representative of common people”, I think he’s actually a pretty “straightforward” and “determined” guy. At least concerning the topic of talent, when someone with overwhelming talent such as Kageyama joined the team, he’s someone who’s able to think, “So what can I offer up to the table then?” However, I’m cautious as to not portray him as someone who is “unrealistically positive”. Though I do think that there are people who might sometimes think that all of the characters are too overly positive which makes it boring (laughs).

--Q17: I had an enjoyable time reading about how the Hinata & Kageyama combo of Haikyuu!! was conceptualised. How did you come up with the rest of the teammates? There are many characters in this series, and how did you come up with the rival characters?

Furudate: I incorporated a lot of characteristics that I picked out from my teammates in high school, my friends and the people I’ve interacted with so far. The play-style of the members of the main team, Karasuno, was conceptualised around the same time as when their characters were designed. As for the rival teams, I usually first came up with the play-style of the team. For example, Nekoma that is strong in defense, and Datekou that is strong in blocking, and such. Then, I would come up with the characters that personify the team and work from there. For the teams with an animal motif, I designed the characters’ appearances such that they also incorporate some sort of characteristic of their animal motif (for some).

--Q18: “There are things people have and don’t have the aptitude for.” “There is a role that only I am able to carry out.” Such lines come up repeatedly throughout Haikyuu!!. I think that the messages and beliefs conveyed via volleyball are ones that resonate with the realities of everyday life and the working world. What is the significance of having adult readers read a manga about high school volleyball? Please do tell us if you have any thoughts.

Furudate: I received many letters about how readers who were troubled over interpersonal relationships at work had re-thought the concept of “comrades” after reading Haikyuu!!. I think the interpersonal relationships that come with playing team sports are very similar to those in the working world. A teammate is different from a “friend”, but there are times that this connection can become something greater than friends, and a bond may form. That is the same for the working world as well. Even if you can’t do everything and anything by yourself, there is definitely something that you yourself would be able to accomplish. But at the same time, there will be someone around you who has an ability you do not possess. I’d be really happy if Haikyuu!! could become something that reminds people of this fact.

--Q19: How do you plan to draw the adult characters -- the advisors, coaches, and those who played volleyball?

Furudate: I hope to be able to draw them as characters who grow alongside the players. After reaching the age where I can call myself an adult, I realised that adults aren’t very “adult-like”, so I don’t want the adults in the story to take on too much of a philosophical point of view on things too. Although there is an old coach in the rival team that seems to be able to see through everything, the main adults that appear in the story are still young, so it is more natural to depict instances when they make the wrong judgement, or aren’t confident in their decisions. In fact, the author of this story themself hasn’t thought of the story and developments of the match next week, so along with the coach and advisor Ukai and Takeda-sensei, we will mull over it together. It might be interesting if you could feel this very real sense of urgency (laughs). (t/n: furudate is us @ procrastinators)

--Q20: How do you come up with the developments and outcome of a match? (Your comments in vol. 6 were great! I definitely want to hear more about being in an indescribable state of mind)

Furudate: Before a match starts, I would have sort of decided how things would pan out, but while drawing, I would feel that something is “off” and change it as and when. So in other words, the outcome is not decided (laughs). A match is something that’s only possible if there is an opponent, so as the author, I draw the rival team with the same attitude as how I’d draw the main team, so my feelings would always change sides. And since it’s pretty rare to face off with the same opponent twice, I’d always think, “When would be the next time I’d see you guys again?” when I look at the opposing team, which leaves me in an indescribable state of mind.

--Q21: “To win” is to “grasp the chance to fight the next battle”. I was deeply touched by this logic. And at the end of this thought, there lies the desire to become number one. However, more than anything, it conveys the pure joy of being able to just play match after match of volleyball...How and when did you come up with such an idea?

Furudate: In the series, “loving volleyball and wanting to play many matches” and “wanting to become number one” are two inseparable ideas. So, the thought of being “number one” is of course, the very first feeling each of the players would have. And in order to become number one, it would mean that you would get to play the most number of matches, and at the same time, it would open up the path to the next stage. When the players love volleyball, and feel that matches are “fun”, what should they do next in order to play more and more matches? That would be “to continue winning and to become number one”. Although I believe that you don’t need a reason to justify your desire to win, if I had to raise one, I think it will be because “I can continue fighting the next battle”. And now, that has become one of the expressions in the series.

--Q22: I’m really touched by how much effort you put in to make your series “readable”. Looking back at the earlier parts of the series, the panels depicting play scenes have been inserted very well. The synchronisation between the movement of the characters and the trajectory and speed of the ball is just remarkable. Although you said that “you still have a long way to go for your drawing skills”, please do tell us the points you take special note of, what you put effort into, and any points you’re proud of while drawing the different volleyball techniques.

Furudate: I pay extra attention in depicting what the other characters who are not touching the ball are doing. Also, since volleyball is sport played with a net between the two teams, the angles at which I can draw a spike is limited (since the relative positions of the spiker, net and opponent blockers are almost always the same), so I try my best not to make it look repetitive.

--Q23: From the reactions of your readers, have you ever thought, “I see, so this is the type of manga I’m drawing”? Do you see the “cheers” from your readers as a source of support?

Furudate: I’ve received a huge illustration made up of 9 postcards from a pair of brothers, where the younger brother is a volleyball player. Soon after he was made a regular player, he broke his leg in an accident. While he was depressed, he started reading Haikyuu!! and cheered up. After undergoing rehabilitation and being able to walk again, he said that he’s working hard to become a setter like Kenma (setter from rival team). I’ve arranged those 9 postcards in front of my desk and they always bring me motivation. Whenever there’s something that makes me sad, or when I lose confidence in my manga, I would be reminded that the “cheers” of support I’ve received are undoubtedly sincere and would pick myself up again

--Q24: Now, they’re boys engrossed in sports, but will there be a day when we’ll see some romance bloom with girls? (I’m super curious about the cute manager! Of course, the captain of the girls’ volleyball team, Michimiya, is really cute too!) How is it? (laughs)

Furudate: Right now there’s a teeny tiny little scene, but I don’t know about the upcoming chapters. Everything is undecided (laughs). I definitely want to do an episode centred around the manager sometime soon.

--Q25: For example, in page 105 of vol. 6, there was close-up volleyball scene drawn at an angle that is impossible for any cameras to capture. How do you end up being able to draw such panels?

Furudate: I just keep thinking and thinking. What is the best angle to draw this scene so that it’s both cool and easy to understand? In my head, I’d keep changing the angles until I find the best one. Especially when I’m drawing big page spreads, even if I’m able to draw something that is satisfactory, as long as time permits, I’d keep switching the angles in my head until I find the best one.

--Q26: The outcome of the match against Aoba Johsai was revealed in vol. 8. In the last set, both teams were continuously at match point. When I went to watch the Spring High Tournaments, the last set would always be a very close match. It was intriguing. Have you ever wondered why is this so?

Furudate: Yes!! I think about it all the time!! Though I don’t know the answer!! (laughs) Of course, the side that is desperately trying to even out the score would give their 120%, and the side with victory almost in their grasp would, precisely because it’s just right in front of them, just by a little, start feeling rushed. Maybe it’s because of this? Since in the end we’re only human. When a match reaches deuce, it’s a battle of 120% vs 120%, so it’s difficult for it to reach an outcome. I’m sorry for giving such an ordinary answer (laughs).

--Q27: The TV anime adaptation will start airing in April. I think there will definitely be a lot of readers who will get into the manga after watching the anime. As the author of the original work, what are your thoughts and expectations for the anime adaptation? Please leave us an impactful message!

Furudate: Since I was also someone who started buying manga after watching the anime, I’m very happy to receive an anime adaptation. Even if you don’t buy manga regularly, the anime is a media that is accessible to anyone who has a TV, so I’d be really happy if that could become a springboard for people to learn more about volleyball as a competitive sport. I have really high hopes for the anime and look forward to seeing the characters move in colour, but what I’m looking forward to the most is the “sound”. The sound of volleyball shoes and the sound of the ball, all these sounds that I’m unable to express in the manga will be expressed in the anime, and since they said they would actually record these sounds, I’m really excited! The art in the manga has a more peculiar touch as compared to that in the anime, so I hope that everyone can get used to it! (laughs)

--Q28: Furudate-sensei, please tell us the “Highest Point” you’re aiming for with Haikyuu!!!

Furudate: In the future, I hope the players that would go on to play at the international stage would say that they started playing volleyball after reading Haikyuu!! as a kid! I hope! A one in a million chance! That someone would say that! That is my one true wish.

--Q29: Lastly, to all your fans and readers, please say a word about the future developments of the story! Please also leave a word for the new readers! Thank you so much!

Furudate: I’m hoping to make Haikyuu!! a series that can convey how cool and fun volleyball can be to those who don’t know and those who already know of volleyball. That is my number one goal for this series! Thank you very much!

_______________________________________________________________

I wanted the publication of this to coincide with the publication of the last chapter so a mild warning that it’s not proofread! Will try to fix any errors in the following days, do give me a heads up if you spot one! sorry that this is a translation of old content (yes, it is 6 years old), I wanted to do something for the closing of hq! pls check out my pal @pala_bora on twitter for threads on interviews with Japan’s volleyball players regarding hq in the latest issue of monthly volleyball!!

Sekita Masahiro, Yamauchi Akihiro, Yanagida Masahiro

also hpbd oikawa!!!

(translator’s note down below)

the japanese version said 10.2k characters and I put my translation into word and it says it’s 6.4k-ish english words wow I haven’t done such a large-scale fan-translation in a very long while!! I mentioned in my prev translation of a hq interview excerpt (which was like 6 years ago) that I wanted to do this translation but back then this was way too daunting for me (the number of pages I tell you) but I really wanted to do something since hq serialisation is coming to an end and this series means a lot to me personally. and since i’ve grown in skill (hopefully) over the past 6 years, this special feature was not as daunting as it first seemed and I managed to finish it in one sitting (albeit not proofread) as a means to procrastinating my actual work! so here it is, the long-overdue translation from a special feature in a magazine issue that’s 6 years old!! but srsly though i hope you guys enjoy reading it. I definitely did enjoy translation it since so much of the interview content deals with the beginnings of hq and it really brought back memories and seeing how things are coming full circle i am very emotional. I also actually have an exam in 2 days but am i a procrastinator that hates studying like furudate is? yes. so will I regret this decision? maybe. but does it change my decision? nope.

I am writing this 4 hours before the last chapter drops in Japan and i just want to pen down my thoughts re: hq before i lose my train of thought and get emotional when the chapter actually drops. I was a teenie tween when I first started reading hq, which coincides with about just a few months after hq started serialisation and have been following the manga and eventually the anime as the series started to grow from a humble manga to the incredible franchise it is now. and as you know, tweens grow into grumpy teenagers and teenagers into jaded adults, which of course was what happened to me and I’ve never been so glad that I had hq all the way with me throughout my adolescence and it really felt like I was growing up together with all of the characters. it was also during my teenage years that I picked up a foreign language, Japanese (as if it was not already obvious), and hq definitely played a huge part helping me maintain motivation in my studies and sometimes even now I really think that I acquired a foreign language to an almost native proficiency just so I can read manga raws and cry in said foreign language. nevertheless, hq was definitely something that helped bridge friendships and connections i have with people, who are still very important to me and are the closest people to me to this day. hq definitely came to me at a very turbulent stage in my life filled with teenage angst and pre-adulthood and adulthood woes, but the characters and the lines they deliver, the beliefs they convey are so pure and sincere and they have motivated me tremendously throughout the years. just recently, I was looking back at some quotes from the series (credits to monthly volleyball, in the link above!) and looking back at these quotes really reminded me of the times when i was struggling and when these quotes really pushed me forward. the hq fandom is also one i’ve been very fortunate to be in, and i’ve seen so many good fan-made literary, musical and artistic works produced because of such a great series. although hq is coming to an end, I strangely don’t feel sad, but I do feel a sense of emptiness and a little bittersweet. No doubt that the ending will be one we will all be satisfied with, but a series that has been a huge part of my life for so many years coming to an end really does feel like I am closing a chapter of my life along with it. no doubt that that feeling will be all the more stronger for furudate. am i ready to take on a new chapter in life? maybe not. but hq will always have a special place in my heart, and i know that when i’m feeling depressed and unmotivated, I can always look back at it and the memories that come along with it. thank you so much furudate, for letting us meet characters that are so raw, human and comical, yet straightforward and unyielding. thank you for teaching so many of us the wonders of volleyball, and for becoming a light in many of our dim lives. cheers to Haikyuu!! and thank you!!!

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu #hq #furudate haruichi #manga #anime #volleyball #ch402 #english translation #thank you furudate #thank you haikyuu

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rainofashe · 4 years

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Good-bye グッドバイ - sakanaction サカナクション [ENG/JP]

探してた答えはない

I can’t find the answer I’m searching for

此処には多分ないな

I don’t think it’s here

だけど僕は敢えて歌うんだわかるだろう?

But that just drives me to sing even more You know why, right?

グッドバイ世界から知ることもできない不確かな未来へ舵を切る

Goodbye, there’s nothing I’ll be able to know in this world I’ll launch a boat into the uncertain future

グッドバイ世界には見ることもできない不確かな果実の皮を剥く

Goodbye, there’s nothing I can see in this world As I pare the skin of this fruit of uncertainty

欲しいものはひとつもない辿ってたストイックな線を

There’s nothing I desire, Following this stoic path

だけど僕は君を待ってしまうだろう

But I’ll probably end up waiting for you

ここに立ってすぐに変わってしまうだろう

Standing here, I’ll probably change really soon

グッドバイ世界から知ることもできない不確かな未来へ舵を切る

Goodbye, there’s nothing I’ll be able to know in this world I’ll launch a boat into the uncertain future

グッドバイ世界には見ることもできない不確かな果実の皮を剥く yeah

Goodbye, there’s nothing I can see in this world As I pare the skin of this fruit of uncertainty, yeah

どうだろう僕には見ることができないありふれた幸せいくつあるだろうどうだろう僕らが知ることのできないありふれた別れもいくつあるだろう

How is it? I can’t see How many little pieces of happiness are there? How is it? There’s no way for me to know I’m sure there are many little pieces of partings as well

グッドバイ世界から何を歌うんだろう yeah グッドバイ世界から何を歌うんだろう yeah グッドバイ (so long, so long, so long) グッドバイ (so long, so long, so long good-bye)

Goodbye, what should I sing from this world? Goodbye, what should I sing from this world?

(So long, so long, so long good-bye) (So long, so long, so long good-bye)

#sakanaction #english translation #a song real apt for what i'm feeling these days

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rainofashe · 4 years

Text

reblogging this cos hq is coming to an end...reminded me of one of my past translations i did for a magazine interview with Furudate...hq will always have a special place in my heart...!

also helped out @pala_bora over on Twitter with the latest translation of the monster generation interview thread!!! please do check it out!!! i’m super proud of her for doing this!

EDIT: I’ve done up the DaVinci interview with Furudate (my small contribution to the wrap up of HQ - it can be found here! I’d be really glad if you give it a read! Furudate talks a lot about what goes into the manga and it’s really insightful!

Monthly Volleyball 2014 - March Issue - Haikyuu!! Feature - Interview with Furudate Haruichi

– so 1. stage play and interviews has wrecked me 2. hq s2ep24 has worsened my condition this might be my permanent state of crying anyway, so because of the above stated reasons, I started trawling through tumblr and digging up stuff about haikyuu, and I chanced upon this magazine interview posted here by aerobird. Yes it’s kind of (very) late considering it’s a publication from 2 years ago (wow), but I really liked what I read so I decided to translate it out of personal interests (plus I haven’t been translating stuff lately so this is good). there’s also another haikyuu feature in a magazine called DaVinci which was also found on tumblr, it’s a little longer than this one I might translate it if I have the time. I can’t remember who posted it but I will put up the link if I ever do get down to translating it. for now, please enjoy!

– So I understand that Furudate-sensei has been watching the Spring High Volleyball tournaments every year! First of all, please share with us your thoughts on this year’s tournament.

Furudate: Well, this is something that strikes me every year, but the cheering is really intense! The very moment I step into the gymnasium, I’m overwhelmed by the cheers of each school. They really raise the atmosphere by a notch. Hearing the cheers also make me think of the players who must be so full of pride, to be able to play a match with so much support behind them. At the same time, I also recall my high school days, when I thought that it was so unfair, because only the baseball team got the whole school to support their matches! (laughs)

– This year you were allowed on the benches to collect material for your manga. How was it witnessing the matches up close?

Furudate: I was allowed to watch the matches from the reporters’ bench which was situated at the end of the court, and the balls were always rebounding in my direction! I was able to once again relive that feeling of ‘closeness” with the ball.

Other than that, I was able to see the match from the serving player’s line of sight, which gave me a very realistic view. And when I was down on the courts once again, I remembered how high the ceiling was and how bright the lights were. The players must have felt dizzy every time they practiced and had matches in the gymnasium. It must have taken them a while to get used to it. Though I couldn’t enter the court, I was really happy that I got to witness the match at such close proximity.

– Were there any plays or scenes that left a deep impression?

Furudate: Since I’ve been watching the matches from the audience seating until last year, the behind the scenes work which I was able to catch a glimpse of this year definitely left a lasting impression.

I was definitely able to feel the players’ anxiety while they waited for the previous matches to end and for their own team’s matches to start. And when the matches end, witnessing the reactions and feelings of both the winning and losing teams also left a deep impression.

– Were there any teams in the Spring High Tournament that left a deep impression?

Furudate: I was able to watch Seijoh High School and East Fukuoka High School practice in the sub-arena before the semi-finals. Seijoh had a more mild and quiet playing style, while East Fukuoka was intense and impactful, it was quite an interesting contrast. Each team’s unique personality also really shines through during the few moments before the start of a match.

– Were there any players who left a strong impression?

Furudate: To be honest, it’s quite hard to find someone who stands out as “The One” from first glance. I’ve always longed to stand on this kind of platform but I never had the chance to, so everyone who has made it to this stage is an existence above me (laughs)

Also, while collecting material I tried to focus more on the off-camera action, as the actual matches can still be watched on DVD. Bearing witness to these little details, the number of players that left a strong impression could only increase.

– Haikyuu!! Is a story revolving around volleyball. What inspired you to create a series like Haikyuu!! ?

Furudate: I was part of the volleyball club in middle and high school, and I still feel a strong sense of attachment to the sport. At that time, club activities were the only thing driving me to go to school. Even so, I wasn’t able to accomplish anything of much result. The feelings of frustration and regret, and the things that I wanted to do – I channeled them all into my manga and created Haikyuu!!

– What is the charm point of volleyball to you, personally?

Furudate: “Entrust”, and “to be entrusted with”, are foundational concepts in volleyball. Without understanding them, the game will not fall into place. For any team sports, it might be a given that teamwork and “connecting” is necessary for each play to work, but in volleyball such concepts form the roots of the game. Other than serving, even a simple offense cannot be done alone. That is precisely why the joy we share with our teammates, the frustration we feel when we can’t do anything on our own, are the charming aspects of volleyball.

– While reading Haikyuu!!, I noticed that there were many “speedy” scenes. Is “speed” also an aspect of volleyball which you find charming?

Furudate: I haven’t been consciously thinking about it, but the “speedy” feeling from these scenes may have actually been a result of trying to depict the “rigor” of the sport. Volleyball is different in the sense that continuous running is not involved, but as long as the ball is in the air, one must be constantly on the move and have their senses honed in order to stay focused in the game. I might have been trying to depict the rigor and anxiety felt in such scenes. Even though I’m the one drawing it, I’m analysing it as if it’s another person’s work (laughs)

– Within the manga, I noticed that a size 4 ball was used during middle school years, and the designs of the coloured balls changed with time as well. I feel that sensei has put in a lot of effort into these minor details.

Furudate: When transitioning from middle school to high school, we also upgraded from using a size 4 ball to a size 5 ball. The thought of “It’s big!” that I had at that time Is still very fresh in my mind, so I decided to put in such details in the manga as well. In the manga, I wanted to add in a scene where Hinata was thinking, “The ball’s different from the one in middle school!” but sadly, due to the limited number of pages, I had to cut it. When I was playing volleyball in high school, we also switched to coloured balls (we were still using white balls at the time when I entered high school), which left a deep impression on me. The designs of the balls keep getting more and more intricate, it’s getting tougher to draw (laughs)

– Are there any volleyball players you like?

Furudate: Aoyama Shigeru (former Japan National team member), and for currently active players, I like Torray Arrows’ Yoneyama Yuta.

– There are many unique and fascinating characters in Karasuno High School. Are there people in real life whom the characters are modeled after?

Furudate: Personality wise, I thought of the different aspects of the people I know, my own shortcomings as well as my own ideals. I have yet to create any characters who are modeled after real-life players.

– Why did you choose to set the story in Miyagi?

Furudate: Karasuno is located in Sendai City of Miyagi Prefecture, and may give off a sort of countryside image. In the beginning, I was deciding between Miyagi and Iwate. I lived in Iwate until high school, so I thought of modelling Karasuno High and its surroundings after my hometown in Iwate. However, my hometown was so far into the countryside that not even trains passed through, so it was kind of impossible to encounter students from other schools. I also rarely walked around town, so I actually didn’t know as much about my hometown as I had expected, so I gave up in making Iwate the setting (laughs)

I spent about 8-9 years in Miyagi after graduating from high school, so it’s like a second hometown to me. I feel a great sense of emotional attachment to the place and I’m also familiar with the area. Furthermore, it’s also the hometown of my editor-in-charge, so in the end I decided on Miyagi for the setting. But thinking about it now, having characters from a rural countryside with no trains saying things like “Ey we’re gonna go to the Tokyo Gym!” would be kind of interesting to see (laughs)

– Were there any scenes that were particularly difficult to draw?

Furudate: The rules and explanations of the different plays. Majority of the Jump readers do not have a prior interest in volleyball. I didn’t want to bore the readers with the explanations, so I try to incorporate them as parts of the story. The rotation of the players is also another issue. When I think that, “Hey! The protagonist can shine in this scene here!” in the next rotation, he would be shifted to the backrow. But the rotation itself is an interesting concept that can be expanded on in the manga.

Other than that, sometimes it’s just the scenes and frames where I have to continuously squeeze in the characters. When I’m drawing in a half-asleep state in the middle of the night, I’ll carelessly draw a character who was supposed to be in the backrow jumping to block the ball, or drawing right-handed players spiking the ball with their left. When I realise I’ll be like, “Uwaaaa!” and then I’ll have to redraw the scenes. Sometimes they get published without me noticing so then I’ll be like “Uwaaa!’ and I’ll have to redraw those scenes for the comics publication. (laughs)

– Volleyball terms such as direct and indirect delivery, break, etc. were also all very well-explained in the manga. I can tell that sensei has put in a lot of effort in explaining these very daunting volleyball terms…how was it?

Furudate: Conveying these terms to readers who are not familiar with volleyball in a straightforward manner has always been my top priority, so I always try to use words that leave a strong impression or simple explanations. Especially for foundational rules (the ball must be sent back to the opposite side of the net after three touches, player rotation etc.), the names of the different positions and the basic attack strategies, I hope that the reader can remember them in order to fully enjoy the manga. However, unlike the basic terms that appear very frequently, the specialised volleyball terms are rather difficult to understand and commit to memory. The technical terms might sound cool to someone who’s never heard them before (at least that’s what it’s like for me? How about you?), so even if they can’t remember their meanings, just by filing them into their memory as “something cool”, when they come across these terms again while watching a match on TV, they’ll think, “Hey! I think I read about that term in a manga before!” It’ll be great if they can slowly familiarise themselves with the terms in this way.

Also, for a shonen Jump manga like Haikyuu!!, there still hasn’t been a special move with a cool name yet (due to the author’s lack of naming sense), so the use of these specialised terms actually helps to shoulder some of the burden (laughs)

– Are there any characters whom you especially like?

Furudate: If I had to only choose one, it would be the protagonist Hinata. I put in a lot of effort to arrive at the Hinata that’s in the serialised version right now, so I have a really strong emotional attachment to him. Other than that, from Karasuno I like Tanaka, and from the rival schools I like Aone of Date Tech and Bokuto of Fukurodani. Basically, I like characters who don’t think about the consequences before acting. I’m someone who tends to overthink the consequences, so I really admire characters like them.

– I think it’s a really amazing concept to have someone small like Hinata who only stands at 162.8cm to be a middle blocker. Please share with us your thoughts and inspirations for this idea.

Furudate: I wanted to make quicks the main weapon, so I decided on middle blocker. Before Haikyuu!! started, I wanted to draw a story about a super amazing setter who could send the perfect tosses to his spiker. Following such an idea, I thought, rather than being “taller than the block”, why not be “faster than the block”? In the first chapter, we see that Hinata makes up for his lack of height with his amazing jumping power, but yet he realises that such ability is insufficient. I wanted to make Hinata reach the “peak” before his opponents, to triumph over those who are bigger than him, so I gave him an extraordinary jumping power to contrast the handicap his overwhelming lack of height gave him.

I also played middle blocker during my school days, so I really wanted to convey the feeling of touching the ball when making an awesome quick!

– I feel like the names of many of the players in the story are kind of uncommon or unconventional…is it just me? (laughs)

Furudate: I don’t think it’s just you (laughs) At this juncture, the surnames of the players from Aoba Johsai were taken from the names of hot springs in Iwate, and the surnames of the players from Date Tech were taken from the names of hot springs in Miyagi (for most of them). When more characters are introduced, it’s also really difficult to think of names for them. Now I’m still using the names of hot springs in the Tohoku region, but in the future it may expand to the whole of Japan. For the teams that have animal motifs, I think of their names by relating them to their respective animals.

– Hinata and Kageyama are indeed the epitome of yin and yang. I’m also looking forward to their individual growths in the future. Please tell us more about the future developments!

Furudate: As to how Hinata and Kageyama will change from now on, to be honest, I’m the person who knows the least. I’ll work hard to create a progression that the readers would be excited about.

Right now we’re at the Spring High Preliminaries, but there will be teams that will lose their third year players, and there will be teams that will completely change too. I also want the readers to also look out for teams that will be competing once again. Nekoma High and the other rival schools of the Kanto region will also be facing off in the preliminaries at the same time. I haven’t drawn these scenes yet, but I definitely want to do a good job portraying the matches between the other schools.

– Last question, what is the one thing that you want to convey the most to the readers through Haikyuu!! ?

Furudate: The fact that volleyball is fun and cool! I hope that Haikyuu!! can become a gateway for people to become truly interested in and pick up volleyball. I want it to be a story which both people play and do not play volleyball can enjoy, and I’ll work hard on that. Please look forward to it and thank you for your support.

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu #haikyu #hq #furudate haruichi #furudate #manga #anime #english translation

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rainofashe · 4 years

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Satou Takuya x Eguchi Takuya BLCD interview - “I just lost my Reiwa virginity”

(this translation is actually a year late I was looking through my drafts and saw that I just left a little + proofreading to complete so here it is - a year-late interview from my all-time favourite BL seires, blue sky complex! a fourth CD adaptation has also been released but I don’t think there was a cast interview, so...hit me up if you find any!)

WARNING: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD! PLEASE EXERCISE DISCRETION IF YOU HAVEN’T READ VOLUME 4 OF BLUE SKY COMPLEX!

Saitou Souma has been added to the cast as well! The third CD adaptation of Ichikawa Kei’s Blue Sky Complex goes on sale 26th June!

BLCD label marble records proudly presents an exclusive interview with the cast of blue sky complex -third-, the 3rd drama CD adaptation of Ichikawa Kei’s immensely popular manga series!

In this sequel, Narasaki Motochika x Terashima Natsuki (played by Satou Takuya x Eguchi Takuya) have become university students and have started living together! Including new characters, this new arc is bound to be a roller-coaster ride.

The new character which appears before the loving couple is Kurisu, played by Saitou Souma. In addition, be sure to catch the amazing voices of Nishiyama Koutarou, Kamio Shinichirou, Shirai Yusuke and more! Both the 1st and 2nd teasers can be accessed online, it just makes the wait harder to bear!

Since this is the university arc, Satou Takuya spoke about how he put in effort to express Narasaki’s growth, and Eguchi Takuya talked about the details he paid more attention to, while Saitou Souma expressed to us his love for this series! This is an interview no fan should miss!

Satou Takuya x Eguchi Takuya: blue sky complex -third- Post-recording interview

—So, this recording was on the very first thing you did on the very first morning of the first day of the Reiwa era. Thank you so much for your hard work!

Satou Takuya (Nagasaki Motochika): Indeed, I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

Eguchi Takuya (Terashima Natsuki): I just lost my Reiwa virginity.

Satou: Me too (laughs)

Eguchi: Moving, isn’t it (laughs)

— Please tell us more about your impressions post-recording.

Satou: It’s actually been two years since our last recording for this series, but it didn’t feel like that much time has passed. In fact, it felt like a tradition of sorts that I’ll do every year. Maybe because I’ve spent so much time with these two (Narasaki & Terashima), plus this will also be the third installation. Ever since the first installation, I’ve always been saying that I want to see how these two would develop, and now, after being able to record the third installation, I’m really just filled with gratitude. And it was really fun to see Eguchi’s Natsuki after so long.

Eguchi: Although it’s been a while since the last recording, I’ve always had the pleasure of receiving so many comments regarding this series. I don’t need to actively try to recall this work every year, so it feels like not much time has passed at all. The moment we started recording. we were just absorbed into the atmosphere of this series. It was nostalgic but comforting, and the recording was able to proceed smoothly.

— In this sequel, the university arc has started. Compared to the last installation, has your impressions of the characters you play changed, or are there any details you pay particular attention to when playing your role?

Satou: Rather than just becoming a university student, it’s more like the relationship between the two has become deeper. And in the case of Narasaki, it’s more like he’s thinking, “is it like this, or like this?” He’s getting confused, suspicious and worried. I don’t think I’ve ever played any scenes that showed this side of him that much. Of course, there are many benefits that come from learning to trust each other, but for Narasaki, he’s thinking, “it’s like this. No, I want it to be like this, but it’s better if I don’t think that way.” In a way, he overthinks as he starts to be able to see how they perceive each other from different angles. I also found it really meaningful that I’m not just acting as a Narasaki that grew up to become a “fine, reliable adult”. Also, the interactions with the other characters have increased as well, so through those conversations, it’s really interesting to see how much Natsuki has opened up his heart to Narasaki. (laughs)

Eguchi: In the case of Terashima, it’s not like he became less “thorny”, but more like it’s just that when he’s with Narasaki, he becomes gentler and more at ease. I don’t think that his fundamental way of thinking has changed all that much, but just that he doesn’t notice his own changes in the way he interacts with people. So in that sense, he doesn’t see everyone as an “enemy” anymore, and isn’t as guarded as he was before.

— In this installation, some new characters have been introduced. Are there any characters you’re particularly interested in?

Satou: I’m really curious to see how the relationship between Kurisu and Narasaki will develop after the events in this installation. This time, there were events that took place where Natsuki could have possibly gotten hurt, so I don’t think he will be able to say “It’s okay” so easily. An important person got hurt, but when he actually saw Natsuki, Narasaki wasn’t as stubborn as we would have expected. And it wasn’t because he wasn’t thinking about anything, but actually because he was thinking about what’s the best course of action for Natsuki and how he should interact with Kurisu from now on. He was thinking about a lot of things, and although I don’t think he will be able to fully trust Kurisu anytime soon, but I think he will be able to face him head on. I think Kurisu is a really complex character.

Eguchi: I think Towa is amazing in many ways (lol). He’s a mystery -- he was a hairdresser and also an office worker at one point, so he really gives off this feel of being an adult… He’s a really unreadable character, so I can’t deny that there’s a part of me that wants to see what he’s truly like. This is just something that I thought of, but when they were on the phone while in the middle of doing it, I feel like Towa just knew and was totally smirking at the side. (laughs)

Satou: You know, I feel like they should’ve controlled themselves better too. With the way they were, they’d definitely be found out. Sorry, sorry. (laughs)

Eguchi: Ahahaha!

Satou: They’d definitely be found out, sorry, sorry! (laughs)

— A message to the fans of this series!

Satou: The studio’s becoming much more livelier with each installation. The relationships between the characters have grown, and the voice actors involved in this work have also become closer, so we are able to more comfortably immerse ourselves into the story during our recording sessions. The original work will continue even more and more from now on, and personally, I was really happy to work with everyone again in this new installation. I hope that everyone will have fun listening to this third installation!

Eguchi: It is thanks to everyone who have enjoyed the Drama CD adaptation, and it’s also thanks to Sensei that we are able to work on a third installation. I’m really happy. I had a lot of fun recording and was able to bring out a new side of myself and express my character better. That’s what made the recording so fun. Moreover, through the interactions with Narasaki, I was able to express some nuances which I haven’t been able to before. And when I did, I felt so accomplished and satisfied. I’m really thankful to have had the opportunity to work on this series. I’ll be really happy if we get another chance to work on this series again in the future, and I thank all of you for your continuous support.

— Thank you very much!

Saito Soma: blue sky complex -third- Post-recording interview

— Please tell us about your impressions post-recording.

Saito Soma (Kurisu Haruomi): When I recorded for the previous instalment before, they told me if there was a sequel, I would become one of the main characters, so I hoped that we would really have a sequel. So this time, I was really happy to play a major role. At the same time, I feel that the atmosphere of this series is very natural. Ever since the previous recording, I thought that it was really nice that the story flowed so naturally. And I’m really happy that I was able to play one of the characters in such a series this time.

—From this instalment, the university arc has started. Compared to the previous instalments, has your impression of any of the characters changed? Is there anything in particular you look out for while playing your character?

Saito: Since I’m portraying a university student belonging to the present time, before acting, I imagined my character to be more flashy. But since the whole series has a delicate tone to it, rather than trying too hard, I tried to portray a flashiness that suits the atmosphere of this series more. And as for my plans on how to act out this flashiness, I tend to use a sharper, high-toned voice, but this time, I chose to use a more mellowed tone, which I hope could bring out the rawness of my character.

— Did any of your character’s scenes or lines leave an impression on you?

Saito: It definitely has to be the scene where he told Terashima, “Do it with me too”. (laughs) It’s insensitive to express everything in words, but was what he said really just purely based on impulse? It was a scene that left a lot of room for the audience to interpret, so it left an impression on me. Once again, I felt how fun it was to interact with another character on scene.

— In this installation, some new characters have been introduced. Are there any characters you’re particularly interested in?

Saito: Harukawa. When I was a student myself, I had friends who had this sort of balance, the kind who knew a lot of stylish shops, and it made me feel nostalgic. I’m envious of people who have a sense of style. (laughs). As for Towa, since he’s older than everyone else, he had a pretty unique atmosphere within the story. He also had this aura that gave off the impression that he knew many things. These two characters interested me the most.

— In the story, there was a scene where we find out that Terashima used to learn karate. Did you learn anything when you were young, or is there anything you’d like to learn in the future?

Saito: Looking back, I think I learned a lot of things when I was young, but I really wanted to learn how to play the violin. My father used to play the violin, so we had the violin he played when he was young at home. Some time ago, I heard a violinist say that they have been holding the violin ever since they were born, so much so that the violin has become an extension of their body. I thought that was really cool. I’ve also said this on many other platforms, but I want to learn more languages. I like the cultures we get to learn about through language, and it makes me want to study languages on a deeper level.

— A message to the fans of this series!

Saito: I played a minor role in the previous instalment, and I’m happy that I’m able to play a bigger role this time! Sensei and all the staff members, as well as Eguchi-san and Sato-san have created a beautiful blue sky complex series that has such a natural atmosphere. It was really fun to be able to be part of this very naturally-created atmosphere. The interactions between Kurisu and Terashima is the heart of the story in this instalment. I’m interested to see how their interactions will change in the future and I hope I’ll be able to play them out again as well. As a reader myself, I’m also excited to see how the story will play out in the future. I hope that all of you will be able to enjoy both the Drama CD adaptation and the original series. It was a really comfortable recording session! Thank you very much for having me.

— Thank you very much!

#drama cd #Blue sky complex #marble records #blcd #bl #ichikawa kei #eguchi takuya #satou takuya #saito soma #seiyuu #voice actor

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