[MAGAZINE] Kawanishi Takumi x Chiba Yudai - ar Magazine (June 2022) (Part 1)

[dreamweavernyx]

I've been looking forward to this month's edition of this regular column ever since I found out Chiba Yudai would be Takumi's cross-talk partner ^^ Takumi is a really cute / really big Yudai fanboy in this one, and the two of them read like they have really good chemistry!

In this interview, they talk about their fans, their dreams, and the importance of voicing your opinions! There's also the usual individual messages and interviews, and this time they also had a small little cross-talk on slightly more superficial topics that weren't related to the main theme, so I've created a separate section for that titled "Bonus cross-talk". Please enjoy!

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JO1 Meets…: Kawanishi Takumi x Chiba Yudai

Talk Theme: The Magic of Words

Thoughtful words, words of encouragement, things that came true when they were voiced aloud, song lyrics and scripted lines which also hold a world of meaning… Now, with these two who aren’t able to instantly show off their hard work and what’s in their heart of hearts, we’ll take a look into their thoughts and feelings that they were able to turn into a source of strength.

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Message: Takumi to Yudai

I’ve really admired sentai heroes* from a young age, and the first time I came to know Chiba-san was when I watched “Tensou Sentai Goseiger” as an elementary school kid. From then on, you appeared in many works and TV commercials, but among them all the one I find memorable is “SUMMER NUDE”. I really love that drama, and I got really hooked on it when I watched it! There’s many things I admire about you, but what I love the most is how Chiba-san’s voice is so soothing, and has a calm quality to it. I’d want to listen to it at any hour of the day, to the point where I’d even want to use it as my morning alarm! If it’s possible, I’d like to have you say “good night” (gets shy). For the cross-talk this time, I’m really happy that I get to have that voice all to myself. Actually… not just today, but I’ve been really nervous about this since yesterday. It’s pretty much my first time being able to talk to my senior in the entertainment industry like this, so my heart’s been pounding non-stop. I might even end up being so charmed that I lose the ability to speak…?!

[ T/N: Sentai heroes refers to the heroes of the Super Sentai series, a tokusatsu TV show that later became the source material for the Power Rangers series. ]

Message: Yudai to Takumi

I think being an artist is a really wonderful profession. Of course, you’re good at singing and dancing, but you really are filled with a multitude of talents such as your looks, acting, and variety talent. Even if there had been an audition programme when I had been in my teens, I think I definitely would never have participated. I might’ve thought that it would be impossible for me. That’s why, it’s a great honour to have been chosen as Kawanishi-kun’s cross-talk partner this time round. There’s many things I’d like to ask you. It’s quite rare for me to have the chance to give advice to those younger than me, so I’m also a little worried about whether it’s okay that I was chosen for this. There’s been times when I was asked for advice and had to act as the senior, and ended up worrying about whether I’d imposed my views on the other person instead (laughs). I think what I can do right now, is to approach this with an open mind. If there’s ever anything you find it difficult to voice out when you’re working, I’ll say it on your behalf; it might be a little presumptuous of me, but I do think that way.

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Cross-talk

The support of fans is their driving force

Kawanishi (K): I look forward to speaking with you today!! I’m really very nervous!! (very loudly)

Chiba (C): I met Kawanishi-kun on a show called “MUSIC BLOOD”, didn’t I. All the members of JO1 appeared, and they even said “I love Chiba Yudai”!! At that time, we weren’t able to chat leisurely, so I’m really happy that I was asked to appear this time. Kawanishi-kun’s a good kid ♡

K: Thank you! I’ve watched many of your works, but actually being able to meet you in person, you really are very beautiful, you’ve got a small face* and an aura about you, and you feel really pure and fresh…

[ T/N: Having a small face is considered beautiful in Japanese culture, so it’s often used as a compliment. ]

C: I did wonder how I’d be viewed by a 22-year-old guy, but to receive this amount of praise… (gets shy) I’ve got to keep polishing myself up from now on. Maybe I’ll go do some training, or take some vitamin injections?!

K: Injections?!

C: If Kawanishi-kun loves my beauty, then I’ve got no choice but to maintain that (laughs).

K: Oh no, I’ve said something real bad…! (panics) When I told the other members about this cross-talk, they were really envious of me, and said things like “Man, that’s nice~”. Chiba-san truly has many male fans as well.

C: Eh, that makes me happy~♪ Thank you. Recently, I’ve begun to get more radio work as well, and people who listen to that have told me “You’re different from how I thought” and “You’re unexpectedly funny”, so I thought to myself that I’ve still got room to grow (laughs).

K: I love Chiba-san’s radio work too.

C: But for me, I really respect JO1’s performances. You sing and dance, and you also bring your audience enjoyment through your fresh conversations. I think it’s truly a collection of a multitude of talents.

K: To receive those words from you, I’m really moved…

C: The sense of closeness you have with your fans, it’s truly different from being an actor, too. Particularly since there have been those who have been supporting JO1 even prior to debut, how do you react to that?

K:I think the strongest thing I feel is a sense of reassurance.

C: It somehow feels like your fans are like a family watching over you, right.

K: That might be so.

C: For me, when I debuted I truly was pretty bad at acting, and whenever I managed to land a new job my fans would cheer me on, saying “That’s great!” or “I was worried about you, so I’m happy”. I was able to do my best because I got that kind of parent-like support, and even now it helps me work hard.

K: For us, we can also really sense that we’re doing our activities while being supported by many people. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic we weren’t really able to do a concert in front of a live audience since our debut, but thanks to the support of our fans we’d trend on social media, and they’d help to spread word about JO1, which really helps us out! That’s why, I’d like to repay them through our music.

Links are something that you should draw in on your own

K: Chiba-san truly does a wide range of activities beyond just acting, and I really admire that about you.

C: For me, it’s kinda like, if someone asks me to do something I’ll take a shot, and through that process it gradually came to this…  something like that. Also, ever since I became able to voice out the things I wanted to do, the range of my activities got broader, I think. Interviews like this are part of that, too. For example, for the anime “Ojamajo Doremi”, and also for the director Xavier Dolan, who I really like, I often talked about them so I was asked to provide my comments about them. Radio work, which I really had wanted to do, was also something that I’d proposed on my own.

K: So that’s how you broaden your scope of work.

C: It’s my dream to someday set up a “Chiba Festival”. I’d have some wonderful artists and bands make an appearance, and it would be nice if I could do something myself for it as well.

K: Please definitely get JO1 to appear in it!

C: If I’m able to make it happen someday then yes, for sure!! What kind of things are you interested in, Kawanishi-kun?

K: The other day, I tried acting in a drama for the first time, and I got really interested in it. I’d like to have more to do with it, and to act more.

C: Do you have a favourite movie?

K: It’s a baseball movie called “42”, I really love it.

C: You seem like you’d suit something sporty, or set in a school setting. When I was 28 years old I played the role of a student, and I think if it were Kawanishi-kun you’d definitely be able to go for it too! I’d be happy if someday we were able to act together.

K: Yes, I’d love for the two of us to act as classmates ☺️

C: If that’s the case… I guess I’ll have to work hard to preserve my pure, fresh feel (laughs)

K: Please also let me know what works you recommend!

C: Kawanishi-kun, your singing is spectacular as well; how do you feel about stageplays or musicals?

K: I haven’t had the chance to go and watch one.

C: I really love the stage production “Les Miserables”, and the role of Marius is one of those I really want to try out one day. There’s also many interesting musical movies out there such as “Hairspray”, “Chicago” and “The Greatest Showman”. Even the works of the director Xavier Dolan who I mentioned just now, they show the true nature of human beings, and they truly pack a punch, so I’d like for you to watch them.

K: I’d like to try watching them! Recently I’ve been into this anime called “Shaman King”, so I’ve been watching that a lot. The protagonist has a pet phrase he says, “Everything will work out”, and it really hits like he’s saying it directly to me. I tend to be a bit of a worrywart, so I feel like that helps to lift my spirits somewhat. It might also be fun to create a work with the other members of JO1 that’s about comrades and friendship ♪

“To say nothing at all is to have no opinions”: A phrase that changed my life

K: It’s now our third year since debut, is there anything I should be working on doing right now?

C: Rather than saying that there’s something you absolutely have to do, when you encounter something you have an interest in you should try it out even if only a little, and it might be good to keep a record of those, too. The feelings and thoughts that you can only have when you’re at this age, it would be a waste if you can’t remember them anymore once you get older. For me, I’ve got an interest in scriptwriting so I want to try writing one, but I do think from time to time that it would have been good if I had written down my feelings as a 22-year-old somewhere.

K: That’s a big learning point for me.

C: Also, you should make it a point to clearly express your own views and opinions. I only became able to do that when I was 26 years old, when someone who’s been a benefactor of mine told me “If you say nothing at all, you might end up being perceived as not having any opinions”. Ever since then, I’ve been consciously trying to clearly voice out my own views.

K: It’s important to be able to convey your thoughts through words, isn’t it.

C: Do the members of JO1 exchange their opinions with everyone?

K: Yes, we do have discussions with all the members. There’s times when we clash, but our goal of wanting to deliver even better work is the same so that’s fine! Chiba-san’s words have really resonated with me. Thank you very much for today!