So part 2 and it's more normal Japanese fiction. This time I think..
Kino journey vol 1 to 4
A little bit hard to understand for me even if I have watched the anime (both versions), one thing I've noticed is that each story has to remind you of what a motorad is (basically a motorbike) and what a persuader is (a gun basically Kino's choice of weapon).
There's a few stories that stood out to me, that I forgot what volume it came from there's one whole story where it was written in a newspaper article way and the one story where it is a dairy enteries
of a shop keeper recalling when they meet kino and hermes.
vol 1- suprised that the novel 1st story is the 1st episode of the old anime series. Reading kino's origin story from "Sakura's" view point
was great. Will have to reread the translation of the 1st volume because the chapter order is mixed up there.
vol 2- I really loved this volume, this one has most of the stories I loved that was adpated in the 1st anime adpatiation. Inclucdes the snow chapter where kino saves 3 mens only to be betrayed by them and has to kill them. Also has the story of the country that is kind and get's destroyed by a volcano.
vol 3- There's a odd story where kino get's involved with a group of men trying to kill each other in a country (way too long)
There's also a interesting chapter kino recalls her time with her master while training with her guns. I like one chapter where's it's a diary entry of a shop keeper when they met kino and Hermes.
Vol 4- The Bloodsuckers story stuck out to me because it was in Riku's view point and it was just him going Sizu sama did this and Sizu sama did that. I swear Rikuā¦
vol 5- This volume has the "I see you" story quite a touching story,
I think also the chapter of the country where there are no laws to killing someone is here too (the 1st episode in the new anime series).
In addition there's a story where there's a country with people with the same faces.
ē½ćččć®ę·µć¾ć§- To the edge of the white rose
I really loved this story, its my frist girl's love yuri novel but everyone should read this one! Really personal, gentle, emotional and unpredictable. SPOLIERS BELOW!
About a women Kuchi who meets an author Rui at a bookstore.
They become lovers but because of their differences and Rui does'nt want any change in the relationship causes Kuchi to marry a guy but she discovers that she still loves Rui they have an affair, Rui who also still loves Kuchi feels guility and basically espaces Japan to go to Hong Kong. Kuchi derminted she loves Rui dumps her husband and chases Ruito kong hong and finds her. Rui has a underlying family problem which resulted in her brother's death, sadly because of his guilt she lies to Kuchi telling her to go back to japan
and she will come back shortly.
But soon after she gets back from Japan she never hears from her again and she find out by her publisher that Rui died. Kuchi remarries her husabnd but never will forget Rui.
A bit dispointing really different to the drama version, Tokai character is'nt in the novel at all! Andou is a newbie police detective compared to him being a senior but he's really dry and has little chemistry with Tokino who is turn has little character compared to the drama version.
BUT some of the mystery stories are REALLY good and I questioned why they did'nt include in the drama version. Most of the stories are as follows andou goes to Tokino, flashback to crime and ali lib problem, Tokino breaks the ali lib and solves the crime end of story case.
åå “- Theatre novel version
It's good, and the movie version pretty much follows the event of the novel. It's a love story gone horrbily wrong.
åؼ幓- Call Boy Triology
It's interesting to say at the least. It does show the growth of the main character as well as his stories of serving various women. But he does some outright questionable things. Not for the triggered/sensitive readers. I thought it was ok, but I was disapointed by this.
ęćę¹ć®č„č ćć”- Young people at dawn
I thought it was ok again but disapointed by this. It's just a collection of short Heterosexual stories. It's just nothing special just very typical romance stories you would watch on a average J drama.
äŗŗéć®ę ¼- The case of humans/people
I really grown to love this book. Intersting anaylsis book about the nature of people and their actions. Lots to think about and has views from the author's point of view. It's only one of the books that I've read that it feels like the narrator is having a disscussion with me about human nature.
How I knew about it because It was recommend by a Jpop idol of all things. Even the author knows that and wrote that in his introduction LOL.
I am an idiot for reading this one, this book is way beyond my current level of japanese I understood little from it. I saw it in an episode of Ossan's love in the air and figured I might as well buy it.
It's a history book and it "tries" to evalute/sepulate the history and various aspects of life, bloodline, rule of peroid in which what times might of been like for these "keyshaped tombs/monmument"
I don't know much about it and it's history but I could'nt really tell if the keyshaped tomb/monmument was an area where there was a clivisation of people that lived there OR the acutal
keyshaped tomb/monmument was acutal graves for dead people from that time peroid. My guess is the former. It goes into a LOT of analysis/speculation on the layout of the villages, houses for the people of that particular time peroid, how their graves were made, the tools they made, the way they may have gone into battle/amour layout and most importanly when king Yamato was in rule. It's difficult as heckbut it shows how the Japanese write their history thesis because it felt like reading someone's history thesis.
Will need to reread this one again when my Japanese is better to make better sense from it all.
So heya it's been a while! I do plan on doing new translations because I've finally decided to take the JLPT so I need to brush up on my Japanese!
I've been buying and reading Japanese novels for the practise and I wanted to share my thoughts on some of them.
I usually buy BL novels to read but I have branched out to read non BL novels. But this is pretty much going to be BL novels.
BL novels
Hitorijime my hero novel
It was my 1st BL novel and Japanese novels that I bought and read lol.
I found this easy to read and understand snice it follows the manga strictly, events of the manga is told through Setagawa's view point with some additional scenes added. I really enjoyed it!
This novel is a good beginner level for Japanense learners, espically if you have read the manga of Hitorijime my hero. There is some added sex scenes but it's not hard to follow.
大億ęę ēµµå·»ļ½å¤ę”ęćļ½ - Åoku renjÅ emaki ~ yozakura koishi ~
(The Romance Picture scroll of the Ooku, evening sakura love/ The romance tales of the Ooku, evening sakura romance)
Out of context book that I bought because the cover looked pretty, very hard for me to understand. The naration is "odd" it's from a narator/3rd person view but there's brackets to express the narator's view on the story like the narator was a character in the story. Very old fashion speech used in this book snice it is set in the past. I think I've read the sequel of this book series because there's another one before this one.
From what I understood from it, Benio was forced to be a ooku (a japanese prositute) due to family reasons, he meets Genta who they knew each other from before.
Seems that Genta has the longest chrush on Benio. Because Benio is now a ooku and he paid for his services he basically "rapes" him
Lots of drama happens (there's like a dispute with another ooku) after and the two eventually fall in love. When my japanese gets better I need to reread this one.
ē”é²åćŖććććæ- Defenseless scheme
Out of context book that I bought because the cover looked pretty, very hard for me to understand. I really got lost with this one, because the naration was not clear and there was WAY too many characters introduced it was'nt until I was HALFWAY through the book I figured out that the story was told 1st person from the uke's viewpoint who is Maki.
There's A LOT of naration and description about everything (like about the bar and the daily routine of running a bar and chatting with guests and characters).
From what I understood from it, Maki and a friend walk into a bar owned by Shin. Eventually Maki works at Shin's bar and the two fall in love. LOL Simple is'nt it?
When my japanese gets better I need to reread this one.
ć¤ćØć¹ććć¼ćååć - Half of Yes or no
Really hard to read but I love the interaction between the main couple, listening to the drama CD made me realise how much I suck at Japanese. I am planning to re-read this one.
It's a relationship between a tv presenter/reporter and a animator, I am going to summarise the whole story from the drama CD which made more sense then the book.
I would say it's a good insight of a busy life of a reporter stressed by work in which he finds a common ground/relationship with the animator.
čØčć«ćŖććŖć - Don't need words
Finally I am able to understand most of the story! It's a very simple romance story between 2 university students. While the romance is very sterotypical I really like the use of star gazing as a moment for the couple to bond. I acutally really like this book!
But really was impressed me was the use of the title "not needing words" the main uke is very scared to express his feelings but at times there are moments where him and the seme bond that they "don't need words" clever use of the title. I felt very clever understanding that much in Japanese.
åŖććSć®č²ć¦ę¹- How to raise a gentle S
This story felt way too short but it was a fun read! The sex scene was hot I admit.
It's about a male university student falling in love with his university teacher (Miyagi), through cirustances he finds out that the teacher is a saddist and enjoys pleasure from men. But the student is very pure hearted and just wants to love the teacher. There's also a 3rd side character who's a machoist. It's acutally split into chapters which was easy for me to keep track of the story.
ć¦ćµć®ć®ćŖć”ć¬ćØč±å½ē“³å£«~ē§åÆć®čµ¤ć”ććē± ć®äø~ -Rabbit Omega and a British gentleman ~ Within the basket of the secret Baby ~
Really dumb story. Main character is Riku a japanese omega who lost both of his parents. For some reason he is in English boarding school and there he meets his Gilbert, who is an alpha.
Gilbert right way tells Riku that he is a cute omega and wants him to be his "Rabbit Omega". Riku somehow agrees and the two fall in love with each other after a short period of time.
For some reason Riku Omega features hav'nt woken up but soon his heat comes into effect and he and Gilbert have sex many times. The main conflict is dumb Riku is called back to Japan because
his lost father died which somehow results in him adopting a child. Along the way he makes friends with a women called Ichiba and her baby kanon. In japan he sees a TV report which he sees
Gilbert with another women and the report says the two are getting married.
Riku is hurt by the news but is still in love with Gilbert and he confesses this to Ichiba, the main climax is Gilbert finds Riku in Japan. Ichiba asks Gilbert if it was ture if he did marry.
Gilbert denies this snice the TV report was a fake made up by his father. Gilbert and Riku have sex and the two go back to England. End of main story.
OMG what a dumb story I lost brain cells reading this. This was very disapointing. The relationship feels very fake and the baby plot is like dropped off as soon as Riku and Gilbert renuite.
čØčććŖććč±ćÆ- Without the words, the flower will..
Another not good story, 18 year old Sou meets Katsuya who's like about 30 and is a member of the yazuka. Sou kinda gets into a love triangle with Katsuya and another guy friend. But he kinda
gets raped by Katsuya and somehow he falls in love with him even though he was in love with his other guy friend before. There's no connection to the title at all!
ććć³ć¹äøå Øć®åćć”ćÆ- We are romanically impaired
Ok but not really interesting story, set in a hair salon with two different co-workers with different family backgrounds. One likes the other and it's very standard typical BL story
BL related media
åć夫ć«åŗä¼ćć¾ć§- Until I meet my husband.
Real life story of a gay man and how his love lifes went until he married his husband. Really personal and good read. Want to re-read one day
Mostly talk between two female authors and a male director about the gay porn industry. A lot of talk about anus, nipples and other naughty talks. Ok may need to read again.
ęäŗŗćć”ć®ę£® (Forest of lovers)
Really odd and long volume consisting of short stories of various romance stories. ALL of these stories are tragic and sad snice most the couples don't end up together well by the end of the story
(usally one person or both in the couple die). Out of the 4 stories 3 of them are BL (gay) stories and mostly not set in Japan (suprisingly), it's pretty tricky to read even with all the furigana.
It's writen in a very poteic flowery narrative language. It's a book I need to re-read as I only understood the basis of the stories.
ććÆćć”ć®BLč«- Our BL Argument
I think this book should of been called "Our Disscussions in Pop/Otaku cluture featuring BL topics" LOL!
But slowly I've grown to love this book as well. It's written in Japanese script form so it feels like you are reading a radio/TV show based on topics. I can't really describe it but it's not written as an anaylsis novel it's more like you are reading dialogue between the two authors. So it feels like it's written in a magazine interview type of way.
That's what it makes it interesting but it does jump around topics way too much! I thought it was a analysis essay on BL. It's more like a very long disscussion on various BL topics by the two authors.
They cover a lot of topics about various BL factors as well as talking about Otaku culture and shipping in very old movies (not related to BL in anyway). Then there's views on various BL works.
One point is that fujoshis often use metaphors such as the "pencil" and "easer" for the basis of the couple, the pencil leads and the easer follows it trails (hence the cover of the book).
Another point is that BL and yaoi are basically the same thing. How "moe" triggers in a female regarding BL, like BL is the new form of "moe" for females. The types of female fans and how they
get attached to 2D characters and how they want to see a romance between men as an "ideal".
BLć®ęē§ęø- BL textbook/research guide book
Ok research and introduction book to the history of BL development in Japan. I feel like this book is more for beginners
No translations as I am taking a break and I want to draw more!
But I did wanted to talk about WOWOW's drama of Double and why more people should watch it.
Making a recommendation for WOWOW'S double drama (my favourite j-drama of 2022 so far)
I wanted to write some sort of "recommendation post" for more users to watch WOWOW'S live action drama "Double" it starts Chiba Yudai (from Ossan's love season 2) and Nagayama Kento. Directed by Nakagawa Kazuhiro.
It's HARD to descibe Double. To me Double is a physiological drama about the life and actions that "actors" make when they take on roles. I have one regret and that is that I was'nt watching this series when it was airing weekly. Rather I binge watched the series. Can't believe I missed out on each a masterpiece of j-drama so far this year.
If you go on the Mydramalist there is very little negative feedback on this drama, rather a lot of praise for it. Also please read John Master review on this drama because it's amazing (tho it has spoilers). I wrote a review for this series (although not as good as John Master review).
Story and characters
Chiba Yudai as Takara
Nagayama Kento as Yujin
There are two actors Takara and Yujin both are in essence "stage actors". Yujin has been Takara's acting double partner/manager/caretaker for him. Because Yujin belives Takara has natural talent. The story really begins when a acting agency wants to sign Takara to be contracted with them.
These two charactes have the MOST complex and interesting relationship I've ever seen. It's honestly on the borderline of soulmates and long lost siblings joined into one. Not even Kei x Yaku has a relationship this complicated than Takara and Yujin.
Takara is an interesting character because he is hyperfixed obsessed with Yujin. Takara in the 1st half of the series needs Yujin to help him prepare for the roles (because Yujin helps prepares the roles Takara is going to do, even the two share roles hence the title). Takara will always talk about Yujin, he even created an "illusion" Yujin mentally because he means so much to him in his life.
Yujin is also interesting because I have not seen a kind hearted and selfless person determined not to focus on his own career but help Takara achieve his dream. He reminds me of Kido from pornographer (but more moral sense and less stupid). But Yujin himself is still a mystery and I wish the drama also focused on him a bit more.
Episode 8 (SPOILERS)
Watching the highlights for episode 8 made me interested in this series and made me binge watch the whole series.
Why? Because it shows that Takara has one sided feelings of "love" towards Yujin. Takara even tries to confess to Yujin, only for Yujin to quickly turn him down.
So there's gay elements in this drama! BUT I don't think this is a BL series because there's gay elements. Remember a BL series has to focus purely on the romance between the mains to quality. I said this before but Double is a physiological drama about actors, it does'nt focus on the romance. Rather Takara's feelings are there just to show how complicated their relationship it is. I don't think Takara understands the concept of "love" like Yujin thinks it is.
Actors
Double is really about actors and acting. Stage plays and movies in particular. For me watching this series REALLY made me think twice about the feelings of actors and how much hard work they go through to act as a role. It made me feel appreciate the hard work actors go through just to be in the correct mind set. Actors are not just pretty people on screen they are humans that have to act professionaly in their job. This drama gives an insight into this.
Overall
The bottom line is MORE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE DOUBLE.
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki Awesome interview rough translation
This magazine is very small. Also this interview is very long!
Hope you have fun reading these two doing banter with each other lol.
With this interview post this is the last time I translate any interviews with Naito and Seto for Sepakoi. I am going to miss these two together. It's been special and magical! I hope these two remain good friends after the series finishes airing!
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki Awesome interview
Rough translation by kino-san
MBSās [Drama Shower] block is for now exclusive to airing BL dramas which they label as level āThunkā. The second instalment of this particular brand is the drama [Senpai, Danjite Koidewa]. Enthusiastic and charismatic senior played by Naito Shuichiro and a pure like junior played by Seto Toshiki in an opening tale of unmatched office BL comedy. We spoke to the both of the stars. About filming for the series, their dynamic and distance between the two. From the outside it seems these two have gotten very close and well familiar with each other. We see an insight to how these two think and the way they banner and interact with each other.
Q.) Please tell us your views when you read the original manga/script for [Senpai, Danjite Koidewa]
Q.) [Cherry Magic] was a work that relied heavy on the monologue. It was all about reading the inner mind and monologue of your partner (laughs).
Naito: When I read the script, I had an impression that the monologue was going to be the most important factor in this work. At that time I didnāt have any intentions to challenge myself to doing a work that has a lot of monologue in them. However, upon further research I found the monologue to be rather interesting to myself. I found in particular it expressed itself very honestly and I found that to be interesting. As a result I decided to work a similar work [Cherry Magic].
Naito: That is true (laughs). Thinking about it now, when I decide to speak, or even when I am currently talking. What I am thinking is completely different to what I am saying to others. It made me think that everyone deep down inside is hiding their true feelings inside of themselves if that is a common thing in everyone. Thatās why, itās important to take part in a show where you express yourself a lot physically and Iāve seen a lot of these shows however thereās not a lot of shows that shows the importance of expressions through monologue. āThis will be difficultā I thought to myself (laughs).
Q.) Now that you explain it in that way, it does seem difficult just to convey feelings just through monologue
Naito: Thatās right, but I think it will be interesting to express the monologue and yet convey an different expression physically. On top of that this will change depending on the current situation naturally.
Q.) Was there any similarities you think you had to the characters you were playing as?
Q.) Seto what are your views?
Seto: The character Kaneda who I am playing as. Upon meeting him the 1st lines he says āYesā or āI understandā such short answers and words he uses. I am sure he has reasons in the way he talks or acts. I am sure there are a lot of people like him who are hard to understand. With that I thought about these factors as I was acting as his character. In addition for Kaneda when he decides to talk or not, the way he expresses himself is in the most blunt and honest way possible. When I read the read the script I had to think about this and rearrange this factor in a way that I can convey myself similar to his character. As well as that, I sometimes had to convey all of that in a Toyama prefecture accent. I too had a lot of monologue that I had to perform. So in addition I had to think about those as well when performing my character. But most importantly the most important factor was how my character was going to react to Yanaseās character played by Naito. In a way there was a lot to think about after I read the script for this work.
Naito: For myself there was little cases there I thought āthis is differentā in regards to myself and my character Yanase. Rather I found I had a lot in common with Yanase. I am the person who hides a lot of my true feelings within inside and on the outside I am being happy around others but not telling them how I really feel. The way I interact with people is similar to how Yanase would interact when he is around others. I am someone who has a lot of patience and I forgive others too easily. I think this is a good quality to have as a person. However in terms of him always smiling when if he is troubled is something I am not similar to him at all.
Q.) Yanase is a person who really likes to get close to others physically do you think you are similar to him in that way?
Naito: No I donāt think so! What do you think?
Naito: Really?! I am not aware of this myself at all!
Seto: I think heās very similar to him in that way! Really matches him! (laughs)
Seto: I think in that way heās exactly like his character! Ā
Naito: Then in that way you have completely caught me off guard! I am sorry if I behaved in that way itās not really my intention and Iāll try to keep my distance from others. Itās hard for me to do it myself.
Seto: Is that so?!
Naito: Regardless if I am close to Yanaseās character or not. I think sometimes I am not even close to the person I think I am.
Q.) For the both of you, this is the first work that the two of you are staring in. How did you manage with the distance between you two?
Seto: Thinking about it ever snice the 1st day, I feel like thereās no barriers or distance between us in the 1st place.
Q.) Was this thanks to the mindset of the characters you played?
Naito: Ah..well of course! (Laughs). But with Seto ever snice the 1st day filming heās a person you can approach easily and get along with well. So I felt it was easy to get close to and get along with him with little problems.
Q.) For Naito, do you think you are a cool looking type of person?
Naito: No I donāt think I am cool looking at all. I am always laughing and smiling mostly. But I am told a lot by other who see me for the 1st time that I give off the cool looks vibes.
Seto: Thatās how I saw him when I met him for the 1st time! In a way he gave that look of āNatural genius typeā of look to him.
Naito: What the hell is that meant to mean?! But it feels good that others think I am cool looking (laughs)
Seto: I donāt have anything in common with my character Kaneda.
Naito: How about you get angry easily?
Seto: I donāt, I donāt get angry easily. I am the opposite of un-talkative. When I am at home I donāt make any noises or disturbances to others (laughs).
Naito: It would be been interesting if you did that (laughs)
Seto: Hold on a minute (laughs).
Naito: But you have a pet cat you play around and spoil a lot!
Seto: ahaha! But itās because I am so different to him. That I had to set boundaries between myself and his character when I am playing as him.
Q.) Kaneda is a character who really likes Yanase but he is able to conceal and hides his feelings for him really well. Is that something you understand from his character?
Seto: Not at all! I am the type of person whoās feelings can be given away from my face right way! I am the type of person who will give the feeling that I want something right way. Knowing that, when I was acting as Kaneda I was trying not to get frustrated but at the same time when I was acting as him I was thinking āI wonder if I can do this in the cutest way possible?ā (laughs). Ā
Naito: Even for Yanase, he is also a person who gets frustrated. In the second half, his feelings and actions really leak out and come out of him. āOh so Yanase is this type of personā I thought as I started to understand his character. Thinking about that, it made me think that Yanase has a cute side to himself.Ā
Seto: In the second half, Yanase is really bold in his actions and his tempo goes up.Ā
Naito: Thatās what I intended for his character when I was acting as him.
Q.) With that every scene seems to be overflowing full of emotions, is this what the both of you intended to be a good thing to happen?Ā
Naito: I think that what it means to show human weakness. Until now these characters have been putting a lot of effort into sealing away their feelings. Ā My characterās interactions and disscussion with Kaneda has resulted in Kaneda having one sided feelings towards Yanase and has gotten in a situation where he is chasing after Yanase. I myself knowing this I felt really annoyed about it..Ā
Q.) Like you eager yourself?Ā
Naito: No I didnāt felt the need to eager myself I just felt annoyed in that way. In addition we really see the events between these two keep escalating one after the other. Sometimes you question if certain events happened between the two of them at all..
Q.) Did Seto also feel eager towards certain emotional scenes?Ā
Seto: Yes (laughs). You see, during breaks I was thinking āGeez..I donāt want to do this!ā.Ā
Naito: All of those bottled emotions just leak out (laughs). Moreover the amount of jealousy conveyed is quite a lot. As the drama is currently airing, no matter if itās at work or a home, thereās always some sort of rival character that will appear. Even if they add even more events, this drama series feel like it will never get boring (laughs).
Q.) It makes it sounds you really like this drama seriesĀ
Seto: Hahha. In addition thereās lots of unexpected attacks that happen, in particular what Yanase character does to make his scenes slightly spicy that happens a lot often. Ā
Naito: Thatās right. However, when doing those scenes I match myself to his character and understand his feelings and from that I feel sad for him. Ā
Q.) Seto when you were acting as your character what your intentions that you want the viewers to know?Ā
Seto: This show basis is a romantic comedy, based on that thereās stages: The 1st stages of ordeals, the 2nd stage of ordeals and the 3rd stage of ordeals. Itās present in this drama series as well. I would like the viewers to pay attention to these stages and what stage they feel strongly towards. With that as the viewers goes through these stages, it would be like them climbing up carrying on until the end. You will see the weaker and whining side of Yanase. On the opposite as a result you will see the lengths of Kanedaās strength and hardship. You will see both sides of these characters together. That is what I want the viewers to pay attention to.
Q.) Today seeing the both of you two talk like this, it does seem you two are very close to each other.Ā
Seto: I like to think that we used to be close!Ā
Naito: You are talking in past tense!Ā
Seto: No even now!Ā
Naito: Thatās a quick change!
Q.) In this drama series your roles is senior and junior. But for the both of you born within the same generation is there something you two have anything in common?Ā
Seto: Like neither of us seem to be interesting at all? Ā
Naito: What?! That is something I would say! Even though thereās nothing special about us at all. Somehow we manage to talk a lot about things for a long time is something that is close to myself I think. (laughs) Ā
Seto: For myself I will always look at the person and continue to talk with them as long as they do. But in particular when I am talking with Naito I feel like I want to talk with him forever?Ā
Naito:ā¦it does feel like that (laughs). Also, no matter what happens I feel like I want to tell them āI told you soā in some cases.Ā
Seto: Did something like that happened?!Ā
Naito: I think that people feel more energized in the morning. However saying that, when I see Setoās attitude in 5am in the morning heās really energized! Even when we were filming for the behind the scenes he talks so much, to the point I think heās getting annoying. Ā Ā
Seto: Right, I have to object to this! I think itās natural that you have to keep your energy and tension up! However, for Naito after eating lunch in the afternoon heās always goes off for a nap! Here I am all although out the day doing my best to maintain my high energy and tension and we have Naito there who gives off this look after lunch like he wants to nap. For him when the night comes is when heās has the most energy and he becomes the most annoying thing to me.
Q.) It does seem in real life both of your rhythmical sense donāt match at all.Ā
Naito: Thatās right! So donāt compare him to me!Ā
Q.) I wasnāt really trying to match or compare the both of you to each other (laughs)Ā
Both Naito and Seto laugh
Ā Q.) Anyway, this drama series is going to be broadcast and shown to a bigger international audience. Is there anything you want the international audience to pay attention to?Ā
Naito: When I am watching a western movie and reading the subtitles, I notice the eye expressions of the actors much more. From that, I would like the international audience to pay attention to, is the expressions Yanase makes when he is jealous, the movement in his eyes when he wants to express something if the viewers can see that I will be happy. When telling a story, as well as using dialogue to progress the story, you can also see the eruption of feelings between the two characters as well. I want to viewer to know that feelings Kaneda is going through, that feeling and need that tells them āah Kaneda really likes Yanase a lotā. Ā
Q.) Itās unusual that such a pure and raw feeling romantic story is being conveyed like this.Ā
Naito: Thatās right. In the 1st half of the drama series you can see into Kanedaās thoughts and the unthinkable way he thinks. But in the 2nd half, everything is happening all at once. I would like the viewers to notice this sudden change. But thinking back, in episode 1 where Yanase suddenly kisses Kaneda out of nowhere I think that was too eager of his character to do suddenly!
Seto: That is so true! (laughs)Ā
Q.) ahaha, Seto what do you think of the charm for this drama series?Ā
Seto: 1st of all, the overall visuals for this drama series is really pretty. The lighting done to all of the scenes is flawless. The editing done to the one-cuts are done so stylish and professionally. Itās feels like movie production work was done on this drama series. I would like the viewers to notice this movie like quality while watching this series brings. Ā In terms of charms to the story, I would like the viewers to enjoy the reactions and views of each character when they visit each other places. In addition the monologue that goes with these scenes is also interesting.
Q.) In the next episode preview, we saw a bit of Kanedaās apartment. It does feel like these are the places where these characters live in.Ā
Seto: Ahaha, thatās right! My actual home is kind of dull more like itās very old fashioned! (laughs)Ā
Naito: You arenāt afraid to admit it! (laughs). As for Yanaseās place, it does gives an impression of this is where a successful complete person like him would live in (laughs). Itās a very stylish place to live in. Compared to Kanedaās place, itās like living in heaven compared to the mortalās earth normal place. Ā
Seto: With those scenes you get to hear monologue from the respective characters and itās really interesting to watch their impressions.Ā
Naito: Yes, oh yeah I remembered this is where the director warned me of something.Ā
Seto: Thatās right! The director said to him āNaito is appearingā when we filmed this scene (laughs). Ā
Naito: I was acting this scene as it was a comedy, but I wasnāt able to maintain my character when I was doing this scene. So in the way the most interesting part of this scene was when Naito came out from my character (laughs).Ā
Seto: Behind Yanaseās actual mask sure is different (laughs). For example, when his character is being really goofy, at times he has to do it. But at those times he does that I donāt think heās Yanase anymore. Ā
Naito: I also intended that sometimes when I act I am not like Yanase at all (laughs)Ā
Q.) Are your apartments designed in style?Ā Naito: Not at all!Ā Seto: Itās different from that (laughs)Ā
Naito: I donāt like my place to be pretty. Itās becomes an eye sore to me if it was. But Seto is your place pretty?Ā
Seto: My place doesnāt have a lot stuff, maybe I did this because of raising my pet cat. Ā
Naito: In terms of characters, itās similar to having a place to stay only to house a person focused on work like Kaneda and even Yanase I think. Itās kind of like stepping into a little part of their own world. Like their origins and roots spouted from that room. Itās the only place where they can become themselves and relax and unwind.
Seto: That is something natural in everyone who owns a place (laughs)
Ā Naito: When heās in deep concentration, I can see the true Seto coming out of him something like that. When heās on work mode it does feel like heās on standby waiting to work. I am really convinced that he has a mental switch when he decides to be serious and be on work mode.Ā
Seto: When I am on work mode usually I donāt have a partner with me (laughs). Well I usually donāt react around others when they are doing things, I just stay silent in response.
Q.) Thatās a very adult reactionĀ
Seto: Well I just tend to ignore them (laughs)Ā
Naito: Thatās so mean! (laughs)
Q.) But I think you two have created a really good relationship towards each other. In addition it has created this drama series that many will enjoyĀ
Seto: Well the mental link and connection between 2 people can change. I will be happy if the viewers enjoy the differences of rooms between these two (laughs).Ā
Naito: You are more concerned about that?! (laughs).
Music columnĀ
Naito Shuichiro pick- Miwa: Donāt cry anymoreĀ
When I was filming for [Kamen Rider Saber] I was listening to this song. Usually when I am listening to this song, I sing along to it. Recently Iāve been listening to Eminemās music. Also I really like Taichi Mukai music. Ā I find a like a variety of different genres of music.
I really love this song. I will always want to sing along to this tune. I am not the type of person that likes to listen to new type of music however, I have been listening to Tani Yuuki. I like the melody and beat of the music.
Again thanks to the Naito fan on twitter who posted the scans! Because I did'nt intend to buy or translate this article in the 1st place.
It's a very short interview..
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki Anan interview
Rough translation by kino-san
The interesting and cuteness factor is brought out from this work
Last year there was a huge positive popularity surrounding BL dramas. This spring BL dramas in the form of level tunku has been created by Japan. Currently, this brand is on level 2 in the form of this work [Senpai, Danjite Koidewa] is currently airing right now. The office tale between a talented senior and a lack of affection expression junior begins to unfold. Behind the heart thumping scenes in this love story is portrayed by the 2 beautiful lead actors that is heart fluttering and many viewers canāt stop talking about. Currently airing at episode 4 and distance between the main two is still developing. The actors Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki are already at a close relationship where they are very close to each other. We spoke to the both of them regarding this work and how they feel towards each other.
Q.) What was your feelings, upon the 1st time reading the original work?
Naito: When I 1st read this work, I thought it was very cute. So thatās why the exact feeling I had the time when reading this work was āCUTE!ā. I am hoping that when viewers watch this drama they also feel this feeling of cute, I wonder if it does? But I really hope this drama series conveys that feeling to them.
Seto: Before this I have never read any other BL manga up until now. I had the feelings that this story was showing the unequal and imbalance of a romantic relationship between two people. Thereās also a comedy side of the story that makes it interesting. I hope that the drama bring this side out for many of the viewers to enjoy. Thatās what I thought when I read the manga.
Q.) What did you learned about the most when acting as your characters?
Naito: For me the most important factor was rather than relying on someone to make decisions I should decide and make my own decisions. If you always worry over everything you are never going to develop as a person. Itās about learning to go with actions based on your own instincts. I think many people will like Yanase because he acts in this particular way. When I was acting as him I felt I was loved by everyone. I am quite envious of him myself.
Seto: For myself I donāt have anything in common with myself and Kanedaās character. I had to create a mental switch for myself to get into his character. Kanedaās cutest feature is that he is extremely respectful towards his god. Because he likes them so much heās sacred to be too close to them, he would not want to express his true self. I am starting to understand the same feelings that fans might have after playing as Kaneda (laughs).
Naito: You really canāt tell what Kaneda is thinking about. You really gave off the impression that you have zero affection towards anyone. But in episode 2 when you see the honest and innocent side to himself as he is crying saying sorry, you really feel your heart react to him. I am sure itās not only Yanase but anyone in general (laughs).
Seto: Yanase on the outside seems really euthanistic but on the inside heās hiding something inside of him. But that side of Yanase, Kaneda seems to see it and understand some of his feelings. Watching these two is really cute.
The feelings or respect towards in these 2 each other in their profession is infinite!
Q.) Aside from your roles what do you think about each other?
Naito: The enthusiasm he conveys out towards his work is really amazing. On the outside he has a childish look on him, but when heās on the filming set he is careful and pays attention to the surroundings which I think is amazing. This time in this drama series we are both main characters. I am doing my best to fulfil my end of the role. Seto is very careful and takes great care in talking and paying attention to everyone he talks to. I personally donāt know Seto that well however when I see him behave in the way he does I too feel like I need to pay careful attention to my surroundings and the unexpected that may happen around me as well.
Seto: Thatās really surprising hey! (laughs). Naito on the outside seems very tall and gives off that cool vibe. But actually heās a person with a lot of heart. This is from first day I met him until now. Lately what we talk about when we are around each other āWhat kind of games you are playing?ā. Heās like this very bright sun child type of character (laughs).
Naito: I thought we really donāt need to try hard when it comes to us talking about uninteresting topics like this! I am actually I am a person who doesnāt want to make an effort to try and get friendly or get along with other people. I think Seto is a person whoās easy to talk to and get along with. Today, even though he is my senior in terms of acting I feel like I donāt need to act so formal or respectable to him. I act normally around him.
Seto: Well thereās only a one year difference between us. Usually he talks to me in such and average way that itās feels natural, thanks to that filming goes along more easily.
Naito: When he explains it like that then thatās our relationship to a degree.
Seto: I think for my side of the role, in terms of the romantic relationship I was in the position that I just needed to receive. So in that case for me the most important aspects was my expression and reactions. Snice this drama series is also going to be seen by a bigger international audience. I needed to express myself in a way that can be seen and shown without using any words at all. In particular how does my character reacts and accepts Yanaseās actions was like the most important factor for this role I was playing as.
Q.) What are your favourite/scenes of that stood out to you?
Naito: Itās a scene I talked about before in episode 2, when Kaneda wakes up and apologises for falling asleep. A crying Kaneda apologising with his tears dripping down was really cute. I was so concerned that my face was going to burst out in a giant grin from that (laughs).
Seto: I know in this work, I convey in my character the different expressions that he shows his love and affection in many different way that I didnāt know I could be able to do so. For example in the ending song with the entanglement and interaction of the hands was one way of showing affection. Simple interactions like that one really shows the many ways of showing attraction. In episode 3, there is two people going on a date trip to the temple. Within that there is a daydream scene, with the actual events in that daydream not making sense to many viewers who sees it. But for myself I really like that scene.
Naito: You can really see that there is a difference between our hands! (Naito and Seto try to match their hands together)
Seto: You are right, they are completely different (laugh)! Hang on! Did your hands get even bigger than before!
Q.) Today what do you think is the reason that BL is popular ever than before?
Naito: I donāt really have an answer to this question but the visuals of this drama series is really pretty.
Seto: I think itās because these types of stories portrays the innocent and pure type of romance really well.
Naito: I think these types of works have a lot of monologue compared to other genres. Itās like the monologue is like the basis backbone for the characters in these stories. I find that interesting.
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro +act solo interview
1st of all
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!
There's a scene that Naito spoils because he wanted to re-do it. Just to warn you.
There is also some talk about Naito's role in Moshimo, Ikemen Dake no Koukou ga Attara. I hav'nt watched this series at all so the parts translated about that are no means accurate at all. All I know about this role is that he has blond hair lol.
Apart from that it was a good interview. You learn things from actors I find.
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa/Moshimo, Ikemen Dake no Koukou ga Attara
Naito Shuichiro +act solo interview
Rough translation by kino-san
After staring in [Kamen Rider Saber]. Naito Shuichiro has favourably been appearing in various dramas. His latest new work is an office romance comedy [Senpai, this canāt be love]. This is his 1st BL work, he co-stars with [Kamen Rider ex-aid] Seto Toshiki who also played as a rider.
Super skilled senior Yanase and non-affectionate from the outside junior Kanedaās office romance comedy [Senpai, this canāt be love].Ā Today the person who is for the 1st time taking on being in a BL work is Naito Shuichiro a recent new popular actor from [Kamen Rider Saber]. Thereās also Seto Toshiki who stared in [Kamen Rider] before and is a senior. In actual age between the two, Seto the senior is taking on the role of the junior instead created concern for Naito. Snice all of the filming for this work has finished he has talked all about his worries that happened during filming. As well as other points he discusses in detail.
Ā Q.) To start things off, Please tell us about [Senpai, this canāt be love].Ā
I finished all of the filming for this series! Iāll say it from my personal view, this series is really interesting! There was a lot of scenes that were full on and needed a lot of my energy. During the whole period of filming I focused on being on point with my scenes (TN: he says being tight on his scenes whatever that means). Like parts where I had to embrace tightly for short amount of time. This is the first time that I felt I always wanted filming like this to continue forever. When I was filming for Kamen Rider, the whole filming for the series took a year to do. But there was breaks in between and I was not filming for the series every day during that year. But this time, when filming for this series I was always in character and filming scenes nonstop. I can say with confidence in myself that this series work is really interesting.
Q.) This work is a BL genre. When you found you what were your thoughts?
This role was offered to me and I thought I would accept it for my work no matter what. Of course I had various discussion with them about doing the work. I was really happy and glad to be offered and to do the role. However this was my 1st time, to do a kiss scene with a male partner. I wonder how it would work and turn out. But deep down within myself I had some concerns, this type of sexually is in the minority and not recognized by many. Things like that I donāt paid attention to much and I donāt have anything against it. I thought in regards to my own role I thought āI am able through my looks and acting going to be able to convey to my partner that I like them. Can I show it in a way that is realistic and that others can see it?ā thoughts like that I was concerned about.
But looking back, I did a kiss scenes and lots of lovey dovey scenes with my on screen partner Seto. In truth the final result came out pretty pure and honest. I am glad that I decided to challenge myself to do such scenes.
Q.) The original work shows a lot of the BL side. How much were you were of this?
I recognise this a lot now. I was thinking what kind of person Yanase was and how to act as him. There is a lot of parts of the story that makes you laugh. I think this element is what made the original work a hit. A ratio of 8:2 I think. When I was reading the script I think the elements of BL and comedy was split like a ratio. The same applies to the original work as well.
Q.) So you are able to rate it on a ratio of 8
I think a lot of effort was put into the original work. Maybe I am being overboard with the rating of 8, maybe itās like a 7 (laughs). Before acting, I would read and follow through the original and challenge myself to stick close to the original.
Q.) What kind of character Yanase is?
My impression of him when I read the original manga was that he was a charismatic person on the outside but actually on the inside heās feeling lonely. He would smile and interact with all sorts of people. I would say heās the type of person that āattaches to you easilyā But on the other side regarding his work, heās cool. He is a type of person that he has a on and off image to himself. He is also a type of person that has so much emotions within himself as well. Thatās why, I can tell heās the person that is loved by seniors and juniors in the company he works in.
Q.) Hearing that answer, this character sounds very close to a previous character you played as Ichinose Rui in [Moshimo, Ikemen Dake no Koukou ga Attara]. He was loved by everyone and yet was lonely. Do you think you gravitate towards these types of characters?
That actually is true. It does feel like Yanase is the grown up version of Ichinose Rui. There is a lot of signs that Ichinose Rui has childish side to himself that is out of character of his usual self. I do think these two characters are very similar to each other.
Q.) Then they found the right person for the role. Do you think you have this side to yourself personally Naito?
Iāve been told by others that when I act I attend to appear as very charismatic, and this has been a lot, I was little surprised by this (laughs). Iāve also realised that I smile a lot without noticing it myself. I wonder if I am the type of person that holds secrets within myself, I might have.
Q.) Do you think so?
I am a type of person that is very patient. No matter what is said to me, even if the person with me makes a big mistake, I understand and forgive them right way. Even if I think personally I think they were wrong. The mistakes they make donāt mean harm to anyone else, I am very patient with them. This in particular is a unique characteristic that I have.
Q.) Then do you feel like you have a lot of characteristics that is similar to Yanase?
Yes I think so. I felt like I didnāt need to deattach myself often. It was easy to act as him.
Q.) Did you find it easy to act with this gap of personally this character had?
I think I am still inexperienced with this part. I tried not to behave like myself when acting. But no matter what role I take and act out, thereās still this part of Naito Shuichiro that appears. So really in the end I still canāt find myself to detach myself fully from a role I am playing as.
Q.) So when you are acting as a role, are you saying that you come out of the role that you are acting as?
I donāt really understand it much myself. When we are filming the comedy scenes the director who saw through the camera said āI can see Naito Shuichiro appearing here..ā as something he saw and pointed it out to me. At that time I had an odd reaction to that comment he made. But that was something that came out of me when I was acting so I didnāt notice it. The whole existence of Naito Shuichiro is something within me, itās very difficult.
Q.) How was it like acting and filming with Seto at various different distances?
In the beginning there was some distance between us. But we are very close in the age range, also we talked about us both being in Kamen Rider. We also have very similar tastes in the games we like. Generally we both have similar personally and have a lot in common with each other.Ā From that we somewhat got to know each other and get along with each other very well.
Q.) Is his personality the senior or the junior type?
Seto in a good way is neither of these types. He doesnāt have the personality of a senior. In a way he just acts like a person around my age range. His appearance as his role his hair style makes him look childish and younger. When heās acting as his role he doesnāt act like a senior at all. There is the fact that he has stared in a Kamen rider role before me, making him a senior in that regard. But Seto himself doesnāt hold that high senior/superior complex to himself. I too donāt care about this as well. So we are both very similar.
Q.) Thatās a good relationship you two have. What is the atmosphere between the two of you like co-staring in this series together?
We both like to mess/play around with each other. When we act together I see his cute side. But after filming the scene he just returns to the usual Seto (laughs).Ā When I am filming I think to myself āthat face was cuteā. Even when in character and acting, all the phases and actions I do I can feel my heart thumping. It was really cute.
Q.) So what do you think is anything special from the ratio of 7 that you gave the original work?
In the 1st half is mostly Kaneda having feelings towards Yanase. What should he do knowing about this? I am just appearing with a very cool look to myself. But my character doesnāt quite understand his feeling or how to accept it. How do you unite with this feeling of like. So instead hide these feelings. But in the second half Kanedaās feelings explode, you have never seen Kaneda behave in this direction like this before. Things donāt go well, thereās a separation, thereās jealously, thereās visiting each other places. From there, a lot of expressions are shown like a force. I think everyone will enjoy watching it. There is a lot of conflict shown as well as scene that make you go āawawa!ā feeling so please enjoy when watching this series!
Q.) Do you sympathise with this kind of romance?
Up until now, I have already been on the one of the sides and all of a sudden I had to break this side. āHuh?ā I thought. I felt a bit of anxiety when that happened. As well as thinking āthis is badā.Ā I think most will understand what I mean. People want to say things to another but canāt and seal their words in the end they express how they feel towards each other, so they misunderstand each other often. Then they start thinking āI am really not needed in their life anymoreā. I think these conflicts is what a lot of people go through in relationships.
Q.) I personally donāt think I am saying itās hard to find an opportunity to read/watch BL work these days. But when you decided to take part in this series, did you watch any other BL works as reference?
The one series I watched 1st was [30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii]. At first I was going to watch this series as study material, also I wanted to watch as an experiment but in the end I watched the series like a regular viewer. There is a lot of monologue in that series. The monologue was used to express the characters in a different way to how they were acting and vice versa. I found that to be really interesting. But the general story feels like it takes place in the real world and could happen anywhere. I found this series to be very good reference I could use.
Q.) Yanase is also a prefect work type of person, so in a way heās very similar to Cherry Magicās Kurosawa.
Kurosawa was a very cool character. He seems perfect on the outside but has a gap in the inside. Now seeing it I realise that could see that his character is very similar to mine.
Q.) I think that series in particular has the influence to relieve a femaleās heart. Did you feel something towards this series?
No matter what kind of acting I was doing for a scene, I always thought my heart was fluttering. But also I was always thinking about āI wonder if it was right for me to do this?ā or āI wonder if itās coming..ā .
Q.) After acting as a rider, you had many concerns. Are you able to switch your mentally to be able to think you can act better?
I am actually having trouble with this. I find myself to appear as natural. So really when it comes to acting I donāt find it hard at all. Because I mostly act as I appear as myself. I make alterations and adjustment to my roles based on my natural instinct. The director for this series said to me āJust move a bit more clumsy, talk like you are half telling a lie.ā as direction for my character. Like he is correcting a homework that I am currently doing. But in the end I am worried about it.
Q.) Do you think that even now?
I am always worried about my acting. When I was fliming for kamen rider the director said to me āYou are half of yourself when you are acting in a role. Now that you think about it as soon as you stop worrying about matters, you are no longer acting out as your roleā. āThatās tureā I thought, so I always have to worry about something!
Q.) Do you think itās a form of motivation to keep you going?
I like the root of concept of acting itself. Wear the crown of the role you are playing, go to the fliming site. Try to match everything your voice, tone, expression and movement to that role. When you manage to match it feels really good. It goes beyond my expectations. I really enjoy the whole experience that is what I naturally think.
Q.) For this series in particular was there any scene you want to have the chance to redo again?
There is one
Q.) What scene made you think you wanted to do again?
Itās a scene that my character really wants to talk to Kaneda but couldnāt. Heās finally able to talk to Kaneda remotely. This scene was done remotely between the two characters. Kaneda has been the one always conveying and expressing his feelings towards mine, but my character never returns those feelings back. He finally decides he wants to return these feelings back but itās done remotely. These two in this scene are currently far away from each other physically, but I had to be the one to return the feelings. When I read this scene in the script I thought āIt doesnāt feel like they are talking remotely, they are just confessing to each other how they feelā but as I thought that I wonder if I was going to be able to portray that well. When I was filming that scene I really had to have those feelings in place.
Q.) A remote confession feel really novel and different. So you managed to put all of your emotions in that scene?
I really did. But in truth I just about made it. I felt like I was making these feelings as I was going along. It was similar to doing a sketch but it got more and more complex as it went along. But as soon as I expressed it all out, I felt relieved.
Q.) After you acted in Kamen Rider, you have been doing well. Have you been able to balance everything?
I think I am going to take on every role I am accepted as best as I can. 1st of all, if the viewers donāt know the name then they wonāt know who they are talking about or if they have a story behind them. I am quite busy and accepting many roles, so from that I like to think that I am doing well. Compared to before doing Kamen rider I have a lot more offers to me compared to before. Of course I will check what kind of role I am being offered. But apart from that, when I accept the role and start filming, I am in front of the camera where I donāt have to stand around a lot. But this time I am in front of a camera, thereās lines I have to say.Ā I am really thankful for that.
Q.) Personally do you think to yourself āI wonder when my time will come?ā
Not yet. There might be a possibly that Iāll get offered in all ten roles that I will be the main character in all of them. I think that might happen one day. So at this time, I think itās best to be open about it and not think too about it for now.
Q.) That answer felt really similar to what Ichinose Rui would say in [Moshi-ike]
That was a good role. His role doesnāt rely on the comedy. So I was able to act out Ichinose as mainly as a serious type of person. I think myself that is the most interesting part about him. I glad that I took this offer to play as his character.
Q.) For that particular series (Moshi-ike) there was a lot of handsome males in the cast. Did you discover anything when you were working on that series?
It does look like working in this series looks like itās going to be difficult. I myself really love comedies but if when I am acting I have to make myself laugh by force or do anything that is high energy and tempo that I find really tough to do and bad at. I am a type of person that always looks like I am not telling the truth, so I think this is hard for myself.
Q.) The cast involved are all handsome men of similar generations. What was the relationship between you and the cast? Did it feel like you built some sort of rivalry complex with all of them?
No I never felt like that towards them. I only thought all of them as my cute juniors. Even we were all different ages, we were still all the same type of mischievous ones. Of course there were some of them who are not like that at all. We all had age differences between 7 to 8 years, but I think this was the best range for us to gather. Recently I donāt really know what I want to do right now, but being with them I felt at ease.
Q.) I see, for that role it really was like you were a high school student.
I feel like itās not really a big deal acting in these kind of roles (high school). Surprising I am still able to pull off that I look like I am 16 years younger (laughs).Ā My role in [Moshi-Ike] had blond hair. If for that role, I had short black hair then I donāt think I would match the age of a high school student. If this role had a lot of self pride, then I think the mental age of the character would have increased. Not much is shown on the outside but on the inside they seem to be a little adult then the others, thatās why I think I matched with this role.
Q.) Do you find yourself that you missed/yearn for your time spent in high school?
Before I was acting in [Shimobe-e] as a high school student. At that time I did feel like I really miseed my time spent in high school.
Q.) Itās hard to be placed in a position where you are the senior. Itās even harder when you have to act as the senior.
The main character played by Kanata is a very composed person. Heās the type of person to take his lessons seriously.
Q.) What do you think of this phase āYou canāt just make it through life just because you are handsome lookingā?
I think it was a good idea that this drama focused on the theme that being handsome was an important factor to life. But it is a limiting factor for a few. This drama [Moshi-ike] gathers these characters who take pride in their looks. It makes you think when you look at them āIt looks like this person is not going to give up easilyā. I am not saying that thinking in his mentally is good or if it happens a lot. But you can see someoneās mental state in this way.
Q.) What is the meaning of not wanting to give up?
Not to lose yourself completely in a role you are acting as. I am acting in a way that Naito Shuichiro is meant to. In that way I am not compared to everyone else. If I overact or get myself carried away with the people I am acting with, then I lose that personality of mine. So in that way the people I am acting with are not stained by my personality. This is a personal rule for myself. I am going to do my best.
Thanks to the Naito fan on twitter who posted the scans! I did buy the cuttings for this interview but I was waiting on my proxy for other items.
It's always fun to translate the banter between these two! Plus they actually they call each other by 1st name in this interview!
Naito = Shu (Shuichiro)
Seto = Toshiki
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki JUNON discussion talk
Rough translation by kino-san
On the first day I called you [Seto], but right after 2 days I started calling you [Toshiki]
Seto: I am well aware that we have a connection that we are senior and junior when it comes to staring in a Kamen Rider series. But apart from that we have not acted together once before.
(TN: Seto has a BAD memory because BOTH Naito and Seto forgot that the two stared together in episode 3 of Toritsu Mizusho in 2019. It was brief plus they played junior and senior roles as well LOL)
Naito: Yes. Iāll be honest. At first I was really anxious. My character Yanase who I was going to play was in the senior position but in reality Toshiki is one year older than me. I was thinking āIf Seto was an unpleasant person what should I do?ā but in truth it didnāt turn out like that at all.
Seto: Hey! (laughs). When I met with Naito for the first time I thought he was a cool type of person, but he isnāt like that at all.
Naito: Hey! (laughs). However, following on from the first day we got along with each other really well. Even though Seto is the senior, the next time we would meet up I would be calling him [Toshiki] now (laughs).
Seto: Regarding about myself. I didnāt know I was that kind of person. I had the feeling and the thought of āOh? I did we change the ways we called each other..ā within myself.
Naito: Speaking of which. Did you think for a moment āhuh..wait?ā.
Seto: I would think like that, naturally. Look, on the 1st day he was addressing me by [Seto]. Then by the afternoon of the 2nd day I was being addressed as [Toshiki]. But for us to get to know each other and get closer I think was good for the sake of our roles in this drama series.
Naito: For the sake of this drama series did you endured yourself mentally that you didnāt wanted to address me by my first name? (says in a sulking tone)
Seto: Thatās not it. I am sorry (laughs). I was intending to address you as [Shu] you know?
Naito: I donāt think thatās right.
Seto: Ok then you mean on the first day I addressed you as [Naito]. Then on the 2nd day I addressed him as [Shu].
Naito: We had a lot of scenes to do together where it is just the both of us alone. During breaks and intervals between we would talk with each other a lot. I think we were always getting closer and the distance between us being nothing.
Seto: It felt like, we naturally spoke to each other when we wanted to.
Naito: It did felt like we had that kind of relationship between the two of us. We also are both passionate and interested in talking about playing games.
Seto: During filming a lot were people were commenting on us āYou two look very similar to each other!ā
Naito: But donāt we look the same?! (Laughs). But now that I think about it, even though I am the junior to think that āwe look the sameā. Thatās a huge achievement.
Seto: But now that I think about it. In terms of school years I would be placed in a year upper, but for the both of us we were born around the time span of a year between us.
Naito: I see! For me in May I turned 26. I see! It is within the same year!
Seto: However In October I turned 27 so in that terms I am still older than you.
Naito: Then, compared to all of my friends I have. Just because Toshiki is a year older than all of them it feels like heās taken the close distance with me for granted (laughs).
The tears of a man and the feel of being head patted makes the heart thumps.
Naito: When I first read the script. My character Yanase is meant to fall in love with Kanedaās character who is played by Toshiki. At first I saw that personality of Yanase not able to express and convey himself openly was very similar to my own personality.
Seto: For me, there is nothing similar between myself and Kanedaās character. I am not a completely stoic type of person, if I were to interact with a person I really like then I will completely give the look away on my face.
Naito: The same applies for me as well (laughs).
Seto: Kaneda gives off this natural look that he gives zero affection thatās hard for me to do. For that I had to create a switch to be able to act as his character.
Naito: For me this is my first time acting in a romantic love comedy. I am really glad that my acting partner for it was Toshiki.
Seto: Now thinking back at all of the scenes I had to act for this drama series, I feel really embarrassed about it.
Naito: Well already in episode one we kissed already (laughs). However, during fliming when I had to think about how to feel in every scene. But always I would think this look on Seto was really cute (laughs)
Seto: I have been told by so many people that I was cute. Even after filming one scene they would comment to me āThat was so cute!ā (laughs).
Naito: In episode 2 thereās a scene where Yanase witnesses Kaneda crying. At that time my heart was really thumping. That was the first time for myself Iāve seen another guy crying in zero distance in front of me. I think this is unique to Toshiki, the way he cries is really pretty.
Seto: I am embarrassed (laughs). For me I am simple, when Shu patted my head I felt my heart thumping.
Naito: Is that a good thing?
Seto: Yes it is. I felt like I had feelings similar to a female if it was done to her.
Naito: Toshiki on the set of filming really gave his all engaging and being with others for the sake of this series. He had to constantly have a mental switch for whenever he was in character or not. He really gave off that he was a senior position actor in what he was doing. For myself I was always messing around on set, for Toshiki he was half messing around on set but the other half he was seriously reading and analysing the script.
Seto: Ahā¦erm...thanks (laughs)
Naito: In Toshikiās case, there was a lot of important scenes that had to be filmed in the afternoon. But actually for myself, I think most of the important scenes were shot in the night. Ā
Seto: Huh? Is there a problem with this? Is there any difference between the two?
Naito: There is (laughs)
Seto: Well whatever (laughs). So there is a lot of development coming up in the drama series, thereās introduction of new love rivals. Please pay attention to the odd behaviour shown by Yanase whoās usually cool (laughs).
Naito: Also, I know there are a lot of works that have a lot on monologue in them. The monologue conveyed in this series really expresses a lot from the characters. Please enjoy the difference the characters convey in person vs what their mind says in their monologue. There is a lot of scenes that make your heart flutter so I hope the audience can check them out as well.
Seto: This righteous style of romantic drama that is bound to get emotional response from the audience. Thereās a lot of scenes that will make your heart tighten and thump in response. Ā Every episode there is a gradual increase of developments that speed up at a fast pace so look forward to that (laughs).
Mini question talks
Q.) What is your favourite summer snack?
Naito: Asian Pear!
Seto: What?! But Asian pear is also my favourite! Donāt copy me (laughs)
Naito: But I said it first (laughs). But we answered the same, I have goosebumps.
Seto: Now that you mention it, the suit that Shu is wearing. It has the same colour as an Asian pear.
Naito: Please stop! Thatās got nothing to do with it. Even though it does look like it (laughs). But I donāt like it that we have the same answer!
Seto: But when you think about summer snacks you instantly think of an Asian pear.
Naito: Yeah, Iāve recently been addicted to them. Toshiki what do you like about Asian pears?
Seto: It tastes really juicy and refreshing.
Naito: Thatās what I like about them. But thatās just a common characteristic in an Asian pear. Also I like to eat food that have a crispy texture to them.
Seto: I get you. Itās natural that you want to eat a lot of ice desserts during the summer.
Naito: Thatās right
Seto: Thatās not right you keep agreeing with me!
Naito: But you just said that you like Asian pear like me!
Seto: However thereās a lot of people who think of a watermelon as an image of summer but I donāt really like watermelon!
Naito: Me too!
Seto: Are you just copying me?
Naito: You are wrong (laughs)! I donāt like watermelon seeds.
Seto: I understand that too (laughs)
Naito: After eating a watermelon with the seeds in. It feel like something will grow out of you as a result (laughs).
Q.) What kind of person who is always been together with you for a long time is like?
Naito: A person who doesnāt have an odd sense of pride on them. I expect them to react as āHuh? Really!?ā like they are the innocent side to a comedy duo. That person I want to hang out with them for a long time.
Seto: A person who pays great attention and care.
Naito: I would understand that kind of person! But wouldnāt it be better to be with a person who was not careful or detailed? If you were together with a person whoās takes great attention that it means you have to take great attention to details like them.
Seto: Well I will always be with them, rather if that type of person fell in love with me I wouldnāt like that.
Naito: But if you are with them then they are always being careful around you..
Seto: I treat like that similar to how I treat my parents or family memberās right?
Naito: Yup! I donāt think I could live together with Toshiki (laughs)
Seto: That would be impossible (laughs).
Q.) Lately, what is something that you like?
Naito: I havenāt found anything recently. But I am really addicted to the sauna.
Seto: You go there quite often
Naito: Toshiki never goes there, whenever I talk about the sauna with you. āLetās go, letās go! Are you getting ready to go there?ā I always tease him with these phases.
Seto: I am sorry (laughs). I am surrounded by a lot of people who also like going to the sauna. Shu keeps inviting me to go with him.
Naito: I canāt help it that I want to invite him to go (laughs). Even if I did invite him to go he wouldnāt go.
Seto: I donāt want to, I am not coming (laughs). Iāve been addicted to my massager gun (aka Coverage gun)Ā Ā
Naito: Oh! That sounds nice! Snice Toshiki has one I decided to buy one as well!Ā
Seto: He says he bought one! As soon as he said that, I never bought my massager gun into the filming set ever again after that one time. Like what do you think of all of this?! Itās like we are neighbors (laughs).Ā
Naito: I use it right before going to bed and it feels really good. For myself I find it really hard to get up in the morning. When I use the massager gun my body feel relaxed and I canāt get enough of it!
Seto: Thatās good to hear. With that you may not need to go to the sauna so often ever againĀ
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki mynavi web interview, google edit translation
I don't think I'll ever catch up to the mass of interviews Naito and Seto have done.
This one is more about the "BL genre" talk I think.
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki web interview
Google edit translation by kino-san
https://news.mynavi.jp/article/20220616-sepakoi/
Q.) So far, various BL dramas such as "Cherry Magic, Thirty Years Old, You Can Become a Wizard" (TV Tokyo series) and "Ossans Love" (TV Asahi series) have been in the limelight. What is the unique charm of "senpai, danjite koidewa!"?
Naito: Is there one? This is difficult, Iāll let senpai answer this one (laughs)
Seto: Hey! This is the only time you do this to me?!Ā
Naito: Haha, ok then well for the 1st episode of "senpai danjite koidewa!" there is an unpleasant atmosphere around. Ā
Seto: Thereās another way to view it from. The way feelings are convey it seems to be facing towards one person only like an arrow so when the viewer sees it from their perspective itās only a one way direction like a straight road.
Naito: I'm not thinking too much about it, but from Kaneda's point of view, Yanase, who I play, he views as a god and admires him. The feeling of "like" is also included in it. Yanase wants to take care of his juniors but he is curious of Kaneda. At first he likes him as a junior. However, he canāt interact with Kaneda well, and he thinks that Kaneda hates him and this creates a bad atmosphere between the two. Normally, I think that there is a rebound of emotions from there, but in "Senior, definitely in love!" the two character carry on like this but not being able to convey their feelings to each other. But in the end these two communicate that they ālikeā each other.
Q.) From the viewer's point of view, it seems to be a very exciting but frustrating development.Ā
Naito: Exactly! I think it's a drama with a lot of frustration. Yanase didn't reciprocate when Kaneda said he liked him and vice versa. It feel like it will continue like that forever.Ā
Seto: I've been thinking about it for a long time, but there was something unique to this drama! It was raining almost all the time. In fact, there are some scenes where I take pictures with an umbrella.
Q.) That is, if it is either Mr. Naito or Mr. Seto who is suspected of being a rain man ...?Ā
Seto: It could be either of usĀ
Naito: Also I think both of the directors involved are rain man.
Q.) Then it means there are 4 rain menĀ
Naito: It's already hell (laughs).Ā
Seto: I don't think there are any other BL works that are so rainy (laughs)
Q.) Just to ask again, what did you think about when taking part in this work?Ā
Naito: I was quite nervous because it was my first BL work. Moreover in the role of senior. In reality, I'm younger and even if I look at the actors who were in "Kamen Rider" being in this work, thereās five seniors. I was worried about the fact that I had to play a senior in this work.
Q.) What about Seto?Ā
Seto: I think that the BL genre is established as one content. Of course, I was happy to be a part of this. At the same time as I was happy, I was worried whether it would be okay to become one of the works of that established genre. While I was feeling various emotions, I was full of feelings that I had no choice but to do it.
Q.) In the past, Mr. Naito has appeared in "Kamen Rider Saber" and Mr. Seto has appeared in "Kamen Rider Ex-Aid". You mentioned earlier that the two of you are both from "Kamen Rider", but how do you two feel about co-starring in this way?Ā
Naito: I didn't really care about that. The consciousness of being one of each other was stronger. However, there were many uneasy parts. I was quite conscious of how Tokusatsu fans, especially Kamen Rider fans, would see us together.
Seto: I didn't really care either. Even with the kiss scene, I am the person to receive it so I donāt have to do much (laughs), so I was only thinking about how to accept it while my partner does the rest. I left it to Naito-kun.
Q.) Did you change your outlook on love and life after participating in the BL drama this time?
Naito: It has changed. I felt the biggest thing that I couldn't convey it unless I said it. I have a feeling of "like" in myself, but if something interferes and I can't convey it, or if I don't try to convey it properly, I can't convey it, and I can't move forward. I realized that I should say what I think.
Q.) It's an important learning.Ā
Naito: Since there are many monologues this time, emotions can be conveyed from the viewer's point of view, but in reality it is not expressed in words, so my true feelings are not conveyed, and my feelings of frustration remain. So in the end, communicate what you think. Donāt have any weird pride! Because it's my life!
Q.) What about Seto?
Seto: I thought that love is wonderful! I learned by doing this role. This work made me think through better, Above all, I think we were able to live in each other's roles, so it was a very valuable experience.
Q.) In terms of valuable experience, this work also includes a kissing scene for two people.Ā
Naito: It was my first time to kiss in a drama and I was nervous. I was just a little shocked.Ā
Q.) What about your heart?Ā
Naito: After kissing, Seto-kun said, "If I kiss you, I know my lips will get wet because yours areā
Seto: Hahaha! You can wet your lips by opening the mouth a lot. When I wondered, "Why do my lips get wet all the time?", That was the cause.Ā
Naito: I didn't know what it was at first. I thought, "What !? Why !? I'm sorry, I'm not good at it !?" After checking it on the monitor, I closed my mouth properly when I started kissing. Then, just before kissing, my mouth pops open (laughs). I'm glad that I could make use of it in the future and pointed out, but I was sad that Seto-kun told me that.
Seto: What the heck (laughs)Ā
Naito: It was sad because it was my first kiss scene. All I thought was "I'm sorry! Iāll be more careful!"Ā
Seto: ahaha!Ā
Naito: I would like all the viewers to check it out as well. Point out that "Mouth is open, open!" (Laughs)
We both thought we were cool looking to each other
Q.) It will be your first time to co-star in this work, but what kind of impression did you have of each other?Ā
Naito: At first I knew that the other person was Seto-kun, and although he is a senior as an actor and a rider, I was a senior in terms of the role, so I was worried about how to deal with him and how I could become a senior. did. Besides, I thought he was a cool person before until I actually met him. When I met him, my impression changed at all (laughs).
Seto: I thought (Naito) was cool, but in a weird way (laughs).
Naito: What do you mean by āin a weird way?ā (laughs)
Seto: Ahahaha (laughs). It's often said that I'm friendly, but heās friendlier than me. I think this person did well surviving and enduring the difficult shooting days. He was also very attentive to the staff.
Q.) So you both thought that you two were cool looking to each other?
Seto: I think so (turns to Naito) do you really think I look cool? In my view I donāt look cool.
Naito: (turns to Seto) Sometimes in certain situations you look cool (laughs).
Seto: Hey! I should be saying the same for you!
Naito: AHAHA. Well I have to be cool looking (for this role in particular).
Q.) Did you two get along right away?
Naito: We have a lot to talk in common, like kamen riders, games and saunas (laughs)
Seto: Heās lying about me liking saunas (laughs). From the day we 1st met, we talk to each other like "what are you doing today?" We talked about just common things, it became very easy to talk with him.
Q.) Fans are very excited about ex-kamen riders staring together.
Naito: I agree. I was happy to be able to perform with the other rider actors myself, but it seems that the fans were pleased.
Seto: That's why there are other experienced riders. Shu Watanabe, Satoshi Matsuda, and Rikako Sakata. Ooo, Ryuki, Fourze.
Naito: Itās a kamen rider gathering festival here.
Q.) Did the fliming site became more friendly and exciting?
Seto: We got along very closely. But it has nothing to do with kamen riders, everyone is good people. I used to talking with others snice I started (laughs).
Naito: Everyone was on good terms.Ā
Q.) I saw in an off-shot, but itās a very nice office where most of the filming took place.Ā
Naito: That's good, isn't it? Just being and acting in the place increases the excitement there. Ā
Seto: I think itās nice that the place as a sense of openness.Ā
Naito: I wanted to work in that kind of place.Ā
Seto:Ā Me too! It would be nice to work in the office in such a place.
Naito is the Incarnation of YanaseĀ
Q.) I would like to ask about the roles, but do you feel that the other person overlaps with their roles?Ā
Seto: Yanase and Shuichiro-kun ... No, it may not be possible (laughs). I didn't always call him Shuichiro-kun.Ā
Naito: Shuichiro-kun ... (laughs)Ā
Seto: I always call him "Shu", but I thought it would be good to call it here, so when I tried to call him that along with the previous name, it felt strange (laughs). Is Naito-kun okay?Ā
Naito: Letās go with Naito (laughs)
Q.) Since the name was decided (laughs), I would like to talk about the role again.Ā
Seto: Naito-kun was already the character. Is he already an incarnation of Yanase?Ā
Naito: Iāve been praised so highly (laughs)Ā
Seto: But I really thought he was Yanase without any discomfort.
Q.) Yanase on the surface is a very charismatic person Ā
Seto: (faces Naito) must be hard for you (laughs)Ā
Naito: But they are right, I am naturally charismaticĀ
Seto: There are places where you can play around, but when you do it, you do it! I thought he was like Yanase.
Naito: Seto-kun and Kaneda ... When I was acting with Kaneda, it was Kaneda that I had imagined, but when I compare the original Seto-kun and Kaneda, there aren't many similarities between them. Kaneda is quiet, but Seto is talkative and loves people very much.
Seto: Thatās right, no doubtĀ
Naito: So the similar thing between them is switching mentally when working.Ā
Seto:Ā Here, you always praise me very much (laughs)Ā
Naito: I can only say that (laughs).Ā
Seto: Hey!Ā
Naito: I am joking (laughs) However, I thought it was really important to watch the switch, and I learned it without permission.Ā
Seto:Ā That's why it's easier to play the opposite role. By the way, what kind of personality did you have when you were "(Kamen Rider) Saber"?Ā
Naito: He wasn't cool at all. He was funny and everyone seems to like him. It's almost like myself. Ā
Seto: I see (laughs)Ā
Q.) Have you been conscious of our own performance?Ā
Naito: I was acting with the hope that those who watched it would sympathize with Yanase. How Yanase would fall in love. In the first half of the story, Yanase is in a position to be chased by Kaneda, but if you are chased you donāt know your feelings towards the other person. That's why I don't think I could convey my feelings to someone like Kaneda at all.Ā But when I leave and come back, the area around Kaneda had changed. I'm coming back and trying to get a skinship/close with Kaneda, but there are some rivals, and I'm afraid I can't do it well and get frustrated from this.Ā
Feelings like jealousy are also born, and this time Yanase becomes the one to chase Kanada. By doing so, I became aware of the importance of Kaneda and my true feelings, and that came to me. I thought it would be great if you could see such a place and think "I don't understand".
Seto: For me itās reaction acting. This time, I am the character who receives the actions by other, so I valued the reaction I did. I was conscious of whether I was able to create a facial expression that would convince the viewers.Ā
The director was particular about directing it, but it was difficult because I was asked for a slight difference in nuances. It was a little different for me, but quite different for the director, and it was hard to fix it.
This was my 1st kiss scene
Q.) Is there any scene that left an impression on you?
Naito: The scene that left an impression on me when I played it myself was the scene where Yanase hits his true intentions. It's not face-to-face, but remotely communicated through the monitor. It was difficult for me to express, but I was able to express my emotions well when I saw Kaneda's facial expression through the monitor, so I felt that I was able to overcome it safely.Ā
Seto: It was a situation where you couldn't afford to fail.Ā
Naito: But it was mostly okĀ
Seto: Heās very focused over there. For me itās where Kaneda and Yanase go to each other's house. It will be interesting no matter which house you go to, so please pay attention to it.
Q.) I saw the behind the scenes of the making of the kiss scene..
Naito: I was very nervous
Seto: Itās true, over on his side he was very nervous.
Naito: (laughs), For me it was my 1st kiss scene
Seto: Huh?! For me it was my 1st business kiss?
Naito: Please stop with āyour 1st..ā (laughs)
Seto: I received the 1st business kiss!
Naito: I was nervous because it was my first time, and I learned how to kiss in different way thanks to Seto-kun.
Seto: It's insignificant (laughs).
Q.) Was Mr. Seto the lead?Ā
Seto: No, I was the one who received the kiss. I was thinking "do your best" during the scene, I was careful only about the angle on how to receive the kiss.Ā
It's more fun to chase romance
Q.) Since this work is a "romantic comedy," please tell us your impressions of the comedy part.
Seto: Kaneda seemed to rely on his expressions with a monologue, and maybe because of that thereās not much room to show comedy in his acting. There was a little bit of this Yanase case.
Naito: I agree. Kanada has to be alone by himself for the comedy parts to come out of him.
Seto: Yanase is in charge of the comedy part.
Naito: More like in the second half (laughs)Ā
Seto: I think we would like the viewers to feel the heart throbbing moments in the 1st half and then in the 2nd half laugh and feel more heart throbbing moments.
Q.) How did you see the romance between Yanase and Kaneda?Ā
Naito: I was acting as Yanase, and I thought that chasing love was better than receiving the love. I'm glad that people can convey your love purely, but it's different if you can say "I am not able to say that I like you". (Towards Seto) Which is better?Ā
Seto: I understand, I also like to chase my love.Ā
Naito: After all, I thought it would be more fun to chase love.
Q.) However, Kaneda is sad because he can't express his feelings honestly.Ā
Seto: I agree. It's difficult here. In the case of Kaneda, the longing for Yanase came first. I really understand Kaneda's feelings. I don't have a longing for that myself, and I think it would have been a different result if I was just a friend of seniors and juniors. Thereās no feeling of longing.
Q.) What would happen if Mr. Seto was in Kaneda's position?Ā
Seto: I can't hide it because it appears on my face right away. It's also an attitude of mine, so I'm going to say it in words.Ā
Naito: You are that type of person (laughs)Ā
Seto: So if it's a drama with me (Seto) and Yanase, it's completed in about 2 or 3 episodes (laughs).Ā
Naito: wouldnāt it completed in one episode?Ā
Seto: Maybe so. I confess at the end of the first episode, and I think it will be "finished" (laughs).
Both are indoors types, not outdoors!
Q.) Then, the title of this work, "Senior, definitely in love! Please let me know if there is something you would like to define someone that you think are definitely [blank].Ā
Naito: I'm often told "I am very charismatic", "I am very active", and "I am the type that likes playing outside", but this is the opposite. I'm the type who wants to play games at home all the time indoors. If anything, I am a character that is darker than the sun (laughs).
Iāve been playing games at home all the time. I like FPS (1st person shooter) and always have a shootout.
Q.) How about if you want to do an activity with someone?
Naito: There is at times, if I want to hang out with my local friends. Today I am going to hang out with Seto as promised (laughs).
Seto: Yes. I'm often mistaken for the outdoors type, but I am an indoors type of person too.
Q.) It's also common that people want to deny.Ā
Naito: But it was also surprising that (Seto) would go on a trip alone.Ā
Seto: The last time I went on a solo trip was 3 years ago.
Q.) Seto you love travelling on holidays, but because of the corona situation you were not able to.Ā
Naito: Now that I think of it. Isnāt it more fun to be with others to enjoy a holiday trip together?Ā
Seto: No. Just me is enough. That way I am at my best to enjoy it.Ā
Naito: Now hearing this from you, makes me think you are a loner type who has no friends. Makes me feel bad for you..Ā
Seto: Hey!
Naito: ahahah!
Q.) But if the two of you were able to go on a trip together, where would you two go?Ā
Seto: Nah I am fine if we just visited each otherās place, want to play a game?Ā
Naito: Please talk about if there was a place you want to visit!Ā
Seto: I am really bad at saunas (laughs)Ā
Naito: Then how about a place, like Okinawa?Ā
Seto: eh..Ā
Naito: Thatās just look like somewhere you naturally reject to!Ā
Seto: Like going for Yakiniku (grilled beef)Ā
Naito: Like I said a location for a trip!Ā
Seto: Like to Osaka? Let's go see a new comedy.Ā
Naito: Eh? I donāt like that..Ā
Seto: What the heck..Ā
Naito: The resort area is better. I want to go into the sea. I want to play properly if I do get out of the house.Ā
Seto: I thought because we are both the comedy type of people I thought it would be interesting for us to watch a comedy together and laugh at different things together. But if thatās the case then I am going to the seaside!
T magazine BL article by Rokusuke Watanuki, rough translation
I bought the T magazine to originally translate the Inukai Atsuhiro interview for Zettai BL season 2. But I came across this article and I thought "why not?"
So it's not the best translation and I think this author is super wordy so I simplified his words lol. But still it's interesting to read.
T magazine BL article by Rokusuke Watanuki
Rough Translation by Kino-san
The BL world that is constantly evolving and moving with the times.
By Rokusuke Watanuki
Rough Translation
The homosexual romantic stories centred between men are coming to life in drama form. [BL] that captivates the female audience. Looking into its deep history of its development. We are going to focus on the change, development and charm of this particular genre. What direction is BL going in?
BL, the genre that has gone through the biggest change and development in the entertainment industry.
In recent years the two words of [BL] how does one person see these two words and know what it is. That is the word [Boys Love] that most people refer to this phase as the romantic homosexual stories involving men that is either in manga or drama form, surely many people know and have recognised this word. Once before these kind of stories were published in specific/specialised manga or magazines. This genre was a type that was secretly being enjoyed by many fans and readers. But now the BL genre has been developed and matured by the entertainment industry.
For now, what is BL and what is the meaning of this word? Frist of all we are going to look deeper into its meaning and history surrounding it. BL works in particular is mostly ābeing produced by female artists and authors, which shows the homosexual romantic stories involving menā. The BL genre was formed as a side genre from the main category of female manga shoujo stories in the 1960s era. In the 1970s era mangaka authors such as Hagio Moto and Takemiya Keiko and others being referred to as the ā24th year group of the flower clanā were creating pure romantic stories involving pretty young boys known as āyoung loveā or āengrossing loveā. The many fan works of these stories known as doujinshi were being referred to as [Yaoi].
When these types of stories were being called by the word [BL] happened in the 1990s era. In 1991 the 1st issue of a magazine had an image with the phase [BOYāS LOVE COMIC] with that the phase [Boys Love] first was used and appeared. Gradually through the years every work manga, anime, game, drama CD and TV drama with these elements of male romance were all being labelled and called under the term of BL.
When thinking of a beginner and ideal work to recommend with the BL genre. I would personally recommend [Doukyusei] the youthful, innocent and successful work by Asumiko Nakamura. This is the classic BL development story that shows the development, progression and natural life of the romance between a blond band member and a glasses honour student. The two fall in love in a natural relaxed pace and it is drawn and shown in a beautiful and delicate manner. There is the original manga but also a good anime movie adaption that canāt be missed. The anime movie of [Doukyusei] in the box office produced 2 hundred million yen.
When BL was being produced it was influenced a lot by the theme of [Forbidden]
In recent times fans of modern boy idol group would often āfantasizeā their favourite boy members being lovey with each other even maybe kissing each other. For many other fans the genre of [BL] satisfies this desire in which the females want a male romance to happen. For them they see such a sight of male romance to be āpreciousā to them. However there is a stalk difference between the idealistic world where homosexual romance can happen freely and the harsh reality that it canāt exist or be shown in real life.
When this was shown the most was back then in the 1990s era in TV dramas known as [forbidden love] where male homosexual romance appeared the most in this type of drama. Types of taboo stories such as the affair between a teacher and a student. In the view of the modern world this type of romance would be forbidden, wrong and a taboo. The viewers who would watch these types of dramas in secret.
For example in a more understandable way, in Nojima Shinji screenplay adaptation of [No Longer Human āI rather be dead than alive] stared two members from idol group KinKi Kids. This stage play took place in a private school setting that had a subtitle of [forbidden romance of young pretty boys]. In particular there is a scene where Makoto a person being punished by a PE teacher kisses Ruka in a way to tell that these two like each other more than friends. Ā Surely for this scene there was a load of complex emotions that were formed when seeing it but the right word was this scene felt [forbidden].
Most likely if this scene was shown in the present day it would have been accepted more naturally and openly compared to back then. Back then where showing this kind of homosexual content would cause outrage in audience response. Ā This kind of sensual drama being created in the times back then was rare and unheard of. Homosexual romance back then [didnāt existed] and that was the norm for the general population and society to accept and treat as normal.
In addition to this, for homosexual stories that were created back then, any that were known in the media often had a pattern that these stories ended in a [tragic/sad conclusion]. Plus these types of romance are never happy/fulfilled for the couple involved. Often the people involved in these relationships die from an accident, there was a lot of these stories of dramas where the characters are killed off in these types of relationships.Ā It seemed to be a trend that started off from Hollywood movies having the same types of themes in their tragic homosexual stories. As it were to give a message that a gay/queer character in a movie/media can never be happy.
But there were a few media/movies produced that these depressing theme of disappointed love or death is avoided and they provided a relief to the audience watching them. However for the audience back then to watch so much media of depressing gay representation, for them they just stereotype these gay character into sad stories such as the ones back then. There really was a need for more works produced that showed homosexual stories in a more positive light.
The importance of showing homosexual stories as the central theme
The Japanese work that showed the biggest change to represent homosexual stories in a different direction was a very important BL drama [Ossanās Love] as well as showing a gay couple in a regular slice of life drama [What did you eat yesterday?]. These works became a big hit and became the new recent change in the history so far. Both shows are widely watched by all genders and a huge amount of reception that both were able to produce movie sequels with great success. By producing these shows and showing the importance of homosexual story as its central theme this has no doubt caused a huge positive change in media. Resulting in more of these kind of stories being created by many of the TV stations. Itās surprising that thereās still a judgement towards a minority like this one. Not only does it show the innocent love like heterosexual couples. Homosexual love can universally reach a wider range of audience like it is migrating through osmosis.
In addition there are many parts of Asia that are producing their own BL dramas. They have been the attention of many and have become a big hit. I am not too sure if many people knew the craze of the drama [2gether] when it was currently airing and trending on social media. A pure and innocent love story that was played by two very charming and handsome actors. In the times of corona really provided the viewers an endless happy mind place to be in. While most of the Asia BL content is provided by Thailand, there is also Korea and Taiwan and Philippines that produce BL works that is being created continually. These works have been imported back into Japan, with their own promotion and broadcasting that has recently started.
But on the Japanese side they are not giving in. [Cherry Magic] otherwise known as [30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii] not only has been a hit in Japan, but it also received a positive reception aboard.Ā The story is of a main character who doesnāt think highly of themselves. It sticks to the theme of the story that the main characterās love interest thinks highly of him and through that their romance develops as well as the main character developing himself all in a romantic comedy. However this story is not about swapping roles if it were a heterosexual story instead. Itās a love story that is realistic and takes place in the real world with actual work culture included. There is no characters who stand in the way of their relationship in a harmful way. It shows the delicate relationship between two men.
If I were help explain the genre of [BL] that this work is to any person who doesnāt understand. It shows the pure thoughts of the main characters. It naturally shows the romantic and general relationship of 2 two people in a gentle and delicate way. This is how I would explain the themes that this work brings in the BL genre.
It does feel like that recently most Asia BL being produced in heading in a similar direction in particular. It feels like the number of stories that show an honest, innocent and pure forms of romance. In additional these dramas show an huge importance to the main characters in these homosexual stories to ācome outā to their close people as an important point. In truth it might be true that most of these drama are a form of āgay friendlyā to make sure it can reach a wider audience. It also might be true that homosexual subject might still be taboo to some that lead many to think that BL is a form of fantasy that makes its theme easier to accept. I really want the world like the ones staring in BL works to be accepted as normal unlike our current world we live in.
Bringing a sense of comfort to those suffering in the current oppressive world they live in. Using the characterās developments and their points of view to appeal to the audience. They bringing these factors I think BL can be used as a positive media of communication to the general public.
In the last year, Michieda Shunsuke from idol group Niwa Danshi and Meguro Ren from idol group SNOW MAN co-stared together in [Kieta Hatsukoi]. Johnnyās idol staring is what to be considered [forbidden] in the past form of BL drama. This wouldnāt of existed or been allowed 30 years ago.Ā Itās more like [BL] was created by someone that directly towards someone and shows that side to themselves to them fully. I feel like this is the unique factor of the BL genre. Anyone can universally enjoy these types of love stories as the genre of BL is progressing further.
Showing erotic stories is also a big hit, showing love scenes as its highlight points
The BL genre has been well received by the audience in all sorts of romantic genres. It may be because many find pleasure and great joy in watching these romances as an important checklist in all BL stories. There is a lot of BL works that has a lot of sex appeal to them. So with that I discovered many enjoy one part of BL stories with a sexual pornography side to them.
One example of such a sensual work is FOD original [Pornographer]. It feels like a cinema piece that focuses on the literary but brings a beautiful atmosphere that can still be felt today. Itās nothing like the other romantic comedies that rely on clumsy actions of the main couple. This work conveys the actions and acting of the main couple in a delicate way that makes the viewer interpret their actions rather than words. A particular feature of this work that stands out is the way they do and show the love scenes.Ā These love scenes are treated very seriously yet gentle. Itās almost like these love scenes go out of its way to show to guilt of indecency but yet incite and seduce the viewer not to look away from them. This work in particular feels like it is breaking its own world views that it is set in as if it is āgoing beyond its own boundaries and attacking itā as this work is prepared to do so to itself. Itās a high piece of work that shows the sensual and emotional sides to the story.
There is also [Dangerous Drugs of Sex] that by many has called it the number one extreme work. It is especially rated 18+ because of the shocking content it has. There is no doubt that many are conflicted by the high amounts of violence and sexual content this particular adaption movie has.Ā But it is certain that this movie behind all of the high sexual themes still has the gentle appeal that āBL has in generalā. But still there is an important underlying theme and story within this work. Not only this movie conveys its stories and theme very well, the erotic scenes are carefully detailed, itās beautiful. This movie feels like an beautiful arthouse piece that deserves to be displayed and seem by others. With that this work deserves to belong in the BL genre and be respected along with the many other works of this genre. The work respects and shows the roles of the [Uke] and [Seme] with the most highest of importance. This is a piece of work that makes you respect and be in awe of the erotic themes that it conveys to you.
There is also works that portrays the love for the BL genre itself
In order for BL works to progress and survive, it must need the reception and praise from its fan. While itās true that the terms used to describe such fans of BL as fujoshi and fudanshi. It seems like the term āRottenā has been handed down to the names of the fans of this particular term. While originally the BL genre was meant to enjoy of their readers in secret it does feel like the genre is widely enjoyed by many openly as part of their culture. As such these fans of BL can be a main character in their own stories. As these stories of those who enjoy BL stories is youthful and enjoyed by many.
The Thai drama called [The shipper]. The story revolves around high school girls who love BL and are pairing up the hot headed trouble maker and a clever mastermind handsome senior students as an ideal couple. [The Shipper] is also a show that shows homosexual origins and feelings in a positive light. For viewers who are fans of the BL genre who knows this feeling too well, which is the desire to admire and support their male couples on the side-lines. Not only the drama creatively caters to the BL fans in a unique way.Ā But to show these female fans of BL in an interesting way that they support their favourite couple as well as having development themselves is a novel and refreshing take on the genre.
The WOWOW drama [Grappler Baki wa BL dewa nai ka to Kangaetsuzuketa Otome no Kirokutsutsu] uses the premise of the main heroine imagining the muscles and body image of the manga Grappler Baki to reimagine them in BL stories. She has been consumed and thinking crazy about her possible BL stories as a fan of the BL genre in general. She even thinks of unique ways of imagining pieces of stationery as positions of the [Uke] and [Seme] and to place them within their own BL story in her own charming way.
In addition, planning to be screen across Japan in June [MetamorufÅze no Engawa]. The story is about the meeting and friendship of a 17 year old and a 75 year old women trough their love of a particular BL manga. Within this story is in a dream like ideal world where these two women are able to bond together so strongly like a pillar that is going to be adapted from the original manga to the live action movie version. Now we are going to put all of your hopes and excitation with actresses Mana Ashida and Miyamoto Nobuko. I have high hopes for the movie version of this work.
In whatever way possible, there are many ways to show and tell the characteristics of these fans who love the BL genre within their own story. With that they show their various unique and unusual ways of showing and implicating their love of the BL genre within their lives. It could be the type of fans who are proud of loving the genre and show their love in their own way, or it could be the type of fan that imagines and views BL events in their lives. Such of these fans whose fire and passion for this genre burn strongly within themselves and itās what keeps them motivated in their daily lives. With that it is right that such fans are rewarded with the title of [Rotten]. In addition the BL genre in itself in real life would be very hard for the general public to accept as normal.
Of course there are people who love BL. But there is also an increase of āArrivalsā (people who are supportive of the LGBT+ theme and want to support people with the LGBT community). Recently with the increase of Thai BL dramas being played by actors who do not care about the sexual orientation of the gay role. As well as the huge amount of support from social media wanting same sex marriage to be legalized by the Thai government. Fans are very vocal and passionate towards LGBT rights, giving a supportive voice towards this minority of a group is very charming and touching. This may be because Thailand has a very long history with LGBT community and have many members belonging to the group and the public being open and used to this minority of people. This is in contrast to the way people view and discriminate types of minority in Japan. But the general message is that people these days have a huge empowerment when in bigger groups. In addition, the BL fandom as a whole is starting to understand the LGBT community and will become their supporters in the future. In turn they will be able to help promote and support each other groups.
The genre of uncomfortable topics that should be seen and noticed by many.
In Thailand BL dramas for them are known as [Y series], in truth this is in reference to the term of [Yaoi]. With that it is really flattering that, the BL culture that started within Japan has been liked and adapted into various forms of contents all around the world. With that these series stars their very own beautiful and handsome actors that are seen by many fans which in turn they see as special and memorable to them. However even with various stories telling the romantic development between same sex couples and their equality being shown, in reality these stories make very little impact in the current society we live in right now.
There is a recent movie screening right now called [Backlight]. It is a BL story that is beautifully shot and if it portrayed in the current society we live in right now, it would still show the gentle and delicate relationship between the two male leads. It does feel like that these types of genre of stories is increased by a lot, but I think itās good that these types of stories are being created are increasing and that they are of a good quality. I think these types of interesting and high quality types of works like these one will increase. In a way, this genre feels like a meal that may not look appealing or delicious at 1st look but when eating the meal is delicious. But anyway please watch this movie! I am sure after watching you would want to talk about it with someone you know!
Q.) First of all, frankly, please tell us your impressions when you heard the story of the appearance of this work.Ā
Naito: It's been the starring role since I starred in "Kamen Rider Saber", so I felt nervous after a long time, a burden, or something I had to do my best. It was my first time to appear in a BL work, I was excited to star in one but also worried that I needed to respect my acting and role.Ā
Seto: I've done romance stories several times, but it's been a while. I was nervous about what kind of acting partner I was working with because I had never met Naito-kun before, but he was an open person from the first day. It was really fun to be able to create a work together.
Q.) Please tell us your impressions of reading the original manga.Ā
Naito: It was my first time to read a BL work. I knew that I was the role of Yanase, so it was interesting because there were some things that I thought were similar to myself while reading. Yanase is said to be charismatic, but when I look at it from his side, I think others say to me that I am too charismatic as well. Heās always smiling but when he gets jealous I think "I understand this jealousy!ā I had a lot of sympathy for him.
Q.) So, did you already become Yanase even before preparing to act out his role?Ā
Naito: The only thing I was concentrating on in the role conscious of was the cool part of his character. I'm not cool at all ... (laughs). I acted the role while being careful that I had to be cool. In some playful scenes, the director often warned me that Naito was out (laughs).Ā
Q.) Mr. Seto, how do you feel about the original work?Ā
Seto: It was my first BL work, but it was very interesting. To be honest, I thought it would be difficult for Kaneda's character to be played by me. It's a character with a gap, I usually accept the roles offered to me, so I thought that reaction is absolutely important, and I want to do my best with reaction acting.
Q.) Live-action BL dramas have been very popular both at home and abroad for the past few years, but did you feel any pressure to appear in works of that popular genre?Ā
Naito: I thought I'd study before shooting, so I saw "Cherry Magic" ("30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii"), It was really interesting! While thinking, "Wow, I want to make a work that exceeds this," I was watching the drama of "Cherry Magic" in the middle of the night while shooting. I think that Yanase is similar to Kurosawa played by Keita Machida, but it's not interesting if it's the same. If I really enjoyed a show like this then I felt pressure if I was able to do the same. Since it can be seen by people from overseas, I thought that I had to do my best to convey it with facial expressions because I couldn't convey it as it was in words.
Seto: I also have "Ossans Love" and "Cherry Magic", and "Unlucky-kun has no choice but to kiss!" that I watched for reference. This show is a romantic comedy and the same for the other shows I watched, so I thought that I had to cherish the gap between the scenes that made me laugh and the scenes that made my heart throb. Especially when people from overseas can watch this series. I think that there are many parts that can be seen from the screen, so I thought I'd do my best to get Naito-kun's reaction and mine.
Q.) I heard that the two of them went out to eat ramen together because you two were able to get along quickly while co-starring for the first time. Were there any other impressive episodes during the shoot?Ā
Naito: I ate ramen. The same smell was pungent from the beginning. But these events are really uninteresting. I don't think Toshiki is interesting, and I don't think Toshiki is interesting either. I was trying hard to make myself laugh at the scene, but it wasn't interesting at all (laughs). When I was fooling around, Toshiki was crazy, and when Toshiki was fooling around, I was playing the role of Tsukkomi (TN: Comedy duo).Ā
I've been calling him "Toshiki" since the second time I met him. Even though I'm a junior at all as a rider, there is an atmosphere, kindness, and grandeur that makes me call me in that way. Of course, respect is a major premise, but he was easy to approach. Actually, I'm a junior, but my role is senior, and at first I was worried that I could do it well, but I became very close to him. We talked in our free time together all the time.
Q.) Does Seto have the same impression?Ā
Naito:Ā I'm also curious about it! Because I have been calling him "Toshiki" without his permission ... (laughs).Ā
Seto:Ā I don't care at all! Even if I am a senior to him, I am only one year old. It may be different if you are a younger person of age, but it is almost the same age but with a 1 to 2 years old difference. I thought Naito was a cooler person, so there was a gap. "Oh! 1mm (not cool) ..." (laughs).Ā
Naito: Even at 1mm (laughs)Ā
Seto: Doesn't he look cool? I thought this gap in his own personality was good. I has a fun time shooting with him.
Q.) Lastly, please give us a point and a message that you would like everyone who watches the drama to pay attention to.Ā
Naito: There are many cute things in the whole work, and I think there are some things that you can sympathize with. I hope you will feel the same as Yanase or Kaneda, and you will feel your heart flutter.Ā
Seto: It's an office romantic comedy, so I think it's a situation that can happen near you ... I wonder, I can only think of the same thing ... (laughs).Ā
Naito: Ah, can I add another point?Ā
Seto: Do it, Do it!
Naito: It's a secret love story, isn't it? It's not that the in-house romance itself is bad, but it's a secret to the people around me, and the feeling of glancing at each other, looking at each other, and being aware of each other is irresistibly cute, so pay attention to it. I want you to do it. If you are in love with someone in the company, you may be able to sympathize with them.Ā
Seto:Ā Attention point, I came up with! It's the monologues!Ā
Naito: Oh that, itās very interesting!Ā
Seto: The content is interesting, and at first there are many Kaneda monologues, but I think one of the highlights is that it reverses on the character as the story progresses.Ā
Naito: This is from my personal viewpoint, I know my personality that I tackle things head on. On the contrary, if you are separated from your interest you canāt interact with them making you want chase them. This characteristic is happening with Yanase, and I think it's real and interesting.Ā
Zettai BL season 2 DVD extras, Inukai Atsuhiro interview part 2
From Zettai BL season 2 DVD extras.
Read part 1 1st because this is part 2!
Q.) The acting in regards to the airport scene
This scene was really unpredictable, this is outside mobās comfort zone. This scene is something I didnāt expect to happen. This is something I had to do blindly and by instinct. I was really nervous when doing it, before the scenes I had to do are mostly slapstick comedy. But doing a scene that is similar to season 1 end bought that nervous feeling like this back.
Q.) Thoughts on filming within Narita airport
It felt like a climax to season 2. Maybe if we did season 3 or 4 it would take place aboard. I thought it would be interesting if mob was being chased down a beach by foreign boys. Wishful thinking for future seasons.
Q.) In regards to the opening dance number
In season 1 we were in complete tatters. But this time I didnāt feel like that in this dance number so I feel relieved. āI wonder how this one will turn outā I thought when doing it, this dance was way harder than the 1st and I was wondering if the director wanted this from us. So I took it as a test and decided to do better and practise more. But compared to last time the number of mistakes/retakes were much less than the 1st one.
In a way when we were doing our costume and makeup for this dance, the final result was something I didnāt expect. From the clothes to the hair being done. But we all agreed that we had to fulfil our duties on that stage and to protect it. We felt like we were performing on a concert dancing to the rhythm of the song but it was still hard to do.
If there is a season 3, I want the dance to feel like āI am like a kid againā
-In the middle of dance practice- Inukai plays the guitar
Inukai: If I played this during the dance I can avoid doing it!
Someone tells him itās impossible
I thought it would be fun to play the guitar during the dance.
Q.) Thoughts on this current costume and makeup (opening dance number)
The word āregentā can mean different meanings to different people, so there was confusion and that doesnāt bring a good image to anyone. When we were in costume we were doing various interviews/activities and it make me think āwhat kind of variety show we are taking part in?ā
But I am surprised that I look like this wearing a lot of tattoos. It brings a new look to myself.
Q.) The charms of season 2
In regards to mobās character .Thereās a lot of scenes of peeking into others by secret then he reacts to it, which makes it really interesting. But this time thereās a lot more new cast and guest members joining us which adds to the series and powers it up. Thereās new couples forming but as well as that thereās a lot of existing couples like Ayato and Toujou returning and you see their distance in season 2 changed compared to season 1. If you can see this and enjoy it I would be happy.
Thank you, I hope to see you all again in season 3!
Costume check
We have wide denim jeans, a hoddie, a jacket, and then converse shoes. This whole look just says āthis person is a university studentā. I was considering if in his jacket pocket to have his wallet as well but decided not to.
Zettai BL season 2 DVD extras, Inukai Atsuhiro interview part 1
This is from the 2 hour extra from season 2 DVD of Zettai BL
Because of the 10 image restriction I have to split this into 2 parts
Q.) Thoughts on after filming
My 1st thought is āitās finally over!ā. The reason why is because when I filmed season 1 I was thinking āhow could I make this as interesting as possible?ā and it was the same for this season. I tend to overthink and worry when I start filming. I think āI am over doing it here?ā or āI am not doing enough here?ā but when itās over I think āitās finally overā. Well I also had to take in the directorās advice/tastes and other staff members but it all came together.
Another thought is the running scenes, when doing them it felt like the weather at the time looked like it wanted to rain. But when we filmed the scene it didnāt rain, so I thought we were blessed by the weather. So in the end everything was filmed fine and came to a close smoothly.
Q.) The filming locations are mostly the same and returning to them
I did have that feeling of returning. I remember when filming the running scenes I would think āAh I really ran a lot hereā.Ā I also felt that the characterās emotions were returning to me and I felt that helped me out a lot.
Q.) Your reaction when hearing season 2 was greenlit
I thought āAre we really doing it?ā in surprise and then saying āOf course Iāll do itā. I did say that I would do season 2 if they announced it but I was surprised that it was approved so quickly. But deep down I did felt happy, to return and that this work has been liked by many.
Q.) Your thoughts on reading the script for the 1st time
Season 1 was mostly an introduction showing the āthis always happensā. Season 2 feels like that but also tells āthereās more of this but thereās also lots of events and stories to be toldā. It felt like when I read it there is a lot to do thatās going to be an effort not only for me but for the director as well.Ā Lots happens to my character and his reaction and how I was going to act it all out.
Q.) From the 1st day to now the thought of always being on the edge..
āOh we are going THIS farā I talked about this with the director. I thought maybe I was going to hold it in a bit but I understood why. Well when I was acting I thought I better act like my engine is on full power and discussed it with the director and recall that I did act like that.
Q.) Your own thoughts in acting in your role
I tend to overthink, I think in season 1 he was normal and just reacting normally to things happening around him. But also I think heās a bit of an odd person (laughs). But when I discuss this with the director he also thinks this is the best direction for him. In this season I think Mobās perspective/boundaries have widen.
Q.) The acting in regards to mob interacting with the 3 different nurses
In regards to the 3 nurses, I thought it would be funny to interact with a nurse that wants you to take the temperature from under the arms. Then I wanted to act my character out in regards to the 2nd nurse that was sending him off he was interested in her and finally I decided that for the 3rd nurse there was a sign that he had fallen for her.
(TN: There's a deleted scene there was a nurse who is carrying mob's belongings and sending him off. This was cut in the boardcast version)
Q.) In regards to acting in this scene (Mob observing with a pocky in his mouth)
I donāt really remember well when filming this scene. I was just acting around the surroundings happening around me.
Zettai BL season 2 DVD extras, Asahi Ito interview
This is from the 2 hour special that is on the DVD.
Erm for now I am only doing Asahi and Inukai interview parts.
Q.) Thoughts on after filming
Even in season 2, Kikuchi is still in his own way his feelings towards mob. Very straightforward and honest. But in my own personal view the dance number I tried really hard on it (laughs). When I was practising with the other I thought I had to do better.
Q.) Thoughts on this current costume and makeup (opening dance number)
When I heard that the current style of clothes was going to be āregentā I was thinking āwill this style suit me?ā. But when I did try it I went along and found I was having fun also that this brought a new and refreshing look to myself.
(someone says it suits him) I think so too!
Q.) In regards to the opening dance number
I had fun doing the dance and I even got praise from the director that we did do a great job on it. But it was still very hard, the movement of feet and the timing of position. I am still not used to it.
Q.) The scenes where Kikuchi is looking at mob from afar
I was always on set, looking at the staff and seeing the atmosphere of the cast and staff. I really had a fun time being there. This set (university I guess) that was also in season 1 I really loved being here and I was happy. In truth I was acting like a Kikuchi who was observing a mob hoping not to be seen by him. So itās most likely I was feeling and thinking the same as Kikuchi at that scene.
I was talking with Inukai and he said āheās basically a stalkerā and I thought āyeah it sounds like he isā. But still I think Kikuchi is a very pure, cute and straightforward guy.
Q.) The acting in regards to the opening scene
I remember clearly, that feeling of building anticipation and bang! It starts right where season 1 ended. I thought āah I came backā. I think Izuka is a very refreshing looking person. That thought that my character had once fell in love with his character Igarashi I understood why. There was a kiss scene, and it was such a cool looking but beautiful kiss scene I received from Izuka. Maybe in the same away kikuchi was drawn to mob in one point this was why he was also drawn to Igarashi in the past. Ā
Q.) The acting in regards to the airport scene
In regards to the phase āLet me say it instead of youā was really just him conveying his feelings simply. Kikuchi actually wrote his true feelings in a letter. I think in season 1 his feelings were like āI like you but pay no attention/it not a big deal to itā this time in season 2 he just conveyed how he felt. But if there is a season 3 he already confessed, so I am really necessary to be there. Maybe it should be a remake and take place in New York I really want do that.
Q.) Your own thoughts in acting in your role
I think it was just to simply show that my character was cute, innocent and pure looking. There might have been hints that thereās this sexy, less innocent side to him in the past. But in regards to acting now I didnāt pay attention to that. So I just focused on that innocent side of his feelings towards mob.
As always after filming and doing the dubbing/voice over parts I really tried to be cute so the audience can really emphasise with him and support him.
Message
Thank you for watching Zettai BL season 2. So this time, once again taking part in the opening dance number dressed like this, then being on set laughing, feeling flutters. There is a lot to enjoy in here. So I hope you watch season 2 a lot and give all your positive feedback then maybe we will get to be back for season 3! Then thereās even more to look forward to!
This is Asahi Ito speaking thank you very much!
Costume check 1
Kikuchi fashion point is his very cute duffle coat. The inside has a checker pattern. In the cold filming locations I have been kept warm. This coat has saved me!
Costume check 2
Usually Kikuchi wears patterns, but this time heās wearing a simple shirt with a simple grey vest. I like this look.
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki banger web interview, google edit translation
More fun talks with Naito and Seto
This time talking about other kamen rider actors.
Senpai, Danjite Koidewa
Naito Shuichiro and Seto Toshiki banger web interview
https://www.banger.jp/drama/79390/
Google edit translation by kino-san
Naito āI will never forget my 1st on screen kiss, so Seto will always be remembered in my heart (laughs)ā
Q.) What kind of reaction that you two received when the announcement was released?
Naito: My local friends were surprised I was starring in a BL drama but everyone was excited (laughs). My parents asked me "Is there a kissing scene?" and they seem to be looking forward to my kissing scene (Laughs). This is the next starring work since "Kamen Rider Saber", so everyone is very pleased.
Seto: My family said, "You are in new drama? Do your best!", But at that time they asked that the shooting is already over ...(laughs). People around me are looking forward to the work too!
Q.) The making video of the drama has already been released on the official social media, and the response not only from Japan but also from overseas was amazing.Ā
Naito and Seto: We are really delightedĀ
Naito: This time they really shot a lot of pictures so I was on my best form (laughs)
Ā Seto: Please look forward to it!
Q.) What is the appeal of the roles played by each other through the shooting?Ā
Naito: Kaneda is unfriendly and hides his feelings for a long time, but his eyes staring at Yanase seemed like he couldn't hide his true feelings. Seto-kun's eyes are beautiful, so I felt like I was being sucked in.Ā
Seto: Thank you (laughs). The charm of Yanase character played by Naito is erm..Ā
Naito: He canāt think of any (laughs).Ā
Seto:Ā It's a joke (laughs). After all, Naito-kun has a charismatic appearance and gives persuasive power to the role of Yanase. I found it really attractive.Ā
Q.) I think you two are often together during the shooting period, but do you have any particularly memorable memories?Ā
Naito:Ā We went to eat ramen during the break (laughs). It was a really happy time.Ā
Seto: That was really great!Ā
Naito: It has been a while snice I ate junk food, it was really delicious
Seto: I remember that moment clearly my face gave it away of a look saying āDELICOUS!ā. The scene I remember is the catch ball scene.
Naito: You really love that scene (laughs).Ā Seto: It has been a while snice I last put on my gloves and touched a ball. I was really happyĀ
Naito: In terms of memorable scenes, mine is the kiss scene. It was my first kissing scene since I became an actor, so it will be a memorable one for the rest of my life. I will never forget the person I kissed for the first time. Seto will stay in my heart for the rest of my life (laughs).Ā
Seto: Ahaha (laughs). It was my 1st business kiss.
Seto āI was very happy getting head patted (laughs)āĀ Ā
Q.) I think there were many scenes that the two of you were quite close to each other. But was there any scenes that you two felt your heart was thumping?Ā
Naito: The scene where Kaneda made a mistake and cried while apologizing in front of Yanase was dangerous. Deep down I really wanted to wipe his tears and stroke his head, saying, "It's okay. It's okay!", It felt really endearing.
Seto: Yanase way of head patting was pretty heart throbbing (laughs)Ā
Naito: Was I good (laughs)?Ā
Seto: Yes. I was very happy with the "head pat" (laughs). Naito-kun has big hands, long fingers, and is beautiful. The size of his is completely different from my hand. Please look! (Seto and Naito joining hands!). My hands look like a childās (laughs).
Q.) The ballroom dance scene taken at the beginning of the shooting is breathtaking, and the two of you wearing full tuxedo is also a highlight! How was the dance scene that you two practiced before shooting and working together on it?Ā
Seto: I remember the dance scene clearly. It was shot from various angles in the small space of the office set, so it was very difficult to dance while changing the steps in a different direction from the practice.Ā
Naito: Ā That was difficult. Tan Tan Tan āŖ (Two people recreating the steps while remembering the shooting and humming the rhythm!)Ā
Seto: I remember doing my best during practice
Naito: I hope you are looking forward to seeing the two of them in tuxedo. I also have my hair raised and I have a different image, so I think you can see a completely different appearance.
Naito "We are the generation of" Kamen Rider Ryuki" and "I loved the Kamen Rider Night played by Mr. Matsuda."Ā
Q.)I don't think it's easy to have five actors from Kamen Rider all in one drama (Shuichiro Naito, Toshiki Seto, Satoshi Matsuda, Shu Watanabe, Rikako Sakata). The two of you acting alongside with a senior actor from Kamen Rider. What were your thoughts on shooting?Ā
Naito: Ā It was a work that I starred in, and I didn't want my seniors to regret if I didnāt. There was pressure to stand in front of my seniors, and I felt bad if I did it half-heartedly. When I was a kid, I watched Kamen Rider Night played by Mr. Matsuda and loved it. I didn't want Mr. Matsuda to think that the acting of the actors from Kamen Rider are like this, so I concentrated on shooting.Ā
Seto: I also love Kamen Rider Night!Ā
Naito: Itās the same for you, we are both from the āKamen Rider Ryuki" generationĀ
Seto: I have a two-shot photo with Kamen Rider Night that I took when I was a kid. I think it was the anniversary event of Kamen Rider at Tokyo Dome City, but I had him take a picture at that time.Ā
Naito: That's amazing! I also asked my mother, "Do you have a photo with Kamen Rider Night?", But my mother said "Yes!" And sent me a photo with Ultraman (laughs). That's right!Ā
Seto: Aha (laughs). At the shooting site, I told Mr. Matsuda about the story of taking a two-shot with Knight, and he was very pleased. I was very happy to be able to co-star with Mr. Matsuda. I also remember how to transform! (Mr. Seto happily showed off the transformation pose of the night from his memories of his childhood)Ā
Naito: I had a card or a sword. Also, a drag visor (a gauntlet type summoner attached to the left arm of Kamen Rider Ryuki)!Ā
Seto: So you owned that! Kamen Rider Night was cool in a black suit!
Q.) The both of you were watching "Kamen Rider Ryuki" you were kids, and after about 20 years, I'm sure you two are happy that you were able to co-star with Satoshi Matsuda in a work together.Ā
Naito: It's really amazing. Mr. Matsuda has a good personality and raised the enthusiasm of the scene. Also, speaking of seniors from Kamen Rider, I thought that Shu Watanabe was also a great actor. He had a great aura and concentration, and he was able to mentally switch and act his character out. Thanks to Mr. Watanabe, it was easy for me to play my role.Ā
Seto: Mr. Sakata, Mr. Niihara, Mr. Asada, Mr. Hatada, Mr. Ota, who played the colleagues of Max Pictures where Yanase and Kaneda work, all had attractive, easy-to-speak, and wonderful members.
Seto "(Ota-kun) was cute."
Q.) Mr. Shunsei Ota (OCTPATH), who plays the role of Furukawa, who appears from the middle as a young employee of Max Pictures, will be the one who will step on the accelerator further to develop the story. How was the two of you co-starring with Mr. Ota?
Seto: He was a pretty person (laughs). I heard that Ota himself was the first to appear in a TV drama, but he seemed to be very nervous, and although he felt innocent, I think he was able to fully show the cuteness of Furukawa. I think he was acting great because his presence was the catalyst for the second half of the story. It was cute.Ā
Naito: I was jealous of the scene where Kaneda and Furukawa were together (laughs). Ota-kun himself was naturally cute, so he has something that I don't have. Ota-kun played Furukawa, so I was able to reflect it in my own acting.
Zettai BL VS 2 (Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2), T magazine interview with Inukai Atsuhiro, Rough translation
This interview was so hard to get. But this T magazine issue has a lot of other BL related articles that I may want to translate in the future.
This interview is very good as Inukai gives more of his insights on BL and saying Asahi's Kikuchi was cute.
Zettai BL Season 2
T magazine solo interview with Inukai Atsuhiro
Rough Translation by kino-san
Laugh a lot at it, while at the same time have a small feeling of flutter. [The world that is absolutely BL VS The man who absolutely doesnāt want to be in a BL] is a comedy that both fans and lovers of BL can enjoy as well as viewers that donāt know BL very well can also enjoy. The feeling of what it feels like to live within āThe world of BLā and realise this is seen through the main character of Mob. His nature that he likes girls so he makes an effort to make sure that he avoids any signs of romantic events by avoiding love flags. However in the end of season 1, he falls in love with a guy?! The long waited season 2 sequel is due to broadcast very soon. Ā Inukai who plays mob comments āThe foundations for season 2 is completely broken downā with a smile on his face. So as a result what is the aftermath of the storm that is mob trying to avoid the love flags?
Q.) At the end of season 1 leaves us with āTo be continued in season 2ā that turned out to come true really nicely!
Inukai: At the time I finished filming season 1 I heard where was a lot of people that wanted to do season 2. I never thought that it would actually happen but it really did happen! So I was really taken back and surprised by this decision! After the broadcast ended for season 1, a lot of my friends who donāt know a lot about BL watched the drama and commented gave praise to me that āFrom the looks of it he really didnāt resisted that much against BL and lostā. To know that for viewers that didnāt know much about BL were able to enjoy this drama I felt really happy.
Q.) For Inukai, you donāt really read BL works at all.
Inukai: I donāt read BL works at all. So it feels like just like reading a new genre like shounen (young men focused stories) or youth related genre. This genre feels unique and fresh. There is a lot of shoutouts to āyou see this a lot in BL worksā that I think is the biggest charm to this drama. For myself I donāt read BL works, I find that the more I donāt know about the subject the more interesting that it becomes.
Q.) By the way, what do you find the biggest impression of BL that you can think of?
Inukai: I never thought that it would be so easy for guys to fall in love with each other by the sidelines (laughs). So this is where and when they fall in love with each other! It feels like being in a shoujo manga world (female targeted stories), where the character runs out of the house with a toast in their mouth rushing out and from there their love story begins. From there a lot of things you see in BL stories begin from that point forward.
Q.) What I find interesting is the personal monologue and your Tsukomi* from your character
(TN: Tsukomi is a form of Japanese comedy, itās a combination of space out and reaction from a comedian. Aka comedy space out and reaction)
Inukai: I tried to balance and create the ideal Tsukomi for myself. The director had an idea of what Tsukomi he wanted, I had my own idea of what tempo my Tsukomi should be. But the producer as well as the cameria man all had their own version of what the Tsukomi should be like and with all of that everyoneās ideals of the tsukomiās tempo was always changing. So for myself to form everyoneās expectations for the tsukomi was really difficult. For season 2 the director added his own interests and preferences as well as my own comedy, so in the end it went by really smoothly.
Q.) Following on there that, for season 2 it feels like compared to season 1. Everything has been powered up
Inukai: There is a lot more pressure being added to the character to push him to the limits and see how lost he becomes as a result of it. As well as that thereās a lot of situations where the atmosphere has really good vibes, my character would come in and go along with the flow only to destroy it in the end (laughs). However the foundations for season 2 is completely broken down. For season 1 there was a lot of comedy that was based on very calm observational reactions. For Season 2 the comedy is mostly based on his character losing his composure in a lot of situations. So in that case it feels like the comedy is being shaken off in a different way.
Q.) What did you think of the way Asahi Ito acted his character as Kikuchi?
Inukai: He was extremely cute wasnāt it? In season 1 he quietly stuck in a box of chocolates in Mobās bag. This time in season 2 he left out a letter for Mob. The way these casual innocent gestures he did had to be done in a cute way. It provokes these natural pure hearted feelings of flutter in your heart.
Q.) For yourself as an actor, what did you think was the biggest charm you felt when being in a BL genre?
Inukai: The most important appeal was that when expressing love it is done honestly and without any regards to the gender I felt. If I was acting and my romantic partner was a male. Then my acting and feelings towards them would not change. My acting would be the same even if my partner was a female and the relationship was heterosexual. I am sure there are a lot of people present who feel uncomfortable or donāt acknowledge same sex relationships. But if those people would watch this drama, laugh at it but also feel flutters after watching it. Then I think maybe their views of homosexual relationships would change. Also there are a lot of BL readers and fans who watch this drama they will recognise and enjoy all of the BL tropes they know and kind that interesting and want to talk about it with others. No matter what kind of viewer who would watch this drama, regardless of age and drama I want them to enjoy watching.
Q.) I wish the same, by the way did you find any new characters in season 2 you found Inukai yourself that you liked and wanted to support?
Inukai: This is a crazy and manic answer. There is a lot of muscular men changing in the changing room. There is a scene where Mob is looking for Kikuchi. Mob enters a changing room that is full of muscular and buff men getting changed. 1st of all the idea of a whole room being full of muscular and buff men is just really funny. Then all of a sudden mob appears in the same place as them being out of place, he trying to navigate in this place in the best way he can with a smile. When I was filming in this scene I remember I was laughing a lot being there.
Q.) In āGrand Blueā your character was completely surrounded by lots of muscular and buff looking men (laughs).
Inukai: That is true. My characters was completely surrounded by buff men and that seemed to have continued. I wonder why (laughs).
Q.) The amount of BL works have increased slightly. But the number of bromance works have also increased as well
Inukai: Thatās right. The drama I just finished [Kei x Yaku āDangerous Partners-] was one. It feels like I was fated to do one.
Q.) For yourself, you have acted and partnered up with many male actors. What do you think is the most important element of building a good relationship with them?
Inukai: I wonder. Donāt be invasive with them, consider their feelings and approach them with consideration with them is what I think is most important.
Q.) Could you expand more on that?
Inukai: For myself I am a type of person thatās very eager and head on. However for people in general, there are incidents where people will always talk about pointless topics in bad timing when they are in conversations with others. As a result that person may think bad of you and thatās a really bad problem. So 1st of all observe that person and see what kind of personality they are. Once you know what that person is like, you can match their personality and adjust your own to communicate on their level. This is something I pay attention to.
Q.) So by doing this method, have you managed to continue having good relationships with various people?
Inukai: So far I have acted with many good and nice people. I feel like Iāve been lucky that I have encountered with them and being influenced by them. Even after the project is finished and long gone I am still communicating with them by telephone or e-mail. Even if you donāt know where they are or what project they are working on now, you are still in contact with them. I spoke to Ryusei Ryo recently on the phone who I co-stared with in [Grand Blue]. For him to contact me without any hesitation I was really happy. I felt like I was still connected to him. I really admire his way that he keeps in contact with others like that.
Zettai BL VS 2 (Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2), TV guide dan interview with Inukai Atsuhiro, Goro Yutaro, Asahi Ito and Akihisa Shiono. Rough translation
This interview was longer then expected.. (like 8 pages worth) but I am glad I did translate this one. It's really interesting to read.
Zettai BL Season 2
TV guide dan interview with Inukai Atsuhiro, Goro Yutaro, Asahi Ito and Akihisa Shiono
Rough translation by Kino-san
Q.)This work is about, a character called āmobā who realizes that he is living within the manga world of BL (Boys Love). It shows the daily life of his character avoiding and resisting against these ālove flagsā that stand in his way. Frist of all we want to hear about the characters you act as in this series.
Inukai: āTo go through a world that naturally turns every event into BLā and in response to the worldās nature how to go against it.Ā It may be in their view they are totally against the nature of this world that they live in and are acting as a deviant against it. This is the nature of the character mob that I am playing as. Mob is naturally going flow with the flow of the world he lives in, for myself I have to have the mentally that I am against the nature of the BL world when acting as mob. I find his troubles that he faces against this world really interesting.
Q.) Yutaro you play as Ayato who is Mobās younger brother
Yutaro: For my character Ayato, in the beginning his character was similar to mobās, but eventually and gradually he slowly became more of a main character of a BL story. Finally he becomes a couple with Toujouās character (Shiono). His character goes through a massive change. In season 2, I felt like the character I was playing went through a massive change. The way he interacts with various characters in the tone he shows I thought changed as well. This time I have to act out as a couple with Toujouās character. But at the same time there is a form of conflict when being with him. So thereās not only lovely dovey couple scenes but scenes that make the couple feel more real and grounded. But still the love scenes with Toujou were done with care. Being a couple with Toujou was really fun and interesting. I wanted to act out my character out as adorable as possible.
Q.) Asahi plays as Kikuchi a university student who is a classmate of Mob. In which Mob recently confessed his feelings to.
Ito: In the end of season 1, the feelings and relationship between Mob and Kikuchi changed. However this time, season 2 starts where season 1 ends. Kikuchiās ex boyfriend Igarashi (played by Izuka Kenta) appears and you see how he affects Kikuchi. In season 2 I think you really see more of Kikuchiās pure and determined feelings. What that means for the relationship between Mob and Kikuchi. I would like viewers to tune in for that.
Q.) Shiono plays the partner that completes Yutaroās character. The blond hair and handsome character Toujou.
Shiono: For Ayato and Toujou characters, who live and reside in this BL world. These 2 character and naturally going along the conventions of the BL world very seriously. In season 2, you get to see scenes with the couple of Ayato and Toujou on how they interact with Mob and how mob sees them. There is a scene, where Toujou and mob meet and mob is carrying shopping bags. My character interacts with mobās character (Inukai) and asks him āDo you want me to help carrying the shopping?ā. From there my character carries all of the shopping and it is at that scene I was able to aid lib my actions. From that aid lib I hope the viewer may be able to see a side of the ture Toujou that they may have not seen before. But still I am still acting my character as the perfect and flawless Toujou but maybe the viewer can also pick out the slight gaps in his character.
Yutaro: Now that you mention it, thereās also a lot more scenes of Mob and Ayato together that I thought were wonderful.
Inukai: In addition, these scenes between the two are not only in the household but in other surrounding areas as well.
Yutaro: Thatās right. With a lot of scenes that have hidden meanings behind them. It feels like Season 2 has really powered up. When I first read the script for season 2 I thought āI really have to do all of this..ā as well as āmy character is really in deep this time..ā from the looks of it, it looked really extreme compared to last time. But looking back I really had fun doing it.
Q.) Even in season 1, I get the impression that the format of the show follows a pattern like it repeats itself in a cycle. Ā
Inukai: Thereās a lot of events and features to look out for.
Yutaro: Mobās gaze, Ayato and Toujouās gazes. Now in addition Kikuchiās gaze is really interesting to look at. Thereās a lot of scenes that are visually appealing to the eye. I wish the viewer can see parts of the drama that will make them at awe.
Shiono: In addition there is new cast members added, thereās a lot of genres that these characters are acting out as. For them this is the 1st time they are acting out as their characters so when I see them at a distance I think āSo this is the character they are acting asā and I find that interesting. With the addition of these new characters, I think it feels like the drama is being shown in a new style and taken in a new direction.
Inukai: And with that, this all gets piled on top of mob as he reacts to them more and he gets surrounded by them more and more (laughs).
Q.) The opening dance number is always a topic to talk about even last time we spoke about it.
Inukai: I think this time even the opening dance number has powered up.
Ito: Even the clothes we wear has changed
Shiono: It was really amazing clothing (laughs)
Yutaro: We really took on the dance head on. Even the manager commented in surprise āwow thatās amazingā. I want everyone to see it as soon as possible. I think thereās a gap between the character in the drama and the characters in the opening dance number. Please enjoy watching it.
Q.) Also asides of having memories from filming the opening dance number, when it came to director Mikiās birthday you all presented to him a coffee cup signed by all of you as a gift to him. But what you all signed on the coffee cup was requests of what you wanted him to do for all of you as a form of a prank.
Inukai: Oh yeah, we did do that!
Ito: Oh that! If I remember Inukai you wrote on the cup āI want to eat Yakinikuā.
Shiono: Thatās right! So based on what Inukai wrote on the cup we all jumped on board and copied him so everyone wrote āI want blankā on the cup (laughs).
Yutaro: It just felt like, everyone just all wanted to go out and eat Yakiniku together.
Inukai: Itās good when everyone decides to go out together calmly and peacefully.
Q.) Carrying on from topics mentioned last time, it feels like the connections and relationships between the combinations/combos of Inukai and Asahi as well as Yutaro and Shiono have deepen due to the roles played by their characters. Do you have any impressions of each other combinations/combos?
Yutaro: I think for Inukai and Asahi they do look like related siblings. When I saw these two together acting out in a scene, I thought of this. Even though I play as the sibling in the drama, when you put these two side by side. These two have similar facial features.
Inukai: Really?
Shiono: I think for the both of you, both of your eyes may have similar features/characteristics to them.
Q.) Inukai when you look at Asahi, do you think he looks like someone who could be your younger brother?
Inukai: Itās true that Asahi really gives of younger brother vibes and that he looks like someone younger than me.
Ito: For me I think Inukai gives of older brother vibes! When Inukai was acting in Kamen Rider and I was acting in Lupat at around the same time. That took about half a year of shooting and after that I carried on filming for other projects. When it came to the event screening for both of our movies we had a chance to interact and talk to each other. At that time I felt like Inukai was like an older brother.
Q.) Now then, what do you the two of you think about the combo of Yurato and Shiono?
Inukai: For the two of you, I really thought these two were a couple during filming (laughs).
Ito: I thought these two were really close and got along with each other really well.
Inukai: Usually these two are like flirting and messing around with each other.
Shiono: What do you mean by āusuallyā?! (laughs)
Yutaro: When I am filming for other projects aimed for broadcast. I feel like I treat other co-actors in a guest like manner and vice versa they do to me. But it feels like I spent a lot of time with Shiono. When you first meet and trying to understand a person they are a different kind of person you think they are compared to what you think they are now. When you talk to them more you find you have a lot in common with them. Gradually you build a good relationship with them and get along with them well. It feels like the initial distance between people is guarded by an invisible barrier like a person has an unseen armour around them.
Shiono: This got really deep (laughs)
Yutaro: When we filmed season 1, on the first day of shooting I had to do a kiss scene with Shiono. It was really cold and we were both shaking. After we finished fliming the scene, I was at a loss of words on how to start a conversation with him or what to talk about after.
Shiono: Even for the crank in for todayās shooting, we had to do scenes similar to that.
Yutaro: Thatās right! I feel like we have filmed a lot of kiss scenes between us (laughs).
Q.) You notice the smallest detail one by one looking back huh? Well then āEvery cast member is good looking and handsomeā in this drama. During filming, have anyone seen the āHandsome features/profileā of each cast member that you find stand out in your eyes?
Shiono: We should start off with Inukai. Naturally when you look at him heās handsome that is the natural impression you have when you look at him. But also if you looked at him you would also think he gives off an impression that he seems clever. You think āThis person is the type who would be popularā (laughs). When it comes to the hectic filming, or doing the difficult dance sequence, I see him talking to the staff members naturally. I thought he looked really cool.
Ito: I feel like he holds a lot of knowledge on various topics. It can be music, games or manga. He knows a lot of topics. I see him talking a lot with staff members about various topics and discussions. I feel envious.
Shiono: However I feel like Inukai has changed slightly (laughs)
Everyone laughs
Shiono: I donāt mean in a sense that heās changed a lot. When you are listening to someone in a conservation you are thinking about how to response and react in a suitable way. I see him slightly changing his tone and tempo when replying to others. In a way, you see that every person has different sensitivity and boundaries and I can see that when I see Inukai communicate with others and he considers that.Ā
Inukai: Thank you very much (laughs). For Shiono I was surprised to learn that you like manga and I didnāt expect that from you. From a distance you look cool but to know this is like a gap in your personality and I think thatās good.
Yutaro: But for Shiono, I donāt see you talk a lot about yourself at all. So I want to hear it from you yourself.
Inukai: oooh, thatās right!
Yutaro: Personally I think really highly of myself. So I tend to go on and on talking about myself a lot. This feels like the 1st time for me to hear anything about Shiono. Itās feels like I am going to learn something really personal from him. So thatās why I want to tread carefully around it, its feels more mysterious that way.Ā But I want to learn and know about it more.
Ito: For Shiono, I had a feeling he had this ability when I met him for the first time. But actually he is really talented in drawing.
Yutaro: Yeah that is true!
Ito: I didnāt think he would fit that image. I had an image that he looked like he wouldnāt be good in that kind of thing..
Inukai: Did you think he wouldnāt suit an image of a dancer?
Shiono: Hey! (laughs)
Ito: I didnāt mean it in that way (laughs). However I was really surprised to see how good and skilled he was at drawing.
Shiono: Thank you very much (laughs). Ā Then next is Yutaro. The man who can make any character he plays cute and adorable.
Yutaro: I am happy!
Shiono: It takes a while for himself to open to others. But he shows that he has no negatively to himself. At the filming site the director said something on the lines of āI feel like I can trust and rely on Yutaroā that I overheard from him. I thought āI feel like me and him are the same types of personā
Inukai: I feel like Yutaro holds a special ability that he doesnāt really have that handsome image to himself.
Yutaro: What?! I must have some!Ā
Everyone laughs
Inukai: But really I think I agree with what Shiono said about him. Itās something that I donāt have myself. Yutaro really has no ill-intentions to himself (aka not mischievous). When he is acting with his partner and is really taking it to heart itās really good and thatās because heās doing it purely and naturally. Thatās what I think.
Shiono: Next is Asahi handsome features. I canāt really point out what it is. What is it?
Inukai: Asahi-kun has a gentle image to himself. When he talks to others it feels like heās really approachable. Itās like heās the type of person who has no invisible barriers/walls that is in front when you approach these types of people.
Ito: I am happy!
Shiono: Asahi is the type of person that can have a ācuteā or āhandsomeā image when you look at him.
Ito: Well out of all of these members I am the youngest.
Yutaro: In truth I donāt do well when I am with my juniors/younger ones.
Inukai and Shiono: AHAHAHA!
Ito: What?! (laughs)
Yutaro: This is something I think personally of myself. I have 2 older sisters. I found myself in high school I felt like I really struggled and had to work harder than them two. So every day I was compared to and made fun of by these two almost always. So it feels like when I am with someone in the same generation I was raised who is younger than me, I can take advantage of the situation that I am older than them. But Asahi is a bit different, at first his appearance seem to be of the quiet type, he seemed to be the type of person that would reply back to you right away and I thought āI could pick on himā.Ā From the 1st day we met we both got along, we had some really great conversations with each other. But when you dig deeper into his character, heās a really interesting person. I thought.
Ito: hehe..
Shiono: Itās really mysterious isnāt it? Itās not about the nervous tension between two people, neither is it about that you donāt really know the person at 1st. Itās more about the impression of that person that develops in your own pace as you get to know them I think. If in season 1 even if this person has blue hair, I still would have thought that it really suits them.
Yutaro: I think you have the face others would find most popular. When I met you for the 1st time I didnāt think that back then. In truth when I first met you I thought you were smooth and that your face is small. Itās nice to shoot without anything on the face, but itās also nice to wear glasses. No matter what hairstyles we wear, it will always turn out good. It takes a lot of effort behind the scenes to do so. I wonder if this is a natural potential that people have.
Q.) Yutaro it feels like you can see the potential of people like a producer.
Yutaro: I worked in a convenience store before. I was able to stare and gaze at the many customers there. When I look at Asahi, I think in my fantasy I think I want to tease and play around with him.
Ito: Please do (laughs). For myself I donāt know how I act around my juniors. But I felt during practising the dance number I was really lacking in my own performance and dragging everyone down with me. I was picked on by everyone there.
Yutaro: he he (aka fu fu fu)
Ito: I was really bad at doing the dance
Yutaro: No, actually I thought we all met the image and illusion that we matched the dance. Thatās what I thought.
Shiono: Yeah, we added our own odd habits and personality to it, but in the end it was a beautiful dance.
Ito: Really! Alright!
Q.) Speaking of dances, in TV guide dan volume 41 we spoke with Shiono about the topic of āout of all of them this member is the one I trust the mostā
Shiono: Yeah we did have a conversation about that!
Ito: You actually spoke on a topic about that (laughs)
Yutaro: Who is it? I think the answer is someone I didnāt expect (laughs).
Inukai: he he (aka fu fu fu)
Shiono: No the person who is it, I think has the most self-confidence in themselves.
Q.) It feels like in the last season you were lacking in that particular field but now compared to last time that field you have become much stronger in. Ā
Yutaro: That is true. However, every person here is passionate in their job and naturally they donāt want to repeat their mistakes again. We want to support each other and represent ourselves in the best way possible.
Shiono: Thatās right. So in that way. Everyone got better in their dance.
Inukai: Indeed if I remember. I believe compared to last time we made little mistakes than before.
Yutaro: Yeah
Inukai: It felt like we managed to unite and work together in sync? The last time we did the dance it felt like we were a form of a cheap knock off poorly formed band.
Ito: It felt like that last time.
Yutaro: The amount of effort of having the hair, makeup and costume for this dance was high. It felt hard to transition into.
Shiono: We had to blend and sync with the music
Yutaro: This time we really blended in and moved around in sync with the music. I wonder if this is the director favourite style that he likes (laughs).
Q.) Did you get much time to practise for the dance?
Inukai: This applied to when we did the last dance number last time as well. Around 2 or 3 days before shooting the dance number, they send out the video of the dance number technique to all of us. During that time we are still in the middle of filming the rest of the scenes for the drama itself. So not only we had to remember our lines from the script to shoot scenes for the drama but also we had to think about practise for the dance number that will happen on the last day.
Yutaro: In-between not filming scenes during break. Everyone was practicing for the dance. Because for the dance everyoneās sequence was different to the others. Everyone was practising together or alone on their own pace. Each of the dance number technique video was different to one another. We really did our best on this dance number.
Q.) Just now when watching the dance number, everyone had the impression that the members ālooked like a unitā. Now with everyone in unison for the dance number, it really feels like all of you together formed an image of that of a boy band.
Shiono: It does feel like that. When we were together to flim the dance number I had the feeling that we were going to come together and ādecide a name for this unitā. On the set itself with the stage set with the big āBLā behind it. We discussed about the unit name with several suggested names, but in the end what unit name did we decided for?
Ito: āBite Leader/Readerā
Yutaro: A cool sounding name something on the lines similar to āBlack ladyā. Inukai was the one that suggested āBite Leader/Readerā as the unit name.
Inukai: Did I? (laughs)
Yutaro: Yes you did. Then the director gave a look to us like āok thenā like he knew but in the end it felt like he wasnāt paying attention at that time and most likely forgot and hasnāt remembered (laughs).
Inukai: Thatās just natural!
Everyone laughs.
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