★ Their interview together can be found in this post! ★
Text: Kanno Kayo // Photography: Katsuoka Momoko // Design: Sawada Yuki (ARENSKI) // Composition: Noriko Hata // Translated by midsummersky
–––––––––– SOLO INTERVIEWS ––––––––––
☆ HORI KAITO
Born on May 30th 1999 in Saitama prefecture. Appeared in the drama ‘Cosmetic Playlover’ (2024, Fuji TV) and short drama ‘God Hand: Renji the Avenger’ (2026, WOWOW).
Q1: Please tell us some secrets about Sato-san only you know.
“His lips are incredibly soft. I’ve done several kissing scenes before but Yusuke-kun’s lips are top class, among the softest I’ve felt. They also look beautiful and feel great to the touch; they’re basically lips which make for a very satisfying kiss. Also, he turns cute when he’s had a few drinks. Normally, he’d be like, ‘What a pain in the ass’ while looking bored, but when he’s drinking alcohol he basically turns into a baby. He’ll be all soft and squishy while saying ‘Suuuch~ a paaain~’ **. The contrast between those two sides is so unfair. At work, he tries to act cool since he cares about what other people think, but in reality he’s really cute. I do hope I can be someone he can vent to sometimes. I gotta have something to be able to show off to everyone.” (laughs)
** Translator’s note: sober Yusuke’s exemplary quote reads “Maji mendoukusai” with serious undertones, while intoxicated Yusuke’s quote says “Maji mendokusa~i~” with soft/cute onomatopoeia (funifuni) as an indication.
Q2: What would happen if someone fell in love with you?
“Many things would happen! (laughs) I would spend all my free time with the person I love and definitely give them 100% of my affection. I wouldn’t want them to carry a wallet – instead, I’d cook and clean for them, and drive them around. I’d just be happy if we’d be together. Basically, I would go along with whatever they want to do, but when it comes to cooking, I’ll offer to cook for them. I often go camping with my male friends and during those times, I would grill chicken, chop cucumbers and green onions, make spring rolls and top those with a sauce made from sweet bean paste, honey and soy sauce. I also made Peking duck once and everyone thought it was delicious. It makes me really happy when people tell me stuff like that.”
Q3: Please tell us some anecdotes regarding your popularity!
“Okay, I’ll tell you what happened after the graduation ceremony of my third year in middle school… The girls took all the buttons and the school emblem from my jacket, as well as the buttons from my school cardigan and the entire shirt I had been wearing. In the end, I had to go home, wearing only a basic heattech shirt and carrying only my bag (laughs). During that time, I had just started my career in the entertainment business, so I was basically treated as the school idol. At first, I was happy about it, but I got kind of cold on my way home… so in the end, I was also a little embarrassed (laughs). My friends were trying to be considerate, saying things like ‘Hey, that’s amazing’, but that made it even more awkward. That was probably when my popularity peaked and it all went downhill from there, definitely. I’m the kind of guy who can get along with everyone, so oftentimes I end up becoming friends rather than starting a romantic relationship. In fact, I’m so oblivious to signals that I can’t respond properly. I don’t even have any attractive qualities, so why is this all happening then? No, I’m just kidding.” (laughs)
Q4: Please send a message to Sato-san.
“I always tell him directly what I want to say, but… There’s one thing I’ve been thinking about lately. Yusuke, you tend to read my LINE messages, but you don’t reply at all (laughs). I’m definitely the one who sends more messages, because I love to share things I find interesting. So I’ll send things like ‘Today was so […]’ but I he only replies about half of the time. It’s kind of lonely when I don’t get any feedback… (sobs) Now you can also react with emoji, which is really convenient and I would appreciate it if you could at least reply with that (laughs). But overall, I am filled with gratitude though. While I might be the one who communicates more with the cast and crew, Yusuke-kun acted like a ‘leader’ who showed us through his actions that this was his starring role. He’s got many qualities that I don’t have and because Yusuke was there, we were able to really stay focused when we needed to. So I’m truly greatful. In that sense, we have really great chemistry.”
Hori-san’s favourite item: digital camera
This Kodak PIXPRO FZ55 was a gift and I carry it with me all the time. I also use it at work, taking photos on the spot. I like how the pictures have a slightly retro-like quality to them, as if they were taken with a film camera. It gives off a nostalgic and emotional vibe.
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☆ SATO YUSUKE
Born on June 11th 1996 in Hokkaido. Won the Grand Prix in the actor category at ‘Avex audition MAX 2013’. Appeared in the drama ‘Mr. Unlucky has no choice but to kiss!’ (2022, MSB).
Q1: Please tell us some secrets about Hori-san only you know.
“He comes across as someone who’s charming and great at communication, so you might be surprised to learn that he’s actually very sensitive and worries easily. He tends to dwell on personal criticism for a long time. I also care about what other people think, so I try to act in a way that won’t upset them in return, but Kaito doesn’t do that. He’s rather defenseless, so when someone is giving him some harsh feedback, he takes it too seriously. Even so, the atmosphere on set was great thanks to Kaito. I would watch him act and communicate with everyone and think he’s amazing, especially since he took up this acting job while his schedule was already pretty hectic. On the other hand, I was trying to keep everyone on their toes and lead the way… I think we’re truly the best partners we could have. Honestly, I myself am surprised by how our friendship turned out. I know my ugly side best and I’m not someone who just shows everyone 100% of who I am. It’s just absolutely impossible for me, which is why most of my relationships end up slightly superficial. But I managed to show Kaito 80% of my true self; it’s rare to have found someone whom I could let into my personal space to this extent. I’d say I show my parents about 60% of myself and my younger best friend** about 85%, so Kaito comes quite close. At this point, we’ve got pretty strong bond. We’ve been to each other’s houses and even gone camping together. Even now, our friendship is still progressing, so I’m guessing in the end it will be 90%. I could never give him 100% though. If that were the case, we’d basically be married.” (laughs)
** Yusuke and his best friend run a vlog channel together! Unsubbed, but it's pretty funny. Their most recent vlog is from a camping trip with FFL cast members
Q2: What would happen if someone fell in love with you?
“I’ll give you a ride, for sure. That makes it sound as though I’m some kind of assistant, like a taxi driver or valet (laughs), but since I ride a motorcycle, I will tell you I’ll come pick you up. I like being relied on and if they ask me to pick them up, while taking my own schedule in account, I’ll definitely think that’s cute. It would be a different story if I had a stage performance the next day or be somewhere early in the morning though.”
Q3: Please tell us some anecdotes regarding your popularity!
“For some reason, I’m popular with indecisive people. You know how some people just go along with anything when you’re asking stuff like ‘What should we eat?’. I hate it when there’s no concrete plan, so I’ll usually be the one who decides we should to go a certain place or when we should actually do something. If it’s about a date, I might suggest to create the whole schedule together and if the other person has some preferences, I’ll be glad to put those in. I think I started behaving this way after I debuted in the entertainment industry… or rather, after I became an ‘adult’. When my 30th birthday was rapidly approaching, I particularly experienced those kinds of feelings, like ‘Ah, I’m about to become an adult soon’. So when I’m hanging out with Kaito’s energetic persona, I feels as if I’ve lost some of that energy I formerly had. By the way, Kaito isn’t truly indecisive, rather he’s the type who just lets the other make the calls. Generally speaking, he likes everything, commenting ‘Sounds great, let’s do it!’. Then I’ll be the one who says ‘Alright, let’s go’ or ‘It’s better not to’. I don’t spoil him too much.” (laughs)
Q4: Please send a message to Hori-san.
“To Hori-kun: whenever I see you, I start thinking things like ‘I have to work harder too’ and ‘I want to let loose more!’. Your innocence, your charming personality, your ability to communicate with everyone and your manliness – I lack all of these things and I respect you for them. I might be a difficult person, but I hope we can continue to get along.”
Sato-san’s favourite items: skin lotion
“I’ve been using ChéRie skin water H (2-layer masking lotion) for about two years now, after a friend recommended it to me at her facial beauty salon. My skin is extremely dry, which is a major issue in this field of work. Especially during rehearsals I apply it so generously that it’s probably too much. That’s probably why it always runs out so quickly.” (laughs)
––––––––––
★ Their interview together can be found in this post! ★
Text: Kanno Kayo // Photography: Katsuoka Momoko // Design: Sawada Yuki (ARENSKI) // Composition: Noriko Hata // Translated by midsummersky
–––––––––– JOINT INTERVIEW ––––––––––
Hori Kaito and Sato Yusuke, who co-starred for the first time in the drama ‘Fake Fact Lips’, displayed their perfect partnership, engaging in witty banter reminiscent of that of a proper comedy duo, teasing each other relentlessly and showering each other with praise.
The characters you both play, Yotsuya Ryo and Shito Zen, are competing to see who can take the other down first. What actions or words do you think made the competition on screen feel real?
Hori: “His attitude towards work is excellent.”
Sato (pokerfaced): “A little louder, please.”
Hori (looking at Sato): “I noticed this especially when we were on location with the extras, but he’s such a show-off (laughs). However, I also thought it was amazing how he always seemed to embody his role. When the cameras are off, I tend to return to normal, but Yusuke-kun was always sharp, just like Zen would be. I thought to myself, ‘This trip really isn’t over until we’re home…’.”
Sato: “You mean it was like I was on a field trip?” (laughs)
Hori (laughs): “I’m inspired by your kind of enthusiasm and professionalism and I highly respect it. It’s so cool it makes my heart kind of flutter, to be honest.” (nudges Sato's shoulder as he’s bearing a rather smug look) “Don’t make the kind of nonchalant face that says, ‘Well, I’m not entirely against this sentiment’!”
Sato: “The scene where Ryo gets jealous, Kaito’s mood actually dropped so much that he couldn’t control himself anymore, which really helped me stay in character. I thought it was adorable. Even though our director (Taguchi Kei) and I both told him he was looking ‘too depressed’, he just couldn’t manage to pull himself together.”
Hori: “I had to film that scene four times and it still didn’t look any better.” (sobs)
Sato: “Honestly, I was glad that way Ryo feels towards Zen, which Kaito had to act out, was pretty heartfelt. In response to Zen’s words and actions, Ryo’s face tends to lose composure and in that moment Kaito’s acting was so genuine that I could truly feel his emotional instability. With the exception of the very first day of filming – when we hadn’t quite made a connection yet – I’ve always thought, ‘I’m so glad Kaito is my co-star’. I feel comfortable around him and I’ve come to understand how important good casting is when you've got a co-star. If we were both too noisy or too silent, we’ve might end up misunderstanding each other. Even though our personalities are different, for some reason our foundations match perfectly. That’s why we click.”
Hori: “It’s like one person’s weakness can be turned into the other person’s strength and you’re using it as ammunition. I thought this was the perfect execution of a double lead.”
One thing you have in common is that you both have charming personalities, don’t you think?
Hori (pointing at Sato): “You? Charming?”
Sato: “Hey, I’m nothing but charming.”
Hori: “You wanna talk about ‘that’ day? On the first day of work at the table-read, you were speaking with such a harsh voice that even the director was a little worried about you.”
Sato: “Let me explain. I was scared that people might dislike me if I used my natural way of speaking while acting, so I tried to upgrade it a bit… However, that kind of backfired because at some point I answered the director a little too casually with ‘Yep, that’s right~’, which apparently gave him the impression that I was frivolous and irresponsible (smiles wryly). After that, I thought, ‘This just won’t do’ and decided to go all out on the first day of filming. I made sure to read the whole script very thoroughly before we started.”
Hori: “The amount of sticky notes he put in his script was unprecedented! Personally, I don’t use sticky notes or make any annotations at all. If I do, I’m afraid that I can’t read into the meaning properly anymore, so I memorise everything and only look at my lines to check things on set. Having said that, the more I practice, the more likely I am to make mistakes with my lines. I’m actually rather clumsy and when I get stuck in a loop of failure, nothing works out anymore (sobs). Luckily, Yusuke helped me out a lot on set.”
Sato: “Because we were talking all the time, I knew how Kaito was approaching this project and we both know we were doing our best. That’s why we were able to support each other every time.”
It’s thanks the both of you giving it your all that Ryo and Zen looked so cool on screen.
Hori: “Like in that moment in episode 1, when Ryo makes a snide remark to Zen and says, ‘She’s got such terrible taste!’” **
Sato: “Oh, that part! (roaring with laughter) Yeah, Kaito is exceptionally good at making funny facial expressions.”
Hori: “If Ryo was cool all the time, he wouldn’t look human anymore.”
Sato: “Exactly. Even that sleepy expression when he kisses Zen on his forehead and says ‘Good morning’ was pretty cool.”
Hori: “Right? (cheerfully) And Zen’s flustered face in response to that was adorable. Come to think of it, during that scene I was rather self-conscious and worried about my chest being too prominent. So I asked the make-up artist to tone it down with some concealer, but because of the lighting, it turned out even more noticeable…” (laughs)
**At 9:39, when they’re having drinks at Ryo’s house and Zen shows him Kiritani’s business card
What do you think are the benefits of falling in love with you?
Sato (raising his hand): “I know! Kaito will do everything for you, so he’s the ‘perfect guy’. On the other hand, when I’m trying to look cool at the start of a relationship, I tend to get tongue-tied and come a cross as a really boring person. Once that wall comes down, though, I’ll loosen up enough to the point where I’ll make silly one-liner gag jokes for them.”
Hori: “That’s quite an extreme change.” (laughs)
Sato: “I do it because I want to look cool for the person I like. But Kaito can pull those kind of jokes off naturally. That, plus his funny antics in general make him draw people in. He’s the funniest of all the handsome actors I’ve ever met.”
Hori: “Wowww! (happily) We can tease each other, but just enough for us to not end up disliking each other. I think it’s rare to be able to build a relationship like this, by poking fun at each other’s flaws.”
Sato: “Usually, I’m the only one who makes all the witty remarks, but in our friendship we both started doing it pretty early on.”
The longer we’re talking, the more it’s as if we’re watching a comedy show here.
Hori: “I was also always singing on set, which lead to me being asked to sing the ending theme song.”
Sato: “It’s a cover of a popular song by Furuuchi Touko, ‘Dare yori suki nano ni’, which was released in 1996. I get a lot of comments like, ‘You covered that song?’ and ‘That’s great!’.”
Hori: “Mostly from people who already heard it 20 years ago. Apparently it was a pretty moving song.”
Sato: “Yes, please pay attention to the ending.”
Hori: “To get back on track, if you fall in love with Yusuke-kun, he will let you do anything. He’ll even accommodate himself, so you can be yourself completely…” (looking at Sato) “Or maybe not.”
Sato: “You don’t really know me that well, do you? Don’t I have any redeeming qualities when it comes to romance at all?”
Hori: “Yeah, I don’t think you’re suited for romance, to be honest.” (empathically)
Sato (laughing hard): “Yeah, I have to agree. Even though I’m incredibly devoted, I usually just think to myself ‘I like them’ but I don’t try to make it clear at all. Which leads to the other person thinking I don’t actually fancy them. I can’t express my feelings that thoroughly.”
Hori: “And also, he’s the type of person who cares about himself the most.”
Sato (simultaneously): “Hey, now!”
Hori: “He’s pretty self-centered and cares more about himself than the other person –”
Sato (interrupting): “Are you trying to insult me?”
Hori: “I meant in a good way! You could say that I’m charmed by the sharp contrast between his childish side, which comes out sometimes, and his serious and reliable side. I think it’s cute.”
Sato (just muttering to himself)
Hori: “He's looking like he doesn’t understand at all.” (laughs)
Seems as if your comedy act will continue alright. So if you were to be acting together again, what kind of story and roles would you like to play?
Hori: “I would love to make a second season or a Fake Fact Lips movie. I want to make this project really big. Also, since I was given the opportunity to sing the ending theme song, I would like for us to perform it together on music shows. Actually, I recorded the song with all of our parts reversed and I would love if it could be released somewhere.”
Sato: “Is that project still going?”
Hori: “I sent you a video on LINE, but you just read it and ignored me.” (See Hori’s solo interview, question 4.)
Sato (ignoring Kaito): “I want to play some sort of love triangle. With Yuya Futami, played by Amon Hirai, maybe…”
Hori: “And Onishi Yuma, played by Zaitsu Yutaro, as well?”
Sato: “That would be a love quadrangle! Like if Ryo and Zen were fighting over Futami and Onishi.”
Hori: “Oh, I see??? So they themselves would be fighting for someone instead of being the ones who are fought over.”
Sato: “I would also like to try acting out a more complicated romance rol.”
Hori: “Playing an actual ‘rival’ sounds interesting too.”
Sato: “It’s fascinating to think about all the possible relationship dynamics in romance stories.”
So, basically a ‘handsome guy battle’ it is, then?
Hori: “Nah, I would definitely win that one.”
Sato: “Well, considering Kaito is surprisingly popular with girls.”
Hori: “‘Surprisingly’!” (laughs)
––––––––––
★ Solo interviews can be found in this post! ★
Translator’s note regarding their names before every quote: it might look a little formal, but in the printed interview they used their last names before each quote. In the questions and quotes, I kept the original ways they addressed each other. Kaito tends to call Yusuke ‘Yusuke-kun’, while Yusuke usually calls Kaito just ‘Kaito’. Incidentally, a name without suffix indicates a high form of informality. Basically, only family members and close friends do this.
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