His voice is both velvet and a howl—a pure, haunting sound that carries the weight of journey as an artist, like the wolf’s call echoing through the stillness of the dark. Each note in his songs a shimmering diamond, glinting in the pale glow of the moon. His melodies are not just heard, but felt—reaching deep into the bones, stirring shadows, and pulling at the heart’s hidden corners. Off the stage, there is a serenity about him, a polished control that feels almost unnatural, as if a force within him is held in perfect restraint. A figure of moonlight, something about him feels as if he could vanish with the dawn, leaving only the echo of his presence.
NOTICE: This character is inactive and is never coming back. I tried very hard to bring him back on X at some friends' request, but ultimately made the decision to leave in February, 2026, on the 10th year anniversary of when I first created him. If anyone receives a message, on his or my behalf, it is not from us. I do not wish to play him anymore and no longer am a fan of his group.
Hey. Don't expect this to mean much to you if anything but Candice has been letting me know what's going on, and just wanted to say keep your head up. Know it's hard because I've been there myself long ago but don't let pathetic and annoying shit get you down. Don't know Christine or whoever but know she's a pathetic shit for what she's doing to Candice and someone else I care about. Honestly pisses me off she's doing this shit to good and kind people, but if you didn't do shit to cause it, it ain't on you so don't blame yourself. Block and keep your head up man.
( . I'm addressing this out of character because, to me, this issue has never been in character—and I don’t intend to blur that line now as I take a bow. Thank you for your message. I truly appreciate your words, more than I can fully express, and I also deeply value the kindness and encouragement that Candice's mun has shown me.
I want to be clear: I have never condoned any of what’s happened. And I do not believe Christine's mun is behind this either. I tried to address the issue directly with the person involved by messaging them to stop—multiple times—because that’s how I handle conflicts. I message people directly off anonymous with my only and main account. I'm deeply saddened and apologize to all who have been affected.
This individual has chosen to be deliberately hurtful and has launched a smear campaign against both myself and my muse—for reasons I still cannot fully understand—while harassing multiple muns, their muses, and even people I do not know nor follow.
They’ve repeatedly lied using my muse’s name and likeness, sent me direct threats, stolen pictures from my X accounts, faked screenshots, and have continuously impersonated my muse and someone close to him, while clearly not caring about harming him and not knowing a single personal detail that has been shared with those closest to him.
Because of this, the endless stalking and harassment, I’ve made the difficult decision to step away from writing this muse. I have played this muse for over 10 years and I have never experienced anything like that. The only thing I ever did was play a guy in a boyband I am a fan of. That's it. And to me, RP is not worthy of any of this.
— You are the rose in the center of the garden. You are the thunderstorm that shakes windows and lights up the faces of those who watch eagerly from their porch. Loving you is a whirlwind, exhilarating dance, a night shared between lovers and their mingled breath. A rush of momentum, a brilliant supernova. Love to you is adrenaline, a fire to warm your hands and heart with.
There are nights when the moon rises like a wound refusing to close, and the sea growls low with truths no one wants to hear. I stand at the edge of that water, spine straight, heart still bruised but unbending. Dignity is not silence—it is the thunder held back behind your teeth, the choice to walk away when you could destroy, the calm refusal to bow when the world demands your knees. The moon watches, not in pity, but in recognition. She too has weathered darkness and still shines.
Respect begins in the marrow. I do not hand it out like loose change, nor do I hoard it like gold. It is earned in the way we speak, in the way we choose not to raise our voice when we could crush. I give it to those who carry themselves like storms and silence alike—who hold their ground without stepping on others. To respect myself is to know I will not be reduced, not by betrayal, not by need, not by the shallow hunger of others. I rise, not because it’s easy, but because I promised myself I would never drown again.
The sea and I—we’ve had our fights. I’ve swallowed its salt and screamed into its tides. But I’ve also learned to float. The moon taught me how to keep my softness sharp, how to light up without burning out. There is fierceness in not needing to be loud, in being able to say: this is where I end and you begin. I do not owe anyone smallness to make them feel big. My soul does not bargain. I am not here to be palatable. I am here to be whole.
Alright, so just like that, we’re creating an original playlist together with you listeners, based on a single theme. I wonder what kind of songs will come in next week? Be sure to look forward to the next SPARK Playlist Lab.
Now, let’s move on to a message related to the theme “student days.”
Radio listener's name: Kohane-san.
"ØMI-san, good evening." Good evening. "When I was a university student, I had actually been accepted for an exchange program, but it was all canceled due to COVID. I ended up giving up on it myself, too. Until then, I hadn’t really had any exposure to Sandaime or ØMI-san’s work, but during the pandemic, I happened to come across your live performances and films, and they gave me the courage to try again. Thanks to that, I was finally able to actually go abroad for study in graduate school. I’d really like to go back and tell my past self, “I’m glad you didn’t give up.” ØMI-san, is there anything you wanted to challenge yourself with during your student days, but in the end couldn’t?"
Hmm. I’m glad we were able to be a trigger for that. Thank you.
It’s true, things like exchange programs and all that... You know, I also had things I wanted to challenge myself with during my student years but never got to. One of those, like you, was studying abroad. I really wish I had done it. I think it would have been great to have experienced more different cultures and places back then. Even now, I still think about that a lot. Also, something I really regret now... is not studying more seriously.
It’s not like I was some super studious type back in school. I didn’t study every day or get top grades or anything. Honestly, I was the kind of student who probably gave the teachers a hard time. But now that I’m an adult, I find myself thinking more and more, “Man, I should’ve studied properly.” I mean, stuff about society too—once you become an adult, especially in a job like mine, you end up in a kind of different world, you know? I mean... the line between what’s considered common sense and not can get a little blurry.
And if you don’t actively go out and engage with social norms and societal rules on your own, you’ll start to forget them or get confused about them. So, in that sense, I really think it's important to stay grounded. And that’s why I believe I should’ve taken the chance to study seriously while I still had the time as a student. So yeah, if I had to sum up what I couldn’t do back then... it would be studying.
It’s not that I wanted to be super smart or get amazing grades. It’s more like... learning about life. Studying what it means to be a person. I think I didn’t do enough of that, you know? Now, thankfully, I’m in this position where I have the time to reflect on things.
Like recently—I mean, just this summer—I took a trip to Kyoto. And the more I explored the city, the more I wanted to know about it. So I started looking things up and thought, “Wait, this is stuff we learned in school!” That made me think, “Man, I wish I’d appreciated this more in real time, back then.” I wanted to feel those things with my own skin, to live in each moment more deeply.
So yeah, I guess I’m kind of going into “what if” territory now, but that’s what it made me think. And Kohane-san, you actually did end up studying abroad. You said you once gave up, but thanks to something we were a part of, you found the strength to challenge yourself again.
That’s really amazing. I hope that turns into a great exchange experience for you—one that becomes a meaningful page in your life story. I hope you make lots of new memories. Thank you so much for the message.
Alright, time for a quick commercial break. But stick with me—there’s more ØMI to come.
[CM break]
You’ve been listening to J-SPARK, brought to you by ØMI, vocalist of J SOUL BROTHERS III.
How was it? Today felt very much like a “student days” kind of episode, huh? Many of the people who called in were students, and as I talked to them, I started remembering my own student days—how things were back then. I mean... “Oh yeah, that happened,” or “I remember that teacher.” It was a bit nostalgic.
And the playlist segment, too—today all three songs we introduced were new to me. After this show ends, I definitely want to check out more songs from the artists we featured today. So I hope you’ll all keep sending in songs for the playlist project—like, “This song is amazing!” or “Bet you’ve never heard this one before!” Anything like that, please keep them coming.
We’re always looking forward to your messages on this program. You can send them by clicking the message button on the SPARK homepage.
Up next is “King’s Place,” brought to you by Young Skinny. Keep enjoying J-WAVE. Until then, this has been ØMI, vocalist of J SOUL BROTHERS III.
Let’s meet again next week, Wednesday night at midnight.
Now, let’s move on to this segment: SPARK Playlist Lab. In this segment, each month we choose a theme and build a playlist together with all of you listeners. This month’s theme is male solo artists.
Let’s get to the first submission. Radio name: Yoshizo-san.
"Omi-chan, good evening." Good evening. "The song I recommend is from Tortoise Matsumoto’s album My Way or the Highway. All the songs on that album are great, but I especially recommend the song “Straight.” Tortoise-san’s album really has a good balance—there are laid-back songs that make you go, “Wow, I can’t believe this is even a song!” but also serious songs that are honest and sincere without being flashy or pretentious. I love how straightforward his lyrics are, and I think his powerful voice is truly one of a kind. Back in my 20s, I worked at a job that was extremely tough, and I listened to this album a lot to keep my spirits up. I really hope you give it a listen too.
Alright, let’s listen to it right away.
(♪ “Straight” plays)
Yeah, seriously, there’s something about Tortoise-san’s world. Just like it said in the message—we heard about how hard those times were, but how the music gave you strength. There’s something in his lyrics and the energy of his songs that feels like he’s affirming who you are, telling you, “You’re doing fine just the way you are.” That power really comes through in his voice and lyrics.
What the listener said really rings true—this song captures all of that. I’ve listened to a lot of Ulfuls’ music too, of course. But when it comes to Tortoise-san’s solo work, I actually hadn’t listened to much of it, so this was a great opportunity. I think I want to explore more of it.
The song we just played was “Straight” by Tortoise Matsumoto. Let’s move on to the next one.
Radio listener's name: Yuzuki-san.
"Omi-kun, good evening." Good evening. "The male solo artist I recommend is Sakurai-san. He hasn’t released a large number of solo tracks, but one I especially want to recommend is “Sacrifice.” It’s a song that reflects his inner struggles, sacrifices for his art, the darkness and hope of singing. In an interview at the time, he said that even if people need him or not, singing is the only thing he can do, and that’s what inspired the lyrics. Also, the meaning of the song title itself—“Sacrifice”—refers to the offering of oneself to the gods. It’s a love song dedicated to the divine. The lyrics are short, but incredibly deep. I hope you enjoy his unique worldview."
Wow… That’s amazing. Let’s listen.
(♪ “Sacrifice” plays)
Yeah, that’s an incredible world he’s created. This is actually the first time I’ve heard this, and I also pulled up the lyrics while listening. Just like you said in the message, it really is a song of love offered to the gods. The lyrics themselves really express that deeply.
When I’m writing songs or lyrics myself, there are words that can be hard to use. But looking at these lyrics, you can tell he chose his words with sincerity—not trying to dress them up, but because he genuinely felt them.
That feeling matches so well with the music and his singing voice. You can really sense Sakurai-san’s way of life as an artist—his message, like, “This is how I live, this is how I sing.” That’s all packed into this one song.
If there’s a live performance video or a music video for this song, I’d love to watch it and see more of that world. Thank you for sharing.
The song we just played was “Sacrifice” by Sakurai Atsushi.
Let’s move on.
Radio listener's name: Na-san.
"Omi-kun, good evening." Good evening. "The song I want to recommend is “Nigemizu Odoru” by Masato Oomi, featuring Urakami Souki. "This song reminds me of high school. In the spring of my second year, I was placed in a new class and there was someone I found myself curious about—he always looked like he was having fun with friends. I’m a bit shy and not the type to talk to boys much. But by chance, that person added me on social media and messaged me. The song he had set as his profile music was this one. We started messaging back and forth, and eventually I wondered what kind of music he liked, so I listened to the song. And it really struck me. It had this stylish vibe, but also this strange sense of distance and wistfulness, like it was pulling me into another world. It didn’t match the cheerful, energetic image I had of him in class, and my heart started racing. It turned out we had similar tastes in music, and that’s probably when I realized I had feelings for him. It was the first time I’d ever fallen for someone because of a song."
Let’s listen.
(♪ “Nigemizu Odoru” plays)
This was my first time hearing it too. Like the message said, there’s a unique atmosphere to it. The rhythm is great, and the way the lyrics play with the Japanese language is really clever. There are parts of the song that feel almost like a modern rap flow, and the rhythm and wordplay really bring scenes to life. Words like “by the highway” and other little details are woven in so naturally, you can really imagine the scenery.
Reading the message, I could totally see how you felt that connection. When you find out someone you like has the same taste in music, it really hits you—like, “Whoa, we’re on the same wavelength.” That moment when your feelings start to speed up… I totally get that.
I’d love to check out more of this artist’s songs. The track we just played was “Nigemizu Odoru” by Masato OOmi featuring Urakami Souki.
The song I just played was “End of Line.” Next, let’s move on to the next corner: SPARK Support Squad. This segment is about encouraging listeners who are working hard at various things like work, studying, and love by calling them on the phone. Alright, let’s get started.
Radio listener's name: Kanon-san. "Hey ØMI, good evening." Good evening. "I’m currently a second-year high school student and I love English. Last year, I finally got to go on a language study abroad program that I had been dreaming of. I started attending my Japanese high school again from September. I want to live the full high school girl life, but what awaits me is a massive amount of English qualification exams and tests for university entrance. Of course, I love English, but when it comes to exams, I end up putting a lot of pressure on myself because of my time abroad. I want some encouraging words from my favorite ØMI. Also, if you have any tips on how to overcome pressure, please teach me."
Wow. If you spoke in English, I might have been confused, but let’s give it a go.
Hello?
Hello.
Hi Kanon-san.
Thank you for your email.
No, thank you for choosing me.
You sound very composed for a second-year high school student.
Thank you.
Nice middle schooler energy.
Yeah, nice second-year energy.
I was a bit nervous, wondering if you might suddenly speak English, but you spoke such polite Japanese, thank you.
Where did you go for your language study?
I went to Canada.
Canada, huh? How was it?
Life over there was—
Yeah, there were challenges, like walls I had to overcome, difficulties, but in the end, I felt really glad I went.
Good!
What got you interested in learning English? Like, do you have a future goal in mind?
Not really. I don’t have a clear plan for what I want to be in the future.
I see, I see.
My high school has a good system for sending students abroad, so I just went for it on a whim and ended up going.
So, you didn’t grow up in an environment where English was very familiar, like at home or around you?
No, I liked English from the start, but no one in my family has that experience, and there’s no one around me who does either.
Really?
Yeah, I just went for it on a whim, that typical high school girl vibe.
That’s amazing. You already have a really great skill set, I think.
You’re already pretty fluent.
Well, through studying abroad, I got used to English, but I still need to work harder on speaking and such.
Right.
You have tests and exams in the second year too?
Yeah, and I missed a stadium trip in October because it overlapped with an exam.
Oh, that’s too bad.
Yeah.
It’s tough to master English and become fluent, I’m sure. But in the future, when you enter society, probably as an office worker or something, English will be even more necessary.
Yeah, definitely.
The more skills you have, the more options open up. The world is expanding like that. It’s like that now, and I’m sure it will be even more so in the future.
It might be tough now, but all that hard work you’re putting in will definitely pay off later.
About how to overcome pressure and get your mind right—if you have any methods, I’d like to hear them.
Are your exams mostly written tests?
Yes, there are written exams and also speaking tests.
Speaking tests too? Oh man.
Yeah, it’s tough.
After coming back to Japan and re-entering school, you might get caught up in the fun of high school life and maybe drift away from English a bit.
Yeah, there are lots of distractions, right? Like going out and having fun.
So many, yeah.
Maybe in your daily life, you could try watching movies without Japanese subtitles, or listening to music in English and figuring out the meaning yourself.
Those kinds of things can help you get used to the language.
It’s important to create an environment where English is part of your life.
Yes, that makes sense.
Thinking about the future, it’s better to build those skills now because it’s really hard to absorb new things as an adult.
Ah, yeah. That's right.
Thinking about the future, I really feel like if you don't pick things up now, it'll be way harder once you're an adult.
Ah, really?
Yeah, totally. I mean, now that I’m in my 30s, I started thinking, "Maybe I should learn English." But…
It just doesn’t stick, the English.
Exactly. I mean, sure, maybe I could do it if I really tried, but honestly, at your age, the way you can absorb things—the speed you take things in—is just totally different from how it is now for me.
Right, right.
So when I think about that, there are definitely parts of me that regret not taking advantage of the time when I could have. Like, “Man, I should’ve just done it,” or “I should’ve put myself in that kind of environment.”
That means I really have to work hard, then.
Yeah, exactly. And when you think about how this effort will definitely pay off in your future—like 10 or 20 years from now—it could very well be that now is your time to push yourself the most.
I can do it, I can work hard.
Yeah. And really, every bit of effort you put in will always come back to you. It’ll become part of who you are and be your strength. Those experiences—especially when you're about to be crushed by pressure or nerves—at the end of the day, the only person you can really rely on is yourself.
Yes, that’s true.
You can’t be like, “Someone help me!” or “Can you speak English for me instead?” That just doesn’t work.
Exactly.
So in the end, it all comes down to you. And when you realize that, and understand deep down that your own effort is what makes you your biggest ally, I think the amount of effort you put in will naturally change.
Yes.
And if you can push yourself that far, then when the big day comes—like the actual test or performance—I think you’ll be able to shake off your doubts. The effort you’ve put in up to that point becomes your confidence and gives you that final push forward.
Yeah, you're totally right.
That’s why I really hope you give it your all, keeping that in mind.
Yes, I will.
Alright, then, keep doing your best.
Thank you so much.
Thank you too.
Yeah... So admirable. That’s really great. I’m kind of jealous, honestly.
You know, even now, doing this kind of work, there are still plenty of times when I realize how much I actually need English. So I just genuinely hope you keep at it and do your best. And I hope we’ll get to meet at a live show someday. When that time comes, I’d love to hear how far you’ve come. So, please look forward to the next SPARK Cheer Squad segment.
Alright, let’s play a song now. This is “Malibu Nights” by LANY.
That was “Malibu Nights” by LANY. You’re listening to the late-night J-WAVE show SPARK, hosted by ØMI of J SOUL BROTHERS III.
It’s just past midnight— Good evening, everyone listening to J-WAVE's PARK. This is ØMI, vocalist of J SOUL BROTHERS III. Thank you for joining me tonight.
So, we’ve received another question from the staff today.
"They say this past Monday was a full moon. When people think of the moon, they think of ØMI. And when they think of ØMI, they think of the moon… So, have you looked at the moon recently? Have you gazed up at the night sky?"
That’s a romantic question.
I did see the full moon this time, I’ve always loved the moon—I end up looking at it whenever I get the chance. When the moonlight is especially clear and strong, it’s so beautiful. And I have a habit of dimming the lights in my room when that happens.
It's almosr like my own personal ritual each month. I’m not the type to have all the lights blazing in my room. I tend to keep it dim, so when the moonlight shines in, I’ll often turn the lights down even more just to enjoy that atmosphere, and go to the balcony to moonview.
I didn’t expect such a romantic question, but it made me think I want to make sure I catch the next full moon from the countryside.
The moon shows so many different faces—no two nights are the same. So now that I’ve been asked this, I think I’ll look up at the night sky tonight.
Alright, let’s move on to tonight’s lineup.
Tonight, we have the ØMI Confidential corner, where I share stories from my personal life—things you might not know. Then there’s the SPARK Support Squad, where we cheer on listeners working hard at jobs, studying, or in love, over the phone. And we’ll also do SPARK Playlist Lab, where we build playlists together with your input.
We’ll be reading emails on the theme of “student days” tonight, too—look forward to that. The show is also active on X (formerly Twitter). You can post with the hashtags #SP813 and #JWAVE.
This is J-WAVE's night show SPARK, hosted by ØMI, vocalist of J SOUL BROTHERS III. Let’s kick things off with this song—“BLUE SAPPHIRE” by ØMI.
(♪ “BLUE SAPPHIRE” plays)
It’s Thursday night, and you’re listening to SPARK with ØMI from J SOUL BROTHERS III. Let’s read some of the messages our listeners have sent in.
This one’s from Sakki-san.
“Good evening, ØMI-san!” Good evening! “It’s sudden, but I’ve recently gotten really into anko (sweet red bean paste). I’ve also gotten into the drama Anpanman, but these days I’m eating pretty much all the anko-filled pastries I can find—anpan, anko sandwiches, anko danishes, anko toast, even anko croissants. I buy them at bakeries and convenience stores and compare them daily. It all started when I had an anpan I bought in Nagoya before boarding the Shinkansen for your concert. Maybe because it was after the live show, it tasted incredible, and I got totally hooked. I tend to eat the same thing over and over once I’m into it. Do you have any foods you could eat every day without getting tired of them? Or any food you’ve been into recently?”
Ahh, anko huh. I’m... not really that into anko to be honest. I mean, there’s tsubu-an and koshi-an, right? I guess I prefer koshi-an, but either way, I don’t really seek it out. Even with taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes), I end up going for custard filling or something like that instead.
I mean, I don’t mind anko, but it’s not something I go out of my way for. Though a lot of people love it, don’t they? Like, my parents really love it too, so growing up, our house always had those little mini-anpans—you know the kind that come in a bag, all packed in together. They’d always be sitting out on the breakfast table. Meanwhile, I’d be thinking, “Man, I wish it was chocolate instead,” while staring at the row of anpans. I remember that clearly.
As for food I’ve been into lately… well, it’s not like I just discovered it, but a food I realized I could eat every day is… unagi (grilled eel).
Yeah, I know it’s considered a luxury item, but there’s this place I go to often—it’s kind of like a restaurant where you grill seasonal ingredients over charcoal at your table. They always have whatever’s fresh that day—fish, meat, vegetables. It’s different from an izakaya, but it’s my go-to spot.
And they’ve been serving unagi all summer. Before, I’d only eat unagi once during its season, but ever since I started going to this place regularly, they’ve always had it. So I’d think, “Ah, unagi again tonight,” and order it grilled or as shirayaki (plain grilled without sauce).
Eventually, I realized, “Wait—I could eat this every day!” And it’s super nutritious too, right? It just felt like it really agreed with my body. So yeah, I thought, “I could actually eat unagi every day.”
Like you said about anpan, it all started with a live show in Nagoya—there’s this hitsumabushi place that often sends us boxed eel rice as a gift, so it became my personal Nagoya ritual to eat unagi there. But lately, I’ve started going out of my way to eat it more proactively.
So yeah, I guess that’s the food I’ve gotten really into recently—unagi.
Next up is a message from Yoshizou-san.
“Good evening, ØMI-chan!” Good evening! “There are times when I just can’t fall asleep at night. When that happens, I usually just stay up until I finally feel sleepy. But if I have work the next day, I end up feeling drowsy and out of it, and my productivity takes a hit. So every time it happens, I remind myself I need to sleep properly. The other day, I couldn’t fall asleep again, and I thought maybe I should try to relax. So I searched YouTube for nature sounds and found this video of the ocean in a southern island—the gentle sound of waves in the shallows was so soothing that I ended up falling asleep while listening. What do you do when you can’t sleep?”
Hmm. I’m not sure if I’ve talked about this before, but I’m really bad at sleeping.
I have trouble falling asleep, and I think my sleep is shallow too. Like, if my phone buzzes or someone sends me a LINE message, I’ll wake up instantly.
I’ve been aware that this isn’t good, but like Yoshizou-san said, there are a lot of nights where I can’t sleep. And lately, the problem is—I get really sleepy around 9 or 10 PM. But I’m usually still up at that time, maybe sitting on the couch, and I end up dozing off there for 30 minutes or an hour. After that, I can’t fall asleep at midnight anymore, because I already got that little nap in. So I’ll go to bed and just lie there… and before I know it, it’s 2 or 3 AM. Sometimes even 4 AM.
So I really understand your struggle. But like you said, those nature sounds—environmental sounds, forest, waves, fire crackling—those can really help.
There are even channels that just loop the sound of a campfire forever, right? That “crackle crackle” sound is so relaxing.
But something else I found helpful was a breathing technique I saw—apparently it’s used by people in the Self-Defense Forces or the military. You breathe deeply in through your nose, then exhale slowly through your mouth over 7 seconds. Then you inhale again through your nose over 5 seconds. It’s about consciously deepening your breathing.
It sounds simple—breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth—but apparently most people don’t actually breathe deeply like this, especially when stressed or overthinking. That leads to shallow sleep.
So I tried doing this consciously—deep inhale, deep exhale—and I actually fell asleep pretty quickly when I did that. It’s something you can do just by being aware of your own body, without needing any sound or external tools, so I really recommend it.
Yeah… so I’ve been trying to improve my sleep by experimenting with both sounds and breathing techniques.
Thanks to everyone who sent in messages.
Alright, let’s play a song—“U & U” by etonem.
(♪ “U & U” plays)
You just heard “U & U” by etonem. This is ØMI on J-WAVE's SPARK. Let’s move on to the next corner—OMI Confidential. This is a segment where I share private stories you might not know about me, so listeners can get to know me a little better.
Is this the fourth time now? Yeah... I’m starting to run out of topics though. But, you know, I still feel like there’s a lot I want to talk about. So, today’s topic is soccer. Yes. Going for something simple today.
I think many fans who support me probably already think, “Oh, ØMI really likes soccer, huh?”
If I look back, I’ve been playing soccer since I was in kindergarten. Even when I was too young to really remember, if you look at something like my graduation album, I’m holding a soccer ball. So I guess I’ve been playing soccer for a long time. I played soccer in elementary school, middle school, and high school as well.
Soccer is also part of my hobbies. If I’m allowed to count it as a hobby, it’s definitely one of them. Right now, the season has just started—a new league kicked off. The soccer season has started again.
I really love watching European soccer. Because of the time difference, the kickoff is usually in the middle of the night. So I end up sleep-deprived every day.
Especially, I really like the English Premier League.
If you think about it, when I was playing soccer, it was a really big deal for Japanese players to go overseas. It was a huge, high wall to climb. Back then, players like King Kazu (Kazuyoshi Miura) opened the door for others. Then later, famous players like Hidetoshi Nakata and others challenged themselves abroad. But the hurdles and walls were always said to be very high.
Back in the day, sports news covering Japanese players playing in overseas matches was big news. When they scored, it was a huge deal. But thinking about it now, it’s so normal. So, for me who has been watching since back then, it’s still strange to see that now, Japanese players are part of such a huge force—some of the world’s top players and coaches—in top-class games.
It’s become so normal now that kids watching soccer today probably think, “Oh, that player went there, they’re doing well,” but for me who’s watched it for a long time, it’s quite deep to think, “Japanese players are standing on that stage.”
I feel very strongly about that.
As for my own experience, I had a really great opportunity when I appeared on a TV program called “Another Sky.” They sent me to Paris. The staff of “Another Sky” asked me, “ØMI, you like soccer, right? Would you like to go watch a match?”
I said, “Yes, I want to go!” At that time, Paris Saint-Germain, who won last year’s UEFA Champions League, was called the world’s number one club. They had tickets and asked if I wanted to go. I said yes, and they took me to Paris.
When I got to the stadium, they surprised me by letting me enter through the players-only entrance. The PR staff from Paris Saint-Germain greeted me, showed me the players’ locker rooms, and then told me, “The players are warming up now, so you can go to the pitch side.” They took me right there, and I was in the players’ zone before the game.
At that time, the team was full of star players. You know Neymar, Messi, and Mbappé were all there—these huge stars all together. It was incredible. Neymar was practicing just a few meters away from me. He was tapping the ball, and then he glanced at me and winked. I thought, “Wow, that’s so cool.”
Maybe the wink wasn’t just for me because there were lots of Paris Saint-Germain supporters behind me, but still, it made my heart race. It felt like I went back to being a kid again.
To my soccer-playing younger self, I want to say, “Look, 20 years later, you’re watching soccer right next to the pitch at Paris Saint-Germain!”
It was such a great experience.
They treated me so well, even gave me an official Paris Saint-Germain uniform with my name “ØMI” and a number on the back as a gift. They also invited me to appear on the official PSG Instagram. It was a very warm and generous invitation.
I was really moved by the whole experience.
However, funny enough, none of this appeared in the “Another Sky” episode, so it felt like a private trip.
But I was there with the staff, and we all had a great time watching the match live and feeling the atmosphere in person.
So, if I were to make a private “to-do” list for my life, I’d say one of my next goals is to go to England and watch the Premier League live and feel the atmosphere firsthand.
That’s why I chose soccer as today’s topic.
That’s it for this segment.
Now, let me play a song for you. This is “End of Line” by yours truly.
(♪ “End of Line” plays)
The song I just played was “End of Line.” Next, let’s move on to the next corner: SPARK Support Squad. This segment is about encouraging listeners who are working hard at various things like work, studying, and love by calling them on the phone. Alright, let’s get started.
Radio listener's name: Kanon-san. "Hey ØMI, good evening." Good evening. "I’m currently a second-year high school student and I love English. Last year, I finally got to go on a language study abroad program that I had been dreaming of. I started attending my Japanese high school again from September. I want to live the full high school girl life, but what awaits me is a massive amount of English qualification exams and tests for university entrance. Of course, I love English, but when it comes to exams, I end up putting a lot of pressure on myself because of my time abroad. I want some encouraging words from my favorite ØMI. Also, if you have any tips on how to overcome pressure, please teach me."
Wow. If you spoke in English, I might have been confused, but let’s give it a go.
Hello?
Hello.
Hi Kanon-san.
Thank you for your email.
No, thank you for choosing me.
You sound very composed for a second-year high school student.
Thank you.
Nice middle schooler energy.
Yeah, nice second-year energy.
I was a bit nervous, wondering if you might suddenly speak English, but you spoke such polite Japanese, thank you.
Where did you go for your language study?
I went to Canada.
Canada, huh? How was it?
Life over there was—
Yeah, there were challenges, like walls I had to overcome, difficulties, but in the end, I felt really glad I went.
Good!
What got you interested in learning English? Like, do you have a future goal in mind?
Not really. I don’t have a clear plan for what I want to be in the future.
I see, I see.
My high school has a good system for sending students abroad, so I just went for it on a whim and ended up going.
So, you didn’t grow up in an environment where English was very familiar, like at home or around you?
No, I liked English from the start, but no one in my family has that experience, and there’s no one around me who does either.
Really?
Yeah, I just went for it on a whim, that typical high school girl vibe.
That’s amazing. You already have a really great skill set, I think.
You’re already pretty fluent.
Well, through studying abroad, I got used to English, but I still need to work harder on speaking and such.
Right.
You have tests and exams in the second year too?
Yeah, and I missed a stadium trip in October because it overlapped with an exam.
Oh, that’s too bad.
Yeah.
It’s tough to master English and become fluent, I’m sure. But in the future, when you enter society, probably as an office worker or something, English will be even more necessary.
Yeah, definitely.
The more skills you have, the more options open up. The world is expanding like that. It’s like that now, and I’m sure it will be even more so in the future.
It might be tough now, but all that hard work you’re putting in will definitely pay off later.
About how to overcome pressure and get your mind right—if you have any methods, I’d like to hear them.
Are your exams mostly written tests?
Yes, there are written exams and also speaking tests.
Speaking tests too? Oh man.
Yeah, it’s tough.
After coming back to Japan and re-entering school, you might get caught up in the fun of high school life and maybe drift away from English a bit.
Yeah, there are lots of distractions, right? Like going out and having fun.
So many, yeah.
Maybe in your daily life, you could try watching movies without Japanese subtitles, or listening to music in English and figuring out the meaning yourself.
Those kinds of things can help you get used to the language.
It’s important to create an environment where English is part of your life.
Yes, that makes sense.
Thinking about the future, it’s better to build those skills now because it’s really hard to absorb new things as an adult.
