Arioka Daiki - 10K Interview MYOJO

[hoshizora20.livejournal.com]

Note: There's a few references to Daiki's first 10k interview, which can be found here

What I am today

Congrats on the 10th anniversary of your debut!

Thank you!

Ten years is a long time.

It's true that if I look at it in terms of the number, it's a long time, but when I look back, it all happened so fast. Maybe I'm just forgetting all the things that have happened?!

Is there anything you'd like to say to the members in this milestone year?

Probably, "We've come so far". I think it's honestly amazing that we've been able to do this for 10 years as a group. We've seen a lot of our senpais celebrate their 10th anniversaries, so maybe there was a part of us that vaguely thought "we'll be able to celebrate our 10th anniversary someday too", but being able to celebrate our 10th anniversary is not something we can take for granted. A lot of things have happened, and we've had the support of our fans and many other people to celebrate this 10th anniversary. So, first of all, I want to be proud of what we've achieved for 10 years as Hey! Say! JUMP, and then I want to say to the members "Let's aim higher and higher!"

If you could convey a message to your fans who have supported you until now, what would it be?

The first thing that comes to mind are words of gratitude. I want to tell them "Thank you" first. The people who support JUMP now might become fans of other groups in the future. If that happens, we can't say anything because it's out of our control. But this is something I've been saying for a long time, and I still think the same thing. I think that we will be a group where people can proudly say one day, "I'm a fan of Hey! Say! JUMP!!", so until that happens, please walk alongside us. I want you to follow us.

So the first thing you want to say is "thank you"

Yes, of course, I can't thank the people who have become our new fans enough. But there's a bit of history in our 10 years, and at our concerts, we find fans who have been supporting us since our Jr. days.

How do you know that?

You just know, you just know. And also, she's carrying a child. Like, she's saying "I'm a mum now." I was surprised and so emotional. It made me realise that we've grow up together with our fans and that we're growing up together. It's such a wonderful thing to have two generations of parents and children supporting us, right? I think it would be nice if it became a topic of conversation between them. Like, "What's going on lately with Arioka-kun?" Something like that (laughs).

That's right (laughs).

It's really thanks to my fans that I am where I am today. Since I became a regular on "Hirunandesu!", I don't hesitate to say things I think are funny, and I've even come to say self-deprecating things like "I'm not popular!" That's because my fans laughed and were happy, and many of them wrote me fan letters saying, "Well said!" and many people pushed me to go forward. If people had said, "I didn't want to see Arioka-kun like that," or had abandoned me, I think I would be more hesitant to say what I wanted to say. Maybe I might say something bland in my food report (laughs). But when they spoke to me honestly, there were people who said, "I like you even more now! (laughs). That's why it's my fans who made me who I am today. I can't thank them enough.

We weren't out of place.

Do you remember the 10,000-character interview you did a year and a half ago? It was just after your solo trip to Yakushima, wasn't it? (T/N: From my research, Daiki took a solo trip to Yakushima for some soul searching)

That's right. It's already been that long.

You had a lot of worries at that time. Have you managed to move past it?

Yeah. I think I've moved past it now. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't have any worries at all now. I just don't have any big worries now, like I did back then.

Once again, are there any changes you see in yourself before and after Yakushima?

After Yakushima, I gradually became more confident. I still get a bit nervous, but I've got more confidence and courage. Like I said last time, a lot has happened on this path I've walked and I'm sure more things will happen in the future. But I'm now like, "This path is definitely not a mistake and it would be nice if I can move forward on his path, together with the members." (T/N: This path and Yakushima is discussed in Daiki's first 10k interview)

The year after you went to Yakushima, you were chosen to be a regular on "Hirunandesu!" on Tuesdays. Your innovative style has given you the nickname of "the rising star of food reports." (laughs). (T/N: From my research, Daiki would say what first came to his head in his food reports so he was known for being spontaneous).

Just so there are no misunderstandings, let me say this first. The food is really, really good. I just find it hard to put into words (laughs).

How did you establish that food-reporting style?

There are a lot of people around me, including (Yaotome) Hikaru, who are really good at making comments, so it's no use saying the same thing as them. If I just say something forced, the audience will see right through me. So I thought I'd tell it like it is. Of course, at first I was struggling to do it well. I watched and studied a lot of programs. But there were staff who told me, "It's interesting just as it is!" Like I said before, I also had fans encouraging me by saying, "Today's food report made me laugh". That's why I've decided to keep saying what I think, as soon as I think of it. Now the staff ask me, "The food reporting hasn't been getting better. Are you okay?" and are worried (laughs).

In the last interview, I remember getting the impression you said something like "we were always out of place" because you debuted before A.B.C- Z and Kis-My-Ft2, but how do you feel now?

These days, I don't feel like we're out of place at all, and I don't think we were ever out of place to begin with.

What do you mean?

Even now, when A.B.C-Z or Kisumai are asked in magazines or on TV about their frustrations, our names are often brought up, saying that "they were the first to debut". In the past, there were times when I honestly had thoughts about our name being mentioned. But now, I think if it makes the talk more exciting, I want people to use our name.

Why the change of heart?

For example, just the other day, the Tsukada-kai was held after a long time, and I had dinner with people from various groups. The founder is Tsuka-chan (Ryoichi Tsukada).

Who are the members?

From A.B.C-Z, there's Tsuka-chan, Goseki-kun (Koichi) and Totsu (Totsuka Shota). From Kis-My-Ft2, there's Kitayama-kun (Hiromitsu), Miyacchi (Miyata Toshiya) and Nikaido-kun (Takashi). Also Nakayama-kun (Yuma) came too. From JUMP, it's me and Yabu-kun. And from NEWS, it's Masu (Masuda Takahisa).

In this group, Yuma is the youngest and you're the second youngest. But you made your debut after NEWS. You had a sense of nervousness about it, right?

At first I was a bit scared (laughs). I wasn't sure if I could get into the idea. But it was totally fine. When we get together, it's like we're instantly back in our Jr. days. We have experienced happiness, frustration, pain, anger, being upset and so on together. So there is a great sense of "friendship" between us.

Sounds like a fun meeting.

Yeah. It was a lot of fun, overcoming the boundaries across different groups. But it's not only fun, it's also encouraging. We all talk about how we're going to do our best. Nikaido-kun talked to me a lot, and he told me four or five times, "I like Arioka's 'Ari oka, Nashi oka' on "Hirunandesu!" (laughs) (T/N: From what I understand, this is a part where Daiki goes on location to places and says 'Ari oka' (meaning okay, a pun on his last name) and 'Nashi oka' (meaning no). I think it might be when he does or doesn't get permission to film). I had also just started watching Nikaido's "Moshimo Tours", and we talked about our location shootings. We're friends, but we're also rivals. Of course, I'm not suggesting we're going to learn anything from each other. But Kitayama-kun is naturally a good talker, so when he asks me to change the topic, I feel like I'm being tested on my abilities (laughs). I'm sure Kitayama-kun wonders about what topics we all talk about and what timing the conversation is changed and thinks, "That's impressive" (laughs).

Last year, you performed with Kisumai at the "FNS Uta no Natsu Matsuri 2016".

Yes.

On the radio afterwards, Senga-kun (Kento) said, "Arioka hugged me around the waist and I was told it was "cute", and I was used as an accessory". Was this a strategy to make you look cute?

It wasn't a strategy (laughs). I was just... so happy. I was so excited. I used to be involved with Kisumai in my Jr. days, but since I debuted I haven't been. I met Senga-kun by chance at an artist's concert the other day. We walked together from the venue on our way home. Then suddenly he said, "I like you, Arioka!" as he walked off. I replied, "Me too!" (laughs).

Hahaha!

The truth is, we've been watched over by many people. Recently, I had the chance to speak on a TV special where a lot of people from different shows had gathered. I suddenly noticed that Ninomiya-kun (Kazunari) from Arashi was looking at me with great worry. He looked like he was thinking, "Can you speak properly?" So I spoke while looking towards him (laughs). Then I was able to talk very calmly.

He's a kind senior.

That's right. So we were never out of place. We've always been watched over by our seniors, by our peers, by the staff, and of course by our fans.

I see.

Once again, I now realise how great my seniors are. Of course, they have always been a big part of my life, but now I see them in a different light. It's like I looking at a big mountain from a distance, but when I got a little closer, I realised how big it actually was! For example, Ninomiya-kun was in 'Letters from Iwo Jima' at an age when he was younger than I am now.

But one day you'll have to surpass that.

Yes, now that we are celebrating our 10th anniversary, I feel that we have finally reached the middle boss. I think that one day the last boss we will have to overcome will be our seniors.

Could you win now?

We'll be killed now (laughs). But Kitayama-kun said "I want to stand in the new Japan National Stadium in 2021, the year after the Olympics". Of course we also share that feeling. That's why I think everyone is our rival. Whether it's Kisumai, Sexy Zone, NEWS, TOKIO or Arashi, from the top of the agency to the bottom, I think we're all rivals.

If they're on the same page, there's nothing to be afraid of!

You held concerts at Kyocera Dome and Tokyo Dome, as well as solo countdown concerts for two consecutive years. JUMP have been growing steadily, haven't you?

When I found out we were going to perform at Kyocera Dome, I was really excited. But when I stood in the dome, I somehow felt anxious. There were a lot of people there, and the penlights and cheers were amazing. I could see the smiles on their faces. But I was anxious about whether they were satisfied with our performances. I wondered if we were doing a good job of showing off the dome. We had an evaluation meeting after the performance and we all talked about if there's something we could've done better.

What about the following year at Tokyo Dome?

I had no worries at all!

Was that because JUMP had a lot of growth in 2016?

I wonder... I don't want to say that we didn't have confidence even at Kyocera But I guess you could say that the nine of us found our places.

You had an unusual six additional shows on last years tour and on New Year's Day this year, you performed twice at Tokyo Dome. Do you feel that things are going well for JUMP now?

I was excited that more people than ever could see us, but rather than being like "Here's JUMP!", we were thinking about each member's character, which we've been trying to instill since our debut, and I was thinking about how we have such good points, but we hadn't had a chance to let people see that. That's something I've been struggling with for a while. I was happy to see that the good in each of us is gradually being seen.

So, tell us what has changed and what hasn't changed in the members over the past 10 years. First, let's start with Yamada-kun (Ryosuke).

Yamada is basically the same. His sense of responsibility to the group, and the way he watches over the group from above hasn't changed. He's in charge of organising our concerts, but he's been thinking about how to show the group for a long time now.

Have some things changed?

I wonder... I wonder if he's become more balanced. I don't mean in terms of appearance (laughs). I guess you could say he's grown up. In the past, if someone made a comment that annoyed him, he would drag it out and come to me a lot and say, "Dai-chan, listen to me!", but not so much these days. It's a good thing he isn't stressed, but it was also a bit lonely for him.

Is that right.

We had always been putting a lot of the burden on Yamada alone. But he is so caring and when he was about to release his solo CD, he was really considerate about the members. At the time, Chinen and I were discussing how everyone could all share the burden Yamada was carrying. Even if we didn't put it in words, all of us were thinking, "We have to do our best too". I'm happy to see that Yamada seems to be enjoying himself these days. Of course, we still have a long way to go, but I'm glad that I was able to help, even if it was just a little. As a group, I think we have stepped up a little bit.

Sudden question, but who's taller, Yamada or you?

It's me. I think it's me. (laughs) But when we compare our heights, it varies from day to day. So when we line up in order of height for a photoshoot, we decide the order fairly by rock-paper-scissors.

Next, what about Chinen-kun (Yuri)?

Chinen is like... I wonder. Chinen also hasn't changed. He's always been able to do everything, and he's good at things like acrobatics, so there was a time when I depended on him like, "Isn't he amazing? Our Chinen". Recently, I feel like I've come to depend on him in areas besides his physical abilities. For example, when he MC's for "Itadaki High Jump", he's very effortless. He was so effortless that I didn't notice it during the recording, but afterwards I realised, "Chinen was amazing today."

He's dependable.

Yeah. The position of our dances is often symmetrical, and I'd feel embarassed if I had my own selfish misunderstanding of it, but I feel that we have our own understanding. Of course, we confirm using words too, but even though we don't say much to each other, there's a part of us that understand each other. I think that's because we've been working together for 10 years.

I can't believe he once slept on your lap.

That's right. I guess I've always been looking at Chinen from the perspective of an aniki (T/N: Older brother)

What about Okamoto-kun (Keito)?

Keito has become manly. Both in appearance and on the inside. He is cool. He has a clear idea of his own ideal and what he wants to be. He is also very particular. He has his own beliefs. I think he changed when he started playing the guitar. Recently, when I listen to Keito’s songs, I think he's cool. Of course, it's not just because he speaks fluent English. He won't say it, but he continues to work hard in a way that you can't see. All the time. Of course, I also think that Keito is still the most frustrated one amongst all the members.

Okamoto-kun said before that he was dragging JUMP down.

That was only really at the very beginning. I never once thought I was opposite Keito. Keito was secretly practicing as best as he could and following us as best as he could. At least I never felt like I was being dragged down by him.

How has Nakajima-kun (Yuto) changed?

He can take a joke now (laughs). I think that means he's grown up. I can say this now, but until a few years ago, I honestly felt like I couldn't handle him. During MC's when I wanted to give him something nice, he wouldn't participate in it because of his pride. Of course, that didn't mean I didn't like him, or that I thought he's a pain in the ass. I just always thought "What a waste". I felt sorry that I wasn't good enough to bring forward Yuto’s good qualities.

When did Nakajima-kun change?

When did it start? When I noticed, he'd already changed. Of course, it couldn’t have been sudden, since I'm sure he had a lot of problems and struggles himself. Yeah. Now he takes the initiative and makes the members laugh. Even when the cameras aren't rolling, he's like a mood maker and makes the place more exciting. He's changed, Yuto.

How did you feel when Yamada-kun and Nakajima-kun's relationship wasn't going well?

Hmmm. Right. I was worried. Yeah.

They get on really well now, right?

Yes. You know how it is in movies and manga, right. The kind of plot where the strongest rivals who used to fight each other become friends. It's huge that their relationship got better. I felt JUMP became something more important. It was reassuring. I thought, "If these two are on the same page, there's nothing to be afraid of."

That's right.

There are still moments when Yuto makes a joke to Yamada, and it makes me cringe. Like I think, "Shit, Yamada's gonna get angry." But Yamada laughs at it and takes the joke further. But that's not something that can just be said about the two of them, each member accepts each other and understands each other better. The relationship between all members has definitely deepened.

How has Takaki-kun (Yuya) changed? Lately, he's been an onee character (T/N: effeminate).

He seems to be enjoying it, so I thought whatever (laughs). But I think Takaki is the one who has changed the most. It's like he's a yankee who found love and became a young mum?

What do you mean?

I don't mean it in a bad way. Young mums are kind, aren't they? He suits it perfectly. At first, he was serious and had a huge attitude, but that was just to make himself appear more important. I don't know when he changed. His love for JUMP now is also great. I think he let go of something. He's started to be more open about who he is and not hide. I think he thinks it's okay as long as it makes JUMP's shows more interesting. In the past, he would've said, "I don't want to do that." Now, when I'm MCing and in trouble, I often turn the conversation over to Takaki. I find his casual comments and stories interesting. I rely on him a lot these days.

What about Yaotome Hikaru?

Hikaru-kun... I've known him for a long time. He's taken care of me. Since his Jr. days, he's been the selfish type. But now, just like Takaki, I think he's starting to think more and more about what's best for the group. I can see he's taking what he's learned on location on shows like "Hirunandesu!" and applying it to our shows. The one who takes the lead in the studio is definitely Hikaru-kun. I can rely on him.

Yaotome-kun used to have a barbell in his lesson bag and he was funky, right?

I knew Hikaru-kun when he was more cheeky than he is now. I think this is what it means to grow up, but I feel it's also a bit sad. He used to wear caps with his own illustrations on it, and he was so unconventional and the embodiment of creativity.

What about Yabu-kun?

When we made our debut, there was a part of me that always saw him as a senior. But now I don't feel that way. He's very easy to mess around with. It's like I can say what I think. I feel like he's my big brother who takes everything in stride.

When did your relationship change?

I don't know. But it wasn't anything dramatic. We've been together for 10 years and we've steadily built up our relationship. When we formed, I used to call him "Yabu-kun", but now I call him "Yabu-chan", so when I'm asked, "When did it change?", I honestly don't remember. It was a process that changed slowly and naturally over time. And now we can also talk about serious work stuff too. Chinen and Yabu-chan often eat together, and I'm always in the mix. Those two are often together. They're an odd duo so they stand out (laughs). But somehow, when it's the three of us, we can naturally talk about serious things. This is embarrassing, but we make fun of each other too. We're like, "How am I doing recently? Anything wrong?". We have talks like that.

Lastly, we have Inoo-kun (Kei). Do you feel slightly annoyed by his recent popularity?

Not at all. I think I somehow knew it. It's not like I was saying this for a long time, but I've been thinking "this is the year, this is the year". I knew that Inoo-chan's interestingness will be recognised by everyone someday. That's because he's been interesting since he was a Jr. Even him saying all those random comments hasn't changed (laughs).

Hahahaha!

He's had a pretty face ever since he was a Jr. I was scared to go to kaiten sushi with him because I thought he was too cute and the restaurant would panic. I'm happy that so many people have seen him, but I'm also worried about his health as he seems like he's really busy.

When we interviewed Inoo-kun last time, it seemed like he wasn't so obsessed about the entertainment world..

To be honest, that's what I thought too. If someone had told him 2 or 3 years ago to "quit", I feel like he would've quit.

What was the reason for the change?

Hmm, I wonder, it's not good to talk about it like I know the reason behind it, but I think it's probably since he has his own regular show. He's obviously been saying more at concert meetings too. He's started to present his own opinions. Things like, "I think this, but what do you think?" If you ask him why he's changed, I'm sure he'd dodge the question (laughs).

It's like, "We're really close"

What changes have you seen in yourself, Arioka-kun?

I don't know, I think I've gained a bit of courage, but I don't really know myself.

You cry a lot on shows and things, that hasn't changed.

Why is that? It's because I go on location and I'm moved to tears, and then we all watch it in the studio and cry. Then I watch the show when it airs and cry again, so I end up crying three times in the same scene. It's like my tear glands are weaker than they were before (laughs).

Has anything changed?

Hmmm... I used to want to sing and dance to more groovy and cool songs. When we first debuted, we sang a lot of cute songs. I wanted to do songs that people would say were cooler. When I think about it now, I think I was pushing it too far. These days, I like to dance and sing cool songs too, but I definitely want songs where everyone is having fun. Nowadays, it isn't just about being cool.

So what's your dream?

To be honest, I haven't narrowed it down to one thing yet. Singing, dancing, acting and variety shows are all fun to do. I want to be a multi-talented person. As long as I'm in a position where I can experience various things as a member of Johnny's, I want to do whatever I can as long as I get the chance. Maybe one day I will decide and say, "This is it!" but I haven't yet. That's why my goal now is not to be called "Hey! Say! JUMP's Arioka" but to be called like, "Arioka-kun from Hey! Say! JUMP, right?" That will also give me confidence.

Talking about the 10th anniversary again, isn't it amazing that a group with so many members is still so close?

I think we're really close. But why is that? I've spent all my life thinking that it's normal to be so close to each other. So if I'm asked "why are you so close?" I can't explain it.

So, have you had any moments recently when you thought you were really close?

Recently, there was a moment when we were eating catering in the waiting room. I noticed that there were nine of us at one table, all squeezed together. One of us could have said, "I want to eat at a bigger table" and it wouldn't have been weird. But we were all crowded together, talking about stupid things, laughing and eating. And it was such a big waiting room (laughs). I suddenly noticed the situation and thought, "We're really close".

What does Hey! Say! JUMP mean to you?

It's a place where I belong. Yeah. I'm thankful that I'm getting more and more individual work. Of course, I always do my best, but when I go on a variety show by myself, for example. I feel like I'm carrying the group on my back. When I return to everyone's side, I feel a real sense of security. I feel really relieved when I see everyone after a job where I've been under a lot of pressure. That's why the word "place I belong" is most appropriate for me, and I want to make this place I belong even more important.

So are the members friends to you? Or are they rivals? Allies?

Hmmm. This isn't really an answer, but the members are members. Lately I've been thinking it's really nice to call them "members". Of course, I can call them "members" because we are in a group. There are only 9 people in the world who I can call say, "they're one of our members" about. We didn't start out as friends, we didn't start out as classmates, we didn't start out in the same hometown, but we've been working together for 10 years. We can call ourselves "members" because we've been through fun times and hard times together. The reason why we call ourselves members is because the relationship between the nine of us is not something you can get just because you want it. I've been thinking lately how nice it is to be a "member". It's been more than 10 years. Yeah. So, in answer to the first question, "Is there anything you'd like to say to the members?", can I add one more thing? "Thank you for always being with me for 10 years"