[JO1] Tokyo Calender 231121

The current standpoint of JO1’s Kinjo Sukai whose activity areas continue to expand

As the presence of fall grows stronger, we are in the neighborhood of West Azabu, Minato-ku (Tokyo). There are lots of competent stores lined up and even at such place as the “N’onaka” in the 2nd street of Azabu, this person’s muscular presence of 180cm stands out. The interview took place in the time of the rehearsals for the performance at the Kyocera Dome in late November. When asked about his feelings of being able to have a solo concert in a Dome just 3 years after the debut, it made him smile broadly, saying “We, too, couldn’t imagine this.”.

His almond eyes give him a cool impression, yet his smile is friendly. “We have also worked hard, but that we can stand on the stage of a Dome is especially because of all JAM. We are rehearsing full of motivation so that none of the people who come to the Dome leave feeling lonely.”

The JO1 members are not my rivals, but like my siblings

He shared with us the highlights of the Dome performance without spoiling too much.
“One of JO1’s charms is how close we are with JAM. In the Dome, distance is born due to its nature, so we are going closer to them. Please look forward to how the performance turns out.”

Before the Dome performance, he has another huge event. It is the release of the movie “OUT” in which he stars. This is his first movie. “I worked together with the director Shinagawa Hiroshi previously on the WOWOW drama “Drop”. Back then I also felt that the Shinagawa team was kind. There was also a staff member who told me “Welcome back” and the cast was harmonious which made it easy to do.”

In “OUT” JO1’s Yonashiro Sho and Ohira Shosei also appear.
“I can still remember when the 3 of us went to the casting. We acted one scene in front of the director Shinagawa, the producers and such, but in the end Shinagawa-san showed a bright smile. I thought we did bad, so on the way home we encouraged each other “it wasn’t good” “we gonna work harder on acting”. We were on some high as the tension was loosing, so we just talked the whole time. So when it was decided that we star in the movie I was as happy as surprised.”

Kinjo-san shows diverse activities such as acting, dancing and appearing on variety shows, but he is the most confident about singing.
“I take pride in being able to sing every song well. It was like this since the audition before the debut, but I pursue a way of singing that makes one think they want to listen to it again even if it is for example just one phrase.”

We wants to appear along MISA-san who he admires

When we asked him about musicians who inspired him, he gave us two names.
“One is Tori Kelly, I think her singing skills are amazing. And another one is MISA-san. The more I took vocal training and the more I learnt about music, I understood that MISA-san is far the best in any means. My ultimate dream while continuing music is to perform with MISA-san."

When we asked about the changes JO1 has gone through in the 3 years since their debut, he answered the kind of the relationship the members have with each other has slightly changed.
“In the time between the audition and the debut, I thought of them as rivals. But since each one’s roles and positions were solidified, I don’t think of them as rivals anymore. Now they feel like family and someone else plays a cool role or is being recognised, I also feel happy. I get motivation from all the members and we have a relationship of mutual encouragement.”

Lastly, we talked about his impression about the area West Azabu which we had visited today.
“I’m from Osaka, so I’m not that knowledgeable about Tokyo. I have this vague image of rich people living in Minato-ku. But West Azabu has a downtown-like atmosphere, there are hidden restaurants like this one and I came to feel like I could surprisingly fit in well here. Right, JO1 sings the title song of the movie “OUT”, but the title of this song “HIDEOUT” has the meaning of a hidden place like a secret operation base. I connected the movie and the interview well, right? (laughs)”

So how about Kinjo-san making West Azabu his hideout and living there?
“Good idea! I would like to live there. But since all the members are operating together, we have to search for a property where everyone can move into…I guess you have to construct such a building in West Azabu (laughs)."

2023, as the pandemic has also calmed down, became a year of JO1 making new leaps forward. They held their first Asia tour consisting of Jakarta, Bangkok, Taipei and Shanghai, and their performance in Los Angeles also received positive reactions. Their growth in the 3 years since their debut is a miracle and no one knows where else this global boy group can go. The expectations are high that they are able to do something huge, someone no one has ever done before. Even constructing a building in West Azabu doesn’t have to be just a joke.

Profile
Born 2000, from Osaka. He applied for the survival auction “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN” in 2019 and managed to debut as a member of JO1. He is known for his overwhelming singing abilities. Because of his handsome looks, he seems like a cool person especially when meeting him for the first time, but according to himself he is “just the typical guy from Kansai”.

[JO1] AR 230310

JO1 meets…

Kawashiri Ren x YUTO

The way towards the dream

This time we made happen the passionate same generation talk between JO1‘s Kawashiri Ren and PENTAGON‘s YUTO! The two, who are active after setting their eyes on the world, talk from their passion towards their favorite things, their earnest hard work and their never ending evolution until their surprising common points. We will dig deeply into their roads!

YUTO -> REN
Ren-kun is someone familiar to me, but when I saw his performance as an artist for the first time, his power and delicacy overwhelmed me. I am motivated by their process that made talented people come together and let them pass a hard audition and their earnest hard working and their attitude. I became more certain that I have to work hard, too.

REN -> YUTO
By dancing for a long time I am aware where I shine, but YUTO-kun is cool just by standing there! He has an overwhelming presence. Also, he is a very kind gentleman, too. His behavior is also neat and from the inside a mature charm comes out… I ended up smiling him without noticing it during the shooting of the solo pictures today!

Comrades who are in a friendly rivalry despite being seperated!

Ren: YUTO-kun, it‘s been a while! I really looked forward to today. Please take care of me today.
YUTO: I could say the same. Thank you very much for inviting me. I got your contact information back when we had the collab stage in 2022, but today is the first time that we are talking like this.
Ren: Hence, I anxiously awaited today! We talked after the collab-stage, but I was really happy that you remembered me from the time when I danced as a backhanded for PENTAGON-san. I was also moved when you asked to exchange our contact information. Since we were both busy and unable to meet in private… To make up for this I want to talk a lot today ♪
YUTO: You impressed me from the start, Ren-kun. You had power, were cheerful and your dancing was amazing! You were trustworthy as you made your surroundings shine brightly!
Ren: Wow, I’m happy! (Embarrassed) When I first met you, I was surprised by your overwhelming presence, YUTO-kun. You are tall, have a deep voice and just by standing there you were cool! When you were dancing you were powerful in the right moment. I felt the thrill “That’s how a star looks like…”.
YUTO: You make me feel shy by saying this. I spent the year end in Japan last year and I saw JO1’s activities on TV. Ren-kun, can you take a break?
Ren: I can’t take long ones, but it’s perfect right now how busy I am. While I look at the packed schedule with the members, I feel “That’s a great schedule” and I enjoy this youth-like time of talking to them while fooling around.
YUTO: That you also see the business as something positive is one of your charms and strengths.
Ren: How do you overcome times when you are busy and it is getting hard?
YUTO: I often felt down when I just came to Korea and there were some many things I learnt that I had no time to worry. Also, I’m shy so rather than asking someone for advice I often coped with it and solved it myself. Back then I took a walk along the river shore as the first thing in the morning to relax.
Ren: But because of this time you shine more than ever now. By the way, rather than business I fear more the recklessness of variety shows.
YUTO: Japanese variety shows are funny because they incorporate surprises and a huge variety of gimmicks. When I return to Japan and watch those, I feel “That’s fully Japan”. (Laughs). I’m sure if you are there I would enjoy it! I’m looking forward to you being active in variety shows!

What motivates me is the feeling of “liking” it from all my heart

Ren: When you went to Korea at the age of 15 years, did you have some plan on how to promote yourself?
YUTO: I went there without thinking about the consequences, so I had no special strategy (Bitterly laughs). Now is the result of being honest to my heart and facing what I wanted to do directly. What I had was not the ability to promote myself but the power to take action.
Ren: It’s cool that you put it in action without being afraid of the different language and culture.
YUTO: I was in my teens and rather than advancing by planning I pushed on just by the feeling of simply liking it. When I saw my K-POP seniors on TV, my biggest motivation was the feeling in my heart that “I want to be like this”. How did you get into dancing?
Ren: I’m quite the nimble type and when I started dancing during my 5th year of elementary school, I was often praised from the others right afterwards. When I thought “I’m the very best”, I met someone who was so good that they made me think “They must be a genius…”. Much less than making me feel down, they ignited my fighting spirit.
YUTO: The competitive devil was ignited!
Ren: Right! I didn’t want to lose in dancing, too, but for some reason I thought of it as “Dancing + sprint” and since I’m faster I win! (Laughs). I started to think that by brushing up on various skills I will win in the overall points. And from then on I started to try everything that interested me. My sources of energy are “competitiveness” and “knowing I’m no prodigy”.
YUTO: I know what you mean. Because when I noticed back then there was no Japanese rappers in Korea, I wanted to challenge this.
Ren: Did you always have this handsome deep voice?
YUTO: I used to lower it. I’m still in the middle of making use of it. Since last year I've been intensifying my voice training and I’m diligently doing the training such as opening and closing my vocal cords. I want to become better at rapping and also at singing.
Ren: We feel the same! I’m also competitive when it comes to singing. The powerful singing of the main vocalists is cool too, but… I have a voice that catches someone's ears so I'm often singing when the melody changes or when some change is added. This is the flavor I have and I feel I can still improve, so I want to analyze and study more the songs I can sing and the way of singing I’m looking for.
YUTO: It is very important to improve yourself while looking at yourself from an outsider perspective because once you are satisfied with the now, you will stop there.

There is no right answer on the road of music! Advancing on the best you believe in

Ren: I also like the uplighting feeling of concerts, but I really like it to be on the same wave as the cameraman during the filming of a MV. When I’m convinced that it was a good shot I’m itching to see the video while dancing (laughs). You are rapping, dancing and have a hand in songwriting, YUTO-kun, but what is the most fun moment in your music activities?
YUTO: The most fun times are when during the production of the album I come across some exciting lyrics or an interesting beat and the switch is turned to “Let’s go!”, and of course the song writing itself.
Ren: Is it hard to write lyrics in Korean?
YUTO: I pretty much got used to it, but there are also some trivial Korean words that are difficult for me. Writing lyrics is a craft that takes time, but I’m happy when music I had a hand in composing is released and makes the fans delighted and I float in a sense of liberation (laughs).
Ren: Even though I started to learn composing, too, my skills are not enough yet and there is also the frustration that I can’t shape the music I want to create yet.
YUTO: The path of music and arts has no right answer, so it’s difficult, isn’t it? Hence, I value confronting it until I am satisfied with it. Until there… it’s the path of anxiety, right? (Laughs)
Ren: I will do my best! (Motivated) Is there something you do for composing?
YUTO: 2 years ago I started to learn how to play the piano and guitar. Being able to play instruments became a huge plus. I came to understand “Here, a guitar is used” as well as the structure and music theory.
Ren: I also play the piano, so I guess I should practice more. Do you play every day?
YUTO: I try to play for 1 hour each day. Thankfully my agency provides a room for composing, so I lock myself in there and compose.
Ren: Time alone is essential for creating things, isn’t it!

YUTO
I want to become someone who gets close to the fans and gives them power. I’m sometimes called by my last name “Adachi”, but it makes me feel happy as it makes me feel close as if we were classmates. Fans are the ones who raised me, so I want them to feel of me as someone close without any distance. Outside of performances, I’m happy when I make them smile through my events or team announcements through SNS or live streams.
REN
We debuted through an audition, so that we can do these activities because of the fans. If it wasn’t for them, my current me wouldn’t exist. But I just don’t want them to know more about me, I also want to know more about them! At the online talk sessions I linger there until the very last second (laughs). I want to talk more ♥️

With daily care exhausting won’t last
Ren: I’m really sensitive to dryness, so I use the triple of air purifier, a humidifier and an air purifier with a humidity function at home, to care for my throat (laughs). Is there something you are careful of, YUTO-kun?
YUTO: I think I’m not doing anything regarding my throat. I have to do my raps powerfully, so I guess it’s different from what we are careful of.
Ren: Makes sense. I think I’m so careful of my throat that ones I feel the slightest unease, I directly use a throat spray (sweating). Also, in order not to carry the exhaustion to the next day, I stretch before going to sleep and when the exhausting builds up I go for acupuncture… And with this and that I care for myself.
YUTO: I take a hip bath at home. I like to sweat for 30 minutes and adjust myself. Recently I also go to the sauna.
Ren: I also like saunas. Do you also go to saunas in Korea?
YUTO: I often go with my friend NCT 127’s YUTA. Saunas are really popular in Korea, too.
Ren: I want to go with you when I’m in Korea!
YUTO: Sure ♪ Let’s adjust ourselves together.

Explosion of the same generation talk that took its time!
YUTO: Since we are from the same generation we should have lots of common points. Did you play card games as a child? I was into Duel Masters!
Ren: I played it, too, but I love Pokemon ♥️. Because I’m a Pokemon trainer (smug)!
YUTO: School time, so nostalgic. Back then I was good at sports and I didn’t like music. I think only recently I started listening to ballads.
Ren: I liked science classes. I was in the science department, so I experimented while wearing a white coat. I love experiments ♪
YUTO: You wore a white coat!? It would suit you.. By the way, what are go hobbies?
Ren: My hobbies are games, magic and…
YUTO: M-Magic!?
Ren: I’m not performing it anywhere, but I am increasing my stories for the future! How about you?
YUTO: Visiting secondhand clothes I guess. I often go to my favorite one in Korea. When I return to Japan, I will also check the ones in Shimokita.
Ren: I like these, too. I also remake secondhand clothes myself. When the difficulty level is high, I’m making it while being taught by the stylist.
YUTO: Amazing! I want to learn it from you. But first, let’s go to eat something together.
Ren: Sure! What do you like?
YUTO: Gyutan. And you?
Ren: Chocolate and fruits ♪
YUTO: Indeed, you are the sweets type! And for meals?
Ren: Minestrone. You can make it easily, so I often make it myself. Do you have something you dislike?
YUTO: Coriander. But I usually eat everything. I also dislike spicy food, but nowadays I think I can eat more spicy food than Koreans (laughs). Do you like Korean food?
Ren: My favorite is “Jinmichae”! It is a dish of dried and shredded squirts with a balance of sweet and saltiness, so it’s not a main dish but something that always sticks around, but it’s really delicious♥️
YUTO: Your favorite things are all kind of pinpointed like this (laughs). Also… What I noticed while we were talking, but we have a mole at the same spot. The mole over the eyebrow.
Ren: I have one! (Finds it after staring at YUTO) really, it’s the same spot! So cool!
YUTO: It’s rare for moles to be at the same spot, isn’t it? (Laughs) It must be fate, too.
Ren: It’s really fun to talk with you, YUTO-kun, as we are not running out of topics! I have a lot I respect about you and I was really happy to have this talk with you who is active worldwide in the same generation. Thank you very much for today.
YUTO: I have to thank you. Let’s meet again. I will let you know directly! I hope we can meet in Korea next time ♪

[JO1] Fandom 230221 Ruki x Shosei x Sukai talk

Part. 02
Guests
Shosei Ohira
Sukai Kinjo

Kinjo, who takes up the burden of being the MC, proclaims the “very best episode”!

What do you two think of the MC, Shiroiwa-san?
Shosei & Sukai: He is perfect!
Shosei: He is amazing, for real. He is such a pro. He talks with us while keeping the time in mind and I think he is amazing for doing two things at the same time.
Ruki: No no, I’m not perfect. It’s because everyone is supporting me, Sukai often tells me before the broadcast “Leave it to me!”.
Sukai: But I haven’t tried to help yet (laughs).
Ruki: But each time you say it (laughs)! You say things such as “Today it will be fine if you just leave it to me” or “Ruki-kun, which Sukai do you want to go with today?”
Sukai: My talk role in the group is pretty much in the middle. There are times I fully devote myself to making jokes and other times when I just watch what is going on and direct the talk. Inside of me there are two talk roles and each time I wonder which one is the right one.
Ruki: Is a slightly crazy and eccentric Sukai good? Or a levelheaded Sukai? I always reply “Both are fine. Isn’t it better if you just enjoyed yourself?”, but… a third personality comes out (laughs).
Sukai: For real? (Laughs)
Ruki: A Sukai I haven’t imagined comes out (laughs). But this one comes out because you are really enjoying yourself, so I’m happy about it.

Is there something that made you feel “My talk skills have improved!” since the radio program started?
Shosei: No! I’m sorry, but it didn't happen (laughs). But I can really feel how much Ruki-kun has improved.
Ruki: No, I barely feel that myself.
Sukai: Hey, you are grinning anyway! (Laughs) It’s not my place to say it, but Ruki-kun has improved.
Shosei: He improved. He often does it, that guy.
Ruki: (laughs)
Sukai: Ruki-kun won’t come out unless he is entrusted with something.
Ruki: Eh, what? Are you the producer now? (Laughs) But you are right, I rarely do so myself.
Sukai: When we are doing variety as a group, I tease Ruki-kun and try to pull him out, but it’s pretty hard. Hence, maybe only in this radio, Ruki’s real side comes out?
Ruki: Because I’m also pretty much the MC of the radio. The truth is that while I like to joke and fool around, I might not be ready to show this here, too.
Sukai: It’s fine. Leave it to me!
Shosei: And he said it (laughs).
Ruki: Is it okay? Because today we also have an interview, you know?
Sukai: The episodes with me are always the best ones! (Laughs)

The MC pressure that he hadn’t noticed

So, what do you think of Ohira-san, Kinjo-san?
Sukai: When my talking gets stuck, I often turn to Shosei. Ruki-kun’s talk skills make me feel at ease, but Shosei comes up with something funny out of nowhere. He is like “Ah, something like that happened!”. The freshness is amazing. Also, he is really good at signaling he listens to you. Please expect a lot from him today!
Shosei: Please leave it to me!
Sukai: It was also like this during the previous broadcast, but this group of 3 people will make a storm of laughter happen. That’s why I think they are making a report of this episode!
Ruki: There is barely anyone who makes it hard for me like them. They raised the hurdle pretty high~
Sukai: Shall I tell you why? Because today’s main personality is Ruki-kun!
Ruki: No, it’s not just today. I’m the main personality every week (laughs).
Sukai: But the last time I came, Junki-kun was it.
Ruki: It was a special week. I was really surprised by that. It’s hard to express, but it was too easy for me! It felt so different. I always end up using my head too much for the radio, so there are times when I can’t sleep afterwards. But on that day I directly fell asleep after returning home (laughs). It was so different!? It might have been the most fun one. Sure enough, because it was so easy, I was able to relax.
Shosei: It is really something different. So, next time Sukai will be the MC?
Sukai: (whispering) Under no circumstances…
Ruki: Despite you saying things like “the best episodes (are with me)”?
Shosei: Suddenly your vigor vanished!
Sukai: I’m a bit of a restricted person… It’s better to let me run free.
Shosei: (breaks out laughing) Dangerous!

Broadcast report

Radio highlights
- Right before the broadcast, Kinjo carefully checked the script. He showed his reliable side since before the broadcast, following his words of “The episodes with me are the best!”. However, as soon as the broadcast started, the accident of him dropping the bottle cap took place (laughs).
- Shiroiwa looked calm before the broadcast as he was talking with the staff and took notes on the script. For the opening he introduced Ohira and Kinjo as “Today is my first episode this year, but the two in front of me are, well, pretty dangerous people came. I think these people came where while they are still in a vacation mood.” (Laughs)
- For the opening, Ohira greeted the audience with a simple whispered “tada~”. However, he was absolutely charming as he smiled and clapped cutely for the smash-camera, an app where you can enjoy the radio along with video footage.
- As a behind story from the “Kouhaku” press conference, Kinjo shared the tragically funny story that “I was so ready to answer questions from the reports and had a microphone, but I wasn’t asked a single question…”, which also caused the staff to laugh!
- During the interview, Kinjo said “I’ve been talking notes on small things or episodes with the members to talk about those on the radio.” On this day, big excitement was caused by Kinjo’s story of taking his mother on a date for new year and Ohira’s “I always have excellent luck” story.
- Ohira shared “Normally, I rarely hear about members' private stories, so being able to hear those on the radio feels fresh. A lot of information I didn’t expect or knew comes out in the talk, so I’m happy to get to know about those like this.”
- Shiroiwa shared “In the past I rarely listened to radio, but now I listen to the programs of comedians to learn more about it”. Also on this day he was the perfect MC and Ohira & Kinjo could safely go crazy (!?).
- The Twitter song battle, under the theme of “a song you can relate to”, was won by Ohira’s choice “One Love”. By the way, for the song battle it seems like they never know the choices of the other members before, they only get to know them during the broadcast. The three of them didn't seem to stop talking and enjoying themselves during the song, too. - When Ohira, who had gotten the title “excellent luck boy” talked about his recent events, mentioning “I have a lot of flowers at home”, many listeners sent mails in regard to “flower fortune” and “flower language”! Kinjo’s proposal of “Ohira Shosei’s All Night Nippon” gave birth to a new legendary quote.
- The topics of Kawashiri and Yonashiro “waiting for him to come” as they really want to visit Shiroiwa’s room, of Ohira saying he is “a flower idiot”, of Kinjo’s “#LiveSukai” and Shiroiwa's All Night talk… These well paced talks made both them and the staff laugh. It was truly the very best episode just like Kinjo had declared!

[JO1] Fandom 230221 Sho x Ruki x Takumi talk

Witty talks unfold in “JO1’s All Night Nippon X” in which the main personality Shiroiwa Ruki welcomes two different guests each week. We are bringing you reports of the year-end and year-start broadcasts that will make your mood better, too!

Part 01
Guests
Sho Yonashiro
Takumi Kawanishi

“ANNX” might be a radio, but you can enjoy it with a video.

Each episode Shiroiwa-san facilitates “JO1’s All Night Nippon X” as the (main) personality.
Takumi: I’m always thinking ‘Just as I expected from him’. But we are fine with not advancing, so we do it freely (laughs). He sums up the talk, teases us, directs it diligently and really helps us, so I understand why this was entrusted to Ruki-kun.
Sho: A live broadcast means a limited timeframe and you have to advance precisely, which is something really hard. One time Junki was the main personality, but he said he once more understood how hard it is to be the MC (laughs).
Ruki: Thank you very much (embarrassed laugh).

On the app “smash.” you can enjoy the program together with video footage, right? Is there something you keep in mind?
Ruki: If it was just our voices, I would like it do it in a slow manner, or rather in a mature and calm way, like (in a nice lower voice) “Here we are again, JO1’s ANNX”, but after all since there is video footage, there is a feeling of being even more lively. It is a radio, but it gives a new kind of feeling that you can enjoy together with video contents.
Sho: We can talk more carefree on the radio than on TV, so I hope that the fans will be pleased to see us enjoying our conversations in an honest and close manner on smash. It is a good relationship between the radio and smash, isn’t it?
Takumi: I’m happy that each time something like our outfits are also enjoyed.

Is there something new that you noticed among the members by starting this radio program?
Ruki: In the beginning I put all my power into the role of the main personality and sometimes I couldn’t follow the others, but I really felt that everyone followed me (instead). For example, there was the joke “If so-and-so comes it is going to be dangerous”, but I’m grateful to everyone. I feel that the listeners continue to listen, especially because this is a radio made by everyone together.
Sho: I feel that there is an honest side of each one of us coming out that we rarely show on TV. Hence, it is easy to do for all of us. And Ruki is getting better with each time, both in progressing and directing!
Takumi: We are doing this with different members each time, so I became more prepared, thinking something like “Ah this member jokes around like this”. Like when it’s a member who jokes around a lot, I will do the paybacks. Especially if it is Ren-kun, I will tease him.

A voice media that also changes the way you connect with the listeners

Please tell us if there is something you want to try in the future.
Takumi: I would like to give advice about the worries of the listeners. How about we answer the worries we get via phone or mail?
Ruki: Good idea. I’m always supported by the others, so it would be nice to do it alone, and having guests other than JO1 would be something fresh, too, and an episode would be nice of which I am not the main personality and just watch it as an audience.
Sho: I think it would be nice to have a lottery and let one of the 30.000 listeners have a conversation with us. I think a topic would come out from talking directly like this.

Being able to talk directly is only possible with a live broadcasted radio.
Sho: Right. For example, we are in Tokyo, but even if the listener is in Hokkaido, I think we could talk directly and do something interesting.

Lastly, what do you think is the charm of the media called radio?
Takumi: I normally listen to radio from time to time, but I was really into it before becoming a member of JO1. I used to fall asleep while listening to the radio before sleeping. For me, it is kind of a media that calms me down.
Sho: Unlike TV, there are also people who listen to it while driving or while studying and it is a broad media you can listen to in various situations, and it is good that you can focus on the talk as there is no video footage.
Ruki: To be honest, before being entrusted with this program I didn’t have the habit of listening to the radio, but since doing it myself, I have come to think of it as a good tool that allows me to talk more freely and deeper about things while being less self-conscious than on TV. In addition, by us being in charge of it, we are doing our best with the wish of making the young generation listen to the radio more...

It is also a tool that allows you to communicate with JAM outside of performances and concerts, right?
Takumi: That’s right. Especially since “ANNX” is late at night, we are doing this hoping that you can forget even a bit about the bad things of the day and relax by laughing because of our radio and listening to JO1’s songs.

JO1’s All Night Nippon X broadcast report

Radio highlight
- It started by them entering the booth 45 min before. They had a briefing session with the director and read the script. The atmosphere was a special mix of a friendly relaxed mood and a pleasant sense of nervousness that the show is about to start soon.
- Once the briefing session ended they had a moment of free time. They looked at their smartphones and chatted with each other. 5 minutes before, they sit down on their seats and 2 minutes before they checked the script again. More and more their expressions became serious.
- Before the broadcast. Kawanishi performed a rap about Nuresenbei which he got addicted to the other day and talked about on the radio before. Yonashiro broke out laughing while hearing this. The rap is recorded for the jingle, and thus the jingle was recorded in one go just before the broadcast. Yonashiro’s expression of freely enjoying himself was memorable. There was big excitement as he told his all time best story of “winning the Okinawa tournament (in the middleweight class) without a fight” during the show! Even on Shiroiwa’s and Kawanishi’s face, who have surely heard the story a lot already, a smile broke out.
- Shiroiwa was the steady facilitator. The three talked, read the mails of the listeners, interacted with the staff and made appeals towards the smash-camera. Their attention towards all directions was as perfect as expected!
- Only for the end of the year, the topic of ozoni was brought up. Yonashiro who is from Okinawa where there is no ozoni, said “Because in Okinawa we have Inamuduchi.”, which gave birth to a power word aiming for the (Twitter) trends. This moment made everyone break out laughing, including the director outside the booth.
- Shiroiwa and Yonashiro gently watched over Kawanishi reading mails. The booth is always lively, with occasional heated exchanges, but it was also a glimpse into the warmth and friendship between them.
- After the broadcast ended, Kawanishi received lots of Nuresenbei from the staff. On the radio, he was constantly recommended to add a little extra to the Nuresenbei and also snacks with a similar texture, which made him both happy and annoyed!?
TN: Nuresenbei is a rice cracker from Choshi, Chiba. The rice cracker dough is dipped into soy sauce while it’s still hot after baking.
Ozoni is a soup containing mocha, which is strongly associated with the new year.
Inamuduchi is a traditional soup from Okinawa, a miso soup with a lot of ingredients which is served on special occasions, such as New Years.

[JO1] Fandom 230221 (Ruki solo interview)

All Night Nippon X
“Spending the same time with JAM”
A blessed communication
JO1’s All Night Nippon X is a popular radio program, of which Shiroiwa Ruki from the 11 member global boygroup JO1 is the main personality.
Now, as the program reaches its first anniversary, he talks about the various endeavors of the media called radio.
Furthermore, he confesses for the first time about a “surprise” in his very own way.

The efforts of one year led to a stable self confidence

“JO1’s All Night Nippon X” will celebrate its first anniversary this year in April. Since the start of the program, the hashtag “#JO1ANNX” has shined on the top rang of the Twitter worldwide trends and in no time it joined the ranks of popular programs.
Ruki: I hadn't noticed that we had reached nearly one year since the start of the program until I was told about it. In the beginning I was, well, restless both before the program and afterwards. I thought quite a lot about things such as “I have to somehow prepare for it” or “What guests will come and what kind of talk should we have?”. But compared to back then, it became easy for me now. I feel I became relaxed, rather than being not eager about it anymore? What both the members and the fans often mention is the time distribution. For example, in order to end it at the 58th minute right with the ending, you have to try to think and talk in this way. Also, I began to think of everything from the listener’s viewpoint and became able to change the topics of the radio by discussing those with the staff. In terms of parts that make me feel “The listeners are loving this” or “Everyone seems to like this topic”, I will dig deeper into those. I became able to judge this. I became able to think of the structure of each episode and talk with Kaneko-san, who is always at the side, during CMs like “Let’s extend the recent events talk by playing the third song only up to the first chorus”, so the radio became pretty easy to do. So far, I’m relieved that we are going to celebrate the first anniversary without any “wow, we messed up” moments during a live broadcast. During the press conference at the beginning, I made the joke “Because we are a group with a lot of verbal slips…” (laughs). But all the members really did their best and I’m thankful to them that nothing happened in that one year.

Are there any future tasks or challenges that you have come to see exactly because you have grown used to it?
Ruki: Right now the setting is that two members come as guests, right? I would like to try it, for example, all alone or like some time ago when there were 6 people talking. I would like to do all kinds of interesting projects in the program. I think during this one year pretty much all pairs have joined, so if we added some change, everyone might enjoy it even more. If I did it all alone… I haven’t thought deeply about it, but all alone I would be free with the time management, so I think I could communicate with the listeners even more. I would read a lot of messages in real time and sing, too.

Since you started with the radio program, it seems like your connections with other artists have also increased.
Ruki: We appeared especially with Ryokuoushoku Shakai-san at a lot of places such as “NHK Kouhaku Utagassen”, so we greet each other each time, saying “Let’s all do our best!”. I’m really happy about forming these connections and those are one reason why I am glad about doing this radio program.

If in the future guests other than JO1 came, what would you talk about?
Ruki: We are still very much beginners, so if it was an artist with a long career, I would like to learn a lot from them. We are often involved with comedians, but some time ago Kamaitachi’s Hamaie-san took us out for dinner. I think the fans want to know more about this, and I would like him to talk about this in the show. And Hanya’s Kanada-san said he always liked us. Also, I only got to know about it recently, but it seems like NewYork-san also watched us since the audition! I hope one day we can do the show together.

A surprise he made for JAM in the span of six months

What do you think is one of the strengths of the radio, Shiroiwa-san?
Ruki: I think the radio is a very special time to get to know about us, JO1. JO1 is made of 11 members, so when we shot content with all of us or shot variety shows, it is rare for one member to take the spotlight and talk a lot, right? But when a member who comes as a guest on the radio talks about his recent events and you get to know about his favorite song because of the song voting battle, you can delve deeper into him. I also want the two guests to go home with the feeling that they had fun and I try to direct the talk in the direction that they can take the spotlight. Isn’t that a real strength of a radio done by a few people? I think JAM also got to know lots of information through the radio in this one year. There also had been someone telling me at the online talks (=yonton) “I became a fan because of the radio!”. Knowing that more people listen than I expected, made me happy. I feel for both JO1 and myself, I'm glad that I’m doing it and I’m glad that I tried it. Also, I only noticed it midway, too, but only during the radio I use honorifics for everyone (laughs). When I thought “It’s surely not just JAM listening”, it happened that I ended up using honorifics with the younger members, too. When I wondered “What kind of impression of JO1 do people have when they listen to the radio for the first time?”, it happened naturally like this. There is the worry whether this is something good or whether doing it like usually would be better… I was thinking that my usual way of talking might come off strongly to those who hear it for the first time, or it might give a bad impression depending on how they hear it, even if I don’t even intend to say it like this, so once I noticed it I started to really use honorifics. But as a year has passed, I feel pretty much everyone has understood that by now, so it might be better to do it more “naturally” in the future.
Speaking of recent things, we had the radio right after the “Kouhaku” press conference and the arena tour shows, so we talked about the behind the scenes stories that we felt that JAM would like to know and said things like “Actually, at this time it was like this.”. To be able to share these behind stories is fun as it somehow feels like we all live together in real time and I feel everyone else is happy about it, too. The radio is a really good type of content because it connects us with JAM. In addition, what everyone often says is that the radio makes them able to check regularly on my condition (laughs). “Is he eating well?” “Is he feeling well?” I can show these things regularly through the radio, so I hope I can give them some peace of mind (laughs). Also, I’m not sure how many people have noticed it but.. We upload a picture on Twitter each time before the show starts, but I felt just taking a normal picture would be boring, so actually I always did “hidden letters”. For example, the “good”-pose seems to match the hand sign of one letter in the English alphabet. Every single letter combined brings out a text. Actually, I worked on this surprise for a long time! I think I haven’t talked about this yet. I’ve made a quite long text, which took more than half a year. I wonder if anyone is able to read it? You wonder what it is, right? I don’t know whether it reached everyone, so I guess I will try to ask (laughs). Each week we take a picture and upload it, so I hope you will not just enjoy the radio itself but this, too.
Well, after all I have been born as an entertainer… Please write this in bold letters! (Laughs)

[OWV] BoyAge Festival Issue 230111

OWV reached the third year since their formation. How do they keep their team work in mind as these four strong individual personalities move forward on their way? Which sides of them changed from the time they met to now, and which of those evolved?

Theme Talk
Team Work -How to build a relationship of trust-

That we became able to have such good teamwork, is because each one of us was able to establish their own character

Does everyone of you have something they keep in mind or is particular about in your activities with OWV?
Katsunari: We tend not to do so, right?
Kosuke: Not really~
Katsunari: What I feel is that we all have strong individual personalities. We all have our own strong feelings and determination. But we want to do the same things as a group and this was clear since the formation. Thus, it never happened that I thought something like 'We have to emphasize this as a group!', but I feel there is a strange balance of the four of us getting along very well.
Shuta: We also unconsciously help each other. We are four members, so when for example someone gets something to drink during a MC or someone has a coughing fit and thus stops talking, there are even less members who can talk. But in such moments the other members follow the flow naturally. This is not just the case for live shows but also in interviews or variety shows. On the other hand, when three members talk a lot, I feel one member calmly watches. In the last two years this developed naturally.
Katsunari: Because it’s like we are always together, both at work and in private, right?
Shuta: The way you say it sounds like song lyrics? (Laughs)
Katsunari: Like 'Be always with me' (laughs). But it’s really like this and I feel the result of this that the team work came to be on its own. We don’t really keep this in mind, but we are close with each other.
Fumiya: I think this is also because we are not just close with each other, we trust each other, too.
Kosuke: It might be this, but I believe that we were able to have such good teamwork, is also because each one of us was able to establish our own character. We all understand our own characters, so we think ‘I can leave this to this person’ or ‘Here I will talk’.

This feels like you distributed the roles, right?
Kosuke: That’s right. We do this diligently. We were close from the start, so there was consistency, but everyone made truly use of their characters after they became able to comprehend all characters. Hence, I can feel that we can move forward in our talks and work more smoothly than before.

And having these characters also happened naturally?
Kosuke: That’s right. Because it happened that during our activities, the members and the fans got the image of ‘This person is like this’. A certain person however, that guy Nakagawa, his character became blurry currently (laughs).
Shuta: Rather than becoming blurry, it’s that his wall was taken down (laughs).
Katsunari: Indeed. Because I think there had been a huge wall in the beginning.
Shuta: Because you are shy.
Katsunari: Yes. But this one disappeared now and I became normal. I feel this makes my character blurry on the other hand (laughs). Thus, I feel a bit sorry that Honda-kun became interested in me and asked me whether we want to do this together in a time when the wall was still there (laughs).
Kosuke: No, I’m fine, however, if you are like now in private.
Katsunari: I was weird in the beginning, wasn’t I? But I want to diligently protect the character that is needed for performances in the future.

Sano-kun, what are your thoughts regarding OWV’s teamwork?
Fumiya: To work as a team was something I really disliked in the past. I hated acting as a group so much that I left the baseball club and joined the track and field club (laughs).

Such people often join boy groups and are active with those (laughs).
Fumiya: That’s absolutely right.
Katsunari: This is also funny, isn’t it?
Fumiya: Because I didn't think much about it. Speaking of this, In a boy group, it’s like there is someone other than me, too! (Laughs). But while being active with OWV, I can actually feel the perks of everyone having the same goal and running towards it. Hence, despite me having my own pace, I want to cherish the team during this.

Of course. Teams also have their perks.
Katsunari: They have a lot. Sure enough in your activities, you will discover the sides where you lack. But when the members are there at this moment, they will compensate for this. Thanks to this we can create something good, so I feel the team is something really great.

You can balance each other.
Katsunari: That’s right! That’s right! To make it simple, there is the role of the leader, right? That’s a role I can’t do. But there is someone in the group who takes up this role. I feel this is an amazing merit.

I feel that exactly because it is these four people OWV’s charms are getting refined.

This connects to the “role distribution” that Honda-kun had mentioned earlier. Like the right person is at the right place.
Kosuke: Exactly this. I believe we are like this.
Fumiya: This is like a… Yakiniku menu?
Katsunari: Hm? What do you mean? (Laughs)
Fumiya: Isn’t it “Let’s say it in a four character idiom!”?
TN: 適材適所(the right person at the right place) and 焼肉定食 (yakiniku menu) are both 4 characters in Japanese. A lot of Japanese metaphors are 4 character idioms.
Katsunari: No, because it’s not this (laughs). Also, yakiniku menu isn’t such a four character idiom.
Fumiya: Well, to answer this seriously, when I arrive at the workplace and say “Good morning”, they reply “Good morning”. This makes me happy.
Katsunari: Cute!
Fumiya: But I think if I had debuted alone, this would not happen. It is the same as when I return home to my family and say “I’m home” and they reply “Welcome back” and it makes me somehow feel relieved. Because I feel the members are like a family and this makes me feel happy.
Shuta: But you rarely say “Good morning”, don’t you?
Fumiya: Yes, and even if someone else says it I don’t reply.
Kosuke: Someone reading this must think you are the worst.
Fumiya: But when I say it from time to time and get a reply, I’m happy!
Shuta: Makes sense. What I think is a perk of the group is that we all come from different backgrounds. That's exactly why everyone can teach me a lot about the things I don’t know. I feel this is really great.

Can you give an example for this?
Shuta: Games, manga, anime and sports. I rarely came in touch with those (in the past). But they gifted me a game for my birthday and they told me about manga, so I’m reading “ONE PIECE” right now.

Right now!? You started pretty late (laughs).
Fumiya: See! They all react like this!
Shuta: But after reading it it’s pretty funny, and since we started to cook on YouTube, everyone teaches me this and so on. There might be something I would have never noticed myself, so I feel my life has become richer.
Kosuke: I get that. There is a lot we can learn from everyone, isn’t it? We are different kinds of people, so when these four people come together, lots of different opinions and ideas come out. I feel that thanks to this my brain grew bigger. This is also reflected in the brain as OWV. Thus, I became able to image things I would have never thought of myself and the topics for the MC also became more, so I feel that exactly because it is these four people OWV’s charms are getting refined. They even reply to my advanced gags, so this is amazing, too.
Shuta: Because they are not advanced.
Katsunari: I don’t know. Maybe these will be well received jokes in the future.
Fumiya: Yes, in the year 20XX.

Sure enough our style is to cover each other’s weaknesses and work hard together!

Do you also consult with each other in regards to the song production?
Kosuke: We do. We chose the songs all together and from time to time our opinions on those differ. At such times, we discuss with each other why we think that song is good.
Fumiya: Also regarding the choreography, we get proposals from the vocal-line such as 'This choreographer would be good' and also when we record the songs, when someone records alone, the other three members listen to it. Because of this, there is the feeling that we created everything together.
Shuta: When we struggle with the dancing, another member will help us. I certainly feel that we improved (thanks to this).
Katsunari: In regard to dancing, they help me so much that I’m a bit ashamed. They diligently help me when I ask them, for which I am grateful. From time to time a member does the choreography for one of our songs, but this is also something I personally can’t do. Hence, I feel like this is another strengh for this group and another virtue of it, too.
Fumiya: If I didn't teach you, I could be the popular one however (laughs).
Katsunari: He might say so, but in reality he teaches me with a really happy face.
Shuta: Right. With a wide smile he teaches up to the extra parts.
Fumiya: To be honest, I’m the happiest when I’m told “Teach me!”. Sure enough our style is to cover each other’s weaknesses and work hard together!
Katsunari: But during the MC everyone tries to make the audience laugh.
Fumiya: It’s a battle royal, isn’t it?
Kosuke: Right. In the MC it’s like who can make the others laugh.
Fumiya: It’s the World Martial Arts Tournament.
TN: World Martial Arts Tournament is a reference to “Dragonball”, a tournament that features the Earth’s strongest fighters.
Katsunari: That said, I think my character is becoming blurry because everyone is too funny. Because I can’t survive if I stay quiet.
Shuta: Because lately, Kacchan puts great importance on the adjective “funny”, doesn’t he? (Laughs) But I’m sure there is a lot of demand for “cool” and such, too.
Katsunari: No, the “cool” is weak inside of me.
Fumiya: Indeed. The expiry date of “cool” might be early. “Someone funny” keeps on being told they are funny no matter how much time passes.
Katsunari: Exactly! That’s why I feel “funnily cool” is the best.

It is different at oneman shows and at festivals, but actually it’s not right to say festival, rather we go into a battle.

And in order to become so, you are surely studying “funny” right now (laughs).
Katsunari: That’s right.
Kosuke: Also now you are funny enough when you are relaxed.
Fumiya: But everyone has a different style of being funny.
Shuta: That’s right. Honda-kun is a specialist for one-liners and I guess I’m the one for reactions.
Katsunari: And it depends on who picks up Honda-kun's jokes, as well as what happens afterwards.

Because one of OWV’s strengths are your MCs during your live shows, right? (Laughs)
Fumiya: Because we see MC also like a song.
Shuta: Yes. We want to make the audience as satisfied as if they had heard another song.
Kosuke: Last year during the “Inazuma Rockfest”, we squeezed in 2 MCs. But other artists didn’t even have one.

2 MCs, during how many songs? (Laughs)
Kosuke: During 5 songs (laughs)
Shuta: I heard you don’t really do MCs at a rock festival. Because everyone came to hear the music.
Kosuke: But we put too much effort in our MCs and squeezed in two of them. Thus, when no one else did them, we thought ‘Huh? They don’t do that?’
Shuta: It was normal (what they did).
Fumiya: Maybe in our case, I feel that one day our first song will be a MC.
Katsunari: This would be hilarious! But during the “Inazuma Rockfest”, Nishikawa-san also told us 'I’m looking forward to your MC! Because I will be watching you from the wing (of the stage).' So we had no choice but to do it.
Kosuke: We had no choice but to squeeze in two. But since we were the first ones to perform, I think we warmed up the crowd.

Furthermore, this was good because it made you different from the other artists.
Katsunari: I agree. I think we want to walk a little different way.

Including these MCs, I believe live shows are a very important place for OWV. Is there something you keep in mind at such times?
Fumiya: It is different at oneman shows and at festivals, but actually it’s not right to say festival, rather we imagine that we go into a battle.
Kosuke: Exactly. We think on how we can make the parts of the audience who are not our fans raise their hands for example.
Katsunari: When we find someone who doesn’t raise their hand, we launch a concentrated attack against them! (Laughs)
Shuta: Because in reality we say something like 'Please raise your hand' or to sitting people 'Please stand up'. We have the huge intention of wanting to have fun with everyone.
Katsunari: Because there are lots of shy people among Japanese people, it is sometimes important to tell them something. It’s like if you like music, it doesn’t matter (to us) whose fan you are!
Kosuke: Furthermore, we will make our big breakthrough in the future and it would be a shame if you didn’t see us back then.
Fumiya: As long as you can still see us closely.
Shuta: We are a confident group.

Then how is it during a oneman show?
Kosuke: We have a concept, so we value this and we create it considering a flow adding songs that makes the fans happy. An oneman show is a creation, so our way of thinking is absolutely different compared to a show with other artists.
Fumiya: The key point is that QWV are included in the making of it. And for outside events, (the key point is) that people discover us. In contrast, oneman shows have the sense that everyone is creating the space together.

Your favorite and least favorite weekday
A question for all artists appearing in this issue! “What was your favorite and least favorite weekday as a child?” We bring you their answers along with their reasons!

Favorite day
Kosuke: Sunday
Back then on Sundays between 7:30 am and 8:30 am two Sentai shows, bundled together as “Super Hero time” aired. I loved those, and on Sundays the whole family came together, we were able to eat lunch together or go shopping, which I enjoyed.
Katsunari: Friday
I really hated studying, but due to my parents’ upbringing I pretty much went to cram school every day. Only on the weekend I didn’t have to go. And I prepared for that on Friday (laughs). I enjoyed this day because my favorite anime such as “Doraemon” and “Crayon Shin-chan” aired on this day.
Shuta: Thursday
Because it had a 'long lunch break' that was about 10 minutes longer than (the one) on other days. So, together with my friends I used to play 'SASUKE' (= Ninja Warrior) using the school playground equipment such as the monkey bars, climbing bars, slides and so on. We also played dodgeball and soccer. But I wasn’t particularly active in any of these (laughs).
Fumiya: Saturday
On Saturdays I had out of school activities. I hated these activities itself, but as an elementary school student it’s exciting to meet your friends at night, isn’t it? We felt a bit like we did something bad (laughs). It was only 9pm, but (it felt like this) because it was something you normally can’t do.

Least favorite day
Kosuke: Wednesday
I went to school so often, but only half of the week had passed… I hated this thought. I also didn’t like my timetable on Wednesdays much. It was annoying to have lots of humanities and there was no art class. Because I only liked arts and sports (laughs).
Katsunari: Monday
Despite relaxing since Friday and finally resting on the weekend, my body reset itself again and a long week started. I remember how tough it was for me to keep studying in my mind. On the contrary, I recall that by Wednesday I somewhat got used to studying (laughs).
Shuta: Monday
I went to a cram school because I wanted to take the entrance exam for middle school. Their (weekly evaluation) result came out on Monday. Since my parents supported me in my studies, I was always nervous on Mondays. However, in the summer during my 6th year in elementary school, I started to aim for the entertainment world, so I pretty much gave up on the middle school entrance exam (laughs).
Fumiya: Tuesday
I was somehow able to overcome Monday which had some remains of the weekend (laughs). But Tuesdays were just awful. Moreover in summer we had swimming lessons on Tuesdays, but I am a hopeless swimmer. So, it felt like a punishment and I hated it. Despite, on the ground, I ranked first in the prefectural fitness test!

[JO1] VoCE 221221

Kawashiri Ren
My beauty rule is…
For a beautiful body, I strengthen my inner muscles

My ideal is a “flexible body” that is covered in natural muscles. I am aiming to have a body that is slim but makes dances look beautiful. I usually do light exercises like stretching and yoga, and even when I’m alone in my room I try to have a beautiful posture, which in turn trains my inner muscles. My future goal is to keep on taking care of my bleached hair. I want to exchange information with my light hair color buddy Ruki and find the best way for me.

Kawanishi Takumi
My beauty rule is…
I always make sure not to dry out both on the outside and on the inside.

I gain muscles just by a little bit of working out and my body isn’t really affected by what I eat, so to be honest, I don’t really pay much attention to “beauty”. However, in this season, I put effort into not letting my skin become dry. With skin care I take care of the outside, of course, and I drink lots of room temperature water to prevent dehydration. When I sweat during practice, I use YSL’s mist lotion during the breaks and it helps me to feel better.

Kono Junki
My beauty rule is…
I am in my perfect form mentally and physically by watching my diet and working out.

I’m really careful about what I eat lately. I carefully calculate the nutrients of my food, the amount I eat, and the time to eat, and I try to avoid sweets and high-fat foods that could cause skin problems. Thanks to my moderate diet and exercise, my body and mind are in perfect shape, but this year, a lot of fans seemed concerned and told me "You've lost weight… “. I kinda feel frustrated about this, so in 2023 I would like to increase my muscle training and protein intake to have a thicker body (laugh).

Mamehara Issei
My beauty rule is…
I am to have the best skin ever by keeping my gut healthy and regularly go to the sauna.

I, who debuted as a high schooler, turned 20 years old now, too, so it’s about time for me that I have to keep inner care in my consciousness, too. Specifically, I have started to pay more attention to what I eat. Recently, I have been actively consuming fermented foods such as kimchi and natto, and soy milk. Those are meant to keep my gut healthy. I also always liked to go to a sauna to refresh myself. I believe both of these habits have great beauty benefits, and I hope to show off my smoothest skin ever in 2023.

[OWV] Ray 221122

You can stan them now ♥️
We met these guys!

Overwhelming stage presence and their variety power makes you fall for them♥️
OWV
OWV was formed by former trainees of “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”. Their performance is powerful and when they start talking, they won’t stop!?
The amazing four member group that makes you fall for their deep characters♥️

What is the reason to stan you?
Kosuke: The days are fun when you stan me. When you come to the live shows, I will be cool, cute, funny and impress you. I think I can make you feel all possible emotions.
Katsunari: Your self confidence will rise. I am always super clumsy, so you might think “Even so you can live your life” (laughs). Some days ago, I went to a sushi restaurant with Urano and I said “The fall hineri sushi please”, but they told me “It’s minori”… Let’s live together strongly!
Shuta: That my voice is big. However, it happens that I am called noisy (laughs). It’s everywhere, so it is easy to remember.
Fumiya: That I am fast to absorb things. If I do something I had no experience in previously for one or two times, I can do it afterwards, so for example also in the case of housework, if we lived together, I will absorb it and do it (for you). The ochazuke the other day was a failure, but if you taught me…!

What are you into right now?
Kosuke: Animes. My phone case has a “Dragonball”-motive and I have a lot of merch at home. Yet actually I would like to have a simple and stylish home. But with figures, my Kamen Rider belt, Gundam models and the Chainsaw Man-plush toy I got from a gacha recently, it’s impossible to be simple (laughs).
Katsunari: Collecting “Yu-Gi-Oh” and “Pokemon” cards. I don’t play the card games but I enjoy looking at the illustrations after I put them into an album. I want to have the “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” from “Yu-Gi-Oh” one day.
Shuta: Saunas. Because after Katsunari recommended those to me, I got completely into visiting them (laughs). Lately we went together. My sauna hat is in my member color yellow!
Fumiya: Taking walks at night. I like to take a walk in a cold season like now. I also like the time being idly in a coin laundry. I have a laundry machine at home, but I guess I like to go there to be absorbed in my thoughts.

Who is your bias in the group?
Kosuke: Katsunari. His performances are cool but his personality is cute. I feel there are a lot of people falling for him once they discover this gap.
Katsunari: Honda-kun has the impression of him being like an older brother, but he is actually the youngest of his family, as he has two older sisters and an older brother. His charm is that he is unexpectedly indecisive and has human kindness.
Shuta: Fumiya. I can learn a lot from watching him such as the strength of his heart that allows him to make decisions on point! I am a worry wart and tend to get nervous, so it is reassuring just to have Fumiya around me.
Fumiya: Shuta who is the key to our vocal line. We have the same antenna for things and talk about similar topics. The other day we analyzed “King of conte” together.
TN: King of conte - a comedy contest program airing on TBS

If you described your fans in a few words?
Kosuke: We are a “family” that works hard together. I also work hard for everyone and they are all supporting us with their lives. Our feelings are the same.
Katsunari: The fans tell me their clumsy episodes, too, so I also call them “clumsy” (laughs).
Shuta: “Flower garden”. They are also beautiful flowers who make the way we walk a flower road and that they kindly watch over all of our sides, makes me feel like they are a “flower garden” (laughs).
Fumiya: "Competitive". Maybe because I am the same, I feel there are a lot of fans like this. During the online talks or for the radio messages, they try to fool around or say something more funny to me.

Something that makes you happy to hear from a fan?
Kosuke: “You are cool”. It’s simple but it is pretty much what makes me happy the most.
Katsunari: Something like “I was able to do my best” because they saw me doing so. Knowing I am someone's source of energy, makes me glad I am working hard.
Fumiya: “You are taller than I expected.” I was happy when someone told me that for the first time at the meet & greet some time ago.
Shuta: “I am glad that you are part of OWV.” A lot has happened before we formed and started our activities, so when someone tells me this, I feel in my heart “I’m glad to be here”.

A message to the fans who are stanning you!
Kosuke: I am going to work hard to bring you days full of enjoyment! Please continue to support us!
Katsunari: Aren’t you interested in clumsy me???
Shuta: Don’t you want to try to make Urano Shuta a part of your live?
Fumiya: Stan Sano Fumiya and you won’t regret it!

[OWV] Nylon 200928

DO YOU FEEL YOUR MUSIC? OWV who still hide their shine are spreading their wings to the world
In the middle of the world welcoming a huge change, the rookie boy group OWV appeared like a comet. In the gazes of the members, who have made both bitter and sweet experiences in the audition program “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”, a strong light is dwelling.
This interview will unravel their state of mind after the audition, the hidden stories of their formation and episodes they haven’t talked about until now. Unfolding the real faces of the four members who have a huge hidden potential.

How did you honestly feel when OWV’s formation was decided?
Kosuke: I felt grateful that once more I became able to run towards my dream. It has been so frustrating to be unable to grasp my dream after coming close to it in PDJ (as PRODUCE 101 JAPAN is shortened to) but I’m glad that I continued without ever giving up.
Shuta: In my case, I was surprised that the attention for this program was bigger than I expected. I had the wish to be active in a dance-vocal unit since I was a child, so PDJ was the chance for it, but even though I missed that chance I was looking for a new one, thinking “I’m gonna continue to do my best”. While I was wondering how I should open up a new path, the talks for this group’s formation reached me and I was honestly happy about it.
Fumiya: As I was a university student during PDJ, I felt like a loser as I was the only looking sloopy while all my friends were job hunting in suits. When I was eliminated in PDJ, I was highly anxious, thinking “What should I do with my career?”. I was really happy when this group was decided and I felt relieved that everything I have done so far was no mistake in the end.
Katsunari: I had already begun job hunting. Hence, when I got another chance to debut, I was so happy that I could have cried. But I didn’t cry (laughs). And, I had made the promise to my parents that if I fail PDJ I will start job hunting. It had been my intent to work in a normal company (laughs).
Shuta: What? So you are saying it was either being a standard company employee or OWV for you?
Katsunari: That’s what I just said? (laughs)

We both have the experience of being back dancers and we have similar worries

How were the members decided?
Kosuke: After the show ended, when the former trainees exchanged messages “What should we do from now on?”, the 4 of us naturally came together as our aim and thoughts were similar, just like our passion. For example, if you look at me and Fumiya, we both worked as back dancers and we had similar worries.
Fumiya: I feel it was at the time the agency also mentioned that “Don’t you want to do it together?”. The person in charge of us eliminated trainees had been concerned back then.

In this case, it was something spontaneous, right?
Shuta: That’s right. I feel it just happened while we were talking with each other.

In which regard did you share the feelings with the other members?
Kosuke: The biggest one was the will to be more artists than idols.
Katsunari: In my opinion, idols have more of a “young and fresh” image and as we have experienced being at the bottom and also older, I felt I want to do it as an artist with a mature feeling… How about you guys?
Shuta: Ah, yes. That‘s right (laughs).
Fumiya: I feel the border between idol and artist is disappearing more and more. Especially in K-POP.
Kosuke: We might not live up to the title artist for now, but one day I hope we become someone who is called “an artist who represents Japan”. To be recognised as someone with real abilities.
Fumiya: Both me and Honda used to be dancers, so we would like to choreograph and create our own songs.

Which member came up with the name OWV for the group?
Fumiya: Well, each one of us had his own ideas and we wrote them down on a white board.
Kosuke: The people from the agency also entrusted us with this, saying “It will be more meaningful if the members decided it together after discussing it”. However…
Fumiya: You don’t want to remember it, right? The thing we struggled the most was deciding on our group name (laughs).
Shuta: We were discussing it over and over with the members and staff and OWV was the one name we all could agree on. As this overlapped with the lockdown because of the covid pandemic, we exchanged our ideas on LINE, too.
Katsunari: Normally, we texted, but out of nowhere Honda-kun sent a picture. It was a picture with the group name written in a cool font on a black background.
Shuta: It was a chat, wasn’t it? Everything looks cool there.

Are there any people or artists you see as your role model?
Katsunari: It is hard to say ‘It’s them for sure’!
Fumiya: For example, we have the goal to be like BIGBANG-san who can make each one’s individual charm shine more by the low number of members. I personally respect G-DRAGON-san.
Kosuke: There is also WINNER-san.
Shuta: As the 4 of us get along very well… While it might be a bit ridiculous, I would like us to be like Arashi-san and be always close with each other.
Katsunari: We are really close, so I want this to be seen, too. But I think if someone set up a camera, you would understand it (laughs).
Kosuke: Like us living in a dorm again (laughs)? But this might be impossible for Shuta.

Is that so? Why?
Fumiya: Shuta’s mother is very worried about him.
Shuta: When we stayed in the dorm in Korea for the program, I was unable to reply to the LINE messages of my mother and when I opened the app afterwards, 214 messages from her had come. She even told me yesterday and this morning “Don’t live in a dorm again” (laughs). She would surely follow me if I ever moved into a dorm again. For real!
Katsunari: Among the 101 trainees, your mother was there, too, right? (laughs)
Shuta: No (laughs).
Kosuke: But you don’t seem to dislike your mother being worried about you?
Shuta: I really dislike it (laughs).
Kosuke: Only Shuta lives a little far from the city center with his family, so it would be better if he moved closer for work.
Katsunari: Your commuting expenses must be high (laughs).
Shuta: They are! But, I stay there for my family as I’m a kind guy.
Katsunari: You said so (laughs).
Kosuke: Another goal of ours might be to have our own show where we could have private talks like this. We are always laughing with each other over the most trivial things and everyone always thinks about topics to talk about.
Fumiya: Sometimes, our discussions about talks are far more intense than the one about singing and dancing. We only have evaluation meetings that go “At this point, we make more people laugh if we do it like this”. (laughs)
Kosuke: We think about a flow like if we come to this point we reply like that. It would be nice to showcase this chatty side along with our artist activities.
Fumiya: Yes.
Kosuke: Also, personally, I would like to produce one day. But as we are still before our debut, it is not the time to say that, right? (laughs) For this, I would like to become first someone who can produce his own group. I would like to advance with the goal of becoming the number 1 in Japan and becoming someone the world pays attention to.

By the way, has been OWV’s leader decided?
Fumiya: Right now a leader hasn’t been formally appointed. However, sure enough Honda-kun is the one who leads us in various aspects. I’m sure the fans also agree with this.
Shuta: Because he is “Nation’s aniki”.
Katsunari: We rely on him.
Shuta: After all that’s because he is “Nation’s aniki”.
Katsunari: I heard you (laughs).
Kosuke: When we come to the point of deciding a leader, we will once more refer to everyone’s opinions and decide him based on this. The result might be that Shuta becomes the leader (laughs).
Everyone: (laughs)
Shuta: Why are you laughing?
Fumiya: But I think this is impossible.
Shuta: Hey!
Kosuke: (laughs) We also need to decide on the member colors.

I am deeply moved that we have become friends who rush through life together.

Please tell us about the reason each one of you started to aim for the entertainment world. You surely yearned for it since your childhood?
Shuta: In my case yes. I have watched K-POP since I was young and the quality of the dancing, singing and performances was amazing and I started to feel that I want to do this, too. I think the first ones were SHINee-san.
Katsunari: I only entered the entertainment world when I was 20 years old and started dancing after that. I think I’m a late bloomer. To the point that I expected my future career will involve a normal job hunting. .
Fumiya: I am also a late bloomer. I only started dancing in my second year of university. It had been a hurdle that I learnt everything myself instead of being part of a circle or going to dance lessons. I didn’t like studying. I learnt it by watching dance competitions and analyzing myself. I learnt dancing while competing at events at live houses late at night. Also, my work as a back dancer comes from people approaching me at such events. Hence, my mindset is more like the street style. Maybe that’s why I am really bad at teaching others. That’s why I entrusted this to Honda-kun.
Kosuke: I am the full opposite of Fumiya. I began visiting the dance school which I always wanted to do after leaving my school club because of an injury in high school. Afterwards, I moved to Tokyo to visit a dance vocational school and this led to me starting to work as a back dancer.Judging from your characters, I assumed Honda-kun comes from the street style and Fumiya was the one who was taught at a school.
Kosuke: Right! The impression is the opposite, isn’t it?

By the way, in what kind of club were you?
Kosuke: In high school I was in the track and field club.
Fumiya: We are the same. Baseball club in middle school and track and field in high school.

You didn’t consider continuing baseball in high school?
Kosuke: I hated being bald (laughs).
Fumiya: I disliked team sports.
Everyone: (laughs)
Fumiya: Back then! I hated losing because of the faults of others. At the same time, I hated if the team lost because of my mistakes. As track and field is an individual sport, I chose that in high school.

Do you remember your first impression of the other members?
Kosuke: I knew Fumiya already before the show, but back then I had no idea that he was that much of a street like dancer. I didn't expect him to be such a cool and ambitious person who worked his way up. ”You are such a person!” As I am the type of person who didn’t have such a hurdle and examined everything closely through the lessons, I had the feeling of wanting to have some hurdle deep inside of me. When I see someone who has such a background, I can tell that directly. It makes me wish to live like this too.
Fumiya: But I just jumped into the dance battle world without having a clue what I was actually doing, so I was really bad. No matter which event I joined, there was no positive result. But if you keep on trying, you will eventually hit.
Kosuke: It is amazing that you endured such a period without being discouraged.
Fumiya: Because I am competitive. The first time me and Honda-kun met, it was that Honda-kun was one of the performing artists and I was back dancer for another group.
Kosuke: Back then I was in an indie dance and vocal group and on that day we had a live show with another dance and vocal group for which Fumiya was the back dancer. Back then, I wouldn’t have believed that now we would be in the same group.
Fumiya: Me too.
Shuta: Me and Fumiya were friends already before we appeared on the show.
Fumiya: That’s the truth.
Shuta: Since we were good friends for a while, I am deeply moved that we have become friends who rush through life together.
Kosuke: My image of Shuta never changed.
Fumiya: It’s just the part (which never changed) that I assumed “That guy seems kind” and he proved to be kind after becoming friends (laughs).
Katsunari: Shuta felt like a funny moodmaker from the start. This image barely changed (laughs). He is a common kind guy.
Shuta: Why is everyone teasing me? (laughs) I also felt from the start that Katsu-kun is a funny guy.
Kosuke: He has no hidden side (laughs). I felt that Katsu was a scary guy in the beginning. His way of replying was really short. A way only a truly handsome guy can reply (laughs). I thought “I can’t do that!”. But once I started talking to him, he was the typical funny older brother from Kansai.
Fumiya: He was tall and back then his hair was blonde. My first impression was “There are people who are cool just by their height”. When we were together for the second screening, I ended up thinking “This guy will advance to a good place”.
Kosuke: The outlook of a producer (laughs).
Katsunari: Speaking of this, I also thought Honda-kun was scary? Because I often witnessed his passion exploding during PDJ.
Shuta: I thought so, too. Kosuke-kun is just “THE GUY”, so I was nervous initially. But when we were in the same group he was really kind and I started to like him. He also got a cute side with him always rolling his little face roller in his face.
Katsunari: We are always borrowing sunscreen from Honda-kun, because he always has it with him.
Shuta: He got the one which is the best for the skin (laughs). I guess I only realized that gap about him after the group was formed. Speaking of gaps, you would think on the first glance that Fumiya is no joker at all as he seems cool, but surprisingly he talks a lot and tries to get some laughs.
Katsunari: My first impression of Fumiya was the same. After we became friends I was surprised that he is such a mischievous person.

Well, then I would like to ask you about the sides you respect about each other.
Fumiya: I try to absorb the movements of a body by watching them, but Shuta has an excellent ear. You might know that he can play the piano, but he can also do voice percussion. He is good in absorbuíng music with his ears. I envy this. I think there are many things I can learn from him in this regard.
Katsunari: That’s right. I think that Shuta is not just good at singing, but he also has a human side. I am a bit ashamed to say it again but I feel I have to imitate his side of brighting the atmosphere as the moodmaker (laughs).
Shuta: (laughs) I believe Katsu-kun is amazing. I think it is because he brings a different balance than a moodmaker. His gentleness of pacifying the atmosphere and his ability to read the mood. Moodmakers tend to hype up the atmosphere and that’s it, but in Katsu-kun’s case, he adjusts the mood so that the whole place feels good.
Katsunari: Right.
Shuta: Don’t say “right” (laughs). But I truly think you are amazing.
Katsunari: Thank you very much (embarrassed). Fumiya’s desire to pursue and his hunger for dance, of course, but also for the things he is interested in is amazing. This is the part I lack the most or rather I just do everything averagely, so I respect this side of him.
Kosuke: Sure enough I admire Fumiya for competing on the streets. Because this is something you can only do if you have the right self esteem and resolution and you have to fully go to the bottom of expressing yourself.
Shuta: Compared to the time I first met Fumiya, I feel he has become quite good and he has become able to devote himself to dancing. Also, that he is competitive. He is not only competitive, but also works hard until the very end and this side brings him into a good direction, or rather, it is giving him a certain confidence. Next, let’s talk about Aniki (Honda-kun).
Katsunari: Naturally, I highly respect Aniki’s dancing. Regarding his personality I already said that, but I think it is cool that he is reliable, that he really values personal relationships and that he is a proper adult in that way. I think this is important no matter the industry.
Fumiya: After all, he always leads us and he is also good at teaching us. He really feels like an older brother (= aniki).
Shuta: There is a lot (that I respect) like him valuing the relationships between people, his passionate heart and his leadership, but I think what I respect the most is that he “can pay attention”. For example, when someone asks me “What do you think of this move?”, I am the type of person who barely can give honest feedback. I would just say “It’s good” and that’s it. But Kosuke-kun would tell me flatly everything up to what was not so good. But he doesn’t make me feel bad about being admonished or being warned. I can tell he really thinks about the other person when he says those things. He understands them and tells them so, in order for everyone to improve together. I think that is something hard to do.

What is your goal as OWV?
Kosuke: Both us and the staff decided that in the 1 or 2 years after our debut we want to stand on stage of the Budokan, so this is what we want to make come true.
Fumiya: In addition, there is also the goal that we want to become fashion icons as OWV. For us, BIGBANG-san are like this and we want to become a group that is influential in a lot of areas.
Kosuke: We want to become a group that can be also liked by guys, right?
Shuta: Yes. We want to become someone who is imitated. I would be happy if someone made dance covers of our songs. Or that someone thinks “Because they are wearing this, I want to wear this, too”.
Katsunari: To say it boldly, we hope to become a trend.
Shuta: It would be awesome, if we really became such a group. Someone that makes people say “That clothes are typical OWV”.
Katsunari: That’s great! I want to do my best in this regard!
Fumiya: I also want to us to become a strong group that can tell our own story on documentary programs like “Jonetsu Tairiku” or “Pro no ugokikata”. I want us to become a strong group who is told “Please appear on our program” instead of us saying “We want to appear there”.
Kosuke: But you seem already ready to appear there, Fumiya (laughs). With all your ups and downs of competing on the street after you started dancing and your debut happening even though you were eliminated during the audition.
TN: It seems like since 2021 the second program is named “Why not? Watashitachi no ugokikata”.

Next I would like to ask about music. First of all, which kind of music or which artists do each of you like?
Katsunari: I’m often listening to western music. I like R&B and I’m often listening to Shawn Mendes. When it comes to enjoying music, including the videos, I often listen to K-POP. It is not one group I like, but rather there are songs that I enjoy.
Kosuke: I mainly listen to Japanese bands. I only listen to western music when I look for songs to dance to. But I think this is typical for people who have been back dancers (laughs). The bands I often listen to include SHE’S-san and I Don’t Like Mondays-san. Also, back number-san. And I’m listening to the hits of Higedan-san (Official Higedan dism).
Fumiya: I mainly listen to Western hip hop, R&B and pop music. When it comes to Japanese songs, I love Obukuro Nariaki-san. I think this person is a genius who does it amazingly without being tied to a genre. I originally got into Western music through hip hop and it was also the reason why I got interested in dancing.
Shuta: Since I was a child classical music was played at home, so I’m extremely familiar with it. Also during breakfast these days, classical music is played.
Katsunari: There are really such families…
Kosuke: What kind of classical music?
Shuta: Eh… the usual stuff. Like Mozart-san or Chopin-san…
Everyone: (laugh)
Kosuke: You use “san” for them (laughs)
Fumiya: Another one. I want to know another one.
Shuta: Eh… Who else. I think Tschaikowski.
Kosuke: Now, there was no “san” (laughs).
Katsunari: You really live like a royal.
Shuta: But my meals are not royal at all. Normally, it’s bacon and eggs or bread.
Kosuke: Bread-san?
Shuta: Yes, I eat bread-san. And as music-san I add Mozert-san to it. And, during my school years I started to like SHINee and since then I also listen to K-POP.
Kosuke: No no no. You have to add a “san” to SHINee-san.
Everyone: (laugh)
Shuta: I have no idea anymore where I should add the “san”.

The lyrics about the feeling of living in a far away town stick with me

(laughs) Now, please tell us the first CD or song you bought from your pocket money or part time salary.
Katsunari: It was from Bangtan-san (BTS). I think it was the album “DARK&WILD” which included the song “War of Hormones”. I also bought a CD of BIGBANG-san released at the same time.
TN: As Dark & Wild was released in August 2014, he likely refers to “The Best of Big Bang 2006-2014” or the live album “2014 BIGBANG +a IN SEOUL”.
Kosuke: It was Mr. Children-san’s “Hanabi”.
Shuta: This is such a nice song~
Kosuke: I remember the case not being plastic but paper.
Fumiya: In my case it was something like a best of CD that featured hit songs from various hip hop artists. I often listened to the CD when my family went somewhere by car and gradually my parents also knew those well (laughs). Eventually, my father nodded along while driving.
Katsunari: What a cool family (laughs).

After the hip hop family I would like to hear about the classic family next.
Shuta: The very first CD I bought was in fact a classical one.
Kosuke: For real?
Shuta: Yes, really. Because in order to improve my piano skills it was good to listen to this kind of music.
Fumiya: That’s true however (laughs). It’s kinda different and funny, Shuta.
Shuta: I think it was a CD that features a lot of famous works from various composers. It was played during breakfast for example.
Kosuke: Powerful. Everything you have said so far.
Katsunari: Really! Someone we feel so small compared with your excellence (laughs)
Shuta: You don't have to!

Please tell us whether there is a memorable song for you.
Kosuke: For me it is the song “Tegami” by back number-san. The song text is really like a letter to one’s parents, telling them “I’m working hard to reach my dreams”. When I was on the verge of being discouraged and wanted to go home again, this was the song that made me think “I will work hard again”. It’s like going back to the start. Because when I moved to Tokyo to chase my dreams, I thought about my parents a lot before making my decision.
Shuta: For me it is Mr. Children-san’s “Owarinaki tabi”. I like the lyrics that hit you right into the heart. I like the part “I feel great when I climb progressively higher walls.”, but when I first heard it it shocked me, thinking “what are those lyrics…”.
Fumiya: For me it is Shimizu Shota-san’s “Tokyo”. The lyrics about the feeling of living in a far away town stick with me, because I long felt stuck at the bottom after moving from the countryside to Tokyo, too. I often listened to it when I felt I was buried under everything.
Shuta: When you were buried under (laughs).
TN: 下積み has a double meaning by once being literally buried by something or be at the bottom layer of something and feeling it metaphorical to the point of being a loser, a failure. While Fumiya meant it in a metaphorical way, Shuta tries to lighten the mood by putting up the image of Fumiya being literally buried under something while listening to the song.
Katsunari: This song is great. As someone who also moved from the countryside to Tokyo I can understand. For me it is ONE OK ROCK-san’s “Yokubou ni michita seinendan”. I often listened to it when I was part of a small agency and felt insecure, thinking “If I can’t make it with the next chance, I’ll give up.” Back then I felt I could link the lyrics to my own situation.

I hope to remember the times when there was no reward.

Next, please tell us your favorite lyrics.
Katsunari: From the song “Tabako” from Koresawa-san. There are the lyrics “I set the clock five minutes early for my lower who tends to oversleep, but this has no meaning anymore.”. Their point is that the two have already broken up. I think this kind of technical writing style makes the melancholy of the song stronger and better.
Shuta: For me it is the lyrics of the song “My Pace” from the K-POP group Stray Kids. I feel it fits our situation. It feels that we go on in our pace without being compared to others, but especially the parts “Don’t give up Don’t give up Even if you compare there is no meaning in it” gives me energy.
Fumiya: For me it is the song “Kadode” by Obukuro Nariaki. There is the phrase “Somehow I miss being alive”. I guess there are a lot of interpretations regarding this but.. It’s hard to speak of such a highly intellectual level.
Katsunari: I am curious. Would it be quicker to listen to it myself?
Fumiya: Yes. It’s hard to explain. Try to listen to it.
Kosuke: For me it is the song “Alarm” by tensaibonzin. During my indie times I appeared along with tensaibonzin and I listened to this song from then on often. It is a song for people who are trying to reach their dreams, but I like the lyrics “What is the right answer I only decide that I trust my choices”. It clearly fit my situation back then and it renewed my motivation to give my all.

There are a lot of songs that are hungry to reach one’s dreams in your choices.
Fumiya: Because there has been a long time of us being losers.

What kind of worries did you have in your times at back dancers, Honda-san and Sano-san?
Kosuke: I originally started dancing because I wanted to work in the spotlight and I felt I wasn’t cut to be a back dancer. I quit when I felt a bit frustrated about not being in the spotlight. Of course, it is a matter of being suited for it, so I am not saying that dancing at the front is superior to dancing in the back. It was simply not something for me. After realizing this, I started my former indie group.
Fumiya: It was the same for me. There was a time when I felt extremely uncomfortable about receiving a lot of cheers while being on stage as none of those cheers were for me. I believed in myself being a back dancer, but at one point I felt “I can’t keep on doing this…”. That’s why I am really grateful for what I am doing now.
Kosuke: Both in my times as a back dancer and during my indie days it was hard to continue with the activities. Even when I appeared at some dance event, I had to prepare my costume myself, pay for the participation, pay for the dance studio to practice until the performance, there was also a ticket quota… I really appreciate the current environment. We are the ones who were eliminated from the audition once, and I hope to remember the times when there was no reward.

Now I would like to ask you for one song “that you want to listen to with someone special by sharing your earphones”.
Katsunari: Hm.. which one… There is the song “Eat” by Zion.T, which might be good. It is a song for people who are always working hard and it says “Don’t exert yourself too much, relax a bit while eating chocolate and listen to this song”. I want to listen to it together when my special one is exhausted from being busy.
Fumiya: Special someone… I have no interest in that. I only listen to songs based on whether I want to dance to them or not.
Everyone: Wow~ So cool.
Fumiya: (laughs) However, I think “Closer feat. Haley” by Chainsmokers which has a slightly sad atmosphere but a melody that lifts your mood, might be good.
Kosuke: It is a song I often listened to in the past, but it would be “milk tea” by Fukuyama Masaharu. The lyrics scream of love from the bottom of one’s heart. It has a very moving composition with the milk tea from the title finally coming up towards the end “On a rainy slope Under one umbrella The milk tea you gave me”.
Shuta: …. is a classical song okay?
Members: (laugh)
Shuta: I pick “Liebestraum” (Love Dream) by Liszt. The impact from the melody of the intro is great and it makes me feel at peace… Classical music has no lyrics, so you can only guess the message of the song based on the title “Liebestraum”, but the impression is greatly different for each person. I imagine it to be fun to see how the other one would interpret the song and try to compare it with mine. I think it is perfect for listening with your partner. Classical music is really great (for this).
Kosuke: Wow, he is so cool.
Fumiya: It’s so different from the rest of us (laughs). You can feel him being an intellectual.
Since the lockdown to fight the Corona virus has started, how do you spend your days?
Katsunari: We announced OWV’s formation on Honda-kun’s birthday (11th April), but we first came together shortly before the implementation of the emergency state. Just when we decided “We are gonna start our activities as OWV!” The emergency state began, so we discussed it and every day we called each other for a long time.
Kosuke: We barely even talked, we were just connected to each other (laughs).
Shuta: Really we were connected to each other the whooole time.
Kosuke: We had no idea when to end the calls.
Shuta: Right, we are all not the people to end calls.
Katsunari: As we were all like this, it ended up being like a marathon (laughs).
Fumiya: It was pretty much as if we lived together.
Shuta: It was often until 2 or 3 am.

To be continued...

[JO1] Josei Seven 220804

Part 2 because the shooting in Okinawa was just too good!

A "summer treasure" for you

When these two are together, they are constantly smiling. This mutually effectionate chemi YonaRen, made from JO1's Yonashiro Sho and Kawashiri Ren, showed us their exclusive cool and sweet expressions. Since we were unable to include all pictures in the 14 July issue, there is part 2 of the "JO1 x Okinawa" project! Enjoy the "shining present" of the two!

So stay in the shinning present

Yonashiro Sho and Kawashiri Ren are the two oldest members of the group. They are known to be dependable within the group, but they had been somewhat excited that only the two of them would have a shooting in Okinawa. When they arrived at the airport of Naha, Kawashiri-san said “This already feels like Okinawa!” and smiled innocently while holding a souvenir he had bought on the spot. There was also the surprise of Yonashiro-san’s parents coming to see them at the airport.

Sho: For me, Okinawa is not just the place where I was born, but also the place that formed me. There are a lot of people like me who leave Okinawa to see the world, but by leaving Okinawa you can once more understand the virtues of it.
When I come back to Okinawa, everyone will welcome me like a family. It is both a place to come back to and “my source of energy”.

On the other hand there is Kawashiri-san who visits Okinawa for the second time since his high school days.

Ren: When I was in high school I traveled with my family. This time, I was able to enjoy the time in Okinawa fully because I was able to come with a member of my group with whom I spend even more time than with my family now.
Also, back in high school I believed ‘tanned guys are so cool’, so I wanted to get tanned in Okinawa. But this time I fully protected myself with a parasol and sunscreen. So the way I feel regarding the sun has changed (laughs)

With a smile the two looked back to the shooting locations in Okinawa. About two months after the shooting, on September 3rd, their first arena tour “2022 JO1 1ST ARENA TOUR -KIZUNA-“ will start.

We received a message for JAM from them.

Sho: It will be our first arena tour. So far we were only able to hold concerts with an audience in Tokyo, but this time we are going to visit the JAM in other areas. It will be the place to convey our gratitude to a bigger number of JAM. Through this tour we hope to give back to everyone even more.

Ren: What I felt during this shooting in Okinawa is that each place has its own unique atmosphere. For example, if you interact with people from Okinawa, you somehow feel they are “typical Okinawan”. We can visit a lot of places during the next tour, so I hope to feel what is the “typical feeling of that place”.
All JAM are very kind people. I hope that we can make this a time when we can feel the bond between us and JAM, to embody the title of the arena tour, “Kizuna” (bond).

We are sure that as long as it is them, they will bring a wonderful treasure to their fans.

Is there something you want to try this summer?
Sho: I would like to try diving.
This time our shooting was “on the land” as we went to eat something and rode horses, so next time I want to do something “in the water”!
Ren: (after listening to Yonashiro-san’s answer) Diving would be nice, too~ Also, it is still hard to do in this day and age, but I would like to go to a summer festival.

The feature was also published over here: https://www.news-postseven.com/archives/20220807_1780880.html?DETAIL