Myojo 2012.04: Murakami Shingo’s 10000 word interview (part 1)

*I will split his interview into 4 parts* Translated the gist of it, the rest of the interview was pretty nice, I will get it translated soon!

~Hadaka no Jidai~ When I was still a junior

pic credit: 243o

No matter how much I talked back in the secondary school days, there would be an awkward silence.

- What was your dream when you were young?
Hina: A bus driver. Those big buses used to drive kindergarten kids around. Back then I thought,”Wow amazing, there are people who drive vehicles bigger than Dad’s!”
- What kind of child were you?
Hina: I was afraid of meeting people. My mum always said,”You always hid behind my back as a child.” and after that there was a long period of time I stayed that way. But I attracted quite a lot of attention back in Primary school.
- You were good at playing basketball right?
Hina: I joined the basketball club since I was in primary school. In the club in secondary school I was the main player since year 1.
- You were so good in sports, were you very popular in secondary school right?
Hina: I guess so. The boom period was in 2nd year I guess. When the basketball club was chosen for competition, there were girls from other schools saying things like,”Number XX is so cool!” and such.
- Then, you had quite a fun time back in secondary school?
Hina: But I was always made fun of, I didn’t really like it. And it makes things difficult for me too. During secondary school I was okay with facing boys, but I get a little scared when I interact with girls. Once someone approaches me I really don’t know what to say.
- So you weren’t really good at talking in the past.
Hina: Not good at all! Not at all! There were many other people who were much more interesting than I am. I think it was in year 3, there was a guy who could make everyone laugh. I tried to battle him, but the words I said caused an awkward silence (laughs).
- But in secondary school you wished to enter NSC of Yoshimoto Agency (for comedians) right?
Hina: Because my friend invited me to. But I wasn’t thinking like,”Oh, so the things I do would make people laugh.”, but I was thinking if I told my mum,”I would become an entertainer”, this would give me an excuse not to study.
- Did you have a comedic skit with that friend of yours?
Hina: Um, yes. He wrote the script and during the break of remedial classes we practiced our skit. But, the only people who listened were just 2 people, we weren’t really accepted.
- Back then you were already the tsukkomi?
Hina: We didn’t really divide our parts, it’s just 2 people talking. And our group didn’t even have a name.
- Were you interested in Johnny’s?
Hina: No, I didn’t even think of it. Back then I thought,”Entertainment circle = comedians”
- Then, why did you go for the audition in your third year?
Hina: Back then I had a female classmate who liked V6 a lot, from year 2, that girl asked me,”Do you want to try the audition out?”, but I was too focused on the activities of the basketball club, and I wasn’t even interested, so I didn’t take her words seriously. Until the summer of third year, I graduated from the club and I had no choice but to prepare for entrance exams, she came and told me about the audition again.
- You went for the audition in the end because of her.
Hina: Yea, but I didn’t think I would pass the audition so I didn’t want to go for it alone. Thus, I told a friend sitting in front of me,”Hey let’s go for the audition together,” and sent the application in.
- And you passed the first round.
Hina: 1 month after sending the application. That day after I reached home, my mum told me,”A company called Johnny’s and Associates gave you a call”. Because I sent the application secretly, I was thinking,”Oh shoot she discovered it.” and my mum angrily said,”What on earth are you doing instead of studying! You idiot!”
- And she told you,”Your exams are coming, don’t go” and such?
Hina: Although she was really angry, she said,”You have to keep your promise, since they told you to go, you would need to go.”, and she accompanied me there.
- How was the audition like?
Hina: Of course, they wanted us to dance. There were some guys in front who danced with their might, but I stood at the back. I practically couldn’t dance. I kept thinking,”What on earth is that.” And there was an interview, the president told me,”Ask me a question.”
- You weren’t told to answer questions, but to ask questions?
Hina: Yes, it was a group interview, I was the 7th person I think, I was thinking the questions asked previously cannot be repeated, but I totally had no idea what to ask at all. Thus I asked,”Is it okay if I don’t know how to do back flips.” He replied,”It’s alright, I don’t know either.” (laughs). I’m not sure if it’s because I asked a weird question, he developed an interest in me. Then he asked me,”Where do you live?” and many other questions.
- Did you feel that you were selected?
Hina: Be it getting selected or what, I didn’t really give it a thought. Back then, all I wanted is to quickly get back home.
- Why?
Hina: Because it was Christmas day, my friends wanted to hold a party at my home. After the audition I bought Kentucky home, and not long after the party my mum said,”A man called Johnny called.” He said,”Tomorrow is Kinki Kids’ concert, do YOU know how to roller skate?” I said,”Ah, if it’s just moving forward it should be fine.” Then he said,”Okay, bring your skates over tomorrow.”
- That was sudden.
Hina: I was thinking what was that old dude talking about. The second day, I went for the rehearsal. Tsuyoshi asked me,”How much do you know how to skate? Show it to me.” Under the circumstances of “it should be alright”, the actual concert began.
- How did you do?
Hina: I don’t remember at all. On the stage all I did was stare on the floor. I was quite overwhelmed, a cheer this impactful was a first in my life. After that, my brain felt totally empty, I skated faster than during the rehearsal, like it was over in an instant.