Translation: Anican September 2008・Ninomiya Kazunari
Ani Boom '08!!
PART 1
~Talent Section~
Big Reveal of Hobbies and Collections of that Person We're Wondering About!!
Ninomiya Kazunari


My Hobby's VIDEO GAMES!
"To play 120 games in 1 year"
is my goal for '08.
Right now I've cleared 50!!

Your hobby of many years, how did you get into video games?

"My first video game was "Space Invaders" on our Nintendo at home, I think? I entered elementary school, the SNES came out, and every day I was completely absorbed in video games. Even more than fighting games, I like RPGs (Role Playing Games) I can play quietly by myself, so I was a slave to Dragon Quest! I didn't do anything but baseball and video games. SNES, Gameboy, Playstation, Gamecube, etc., right when a game system comes out I buy it, and my record for all-time longest play is 30 hours in two days. When I'm eating or taking a bath and the Dragon Quest music keeps playing in my head.... At those times I feel like I've been cursed (smile)."

What's your favorite game?

"The Dragon Quest series would have to be No. 1. Dragon Quest 4 was especially deep, it made me realize that 'people are lifeforms that only think about what's right before their eyes!' (smile). In addition, I recommend Dead Rising where the ending changes depending on the player's actions. Although in elementary school I beat Chrono Trigger in which you save the future using time slips without really understanding it, when I played it again recently, I was so into it I listened to the soundtrack even when I was commuting. This year's goal has been 'to play 120 in 1 year,' and at the end of the first half, I've played over 50!! Recently I've run out of games I want to play, and although it's a dangerous situation for the completion of my goal.... If you think about it, I've only played RPGs, so finishing 10 a month is difficult. In a heavy month I might be playing 3-4 games at the same time, so my private time is incredibly busy (smile)."


My Hobby's MAGIC!
I'm being called
to put on card trick
shows a lot (smile)!!

˜˜˜˜Good with his fingers, and quite skilled at magic. About how much do you practice card tricks?

"Recently I've been practicing 3 or 4 hours a day. Actually, three years ago I was in a play called Rebel without a Cause, but there was person who could do card magic there, and when I saw it I thought 'Awe~some!', so there was a time when I returned home that I was practicing. Then just recently I revived it again~. When there weren't any video games I wanted to play and I was just spacing out at home, I thought maybe I'd watch a movie, and I found a magic DVD, and ever since I watched it I've been totally addicted to card tricks. Right now the book I'm reading for fun is also a magic specialty book. In both down time and my private time I do noting but practice magic. Although I think when I've had enough of magic I think I'll go back to video games."

We've heard you've gotten offers from people who want you to come do card tricks for them, is that true?

"Recently there have been a lot of times when people have for real said, 'Come do magic for me!!' (smile). Rather than practicing myself at home, doing magic where people can see is where your skills get better, and your talking technique also advances, so I've had times when I've left to do a magic show right after work (smile). Chances to perform on TV shows have also increased, and because I can see everyone's reactions of, 'What? How?", it's also become encouragement to practice. In pro magician's tricks, the speed isn't lacking, I want to master magic so as to get close to that."


T-shirt ¥18,900 (Chimera Looks (Buddhist Punk))
Denim Pants ¥22,050 (ORAQLE harajuku "O" (Oracle))


Profile
>Ninomiya Kazunari
Born 17/6/1983 in Tokyo.
Is active as a member of Arashi.
Their double A-side single "truth/
Kaze no Mukou e" is planned to
be released on August 20th.
August 30-31 they'll be serving
as main personalities on "24 Hour
TV 31 'Love Will Save the Earth'" (NTV).
From September 5th, beginning with
a concert in National Olympic Stadium,
they'll open their Asia tour, "Arashi
marks ARASHI AROUND ASIA 2008."
Performing in Taipei, Seoul, and
Shanghai, they plan to have 7
shows in the four capital cities.

-----

"Although you have only 5 fingers, the guitar has 6 strings,
so at first it was a hard fight....
Now when I play the guitar in my free time, I relax!!"

My Hobby's GUITAR!
Guitar and song writing was
all self-study. I like the
work in fertile soil.

He's also played songs he wrote himself on guitar and piano in concerts, Ninomiya-san. What was the incident that prompted him to start guitar?

"When I was 15 or 16, Takizawa (Takizawa Hideaki) kun suddenly asked me 'please play!!' Because I had been playing bass since I was 13, they're pretty different, but I only have 5 fingers, so I didn't like that there are 6 strings on a guitar.... At the beginning I couldn't play at all, so I practiced really hard. In two weeks I had mastered to a degree, but it was quite difficult. And now, I only play bass chasing after guitar, so I don't have cause to practice, and it's come to me only playing guitar. Guitar and song writing was all self-study!! I watched from the side a lot as an acquaintance worked on arrangement, and you could say I memorized the analog way to do it. Creating songs on the computer is also quite fertile soil, and I like the work in fertile soil surprisingly much."


Photography/Honma Hiroshi Stylist/Nomura Shouji(STUTTGART) Hair and Make-up/Katou Kazuo Composition/Yamanaka Yuuki



Many thanks to yuckie_chan who is the originator of these scans!