Translation: Boao 2008.11・Boao's Hero (Matsumoto Jun)

Boao's Hero
From the cool son of a wealthy family to a field warrior living covered in mud, acting in an extensive range of roles in dramas and movies on the one hand, as Arashi he's in the in the middle of an Asia Tour. In his harried and completely full days, Matsumoto Jun-san reflects calmly on himself.

Photography・ND CHOW (angle) Stylist・Ookubo Atsue
Hair & Make-up・OSSAMU (Image) Article・Umehara Kana


Matsumoto Jun
Just living up to what's expected
I see myself now flatly.

-----

Q What is your dream for Arashi?

A Make the people supporting us happy. We'll probably be exhausted just doing this.


Q What is your dream for yourself?

A To have a happy family. The other day, I was thinking about it acidentally. A long time ago, before I entered this world, according to the future I had vaguely sketched out for myself, I'm at the age where I'd already be married and have kids. So, according to the conclusion I came to presently, I'd like to manage something by my 30's (smile).


Q In one word, what is Matsumoto Jun's personality like?

A Freewheeling


Q When do you think, "I'm pretty cool"?

A When it comes to me like that is when I've used my time exceptionally well. I set my plans for the day, but basically it falls apart. But, when I'm able to do that well and have extra time, I'm incredibly happy. Say for example I decide to go shopping for clothes after seeing a movie. The times when I'm able to easily handle my schedule, and on top of getting some good shopping done, have enough time left over for a cup of coffee, I think those are the best.


Q When do you think, "I'm pretty lame"?

A Oppositely, the times when I'm not able to digest my schedule at all I get depressed. Just the other day too, I planned to go shopping at 3 place, but in the end, I was only able to get to 1 store. I was pretty depressed.


Q When choosing clothes, what do you take into consideration?

A The first coordinated outfit I try on I reject once. I try to think sensibly about which style is best.


Q Of all the roles you've done, what's one you'd like to try again?

A ...There isn't one, I guess? Or to say ot the other way around, I'd like to try all of them again.


Q If the members of Arashi were to make another movie in the future, what kind of movie would be good?

A I want to make a documentary. Because we have photo collections and DVDs, but we haven't done a movie. I'd want it to be shot by (Martin) Scorsese or somebody (smile). Because we'll show you all of Arashi!


P121 Blouse ￥37,800 Hat ￥31,500 (Both Double Tops/Black Flag) Flannel Shirt ￥23,100 Pants ￥31,290 (Both Hysteric Grammar) Used Belt ￥7,140 (Beruberujin) Shoes ￥27,090 (Kaminando/Nana Universe Tokyo)
P122 Cardigan ￥72,450 (Victor & Rolfe) Shirt ￥24,150 Pants ￥37,800 (Both Education From Young Machines/Ijou LOVELESS) Shoes ￥14,700 (Industrial Design/Nano Universe Tokyo)

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In order to accumulate a lot of things,
I'd like to rapidly start taking the initiative.


"The weather is good, and it feels nice. Can we go outside for a bit?"

Lunchtime after shooting finished. At this idea of Matsumoto Jun-san's, all the staff present were really excited. We carried the studio's tables onto the terrace, and we laid out the lunches and fruit; it completely the feeling of a picnic.

"Occasionally, being under this kind of blue sky is fun too. If we could have a barbecue like this, it would be the best."

He's outdoors-y, liking to go with his friends out to the ocean on his days off. But, the time has passed in the space of an instant, so much that he hasn't found that kind of extra time.

"This past year, it really feels like no matter what I did it's continued in a state of there physically not being any time. But it's not that I'm saying I'm displeased at being busy, or that it was tough. Oh, it was that kind of period, is how I can clearly think about it. Just that is complete, I think."

Since the beginning of this year, 2 movies in which he played the lead role opened one after the other. As Arashi, he experienced his first 5 dome tour, and in the Fall he'll travel around to Taipei, Seoul, and Shanghai on an Asia Tour. Continuing to take the lead in all of that is Matsumoto-san. Constantly standing at the center and plunging ahead has got to be considerably tough work.

"I wonder what it is. Because, as myself, in the current circumstances, I react incredibly flatly and calmly. For example, even though I was told millions of people saw the movie Hana Yori Dango, it doesn't feel real. Because, I think it's great, and our hard work paid off, that HanaDan has had so many people see it so far and become such a beloved work, but even though it's logical that I would misunderstand and think, "I'm awesome," or get carried away, I haven't. Everything was only me doing what I should have at the time."

Because I have relationships of mutual trust,
I can even do the absurd.

Even as he says without hesitation, "only doing what I should have at the time," his sense of responsibility is stronger than other's.

"I'm constantly worried about what's expected of me, and I'd like to live up to it if it's something I can live up to."

Communicating with the staff, he goes forward creating things one at a time while cooperating with them. He says that stance is important to him now.

"Recently, there's a real feeling that continuation is power. The relationships we've cultivated in the 9 years since we debuted are important. Because, if we have these long time relationships of mutual trust, even if we're told, "How about we try this?" and they're quite reckless things, even while thinking, "For real?" we can do them. With the team of TV's (Arashi no) Shukudai-kun, it's exactly like this. I definitely can't just suddenly do such stupid things (smile). Because it's that kind of place, the sense that the range of things I can do is getting wider now, I think think it's interesting."


Vest ￥34,650 Bracelet ￥35,700 (Both Bedowin/Bedowin Jigyoubu) Jersey ￥12,390 (Hysteric Grammar) Belt ￥15,750 (Lounge Lizard) Pants ￥28,350 (Wakko Maria/Black Flag) Shoes ￥75,600 (Shirubano Sasetti/Ru Guroopu)

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When answering the questions one by one, he said he would describe his personality in a word as "freewheeling."

"It seems I'm thought of as the type that always thinks about things calmly, but in fact I'm not like that at all. Because I basically do things according to my whims. If you think deeply about every single thing, you won't be able to act."

For example, his role in Arashi is living acting as a character with a strongly "cool" impression, the public image of "MatsuJun." Are there differences between him and the real Matsumoto Jun?

"Ummmm, I can't really say that there are or there aren't. But with that kind of character, I think it can't be helped that my image precedes me. The important thing is, when you get the change, have lots of people remember that image. Because I think correcting your image can be done with your future behavior. Because more than that, it's rough when without any image, you don't get recognized."

In his busy days, it seems he doesn't only continue with out put, but he also values input work for the sake of his body and mind.

"Even if I'm pressed by work, I try my best to make sure I have time to do nothing. First I tell myself, 'Starting right now, you're resting,' (smile). I'm making time to relax. After that, for my heart, I try and watch a lot of things. Knowing about movies or music is also the same. Meeting with people, gazing at the scenery. Gaining knowledge is also the same. In me, for effort to accumulate lots of things, if I wait around for it nothing will start, so I try to rapidly take the initiative."


Q What's your favorite women's fashion?

A I don't have one. If I'm going to fall for her,
I think whatever is fine.


Q Do you like drinking?

A I do. The topic of discussion can be anything.
Even if we talk about work or about girls, it's fun.


Matsumoto Jun-san

Matsumoto・Jun●Born August 30th, 1983. Debuted as Arashi in '99. Currently in the middle of a tour going to Taipei, Seoul, and Shanghai, "Arashi marks ARASHI AROUND ASIA 2008."

Racing Jacket ￥152,250 Cardigan ￥43,050 Pants ￥26,250 (All Wakko Maria/Black Flag) T-shirt ￥16,800 (G Hysteric Triple X/Hysteric Grammar) Belt ￥15,750 (Lounge Lizard) Shoes ￥24,675 (Roofaji x Ira/Nano Universe Ground Floor Shibuya)


●The shop list is on P212.




Special thanks to yuckie_chan who is the originator of these scans (post locked).