#funky8

I found this while sorting out my files so, I made just a quick one. I didn't include the individual comments.

FAN LETTER

To you from Johnny's Jr.

KANSAI JOHNNY'S JR.

Hayashi: Now, there are no teams in Kansai, I think it's strong if it's a "team with these 8 persons".

Koja: During Johnny's Jr. Matsuri (May, Osaka Jo Hall), Miyachika of Travis Japan said "I want to perform with Funky8". I was so happy when he said that.

Kusama: In Tokyo Juniors, each of them has a unit. Because we acquire the techniques, I thought we didn't have a weapon but, Kansai Jr. could also go out there.

Imae: Yeah. Tokyo Jr. has a great momentum. Their impression was really strong, that's what I've thought.

Asada: For us to become an official group, we also need to take an action, right? It's anxious that we're talking this with everyone but we aim (for this) together and I'm thinking just about the same thing.

Suezawa: These 8 persons are like my family for the longest time. Our characters are like roses. For the mean time, I'm the neutral character so, I thought that there's no one missing.

Fujiwara: First of all, these 8 persons somehow has a dangerous existence. (note: yabai)

Hayashi: Right. Of course, there are various successes individually, it will be a weapon if there's something that these 8 persons can't do. For that purpose, we try to incorporate ideas such as foreign objects and then ask everyone "how is it?". I would like to do something that no one is doing in Johnny's. I want to have a concert with only these 8 persons.

Ohashi: The fans would be glad.

Asada: I want to do a solo tour!

Fujiwara: The story became big. (laughs)

Suezawa: I want to make our tour goods! Richard will be a bubble head and it's neck will sway (a swinging doll). (laughs)

Everyone: It's funny! We want it! (laughs)

Hayashi: I'll absolutely put it at the entrance.

Ohashi: I've always wanted to do cool songs and I also want to do cute songs.

Fujiwara: A gap!

Imae: I want an original song!

Everyone: Ah~ we also want it!

Suezawa: I want the song to be "♪Fun Fun Fun Funky!!". (laughs)

Fujiwara: "12345678 Funky!!"

Kusama: I also want a new costume.

Koja: Then at the end of the concert, "we are Funky8!", the official announcement will be a surprise.

Kusama: Like that, from a street live.

*photos from their first appearance on Wink Up!*

Please read this first: My translations may not be 100% accurate because there are words that I don't really understand. If you see some parts that needs to be corrected, kindly DM me. :) Also, if you see asterisk ( * ) with numbers after the sentence, it means that there are a few translation notes and it's just below the interview so, please refer to them. :) 

  Scan credits: yoshiko_mama

It's NEW!!

This new year, the theme is about "firsts", from their first photo appearances on WU (Wink Up), until their first photos for this year. These 8 people have gathered to talk about it. The interview is about "the character that I want to be this year".

Ohashi Kazuya

Until now, my face looks like a pig. I want to have a “debut character” (laughs) But I won’t be longing for it anymore. I’m thankful that fans are saying that I’m “cute”, I’m very happy but somehow I don’t think that it’s  something special. (laughs) However, I don’t want to always be cute! (laughs) Despite of being cute, I want to become a person with a character that everyone will go “kyaaa~” in 2018, and it’s a cool character. Also, my clothes really look lame for someone who’s famous so, I want to be a fashionable person and someone who looks cool in 2018. It is not strange but, I want to simply look cool. Lastly, I started wearing caps and also wearing sarrouel pants. I want to wear clothes stylishly and continue doing it.

Declaration!!: “I want to sing well and shorten my jaw by 2mm.”

Last year, I said that I want my jaw shorten by 1mm... This year, I want it shorten by 2mm! Ahaha! Also, this year! (laughs) Also, there’ll be “Ryun~”, that’s why I really want to sing well.

Asada Junya

I’m getting good at Japanese, that's why I have received sloppy treatments from everyone.*1 But if my Japanese is getting better than this, my character will disappear. Now that I'm 21 years old, I wonder if I should put on some sex appeal from now on. Especially because putting up sex appeal doesn't seem to be common. I want to make a gap! Yes, a gap on my character! I can sing cute songs but I also like to sing some erotic songs that have some adult feeling on it. But, I sort of like my Japanese character. I wonder what other range of characters would be good. Now, I felt that I have recognized myself, I also even acknowledge myself being stupid. Right now, I study to become a newscaster but I don't aim to become someone who has a smart character and even if you consider other's opinions on TV, they’ll be "it’s just right" and it'll just be a hindrance. (laughs)

Declaration!!: "Let's establish a star character!"

...Let's establish a star character. (Imae: "me, my ramen and the end!")*2 But, I love the stars so much, and the gap between us is different. Speaking of stars, Asada Junya will do his best!

Hayashi Matori

What kind of character am I supposed to be? So far, I don’t think it’s something intense. But, when I’m together with these 8 people, I’m the brain. I am in charge of the organizing the dance and the choreography, the turn of positions during the magazine interviews. I would do my best to be able to be established this year too. My appearance is like an easy character and as a matter of fact, it’s like a wise person and it’s cool. Among these eight persons, I’m the oldest; the other 7 must be expecting that I’m absolutely the wisest (person). However, it’s somewhat complicated. (laughs) It’s not like that at all but... I am kind person to everyone, and generous too. (laughs) But of course, when someone did something wrong, I tell them that “it isn’t right”. But there’s Suezawa’s scolding, I don’t want to elaborate it.*3 I want to have a good relationship with everyone just like an older brother. What’s the best position? (laughs)

Declaration!!: “Increase my weight by 3 kilos.”

I went to America last year, I went there to train. I want to increase my weight by 5 kilos... But since to gain 5 is impossible, I’ll aim to gain 3 kilos! I’m a type of person that reduces easily.

Koja Nairu

Up until now, I’m thinking what kind of character is suited in Johnny’s, also, the character with an increased girl power. (laughs)*4 In the future, I want to have an amazing character. My appearance is like someone who has a lot of connections; it’s an unexpectedly scary type of character. (laughs) I think that it’s hard to convey it to the fans but I want to be told of “That’s amazing, Koja-kun!” (laughs) And then, a strict but kind character to my juniors, there should be a big gap. I think it’s different that being a kind senior = being a good senior. I want these little kids to understand that being strict is also a form of love. Let’s go with the “strict but loving” character this year! It’s like a maniac~ (laughs) I don’t mind being disliked, I would be a kind of senior that would properly tell of my juniors if they did something wrong.

Declaration!!: “This year, I want to go with Kamiyama (Tomohiro)-kun for a meal!”

I have made promises last year but, there are a lot of chances that I couldn’t go with them. They are my amazing seniors and I respect them. I’d like to have a chat with them sometime.

Kusama Richard Keita

I already have an interesting character now, anyway. Because of that, I want to have a cute character this 2018 and I’ll aim for it. (laughs) Because Ohashi had become petty and no matter what Ohashi does, the audience will say “cute~❤” and I want to feel like that too! (laughs) It’s amusing when he says “I’m Ohashi Kazuya” and there’s “kyaa~!!” afterwards. I want to be like that too when I say, “I’m Richard!” then they’ll go “kyaa~!!”. I didn’t say that I want to be cute since I was a kid but then, I didn’t have a time that I was cute. (laughs) That’s why I’ll aim for it and... but after all, it is impossible, right? You’ll just get embarrassed if you get used to being called cool or cute and besides, it’s really embarrassing. (laughs) I already have an interesting character, that’s why everyone told me that I’m already good. (laughs)

Declaration!!: “I had muscle training last year!”

I said I had muscle training last year but, I didn’t do it at all. I didn’t do muscle training and I didn’t go to the gym. This year, I want to do muscle training! I really want to go there~

Suezawa Seiya

Do I have a playful character?*5 Even though I’m the tsukkomi, I’m being scolded by everyone when I got messed up. (laughs) I’ll work harder on my tsukkomi. In Kansai Juniors, (Muro) Ryuta-kun is the one who does the tsukkomi now, and I want to go on from that point on. I will polish my tsukkomi skills and be Ryuta-kun’s successor. And also, I want to appear in plays, a character that is appearing on plays. There’s one individual role that I want to do, I want to do a character that is an exactly opposite of my personality. For example, a bright, innocent, always smiling sorts of role just like Kazuya? (laughs) I will work hard so that I could raise my place and would get a higher tension than Kazuya. I will definitely work hard. And also, I want to appear with Sakamoto (Masayuki)-kun and do tap (dance) together.

Declaration!!: “To appear in a play!”

I want to be in a play. I absolutely want to appear even once a year, if possible, I would like to appear twice. Not only to appear in a musical but also in many more theatrical performances.*6

Imae Daichi

There are fans that are saying that now they thought of me as a cute character rather than a cool character. But I, myself, thought that I’m just a free-spirited person and it’s just natural. (laughs) This year, I’m aiming have a ramen character!*7 It may be like it now but, I want to become a more established ramen otaku person.*8 When it comes to the ramen of the Kansai (region), it’s alright to ask me about it.*9 I am eating as many as possible and just recently, I went to various stores and eat ramen again, I don’t mind going far. And besides, I only took pictures of ramen before but now, I’m also writing down the characteristics (of the ramen) and my impressions of it. I’m going to improve the comment cards. I’ll be glad if I’ll be invited in to a gourmet program someday!

Declaration!!: “To continue eating ramen!”

I want to continue on eating delicious ramen this year too. I want to eat (more) delicious ramen in Kansai (region). When it comes to ramen, I, Imae Daichi will do my best!

Fujiwara Joichiro

Seriously speaking, I want to be an almighty person. Now, it’s just a comical character, but since there are no achievements, I eventually thought that it’s just “my own style comical character”. (laughs) So, this year, I want to bring out a best program. “I want to have my own little program” – that’s what I want. “The Geinokai” *10, something like that. (laughs) I have a really typical fondness wherein I want to be on a level where I can master this industry’s terminologies. (laughs)*11 My ideal is that there’ll be a morning news program wherein I’ll be a commentator, and on the night, there’ll be a comedy program. Also, I want to host the sports corner on a news program. “Sore de wa, sports no jikan desu” *12 and the casters will give way, I’ll be this type of guy “Hai domo~! Kyou mo moriagatte mairimashou!” *13.*14 (laughs) This year, I don’t know if I could go that far, but I’m declaring it here. We should be ready whenever we receive that kind of offer.

Declaration!!: “I want to be a regular!”

It’s something simple this year; I want to be regular on a TV or radio! I want a job wherein I could talk just like a comedy character. I want to introduce myself like,  “I am ______!”.*15

TRANSLATION NOTES BELOW

This topic has something to do with depression so it's a must read. :)

Let's walk towards the top!

Something depressing, how to recover from it, how are you saved by the members.

Receive a "prescription for the mind" based on the personal experiences of these 8 people.

Questions: 1. What made you depressed?

2. How did you get over it?

3. Is there a member who have helped you?

4. Now, give a prescription to the people who have been worn out.

5. A girl is crying, how would you call her out?

Daichi Imae A1. Basically, the sad things/thoughts disappear from my memory so, I don't remember much about it. I went through the net to search for some delicious ramen shop but, I was shocked when I found out that it's closed. (laughs)

A2.  I want to eat ramen so, I went to the ramen shop where I originally go to. If you're in Osaka, you now many shops so, when I went to Tokyo, I already looked up for about 20 shops in advance. It is important to do a research and guarantee it. (laughs)

A3. Just by always being there (for me). This member is like a family member, Junya is like a brother (to me). When I went to Junya's house, I say "tadaima" and both Junya's parents say "okaeri".

A4. I wish I could do whatever I want. Although failures can be experienced by anyone, there are also things that you can learn from it even though it's hard. I just enjoy (playing) games and watch anime.

A5. I'll ask "what's wrong" and after saying that, I'll just wait for her to talk. I wonder if a short distance talk would do. If she talks about it like "yeah, it was frustrating" then, I would listen to her earnestly. (T/N: I found it hard to translate the second sentence.)