ヤマダス

When I was little, my dad used to drive the car when we went out as a family. According to my parents, I was always happily singing to the music playing in the car. But my singing voice was so horrible, that my parents would exchange looks with each other. When I started my work as a junior, it seems my parents thought that I would just have to become a good dancer, who doesn't sing. Somehow I was able to debut and release a CD anyway, and even now my mom keeps saying that: "Good that you've become better than you were back then." (laugh)

I can still clearly remember the day when I got my first bike. I was in early elementary school, when my parents bought me a 6-geared mountain bike for a birthday present. I was so happy that I cried in the store. When my mom saw me like that, she thought: "such a pure child!" and started crying too (laugh). After that, when I would go catch beetles or when I went to soccer practice, that bike was always my accomplice. Even now when I've grown up, I still like cycling all the way to a cafe on days when the weather is good. Unlike driving a car, you can ride while feeling the wind on your face, which feels really nice. I guess that's the charm of a bike.

The vehicle I've spent most time in during my life is definitely a train. It used to take me two hours when I would go to the workplaces at the city during my junior days. Back then I spent my time reading a manga about ghosts in the train. I always had 6-7 books with me, but there's only 31 books of that manga, so I would read the same manga through again and again quite often. That's why after a while I started paying attention to the ghosts and their characteristics more than the story... Thanks to that I became to know quite a lot about ghosts.

I have a fear of heights, so it's quite difficult for me to be on an airplane. I'm the kind to think that there's no way a lump of metal can fly on the sky. The first long flight for me was when I went to Hawaii for work at the age of 13. The day before that I watched a movie, in which there were a huge amount of poisonous snakes on the plane attacking the people... So the next day when I boarded the plane, I remember not only being afraid of the heights, I was also scared of snakes appearing from somewhere (laugh).

I often use the bullet train for work-related travels, but I don't like it that much... I'm really impatient, so for example if I was going to Osaka, I'd rather go by plane than ride three hours in the train. For me, vehicles make me think of sleeping, so I usually sleep in the bullet train. But I'll definitely listen to music! If I don't wear earphones, the JUMP member sitting next to me would keep talking all the time (laugh). By the way, the member I want to sit with me the most is (Takaki) Yuya. He usually plays with his cellphone or sleeps, so he's quiet, and my sleep is secured.

At the beginning of this year, I went to see a kabuki play for the first time in my life. The play I went to see was 20 minutes long. I didn't even know there were such short plays, and the audience, as well as how they took their space on the stage made me realize how incredibly different that is from our stage shows. One of my friends from high school was also in the play, and I could see how he was so focused on his dancing and movements all the way to his fingertips. There's that "pose" characteristic to kabuki, where they turn their neck and stop the movement and glare, and at that moment our eyes met. I was so surprised (laugh). He was like another person compared to that friend I fooled with in school. He fights on a different arena, but I got encouragement seeing him out in the entertainment world where I'm also in.

I haven't had many chances to do stage shows, but I experienced a lot of things doing Johnny's World last year. Especially, you could say that was the turn point for me when it comes to being able to entertain people by talking. There was a bit where I disguised as an old man, went to the audience and talked with them. I don't get to do that kind of things much, so at first I was really puzzled. I was the most troubled on the first day of the show, when we had a public rehearsal aimed for the media before the real show. We perform like in the real thing, but the audience was full of show staff and reporters. Of course I couldn't bother them, so I wondered how I could make it fun. In the end, I talked with a reporter from a newspaper, and just took a chance saying: "For tomorrow's headline, please write 'Yamada is awesome!' in huge letters!" Surprisingly, they took it well. After that a staff-member even asked me: "Where did you learn that kind of talent for talking?" At the moment I had just said what came in to my head, so I was really surprised to hear that. It made me realize that instead of forcing myself thinking that I have to be funny, I should just be myself.

Lately I'm taking advantage of those experiences when I'm doing variety shows. One time I went to a morning show to promote a drama, and suddenly the hosts asked me to do an impersonation. I was really nervous, because it was a live show and there were fans watching, so I had to do something quick. I decided to impersonate Shimura Ken-san. Shimura-san is someone I really respect as an entertainer, ever since I watched him in "Baka Tonosama". With all my might I yelled: "I've been tired since this morning!" and I was able to make the make people there laugh. It's good that I've searched people on television who I could impersonate (laugh).

The bar on things that make me laugh is pretty low, and I'm the type that if I find something funny, I'll always keep laughing at it. Especially my family is crazy, they always make me laugh. One time my mom called me suddenly when I was at work, and I wondered what was going on, and what she said was: "Want to go to an amusement park now?" I just answered: "No, no! I told you I'm going to work, didn't I?" (laugh). A while ago I also went to have dinner with (Nakajima) Yuto and (Okamoto) Keito, and we laughed a lot. We were eating yakiniku, and suddenly Yuto took a rock pose raising his little finger, index finger and thumb, yealling "rock!!" We couldn't say anything. The moment was really funny.

Family and other members... there are a lot of entertainers around me, and they make me enjoy everyday. I hope to be able to return smiles to those important people, and fans as well.

When I was in elementary school, once I told my parents that I was going to school, when actually I skipped class and went to my childhood friend's house to play. My friend's mother contacted my parents, and I quickly got busted. In the end while heading to school, I thought that even if I lie, nothing good happens. Since then I stopped lying.

However, I think as an idol you have to build your image in a way. It's not that it's lying, but all of that is me. But also because of that, there are times when I worry if I'm deceiving the people rooting for me. I appreciate that fans seem to glorify my image, because I'm not such a perfect person in reality. That's why depending on what kind of work I do, I'm trying to narrow the line of the image that people have of me, and what I'm like in reality. When I'm doing a variety show, I'm being myself as much as possible, and when I'm doing magazine interviews I'm answering honestly. I live by feeling, so sometimes what I say might confuse people, but I want to show my real self as much as possible from now on as well.

Me as shown on television, and me as I'm in real life. That difference seems to be seen the same way by staff members as well, and when I meet people the first time, they often point out how I have two sides. "You're different from what I thought watching television. I thought you'd me more glamorous, I didn't think you'd be such a fun person", that's what I'm often told. I'm really happy that I'm able to give such a good impression when I meet new people.

I hate lies. If you have to lie, it would just be better to tell how you really feel and hurt me. Even if it would be about a trivial thing. However, there's one kind of lie that I can accept. It's a lie you make to yourself. If I say it differently, it can become something to help you endure. SUMMARY of 2011 was a continuity of such endurance. It's about something that happened on the second day since it started. I felt a little weak, and during the last greeting when we were bowing, I started feeling a strong pain in my neck, and I couldn't raise my head. At the hospital I was told that I would have to rest for two months. But on the next day I would have to go to another show with tightrope walking and flying waiting for me. My body was at its limit, but I kept lying to myself: "It's not hurting at all", or "Pain comes from the mind", until the last day. I was able to do that, because I had a strong feeling that I can't leave a hole on the stage when JUMP is on the main part, and the biggest reason was all the people who were excited waiting for the show.

As a one man, of course I like girls. When I see girls laughing carefreely, letting their face get all squishy, my heart beats fast, or my eyes easily go to their long legs. But I'm really bad when it comes to being around girls. I'm really shy, so when I'm with a girl, I don't know what to talk about. When I really started to acknowledge girls as the opposite sex during high school, the first year I didn's speak one word with them. When I was singing in a concert bathing in the spotlight girls would scream at me, but at school they must've found me an introverted person.

What changed that for me was the class trip on my 3rd year of high school. I knew we would have to move around together with girls, so I was troubled about it beforehand. At the bus, everyone started a karaoke challenge, and even worse, I lost in rock-paper-scissors, and I had to sing... But even though I had always shut myself in my shell, I thought I'd just have to do it, and as the song I chose "Mori no Kuma-san". When I sang that cute children's song acting all cool, the whole bus bursted out laughing! From that moment the girls started to see me differently, and that I was actually a fun guy. Having been able to take that one step forward, the school trip became an unforgettable memory of my high school days.

At home we have a 5-member family, consisting of my dad, mom, older sister, me and my younger sister, so I've always lived surrounded by women. When my sisters have someone they like and want to know a guy's opinion, they come to me for advice. But what I wonder is that if they do things based on what they think the other would like, would guys really be happy about it? That's probably one of the so-called differences between men and women. This is just my opinion, but what I think is that the different views like that are what make it interesting. Being taught new things, having that kind of differences... The kind of relationship where you can broaden each others's horizons and stimulate each other is ideal for me.

On the opposite, if I want to hear girls' opinions, I'll ask my sisters. It's embarrassing, but one time during my high school years I really wanted to become popular. So when I wanted to find out what kind of clothes girls like on boys, what I got as an answer was that simple is the best. Therefore, I went to by things like jeans and white t-shirts, and took off jingling accessories. Another advice I got was that girls really like visible veins on guys, so I should show them off too (laugh). In the end, even though I walked around dressing up like they told me to, I only had people noticing that it's me, but unfortunately I didn't get any results...

If I were born again, I'd definitely like to become a man again. It seems really hard how much attention girls have to pay on appearances. Even my older sister always uses a roller on her legs when she's at home (laughs). I think it's admirable how girls do so much work when nobody's watching, but I think after all it personally fits me better fooling around playing wrestling with other guys. However, if I were to be born again as a man, I'd like to do something to this face, for which I'm often mistaken for a girl. Once when I went to a clothing store I usually visit, the worker who I know thought I was a girl, and ignored me... Next time I wish I would be born with a fine face that fits mustache, like Orlando Bloom's.

I can still clearly remember the day when I first acted in front of a camera, from the shooting location to the lines. In the special drama "Tantei Gakuen Q", that aired in 2006, I said this to Kamiki (Ryunosuke)-kun, who played Kyuu: "You talk too much, like an idiot. We're rivals". A scene in the mountains. In that moment, I took the first step forward as an actor.

When shooting "Tantei Gakuen Q", I was nervous all the time, but had a lot of valuable experiences. At first, there were lines that we would record as a narration with voice only, and when shooting those scenes while moving fast, I failed over 10 times, because I couldn't remember the lines. I felt so bad about it, that after that I memorized everything in the script, even if it would say narration. Having said that, I'm not very smart, so it's not easy learning the lines. That's why always when I get a script, at first I mark the places with a lot of long lines. About 1 week before shooting a scene, I start systemically memorizing it 2-4 pages at a time. When I was at school, during summer vacation I even ended up leaving my homework to the last minute (laugh). But when it comes to homework, I'm the only one who would get scolded if I haven't done them, but if I couldn't remember my lines on a drama shooting, that would cause trouble to my co-workers and staff. I'm also responsible for the expectations of the viewers, who are looking forward to the airing. When I think that, even if I had to cut down time to sleep, I just have to do it.

What can I be really proud about? That is all the wonderful encounters I've been blessed with on all of the drama shooting sites this far. The first time I acted the lead role alone was in "Hidarime Tantei EYE", and the staff doted on me like a son, and Yokoyama (Yuu)-kun and Ishihara (Satomi)-san also treated me well. When finishing shooting, with the flowers I got a photo album as a present. When I opened it, there were pictures of all of the cast and staff, that Ishihara-san had taken with an instant camera, and messages written to me from all of them. Once again I realized how I'm supported by so many people, and without thinking I started crying out loud. Even more because of that kind of warm encounters, I love doing dramas. I wonder what kind of wonderful encounters are still waiting for me.

I don't have any special goals as an actor. What I mean is that I think I'm still not on the level to think of such things. Now I'm at a place where it’s important to improve my acting skills, and to be accepted as an actor among people. If I have a chance, I’d like to challenge any kind of role with all my might. To build up the character I could go even go bald, or shave my eyebrows. I’d be happy if the fans can accept that as well. That’s how motivated I’m towards acting. I'm confident that that is something I won't lose to anyone in.

I was on the 6th grade when I realized the variety there is in clothes. Because I was playing soccer I had only worn jerseys until that, but I realized it after entering the agency, and seeing Nikaido (Takashi)-kun's outfit. I don't remember the details, but I think at that time he was wearing jeans that were so full of damage they wouldn't even count as pants anymore (laugh). "Why there's so much holes?" I thought. But he still looked so stylish I was impressed. By the influence of stylish people like him,  slowly there started to be more and more clothes in my closet that weren't sportswear. If I think of myself that time, I felt like I was fashionable just by wearing a shirt that wasn't by a sports brand.

From middle school to high school, skulls were really popular among the juniors of my age. With no exception I was also wearing skulls somewhere in my outfit. After that it started becoming troublesome to think about what's in fashion, so I just decided to go with simple. I'm like that now as well. For example, I'd wear a white shirt, and either jeans or black pants, and I'm fine with that. The shirt would be an easy worn linen shirt, that's not too long. Among the shirts I always wear, I have 15 pieces of the same v-necked t-shirt, the same brand and same size, and that's only in white. When I put it on, it feels like it forms itself to fit me, so when I pass by the store I end up buying one. When the clothes are simple, accessories are needed. My favorite right now is a watch I bought myself as a present when I turned 20. There was a model that I had wanted for a long time, and when I went to the shop, I happened to find one that was made in 1993, the same year I was born. Now I want to always take time together with this watch.

For autumn and winter I bought a black stadium jumper. I love knitted clothes and cardigans and am going to wear them a lot, so I don't really need new clothes right now. All the clothes I have are ones that I can wear no matter what is in fashion, so I'm satisfied. I'm still normally wearing even jeans that I got 5 years ago. I'm just a little sad the size hasn't changed (laugh). So even if I go out shopping on my days off, I often end up only window shopping. Strolling around enjoying the beautiful view of Omotesandou, and stopping by an ice cream shop I like, that's my basic routine when I go shopping.

What I think is stylish, is "X-ish style", where there's the person's name instead of an X. For example, Johnny Depp is focused on hats and jeans, so people with that style are cool. That's when the word "Johnny Depp-ish style" is born. I admire people who stick to their own style both in fashion, and in work.

If you forgive me, even now I'd like to spend a whole year in a jersey like I did when I was little. But because I'm doing a job where I'm watched by people, I try to pay attention to my clothes in daily life. When I go overseas for work, I know they'll take pictures for the local media, so I'll wear a proper jacket, and so on. Time and place kept in mind, moderately and appropriately enjoying the simple. I guess that's what Yamada Ryosuke-ish style would be.

+Extra

When I was little, I didn't hate losing like I do now, so I didn't even think of such things as who would be my rival. But still, when I entered the agency at the age of 11, I immediately had the urge not to lose to the other juniors, who I was dancing with in the practice room. Even though I was in the back row. But I was confident that I worked harder than the others there. Watching others who went out to play after the lessons, I went back home and voluntarily repeated the practice by myself. I got a full-body mirror for my room, so that I could check my dancing. There was a mirror also in the practice room, but I couldn't see myself, because there were so many people dancing in front of me. Around a year after that, it was decided that I would appear in a Tackey & Tsubasa concert on the behalf of (Nakajima) Yuto, who was busy shooting a drama. There were only two days until the concert, and I had to learn the moves for 24 songs. Time on the rehearsals wasn't enough, so I remember I invited juniors, who knew the moves, to my home and practiced all night. When the concert was safely finished, I was able to think that "I'm not losing to the juniors I look at from the back!"

The first person who I could clearly consider as a rival, was Yuto. Other than being his substitute in the Tackey & Tsubasa -concert, it was probably also because chances to dance together with Yuto started to increase. Other than singing and dancing on tv, during that time he did a lot of dramas and stage plays too, and he always seemed busy. I thought that if I'll keep working hard, I could become popular like Yuto. But the one who were chosen to be on the center among the juniors was definitely Yuto, and I was behind him. I wonder what is it that Yuto has, that I don't? I've been able to catch up with many people, but maybe I'll always be behind this person. Looking at Yuto's back, I kept wondering about such things.

When I debuted with JUMP, and on the shooting for the "Dreams Come True" PV a staff member told me and Takaki (Yuya) to stand in the middle, I didn't know what happened, but it felt like a thunder stroke only around me. I thought it will be only that time, but on the next single I was on the center alone. That was the place I kept dreaming about standing at during my junior years. Finally that dream came true, and I was happy, thinking that maybe the people around me had acknowledged me a little. But I noticed that me and Yuto's places had changed, and it was difficult, because I didn't know what would be the best way to handle it.

It's been 5 years since that. I've grown up, and there's been a lot of time to organize my thoughts about Yuto. We've had many experiences together, and even now there are things that he can do, that I can't. Making use of his talent on drums and tap dancing at work, modeling for a magazine, horse riding... showing so many colors, I really think Yuto is incredible. It is definitely thanks to such a high-leveled rival, that I've been able to come this far. Even more because I've recognized him as a rival, I wish to be able to have that friendly rivalry from now on as well.

Not only Yuto, all JUMP members are rivals for me. Everyone has such a wonderful color, that keeps cheering up the heart of a guy like me, who hates to lose. I hope we can grow as JUMP while encouraging each other from now on as well.

"To JUMP: You give dreams, happiness, and smiles. I hope we can become an exciting group. Let's stay devoted every day. Aim to be a monster group!"

My first trip overseas was when I was 13. We went to Hawaii with (Nakajima) Yuto-kun and (Nakayama) Yuma. At that time I don't remember staying overnight without my family more than 2-3 days of soccer camp. I knew I'd get homesick immediately, so I worried about it even before going. Moreover, at first we were supposed to stay there for 7 days, but the plane had some trouble, so it became 10 days. I had used all the money in I had in those 7 days, so I didn't have more than 2 dollars left in my wallet. The last 3 days I spent only at the hotel's pool, such a bitter memory... Now that I'm older, I can't help but want go back to Hawaii. I'd like to become friends with local surfers and go surfing together, and also to go around Diamond Head, a power spot I didn't have interest in back then.

On March this year, we visited Thailand with JUMP, and that's definitely one of the countries I want to visit again. The reason is because I was really popular! It seems that an androgynous face like mine is very popular there, and while shopping the sellers would go around me like "You're good-looking, I'll give you discount." ...I think they said that. I don't know thai, but they were looking at me the way that it seemed like that (laugh). It was a fresh feeling to be thought like that by people who don't know that I'm an idol, so somehow I was really glad about it.

One thing I definitely want to see with own eyes one day is Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, South America. It's a huge flat made of salt, and I saw on TV that it's said to be "The World's Closest Place to Heaven", and the clouds are so close that it's like you can catch them if you reach your hand. By night the night sky reflects on the lake surface like in a mirror, and it feels like you're in space. I watched some pictures of Salar de Uyuni on the computer, and I was really moved by the fantastic view. 

When I listen to foreign artists or watch Hollywood movies, there's many times when I can feel their high level on my skin. Lately I've watched a lot of Leonardo Dicaprio's work, and his acting in "The Great Gatsby" was overwhelming. On the first scene when he appeared, it made me think that "Actors can really control the screen like this". Honestly, the 20 minutes before he appeared felt a little unsatisfying, but when he appeared, I was taken back. The production won't hold up without people like that. I thought I also want to become an actor, who can have that kind of unique presence.

I'm thankful that I've had many chances to act in dramas. The set of "Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo", that aired January this year, was international, so I faced many limits. Looking at the overseas cast who could communicate with 2-5 languages like it was nothing, I felt embarrassed about myself who was content only being able to speak Japanese and Korean. Since that I've been listening to English teaching material CDs, and I asked (Okamoto) Keito to send me e-mails in English, so that I can be in contact with English as much as I can.

Right now it's only absurd for me, but I wish I could appear in a foreign work one day. But I don't like making goals, because I feel like it's a direction I must go to. It would be nice to be able to fly on the sky, freely like a bird, and broaden the world while feeling the view you can see only up there.

What makes me smile is the time I spend with people who are important to me. For example, Daichan (Arioka). When I'm with Daichan, we're always laughing. A while ago, when we went to the game center together, I found a machine with ghost straps. I just casually took a look, and there was a strap of a ghost called "Gashadokuro" that I really wanted. There were 30 different ones, so while turning the handle, I thought that I could never get that one. As expected, one with a weird horse face came out. My excitement went down in an instant... Then, Daichan said: "I'll try to get it!", and somehow he managed to get Gashadokuro on the first shot! We were both really happy, and I went home carrying two straps. To me Daichan, who can get excited about such a trivial thing, is like a shining sun that can make me smile.

When I was little, I was smiling a lot. When I was a Jr, I think I was often smiling in magazines. In front of a camera and fans I should always be smiling. I know that's one of the important things about being an idol, but there where times when I was told to smile in front of a camera, but I couldn't smile from my heart. This job touches a lot of people, in good and in bad. There are people who find me cool, but of course there are also a lot of people who don’t, and I’ve seen and heard insults from people like that. Since I’m doing a job where I appear in front of people, it’s inevitable. It’s obvious there are people with different opinions. Even though I know that, I’m also a human, so I get hurt, and there are also times when I became afraid of showing a smile. However, I know that I look far from perfect or that I’m not a great singer or actor, but I just want people to know that I’m doing it with all my might. It's not that I think it's ok to be bad at acting, I'm working hard so that I wouldn't be. I hate people who say negative things to those who are working hard to do their best. There's not a meaner act than saying something irresponsible, no matter how much the person makes effort. Sometimes just a few careless words said without thinking can change a life. On the contrary, I don't like when people who are already doing their best are told: "Do your best!" Probably for those who are working hard, it makes them happiest and brings them power just having someone watching over them with a smile.

Lately I'm into a site where people have uploaded videos of themselves singing. It became popular among JUMP members some time ago, so I started watching them too. I can become happy listening to those people. It's not just because they're good at singing. When I look at them singing enthusiastically in their rooms looking all happy, it shows that they're really enjoying life. No matter how trivial, I can smile looking at people who are doing something enjoying it from their hearts. I'm also in a place where I should make many people enjoy themselves, so I should be like that as well.

The shine of the countless penlights seen from the stage during a concert, it's like all of those are looking towards us, smiling. As long as those irreplaceable "flower smiles" keep blooming, I can keep smiling no matter what.