Ray cover Boy
Unshakeable strength, unwavering belief, unyielding spirit. One cannot be sense that Matsumoto Jun is one of the coolest dudes in any room, anywhere.
[Special interview]
Matsumoto Jun is doing something besides looking awesome. Without a doubt, 2011 has been one of the busiest for the star ( although he doesn't seem to think so). Let us count the ways, the man delivered a compelling ride for his fans- and himself too.
Jun : I traveled abroad for New Year's last year. To Las Vegas, where I saw a total of four shows, and to Los Angeles, where I took dance lesseons from a guy whose work I'd long admired. It was nothing like the choreographed moves I'd done in concerts. I actually felt like a novice. No sightseeing, just catching up with personal goals. Still, it was a nice, fun way to ease myself into the new year. I'm not sure that I came back a changed man, though (laughs)
" When we look up we see the same sky. We're all connected."
What's different then, in 2011?
Jun : Looking up at the sky is a good way to clear my mind and find quiet. But that's taken on a new meaning since the 11 March catastrophe. I'd just left the gym and was heading to work that morning. The Tokyo gubernatorial election was on TV when I felt the first tremor. Then the communication services went down. I couldn't reach my family. For the first time, I felt the fear of utter helplessness. Finally I received an email form our manager- the gang was OK. But the disaster really got us thinking about what we could and should be doing for the victim under the same sky on the other side of the country. Lately, there are the folks I think about when I look up at the heavens. ' Arashi no Wakuwaku Gakkou' and 'Nippon no Arashi: Pocket Version' are our humble effort to touch their lives and I am especially thankful to our support team because if it wasn't for their dedication, we wouldn't have pulled it off.
Jun admits that turning 28 ( on 30 August) hasn't changed anything.
Jun : But soon I'll be 29, looking towards the big 3-0. I've started ticking off my bucket list- I want net in as many goals as I can before saying goodbye to my 20s.Doing theatre was one of them, but maybe 30 won't be such big deal... I'll let you know (laughs)
" First stage work in 5 years nearly opened on freeze frame."
On the heels of Arashi's September concert at the National Olympic Stadium, Jun appeared in the stage drama " Aa, Kouya"
Jun : Performing at the National Stadium- its was our 4th consecutive year- has practically become a Summer ritual for us. The weather was whacked out, but at least we were able to play two concerts for our amazing fans. After that I threw myself into memorising my lines for the Yukio Ninagawa play- which is an entirely different beast form a live concert. From script selection and casting the interpretation and direction, the man is simply phenomenal, always finding innovative ways to engage actors and audiences alike through unique storytelling. Never have I had the luxury of rehearsals like we did, yet no two performances ever felt the same. I found myself responding differently to the dynamics of the play, every show throughout the mont-long run. There were plenty of nerves too, of course especially on opening night, which was as different from the dress rehearsal as night from day ! I totally froze up at first, before somehow managing to quell those first moment jitters. Yeah, the play very nearly opened on the 'freeze frame' (laughs)
After "Aa..Kouya", Jun sprung into action with Fuji TV's Gekku drama, "Lucky Seven".
Jun : I love action dramas, whether it's watching them or acting them, and I'm super stoked about working with the same crew who'd made Nino's hit movie "Gantz". Eita's in it too, so it's great fun.
"I'm not an overthinker. I act more on insticnt."
Asked to look back on his year, Jun sizes it up with a surprisingly matter-of-fact attitude.
Jun : I'm not sure that we really know ourselves. Or maybe the problem is I'm not very interested in myself? I try to be objective, but objective is subjective. (laughs) So I tend to end up acting on insticnt. My M.O hasn't changed in the past year, and I'm totally cool with that.
Still, there's just something about Jun that be charms our every attention- a pose, a look, a vibe.
Jun : My thinking doesn't reach that far (laughs). I just do what feels right. You can do all the thinking you want but, on set, nothing ever goes as planned. Over time, I've learned to work with my insticts in productive ways. Impressing the girls? Ermm..honestly? Its seems kinda lame to exaggerate or try to look good in front of a girls. Bound to blow up your face sooner or later (laughs). I can be assertive on occasions, but that's not one of them.
Oh? When then?
Jun : When I'm performing. Although I'm never consciously aware of it, it feels like there's an on/off switch inside me about this. The moment the curtain rises, as soon as the camera starts rolling, the switch flips, and I snap right into performance mode. In that case, performing has got to be the most mysterious profession of them all.
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