I’ve been a fan of Yokohama Ryusei since Hajikoi and Takasugi Mahiro since Sign. These two are currently playing Tsubaki (the rich heir) and Jojima (the apprentice), both of them competing for Nao’s affection in Something is Wrong with Us. Turns out, they’re good friends off the screen!

Yokohama Ryusei became big after playing ToQger #4 in 2014. He also played navi in Kiseki, ano hi no sobito, a movie based on Greeeen’s song kiseki (One of my favorite songs).

Takasugi Mahiro became big after playing Kamen Rider in 2013. Since then, he’s been in 6 movies like Tori-girl. He also published a photo book.

Part 1. They became friends because they both played super hero roles.

They were in the same class in the first year of high school, but they hardly ever talked.

💗[Yokohama Ryusei] Honestly, you didn’t like me, did you?
🤎[Takasugi Mahiro] Well… I won’t say I didn’t like you, but I didn’t think we had anything in common.
💗Well that’s pretty normal.
🤎I mean, you were part of the popular group, right? This group of people who brought the whole class together.
💗Yeah, yeah.
🤎On the other hand, I was the guy in the side of the room.
🤎What did you think of me?
💗You… I thought you were like, the picture perfect grade A student.
🤎Did I even get As?
💗It was… it was more like my first impression.
🤎Ah, I get it.
💗I figured you sort of had this wall up towards me, that we weren’t going to be close.
🤎I see…
💗We didn’t hang out at all in our first year.
🤎Nope
💗Not at all.
🤎We did talk a little. That’s about it.
💗Yeah.

Then in their second year of high school, Takasugi was chosen as Kamen Rider Gaimu. And Yokohama played the role of ToQger. Because they both played super hero roles in the same year, their relationship changed drastically.

💗It’s pretty impressive that two classmates both had roles at the same time.
🤎Yeah, it is.
🤎I was doing Rider already, and then you went to audition for ToQger. So you came to ask me what it’s like.
💗Yeah, right, right.
💗I kept coming by during recess to ask you questions.
🤎I remember that.
💗It was early in the morning too.
🤎That was… our second year, right?
💗Yeah, second year.
🤎Yeah, you came all the way to my classroom.
💗I did. I was like “Mahiro~”
🤎Our first impression of each other weren’t very good, but…
💗Right, as I came to ask you for advice and stuff…
🤎Yeah, that’s when…
💗That’s when we started becoming friends.
🤎We went to a cafe together. That… super fancy one.
💗Right, we went to the fancy cafe and talked forever.
🤎Yeah, we talked forever. Like, I almost felt bad staying there for so long.
💗Right, right. We were there for… about 5 hours, I think.
🤎That’s a long time.
💗The longer we talked, the more I realized you were interesting…
🤎I’m not that interesting.
💗No, you are.

Part 2. Behind the scene talk about playing heroes.

🤎Were you nervous during your audition?
💗I was super nervous!
🤎Yeah.
💗You know the transformation pose? They told me to think of a transformation pose myself and do it on the stage.
🤎Same! Same!
💗I couldn’t think of anything so I just did a karate pose since I was really good at karate. I did a double roundhouse kick and then just posed. I was trying to show them that I can do karate and action too.
🤎Wow, you were working hard.
🤎For me, I didn’t think of anything so I just did the normal “Transform!” thing.
💗Yeah.
🤎I was super nervous too.
💗It’s hard to think of something on the spot.
🤎Yeah!
🤎When I was auditioning, I was so nervous my hand holding the paper was shaking.
💗Oh really?
🤎That was funny.
💗Dang.
🤎So I was auditioning, and the paper that had my lines were shaking. And then I realized I was shaking. I was pretty calm about it. That was when I realized I was actually super nervous. That was funny.
💗Yeah.
🤎Yeah.
🤎Isn’t it weird to play a Rider or Sentai (ToQger) that you watched growing up?
💗Yeah, it’s super weird.
🤎Yeah, when the kids call me Mitch. (Nickname for Takasugi’s Rider) I still get called Mitch sometimes. It makes me happy… that these kids are watching and remembering me.
💗I was super happy when I went to these events and the kids say they started karate because of Hikari (name of Ryusei’s ToQger).
🤎Wow, that’s amazing! That’s great! I’m so jealous.
💗So many kids tell me “I’m working hard (to be just like you)!” Some kids even write that or draw that in their fan letters to me. It makes me insanely happy.
🤎I’m so jealous. I don’t have things like that.
💗And in Sentai, there’s usually a final tour at the end to let you interact with the kids. And in that, the kids’ cheers are so loud. They say “Good job!” and that really makes me keep working hard.
🤎I can relate. You know when the kids send you their drawing in a fan letter? Those makes me happy.
💗Yeah, I know.
🤎I grin like a fool when I look at them.
💗I get it.

Part 3. New actors full of hope!

Takasugi was born and raised in Fukuoka. He entered the entertainment work at age 13. There was a dramatic story behind that!

💗Mahiro, how did you get started?
🤎I got started because I got scouted. It was a firework festival. I went with my siblings and uncle. So you know, you’re not suppose to talk to strangers so I was on high alert. So my younger brother and I went home first, without talking to this guy at all. Then my uncle and this scout talked.
🤎So my talent agency only manages girls. (Talent agency is called Sweet Power, and it has Uchiyama Rina, Kuroki Meisa, and Kiritani Mirei). So when they scouted me, they thought I was a girl. That’s how I got in.
🤎In my defense… although I’m not sure this helps any… I had pretty long hair, which was naturally curly. And I was wearing a red duffle coat.
💗That’s pretty feminine.
🤎Right. And I was on the small side. I was only like… in 6th grade. So that’s how I got scouted as a girl.
🤎Then they later ask me, and I say I’m not a girl. Since they had taken pictures, they go and check and figured that out.
💗Did you have any interest in the entertainment world?
🤎Not even a little bit.
🤎When I was living at home, I never watched any drama or movies.
💗Seriously?
🤎Never. So when the scout named some famous names, I had no idea who they were. So they were stumped.
💗Did you watch much TV at all?
🤎I watched anime. There’s a channel that plays anime all day long so I watched anime before I left home, and I watched anime after I got home… until bed time.
🤎So I’ve only watched anime.
💗So what made you want to try it after you got scouted?
🤎They told me to try a stage play once, so I did. I guess that was it. I really enjoyed the curtain call (last scene where actors get a round of applause), because there was a sense of accomplishment.
🤎That made me want to do more of it.
💗I think it was 6th grade for me too.
🤎6th grade? Where was it?
💗Harajuku’s Takeshita-dori.
🤎That like real scouting! (It’s the most famous place to get scouted)
💗Right. I was with my family… on a summer vacation.
🤎Right, in 6th grade, it’s usually like that (being scouted while with our family)
💗So right, we were there and my talent agency’s scout spoke to my parents. Then they told me that I got scouted. I didn’t know much but I figured I’ll just try it out of curiosity.
💗I was like “Wow, I get to be on TV?”
🤎Of course, you were already watching TV and drama, right?
💗Yeah, I was.
🤎So you were attracted to that.
💗Yeah. I mean, I wanted to be on TV, but… I was a karate kid all my life. So the agency had classes but I kept skipping them.
🤎You’re kidding? Why? Because you wanted to do karate?
💗Yeah… Of course, I’m thankful the agency recruited me. But I always wanted to be a K-1 athlete. I put my whole life into karate so I didn’t plan to stay in the entertainment industry for long.
🤎So what changed your mind? And made you want to keep doing it now?
💗So I did Kamen Rider Fourze first. (He played Meteor’s best friend) And I watched Rider transform up close and I thought “Wow, that’s cool!”
💗That made me want to transform even more. That’s when I landed the role of ToQger. And I realized this is something I can only do now. Like… I can’t just sign up later when I feel like it.
💗I figured, since I already won all-Japan and world karate championship in my 3rd year of middle school, it was a good stopping point.
💗Then I thought, I want to put forth all my effort into an opportunity I was given now.

And what does being an actor mean to these two?

🤎Acting is really fun. I’d say it’s a very worthwhile job.
💗Yeah, there’s a sense of accomplishment, and it feels very worthwhile.
🤎I’m really glad I got into this world.
💗Different roles make me think, “oh, there’s this other way to act this out.” It shows you different ways that you can improve yourself, through your acting. That’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? It’s unique to this job.
🤎Don’t you hate that there’s no right answer?
🤎I always think, if someone else played this role, they’ll do it completely differently. That’s what makes this interesting though.
💗Yeah.
🤎But I can never be 100% satisfied. I would think back and realize I could have this this better, or that better.
🤎You know how there’s no license to being an actor?
💗Right, there isn’t. Even if you think you are an actor, and you say “I’m an actor” but if they don’t recognize you, they’ll be like “Are you sure?”
🤎Right. I wish I can say “I’m an entertainer.”
💗Yeah, I wish I can say that proudly.
[T/L note: They are using 役者(actor) to be different than 俳優(entertainer). Historically entertainer were actor + dancer + singer. These days it means the same linguistically, but I guess there’s a nuance difference in the acting world.]

💗Mahiro.
🤎Yes.
💗We’re almost there.
🤎Almost there? Where’s there?
💗There’s a famous waterfall here.
🤎A waterfall?
💗People call it Ghibli world-esque.
🤎Wow, really?
💗Yeah, everyone’s talking about it online.
🤎Wow, that’s the waterfall?
💗I think so.
🤎How did it get shaped like that?

Coming up next, we’ll head to a fantasy-like waterfall.
[T/L note: I imagine the waterfall + lunch scene was cut out of the youtube clip]

🤎That was delicious.
💗Wasn’t it?
🤎Yeah, seriously. I’m awake now.
💗Right?
🤎Now I have high hopes for what’s coming next.
💗You do?
🤎Yes. The waterfall was beautiful.
🤎How do you like the driving so far?
💗The driving? It’s great.
💗This car handles really well.
🤎It feels really smooth.
💗Mahiro, you’re getting your license right now, aren’t you?
🤎Yeah, I’m attending driving school right now. I just have one day of school left.
💗What a shame! You almost could have driven today.
🤎Seriously.
💗But… driving is so fun. Although I guess you’re driving at the driving school too.
🤎Yeah, I am.
💗I think it’s true that driving and cars are every guy’s dream.

Part 4. The private lives of attractive actors

💗Mahiro…
🤎Yes!
💗What do you do on your day off?
🤎Read manga!
💗I knew it!
🤎You already knew, didn’t you? You didn’t even have to ask.
💗That’s why I brought you here.
🤎Yes, that’s why you brought me here, to the middle of the mountain!
💗I mean, you do give me lots of recommendations on manga. And I read it all.
🤎The first chapter.
💗Right, the first chapter only.
🤎Not even the first volume.
💗Right, the first chapter. But I do read it.
🤎You are seriously… I mean, I’m fine. I don’t mind at all.
🤎So lately my manga collection has grown. I can’t remember how many I have now…
💗Is it true that you buy the entire series and keep it all in your house?
🤎Of course.
💗And you keep it as part of your collection?
🤎Of course. They’re my treasure. Every manga book is like a star to me. A planet, really.
💗So you have a lot of planets in your room?
🤎Yeah, I have a lot of planets. My room is like the universe.
💗Just like your name.
🤎Exactly. My name has the letter “universe” in it.
💗I see. So all of them are your treasure.
🤎They are. I mean, when you see a collection from the first volume to the last volume, it’s incredible.
💗Really?
🤎Really.
🤎One of these days, I want to open a manga cafe. My own manga cafe.
💗Oh, I’ll totally visit Takasugi Manga Cafe.
🤎Please come. It’ll only have my recommended manga.
🤎So Ryusei, are you… still the outdoors type?
💗I just get the urge to go outside.
🤎I see. So what do you do outside?
💗I like to enjoy my time outside like this… or go to hot springs to relax… And recently I started going to my friend’s kickboxing gym. I work out by doing kick boxing, or just simply going to a regular gym.
🤎Wow. Cool. Kickboxing huh…
💗I just feel like time I spend in my house is a waste. I want to make good use of my time, so that’s why I go outside.
🤎I guess… it could be fun to go outside like this sometimes.
💗Yeah.

💗Mappi, we’re going to arrive soon.
🤎Ryuppi, are you sure?
💗Yeah. Are you excited?
🤎Well, where are we going?
💗Have you heard of Mother Farm?
🤎Oh, I do.
💗Really?
🤎Are we going to pet some animals?
💗Something like that…
🤎Like milking cows?
💗I figured, since I’m bringing you out, and since you usually stay indoors, I’ll have you do something you won’t normally do.
🤎I see.

Later, we have Mahiro trying bungee jumping for the first time! These two will be trying the Farm Bungee. They will jump off from 21 meter high.

💗So, first, what do you think about the height?
🤎It’s higher than I thought.
🤎Who should go first?
💗Let’s decide by rock-paper-scissors.
🤎Then whoever loses go first.
🤎Okay.
💗Okay, I’m heading up then!
🤎Good luck.

Ryusei is going first.

💗The view is fantastic.
💗Mahiro!
🤎Ryusei, how is it?
💗Higher than expected.
🤎For real?
💗Shiiiiz

💗Hot damn!
🤎That looks fun.
💗This is great! Mahiro~!!

💗That was really fun. I’m looking forward to Mahiro doing this. I’m really worried that he won’t be able to jump on the count of 3.

Can the manga-loving indoor-type Mahiro jump? But turns out…

🤎Can I face backwards?

He wants to try jumping backwards.

💗Good luck!
🤎Here I go!
💗Good luck!
🤎To infinity and beyond! [Quoting Toy Story]

Just as expected from an ex-Kamen Rider. He was able to jump without hesitation!

🤎That was really fun!
💗It was!
💗And it was the first time we went on a drive together.
🤎And we talked about stuff we never talked about before.
🤎I’m glad I got to know more about you in depth.
💗Yeah. I had a lot of fun.
🤎Thank you so much. Let’s keep doing our best.
💗Yeah.

Last notes

This is first time I tried a transcription style sub rather than timed sub. It lets me put in a lot more context because I’m not constrained by time or space. And I can stay a little bit more informal in my translation than a sub. I might try this some more…