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SKY-HI – First foray into drama, the reason he wanted to do this for the Trainees in their teens
Translated and summarized from SKY-HI's interview series with Nikkei, "Be myself, for ourselves"
Original interview, 127th installment from May 1, 2025
Even before Kanon joined BMSG, boss had wanted to make a drama with the then trainees: Rui, Taiki, and edhiii boi and now his dream is realized in GOTH
- Boss started planning when Rui joined BMSG as the first trainee, followed by Taiki. When MISSIONx2 ended and Kanon joined is when he thought they should definitely do a drama
Boss started thinking about a drama featuring the teens because there are few dramas out there where current junior high and high school students are the lead roles. He wanted there to be something the current teens can relate to and resonate with. He thought if it were teens who are the same age as them, it would send a more powerful message because there’s a sense that the actors themselves are involved.
- He thought “3-Nen B gumi Kinpachi Sensei” was able to send a strong message and resonated with many people because the roles were played by people who were the same age / generation. The same can be said for IWGP (Ikebukuro West Gate Park”, which talked about the culture of local gangs and was directed by Tsutsumi [same director for GOTH].
Although boss had this idea, he hasn’t worked in the filming industry before and didn’t have connections, so it was difficult to make this happen. He looked for people who could create a work similar to Tsutsumi-san, asked friends of friends, talked about wanting to make a drama whenever he had the chance, until he found Tsutsumi-san himself, LMAO
Boss first met Tsutsumi-san two years ago. He explained to Tsutsumi-san why he wanted to make a drama and the story he wanted for it (group of slightly eccentric, out-of-the-ordinary teens who are dragged into the underworld). Once boss had a hold of Tsutsumi-san’s schedule, he started pitching the drama to different TV stations. It was boss’s first time pitching a drama so he struggled, in the end Fuji TV said yes. Everything else that followed, such as making it work with Tsutsumi-san’s schedule were approved at the very last minute, so it was truly luck and fate.
Boss didn’t want acting activities to interfere with music ones after debut, so making the shooting schedule work before RuiTaiNon begins TLP in earnest was tough. The filming took 40 days in Okinawa, so it’s something that can only be done before RuiTaiNon debuts, boss is happy he could create something large scale at this point in time.
It was Tsutsumi-san’s idea for GOTH to be filmed completely in Okinawa. He told boss, “In order for the story to turn into a reality, if Hidaka-san would allow it, I think we could bring what Hidaka-san wanted to life in a great way” and boss happily agreed
- Tsutsumi-san suggested that Koza, Okinawa is the most interesting place in Japan. The uniqueness and chaotic vibe of the city matched what boss wanted to portray. Initially boss was thinking somewhere in Tokyo Shinjuku, but it’s difficult to shoot a large-scale drama like this in Tokyo, so when Tsutsumi-san suggested Okinawa that solved everything.
- The production crew is a local one from Okinawa and a crew that Tsutsumi-san had wanted to work with again, so boss was glad he could entrust RuiTaiNon in their care and work with them before their debut
It was also boss’s wish for the drama to reflect how RuiTaiNon are normally (just slightly exaggerated or glammed up), because he finds how they interact with each other on the daily very funny, haha. There’s a special dynamic that forms in a trio, he wanted the drama to capture their inside jokes and their endless banters and comebacks with each other.
- Boss knows it would be meaningless if RuiTainon were exactly like their real selves, so he did put together character outlines for Taku, Mikey, and Yoji, and the plot of the first episode, and left the rest up to Tsutsumi-san and the crew. In the case of Rui’s character, Taku ended up being a little different from Rui, but boss thinks it turned into the kind of lead role that really fits a Tsutsumi drama.
Although boss said earlier in the interview that the reason he wanted to make this drama was because it’s better if young people deliver messages to their own generation, he said that is only 30% true. The other 70% he simply wants to share the vibe RuiTaiNon have when they are together with the rest of the world, so it wasn’t so much a request to Tsutsumi-san as it is a personal desire, LOL. But he does think it’s turned into something that the world will find genuinely entertaining
Boss is confident that GOTH is worth devoting his passion into because he believes drama can energize Japan like music through the power of entertainment
Boss believes J-drama culture is something Japan can be proud of. Jdrama has had a huge influence across Asia. He personally thinks the early Heisei era (early 1990s) was when Jdramas were at its peak. He thinks they managed to create a work that brings that era back to life in 2025. Boss was watching those kind of dramas Monday to Sunday and it felt like there was something major or must watch on TV every day.
Once a formula for success is established, it’s not easy to break out of it. GOTH is a work that is set to break all the rules. It’s chaotic in the best way and he thinks that will make people remember how fun dramas can be.
Boss had high praises for Tsutsumi-san and the crew. He likes how Tsutsumi-san weaves humour into his works and it wasn’t any different for GOTH. It’s just this nonstop storm of relentless twists.
Some people might think that BMSG’s message doesn’t really go hand in hand with comedy, but boss has always had this urge to add a bit of humor into everything. Even with BE:FIRST’s live shows, boss sneaks his humour into the intermission videos. Of course, when it comes to music, finding the right balance of how much humor to include and where is a delicate art, but with a Tsutsumi drama boss could go all out, and that was the best feeling.
Boss believes there’s meaning in doing comedy. When you talk about entertainment, laughter is something you can’t leave out. It’s like the three of spades in cards, it’s able to beat the king, even beat the joker. Sometimes comedy gets looked down on as something trivial, but it’s got the power to take down even the strongest opponents in an instant—that’s why he loves it so much.
As a result of filming GOTH, RuiTaiNon were pretty much living together for 40 days. They had time to talk to each other and form a deeper bond. In baseball terms, boss says they won’t hesitate to swing the bat now. Not that he thinks the three of them were ever hesitant, they are always in a state of preparedness (one of BMSG’s key training philosophies – not amateurs, prepared). They have always had a strong awareness of putting themselves out there as professionals so they were always ready to swing if the ball ever came their way. This mentality will serve them in the future and through filming GOTH boss thinks it has only strengthened their resolve to present themselves as professionals even more. It’s impressive that they managed to see GOTH through and boss has nothing but respect for them.
TLP is in Round 3 right now and how boss selects the members will be different from previous auditions
Boss has been with RuiTaiNon for a long time and he’s had many chances to reflect and think about “young people as living beings”, he thinks that feeling is going to influence how TLP will be done mostly in terms of “seeing the person” - BMSG’s importance on nurturing their talents. The principles of THE FIRST: “Quality FIRST”, “Creativity FIRST”, “Artisism FIRST” has now become the company’s guiding principles, and both of those things are going to be very important and continue to grow from here.
Of course technical skills and techniques are still important in auditions, but what matters more will be how they will guide the contestants on a 1-to-1 level and whether BMSG can do that for them and is able to envision a future together with them. So boss thinks TLP will turn out rather unique
Having said that, boss will approach TLP in the beginning like any standard audition – focusing on their abilities without thinking too much of the personal side. But he thinks what they’re looking for at the start and what they’re looking for at the end will be very different.
When RuiTaiNon went to boss telling him that they wanted to participate in TLP starting from the 2nd Round, it actually made boss very happy that they have such a mindset and mentality
Whenever boss has meetings about TLP and he talks about what he plans to do, he always wants to cry because of how much this project means to him
Hope you enjoyed!
Please note I translate these for free and I'm not a professional, so they may not be super perfect.
Retranslations or sharing of the summaries is fine! For retranslations, please notify me beforehand and credit once posted!
If you like my translations, you can consider tipping me on Ko-Fi!
Original interview, 127th installment from May 1, 2025
Even before Kanon joined BMSG, boss had wanted to make a drama with the then trainees: Rui, Taiki, and edhiii boi and now his dream is realized in GOTH
- Boss started planning when Rui joined BMSG as the first trainee, followed by Taiki. When MISSIONx2 ended and Kanon joined is when he thought they should definitely do a drama
Boss started thinking about a drama featuring the teens because there are few dramas out there where current junior high and high school students are the lead roles. He wanted there to be something the current teens can relate to and resonate with. He thought if it were teens who are the same age as them, it would send a more powerful message because there’s a sense that the actors themselves are involved.
- He thought “3-Nen B gumi Kinpachi Sensei” was able to send a strong message and resonated with many people because the roles were played by people who were the same age / generation. The same can be said for IWGP (Ikebukuro West Gate Park”, which talked about the culture of local gangs and was directed by Tsutsumi [same director for GOTH].
Although boss had this idea, he hasn’t worked in the filming industry before and didn’t have connections, so it was difficult to make this happen. He looked for people who could create a work similar to Tsutsumi-san, asked friends of friends, talked about wanting to make a drama whenever he had the chance, until he found Tsutsumi-san himself, LMAO
Boss first met Tsutsumi-san two years ago. He explained to Tsutsumi-san why he wanted to make a drama and the story he wanted for it (group of slightly eccentric, out-of-the-ordinary teens who are dragged into the underworld). Once boss had a hold of Tsutsumi-san’s schedule, he started pitching the drama to different TV stations. It was boss’s first time pitching a drama so he struggled, in the end Fuji TV said yes. Everything else that followed, such as making it work with Tsutsumi-san’s schedule were approved at the very last minute, so it was truly luck and fate.
Boss didn’t want acting activities to interfere with music ones after debut, so making the shooting schedule work before RuiTaiNon begins TLP in earnest was tough. The filming took 40 days in Okinawa, so it’s something that can only be done before RuiTaiNon debuts, boss is happy he could create something large scale at this point in time.
It was Tsutsumi-san’s idea for GOTH to be filmed completely in Okinawa. He told boss, “In order for the story to turn into a reality, if Hidaka-san would allow it, I think we could bring what Hidaka-san wanted to life in a great way” and boss happily agreed
- Tsutsumi-san suggested that Koza, Okinawa is the most interesting place in Japan. The uniqueness and chaotic vibe of the city matched what boss wanted to portray. Initially boss was thinking somewhere in Tokyo Shinjuku, but it’s difficult to shoot a large-scale drama like this in Tokyo, so when Tsutsumi-san suggested Okinawa that solved everything.
- The production crew is a local one from Okinawa and a crew that Tsutsumi-san had wanted to work with again, so boss was glad he could entrust RuiTaiNon in their care and work with them before their debut
It was also boss’s wish for the drama to reflect how RuiTaiNon are normally (just slightly exaggerated or glammed up), because he finds how they interact with each other on the daily very funny, haha. There’s a special dynamic that forms in a trio, he wanted the drama to capture their inside jokes and their endless banters and comebacks with each other.
- Boss knows it would be meaningless if RuiTainon were exactly like their real selves, so he did put together character outlines for Taku, Mikey, and Yoji, and the plot of the first episode, and left the rest up to Tsutsumi-san and the crew. In the case of Rui’s character, Taku ended up being a little different from Rui, but boss thinks it turned into the kind of lead role that really fits a Tsutsumi drama.
Although boss said earlier in the interview that the reason he wanted to make this drama was because it’s better if young people deliver messages to their own generation, he said that is only 30% true. The other 70% he simply wants to share the vibe RuiTaiNon have when they are together with the rest of the world, so it wasn’t so much a request to Tsutsumi-san as it is a personal desire, LOL. But he does think it’s turned into something that the world will find genuinely entertaining
Boss is confident that GOTH is worth devoting his passion into because he believes drama can energize Japan like music through the power of entertainment
Boss believes J-drama culture is something Japan can be proud of. Jdrama has had a huge influence across Asia. He personally thinks the early Heisei era (early 1990s) was when Jdramas were at its peak. He thinks they managed to create a work that brings that era back to life in 2025. Boss was watching those kind of dramas Monday to Sunday and it felt like there was something major or must watch on TV every day.
Once a formula for success is established, it’s not easy to break out of it. GOTH is a work that is set to break all the rules. It’s chaotic in the best way and he thinks that will make people remember how fun dramas can be.
Boss had high praises for Tsutsumi-san and the crew. He likes how Tsutsumi-san weaves humour into his works and it wasn’t any different for GOTH. It’s just this nonstop storm of relentless twists.
Some people might think that BMSG’s message doesn’t really go hand in hand with comedy, but boss has always had this urge to add a bit of humor into everything. Even with BE:FIRST’s live shows, boss sneaks his humour into the intermission videos. Of course, when it comes to music, finding the right balance of how much humor to include and where is a delicate art, but with a Tsutsumi drama boss could go all out, and that was the best feeling.
Boss believes there’s meaning in doing comedy. When you talk about entertainment, laughter is something you can’t leave out. It’s like the three of spades in cards, it’s able to beat the king, even beat the joker. Sometimes comedy gets looked down on as something trivial, but it’s got the power to take down even the strongest opponents in an instant—that’s why he loves it so much.
As a result of filming GOTH, RuiTaiNon were pretty much living together for 40 days. They had time to talk to each other and form a deeper bond. In baseball terms, boss says they won’t hesitate to swing the bat now. Not that he thinks the three of them were ever hesitant, they are always in a state of preparedness (one of BMSG’s key training philosophies – not amateurs, prepared). They have always had a strong awareness of putting themselves out there as professionals so they were always ready to swing if the ball ever came their way. This mentality will serve them in the future and through filming GOTH boss thinks it has only strengthened their resolve to present themselves as professionals even more. It’s impressive that they managed to see GOTH through and boss has nothing but respect for them.
TLP is in Round 3 right now and how boss selects the members will be different from previous auditions
Boss has been with RuiTaiNon for a long time and he’s had many chances to reflect and think about “young people as living beings”, he thinks that feeling is going to influence how TLP will be done mostly in terms of “seeing the person” - BMSG’s importance on nurturing their talents. The principles of THE FIRST: “Quality FIRST”, “Creativity FIRST”, “Artisism FIRST” has now become the company’s guiding principles, and both of those things are going to be very important and continue to grow from here.
Of course technical skills and techniques are still important in auditions, but what matters more will be how they will guide the contestants on a 1-to-1 level and whether BMSG can do that for them and is able to envision a future together with them. So boss thinks TLP will turn out rather unique
Having said that, boss will approach TLP in the beginning like any standard audition – focusing on their abilities without thinking too much of the personal side. But he thinks what they’re looking for at the start and what they’re looking for at the end will be very different.
When RuiTaiNon went to boss telling him that they wanted to participate in TLP starting from the 2nd Round, it actually made boss very happy that they have such a mindset and mentality
Whenever boss has meetings about TLP and he talks about what he plans to do, he always wants to cry because of how much this project means to him
Hope you enjoyed!
Please note I translate these for free and I'm not a professional, so they may not be super perfect.
Retranslations or sharing of the summaries is fine! For retranslations, please notify me beforehand and credit once posted!
If you like my translations, you can consider tipping me on Ko-Fi!