Uchi, okaeri! ♥ Includes commentary from Ryo.
I really enjoyed this!
Please everyone be nice and give him a chance.
Everyone deserves a second chance, am I right?
If you don’t want to read this, that’s your choice, but let’s keep nasty comments to ourself ne, I’m not here to cause trouble.

One page roughish translation from Oricon Style’s 2008 January 28th edition

Done in a few moments of free time, may sound rough in English. I apologize. Please comment with any questions or problems or Uchi ♥.

(Welcome back!!)> UCHI HIROKI
A real return with a four night serial drama!

An interview report with the lead actor of the drama “Isshun no Kaze ni Nare”
Having participated as a trainee in summer 2007’s Shonentai play “PLAYZONE2007 Change 2 Chance”, Uchi Hiroki back in action having graduated from a trainee will now star in the 4 night serial drama “Isshun no Kaze ni Nare” (Fuji TV)! Nishikido Ryo, who was with him in NEWS and Kanjani∞ will also act in a friendship role. With the talk in this interview you’ll know his thoughts on all this!

<(Production Interview PICK UP!!)

“Now that I’ve been able to restart, I’ll never betray your expectations again”

-This is your first leading drama role, so are you nervous?
Yes, that’s right. I’m really nervous and I have some worries too, but in rehearsal now I’m able to naturally have fun.

-To you this work is becoming a new start, so share with everyone your enthusiasm on it.
Being able to have a restart, I think I would like to do it so that I will never betray your expectations again. I want to go ahead doing things with all my might, one by one.

-What do you have to say related to the role of Kamiya Shinji?
Reading the original work, I thought him to be a very high school student-ish, refreshingly pure boy filled with lots of energy, so I think I would like to do my best to play this role well.

-You received a comment from Nishikido-san overflowing with excitement for this, how is this?
I normally call him “Ryo-chan”, but we called each other almost everyday and texted too. I’d ask Ryo-chan “What kind of work are you going to do today?” and he’d say “Today is this kind of thing”, we talked about things like that everyday. We talked when this drama was decided on too and he said “You did it!” happily for me. I’m also happy that I get to work with Ryo-chan in the form of a friendship role.

-Has your bond from before strengthen more?
I don’t know what he actually thinks, but for me it’s already pretty deep (lol). I look forward to this.

-Your impressions from reading the book are…?
For the first time in awhile I read a book that made my heart pure. There were many times I was moved by it. It made me think I really wanted to return to my high school days.

-Have you talked to Nishikido-san about the book?
We have. Ryo-chan said “I’ve got a soccer genius role, but how will that turn out”. “I’m not even that good at soccer”, he was a little worried about it (lol).

-It’s been awhile since you’ve done a drama, when meeting your costars please tell us about their response?
Honestly I was really worried they would be blank, but once I had reached the filming location I didn’t really feel that at all and we’ve all been getting along great.

-This time it’s the role of a track & field athlete, what kind of things must you do for this role?
I’ve started muscle training. It’s still indoor training but I’ve been practicing, though it might just be basic, track & field running form and such. When this is done well then the following day will come muscle pain. Places that normally don’t hurt started hurting. I think it’s the muscles that normally don’t get used. That’s a bit rough but I’ll do my best! (lol)

-Did you receive messages from members other than Nishikido-san?
Everyone has always ordinarily, so this time they called me too, giving me encouragement. When this drama was decided on I received a lot of “Congratulations”. That everyone said “It’d be nice if we could work together again” is an image left in my mind.

-This drama is a sports tale that paints the beauty of friendship, so Uchi-san personally if you’ve had a time when you felt the importance of friendship recently- please tell us.
I feel that everyday. Hasn’t it just caused trouble to be by me? But even so everyone warmly watched over me, and encouraged me. Friends are important to the degree it makes me tearful, I think of them as friends I never want to lose in my life.

~Messages from Nishikido and Shonentai~

From Nishikido Ryo
That this time Uchi is having activity on TV, a role in a special drama, I’m frankly very happy about this myself. I’m also filled with feelings of gratitude for everyone related to this who created an opportunity for me to star along with him. While supporting Uchi with all my might, I think I would also like to mature myself and fully enjoy this valuable time.

From Shonentai
In last summer’s “PLAYZONE2007 Change 2 Chance” held in Tokyo and Osaka, there was something amazing about Uchi’s enthusiasm for work and hardworking attitude seen in person. And in his lifestyle too, seeing his sincereness as a trainee, we believe this left an impression on those who came to see Playzone as well as those staff who were connected with Playzone. In our eyes he had matured more than enough to earn passing marks.
Uchi…… For us who have seen your reflection, cooperation and perseverance from up close this is happy NEWS! Take all your feelings from up until now and explode them into your work this time, please do your best! Your potential is ∞ (infinite)! Isn’t that great!
From here on, for the Uchi Hiroki who has graduated from in-training, yoroshiku onegaitashimasu.

Translation Notes
* Kamiya Shinji is Uchi’s character in Isshun no Kaze ni Nare.
* Shonentai is an older JE group. In their message to Uchi, YES they reference both NEWS and Kanjani∞ (Happy NEWS and　∞ potential). They’re such an old group they can say and do whatever they want LOL ♥
* I’m not sure how to translate “friendship role” but that’s like the name they use for Ryo staring in Isshun. Ryo’s role is actually of Uchi’s character’s older brother.
* Blank like… a blank response from the other costars like “Oh this is THAT Uchi Hiroki. …………….” kinda awkward-ness and such.
* Yoroshiku onegaitashimasu is a more formal yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Personal Comments
♣ I’m actually in the middle of the first (of three) novel of Isshun no Kaze ni Nare and I love it ♥ Makes me want to go back to my high school days also, Shinji’s really a great kid. If people are interested when I finish the first book I’ll type up a summary of it to share, probably won’t have time to read all three books before the drama airs though.
♣ Uchi, okaeri! Even if you never return to NEWS I’ll always include your translations here ♥
♣ It’d be nice if we could work together again.

Scans from the wonderful misoyo, thank you! Will take down if requested.