PROFILE
Born in 1979 in Saitama, Japan, he left a certain domestic brand in 2020. After that, he launched a cult club "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH" and mainly produces and sells goods.
PROFILE
Born in 1978 in Shizuoka Prefecture, he entered NSC Tokyo in 2005 and formed Sisonne with his partner Jiro the following year. The following year, he formed Sisonne with his partner Jiro. As a talented comedian, he is active not only in live performances but also in a variety of other fields, including television, stage, and drama.
I'm glad to be in a good office, and I'm feeling relaxed.
When I was discussing this Series with Ms. Nishimoto, I was a bit taken aback when she told me that she would like to have an interview with Mr. Hasegawa of Sissonne. What is the relationship between the two of you?
Hasegawa:The first one was social networking, wasn't it? Stylist Koichiro Yamamoto tagged a "NISHIMOTO IS THE MOUTH" T-shirt and uploaded it.
Nishimoto:So Mr. Hasegawa followed up.
Hasegawa:Who are you? I was so curious that I followed him and he DM'd me. I was so curious that I followed him , and he DM'd me.
Nishimoto:. and he bought one of my T-shirts. I happened to be walking near my home and saw someone wearing one of my T-shirts, and I wondered who it was. I thought, "Who is that? I met him for the first time there, and I saw you wearing my T-shirt on TV.
Hasegawa:The design has a big impact, so my seniors and others are always messing with it. Even Koji Higashino asked me, "What kind of fashionable thing is that? (laughs). Anyway, "Who is it? (laughs). Anyway, "Who is he?" is a good start, so I answer, "He is a prophet.
What is your impression of Nishimoto?
Hasegawa:He even has a tattoo on his face, and I think people have the impression that he is scary on social media. When I met him on the street, he was with my wife, Sashihara (Rino), and Huwa-chan, but as expected, the three of them moved away from me, like, "What's that guy? They were like, "What is that guy?
However, at that time, Nishimoto-san was so low that I wondered if he was a first-year comedian. I had the impression that people are not always what they appear to be, and that he was very mild-mannered. . I was struck by this gap and found him even more appealing. I was struck by this gap and found him even more attractive.
Nishimoto:. It's the same for me. Mr. Hasegawa was very courteous to me at that time, and that made me feel more strongly about being a fan.
Hasegawa:HOUYHNHNM's had been interviewed once before by my partner, and the manager had some trust in the media, but when he was asked about the interview with Mr. Nishimoto, he asked me, "Do you want to check the anti-sha? (laughs).
Nishimoto:I am good friends with Mr. Osaki (Chairman of Yoshimoto Kogyo Holdings). He has even taken me out to dinner with him.
Hasegawa:You mentioned that before . Why are you so close?
Nishimoto:When I was working at [VISVIM], I used to come to the store often . He liked me then. He called me "Nishi-yan," and said, "Nishi-yan is my friend now, so let's go out to eat together. He took me to a sushi restaurant in Yotsuya and treated me to some very nice meat in Osaka.
Hasegawa:Wait a minute! Even Yoshimoto's comedians won't take you there....
Nishimoto:We have a mutual acquaintance, Mr. Ishikawa of FR2, and because of that we are good friends, but we haven't met recently. I will have to report on today's discussion later (laughs).
Hasegawa:. but I am kind of glad that Mr. Osaki finds Nishimoto-san interesting. He is 68 years old now. I don't think it is easy for such a person to get along with someone as unique as Nishimoto-san. So, I am glad that I belonged to a good firm, and I am now feeling relaxed.
Nishimoto:I've been teased quite a bit, too (laughs).
What do you and Mr. Osaki talk about when you are together?
Nishimoto:We have a lot of serious conversations. He is like a father, and he listens to me about my work.
Hasegawa:He was the one who brought Downtown from the Kansai region to sell the show in Tokyo, and when he was doing his manzai at NGK, even though no one was laughing, he said, "You guys keep your style and do what you are doing. He was a very powerful person in that sense. In that sense, he is a very powerful person.
The culture that Mr. Hasegawa and I have attended is almost the same.
Did you and Hasegawa-san have a chance to meet and talk after you bumped into each other on the street?
Hasegawa:No, I don't . But we have quite a few mutual acquaintances.
Nishimoto:FACE and Kosuke Kawamura (Kosuke), right?
Hasegawa:Yes, that's right. I was in touch with FACE just yesterday, and when I told him about this interview, he said, "Let's go out for dinner soon, the three of us," so we should definitely do it sometime.
Nishimoto:Really? I would like to go!
You are quite a fashion connoisseur, aren't you, Mr. Hasegawa?
Hasegawa:Yes, I do. I have always had a crush on him (laughs). I am 43 years old now, and for my generation, the influence of the Urahara culture is tremendous. I read a wide range of fashion magazines such as "WARP," "BOON," and "MEN'S NON-NO," from street fashion to mode magazines, and in a good sense, there was a lot of chaos.
There was also a mixture of genres of music, such as punk, mel-core, and hip-hop. I am from Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, and when I bought a punk CD and looked at the jacket, I saw a hip-hop artist's name in the "Special Thanks" column, and I felt a horizontal connection. That was interesting. In a sense, I had always thought of rock as rock, punk as punk, and hip-hop as hip-hop, but I learned that this was not the case. It was interesting to see how they were mixed together.
Hasegawa:The culture of Uraharajuku was like that, too. Some brand would make an item and distribute it to everyone to wear. I really admired that kind of atmosphere. Sometimes I would come to Tokyo and go to Urahara, and when I visited "NOWHERE," there were no clothes left. When I asked the clerk about them, he would get angry with me (laughs).
Nishimoto:Those were the days, weren't they?
Hasegawa:I was afraid of the clerks at every store I went to . I thought that was the norm. Now, on the other hand, they serve me. They would say, "We have your size , if you like. Don't say that! I think to myself, "Don't say that! Be more scared! (laughs).
Nishimoto:It's imprinted on me that I'm scared (laughs).
Hasegawa:. At the time, for better or worse, I feel that such responses increased the value of the brand.
Nishimoto:What brands did you like?
Hasegawa:I loved all of the backstage brands. I also liked "Joyrich" and others. I used to go to "The Contemporary Fix" a lot when they had a few select shops before they opened their own directly managed stores. At that time, they had Givenchy and other brands.
Nishimoto:So that's what you were checking too.
Hasegawa:. it was Kanye West , or JAY-Z, who wore it. . When it comes to fashion, I often refer to the way hip-hop artists dress.
Nishimoto:What kind of hip-hop do you listen to?
Hasegawa:When I was in high school, I heard Schadaraparr's "Boogie Back Tonight" for the first time , and I remember thinking, "What the hell! I remember thinking, "What the heck! . Then I started listening to all of Schadaraparr's mini-albums. After that, I got to know King Ghidorah and other artists around the Sanpin Camp area, and I bought a lot of stuff.
At that time, there were punk rock DJs and hip-hop DJs. There were those who came to Tokyo saying, "I'm going to be a punk rock DJ," and there were those who said, "I'm going to be a hip-hop DJ," and there were those who said, "I'm going to be a dancer. I was listening to all kinds of music without being separated from others like that. I wanted to buy a 7STARS DESIGN T-shirt, so I would go to debilock nights.
Nishimoto:Ahhhh! I've missed this.
Hasegawa:Overseas, I listened to Coolio, Gangsta Paradise, and Wu-Tang Clan. I used to imitate them, wear Timberland boots, and dress like a laborer.
Nishimoto:. I was thinking that we are close in age, and that the culture that you and Mr. Hasegawa have been exposed to is almost the same.
I understand that you didn't meet Mr. Nishimoto when he was working as a staff member of "VISVIM".
Hasegawa:I didn't know Mr. Nishimoto at that time. I only knew that he was in "visvim" at that time.
Nishimoto:There were quite a few comedians there.
Hasegawa:The other day, I went shopping with Mr. Fujimori of Orihagi, who wanted to buy some clothes, and we stopped by VISVIM.
Do you go shopping with other comedians?
Hasegawa:I go there often. I often go to Matsuo of Chokoplast. He likes hip-hop and reggae. However, the clothes he wears are pretty old-school, and he wears old-fashioned brands. My partner used to like "Undercover" and used to wear it a lot. But when we were poor, we had to quit either clothes, pachinko, or cigarettes to make ends meet, so we stopped buying clothes. Since then, all I do is play pachinko and mah-jongg (laughs).
Nishimoto:Don't you want to go shopping with me?
Hasegawa:I don't go with Jiro. When we first formed the band, we used to go to drinking parties and blind dates (laughs). (Laughs.) These days, I feel shy when we are together.
I was very nervous when I met downtown for the first time.
Nishimoto:Are Mr. Hasegawa and Jiro the same age?
Hasegawa:That's right. That's why we share the same music and the same experiences in comedy. So when my partner writes a story, I can easily understand it, or rather, it comes easily to me, so it is easy for us to work together.
Nishimoto:The temperature between Mr. Jiro and Mr. Hasegawa , is very nice.
Hasegawa:I'm glad to hear you say so . Thank you very much! We are different characters from each other , so we are able to make up for each other's deficiencies.
Nishimoto:The comedy is also really amazing. I was invited to a live performance the other night and it was on the level of theater.
Hasegawa:I think I'm more of a theater person. My partner and I are both fans of City Boys, and we prefer to laugh in a theatrical way rather than through a series of pretending, blurting out, and then making fun of each other. We went to see the "Adult Project" at the same time, and were impressed with the kind of laughter that was being produced. I went to see them and learned that there was a way to make people laugh.
Sisonne basically wants to be a contrarian?
Hasegawa:I don't want to slip up (laughs). (Laughs.) My partner and I don't do a lot of variety shows. In a comedy show, you don't slip up, but in a variety show, you have to laugh in a different way, so on a bad day, or on a day when you couldn't do anything today, there is a hurt that you don't want.
I was the same way, but I started getting more and more opportunities to appear in variety shows, and as I continued to do so, it became more and more enjoyable, so I would like to appear in as many shows as I am invited. Well, basically, I would like to base my activities on stories.
Nishimoto:Have you always loved comedy?
Hasegawa:Yes, that's right. My parents were in the sushi business, so I was left alone as a child. I always watched TV and loved variety shows, so I had a vague idea from an early age that this was the kind of world I wanted to go into.
When I was in high school, I formed a casual duo with a friend, but he got dumped, and I moved to Tokyo before him. But he was also in a hardcore band, and he said, "I'm still in a band," and we ended up breaking up... (wry laugh). (Laughs.) The band is still active, but I don't have his contact information, so I haven't been able to see him for a long time. I hope we can meet again someday.
Nishimoto:Are there any comedians that you are nervous about meeting when you enter the entertainment industry?
Hasegawa:. I was very nervous when I met Mr. Downtown for the first time. But both Mr. Matsumoto and Mr. Hamada were surprisingly kind. I had heard a lot of scary rumors, but they were not true at all. I thought Mr. Imada and Mr. Higashino might be scary too, but they were very kind.
Hasegawa:Also, I was very nervous about the pontoon.
Nishimoto:Ah, I think I know what you mean.
Hasegawa:I had been watching variety shows for a long time, and Tunnels was the first duo I recognized as interesting. So I was very happy, but also very nervous, thinking, "Here is Tunnels next to me right now. We were one of the groups among many comedians, but we were quietly excited.
Entertainment is an amazing place, isn't it? There are people there with all kinds of dreams and ambitions.
Hasegawa:. it's a world of sometimes helping each other, sometimes betraying each other. . when there are a lot of people, it is really like a squid game. Sometimes you die as a performer, so you have to survive anyway. Of course, there is also a loser's resurrection. It really wears you down (laughs).
Hasegawa:The same is true of "Ariyoshi's Wall," and there is a tension in Ariyoshi's mind, because you never know when he's going to come up with a pretense. If you look away from him, he is quick to catch you. He is the kind of person who is not afraid of slipping. So I always look him in the eye. Then, he would not pretend. But when I am at ease with him, he senses the atmosphere and comes to catch me. I have this special ability.
But how can a program work with someone who is in bad shape?
Hasegawa:Sometimes, when you beat around the bush and twist the bottom line, the result can be very interesting. I think they want to see that. Ariyoshi wants to show them that he has this kind of interesting quality. At first I thought he was just being mean, but there are comedians who get more work because of it.
Sometimes I am teased about my fashion, saying, "Hasegawa-kun, you are fashionable, aren't you? If I wear flashy clothes, they don't tease me, but if I wear plain clothes, they tease me. I would reply, "Last week you wore something that could be tweaked more.
Nishimoto:It's an amazing world....
Hasegawa:. he is very different. If he likes something, he tweaks it thoroughly. I was offered a chance to make a quiz about my personal life and fashion on a TV show called "Ariyoshi Quiz. I got an offer to do it. I told them the names of Mr. Kawamura and Mr. Nishimoto as potential candidates.
Nishimoto:Are you serious?
Hasegawa:I pushed him, saying, "I'm sure Nishimoto-san will be able to take good pictures," but the staff said, "He's a bit..." (laughs). (Laughs.) But I told them, "I think Ariyoshi-san will be pleased.
Nishimoto:Well, I wanted to be on the show. I also wanted to be on Matsuko's "Out X Deluxe. I would have been called "out" in an instant (laughs).
Hasegawa:I know your staff, so I'll talk to them about the no-no.
Nishimoto:I've been told by people in the TV business that I can't go on commercial TV . . so they say it's difficult unless it's on Netflix or Youtube.
It would be interesting to see a "Machiroku Channel" or something like that.
Nishimoto:Nice, I'd love to be there. I would love to attend.
Hasegawa:. I'll tell you about Mr. Mitani of "Machiroku Ch." He's a good friend of mine. I was a big fan of his work on the show when he was the AD. I always thought he was a strange guy, but then he suddenly started that. I think he and Ms. Nishimoto get along well. He is a person who is popular in the TV industry in a good way, and was beaten up for ringing the phone during a "Laugh It Away" show (laughs).
Nishimoto:That's not good (laughs). . but I want to get out super bad.
. He often wears "New Balance" and "Asics.
You handed something to Mr. Nishimoto today, what did you bring?
Hasegawa:It's a down jacket from the collaboration between Kanye and "GAP. . I like Kanye, so I bought it because I wanted to have something even if I don't wear it. I ordered a 3XL, but it was too big. I'm the kind of person who thinks that the bigger the better, but this was too big.... My wife said, "There's nothing you can't wear," but I told her, "I'm sure you'll be teased behind my back. So I put it up on my Instagram Stories to commemorate the occasion and was going to return it afterwards, but Mr. Nishimoto responded.
Nishimoto:I told them that they should give it to us.
Hasegawa:So I brought it today. The design is really cool. It has a sheen like leather and looks like something RUN DMC would wear . . Nishimoto-san is fashionable, so I think it will look good even if it is too big. If a comedian like me were to wear it, I think it would be a little out of character.
Nishimoto:It's huge. . but it looks like it's nothing I can't wear.
Hasegawa:After all, it looks good when Nishimoto-san wears it. It looks cool when a proper person wears it. . but the smell bothers me a little.
Nishimoto:There was a bit of a buzz on Twitter about the smell.
Hasegawa:It smells like salted kelp, doesn't it?
Nishimoto:I will try to dry them in the sun. Thank you very much!
. Today, I asked Mr. Nishimoto to bring his favorite sneakers as well.
Hasegawa:Yes, yes, I wanted to ask for sneaker information. You know a lot about them, don't you? I have the impression that you buy quite a few interesting shoes.
Nishimoto:I'll buy the odd one too.
Hasegawa:Ah, this is a collaboration between "Stray Rats" and "New Balance.
Nishimoto:I asked Mr. Goro of "Minnano" to buy it for me .
Hasegawa:Purple , I still like it.
Nishimoto:I bought it in two colors. They were made in England , and they were a bit pricey.
Hasegawa:What kind of shoes are these?
Nishimoto:It's a collaboration between a brand called "Roku" and "ASICS. It was sold only at Dover Street Market in Ginza.
Hasegawa:It looks like a turtle shell binding.
Nishimoto:I like SM (laughs). (Laughs.) I had to wait in line to buy this one. I used to work at Dover Street Market, and I was super embarrassed because all the staff knew me, but I was the second in line.
I see that they are lined up properly.
Nishimoto:The ones I want will be lined up.
Hasegawa:It's fun to buy in line.
Will you be in line, Mr. Hasegawa?
Hasegawa:The release of limited edition models is usually on Saturdays and Sundays. So I often have to work on weekends. So I've been using apps all the time these days. In the past, even if I didn't know what was going to be on sale, if there was a line, I would just get in line (laughs). (Laughs.) Then, by the time I could get into the store, my size was often sold out. This was in the age of no Internet, so I really didn't know why people were waiting in line. Nowadays, information is transmitted via Twitter, so it's easy to find out what's in line. It was more fun when there was no such information.
Nishimoto:It was like a treasure hunt. . So I would walk around the city for no reason, going into stores and checking out what items they had.
Hasegawa:Even for Supreme, there were items with the box logo suddenly appearing from the back of the box. Perhaps the item was reserved for a friend of a staff member and then cancelled.
Nishimoto:There have been times , that kind of thing. I've bought things like I was super lucky.
Hasegawa:Do you often wear " New Balance " these days, Mr. Nishimoto?
Nishimoto:Yes, I do. I am getting old and my knees hurt (laughs), so I wear only shoes with soft outsoles. That's why I wear "New Balance" and "Asics" most of the time. You are also wearing "New Balance" today, aren't you, Mr. Hasegawa?
Hasegawa:I guess "New Balance" makes many appearances, doesn't it? I have worked with them once and they have been very kind to me, so I want to support such a brand (laughs). (Laughs.) But before that, the most important reason is that they are easy to wear.
Nishimoto:It's very easy to walk.
Both of you are sporty today, and I think "New Balance" goes well with that kind of coordination.
Hasegawa:Yes, that's right. In addition to that, I think it fits me better now because of my age. When I was younger, they didn't suit me very well. But once upon a time, there was a collaboration model by "Hectic," right? It was a model that was left over from a wagon sale, and the colors were rearranged.
Nishimoto:MT580. That was really cool, wasn't it? I remember wanting one and standing in line for it.
Hasegawa:That was great, wasn't it? I think you were also working with "Stussy," weren't you?
Nishimoto:You did it, triple name.
Hasegawa:I used to wear those when I was young. One in pink and the other in brown. I think I kept them, but I don't know where they are now.
Nishimoto:How many sneakers do you buy per month?
Hasegawa:These days I don't have any more space to put them and the air is bad because of pressure from my wife... (smiles). So I don't buy much. . I try not to put any information in the first place. There are plenty of things I want, and I wanted this collaboration with "Stray Rats," but I knew my wife would say, "New Balance again? I didn't buy it because I knew my wife would say, "New Balance again? She would call me a "New Balance guy," sarcastically. . When you get married, that kind of problem arises.
Nishimoto:I see (laughs). So you got rid of a lot of sneakers at home?
Hasegawa:. I've gotten rid of a lot of them, and now I have about 70 to 80 pairs.
Nishimoto:Don't you rent a warehouse or something?
Hasegawa:I thought about that too.
Nishimoto:. I've been told by people around me that I should rent. My room is already full.... . I also like vinyl records, so I don't have any more space.
The manzai has a Koshien feel to it , or rather, it is muddy in a good way.
I could tell from what you said today that you both love fashion, but do you ever get told to focus more on your work?
Hasegawa:Surprisingly, they don't say anything. My partner only plays pachinko, too (laughs). (Laughs.) But we understand that we both like it. As one might expect, he would get angry if I were drawing lots for sneakers on my smartphone while we were practicing or something.
Nishimoto:. Mr. Hasegawa has a strong image of fashion, doesn't he?
Hasegawa:I would be happy if you think so. . I want to make sure that what I am wearing does not lead to a negative image of the brand. People may have a general idea that "comedians = tacky," but I want to change that.
Nishimoto:Mr. Hasegawa is stylish. And I respect his art.
Hasegawa:When I was young, I was the type of person who was critical of comedians on TV when I saw them dress up. So I was conflicted about it, but I am very happy to see that everyone is positive about it.
Nishimoto:They are well-dressed and cool, and they make interesting skits. Sisonne's comedy is really like watching a play. It's not possible to do something like that.
Hasegawa:Thank you . My partner can play any role (laughs).
Nishimoto:At the last concert you were invited to, there was a lot of improvisation, wasn't there? That was amazing. On stage, you can't make mistakes, but you were very resourceful in responding to various situations. The two of you were trying to make the audience laugh, and the audience was seriously trying to laugh. The power of the two of you is amazing.
Hasegawa:You understood that much, didn't you? In the past, we used to follow the script exactly, but in the past few years, we have been doing more and more long performances, and we get bored if we keep doing the same comedy. So we try to leave some blank space in the script. My partner would say something in rehearsal that I would remember during the performance, and then I would shake it up and make him say it again. That kind of groove is now more present than before.
Nishimoto:. It's just like a live music concert or a DJ event. . You watch the audience and develop your comedy while adapting to the atmosphere of the venue, right?
Hasegawa:On days when I feel that I'm more likely to be popular today, even though we haven't spoken to each other, the tension is like, "Let's go! even though we haven't spoken to each other.
Nishimoto:Are you interested in M-1 as well?
Hasegawa:Well, last year's M-1 was very good. It was like a coming-of-age experience for comedians. The King of Contest is a lot of fun, but the manzai has a Koshien (high school) feel to it, or in a good way, it has a muddy smell to it. It makes me cry.
Nishimoto:Last year's M-1 was interesting.
Hasegawa:Everyone was interesting. The level is getting higher and higher.
Sisonne, do you ever think about doing comedy?
Hasegawa:I have done it several times. The first time I entered the M-1 contest twice, but failed to make it to the quarterfinals and was quite popular. The second time, I made it to the quarterfinals and was quite popular. . It ended so traumatically that my partner and I were both "comic relief. It was a traumatic experience, and my partner stopped asking me to do manzai. But when I watch M-1, I find it very inspiring. It's just like when you feel stronger after watching martial arts. When I watch it with my partner in the dressing room, we get excited and think, "Let's do it next year," but a week later, the excitement dies down and we wonder what it was all about (laughs).
All:(Laughter).
Hasegawa:Both of us like to perform manzai, but we feel shy about appearing in front of an audience as if we are not performing. . In comedy, you have a role to play, so you just have to be that role.
. I have a feeling that you will be fine just as you are.
Hasegawa:I'm a sharp-tongued guy, so I can go on as I am, but Jiro is not good at letting his true colors come out. Like Ken Shimura, I have to be someone else in order to be in front of the audience.
Well, but M-1 is really my youth. I think there are a lot of comedians who couldn't stop being comedians after Nishikigoi won the M-1. Originally, this competition was started by Shinsuke (Shimada), and he started it with the idea that if the duo didn't sell after 10 years of working together, they should quit. It was supposed to be a competition to sift out the best, but it turned out to be a competition to give people dreams.
Nishimoto:Nishikigoi is going to get more work in the future.
Hasegawa:I think it will increase tremendously. The King of Contest is influential, but M-1 is in a class of its own.
. Since we are running out of time for this interview, I would like to conclude here. You mentioned that this is the first time you two have talked slowly, but have your impressions of each other changed?
Nishimoto:I haven't changed at all.
Hasegawa:I'm the same way. As I expected, we had a great time talking.
Nishimoto:I'd like to go out for a leisurely drink next time.
Hasegawa:By all means, let's go! I'm really curious about how Nishimoto-san only wears white, etc. , so let's exchange lines then.
Nishimoto:Thank you very much! I am planning to start Youtube this year, so I would be happy to have you on the show if you would like.
Hasegawa:Really? That sounds kind of interesting too. Let's meet again by all means!
