Kumon Hyodo/『Firsts』 Are Fun

My Very Own Character

Backstage Stories

Part 1Part 2Part 3

Izumi	Has everyone gathered?
Taichi	Yep! All the members are here.
Kumon	What’s up today, Director?
	I heard everyone appearing in the show are meeting up, but…
	Err, huh? Kazu-san!?
	What the? Are you in the upcoming show!?
Kazunari	No, no! I’m not going on stage!
Izumi	Fufu. You’ll understand the reason Kazunari-kun is here soon.
	Alright, as everyone knows, the theme of the upcoming play is skateboarding.
	We're going to incorporate lots different of staging on the stage while having everyone actually ride their skateboards.
Homare	Yes, indeed. I have been practicing riding a skateboard along with rehearsing for the play.
Muku	It was difficult riding it at first, but I can finally skate a little bit.
Izumi	So then, we decided to make new skateboards for each member to use on stage!
Taichi	EH, LEGIT!?
Kumon	You mean we can have our very own skateboards!? SICK! That’s so cool!
Izumi	Kazunari-kun will be in charge of the designs.
Kazunari	Yes! Pleased to work with ya!
Masumi	Is that why Kazunari also joined our meeting today?
Kazunari	That’s right!
	By the way, I can come up with the skateboard designs all on my own…
	But I'd love to hear everyone's opinions on what kinda design they’d like.
	You can tell me you’d like a specific design, or just be simple about it!
Tsumugi	To think we can design a skateboard according to our own image. That’s amazing.
Omi	You don’t come across a chance like this very often.
Taichi	Apart from riding them on stage, there’s lots of scenes where we hold them in our hands…
	The design’s gotta be eye-catching for the audience too!
Azuma	The stage will look brightened up with all of our skateboards lined up with their different designs on them.
Kumon	Yeah, totally!
Kazunari	That being said, lemme know after you’ve come up a design that works for you, ‘kay?
Izumi	We’re going to set a deadline, so please let Kazunari-kun know your ideas and requests by then.
Muku	You got it!
Homare	This is my first time designing a skateboard, so I'm very much looking forward to it.
Taichi	I’m getting pumped up!
Kumon	I’m super stoked too!
	…My very own skateboard, huh?
	What kinda design should I go with?

Kumon	Hm~~~~…
Azami	You’ve been frettin’ for a while.
Kumon	Well, you see…
Guy	What is the matter?
Kumon	Ah, Guy-san.
	Um, I’m sorta torn right now.
Guy	What are you worried about?
Azami	It’s about his skateboard design.
	Apparently, Kazunari-san’s gonna design some based on everyone’s ideas. But I guess he can’t make up his mind about his request.
Guy	I see. So that’s it.
Kumon	I know Kazu-san’s gonna make it really cool and hip no matter what request he gets…
	But when I’m asked what kinda design I want, I’m just at a loss~.
Azami	I mean, it’s not like I don’t get how you feel.
Guy	The skateboard isn’t a mere prop. You’re really going to use it.
	If you skate with your very own board, then you will grow attached to it. And I think that will also connect with your role study as a skateboarder.
Azami	Ridin’ a board you like is bound to be fun, right?
Guy	Indeed. I hope you can come up with a great design while discussing with Miyoshi and the other cast members.
Kumon	Hehe, good point.
	Thanks, you two! I’ll give it some more thought!
	(…I’ve been thinking about it this whole time. But in the end, I still haven’t been able to settle on anything.)
	(The deadline Director told us about is coming up, so I gotta decide…!)
	Ah, Taichi-san!
Taichi	Kyu-chan?
Kumon	Say, Taichi-san. Have you chosen what design you’ll use for your skateboard?
Taichi	Yep, it’s totally settled!
Kumon	Really! What’s the design like?
Taichi	I’m gonna put Akapoyo-kun on it!
Kumon	Taichi-san and Akapoyo-kun really do go hand-in-hand, huh?
Taichi	He’s my favourite character after all~.
	Hey, but that’s not all!
Kumon	What do you mean?
Taichi	Akapoyo-kun’s always cute and popping… and that’s one thing I like about him.
	But this time I wanna do something different—something chic and cool!
Kumon	Ooh…!
Taichi	I bet that gap between a cool vibe and a cute character would hit!
	And I think it fits with Touma’s image.
	I wanna show my cool and dashing side along with my board on stage~!
Kumon	That sounds awesome! I can’t wait to see it!
	…I see. I could have a character like Akapoyo-kun drawn on mine too.
	Akito skates with Touma, and there’s lots of scenes where he and Touma hold their skateboards together…
	Alright… I’ve got it!

	*knock, knock*
Kazunari	Come in~!
	*door opens*
	Taicchan and Kumopi?
	What are you two doing together?
Taichi	I came to ask for my skateboard design!
Kumon	Same here!
Kazunari	Ohh, I’ve been waiting!
	What do you have for me?
Taichi	I’d like a design of Akapoyo-kun.
	But not with Akapoyo-kun’s adorable, pop vibe like usual. I want it chic and cool!
Kazunari	Ooh, I gotchu! It’ll be Taicchan-core, and have a gap. The vibes are immaculate!
	Okay. I’ll whip up a super cool Akapoyo-kun skateboard design.
Taichi	Thanks! I’ll leave it to you!
Kazunari	How about you, Kumopi?
Kumon	I want a board with a cool monster character drawn on it too!
	A Kazu-san original monster, please!
Kazunari	You’re chill with me thinking up and drawing my own original monster?
Kumon	Yep! Can I ask you for that?
Kazunari	Of course! I’ll get hyped to the max and create the design!
Kumon	Woohoo! Man, I can’t wait!
	I’ll leave it to you, Kazu-san!
	(I wonder how my skateboard design will turn out?)
	(Will it be a dragon-like monster…
	Will it be like a chimera? Or maybe it’ll look like Cerberus!)
Azami	What’re you doin’ smiling by yourself?
Kumon	Ah, was it showing on my face!?
	I was thinking that I can’t wait to see my skateboard design~.
Taichi	I feel you! I’m super excited too~.
Banri	You guys have asked Kazunari for your designs already, right?
Azami	Oh yeah, Kumon. What was your request in the end?
Kumon	You’ll see when it’s done!
	*door opens*
Kazunari	Taicchan, Kumopi—you guys here?
Taichi	Ah, Kazu-kun!
Kazunari	Your skateboard design sketches are hot off the press!
Kumon	Really!? Show us, show us!
Kazunari	First up, here is the rough sketch of Taicchan’s Akapoyo-kun board!
Taichi	WOAHHH. It’s cool as hell!
Banri	Ohh. Ain’t that nice?
Kumon	It’s so rad!
Azami	That design also has Taichi-san’s essence in it.
Taichi	Thanks, Kazu-kun! I’m totally in love with it!
Kazunari	Glad to hear~. I’m happy if you like it ♪
	Next, here’s the sketch of Kumopi’s monster board!
	Tah daaah!
Kumon	!!
	(HUH!? It’s totally different than what I imagined!?
	But…)
	THIS IS SUPER CUTE AND COOL…!!
Kazunari	I tried drawing the original monster you requested~.
Azami	Heh. An original monster, huh?
Banri	It has a pop-art flair to it too, doesn’t it?
Taichi	It’s cool, cute, and it’s full of style!
Kumon	I LOVE IT!! Thanks so much, Kazu-san!
Kazunari	You’re very welcome~!
	I had fun putting lots of thought into it too.
Kumon	These will become our very own, original skateboards. I’m so happy!!
	Alriiight. Let’s do our best to practice with these boards!
Taichi & Kumon	YEAH!

Anna