Japanese version is as below. Please click the title.
店長、神崎遼馬が見る北條と宴：北條マガジン（第245098号）
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Marie: Hi Ryoma! It’s been a while, you’re a new managerof Utage, huh?
Ryoma: Thanks Marie! Well, we went out to eat dinner together the other day, right!? It was super yummy. Kazuma kept saying "This is great!"
Marie: Right, all he said was "This is great!"... but that was great fun, too!
Ryoma: RIGHT!? And yes, it seems to be I’m the new manager now but it’s not a big deal. Nothing has changed about it. I hope to make what I’ve experienced useful for Utage. I thought using laptop was impossible but it’s actually fun.
Marie: 3rd anniversary and how is Kazuma doing?
Ryoma: We’ve known each other quite years by now. It’s not like I realize something new about him but he’s been accelerating his ideas and imaginations even more after becoming 44 years old. It’s so good to see and also inviting. He’s enjoying making his ideas into the shape.
Marie: I remember he thinks of something new all the time even when we were kids!
Ryoma: Yes, indeed. He’s now focusing on SNS. He thinks of something and we put it together. He really likes something new and it’s been sophisticated. I know I can’t believe I’m using this word to him but this is true. What makes him think like that? Maybe he’s eating something weird.
Marie: Well, if he said something weird and if you feel you need it, you need to stop him. What do you like about Utage?
Ryoma: Everything? It’s very different from other stores. Utage is utage. Of course, there are a lot we learn from other stores but we have something very different, as well. One of the biggest difference is twitcasting. Kazuma never allows anybody do that. Well, we only have 4 members and everybody lives different area so we cannot do it together anyway. But we don’t allow cast members for private communication. This is very important. We’ve been in this industry for a few decades and we do all we can do.
Marie: I see there are more stores and cast members but I like that your style hasn’t changed at all.
Ryoma: Of course we learn what we can learn and what we don’t know. But worrying about what others think about us doesn’t help us at all. If they want to criticize us or something, be my guest. They can write whatever but we also say what we need to. Utage is based on those spirits.
Marie: Huh, you guys have never changed...
Ryoma: But those who understand us would know what we are doing. We also have a lot of dear clients and we are filled with love, too.
Marie: What’s your resolution?
Ryoma: Supporting cast members. We are backseat players and not more than that. We are always calm, think of something new and have cast members put it in the shape. That’s what we need to do.
Marie: Now you are a new manager and Utage is accelerating their style even more. It’s going to be great!
