Allen is a "madam celebrity" who has attracted many passionate fans with her one-of-a-kind looks, her own words of wisdom, and her unique charisma. Her essay "To All Those Who Say They Want to Be Happy" (Gentosha), which describes her own "theory of happiness," has been well-received. In the first part of the interview, she spoke about the thoughts she put into this work and stories from her time in juvenile detention, and in the second part (the second of a two-part interview), we spoke about her current position as a celebrity and her future prospects.
◇After seeing Morning Musume, she said, "It must be great to be in the spotlight."
Allen says he has been interested in the entertainment industry since he was a child. "I always wanted to stand out, but I couldn't. I was bullied as a child, so I felt like I was held back," he recalls.
"At that time, Morning Musume was at the height of its power and seemed very glamorous. There was a music program called 'Utaban,' right? The members there would say things like, 'We're so busy we don't have time to sleep,' and I remember having a vague feeling that 'it's amazing to be popular.' I thought, 'It must be great to be in the spotlight.'"
Even back then, her favorite member was the "center." "I didn't pay attention to anyone other than the center. At the time, Abe Natsumi was the center, and I really liked her," she revealed.
"That core value hasn't changed even now, and if I'm going to appear on a show, I don't want to be the main focus, so I think, 'Hmm...' If I'm going to appear in a supporting role, then I don't really think I need to appear."
True to his word, he has recently been taking on more of the main role on TV shows as MC and commentator, exuding a unique presence.
"To be honest, I feel like I'm getting closer to what I wanted to do. The other day, I happened to appear as a guest on a variety show, and I felt something was off. I thought, 'I'm on a different level now.' Lately, I've been given the role of critic, so I guess you could say I'm the guest of honor. I'm not the ringleader (laughs). It feels good to be in a guest of honor-level position."
◇What is the relationship between Tontsukatan Morimoto and Kishitani Ranmaru from "Black or White"?
Allen is the commentator on the economic news variety show "IN MY OPINION presents Black or White," which is streamed on YouTube. He has been a hot topic since the show first aired, and each episode has been viewed over 1 million times.
"It's one of the shows I really cherish, and thanks to that, the ratings are incredibly high. At first it was just a one-off show, but it was so good that they decided to continue it for nearly a year and a half. That's something that doesn't happen very often. I guess it fits with the trends of the times."
His light-hearted banter with MC Morimoto Shintaro of the comedy trio "Tontsukatan" and regular guest businessman Kishitani Ranmaru has also been well-received, but he describes his relationship with the two as "really just a work-related relationship."
"The truth is, even though we've been working together for about 10 months, we don't have any personal interaction whatsoever. However, it's the happiest thing about working with someone to say that we get along well. I think that's something we've both gotten to know each other through recording together so many times. I think that's really important. Even though we don't actually get along at all (laughs)."
◇What are your future prospects?
Allen has always stated that he "hates work." He says he is "very picky" about the work he takes on, and candidly explains, "There are projects where I think, 'This isn't for me,' and I feel like I should ask someone else to do it."
"I also make sure not to appear too often. I have to value the feeling of being rare. You know how some celebrities appear too often, get bored of them, and then disappear? In that sense, I think the way the Kano Sisters appear is wonderful. They only appear at crucial moments, and the older sister doesn't appear at all. I think that's probably intentional. I don't appear too often either, but I get a lot of interesting work. That premium feeling is important."
Allen, who never compromises on his style, has many fans in the entertainment industry, and his Instagram followers include big names such as the lead singer of a popular band, famous actors, and models.
"My Instagram is looked at by a lot of strange people. I've never had any contact with them, so it's really strange. I guess I'm a special person. There aren't many people like me. So I have nothing to worry about. There will never be anyone to take my place!"
When asked about his future prospects, Allen said positively, "I've tried my hand at almost all the talent-related work, so I'm wondering what else there is beyond MCing. I'm interested in things like singing. I still sing in front of "Curiman" (the name Allen's fans call me), but I want to get serious about releasing a recording. I don't want to be limited to comedy. If I'm going to do it, I want to do it seriously. Not just one comedy song."
Finally, when asked about the highlights of his essay, he humorously appealed, "This is the first time I've tried something artistic, so I hope you'll pay attention to the over-the-top artistic expressions and the lavishly presented stills. Thank you for buying it. If you haven't bought it, you'll be on a train to hell. Thank you."
