I was a student with an abundance of energy, but nowhere to direct it. My friends and juniors in student club and I called this feeling of being bored "overwhelming stagnation."​

Whenever I felt like things were completely stagnant, I'd do anything I could think of, like walking to Tsukiji or trying to see how many after-parties we could have. But even if I could have fun that day, the boredom itself just wouldn't go away.

In high school, I aspired to be a novelist, and in college, I dreamed of becoming a film director. But after actually writing and directing, I realized it wasn't for me. I lost all interest in the type of work I wanted to do and the company I wanted to join, and I really didn't want to go through the job hunting process.

I didn't want to do it, but I couldn't just do nothing either, so I chose a few internships based on whether they seemed fun or not (laughs). One internship where students engaged in psychological battles and deception was fun, but it didn't make me think, "I want to work for this company!"

I thought island life sounded nice, so I went to a salt workshop on a remote island, partly as a form of escapism (laughs). The work of boiling down seawater to make salt was finished by noon, so I had nothing to do in the afternoon! It felt like I was trapped in a "blank, beautiful calendar," and I got fed up after a few days.

But thanks to that experience, I realized that I'm the kind of person who can't stand being idle, which was a good thing. If I hate being idle, I should work. And even if I'm going to work, I've come to see a direction where I prefer a busy environment.

I like manga and movies, so I wondered what it would be like to be an editor or producer. It seems like it would be a busy job, doesn't it? (laughs)

I went to talk to a senior colleague in the publishing industry, and they told me about an internship at a certain company. I thought, "That sounds good," and applied. That company is Cork Inc., where I ended up joining as a new graduate.

I worked as a manga editor at Cork. One day, the company president, Yohei Sadoshima, pointed out that I was too passionate about it and had a strong interest in sexual matters. That prompted me to think about a path where I could make use of my strengths and talents.

I never intended to do YouTube or podcasts initially, so I'm not sure what to expect.

By process of elimination, I've given up on things I wanted to do but weren't suited to, and have tried to focus on things I'm good at as much as possible.

I don't think there are that many people, including myself, whose dream job perfectly matches their aptitude. You have to try things out and find out, "This is okay," or "I don't want to do this." I think experiences like "This isn't what I expected" can also be valuable in figuring out which path suits you best.

Companies want to hire people who are intelligent, unique, and capable, right? Like someone who studied rakugo (traditional Japanese storytelling) at the University of Tokyo. A big part of it was that I was convinced I wasn't that kind of person.

Nowadays, I try to find and highlight aspects of myself that would be valued by working professionals. Whether or not it resonates with the other person is partly a matter of luck, though.

Getting rejected in an interview can be disheartening, as if your entire personality has been rejected. But interviewers are human too, and they can't always make perfect judgments. So, I think you shouldn't take their evaluation too seriously.

However, even if you choose to become a YouTuber instead of getting a job at a company, you'll still have opportunities to be evaluated by others in the workplace. I think it's a good idea to view interviews as an opportunity to learn "what aspects of yourself come across" and "how to speak in a way that will pique people's interest."​

I don't worry too much, but I do talk to people I trust and write things down. I don't do anything particularly extraordinary (laughs).

If I were to talk to someone, it would be someone who makes me feel better when I talk to them.

If it's a first-time experience for both you and the other person, you can't always expect to come up with helpful advice right away.

But even if your problems aren't solved, sometimes just talking to someone can make you feel more motivated. There are people who say really passionate things, aren't there? (laughs) I think that's part of getting your spirits lifted.

My impression is that many people were hesitant to act because they were worried about the impact on others, such as "I might hurt my friend." It seems they were taking the risk of "I might become the perpetrator" very seriously.

Of course, it's best not to leave deep wounds or strong resentment in the other person. But even if you're careful, you might still end up making the other person feel bad. If you try to avoid all of that, you'll just end up exhausted from constantly having to endure things yourself.

So, it's okay to occasionally say, "I want to rest alone today," or suggest, "I'd like to go here next time." Expressing your wishes doesn't always mean harming the other person.

Instead of just taking things for granted, try adding something yourself. Responsibility might sound like a boring word, but the more you have, the more you enjoy life. So, by all means, try to stand your ground!