English Translation follows Japanese

「あ、ゴジラに似てる！」

と、形がちょっといびつな入道雲を見つけて指をさす。つまらないテレビ番組には「つまんなーい」と容赦なくチャンネルを変える（あ、その場合は即、家庭内戦争に突入するのでご注意を！）。そして悲しい時は大泣きしたくなるし、嬉しい時は全身で踊りたくなる。

何を隠そう、私の中には今でもそんな「子供」がしっかりと住み着いている。

しかし、カレンダーのページをめくり、履歴書の年齢が増えるにつれて、私たちはいつの間にかその「純粋な表現」に鍵をかけるようになっていく。周りを見渡せば、「感情を表に出さないこと＝立派な大人」という無言のルールが社会を支配しているかのようだ。感情の起伏を殺し、常に冷静沈着、ポーカーフェイス。

本当にそれが私たちの目指した「大人」の姿なんだろうか？

「立派な大人」の教科書に足りないもの

心理学や自己啓発の本を開けば、大人に必要な条件がこれでもかと並んでいる。

責任の所在（自分のケツは自分で拭く） 境界線（他人に振り回されない） 長期視点（目先の誘惑に負けない） 弱さの受容（ダメな自分も認める） 価値観の確立（ブレない自分を持つ）などなど。

なるほど、どれもぐうの音も出ないほど素晴らしい。これらをスマートにこなせる人は、確かに「内側を自分で扱える成熟した人」だ。

でも、ちょっと待ってほしい。その分厚い「大人の教科書」のどこを探しても、「子どもの頃に持っていた純粋さを忘れないこと」なんて重要項目は書かれていないのだ。感情や欲求をコントロールするプロになる過程で、私たちは大切な「ワクワクのスイッチ」まで一緒にゴミ箱に捨ててしまってはいないだろうか。

会社の一室と、夜の居酒屋のミステリー

おもしろいのは、そんな「完璧な大人」を演じている人たちの化けの皮が剥がれる瞬間だ。

昼間、会社で「本件の進捗ですが……」と眉間にシワを寄せて渋く決めている上司が、家に帰れば長年連れ添った奥さんに「りかちゅわ～ん、今日のご飯なにぃ？」と付き合いたての頃のような甘ったれた声を出す（のを私は知っている）。 あるいは、同期との久しぶりの飲み会。さっきまで経済の動向を語っていたエリートたちが、一杯入った瞬間に学生時代のくだらないあだ名で呼び合い、箸が転がっても笑うようなバカ騒ぎを始める。

中身、1ミリも変わってないじゃないか！

結局のところ、私たちは「大人」という少し大きめのサイズの着ぐるみを着て、社会という舞台で必死に役を演じているだけなのだ。中身はあの頃の少年少女のままなのに、大きく見せようと背伸びをしている姿は、どこか愛らしく、そして少し滑稽でもある。

もっと遊べ、大人たち！

もちろん、責任を引き受け、長期的な視点を持つことは生きていく上で大いに役立つ。だけど、それと引き換えに「純粋さ」を忘れてしまうのは、人生の彩りを自らモノクロにするようなものだ。

世間の親御さんは、子供が机に向かわないと「うちの子、勉強しなくて心配だわ」と頭を抱える。けれど、私から言わせれば、「うちの上司、最近全然遊んでなくて心配だわ」のほうがよっぽど深刻な大問題である。

勉強しない子供は、いつか必要に迫られれば辻褄を合わせる。しかし、遊び方を忘れてしまった大人は、心のカサカサをどう潤せばいいか分からなくなってしまうのだ。

責任も、境界線も、全部まとめてちゃんと引き受ける。その上で、面白いものを見つけたら泥だらけになって飛び込める。そんな「全力で遊べる大人」でありたい。だって、その方が絶対に人生、楽しいに決まっているから。

ちなみに、私のモットー、かつ常にチームに伝えてきたメッセージは「Work Hard, Play Super Hard」である。

English Translation by AI

"Look, that looks just like Godzilla!"

I say, pointing at a cumulonimbus cloud with a slightly irregular shape. If a boring TV program is on, I ruthlessly switch the channel, saying, "This is so boring." (Oh, please note that in this case, it leads to an immediate outbreak of domestic war!) And when I'm sad, I feel like crying my eyes out, and when I'm happy, I want to dance with my whole body.  

To tell you the truth, that "child" still lives firmly inside me today.

However, as we turn the pages of the calendar and the age on our resumes increases, we somehow begin to lock away that "pure expression." Looking around, it feels as though an unspoken rule dominates society: "not showing your emotions = being a respectable adult." Killing the ups and downs of our feelings, remaining perpetually calm and collected, maintaining a poker face.

Is that really the image of an "adult" we aimed to become?

What is Missing from the Textbook of a "Respectable Adult"

If you open a book on psychology or self-improvement, the conditions required to be an adult are lined up relentlessly:

Taking responsibility (cleaning up your own mess), setting boundaries (not being swayed by others), having a long-term perspective (not giving in to immediate temptation), accepting vulnerability (acknowledging your flawed self), establishing values (having an unwavering sense of self), and so on.

Indeed, all of them are so wonderful that it's impossible to argue against them. Someone who can handle these smoothly is certainly a "mature person who can manage their inner self."

But wait a moment. No matter where you search in that thick "Adult Textbook," the important item of "never forgetting the pure innocence you had as a child" is nowhere to be found. In the process of becoming professionals at controlling our emotions and desires, haven't we thrown our precious "switch for excitement" into the trash bin along with them?

The Mystery of the Office Room and the Nighttime Izakaya

What is interesting is the exact moment when the disguise of these people playing the "perfect adult" comes off.

During the day, a boss at the office furrows his brow and speaks solemnly, saying, "Regarding the progress of this project..." Yet, when he goes home, he uses a pampered, baby-like voice with his wife of many years --just like when they first started dating-- asking, "Rika-chwaaaan, what's for dinner tonight?" (Yes, I happen to know this).

Or consider a long-awaited drinking session with former colleagues. Elites who were discussing economic trends just moments ago start calling each other by silly nicknames from their student days the second they have a drink in hand, bursting into rowdy laughter over the simplest things.

Their inner selves haven't changed a single millimeter!

In the end, we are all just wearing a slightly oversized costume called "adult" and desperately playing our parts on the stage of society. Even though our inner selves remain exactly like the boys and girls of those days, the way we stretch ourselves to look big is somewhat endearing, and perhaps a little comical.

Play More, Adults!

Of course, accepting responsibility and having a long-term perspective are incredibly useful for getting through life. However, trading away your "pure innocence" in exchange is like choosing to turn the vibrant colors of your own life into monochrome.

Parents in the world wring their hands when their children won't sit at their desks, worrying, "I'm so anxious because my child won't study." But if you ask me, "I'm so anxious because my boss hasn't been playing at all lately" is a far more serious and critical issue.

Children who don't study will eventually make things add up when necessity forces them to. However, adults who have forgotten how to play will lose sight of how to moisten and refresh their dried-up hearts.

I want to accept responsibilities, boundaries, and everything else properly as a whole. On top of that, when I find something interesting, I want to be able to dive right into it and get covered in mud. I want to be an "adult who can play with all their might." Because without a doubt, life is bound to be much more fun that way.

By the way, my motto --and the message I’ve always shared with the team-- is “Work Hard, Play Super Hard.”

June 2026