Round Trip Ofuku Shokan (ラウンドトリップ 往復書簡; Round Trip Correspondence) is the first book of Katayose Ryota. It is a collection of letters written by himself and lyricist Odake Masato which had previously been released as the online serialization Daily Shincho "Katayose Ryota (GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE) x Lyricist Odake Masato: A Round-trip Letter".
It will be released on October 29, 2021.[1]
Description[]
This is a collection of letters from Katayose Ryota and Odake Masato, who has known Katayose since before his debut and has written lyrics for various artists as well as GENERATIONS. The exchange of letters started with the COVID-19 pandemic, because they couldn't meet. Guided by Odake, whom he respects and trusts from the bottom of his heart, Katayose, who is "new to writing", writes frankly about the simple joys and frank anxieties he feels in his daily life, sometimes in distress.
This is a special book full of the "real" Katayose Ryota, and is also full of stories about their encounters, nostalgic events, their respective families, and their views on love and marriage. It also includes 16 pages of newly shot gravure.[2][3]
Background[]
EXILE Presents VOCAL BATTLE AUDITION 2 ~Yume wo Motta Wakamono Tachi e~ was the trigger for Katayose's debut. Katayose, who was still in high school at that time, met Odake at the launch of the audition. More than 10 years have passed since then, and now they are like "comrades-in-arms" beyond the age difference.
They trust each other so much that Odake wrote the words for Katayori's first photo book, Goodbye, White. The reason Odake chose Katayose as his partner for the correspondence this time was not only because he trusted him, but more than anything, he felt that 'Katayose Ryota has "emotion"'.
Katayose, on the other hand, wrote that Odake is 'someone who can make me feel "naked"', and thus this correspondence was realized.[2]