May 2013
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REBLOG IF YOU ARE 100% PROUD OF BEING A FAN OF...
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AERA’s Interview with Kimura Takuya.
Translations done by: a-m-n-o-s@tumblr; what's translated please read with a pinch of salt :P
Q: Being a member of SMAP, what are you most concerned about?
A: I think it’s still “To do my best”. Honestly, SMAP is neither good at singing nor dancing, even for acting, strictly speaking, we barely made it to the pass grade. No matter what we do, there will always be professionals who are way better than us at it. And it’s precisely because of the cruel reality, if we don’t even give in our 100%, it will really be a disaster. If we don’t give in our best, we will never ahead of others. So rather than saying “what are you most concerned about”, I think it should be rephrased as “I have no choice but to be most concerned about that”.
Q: But isn’t to always do your best a very tiring matter?
A: Yes, it is. I think the motivations to do my best came partly from my own energy as well as energy from other various excellent performers when I watched or heard about them. Another source of motivation came from the audience/fans who always came to watch SMAP perform. Saying this is not to flatter the audience/fans. But without them, we (SMAP) are nothing at all. And we won’t be a group that influences people so much. This exceeds the relationship between an entertainer/idol and his fans. Because they truly worry about us, they laugh with us, and even if we have fallen down, they are able and willing to walk the path forward with us. It’s because of their existence, we can be who we are now.
Q: Standing in the centre of the stage in the spotlight, what did you gain and lose?
A: Hmm… What is it? The things I have lost… I think that I probably didn’t lose anything. If you say that freedom is lost, that’s probably just what I myself alone thought it to be. When I was at the airport, I just pretend that the cameras on people’s phones are accidentally directed onto me and I am okay with it. But in the entertainment industry, the power of our managers and agency are also very important. The position that we have gotten today is not really an accurate reflection of our abilities.
Q: Are you able to build on your careers as a member of SMAP and as solely yourself at the same time?
A: I am not a very clever person. And because I tend to express what I felt directly on my face, I was often commented by other people that I don’t really fit to be an entertainer. This is true even when the five of us are together, for example, when the topic of conversation is not one that I can accept, even if it’s during filming, I will become somebody who “doesn’t want to talk at all”. But I think only SMAP this group allows me to have this kind of wilfulness.
Q: Members of SMAP are also “rivals/competitors”, will you be concerned with their recent solo activities?
A: No. In contrast, I anticipate their solo activities. Our agency never tell us specifically what other members are doing, so when I flipped open the morning newspaper, I will be like, “Oh, so it’s like that”. And it will never be “Ah, what the heck is this!”.
Q: Is it true that when the five members are together, it is so natural that even breathing is of the same rhythm?
A: The five of us are very used to one another, so we don’t even need an eye contact for coordination. When we are to challenge some new stuff, if everyone thinks the same then it’s fine, but when everyone does not, then it will be a bit difficult for our group. Then, I will practise on my own, and in front of the mirror, I unconsciously from one person became two, and gradually, I have practised the stuff for all five members. If we can continue to hold concerts, I think it’s the most worthwhile thing to be done. We have this secret promise that we will never let the audience/fans that came to see us down (laughs).
Q: Can you predict how SMAP will be like in 10 years’ time?
A: I can’t. If I were to predict something, then from that point in time onwards, there will be a clear destination. But nobody knows what will happen tomorrow so if I were to make a prediction, it felt like a lie. No matter for the works produced or the people I will work with, I will leave everything entirely up to fate. Because every time we meet, the changes that occurred, the new stuff created, are totally uncertain and also without limits.
Q: Are you aware that you are getting old now?
A: Probably not. Basically I just took care of my body and didn’t really do anything special. Every time when I heard other people saying how much is their body fat, how many sit-ups can they do, I personally think that this person is really awesome. Because I am completely not the type of person who would notice such details. But at the Tokyo Dome continuous five-day concerts, if I were to run around the arena area too many times, honestly it really gets tiring. But it’s the audience that made me mentally forget about the tiredness. Because they always use their exaggerated and unrealistic expressions to welcome us, and because they are always so passionate, at that point in time, I cannot calmly say that “I cannot do it”.
Q: If you have a year of free time, what will you do?
A: I want to learn a new language. First is English, and also Spanish. I would go outside to workout and travel and immense myself into the knowledge of these foreign languages. If I am able to do that, I think my way of thinking will radically change.
Q: What do you intend to do, continuing as a member of SMAP?
A: I think even in Japan, there are still many places that the five of us have not set foot onto before, so I wish to travel to these places and walk these places personally. And at these places, I wish that we are not just passing by to wave hands and say hello, and do some real interactions. This is also the same for overseas. 2 years ago when SMAP held their concert at Beijing, China, we were worried sick about the MC portion. Because we can’t speak the Chinese language and it’s not possible to learn it in such a short period of time. However, during the actual concert, the audience/fans who came to see us are all integrated into the Japanese culture so even before translations were made, they understood and cheered for us. I really felt inadequate as compared to my Chinese fans. But I think it’s really awesome that we can hold such concerts. And this kind of “awesomeness”, I wish that before we are all tired out and no longer have the strength, we can continue doing them.
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EverythingGACKT: GACKT's LINE Message - May 15,... →
lovable-gackt:
How are you all? First time in a long while here on LINE. I’m about to leave the hotel near the venue. We have a live in Omiya today. So. The reason why I’m updating LINE after a long absence is the article on FLASH that was issued yesterday. Do you know FLASH? Well, it’s a tabloid…
THIS WONDERFUL MAN! YOU GO GACKT! “I’m doing just fine with women, I have no need to tie up a...
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English producers making Japanese songs: Oh man, I hope the lyrics on my song are okay. I checked them with like three native-speakers and I think it's all properly conjugated and there's no misspellings and whatnot...
Japanese producers making English songs: "Do you loving sweet happy of the six heart level" "Be with you thanks"? 十分に良い.
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“There are people of the day and creatures of the night.
And it’s important to...”
– Terry Pratchett (Soul Music)
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