[Trans] ORISTA 2013.05.25 - KAME
I was looking for interviews about FtF single and this time around Ori-Sta hasn't an interview with the whole group T__T But they did interview Kame and he talks about KAT-TUN and FtF quite a lot. ^O^
I actually decided to translate this for one specific reason, that is, because I casually noticed the line “I respect the members” while I was skimming through interviews. It hit me and went back to read the whole thing; I thought I’d be nice to share it since his words are very deep. It's a nice way to celebrate Bem Movie DVD release ^o^
Also, other highlights, are the many music suggestions he gives; of course about the movie Ore Ore; his image he wanted to destroy with this movie; he talks about Udine a bit; there’s a small mention of Arashi’s MatsuJun too. Then, a lot about KAT-TUN!
I'm not a native English speaker, there may be mistakes.
() in the original text, [] added by me.
ONLY STAR 2013.05.27 - NUDE FACE
KAMENASHI KAZUYA (KAT-TUN)
What I actually think, REAL and straightforward
It’s the first time he appears on the cover alone! There’s also a confession about what he feels for the members!?
Kamenashi Kazuya realized his first solo movie starring with the movie “It’s Me, It’s Me”. He says that with this piece of work he presents a completely different position from what he has been asked up until now. He has talked with us about his real thoughts, about this piece of work full of challenges for him, about the main song sung as KAT-TUN; moreover he even talked about what KAT-TUN must be right now.
A piece of work that destroys his image: this was his challenge!
----I’ve watched the movie “It’s Me, It’s Me”. It’s quite a unique movie; it is superb how laughter and sort-of-horror are mixed together. But on top of everything is how refreshing was to see an acting that exceeded the limits of an idol.
Ka: This time a theme inside me was to face the role in a different way from what I’ve done until now. I won’t say it’s the perfect opposite, but I did it with the feeling of almost destroying the image I have carried until now.
----You’ve perfectly sealed up Kamenashi Kazuya’s “coolness”. Before that, with “Youkai Ningen Bem” too you have broken new ground.
Ka: Yes. “Bem” too had a different way of facing [the role]. Just, in Bem’s case, I have the feeling that in the end I was lured to Kamenashi Kazuya’s public image. Since our activities are supported by the fans, I think that presenting what we are requested to in an easy-to-understand form is the foundation. But this time, for the first time, it’s a sort of egoistical message………. People who know KAT-TUN well aside, the general image of me is an image similar to a candle burning in the middle of black interiors (laughs). As expected, it seems it’s the image of a bad, frivolous and noisy character. So even though everyone may think I’d never do the kind of role such as “It’s Me, It’s Me” one, I ended up doing it, sort of… (laughs). This is why it’s a “challenge” of mine. Because there’s no warranty anywhere that it will be accepted.
---- It means it was a challenge you wanted to do, even destroying the traditional “image of Kamenashi Kazuya”?
Ka: I like being KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya too, I wanted to have that image, and even now the character called “Kamenashi Kazuya who is in KAT-TUN” is an unwavering presence inside of me. Just I also thought that, starting with “Gokusen” until “Bem”, I probably managed to perform at its fullest the slightly bad and dark KAT-TUN-ish character. For this exact reason in “It’s Me, It’s Me”, I feel that I managed to put down my weapons once and answer to what the director was asking from me without preconceptions. The director himself told me in an undertone “I want you not to separate the acting [for the many characters] in a clever and technic way”, “I don’t want you to act skillfully”.
More than artist, idol!? If I’m demanded to, I’ll respond at full force
----So, the target is different, either fans or the director, but your operation is always responding what you are demanded to do.
Ka: To cut it in a way easy to understand, I think that my essence probably isn’t the temper of the artist. I guess probably the idol ended up staining [my essence]. Not limiting the discussion to the music, the image I have inside of me is that for an artist the wish of “I want to show” is working intensely. But I think that an idol answers whatever he’s asked to. Even inside of me there’s an artist-like side “I want to show this thing that’s inside of me”. But when I reach the spot I end up reflecting before even realizing. “Now, what am I requested to do?” For “It’s Me, It’s Me” I thought I wanted to be a player inside the director’s mind. I’m doing many things that if it was KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya I wouldn’t do.
----Meeting such a piece of work is something to be glad of.
Ka: I myself have faced what is called the Johnny’s ‘royal road’ and had given the chance to do many jobs, so this is also a desire that comes from experiencing all of that. If I had to choose a way to express it, it’s exactly because I was allowed to fight on the royal road that now being involved in such a non-Johnny’s-like piece of work such as “It’s Me, It’s Me” has a meaning. Since I was trained with the basis of entertainment I can attack different genres too, and I am sure that there is something that can be brought back to the nucleus that’s the group called KAT-TUN.
----But when you debuted, KAT-TUN wasn’t a group which would walk on the royal road at all.
Ka: Yes. Originally even though the ‘royal road’ for a Johnny’s is wearing white costumes and being refreshing, “we wear clanging accessories, we talk pushy and bad in black clothes” (laughs). We’re sorry that at the end that kind of things became a sort of royal road (laughs). Just, regarding this ‘royal road’, more than being my own thought, it’s something that people around me tell me. “This is royal road-like”. Since I am having the lead role in dramas since when I was a teen or I am the leader actor at the Imperial Theater, I guess I’m seen like that [T/N: being an idol walking the Johnny’s royal road]. I am grateful for that, and I absolutely don’t feel how I am seen or my position as suffocating at all. But if compared to the ideal that I have inside of me, more than saying that it doesn’t matches, let’s say that I have the desire of wanting to face something that isn’t the royal road. If you let me make a comparison with baseball, I want to try to hit a beautiful bunt that in the future can be narrated from generation to generation, sort of (laughs)
----Then, as an entertainer, do you also have the wish of continuing making people have fun for a long time, upon changes and taking in many elements?
Ka: it’s not that when I accept a job I think so far, but I guess that probably instinctively that feeling is there. Look, I am KAT-TUN, ain’t I? While even working as an actor, I’m also in a position as idol where I must show my character. When I’m doing a drama I think “please let me focus on the drama”, and in the midst of KAT-TUN’s tour there are “Going!” location shootings so after making tens of thousands of people go wild I get on a slow local train alone with the manager (laughs). Also, when a product I work is released, KAT-TUN very often sings the main song. There are times I’m unable to think separating music and acting.
During the end roll “Kamenashi appears”! What he thinks about KAT-TUN now.
----Regarding the theme song “FACE to Face”, what was the impression you had the first time you heard the demo?
K: I thought that how it evolves complicatedly is very “It’s Me, It’s Me”-ish. When the chorus ends and the song proceeds to the second stanza, the way the sound greatly changes is something new, it is eccentric in a good meaning. Including the lyrics, the whole song was perfectly created getting closer to the movie. Thanks to the fact I act in this kind of movie, not only we could present a new and unprecedented song image but at the same time we also included the KAT-TUN taste. How to say, the first time it was added to the movie’s end roll, I felt a sense of security like “KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi appears!” too (laughs)
----For the MV too, you dared to remove the ensemble of the five of you. It was interesting to see the “me” of each of you.
K: Recently I feel that they are allowing us to express in an abstract way. Something that’s not easy to understand, that requires a bit more of thinking process. Depending on how you look at it, this might be something typical of us too.
----What differs from KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya and Kamenashi Kazuya who works as soloist?
K: The base is different. Because when you are in a group you must do a work of “adjustment” no matter what. I think this probably is KAT-TUN’s next assignment. Since it’s a group, it’s a place where as soon as the five of us gather I can calm down a lot. But to be honest, I want to be just a bit more at stake. I want to be in a condition in which all of us can properly pull off their MAX energy. No matter what, it’s a fact that during solo moments there’s less slack.
----What do you think it must be done to lessen slack and distortion?
K: I absolutely don’t want us to be at bad terms; moreover as a group I think we are among the ones who get along well quite a lot (laughs). Just, in order to proceed ahead maybe a bit more of sense of danger is necessary. I think the best is if we bring into the group the stances we can take during our respective solo works. The moment 1 becomes 5, if we manage to embed [into KAT-TUN as group] the techniques we use during our solo works, we become way stronger. I suppose the groups I consider great probably managed to do that skillfully. It’s just a conjecture though. So it’s important that all the members do many different works from each other. We also do talk about this regularly. I have respect for the members. I believe that the reason I can be in KAT-TUN as it’s a natural fact is because the four of them allow me to do so; and in response, me too, I want to have some influence so that the four of them can be in KAT-TUN as it’s a natural fact too. It’d be good if from now this could increase, if all of us became able to fall into the MAX condition.
----It happens you work as a unit, like it happened with Shuji and Akira. In those times, what kind of stance do you take?
K: Beside being in a unit, when I work as a pair if the other is pulling out his MAX then I can adjust to him, moreover normally you don’t need to be worried about stuff like “I wonder if is okay like this?”. I am particularly worried about that when I’m in a pair.
----Such a warm-hearted attention. Do you have enough emotional room/reserves?
K: I don’t have it at all. Isn’t it because I simply have that kind of personality? Of course I think that there are times that my work partner is giving his MAX but I end up giving just the 60%.
----Did the members say something about the theme song?
K: About tie-up songs, it often happens that no matter what [the songs] interlace with my personal work; in those cases, when we decide the song I explain my work contents till the smallest details. I don’t do this because I just want them to know my work. For this movie I talked quite a lot. But the members of my group are all cooperative. For example it seems that yesterday all the members went together to watch “It’s Me, It’s Me” movie……… I think that “a group’s good quality” lies also in how members who are carrying different characters send a sort of new breeze [to the rest of the group]. For example, when Taguchi (Junnosuke) starred in a drama, it’s good that the theme song derived from Taguchi’s particular color. Because depending on the member the taste we’re requested is different. For example, it’s because it was Kusanagi (Tsuyoshi)-kun’s drama theme song that “Sekai ni hitotsu dake no hana” was made. That’s slightly different from a theme song for a Kimura (Takuya)-kun’s drama. From now on, not only I want to send more and more to the members, but I also want to feel the new breezes coming from the members.
Questions from the readers
Q1: “”FACE to Face” lyrics are linked to the movie, but what is the part you like most? (24-year-old woman, Kyoto)
K: “Who am I? Who is me?” [Ore ga dare ka? Dare ga ore ka?] really fits the movie and it seems that the director himself ordered that it should be me the one singing this line. For this reason on that part, I take responsibility as KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya and as the actor Kamenashi Kazuya. I actually like that part and are also words I want to convey.
Q2: “There is someone inside Johnny’s you’d like to collaborate with?” (21-year-old woman, Niigata)
K: Recently I have been by chance with Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun-kun, and that time Jun-kun said “If Kame and I did a collaboration together it would be fun~”. Jun-kun said “I wonder what would happen”, so I answered “Our sense is similar, so probably we’d clash with each other” (laughs). I thought it’d be quite fun. But I take a step back in those situations though.
Q3: “Is there a song you listen when you want to relax?” (23-year-old woman, Kanagawa)
K: Jack Johnson, Carpenters, Queen. At evening I turn the light off, I sit in front of the speaker in the middle of the candles’ light, let Queen resound at high volume and drink whiskey (laughs). I sometimes do something close to such a public image of mine too. Eric Clapton also feels good. When I was filming “It’s Me, It’s me”, there were many of these moments. I had no time to sleep so I enjoyed the scent with a weak whiskey, something like this. I carry out these moments without exception.
Q4: “Please suggest us a song to listen while driving” (24-year-old woman, Tokyo)
K: Everything from French pop [T/N: pop music sung in French (not only from France)], or Carpenters. Carpenters for the evenings feels good. After the sun has set, I feel happier.
Q5: When you compose lyrics, do you often think “let’s write lyrics now!”? Or do words naturally come out and from there you compose lyrics? (21-year-old-woman, Kagawa)
K: I think let’s write lyrics. Often at hotels. I want to take a bit of distance from reality and look at myself a bit objectively. Being all alone and corner myself. I go to a place that’s very far away from my routine perception.
Q6: “What is the song among KAT-TUN’s that raises your tension most?” (17-year-old boy, Tochigi)
K: The moment just after recording a new song is when my tension is highest. The instant it takes form as soon as the recording is over is the moment I like that song most.
---So right now is “FACE to Face”?
K: Now I have already recorded a different song, so…
Q7: “Is there a senpai, kohai, someone of your same period in Johnny’s you’d like to try to act together with? If you could, what would be your respective roles?” (22-year-old woman, Kanagawa)
K: I don’t have such a wish. Doesn’t it come to your mind when you’re given a theme? If it was a drama or a movie, Okada-kun or Ninomiya-kun, I guess. Since there’s this chance, I’d like to take part to a work where the senpai is the protagonist.
Q8: “Recently Kamenashi-kun has been overseas a lot. If you had to introduce the members one by one to a foreigner, how would you introduce them?” (27-year-old woman, Tokyo)
K: For Ueda, “He can play boxing”; for Nakamaru, “He can do human beat box”. For Tanaka, “he’s a wild guy. He has a beard too”. For Taguchi, “Ah, he’s not a member of my group”. (laughs) because if I did so I think Taguchi would say by himself “no, no no, I’m Iriguchi Deguchi Taguchi!”
Q9: “Recently, what did the members tell you that made you happy?” (24-year-old woman, Nara)
K: I hinted at it before too, but it seems yesterday all of them went to watch “It’s Me, It’s Me” together, and I was happy for that. It’s the first time that a KAT-TUN’s theme song is played at a theater; I was moved by it too. Especially when it played in Italy (at the Film Festival). When the applauses dashed over like a flow on the “Who am I? Who is me?” part.
----it seems it was quite a success.
K: It was a great success. What has success in all countries are poop and slaps, right. (laughs) I receive quite an amount of slaps here, but every time there was a roar of laughter. Timing is also superb.
Cover Artist Story - My Entertainment LIFE #16 Kamenashi Kazuya
I often rewatch Director Miki’s old movies. Recently I watched “instant swamp”. Watching it after the movie filming I was overwhelmed by luxurious feelings like “ah, I know this atmosphere!”. Thinking “This phrase at this timing, right”, I could practically feel once again that I could be part of a world I have been envious until now thinking. Even though it’s a moment “It’s Me, It’s Me” movie hasn’t opened yet, I felt jealous “Who will be the next joining this world?” (laughs). “I wonder if other actors will be envious of me too”. My fantasy spread.
------------------------------------------------
I *love* how he talks about the members here, that he respects them and he thinks it's their merit if he feels at home when he's with them, and wanting to give his best to make them feel the same T____T *hugs the five of them*
I agree with him that their recent works require a bit more of thinking process than usual idols (their lyrics are really something). So they're conscious and they want to try taking an abstract way? Interesting...
I liked also the question about how he writes his lyrics. And awwww, I can imagine how he felt when he heard applauses almost covering KAT-TUN's song ♥
I guess the last answer about poop and slaps will shock whoever hasn't watched the movie yet, but you'll understand when you'll see xD;;; (and yeah Kame, seeing you being slapped with that timing in those scenes makes people laugh indeed XD;;)
I actually decided to translate this for one specific reason, that is, because I casually noticed the line “I respect the members” while I was skimming through interviews. It hit me and went back to read the whole thing; I thought I’d be nice to share it since his words are very deep. It's a nice way to celebrate Bem Movie DVD release ^o^
Also, other highlights, are the many music suggestions he gives; of course about the movie Ore Ore; his image he wanted to destroy with this movie; he talks about Udine a bit; there’s a small mention of Arashi’s MatsuJun too. Then, a lot about KAT-TUN!
I'm not a native English speaker, there may be mistakes.
() in the original text, [] added by me.
ONLY STAR 2013.05.27 - NUDE FACE
KAMENASHI KAZUYA (KAT-TUN)
What I actually think, REAL and straightforward
It’s the first time he appears on the cover alone! There’s also a confession about what he feels for the members!?
Kamenashi Kazuya realized his first solo movie starring with the movie “It’s Me, It’s Me”. He says that with this piece of work he presents a completely different position from what he has been asked up until now. He has talked with us about his real thoughts, about this piece of work full of challenges for him, about the main song sung as KAT-TUN; moreover he even talked about what KAT-TUN must be right now.
A piece of work that destroys his image: this was his challenge!
----I’ve watched the movie “It’s Me, It’s Me”. It’s quite a unique movie; it is superb how laughter and sort-of-horror are mixed together. But on top of everything is how refreshing was to see an acting that exceeded the limits of an idol.
Ka: This time a theme inside me was to face the role in a different way from what I’ve done until now. I won’t say it’s the perfect opposite, but I did it with the feeling of almost destroying the image I have carried until now.
----You’ve perfectly sealed up Kamenashi Kazuya’s “coolness”. Before that, with “Youkai Ningen Bem” too you have broken new ground.
Ka: Yes. “Bem” too had a different way of facing [the role]. Just, in Bem’s case, I have the feeling that in the end I was lured to Kamenashi Kazuya’s public image. Since our activities are supported by the fans, I think that presenting what we are requested to in an easy-to-understand form is the foundation. But this time, for the first time, it’s a sort of egoistical message………. People who know KAT-TUN well aside, the general image of me is an image similar to a candle burning in the middle of black interiors (laughs). As expected, it seems it’s the image of a bad, frivolous and noisy character. So even though everyone may think I’d never do the kind of role such as “It’s Me, It’s Me” one, I ended up doing it, sort of… (laughs). This is why it’s a “challenge” of mine. Because there’s no warranty anywhere that it will be accepted.
---- It means it was a challenge you wanted to do, even destroying the traditional “image of Kamenashi Kazuya”?
Ka: I like being KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya too, I wanted to have that image, and even now the character called “Kamenashi Kazuya who is in KAT-TUN” is an unwavering presence inside of me. Just I also thought that, starting with “Gokusen” until “Bem”, I probably managed to perform at its fullest the slightly bad and dark KAT-TUN-ish character. For this exact reason in “It’s Me, It’s Me”, I feel that I managed to put down my weapons once and answer to what the director was asking from me without preconceptions. The director himself told me in an undertone “I want you not to separate the acting [for the many characters] in a clever and technic way”, “I don’t want you to act skillfully”.
More than artist, idol!? If I’m demanded to, I’ll respond at full force
----So, the target is different, either fans or the director, but your operation is always responding what you are demanded to do.
Ka: To cut it in a way easy to understand, I think that my essence probably isn’t the temper of the artist. I guess probably the idol ended up staining [my essence]. Not limiting the discussion to the music, the image I have inside of me is that for an artist the wish of “I want to show” is working intensely. But I think that an idol answers whatever he’s asked to. Even inside of me there’s an artist-like side “I want to show this thing that’s inside of me”. But when I reach the spot I end up reflecting before even realizing. “Now, what am I requested to do?” For “It’s Me, It’s Me” I thought I wanted to be a player inside the director’s mind. I’m doing many things that if it was KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya I wouldn’t do.
----Meeting such a piece of work is something to be glad of.
Ka: I myself have faced what is called the Johnny’s ‘royal road’ and had given the chance to do many jobs, so this is also a desire that comes from experiencing all of that. If I had to choose a way to express it, it’s exactly because I was allowed to fight on the royal road that now being involved in such a non-Johnny’s-like piece of work such as “It’s Me, It’s Me” has a meaning. Since I was trained with the basis of entertainment I can attack different genres too, and I am sure that there is something that can be brought back to the nucleus that’s the group called KAT-TUN.
----But when you debuted, KAT-TUN wasn’t a group which would walk on the royal road at all.
Ka: Yes. Originally even though the ‘royal road’ for a Johnny’s is wearing white costumes and being refreshing, “we wear clanging accessories, we talk pushy and bad in black clothes” (laughs). We’re sorry that at the end that kind of things became a sort of royal road (laughs). Just, regarding this ‘royal road’, more than being my own thought, it’s something that people around me tell me. “This is royal road-like”. Since I am having the lead role in dramas since when I was a teen or I am the leader actor at the Imperial Theater, I guess I’m seen like that [T/N: being an idol walking the Johnny’s royal road]. I am grateful for that, and I absolutely don’t feel how I am seen or my position as suffocating at all. But if compared to the ideal that I have inside of me, more than saying that it doesn’t matches, let’s say that I have the desire of wanting to face something that isn’t the royal road. If you let me make a comparison with baseball, I want to try to hit a beautiful bunt that in the future can be narrated from generation to generation, sort of (laughs)
----Then, as an entertainer, do you also have the wish of continuing making people have fun for a long time, upon changes and taking in many elements?
Ka: it’s not that when I accept a job I think so far, but I guess that probably instinctively that feeling is there. Look, I am KAT-TUN, ain’t I? While even working as an actor, I’m also in a position as idol where I must show my character. When I’m doing a drama I think “please let me focus on the drama”, and in the midst of KAT-TUN’s tour there are “Going!” location shootings so after making tens of thousands of people go wild I get on a slow local train alone with the manager (laughs). Also, when a product I work is released, KAT-TUN very often sings the main song. There are times I’m unable to think separating music and acting.
During the end roll “Kamenashi appears”! What he thinks about KAT-TUN now.
----Regarding the theme song “FACE to Face”, what was the impression you had the first time you heard the demo?
K: I thought that how it evolves complicatedly is very “It’s Me, It’s Me”-ish. When the chorus ends and the song proceeds to the second stanza, the way the sound greatly changes is something new, it is eccentric in a good meaning. Including the lyrics, the whole song was perfectly created getting closer to the movie. Thanks to the fact I act in this kind of movie, not only we could present a new and unprecedented song image but at the same time we also included the KAT-TUN taste. How to say, the first time it was added to the movie’s end roll, I felt a sense of security like “KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi appears!” too (laughs)
----For the MV too, you dared to remove the ensemble of the five of you. It was interesting to see the “me” of each of you.
K: Recently I feel that they are allowing us to express in an abstract way. Something that’s not easy to understand, that requires a bit more of thinking process. Depending on how you look at it, this might be something typical of us too.
----What differs from KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya and Kamenashi Kazuya who works as soloist?
K: The base is different. Because when you are in a group you must do a work of “adjustment” no matter what. I think this probably is KAT-TUN’s next assignment. Since it’s a group, it’s a place where as soon as the five of us gather I can calm down a lot. But to be honest, I want to be just a bit more at stake. I want to be in a condition in which all of us can properly pull off their MAX energy. No matter what, it’s a fact that during solo moments there’s less slack.
----What do you think it must be done to lessen slack and distortion?
K: I absolutely don’t want us to be at bad terms; moreover as a group I think we are among the ones who get along well quite a lot (laughs). Just, in order to proceed ahead maybe a bit more of sense of danger is necessary. I think the best is if we bring into the group the stances we can take during our respective solo works. The moment 1 becomes 5, if we manage to embed [into KAT-TUN as group] the techniques we use during our solo works, we become way stronger. I suppose the groups I consider great probably managed to do that skillfully. It’s just a conjecture though. So it’s important that all the members do many different works from each other. We also do talk about this regularly. I have respect for the members. I believe that the reason I can be in KAT-TUN as it’s a natural fact is because the four of them allow me to do so; and in response, me too, I want to have some influence so that the four of them can be in KAT-TUN as it’s a natural fact too. It’d be good if from now this could increase, if all of us became able to fall into the MAX condition.
----It happens you work as a unit, like it happened with Shuji and Akira. In those times, what kind of stance do you take?
K: Beside being in a unit, when I work as a pair if the other is pulling out his MAX then I can adjust to him, moreover normally you don’t need to be worried about stuff like “I wonder if is okay like this?”. I am particularly worried about that when I’m in a pair.
----Such a warm-hearted attention. Do you have enough emotional room/reserves?
K: I don’t have it at all. Isn’t it because I simply have that kind of personality? Of course I think that there are times that my work partner is giving his MAX but I end up giving just the 60%.
----Did the members say something about the theme song?
K: About tie-up songs, it often happens that no matter what [the songs] interlace with my personal work; in those cases, when we decide the song I explain my work contents till the smallest details. I don’t do this because I just want them to know my work. For this movie I talked quite a lot. But the members of my group are all cooperative. For example it seems that yesterday all the members went together to watch “It’s Me, It’s Me” movie……… I think that “a group’s good quality” lies also in how members who are carrying different characters send a sort of new breeze [to the rest of the group]. For example, when Taguchi (Junnosuke) starred in a drama, it’s good that the theme song derived from Taguchi’s particular color. Because depending on the member the taste we’re requested is different. For example, it’s because it was Kusanagi (Tsuyoshi)-kun’s drama theme song that “Sekai ni hitotsu dake no hana” was made. That’s slightly different from a theme song for a Kimura (Takuya)-kun’s drama. From now on, not only I want to send more and more to the members, but I also want to feel the new breezes coming from the members.
Questions from the readers
Q1: “”FACE to Face” lyrics are linked to the movie, but what is the part you like most? (24-year-old woman, Kyoto)
K: “Who am I? Who is me?” [Ore ga dare ka? Dare ga ore ka?] really fits the movie and it seems that the director himself ordered that it should be me the one singing this line. For this reason on that part, I take responsibility as KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya and as the actor Kamenashi Kazuya. I actually like that part and are also words I want to convey.
Q2: “There is someone inside Johnny’s you’d like to collaborate with?” (21-year-old woman, Niigata)
K: Recently I have been by chance with Arashi’s Matsumoto Jun-kun, and that time Jun-kun said “If Kame and I did a collaboration together it would be fun~”. Jun-kun said “I wonder what would happen”, so I answered “Our sense is similar, so probably we’d clash with each other” (laughs). I thought it’d be quite fun. But I take a step back in those situations though.
Q3: “Is there a song you listen when you want to relax?” (23-year-old woman, Kanagawa)
K: Jack Johnson, Carpenters, Queen. At evening I turn the light off, I sit in front of the speaker in the middle of the candles’ light, let Queen resound at high volume and drink whiskey (laughs). I sometimes do something close to such a public image of mine too. Eric Clapton also feels good. When I was filming “It’s Me, It’s me”, there were many of these moments. I had no time to sleep so I enjoyed the scent with a weak whiskey, something like this. I carry out these moments without exception.
Q4: “Please suggest us a song to listen while driving” (24-year-old woman, Tokyo)
K: Everything from French pop [T/N: pop music sung in French (not only from France)], or Carpenters. Carpenters for the evenings feels good. After the sun has set, I feel happier.
Q5: When you compose lyrics, do you often think “let’s write lyrics now!”? Or do words naturally come out and from there you compose lyrics? (21-year-old-woman, Kagawa)
K: I think let’s write lyrics. Often at hotels. I want to take a bit of distance from reality and look at myself a bit objectively. Being all alone and corner myself. I go to a place that’s very far away from my routine perception.
Q6: “What is the song among KAT-TUN’s that raises your tension most?” (17-year-old boy, Tochigi)
K: The moment just after recording a new song is when my tension is highest. The instant it takes form as soon as the recording is over is the moment I like that song most.
---So right now is “FACE to Face”?
K: Now I have already recorded a different song, so…
Q7: “Is there a senpai, kohai, someone of your same period in Johnny’s you’d like to try to act together with? If you could, what would be your respective roles?” (22-year-old woman, Kanagawa)
K: I don’t have such a wish. Doesn’t it come to your mind when you’re given a theme? If it was a drama or a movie, Okada-kun or Ninomiya-kun, I guess. Since there’s this chance, I’d like to take part to a work where the senpai is the protagonist.
Q8: “Recently Kamenashi-kun has been overseas a lot. If you had to introduce the members one by one to a foreigner, how would you introduce them?” (27-year-old woman, Tokyo)
K: For Ueda, “He can play boxing”; for Nakamaru, “He can do human beat box”. For Tanaka, “he’s a wild guy. He has a beard too”. For Taguchi, “Ah, he’s not a member of my group”. (laughs) because if I did so I think Taguchi would say by himself “no, no no, I’m Iriguchi Deguchi Taguchi!”
Q9: “Recently, what did the members tell you that made you happy?” (24-year-old woman, Nara)
K: I hinted at it before too, but it seems yesterday all of them went to watch “It’s Me, It’s Me” together, and I was happy for that. It’s the first time that a KAT-TUN’s theme song is played at a theater; I was moved by it too. Especially when it played in Italy (at the Film Festival). When the applauses dashed over like a flow on the “Who am I? Who is me?” part.
----it seems it was quite a success.
K: It was a great success. What has success in all countries are poop and slaps, right. (laughs) I receive quite an amount of slaps here, but every time there was a roar of laughter. Timing is also superb.
Cover Artist Story - My Entertainment LIFE #16 Kamenashi Kazuya
I often rewatch Director Miki’s old movies. Recently I watched “instant swamp”. Watching it after the movie filming I was overwhelmed by luxurious feelings like “ah, I know this atmosphere!”. Thinking “This phrase at this timing, right”, I could practically feel once again that I could be part of a world I have been envious until now thinking. Even though it’s a moment “It’s Me, It’s Me” movie hasn’t opened yet, I felt jealous “Who will be the next joining this world?” (laughs). “I wonder if other actors will be envious of me too”. My fantasy spread.
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I *love* how he talks about the members here, that he respects them and he thinks it's their merit if he feels at home when he's with them, and wanting to give his best to make them feel the same T____T *hugs the five of them*
I agree with him that their recent works require a bit more of thinking process than usual idols (their lyrics are really something). So they're conscious and they want to try taking an abstract way? Interesting...
I liked also the question about how he writes his lyrics. And awwww, I can imagine how he felt when he heard applauses almost covering KAT-TUN's song ♥
I guess the last answer about poop and slaps will shock whoever hasn't watched the movie yet, but you'll understand when you'll see xD;;; (and yeah Kame, seeing you being slapped with that timing in those scenes makes people laugh indeed XD;;)