Translation: Seventeen 09/12 - Part 2
Somehow made it in time for November 3rd XD XD XD Omedetou, Arashi no minna san!
The second part of the Seventeen article. I suggest you read part 1 first, or you risk being partly or totally confused by what the guys discussed.
Btw, the emphasis is not added by me, it's from the article. The red lines, as you will see, are from the interviewer.
Warning: Arashi will crack you up badly.
Everyone has their own determined images about Arashi?
What do you think about the straightforward opinions of ST’s readers?
Jun: Super interesting, but, the date plans are way too detailed.
Shou: The drive date with MatsuJun, the date at home with Nino, the fishing & Tsukiji date with Satoshi kun, the zoo & amusement park with Aiba kun, and the movie date with me, those ones?
Jun: What’s up with all of them? When MatsuJun checks the car’s rear view, his eyes and mine will meet through the mirror, oh, but he should be wearing sunglasses, so our eyes wouldn’t meet… that kind of detail (laugh).
Shou: The truly detailed one is Ohno san’s, I want us to get excited together when watching a maguro no kaitai show.
Aiba: It sounds so fun~.
Ohno: I once went to film on location at Tsukiji with Aiba chan, only once.
Nino: Kusukusu… (laugh) (translator’s note: this is the sound of Nino chuckling LOL)
Jun: What?
Nino: Talking about Jun kun, I guess he quite usually has the image of unexpectedly popping up at the amusement park for someone’s sake. Nice, isn’t it? (laugh)
Yes, it’s like that. High school girls, for some reason, basically all of them have such views about Arashi.
Jun: It’s not like I want to pop up anywhere.
Aiba: But it seems like you would pop up, that’s why.
Nino: There’s some cute opinion too. Sakurai kun, if I can go on a date with him, anywhere is fine!! Because I really love him ♥
Shou: Oh, I’m really loved ♥ Well, well, it’s people’s image after all, these opinions are all cute. However, when I give it a thought, I’m really at a lost as to where we should take a teenage date to.
Ohno: We really have no idea~.
Nino: On one hand, they can’t be out too late at night.
Shou: They can’t drink alcohol.
Ohno: Generally, where would everyone want to go on a date?
Aiba: Isn’t it Shibuya?
Shou: Isn’t Shibuya too old-fashioned?
Aiba: Old-fashioned, as in, old? (laugh) It’s okay, right?
There’s someone who said that she wants to go to a game center with Nino, so it should be okay!
Shou: I used to go to game centers when I was in high school.
Nino: Yeah, yeah. We played crane games, didn’t we?
Shou: The one with the machine, right?
Nino: Once we saw something we like, we wouldn’t have any 100 yen coin left.
Shou: MatsuJun and high-class restaurants, Nino and Omotesando, there are generally such imaginations.
Nino: Dream-like, aren’t they? The drive date too, it’s only possible if it's with an adult, right?
Aiba: That’s hardly true, they can go by bikes too. But then, it’s a different situation…
Ohno: Oh, what about me?
Jun: You don’t have a license.
Nino: It’s all right. If you’re an adult you can always take a taxi.
Ohno: Nah, if it’s about dates, I’ll take the train after all (laugh).
Aiba: Riida really does seem like he’ll live a long life!!
Nino: 180 years old?
Shou: Nah, there’s someone who says that he will live until 1000 years old. He’s like Kamesennin! (laugh) (translator’s note: character from Dragon Ball)
Aiba: Me, only 73 years old. So realistic~. In our family too, Riida is, as expected, the grandfather.
Nino: This person here has been called grandpa for a long time. Just how many years has it been?
Ohno: It really is like that. I wonder why?
Shou: On the other hand, when you was first called a grandfather, you were quite young, weren’t you?
Nino: In the good points of the members, Riida, both singing and dancing, awesome!! - you receive such praise.
Shou: A single word of evaluation (laugh).
Ohno: Thank you!
Nino: And then they immediately mention his artistic side.
Shou: That must have been a teacher! It sounds like the assessment from a report card.
Nino: About Shou chan, they say that the way you do things promptly is good.
Shou: It really is a report card.
Nino: Aiba kun, the idiot who is in charge of playing the boke of the group.
Aiba: Oi!
Shou: It’s an idiot’s role all right (laugh).
Jun: But, Aiba kun is also acknowledged as Arashi’s cushion.
Aiba: Heh~.
Nino: MatsuJun’s eyebrows are appreciated because of their manliness.
Shou: Now that’s some pinpoint.
Jun: This is interesting too. In the if you could become an Arashi member for one day, who would it be? part. This reader wants to go meet F4…
Nino: Jun kun is totally being used as a tool.
Shou: To be accurate, using Matsumoto, they should be going to meet F3, shouldn’t they? (laugh) Nino too, you’re pretty much a tool, see. I want to touch Ohno kun, they say.
Jun: You’re also being used. (X Monster’s comment: I love Jun, totally right now)
Shou: The no.1 sexy person is MatsuJun after all. Nino, they say the way you treat girls in a somewhat cold manner is cool. You’re totally being perceived as a type S, aren’t you? (laugh)
Aiba: Also, your facial expressions are sexy.
Nino: Those are totally type M’s ideas, right?
Aiba: They say Shou kun is slightly macho, therefore sexy.
Shou: More importantly, I just don’t understand my position as the no.1 closet pervert.
Jun: He always puts on an honest face, but actually he’s thinking about a lot of things, they say (laugh)
Shou: Even though I fully intend to become an open pervert.
Nino: Riida too, He always appears to be innocent, but in reality he seems the most likely to be…, they say.
Ohno: Likely, to be?
Aiba: What’s with that word choice!
Jun: Very likely, isn’t that what they say?
Everyone: Most likely!
Ohno: Whatever! - I can use words like these too (laugh).
(translator’s note: I’m sorry if this part seems confusing. It’s because here they’re talking about the use of slang in the reader’s comment. These word uses do not have the exact equivalence in English, so the best I could do was to give you a general impression of what they’re discussing. Sorry!)
Jun: They all have some wild fantasies about us.
Sorry. It’s just that those girls all talk about these kinds of things when they have free time.
Shou: It sounds like fun~♥
Aiba: These kinds of talks seem interesting~. Just reading these things is quite fun already. Oh, so we’re seen in such ways, that kind of discovery.
Jun: Interesting, right?
If you could, please consider the criticisms full of love too.
Shou: Here come the criticisms.
Nino: Sakurai kun.
Shou: Yes.
Nino: They want to see you act as the boke more.
Shou: But I already act as the boke a lot.
Nino: Seems like it’s still not sufficient.
Shou: So we get to receive such realistic criticisms too (laugh).
Nino: Aiba kun.
Shou: Please come to shows where you can interact with things that aren’t animals too.
Aiba: But I already come to those.
Jun: Ohno sa~n.
Ohno: Ah, yes.
Jun: Here comes. You are - too - tanned!
Nino: You’re picking your nose!
Ohno: Oh, you’re watching me very carefully.
Nino: It’s not something to be impressed by.
Shou: You are such a new style of idol (laugh).
Ohno: I have received much worse criticism.
Nino: For Matsumoto kun, somehow, they’re in big trouble if you keep on being so cool, so please put some restraint on your seductiveness, that’s it?
It’s Arashi’s 10th anniversary, so we’d like you to answer these much requested questions too!
Jun: What do you think about the costumes you wore at the time of “A.RA.SHI”?
Ohno: The transparent things?
Jun: Must be those ones. I consider those things a failure recognized by both us and all the people around us (laugh).
Shou: Conversely, we’d like to know what the readers thought about them, right?
Ohno: When Arashi debuted, they were all like 1st graders, right? They really know a lot about us then.
Jun: Maybe because only those things had that big of an impact (laugh).
Shou: Ah, Satoshi kun, there’s this question: are you still using your hamburger-size waist pouch? Wow, amazing.
Nino: This reader is a maniac, she is (broadly grin).
Ohno: Ah~, that thing.
Shou: When we went abroad for work in about 5 days, that waist pouch was the only thing you brought along, right? Your underwears are all folded up to be really small (laugh). (X Monster’s comment: to see a live performance of Riida folding his underwears, I suggest you watch Shukudai kun ep 68, 2008.01.28 LOL) By the way, it looked like you only brought your underwears along.
Nino: Well, that’s because even if he didn’t bring any clothes, there were our performing outfits.
Ohno: True, true.
Shou: But, in that aspect, Satoshi kun was really amazing.
Nino: You only had one pair of sandals that you wore on your feet, right?
Ohno: I still have that waist pouch. But I don’t use it anymore.
Aiba: In what kind of circumstances would you get scolded by people from the agency?
Ohno: I’m scolded when I get sunburnt. I do not have enough self-awareness, they say.
Everyone: (burst into laughter)
Jun: When you’re scolded, what would you do?
Ohno: For the time being, I just answer, yeah…
Shou: The face adults have when they get angry is funny, right? Suddenly you can see them as children.
Who is the most popular in Arashi? - there’s that question.
Shou: Well, everyone is popular, right?
Nino: That’s a rude question. We have decided that all 5 of us are popular, right?
Shou: It’s not any single person among us, it’s “Arashi” that is popular.
For Arashi, there’s no retirement age!
In the joy of celebrating your 10th year on this November 3, please let us hear a 10th year special talk about memories when you first met each other♥
Shou: We first met when we were (Johhnys) juniors, so that’s when we were about 13, 14 years old.
Jun: For me, Aiba chan was the tall and thin kid who carried a rucksack and played basketball.
Shou: We went to Hawaii when we were juniors, didn’t we? When we got on the bus to the airport, I saw Aiba chan and thought that he was some strange person who got on by mistake.
Aiba: That’s because I had just joined about 3 days ago. That was my first meeting with Shou chan.
Ohno: I was together with you guys on that Hawaii trip too. But I don’t remember anything much.
Aiba: You probably didn’t say a single word (laugh).
Nino: What about with me?
Aiba: You two were, like, eating ramen together.
Nino: We went home together too. Somehow we were always together.
Aiba: You two sat next to each other playing Tetris, and probably playing Tamagotch too. (translator's note: it's the virtual pet game in case you don't know, this thing. Wow, imagine Riida and Nino playing this together, how sweet...)
Ohno: If I’m not mistaken, Aiba chan became a junior just because you wanted to play basketball with SMAP, right?
Aiba: Yeah, yeah.
Jun: Did that dream come true?
Aiba: It’s still a dream (laugh).
Shou: I had the impression of Nino playing catcher at the baseball meet. That baseball kid, when Kinki Kids performed on Music station, stood there swaying with a crew cut head.
Aiba: I remember that. He sat behind Tamo san and kept rolling up a Doraemon towel. (translator’s note: Tamosan = Tamori san, the host of Music Station, I bet you’re all familiar with him. Doraemon, does anyone here need explanation about Doraemon?)
Nino: Because the president (translator’s note: as in, Johnny san) encouraged me, saying there’s no other junior who had a crew cut. With that appearance, I sat in a Domoto Tsuyoshi - Ninomiya Kazunari - Domoto Koichi arrangement. Way too surreal!
Ohno: Nino, from the beginning, has always been over-familiar with everyone. During the rehearsal, he suddenly came sit next to me and talked in a casual tone. Eh? So we have met before? - that kind of feeling.
Jun: I got tricked by Nino (laugh). He pointed to this junior in the same class, who didn’t even remotely resemble him, and said “Actually he’s my sibling”. I completely believed that for about half a year!
Nino: I told you not to tell anyone, right?
Jun: I thought that you must have had some reason not to tell anyone. About Shou kun, I somehow have a clear memory of him wearing a pair of light blue sneakers all the time.
Shou: Because I had wanted it for a long time and finally got my hands on it. Even now that pair is still there in my house. We are of the Air Max generation after all.
Nino: At first, I got scolded by Shou chan. When we were doing “Playzone”, the president bought some gyuudon for everyone, so we all ate in the dressing room, just like that. Then, on the way to the stage, I was caught by Shou chan: “You haven’t cleared up your bento boxes, so the dressing room is now all messy!”, he said, and got really angry. (translator's note: gyuudon = beef bowl, see wikipedia for more details. For some visual aid, you can watch HnA's recent VIP room featuring Inoue Mao. Arashi had gyuudon in their hilarious eating contest then LOL)
Aiba: Because Shou chan is really strict regarding meals (laugh).
Nino: I once witnessed him getting mad at Kamenashi (Kazuya) for eating instant noodles continuously (laugh). (X Monster’s comment: poor Kame chan… Shou kun is such a caring senpai. Eeto, same as Doraemon, does anyone here need explanation about who Kamenashi Kazuya is?)
Shou: I remember that incident with Kamenashi, but totally have no memory about getting mad at you Nino.
Ohno: When Shou kun was at junior high school, he was the representative of all the rules.
Shou: I remember that, being told, you are the representative of rules. Talking about Satoshi kun, I have a memory about a V6 concert rehearsal. The president told me, you should imitate Ohno’s way of dancing. I practically grew up looking at Ohno Satoshi’s back!
Nino: Cool~♥
Ohno: And here I thought, why the heck is this guy always standing behind me? (laugh)
Aiba: Riida, we once ended up in an inn in Kyoto and played the Senda Mitsuo game together, do you still remember? (translator’s note: this is a kind of game involving eye contact and communication, usually played when drinking. If anyone’s interested I’ll translate the full rule later)
Ohno: That really happened.
Nino: We went on until 5 in the morning.
Aiba: Riida is the senpai, also the oldest among us, so on the road, even when he wanted to sleep, he couldn’t sleep well. (translator’s note: sweet Aiba chan is practically blaming Riida for keeping them awake because he couldn’t sleep LOL)
Nino: If you put it that way, no one would ever want to be senpai anymore (laugh).
Ohno: Sorry, at that time I had no idea that we would have to wake up early the next morning.
Aiba: But we all had fun~♥
Jun: In the old days, Riida used to wear quite a lot of accessories, right?
Aiba: He also paid more attention to his clothes than he does now.
Ohno: That’s right~. I have also changed~. I used to buy my own clothes too. (X Monster’s comment: then WHO buys your clothes for you these days, Riida?) MatsuJun too, was following the trend that time, the refined look, wasn’t it? I seem to have that memory. (translator's note: Riida is referring to the kireime-kei - a male fashion trend popular in Japan in the early 2000s, some main points: slender body, clothes with a sense of cleanliness and freshness, casual outfits consisting of high-quality pieces of clothing, etc.)
Aiba: Skinny legs, huge sneakers. (X Monster’s comment: OMG, Aiba chan is damn good at summarizing things)
Shou: Seriously, he was so skinny his eyes looked huge.
Jun: Shou kun, I have some memory of you being called so tiny and cute.
Shou: I really can’t deny my tiny phrase (laugh).
Nino: Jun kun was the serious kid. When we were doing the Komisen (translator’s note: short name for Coming Century) song called “Daijoubu”, in the standby, the juniors were supposed to all bend down and wait in that pose. But when everyone was still talking, Jun kun alone got into that pose and waited, bending down for about 10 minutes (laugh).
Jun: I remember that (laugh).
You started to be Arashi since the middle of your teenage, till what age do you think you would still want to be in Arashi? - there’s that question.
Shou: On the contrary I want to ask: is there a retirement age for Arashi?
Jun: Let’s take turns, starting with Riida, will you pull out when you reach retirement age? (laugh)
Shou: You did a great job, now please slowly enjoy the remaining of your life - you will get sent off like that.
Nino: Once in a while, I’ll come visit Arashi - like that.
Jun: In the end, Nino and I will be the last two remained!?
Nino: Now that can’t be counted as Arashi anymore (laugh).
Arashi has no retirement age, with that, we can look forward to Arashi in their 11th year! Please take a rest whenever you need, and then go on to try your best - somehow there’s that kind-hearted suggestion sent to you too.
Shou: Mom~my (cry).
Nino: According to the result of this survey, 82% people who want to go see an Arashi concert haven’t had a chance to go. From now on, we must try even harder in our tours. (X Monster's comment: damn yes you should, please make my city the next destination in Arashi Around Asia. Come on Nino, I'll treat you to some delicious foods when you come!)
Shou: That’s true.
Aiba: We have learned a lot from today’s details, really, thank you very much.
Nino: We were seriously touched by some of the opinions.
Shou: When we got to know that Arashi was getting more familiar with people in their 20s, we were also very happy, just like right now~♥.
Ohno: I’m surprised to learn that we’re so much loved.
Jun: We’ll keep thinking about everyone’s opinions from now on, right?, since they have firmly taken a place in our minds today.
Nino: So that we won’t be cursed for betraying everyone’s trust, we have no other choice but to try our best, I think! From now on please continue to favor us♥
Messages from Arashi
Kazunari NinomiyaFrom now on too, we’ll have fun, and we’ll stay the Arashi way
Everyone started to know about Arashi since they were young and continue to remember about us until today, for that, I’m deeply grateful. From now on too, we’ll continue as Arashi while having fun and being truly Arashi-like.
Masaki Aiba
We’ll definitely make our 10 year anniversary tour a success!
Answering this many questions, it must have been a lot of troubles, right? Reading the survey, I’m able to think that I have to try harder and harder from now on. Through our 10 year anniversary tour, we’ll make sure to convey our gratitude to everyone.
Jun Matsumoto
I have betrayed everyone’s ideals, but in a good way
Everyone’s survey results were really interesting. I have betrayed the fantasies and ideals that all of you associate with me to an unbelievable extent (laugh). From now on too, in a positive meaning, I guess I’ll continue to betray everyone.
Satoshi Ohno
I have no objection towards everyone’s opinions!
Everyone favors Arashi so much~. Sometimes you have too much of a determined image about us? That was interesting too (laugh) I totally have no objection regarding everyone’s imagination. I will go on to be everyone’s grandfather.
Sho Sakurai
We’ll always be like your brothers
Reading the survey I came across some comments such as “Everyone in Arashi, please make sure to try your best”. That kind of comments, which totally don’t feel like a message sent to us older brothers, is really good (laugh). From now on too, please continue to get closer to Arashi.
The second part of the Seventeen article. I suggest you read part 1 first, or you risk being partly or totally confused by what the guys discussed.
Btw, the emphasis is not added by me, it's from the article. The red lines, as you will see, are from the interviewer.
Warning: Arashi will crack you up badly.
Everyone has their own determined images about Arashi?
What do you think about the straightforward opinions of ST’s readers?
Jun: Super interesting, but, the date plans are way too detailed.
Shou: The drive date with MatsuJun, the date at home with Nino, the fishing & Tsukiji date with Satoshi kun, the zoo & amusement park with Aiba kun, and the movie date with me, those ones?
Jun: What’s up with all of them? When MatsuJun checks the car’s rear view, his eyes and mine will meet through the mirror, oh, but he should be wearing sunglasses, so our eyes wouldn’t meet… that kind of detail (laugh).
Shou: The truly detailed one is Ohno san’s, I want us to get excited together when watching a maguro no kaitai show.
Aiba: It sounds so fun~.
Ohno: I once went to film on location at Tsukiji with Aiba chan, only once.
Nino: Kusukusu… (laugh) (translator’s note: this is the sound of Nino chuckling LOL)
Jun: What?
Nino: Talking about Jun kun, I guess he quite usually has the image of unexpectedly popping up at the amusement park for someone’s sake. Nice, isn’t it? (laugh)
Yes, it’s like that. High school girls, for some reason, basically all of them have such views about Arashi.
Jun: It’s not like I want to pop up anywhere.
Aiba: But it seems like you would pop up, that’s why.
Nino: There’s some cute opinion too. Sakurai kun, if I can go on a date with him, anywhere is fine!! Because I really love him ♥
Shou: Oh, I’m really loved ♥ Well, well, it’s people’s image after all, these opinions are all cute. However, when I give it a thought, I’m really at a lost as to where we should take a teenage date to.
Ohno: We really have no idea~.
Nino: On one hand, they can’t be out too late at night.
Shou: They can’t drink alcohol.
Ohno: Generally, where would everyone want to go on a date?
Aiba: Isn’t it Shibuya?
Shou: Isn’t Shibuya too old-fashioned?
Aiba: Old-fashioned, as in, old? (laugh) It’s okay, right?
There’s someone who said that she wants to go to a game center with Nino, so it should be okay!
Shou: I used to go to game centers when I was in high school.
Nino: Yeah, yeah. We played crane games, didn’t we?
Shou: The one with the machine, right?
Nino: Once we saw something we like, we wouldn’t have any 100 yen coin left.
Shou: MatsuJun and high-class restaurants, Nino and Omotesando, there are generally such imaginations.
Nino: Dream-like, aren’t they? The drive date too, it’s only possible if it's with an adult, right?
Aiba: That’s hardly true, they can go by bikes too. But then, it’s a different situation…
Ohno: Oh, what about me?
Jun: You don’t have a license.
Nino: It’s all right. If you’re an adult you can always take a taxi.
Ohno: Nah, if it’s about dates, I’ll take the train after all (laugh).
Aiba: Riida really does seem like he’ll live a long life!!
Nino: 180 years old?
Shou: Nah, there’s someone who says that he will live until 1000 years old. He’s like Kamesennin! (laugh) (translator’s note: character from Dragon Ball)
Aiba: Me, only 73 years old. So realistic~. In our family too, Riida is, as expected, the grandfather.
Nino: This person here has been called grandpa for a long time. Just how many years has it been?
Ohno: It really is like that. I wonder why?
Shou: On the other hand, when you was first called a grandfather, you were quite young, weren’t you?
Nino: In the good points of the members, Riida, both singing and dancing, awesome!! - you receive such praise.
Shou: A single word of evaluation (laugh).
Ohno: Thank you!
Nino: And then they immediately mention his artistic side.
Shou: That must have been a teacher! It sounds like the assessment from a report card.
Nino: About Shou chan, they say that the way you do things promptly is good.
Shou: It really is a report card.
Nino: Aiba kun, the idiot who is in charge of playing the boke of the group.
Aiba: Oi!
Shou: It’s an idiot’s role all right (laugh).
Jun: But, Aiba kun is also acknowledged as Arashi’s cushion.
Aiba: Heh~.
Nino: MatsuJun’s eyebrows are appreciated because of their manliness.
Shou: Now that’s some pinpoint.
Jun: This is interesting too. In the if you could become an Arashi member for one day, who would it be? part. This reader wants to go meet F4…
Nino: Jun kun is totally being used as a tool.
Shou: To be accurate, using Matsumoto, they should be going to meet F3, shouldn’t they? (laugh) Nino too, you’re pretty much a tool, see. I want to touch Ohno kun, they say.
Jun: You’re also being used. (X Monster’s comment: I love Jun, totally right now)
Shou: The no.1 sexy person is MatsuJun after all. Nino, they say the way you treat girls in a somewhat cold manner is cool. You’re totally being perceived as a type S, aren’t you? (laugh)
Aiba: Also, your facial expressions are sexy.
Nino: Those are totally type M’s ideas, right?
Aiba: They say Shou kun is slightly macho, therefore sexy.
Shou: More importantly, I just don’t understand my position as the no.1 closet pervert.
Jun: He always puts on an honest face, but actually he’s thinking about a lot of things, they say (laugh)
Shou: Even though I fully intend to become an open pervert.
Nino: Riida too, He always appears to be innocent, but in reality he seems the most likely to be…, they say.
Ohno: Likely, to be?
Aiba: What’s with that word choice!
Jun: Very likely, isn’t that what they say?
Everyone: Most likely!
Ohno: Whatever! - I can use words like these too (laugh).
(translator’s note: I’m sorry if this part seems confusing. It’s because here they’re talking about the use of slang in the reader’s comment. These word uses do not have the exact equivalence in English, so the best I could do was to give you a general impression of what they’re discussing. Sorry!)
Jun: They all have some wild fantasies about us.
Sorry. It’s just that those girls all talk about these kinds of things when they have free time.
Shou: It sounds like fun~♥
Aiba: These kinds of talks seem interesting~. Just reading these things is quite fun already. Oh, so we’re seen in such ways, that kind of discovery.
Jun: Interesting, right?
If you could, please consider the criticisms full of love too.
Shou: Here come the criticisms.
Nino: Sakurai kun.
Shou: Yes.
Nino: They want to see you act as the boke more.
Shou: But I already act as the boke a lot.
Nino: Seems like it’s still not sufficient.
Shou: So we get to receive such realistic criticisms too (laugh).
Nino: Aiba kun.
Shou: Please come to shows where you can interact with things that aren’t animals too.
Aiba: But I already come to those.
Jun: Ohno sa~n.
Ohno: Ah, yes.
Jun: Here comes. You are - too - tanned!
Nino: You’re picking your nose!
Ohno: Oh, you’re watching me very carefully.
Nino: It’s not something to be impressed by.
Shou: You are such a new style of idol (laugh).
Ohno: I have received much worse criticism.
Nino: For Matsumoto kun, somehow, they’re in big trouble if you keep on being so cool, so please put some restraint on your seductiveness, that’s it?
It’s Arashi’s 10th anniversary, so we’d like you to answer these much requested questions too!
Jun: What do you think about the costumes you wore at the time of “A.RA.SHI”?
Ohno: The transparent things?
Jun: Must be those ones. I consider those things a failure recognized by both us and all the people around us (laugh).
Shou: Conversely, we’d like to know what the readers thought about them, right?
Ohno: When Arashi debuted, they were all like 1st graders, right? They really know a lot about us then.
Jun: Maybe because only those things had that big of an impact (laugh).
Shou: Ah, Satoshi kun, there’s this question: are you still using your hamburger-size waist pouch? Wow, amazing.
Nino: This reader is a maniac, she is (broadly grin).
Ohno: Ah~, that thing.
Shou: When we went abroad for work in about 5 days, that waist pouch was the only thing you brought along, right? Your underwears are all folded up to be really small (laugh). (X Monster’s comment: to see a live performance of Riida folding his underwears, I suggest you watch Shukudai kun ep 68, 2008.01.28 LOL) By the way, it looked like you only brought your underwears along.
Nino: Well, that’s because even if he didn’t bring any clothes, there were our performing outfits.
Ohno: True, true.
Shou: But, in that aspect, Satoshi kun was really amazing.
Nino: You only had one pair of sandals that you wore on your feet, right?
Ohno: I still have that waist pouch. But I don’t use it anymore.
Aiba: In what kind of circumstances would you get scolded by people from the agency?
Ohno: I’m scolded when I get sunburnt. I do not have enough self-awareness, they say.
Everyone: (burst into laughter)
Jun: When you’re scolded, what would you do?
Ohno: For the time being, I just answer, yeah…
Shou: The face adults have when they get angry is funny, right? Suddenly you can see them as children.
Who is the most popular in Arashi? - there’s that question.
Shou: Well, everyone is popular, right?
Nino: That’s a rude question. We have decided that all 5 of us are popular, right?
Shou: It’s not any single person among us, it’s “Arashi” that is popular.
For Arashi, there’s no retirement age!
In the joy of celebrating your 10th year on this November 3, please let us hear a 10th year special talk about memories when you first met each other♥
Shou: We first met when we were (Johhnys) juniors, so that’s when we were about 13, 14 years old.
Jun: For me, Aiba chan was the tall and thin kid who carried a rucksack and played basketball.
Shou: We went to Hawaii when we were juniors, didn’t we? When we got on the bus to the airport, I saw Aiba chan and thought that he was some strange person who got on by mistake.
Aiba: That’s because I had just joined about 3 days ago. That was my first meeting with Shou chan.
Ohno: I was together with you guys on that Hawaii trip too. But I don’t remember anything much.
Aiba: You probably didn’t say a single word (laugh).
Nino: What about with me?
Aiba: You two were, like, eating ramen together.
Nino: We went home together too. Somehow we were always together.
Aiba: You two sat next to each other playing Tetris, and probably playing Tamagotch too. (translator's note: it's the virtual pet game in case you don't know, this thing. Wow, imagine Riida and Nino playing this together, how sweet...)
Ohno: If I’m not mistaken, Aiba chan became a junior just because you wanted to play basketball with SMAP, right?
Aiba: Yeah, yeah.
Jun: Did that dream come true?
Aiba: It’s still a dream (laugh).
Shou: I had the impression of Nino playing catcher at the baseball meet. That baseball kid, when Kinki Kids performed on Music station, stood there swaying with a crew cut head.
Aiba: I remember that. He sat behind Tamo san and kept rolling up a Doraemon towel. (translator’s note: Tamosan = Tamori san, the host of Music Station, I bet you’re all familiar with him. Doraemon, does anyone here need explanation about Doraemon?)
Nino: Because the president (translator’s note: as in, Johnny san) encouraged me, saying there’s no other junior who had a crew cut. With that appearance, I sat in a Domoto Tsuyoshi - Ninomiya Kazunari - Domoto Koichi arrangement. Way too surreal!
Ohno: Nino, from the beginning, has always been over-familiar with everyone. During the rehearsal, he suddenly came sit next to me and talked in a casual tone. Eh? So we have met before? - that kind of feeling.
Jun: I got tricked by Nino (laugh). He pointed to this junior in the same class, who didn’t even remotely resemble him, and said “Actually he’s my sibling”. I completely believed that for about half a year!
Nino: I told you not to tell anyone, right?
Jun: I thought that you must have had some reason not to tell anyone. About Shou kun, I somehow have a clear memory of him wearing a pair of light blue sneakers all the time.
Shou: Because I had wanted it for a long time and finally got my hands on it. Even now that pair is still there in my house. We are of the Air Max generation after all.
Nino: At first, I got scolded by Shou chan. When we were doing “Playzone”, the president bought some gyuudon for everyone, so we all ate in the dressing room, just like that. Then, on the way to the stage, I was caught by Shou chan: “You haven’t cleared up your bento boxes, so the dressing room is now all messy!”, he said, and got really angry. (translator's note: gyuudon = beef bowl, see wikipedia for more details. For some visual aid, you can watch HnA's recent VIP room featuring Inoue Mao. Arashi had gyuudon in their hilarious eating contest then LOL)
Aiba: Because Shou chan is really strict regarding meals (laugh).
Nino: I once witnessed him getting mad at Kamenashi (Kazuya) for eating instant noodles continuously (laugh). (X Monster’s comment: poor Kame chan… Shou kun is such a caring senpai. Eeto, same as Doraemon, does anyone here need explanation about who Kamenashi Kazuya is?)
Shou: I remember that incident with Kamenashi, but totally have no memory about getting mad at you Nino.
Ohno: When Shou kun was at junior high school, he was the representative of all the rules.
Shou: I remember that, being told, you are the representative of rules. Talking about Satoshi kun, I have a memory about a V6 concert rehearsal. The president told me, you should imitate Ohno’s way of dancing. I practically grew up looking at Ohno Satoshi’s back!
Nino: Cool~♥
Ohno: And here I thought, why the heck is this guy always standing behind me? (laugh)
Aiba: Riida, we once ended up in an inn in Kyoto and played the Senda Mitsuo game together, do you still remember? (translator’s note: this is a kind of game involving eye contact and communication, usually played when drinking. If anyone’s interested I’ll translate the full rule later)
Ohno: That really happened.
Nino: We went on until 5 in the morning.
Aiba: Riida is the senpai, also the oldest among us, so on the road, even when he wanted to sleep, he couldn’t sleep well. (translator’s note: sweet Aiba chan is practically blaming Riida for keeping them awake because he couldn’t sleep LOL)
Nino: If you put it that way, no one would ever want to be senpai anymore (laugh).
Ohno: Sorry, at that time I had no idea that we would have to wake up early the next morning.
Aiba: But we all had fun~♥
Jun: In the old days, Riida used to wear quite a lot of accessories, right?
Aiba: He also paid more attention to his clothes than he does now.
Ohno: That’s right~. I have also changed~. I used to buy my own clothes too. (X Monster’s comment: then WHO buys your clothes for you these days, Riida?) MatsuJun too, was following the trend that time, the refined look, wasn’t it? I seem to have that memory. (translator's note: Riida is referring to the kireime-kei - a male fashion trend popular in Japan in the early 2000s, some main points: slender body, clothes with a sense of cleanliness and freshness, casual outfits consisting of high-quality pieces of clothing, etc.)
Aiba: Skinny legs, huge sneakers. (X Monster’s comment: OMG, Aiba chan is damn good at summarizing things)
Shou: Seriously, he was so skinny his eyes looked huge.
Jun: Shou kun, I have some memory of you being called so tiny and cute.
Shou: I really can’t deny my tiny phrase (laugh).
Nino: Jun kun was the serious kid. When we were doing the Komisen (translator’s note: short name for Coming Century) song called “Daijoubu”, in the standby, the juniors were supposed to all bend down and wait in that pose. But when everyone was still talking, Jun kun alone got into that pose and waited, bending down for about 10 minutes (laugh).
Jun: I remember that (laugh).
You started to be Arashi since the middle of your teenage, till what age do you think you would still want to be in Arashi? - there’s that question.
Shou: On the contrary I want to ask: is there a retirement age for Arashi?
Jun: Let’s take turns, starting with Riida, will you pull out when you reach retirement age? (laugh)
Shou: You did a great job, now please slowly enjoy the remaining of your life - you will get sent off like that.
Nino: Once in a while, I’ll come visit Arashi - like that.
Jun: In the end, Nino and I will be the last two remained!?
Nino: Now that can’t be counted as Arashi anymore (laugh).
Arashi has no retirement age, with that, we can look forward to Arashi in their 11th year! Please take a rest whenever you need, and then go on to try your best - somehow there’s that kind-hearted suggestion sent to you too.
Shou: Mom~my (cry).
Nino: According to the result of this survey, 82% people who want to go see an Arashi concert haven’t had a chance to go. From now on, we must try even harder in our tours. (X Monster's comment: damn yes you should, please make my city the next destination in Arashi Around Asia. Come on Nino, I'll treat you to some delicious foods when you come!)
Shou: That’s true.
Aiba: We have learned a lot from today’s details, really, thank you very much.
Nino: We were seriously touched by some of the opinions.
Shou: When we got to know that Arashi was getting more familiar with people in their 20s, we were also very happy, just like right now~♥.
Ohno: I’m surprised to learn that we’re so much loved.
Jun: We’ll keep thinking about everyone’s opinions from now on, right?, since they have firmly taken a place in our minds today.
Nino: So that we won’t be cursed for betraying everyone’s trust, we have no other choice but to try our best, I think! From now on please continue to favor us♥
Messages from Arashi
Kazunari NinomiyaFrom now on too, we’ll have fun, and we’ll stay the Arashi way
Everyone started to know about Arashi since they were young and continue to remember about us until today, for that, I’m deeply grateful. From now on too, we’ll continue as Arashi while having fun and being truly Arashi-like.
Masaki Aiba
We’ll definitely make our 10 year anniversary tour a success!
Answering this many questions, it must have been a lot of troubles, right? Reading the survey, I’m able to think that I have to try harder and harder from now on. Through our 10 year anniversary tour, we’ll make sure to convey our gratitude to everyone.
Jun Matsumoto
I have betrayed everyone’s ideals, but in a good way
Everyone’s survey results were really interesting. I have betrayed the fantasies and ideals that all of you associate with me to an unbelievable extent (laugh). From now on too, in a positive meaning, I guess I’ll continue to betray everyone.
Satoshi Ohno
I have no objection towards everyone’s opinions!
Everyone favors Arashi so much~. Sometimes you have too much of a determined image about us? That was interesting too (laugh) I totally have no objection regarding everyone’s imagination. I will go on to be everyone’s grandfather.
Sho Sakurai
We’ll always be like your brothers
Reading the survey I came across some comments such as “Everyone in Arashi, please make sure to try your best”. That kind of comments, which totally don’t feel like a message sent to us older brothers, is really good (laugh). From now on too, please continue to get closer to Arashi.