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--This time’s talk theme is: “The five members of Arashi discuss the past and the future from now on.” Please talk about the ten topics that will be given in which some will also relate to your new album, 「untitled」.
M: The five of us are meant to discuss the topics together, right? Understood.
--Up until now, there have been many instances where we’ve heard about the growth of each member. From the stories, there are many areas where it seems that you have not changed at all from the time before you debuted as Arashi. We often end up thinking that, “you were all Arashi from the start, after all.” How do you all perceive the time before you became Arashi?
M: The time before we are Arashi is ages ago, though (laughs). Even Leader, who debuted when he was eighteen years old is now thirty-six, so he’s now been Arashi for half his life.
O: Yep.
S: We’re all of similar age and we were a part of Johnny’s Jr. together during the same period, so we have a lot of memories shared between us. Things like listening to a popular song during a specific period in time, or being the back dancers for our seniors, or experiencing something that happened during our stay at a hotel for a concert together. Hence, although we weren’t a part of the group that is “Arashi,” …saying that we’re like childhood friends may be a bit of a stretch, but we spent a lot of time together. If you were to ask us if we suddenly became Arashi during our press conference on the 15th of September in Hawaii, I’d disagree. Instead, it felt like we still weren’t really Arashi yet during the press conference and our CD release.
--Within the album, there’s a song called Song for you which has a line that says, “a name we weren’t used to, the cruiser we suddenly boarded.” (1) In relation to what you were saying earlier, does it mean that rather than your debut being a switch in which Arashi was immediately shaped, it was more that the Arashi we know gradually came to be?
S: Yeah, I think it was something that progressively formed.
M: I mean, during our group’s formation, I was speaking to Leader with honorifics.
O: Now he’s speaking to me in casual speech (laughs).
M: We’ve been working together for the past 18 years now, so forgive me, okay~ (laughs)
A: The individual experiences of releasing various singles and holding concerts despite the lack of song repertoire contributed to the sensation of us being a group. The start was quite difficult. We borrowed a lot of songs from senior groups to sing during our concert because of it.
S: We only had one song released at the time, after all.
A: We once sang A.RA.SHI three times during a concert.
Around what time did you start to grasp the reality that you had become Arashi?
M: I believe we performed with the sense of understanding that we had become Arashi during our first concert. At least I did. It was already half a year after our debut by that time.
S: Yeah, I think our first concert was meaningful in raising our awareness of the situation. But in terms of whether Arashi itself had been moulded into shape at the time, I’d disagree. It’s more like we built it up bit by bit. Plus, it’s hard to say whether it’s complete right now as well. It might change shape from now on, so it’s hard to clearly establish what Arashi is.
N: I feel like that self-awareness of being Arashi is probably something that slowly builds up ever since we were told that we were going to become Arashi. Until then, we had been working with other Juniors as the back dancers for our seniors. I started to become more aware of my identity as Arashi ever since we had been clearly told that we were to become Arashi, when we still worked a lot behind-the-scenes.
M: As expected, it’s something that strengthens after a period of time, so wouldn’t time be an important factor? Many of us have collaborated in various areas during our time as a Johnny’s Jr. For example, my stage performance with Aiba-kun and Nino in Stand by Me, or Aiba-kun and my appearance in Kinki Kids’ drama Bokura no Yuuki: Miman Toshi. Everyone had established their own respective relationships with each other. However, there was never a chance to work collaboratively together with the five of us, so I think that the atmosphere which defines Arashi was something that developed after the five of us became Arashi. It's a product of the time we've spent together.
--The next topic is “the moment you felt the desire to make Arashi big in industry.”
S: It’s probably the time when Aiba-kun read out his letter on 24 Hour TV for me. When he said, “Let’s achieve our dream to reach the top,” I realised that the determination of becoming the top was common between the five of us. We were given the opportunity to be the main personality for 24 Hour TV in 2004, but I wasn’t exactly conscious about it as a job for only the five of us. After all, in reality, Higashiyama-senpai had helped us out a lot……and although I felt the desire to work hard at it, I was somehow unable to get driven up to it. So, the moment Aiba-kun read the contents of his letter during a time I was feeling such things, I once again realised that the five of us were facing towards the same goal.
--Aiba-chan, do you remember that?
A: Of course, I do (laughs). When I finished writing the letter, I had a person from the agency check over it first. Initially I wrote, “Let’s make sure the five of us sell a lot in the music industry,” but they recommended for me to change the way I phrased that a bit.
S: Was it because it was too crude?
A: Yeah (laughs). That’s why I changed it to, “Let’s achieve our dream to reach the top.” It’s a phrase I poured my emotion into.
--Did everyone feel the same about it?
O: We spoke about it a lot around two to three years after we debuted, so when Aiba-chan reaffirmed it on 24 Hour TV, I felt that it was a reminder for the five of us to move towards achieving our goals again.
N: I felt like it was a rare occasion, though. I’m surprised he declared it out loud. Even if we had the same thoughts, we’re not the type of group who voices it aloud much.
A: We don’t normally express things openly, do we?
--So, the fact that the five of you are normally much more reserved when it comes to stating your ambitions made the fact that he clearly announced it much more meaningful.
S: Yeah… You see, the discussions that Ohno-san mentioned previously mostly consisted of me or Matsujun clearly stating such objectives. That’s why, seeing someone who didn’t normally talk about such things suddenly state their dreams so was personally very impactful, particularly since it was also a surprise.
N: The declaration was something which could only have happened at that specific moment.
S: The only thing is, he was crying so much I couldn’t tell half of what he was saying (laughs).
A: (laughs) I guess that’s true.
N: He was the one who was moved the most (laughs).
A: I was touched at how well I wrote the letter (laughs).
--In specific terms, what did you envision yourselves in becoming?
S: At the time, I wanted to become a group that could do various things. To put it simply, I wanted to be able to work with solo activities as well as group activities. But we didn’t really produce any strong results nor influence with our work, so I felt a bit impatient with the current state of things at the time.
M: I dreamt of performing at domes and Kokuritsu at the time. I went to various concerts of both seniors from Johnny’s as well as other artists, to see the sort of things we could learn from their concert performances. I was specifically hoping for us to be able to achieve those dreams, and I’d say we were able to in the end.
--How do you feel about it, Aiba-san? You’ve achieved that dream.
M: Were we able to reach the top?
A: We did (laughs).
Everyone: (laughs)
M: It’ll damage your image if you claim that, you know (laughs).
A: Right, then let’s stop (laughs).
--Next is the time you were lost in wonderment as Arashi became increasingly popular.
M: Personally, I’ve never felt any sense of that confusion, but the words of the other members during our Around Asia concert at Tokyo Dome in 2007 left a big impression on me. They continued to say that, “no matter how big our concert venues become, we will continue to do what we’ve always done.” The fact that our venues have become larger may be seen by some as signifying an improvement to the stage we perform on. But we must make sure to bring all our fans who have continued to support us all this time along with us – to walk towards the next stage together. Those words which all the other members kept saying left a huge impression on me. I wasn’t thinking about it that way at all (laughs).
S: We’ve been the type of group who have kept a close distance between us and our fans, so when we announced the fact that we would be performing at domes and Kokuritsu, I’m sure there were many fans who felt uncertain about it. That’s why everyone may have decided to reassure them that it would not change by vocalising those words of reassurance.
M: I have the strongest impression of Sho-kun and Nino being particularly adamant about it. Everyone mentioned it though.
N: We didn’t change and what we were doing didn’t change either, yet it felt like everything around us had changed. We had always talked about how grateful we were to be able to hold a concert every year, so I probably voiced that because I felt that performing at a larger stage came with the responsibility to ensure we did not leave our fans who had continued to support us.
O: During our 10th anniversary, there were feelings of wonder and confusion to the extent I was thinking to myself whether it would be okay to have everyone celebrate it that much. We planned to stay just as we always were, but the staff around us kept congratulating us. I remember that period as a time in which I was unable to completely grasp reality.
A: My schedule during our 10th anniversary was extremely packed the whole year with all the work we were given the opportunity to do. Though, rather than confusion, I felt like I was living through everything really fast. I felt like I wasn’t able to process each day that went passed and kept thinking to myself, “this is bad, I have to fully appreciate each day as I spend it.”
--The five of you are unexpectedly the type who are cautious when it comes to being praised and complimented by those around you, aren’t you?
Everyone: (laughs)
N: (laughs) That might be true – very true. We were like, “you’re lying, right?” “No way~”
M: “We definitely won’t be deceived.” (laughs)
--Why don’t you let yourselves get carried away?
S: I wonder why? (laughs)
N: Isn’t it because we have never seen anyone become successful by letting compliments get to their heads? There’s probably that conviction to not allow that to happen within every one of us.
--I see. It’s something that you were all aware of from seeing previous experiences of other people?
S: It’s true that it’s something that didn’t need to be said out loud. I got the gist that the five of us were all thinking the same thing.
M: The period in time may have been a factor, too. We’re from the period of the Bubble economy, after all (laughs).
--It might be a reason for Arashi’s symbolic atmosphere – that sense of stability.
M: The fact that we easily distrust others (laughs).
S: It may be.
--The moment fans taught you Arashi’s magnificence?
S: This was during our Asia tour for me. We had an interpreter with us at the various cities, but there was an immediate reaction even when we spoke amongst ourselves during our MCs. In other words, there were fans out there who found out about Japan, learnt Japanese to the extent they could understand it because of Arashi. I thought that was amazing, along with the surprising realisation that we can actually be the reason for people’s decisions. It’s unimaginable that we could be the reason for why some people decide to learn Japanese.
M: It’s the same with dramas and varieties, too. The other day, when I met a Korean person, I was told that one of the lines I said in a drama was unforgettable, even though I don’t remember the line myself.
N: You can’t help it when you’re the one who’s saying it.
M: Yeah. I’ve also been told that they listen to variety show talks and remember them. They also tried copying the way Nino teases others on variety (laughs). I found that really interesting.
--In variety shows, there’s a natural rhythm in the communication that the five of you display with each other, so there are people learning from it.
S: It shouldn’t something one can learn a lot from, though. The variety show they said they watched was probably the one where we were wearing T-shirts with holes to show our nipples (laughs).
N: It was around the time we played Sugoroku (in Arashi no Shukudai-kun), right?
A: There was also Tutankhamun’s curse (laughs).
M: (laughs) For me, I also get really happy when I hear stories about friendships amongst fellow fans. For example, there are stories of a lot of people who go into various different stores after a concert. Many of them have Arashi goods and start talking to each other. There are cases where they become good friends afterwards. Or stories that there are people who clean up leftover rubbish outside the venue after a concert before they go home. When I hear that there are so many fans out there who forge and treasure their relationships through our concerts, I feel really grateful.
--You realise the various settings in which people are influenced by the activities the five of you, don’t you?
S: I guess so. Though I’m not usually self-aware of it.
M: I want to try coming across to an outing with fellow fans by coincidence just once. I don’t want to aim to meet them, but I want to encounter them by pure coincidence and try drinking with them (laughs). Like, “how was today’s concert?” and they could answer with areas which they felt could be improved (laughs).
--A moment you felt a sense of responsibility as Arashi?
S: My answer for this is similar to the one for the third question, but it was probably around the time we were allowed to hold our concerts at domes and similar venues. Up until then, we were performing album tracks for around ninety percent of our concert set list. In other words, we performed things that we wanted to show to our fans at that present moment. But from a certain point, there was a need for us to increase the amount of songs everyone would recognise in our set list – songs like A.RA.SHI, Happiness and Hadashi no Mirai. The amount of people who came to our concerts for fun without knowing about us much probably increased since we started performing at the dome, so there was an increased sense of responsibility for us to display the Arashi everyone loves and knows to everyone who came. I remember discussing it a lot with everyone at the time.
--I wonder if you started to see that you were about to continue doing what you did at the time?
S: I wonder… Honestly, I was quite confused at the time.
--In the song, Mikan, there are rap lyrics which Sakurai-kun wrote that says, “from the darkness to the light, we create our own path to a new age, we were simply naïve at the time.” (2) Initially I thought that you were aware of yourselves forging your own path to the future, but it seems as if that wasn’t the case, after all.
S: If I was to explain the rap, after “we were simply naïve at the time,” there’s a phrase that says, “the present is future beyond our dreams.” That basically refers to what I said previously – days that I would never have expected to come true is what we are experiencing now. There are areas which will be difficult to explain in detail, though (laughs). But it’s true that I had Arashi in mind while I was writing the rap.
M: Furthermore, simply put, there’s a strong sense of responsibility that Arashi consists of the five of us. If anyone was to leave it wouldn’t be Arashi anymore. There are also instances where one of us have gotten sick or injured in the past eighteen years, and if it’s you who has gotten sick, you feel apologetic because you feel like you’re creating trouble for the other members. That’s exactly why in a sense it’d be easier if someone could easily replace one of us during such times, but of course that’s not an option. There’s rarely been occasions where one of us has gone, “I’m feeling unwell today, so we’ll go with just the four of us today!”
O: We’re strong.
M: Our immune system is, yeah? (laughs) It might be pretty fundamental, but I feel the sense of responsibility then.
--Even though you joked around about how strong your immune system is, I think you’ve got high emotional strength as a group. The fact that you’re resolute on appearing on stage as the five of you is proof of that.
O: If we start feeling a bit unwell in our personal lives, we make sure not to force ourselves, though.
N: Although he gets himself this tanned (laughs).
M: If he starts feeling unwell outside work, he makes sure to prevent working himself too hard by not going fishing (laughs). Right?
O: I wouldn’t go, not even if the wind was strong on the day.
N: (laughs) It’s just a matter of the weather, then.
O: I’d capsize and Sho-kun will come to save me from a helicopter and drag me up on a rope and it’ll be aired on NEWS ZERO (laughs).
A: Do you want to go fishing to that extent? (laughs) You’re not a fisherman, alright.
O: That’s why, I’ll make sure to avoid reaching that kind of extreme situation (laughs).
--(laughs) But in the end, you’re all conscious of the fact that you’re a member of Arashi in any situation, aren’t you?
S: I wonder… I guess I’m always aware of that fact, but it’s not like I keep thinking about it day and night. How should I describe it? It’s like since it’s a reality, that’s all there is to it.
M: Isn’t it something that you don’t necessarily have to be conscious about anymore?
S: That’s true. It’s like, “I’m Arashi.” That’s it.
A: As for me, I felt a strong sense of responsibility when I had pneumothorax in the past.
M: We were already appreciative that you were able to go with us.
A: I got pneumothorax around a week before we left for Hawaii so I wasn’t sure whether I would have been able to ride the plane to Hawaii for the fan event at the time. But I miraculously recovered at an astounding rate so I was able to go in the end (laughs).
N: You wouldn’t normally say that yourself (laughs).
A: (laughs) It was really close. I wasn’t able to sing or dance, so I couldn’t help but contemplate about it during the talks I was able to participate in. I felt frustrated, like, why this timing?
M: It’s a regret that was relieved with the decision to hold our 15th anniversary concert in Hawaii though, right?
A: Yeah. There’s a long story to our Hawaii concert from the perspective of someone who knows about it (laughs).
M: But well, I think you had a really strong determination. I mean, the rest of us thought that we’d be going with only the four of us. Plus, although you said that you recovered miraculously, you hadn’t fully recovered at the time, you know (laughs).
A: (laughs) I hadn’t. I was still undergoing treatment.
N: You probably wouldn’t be allowed to go if it happened now. It’s a situation where you could possibly worsen your condition in the aeroplane. No matter how much you ask, you probably wouldn’t be allowed on the plane in this current age.
--The five of you seem to hold a very strong sense of responsibility as a member of Arashi, even from before.
N: Yeah, we do.
S: We might have a strong sense of responsibility, but it feels normal to us.
--The sixth topic onwards will be in relation to the Arashi from now on. I’d like to ask the reason you named the newest album 「untitled」.
N: How did you like it when you heard it? Was it cool?
S: He’s leading you on (laughs).
--(laughs) First of all, I wondered just how many other artists could actually work with this sort of title aside from Arashi.
M: Tell us more, tell us more! (laughs)
--It’s a title which seems usable, but there’s also a chance some people may be in disbelief thinking, “What are they doing, trying to make their title seem deep?” But you can’t help but feel like the title really has a deep meaning when it comes to Arashi. If I had to relate this to a band who could come up with such a title, it’d be a group like Mr. Children. Other than that, I wonder if there would be any other idol or pop group aside from Arashi where this sort of title would be practical at all.
S: We’re honoured to hear that.
M: My friend just told me, “so you haven’t decided” instead (laughs).
N: (laughs) He has a fair point, doesn’t he?
--How did you think about and decide on the title?
S: We wanted to challenge ourselves. It’s become natural for us to try something new each year nowadays. It was new for us as we produced THE DIGITALIAN in 2014 and Japonism the year after, as new as it was when we conceived the laid-back Are You Happy? after Japonism. They were all things that were new to us, but we wanted to make this year’s album particularly full of challenges. We talked a lot about how challenges aren’t all about singing a new music style. Instead, really fun songs we’ve never done before, along with really moving ballads could also become challenges for us. We agreed that cool songs for the five of us to dance to doesn’t necessarily mean the only method of challenging something new. All in all, we chose this title with our desire to produce new things that are different to what we’ve done in the past.
--The deep thought that goes into how one should represent new challenges in music – I particularly find it interesting how you seem to take it one step further and try to extend your boundaries.
M: If we discuss the recent years, we explored the theme of the far future that is beyond us in THE DIGITALIAN and the year after that we chose a theme that was the complete opposite. We focused our album, Japonism, on the country we were born and raised in, along with the defining Johnny’s entertainment we’ve continued to produce. It was a theme explaining that we can realise the things we should be doing in the present by learning about the past. After that, we produced Are You Happy? in the hopes of embodying 2016 so it was inevitable that the next thing we would think of is a theme that focuses on the future from now on. We’ve reminisced about the past a couple of times during the past few years, so it feels about time to start moving forward towards the future again. We included those feelings of expectations for the future within our album production.
--By the way, was everyone in full agreement with each other about the concept?
S: Not really. There were twists and turns and everyone’s ideas were everywhere so it was quite difficult, actually. We were quite indecisive.
--When the title 「untitled」appeared as an idea, did everyone accept it with no qualms?
N: I wonder…?
O: I don’t remember (laughs).
N: Didn’t we spend quite a bit of time choosing the theme of our newest album?
S: I forgot the details of how the process went, but I felt like it was more difficult than usual every other year.
M: Well, the idea of “what will happen beyond us” is hard to grasp, after all. It’s easier with “the present” as the theme because we can just produce things we currently want to try and the music styles we currently enjoy. When it comes to Japonism and its theme of the past, it was easier to think about and we decided to have each of us individually execute a performance each. But when it comes to “what will happen from now on,” everyone has difficulty trying to get a grasp of what they can envision, so it’s hard to put into words when we try to discuss the possibilities with everyone. That’s why, there were a lot of meetings this time that were unproductive (laughs).
--The next topic is something that flows on smoothly from where we have left off, so I will continue on. What sort of projects do the five of you ideally want to challenge from now? Aiba-chan previously mentioned that you had reached the top (laughs).
A: (laughs) That was a joke, though. I said it as a joke, but well, I’m really grateful that we’ve been given so many opportunities to experience all sorts of different things. I feel like we’ve been able to do all the things I can think of so far.
M: On top of everything that we’ve done, maybe a musical with the five of us (laughs).
A: (laughs) That’s a good idea. We’ve been allowed to do so many things to the extent where it’s hard to think of new ideas to suggest. It’s also hard to envision what sort of new experiences we could have from now on, right?
--The word “Unfinished” (3) is a keyword that appears to consistently appear within the concept of this album. It might be hard to put into words, but what sort of ideals does Arashi have?
Everyone: ……………
M: ……How we currently feel is the same as how we feel during our meetings (laughs).
N: Yeah, he’s exactly right. That’s a hard question.
A: It’s not like we’re chasing after any goals. Instead, it’s more like we’re walking step by step on a path in which we can’t see beyond us and stop once in a while to realise where we are. It’s as if we’re climbing a mountain.
M: You just climbed up a mountain (on Arashi ni Shiyagare) after all.
S: He’s being influenced by it (laughs).
A: (laughs) If we compare it to mountain climbing, it’s tough to continue walking when it’s bright and you can’t see the path beyond you. Rather than planning to walk a certain distance by a certain time, it’s less strenuous to walk in the dark at night without knowing where you’re going and stop to realise, “Ah, I’ve come this far.”
S: In other words, it’s easier for us to work amidst the darkness in which you’re unable to see a specific goal you plan to reach—
A: Yeah. I think that it’s easier that way for me.
S: Alright, they’ve decided on which sentence of yours they’ll increase the font size of on the page. Congratulations (laughs).
--It seems like you’re able to explain yourself in more detail with the analogy. I’m starting realise how hard it is otherwise to explain how Arashi thinks.
A: That might be true.
--Well then, shall I ask Leader to answer the question in terms of fishing? (laughs)
N: Let’s try it once.
O: …If I was to compare it to fishing, there was a period in time when we were completely unable to fish anything. Then out of nowhere, we were suddenly able to fish an amount no one has ever fished before.
A: Compared to our rivals, he means.
M: Is everyone riding on the same boat?
O: Yep. Everyone’s fishing on the same boat and someone suddenly fished a really big fish. One of us caught a big fish and everyone else follows except me. As a result, I start to panic. In the end, I end up with a catch, but someone else caught something bigger and it just goes back and forth.
Everyone: (laughs)
A: His method of explanation is so peculiar so you don’t get it, right? (laughs)
M: Is it making any sense? (laughs)
--(laughs) I see.
S: “I see”?! (laughs)
--In other words, the five of you spent time together—
O: Which all accumulated into one outcome.
--I wonder if you have ideals for work that are constantly in store as a result of the pause before the sudden accumulation.
M: I only know for myself and not everyone else, but when I take myself out of the picture and look at Arashi as consisting only of the other four members, there are ideas that I want to work on which come to mind. I was able to imagine a lot of ideas by thinking about the other members in Are You Happy? for example. Whilst it’s difficult to think about it as Arashi, there are sometimes ideals which surface in mind by changing the perspective I look at ourselves.
--It's sort of like the other four members are mirrors for you to think of ideas.
M: Yeah. It’s how I personally think, though.
--Putting Arashi’s ideals into words is very hard, but it appears to me that it definitely exists. Therefore, I’m sure you’ll continue to progress powerfully.
N: In fact, aren’t our ideals and reality quite close together? It’s to the extent where we're not dissatisfied at all with the reality we’re faced with. I think our ideals are quite close to what we’re currently doing right now.
--The next question connects to this question: What sort of challenges does Arashi want to face together from now on?
M: I think if we were to put it into Aiba-san’s analogy of mountain climbing, it’d be to explore the mountains. Things like deciding which mountain we should climb next. I believe it’s important for us to choose which mountain to climb ourselves after all the different experiences we’ve had. We should also decide as a group, because there’s no meaning to it if there’s someone who doesn’t want to challenge the climb. It’s a climb which everyone does together, after all. In terms of what it is—it doesn’t matter as much, in my opinion. It’s more important that everyone is facing the same direction.
--You have a very positive mindset even when it comes to discussing challenges. You don’t think about what you’re missing as a group but instead what you can do with your current selves. It’s difficult to find it without everyone facing towards the same direction, but considering the fact that you have continued to successfully produce albums and concerts all these years gives me confidence that the five of you will find the answer.
M: Of course, we do have the desire for improvement which is why we sometimes give suggestions here and there. It’s not quite like we point things out in a negative light, though. At the end of the day, I think it’s more important that we think about what we can currently work with.
--When the keyword「untitled」came up as you were naming the title of the album, did you feel like you saw a new mountain to climb?
A: The path in front of us is still completely dark. On top of the fact that our fans haven’t heard our album yet at this point in time, we still have to increase our efforts from 100% to around 120%~130% as we plan the concert performances. The full impact of the tracks still hasn’t been completed in that sense. The fans’ reaction would also contribute to the significance of the songs, too.
--The track, Song for you, is a remarkable tune even within this album.
S: That song was a challenge for us.
--It felt like you were challenging something new and on top of that, it seems to portray the tale of Arashi’s journeys up until now. Furthermore, the “you” in “Song for you” personally left a strong impression on me. Did you sing this song with a particular intention in mind?
N: The meaning encompassed within the song is probably to do with our roots as an artist. I think it’s generally been the case every time from our debut song up until now. We don’t normally sing songs for ourselves. Instead, we sing for those who take the time to listen to them. I think that the feelings we’ve incorporated within the song are related to our origins.
--And it became this incredibly epic song when you incorporate those feelings directly into the song production?
N: It is incredibly epic, isn’t it? (laughs)
M: Did it feel really long?
--No, I was completely drawn in. It felt like I was watching a movie.
M: You sure said something good!
--It didn’t feel long at all.
A: Huh~ Even though the song’s eleven minutes?
S: Your lunch break will end in no time if you listen to it repeatedly (laughs).
M: The theme of what we planned to sing was initially completely different to what we ended up with. We ended up changing it after there was discussion where we concluded that it has to be based on our own story as an artist. The reason for that was largely because this song was labelled as the one and only musical suite in our album. After our discussion, we scrapped our initial plans and shaped it into how it is now. However, we aren’t claiming that the story is strictly ours despite our basis for its conception. We just wanted our music to reach those who take the time to listen to them through our tale. I’m sure that many of our fans will interpret the song the same way we produced it when they hear the song, but it’d be nice for those who aren’t our fans to interpret the song differently if they have the chance to listen to it as well.
--There are unit songs in this album which comprise of various groupings. As a result, I think that the relationship between individual members are a point to look out for in this album, along with the group relationship as a whole. What new relationships will the five of you forge between each other from now on?
A: Will our current relationships change?
S: I can’t really imagine it transform from how it is right now. To compare the bonds between our members to a rope, it’s like the five of us are individual strings that have continued to tangle with each other and formed a thicker, sturdier rope. That’s why, I can’t really imagine that it would be possible to make the rope any denser, but I’d like to continue to treasure the rope as it currently is. It’s really hard to explain it in words to people who aren’t us. To put it simply, there’s no real basis for how others can empathise with our situation. Although it’s true that time has fostered the bonds between us and increased its strength, there’s more to it that I can’t describe. Arashi’s bonds are special to us. Even if other people may say that there are similar bonds that exist elsewhere, I don’t think the bonds within Arashi exist anywhere else. That’s why it’s so hard to explain.
N: If someone said they understood, then they’d be a member of Arashi.
S: They should be congratulated (laughs).
M: Let’s work with the six of us from now on (laughs).
S: You’re Arashi from today (laughs).
M: You’re Arashi!! (laughs)
S: I wonder how it will be from now on. What do you think, Aiba-san?
A: Hmmm…… I don’t think we would consciously think about changing it. There is a chance something could change as a result of a new experience, but we don’t really plan how we want our relationships to become.
--Well then, the final topic is: the concerts Arashi will perform from now on. In a way, this question is highly relevant to the concert that you will be performing soon for this new album. What sort of ideas do you have so far?
M: At this point, there’s still a lot that needs to be completed, but I think the end product will be something that is quite experimental. Both the album title, 「untitled」and the songs within the album have been the same, after all. I think that there’ll be lots of fresh aspects to look forward to, along with similar features which we have continued to implement in our live performances each year. It seems like it’ll become a concert with innovative features which we can enjoy and look forward to producing as well.
--Arashi’s live performances always appear quite challenging, both physically and mentally. Although I realise that challenging yourselves is an important process for the quality of performances you produce, it seems like it’s going to be a lot of tough preparation for you in the months to come.
S: I believe that we all feel strongly about wanting to deliver a satisfying performance for everyone who comes. After all, concerts define who we are. While we are allowed to explore other areas of work in the entertainment industry, concerts are essentially the purpose of what we do. Even though it seems like a clichéd answer, concerts are the one place in which we can demonstrate Arashi’s raw identity to our fans. We switch to different gears for variety shows and probably switch as well when we do our individual jobs. Therefore, we feel like we have to deliver an impressive concert performance representing the true Arashi.
--Every new concert performance, Arashi always produces something new. Amidst the talk of the new album, 「untitled」 the idea of a “raw Arashi” performance popped up. I’m looking forward to it. It’s alright for me to expect a lot from the five of you, right?
M: Of course!
Notes:
(1) The lyrics: “聞き慣れないネーミング 突然乗り込んだCruiser”
(2) The lyrics: “暗闇から光、僕らが拓いていく時代、なんてあの頃はいきがり”
(3) Also the meaning for their lead song in their new album 未完 (Mikan)
While I try to keep my translations as close as possible to the original text, it may not be 100% accurate. Feel free to correct any mistakes you may find.
Please do not repost/retranslate without permission! Thank you.
Current Mood: 
accomplished
accomplishedCurrent Music: Arashi: Hikari
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