[article] KinKi Kids (duet 2000/01)
t/n: I'm not too sure if I've romanized some of the readers' names right (I just went with common readings found on wikipedia), but I don't think it matters very much to this translation. :p As usual, words in the brackets have been inferred.
So you want to know more~?
The Truth about Us
Straightforwardly answering our readers' questions!
A collaborative TALK SHOW by
KINKI KIDS
This month, KinKi Kids will answer all our readers' questions with a bang! What's more, they interrupted each other during questions that were directed to their partner... Even while saying, "Eh~, you still want to know more about us!?", Koichi & Tsuyoshi still gave their answers seriously ♪
~
Koichi: Ehh, we've received many postcards in which questions to us are asked. Thank you.
Tsuyoshi: Alright, without delay, let's go on to the 'work' compilation. 'Out of all the dramas you've acted in up to now, what was your most difficult role?' From Yoshida Chieko-san of Yamagata prefecture.
Koichi: Umm, probably for 'Ningen shikkaku', because it was a role that was ambiguous and involved idiosyncrasies.
Tsuyoshi: For me, probably Yuuji from 'to Heart', because it was the first passive role I played. (Yuuji) wasn't honest with his own feelings and was simply on the receiving end of Touko's actions. Since I would experience it whenever Yuuji was doing something or other, it was really difficult to (act as him).
Koichi: Right, 'If you were to become a director of dramas, what sort of drama would you create, and who would you get to star in it?' The question is from Sohara Kimiko-san of Saitama prefecture.
Tsuyoshi: I really want to frankly portray a man's way of life, like (that of) some awkward guy who has always been in love with a girl.
Koichi: Umm, I don't want to become a director... How should I say it, it's better to be the one who expresses things rather than to be the one who creates them. Besides, if I were to be the creator, I think that I would be overly-detailed in my instructions about how to get this and that done. Because of that, it would honestly be better if I didn't say very much.
Tsuyoshi: Hmm, for me, I think I'd like a turn at being the creator because I feel much more at ease working behind the scenes. Ah, there's also a question that goes like this: 'During concerts, KinKi doesn't meet their fans' gazes. Why is this so?' From Kajino Tamae-san of Hiroshima prefecture.
Koichi: I wonder if that person noticed it from a seat in the arena. In my case, I basically don't look down much, because the people sitting in the upper seats can only see the top of my head. During concerts, I'm mostly keeping my eyes on the second floor.
Tsuyoshi: I did have the intention of letting my eyes meet (with the fans'), and I'm alright at doing it quickly... Well, I guess I unconsciously look down since I've always been bad with being in front of an audience, and I become nervous when people's attention is on me.
Koichi: What about this one? From Ooshita Miyuki-san of Kagoshima, 'If KinKi were to stop work for a week starting from tomorrow, what other jobs would the both of you want to pick up?'
Tsuyoshi: I guess I'd become a songwriter. Oh, and because it's work, I don't think of it as having the feeling of 'it's fun~'. For lyrics, I dislike writing them for myself, but I think that it would be fine to write them for other people.
Koichi: If KinKi really were to stop activities for a week, I wouldn't work. （笑） More or less, I don't have any particular skills so I wouldn't be able to do any significant jobs... Ah, but I want to ride a motorcycle, so I suppose I'd be a dispatch rider.
Tsuyoshi: Alright, and what's this one? 'If you could get a 10-day break, what would you do?', and, ah, the name was left out, 16-year-old from Kagoshima-san.
Koichi: I'll think about that when the time comes and not make any plans now.
Tsuyoshi: That's just like you (to say that). As for me, I'd sleep. I'd write no more than one song, then, ahh, I'd take it easy and sleep.
Koichi: There's also this one: 'The both of you know every detail about each other, such as the merits and shortcomings of the other person's personality, and preferences when it comes to girls or food, don't you?' The person who's asking this is Yoshida Chieko-san from Yamagata.
Tsuyoshi: It's not everything, but I do know a lot. We've already been together for 7~8 years.
Koichi: I don't know every detail, but I do know (about Tsuyoshi) quite well. Although, I don't think that I know a friend that I get along with better. Then again, I don't know what Tsuyoshi does in his everyday life or for fun.
Tsuyoshi: That's right, I may know about him as a partner, but we don't know about each other's private lives at all. Although, Koichi is someone who values his own time very much. That's not the case for me. The time I spend together with my family or a lover, for example, is what I'll always value more than being alone.
Koichi: Ah, for me, if a girlfriend were to pull the "The time you spend with me is more important, isn't it?" sort of behaviour on me, I wouldn't really like it. That's because the time I spend on my own and meeting up with my male friends is very important.
Tsuyoshi: Next, this is? Abe Mamiko-san from Kumamoto asks, 'If you had a girlfriend, would you be the type to call, or the type that would wait (to meet up)?'
Koichi: It's both, isn't it? I'd hate to make calls while at work, but while I'm back home, I'd want to call her up and talk even till late, and I'd also be happy to receive calls from her.
Tsuyoshi: It's both for me too. I don't think that it's annoying, even for noisy calls from someone like Touko from 'to Heart'. If I had a lover, I think that I would be the sort of person to make a call the moment I reached home and report about things which happened throughout the day.
Koichi: Then, 'What is something that you will definitely not allow your girlfriend to do, simply from her expressing a desire (to do it)?' From of Maeda Kanon-san of Kouchi prefecture.
Tsuyoshi: You know, I have a friend whose girlfriend said, "I'm sorry, but I'm going overseas with my friends" to him at Christmas. If it was me, I'd be crying. To have her give preference to her friends at such a time... naa.
Koichi: "I can't understand the work you do". Isn't that out of the question? Because if there is doubt, then no matter the extent of it, there's still doubt. It's important to trust.
Tsuyoshi: 'Tell us about the types of girls that you dislike, too', from Oono Yuuko-san of Tokyo. For me, it's self-centered people. I really hate that.
Koichi: Those who just pretend to know (everything) about me and blatantly say superficial things based on that. Those who gloss over things. Those who are hypocritical. [He actually uses 'yatsu' all three times, which can be used in a derogatory manner, probably to show that only a despicable girl would act in that way.]
Tsuyoshi: From Kondou Mami-san of Aichi prefecture, 'Do you think that age is a concern when it comes to romance?'
Koichi: I guess it is. Though there are many instances in which it isn't... Although, I hang out with people who don't think that age matters, so it's alright as long as you get along well, right?
Tsuyoshi: It matters to me somewhat, but not as much as it would seem. I haven't actually thought about the maximum age for a person I would have a relationship with.
Koichi: There's a question that's for Tsuyoshi. This is from Hirai Ayu-san of Aichi. 'Out of so many dogs, why did Tsuyoshi-kun choose his beloved dog, Kenshiro What sort of little one is Kenshiro?'
Tsuyoshi: My reason for choosing him, is because I felt that it was destiny. As for his character, he's a really conscientious dog. He gets lonely easily. He's a dog and so he gets more mischievous too, but that seldom happens. When he's around many people he gets tired and falls asleep right away, and when you get mad at him or when he has an upset stomach, he throws up... A friend said to me, "His eyes really resemble yours", but my opinion was, "This child, he has eyes that seem lonely naa". I just get to thinking about how to make him happy. Although, it's good that animals don't lie. Really, I'm glad that I have him.
Koichi: I'm thinking of keeping (a dog) too.
Tsuyoshi: There are questions for Koichi too. From Iihara Chizuru-san of Kanagawa prefecture, 'Have you stopped being the prince on the white horse?'
Koichi: I'm not the prince on the white horse yet... It's a joke, a joke.
Tsuyoshi: There's a question like this too: 'Koichi-kun has the image of being cool, but what are you normally like?' From Fujise Keiko-san of Chiba.
Koichi: I no longer have that, do I? The image of being cool. I do various kinds of things. Although, I'm probably more cool when I'm being ordinary. I'm a person of few words even when I'm on variety shows and such, pretty much because I dislike speaking.
Tsuyoshi: Let me answer: "My partner is an old man in the dressing room."
Koichi: Why is that? Alright, I shall choose the next one in old maid fashion. 'Have you ever been into your partner's room?' From Nishio Mariko-san of Osaka.
Tsuyoshi: Neither of us have (been into their partner's room).
Koichi: The furthest is the building's facade.
Tsuyoshi: If I may take the opportunity to say this, would you like to answer the question, 'What sort of room do you stay in?' From Nishibori Sanzen-san, also from Osaka.
Koichi: The living room is western-style, and the curtains, sofa, and walls are white. It looks completely like it hasn't been lived in. The other day, Nagase (Tomoya) came over and was fooling around near the wall, spinning around and around. He slumped against it and his jeans made a blue mark. The next day, "Ahh!!", I discovered it, and I gave my home a wipe-down with cleaning agents. （笑） My bedroom has a lived-in feel. It's not in a total mess, but there are tapes and video tapes, as well as loads of miscellaneous goods from doing this job. I can't throw them away, so my bedroom is filled with such small objects. However, it's essentially neat.
Tsuyoshi: Mine is a western-style room done up Japanese-style. The chest of drawers is made from paulownia wood, and the table looks like a tree that's been split evenly into two, things like that... I wanted it to satisfy my requirements for a space I return to to relax mentally, so I provided for it without concern for things like a budget. The feel of the room as it is now is good. I can really lounge around in it.
Koichi: We're gradually reaching the end. So, this sort of question, from Tsushima Moe-san of Hokkaido, 'Please tell us your partner's good points'. What do you think of that?
Tsuyoshi: For things like emceeing which I'm bad at, he does them for me.
Koichi: Tsuyoshi is kind, he is. And now, this is really the last question. Let's go. From Tooyama Kyouko of Chiba, 'If you could change who you are, what would you want to become?'
Tsuyoshi: Umm, for me, it would be someone working behind the scenes.
Koichi: For me, a cat looked after by a happy household.
Tsuyoshi: But, we both answered the same question ra~ther differently. (We) really have such different characters.
Koichi: Well, isn't that the good thing about balance? （笑）
So you want to know more~?
The Truth about Us
Straightforwardly answering our readers' questions!
A collaborative TALK SHOW by
KINKI KIDS
This month, KinKi Kids will answer all our readers' questions with a bang! What's more, they interrupted each other during questions that were directed to their partner... Even while saying, "Eh~, you still want to know more about us!?", Koichi & Tsuyoshi still gave their answers seriously ♪
~
Koichi: Ehh, we've received many postcards in which questions to us are asked. Thank you.
Tsuyoshi: Alright, without delay, let's go on to the 'work' compilation. 'Out of all the dramas you've acted in up to now, what was your most difficult role?' From Yoshida Chieko-san of Yamagata prefecture.
Koichi: Umm, probably for 'Ningen shikkaku', because it was a role that was ambiguous and involved idiosyncrasies.
Tsuyoshi: For me, probably Yuuji from 'to Heart', because it was the first passive role I played. (Yuuji) wasn't honest with his own feelings and was simply on the receiving end of Touko's actions. Since I would experience it whenever Yuuji was doing something or other, it was really difficult to (act as him).
Koichi: Right, 'If you were to become a director of dramas, what sort of drama would you create, and who would you get to star in it?' The question is from Sohara Kimiko-san of Saitama prefecture.
Tsuyoshi: I really want to frankly portray a man's way of life, like (that of) some awkward guy who has always been in love with a girl.
Koichi: Umm, I don't want to become a director... How should I say it, it's better to be the one who expresses things rather than to be the one who creates them. Besides, if I were to be the creator, I think that I would be overly-detailed in my instructions about how to get this and that done. Because of that, it would honestly be better if I didn't say very much.
Tsuyoshi: Hmm, for me, I think I'd like a turn at being the creator because I feel much more at ease working behind the scenes. Ah, there's also a question that goes like this: 'During concerts, KinKi doesn't meet their fans' gazes. Why is this so?' From Kajino Tamae-san of Hiroshima prefecture.
Koichi: I wonder if that person noticed it from a seat in the arena. In my case, I basically don't look down much, because the people sitting in the upper seats can only see the top of my head. During concerts, I'm mostly keeping my eyes on the second floor.
Tsuyoshi: I did have the intention of letting my eyes meet (with the fans'), and I'm alright at doing it quickly... Well, I guess I unconsciously look down since I've always been bad with being in front of an audience, and I become nervous when people's attention is on me.
Koichi: What about this one? From Ooshita Miyuki-san of Kagoshima, 'If KinKi were to stop work for a week starting from tomorrow, what other jobs would the both of you want to pick up?'
Tsuyoshi: I guess I'd become a songwriter. Oh, and because it's work, I don't think of it as having the feeling of 'it's fun~'. For lyrics, I dislike writing them for myself, but I think that it would be fine to write them for other people.
Koichi: If KinKi really were to stop activities for a week, I wouldn't work. （笑） More or less, I don't have any particular skills so I wouldn't be able to do any significant jobs... Ah, but I want to ride a motorcycle, so I suppose I'd be a dispatch rider.
Tsuyoshi: Alright, and what's this one? 'If you could get a 10-day break, what would you do?', and, ah, the name was left out, 16-year-old from Kagoshima-san.
Koichi: I'll think about that when the time comes and not make any plans now.
Tsuyoshi: That's just like you (to say that). As for me, I'd sleep. I'd write no more than one song, then, ahh, I'd take it easy and sleep.
Koichi: There's also this one: 'The both of you know every detail about each other, such as the merits and shortcomings of the other person's personality, and preferences when it comes to girls or food, don't you?' The person who's asking this is Yoshida Chieko-san from Yamagata.
Tsuyoshi: It's not everything, but I do know a lot. We've already been together for 7~8 years.
Koichi: I don't know every detail, but I do know (about Tsuyoshi) quite well. Although, I don't think that I know a friend that I get along with better. Then again, I don't know what Tsuyoshi does in his everyday life or for fun.
Tsuyoshi: That's right, I may know about him as a partner, but we don't know about each other's private lives at all. Although, Koichi is someone who values his own time very much. That's not the case for me. The time I spend together with my family or a lover, for example, is what I'll always value more than being alone.
Koichi: Ah, for me, if a girlfriend were to pull the "The time you spend with me is more important, isn't it?" sort of behaviour on me, I wouldn't really like it. That's because the time I spend on my own and meeting up with my male friends is very important.
Tsuyoshi: Next, this is? Abe Mamiko-san from Kumamoto asks, 'If you had a girlfriend, would you be the type to call, or the type that would wait (to meet up)?'
Koichi: It's both, isn't it? I'd hate to make calls while at work, but while I'm back home, I'd want to call her up and talk even till late, and I'd also be happy to receive calls from her.
Tsuyoshi: It's both for me too. I don't think that it's annoying, even for noisy calls from someone like Touko from 'to Heart'. If I had a lover, I think that I would be the sort of person to make a call the moment I reached home and report about things which happened throughout the day.
Koichi: Then, 'What is something that you will definitely not allow your girlfriend to do, simply from her expressing a desire (to do it)?' From of Maeda Kanon-san of Kouchi prefecture.
Tsuyoshi: You know, I have a friend whose girlfriend said, "I'm sorry, but I'm going overseas with my friends" to him at Christmas. If it was me, I'd be crying. To have her give preference to her friends at such a time... naa.
Koichi: "I can't understand the work you do". Isn't that out of the question? Because if there is doubt, then no matter the extent of it, there's still doubt. It's important to trust.
Tsuyoshi: 'Tell us about the types of girls that you dislike, too', from Oono Yuuko-san of Tokyo. For me, it's self-centered people. I really hate that.
Koichi: Those who just pretend to know (everything) about me and blatantly say superficial things based on that. Those who gloss over things. Those who are hypocritical. [He actually uses 'yatsu' all three times, which can be used in a derogatory manner, probably to show that only a despicable girl would act in that way.]
Tsuyoshi: From Kondou Mami-san of Aichi prefecture, 'Do you think that age is a concern when it comes to romance?'
Koichi: I guess it is. Though there are many instances in which it isn't... Although, I hang out with people who don't think that age matters, so it's alright as long as you get along well, right?
Tsuyoshi: It matters to me somewhat, but not as much as it would seem. I haven't actually thought about the maximum age for a person I would have a relationship with.
Koichi: There's a question that's for Tsuyoshi. This is from Hirai Ayu-san of Aichi. 'Out of so many dogs, why did Tsuyoshi-kun choose his beloved dog, Kenshiro What sort of little one is Kenshiro?'
Tsuyoshi: My reason for choosing him, is because I felt that it was destiny. As for his character, he's a really conscientious dog. He gets lonely easily. He's a dog and so he gets more mischievous too, but that seldom happens. When he's around many people he gets tired and falls asleep right away, and when you get mad at him or when he has an upset stomach, he throws up... A friend said to me, "His eyes really resemble yours", but my opinion was, "This child, he has eyes that seem lonely naa". I just get to thinking about how to make him happy. Although, it's good that animals don't lie. Really, I'm glad that I have him.
Koichi: I'm thinking of keeping (a dog) too.
Tsuyoshi: There are questions for Koichi too. From Iihara Chizuru-san of Kanagawa prefecture, 'Have you stopped being the prince on the white horse?'
Koichi: I'm not the prince on the white horse yet... It's a joke, a joke.
Tsuyoshi: There's a question like this too: 'Koichi-kun has the image of being cool, but what are you normally like?' From Fujise Keiko-san of Chiba.
Koichi: I no longer have that, do I? The image of being cool. I do various kinds of things. Although, I'm probably more cool when I'm being ordinary. I'm a person of few words even when I'm on variety shows and such, pretty much because I dislike speaking.
Tsuyoshi: Let me answer: "My partner is an old man in the dressing room."
Koichi: Why is that? Alright, I shall choose the next one in old maid fashion. 'Have you ever been into your partner's room?' From Nishio Mariko-san of Osaka.
Tsuyoshi: Neither of us have (been into their partner's room).
Koichi: The furthest is the building's facade.
Tsuyoshi: If I may take the opportunity to say this, would you like to answer the question, 'What sort of room do you stay in?' From Nishibori Sanzen-san, also from Osaka.
Koichi: The living room is western-style, and the curtains, sofa, and walls are white. It looks completely like it hasn't been lived in. The other day, Nagase (Tomoya) came over and was fooling around near the wall, spinning around and around. He slumped against it and his jeans made a blue mark. The next day, "Ahh!!", I discovered it, and I gave my home a wipe-down with cleaning agents. （笑） My bedroom has a lived-in feel. It's not in a total mess, but there are tapes and video tapes, as well as loads of miscellaneous goods from doing this job. I can't throw them away, so my bedroom is filled with such small objects. However, it's essentially neat.
Tsuyoshi: Mine is a western-style room done up Japanese-style. The chest of drawers is made from paulownia wood, and the table looks like a tree that's been split evenly into two, things like that... I wanted it to satisfy my requirements for a space I return to to relax mentally, so I provided for it without concern for things like a budget. The feel of the room as it is now is good. I can really lounge around in it.
Koichi: We're gradually reaching the end. So, this sort of question, from Tsushima Moe-san of Hokkaido, 'Please tell us your partner's good points'. What do you think of that?
Tsuyoshi: For things like emceeing which I'm bad at, he does them for me.
Koichi: Tsuyoshi is kind, he is. And now, this is really the last question. Let's go. From Tooyama Kyouko of Chiba, 'If you could change who you are, what would you want to become?'
Tsuyoshi: Umm, for me, it would be someone working behind the scenes.
Koichi: For me, a cat looked after by a happy household.
Tsuyoshi: But, we both answered the same question ra~ther differently. (We) really have such different characters.
Koichi: Well, isn't that the good thing about balance? （笑）