Nino More 04/2011
New translation. ♥
Episode 28: How Far Enjoyment Goes
He's calm, a bit of a brat, obstinate, too innocent-- Every month we meet with Nino, he's there with different faces. But generally, he looks like he's having fun. Even the days he's in bad humor there are moments when he smiles a smile of enjoyment, and when those around him seem to be having fun, he smiles in pleasure. For him, there are likely different kinds of "fun."
You can only judge based on whether your work is enjoyable. At least, that's how it is for me. And recently I felt that way all over again.
That's what he says when speaking about his work at the end of last year, being the host of Kohaku.
It's a great thing that Arashi got to host as a group of five for the first time, so I feel like the viewing audience might have found it refreshing. I don't know about the other members, but I didn't have the time to be nervous about it. Though I wasn't the facilitator, and I didn't really have a lot of set lines (smiling). There are lots of people who have said to me, "What an amazing thing, to be the host of Kohaku!", but when you really think about it, what's amazing, I wonder? Just how much greater is it than serialization in MORE? You can't calculate that. And it's not just limited to work; the importance of the things you accomplish isn't something you can calculate, so you can only judge based on how much fun you have yourself while doing it. Of course it's important to do things properly, but in the end, how much fun you have is everything.
Within society there are things that we all mutually understand, and yet for Nino, there are "vague words" and "meaningless standards of worth" that confuse him.
For example, the word "responsibility". Are you someone who feels responsible? When I'm asked that, I say yes, but… inside I also think, responsibility in regards to what? And "pressure" is the same. Just how much do I have to bear, and how heavy does it have to be? Everyone has different experiences and sensitivities, so the answer will be different. There is no standard "normal", right? (smiling) For things that no one can share the same importance or have the same impression, there's no easy answer. Also, when people say to me, "Nino, you're amazing," I don't get that either. And that's a problem. I don't mean it in a weird way, but even when people say, "Nino, you're amazing," I don't know what part of me they mean, or who they're comparing me to to come to that conclusion. There's no right answer, so I end up thinking I shouldn't think too hard on it.
He's not trying to attack with logic. There's a hint of loneliness wrapped up in these honest doubts he murmurs. The sensitivity he projects and his idiosyncrasies are a lonely thing. Nonetheless, he doesn't think about filling in those gaps.
I never think things like, "I'm not getting through to them," or "I want them to understand me," or "Please tell me what you think about me." There are people who ask those things when they're drunk, but no matter how drunk I get, I never want to ask (smiling). I mean, I've never once asked in my whole life. I wonder why? It might be that it's some sense I was born with, or maybe it's that there's never been anyone I've really wanted to ask. At any rate, I'm pretty sure that the fact that I don't bother with such things just proves I'm a cocky person.
To speak together frankly is only an act.
Last night I had a New Year's Party* with my music teacher and my magic teacher, and it was super fun! I went to my favorite restaurant, and my magic teacher just happened to be there, and I thought since it was a great opportunity I'd call my music teacher too. In the end, there were over ten of us gathered together. People from different industries, and it's not like we talked about anything important and there were people who were drunk, but everyone was enthusiastic and seemed to be having fun. I like that kind of relaxed atmosphere. There are guys who say that fighting and exchanging heated words brings men together, and I won't argue with that, but I don't really understand it. The might want to deepen or validate their relationship, but…. that's not the real thing. There are also people who want to get drunk and speak frankly, but honestly, if someone says that to me I lose interest. (smiling) When someone asks me, right at that moment, if feel like the hierarchical relationship gets established. If someone tells me they want me to be frank, I will be, but what are you going to understand from that? People aren't like that. I feel like it's not something you're supposed to grasp when it's a vague thing. For example, if you see the person you like every day and tell them you love them, is that really love? I feel like it's much deeper if on the days you can't see them, you wonder about them and whether or not they've had lunch that day.
The things Nino feels aren't seen with the eyes, and aren't heard with the ears, but instead something exquisite found in the depths of the heart. He's the type able to link together on a deep level without being bound by substantial things or by values. Wouldn't that be the ultimate romanticist!?
To label this sort of thinking as a romanticist and make it seem special would make the world a boring place. I mean, to me, this is just something that's normal (smiling). It's the same with work and with relationships with people and everything else, but it's more fun, and enjoyable, if you don't convince yourself that everything is set into a particular way. I think then it can be fun even when things can be difficult.
~
Photo caption:
When asked about his valuable ten-day vacation over New Year's, he says, "This year I did my best to stay home." Last year and the year before, he said, "I organized my receipts at home and at my parents'." And this time he says….. "I did it this year, too. Organizing my receipts. Because it's not like I have much else to do. And it's not just mine, when I go back to my parents' house it's become a habit to do all the receipts in the house. (smiling)"
~
* Note: In Japan, New Years parties don't often fall on NYE. They have end of year parties many times during December, and then new year parties during January. The actual Eve itself is traditionally spent with family, but they use December and January as an excuse for lots of drinking and partying. :)'
~
★ I don't often respond to comments, since there are a lot, but I do read every single one. Feel free to discuss!
★ You may quote pieces of this translation freely on graphics. If you are reposting parts to Tumblr or elsewhere, please link back to this post so people know where to find the original. (Preferably to sunina, not aeslis.)
★ Please do NOT re-translate this into other languages.
★ I don't give permission for this to be turned into a scanslation either. Sorry!
★ If you have any questions or corrections, feel free to comment or message. Not all the nuances get translated, so even though I can't presume to know Nino's mind, sometimes what he means by something is more easily understood in the Japanese than the English, and I can try to elaborate.
Episode 28: How Far Enjoyment Goes
He's calm, a bit of a brat, obstinate, too innocent-- Every month we meet with Nino, he's there with different faces. But generally, he looks like he's having fun. Even the days he's in bad humor there are moments when he smiles a smile of enjoyment, and when those around him seem to be having fun, he smiles in pleasure. For him, there are likely different kinds of "fun."
You can only judge based on whether your work is enjoyable. At least, that's how it is for me. And recently I felt that way all over again.
That's what he says when speaking about his work at the end of last year, being the host of Kohaku.
It's a great thing that Arashi got to host as a group of five for the first time, so I feel like the viewing audience might have found it refreshing. I don't know about the other members, but I didn't have the time to be nervous about it. Though I wasn't the facilitator, and I didn't really have a lot of set lines (smiling). There are lots of people who have said to me, "What an amazing thing, to be the host of Kohaku!", but when you really think about it, what's amazing, I wonder? Just how much greater is it than serialization in MORE? You can't calculate that. And it's not just limited to work; the importance of the things you accomplish isn't something you can calculate, so you can only judge based on how much fun you have yourself while doing it. Of course it's important to do things properly, but in the end, how much fun you have is everything.
Within society there are things that we all mutually understand, and yet for Nino, there are "vague words" and "meaningless standards of worth" that confuse him.
For example, the word "responsibility". Are you someone who feels responsible? When I'm asked that, I say yes, but… inside I also think, responsibility in regards to what? And "pressure" is the same. Just how much do I have to bear, and how heavy does it have to be? Everyone has different experiences and sensitivities, so the answer will be different. There is no standard "normal", right? (smiling) For things that no one can share the same importance or have the same impression, there's no easy answer. Also, when people say to me, "Nino, you're amazing," I don't get that either. And that's a problem. I don't mean it in a weird way, but even when people say, "Nino, you're amazing," I don't know what part of me they mean, or who they're comparing me to to come to that conclusion. There's no right answer, so I end up thinking I shouldn't think too hard on it.
He's not trying to attack with logic. There's a hint of loneliness wrapped up in these honest doubts he murmurs. The sensitivity he projects and his idiosyncrasies are a lonely thing. Nonetheless, he doesn't think about filling in those gaps.
I never think things like, "I'm not getting through to them," or "I want them to understand me," or "Please tell me what you think about me." There are people who ask those things when they're drunk, but no matter how drunk I get, I never want to ask (smiling). I mean, I've never once asked in my whole life. I wonder why? It might be that it's some sense I was born with, or maybe it's that there's never been anyone I've really wanted to ask. At any rate, I'm pretty sure that the fact that I don't bother with such things just proves I'm a cocky person.
To speak together frankly is only an act.
Last night I had a New Year's Party* with my music teacher and my magic teacher, and it was super fun! I went to my favorite restaurant, and my magic teacher just happened to be there, and I thought since it was a great opportunity I'd call my music teacher too. In the end, there were over ten of us gathered together. People from different industries, and it's not like we talked about anything important and there were people who were drunk, but everyone was enthusiastic and seemed to be having fun. I like that kind of relaxed atmosphere. There are guys who say that fighting and exchanging heated words brings men together, and I won't argue with that, but I don't really understand it. The might want to deepen or validate their relationship, but…. that's not the real thing. There are also people who want to get drunk and speak frankly, but honestly, if someone says that to me I lose interest. (smiling) When someone asks me, right at that moment, if feel like the hierarchical relationship gets established. If someone tells me they want me to be frank, I will be, but what are you going to understand from that? People aren't like that. I feel like it's not something you're supposed to grasp when it's a vague thing. For example, if you see the person you like every day and tell them you love them, is that really love? I feel like it's much deeper if on the days you can't see them, you wonder about them and whether or not they've had lunch that day.
The things Nino feels aren't seen with the eyes, and aren't heard with the ears, but instead something exquisite found in the depths of the heart. He's the type able to link together on a deep level without being bound by substantial things or by values. Wouldn't that be the ultimate romanticist!?
To label this sort of thinking as a romanticist and make it seem special would make the world a boring place. I mean, to me, this is just something that's normal (smiling). It's the same with work and with relationships with people and everything else, but it's more fun, and enjoyable, if you don't convince yourself that everything is set into a particular way. I think then it can be fun even when things can be difficult.
~
Photo caption:
When asked about his valuable ten-day vacation over New Year's, he says, "This year I did my best to stay home." Last year and the year before, he said, "I organized my receipts at home and at my parents'." And this time he says….. "I did it this year, too. Organizing my receipts. Because it's not like I have much else to do. And it's not just mine, when I go back to my parents' house it's become a habit to do all the receipts in the house. (smiling)"
~
* Note: In Japan, New Years parties don't often fall on NYE. They have end of year parties many times during December, and then new year parties during January. The actual Eve itself is traditionally spent with family, but they use December and January as an excuse for lots of drinking and partying. :)'
~
★ I don't often respond to comments, since there are a lot, but I do read every single one. Feel free to discuss!
★ You may quote pieces of this translation freely on graphics. If you are reposting parts to Tumblr or elsewhere, please link back to this post so people know where to find the original. (Preferably to sunina, not aeslis.)
★ Please do NOT re-translate this into other languages.
★ I don't give permission for this to be turned into a scanslation either. Sorry!
★ If you have any questions or corrections, feel free to comment or message. Not all the nuances get translated, so even though I can't presume to know Nino's mind, sometimes what he means by something is more easily understood in the Japanese than the English, and I can try to elaborate.