Waratte iitomo ends, people cry. Nakai slays all your faves.

[win03die]

.....the four-hour live broadcast of waratte iitomo grand finale (aired 31.3.14).
Sigh.
I've pushed watching this forward and forward because of course there is an almost two-hour segment in which all the famous people who've participated in the program during the 32 years of its run give thankful speeches.
In other words: the oh-so-traditionally-japanese CRYFEST. Literally BAWLING.

Shingo was totally lost for words and cried, Tsuyopon stayed on unoriginal and safe topics.
But Nakai. OMG NAKAI. You own the world so hard.
He is such a good person and an amazing talent. Nakai's speech:

Click to view

Tamori-san, thank you for your hard work for the last 32 years.
Coming this April it has been exactly 20 years since I started working with Tamori-san on Waratte Iitomo.

If i look back to April 1994, when we (SMAP) weren't famous, when we weren't at all popular despite being Johnnys idols, when we hadn't foud our own identities, when we didn't even have a manager yet, and still were appointed and accepted as regulars in Iitomo.
For that, I want to first express my deepest gratitude.
Thank you so very much.

I think that variety is an unusually harsh branch of entertainment.
Because of that we have had the chance to be singers, actors and variety regulars.

In the music world when you do a live (tour) there is a tour finale, when filming dramas or movies there is the moment when all the filming is finished.
So I think that when beginning to work on something, we are aiming for that goal and use that image to make progress towards it.

But variety is a genre that aims to be neverending, always moving forward.
So with the thought that it is a genre that cannot be done without dedication and spirit, I thought that as SMAP, making an emphasis on variety We'll try out hardest.
And the ultimate reason for that was when I was allowed to participate in Iitomo.

And after all, the end of variety is dreary.

Other genres might have a good reputation or a bad reputation, but they still will come to their ends.
But variety... where there is no final goal, but then when it needs to end.
So to think that there is such a harsh thing as variety.

Back then we (me and Katori) couldn't really do anything.
Even if we were told "Today let's do this" and "Today let's have this kind of conversation", we were totally useless.
But I learned that to help the program, and to help Tamori-san, to make a fun program were all ways to provide amusement.

It's so regrettable.
I don't think there's anything as regrettable as this.

As was said before, Tamori-san is not someone who gets angry, but on the other hand he doesn't give praises either.
It was just a few (3,4,5) years ago when I finally got together with Tamori-san (in private) and had a meal.
Once when we were drinking, Tamori-san got a bit drunk and embraced me gently and stroked my hair saying:
"Nakai, I'm grateful to you" "I'm truly grateful to you"
I was so... I was so happy.

These days Johnnys idols normally participate in variety.
But really, when I was allowed to enter Iitomo with Shingo, Johnnys had no idea about variety or how to prepare us for it.
Thank you for giving us a chance.

During these 20 years, there were times when I was injured or sick, or took a vacation.
But for those 20 years, I kept returning to Alta (the studio where Iitomo is filmed).

…ある人は、お正月になったら1年に1回休んでる人がいて、
なんでこの人1年に1回…ハワイにいくために…（鶴瓶アップで抜かれる）
毎年毎年休みやがって、
特大号のものまねで自分がウケなかったからって、不参加になって…（鶴瓶アップで抜かれる）
…誰かと比較するのは好きじゃありませんが（鶴瓶アップで抜かれる）
(Nakai tsukkomi-ing Shoufukutei Tsurube, won't translate because too much inside things and would take too long to explain ;p)

I have for the last 20 years been with Iitomo without almost any vacations, without being absent from the broadcasts (except for private matters) and I think that I have grown to firmly accomplish things.
So after these 20 years, I think Tamori-san would explain this by saying that "it's ok to graduate/to leave the show now that you've reached adulthood" (in Japan 20 is the coming of age).
From now on, as an Iitomo-regular, to proudly be able to say that "I was doing Iitomo for a long time" and keep it as my pride and not be shy about it.
From now on too, I will do my very best in variety and other genres too.
Tamori-san, thank you very much.

*wails because of all the feels*
Nakai forever my hero; the boy who took charge of his group and has brought them to this point. Never will anyone do anything like they have done. Nakai ILU so much.
Sorry for the horrible English in the trans, it's like 5AM.