[interview] Jin Akanishi with Purple Sky Magazine

[annatanhe]

What do you do when you’re a member of a phenomenally successful Japanese boyband? If you’re Jin Akanishi, you go solo and tour the United States.

For the past nine years, Akanishi was one-sixth of KAT-TUN, a relatively new song-and-dance group conceived and managed by the institutional idol agency Johnny & Associates, Inc., which has produced

Comments

[tatoeba]

That first sentence sounds so rude to me, idk. Same with how they make it sound like Jin's the only member of KAT-TUN who's done solo work. I know they didn't mean it that way, but it makes him look worse for leaving the group to pursue a solo career. But maybe that's just me. XD

"I went to dinner with one of KAT-TUN member, [Yuichi] Nakamaru. He’s chill."
Though this is the best. ♥

The photos are amazing, too. Especially the last one with the sign. ♥

Thank you for this! :)

[yokumiz]

yeah I had some uncomfortable feeling when I read her article. Her style of writing is a little...

but with him being in various interviews, we can't expect all the journalists are thinking and writing in the context we are familiar about...

[tatoeba]

Lol I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought so! I know we can't expect every magazine/writer to have the same opinions, but since they're interviewing him, it seems strange that they made him sound so...idk. Awful. Especially in those first few paragraphs.

[bellemainec]

Going to say me three...and point to revisionist history at work.

"Not long after KAT-TUN legitimately launched, Akanishi began to assert himself as a soloist. He went on hiatus from October 2006 until April 2007 to study English in Los Angeles; during this time, KAT-TUN released records without him."

Jin going on hiatus, cannot be counted as asserting himself as a soloist surely! *Unless* he had released a single/music/acted/danced/done something in the entertainment world...how could studying language be asserting himself as a soloist???? Seriously. although I am going to save this, and the next time Jin gets accused of "betraying" KAT-TUN I am going to say - but didn't they betray him by going on without him? If it's all about perspective... and this..could just be badly worded, but to me it seems like a real mistake

[tatoeba]

I do wonder if the jimusho is going with the idea that they can spin history into something like this

This is a really interesting thought! I mean, the writer had to have gotten her information from somewhere, and since it definitely looks untrue - particularly the part about him writing for KAT-TUN - I wonder where she did her research.

It's just really annoying how they're making Jin the first (and only) person in KAT-TUN to do solo work, when that's totally not the case. Makes him sound like he's wanted to leave for years (which could be the case, but what do we know unless he actually says it). Ugh. This bugs me more than it should. XD I just think if someone was going to write about him like this, they'd get their facts straight. :|

[bellemainec]

To my mind, this is the official line. Look at his US website..suddenly KT has "two lead singers"...now akame have always effectively been the lead vocals and done all the heavy lifting in terms of the singing (especially Jin he gets...sorry got *ouch that hurt to type* most of the difficult harmony lines).. but the group has definitely not been sold as "akame and the others" since they debuted....so...where is this stuff coming from? Any journalist new to the area would not have had time or inclination to dig back into junior shounen club showreels to see them at work, so...who is coming up with this stuff

[yokumiz]

I don't think there's much problem saying two lead singers there. Though it sounds not fair, in genera, they did have more lines, esp in song like Real Face. Jouranlists have to generalize information which might not be accurate in particular context but at least in this case, it's not terribly wrong.

Jin did write for KT in history, tho he's by no means working as music producer like Joey Carbone and others, but he wrote lyrics for KT in a few representitive songs, such as Love or Like and Will be alright. It's like she exaggerated the importance of Jin in music writing.

About solo work, her words do annoy me a lot. I think she's a type of journalist who enjoys telling story based on her own impression as an overseas without thinking/understanding too much about the local context.

[bellemainec]

For me the problem with the two lead singer comment is related to your comment about "without thinking/understanding too much about the local context." Western audiences will have a definite impression of what a lead singer in a band or boyband is - and as it is also referenced in the official US website as well, it seems to be the line that the Jimusho wants to push as well. And yes, in practice Kame and Jin definitely have more lines and were definitely used to sell the group.....but can we say that they were ever marketed as "the lead singers" to a japanese audience? Because if it is one of those understood but not talked about things, fine..maybe a variation on universal accepted truth like KimuTaku is the popular/handsome one in SMAP? or Ohno is the best dancer/singer/performer in Arashi (and I am basing both of those just on fanon, as I don't really follow either SMAP or Arashi)..... but it has a definite meaning and connotation to the western audience that seems to be deliberate choice in its use here

[cuizy]

I agree with saying his study abroad in 06 is a 'solo' activity leading to the present is a little.....eh (esp since that period is so sensitive among fans)

But I also don't think there's anything wrong with saying he's a lead singer of kt or that he's contributed to the songs occassionally. I mean these kind of interviews if you're introducing him to outsiders of course you're gonna make him sound as important as possible. And these are just slightly exaggerating the truth.

Also to a western audience they have to talk about things in the context of western view. To me, him and Kame were the most promoted (like in docomo, them two got special ads) they're the most popular, most known and usually starts the songs/ sings the most parts thus the two lead singers