Happy advance birthday to you Katori Shingo! (31 January) My Daisuki ichiban!
First month of every year, I will countdown to your birthday <- my declaration of chuuu~!
My review for the month, where Blonde Shingo promoteed smap single "Dear Woman".
The show hosts are : Shinya Ueda, Naohito Fujiki and Izumi. Highlight of this bangumi is where he talked about his signature black rabbit (Kuro Usagi, which often appeared in his drawings in smaTimes)
Here Shingo changed the "woman" to "Izumi" the name of the female host.
And he also talked about his sleeping patterns.. (haha something he always being proud of.. kept saying during concerts) he can continue working for one day plus without sleep.. and then sleep for long long hours throughout the next day..
Lol Shingo's disappointed reaction when the answer was revealed Hint: A-that's-Shingo! characteristic on his face (>0<) He even used and did something to demonstrate that characteristic of his.
Tsuyoshi also mentioned Kuro usagi (black rabbit), and Shingo starts drawing.
Second picture: he said "The black rabbit I see in my heart
The host asked more about the rabbit, he wondered why Tsuyoshi will provide this information on black rabbit. Shingo said because he has a black rabbit at home. He smiled and replied "Yes" when the host sounded interested in the rabbit. (<- Naughty Shingo)
Izumi asked if Shingo bought the rabbit home. Shingo answered no, he said sometimes at home, he sees the rabbit hiding behind the sofa looking at him. And sometimes he could't find the black rabbit in his home and he will wonder where it went to.
Haha then Ueda reliased what Shingo really meant about the rabbit, and asked him to "Go back to sleep!". Ueda's interpretation of "black rabbit" is Shingo's "illusion" when he does not get his sleep for more than one day.
My observations of Black Rabbit's traces [read more]Shingo quite frequently draws the black rabbit in his Smatimes (weekly newspaper for smastation). His drawing features the content of the week's smastation. For example when the episode features restaurants with long queue, a black rabbit/long line of rabbits is seen queuing .
Sometimes the drawing is related to thoughts/things that he experienced. For example during new year's day, he dreamed of food. The first issue of smatimes for this year 2015, black rabbit is drawn with its eyes/mouth opening up to a line of food. Sometimes black rabbit does not appear in his smatimes drawing.. such as during his butai days with Koji and Arisa. When his butai days are over, black rabbit appears in his drawings again. When Arisa guested in the first of smastation this year, Shingo draws a colorful parrot/peacock with black rabbit ears (black rabbit hidden under the beautiful parrot)
And recently, black rabbit mascot makes appearance during Shingo's solo portion of Smap concert.. and a real black rabbit appears together with him in his photo shoot with magazine TV fan March issue.
From a fan standpoint (personal opinion) he is drawing himself. The colour black could be his darker ego (?!) side of him (smap members always says he has darker ego). Or maybe just the hidden child side of him. As for rabbit, maybe that animal has some symbolism to him? Overall the black rabbit may be the symbol of the child in him?
Newly edited on 1st Feb: on 30 Jan, tweeter TVfan (magazine) asked Shingo about Little Black rabbit. Shingo replied that Little black rabbit is not the dark side of his heart, and currently he no longer sees black rabbit around
Newly edited on 7th March: for the past few issues of SMAtimes, black rabit appeared again~ (in my opinion) its appearance has a more cheerful happier tone
Next Shingo received comment from Kinichi Hagimoto, his fellow co-host from Kasou Taishou (欽ちゃん&香取慎吾の全日本仮装大賞) Just like Tsuyoshi is like a son to Tamori-san, lots of fans think Shingo and Kinichi-san shares similar bond (though not as deep as Tamori x Tsuyoshi)
Shingo was excited when he heard that Kinichi-san had a message for him. He exclaimed "Kin-chan" excitedly. Kinichi-san said that the thing that he wants Shingo to improve.
"Nothing, he is awesome, and continue staying this way"
Shingo is so happy with the remark!
And what about myself (dekishimeta What do I like about Shingo? Heh.. for me, I prefer the non-blonde of him.. more menly xD I prefer the meaty Shingo heihei ⊂(ο・㉨・ο)⊃ (I want him to be happy when he eats.. not to be careful or worry of how he may look because of his weight)
There's this mysterious aura in him.. there's much more deeper things going on inside him, beyond his cheerful front. therefore I do not say I like his smile. Not because his smile is not nice. It IS NICE and cheers me up. But I really want him to smile because he is happy, not because of the image he needs to uphold. Mah.. I guess in the entertainment circle there isn't a choice to choose when to smile or not..)
Katori Shingo, Happy birthday! I hope you continue doing things that you like. I like the smile you flashed when you are doing things that you truly enjoy
Jya, minna-san, what do you like about Katori Shingo?