Translation Non no new year edition members' message and cross talk
Ohno Satoshi
In my personal opinion, 20th anniversary doesn’t carry a special meaning. If I have to compare, we had more burden in our shoulders during 10th anniversary. Since then, five to ten years felt like a blink of an eye. Regarding our 20th anniversary, of course, there are some durations before we arrived here, but I feel more like ‘a long time had passed since then.’ We have been through day by day, year to year until our 20th anniversary and we’ll be facing the same thing from now on like what we have done; so nothing is really changed. But, our grateful feeling to the people whom support us grew stronger. In 2019, it’ll be great if we can be closer to the fans.
5x20 message
After the formation of Arashi, we began our work without really knowing each other. 1-2 years passed, but my impression of the other members never changed. Sho-chan creates a nice atmosphere when all of us gathered. Aiba-chan adjusts himself to the existing vibe and enjoys every moment to the fullest. Matsujun always checks on the other members and pays attention to the things that no one are aware of. Nino can read the situation very well and plays his part afterwards. I think he’s the one who put his concern the most to the other members. Everyone has something which I don’t have. Because of those four persons, I can be there without doing anything (laugh).
Sakurai Sho
When I was a kid, I knew that only a few idol groups could keep their popularity for quite a long time. That’s why, when I became a part of Arashi, I guessed that after several years, I’ll be doing another job. I’ve never guessed that we could do this work for 20 years. We can go this far because of the seniors who always have our back, the staffs, and the most important are the fans who kept on supporting us. Thanks for loving Arashi among so many idol groups and artists. There is nothing special about our 20th years, but we want to payback the fans with our grateful.
5x20 message
Compared to 20 years ago, the members are getting closer towards each other. But, from my point of view, there’s nothing changed from those four other people. For instance, Ohno-san, he was a senior who was appointed by Jhonny-san as an example in dancing. I respect his multi-talents the whole time. Aiba-kun and I have the same lifestyle, but we don’t show it in the group in order to keep the balance. Matsujun is a serious person, but when he throws that seriousness away, he’s funny (laugh). Nino can read someone’s mind very well. All of us love Arashi and we trust each other. I think that part never changes since the beginning.
Aiba Masaki
During our 10th anniversary, I had an image that we were running towards something called Arashi. For the rest 10 years, we’ve been walking with our own pace, step by step. It doesn’t mean that we can relax, it’s just that we finally found ourselves (laugh). I welcome the 20th anniversary with that kind of standpoint, that’s why I’m looking forward for everything. The fans are the first that I want to thank, I want to express my feelings through another word, but I can’t find it. I think ‘thank you’ is not enough. We want to convey this feeling to the fans for this whole year.
5x20 message
The great thing about Riida is he doesn’t want to show his hard work. He can do almost any kind of dance; what surprised me is the fact that he practices a lot at home in order to hide his efforts from the others. Sho-chan is the one who pays attention a lot to the other people. He conveys his knowledge and the latest information nicely. Matsujun too, he shares something great with us, I think he has made a lot improvement on the way he lives. Nino is someone who can do many things at the same time, particularly on the things he likes. Basically, everyone hasn’t changed, but after spending 20 years together, there are a lot of new things that I found from them. Recently, we have created group mail and exchange information there, I guess it was such a progress.
Matsumoto Jun
2019 is our 20th years. We don’t plan to do something special, but more to make it as the time to look back. In 2019, we want everyone that involve in Arashi to have a good time this year, the same thing applies to us. It’s not only in our 20th anniversary, Arashi can go this far because of the support from many people. The fans are the one who guided us to the new challenges. That’s why, it’s not only one-sided celebration where we simply say “thank you” for “congratulations” from the fans. We want us alongside the fans can share the same happiness.
5x20 message
We’ve been together since the time of our debut, but I think recently our bond grows stronger. Their presence somehow calms me down. Ohno-san is someone with natural existence, I can be with him without being tired. Sho-kun always enjoys the time Arashi spends together. Aiba-san’s presence brings a warmer atmosphere, just like an enzyme bath (laugh). I guess it’s not an easy thing. Nino has an image that he has settled to his works. For 20 years, we’ve been doing a lot of great works and I think those experiences bring us to today’s Arashi.
Ninomiya Kazunari
If I have to discuss the time Arashi has been through for these 20 years, I’ll say it’s beyond grateful. Our work won’t be successful if there’s no one who watches our television programs or listens to our music. We want to convey our grateful this year by spending more time with the fans. I personally don’t consider the 20th anniversary as special thing, because there’s nothing really change since the beginning. It’s because I’m not interested in myself, I never use my time to look back at my trajectory or the progress I made (laugh). Even if I have such chance, I guess it would be in my last moment before I die; you know, when we look at all of our memories before the final moment. What I’m thinking right now is to enjoy 2019 like what I’ve done before, that’s it.
5x20 message
My relationship with Arashi members never changed in the last 20 years. I think because the other four never changed. Of course, Ohno-san, Sho-chan, Aiba-san, and J have improved their own ability for these 20 years. That’s why they’ve been admitted to various fields such as acting, caster, and arts. It’s a pleasure to watch them work in their own way. But for me, they’re the members who are there naturally, so I don’t really recognize their greatness. If I think about it, I guess it’s because the other members don’t brag about it.
Fun talk from the playback of Non No edition
Arashi becomes the cover page of New Year’s special edition. From the cool British style appearance to the ‘barefoot’ casual style. The five of them did a wide-ranged discussion, they started the talk of Non No monthly edition that entered its 10th years in 2018. First, all of them took a look at the edition from 2018.
松本: (Laugh all of a sudden). “Janken no Arashi” was hilarious, it was so dramatic (laugh).
櫻井: (With a very serious face). It was the result of our determination.
大野: I chose it as the best edition. I was thinking “what am I doing?” while looking at the camera. (laugh). It was such a bizarre thing to do (laugh).
櫻井: You’re right (laugh). I was considering to choose it as the best edition, but I finally decided the “Kacchu no Arashi”. (Yama pair in samurai armor edition).
相葉: That one also had a huge impact.
櫻井: It was our first experience in wearing kacchu, it was exciting.
大野: Yes, but it was so heavy (laugh).
二宮: Among your five times appearance in Non No edition, you got janken and kacchu, those were quite tough (laugh). My number one edition was ‘drone no arashi’. It was so much fun.
櫻井： I won the time trial, but Nino was far better in controlling it. The edition that involved games suit him perfectly.
相葉: Talking about game, I and Nino appeared in the edition “batting center no Arashi”. It was impressive, even though the result was horrible (laugh).
二宮: (Nodded) We didn’t hit at all. A long time ago, I really wanted to that all day, but we didn’t hit, even 20 balls felt too long. I recommend you to go, just to know yourself (laugh).
櫻井: I guess it would look terrible in video, it was nice that what we were doing only released in pictures. (He looked at the previous edition). Ohno-san and Matsujun had a lot of gourmet edition in 2018.
大野: We did drinking session with only the both of us and karaage edition.
松本: “Karaage no Arashi” left a deep impression in me because I usually don’t eat it.
櫻井: It’s for sure, you don’t have any image of having karaage. On the other hand, me and Ohno-san appeared for the special effect photos, but Matsujun and Ohno-san always got the stylish photo sessions, why was that? …(laugh).
松本: I think Sho-kun and Aiba-san’s edition of ‘Drive no Arashi’ was also stylish. I guess the girls wanted to sit on your passengers’ seat after seeing that edition. I won’t do that, though (grin).
相葉: E~? You won’t (laugh). The photo shooting had been done in the car that I like, it was fun. We have gotten a lot of experiences in 2018.
--- Next, what kind of edition or theme do you want the other members to do in 2019.
櫻井: (with a strong determination). Let me become a specialist for the special effect photos.
松本: ‘Space no Arashi’ had a good response too (laugh) (the edition in 2014 where Jun and Sho appeared). Your next special feature would be Jomon period (the period between 14.000-300 BC in Japanese history) or medieval Europe (laugh). Like some kind of time slip (laugh).
Other four: Hahaha. That was so new (laugh).
大野: That’s great. I’ll follow Sho-chan to be featured in those special effect photo sessions (grin).
松本: Nino fits the edition of game or sports. I think you will get addicted to them and you’ll be able to improve your technique.
櫻井: What about going to the amusement spot and try to win every game?
二宮: I got it. I’ll be waiting for all of you to have a battle against me (laugh).
櫻井: (He looked at Junkissa (café) no Arashi). Aiba-kun looked nice in counter.
松本: You’re right, what if keeping this counter edition, perhaps becoming a ‘Crepe seller’ next time.
相葉: Look like I can do many things. I’ll do my best.
松本: I want to continue on cooking edition after doing karaage edition. I don’t fry that much.
大野: (Murmur) I think it’ll be nice if you cook tempura.
松本: It would be ‘the frying things’ (laugh). But if it’s Riida’s request, I’ll do it. I think it’ll be great if we can show our other self in 2019.
--- Arashi has appeared in many television programs as well as music performances, aside from that, they also worked solo in 2018. What kind of year 2018 was according to their personal opinion?
二宮: As for me, it was the drama series, it’s been a while since I worked in drama. Of course, there was a hard time, but it was also very fun.
松本: I watched ‘Black Pean’ seriously.
相葉: Me too. Then, you also had the promotion for the movie ‘Killing for the Prosecution’.
櫻井: It was refreshing to see you with Kimura Takuya in various television programs. I also appeared in the movie “Laplace’s Witch” after a while and I was happy that I got a chance to work to cover the report of Pyongchang Olympic.
大野: You were very busy.
櫻井: But I had enough time for myself. It was a nice year; I also went to many live performances inside and outside of Japan.
松本: Me too. I got a chance to appear in two drama series ’99,9 season II’ and ‘Eien no nippa’, but I also had enough time to travel to many places.
櫻井: We got a lot of souvenirs, the pants with members’ image color (laugh).
大野.相葉. 二宮 We wear it a lot.
松本: Those with flashy pattern (laugh). They were in five set colors, I bought it without really thinking about it (laugh). I think Aiba-kun’s had a hard year too, he worked as a special navigator for the koushien.
二宮: You were away from Tokyo so many times.
相葉: I went back and forth to Kansai many times; as a result, I could sleep all the time on my way (laugh). It was a busy year for me. Riida, you got the license to ride the boat, didn’t you? 大野: It was the first test since I was a student, that stressed feeling before the test (laugh). I got more locations filming after I got the license.
松本: We want to ride that boat too, please buy a boat in near future (grin).
大野: Do you want me to buy it myself?
櫻井: Just like what we did on our debut. We can hold a press conference on your boat (grin).
大野: It means I won’t be on camera because I have to ride it.
松本: Don’t think too much about it. Let’s set our target for 2019 to ride your boat together (laugh).
大野: Alright, let me consider it (laugh).
--- 2019, the year where Arashi would welcome their 20th anniversary and 20th years since their formation. They shared a common view about it, that there’s nothing special about it, but they want to convey their grateful to the fans. They don’t brag about their achievement, but they want to spend a great time with the people who kept on supporting them. The reason behind it was because they were always loved for these 20 years.
櫻井: We want to celebrate the 20th anniversary by planning live concerts which take place from 2018 to 2019.
松本: You’re right. We could feel the anniversary vibe right before we started the live tour. The people around us started to say ‘you will soon welcome your 20th anniversary’.
相葉: It was surprising that they know it and it makes us happy.
大野: As for me, I felt that the time went so slowly before 10th anniversary, but after that, the 15th and 20th anniversary came in the blink of an eye, I wonder why.
松本: I guess it’s because we have a steady rhythm after our 10th anniversary; like holding live tour every year.
二宮: Having an annual live tour has become something ordinary for us. It’s such a pleasure to be able to do that.
--- Their 20th years live tour “ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5x20” is being held at the moment. It fits their memorial year; the tour would be the biggest in Arashi history. It would spread the love, tears, enthusiasm and excitement around Japan.
松本: I think ‘5x20’ would be the most entertaining stage for all this time.
Four other: (Nod) We think the same way too.
二宮: It the result of J’s hard work.
松本: I think the people who attend our concert have their own timing when they started to like Arashi. We want them to remember that specific time; it was one of our purposes in this concert.
櫻井: Before we started the concert, we held something called ‘Arashi concert meeting’ where the fans could vote for their favorite songs. Of course, we also picked up the songs we want to perform.
松本: When we lined up the songs, there were a lot of unexpected choices. We found out that people had their own reason for the songs they liked and the one which was memorable to them. In the end, we held a meeting among the five of us to decide the songs for everyone.
相葉: If I think about the set list, it will leave a deep impression. I think the fans would be happy about it.
二宮: “The biggest live tour in Arashi’s history’, it was something we’ll be doing for the first time, it’s exciting. We wonder if there will be changing or new findings along the concert, we wonder if people will get touched in the same way by the concert.
松本: You’re right. I wonder how it feels when we finish all performances. Usually, the result is beyond my imagination, so I can’t predict what will happen this time.
大野: It’s something different from what we did in our 10th and 15th anniversary. I want to see how the fans will react.
--- When we asked them how they will spend 2019, all of them answered ‘I think everyone wants the same thing.’
櫻井: We want to spend the whole year with people who support us. We can be here and live in a dream-like world because of the fans.
相葉: (Agree). We can’t thank the fans enough.
二宮: Just like you said, we want to convey our grateful by spending time together with the fans for the whole year.
松本: In order to do that, the five of us need to spend time together longer than usual. Let’s have a great year in 2019.
大野: Yes, let’s maintain our health and physical strength properly, more than what we already did. We want to have a great year.
--- They want to convey their feelings just like what they usually did in every of their stage. But this time, what they wanted to do was ‘conveying their grateful more than before’. Those were the messages they wanted to tell in this ‘kimi no Arashi’ edition. In 2019, people who kept on cherishing Arashi for these 20 years, should support them even more.
credit to me
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year guys
2018 is a great year!!