Post by sonja on Mar 3, 2008 10:39:41 GMT -5
tässä siis vanhoja käännettyjä haastatteluja, näistä valtaosa on nejimakista. en tiedä kuinka sallittua on laittaa tänne näitä kaikkia mitä löytyy mutta ei kai se haittaa! 
QUESTIONNAIRE
Vicious magazine, June 1999
Plastic Tree
Translated 99.12.XX by Bronny & dalamar
1. Please tell your height, weight, shoe size.
Ryutaro. 172cm, 53kg, 25-25.5cm (spring)
Akira. Infinitely tall, heavier than an elephant, feet: two
Tadashi. 169cm, about 50kg, about 25.5cm
Takashi. 168cm, 550t, 25.5cm
2. Do you have any siblings?
R. It's me and my little sister.
A. The Brothers Grimm.
Td. I have a younger sister.
Tk. Ultra siblings.
3. What has interested you the most recently?
R. I'm not interested in anything.
A. Myself.
Td. The end of the world.
Tk. Eki-mae ryuugaku [lit. 'Station-front exchange' -- companies who coordinate exchange student programs and situate their offices in front of railway stations in order to be noticed -- just about every station in Tokyo has an 'Eki-mae Ryuugaku' opposite it]
4. Do you have any likes/dislikes regarding food?
R. Like --> pudding. Dislike --> fermented soybeans (natto)
A. There are heaps. Persimmon seeds/mushrooms etc.
Td. There is _no_ way I can eat liver or capsicum.
Tk. Nothing in particular.
5. What have you been drinking a lot of lately?
R. Apple Tea
A. Spirits, Coke.
Td. Tomato juice.
Tk. That's for me to know and you to find out! *L*
6. Do you drink alcohol? If so, what do you drink and how much?
R. Anything other than whisky.
A. One shot of spirits and I'm tipsy.
Td. I do, but I only drink beer and wine.
Tk. What, now? How much do you want me to drink?
7. What happens to you what you're drunk?
R. I cry, laugh and hug people [kawaii~!! ^^;;]
A. I stay the same - Mr. Cheerful
Td. I can't predict that.
Tk. Well, what do you think? *L*
8. Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes do you smoke a day?
R. Salem Pianissimo. 18 per day.
A. Seven Stars. 3 packs.
Td. I smoke. 1 pack a day. Malboro Light Menthol.
Tk. Mild Seven Super Light, 1 pack.
9. What do you think of girls who smoke?
R. I don't have an opinion.
A. Their nose hair grows longer.
Td. I wouldn't endorse it, but I don't think it's a bad thing either.
Tk. I'd make their acquaintance.
10. Do you collect anything?
R. Nothing, but I often buy books.
A. Zippo lighters, rings and sunglasses.
Td. Stickers.
Tk. Sunglasses.
11. In your time off, what sort of clothes do you wear?
R. Shorts [yappari ^^;]
A. Casual.
Td. Denim Inchiki UK.
Tk. Whatever suits the occasion.
12. Are there any fashion brands that you like?
R. Beauty Beast, Milk Boy, 9 Head etc.
A. Nothing in particular.
Td. 9 Heads.
Tk. Whatever suits the occasion.
13. Do you wear accesories? What do you wear? Are there any brands that you like?
R. Not really, because I lose things.
A. Rings, bracelets, necklaces.
Td. Just rings. Whatever brand.
Tk. Rings and bracelets. Precious metals (PAISTE).
14. Are there any books, comics or magazines that you like?
R. There're lots.
A. I like Masasou Shirou's manga! Masakazu Katsura is the best! And the Grimm Brothers' Fairytales (I'm serious!)
Td. Cute, scary things.
Tk. Bic Comic Spritz. And most recently Naoko.
15. Do you watch movies? What is the best one movie you've seen up until now?
R. Of the ones I've seen, "New Cinema Paradise".
A. Sometimes I watch them. All the ones with Michael J. Fox are good.
Td. Yeah, I watch them. "The Shining" is interesting.
Tk. Gundam "Revenge of SHAA"
16. If you were on a desert island and you could take 1 CD, what would it be? Incidently, in total, how many LPs and CDs do you own?
R. Radiohead's "Pablo Honey". Countless.
A. I couldn't just take 1 CD. Some 700-800 CDs.
Td. "The Beatles' Best" record. 150 CDs.
Tk. Yamazaki Masayoshi. About 400?
17. Is there anyone who you respect? What is it about them that you respect?
R. There are a few.
A. Myself. All of me.
Td. Johnny Sanders. He's cool.
Tk. Godzilla. Because he's strong.
18. Is there a particular phrase which if said would make you happy? And incidently, who would you like to have say it to you?
R. "It's ok." Now who could that be...?
A. "For starters, a meal will do..." A Chinese person.
Td. "Your clothes are cool." A passer-by.
Tk. "Without you I can't go on living." Takako-chan from Speed [^^;;;]
19. What sort of room do you live in? Please give a detailed description.
R. There are lots of windows. It's older than people think... Strangely shaped.
A. 4 1/2 tatami mats.
Td. 1DK. Triangular roof and ceiling. Flooring, white walls.
Tk. 1DK. The bathroom and toilet are separate. Has A/C.
20. What sort of place would be your ideal residence?
R. The heights of the sky.
A. 4 1/2 tatami mats, with a gold-leaf tea-ceremony room.
Td. A house with a skylight.
Tk. 3LDK. With a parking lot.
21. What parts of your body do you like/dislike, and why?
R. Like --> arms, cause they're useful. Dislike --> head, shoulders, knees and ankles, because they become painful.
A. Dislike --> eyes, because I've got this painful stye in one of them.
Td. The place that I like is the place which nobody sees.
Tk. I like everything.
22. What's your favourite season, and why?
R. Anything other than Summer.
A. Autumn. Something about it is just cool.
Td. Autumn. It's calming.
Tk. Summer, because it's refreshing.
23. What are your favourite sports? What sports do you play, and which do you watch?
R. capoeira [apparently "a style of Brazilian martial arts that looks a lot like break dancing" ^^]
A. I hate playing and watching sports.
Td. If I was to do anything, it would be table tennis, and watching would be F1 racing.
Tk. I watch it, I'm a 'Sakashin' fan.
24. How many hours of sleep do you get per day? What's waking up like for you?
R. 4-5 hours. Horrible.
A. 6-8 hours. Amazingly good.
Td. 5-6 hours. Average.
Tk. 3-5 hours. So so.
25. How long does it take from the time you wake up to the time you leave for work? What do you do in that time?
R. 30 mins. Wash face, brush teeth, drink something.
A. 1 hour. Have a bath, clean my room, then have a cigarette.
Td. About 1 hour. Have a shower, dry my hair and brush my teeth.
Tk. 1 hour. Have a shower, wash the dishes, read the newspaper.
26. On your birthday each year, what do you will to happen?
R. World Peace
A. The New Year, because I was born in January.
Td. "(for time to stop)"
Tk. This is a boring question.
27. If you had a job on the side, what would you do?
R. I'd be a motorcycle cop guy
A. Hitman (someone who kills people)
Td. Detective work
Tk. Video store employee
28. When you were at school, which subjects did you like/hate?
R. Like --> Japanese. Hate --> Maths
A. I liked studying, but I hated my professor
Td. Like: humanities, Dislike: general science
Tk. Like --> English. Hate--> Geography
29. If you became a school teacher, what do you see yourself teaching?
R. I'd rather be taught by the students
A. Alcohol, cigarettes and women
Td. English or Classical Literature
Tk. Something easy, like juken eigo [English classes taken by students who need to prepare for their final exams; like rote learning]
30. Do you like going on trips? Where do you want to go, and for how long?
R. I like them, but I don't go on them.
A. I hate them, so I don't go.
Td. I like them, but I don't have time to go. If I could go, I'd go to England for two years.
Tk. A southern island, for however long.
31. How do you spend your free days?
R. Sleeping
A. I stay at home; because I'm usually not there, it's fun.
Td. Sleeping
Tk. Walks + Yakitori
32. Do you have a mobile phone? Who do you often talk to, and what kind of strap does it have?
R. Yes. The guitarist of this one band, called Ao-kun, and Yoshikawa-san. The strap is Devil Man [an anime]
A. I have one. Manager, HAKAIDAA
Td. I have one. People associated with the band. Nekojiru
Tk. Yes, I have one. Friends. A Speed strap [the band]
33. Do you cook? What's your speciality?
R. I don't.
A. I don't. Instant noodles (packet variety)
Td. I don't really.
Tk. Yes. Everyday stuff.
34. What are the condiments that you like? And what sort of food do you have to use it on?
R. There are none.
A. Ajinomoto . Everything. It has lots of bite and punch [in the flavour]
Td. Chinese seasonings. In Chinese cooking.
Tk. Ajinomoto. Because I'm Japanese.
35. What was your first encounter with music?
R. On Midori-Gaoka [place name?]
A. When I was 2 or 3 years old. A single which I received from my parents. A fairy tale
[the brothers Grimm, perchance? ^^;;]
Td. I became obsessed with it.
Tk. I wonder?
36. What was the first concert (live) you ever went to? When and where did you see it?
R. The Bolshoi Circus. Grade 4 [elementary school]
A. I've forgotten.
Td. I forgot.
Tk. Earthshaker. At Tokushima Culture Centre.
37. If you were a cameraman, what kind of things would you like to film, and in what style?
R. Panda. In 70s style.
A. I'd like to film something daring. Daringly.
Td. People I know, in ways that they've never been seen before.
Tk. Takako-chan, from Speed. Flatteringly.
38. If you were a writer, what sort of people and themes would you like to talk about?
R. Panda. School exercises [ie. where all the students line up and do exercises to music]
A. Conservative people, and unconservative things.
Td. "Beat" Takeshi-san and madness.
Tk. Takako-chan from Speed [Again? ^^;;]. Her future ambitions.
39. Please describe your personality in three words.
R. Ignorant. Pessimistic. AB blood type.
A. Patient, sexual, competitive.
Td. Nervous, easy going, curious.
Tk. Love. Courage. Hardworking.
40. What type of girls do you like?
R. Ones who don't lie. Ones who care.
A. (for example) Glamorous and sexy. Home-oriented girl with the body of a model...but they don't exist, do they...
Td. Ones like little devils (?) [the editor of the magazine put the question mark in!]
Tk. I'm not telling.
41. Do you like a female celebrity? If so, who?
R. Lee Lien Jie [ Jet Li?! Tarou, that's a guy ;; ]
A. Olivia from D&D, Shiina Ringo. After that, I forget.
Td. Nakatani Miki-san.
Tk. You already know all about that.
42. What behaviour do you think is cute on girls?
R. Karate kicks
A. (With their thin arms) they lift something heavy; it makes me want to ask if I can do it for them
Td. When a smile floats on their lips
Tk. When they eat tea-flavoured jelly
43. If you were on a date with a girl you liked for a whole day, where would you go, and how would you spend the day?
R. I'd go in the morning to a temple, and hold hands.
A. I want to see the Great Wall of China, but I hate travelling...
Td. Rendevouz at a mystery spot.
Tk. I can't imagine...
44. What would you do if you found out your girlfriend was cheating on you?
R. Sleep.
A. cheating huh...?
Td. I wouldn't condemn her for it... I'd just cheat as well! *L*
Tk. Laugh.
45. Who do you think is the most popular member (of the band)?
R. Tadashi. Somehow.
A. The truth is that none of us are popular... I don't have time to dream about being popular.
Td. Ryutaro-san. The mothering instinct thing is flattering! *L*
Tk. Ryutaro. He just seems popular.
46. Do you want to get married? If so, at what age?
R. No way.
A. I do...
Td. I want to, but I haven't thought about at what age.
Tk. I do... 28-30.
47. What are the best things you've received from your fans?
R. shoes, clothes
A. accesories, clothes
Td. clothes that I wanted
Tk. all of their thoughts/feelings
48. What sort of person do you think Ryutaro will be in 20 years time?
R. I don't think I'll still be around. If I am, I'd be the same as I am now.
A. A helicopter pilot! He likes helicopters.
Td. Will he be around then?
Tk. He'll be floating and wavering about... ["fuwa-fuwa yura-yura"]
49. What sort of person do you think Akira will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. ooh, me! The captain of a ship! I hate the ocean though...
Td. same as above.
Tk. blazing forward in leaps and bounds ["ton-ton kan-kan" =P]
50. What sort of person do you think Tadashi will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. A paper driver [ as in, licence only; they can't really drive ] He doesn't have a license though.
Td. same as above.
Tk. a nice middle weight one.
51. What sort of person do you think Takashi will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. A taxi driver. He likes cars.
Td. same as above.
Tk. an old man.
52. What has been the most interesting topic to have arisen in your conversations lately?
R. our emotions.
A. what to do for dinner.
Td. news regarding politics and the government.
Tk. ?
53. Do you like these sort of questionaires? Or are they too much trouble?
R. I like them, but they are a lot of trouble...
A. They're ok but not very credible. If you even read half of this I'd be happy!
Td. Overwhelmingly the latter.
Tk. Leave it to your imagination. I like it better than normal methods of data collection I guess...
54. What sort of band is "Plastic Tree"?
R. I'd like you to tell me! I really don't know today...
A. Actually, everyone besides me has been sent from another country... [??!]
Td. A startling variation on a new strain of virus.
Tk. A band with four guys in it.
55. Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to Vicious Magazine and its readers?
R. Goodbye.
A. (really formally) Were you all delighted with this? Music makes me VERY serious, so after you've read this questionaire please don't write letters to the editor saying "Make him quit the guitar!"
Td. What you see with your eyes isn't all there is.
Tk. Keep supporting us!
---
ITAZURA (JOKES)
Vicious magazine, March 2000
Plastic Tree
Translated 00.3.10 by Bronny
Within the band, do you play jokes on each other?
Tadashi: Not really. Only things like, during a live, using "Komekko" - those triangular candy, instead of picks.
Ryutaro: And writing "niku" (meat) on our manager's forehead when she loses a bet with us. We do those sort of things...
Takashi: There are lots of things that we've done sort-of as jokes; nothing that was really memorable. But you know, playing jokes takes too much effort. And reacting to jokes that have been played (on you) takes too much effort (laugh)
Tadashi: I know.......
Ryutaro: But Tadashi lies a lot. Like when he's driving, he'll be like "Ah!! There's a dancing girl doing her thing up on that rooftop!" (laugh) It's very easy to pull things over on me; I fall for those kind of jokes -- I'll be like "WHAT DID YOU SAY??!!", and get tricked...
Tadashi: Does that count as a joke?
For sure, that's a joke, yes.
Tadashi: Well then, Ryutaro and Akira do some incredible things too. Ryutaro, Akira and this local friend of ours went to the beach. This friend and I were in one car, Ryutaro and Akira in another. While still driving along in their car, the two of them were setting fireworks off at us! (laugh)
Akira: Those were *precisely* aimed, you know! It wasn't a threat (laugh) ~ it was an official war!!
Ryutaro: We were aiming and firing those rocket fireworks. And our friend was _so_ mad! I thought it was funny.
Hey~, all you good kids out there, make sure you don't copy them! (laugh)
Ryutaro: Then there's also many self-torture-type jokes. Usually, people who are part of a band will have a drink with alcohol and various things mixed for them by their sempai ['seniors'; those respected in the music industry, in this case], and told "Drink this!". While I think that sort of this is (still) happening, Tadashi did it of his own accord. Soy sauce, and "shichimi tougarashi" [ a ramen seasoning ]; whatever was on the table he added to his drink and mixed it, and this drink - which had turned a colour that no one had ever seen before - he downed it all in one go - his choice! (laugh) No one was yelling "DO IT!!", or anything at him (explosive laughter) Moreover, even though he was drinking it happily, he went "Yu~p..... that was foul!", and collapsed with a thud (laugh)
Tadashi: No, I started off by thinking that I'd show those people in bands who were younger than me, how dignified I was, but it completely backfired on me (explosive laughter)
Ryutaro: So we do self-torturing things like that without any reason to. Then - I'm not sure whether this was a joke, but it was done jokingly - when we went to Hokkaido during our last tour, it was snowing, and Akira did a "drift"* in the car!
Takashi: That was amazing, I was asleep and I woke up because of it.
Tadashi: Ah, speaking of that (tour), there was this famous bridge locally known as "Nanpa Bridge" [ "nanpa" means "flirt"; implying that that was where girls went to get picked up ^^ ], and the four of us, these guys with long hair, went and saw whether or not we could trick people... [ into picking them up as girls ne ^^;;; ]
Ryutaro: I did that too... (laugh)
Tadashi: And we were successful - people came to try and pick us up! They were said some things to us that were a little close for comfort, so we said "Sorry, we're all actually male.", and they got so angry! (explosive laughter) We ran away at an amazing pace.
Ryutaro: Then there was that time before when our manager was acting really suspicious, so we followed her...
Tadashi: Ko-guma Tantei-sha!! [ "bear-cub detective agency" ]
What's that?
Tadashi: If people were acting strange, we'd follow them and find out what was going on. We used a camera to get pictures - to catch them in the act!
Ryutaro: Who was the Chief at that point.....?
Tadashi: Me. And you were our 'Number 1' detective - Ryutaro took the photos. We actually spent an hour and a half properly following her (the manager) around, didn't we?
Ryutaro: ...all around a department store!
Tadashi: Actually at one stage, Ryutaro was almost closed in on by her!
Ryutaro: Yeah, because I was looking through the finder (on the camera), and I suddenly realised that she was _right_ behind me (explosive laughter). After that, we went to a park, but there was nowhere to hide, so for a while we were behind a bench. If that sort of thing happened nowadays, there's no mistake -- we'd be arrested! (laugh) They'd say we were stalking her.
So did you get enough photo evidence?
Ryutaro: We stopped before we understood anything [ about her actions ]. But it's good because it was fun.
After that then, what were the actions of Ko-guma Detective Agency?
Ryutaro: We did that [ following and taking photos ] quite a few times. But after that one time [ we mentioned ], we didn't have any big findings.
Tadashi: Our work simply diminished. We couldn't continue, so we declared ourselves bankrupt.
So even though it started off as a joke, you [ were ] actually doing it pretty well, right?
Ryutaro: I might rethink (doing) it. But nothing like "Star Dokkiri Maru-Hi Housoku"* - with those incredible jokes that they play. But we did do something like the "Neoki o Toru"* segment from that - Akira secretly brought in a camera....
What the.... what on earth...? (laugh)
Ryutaro: But if I was ever tricked like in "Star Dokkiri~", I'd hit the person.
Tadashi: I'd kick them (laugh)
Ryutaro: When they brought out the sign, I think I'd hit them with the sign.
Akira: Because it's a nation-wide broadcast, people don't get angry. But if it was done normally, they'd be _so_ pissed off.
Ryutaro: Like that time when I did Kimo-dameshi*, everyone jumped out of hiding (at me). I was _so_ angry... I was angry for about 3 days.
So Plastic Tree could never appear in any of those "Star Dokkiri"-like variety programs, could you...?
Ryutaro: No... But then, we don't really have any desire to.
Notes
+ A "drift" - when you're driving, to floor the accelerator, then take your foot off and turn the steering wheel *really* quickly and forcefully, so that the car ends up at a 90 degree angle to what it was originally. With a really loud squeal ^^;
+ "Star Dokkiri Maru-Hi Housoku" - like celebrity Candid Camera, only instead of the "Smile! You're on Candid Camera!" line, they hold up a sign with something like "You've been tricked by Star Dokkiri!" on it. "Neoki o Toru" was a popular segment from Star Dokkiri, where a camera crew would sneak in and film various celebrities just as they were waking up.
+ "Kimo-dameshi" - erm, hard to explain. Like a sort of test of bravery, where 2 people are told to go spend the night some place horrible, like a graveyard. Only apparently Ryutaro got tricked in the process ^^;
QUESTIONNAIRE
Vicious magazine, June 1999
Plastic Tree
Translated 99.12.XX by Bronny & dalamar
1. Please tell your height, weight, shoe size.
Ryutaro. 172cm, 53kg, 25-25.5cm (spring)
Akira. Infinitely tall, heavier than an elephant, feet: two
Tadashi. 169cm, about 50kg, about 25.5cm
Takashi. 168cm, 550t, 25.5cm
2. Do you have any siblings?
R. It's me and my little sister.
A. The Brothers Grimm.
Td. I have a younger sister.
Tk. Ultra siblings.
3. What has interested you the most recently?
R. I'm not interested in anything.
A. Myself.
Td. The end of the world.
Tk. Eki-mae ryuugaku [lit. 'Station-front exchange' -- companies who coordinate exchange student programs and situate their offices in front of railway stations in order to be noticed -- just about every station in Tokyo has an 'Eki-mae Ryuugaku' opposite it]
4. Do you have any likes/dislikes regarding food?
R. Like --> pudding. Dislike --> fermented soybeans (natto)
A. There are heaps. Persimmon seeds/mushrooms etc.
Td. There is _no_ way I can eat liver or capsicum.
Tk. Nothing in particular.
5. What have you been drinking a lot of lately?
R. Apple Tea
A. Spirits, Coke.
Td. Tomato juice.
Tk. That's for me to know and you to find out! *L*
6. Do you drink alcohol? If so, what do you drink and how much?
R. Anything other than whisky.
A. One shot of spirits and I'm tipsy.
Td. I do, but I only drink beer and wine.
Tk. What, now? How much do you want me to drink?
7. What happens to you what you're drunk?
R. I cry, laugh and hug people [kawaii~!! ^^;;]
A. I stay the same - Mr. Cheerful
Td. I can't predict that.
Tk. Well, what do you think? *L*
8. Do you smoke? If so, how many cigarettes do you smoke a day?
R. Salem Pianissimo. 18 per day.
A. Seven Stars. 3 packs.
Td. I smoke. 1 pack a day. Malboro Light Menthol.
Tk. Mild Seven Super Light, 1 pack.
9. What do you think of girls who smoke?
R. I don't have an opinion.
A. Their nose hair grows longer.
Td. I wouldn't endorse it, but I don't think it's a bad thing either.
Tk. I'd make their acquaintance.
10. Do you collect anything?
R. Nothing, but I often buy books.
A. Zippo lighters, rings and sunglasses.
Td. Stickers.
Tk. Sunglasses.
11. In your time off, what sort of clothes do you wear?
R. Shorts [yappari ^^;]
A. Casual.
Td. Denim Inchiki UK.
Tk. Whatever suits the occasion.
12. Are there any fashion brands that you like?
R. Beauty Beast, Milk Boy, 9 Head etc.
A. Nothing in particular.
Td. 9 Heads.
Tk. Whatever suits the occasion.
13. Do you wear accesories? What do you wear? Are there any brands that you like?
R. Not really, because I lose things.
A. Rings, bracelets, necklaces.
Td. Just rings. Whatever brand.
Tk. Rings and bracelets. Precious metals (PAISTE).
14. Are there any books, comics or magazines that you like?
R. There're lots.
A. I like Masasou Shirou's manga! Masakazu Katsura is the best! And the Grimm Brothers' Fairytales (I'm serious!)
Td. Cute, scary things.
Tk. Bic Comic Spritz. And most recently Naoko.
15. Do you watch movies? What is the best one movie you've seen up until now?
R. Of the ones I've seen, "New Cinema Paradise".
A. Sometimes I watch them. All the ones with Michael J. Fox are good.
Td. Yeah, I watch them. "The Shining" is interesting.
Tk. Gundam "Revenge of SHAA"
16. If you were on a desert island and you could take 1 CD, what would it be? Incidently, in total, how many LPs and CDs do you own?
R. Radiohead's "Pablo Honey". Countless.
A. I couldn't just take 1 CD. Some 700-800 CDs.
Td. "The Beatles' Best" record. 150 CDs.
Tk. Yamazaki Masayoshi. About 400?
17. Is there anyone who you respect? What is it about them that you respect?
R. There are a few.
A. Myself. All of me.
Td. Johnny Sanders. He's cool.
Tk. Godzilla. Because he's strong.
18. Is there a particular phrase which if said would make you happy? And incidently, who would you like to have say it to you?
R. "It's ok." Now who could that be...?
A. "For starters, a meal will do..." A Chinese person.
Td. "Your clothes are cool." A passer-by.
Tk. "Without you I can't go on living." Takako-chan from Speed [^^;;;]
19. What sort of room do you live in? Please give a detailed description.
R. There are lots of windows. It's older than people think... Strangely shaped.
A. 4 1/2 tatami mats.
Td. 1DK. Triangular roof and ceiling. Flooring, white walls.
Tk. 1DK. The bathroom and toilet are separate. Has A/C.
20. What sort of place would be your ideal residence?
R. The heights of the sky.
A. 4 1/2 tatami mats, with a gold-leaf tea-ceremony room.
Td. A house with a skylight.
Tk. 3LDK. With a parking lot.
21. What parts of your body do you like/dislike, and why?
R. Like --> arms, cause they're useful. Dislike --> head, shoulders, knees and ankles, because they become painful.
A. Dislike --> eyes, because I've got this painful stye in one of them.
Td. The place that I like is the place which nobody sees.
Tk. I like everything.
22. What's your favourite season, and why?
R. Anything other than Summer.
A. Autumn. Something about it is just cool.
Td. Autumn. It's calming.
Tk. Summer, because it's refreshing.
23. What are your favourite sports? What sports do you play, and which do you watch?
R. capoeira [apparently "a style of Brazilian martial arts that looks a lot like break dancing" ^^]
A. I hate playing and watching sports.
Td. If I was to do anything, it would be table tennis, and watching would be F1 racing.
Tk. I watch it, I'm a 'Sakashin' fan.
24. How many hours of sleep do you get per day? What's waking up like for you?
R. 4-5 hours. Horrible.
A. 6-8 hours. Amazingly good.
Td. 5-6 hours. Average.
Tk. 3-5 hours. So so.
25. How long does it take from the time you wake up to the time you leave for work? What do you do in that time?
R. 30 mins. Wash face, brush teeth, drink something.
A. 1 hour. Have a bath, clean my room, then have a cigarette.
Td. About 1 hour. Have a shower, dry my hair and brush my teeth.
Tk. 1 hour. Have a shower, wash the dishes, read the newspaper.
26. On your birthday each year, what do you will to happen?
R. World Peace
A. The New Year, because I was born in January.
Td. "(for time to stop)"
Tk. This is a boring question.
27. If you had a job on the side, what would you do?
R. I'd be a motorcycle cop guy
A. Hitman (someone who kills people)
Td. Detective work
Tk. Video store employee
28. When you were at school, which subjects did you like/hate?
R. Like --> Japanese. Hate --> Maths
A. I liked studying, but I hated my professor
Td. Like: humanities, Dislike: general science
Tk. Like --> English. Hate--> Geography
29. If you became a school teacher, what do you see yourself teaching?
R. I'd rather be taught by the students
A. Alcohol, cigarettes and women
Td. English or Classical Literature
Tk. Something easy, like juken eigo [English classes taken by students who need to prepare for their final exams; like rote learning]
30. Do you like going on trips? Where do you want to go, and for how long?
R. I like them, but I don't go on them.
A. I hate them, so I don't go.
Td. I like them, but I don't have time to go. If I could go, I'd go to England for two years.
Tk. A southern island, for however long.
31. How do you spend your free days?
R. Sleeping
A. I stay at home; because I'm usually not there, it's fun.
Td. Sleeping
Tk. Walks + Yakitori
32. Do you have a mobile phone? Who do you often talk to, and what kind of strap does it have?
R. Yes. The guitarist of this one band, called Ao-kun, and Yoshikawa-san. The strap is Devil Man [an anime]
A. I have one. Manager, HAKAIDAA
Td. I have one. People associated with the band. Nekojiru
Tk. Yes, I have one. Friends. A Speed strap [the band]
33. Do you cook? What's your speciality?
R. I don't.
A. I don't. Instant noodles (packet variety)
Td. I don't really.
Tk. Yes. Everyday stuff.
34. What are the condiments that you like? And what sort of food do you have to use it on?
R. There are none.
A. Ajinomoto . Everything. It has lots of bite and punch [in the flavour]
Td. Chinese seasonings. In Chinese cooking.
Tk. Ajinomoto. Because I'm Japanese.
35. What was your first encounter with music?
R. On Midori-Gaoka [place name?]
A. When I was 2 or 3 years old. A single which I received from my parents. A fairy tale
[the brothers Grimm, perchance? ^^;;]
Td. I became obsessed with it.
Tk. I wonder?
36. What was the first concert (live) you ever went to? When and where did you see it?
R. The Bolshoi Circus. Grade 4 [elementary school]
A. I've forgotten.
Td. I forgot.
Tk. Earthshaker. At Tokushima Culture Centre.
37. If you were a cameraman, what kind of things would you like to film, and in what style?
R. Panda. In 70s style.
A. I'd like to film something daring. Daringly.
Td. People I know, in ways that they've never been seen before.
Tk. Takako-chan, from Speed. Flatteringly.
38. If you were a writer, what sort of people and themes would you like to talk about?
R. Panda. School exercises [ie. where all the students line up and do exercises to music]
A. Conservative people, and unconservative things.
Td. "Beat" Takeshi-san and madness.
Tk. Takako-chan from Speed [Again? ^^;;]. Her future ambitions.
39. Please describe your personality in three words.
R. Ignorant. Pessimistic. AB blood type.
A. Patient, sexual, competitive.
Td. Nervous, easy going, curious.
Tk. Love. Courage. Hardworking.
40. What type of girls do you like?
R. Ones who don't lie. Ones who care.
A. (for example) Glamorous and sexy. Home-oriented girl with the body of a model...but they don't exist, do they...
Td. Ones like little devils (?) [the editor of the magazine put the question mark in!]
Tk. I'm not telling.
41. Do you like a female celebrity? If so, who?
R. Lee Lien Jie [ Jet Li?! Tarou, that's a guy ;; ]
A. Olivia from D&D, Shiina Ringo. After that, I forget.
Td. Nakatani Miki-san.
Tk. You already know all about that.
42. What behaviour do you think is cute on girls?
R. Karate kicks
A. (With their thin arms) they lift something heavy; it makes me want to ask if I can do it for them
Td. When a smile floats on their lips
Tk. When they eat tea-flavoured jelly
43. If you were on a date with a girl you liked for a whole day, where would you go, and how would you spend the day?
R. I'd go in the morning to a temple, and hold hands.
A. I want to see the Great Wall of China, but I hate travelling...
Td. Rendevouz at a mystery spot.
Tk. I can't imagine...
44. What would you do if you found out your girlfriend was cheating on you?
R. Sleep.
A. cheating huh...?
Td. I wouldn't condemn her for it... I'd just cheat as well! *L*
Tk. Laugh.
45. Who do you think is the most popular member (of the band)?
R. Tadashi. Somehow.
A. The truth is that none of us are popular... I don't have time to dream about being popular.
Td. Ryutaro-san. The mothering instinct thing is flattering! *L*
Tk. Ryutaro. He just seems popular.
46. Do you want to get married? If so, at what age?
R. No way.
A. I do...
Td. I want to, but I haven't thought about at what age.
Tk. I do... 28-30.
47. What are the best things you've received from your fans?
R. shoes, clothes
A. accesories, clothes
Td. clothes that I wanted
Tk. all of their thoughts/feelings
48. What sort of person do you think Ryutaro will be in 20 years time?
R. I don't think I'll still be around. If I am, I'd be the same as I am now.
A. A helicopter pilot! He likes helicopters.
Td. Will he be around then?
Tk. He'll be floating and wavering about... ["fuwa-fuwa yura-yura"]
49. What sort of person do you think Akira will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. ooh, me! The captain of a ship! I hate the ocean though...
Td. same as above.
Tk. blazing forward in leaps and bounds ["ton-ton kan-kan" =P]
50. What sort of person do you think Tadashi will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. A paper driver [ as in, licence only; they can't really drive ] He doesn't have a license though.
Td. same as above.
Tk. a nice middle weight one.
51. What sort of person do you think Takashi will be in 20 years time?
R. The same as he is now.
A. A taxi driver. He likes cars.
Td. same as above.
Tk. an old man.
52. What has been the most interesting topic to have arisen in your conversations lately?
R. our emotions.
A. what to do for dinner.
Td. news regarding politics and the government.
Tk. ?
53. Do you like these sort of questionaires? Or are they too much trouble?
R. I like them, but they are a lot of trouble...
A. They're ok but not very credible. If you even read half of this I'd be happy!
Td. Overwhelmingly the latter.
Tk. Leave it to your imagination. I like it better than normal methods of data collection I guess...
54. What sort of band is "Plastic Tree"?
R. I'd like you to tell me! I really don't know today...
A. Actually, everyone besides me has been sent from another country... [??!]
Td. A startling variation on a new strain of virus.
Tk. A band with four guys in it.
55. Lastly, is there anything you'd like to say to Vicious Magazine and its readers?
R. Goodbye.
A. (really formally) Were you all delighted with this? Music makes me VERY serious, so after you've read this questionaire please don't write letters to the editor saying "Make him quit the guitar!"
Td. What you see with your eyes isn't all there is.
Tk. Keep supporting us!
---
ITAZURA (JOKES)
Vicious magazine, March 2000
Plastic Tree
Translated 00.3.10 by Bronny
Within the band, do you play jokes on each other?
Tadashi: Not really. Only things like, during a live, using "Komekko" - those triangular candy, instead of picks.
Ryutaro: And writing "niku" (meat) on our manager's forehead when she loses a bet with us. We do those sort of things...
Takashi: There are lots of things that we've done sort-of as jokes; nothing that was really memorable. But you know, playing jokes takes too much effort. And reacting to jokes that have been played (on you) takes too much effort (laugh)
Tadashi: I know.......
Ryutaro: But Tadashi lies a lot. Like when he's driving, he'll be like "Ah!! There's a dancing girl doing her thing up on that rooftop!" (laugh) It's very easy to pull things over on me; I fall for those kind of jokes -- I'll be like "WHAT DID YOU SAY??!!", and get tricked...
Tadashi: Does that count as a joke?
For sure, that's a joke, yes.
Tadashi: Well then, Ryutaro and Akira do some incredible things too. Ryutaro, Akira and this local friend of ours went to the beach. This friend and I were in one car, Ryutaro and Akira in another. While still driving along in their car, the two of them were setting fireworks off at us! (laugh)
Akira: Those were *precisely* aimed, you know! It wasn't a threat (laugh) ~ it was an official war!!
Ryutaro: We were aiming and firing those rocket fireworks. And our friend was _so_ mad! I thought it was funny.
Hey~, all you good kids out there, make sure you don't copy them! (laugh)
Ryutaro: Then there's also many self-torture-type jokes. Usually, people who are part of a band will have a drink with alcohol and various things mixed for them by their sempai ['seniors'; those respected in the music industry, in this case], and told "Drink this!". While I think that sort of this is (still) happening, Tadashi did it of his own accord. Soy sauce, and "shichimi tougarashi" [ a ramen seasoning ]; whatever was on the table he added to his drink and mixed it, and this drink - which had turned a colour that no one had ever seen before - he downed it all in one go - his choice! (laugh) No one was yelling "DO IT!!", or anything at him (explosive laughter) Moreover, even though he was drinking it happily, he went "Yu~p..... that was foul!", and collapsed with a thud (laugh)
Tadashi: No, I started off by thinking that I'd show those people in bands who were younger than me, how dignified I was, but it completely backfired on me (explosive laughter)
Ryutaro: So we do self-torturing things like that without any reason to. Then - I'm not sure whether this was a joke, but it was done jokingly - when we went to Hokkaido during our last tour, it was snowing, and Akira did a "drift"* in the car!
Takashi: That was amazing, I was asleep and I woke up because of it.
Tadashi: Ah, speaking of that (tour), there was this famous bridge locally known as "Nanpa Bridge" [ "nanpa" means "flirt"; implying that that was where girls went to get picked up ^^ ], and the four of us, these guys with long hair, went and saw whether or not we could trick people... [ into picking them up as girls ne ^^;;; ]
Ryutaro: I did that too... (laugh)
Tadashi: And we were successful - people came to try and pick us up! They were said some things to us that were a little close for comfort, so we said "Sorry, we're all actually male.", and they got so angry! (explosive laughter) We ran away at an amazing pace.
Ryutaro: Then there was that time before when our manager was acting really suspicious, so we followed her...
Tadashi: Ko-guma Tantei-sha!! [ "bear-cub detective agency" ]
What's that?
Tadashi: If people were acting strange, we'd follow them and find out what was going on. We used a camera to get pictures - to catch them in the act!
Ryutaro: Who was the Chief at that point.....?
Tadashi: Me. And you were our 'Number 1' detective - Ryutaro took the photos. We actually spent an hour and a half properly following her (the manager) around, didn't we?
Ryutaro: ...all around a department store!
Tadashi: Actually at one stage, Ryutaro was almost closed in on by her!
Ryutaro: Yeah, because I was looking through the finder (on the camera), and I suddenly realised that she was _right_ behind me (explosive laughter). After that, we went to a park, but there was nowhere to hide, so for a while we were behind a bench. If that sort of thing happened nowadays, there's no mistake -- we'd be arrested! (laugh) They'd say we were stalking her.
So did you get enough photo evidence?
Ryutaro: We stopped before we understood anything [ about her actions ]. But it's good because it was fun.
After that then, what were the actions of Ko-guma Detective Agency?
Ryutaro: We did that [ following and taking photos ] quite a few times. But after that one time [ we mentioned ], we didn't have any big findings.
Tadashi: Our work simply diminished. We couldn't continue, so we declared ourselves bankrupt.
So even though it started off as a joke, you [ were ] actually doing it pretty well, right?
Ryutaro: I might rethink (doing) it. But nothing like "Star Dokkiri Maru-Hi Housoku"* - with those incredible jokes that they play. But we did do something like the "Neoki o Toru"* segment from that - Akira secretly brought in a camera....
What the.... what on earth...? (laugh)
Ryutaro: But if I was ever tricked like in "Star Dokkiri~", I'd hit the person.
Tadashi: I'd kick them (laugh)
Ryutaro: When they brought out the sign, I think I'd hit them with the sign.
Akira: Because it's a nation-wide broadcast, people don't get angry. But if it was done normally, they'd be _so_ pissed off.
Ryutaro: Like that time when I did Kimo-dameshi*, everyone jumped out of hiding (at me). I was _so_ angry... I was angry for about 3 days.
So Plastic Tree could never appear in any of those "Star Dokkiri"-like variety programs, could you...?
Ryutaro: No... But then, we don't really have any desire to.
Notes
+ A "drift" - when you're driving, to floor the accelerator, then take your foot off and turn the steering wheel *really* quickly and forcefully, so that the car ends up at a 90 degree angle to what it was originally. With a really loud squeal ^^;
+ "Star Dokkiri Maru-Hi Housoku" - like celebrity Candid Camera, only instead of the "Smile! You're on Candid Camera!" line, they hold up a sign with something like "You've been tricked by Star Dokkiri!" on it. "Neoki o Toru" was a popular segment from Star Dokkiri, where a camera crew would sneak in and film various celebrities just as they were waking up.
+ "Kimo-dameshi" - erm, hard to explain. Like a sort of test of bravery, where 2 people are told to go spend the night some place horrible, like a graveyard. Only apparently Ryutaro got tricked in the process ^^;
When you imagine these creatures living in nature, it puts you at a stand-still (laugh) And when you consider that they eat _bamboo_, well, you get sold. That's just the impact they have.
), and they were all playing around. After an hour had passed, he was still there. I asked "Are you going to be there forever?", and the reply came as "Yup". "You like birds?", "Yeah, I like birds.", "Ahh, ok."
;; poor furu!], so I go out at night a lot. It's becoming unforgivable. Ah~, today I didn't do anything all day. Well, at most, all I did was at the end of the day meet up with some fun people, and have no choice but to talk.