As promised, here's the second half of Sho's interview from Cut with lots of talk about what Arashi means to him. Again, please excuse the awkward phrasings! Blame Sho for liking to use big words and strange ways of putting things to begin with. I really enjoyed this interview nevertheless though, and I hope others will to. ♥

Comments are always love, of course!

Credit for the scans again goes to yuckie_chan.

~*~

Sakurai Sho - Cut - 04/2009 - Part 2 of 2


---Were there talks of "Why are you working as an idol?" as well?

Yes. When I was in my third and fourth year at university, I was kind of constantly asked that. People like my friends and even their relatives, they would ask things like "When are you quitting?" Even as I was thinking "I do already have a CD debut..." I would say things like "No no, I'm not quitting, you know?" or "Because it's a group made up of 5 people, you can't just have one person quitting, you know?", but, well... I was often asked that.


---How did you feel about it?

One was a "Is that how they're seeing it?" kind of surprise. It was a surprise to realize that they thought it was something which you can quit at any time. And then, just as I thought, it had been "Well just watch me then" too.


---Sakurai-san had dissed 'idol antis' in a concert solo; you've got quite a strong competitive spirit, do you not? When did you develop that sudden sense of "I'll show you what I can do"?

Well, I still think "I'll show you what I can do" now, but... if for example there are people who look at idols with slanted views around, there's a feeling of having gone to a place that has no connection to it at all. More so than what an idol is like, it'd be like going to a place with more of a "What should Arashi be like?" feel.


---Was there a reason or motive behind it?

Just as I thought, the flow that started from our Asia tour in 2006 onwards might have been a big one. Individually speaking, it might have been the start of "NEWS ZERO". So regarding new things or doing something interesting, will the need to say "Look this way~!" gradually diminish and it would become possible to do things easily in an environment with many different people watching? That's what I personally think.


---Then, what do you think Arashi should be like?

How should I say this... the conversation might dampen if you suddenly heard a business-like answer about wanting to be professional idols, but I think we want to be professionals from whom you can experience those kinds of dreams. Because-- even though Aiba had said before during 24Jikan Terebi that "this dream of becoming the top, let's definitely make it come true", we don't actually think about wanting to become leaders of the generation. It'd be nice if we can become one piece of the generation, but it's kind of like, it's more like I want us to become a place which people can go to when they want to cheer up. Like those small shrines in Dragon Quest (laugh).


---(laugh) Like a philosopher's stone?

Yes yes (laugh), something like 'if you go there you can regain your HP!', I think it would be great if we get to a point where we become a place like that.


---Though there were various ups and downs, how were you able to arrive at this conclusion?

One would be when viewers see Arashi on TV and get the feeling that 'those guys really do look like they're having fun' (laugh), another would definitely be the conviction that there are things which cannot be done if it's not Arashi, which has become something that can be felt in our everyday activities. It's a given when we go overseas for concerts, and if we're talking about my own matters then it's a given when I'm sitting in my seat at "NEWS ZERO"; there are things that wouldn't make an impression if it's not us, there are messages that wouldn't get through to people if it's not us, and the opportunities to be able to do this before people's eyes has grown. 'Is this group called Arashi expanding the possibilities for so-called idols little by little?' might be a reaction because of that.


---So it's not tied to being an idol, it's because it is Arashi, then.

That's right. But it's not that I'm denying my identity as an idol-- because I want Arashi to exist in its own genre, and being an idol would be included within that as well. It's more like it would be nice if we can become a 'one and only' kind of existence.


---To Sakurai-san yourself, is Arashi a dream?

Yes. Just as expected, it's a dream so we want to become youthful. ...it's kind of like the feeling of five idiots in class who does everything noisily (laugh). Like an existence which would make grown up men think "ahh, I had times like these", which would make high school girls think "there are kids like these in our class". Because we want to become youthful, we're always laughing and looking like we're having fun, like we're idiots; I think that's probably very important to us. Or rather, memorable idiots (laugh).


---(laugh) I think Arashi is indeed embodying youth, a necessary kind of existence among both adults and our current generation, but why do you think Arashi has made that something feasible?

As expected, I think it's because the five of us were born in the same generation. The age gap is slight, and there's a childhood friend-like element to it. And then there's the period which we were born in. Everyone was born just barely in the Showa period, and I think it was a time where you get a sense of thicker than usual bonds between people.


---But, this thing about wanting to become people's dreams, it's also a matter of wanting to carry people's lives on your shoulders, isn't it? Including that in "preparedness for certain matters within Arashi", is that something that has come into being within Sakurai-san?

Preparedness, huh... if has then it has, if it hasn't then it hasn't... but I wouldn't be able to say no to this, would I (laugh). This is hard! My answer would be "It's difficult to say no!" (laugh)


---Ahahaha. But it's there, right?

Oh, it's there. It's there, but I can't make the assertion that "it's there" (laugh). There's a feeling of various things being limited when I make an assertion, so it feels like I can't say it.


---(laugh) Then, what about things like responsibilities within Arashi?

Responsibility... has definitely become something which I can feel strongly. Things like 'if I do this I'd embarrass the other members', 'that alone would be inexcusable to the staff who are working hard for us', instances where somebody's face would cross my mind has increased. That was a big change that came about this past year or so.


---Then, do you think that you are glad to have encountered this thing called "Arashi"?

Ah... well, I do think that we might have been searching for this thing called Arashi for 10 whole years. Then, to have begun discovering it, to have begun somewhat seeing what it looks like from behind, that might have been two or three years ago. That's what Arashi is like to me.


---You haven't seen the full picture yet?

Yes. It would be boring if I saw it... or I can see it but I don't want to approve of it (laugh). I want to think of it as merely one part still.


---(laugh) Why have you seen it?

As expected, I think it started after thinking that we've become interesting. The Arashi that I'm talking about right now has a completely different meaning than just the five of us meeting, though; it has the meaning of an Arashi that comprises of the fans, the staff, and the members. That's why I would think that I'm glad to have encountered this existence called Arashi.


---Then, is it because you've seen what Arashi looks like from behind that thoughts of "I want it to become a dream" have surfaced?

I think so, yes. Though I still can't say that I'm prepared for it (laugh).