Gaki N Me If you love to talk about the world, love Asian idols, this is the place.

Thank you to millionxstars at my forum for giving me permission to repost all her translations at this blog. It is a rare chance we get English translations of this program consistently and amidst her busy schedule, millionxstars, with her devotion to Kimura, has translated many for my forum. Thank you again!

KIMURA TAKUYA'S WUS SEPTEMBER 1, 2006


(Paraphrased translation)

Fax: The girl went to her first smap concert ever and lost 4 pounds in 1 day. SMAP must lose more weight.

Takuya replies that they smap don't regularly measure their weights, so he doesn't know for sure. But the concert costumes feel bigger and bigger with each week because they are losing weight. He says his waist size has gotten slimmer. Even SMAP's belts are all labeled by name, but Takuya hates having his label be "Kimura" because it's so low tension so he asks the staff to label everything fro shoes to clothes "Takuya" for him.

(On the WUS site, there is a discussion going on about the first time they saw Takuya on tv, and their first impression of him)

One girl said her very first impression was-- Is Takuya really enjoying his job?-- Takuya says in the very beginning, he may not have been that into it. (This is when he was a teenager)

Another said Takuya seemed to be bullying Shingo-- Takuya says- To tell you the truth, I never bullied Shingo.. But Goro on the otherhand.. No just joking.

Another said Takuya seemed hard to approach, but Takuya says that in some situations, this is a good thing and he doesn't mind being thought of as that, even though it's not true at all.

Another said their impression was that he looks at himself in mirrors a lot-- He says this is not true, he goes through some days without even looking in a mirror sometimes.

He says that some girls have told him before that they thought he was a scary person. Takuya said he rarely is like that, except for at night. At night, he becomes a wolf. (I wonder what he means by wolf..)

But so many listeners have said that their impression of him has completely changed after listening to WUS.

Fax: I have been a smap fan for so long, but I used to not like Kimura kun. I thought you tried to act cool and you were a bit cold. You also didn't talk much. But after listening to WUS one day and you were giving us an ero-talk, and I completely changed. I may not have come to see this side of you if not for WUS, and now you are my ichiban.

Because of outside pressures on tv, and sponsors, and things that the staff edits out, I am not able to express everything I want to say on TV. For example on SMAPXSMAP's ending talks, I have said many things that most do not say on tv. And those, amazingly, have been edited out! Recently, there was a question sent into the smapxsmap ending talk about what types of experiments or things we have learned during the summer.. And I mentioned how a while ago, I used to do experiments on women. Like, if I did this, how would they react and all. But of course that has all been edited out. And instead, the talk that was aired is focused on learning fishing and hiking and stuff like that. TV is a very strict thing!

-A guest who has worked with Takuya since his first movie ever came on the radio-

Takuya asks the man what his first impression of him was- and the man says he thought Takuya was scary. (Takuya laughs) The man says because they didn't speak much and because smap acted more serious than other young idol groups.

Takuya says that the next fax is really scary.

Fax from someone who went to Niigata concert with a friend:
Her friend was very quiet during the concert, but when she asked her friend what was wrong her friend would tell her "I'll tell you later". Her friend was quiet the whole time, and after the live, her friend told her that on the side of the stage, there was a woman standing there. And then Takuya walked through the woman, and the woman turned blue and hazy and continued to walk around Takuya for ten minutes, turning slightly red in color. And then her friend became so scared that she couldn't look up. She also adds that her friend has seen other "ghosts" before. Did you feel any different after that concert? Please take care.

Maybe she got confused with the 3D glasses?? Can we just leave it at that? It says here that her friend was scared to watch more, but is it really a scary thing? Maybe the woman came to just watch smap, if it is true. I don't see them as "ghosts" myself, but a concert is a place where many people's feelings come together.. So for them to gather there may be easy. I don't think it's a bad thing. But I'd rather not talk about this topic. Even though I'm in the radio studio right now, there is a part of me that's a bit scared..

Fax:
The person who wrote in said that she is often called "the person who brings bad storms". At soccer games, it would rain. When I go on vacations, I always get caught in typhoons and rain. Also, on the train to Niigata, it snowed. I went to a smap concert this year in Nissan stadium, and there was a typhoon. That same week, in Fukuoka there was a typhoon. Last year the day I went for a smap concert rained also. And I am planning on going to this year's Kokuritsu stadium concert.

Takuya talks about how this fax is scary too and he wants to know which day at Kokuritsu stadium this year, because that piece of information is important.

This year's tour has been really weird, with typhoons and rain all the time. At Fukuoka, during the high tension of the concert, the staff normally told me backstage that our plane back to Tokyo had been cancelled because of the weather. We were supposed to fly back that night. 


TAKUYA KIMURA'S WUS SEPTEMBER 8, 2006

Let's start with this rumor.

Fax: A have heard a rumor about a cute Johnny's Junior. I heard that Yamashita kun (of NEWS) bought tea in a convenience store with $10. But apparently, he deposited all his change in the tip box/donation or something like that) Is Johnny's strict about this type of thing too?

Wow, he is cool (kakkoii). Going to buy tea with $10 and not asking for the change. I feel proud to be his (Johnny's) senior. I don't want to say it like this, and I shouldnt say it but.. mm.. I do it too. Yes. Sometimes when the change is about 500 yen, it's a bit bigger but still, I don't ask for it back.

I was thinking.. He bought tea with $10, right? Tea is cheap, so that means he is giving away pretty much $9. I have lost to him then. The most I've given at a convenience store was about $6. Why did I start doing it? There was a time when I really noticed it- the tip box. It was when I bought ice cream, during summer.. And when I got the change back, I didn't have my wallet to put the change, so I decided to put it in. Yamashita really got me then. I feel like I lost. So next time when I go to the convenience store, I will buy a umaibo and give all the change. How much does it cost? 10 cents? So I will give $990 to the tip box? That's a bit harsh.. (hahah)

Tomorrow's the 15th year!! 15th year of what?! Smap's anniversary since Can't Stop! Since we started out w/Yamashita's kakkoii rumor, let's move on to a rumor about myself.

Fax:
Hello Captain! Is it true? When Kimura Takuya was born, he was born winking. I heard from a friend. If true, that is amazing. Like you were born a perfect idol. That's why your wink is so handsome.

Well I don't remember. I don't remember it, but apparently it's true. Not really winking, but with one eye closed. And it wasn't like I was winking at the hot nurses as if to say "Hallo. What's up". It was just that one eye wasn't open. But here's another thing that happened that I was told. Right as I came out, I was "winking", and they found out I was a boy- then right after that, I peed on the nurse. So it was my first experience right when I was born. (He means something sexual?!!) No no we are talking about pee. It isn't something I should talk about over national radio, but I'm just telling it as it really happened.

Fax:
I heard a story from my friend yesterday. About your first kiss. Is it true you had your first kiss when you were 5 years old? It was during a game of Prince and Princess, and you had to kiss the Princess to wake her up from the spell. Since the age of five, you have been acting even during play. You are amazing. My friend read about it in a gossip column.. Please tell us if it's true.

Gossip columns are always associated with rumors.. About 1 time out of 10, they tell the truth. It is that rare. This time, the rumor about having to kiss the princess is true. (laughs shyly) How did it end up in the gossip column? Well I started role playing as a 5 yr old, but I think I graduated that level. It's a weird way of saying it.. (ahhh he avoided the topic of the actual kiss!!)

Fax:
I wanted to ask you something. Do the smap members write in blogs on the internet, or write comments on fan sites?

I wonder.. I have never done something like that. Nakai doesn't even own a computer. Maybe Shingo or Goro does it. Maybe. But smap doesn't really know much about computers.

Fax:
Recently, you talked about smap's past. Is it true? That you and Nakai went to the same high school? And as the leaders of the group, that high school was split between Nakai's side and your side? But you and Nakai were on friendly terms?

What is this? It is true that we went to the same highschool, same grade. We both went to Yoyogi high school. But there was no rivalry or split between groups. Our friends were different though. To put it this way-- many of my peers had long hair (it was the fashion). And near Nakai, there were lots of people sporting punch perms. (hahaha)

Song: Stevie Wonder- STAY GOLD

Tomorrow is our anniversary, September 9th. It's a special day, and this song has a special meaning. Stay gold, always stay shining. Let's say, let's just say if smap continues for another 30 years, we won't be Gold.. We will be Silver. (hahah silver hair?) So maybe we should release a song called Stay Silver. But maybe we won't be able to sing by then.

(He talks a little about smap's old radio shows: Together Forever and Pop SMAP)

Song: Setsunasa ga Itai (Takuya-Nakai duet)-- The only Takuya-Nakai pair duet in 15 years!

Fax:
I went to Yokohama's Nissan Stadium Live the other day. The most memorable moment for me was when you and Nakai high-fived during the dance segment. It is so rare to see the two-tops do that, but I felt happy to see it.

It's great that someting like this makes you happy. I don't know if it's rare or not.. But it's just the choreography. We do it each concert. But there are times when our hands don't really meet. Like I push my hand out to meet his, but we miss. Maybe next concert, I should keep my hand out until we finally touch. I'll do it.

Recently I've heard this phrase from fans a lot-- "two tops". What is this? Everyone writes in saying that. There are so many names. "Sanbakarasu" or "Shitennou". We have five members, and Shitennou refers to only 4. (laughs) What happens to the last member? (laughs) 


KIMURA TAKUYA'S WUS SEPTEMBER 15, 2006

(paraphrased version)

Fax:
Bushi no Ichibun's official DVD is coming out right? With a long interview and off-shots of the backstage. Please tell us more.

Yes, it will be released on November 13th. What type of DVD will it be? I do not know. I have not seen it. It hasn't been finished yet. (silence*). We are filming it still. (silence*). (haha)

Fax from someone who went to live in Kokuritsu Kyougijou:
I went to the live to celebrate smap's 15 Anniversary. And I noticed something. Is Nakai kun ok? He looked like he was in pain. He has 2 cracked ribs and a torn muscle in his leg? He told us all that though he cannot dance, he can still sing.. But what do you think Takuya kun?

Hmm.. Well everyone who came to the "party" (concert) must have noticed it.. It started in Nagoya. He was in pain from then. The staff told me that Nakai couldn't move well and I thought "huh?!" Nakai told fans through his own radio program about his ribs last week. Right after the rehearsals and before the concert when we were all changing, he suddenly started saying he can't move. Because of the torn muscle. This was before Kokuritsu Kyougijou, on our anniversary day, but the staff started talking about having the concert with just 4 of us, leaving Nakai out. But we cannot do that because it's our anniversary and so many fans are expecting all 5. So we told Nakai he doesn't have to move, just be there.. And we changed a lot of the positions and plans during the rehearsal.

Takuya talked about how one of the breakdance moves was very painful during rehearsal because you had to twirl with your back on the floor (windmill). One time he forgot to go down without his mic, and he hit the floor with his mic in hand and realized only halfway through. And when he got up, he glanced at his left thumb and saw something shining on it. For a second he thought it was black manicure, but it was really blood because he scraped the skin off with his mic by accident.

The high-five with nakai during the two-tops dance is difficult because it hurts Nakai to raise his hand up high. So it has become a low-touch. And the dance that the two-tops do in the middle is all ad-lib! Improv.

SONG: Call your Number- SMAP

We smap will release a new single on October 11th!!! (claps) Thank you Thank you! The title of the single is- Arigatou! The coupling title is... Doitashimashite. (you're welcome). (*silence). No way, right? There are phrases in Japanese- "Thank you-- Oh it's nothing." That kind. (hahah, he is just joking about the coupling title.)

KIMURA TAKUYA'S WUS SEPTEMBER 22, 2006

FAX:
I saw an article on the newspaper last week covering SMAP's 15th Anniversary concert. In the article, there was a quote from Mr Johnny commenting about each member. He said you (Takuya) can be a lazy person sometimes. One time, you were talking to Mr Johnny in the lobby when one of your first plays (that Takuya was casting in) started and you weren't prepared to go on stage. Do you remember this? Do you see yourself as lazy? And also, the newspaper commented on how SMAP was the role model for the younger Johnnys members.

Lazy.. it's a mystery. But this-what Johnny san said was true. It's amazing how he still remembers it. My first time on stage. I was so nervous, so he was calming me down in the lobby I think. And it is true that the play had started already and I wasn't prepared to go on stage. But why me as just lazy? This is a bit surprising.

I never thought of us being role models, or a "goal" for the younger Johnny's members to achieve. I remember being told back then by Johnny's management that there were plenty of replacements for us. Back then when I was rebellious and was dying my hair gold and stuff. Right before the Hikaru Genji concert (smap were backdancers), they told me they won't let me on stage unless I dye my hair back to black. So I had to go to the bathroom and spray it black. They never praised us. Always, they would use the words "helpless" to describe us. (or horrible, beyond repair) So the term "role model" was probably coined on us a long time after when we were formed.

So from now on I will try to make this program a good model for the younger Johnnys members. (says that in a sing-song voice) So during the commercial, please, yes.. remove your bras. Yes, do it properly. This would become a good model, right?

On the WUS homepage, there are many comments on fans who attended our first ever smap concert. It brought back so many memories.

FAX:
I attended smap's very first debut concert. Did you hold concerts 2 days in a row back then? I cannot remember. (Takuya says: I think it was 3 days in a row) I don't remember much, but I remember that Shingo was crying as he sang Let it Be. (not smap's let it be, the american song) (staff in the background laugh) I forgot the name of the song, but you and Nakai both sang a duet.

FAX:
I went to smap's debut concert. You sang Janet while dancing, and I also remember Shingo's tears.

Shingo's tears.. It must have been tears of pain. Three concerts sometimes in one day- our legs would be pretty much broken. We thought it was impossible. But Johnny told us to sing Let it Be and go out there. I think Johnny was the one in control of what we sang back then. I remember singing with Nakai too. (they sang another artist, Otogumi's song) It was a great song. I was playing guitar during it.

Song: Furyou- Otokogumi (Takuya hums/sings to it)

There have been some reactions to the song I played last week- Stay Gold.

Fax:
I have seen a video of you singing this song, Stay Gold, at a Hikaru Genji Tokyo dome concert.

Ehhh! No way? I have no memory of this.

Fax:
You sang Stay Gold at smap's Gambarimashou show.

Oh yes this I remember. But Hikaru Gengi's concert? I don't think I sang a solo at Hikaru Gengi's concert because we were just backdancers. No way that I would be given the spotlight. Maybe it was a smap concert? That might be more likely.

Song: My Lonely- Bobby Vinton(from SMAP's movie Shoot- SMAP sang it for the movie)

FAX:
There are many CM's of you out and it's fun. FMV Usataku and Nikon are both very kakkoii. Do you remember your very first CM?

First CM... Ehhh??

Before I became part of SMAP? Then it must be Tombogakuseifu. I was part of the Skateboys then, and it was a CM with about 12 other people. I remember my script to. "Harukara chacha Hyper black" Eh? Hyper? Was it hyper black? Maybe some listeners are thinking.."Skateboys? What is that"

Before we became smap, there was a group of 12 members and we were backdancers for Hikaru Gengi (a popular group). And we did rollerskating and skating in the background. There were some who were already good at skating, and some who had never touched skates before, like Goro chan. (haha). And the group of 12 were called Skateboys. Akiyama pro would teach us different tricks. I was about 17, 18 years old. Our job was to just skate on stage while Hikaru Genji sang. We would skate in between the members, who wore rollerskates themselves. It was scary, because if we accidentally hit one of the members, they would just start rolling. There were many times when I bumped into Oosawa kun. I would go apologize to him afterwards, and he would be like "Did you really do that?" as if he didn't remember. He said it in a very cool way. I am very thankful for him for letting me off.

SONG: SMAP's NEW SINGLE!!! ----ARIGATOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*****

That was Arigatou by us SMAP. It will be out on October 11th, but before that, we sang it during the concerts. It was just a songjust for the concert, because it didn't get into the album. And it became well-reacted to by the fans and we asked the staff to release it like Triangle. (Triangle was also a song they sang during the live last yr that became a single) But really we won't do this again next year. It's not good to advertise a soon-to-come song right. We really aren't trying to do it like that. It was supposed to be just a song that one can hear during the concert- like "Thank you".

I like the idea of a song we can just sing during the live, but never release. Not even in the concert dvd. You can experience it only in the concert. But it's not turning out like that..

 KIMURA TAKUYA'S WHAT'S UP SMAP SEPTEMBER 29, 2006

Have you all seen SMAPxSMAP this week? Bistro Special! I did my magic spoon trick to, but the reaction was pretty dull. On the set, I looked like I was in the wrong season compared to the rest of the members right? I was in only a tanktop. But I think the other members were holding back a lot. On the second floor, it gets extremely hot up there. When we are cooking on the first floor, it's alright, but the second floor is boiling because of all the stoplights. I was watching tv and the previews came on and I thought to myself "what kind of person would go on tv with a tanktop in this season".. But really, it was hot, like after coming out of a hot bath. But here I will apologize for appearing on tv in a tanktop; sorry. (my comment: no need to apologize Takuya-- we looove seeing u in tanktops hehehe!)

And there are many faxes regarding the Bistro special, so that will be the theme for today.

FAX:
I watched last monday's smapxsmap, The Fall Appetite Mounting Special and I have a question. On tv, Bistro's tempo is very smooth, but it must be that way because of editing. In reality, how long does it take to cook the meals?

Weelll after 15 years of smapxsmap, such a question.. Sometimes we finish the meal in the time it takes in Live Bistro specials (10 minutes), and sometimes it takes 2 hours. (!!) And of course, the majority is edited out. Sometimes, I make pasta.. and I make it from the actual spagghetti. It take such a long time and I think "why did I decide on such a difficult recipe?!" Actually, there is this one man we work with and we think up recipes together. But before our guests come on-screen, they fill out a questionaire on their tastes and likes and dislikes. Do they like Western, Korean, Italian, Japanese.. Or no oily food, normal food, hate oily food.. there are many different categories, and we need to see the completed list before we can think up recipes. Of course it takes longer to plan it. So when Nakai goes "order!!! ___ and _____!", it's not like we can think up the meal right there and immediately cook. Only ironchefs can do that. We have professional chefs who give us advice, and we try making the meal once to see how it will turn out. And after making adjustments, we get ready for the final meal. It's a hard process. (wow!! I now have a new respect for Bistro smap!) And when the guest chooses after "Hantei wa!" which side will win, the losing side geniunely feels low. It's frustrating after all that hard work. And winning is that much more thrilling. The few seconds before the guest announces the side that wins feels like a ring boxer awaiting his score.

FAX:
Do you even make mistakes during your cooking? Like burning the meat?

When I make desserts, there are times when I burn it. Or when we are making caramel with sugar, even now I am not good at it. When we mess up, we have to start over again. Adjusting the temperature is so difficult. And the reason viewers never see us mess up is because we just throw the part out and start filming from the start.

FAX:
You make new meals every time at Bistro smap right? Do you make it at home too? Do you eat that type of meal all the time?

If I ate that type of meal all the time, I would get sick. Shark fin, rare types of beef, duck.. there's no way I can get a hold of that type of stuff. During the concert at Oosaka after the 3rd night the tv producer took us out to dinner. Goro and Tsuyoshi had once been there before, but it was really delicious. It made me feel like I was at bistro. They don't say stuff like "Wei-mush!" or "Order!" But there is no menu. You just let the chef do it, and it all tastes delicious. You just wait for the next meal. One meal was Omuraisu and I told him how delicious it was. He casually said "Thanks! I've been working on that sauce for 8 months!" Shingo and I looked at each other and said the guy must be a genius.

Sometimes when there's food left over in Bistro smap, I ask the staff if I can take it home and they wrap it up for me. I don't want to waste the food.

FAX:
I have a question about the member pairings in Bistro smap. Maybe it is coincidence, but there aren't many times when you and Shingo pair together. Many times, it's you and Goro. Is it difficult to pair with a certain member? How are the pairings decided?

Yes.. Shingo is very good at making extragavant desserts. It's easy with him because I can just let him take charge of the dessert and I can handle the meal. And with Goro and Tsuyoshi, there are times when I'm in charge of desserts and times when I'm in charge of the meal. So the person who is easy to work with might be Shingo. And hard to work with.. Hmm.. it's not really hard to work with, but in the real filming, Tsuyoshi? We have a lot of eye contact, as in he looks over to me to ask if it's the right timing or for directions. There are times when I have to look out for him. I might be hard to work with. When there's a bit of vegetable wrapped in saran wrap left over, I ask if they need the leftover for instance. Or if I can throw it out. I might be annoying in that way. I like to clean things up as I work, and I like to keep my work area clean so I guess I am saying it a lot.

SONG: SMAP'S NEW SINGLE-- ARIGATOU (released October 11th)

FAX:
In bistro, the winning team receives a kiss if it's a female guest and a present from male guests. Do you keep all the presents in your room? Decorated on the wall or something?

Instead of decorating the presents, I use them. Shingo apparently has a corner in his house where he displays all the presents he receives, which is honorable. But I just normally use them. For example, if it's a signed shirt or something, I would use it. And I normally put it in the wash. Even the lucky fans who get my signed t-shirt during the concert-- I am totally fine with them wearing the shirt and washing it. Washing a car with it on the other hand would be a bit too much, but wearing it around is fine!