Wooh.. after a few weeks of battle against midterms, I finally got a chance to finish this!! And on time for her b-day!! It's still the 11th here in Cali.. so yeah.. I consider it on time!
Brought to you by Fenrir Translations.
Please excuse any grammatical/spelling errors. I wanted to get it done before her b-day passed....
MM x Tsunk 2
Tanaka Reina
Striking her opponents with her aloof cool beauty.
With a kiriri [?] look, in a moment, she strikes her opponents with her aloof cool beauty. Without listening to the admiration in the surroundings, she puts all her passion and ambition in her own song and dance. Watching the T.V. or live, of course, that Tanaka Reina has a charm. Acknowledging our frank talk with innocence and a roar of laughter and since she wants to have a cool talk, without looking for words, she lets her eyes wind up [spin]… that kind of girl is super charming <3.
Birth date: 1989/11/11
Blood type: O
Birthplace: Fukuoka Prefecture
Debut Song: “Shabondama” (2003.7.30)
Stage Debut: Saitama Super Arena (2003.5.4)
Do you still remember when you joined Morning Musume?
Yes. The moment they said that I passed, I was happy going, “Wah-!” Within myself, I was wondering what did I pull.
When the three of you were told that you passed, everybody went silent.
I don’t know if Eri and Sayu had the same feelings, but I was first thinking, “I have to move [house].”
But, if you pass, naturally that will happen.
Before going to training camp, they asked, “If you pass, will you be ok on moving to Tokyo?” At that time, I replied, “Yes, it’s fine.” That’s because I never thought I’d pass and need to go to training camp [so much negatives! I think this is correct].
Eh, you never felt that you will pass?
Yes (smiling).
Eh, I couldn’t see that.
Therefore, when I passed, I felt, “Eh, did I really pass?” At that moment, thoughts of not being able to hang out with my friends, having to transfer, and not being able to spend time with everybody in the family were spinning around in my head and, honestly, I was happy saying, “Wai~!”
Then, when you started living in Tokyo, did you get homesick?
Yes. That was the toughest thing.
Even though you were with your mom?
But, my dad was in Fukuoka. Therefore, when there was talk of, “I want to live with a family of 4 people,” I couldn’t handle it. And if I continued saying, “I want to go back!” there are times Mama would say, “Then, shall we go back?”
Quit Morning Musume?
Yes. I would be really noisy and I say, “Let’s go back to Fukuoka.” And with my willpower, if I replied, “Yeah, let’s go back,” then I say, “Well, then, go call the office and say that.” I really was about to call the office.
You really didn’t, did you…
No, when I told Mama, I knew. I thought, “As I thought, I can’t do that.” I was sad that I couldn’t spend time with the family and couldn’t meet my friends, but I really wanted to be a Morning Musume member, so I came to Tokyo. Even thought it’s painful, I wanted to work here… I knew it with that part of me that was there at that time.
The feeling of you definitely not wanting to quit, Mama, from the start, saw it, huh.
Yeah. My Mama is really a candid person. She says what she is thinking. In the house, when I was practicing and couldn’t do it, if I get mad at myself, she would say, “Be quiet!! If you are irritated, go over there and do it.” But, when she doesn’t say that, she’ll complain until who knows when. If my Mama wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be able to do this (laughs).
Do you actually resemble her a little?
I wonder how. We both say what we are thinking. Mama is strong. On many levels.
More and more, you wanted to take the audition of Morning Musume, who you admired.
Yes. More than wanting to join, first, I wanted to meet them.
In order to meet them, you needed to join, right (laughs).
Yes. Also, if I was able to join Morning Musume, I thought in what way people will be able to look at me. Before taking the audition, I went to see a concert once. At that time, the friend that I went with said, “Reina, next time, it won’t be you watching, but you dancing.” And it really happened (laughs).
Surely, it was a conversation like a dream.
I had conversations with my Mama, who didn’t come, “I really made it, isn’t it amazing.” I can’t really explain it very well, but it felt like, “Ah, I joined.”
Standing on the stage, do you think about that?
Standing on stage, I don’t think about it. But I do think about it after the concert. When I’m on stage, I have fun and don’t have time to think about those things.
Before admiring Morning Musume, did you want to become a singer?
I wanted to become an entertainer. More than a singer, I wanted to become a person who “appears on T.V.” And, if it’s Morning Musume, that makes my dream come true in one sweep, right?
You sing, dance, appear on varieties, and do plays…
Also, I love taking pictures, so for magazine articles, I’m able to do photo shoots. And a bonus, I’m able to meet the Morning Musume that I love (laughs). So I thought I try to take the audition.
When you met them in real life, was it different from your imagination?
Yeah, it really is different from T.V. The real thing has strength. There was an aura not to go close coming out. Especially Iida, who was extremely pretty and had big eyes, if our eyes met once, it’s like I couldn’t look away (laughs). Therefore, in the beginning, I couldn’t be close to Iida, Yaguchi, Ishikawa, everybody. Also, the person I especially could not look at straight in the eye is Goto.
You seem to look up to the Morning Musume generation of Goto more.
When I joined, they already graduated, but even though it was just greeting each other during Hello Project concerts, I was super nervous.
Around when you joined, weren’t you a cool image?
That has often been said, but where that started, I really have no idea. Actually, I’m not cool or anything. My friends back home said I have high tension, weird, and “stupid” (laughs). But I think that side doesn’t come out on T.V., so they might think I’m cool.
Saying that, you don’t want your actual different image to be seen?
No, I don’t worry about those things. If that is seen, then it’s fine that it is seen.
When you aren’t smiling, I wonder if it’s because we are able to see an intense feeling.
Ah, that’s probably right. When I have a serious face, I have been asked, “Are you mad?” Also, in the beginning, I was nervous. If I’m nervous, it seems you can see my “scary face.”
Is that so. So when you are nervous, you are the type that “stands tall.”
Yeah, yeah, that’s right! Lot of members even say “Reina, you’re not nervous, eh,” but actually, I’m so nervous that my stomach hurts and I can’t speak at all. However, when I get so nervous that I can’t even say “Yabai! [OMG! Equivalent]” if I remain silent and just stand there, they say, “You’re calm.” (laughs)
When you just came to Tokyo, you said, “I still haven’t shown my real side,” but what about now?
I wonder. Probably, I think up to now you haven’t been able to see the real Tanaka Reina. Umm, I wonder what should I say… it’s not that my true character isn’t coming out, but hasn’t come out. Usually, isn’t the place where I work usually different so to speak?
It’s different from the place where you speak with your mom in the house, right.
Yes. That’s why I think, probably, you haven’t been able to see the real Tanaka Reina all this time. But, this is the real Tanaka Reina. I can’t explain it well, but do you understand the meaning?
The you right here, isn’t a fake Reina.
Yes.
Two years have passed since you joined. Have you become more of an adult?
I don’t know myself.
What do people say?
It seems I haven’t changed (laughs).
My pace?
Maybe. Even though there are things I want to fix of myself, is another person says it I get irritated. When I understand the things and people say to me, “Do it like this,” I think, “Of course I know that [kind of in an irritated feeling].” But I want to change that. For example, if other people don’t say something like, “For today’s concert, you were like your usual self, not energetic,” I wouldn’t have known myself. Therefore, I know that kind of opinion is important, but if it is said, I would say, “Eh, why?” and I can’t take that sitting down obediently. However, recently, I think I have, in a good way, become more obedient little by little. In the beginning, whatever was said to me, inside my mind it would be like, “Shit!” (laughs)
The boastful guy type, huh.
If there is a part that changed, it’s said my face became young. However, when I go back home, they say, “No more of this adult-like attire,” and “What is this make-up~.” What’s happening? I wonder if this is growing up. I thought I was going back faster (laughs).
Well, maybe perfecting this everyday and you will become an adult faster.
I do, everyday is fun. But there isn’t a lot of free time. Each day goes by fast. I go to school, then work, and when it’s all done, I go home and it’s 9 p.m. I don’t have much time to myself. I can’t stay up too late, so until I feel sleepy, I watch a DVD. But still, I take a bath late at night when it’s time to sleep.
Don’t you have something you don’t like?
When I go back home and then go back to Tokyo, it’s the most painful when I say bye bye to my friends. On the work side, I don’t think there are really painful parts. But when I practice and practice and still can’t do it, I have thought, “No more!” In new songs, I have my own solo parts. Even if it is a phrase, at that time, my singing power and performance must have some expression. Even in that one or two seconds, in order my song to sound good, it’s necessary to practice.
In a moment, it’s hard to show charm, huh.
Yes. But even if I practiced and practiced, in the beginning I couldn’t do it at all. While I was thinking I can’t do it, I can’t do it, in front, I get this great burst of anger.
Completely opposite.
“Why am I singing like this? Just go,” I would say to myself and get angry.
So you get angry at yourself.
The self that can’t do it gets irritated. Somehow, if I become like this, I can’t sing and become irritated. And then, I think a lot about “trying it this way,” but as I think about it, I start to not understand it.
So, you go, “Waaaaaaaaah~!”
Even though other people say, “That’s ok,” inside, there are parts of me that can’t agree.
To the end, you won’t be satisfied or won’t let yourself be satisfied.
By that time, I don’t believe in other people. I still continue to do what I think is good. In the end, I feel better when I practice until I can do it. So, I was think of practicing without getting angry.
Are you strict with yourself?
Maybe. During recording, even if I’m told, “That’s good,” I have said, “No, one more time please.”
No matter how painful, why do you think you try harder?
That’s because, everybody be able to see to what I put out. I even hear it from my friends. Probably, I think to myself, “Reina isn’t like this.” Therefore, I think I have to put myself out more. Naturally.
You want to show an even better you.
Yes. I think I still can’t really sing.
When you auditioned, you said, “I’ve tried really hard up to now,” but are you trying harder than you were back at that time?
Yup, I’ll trying more than back then. At the boarding house, I didn’t do something like, “For the moment, I’ll just remember this.” Like at karaoke, it’s like its ok to properly remember the melody and lyrics. I didn’t think of being better than that. But when I joined Morning Musume, in the end, isn’t that becoming a “singer?” I gradually understood that it wasn’t like a karaoke.
Basically, you didn’t really sense that until after you joined?
Yes. If it was karaoke, wouldn’t the kids now be good? So, if it was just ok to be good, everybody could become a singer. Since I joined Morning Musume, if I don’t have a higher goal, then I can’t be seen as a “singer.”
When did you start thinking that way?
Umm, about 1 year from joining. Really, I started to be able to think clearly might have been recently.
With a change in the way you think, was there a big start?
Around the beginning, I had a lot of solo parts, but, eventually, I couldn’t sing those parts. I thought, “May I couldn’t sing those parts after all,” and be irritated. And after “Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago,” I thought, “In the end I really can’t do it!” and got really irritated. This might be really bad (laughs).
At this rate, you couldn’t see yourself as a singer?
Yes. But, outside of trying my best, it’s not something that can’t be done. So, I thought I do my best in dance, etc for myself. And while I was doing my best, “The Manpower!!!” came.
You got a big part after awhile.
I was overjoyed more than before when I got a solo part. In the beginning, I just sang without understanding anything, so I didn’t understand the feeling of “being happy to get a solo part.” Therefore, if “Shabondama” came, it would be the best.
During “Shabondama,” you joined and were suddenly selected to be in the center.
That’s right. But, at that time, [something]. The feeling of “I’m happy just to sing,” like now, might be weak.
In other words, at that time, it all your time to digest what was [given to you? I think it’s about her parts in Shabondama]. That’s because, at that time, it seemed that you practiced hard at home.
Of course, I can’t neglect singing. Even during “Shabondama,” and even when I was center during Otome-gumi. But, there was a period where I didn’t sing any solo parts, so when “The Manpower!!!” came being able to sing was great. I finally realized how happy I am to be able to sing.
It was a good experience then.
Now, at concerts, I’m able to sing Goto’s parts. Even with that, I had anticipated of just singing this part. If it’s done like that, the feelings of wanting to answer back to Tsunku’s expectation was born and I thought of trying even harder.
Well, from “Shabondama” to now, something for sure is different about yourself?
Yes.
Aa! was the unit at that time.
Yeah. It really is amazing, my past self. In Aa! I was the oldest. The 3 of us appeared on T.V. I couldn’t believe it (laughs).
You debuted in just a short time, so you were very surprised.
Yup, it feels so long ago. It feels like 5 years ago.
Even though you were a new member, you were a leader.
But, I just joined, so I didn’t understand the responsibility. I was like “What is a leader??” (laughs)
What about pressure?
There was! That’s because, my manager said, “Look, those two are nervous, so you can’t fall apart!” I was like, “No, I’m nervous too, so I already can’t talk!” (laughs).
You couldn’t afford to have the other girls aid, huh.
Everyday, in my heart, I was about to cry.
Still, was able seeing you be really calm a disadvantage or an advantage?
Umm, when I was nervous, I would slip on the musical interval. But, if you can’t see me being nervous, you would think “That’s the real Tanaka Reina.” That would be troublesome.
Ah, I see.
If I don’t convey that I’m nervous, it’s like “this is my level of singing strength.”
You couldn’t understand that “being off in the musical interval was due to you being nervous.”
That’s right. I knew when my dance is bad when my facial expression becomes bad. When I wonder if other people thought that this was my usual “bad dancing” and my face is “always like this,” The nervous me would be like no and I would be on the verge of tears.
But it wasn’t a wall that you couldn’t climb over.
Seeing me now, I think it was fun. Once more, I want to feel the fast paced heart beat.
In the beginning, you said that if you became nervous, the real you would come out. That hasn’t changed.
Ahaha. If I get nervous, I would restrain myself.
This year at the Hello! Project live, you covered the old song, Aa! “First Kiss.”
It was nostalgic. I felt like I returned back here.
The song is different from before?
It’s different. I’m able to think and sing about the lyrics (laughs). I joined [understood, became one] with the lyrics. In the end, it’s changed a little bit. I was surprised myself.
What is your most happiest thing about joining?
I have lots, but when I do the concerts. The people holding my fans have increased and I can see that my fans have increased… when it’s like that the lives are the best. It’s like, “Everybody, please look at me!”
In the end, you willingness has changed?
It changed. Also, when we had a concert for the first time in my hometown, I was happy. At first, I was really really nervous. My childhood friends came too. Therefore, also from the start, I didn’t see the audience seating much and I felt that I should just try my best and dance. And, when I saw the audience seats in the middle, I noticed that the number of my fans was a lot. At that moment, it was the best. I thought, “As I expected, my hometown” (laughs). I was deeply touched.
So you are not nervous about concerts anymore?
I’m nervous on the first day, but as the tour goes around, the bad nervousness goes away. I feel, probably, that at a live is the best place that I truly show myself. That’s because I’m always smiling. I smile so much that afterwards my face hurts (laughs).
So at the first live, you were super nervous.
In my head, it was pure blank. I really don’t remember anything (laughs). But, before it began, I was really nervous, but I thought, “I want to hurry up and go on stage!” I remember being excited.
I wonder if it’s always a battle between courage and nervousness.
It’s ok to lose to nervousness, but in the end, nervousness is bad. If I’m nervous, I’m at a disadvantage… and I’ve even been told this by Mama (laughs). I don’t get as nervous as I did back then now and I think this is a chance for me to go out.
It’s about time for the 6th generation members to lose the feeling of “new members?”
Yes. But the actual feeling will probably come out more when a junior member joins. I’m the youngest in Morning Musume. I’m the same age as Sayu, but my birthday is much later.
I can’t see it. That’s because when Kamei, Michishige joined, they trusted you.
People have said that. Even thought Eri is the oldest. But, it’s like that. If the three of us are doing work, I feel like I have to “not fall back” because I’m the youngest. I wonder why.
Perhaps it’s your personality?
Yeah, I felt that way since long ago. Even now if the three of us are working together, I would suddenly talk about splitting the duties.
Have you thought about yourself 3 years to 5 years from now?
I haven’t thought of it. I’m thinking about right now. That’s because I think about my future, I can’t think about what I will become. It something that has been decided; life that is. Yeah.
That was intense [deep].
It does sounds like that. Therefore, I don’t often think about what was said before.
You haven’t thought about wondering when you will be graduating from Morning Musume?
For now, I feel like I need to try my best now. So that each day isn’t painful.
Do you think you will be continuing this work forever?
I don’t know… If I’m able to continue, it would be nice. But, I wonder if I can’t continue forever? Even if I may graduate from Morning Musume, I haven’t thought of becoming solo.
Ah, really?
Yea. I may think of it later, but at this point of time, I haven’t thought about it. Therefore, I really didn’t know about the stuff before. Right now, I’m still going around, so I don’t think I have the actual strength of expectations in trying it by myself.
But, if left to you, I thought it would be “I’ll do it!”
If I think “I’ll be ok,” then I want to try my best.
I wonder what a 20 year old Tanaka Reina will be?
Right. That’s in 5 years. It’ll come soon. For sure.
Lastly, two questions from everybody in the whole community. First, about Tsunku.
I mail him a lot.
What kind?
If I mail him that I’m going back to my hometown, he’ll reply, “Bring back some whale bacon~” (laughs). It’s Fukuoka’s famous food. But even about work, I mail quite a bit. After a concert finishes, I receive a mail and I reply and this go back and forth for awhile…
For you, what kind of person is Tsunku?
Near the beginning, he sent a mail like, “It’s ok to think of me as Tokyo dad.” And, in the end, it’s just like that, a “father” figure. Even asking advice, I somehow believe in his replies. If he writes, “How about doing it this way?” I think, “If I do as Tsunku says, will I change more?”
You don’t listen to those type of people (laughs).
Ahaha, I want to trust his words. For example, even when I’m really depressed, he sends a mail praising me, and my willingness really comes out. I think of trying harder, I have self-confidence, and I’m able to have more fun. I’m the type that when praised, my tension rises (laughs).
Well, then do you have people that make your tension rise?
Yes. When I think, “It’s impossible…” when mail like “If it’s you, you can do it,” come, I really think that its great having Tsunku here. Tsunku tells me lots of various things, so I think I have tried my best up to now.
Well then, one more question. What kind of person is Morning Musume Tanaka Reina?
Eh, what? Tanaka Reina is Tanaka Reina.
Unusual. [literally, to step on, to tread on. I’m not sure in what context this is used for just by itself.]
…But is it really ok?
It may be like you.
At the very first, I’m easy-going [merry, cheerful, etc], so I do it [like that].
(2005.1.28)
Morning Musume My Best Song “Shabondama”
In the concert, when I think, “It’s tough! No more!” if it’s this song, then I completely change. Even though this is an intense songs, it’s a mysterious song that I’m able to become energetic, “Yeah, I can do it!” near the end of singing. I feel that this song is “my song.” I think of something like even if other people sing it, it can’t become “Shabondama.” At this point, somebody might think, “Just who do you think you are?” (laughs)
Topic: Hello! Pro TRANSLATION & LYRICS (Read 203530 times)