– tetsu-san, you’re not quite what they call a “perfectionist,” right?
[I’m not, but I do think perfectionism makes a good theme.]
– There’s what they call “Easy on others, strict with yourself,” right? What are you like, tetsu-san?
[In the past, the people I knew told me “You’re strict with others, but that’s because you’re also strict with yourself.” I was told “That’s what makes things so hard.”]
– Did you really think things were hard?
[Hard? Well, sure, for the things I was particular about and for the people I was particular about. Being picky takes up a lot of time. When things take too long, I might say “It’s tiring” or “I’m exhausted” or something like that. But if I get down to the line where I can think “Now this is OK,” it’s much more fun, isn’t it?]
– Yes, I think so.
[When I decide “This will be OK,” it makes me happy, and if that time comes by quickly, then I’m lucky, right? That level is high, and it takes a long time for me to give my OK, so that’s when I’ll complain that it’s tiring.]
– So, what kind of person do you think of as a perfectionist?
[Perfectionist? A perfectionist is someone who strives for perfection, right? (laughs)]
– But what sort of thing is that, really? Not just “Making it in this field is perfection!” Try projecting onto different genres. For example, is a collector of figurines or something a perfectionist?
[Take our producer, Okano (Hajime)-san. (1) He’s the type to try and complete sets of figurines and gashapon (2), but I don’t think of Okano-san as a perfectionist. He’s really funky, his rough sides are rough, and of course, he has things he’s particular about as a professional. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever met a real perfectionist. People eventually change what they’re particular about. I think everyone has their own thing to be picky about.]
– For you, tetsu-san, in your daily life, have you ever said “This is the one thing I’ll be picky about” about something? For example, “If this isn’t that brand, I don’t want it” or “This is the only brand that should be making this” about things.
[No, not really. If I like something, it’s enough that I think it’s good. I’m 100% confident about recommending everything I have at home to other people, and they’re not all functional things or designer things or wonderful things, either.]
– Oh, I see. Listening to you talk, I thought you might have some thoughts such as “This is how the interior should look” or particular tastes in clothes.
[You can call it pickyness, but I won’t wear clothes I don’t like. Anyway, I always have to wear something, right? Since I can’t go outside naked, I need to wear some kind of clothes, and of course I always have this slight urge to wear the clothes I really like. Everyone has that.]
– But, it seems like the part of you that won’t say “Well, whatever” about that sort of thing is stronger than it is in most people.
[Maybe, but I don’t especially think so.]
– I suppose. Well, it might be another of your interests, but are you particular about cars?
[Just that I want to have things nobody else has. I just hate having the same thing as someone else. Other than that, it has to be one I find cool.]
– You say you hate having the same things as others. Why might that be?
[If I bump into someone in town with the same clothes as me, I think “This sucks.” It’s the same idea. I don’t want the same thing as someone else. In fact, it applies across the board, for clothes, and for accessories. To say “This is what’s being sold now” or “This is the most popular” is common in the general public, kinda like saying “I mostly bought this to fit in.” I think there are people who follow that selling method, that buying method. But me, I want different stuff. Stuff that I think is cool. Even with the most popular things, I’ll only buy it if I actually want it, too. Everyone might have it, but if I buy it, it means “I think this is good.” But then, there are things that are like “Nobody has this because nobody wants it”… and I don’t want it either (laughs).]
– Ahahahaha! That’s right. Yet, there aren’t so many other people who have such a strong aesthetic consciousness. That might not have made you feel your best. (3)
[It’s normal, coming from me. If I think something is special, it’s a bad sign. As normal as a guy who thinks “I might be a bit of an oddball~” can get (laughs). I don’t really think I’m normal. Around the world, everyone called “artists” think of themselves as normal. I’m probably as normal as the ones who think “I’m an oddball” or “I’m an artist, so I’m a little different” to themselves.]
– Kuhahahaha…… That’s not cool.
[Since I was a kid, I always thought “I don’t want the same things as everyone else” but I can’t say I thought I was “special.” I just thought “Those other guys can buzz off.”]
– Ahahahaha! Right, right, I’m sure that’s the right sense. If you thought of your own feelings as normal, then you wouldn’t sway. I always have thought that artists get their own way of doing things.
[But, I don’t actually know that many other artists (laughs). I really don’t know much of anyone besides the members of L’Arc, and the members of my own solo band. But they’re all normal (laughs)]
-Interviewer : Honma Yuuko
Translated by Natalie Arnold.
[I’m not, but I do think perfectionism makes a good theme.]
– There’s what they call “Easy on others, strict with yourself,” right? What are you like, tetsu-san?
[In the past, the people I knew told me “You’re strict with others, but that’s because you’re also strict with yourself.” I was told “That’s what makes things so hard.”]
– Did you really think things were hard?
[Hard? Well, sure, for the things I was particular about and for the people I was particular about. Being picky takes up a lot of time. When things take too long, I might say “It’s tiring” or “I’m exhausted” or something like that. But if I get down to the line where I can think “Now this is OK,” it’s much more fun, isn’t it?]
– Yes, I think so.
[When I decide “This will be OK,” it makes me happy, and if that time comes by quickly, then I’m lucky, right? That level is high, and it takes a long time for me to give my OK, so that’s when I’ll complain that it’s tiring.]
– So, what kind of person do you think of as a perfectionist?
[Perfectionist? A perfectionist is someone who strives for perfection, right? (laughs)]
– But what sort of thing is that, really? Not just “Making it in this field is perfection!” Try projecting onto different genres. For example, is a collector of figurines or something a perfectionist?
[Take our producer, Okano (Hajime)-san. (1) He’s the type to try and complete sets of figurines and gashapon (2), but I don’t think of Okano-san as a perfectionist. He’s really funky, his rough sides are rough, and of course, he has things he’s particular about as a professional. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever met a real perfectionist. People eventually change what they’re particular about. I think everyone has their own thing to be picky about.]
– For you, tetsu-san, in your daily life, have you ever said “This is the one thing I’ll be picky about” about something? For example, “If this isn’t that brand, I don’t want it” or “This is the only brand that should be making this” about things.
[No, not really. If I like something, it’s enough that I think it’s good. I’m 100% confident about recommending everything I have at home to other people, and they’re not all functional things or designer things or wonderful things, either.]
– Oh, I see. Listening to you talk, I thought you might have some thoughts such as “This is how the interior should look” or particular tastes in clothes.
[You can call it pickyness, but I won’t wear clothes I don’t like. Anyway, I always have to wear something, right? Since I can’t go outside naked, I need to wear some kind of clothes, and of course I always have this slight urge to wear the clothes I really like. Everyone has that.]
– But, it seems like the part of you that won’t say “Well, whatever” about that sort of thing is stronger than it is in most people.
[Maybe, but I don’t especially think so.]
– I suppose. Well, it might be another of your interests, but are you particular about cars?
[Just that I want to have things nobody else has. I just hate having the same thing as someone else. Other than that, it has to be one I find cool.]
– You say you hate having the same things as others. Why might that be?
[If I bump into someone in town with the same clothes as me, I think “This sucks.” It’s the same idea. I don’t want the same thing as someone else. In fact, it applies across the board, for clothes, and for accessories. To say “This is what’s being sold now” or “This is the most popular” is common in the general public, kinda like saying “I mostly bought this to fit in.” I think there are people who follow that selling method, that buying method. But me, I want different stuff. Stuff that I think is cool. Even with the most popular things, I’ll only buy it if I actually want it, too. Everyone might have it, but if I buy it, it means “I think this is good.” But then, there are things that are like “Nobody has this because nobody wants it”… and I don’t want it either (laughs).]
– Ahahahaha! That’s right. Yet, there aren’t so many other people who have such a strong aesthetic consciousness. That might not have made you feel your best. (3)
[It’s normal, coming from me. If I think something is special, it’s a bad sign. As normal as a guy who thinks “I might be a bit of an oddball~” can get (laughs). I don’t really think I’m normal. Around the world, everyone called “artists” think of themselves as normal. I’m probably as normal as the ones who think “I’m an oddball” or “I’m an artist, so I’m a little different” to themselves.]
– Kuhahahaha…… That’s not cool.
[Since I was a kid, I always thought “I don’t want the same things as everyone else” but I can’t say I thought I was “special.” I just thought “Those other guys can buzz off.”]
– Ahahahaha! Right, right, I’m sure that’s the right sense. If you thought of your own feelings as normal, then you wouldn’t sway. I always have thought that artists get their own way of doing things.
[But, I don’t actually know that many other artists (laughs). I really don’t know much of anyone besides the members of L’Arc, and the members of my own solo band. But they’re all normal (laughs)]
-Interviewer : Honma Yuuko
Translated by Natalie Arnold.
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