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| Forum Index » Ai's News » Ai's Yumekui interview on excite |
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| yangirl |
 Posted: Jul 30, 2006 9:57 pm |
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SMILY
Joined: 13 May 2005
Posts: 455
Location: Canada
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^_^ There's a new interview of ai-chin on excite, it's abt Yumekui I guess^^ my friends ripped all the images and posted in my forum but I don't like the way she ripped them so I rip them myself and upload to the gallery ^^ ai-chin looks so beautiful, as always, I like ai-chin's pics on excite^^
Interview clips: digest 36.08 MB | comment 36.53MB | thanks eyn for hosting
^^ also looking forward to see a translation from Celcius05 or horizon180 ( where r u^^) for the interview
Edit: full interview translated by Celsius005
  
source: excite |
Last edited by yangirl on Jul 31, 2006 12:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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| Celsius005 |
| Posted: Jul 30, 2006 10:49 pm |
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Planetarium
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 685
Location: USA
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Excellent, thank you very much, yangirl!
Indeed, she's beautiful as always. I really like her outfit, it looks so cute on her. 
Wow, what a day!
I've been working on translating Excite Music's Frienger interview (which I haven't finished yet), and here comes another one! Heh, not like I have a problem with that, but the Frienger interview can wait. I would very much like to see what we can learn from this interview, so... may I translate it for everyone? I'd be delighted to do so! 
Thanks again, yangirl!
I hope it'll be as interesting as the interview from the CUTiE magazine! I wonder what Ai has in store for us this time?  |
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| Aprilis. |
| Posted: Jul 30, 2006 11:20 pm |
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クムリウタ
Joined: 26 Aug 2005
Posts: 886
Location: Canada
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Thank you for the heads up and posting the pictures in the gallery yangirl!
Ahh more Ai with purple-ish theme, what more can I say?  I'm starting to like this hair length more and more. I can't wait for her appearnce on Hey!x3 and see if she took the extensions off or not. |
Last edited by Aprilis. on Jul 31, 2006 2:37 am; edited 1 time in total |
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| yangirl |
| Posted: Jul 30, 2006 11:41 pm |
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SMILY
Joined: 13 May 2005
Posts: 455
Location: Canada
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| Celcius05: talking abt the friengers interview on excite, horizon180 has already translated it. Yea!! so you can focus on this interview then^^ |
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| Celsius005 |
| Posted: Jul 30, 2006 11:53 pm |
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Planetarium
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 685
Location: USA
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yangirl wrote: Celcius05: talking abt the friengers interview on excite, horizon180 has already translated it. Yea!! so you can focus on this interview then^^
Wow, thanks for telling me!  
In that case, I will gladly begin translating this Yumekui interview.
Thank you very much yangirl for telling me before I did something really stupid. 
Also, thank you, horizon180 for translating that interview already! I was getting a bit stressed out over it, but I never realized that I was merely retracing your footsteps. Heh, indeed, thank you! I'm going to go read your translation and explore the forum a bit more... |
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| HilaryDuffFanboy |
| Posted: Jul 31, 2006 1:33 am |
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CHU-LIP
Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 1753
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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OMG!! Thanks so much yangirl for posting and Celcious005 for the upcoming translations!!
I can't wait what she has to say about this song.... I'm really interested in when she composed it since it's been so so so so long! |
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| just_inhk |
| Posted: Jul 31, 2006 1:39 am |
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大好きだよ。
Joined: 07 Dec 2005
Posts: 227
Location: HK, now Aus(Melb)
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| Although i don;t understand a word she's saying~ She is just super cute when she smiles, my mouth was just fully open when i see the viedo. Thanks for sharing and posting!! |
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| Celsius005 |
| Posted: Aug 02, 2006 7:50 pm |
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Planetarium
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 685
Location: USA
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Dekita! Here's the interview, and sorry it took so long. Heh, there is so much to be learned in this one so please take the time to read it! I added some of my own thoughts throughout the interview because I don't feel like posting them later. Credit goes to Celsius005.
Excite Music: Yumekui Interview
Otsuka Ai continues her major releases with her latest single, Yumekui, which will be used as a theme song and insertion song for “Tokyo Friends The Movie” (available to the public on August 12th). The title song, Yumekui, refers to seeing dreams and wishing upon dreams, which is a very positive concept expressed by Ai. Whether they are people who are chasing after their dreams, people who wish to rebuild themselves, or people who have forgotten what it means to dream, the “dream-eater” will gently relieve all of them, thus giving these people new-found courage. The single coupling of tears will subconsciously cleanse your body and leave you purified, something only this heart-warming ballad can do. Both songs are of high quality and have the finishing touches to match.; they have gone under many revisions up until the date of release. We will be going behind-the-scenes of the new single, Yumekui, and explore Otsuka Ai’s thoughts - Excite Music is right on target.
Q: [It may be a bit late now, but I would like to thank you for the wonderful performance at Excite Music Festival ’06.]
A: [It is I who should thank you.]
Q: [With the exception of a-nation, it has been a while since anything has happened. What are your thoughts on this?]
A: [At the end of the year, we are invited to go on a special show where we can finally meet each other and perform on stage. Yes, it has been a while! I get such an impression, and I feel that I can finally relax. I’m not familiar with many of the guests, so I can’t say that I feel right at home, and there isn’t much of a difference when I perform. I suppose you can say that I just do whatever I want and go home (laugh).]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ I'm sure this is referring to Kouhaku, right?  )
Q: [There was a sense of unity in Sakuranbo and Frienger; the choreography was perfect.]
A: [Thank you. I was very comfortable with it as well.]
Q: [This time, your single is called Yumekui. This sure is something new. Of course, this song was created for "Tokyo Friends The Movie," but what were your thoughts while making this song?]
A: [First of all, they asked me to make Friends, which I did. The second time, they asked me to make a theme song for the movie, which I also completed. Yumekui should be able to stir up the entirety of "Tokyo Friends The Movie." The lyrics don’t really complement well, but I tried to make an appropriate theme song nonetheless. I started out simple when I wrote it.]
Q: [Have the other costars given you their thoughts on Yumekui and Friends?]
A: [They didn’t say much about it, but everyone seems to enjoy them. The women can be caught humming, and Eita-san said that Friends was his theme song (laugh).]
Q: [Everyone seems to sing your songs instead of just telling you, “This is a great song.” (laugh)]
A: [Yes, it does seem that way.]
Q: [As far as song titles go, Yumekui proves to be very interesting. What is the meaning behind it?]
A: [Hmm… Well, I feel that everything that happens in life, from birth until death, is just a dream. We set goals for ourselves, and the “dream-eater” is our companion as we travel down the road toward the future. Imagine that the “dream-eater” is an animal, one that will follow you during your journey. A perfect image that comes to mind is the “Baku.”]
Q: [Typically the Baku is an animal that eats dreams, and I’m sure that it is with you wherever you go as well.]
A: [That is correct, it is always with you. It will eat your dream when necessary, allowing a new one to float to the top of your head. It exists only to eat your dreams when time calls for it. I believe that this is what its purpose is.]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ This confirms the idea behind the animated Yumekui PV. This is very interesting philosophy as told by Ai. It is a very positive concept to hold on to for the future, so let's not forget this for it may come in handy later on. )
Q: [I read the lyrics, and I begin to think that this is how you must have felt before your debut.]
A: [In my case, I have a different opinion on this matter.]
Q: [What is your opinion?]
A: [Dreams don’t start from the beginning, rather, we begin to sing when our feelings become tender. This happens as we become older. Before my debut, I never thought this way. I was more laid-back and naïve.]
Q: [So that explains why you are able to write this song now.]
A: [That’s right. You need to know when it’s the right time to work toward your dreams. You need such tender feelings, otherwise you will never understand the extent of them. Before my debut, I would have thought, “I don’t need anything like that.” (laugh) That shows how much effort I put into my work.]
Q: [Little by little, we see feelings emerging from your new song. It has been three years since your debut, so have you changed since then?]
A: [Hmm… Regarding my work, I don’t think anything has changed. I still only show my better qualities and kept my sternness, and those are the ones I cannot do without. If anything were to change about that, I may end up sacrificing my feelings for naivety. I don’t want to change my sternness because it increases my level of tolerance. Because of it I’m able to listen and understand the views of older generations, after all, my own way of thinking developed from listening to them. I realized how valuable this can be.]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ The side of Ai we rarely get to see. She's much wiser than most would expect and understands the difference between what is good and bad for her. As Ai mentioned earlier, she said that she would never have thought in such a manner before her debut, which just shows how much she has changed. Change seems to be happening everywhere around and about her: her songs, way of thinking, and now, how people may start to think of her. She's far too easily overlooked because of her stage appearance, but if more people start to read these interviews then perhaps there would be a better understanding, a connection, which is also in her best interest (as you will know later on). She understands her limits and will never do anything to oppose what she believes in, no, not even if it increased her sales.  )
Q: [And that is also how you steadily became flexible, allowing you to increase your output. How is this reflected in Yumekui?]
A: [They decided that the band would be singing this song, but we needed to have a natural band sound with the addition of my own voice. Of course, they said that my voice had that high, “womanly touch.” How we were going to put together and implement the band sound became the matter at hand. Aside from singing the song well, we needed to make a deeper connection with it, and that was very important.]
Q: [So there is something different about how you sing this song?]
A: [Yes. We though about how to make this a great song once we got my voice to match with the band sound and decided that singing with a high, “womanly touch” would only make people angry. I didn’t want that, so I tried as best as I could to lower my pitch. I needed to come in contact with my “inner masculinity.” Instead of writing the words from the perception of a woman, I used a masculine perspective to write the lyrics. I didn’t believe my intentions would have been expressed properly unless this song was sung “like a man.”]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ Okay guys, this has already been confirmed in a previous interview, but I would like to once again mention that this is the first time a song of Ai's is being sung in a males perspective. Whether or not this affects your opinion about Yumekui isn't the point, rather Ai did NOT forget about us and she IS considering men's feelings this time around, so feel honored... and happy!  )
Q: [This is complete change from your usual image. Do you remember if this caused any problems during the recording process?]
A: [No, I don’t remember having any such problems. I’m pretty sure we made progress steadily and smoothly. On more sensible terms, I had to wring my voice while putting powerful emphasis behind it. Keeping that in mind, I have a feeling that that explains why everything went as smoothly as it did.]
Q: [In your last installment, Frienger, there was a male chorus. Do you sometimes find that your voice stands out from everything else?]
A: [This time, I had to “take out my inner masculinity from the drawer,” so to speak. There is a vast difference between my high and low pitches, and I must control my breath in order to get the results I want. If it’s a ballad, I need to lengthen my breathing in order to sustain a more powerful pitch. In a fast-paced song, I just go all-out. If I need to sound angry, all I have to do is raise the tension and act scary. Indeed, there are many different kinds of voices that stand out (laugh). I’m using a male’s voice this time.]
Q: [Speaking of which, this is very apparent in your albums, isn’t it?]
A: [Yes, it is. This is best seen in my albums.]
Q: [This is concerning the single coupling track, tears. It has just been completed, and we got to hear the song. It’s very heart rending, isn’t it?]
A: [I’ve spent a lot of time arranging tears. I released this song with Friends for the "Tokyo Friends" drama. Friends is more of a romantic song, while I wanted the other, tears, to be more of a ballad. When it was decided that tears was to be released on a CD, I spent the next several months figuring out how to arrange this. In the end, I figured that it would be best to have piano rather than guitar for this song.]
Q: [Until then, did you have an interest in guitar?]
A: [In the beginning, the acoustic guitar was the main. This can be heard in the actual DVD. Later on I was wondering whether to go with guitar again, but I was indecisive because it didn’t “feel right” that time. I was disappointed, there was so much time left for me to decide, so I waited for a while to see if the “feeling“ would come back to me. Hopefully waiting so… (Laugh). The waiting eventually paid off.]
Q: [As soon as you decided to use piano, everything was just downhill from there.]
A: [The moment I decided upon piano, a lot of things started to make sense. I was able to relate it back to my debut song, Momo no Hanabira.]
Q: [Oh, really?]
A: [That’s right (laugh)! I thought that tears was finally beginning to blossom! Afterwards, I thought that I should arrange it just like Momo no Hanabira, keeping the same mellowness. It is another version of Momo no Hanabira. Momo no Hanabira is in the perception of a woman, while tears is in a man’s. They are two different songs but share the same story.]
Q: [I see. It’s difficult to make that connection just by listening to it.]
A: [I also think so unless, of course, you are a big fanatic who understands my songs (laugh). The other version of Momo no Hanabira (studio live ver.) is the 3rd song in the Sakuranbo single.]
Q: [So what about the people who can make that connection with Momo no Hanabira without knowing beforehand?]
A: [They must be fanatics. That would be really impressive (laugh).]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ I'm positive that no one here made this connection because 1.) Channel-Ai just recently got the full version of tears; 2.) The lyrics aren't up yet, and you would only be able to tell by understanding them; 3.) It sounds nothing like Momo no Hanabira, and it's not supposed to. Heh, I've only listened to part of the song before, and I thought the lyrics were close to that of Friends. It's very cool knowing that she gave Momo no Hanabira a whole new perspective, and it only makes me wonder if she will do the same for her other songs in the future! )
Q: [Momo no Hanabira was way before the time of tears. It’s a wonder to see how they naturally go together.]
A: [Yes, that’s true. I made Momo no Hanabira when I was 17 years old, and tears was created about 3 years after that. In the beginning it wasn’t even my intention to do this. This just shows how unpredictable life can be (laugh).]
Q: [You’ll be playing piano again this time. Is piano very special to you, that is, do you have a love and trust in it?]
A: [The first recording of my piano playing was a good take, so we just went along with that one. It was only after we added the string accompaniment that I realized the true beauty of this song. It was so relaxing and serious with a great affinity. I believed the song was finally completed once we added the strings.]
Q: [Since Ikoman helped you, I’m sure it was a great relief for both of you when it was all over (laugh).]
A: [Ikoman completely ignored tears (laugh). I said, “Wow, I think I’ve got it now!” and he was like, “Whatever.” (laugh) He was complaining about having problems with Yumekui, but I never had any myself. He was always complaining about it (laugh). We didn’t use many instruments, and we excluded the synthesizer to create a more comfortable environment and melody. The band needed to concentrate very hard at keeping the rhythm together, otherwise the song would have turned for the worst. We avoided “decorating” it as much as possible so it wouldn’t turn out to be so complicated. Ikoman thought carefully about how we were going to create a great song without the use of so many instruments.]
Q: [Ikoman seems to be the only one who had difficulty.]
A: [Ikoman… well… The bass player also stayed up late past midnight practicing his part, saying things like, “That isn’t right!” and, “Ah, that STILL isn’t right!” Everyone had their share of problems (laugh).]
Q: [You seem to be the hardest worker around here (laugh), but at the same time you are the most sensitive.]
A: [Thanks for the remarks (laugh).]
Q: [Haha, it’s true! I mean, starting from scratch and working your way up is your job.]
A: [Yes, that’s right. If I couldn’t do that, I’d be up to my neck in hot water (laugh). Responsibility is a very serious matter.]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ Yeah, really! In her other interview she mentioned how much she longs for the day when she can finally rest and relax from work and just have time to herself. Of course it's her responsibility and her choice, but what is she doing having a concert on her birthday!? I hope she will give herself such time to relax after the YumeUta and 3rd Anniversary concerts.  )
Q: [I have 2 questions for you based on your new single, Yumekui. What is your dream?]
A: [I would like to “eat” a lot of happiness. I’d eat until my stomach is all filled up(laugh).]
Q: [At what times do you feel happy?]
A: [I would say anytime, but mostly when my thoughts are able to communicate. Whether it’s a song that communicates or children that want to grow-up to be like their mothers, just anytime certain things connect and become understandable. Metaphorically, it’s just playing catch with someone. I feel very happy when the ball returns to me, so to speak. It would be my dream to have something like that happen everyday.]
Q: [My other question is based on tears. Do you remember having any sad moments?]
A: [I’m “Crybaby Ai-chan,” so there were times when I cried a lot. I need to carry around a bottle to hold all of my tears (laugh).]
Q: [Do you always cry that much?]
A: [Always. Of course, the reason is different every time. There are times when I cry because I laugh too much…]
Q: [What!?]
A: [How would you call it - as if I’m releasing the filth and impurities in my body with my tears (laugh).]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ That's strike two for Ai! She's obviously hiding something from us, I mean, what is this about being "impure" and releasing the "filth and impurities!?" Otsuka Ai's aliases now include the self-proclaimed "Crybaby Ai-chan" and "The Enigma." Anything else we don't know? )
Q: [Ah, I see.]
A: [There are times like that, along with moments when crying can’t be helped because of something sad or moments when I become exceedingly angry. Crying from joy is a good thing though.]
Q: [However in the song, tears, they aren’t tears from joy. They seem to be more painful tears.]
A: [The most painful tears for me aren’t the ones from wailing, but rather ones that just overflow. The overflowing tears that silently fall are the ones that, I believe, are most painful.]
Q: [In tears, the words “When I remember you, I begin to cry” come back often, as if it comes back all on its own, willingly.]
A: [I usually just repeat the same words and ideas in my songs, but tears is an exception. The weight of the song builds up just as tears overflow. Instead of just simply repeating the same words, it builds up with the same thoughts and feelings, making it unbearable in the end. However shedding tears also gives birth to new hope and purification.]
Q: [Just like in Friends, your voice builds up to a climax in tears as well. Did this require a lot of concentration during recording?]
A: [Yes, it required much concentration. It isn’t a song that can be sung over and over again, and I was exhausted when it was finally completed.]
Q: [Both of the songs in this single will be used in "Tokyo Friends The Movie," so both will be listened to in the theatre. Personally, what is a situation where you would recommend people to listen to these songs?]
A: [I would rather have people listen to these songs when they are just casually wearing headphones or earphones. I think Yumekui should be reflected upon. By listening to the song close to one’s ears, the music can flow throughout your body, giving you a beautifully clean feeling (laugh). tears should flow throughout the body as well but give you a more gloomy, almost ominous feeling as if your tears are overflowing.]
Q: [This a very effective and beneficial single (laugh).]
A: [That’s true (laugh). There is a difference in the arrangement of the CD version of tears from the movie version. There are certain things you won’t be able to listen to anywhere else except in the CD version, so please consider both. Thank you very much, and please enjoy!]
(Celsius005 wrote ~ Don't worry, we will! This single is very beneficial indeed, as you can listen to these songs when feeling such emotions as described. Yumekui is very inspirational and tears will accompany you through hard times! Also guys, don't forget that Yumekui is a proposal song! ) |
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| Naru |
| Posted: Aug 02, 2006 11:19 pm |
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Happy Days
Joined: 02 Aug 2006
Posts: 114
Location: USA
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| I was wondering why she went away from her usual girl-view in lyrics. I remember being shocked hearing "boku" when I first heard "YUMEKUI". |
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| tejung |
| Posted: Aug 02, 2006 11:56 pm |
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大好きだよ。
Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 259
Location: California,USA
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| thank you for the translation! Ai-chan is so cooool! she is a great composer....I am listening to tears as i read through the translation. The piano sounds so tender! ^^ |
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| yangirl |
| Posted: Aug 03, 2006 6:42 am |
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SMILY
Joined: 13 May 2005
Posts: 455
Location: Canada
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thannks much Celcius005, this's a wonderful translation^^
reading your translation and understading more abt the 2 songs make the 2 songs way better when I listen to it^^ my 1st impression abt 'tears' is a sad song and it is^^ but now I can see that it's kind of a start of hope like ai-chin said. After one thing, there's another then after a depressed moment there's hope ^_^ Yumekui, after listening to it so many time and read its translation I still don't see the man's feeling it's still a song full with hopes and pursue your dreams to me^^ need to accomplish more  |
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| zyzzyva |
| Posted: Aug 03, 2006 1:22 pm |
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クムリウタ
Joined: 07 Aug 2005
Posts: 607
Location: California
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What a wonderful, in-depth interview!
Thank you so much, Celsius005 for the translation!
(There's so much! )
I just love reading *real* answers... So often stars (esp. Japanese ones, it seems) defer to the usual popcorn responses [giggle giggle etc.]. I think interviews like this one and the other from Cutie Magazine are not only a sign of how serious Ai is about her work, but of her maturing as a woman
(nice to see a almost 24 yr old not sucking her thumb or doing the equivalent in an attempt to still corner the cute market.... like some *other* J-Popsters who shall remain nameless...  ).
As a singer myself, I understand what she means about changing the style of her voice to suit the song. You may have noticed this simply by singing along. Compared to her other songs, this may've been easier or harder for you as it opens up a whole new range (pitch-wise) for Ai. Deeper and somewhat stronger tones. She discussed a similar change for Frienger in the other excite interview, graciously translated by horizon180 (scroll down for his post). I love that she truly thinks about each song from every angle before giving them to us. Makes each even more special.
I'm happy to see her talk more about tears, because, honestly, the first time I watched the Tokyo Friends drama and heard it, I thought it was really boring and couldn't hold a candle to her other beautiful ballads. But in hearing her intentions (and unwitting connections to her debut song) makes me desperately want to give it another chance. I already like the previews I've listened to (she's so right to have gone with piano... much more fitting... ) and now that I know the song is to build like tears welling up, it totally makes sense for one to not fully connect with the incomplete versions.
I know someone has kindly already uploaded the full single, but I am waiting for my copy to come in the mail to listen to the full version...
Thanks again, Celsius005, for the translation!!  |
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| Lainay |
| Posted: Aug 03, 2006 1:40 pm |
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ハイパーガル
Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 641
Location: USA
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YAAAY!! Amazing job, Degree Boy!. XD Or was it 5 Degree Boy? Cold boy? Meh, something like that.
It's great to see Ai-chan open up like that, about being a cry baby, etc. I also enjoy Yumekui a lot better now, knowing what it came from and the meaning behind it all for Ai-chan. ^^
A little off-topic, but is anyone making a connection to Yumekui with the Roald Dahl book, The BFG? You know, that book with the trogglehumping bogthumping giants! The Big Friendly Giant gives people their dreams at night. He keeps all his favorite dreams in little bottles. Except he doesn't eat them.. he, um, regurgitates them to others? XDD (sorry for the nonsense, but I just suddenly had a huge lightbulb over my head! Ding!) |
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| Rubii |
| Posted: Aug 03, 2006 4:59 pm |
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Happy Days
Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 94
Location: hong kong
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obviously the style of ai was changed! a good try!
hahaaaa* ai looks gorgeous in this set of photos!!
thanks Celsius005 for the translation!
it's a hard job..right? hahaa* appreciated!! |
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| Rinoa |
| Posted: Aug 04, 2006 12:50 am |
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クムリウタ
Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 1994
Location: Europe
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| Interesting interview. Thank you Celcius005 for such an insightful interview. It shows how much Ai has worked on this single and all the feelings attached to it. It really made me appreciate this single so much more. |
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