Scan + Interview - Music Fighter Never Leave

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Gackt - Music Fighter Never Leave Magazine: EASY 2008年2月上號

FIGHT FOR ART Gackt, as a musician who has already attained considerable/eye-catching results, is also venturing into other fields. Various art forms like literature etc has allowed Gackt to come into contact with a variety of (working) partners, as well as gain much more inspiration and experience. "To me, Music is work I've always been continuously engaged in. So you can say that when I am engaged in my music work, I am living within an enclosed space, and thus the flow of fresh ideas and feelings of open-ness is very limited. And there is a lack of stimuli for me too. However, it is different when i am filming a drama. When filming, a lot of actors gather together to work with one another, don't they? Within that group, there are not only people who like to communicate with one another, there are also people who like to learn new things. And also people who like to exchange news and information. So it can be said that when immersed in such an environment/atmosphere, a person will live a life where he will constantly discover fresh new things." By grasping every collaboration opportunity, and through every person he had worked with, Gackt has gained new experiences as well as new means to express himself. And that is Gackt's biggest achievement while being in the Arts. Just like how his first challenge of acting as Uesugi Kenshin in the Taiga Drama "Fuurin Kazan" in 2007 has led him to know and work together with veteran actor Ogata Ken: "Being able to know Ogata Ken, has allowed me to achieve great developments in both my methods of expression and performance. To me, this is the turning point where both my performance in music, as well as my acting are greatly enhanced. FIGHT FOR SINGER Being a singer is his core profession. It is also the biggest battlefield in which Gackt challenges himself. Gackt may have weathered many failures and trying periods, overcoming many various hardships and obstacles, but when he finally catches glimpse of that moment of happiness, all of them vanish into thin air. The fans' smiles and courage to strive ahead, are the joys he pursues as a Singer. "How shall I put this? It's during the times when I'm on-stage seeing everyone's happy smiles. In addition, when people - say for example, my fans - encounter hardship(s) and feel like they can't push on anymore... when they find the courage to stand up strong again and push forth under the encouragement of my songs; or when for the same reason they've found a cause for life (something they must do), these make me feel like my existence has a value. This is the happiest and most satisfying thing about me becoming a Singer. FIGHT FOR MUSIC Into the 9th year of his Solo career, all the changes and growth he's undergone has now become a part of Gackt. But, there is one thing along the path of his music career that he will never let go of. And that is "The faith to never give up!" He initially ventured into music out of interest. After growing up, music had became a means of self-verification (to prove himself). And now, music has changed into the strength to encourage and impel other people. Irregardless of how he looks at it, Gackt has never accepted compromise and 'letting up' when it comes to Music. By implementing this faith, he will always possess the strong emotions he has for music.* "I believe it because I've become an adult. However, my point of view has never changed from the beginning up till this day. And that is - I always maintain myself in a state of tense-ness and excitement {1}. Perhaps even when I die, I will still hold onto this kind of emotions." {1} Actually 緊張 kinda means being nervous. I doubt he'll be nervous so I took it in the sense that he's always on the balls of his feet.. i.e. being tensed and alert FIGHT FOR LIFE This time around, Gackt came to Shanghai to attend the Leica Fashion Awards and to receive the "Most fashionable Japanese Artiste" award. Even in his everyday life, his dress sense and style reveals his own unique taste and personality. "Fundamentally I like clothes that possess feelings of tense-ness, the type that is agile and tight-fitting. If we're talking about the characteristics of the clothes or brands I choose, that's probably a fixation on my part. I like clothes that are combat-ready, this is the biggest principle when it comes to my choice of clothing. Because of this reason, you can see (he splits his legs and brings one up to against his forehead) that I am able to do this kind of action. Don't I look very flexible? You can't do this kind action if you don't regularly train for it oh~ (laughs)" (I included the 'oh' which is kind of like a cute way of ending a sentence. kind of like a not-so-cutesy version of Japanese adding 'nya' to the end of their sentences. I didn't want to take it out because it made Gackt sound cute XDDD) Every single move Gackt made - who performed a perfect demonstration in the middle of the interview - displays the advantages of his regular training. But when we touch on the topic "exercises", Gackt gave us a very unexpected reply. "I don't excercise because I love to. Excercise is actually very troublesome, so its something which I don't even want to do. But, I have a very important criteria (for myself), and that is: Human life is full of uncertainties. So we must be ever-ready to protect our dearest (most important) person. If we were to be unable to protect our most important people during that instance (when something occurs), I think I will regret it for the rest of my life." Gackt, who is constantly in a state of readiness, certainly deserves the title of "FIGHTER"! FIGHT FOR FUTURE During this 3rd interview with EASY, Gackt once again emphasizes his desire and confidence to hold a LIVE within China. However, this time he added another name ---- S.K.I.N. "Whether my personal concert, or S.K.I.N. concert will occur sooner, is still unclear as of now. Just which of the 2 will be earlier?... mmm.... my personal lives are constituted of 2 parts. The first is a stage with very strong 'performance' sense {1} , the other is a stage with an extremely strong "LIVE" sense {2}. It is already relatively difficult if we want to put a Live together just based on "performance sense' alone. But if we want to organize a concert that is based solely on "LIVE" sense alone, the possibility of that happening is there. When I'm performing with S.K.I.N., I only need to be responsible for my portions, so I don't need to prepare any performances. I only need to perform music itself. If we're considering based on these reasons, I guess that S.K.I.N. will be faster." Although Gackt currently only mentions the probability of a concert, but based on his more detailed evaluations and planning, we believe that day is not far away. {1} + {2}: Performance-based / LIVE-based. Gackt probably meant performance-based as more of 'showmanship', like having the extra concert/theatrical/special effects :P