Before I get into main topic, I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE:

It's regarding ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Part 1 (page 044).

I've mistranslated the part about YUI's father. I realised that I have made such mistake after I read Karen's translation.

In the interview, YUI said that her father was gone 「いなくなった」, not necessarily meant that he passed away. It can be anything (divorced, disappeared, dead), I misinterpreted it (gone = death). Stupid me. Must be having holiday for too long...

I'm deeply sorry for making such mistake, please 'erase' that info from your mind.....

However, it is still a fact that YUI doesn't have much memories regarding her father.
Sorry, again.


Back on topic, it's been a while since my previous entry, thanks to Screamyx (we had some miscommunication), caused me unable to 'connect' with you guys for so many days.

Here's what I did in the past few days:

1. Went to hospital and stayed overnight for the first time (accompany my grandmother).

Dear YUI once entered hospital because of overworking, and she said that staying in hospital she managed to think carefully about her future. If I'm not mistaken, she stayed in the hospital for 2 months (<-- Someone please confirm this, ROCKIN' ON). So yours truly here started to imagine how YUI spent her time in hospital (minus the illness part). Frankly, it was kinda 'relaxing'. If I had nothing to do I'll read books, if tired sleep. If bored, the TV is just in front of you (if you pay RM 10 per day). If hungry upstairs we have canteen and 7 eleven. As if you're staying in a hotel. Plus the 'visitor's bed' is comfortable enough, I spent most of my time on it, reading 籐井樹. YUI said that she finished the whole series of Harry Potter during her stay back then too (B-PASS).

Of course, I don't think that I wanna stay there as a patient for sure. Just another discovery =D They always said that you can smell the stench of medicine but....I just thought that the toilet smells funny =x

2. Went to Seremban with a friend, my aunt's CD store to be exact.

It was located at upper ground floor, Terminal One, Seremban. Besides Kodai Sopan, and some bubbletea cafe.


(photo by Kim, using her Samsung hp)

It's a very small shop. The Japanese corner, one whole row was occupied by dear Ayumi. Fahrenheit's (some Taiwanese boy band) CD is there for display purpose lol.


(photo by Kim, using her Samsung hp)

No YUI T.T Apparently my aunt ordered TEN copies of CAN'T BUY MY LOVE and ALL sold out. Was kinda surprised by it. She said that till now there's still no news regarding the next batch of CBML. Some customers even placed order for the next batch. Wonder if it's one of you guys out there who bought it......do tell me hee. I'm the one who took the last copy lol, my aunt almost forgot about it and placed it on the shelf.

3. Collect YUI's latest single from someone (and YUI-ing + guitar whoring at her place the next day). And ordered hot mocha for the first time at Starbucks (usually iced).


(photo taken by Emily, using Nikon D40)

Bought February 2006 issue of B-PASS because of this poster LOL.


(photo taken by Emily, using Nikon D40)

5. Celebrated someone's birthday at Calabria, Belakong.

6. Had an informal meeting with Hazel and Annie Lau this morning to 'discuss' about our 'future'. This semester we will only be in the same class during Pengantar Sejarah Linguistik (Medium History Linguistics?? lol) T.T No more together gether =/

Since orientation week is coming soon, as a senior (yay), I shall give some advice. Btw I'm studying Language and Linguistics (majoring Japanese) in University of Malaya (<-- so called courses with no future T.T ). Anyway, I'm looking forward to meet my juniors and hopefully they'll be 'tortured' during orientation week. Bwahahhahaha.

If you're not sure what preparations you should have, feel free to ask me. I managed to gather some valuable informations regarding my course from an English majoring senior's blog back then, but never got the chance to tell her how grateful I am because I forget how she looks like now =x , it was really helpful. Thought of 'contributing' something back this time around.

And if somehow you happen to be my junior soon, I have a bad news for you. Kinda impossible anyway lol.

Till then,

アデュがと～
adieu-gatou (adieu + arigatou).
'Created' by dear YUI.

PS: Be patient. Watch the files I've 'stole' while waiting lol.

Yay finally finished updating myself after disappeared from the virtual world for more than 3 days. Yes I've watched Music Station and YUI radio too =D

Album: The Beatles - 1

I always find that 'Japanised' song titles are funny lol. A Hard Day's Night direct translation: Beatles are coming along Yay! Yay! Yay!

Oh they are referring to the lyrics. Hmm....

Funny that I do know a lot songs by The Beatles lol, I just don't know that they were actually the ones who sang those familiar sounding songs (been ignorant for the past 19 years haha). I like From Me To You, Can't Buy Me Love, Help!, All My Loving the most LOL. You can really 'feel' that a lot of artists are hugely influenced by them. No wonder they say Franz Ferdinand sounds like them.

The Beatles in Chinese - 甲壳虫, that's what they translated in Norwegian Wood, which btw I never heard of that song =x

Show off time, I bought these during my final trip to book fair:



1. THE World is FLAT - Thomas L. Friedman ~RM 34.90 (sponsored by my brother wee~)
2. Sugar High - Onitsuka Chihiro ~RM 14.90 = USD 4.35 LOL
3. Air/Cook/Sky - Yaida Hitomi ~RM 14.90

No joke, both CDs were USD 4.35 each. I really shouldn't spend RM 100+ (7 times more expensive) for one freaking CD just because it is a different version (joking), currency sucks bleh. That's my first Yaiko CD, yea I'm cheap. The world is flat is really something, I should have read it earlier...the fact that I will be replaced someday...translating tools are getting more and more advance.....gah. Must find another way to adapt myself in this flat world now. If I read it earlier I probably couldn't understand all those technical jargons anyway, I was 'ignorant' back then. Now slightly better. Haha.

My aunt finally has YUI's CD in her CD store~ I bought CAN'T BUY MY LOVE from her (under RM 40). 'Finally' I have 2 versions of CBML. Extra info: Every CD sold in Malaysia must have that 'reflecting' looking sticker (you can confirm with the 2 CDs above). Kononnya to prevent privacy.



Above: Japanese Version/ Limited Edition (RM 107 I think)
Below: Overseas Version/ Normal Edition (Taiwan to be exact)

3 times more expensive...btw does it come with Chinese lyrics? Didn't mention about it on the cover.

Back, you can clearly see the blue sticker which stated: FOR SALE IN MALAYSIA ONLY.



The descriptions are kinda wrong, YUI didn't write ALL the songs, maybe they are referring to the lyrics, then yes she wrote all of it =P

Watched Kiki's Delivery Service the other day (while ironing a huge pile of clothes, as usual). YUI kinda said that she likes it before lol. No wonder YUI covered this song. It's the ending theme song. When I first heard it I was like :O You can find certain 'elements' connected with dear YUI in that movie (おっと). OR maybe I analysed too much.

Someone recommended me to watch Laputa next.

Till then, I should re-connect myself with the flattening world.

Au revior.

PS: Happy Birthday Mr.Who is going to America tomorrow.

PPS: I've got all 50 people for the survey, thank you to all the nice people out there for participating it =D Apparently the ratio of half-banana blog readers are:

Male: Female - 66:34 = almost the same as the ratio of YUI fans according to Nikkei Entertainment magazine bwahhahaha (^7^)/~~~

Technically it's not though. Mine 7:3, YUI's 6:4. Bleh.

Since I have more male readers, might consider some 'serious' cam-whoring in the future LOL.

That's not gonna happen, cos...I'm shy.

Disclaimer: My JLPT level is only 3, my MUET (some stupid Malaysian English test) is band 5, just giving you guys a guideline on my language ability (I don't really know how to measure these things anyway, what do mean by 'fluent'?). Sorry if I made any stupid grammatical errors and tell me if I made any factual errors. Don't believe in everything I summarised. If you wanna copy anything from here, please ask your future readers to stop by my blog, to increase my blog traffic LOL.

Previous: Part 1

Lets continue.

Teo: Italics

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# YUI's impression of her mother when she was small.

YUI said that since her father is not around anymore, her mom always busy working and seldom around at home. YUI always eat alone adequately (?), nothing special. Something like spaghetti, YUI (I think) will buy these inexpensive stuff and 'cincai' make her own meal (laughs). She will even eat the cabbage in it's entirety (imagining YUI eating a BIG uncooked cabbage while watching TV...).

Speaking of cabbages, when YUI was small, as she was eating the whole cabbage, till the end some broccoli looking thing 'appeared' (I think she means the pith). "Ah there's broccoli inside the cabbage!" YUI: I mistaken it back then (laughs). I was too surprised, "ah it tastes even better! WOW!" as if I discovered something really big. But now think about it, broccoli and cabbage are 2 different things, I was wrong. Even myself made such weird assumptions.

# Because of the busyness, YUI also never have the chance to have a vacation.

When she was asked whether she will envy her friends when they told her about their trips, she thinks that as a kid, there must be some 'jealousy' going on. However, if she tells her parent about it, they might feel sad about it. As a child, somehow she knew that she should not say such things, that's why she never mention about it.

# Another 'famous' question, her dream when she was in kindergarten (goodness her answer is LONG).

When YUI became secondary school student, she saw her picture book when she was back in nursery school. Everyone's hand prints, plus her own hand print which printed during her birthday. "I missed the time in nursery school~" and brought back all the memories. In the [My dream] section, other girls wrote "Wanted to be a florist" "I want to open a bakery".

But little YUI wrote "I wanted to be that uncle who sells Takoyaki." The people who bakes and sells takoyaki in a van or something. The secondary school YUI wondered what's wrong with little YUI since she can't be a boy and laughed about it. (this is getting confusing)

Then dear YUI changes the subject. YUI: When I was small, I once told my mom "Give me an elder brother" before too (laughs). It's completely impossible yet I didn't really get it back then. It's should be alright if I put 'I wanted to be takoyaki seller', but why I added 'Uncle" in it instead? (laughs) Maybe it was because I saw some uncle making takoyaki alone all the time, kept on making it, all alone, to make us delicious takoyakis. He seems lonely, maybe I included 'uncle' it's because that I had the urge to help him. I really wanna know why I wrote this too (laughs).

# What else YUI asked besides asking her mom to give her an elder brother.

YUI: We were watching TV, and there was Sumo wrestling going on. I was really small back then, when I saw the Sumo wrestler, I remembered that I asked "Will milk come out from those boobs?" (laughs) I have said something extraordinary isn't it.“明明是男人，爲什麽？” ("He is a guy, but why?"), that's what I thought back then. Like any other parents, I think they just gave normal answers. I find it very funny about it now I thought about it, seems surreal. "Nah, I don't think that milk will come out from those boobs." They said something like that (laughs).

おっぱい (oppai) normally used by kids to refer breasts (yes I checked dictionary LOL). I kinda 'want' to hear YUI says that word LOL, someday *Runs away*

# Move on to primary school, asked YUI whether she likes study or not back then.

YUI answered that she was not really good in studies, she prefers making things, that's why she likes art classes, where she can make things and draws stuff. She thought of being an artist/ painter back then too simply because that she likes to draw. Sceneries, looking at animals or anything and draw it. When she's free, somehow she will bring around pencil and starts to draw.

'Masterpiece' by dear YUI, to show you that she can really draw lol, taken from Taiyou no Uta diary (included in the premium edition DVD):



Put it bigger since this will be the only picture in this post lol. Thanks Reset for scanning it =D

In primary school YUI joined knitting club because she likes to make things. But apparently she always forgot to bring certain things. And she joked for being such useless kid. She likes handicrafts too. She learned a lot from her grandmother who's really good at it.

# Sports.

YUI seemed to like sports too. When she was in primary school, she'll play dodge ball, plays kickball during rest hours, it was fun. And she remembers that when the snow causes the class to stop, everyone will play snow battle or something. It was pretty interesting since Fukuoka rarely snows. It was a great class.

Apparently kickball in Japanese is foot baseball =.= Learned something from YUI again lol.

Next, YUI's existence in class, and maybe first love?? Horror stories?!

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This is long lol. Sorry if it sounded confusing here and there. It should be more interesting actually. Next update will be......after I finished The World is Flat LOL (yes I've bought it hee). My brother will 'snatch' it to Ohio, USA this Sunday, for 4 months, me had to finish it before he runs away. Bribe me if you want me to finish it fast, because I might do some part time stuff (if they reply me...).

Tell me if I made any mistakes. Spread around this interview if you want to. Make sure they stop by my blog before stealing it haha.

Till then, au revior.

PS: I have Web cam now (enjoyed fooling around with it). I've finished Norwegian Wood, what else by Haruki Murakami is nice??

Next: ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 3

Disclaimer: My JLPT level is only 3, my MUET (some stupid Malaysian English test) is band 5, which means that I'm not that good in both languages. Sorry if I made any stupid grammatical errors and tell me if I made any factual errors. Don't believe in everything I summarised. If you wanna copy anything from here, please ask your future readers to stop by my blog, to increase my blog traffic LOL.

Introduction:

I will be summarising the content of this magazine, ROCKIN' ON JAPAN, May 2007 issue. I wiki-ed it and 'discovered' that this music magazine is famous on 'digging' artists' past (joking). Normally every month they will have a 20k words long interview with an artist (mostly from their childhood up till how they got into music scene), and featured on its cover. Yes, YUI was one of them.



Buy it at HMV or Amazon (online), or Kinokuniya.

The interview was taken on March 25, 2007. There are total 11 pages of it, I have translated till page 6......

Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6

If you can read Chinese, triper san translated it DETAILEDLY in his blog *ashamed of herself* His translations are really good *bangs her head*.

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The interview started with the interviewer, Komatsu Kaori (小松香里) asking YUI what is her date and place of birth.

She was born in 26th of March, 1987 (or Showa '62), in a town named Koga (古賀). Her family moved to Shinguu (新宮町) before she entered primary school.

YUI can't remember what was the very first memory she had in this world, but she remembers that when she grew slightly older, she caught a little wild boar by mistake. Taking a bug catching net, little YUI saw a puppy-ish animal along the river. She went near the animal and 'bashhh' captured it. She realised that it was a little wild boar after she brought it back. YUI thinks that not many kids managed to capture a wild boar, hence it was a very precious experience.

Another naughty incident by little YUI will be running away from home for the first time. Her grandmother stays very near, so little YUI stuffed a lot of sweets in a backpack, and left her house after saying "itte kima-su!", riding on a tricycle. Some old woman spotted her in front of a supermarket, and questioned YUI's mother. Her mom replied:" I saw it, it seems dangerous." Which means that little YUI was riding uphill, and a lot of big trucks coming downhill. It seemed that back then she was riding towards the wrong direction, used the opposite lane instead. YUI herself admitted she was really naughty back then. She just wanna try how it feels like running away from home without knowing that it is actually a sad thing.

# Then the interviewer asked whether YUI went to her grandma's house frequently or not.

She answered yes, her grandma has a dog, sometimes YUI will take it for a walk or something. Its name is Gonta, she named it from a commercial song back then.

# Family.

Her family consist of her mom and YUI only. As for her father, he was not around anymore (NOTE: Doesn't mean that he was *ahem*, just...not around ) when YUI was roughly 3 years old. That's why when she moved to Shinguu there were only 2 of them.

# Her father.

She doesn't really remember anything about him because she was only 3, not even his face nor voice. On the other hand she was kinda curious what kind of person he is, or whether he is cool/ handsome. It seems that her father likes to sing, her mom too but her mom is kinda shy singing in front of people. YUI said that she never heard of her father's singing voice but she thinks that she kinda inherited his 'loves to sing' gene.

# When she started to sing.

YUI said that she started to sing after she realised that she likes to listen to songs. She prefers listening, hence she will remember the song, and sing it out naturally. Yea, by nature (Teo doesn't know how to explain lol). When she was small, she will imagine the scenes based on the lyrics she heard, just like everybody else. From example the song 'Sotsugyou Shasshin' (Graduation Picture) by Matsutoya Yumi, even she was still a little girl, she was able to picture the scene in a classroom with desks, in a sunset, things like that. Mainly because that she listened to it quite often.

Weird lol. Ayumi Hamasaki covered that song before, in her Memorial Address album. YUI covered one of Yumi's song too in Bokura no Ongaku, Yasashisani Tsudzumareta Nara.

Next, YUI's impression on her mother when she was small.

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I will work on the next 10 pages. Tell me what you think, I would like to improve from it, because I don't really know how to 'present' it lol. It's impossible for me to translate the whole thing though, due to extreme laziness, just...impossible. Actually I still cannot see myself finish the remaining 10 pages, but I'll try my best lol, and update as soon as possible.

Till then.

Related Posts:

• ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 2
• ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 3
• ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 4
• ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 5
• ROCKIN' ON JAPAN Interview Part 6