This time the theme is, "Aiba Masaki's and Arashi's 2008." First off, questions from the readers to the 2008 Aiba Masaki.


Scans thanks to onlyjun @vox
Please do not repost.

The member with which you had the most meals in 2008?
I wonder if it was Nino. I think it　was him maybe, but what if it wasn't, what should I do..... (laugh).

The member you want to praise the most in 2008?
Hmmm, yappari everyone. I think everyone worked hard! Yep.

The member that sparkled in 2008?
This as well is everyone yappari. Because this year we did new things all together.

Who was the toughest member in 2008?
Leader. Even when he was busy, he wouldn't sleep and just go fishing (laugh). Not in work only, he was quite stoic in his private life activities as well.

So, the impressions that were left in the readers out of the activities Arashi had in 2008. #1 was concerts, #2 was CD releases, and #3 was 24 hour TV. You also had your first live concert in Shanghai.

It was fun. In our second Asia Tour, the places we could go to increased by one. We were very happy!

You went with the members to have a massage in Shanghai and Taipei, right?

In Shanghai, Nino, Sho-chan and I went for the first time to get skin-scrubbing. We were stark naked, having our whole body scrubbed. Since it was the first time, our spirits were quite high about it (laugh).

About your public performance in the national (Kasumigaoka stadium), from the readers: "The way the sky bit by bit turns from the setting sun to pitch dark is a sense of liberation that can't be topped."
"When I saw Arashi standing on the platform that holds the Olympic flame I got goose bumps."And other similar thoughts.

I have thought once again that, being able to communicate Arashi's songs, and live for once the same moment with 70'000 people, is somethings really amazing. The sense of liberation the open air gave was exceptional!

"Seeing an Arashi in 24 hour TV that's different from 4 years ago I was glad." And other similar voices were gathered.

With respect to 4 years ago, we're being given more responsibility. I felt time was shorter than the other time. We weren't impatient about anything, and we had the advantage of it being the second time.

You helped in one's kid's dream of swimming with a dolphin, didn't you?

It was a very good experience. I was fighting with it too. That time it felt like I had one more little brother. I still see that kid now. I was even treated to a meal at his house!

Really! It was a splendid meeting that went beyond the program.

He's a really positive kid. I like his family members, too. To me, it was one of this year's good encounters.

Arashi entered its tenth year on November 3rd. "I'm already looking forward to what wondrous things you'll do next year." Such thoughts have also reached us.

I'd like you to look forward to that ne~. But to me, the tenth year is a checkpoint. I want to do different events and things that I haven't done till now!

In the end, about "Beautiful Days." What were your impressions when you first heard it?

Though the melody is refreshing, the lyrics are heartbreaking. I like that gap. Within me, there's that image of gazing at the night sky from the elementary school's rooftop.

Your plan to challenge the Guinness record for the number of T-shirts worn was amazing!

It was fun ne~. But, I thought that, if we didn't do it seriously from the very beginning, then we wouldn't reach the Guinness record. If we had made the cloth material more compatible beforehand, I think we would have been able to go a little farther. It was tough on who was wearing it, but those who were doing the dressing were at the limit of their physical strength (laugh).

In the studio, even grip master made his appearance. You saw him tear up 53 playing cards at once, and roll up a frying pan!

That, there's nothing you can say about that but that it was amazing ne~. Nino and I tried to unroll the frying pan, but it just wouldn't. Actually, he let me touch his arm, it was real kick-ass!

While talking about Doppelganger things got quite fired up.

It seems my Doppelganger is somewhere in Shibuya (laugh). I'm anxious about how much he resembles me..... But, I don't I want to go meet him (laugh).