B=Pass, November 2005
Translated by: Sweiled
1. Please DO NOT take my translations and use them for whatever
reason, without my permission.
2. Please DO NOT publish my translations elsewhere without my
permission. Please kindly link back if you want, but DO NOT copy and paste
them.
[number] = more explanation of the sentence below
xxx = more detailed explanations
[xxx] = what I felt a certain part of the sentence meant
(xxx) = other meanings of the word or literal translations or missing word/words
not specifically mentioned. For e.g. The fans screamed when (Gackt and his
band members) entered the stadium! Read it like you will a normal sentence.
=xxx= = real brackets used in the interview
There are 2 interviewers (Kouichi Tanaka and Mami Akagi) for this magazine.
The questions by Tanaka will be bolded while those by Akagi will
be bolded and underlined
I: The meaning of the title of this album, “DIABOLOS”. Is it okay for
me to take it to be "absolute evil"?
G: No, the meaning isn’t such a literal translation of the word. I am showing
the inner part of the characters which appeared in the album. In short, humans
possess a dark side no matter who they are...... that’s what I think. I want
to express that "darkness in human’s heart" and that is why the
album is titled “DIABOLOS”.
I: Darkness in one’s heart......
G: Yes. Humans are not living things that live on good alone, we will, more
or less, have a dark and evil side to us. And it’s the same with the characters
in this album who are in conflict (with their own self). They seek to discover
the meaning of their own existence even as they become aware of the presence
of that darkness inside them and the evil in their heart. That’s the theme
and the part I want to express most this time. That is why the picture of
the jacket (cover) is of the person taking off the mask. I’m showing you how
the person took off that mask and began to realize that there exists another
himself inside.
I: The same goes for the picture inside (the booklet), you feel that
there is a symbolic meaning to it.
G: That’s right. Of course, it doesn’t really matter even if you don’t know
how the story goes, the lyrics (lit. content) are such that those who buy
the CD can listen to the song one by one and connect it with themselves. But
to those fans who seek for more, I really want to show something to them.
I want to let them imagine how the story proceeds from this point or why the
story becomes that way. And that was how the booklet was made, with such feelings
included.
I: Well then, in order to let us expand our imagination more, I hope
you can tell us the setting of the pictures in the booklet one by one, along
with the time period and the story behind it (lit. situation).
Misty
I: This setting is...
G: That’s right. This opening song, “Misty”, is a piano piece though. The
turning of the wheel of fate...... of meeting with companions even as they
realize theirs is a cursed fate. I want to express something like that here.
But the one that is shown in this picture is not (his) companion, but his
most loved one.
I: And what about the time period?
G: That would be Early Modern Europe. [1]
[1] Actually he gave a vague “middle
Farewell
I: And the mood (雰囲気 funiki: atmosphere; mood; ambience; ambiance)
suddenly turns from Early Modern
G: Yes, if you look at it by chapters, this story would be what you call the
first chapter. If you ask why I included the first chapter here, it is because
amidst the various stories revealed in this album, "memory" is one
of the keyword, as if "all of one’s memories are passed down". And
the strong feelings (念 nen: sense; idea; thought; feeling; desire)
of the characters from the first chapter are also linked to their next life.
(lit. time period) I wanted to try showing that as an opening.
I: The meaning of the word “farewell” is......
G: The meaning is probably closer to “sayonara” [1] for this.
[1] It means good-bye.
I: Is the background of this design really Japan? No chance at all that
it might be a forest in
G: No, it is
I: For the opening of the tour last year, Gackt-san and the members
(GacktJob) played the shamisen while wearing kimonos. Was that actually a
presentation of this time period?
G: Yes, that’s right.
Gekka_no_neko did the translation of GIFT tour document book, which covered
Sixth Day Seventh Night tour, and you can find it on her LJ if you would like
to read more about this.
Farewell
I: And somehow the worlds of
G: Yes. It shows (how they) predicted (the future). Something like the fate
of this character in the future? The memory passed down (to the next life)
and the feelings left behind...... Something like genes, this connects it
to the future even more strongly. So these two people transcend time and met
each other, or more like, both of them saw each other. It’s not like they
really met, or that they were really there, but each felt the existence of
the other.
I: And this place is?
G: It’s also in
I: Foreseeing the future from the Heian period......
G: That’s right, foreseeing the future.
Ash
I: And next... this is
G: Yes, Early Modern
I: And the man you played here (in the booklet) is one of the "shito"?
G: Yes, after the awakening.
I: What is that burning on your hand?
G: Rather than something that is burning, it’s more "feeling your own
soul"; it’s closer to that feeling.
Metamorphoze
G: The original meaning of “Metamorphoze” is "reformation" (変革 henkaku: change; reform; revolution; upheaval;
reformation) or "awakening". "For what purpose do we exist?
For what purpose must we fight? Let’s search...... we are searching for the
meaning of our existence." This picture is a representation of that.
I: This, this person holding the sword is a powerful man even among
the “shito”?
I: You are really detailed~ (laughs)
G: (laughs) Well actually, this group of shito is absolutely stronger compared
to a normal human, but they have a weakness of not being able to stay under
the sun. It’s an illness, complete illness. And the survivors of the group
came to be known as vampires (eventually). That’s the way it goes for this
story.
Dispar
I: This is also during Early Modern
G: The pictures from this point on are picked up from the story during the
Early Modern Europe, scene by scene. The lot of them called "shito",
their incomplete self...... They were thought to have no usage value because
of their incomplete bodies, so in order to change the way others view them,
they went to the battle scene. In order to prove that they can fight; that
their existence is not worthless; that there is a meaning to their existence.
These pictures show, scene by scene, how they went to the battle grounds.
I: These three artworks from “Dispar” to “Future” and “Black Stone” are
all part of the same storyline?
G: That’s right.
I: Un, the one on the left is "shito" and his opponent on the
right-hand side…… could it possibly be human?
G: That is a group of people known as “Darkside Inhabitants”.
Future
I: This “Future” is a continuation of “Dispar”?
G: Yes, after the battle.
I: The many swords buried in the ground shows that many of his companions
died in battle.
G: Yes, exactly.
I: Gackt-kun’s chest is stabbed too...... but you didn’t die, surely (laughs)
Black Stone
I: And these are the "survivors of shito" that were mentioned
previously...... vampires?
G: Yes. When they have truly awakened, how they look like when they release
their powers.
I: Vampires are, of course, linked to “MOON”, right?
G: Of course. But the story of “MOON” is one which takes place much later.
So they haven’t called themselves vampires yet at this time. And they passed
away gradually after this.
Storm
I: These people with masks on are?
G: They appeared in “Dispar” as well, the group of people you call “Darkside
Inhabitants”.
I: And Gackt-kun is also in here?
G: Yes, I played the role of “Darkside Inhabitants” too...... which reminds
me, we discussed this previously because we thought it might be confusing
if I were to play that role too. But including the designer, who was there
when we were discussing the cover, we decided that it’s better for me to play
different roles. Because if I play only one role, for example, I would only
take shots for one part and that would also be rather weird somehow. (laughs)
It’s better if I do all the shots myself for this booklet and that is why
I played the role of “Darkside Inhabitants” here as well.
Road
I: The woman here is the one which appeared in “Misty”, the fated meeting
of the one loved most?
G: That’s right. Well, this is the character from 届カナイ愛ト知ッテイタノニ抑エキレズニ愛シ続ケタ...
(Todokanai Ai to Shitteita noni, Osaekirezuni Aishitsuduketa...) I play this
role as well, but this isn’t actually me.
I: And the time period for this?
G: This is also from Early Modern Europe.
届カナイ愛ト知ッテイタノニ抑エキレズニ愛シ続ケタ...
(Todokanai Ai to Shitteita noni, Osaekirezuni Aishitsuduketa...)
I: There is a sudden jump in the time period to this point, isn’t it? From
Early Modern
G: Yes, this is the so-called current time.
I: Around what year in our current time is this?
G: Probably right in the year 2000
I: That’s really the present time.
G: Yes, present. It shows how this story continues...... It is a link to the
story of “MOON” which I did previously.
I: This picture is amazingly tied to the booklet of “Crescent”, isn’t it?
G: Yes, it is linked.
I: Speaking of pictures in the booklet, there is a great similarity
between the booklet of “MOON” and this one......
G: Yes, “MOON” is really expressing the darkness inside us which is locked
away. And with regards to that, “DIABOLOS” opens up that part and acknowledges
that darkness in our own selves...... Even as we come to realize that our
existence is evil, we continue to pursue the meaning of our existence and
find out the reason for our existence.
I: In other words, “DIABOLOS” steps into a deeper depth than “MOON”.
G: That’s right, yes.
I: Well then, the tour which focuses on “DIABOLOS” would have started
when this magazine is published. Can we hope to see the world of the previous
work, “Crescent”, covered in the tour in addition to (“DIABOLOS”)?
G: That’s right, “Crescent” is also included. But I’m not combining all the
songs under one concept with a specific time period. I think the concert is
made in such a way that is very easy to understand. Because there is the entertainment
part to it and we did consider previously to not make it difficult [to understand]
or to make it self-satisfying. And then…… yeah, we will probably be including
song(s) from the next album in this tour as well.
I: The next album after “DIABOLOS”!?
G: Yes. Actually, the recording of the next album is also progressing at the
same time and there were a couple of songs which have been completed already.
That’s why I’m thinking of performing the songs which were not in this album
and which you’ve never heard before.
Both: ...... Looking forward to it!
I: And it will be
G: There are many problems, with the sounds, with the distance (between the
stage) and the audience’s seats, etc. But since we are doing it, shall we
teach you the way to present (the concert) in Tokyo Dome? Something like that.
(laughs)
I: Ooh, looks like it’s going to be interesting.
G: Yes. What we are thinking about now is the visions =screen image= I’ve
never used that in concerts to project the live, right? The feeling of not
wanting to use them under any circumstances is very strong. Because you are
not watching television here. There are fans who say, "You can’t see
anything from the seats at the back," but a stage is not something which
"is good if we can see it", but something for you "to feel".
That is what I think and, of course, even now such thoughts have not changed.
But the fact remains that to the people sitting at the back in Tokyo Dome,
I look even smaller than a grain of rice on the stage. (laughs) I think we
have to look into that again.
I: There is a possibility then, that you might use visions for the first
time here.
G: That’s right. But I don’t want to say words like, "We have no choice."
"We have no choice but to use visions because it is Tokyo Dome."
I definitely do not want to say something like that. Since we are doing it,
isn’t there any interesting approach that we might take? That is what we are
considering now. Anyway, in order to show everyone the best (we have), we’ll
fight hard for it. After struggling hard, and even though it might be impossible,
something else that’s new will surely come up at that point. I don’t want
to give up from the start; I want to fight till the end. That’s my stance.