karened | Letters to Arashi

Also on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/arashickarened/status/1333521183095074816?s=20

2020年最後の一か月、毎週書いた嵐メンバーへの手紙を現地時間の午前5:20時にアップロードした

520は中国語で我爱你っていう意味です

大好き

そして、2021年の元旦にまた5:20時に送ります

これからも愛してます

何よりも嵐の健康と幸せを祈ります

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Dear Jun,

Thank you for being the Jun-bait who introduced me to Arashi through WISH in 2005.

Without you, I wouldn't have known this treasure called Arashi. Without you, I wouldn't have had such beautiful memories of my youth.

We share the same horoscope, and dare I say I see tiny bits of myself in you? ^_^

A perfectionist.

The way you direct concerts to perfection, always coming up with new ways to surprise us at concerts, creating Arashi's own brand of live performance. I loved how each fan was one with Arashi at concerts! It was more than a concert, it was a matsuri!

A dependable person.

The way the older members trust and count upon you; your personality balancing out the group dynamics.

Your reaction to adversity and how you worked with what was possible rather than succumbing to negative thoughts this year was inspiring.

You are amazing. You are someone I aspire to be.

Dear Nino,

I love the songs you wrote.

Many of them have simple melodies and plain words. You strip off all the fancy flowery lingual and musical devices, leaving only pure feelings and emotions that speak to us, person to person.

This goes beyond your music, in your interviews too.

Sometimes your words are painfully realistic.

But rather than escape from the reality before my eyes, I’d rather face it, and then find the positivity in the situation I am in. This is how I feel when I listen to your songs.

Thank you for teaching me this. These are the words I turn to when I feel too tired to even try be optimistic:

時には泣いていいよ

弱いとこ見せても大丈夫

でもそこで腐るな！

You’re like the elder brother I never had, handing down these words of wisdom in the form of songs.

Thank you for those beautiful songs which encouraged me on many occasions!

You are amazing. You are someone I aspire to be.

Dear Aiba,

You’re my favourite sunshine boy!

The energy and warmth that you effuse are infectious. Your bright smile will light up my day no matter how bad it is, and I find myself laughing with you (and sometimes at you :P). You brought so much laughter and tears (when I laugh too hard) into my life.

Having you in Arashi is like having the sun with the storm.

I love the Tik Tok videos you came up with. The videos showed the fun and baka side of Arashi that we seldom see so plainly. They are like a time machine, bringing us back to when Arashi just started, with simple themes and silly tricks.

Thank you for masterminding them and please release more of them, Director Aiba!

It must get tiring sometimes when you are constantly the energy source for people around you, giving your light to everyone and making us smile.

Do find time to recharge yourself too!

You are amazing. You are someone I aspire to be.

Dear Sho,

Do you remember me?

My friends and I were at the Nazotoki movie world premiere, holding up message signs asking that you bring the rest of Arashi to Singapore next time.

That was in 2013.

6 years later, you returned, with the rest of Arashi.

It may not be a direct response to us, but I still want to say Thank you so much!

An idol who is also a newscaster. You are such an inspiration for me, to break the boundaries of what is expected of me and to redefine what it means to be me. It’s a challenge to try something so different, but we’ll never know if we don’t try, right?

This year, Arashi tried many challenges, including singing an entire song in English.

Similarly, I challenged myself with a Sakurap this year. I’m so bad at rapping that I used to just hum the rap parts in Arashi’s songs. I’m still bad at it, but I’m gradually improving!

Going forward, let’s live freely, following our hearts, and continue to challenge ourselves!

You are amazing. You are someone I aspire to be.

本当は、リーダーへの手紙から書いたけどｗｗ...

Dearest dearest Riida,

You are one of the bravest person I've seen.

It's not easy to put your foot on the brake at the high point of your career, especially when that career very much defines you. It's not easy to face the shock from industry, the noise from fans, and most importantly, the people you have grown up with and are so close to.

You are so brave.

And with that, tenacity.

It must have reached a point where you had to make that decision, or you'll be crashed. Between the 10th anniversary interviews in 2009, where we first heard you express that you had thoughts of quitting, and 2019, how much have you struggled, until you reached that point? Yet, even when you were at that place, you hung on. For two years.

When I get burnt out at work, I just want to leave immediately. Serve a two years' notice? I wouldn't be able to handle that.

But you did.

They always joke that you’re nothing like a leader. But you are.

You are amazing. You are someone I aspire to be.