– What do you think about the existence of your fans?
[The fan presence? I don’t think they can all be lumped under the word fan. Cause, I think there are different degrees of it. There’s some wildly enthusiastic fans, but there’s also some who aren’t really fans, but still fan enough to ask for an autograph or something (laughs). There are some people like that, you know. I think it’s extremely dangerous to lump them all together with the word fan. Some kids have been cheering us on since many years ago, and I read fan letters from kids who’ve been sending them for years, now.]

– Do you ever get inspired by the words contained in those fan letters?
[That does happen. Only very occasionally, though. But, it has nothing to do with how long the person has been a fan. Some kids have a long history as fans but still don’t understand me at all, and some do even though they’ve only been fans for a short time. Each person is completely different.]

– What kind of words do you like to read?
[There aren’t any specific words in particular, but when I read a letter that makes it clear that the person understands me, that they’re really seeing me, that they’re paying attention to me, it makes me happy. Like, ah, so they know about that. But when it comes to most of them, it’s like they’re writing in their own diaries (laughs). That gets a little tiring. It’s stuff I don’t know about. A lot of the time it seems like they’ve totally got the wrong idea about me. I’m not that kind of guy of at all (laughs).]

– Do you get letters asking for advice?
[Yeah, I do. Oh, and sometimes people get mad at me for things I didn’t even say. Like, when did I ever say that? It’s surprising sometimes. In those cases, instead of copying out what I’m supposed to have said, clip it out and send it to me, and if it’s something I said on TV or radio then send me the tape or video. In most cases, it wasn’t even me who said it.]

– It’s like a telephone game, since in many cases the piece of information has been repeated many times.
[Yeaaah. Makes me wonder what they’re talking about.]

– During a live, what do you think of the fans sitting in the audience?
[Mostly, I’m just grateful.]

– Do you feel you want to live up to their expectations?
[I’m glad they support what we do, but I don’t know what people like. And besides, their tastes change. If we were to restrict ourselves to what people want, if we did only what they want us to do, then we’d never improve, would we? But I am grateful. I just won’t be pushed around by fan opinion. But I’m not saying that to be harsh with them. I think it’s only natural that what I do ends up satisfying the fans. But, anyway, “I’m full of love for my fans” and sweet things like that, saying that sort of thing makes me sick.]

– On the other hand, saying those things might be healthy. For instance, there are artists who’ll say things like “We’re becoming one with all of you!” during their MC segments.
[That’s impossible for people from Kansai(1) (laughs). If I went to see a show where they said that, I’d go “The hell’re they sayin?” all bored-like. Cold~!(2) What’s the point of that, it’s not like they’re starting a religion. You know, to be honest, when I’m on stage, I don’t talk much during the MC parts. I don’t have anything to say. “Thanks for coming to the show today,” as an MC, isn’t that boring? But, that’s about all there is to say. And if I were to make my MCs serious, it’d be boring. So, isn’t it better that I shake things up by throwing my bananas?]

– How do you feel when you read a fan letter that says, for instance, “I went to a L’Arc~en~Ciel show and it cheered me up”, or “it helped me recover from something bad”?
[I’m glad to hear it. I think it’s good that something I did helped somebody out. It’s just that I don’t explicitly aim to do that sort of thing. Of course, I’m aware that some of my activities are going to influence somebody, somewhere, in some situation, I think that’s only natural. But, that doesn’t mean it’s a form of love, or anything like that. Talking like I am now, I must sound so cool, or cold even. I’m easily misunderstood. But, things like religion are what I hate the most. When someone tells me “I’ll always follow you,” that makes me happy all by itself. I think “Thank you.” But I don’t want to say “Come follow me.” I apply ‘Those who come will not be refused, those who refuse will not be chased’ to everything.]

– You don’t depend on anyone and aren’t depended on by anyone. You’re an individual, you need to keep your independence. That’s what you mean, isn’t it?
[Fundamentally, that’s how I am. I’m not trying to be especially cold to my fans, in some ways I’m actually quite warm (laughs). It’s just that saying you do it all for the fans, because you love them, that’s hypocritical and I hate it. Cause, I think that when you do this professionally, it’s a business. CDs and lives, those things are done to make money.]

– That is certainly correct. tetsu-san, I think you say many things that are obviously true.
[I think so too. I like things that make sense.]

– Interviewer : Hasegawa Makoto
Translated by Natalie Arnold

1. Natives of Kansai, where Osaka is located, are reputed to have a more down-to-Earth, sarcastic attitude than other Japanese.Go back.

2. When a joke fails to make people laugh, it is said to be cold. Go back.