The 21st century, too, is the continuation of yesterday. However, the switch for the next generation has been quietly turned on inside people's minds. We asked about the 21st century to Mr. Goro Inagaki of SMAP.
Mr. Goro Inagaki got into the entertainment business when he was 15 years old. He has been running the last ten years of the 20th century as a star. He has a very stylish impression. He is really into his hobby such as wine. He shows his intelligence through his essays. He has a strong personality which attracts not only young women but also adult audiences. We wonder what is growing inside Mr. Inagaki's mind toward the new century.
Attracted to punctuality:
Yet, I don't think the young people will keep avoiding being responsible. I do understand the today's adults are very worried about the future run by the young people. I think it will be fine. The young people have the correct assessment of the adults, including me, who are working hard. They also value the punctual society somehow. I am doing the important work...the importance of hard working will never fail to be communicated to the next generation. We don't need to say something exaggeratedly. Showing each person's hard work is enough for the next generation to understand. The basic is same even in the 21st century.
Having own set of colors:
However, it was just the surface. I now understand that I had a very narrow view. I realized that I was acting unnaturally trying to be the color of brown when someone took the color of gray. I thought I had to be brown if someone else was gray. "What if each one of us has a box of paints? I can mix the paints to create my favorite gray and paint own picture." When I understood this concept, I felt real easy. It is not fighting over the limited share of pie. Each one of us can make own pie. It is not the fight for a moment, but if I keep painting over and over, it will become Goro Inagaki. Therefore, what I need is having more colors and thinking about how to mix them in order to paint the better picture.
Even if we are living in the same generation and the same place, each one of us receives different information and feels different about it. The preference for music and food are different among people. We don't have to change them. I became feeling calm about me being me. The personality can't be found on a street even if we try to look for in hurry. (laughing) Of course, there were some mistakes on choosing something, but I was able to reach today just like climbing a spiral staircase. I think I climbed up somehow. (laughing)
Being somewhat audacious is important:
I like the tension and presence of stage play. It is really hard to remember all of the script and act around the stage at the same time. (laughing) Me being alive sharing the same space with the audience right in front makes me very tense to the point of shaking. It is a horror if I began to worry about the possibility of forgetting the script and making mistakes. But, when I overcame these fears, and receive the applause, I feel a great sense of fulfillment. I feel like, "The way to go! Goro!"
If we have to choose people who have jobs necessary for the future of the earth, just like Noah's Ark, us entertainers, such as singers and actors, might be left behind first. (laughing) I hope it will not happen. I think that it will be better to mix many values, and I hope this era will reward these hard working people without them being cheated.
The entertainment business, where I live, has different streams of time. Farther more, it doesn't have any limit for time. We have to do something until the director said "O.K." Or, the time goes by with many reasons such as a delay caused by some preparations or accidents. In some sense, anything could happen. I don't know if because of that, I am very attracted to be punctual. Waking up in the morning on a certain time; the morning newspapers are already delivered for sure; and banks open their doors on 9 am sharp. The existence of these kinds of basic stuff makes me feel like someone is supporting this society. It is a very secure feeling. I think the young people can spend all kinds of free time because of the existence of these basics. It is like, "We are doing whatever we are doing, but we are relying on those, who do the things, which have to be done for sure." (laughing)
I started as a member of SMAP. Our assignments were mainly for us as a group. Gradually, I began to receive more individual assignments. Each member of our group has a strong personality. I felt defeated when other members received good reviews for their works which they were able to use their personality well. It was like fighting over a box of paints. It was like fighting over which color each one of us would take.(laughing) If there are 12 colors and someone took gray, which I wanted to take, I resented because I felt like I had to do my best using those left-over colors. I felt uneasy about how to express the difference. I worried and wondered which was my color.
I always tell myself to work hard. That is for sure. However, it is not possible to see all of the ripple affects of my work. I feel something similar to horror when I realized that there is Goro Inagaki , who I can't see, existing. For instance, there are 50,000 people come to see a SMAP concert at Tokyo Dorm. If I do a stage play at a small theater, it will be only 500 audience. Probably, the impressions of people coming to the concert and the stage play are different. The impression of each person came to the concert or the play will be cultivated in her mind. The impression might create Goro Inagaki who is different from me. That is scary. (laughing) However, this kind of thing might happen to certain extent to everyone. Someone might be misunderstood because of bad communication; or, I am totally amazed by a rumor which reflects me totally wrong. But, I can't correct those things one by one. (laughing) Therefore, I became more audacious to think that being misunderstood and being cultivated as a different person are not unsusal. These are not my illusion. I do exist here. As long as I understand my existence, there is nothing to worry. I can't control these rumors and other stuff.