Q1: How did you come up with the name “D”?
[After the translator asked this question, the band members looked at each other before Asagi answered]
Asagi: We liked the feeling of the physical characteristic of the letter “D” - it looks like an echo
Q2: You use the image of the rose so much - what is its significance?
Asagi: The rose itself evokes an image of beauty, the thorns evoke pain. It represents the ideal and aesthetic of beauty - the rose is also symbolic of an innocent girl/innocence of a young girl
Q3: Do you have any plans for a future headline tour?
Asagi: We are very interested in doing one!
Q4: Who are your favorite authors?
Asagi: I have many! But I am more interested in writing my own stories
Ruiza: I mostly read Asagi’s writing! As well as books by Osu Ichi.
Hiroki: I like to read manga like Bleach, Naruto, JoJo’s Bizzare Adventrues [After saying this last title, Hiroki shouted out the following in English while pumping his fist in the air =>] “Yes We Can!”
Hide-Zou: Ryotaro Shiba. I like historical books, especially about the Shinsengumi.
Tsunehito: “Stephen King.”
Q5: All of D’s songs are interconnected - where do you come up with the concept for the over-arching story?
Asagi: Each song has its own story/ scenario, and we try to flesh out that song. Each song expresses an image, an individual story that connects it to the others.
Q6: Who are your musical influences?
Hide-Zou: As far as Japanese bands, Luna Sea. As for other bands, Guns & Roses, and metal music.
Tsunehito: As far as Japanese bands, Kuroyume. For punk rock bands, Rancid.
Asagi: As far as Japanese bands, X Japan, Luna Sea, Malice Mizer, Buck Tick. I also like female vocalists like Enya, Bjork, and Sarah Brightman.
Ruiza: For Japanese bands, X Japan, L’arc en Ciel, Luna Sea. As for heavy metal bands, Symphony, Dream Theater, Children of Boddom.
Hiroki: For Japanese bands, Buck Tick, Boowy. For American bands, Mister Big, Skid Row, Dream Theater, “Many Many!” [ Hiroki said many many in English!]
Q7: D, as a collection (of members) is unique- how do you instill different things as far as your music/ band-wise?
Asagi: Of course, everyone is uniqe, we bring our own things to the table. We create things together. The basic concept is up to ME. (everyone started laughing after Asagi said this ^__^ And after Asagi realized we were laughing at this, he said =>) …BUT we discuss things together!
Q8: What is your favorite food?
Ruiza: PUDDING! [Ruiza said this REALLY loudly!] Meat, Sushi, things like that
Hiroki: [the following was said in English, and as he said each item, he looked down at this hands and counted each item off on his fingers]
“Protein, Protein, Protein, Beef, Pork, Chicken, Protein… [Hiroki pauses] .. I like YOUNG BOYS!”
[After Hiroki said he liked young boys, everyone in the audience burst out laughing, including the other band members, and eventually Hiroki, whilst laughing, started waving his hands in front of his face, somewhat embarassed, as if to say, “I’m just kidding you guys!”]
[So basically, Hiroki likes meat!]
Asagi: “Pasta!” [He said this in English!]
Tsunehito: [Tsunehito said all of this in English as well] “Ice Cream. [pause] I don’t like boy, I love girl!” [and of course this was in reference to Hiroki’s earlier comment/to clear up any misconceptions, and this made everyone else laugh once again!]
Hide-Zou: “Ramen”. [pause.. that’s all he said! ]
Q9: What is your favorite thing to do when you are not touring?
Hide-Zou: I like driving in the countryside, site seeing in different countries. If I had a long time off, I would like to travel in America.
Tsunehito: I would like to spend my time dyeing my hair even more red!
Asagi: I would like to spend my time dyeing my hair even more black! [Asagi was blatantly copying Tsunehito’s answer here, and he had a grin on his face when he was saying this!] I like walking in the woods, and watching Totoro. I also have cats, and I like to play with them!
Ruiza: I like playing video games like Final Fantasy, and watching anime, like Kuroshitsuji.
Hiroki: I like playing video games like Monster Hunter, and the Evangelion game.
Q10: If you were reborn as a girl, how would it change your life?
Ruiza: I would be a cosplayer!
Hiroki: I would be a body builder woman.
Asagi: I would be a singer! [At this point, Asagi started singing in a really high pitched voice, almost like an “idol” singer]
Tsunehito: I would be an A-kon fashion show model.
Hide-Zou: [pause] My life probably wouldn’t be that much different.
Q11: I was wondering if you could please tell us a trait about the person sitting next to you that you like the best?
Hide-Zou (about Tsunehito): Tsunehito is the youngest, so he is sensitive to others’ feelings, and he picks up on little signals.
[At this point, Tsunehito picked up the water bottle in front of him and smiled widely, offering it to Hide-Zou with both hands]
Tsunehito helps me out a lot!
Tsunehito (about Asagi): I completely respect and love Asagi!
[At this point, Asagi blows a tiny kiss to Tsunehito, after which Tsunehito was very relieved]
Asagi (about Ruiza): Ruiza really loves the guitar, just like Tsunehito really loves the bass. Ruiza is also attentive, and has a nice smile.
[At this point, Ruiza picked up the water bottle in front of him and smiled really widely, looking at each member and offering them his water bottle with both hands!]
Ruiza (about Hiroki): Hiroki is beefy and muscular; he is a “super muscle man!” [Ruiza said super muscle man in English] He’s really strong, and it comes out in his powerful drum playing.
Hiroki (about Hide-Zou): [Hiroki said all this in English]
“Hide-Zou so pretty, so cute! Hide-Zou is young boy.” [Hiroki started turning to looking at Hide-Zou…]
[At this point Hide-Zou started putting his hands in front of the left side of his face and waving them around to block Hiroki’s view! His face was really serious and he was looking towards the audience! The expression on Hide-Zou’s face, in my opinion, seemed to say “Hiroki! I don’t want this kind of attention!” But then Hiroki leaned forward and turned towards Hide-Zou and said:]
“HEY! [pause] I love you!” (this led to many more screams from the audience and laughs from the fellow band members!)
[So basically, Hiroki likes Hide-Zou very much! ]
Q12: Who is your favorite desginer?
Hiroki: Chrome Hearts.
Ruiza: Dior, Coco Chanel
Asagi: Neal Ballad.
Tsunehito: Ed Hardy.
Hide-Zou:……”PUMA”. [long pause, the JUST as someone started asking another question, he said =>] Uniqlo!
Q13: What is the background to the mascot characters Nyasagi, Chunezumi, HIDEX, PAROKI and Risuza?
Asagi: I used to draw a four panel comic strip for the fan club newsletter, and Nyasagi was the first character to appear. The other characters represented the cutest parts of the band members.
Q14: What kind/ brand of guitar strings do you use? (I’m pretty sure this was directed @ Hide-Zou and Ruiza)
Ruiza: D’addario.
Hide-Zou: I use a seven string guitar, also D’addario strings.
Q15: Do you have any funny stories from being on the road?
Hide-Zou: American hamburgers are huge! [Hide-Zou was gesturing with his hands about how big the hamburgers were!] The scale and size of things in America are different. The size of people’s hearts is big!
Tsunehito: During the live shows, the audience is really enthusiastic/passionate! (Here, Tsune said “atsui live” which I believe roughly translates to enthusiastic/passionate)
Asagi: “Me too!” [He said this in English, and he was copying what Tsune just said, grinning widely!]
When I was in Europe, my carry on bag fell into a river! [while saying this, he was miming carrying his bag and then dropping it!]
Ruiza: During the lives, we get extremely enthusiastic responses from the audience
[At this point, the Q&A audience started to scream enthusiastically!]
Asagi: “KYA!” [Here, Asagi was mimicking our high pitched screams, which made the audience laugh!]
Hiroki: During the European tour, in the hotel lobby, I bought a soft drink, and when I opened it in the street, it exploded in my face! I was very surprised!
[Hiroki pauses and says =>] I’m sorry for such a silly story!
Q16: What is your favorite anime?
[For each member, the audience screamed their approval after they mentioned the name of an anime!]
Hiroki: Bleach, Naruto, Death Note, Gantz, “Many Many!” [he said many many in English]
Ruiza: Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho, Kuroshitsuji, Rozen Maiden, lots!
Asagi: I have a lot but my favorite/ number one is Hayao Miyazaki, Ghibli anime. They touch my heart!
Tsunehito: Rurouni Kenshin, Akira
Hide-Zou: City Hunter, Doraemon, Kinnukuman Ultimate Muscle Challenge - there are a lot - Peace Maker- there are a lot!
[After this question, the A-kon official in charge of the Q&A announced that the next question would be the last question]
Q17: How many languages can you speak, how many countries have you traveled to, will you come back to America? ( I think this person crammed a bunch of questions into one since it was the last question!)
Hide-Zou: I speak English at a nursery school level -
“I can speak English a little, I can’t speak Japanese well.” [Hide-Zou said this in English- really well by the way!]
As for traveling abroad, with the foreign tour, it was my first trip overseas, and it was eight countries. I want to travel in the U.S. on tour, and go to lots of different countries!
[After this, the band made their final comments to the audience]
Final Comments
Hide-Zou: We are really grateful - glad to have met American fans, you are a great source of strength! We will take back that strength [to Japan] and come back to America
Tsunehito: We’re glad you gathered here today and at yesterday’s concert - it was a really enthusiastic/ passionate live! Next time, we’ll have an “extra power concert” [Tsune said this in English ^__^] We are looking forward to coming back.
Asagi: Thank You- we are glad you came, it was really fun, we could really feel the excitement! I’m really glad that you like Japanese culture, anime and music. We want to come back - please wait for us!
Ruiza: Thank you for coming! The concert and Q&A were fun - we definitely want to come back and meet you again!
Hiroki: Thank you - we were glad to meet you all! The live had a great tension, and it made us happy! We want to come back to America soon, we’ll do our best in Japan and think of you!
As the band left the room, the audience applauded, and the band members waved and smiled at us, and Hiroki kept making hearts with his hands to us!
