More wonderful reply from Anna-san!! (regular type is my post, italics is Anna-san's reply)

> Thank you very much! I'm so happy! I'll do my best to improve my sense and skill at translation until the book is done! Although, I really think that in this case, the best way to do that is to feel it all. So I want to keep going to the Joint lessons and have fun dancing with the Pop kids!
Yeah! That's what I think as well! Because I think that there are things that you can't even get close to describing if you haven't been part of that atmosphere and felt it yourself! I think that those feelings of yours, your gentleness and your [artistic] sensitivity are really wonderful!
>I'm going home tomorrow, before I read your response I was thinking about the whole US/Iraq problem, and getting depressed, wonderign why we can't all just get along, and reading your response made me realize again what a wonderful place LoveJunx is, with everyone simply sharing joy and happiness, and trying to understand each other. I wish that there could be even more places in the world like that.
Yeah, I really agree. I don't think that the world will change so easily, but think we should do every little thing we can. You said that you had a complex about your dance. But I think that there are times that because of things like that that people can understand other peoples feelings, and become a nicer person. You're so positive now, and you're really shining, I really respect you! Take care on your journey home tomorrow, and please have a wonderful time at home! I look forward to seeing your cheerful smile!

All I have to say is it is an amazing thing to be respected by one of the people you respect more than anyone else in the world. I just hope that I'll be able to live up to that respect someday.


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Yay!!! Or as I actually said, Yatta!Yatta!Yatta! (LOL) I am so happy!!
Yesterday, Anna-san wrote this in her MESSAGE FROM ANNA section on the LJ page.
"I want to write a book. I'm currently keeping a lesson journal. I want to put together a record of everyone's growth and changes, and my own feelings watching them, and make it into a book, to share with many people the process of the children's growth."

When I read that, I decided that I want to translate her book, if it actually gets written. I think that it's definately something that would have a worldwide audiance, and could help, and move a lot of people.
I told her as much in a post yesterday, and asked Anna-san if she would allow me to translate it into English.
Here is her reply:
"Your post yeserterday made me very happy! Thank you!
You said some things that were wonderful! I'm deeply moved to be sharing a dream with you! When I've finished the book, definately, please translate it! (I think this is still a long way in the future though...)


I'm so happy!!

 
I had the strangest dream last night, involving amongst other things, double sided waffle machines, antique victorian plates, fake books on Indians, gelato, a strange Western (as in cowboys) harem type deal where I was a man, and the 22 year old idol with an H cup, Hoshi Hitomi who's picture happened to be on Japanese Yahoo last night, although in my dream she was blond, English, and rather plump.
Now for a rant. I want to go home and see all my friends and family tomorrow. But I don't want to go to America. I'd rather stay in Japan, even with all the really messed up crazy people slashing random people in conbinis and the threat of Kita-chosen. Er, North Korea, that is. Supposedly there is supposed to be more 911 style terrorist attacks this summer, and so now I am really paranoid that I will die a violent horrific death, either on my way to JFK, or on Sept 13, when I'm supposed to coming back to Japan. Although my first flight is Air Canada, and my second is ANA or JAL, I forget which, so hopefully the terrorists won't use them. But even so, what about all the people that are in whatever plane they do chose, assuming I do make it to the US alive? What about all of them?
As for my rant about America itself, read this US leaders now see themselves as priests of a divine mission to rid the world of its demons it pretty much sums it up well.

 
Ahhh! The live, Party's on 2003, was soo good!! I've finally seen my MAX perform live, and they were everything I could have hoped for!
After we were finally let in the building, by number (I was 301), we walked up the stairs to a place where they were selling live goods. They were selling t-shirts, baseball caps, towels, a little photo album, and cds. (If you bought either Festa or Eternal White, you got a free poster). I bought a photo album, and a t-shirt (they had pale pink, and pale blue. I bought pale pink, and was very pleased I had after, because Li-chan wore a pink one during the encore). then we went into the room. It was all standing, and even though we had numbers, you could pretty much go where ever you wanted. I was pretty close, on the right side of the stage. I ended up standing behind these two other Americans, (one of whom has been living in japan, and supporting MAX for 6 years! (he went to B4S, and the fan event where they introduced Aki!) and so we talked for awhile. The stage was covered by a veil like screen that read 'Party's on 2003'. Finally, the lights went down, a video came on the screen of an animated ring leader type guy, talking in English, with Japanese subtitles. I thin he basically said 'Welcome to MAX world, enjoy the singing and dancing. I couldn't understand him, and through the screen I could see the members get into place, so I didn't really bother to read the subtitles. They stood on these platform like things, posing, and they switched the lighting so that their silhoutes (sp?) were projected large onto the screen. Then the curtain went up, and on the stage stood MAX! They were standing in default order, so from closest to me, to farhest was Nana-san, Reina, Aki, and Li-chan. They were wearing these drap like shirts of bright checker-board material, and tight mini-skirts of a spangle-y material. Nana-san's outfit was a halter-neck dress of orange and pink, over a pink spangle-y tube top. Her hair is very long, a little past her shoulders. Her bangs were parted in the middle, and the sides of her hair were pulled into two low ponytails. I forget what Reina's outfit looked like... ^^;; Her hair was the same as always. LOL Aki had a blue mini skirt, and a blue and green checkered tunic like top. (I think Rei's was a tunic like one too....oh, and she had on a blue miniskirt) Aki's hair was short and black. She was actually showing the least amount a skin, a trend that continued through the concert, suprisingly. Li-chan's outfit was the most revealing. She had on a black mini skirt, and a black little tube top. over the tube top she had on a filmy yellow tunic with long sleeves, and tied in the middle, revealing her midrif. Li-chan's hair was permed like in Festa. it's really long now, it reaches her chest.
Here's the song list for the first bit.
1) Festa
2) Another Truth (The dance for this was very cool)
3) Stay (This also had a dance, which I was suprised about, and it was also very cool.)
4) Eternal White
Here they had their first MC. Nana-san first went into a litany of 'I'm so happy!!!!' (She repeated it like 4 times, it was so cute.) Then she said that she had been nervous to perform in front of people for the first time in so long, but that they had really thrown themselves into the first set, so she didn't feel nervous anymore. Aki introduced herself, and said she was nervous. Li-chan introduced herself as 'the new member, Lina'. Everyone laughed. Then she sadi she was nervous. Reina pointed at her and said 'Lier!' Then the Aki and Nana-san pointed and said 'Lier!!' Li-chan said 'No! I really am!', and laughed. Then Reina introduced herself. Then they talked about how Li-chan is the boss now. 'It's true.' Reina said. Nana-san imitated Li-chan in the dressing room. 'Nanako, you're keeping track of the time, right?' Aki said that she had to ask Li-chan whether or not she could eat her lunch. Li-chan: No, it's just because Aki asks, 'Lina-san, can I eat my lunch before everyone else?' so I have to say 'No, no you can't', and she agrees. Then they said that next would be Aki's solo song. Aki asked Li-chan if she could sing her solo. Li-chan said 'No, no you can't!' And then when she said please, she said 'Ok, I guess just this once.' LOL Aki introduced her solo song, which she had written the words to. It was called 'Regret', and when she sang it the lyrics appeared on a screen in back. The lyrics were very good. The song itself was a ballad, and it was nice. Aki has a very good voice. I was quite impressed.
After Aki's solo, Nana-san came out. I was suprised, because she sang a medly of two MAX songs, solo. She sang 'ano natsu he to', and 'getting over'. They were rearranged into a salsa kind of feeling. Nana-san's singing has improved so much! At times it didn't even sound like her. There was a smooth, easy-going sexiness about her performance.
Then the other members came out, and said that they had an important announcement, which they would show through a video. The annoucement was of course 'MAX new single, Love Screw, out 8/5'. The video first showed MAX getting a call from their producer, telling them they were going to have a new single. Then it showed them 'training' for the single. They did exercises, and push up etc, and ran. I can't describe it well, but this was all done as a comedy. then they went to figure out what costumes to wear. Aki said 'I have a costume I really want to wear'. She came out in this pink wig, and horrible outfit. Then each member did the same thing. At one part Aki and Reina were dressed as Tatu, holding eachother like in the picture on the Japanese version of the album, and Li-chan and Nana-san were dressed as Tetsu and Tomo, the 'Nande darou' guys, with complete with guitar and dance, Reina as the 'gets!' guy. Then they did the dance rehearsal. This was the only serious part of the video, as it was actually footage of their real rehearsals of the dance. Then the screen began to count down until the new single.
At '0', the lights went on and Love Screw began. The members had changed outfits. They were all dressed in white. Reina had on a tiny mini skirt, and a tank top. Nana-san had on a gathered tank top, and a pleated mini-skirt. Aki had on a white overall suit. Li-chan's outfit is harder to desribe. She was wearing white pants, and a white bikini top. Over the white bikini top, she had a 'shirt' made of white chiffon, which gathered at her chest in a silver ring, and then fell down to her knees, once again revealing her midriff. They all looked very cool. The Love Screw performance was very good, and very sexy.
Afterwards, they talked about the new single. They said that once they had heard the song, since it had an arabian feel, they had decided to put in some belly dancing. Then they told about how the video and the single cover are very sexy. They said that the single cover they had wanted had been censored. They had wanted the shot where Li-chan was biting Reina's hand. Li-chan: I bit her. Reina: I was bitten. (laughs) See, Li-chan was hungry, and so I put wasabi on my finger... They teased Aki that she had been the most into it. Then they told about how the hair and make-up person had sprayed them with water, and how they had been mauled by her. LOL nana-san said how she had kept moving their hair, putting it up their noses. (Aki: No she didn't!), and in their mouths. Reina told about how she had first been spraying them with a water?@mister, but then had gone overboard getting them wet, and the water had gotten in her eyes. Aki said that it had felt good, and they stared at her. LOL they all said that they like the single and the PV and the jacket cover a lot this time. Aki said that it was was wonderful this time, causing Li-chan to ask, 'So something was bad with our last singles?', and Aki blushed and fell on the floor and said no, no, although the other members said that she could say her true feelings about things. LOL They explained that this had only been their second time to perform Love Screw live, the first time being yesterday in Osaka. A member of the audiance said he had seen it in Osaka, and that this time was better. Li-chan asked him what had been wrong last time, and then anwered for herself. 'Nanako, right?'
LOL. Then they said 'They're two members who haven't sung solo yet...'
First was Reina. She explained how she had wanted to challenge herself,so she had 'made this'. The first song she song was 'So Special Love'. What she had 'made' was the background vocals. It was amazing, because she had made a backtrack of all the harmonizing, all the chorus, all by herself, so at some points, it was like their was many Reina's singing at once. it was quite something. She has definately grown a lot, vocally, to be able to do that. the next song was 'Paradise Lost', which made me really happy, because that is one of my favorite MAx songs ever. She sung it with a bit of a rock style, with a stand mic. It began with her sultry, quite sexy whisper of 'Co'on babe'. It was great. I remember reading in a BBS a while ago that when you see her live, Reina has a real glamour to her, and I definately agree. She really has a stage presence.
Next was Li-chan's solo. Li-chan did a medly with Katsu, their backup dancer who wrote NGSI, to J.Lo's 'I'm Real' and a Beyonce song which i think was 'Dangerously in Love'. Whatever her newest single is. I kind of wished Li-chan had sung in Japanese, because I could not for the liveof me understand her English, but vocally she has improved amazingly. Her vocals were very very strong and powerful. And she's just so passionate when she sings and dances. She really throws herself completely in to it.
Last they did a medly of songs from all their albums, chosen by MAX.
Maximum: Reality, Stranger in the night
Maximum II: Really love me,
Maximum Groove: Reborn Day, Don't you love me
Emotional History: get ready?, so tight
They did all the original dances (even for the songs from Maximum.) and also the audiance bits they did in their concerts (ex: Hi! hi! hi! during So tight)
Then they all waved goodbye.
We started the encore call as Aki was barely off the stage, which is maybe why it took them about 10 minutes to come back on stage. They all were wearing tour t-shirts (Li-chan, Nana-san pink), (Aki, Reina blue), and Aki and Nana-san were wearing the baseball caps. They all had one jeans, except for Li-chan, who had on a jean mini skirt. (she also had on really high sparkly pink strappy shoes...I don't know how she danced in them).
They thanked us for the encore, and yelled with us. The song started, but they all looked suprised and said 'Stop! Stop!' The song stopped. They apologized that this was an accident, and yelled to the sound guy asking if he was ready. LOL
Then MAGIC started, which was apparently the right song, because they performed it. LOL
Nana-san explained that they had sung MAGIC especially for us, because we had all been so enthusiatic. (Probably because we continued the encore call for 10 minutes LOL) The next song, 'just for you', Reina explained she had both composed, and written the lyrics to. She wrote it to thank all of us fans, and the staff members. It was a very good song, and it really spotlighted each of the members voices well (it was almost all solo parts, except for the chorus). I got teary-eyed during it.
Then Nana-san said they were so glad to be able to perform for all of us again this year, and said that MAX would continue to do their best, at their own pace, and asked if we would continue to walk with them through it.
then the live was over, amid their waves and smiles and goodbyes.
The credits ran on the screen, and in the backgroud, they played 'Don't call me'. It is an r&B song, and seemed pretty sophisticated from what i could hear. High quality. At the end was a hand written message, which the members read over the loud speaker, thanking all of us for supporting them, and inviting us to spend a fun time with them again.
It was amazing to see MAX live. They are all amazing dancers, especially Li-chan and Nana-san. The control they have over their bodies is amazing. Vocally, everyone has improved in leaps and bounds. Everyone has gotten more powerful (especially Li-chan), and Nana-san handled some very pretty high notes. Reina is still the one who communicates with fans best, always waving, and smiling, also Nana-san and Aki are both close seconds. Li-chan sometimes waves and smiles, etc, but for the most part she seems so wrapped up in singing and dancing that she doesn't do that. But it doesn't make you resent her, because you get the feeling it's just because she gets so into it. All in all, they are all very very caring and responsive to the fans. You really get the feeling that they care about their fans, and that they really did give this live for us. I made sure to wave whenever the members came to my side of the stage, and I got waved back at, and smiled at , very beautifully and genuinely by each of the members, some more than once.
On the way out, we were all handed a 'souvenir'. It was a mini-single size CD of 'just for you' (Lyrics & music: Reina)
Here's the translation. (note: the chorus is all in english)

Just for you

* lalalala special day love you
cause you're by my side
lalalala special day love you
I'll sing this song just for you

(Lina) We walked this long road together
Forgeting the time, we talked about our dreams and worries until morning came

(Nana) Sometime I have anxious nights, and tears that trail down my cheeks
(But) for sure, even on days we can't meet, we're looking up at the same sky

* repeat

(Aki) Come here when you're in pain, so you can forget your lonliness
I can't do anything, but I'll always be by your side.

*repeat

(Reina) I want this wish to reach to the shining future
Let's hold in our hearts a love that is eternally unchanging

*repeat

P.S MAX FOREVER!!!!!!