Fatima Graduation
*** translator's notes are beside *** asterisks
SHOXX : First off, I'd like to hear about everyone's graduation memories.
Sanaka : I didn't graduate from High School.
SHOXX : Was this sudden? (Laughs)
Sanaka : Graduation isn't the only thing that counts in life, I think. I didn't graduate, so it's somewhat painful. And whatever is painful, I don't keep with me, such as a High School Graduation Album.
Towa : I don't have my High School Album either, it's shocking. I can't believe I lost it. ...Wait, Maybe I threw it away.
Sanaka : Threw it away ... Why did you throw it away?
Towa : I often throw things away. I don't like things lying around. Lay is completely opposite. He's the perfect model of someone who is very ornate. I eventually want to throw absolutely everything away.
Lay : I can't throw things away.
SHOXX : This may be a stupid question, but why didn't you graduate Sanaka-kun?
Mizuha : He wasn't smart (Laughs) !
SHOXX : Is this true?
Sanaka : That's not why!
Towa : You were left out in school.
SHOXX : That seems to be so...
Sanaka : That's not it at all!
SHOXX : You don't remember anything about your Elementary and Junior High graduations?
Sanaka : No one gave me a button*.... it was regrettable.
* on graduation day for Junior High School and High School, girl students will give the boy students that they like a button
SHOXX : Did anyone get a button?
4ge : No one! (Everyone is silent)
Sanaka : Fatima doesn't have any of these things.
Towa : I've given a necktie.
SHOXX : Do you by chance have it?
Towa : No, no. Girls want the boy's neckties.
SHOXX : So, it's kind of a good memory, huh?
Sanaka : Likewise, I've given a backpack. I've also given away my High School sweater. Which reminds me of another High School uniform that I wore, when I pretended to be one of that school's students, and even hung out at that High School. Me and the guy that I exchanged uniforms with would go to my High School and hang out as well.
Mizuha : My dad wears my High School jersey!
Everyone : Gyahahahahhahaha (Roar of laughter)
SHOXX : What about you Mizuha-kun?
Sanaka : Nothing, huh? How sad!
Mizuha : Aren't graduation memories profound?
Lay : They aren't (Flatly)!
4ge : Yes, they aren't....
Sanaka : You weren't able to cry, and cry?
Lay : Not for a single moment.
Mizuha : Getting into school early and the like, was fun before, so graduating wasn't a big deal.
Towa : For me it was also fun to get into school. But after that, graduation became somewhat obsolete. I wanted to quickly prepare for entering school.
Sanaka : When I was graduating from Junior High School, I got all sweaty thinking about various things.
Lay & Mizuha : What were you thinking about?
Sanaka : That the day only seemed normal, but that in reality no one was going to show up---things like that.
Lay : I was deciding on being blonde.
Sanaka : That's because of Yutaka Ozaki. (Laughs) That need to be rebellious.
SHOXX : So being blonde for your graduation was your final rebellion?
Lay : I was all ready to go through with it, but my sensei called me every day.
Sanaka : That's crazy.
Lay : I was refused, and went with it.
SHOXX : So you've faced that?
Sanaka : That's a very sensei-ish thing.
Lay : But that's not even it. At my school, we all wanted to go a university, it was a 100% wish rate.
SHOXX : That's a very good wish rate!
Sanaka : Everyone looks forward so positively (Burst of laughter)
Towa : Well... This coming year, I want to graduate with Sanaka.
SHOXX : What for?
Towa : I can't really say, but let's graduate together!
Sanaka : Graduate from what...??
4ge : I want to graduate from Toshima ward. I want to become a ward resident of Edogawa.
SHOXX : Why do you want to become an Edogawa ward resident?
4ge : It's where I've most recently lived since coming to Tokyo, and I love the Tozai [train] line.
Towa : I want to graduate from myself, and not sleep, and become healthy.
Sanaka : Ah, yes. About one-third of human life is lost because of sleeping.
Lay : I agree. Life might not be very long, so I want to live it fully, shortly.
Mizuha : Not for me. Old age will be fun! (Laughs)
SHOXX : With that, what does Fatima want to graduate from right now?
Sanaka : To graduate from how things are right now. Fatima's nature of music may have become altogether too broad, and gotten out of hand. I think it's already a little easier to understand, which is good. First the music and bishi appearence overlap, and then what is Fatima becomes easily contagious, perhaps.
SHOXX : So popularity is necessary?
Sanaka : I don't think so.
Mizuha : It's maniacal to do it a certain way, that's how I understand it.
Sanaka : Even seeing these pictures, I understand (Laughs) They don't convey what kind of music we play at all.
SHOXX : So graduating from there (Laughs) What do you think?
Sanaka : Yes, graduating from how things are right now, and discussing what specialized school we'll go to next. That's our present graduation.
SHOXX : So, from here on out, what do each of you feel you absolutely must do?
4ge : I am myself. I'm not an idol, I want to show more of my artist nature. In my guitar style it applies as well, but I do seem to long to become a guitarist for kids.
Sanaka : But that's so out there.
Lay : That's right!
4ge : It bothers me that there is no guitar hero. I want to become that.
Lay : I'm not an idol, so I want to show the artist inside.
Sanaka : You're the same as 4ge. Dame!
Lay : Heyyyy (Laugh) I want to play various instruments. That would make a live a lot more fun, I think. Music that people who appear in this magazine don't do. Theremin is incredible. But if it's not perfect in a song, it's no good.
SHOXX : India-types, and the like?
Lay : No, If it's not an overpowering sense of existence.
SHOXX : Then pipe-organ and the like?
Lay : Well, of course I'm not an idol, I want to do my music perfectly. In regards to Fatima music by me, it's in such a style.
Mizuha : First off, I want to punch the lights out of Adachiku-ku Yankees.**
**Yankees are delinquent girls; Adachiku-ku is a place in Tokyo.
4ge : Punch!
SHOXX : And after you cleansweep the yankees?
Mizuha : For the time being, I will master Vandamme-rank Champion's and Welter-rank Champion's 2nd level.
Sanaka : Dame! Until you connect with the band, continue to learn!
SHOXX : (Laughs) Yes, well, after you master these levels?
Mizuha : Yes, then those who see us play are affected, and think it is good. That is what I've come to search for. It doesn't matter if you're an idol, but the implications of being one are different.
SHOXX : I see. That kind of idol is good, I think.
Mizuha : Yeah, I'm an idol.
Towa : With the nation-wide tour, I think we saw a new kind of Fatima develop. And so, this summer's tour final we'll play at the Kinema Kurabu, and there at that live we hope that people will see Fatima's growth as an artist.
SHOXX : So, Sanaka-kun, do you have any final thoughts?
Sanaka : Everyone's so dedicated.
SHOXX : ............. That's it?
Sanaka : No (Laughs) For me, thinking about the heart of the band...Even if I'm downtrodden, I'm still me, and this is how I assume the band's color and myself are intertwined completely. Before this, I thought a lot about the band's identity, and the five of us did our best in searching for it. What I'm trying to get at is, we want to be seen as a unique band, and so first we have to take it one step at a time when thinking about it.
