Okay, let's see if I don't make a mess of this post and don't get you all asleep... I won't re-read it too much because if I do so, I won't post it at all :S

Firs of all, I'm happy when Arashi is happy. So that means, if they're glad to be hosting Kouhaku, I'll be.

However since I learned about the news I have reservations about it.

I've read that they had considered Sho as host and that's okay with me since I think he has the potencial to be a great host. He is really good for what I've seen so far (I really like his communication and improvisation skills in News Zero and in all the Arashi shows). I agree that he doesn't have the experience but he has to get it practising, right? The point is then, if Kouhaku is the place to get it and my answer is no. So, for that, I think they did the right thing choosing the five of them to host.

However I'm also wonder (and I'm a bit concerned) about how the five will work together to make it works. Usually in their shows Ohno and Aiba doesn't speak too much. Usually is Sho the one that talks the most and Nino and Jun speaking here and there. It's a show too long and I don't want them to fail (which I'm sure it won't be the case because they're awesome and everybody likes them right now, but still, I'm worried). Besides Matsushita Nao is also new here which can lead to awkward moments/silences/laughs... you name it. I really hope that doesn't happen either.

Me being me, I would have chosen Nakai and Sho as hosts, together. That would have been so cool and also would have showed to those who are waiting to get bad gestures between them that there is no meat for them there...

As somebody else has said in a post I'm going to recommend below, I would have choosen Arashi as hosts in the upcoming years, not now. They're too busy, too pressured and too much in the spotline and present everywhere and people eventually get tired of things (right? I don't but I think a lot of people may). I don't want that happening to them. I want them to last as much as SMAP and be as succesful as them or even more if that's the case...


Regarding Arashi/SMAP relationship I tend to see things and get paranoid, probably without a reason.

I think part of the media/fans/etc is expectantly waiting any SMAP/Arashi interation (for good or for bad, not sure which one more).

I must confess that I'd love that their relationship flowed more easily. What I've seen I kind of don't like it too much. In some Music Stations and other shows they being together SMAP is pretty cold toward Arashi members, not hostile but pretty cold. Nakai doesn't seem to have a problem with them, and Tsuyoshi either, since he complimented them in one show (can't remember which one), but the rest... I dunno. Kimura looks like the coldest one but I can't be sure it's me who sees that or if it really is that way.

On the other hand, is also true that I don't see an easier relationship of SMAP with any other JE band, so maybe they handle Arashi as they handle the rest...


I'm pretty sure Arashi respect SMAP a lot, not only as their sempais but also because of what being SMAP means. After all they grew up watching how SMAP reached the top, exactly where they are aiming now.

I think it's imposible for Matsujun, for example, ignore Kimura as reference (I mention Matsujun because I've seen gestures/moves in him than remind me of Kimura), as well as Sho has to have Nakai as reference when we're talking about hosting activities...



However being on top has the back side that you have to go down and that has to happen sooner or later. It has starting to happen to SMAP and they have to deal with it and adjust to the situation.

I'm not saying is going to be easy for them, especially Kimura who has been the 'king' for years. I don't think he should feel threaten. As a man of style as he is, he should acknowledge the fact and being cool (at least outside) so he doesn't get critizised or pointed at because he isn't dealing with it correctly. I don't want that for him. He will still be Takuya Kimura the man who's been at the top of the lists for more than a decade. That is something that neither Arashi nor any other JE band can take away for him.

I also suspect that SMAP knows Arashi are the ones that are going to take their place in popularity (they have already done it or are in the process, depends on who you talk to). A really elegant gesture for them would be to hand the torch and have an easy relationship with them, like the one Arashi has with Tokio, for example.

However SMAP history won't repeat itself with Arashi. They are different bands and indivuals and they happen to work in a different timeline (smap 90's, Arashi 2000s). They will have great history but it won't be the same. It can't be.

Will Arashi be as famous as SMAP? Yes, probably.

Will Arashi be more famous than SMAP? Hopefully yes because Japanese fans and Japanese bands last a lot of longer than in other countries (i.e. Korea)

Will they last in the memory of the fans as long as SMAP remains in their fans' memories? Right now? Honestly, I don't think so. When SMAP started getting famous they were one of a kind so their fans really adored them. Their songs were and are precious to a lot people of different ages (i.e. Sekai ni hitotsu dake no hana). I don't see that happening with any Arashi song, just yet. I really hope it happens. But I doubt it because there are more competition. SMAP were by themselves. Arashi has V6 and Tokio before them but also News, Kanjani8, Kat-tun and all the juniors behind them, all of them releasing songs, all of them attracting fans.

Will Arashi remain on the top as long as SMAP has been? Who knows, depend on how they handle things (and work out the pressure and tight schedules they have) and how they're been handled from JE. They are strong and they hardworking passionate guys with a lot of skills and they work so incredibly well together, apart from knowing what they want and how they want it.

I hope that if they show concerned of how they are being handled (because nobody knows better than themselves how things are going) they are given the chance to be heard.


Now a bit more on my dear SMAP. I love them and I love Arashi. They are my favorite bands. True I'm more centered in Arashi right now but doesn't make me forget that SMAP were my first love in JE world. I've been an SMAP fan for six years now and I don't plan stopping being one and I won't allow anybody telling me that I can't be an Arashi and SMAP fan at the same time (just a warning :P)

The thing is that I'm also quite objective about my bands. I mean SMAP is great. They're been the greatest thing ever in Japan for 20 years. People who were/are their fans have grown up as they have done and it's true that the ones that spend money and time in fangirling in Japan are usually younger than 30, even 28 (that's what I think, if I'm wrong tell me). So it's normal that they don't sell as much as before (although I'm sure their concerts are as full as ever) or their tv appearances aren't the top in ratings. Think about it their female fans are too busy working, changing diapers or running a house, so it's normal things have changed.

Of course they have younger fans but they are not the mayority and the same will happen with Arashi as they grow older. I think, right now the average age for an Arashi fan would be around 20 to 22 years old (there will younger, there will be older)... Meanwhile the Kat-tun fan base may be around 16-17 years old?

The last SMAPs songs aren't among my favs. I have to say that the last concerts I really truly enjoyed and heart are the ones from 1999 to 2002. They are still good but they don't offer me that song that I will keep singing all day long (meanwhile I can't help but having any of Arashi's Boku no miteiru fukei in my head).

Today I was listening to MIJ and COOL and, man, were there good songs there?! In fact, the songs in COOl reminded me of Arashi (a lot of together singing, more than the members singing separate parts of the songs that is what SMAP have been doing later)...

Anyway, what I mean to say is that SMAP is good but the best SMAP has been during a lot of time... nothing lasts forever. As their fan I accept it and keep supporting them.

Right now Arashi is good in ratings and sales because their fans can buy things. They're in college or with their first jobs and have money to spend... but as they grow older will focus in other things (they'll also stop fangirling in their blogs and stuff) so that will meant less sales, less ratings.

There is a fan base that doesn't disappear and keps being loyal no matter the age (I like to think I will be one of those) but there are other fans that will change their priorities and that means bye bye beautiful stormy guys...

The fan base I mention tends to stick with the groups if they last so eventually what is happening with SMAP is a sample of what will happen with all the JE bands, included Arashi.






Now, one thing that can change things for Arashi and the rest of JE bands is that JE opens internationally, that maybe give Arashi and the rest the chance of lasting longer and being more popular.

If people from outside Japan or Asia get access to concerts and manage to get a closer look to their idols, that will make Arashi (and other bands)'s history differ from SMAP's because although SMAP has fans outside Japan, I think Arashi may have even more.

Let's see what happens there (hopefully crossing my fingers they have a concert in Europe in the near future)



I'm a fan who doesn't really like to get into the 'how the company deals with the bands' and how bands deal with each other because what I love is watching them on tv or listening to their music. But in this case I couldn't help it.

I didn't know the name of SMAP's handler until a couple of days ago. I didn't know Arashi was haldled by a woman named Julie until a couple of days ago either.

I think the person handling SMAP has done an incredible job that she should be praised for. It's kind of normal that she receives critics now that things aren't going that well, but come on, look behind and see what that man woman (thank you noonew) has done! Nobody managed what she's done.

Now, the person handling Arashi is doing a good job but it is not still the time to judge if her overall work has to be praised or not. I hope she doesn't ruin it all. What she really has to have as her priority is to take care of what she has because they're precious and what they're doing is also a great thing. If I were in her shoes, I'd take good care of not being too gready or too arrogant, just in case.



Final note:

Just to be safe: I love Arashi, I'm fan of them, I love them all and I only want the best for them (in return for all the great times they offer me). I really hope they succeed as host of the 61st Kouhaku or whatever else they decide to do. But I have to offer my thoughts about it and about that secret everybody talks about that is considering them the next SMAP.

This long-as-hell post has been triggered by several things:

One of them being the fact that I started watching Arashi concert from 2000 and the second or third song they sang was The Road, one of my all time SMAP's fav songs! so I started wondering if SMAP performed that song in concerts or live (I haven't found it) and how much I'd have loved to watch them sing it. I love how Arashi sang it, that's why I wanted to watch SMAP singing it too, to compare ;) but I started watching SMAP concerts and I re-watch how incredibly cool they were are...

The other have been a couple of posts about Arashi and SMAP:

I read THIS ARTICLE dated a bit more than a year ago and I think everything is said there is still news. I totally agree with the opinion the blogger offers below the article (seriously I really recommend it).

yanie02 made an entry HERE talking about Arashi being chosen for the Kouhaku and the comments made to that post deals with a lot of the things I mention in this post too.