Why you have to buy Shin’ai.
I have my first 2 live reports in 2011 sitting on drafts; I was really bed-ridden sick with fever right after that ^^; but here I am with something more important.
As you already know by now, Nana’s self-written autobiography will be published on her birthday (this weekend!). This morning’s sports newspaper Sponichi featured Shin’ai on its (yay full color) entertainment page. Similar article was posted online too.
The article supposed to “sell” the book but it’s already sold (to me) the moment Nana announced it in Live Games. Instead it made me cry. The online post is titled “Mizuki Nana: Confessions of her poor life and sexual harassment experience“.. while the newspaper attempted something more classy..
“Mizuki Nana: “One day I want to sing my original enka”
First autobiography telling stories about making her late father’s dream come true.”
To sum the article up, you need to buy Shin’ai because she reveals a lot of stuff.
1. Strict training from her father. You heard about it, but how strict?
Nana’s dad was a dental technician with abandoned dream to become an enka singer.. so he Spartan-trained 5-year-old Nana instead. With all machine noises in dentistry she had to sing at least 10 songs everyday louder than that, because daddy believed “You can’t be an enka singer if you depend on microphones. Vocal training in an unsupportive environment will help.” Even when she had 39C fever, training continues with special menu.
“When I wanted to cry, I’ll cry alone so nobody would notice.”
It went on for 10 years until she graduated from middle school and moved to Tokyo.
2. Bullied in school.
Even with strict training, Nana grew up loving to sing more than anyone. Her favorite TV programs were music shows “NHK Throat Pride” and “The Two’s Big Show“; young Nana didn’t really have much trendy stuff to talk about with other girls in school. They know about her dream to become a singer… they would ask Nana for her autograph then write “WANNABE” next to it; making fun of her and her dream… causing a trauma that whenever she signs she’d feel a little anxious.
3. Poor life and sexual harassment.
Moving to Tokyo for high school, Nana had 30k yen/month living cost allowance. I have no idea how she survived. Well she wore socks with hand-sewn patches. Then there’s her “enka teacher” who sexually harassed her. She didn’t specify what kind (maybe in the book?), but “definitely not a joke” kind.
….
I honestly look forward to know more about Nana, but I’ll still cry golf-sized tears with every page I flip. The damn book better comes with a complimentary box of tissue.
Her dad was very strict, but either the brainwash worked or he was a really admirable person that Nana IS living and fulfilling everything daddy had dreamed of. As for bullying, I’m sure now those little terrorists have grown up, probably still stuck in that small town of Niihama, choking oranges in their sorry throats watching Nana singing in Kouhaku. 
And the last part…. I know most girls received some kind of sexual harassment at one point of their lives, but damn my blood boils thinking someone made Nana suffer. If I continue I’ll only construct brutal murder images so let’s stop now.
I don’t know why CDJapan isn’t listing it CDJapan has it now, HMV and Amazon do. Or YesAsia for those with paypal.
I hope all Nana fans will purchase this book. It might take forever with limited Japanese ability but with a will to read it and a dictionary it’s NOT entirely impossible. Give it a try. I am considering to translate Shin’ai content into English although it will take forever with my kanji-reading ability and activities. Maybe just special bits, maybe everything, maybe I decided not to.. I don’t know yet. But if you want to do something for her birthday, instead of wasting 5 minutes adding texts to her googled image, consider buying this book… or at least a CD you haven’t had in your Nana shelf. =)
Thank you Danie for sharing this info to everyone of us who loves Nana-chan. I’m sure this book will be full of her true feelings and emotions that will give us more reasons to continue supporting and loving her so much.
As many of us, I want to know more about that special person who has given to me a lot of happiness and strength to be a better person everyday and don’t give up. I’m 777% sure this book will make it happen.
Itsumo arigatou Nana-chan! ^^
yes, i will buy it definitely..if I’m right, it is also sold on live grace with special cover!!
yeah agreed with you, is a MUST BUY for all Nana Fans !!!
.-= ray’s last blog .. starsray- A new beginning starts today! Good morning everyone - =-.
Interesting. Last year in Kouhaku 60 I remember she thanked her father (who passed away) because it was his dream. Not sure if she hated her father but for sure she has him to thank for all her current triumphs… although with seiyuu-dom instead of Enka.
.-= bluemist’s last blog .. Amagami SS =-.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Atin. Atin said: RT @jouttex: http://bit.ly/gDya4V today's Sponichi and today's reason to be gloomy lol shit I'm late to school [...]
I’m speechless….especially where she’s living with just 30k yen /month
oh, and i’m definitely buying it!
I was speechless when I read it. She has to endure many harsh things to reach the point where she is now. That make me admire her more.
Sexual harrassment is disgusting. Even with slight degree, it would leave some trauma in girls’ heart (if those said girls aren’t some kind of weird people that enjoyed sexual attention), especially if you experienced it when you were young. Hope she wasn’t be harrassed too bad. Poor Nana ;_;
I’ll definitely buy Shin Ai. Glad that I’m able to get it on her birthday
I already bought my copy, but there is more reason to buy it now for other people. Can’t believe some things she had to endure, 30k yen/month, sexual harrasement (to any degree) and being bullied like that.
awwwww poor Nana-chan~~~ T^T
i’ll try my best to get that book..
it is written in japanese right???
*sob sob* i cant belive this is her past-young life!!!
@clonezeir: of couse is in japanese!! nana dont know much abt english! *well afew* ^_^”
Even if it takes me years to read it, I will freakin’ do it, Shin’Ai in one hand, dictionnary in the other !
OMG poor Nana ;____; now I admire here even more.. >__<
I really have to get that book… think I will ask my brother for his credit card. XD
So many people buying it! Each one counts so I’m really glad Nana’s effort was well-appreciated even with language barrier *hugz* =)
@bluemist: I hardly think Nana hates her father. She composed and wrote Yume no Tsuzuki for him (lit. Continuation of Dream) and mentioned him in every single Kohaku 60th interview (to the point I felt like getting deja vu watching them) since daddy’s ultimate dream was Kohaku. Also, her current skill and enka traits now won’t exist without her father’s strict training… I’m sure he was a really admirable person.
Btw, got this new release mail today. CDJapan has it now too, just after ordering elsewhere, hopefully this will atract more people to get it o(^^)o *cheers*
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOBK-915161
YEAH!! finally CDJapan has it. Now I can buy it too~ *__*
wrote them 5 times about the book, and I would have wrote them even 20 mores times if they still hadn’t get it *lol*
^ ouch…..must be alots of nana’s fans spamming CDJapan abt the book lol XD
*pats danie-san* Get well soon as well~ The weather has been really bad, but we shall survive. =D
Me too. I went “WKJBASHDBSADIUSADNSDABBQFREAKINGHELL?! Nana-san ; ^ ;”
I hope Yukarin can erase her sexual harassment days from her traumatizing experiences >:I *shot*
I would definitely, definitely buy it! And man, CDJapan cost me one too many taxes when I purchased Impact Exciter and Nanoha DVD. T_T My poor pocket is dead. ; ^ ; I will purchase it no matter! One way or another!
Thank for translating this to us.
On another hand~ danie-san~ A friend and I (with my poor Japanese, orz) decided that we would create a subbing/translating group dedicated to Nana-san and Yukarin. And we also plan to translate Shin Ai into English. So is it okay if we ask you for some translation/info help in the two? And of course a tiny weeny bit of advertising after we release our first subbing project(Live Formula Making xD)? XDDDDD And of course we’ll try our best to help you translate Shin Ai as well! =D And of course, you can help us in any time you are free.
And on the brighter side~ (YukaNana*kofs*)
I found this on youtube randomly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_ULbM6sFE0&feature=related
And I went, “kjbansdahbsdisadsadasdbhsasd Black dress + hair down, semi curled hair Yukarin freaking looks like Nana-san. orz orz orz.”
Well… attempting a fayul attempt to cheer you up. ; ^ ;.
and thank you again. =3
That was such a long comment orz.
And about Nana-san’s father. I know how that feels so much *U* Like completing a dream with someone (who has passed away). And then once you’ve complete it, it feels so good that you feel like you can move on. Although I am still half-way there though. XD
Nana-san. You are so admirable and influential. ; ^ ; why are you so underrated? And we do not mind the Engrish. It is moe. <3 XDD
Bah, Nana is so admirable… This book is a must get!
BTW Amazon is a rip off… the international shipping cost is more expensive than the book (preordered from there until I got the cdjapan email)
I thought it was going to be a book about her 10 years of professional activity at first and thought I could do without it, but hearing it’s actually focused on her childhood and school days and all the hard stuff she had to go through, my mind did an instant 180°.
30k/month?! Did she sleep on a bench in park or what? She can’t have possibly stayed in an apartment, neither a capsule hotel. Maybe a cheap manga kissa, that kind where people rent a cabin and sleep there, or a cheap karaoke box, but she wouldn’t have much left for other expenses such as food and other basic needs. Poor Nana-chan ;__;
.-= Matteas’s last blog .. Hanazawa Kanas Growth Inspection =-.
First time posting, but I had to! (not actually first, the first time blog just ate my message and didn’t display it :<)
Anyway, was waiting for you to post more info about Shin’ai since I read it on twitter and I’m glad that despite the fever, you don’t forget about us who are waiting for your reports, thank you very much!
Back on topic: think I will buy it too! I just have to decide from which website, I only have an account on amazon and I added it on my wishlist on there to keep track of it; I have both credit card and paypal account, so I shouldn’t have any problem ^O^
Though…I just hope someone will translate it…or it will end up in my library, next to the other japanese magazines I grind my teeth at because I can’t understand a single word! XDXD
So…if someone’s really going to do it…please tell us beforehand…since everyone’s gotta need a tissue box! *_*
.-= Nundica’s last blog .. Get to Know QUIZ!!!! =-.
^ I’m pretty sure she lived in some kind of a dorm before, manga kissa is not that cheap lol. 30k is for the other living cost other than rent fee.
@Yuki: No offense but I’ll think about it. I’m not exactly a fan of providing everything for free for anyone. I’ll do my best to help people who bought it but I’m skeptical. I don’t think I’ll like it if Nana’s book ended up a manga-scan or Nana’s DVD ended up like anime-sub (i.e nobody actually buys them).
and a little advice if you want to start something on Yukarin, at least watch all her PV first, that’s Tomorrow’s PV which was included in her CD single 2.5 years ago. ^^
Is it bad if I’ve already got a few tears in my eyes just reading those little bits from the newspaper? I think I should prepare boxes of tissue when reading the actual book.
The absolute final sentence of the news article (the actual paper, not the online one) was very touching too. ;_;
Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the information! =D
*CRIES*
I saw the book on amazon.jp page a few days ago
Just one look and I was eager to buy this lol
Will make sure to get this, especially since cdjapan has listed it
I was gonna get one anyway but reading this post made me instantly pick up the phone to order one from the local Kinokuniya.
Wonder if I should get two copies…
I’ll join everyone in QQ’ing at the article and what a hard life that Nana went through to get so far. Truly just makes me respect her all the more. Totally getting my copy at Live Grace.
Anyways, solution to your wanting-to-translate-but-not-sure predicament! Just make an email list of people who have the book but would be interested in actually reading what it says, then send the translation to them. Of course, people could only get in by sending you a picture of them with Shin’Ai to prove they aren’t lying (or just Shin’Ai if they’re scared of you knowing what they look like ._.). I’m sure doing it would help improve your kanji-reading/comprehension skills quite a bit, and people with fail Japanese like me would benefit too. Win-win!
Wow it sounds really really bad what happened to her ._.
“It might take forever with limited Japanese ability”
lol wonder how long it will take with absolutely non Japanese ability (like myself)
But I’ll buy the book, if only to have it when I someday know some Japanese (I buy japanese Manga I can’t read, I bought Nana Star and I will definetly buy Shin’Ai >.<)
no guarantee it won’t be leaked.
study Japanese, it’s the best and useful solution.
@danie~san: Don’t worry it’s okay, I know what you mean. That’s why we initially only plan to translate makings and not thr mcs because we do not want Nana-san’s concerts to become an anime subbed dvd. While on the contrary, hm, I guess you do have a point. Hmmm, I don’t want Nana-san’s autobiography to become a manga scan, that’s why we don’t plan on magazine editing or something. We want her to sell too of course. and please do take your time in thinking. =]
And the PV yes, I do know what PV it us. I just thought she lookes like Nana-san there. XD
@Socrates: how do we make sure they don’t spread it right? DX For the subbed videos we can look for a way to make the scripts readable by the DVD videos. Instead of hardsubbing them.
yosh danies. why delete my post. Am i don anything wrong? feel free advice me. if i do. ~^^
Sold out @ CDJapan =_=;
Hope I’ll get it from Kinokuniya or else I’ll buy from Amazon, but I’ll definitely buy it!
Reading this after watching Nanoha Movie 1st sure bring tears to my eyes ;_;
Thanks for the great blog post, danie~. Hope you to get well soon.
Now to know Nana chan better, I am craved with tears and shocks … ;_;
What amazes me, is that infinite drive of Nana chan despite having so much misfortunes. She is truly a living legend and inspiring for everyone. Even now she is on tremedous stress and pressure, she keeps on smiling for everyone on every Live concerts.
If I ever be able to read this book, I will just put ”You have a dream” on repeating loop while reading.
@Danie chan (just to be familiar) … To be honest, I like the idea of Socrates about sending the picture of the bought book. Althought I won’t be able to read the book, it is nice to have it in my collection.