GACKT Official Blog update. Translation below:

Today, I woke up feeling relaxed and great.
There’s no work scheduled at all.

It’s my first off in Japan in a long while.
To fully enjoy my last day in Okinawa,
and to celebrate today’s anniversary date,
I decided to go to the sea.

In the morning, I slowly trained at my pace.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

Today, I dropped my pace and took as much time as I needed.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

After changing my clothes, I had tea at the hotel’s cafe
while waiting for my friends to arrive.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

When my friends have gathered, we went on the highway.
While in the car for around 2 hours, I thought back on my past.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

18 years ago, today,
is the day to commemorate when I went from being in a band to going on my solo revival…
That said,
I can still clearly remember
the dreadful year of twists and turns
that I had to go through to reach that day
and from that day until the nationwide tour starts.

No,
it has been a constant stream of ups and downs until today as well.
My life is usually stormy.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

A lot of things were brought up in the back of my mind.
The members of MALICE MIZER, and the day when
the female president from back then who suddenly declared
『MALICE MIZER will be disbanded』
without any prior discussions or forewarning.
The end of that meeting was almost like a fight.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

Soon after that,
I travelled around America with YOU and other childhood friends
and also started recording an album.

The president and the new company that was started with trust
also ended up being blinded by money, and also went down the wrong path.

After Vanilla was released,
I did an 8-month long training camp in Okinawa and created an album,
and also prepared and solidified the concept for a live.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

In around half a year of this training camp in this place in Okinawa,
the hearts of the broken members were healed
while song by song, we shared the joy of creating music.

I pressed my head against the rocks
and reorganised my memories that are being brought up.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

 

Now, I’m not interested in things like
who was right or who was wrong.
I’m filled with feelings of gratitute
for being able to run all the way to this point in time like this
and for all the fans who have supported such a me.

Truly, thank you.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

Despite that I’m such an eccentric persion,
I’m thankful from the bottom of my heart that everyone has kept believing in me
and giving me encouragement time and again.
I have somehow managed to run here…

Coincidentally,
most of the filming for this time’s movie, Karanukan, was done
around the area where I did my training camp.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

I had a really strange feeling during the filming period.

It’s like a lot of things have happened when I look back at these ten plus years.
Many of the filming locations too
were coincidentally places that I often visited during the training camp.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

This time,
I came here again to look for my footprints.
I often ran all the way here.

I broke my body countless times.
Even so,
I told myself numerous times over these ten plus years
that the human body is capable of withstanding more.

I’ve been desperately assembling a new team these ten plus years.
The number of people who left is not few too.
There were also friends who suddenly passed away without any warning signs.

Even so,
in trying to deliver the best creations well,
and trying to form the world view of this one-of-a-kind GACKT,
I’ve made a lot of friends who ran together with me and kept my feet on the ground.

While organising all the various thoughts in my head,
I stopped by Sesoko Beach for the first time in a long while before going back to Naha.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

 

While staring at this sea,
I recalled drowning, and drifting in the sea for seven hours
back then during the Okinawa training camp.

『I’ve really lived well…』

Even now, when I remember that time, a chill runs up my spine.
I’ve lived well…
I’ve really lived well…

Right after that incident,
I often told myself that there’s a reason why I’m still alive
and that helped me survive painful times too.

It’s not that that was really meaningful,
but simply that I gave a strong meaning to it
and have thus lived until now without giving up.

Even for such a me, before you know it, I’ve turned 43.
I’ll do my best for just a little more.
I’ll sprint at full speed to whatever point I can reach.

Alright…
Let’s go back to Naha.

GACKT OFFICIAL BLOG, GACKT, GACKT Italia, GACKT 2017, GACKT translation

Source: GACKT Blog

Translation: GACKT ITALIA Team

Translation © GACKT ITALIA