Interview NHK Educational TV - Tokyo (Japon) - 14.12.2010

Voice-over: That is Reina's favourite band. The group consists of four young East Germans. It's called "Tokio Hotel". Identical twins Bill and Tom were born in the year of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Their dream was [to play] a concert in far away Tokyo. They already released their first CD when they were teenagers. After that they received countless awards in their home country and abroad. Beyond Germany's borders they also became more well-known worldwide.

*Reina speaking Japanese*

Voice-over: Tokio Hotel were the reason for Reina to also get into the show business. Finally the band's dream came true. Will the band also take Japan by storm?

Tokio Hotel *clinking glasses over meal*: To "Tokio Hotel" in a Tokyo hotel. *jokingly pretending to be drinking something posh* Hmmm.
Bill: Delicious.
Gustav and Tom: Splendid wine.

Voice-over: Here's somebody already waiting to meet them.

Reina: I'm standing in front of a hotel in Tokyo to meet "Tokio Hotel". So come along!

Voice-over: The eagerly awaited meeting with Tokio Hotel is happening.

Bill: Hi. Hello. Hi.
Reina: Hello. Hello.
Bill: Nice to meet you. Bill.
Reina: I know German. I know German.
Bill: Oh. Hi.
Tom: Tom.
Reina: Hello. Good morning.
Bill: Good morning.
Reina: Erm, I've lived in Vienna [Austria] for four years [until] three years ago.
Bill: Ah.
Reina: Exactly. That's why I know you and I was really a big fan of yours.
Tom: Very good. Thank you.
Bill: Oh, thank you very much.
Voice-over: Reina, it's okay to touch!
Reina: So, you're called "Tokio Hotel" and I've heard that you've always wanted to play in Tokyo.
Bill: Oh, it's quite unusual to be speaking German again.
Georg: Yes.
Bill: Erm, actually it was a bit like we set ourselves a goal with it as well. That's why we chose Tokyo as a city because we thought "Ok, that's really far enough. That's out of reach." Above all it also sounds good somehow. Like, the sound [of it] was also important to us.
Reina: And after all you're one of the most successful bands. Well, of the German bands from the past 20 years.
Bill: It was really a total fluke that it ended up being so successful. We've definitely got the advantage that we really are a band that formed totally naturally. Meaning, we really got to meet each other on our own and we're also just really good friends. I think that's just one of the things that one, erm... that definitely connects us to each other and it's also what makes it a bit special.

*"Durch den Monsun" live at Tokyo showcase*

Voice-over: Their average age is 22 years. Reina prepared something to get to know the young stars better.

Reina *presenting pink box*: That's got, like, pieces of paper inside and there's a keyword written on each one.
Bill: Okay. *getting first piece of paper out of box, reading it out* "holiday"
Reina: What are you doing? What would you do if you had a week's holiday starting tomorrow?
Bill: I'd immediately book a plane ticket to the Maldives.
Tom: Yes. When we're on holiday then it's always about relaxing and [doing] nothing... not making any efforts so to speak. And that's why we were lying around the Maldives and actually didn't do anything, except maybe jet skiing every now and then.
Georg *picking next piece of paper*: The next one? "pet"
Reina: I've heard all of you have got pets.
Tokio Hotel: Yes.
Reina: Namely… dogs?
Bill: Dogs. And many at that. Tom and I have got four.
Reina: Four?!
Bill: Tom and I have got four dogs, yes. That was always such a coincidence. We basically wanted to save them from the animal shelter and wanted to somehow protect them a bit and actually find a new place for them.
*Georg laughing*
Bill: And the thing that's always happening is that you no longer give them away once they've been with you and so it's four [dogs] by now. However, I could also imagine [to have] more dogs.
Reina: I see.
*up next: "die Deutschen" – "the Germans"*
Bill: For example, Tom and I are always very punctual. I hate waiting and I'm very impatient. Well, like... I think, it's... That's also a little something that Germans are said to be. That they're always very, very punctual.
Reina: What's so good about German?
Bill: Of course it's our mother tongue. So one's got a special bond to it. Needless to say, right? And erm, that's why being able to speak German the way we are with you now naturally just makes us happy from time to time when we're so far away [from home]. That really is something special then.
Tom: Quite good, yes.
Voice-over: Super, Reina!

Voice-over: The band members attract a great deal of attention in the music industry and fashion world.

Reina: And today I've got […] for you.
Voice-over: Which one of Tokyo's trends does the popular model Reina recommend?
Bill: Are they real?
Reina: No, they're not real.
Bill: Ow, that's good!
Reina: They aren't real.
Georg: [That's] for the car, right? To, erm... [attach] to the mirror.
Reina *laughing*: No, that's not for the car.
Bill *snatching the black one out of Georg's grasp*: I want the black one!
Reina: [It's] not for cars. Erm, that's like… you put it here for example.
Voice-over: She's giving the band foxtail tags that are popular with high school girls.
*talking underneath voice-over*
(Bill: […] these things totally […] but that's not real?
Reina: The fur isn't real. Of course [not].
Bill: Oh, that's good.)
Tom *looking at foxtail*: But you're sure [it's not]?
Bill: And as an earring, Georg. *holding it up to Georg's ear*
*Georg teasing Gustav*
Gustav *telling him off*: Georch! Get away… get that away.
Bill: Many thanks.
Reina: You're very welcome.

Voice-over: In the end the band members revealed their motto in life.
*Bill writing*
Tom: Yes. Whoo.
Bill *holding up what he wrote down*: Is it readable?
Reina *reading it out*: "Live every second". Yes, [it's readable].

Tom: […] and often have to remind myself that I really… that one really has to do it because… Meaning, very often it’s just a case of working so much that one, erm... yes, [that one] no longer thinks about enjoying and living every second.
Bill: So sometimes one has to remind oneself: "We're in Tokyo right now!", right?
Reina: Yes, exactly.
Bill *turning around, looking out of window*: One has to look outside the window from time to time and to then realise once again: "Wow!"

Voice-over: Today a dream came true in Tokyo. [It was] memorable from the first second on.

Translation by THUKST