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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 8, 2011 9:51:41 GMT -5
Sanma no Karakuri is a delightful Japanese humor/game show, combining some of the sensibility of funniest home videos with candid camera. There used to be a fair amount of it with subs on YouTube, but lately not much. Still, I managed to sweep up a few decent ones. A favorite of gaijin was, of course, Albert Camus' grandson Thane doing the "Funniest English" segment, in which passers by would tell a story based on his topic of the week and then boldly attempt to translate it into English . . . After a few years they switched the segment to "Funniest Japanese": OK, no subs here, but Thane's gesture during the explanation will carry you through the first part. The topic is shinjirarenai, meaning "unbelievable." I have a Funniest English on tape where Thane tries to get a Japanese girl to say it, but it comes out anbarubabo!In the second part the guy is trying to say that watching TV makes him happy, but the adverb he chooses, mura-mura, has a colloquial meaning like "horny." Thane then asks him who does this most for him and tries to lead him gently to the correct pronunciation of actress Matsushima Nanako's name. You might know her from Ring. At the moment I'm still kind of off her, after Hotaru no Haka. Karakuri Kids was also a great segment:
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 8, 2011 11:27:22 GMT -5
OK, had the brainstorm to search Thane's name and hit something of a jackpot. Here he is reprising the Funniest English format with Haromoni, which I gather is one of the many subsets of excessively cute girl group Morning Musume. They go from there to a series of "English Battles." Looks like there's quite a bit of Haromoni stuff, which you can either explore on your own or wait for me to link.
Hmmm . . . as I watch, some of the early parts look familiar. I might have posted them before, or maybe I've seen them without subs? After twenty+ pages it gets hard to remember. Either way, worth a reprise.
The latter part of this one may need a footnote. They're playing shiritori, a Japanese word game where each player has to say a word whose first sound links with the final sound of the previous word. They're doing it in English . . . sorta. "Horse" ends with "SU" and "tall" starts with "TO." It does make sense if you're Japanese.
Hmmm . . . partway through this one the English gives way to some highly concentrated Japanity. When it returns they're trying to do bilingual puns . . . even with subs this may be tough to connect with.
Heh heh . . . fun when it works, though, like my one successful riff in Japanese: 「弁慶、弁慶、マツケン死んだ!」
Mostly talking about their photo books here. Japanese TV at its most . . . something or other.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 10, 2011 10:29:54 GMT -5
I don't know if anyone else will, but I laughed my ass off at this. Should you find it, please return it to me care of this thread.
Thane's fronting this song, and the bald guy is Bobby Ologun, who puts on a dumb gaijin persona that's a guilty pleasure of mine. The song is called "Hatomame: Say Hello to the World." The first word means "birdseed."
Some culture notes may help. Asakusa is a prime tourist destination in Tokyo where you can do anything from catch a river cruise to visit the Kirin Building and admire its great, golden turd. Thus you can see many gaijin there, especially at Sensouji temple and its associated shopping arcade.
Nara is one of Japan's ancient capitals and is famous for its temple complex and great buddha, on the grounds of which live tame deer. Stalls there sell bags of little crackers you can feed them. Somewhere earlier in this blog there are YouTubes of Tofugu there, showing just how aggressively the deer hang around those stalls.
Since these lyrics mix languages, I'm going to try color-coding. Original lyrics as written will be red, phonetic Japanese yellow and English translation blue. Enjoy!
いろんな国から来た人で 浅草寺は今日もにぎやか
Ironna kuni kara kita hito de Sensouji ha kyou mo nigiyaka
With folks who came from various countries Sensouji temple is again bustling today
仲見世通り抜ければ 晴れ空と香炉の煙
Nakamise toorinukereba Hare sora to kouro no kemuri
If you go through the shopping arcade Clear sky and smoke from the incense
いつもの様に鳩豆を 買う僕の目に飛び込んできた
Itsumo no you ni hatomame wo Kau boku no me ni tobikonde kita
Just as always, buying birdseed Something leapt before my eyes
鳩豆を自分で食べてる The tourist from somewhere
Hatomame wo jibun de tabeteru The tourist from somewhere
Eating the birdseed himself The tourist from somewhere
それは鳩の食べるもの そう教えてあげたいのに
Sore ha hato no taberu mono Sou oshiete agetai no ni
That's for the pigeons to eat I really want to tell him, but
何も言えなかったあの日 僕は英語を習うと決めた
Nani mo ienakatta ano hi Boku ha eigo wo narau to kimeta
I said nothing on that day I've decided to learn English
Those are peas for the birds! But I couldn't say the words!!
身振り手振りでがんばる僕を
Miburi teburi de ganbaru boku wo
I'm trying hard with gestures and miming
Those are peas for the birds! But I couldn't say the words!!
楽しそうに見ながら まだ食べていた
Tanoshi sou ni minagara Mada tabeteita
Though he seems to enjoy Continuing to eat them
うちにホームステイしてる 学生が残した置き手紙
Uchi ni houmusutei sh(i)teru Gakusei ga nokosh(i)ta okitegami
The one doing homestay with us The note from that student
「今日は奈良に友達と 遊びに行ってきます」
"Kyou ha Nara ni tomodachi to Asobi ni ittekimasu."
"Today, to Nara, with a friend, I'm going to have some fun."
おみやげですと照れながら くれた小さな紙の袋は
Omiyage desu to terenagara Kureta chiisa na kami no fukuro ha
But the thank you gift shining there Received in the small paper bag
確かにうまそうに見える まるい鹿せんべい
Tashika ni uma sou ni mieru Marui shika senbei
They certainly do look delicious The round deer crackers
嬉しいけど食べたくない ひょっとして食べちゃったの?
Ureshii kedo tabetaku nai Hyotto sh(i)tetabetchatta no?
I'm touched but don't want to eat them Do you suppose they actually did?
鹿の絵を描く手を止めて 僕は英語を習うと決めた
Shika no e wo egaku te wo tomete Boku ha eigo wo narau to kimeta
Concentrating on sketching a deer* I've decided to learn English
*(so as to get the idea across visually)
Those are crackers for the deer! But I ate them with a tear.
だけど優しさがうれしくて
Dakedo yasashi sa ga ureshikute
Though the kindness makes me happy
Those are crackers for the deer! But I ate them with a tear.
食べたその味は人情の味がした
Tabeta sono aji ha ninjou no aji ga sh(i)ta
Eating them made their flavor that of empathy
Different people from different places with different skin colors and different faces
with different cultures and different names But all in all you know we're the same
Open your mind just try its not hard Try to let the words flow from within your heart
No need for hesitation you know when this vibration fills one big nation there'll be a celebration!
ごめんねと言いたい時 ありがとうと言いたい時
Gomen ne to iitai toki Arigatou to iitai toki
Times when I want to say sorry Times when I want to say thanks
何も言えなかったあの日 僕は英語を習うと決めた
Nani mo ienakatta ano hi Boku ha eigo wo narau to kimeta
I said nothing on that day I've decided to learn English
Yeaeee
Those are peas for the birds! Now I can say the words!
違う言葉で挨拶したら
Chigau kotoba de aisatsu sh(i)tara
When you introduce yourself with different/wrong words
Say hello to the world! I can say it to the world!
世界中の想いが聞こえてきた
Sekaijuu no omoi ga kikoetekita
You hear the whole world's thoughts and feelings
Say hello to the world I can say it to the world
(repeats in various languages)
世界にHello 僕は言えるよ
Sekai ni Hello boku ha ieru yo
I'm saying hello to the world
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 13, 2011 15:11:27 GMT -5
Not living in Japan, it's hard to keep up with their rapidly changing pop culture. When I first got over the band "Judy and Mary" were still quite big. I always liked Yuki-chan, who fronted them. She has a brand of weirdness that appeals, leastways to me. Somewhere back in the preceding is their song "Music Fighter."
I had kind of lost track of Yuki-chan's solo work until stumbling on some today. I've taken a stab at translating one. It's tough, though. Imagine trying to translate "corporation t-shirt, stupid bloody Tuesday, Man, you been a naughty boy, you let your face grow long."
Anyway, I found the lyrics written out in Japanese, so at least I'm sure of that part (some subtle differences do exist but don't seem major). I think I have a reasonable idea of the meaning below.
I'm going to take a stab at Melancholista too, but there's a lot of troublesome Japlish in that one. Usually I'm good at that, but even the title escaped me until I googled it.
The cat solo is interesting.
Hmm . . . but just what did John Lennon mean by "eggman"?
ふがいないや Fugainai ya Worthless stuff
私が生まれた朝の街 雪の中に埋もれた Watashi ga umareta asa no machi yuki no naka ni uzumoreta The town where I was born that morning was buried in snow
それはそれは小さい手で 青空をあおいだ Sore ha sore ha chiisai te de aozora wo aoida Oh my! Looking at the sky through a small hand
さながら 昔からよく知る となりの あの娘のように Sanagara mukashi kara yoku shiru tonari no ano musume no you ni Just as from old times, like that well-known neighbor girl
(she actually sings ano ko no you ni, which is essentially the same)
片方の耳たぶで聴く 卒業のカノン Katahou no mimitabu de kiku sotsugyo no canon Outgrowing the canon heard with the other earlobe
1人でも 大丈夫よって めくれてる 私のストーリー Hitori demo daijoubu yotte mekureteru watashi no sutourii Alone but therefore OK, the story of myself turned inside-out
誰かのせいにしたいよ つらいなあ。いや。嫌。 Dare ka no sei ni sh(i)tai yo tsuraii naa. Iya. Iya. Wanting to make it another's fault, oh, isn't it heartbreaking? Hmm. Dreadful.
右利きの おりこうさんには 雨上がりを あげよう Migi kiki no orikou-san ni ha ameagari wo ageyou To Ms. orikou(?) who carries that out, let's give after a rain
(not even completely clear how to parse that)
手作りの フォーチュンクッキー 食べながら でかけよう Tezukuri no fouchun kukki tabenagara dekakeyou While eating the homemade fortune cookie, let's set out
哀しくって 泣いてばっかりいたら 芽が溶けて無くなった Kanashikute naite bakkari itara me ga tokete nakunatta If one lives always crying sadly, the new growth melts away
(Yuki-chan puts her hands on her eyes here, perhaps making a pun: "the eyes melt away")
秋になり また 冬になり ひとつ年をとった Aki ni nari mata fuyu ni nari hitotsu toshi wo totta Becoming autumn, again becoming winter, one year taken
遠くまで 逃げているつもりでも 終わらない 君のストーリー Tooku made nigete iru tsumori demo owaranai kimi no sutourii Your story of the never-ending intention to run far away
にやにや 笑っている ふがいないや。いや。 Niyaniya waratte iru fugainai ya. Iya. Smirkingly laughing worthless stuff. Hmm.
すがりながら 追いかけてみても あしげにされても Sugari nagara oikakete mite mo ashige ni sarete mo Even pursuing something trapped in a net, even turning into a dapple grey*
(assuming this is even properly parsed, ashige might also mean "kick," I'm kinda mystified here)
空いた穴を 埋めよう ちがいないや。いや。 Aita ana wo umeyou chigai nai ya. Iya. Stuff no different from a filled up hole. Hmm.
かさねあう もたれあう すててしまうんだ もうすぐ Kasane au mo tare au sutete shimaun da mou sugu Piling up too much and drooping down too much, soon to throw it away at last
消えてしまう 愛しい人も 優しい日々よ もうすぐ Kiete shimau itoshii hito mo yasashii hibi yo mou sugu Soon to vanish forever, the beloved people and the good old days
私が生まれた朝の街 雪の中に埋もれた Watashi ga umareta asa no machi yuki no naka ni uzumoreta The town where I was born that morning was buried in snow
それはそれは小さい手で 青空をあおいだ Sore ha sore ha chiisai te de aozora wo aoida Oh my! Looking at the sky through a small hand
遠くまで 逃げているつもりでも 終わらない 君のストーリー Tooku made nigete iru tsumori demo owaranai kimi no sutourii Your story of the never-ending intention to run far away
にやにや 笑っている ふがいないや。いや。 Niyaniya waratte iru fugainai ya. Iya. Smirkingly laughing worthless stuff. Hmm.
すがりながら 追いかけてみても あしげにされても Sugari nagara oikakete mite mo ashige ni sarete mo Even pursuing something trapped in a net, even turning into a dapple grey
空いた穴を ふさごう ちがいないや。いや。 Aita ana wo fusagou chigai nai ya. Iya. Stuff no different from an occupied hole. Hmm.
ふがいないや。いや Fugainai ya. Iya. Worthless stuff. Hmm.
つらいなあ。嫌。嫌。 Tsurai naa. Iya. Iya. Heartbreaking, isn't it? Dreadful. Dreadful.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 14, 2011 14:43:49 GMT -5
Well, this translation is pretty iffy, but I think she's deliberately made the lyrics kind of impressionistic anyway. I found someone else's translation and elected to change bits of mine accordingly, but others were clearly wrong. I'd want to run all this by a native speaker before laying any money on it.
But I just wanted to toss Yuki-chan out for your enjoyment. She understands the importance of lip and tongue action.
Her lyrics have a darker undertow than they used to. Hope she's OK.
メランコリニスタ 静かなハイで 眠れない Merankorinisuta shizuka na hai de nemurenai Melancholinista, unable to sleep through the quiet high
よろしく フランチェックベニスタ Yoroshiku furanchekkubenisuta Totally a frantic benista
フライパンの上で眠らない Furaipan no ue de nemuranai Not sleeping through being in the frying pan
(she doesn't say the "no," but that changes nothing)
君のくちづけ 決して 忘れない Kimi no kuchizuke kessh(i)te wasurenai Never forgetting your kiss
僕の書く 下手な詩は たぶん世界を 救えない Boku no kaku heta na shi ha tabun sekai wo sukuenai My writing of awkward poetry probably won't save the world
浮気をしました 魔法の 音に乗せて 輪になって ラーイドオン! Uwaki wo shimash(i)ta mahou no oto ni nosete wa ni natte raaidoun! Cuckolded a lover, ride the sound of sorcery, form a circle, ride on!
コーラス渋いビートきざむ さあ 逆さになって 裸足になって Kourasu shibui biito kizamu saa sakasa ni natte hadashi ni natte The chorus hashes up the refined/astringent beat, come now, invert yourself, become barefoot/superior
めそめそしてる君に歌う Meso-meso sh(i)teru kimi ni utau Singing to you who are crying uncontrollably
今 転がるように 夢中になって Ima korogaru you ni muchuu ni natte Now enter the delirium like tumbling/changing
シスタエンドブラザ さあ ここへ集まれ Shisutaa endo buraza saa koko e atsumare Sisters and brothers, come on, gather here
退屈けとばせ ベースのリズムに あわせ Taikutsu ketobase beesu no rizumu ni awase Kick away boredom, join with the rhythm of the bass
オンエンドオーン ループオンタイム on endo oun ruupu on taimu On and on, loop on time
君には愛を そう 小さく 誓うよ Kimi ni ha ai wo sou chiisaku chikau yo In that way, pledging a little love to you.
メランコリニスタ まぶたの裏にやるせない Merankorisuta mabuta no ura ni yarusenai Melancholista, inside the eyelids lies misery
さみだれ フランチェックベニスタ Samidare furanchekkubenisuta Early-summer rain frantic benista
最後の笑顔 にくめない Saigo no egao ni kumenai Doesn't go to make up the final smile
食事は 済ました 光の音に溶けて つつまれて ラーイドオン! Shokuji ha sumash(i)ta hikari no oto ni tokete tsutsumarete raaidoun! Finished the meal, melting into the sound of the light, ride on!
悩殺気分スピードあげる まだ心のどっか 期待してるよ Nousatsu kibun supiido ageru mada kokoro no dokka kitai sh(i)teru yo The enchanting feeling gives speed, somewhere in the heart still anticipating
さめざめしてる君に歌う Samezame sh(i)teru kimi ni utau Singing to you who are sorrowful
今 重なるように その気になって Ima kasanaru you ni sono ki ni natte Now get that feeling like things come together
シスタエンドブラザ さあ ここへ集まれ Shisutaa endo buraza saa koko e atsumare Sisters and brothers, come now, gather here
退屈けとばせ ベースのライン ダ・ダ・ダ Taikutsu ketobase beesu no rain da da da Kick away the boredom, base line da da da
オンエンドオーン ループオンタイム On endo oun ruupu on taimu On and on, loop on time
君には愛を そう 大きく 誓うよ! Kimi ni ha ai wo sou ookiku chikau yo! In that way, pledging a lot of love to you!
ローリン! Rourin! Roll in!
コーラス渋いビートきざむ さあ 逆さになって 裸足になって Kourasu shibui biito kizamu saa sakasa ni natte hadashi ni natte The chorus hashes up the refined/astringent beat, come now, invert yourself, become barefoot/superior
めそめそしてる君に歌う Meso-meso sh(i)teru kimi ni utau Singing to you who are crying uncontrollably
今 転がるように 夢中になって Ima korogaru you ni muchuu ni natte Now enter the delirium like tumbling/changing
シスタエンドブラザ さあ ここへ集まれ Shisutaa endo buraza saa koko e atsumare Sisters and brothers, come on, gather here
退屈けとばせ ベースのリズムに あわせ Taikutsu ketobase beesu no rizumu ni awase Kick away boredom, join with the rhythm of the bass
オンエンドオーン キックエンドスネア On endo oun kikku endo sunea On and on, kick and snare (?)
(doesn't sound like "sunea" to me, but can't make it out)
君には愛を そう 小さく 誓うよ Kimi ni ha ai wo sou chiisaku chikau yo In that way, pledging a little love to you.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 17, 2011 17:05:42 GMT -5
I dunno, maybe you had to be there, but this commercial for her first solo album reminds me why I always liked Yuki-chan.
Yuki no faasto arubamu . . . Purizumikku!
Yuki's first album . . . Prismic!
Sakana tabemasu ka?
Will you eat some fish?
Yuki . . . faasto arubamu . . . Purizumikku.
Yuki . . . first album . . . Prismic.
Saikin dou na no? Chotto yaseta?
How've you been lately? Lost a little weight?
Kao chichai ne.
What a tiny face.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 19, 2011 15:32:23 GMT -5
Hmm . . . there must be something I can do besides post lyrics. I'm doing these to work on my comprehension and might as well post, I guess, but it does feel like a bit of a rut.
Anyway, was going through my old CDs last night and found My Little Lover. This song, "Destiny," was huge when I first got there and brings back memories. I haven't really cleaned up the translation. It's too literal to scan well, but should give the idea.
Whaddya know? I'd never seen the video, and it turns out she's singing to an old white guy. That's encouraging. (^_^)
あなたを感じたなら 想いがもっと届いたら Anata wo kanjita nara omoi ga motto todoitara If I felt you, better reached the emotion 涙が溢れること たった今 想い出せたの Namida ga afureru koto tattaima omoidaseta no The overflowing tears of the moment reminded me
心からの サインが乱れてる Kokoro kara no sain ga midareteru Signs from the heart lapsing into chaos 両極に揺れる 自分を笑う Ryoukyoku ni yureru jibun wo warau Laughing at how I swing to both extremes つじつまさえ 合わせられなくて Tsujitsuma sae awaserarenakute Needing coherence, never able to bring it together 過ぎてゆく日々を ほどいていた Sugite yuku hibi wo hodoite ita When I was unwrapping those passed through days
今がここで 回りだす Ima ga koko de mawaridasu Now I just spin here
近づくほどに遠く 海のように揺れるけど Chikadzuku hodo ni tooku umi no you ni yureru kedo Drawing only so close, tossing like the distant sea, but あなたも泳いでるなら きっと逢える 運命の時に Anata mo oyoideru nara kitto aeru unmei no toki ni If you are swimming too then there is certainly a fated time for our meeting
(FALL IN DESTINY)
指と指を からませて伝う Yubi to yubi wo karamasete tsutau Walking with fingers entwined この命の脆さ 美しさを Kono inochi no moro sa utsukushi sa wo Through life's fragility and beauty
この世界は 終わっても Kono sekai ha owatte mo Even if this world ends
あなたを想い出せば あなたをもっと感じれば Anata wo omoidaseba anata wo motto kanjireba If I can remember you, can feel you more 涙が溢れること ずっとずっと知っていたのに Namida ga afureru koto zutto zutto sh(i)tte ita no ni Though I always, always knew the overflowing tears
アイシテル 愛している ただその言葉だけで Ai sh(i)teru ai sh(i)te iru tada sono kotoba dakede I love you, I love you, it's just those words
近づくほどに遠く 想いはまだ揺れるけど Chikadzuku hodo ni tooku omoi ha mada yureru kedo Drawing only so close, the distant hopes still tossing, but あなたを抱きしめれば あなたをもっと感じれば Anata wo dakishimereba anata wo motto kanjireba If I could hold you, could feel you more 涙が溢れること ずっとずっと知っていたのに Namida ga afureru koto zutto zutto sh(i)tte ita no ni Though I always, always knew the overflowing tears
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 20, 2011 11:49:36 GMT -5
I was listening to a guy interviewed on KQED the other day who had written a book about translation. He was saying that anything you can say in one human language you can say in any other, but that "exact" translation is something of a myth, as even among native speakers no statement has a single, unambiguous interpretation. Seemingly contradictory, though I very much agree and imagine he integrates the ideas better over the length book. It's an especial problem between English, which is a very explicit language, and Japanese, which is far more implicit and contextual. I was working on an independent translation of some of the songs from Sono Shion's Suicide Club, because they're clearly meant to convey a lot of the film's message. The film's finalé is a song called "Write Once," and it clearly does a lot to set one's interpretation of the girl group that sings it and the film generally. I've become pretty dubious of its subtitles, however. Now, one of that interviewee's points was that words rarely map neatly into foreign languages, especially so if the cultures are distinct. The Latin roots of "suicide" are the same as jisatsu (自殺): a pretty literal "self-killing." Yet the cultural context is quite different. Yukio Mishima noted that the Western concept of suicide is intrinsically one of defeat, whereas in Japan it can sometimes be a victory. He might also have added that in the West it's a crime against God, society or both, while in Japan it could--in the proper context--be the most noble response to an intolerable situation. I was reading a paper on cross-cultural interpretations of suicide awhile back that discussed the film quite a bit. It also used a term (which I've now forgotten) to describe the Japanese tendency to define oneself firstly as a social construct rather than an individual construct, the opposite of Western and particularly American ideas. That distinction is a key theme in every Sono film I've seen. The film-ending performance is prefaced by the message, 「勝手に生きろ!」 (" Katte ni ikiro!"). This is subtitled as, "Live as you please!," and that's accurate enough. However, cultural context is again important here. As an American, one probably reacts to that with a sense of, "Well, of course!" but to Japanese it probably carries a subtext of, "Live selfishly!" Sono's technique is a very Japanese one of taking something one has a comfortable interpretation of and then switching contexts to challenge it. I think that's what he was doing with Suicide Club, presenting it initially as a somewhat cartoony splatter movie but then switching context in the middle with the linked scenes in Genesis' "Pleasure Room" and the Kuroda household (following that thought any further is a major spoiler). Now, the movie subtitles translate a lot of these lyrics with lines like, "Light yourself with life, light yourself with love." While it's true that the Japlish raito could be either "write" or "light," even if you assume the latter that structure simply isn't there. If I were sure that Sono had had any say in the translation I'd presume that he was trying to get across some idea that a straightforward translation wouldn't convey, but I've come to suspect that this finalé is more ambivalent than the subs suggest. Sono is tossing out this frothy little song of unfulfilled love and asking what you make of it in the context he's just given you. As the best movies do (at least for me), it poses an enigma rather than a solution. Rather than use the film's rendition, I've used one of composer Halko Momoi at some kind of public appearance. I believe it was written expressly for the film but am not really sure. She doesn't sing the second verse, but I love the bit where she blows a line. If you're wondering about the tiger suit . . . you're not quite ready for Japan. こうして気付かない間にも Koush(i)te kizukanai aida ni moThus, even among all that's unperceived 私たちは無数のコマンドを選択してる Watashi-tachi ha musuu no komando wo sentaku sh(i)teruWe are all selecting innumerable commands あなたがその口を開いたら Anata ga sono kuchi wo hiraitaraIf you might open your mouth 何か思いを告げたら Nani ka omoi wo tsugetaraIf you would give any idea どうしたらいいのかな Dou sh(i)tara ii no ka naWouldn't it be nice if you could somehow do that? 怖いね でも楽しいね Kowai ne, demo tanoshii neScary, isn't it? Yet enjoyable, isn't it? 一度きり焼き付けるの それぞれが Ichido kiriyakitsukeru no sorezore gaOne last time to burn everything into memory, but . . . 人生はライトワンス Jinsei ha write onceAs for life (conception of death), write once 恋愛もライトワンス Renai mo write onceAs well for love and affection, write once 思い出はライトワンス Omoide ha write onceAs for memories, write once だから少しだけ勇気がいるの Dakara sukoshi dake yuuki ga iru noTherefore it's something that wants just a little courage もう一度あそこからやり直し Mou ichido asoko kara yarinaoshiOnce again, redoing it from there 不連続な気持ちを ときどき呪ったりするけど Furenzoku na kimochi wo tokidoki norottari suru kedoSomething like cursing a feeling of discontinuity, but この私の心の溝 全てを Kono watashi no kokoro no mizo subete woEntirely in the gap within this, my heart もしも愛してくれたら Moshimo aish(i)te kuretaraIf love were given 一緒になぞってくれたなら Issho ni nazotte kureta naraHad we followed it together 怖いね でもかわいいね Kowai ne, demo kawaii neScary, isn't it? Yet precious, isn't it? 本当にお別れなの Hontou ni o-wakare na noTruly, this separation 寂しいな Samishii naLonely, isn't it? 人生はライトワンス Jinsei ha write onceAs for life (conception of death), write once 恋愛もライトワンス Renai mo write onceAs well for love and affection, write once 思い出はライトワンス Omoide ha write onceAs for memories, write once だけどそんな事は忘れたい Dakedo sonna koto ha wasuretaiBut wanting to forget all that
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 25, 2011 11:23:37 GMT -5
Something I recently stumbled onto is The Drifters, and I now understand why my buddy in Chiba always explained Monty Python to the Japanese as a "a British Drifters."
I haven't seen any of the really clever humor that was Python at its best, but that would probably go right over my head anyway. As an aside, I used to rent Monty Python's Flying Circus over there and noticed that sometimes the subtitles wouldn't even try to translate. For instance, the classic line of Graham Chapman/Queen Elizabeth saying to Fledelico Ferrini, "You, sir, are a Nip," was translated as the most vanilla "you are Japanese" possible, though perhaps just as well in that case.
But as for the weird blackout silliness, they do it pretty well. No subs, but a lot of it is quite visual and probably will work anyway. Enjoy!
"Mother, I'm strange. Hair sprouted"
This clip really needs no setup, Johnny.
The title of this piece translates as something like, "The Sure-Kill Professionals."
This piece seems to be a signature one of member Shimura Ken, and you can find variants of it recorded over decades. "As a woman, I doubt you can appreciate what you just did . . . "
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 25, 2011 19:09:40 GMT -5
Drifters continued.
This one's almost dialogueless.
"Please listen to me."
"I've heard it all before."
This one's pretty self-explanatory.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 26, 2011 14:47:27 GMT -5
The clips I've been posting tend to be heavy on the fart jokes and such, partly because they cut through the language barrier so readily. There's no denying the Japanese like them, but I don't want to leave you with the sense that they're that one-note. There are many that I'm afraid only work if you can follow at least some of the patter. I found a couple where the theme is "Shimura Ken's English Classroom" that I was expecting would be great, but ironically they're some of the most "you had to be there" I've found. By the way, some of this seems to come from a Shimura show called (in translation) "That's OK" or "I'm OK."
This one's pretty visual:
Hmm . . . this one might work. The Ii yo naa Ojisan seems to be a recurring character who shows up and goes on and on about how nice everything is (being on vacation, the train, your lunch, etc.):
Hmmm . . . the hibernating bears that can't sleep almost work, the history of a marriage almost works, the shogi-playing women who each cry because the other is playing so aggressively likewise . . . oh well, let's go with Shimura's "Stupid Feudal Lord" character trying to sneak over into the women's side of the bath house. That's Butt . . . er . . . Beat Takeshi with him:
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Post by caucasoididiot on Nov 26, 2011 22:36:58 GMT -5
Found Shimura's English class with subtitles and gaijin students, but that's not why I'm her right now.
Mishima Yukio said the the Japanese essence arises in the tension between a sense of elegance and brutality. If he is right, nothing can be more Japanese than the Sasori movies.
Female Prisoner Sasori: Beast Stable (Sasori means "Scorpion," if you missed the earlier reviews) was the third movie in the series and the last by the original director. Jailhouse 41 ended with Matsushima Nami--the unjustly convicted woman turned angel of vengeance--on the loose, and this installment begins with Detective Kondo cornering her on a train and handcuffing her arm to his.
Ever heard the expression: "pull back a bloody stump"? The credit sequence is Sasori running through Tokyo streets with his bloody hand still chained to her own. She ends up in a cemetery, grinding away the chain on a stone, where she meets Yuki, who has just turned a trick there. Yuki does this to support the brain-damaged brother whom she keeps locked in a storeroom, but has become pregnant by him and asks Sasori to kill him.
This is prologue; we're about 15 minutes into the film.
The main story kicks in when Sasori is thrown into a cage full of ravens by Katsu, a female yakuza boss who hates her from their prison time together. Sasori, unlike the one-armed Detective Kondo who now trails her, no longer cares about herself enough to seek personal vengeance. But when a retarded prostitute named Shinobu is killed she becomes--as she puts it--possessed by the ghost of a dead woman.
The only word I can think of to describe the themes and incidents of much of the film is "repellent," and yet the story is well-told with a plethora of truly arresting imagery: tears and a scalpel, a rain of fire in a sewer, needles of Nemesis. Sasori is silent, but Kaji Meiko is an actress who could stare down Eastwood over a .44 magnum and brings the character vibrantly to life. The whole is repellent, yet laced with beguiling beauty.
But the movie's central theme is a bleak one. Innocence is doomed and can only be destroyed, either by oneself or by others, but perhaps for that very reason its destruction is sacrilegious. The police can protect it no more than the yakuza because their organization is antithetical to it. Sasori is, in the end, just as powerless to defend it. But she is inexorable in the only remaining path: avenging its wanton snuffing out.
These films are so dark they'd depress Maupassant, but I can understand why Tarantino chooses to rip them off so much. I'm going to have to look around and see if Lady Snowblood is streaming.
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Post by caucasoididiot on Dec 2, 2011 2:13:39 GMT -5
While I have a lot more tailor-made stuff in the pipeline (some more pretty funny "Drifters," some Japanese blooper shows, perhaps my son playing Salt in a spirited musical tribute to potato salad to the tune of "John Brown's Body) I wanted to present some truly amateur Japanity.
This upload translates as "Junior High School Students' Stupid Experiment Series." I had wondered how well it played, but a non-Japanese-speaking friend I sent some to was amused enough to search beyond the links I sent him, so I'll give it a try. If you've ever been a 13-year-old boy you'll love these. If not . . .
MC Hamasaki Shouta will be a staple of Japanese TV in about ten years, presuming he doesn't kill himself in the interim. His cameraman (occasionally onscreen) is Nobu. They live in Nagasaki. I love how careful they are with shaken up Coke bottles while being so cavalier with explosives, albeit low-order.
Detonating 100 firecrackers in a bucket. Nigete! Nigete! Nigete! is Japanese for a Pythonesque "Run away! Run away!"
Shouta eats an entire package of Mintia Cold Smash breath mints. My friend's question was, "What's the Japanese for 'Are you gonna hurl?'"
Shouta ventilates a can of Coke with a roman candle. Japan don't believe in no "safe and sane."
It's all in fun until someone loses an eye, Shouta.
I don't know how well the cup noodle series works if you can't follow the patter, but Shouta concluded that seafood cup noodle made with milk was a reasonable substitute for clam chowder. He declared cup noodle made with melted popsicle pretty disastrous.
I'd like to post on their base page but can't make up my mind between "Shouta is awesome!" and "Do your parents know what you're doing?"
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Post by caucasoididiot on Dec 5, 2011 22:22:55 GMT -5
Another recent discovery of mine is "Just Miyabi's Channel." I'm still not entirely clear what her bag is. These seem like very well produced amateur vids explaining Japan for foreigners, and her English is very good. Anyway, I'm finding them informative. Be warned though, on her language lessons, guys who talk like this will sound like okama-chan.
You'd be surprised just how much thought goes into parking your butt in Japan:
Miyabi's primer on baka. She doesn't cover advanced topics like bakayarou:
And since it's coming up, her explanation of Japanese Christmas:
This one was new to me too. Sono would love it:
Anyway, lots of interesting Miyabi stuff. Enjoy!
Edit: Miyabi on love terminology:
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Post by afriendlychicken on Dec 6, 2011 3:48:31 GMT -5
Here's some thoughts on each video for you.
Instead of sitting, can I just stand?
My favorite Japanese word! Baka! Baka Baka Baka! Yep, the Japanese and Hawai'ian languages are very much alike. One word can mean different things on how it's used, where in the sentence it's used, and who's speaking it.
Yummy, strawberries.
This mask one is interesting. I've seen Japanese tourist wearing them and I thought it was for protection against germs. Who knew it was a kind of fashion statement?
Kyun could also be the first signs of a heart attack.
Well, that left me boo. ;D
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