I'm feeling a little lost this week...I've been spending too much time out with my friends when I should be studying, and my conscience is eating me aliveO_o That's just s symptom of my downswing though, last week I pushed myself really hard, and all this week I've been working hard...and now it's rebound time, where I just don't feel like doing a darn thing;P Someone told me the other day that the reason they instituted reading week is because so many unviersity/college students were comitting suicide in the month of February (which, by the way, still has the highest suicide rate of all the monthsO_o)...I had no idea, it was kind of a shock^^; But I think I cna understand why, at this point it starts to feel endless, and the bleak winter weather doesn't help. I always thought it was because of Valentine's day that february was so badXDDD
Oh, and before I forget, Happy Birthday Sho-kun!:D It's over in Japan, but here it's still the 26th, so here's to your champagne birthday~:) May it be as filled with new meetings and goals and happinesses as the all the others combined^^ I have a little gift later...;)
But first, today I have the translation of the Shukudai-kun from 07.10.22 with Tabata-san and the crazy 'minor sports';P

[Announcer: Today is full of ridiculous sports. huh? This is a sport? Furthermore, Tabata-san is on the verge of passing out at the
Aiba's frenzied cuisine that no one agrees to. But Aiba will bring forth another miracle. Shukudai-kun. So, let's take a look. Arashi's
homework. Today's guest is from the movie Kiiroi Namida, the actress who played the role of Ninomiya-kun's former lover, Tabata Tomoko.
Tabata-san's unexpected other side is completely revealed.]
Sho: So, we said this earlier, but it's kind of hard to call you 'Tabata-san', so Master of Nicknames, Aiba-kun. (writing)
Aiba: Yes.
Sho: I think it would be good if we could give her another nickname.
[writing: take care of it Master of nicknames]
Aiba: Tabata-san is Tomoko-chan ne?
Sho: That's right ne.
Tomoko: Yes.
Aiba: So, Taba...Taba...ta...taba...taba...[Tabako]! (writing)
Sho: Tabako??!
Aiba: Ah, Batako! (writing)
Ogura: Batako??
Sho: Please decide, which will you go with?
Aiba: Batako! Today we'll call you Batako.
Sho: Ah, so then she's now Batako-san.
Aiba: Batako ne.
Sho: So, well then, we're going to move along to the first homework without delay. Ogura-san, if you please.
Ogura: Yes. This is homework from the guest to the audience. Investigate and submit rare and delicious okonomiyaki that I, born in
the Kansai region, will agree to. (writing; okonomiyaki is like a pancake or omelet with various ingredients, yummy~X3)
Nino: Ah, I see.
Aiba: I see.
Jun: Okonomiyaki.
Sho: So you do eat okonomiyaki after all?
Batako: I do end up wanting to eat them ne. Fairly frequently.
Sho: Today's presenter, Ninomiya-kun, if you please!
Nino: Yes, thank you. Um, this time we had 147 submissions from across the country. (writing) To start with, the first one... (writing)
Aiba: The first one.
Nino: Yes.
Aiba: Go-
Nino: To start with, the first one. (writing)
Aiba: Hey, before we go the first one...(writing) Ne.
Nino: Excuse me-
Jun: You have terrible manners!;P
Nino: You're too slow! (writing)
[writing: Forgot the plan]
Jun: You have bad manners;P
Sho: You do have bad manners huh!
Jun: Do it one time, one more time.
Nino: I said 'to begin with, the first one' twice. (writing)
Aiba: That's when I remembered. (writing)
Nino: That's where- it's not 'that's where I remembered'! (writing) Hey, go. So, that is to say, this time we're going to introduce
Tabata-san to some okonomiyaki she'll agree to. So to begin with, the first one- (writing)
Aiba: Hang on a minute! (writing) Hang on a minute.
Nino: What is it?
Aiba: If everyone's going to go that far I'll make you some special Aiba cuisine for you today! (writing) Yo!
[Announcer: Which means that today separate from the rare and delicous okonomiyaki that were submitted for some reason Aiba is making
his own special okonomiyaki to entertain everyone of his own accord. Mm, I have a bad feeling about this. But, the feeling it'll be a
miracle.]
Nino: First of all, we received a super celebrity okonomiyaki.
Ogura: Oh, how nice.
Jun: What is this?
Nino: This is from Ginza's President Chibou, the ultimate okonomiyaki.
Jun: What's this thing beside it, a lobster?
Ogura: A lobster? A fake lobster?
Nino: This is an amazing...12 thousand yen!
Sho: Seriously??
Jun: That's extravagant.
Sho: 12 thousand??
Jun: I've never heard of a 12 thousand yen okonomiyaki!
Aiba: That's on sale for 12 thousand yen?!
Jun: You go over there!
[writing: Aiba's bothered by the celebrity]
Aiba: 12 thousand yen ne?
Jun: Over there!
Aiba; 12 thousand? You can probably make this for 500 yen.
Jun: There's kind of an egg beside this ne. (writing)
Ogura: An egg? What do you do with the egg?
Nino: What's the fate of the egg? (writing)
Jun: Ah, there's one of the employees here. (writing)
Nino: Ah, then let's get him to do it.
Ogura: We will.
Jun: So in this state they put on mayonnaise.
Sho: oh, pretty huh.
Jun: Ah, I probably couldn't put the mayonnaise on well.
Ohno: Is that a lot of trouble, after all? (writing)
Nino: You don't need to ask that! Oh, I see!
Sho: Oh, so pretty~.
Ogura: I see, so they have ones like this.
Jun: it's fashionable ne.
Ogura: Katsuobushi ne. (small pieces of dried bonito fish)
Nino: Ah, here...it was prepared.
Ogura: Ah, the egg goes here.
Jun: Ah, you don't break it up.
Nino: Look, it's better that I didn't do it after all ne.
Jun: It's melting.
Nino: Then, ikura. (salmon roe) Amazing.
Ohno: This is amazing~. Fashionable huh.
[Announcer: Among the toppings for the okonomiyaki are a whole spiny lobster, fatty tuna, scallops from Hokkaidou, a veritable gathering
of the ocean's all-stars. This is a celebrity item dripping with extravagance.]
Batako: Thanks for the food.
Ogura: Are there any other okonomiyaki that have toro in them? (high quality fatty tuna)
Jun: There aren't ne.
Ogura: Toro?
Batako: Delicious. (writing)
Ogura: Delicious?
Jun: Eh~, there's toro in there.
Sho: Toro inside okonomiyaki-
Ogura: I mean, there's scallops and toro inside right?
[writing: In the middle of cooking his special okonomiyaki]
Batako: There is ne.
Jun: Ah, this is amazing.
Oguta: is that so?
Sho: 'This is amazing'?;P
Jun: Um, you know...it is okonomiyaki, I've never eaten anything with things this fancy in it before.
Aiba: They're seriously not paying attention to me at all. (writing)
Jun: You, shut up! (writing)
Aiba: Yes, I'm sorry!
Jun: I'm talking right now! (writing)
Aiba: Yes, sorry, sorry.
Jun: This is...
Batako: Delicious.
Jun: ...if you were to tell me this was 12 thousand yen I might understand why.
Nino: I'm sorry, just a sec.
[writing: He's seeing everything]
Nino: Um...
Jun: What are you looking at?
Nino: We're in the middle of filming. Seeing you in the middle of filming-
Aiba: Saying you're in the middle of filming is messed up! (writing) Right!
Nino: Yes.
Aiba: Um, just now ne, over here ne, we hade a little trouble. (writing) I'm sorry. The heat won't go any higher. So please wait
a bit ne. (writing)
Sho: I'm sorry, no one was waiting for you. (writing)
[writing: Aiba's cooking begins anew]
Ogura: Um, there's not much rice. There's a lot of ingredients.
Nino: It's okonomiyaki. It's not okonomiyaki, something different?
Sho: It's okonomiyaki. It's all settled inside the okonomiyaki. What is?
Nino: Next we have one submitted right from the real place, Osaka.
Ogura: Black!
Nino: This is it. This is not the one Aiba-san made. (writing)
Sho: This is amazing ne~.
Ogura: What is this??
Nino: This ne-
Ogura: Is it squid ink?
[Announcer: Using lavish amounts of squid ink, this is the Completely Black~ish okonomiyaki. They use it in both the sauce and the batter.
Uneblievably the inside is completely black. This looks like it'll be a lot of trouble after you eat it huh. (what does that mean?? is that
...toilet humor??)]
Nino: How about it?
Ogura: it's completely black.
Sho: What is it, what is it?
Nino: What is it, what is it?
Batako: Ah, but the taste of the squid ink isn't that strong ne. (writing)
Ogura: is that so?
Jun: Even though it's that black? (writing)
Batako: Yeah. The flavor of the sauce properly comes out. (writing)
Ogura: This has squid ink in the sauce too?
Sho: Delicious?
Batako: Delicious.
Sho: Delicious...
Jun: Ah, it's true. Even though it's this black it is okonomiyaki ne. (writing)
Aiba: It's done~! (writing)
[writing: Aiba's special okonomiyaki is finished!]
Nino: So, that is to say, the homework is done. (writing)
Jun: yes, thank you very much.
Nino: Thank you very much. (writing)
Aiba: hey hey hey hey. You, get out of the way! Get out of the way. We're shooting right now! (writing)
Nino: I think Tomoko-chan might get hurt as well if she comes into contact with him.
[writing: Uneasy...]
Aiba: it's okay, I won't hurt you. To start with, the first one. Ah, Batako-san was born in the Kansai region ne. (writing)
Batako: Yes. (writing)
Aiba: Completely Kansai! (writing; south/west region of Japan)
[writing: Is is that sad?]
Aiba: Completely Kansai! (because it has takoyaki balls on the okonomiyaki, all Osaka cuisine)
Nino: You're slipping huh.
[Announcer: Okonomiyaki and takoyaki's strongest collaboration. It's a dreamlike Aiba-ish combination.]
Aiba: I'm going to put sauce on the okonomiyaki. (writing)
Sho: It should be you;P
Aiba: It is better with sauce after all huh~. And, some mayonnaise too. (writing)
Ogura: This is roundabout you know, right her-
[writing: Hey Aiba]
Jun: What are you doing, seriously! (writing)
Nino: Take it away, take it away.
Aiba: Hey, this part's okay, this part's okay. I only did it a little. (writing)
Sho: Who would have thought ne.
Ogura: How sad ne, for the guest too ne.
Sho: The guest might say it's delicious.
Batako: Heavy... (writing)
[writing: Heavy??]
Ogura: It's probably tasty isn't it?
Jun: You really don't hear 'heavy' when people pick up takoyaki huh.
Aiba: Go ahead, go ahead. I wonder if it'll suit Batako-chan. How will it be?
Jun: She's sighingXD
Aiba: How is it?
Sho: See...
Batako: N~n, it's hard~... (writing)
Ogura: See, look at that;P
Sho: Hard?
Aiba: Hard?
Ohno: Hard?
Jun: Hard!
Batako: The takoyaki is delicious though. (writing)
Aiba: The takoyaki is delicious.
Ogura: The takoyaki is delicious but the bottom is no good!
Jun: I mean, these takoyaki are the ones they normally sell right?
Aiba: That's right, that's right.
Ogura: Eh, you just put in the kind of takoyaki they normally sell?
Aiba: Yes. I just cooked them together.
Sho: oh, he ate it.
Aiba: it's true, the takoyaki are delicious. (writing) Ne, the takoyaki are delicious ne? I see. Then, I have a different one, I have
one more.
Sho: You have more??
Ogura: Let's stop now!
Aiba: Tada! What do you think this is? Does it smell good?
Batako: Sweet!
Aiba: ne! I didn't think you'd be that happy about it~. This ne, is called 'parfait okonomiyaki' (writing)
Nino: Yes.
Aiba: There's various different things inside: watermelon, melon, pineapple, coconut milk, banana, chocolate chips, green seaweed,
katsuobushi, those are added in afterwards ne.
[Announcer: For ingredients he put in watermelon, melon, pineapple, coconut milk, chocolate chips. He mixed all of these girlish
ingredients into the batter and what ended up being made was Aiba's special parfait okonomiyaki. Could this be super tasty? Or,
super nasty, after all? Which is it?]
Nino: Speaking from the other point of view, it's not out of the question to say it's like a fruit cake. (writing)
Aiba: That's right.
Jun: Ah, conversely, I think it's better not to use sauce. (writing)
Aiba: That's what I was thinking, so whipped cream. (writing) I had it ready.
Jun: it'll probably be delicious with that.
Nino: You eat it like that ne.
Aiba: That's right. Only-
Nino: So it's just...a normal pancake.
Aiba: That's why today even if you want to eat cake there's only okonomiyaki-
Jun: You're putting on too much!
[writing: Isn't that a lot of cream??]
Jun: You're putting on too much!
AIba: Ne.
Ogura: Ah, you're putting those on top?
Aiba: That's right! I went ahead and spent a little money on it.
Ogura: Um, put a little more thought into the way you're arranging them.
Jun: Do it nicely.
Aiba; Alright, let's do paper rock scissors.
Nino: You didn't put any over here!
Aiba: I'm not putting any on. It's fine just over here.
Nino: That's cruel.
Aiba: Ready and-
Jun: Everyone, all together.
All: Janken poi! It's a tie! Tie!
[writing: Winners: Sho/Ohno/Nino. Losers: Batako/Ogura/Aiba/Jun]
Aiba; ready, and-
All: Janken poi.
Nino: That was tough.
Jun: That was- that-
All: That was a tie.
[writing: Winner: Ogura. Losers: Batako/Aiba/Jun]
All: Ready, and- janken poi!
Jun: Alright!
[writing: Aiba is the lone loser. Reaping what you sow;P]
Ohno: Make it yourself, eat it yourself;P
Aiba: Why did I even make this?
Nino: This half here.
Aiba: That part? Since Batako-chan is the guest, although we let her play kanken, although this is how it turned out, I'm going to
get Batako-chan to eat the seeds.
[writing: Batako-chan gets the seeds]
Sho: Seeds??
Jun: Seeds;P
Aiba: Let's eat together! Ne! This is our first joint project ne! (writing)
[writing: A wedding ceremony?]
Ogura: She hasn't even said anything.
Jun: Just now batako-san said 'uh-uh'.
Aiba: I'm going to go first, is that okay?
Jun: You cna go first.
Nino: Please go first.
Aiba: I'm going first.
Ogura: Amazing ne~.
Nino: Properly ne, properly ne.
Aiba: BILGBIBI tasty! (writing)
Jun: What?
Nino: It's tastier than the normal one? (writing)
Ohno: it's tastier than the normal one?
Aiba: It's tastier than a normal pancake! It's a little salty. (writing)
Nino: Excuse me...it's okonomiyaki ne? (writing)
[writing: Definitely!]
Jun: When did this become a pancake?
Ogura: And what was that you said just now, it's kind of salty?
Aiba: Yes. Tha batter kind of tastes like salt.
Ogura: So that's wht yours'll taste like Batako-san.
Aiba: Let's go Batako-chan! If you don't do it it won't end you know! It won't end!
Batako: Here I go.
Jun: Your favor please.
Aiba: Go ahead.
Nino: Safe trip.
Ogura: ...'safe trip'?;P
Batako: Mm! (writing)
Aiba: oh!
Jun: You're kidding.
Batako: It's delicious! (writing)
Aiba; it's delicious ne!
[writing: An unexpected reaction]
Aiba: this is delicious. See! See!
Sho: What's it like?
Batako: Dessert.
Aiba: It really is delicious.
Batako: Dessert, dessert; a waffle.
Aiba; A waffle!
Jun: I understand, I see.
Aiba: That's easy to understand.
Nino: That's right ne.
Jun: Ah, this is exquisitely delicious. (writing)
Sho: Seriously?
Aiba: Um, ne, the saltiness of the batter is kind of a good thing.
Sho: Delicious. (writing)
Aiba: Right!
[writing: Maximum delicious!]
Aiba: This is delicious. Riidaa! Riidaa, let's go. The kiwi zone.
Sho: This is delicious. What is this?
Nino: it's a parfait ne.
Jun: It's delicious.
Ohno: Ah, delicious! (writing) It's delicious!
Aiba: It foesn't get in the way ne, the batter doesn' get in the way!
Ohno: The batter is great! (writing)
Aiba: The batter is great! So this is finally a success. Which is to say, Tabata-san, how was it? (writing)
BatakO; I've learned a lot. (writing)
Ogura: Image homework for Tabata Tomoko-san; what did you do last night? (writing)
Sho: What did you actually do last night? (writing)
Batako: Last night...I was practicing. (writing)
Sho: For what?
Batako: For my play. (writing)
Sho: is there nothing in particular that you routinely do when you come home?
Batako: Ah...I stay in the bathtub for quite a long time ne, like about 2 hours. (writing)
Sho: 2 hours?!
Jun: 2 hours? That's a long time.
Sho: That's amazing ne. How do you stay in there for 2 hours?
Batako: I read books or manga the whole time. (writing)
Sho: Don't you get hot?
Ohno: You don't get dizzy? (writing)
Batako: Ah, around the hips, the water-level.. (writing)
Jun: Ah, sometimes I just do half my body, but while I'm soaking half my body an incredible amount of sweat comes dripping down
right. Don't you get irritated when that sweat starts itching you? (writing)
Batako: Please wipe it. (writing)
[writing: That's right! Please wipe it.]
Jun: So you wipe yourself while you're in there?
Batako: Yes.
Jun: With me you see, with half my body submerged and reading my book, the book gets all soggy, from sweat. (writing) Well, since it's
no good I immediately quit. So I should do it while wiping myself?
Batako: I do it while wiping myself.
Jun: While drinking? (writing)
Batako: I don't drink at all. I open and close the door to let air in. (writing)
Ohno: you don't get all pruny? (writing)
Nino: Of course you'd get pruny.
Jun: You'd for sure get pruny.
Nino: Because it's 2 hours.
Batako: I do get pruny.
Ohno: Your hands kind o get all shrivelled up... (writing)
Aiba: That's for sure ne, that happens ne.
[Announcer: In reality Tabata-san's parental home is a a long-standing restaurant. Which means that...]
Sho: We readied some pictures of your parental home today. (writing)
Aiba: Oh, I want to see.
Sho: Here they are, please take a look.
Jun: This? Amazing~.
Aiba: That's your parental home?
Batako: That's my parental home ne.
Sho: This is cuisine from Kyoto's Gion district, Tori Imoto.
Batako: Yes.
Ogura: Tori Imoto...
Batako: Yes.
Sho: How long has it been operating?
Batako: I've heard that it's 290 years.
Ogura: That's the Edo era.
Jun: Edo?
Sho: What generation is your father? (writing)
Batako: My father is the 8th generation. (writing)
Jun: The 8th generation!
Ogura: So among your guests there are apprentice geisha and celebrtities and such. Ne. (writing)
Aiba: Ogura-san, have you gone there? (writing)
Ogura: I have. (writing)
Aiba: What do you do?
Jun: What do you do?
Nino: You go and come back?
Ogura: Yeah, I go and come back.
Ohno: Do you pull thei Obi like this...
Nino: What kind of game are you playing?
[writing: You've seen too many period pieces]
Aiba: The amazing thing is I wanted to ask that too, but I held back;P
Sho: Now the image homework.
Ohno: Yes. Eh, Tokyo's Nashinotsubutte-san's submission: last night Batako-san was unable to get out of a revolving door. (writing)
Nino: You know, that's just a plain old idiot.
Sho: Being stuck and not able to get out;P Tomoko-san might have an image of being someone who does things on the spur of the moment,
but in actuality what do you think of your athletic abilities? (writing)
Batako: I think they're good. (writing)
Sho: You cna do anything? (writing)
Batako: I can pretty much do anything. (writing)
Jun: Eh, is that true?
Aiba: Eh~, that's not right.
Nino: You probably can't.
Batako: It's true!
[Announcer: Which means that today we prepared various different types of sports equipment. First they're going to look at her skills in
playing catch with Ninomiya]
Sho: So do a little catch.
Aiba: Try doing it. Because you can pretty much tell from teh way you throw the ball ne.
Sho: That's right ne.
Aiba: Whether you can or can't do it ne.
Batako: This is for real? (writing)
All: It's for real;P
Nino: For real.
Sho: Oh she's good~!
[writing: She's good]
Jun: She's good!
Ogura: She's throwing it without using underhand.
Sho: She really is fast.
Nino: Fast.
Sho: She really is good.To the point it makes me laugh-
Jun: The ball is whistling. (writing)
Ogura: I think that's good enough, she's throwing it.
Nino: That's fast.
Aiba: Fast.
Jun: That's amazing!
Sho: Yeah, amazing. What else? (writing) What else?
Aiba: You can play catch. I see.
Ogura: Wasn't Sho-kun really good at this? (writing)
[writing: Sports nunchaku]
Nino: Wait a minute. This ne, isn't particularly a segment where we're trying to show off Sho-san's special skills. But try it out-
Aiba: It's fine. It's been such a long time.
Sho: With this ne, I was the ruler of the times. (writing)
Nino: At the end...
Aiba: And...
Sho: Chest! (writing)
Ogura: So that was what it was like Sho-kun.
Sho: I got really happy just now ne. (writing)
Ogura: What about the unicycle?
Jun: What about the unicycle?
Nino: Can you ride this? (writing)
Batako: I can. (writing)
Jun: You can?
Ogura: She can. Who's the Arashi member who's the best at riding the unicycle?
Nino: Him.
Ogura: Sho-kun, you can ride a unicycle? (writing)
Jun: You can ride it?
Sho: I can. (writing)
Nino: So then he- ah, first of all, first of all, first of all...
Aiba: We'll let Batako-chan ride it first.
Nino: First of all...
Jun: You cna ride it on your own?
Batako: On my own. Where would be...
Jun: Ah, you can do it from holding onto the wall.
Batako: I haven't been riding it lately so...
Ogura: That's right isn't it.
Sho: Well, if you could use it to go shopping or something that would really catch people's eye.
Aiba: That would catch people's eye.
Batako: Here we go.
Ogura: Oh, she can ride it.
[writing: Magnificent!]
Nino: oh, you can't stop?
[writing: Next, Sakurai]
Nino: Can you ride it on your own?
Aiba: You can't can you.
Sho: Lately...I haven't ridden it lately you see.
Nino: Ow ow ow.
All: Ready, and-
Ogura: You're good at this?
[writing: Fabulous]
Aiba: That's super funny;P Super super funny.
Sho: This, you know...this...this is smaller than when I was a kid.
Nino: One more time.
Sho: Hang on ne. I was funny just now. (writing)
Aiba; Funny.
Ogura: But it's been a long time since you've done this kind of thing right?
Sho: I was relaly gross. (writing)
[Announcer: Tabata-san certainly is very good at athletics. So, why not try doing this set of tasks?]
Ogura: Tabata Tomoko vs. Arashi, the fall ridiculous athletic meet! (writing) Batako-chan, I said that it's ridiculous, but are you aware
of how ridiculous?
Batako: I have a hunch.
Sho: Have you ever seen it?
Batako: Yes, I've seen it.
Ogura: This is extremely ridiculous. (writing)
Sho: It's extremely ridiculous ne.
Jun: It's ridiculous.
Ogura: Let's go! First task, cutting logs~! Hey now, don't you think it's kind of unfair if you don't make Batako-chan's log thinner?
(writing)
Sho: Then it wouldn't be an athletic meet. Fighting at the same level, that's what sports is. (writing)
[Announcer: The person who cuts through the log the fastest is the winner, so doesn't that mean Batako's clearly at a disadvantage?]
[writing: Please choose the person you think you can beat.]
Ogura: Okay?
Batako: Matsumoto-san. (writing)
Ogura: MatsuJun ne~.
Jun: You think you can beat me? (writing)
Ohno: She does, she does. (writing)
Jun: Do you really think you can beat me? (writing)
Nino: Well yeah, she chose you because she thinks she can beat you.
Batako: I do. (writing)
Nino: See.
Ogura: Yes. On your mark. Ready, begin!
Ohno: That's dangerous!
Aiba: Dangerous ne.
Jun: This is unexpectedly tough. (writing)
Sho: This is super troublesome huh.
Aiba: This takes time huh.
Ogura: This ne, you cut it by pulling on it ne. (writing) By pulling on it. That's right, that's right.
Aiba; Huh, Batako-chan is fast. (writing)
Ogura: When you pull it, when you pull it!
Aiba: Fast, fast.
Ogura: The power goes in when you pull-
Nino: Could it be...
Jun: Come on, me! (writing)
[writing: It's an unexpectedly close match]
Nino: Slowly slowly.
Aiba: Batako-chan is fast!
Ohno: Fast.
Ogura: A little more.
Sho: Do your best!
Ogura: Ah~, uncle wants to take over for you. (writing; referring to himself;P)
[writing: Fast forward]
[writing: 5 minutes elapse]
Jun: I'm incredibly tired;P
Aiba: If you take a break you won't win, if you take a break you won't win.
Ogura: A little more, a little more!
Aiba: Amazing.
Jun: Ah~, I'm super tired.
Ogura: You're really getting the hang of it. Alright!
Aiba; Amazing, amazing. Amazing, amazing! Batako-chan, don't rest, don't rest! (writing) Don't rest!
Ogura: This side really is faster.
[writing: Batako-chan's in the lead]
Aiba: Batako-chan can make it.
Ogura: Just go a little more. Your legs aren't shaking?
Jun: They're not.
Nino: Don't rest, keep going more and more!
Aiba: Cut it! Cut it! It's just a little more, so win it! Watch out, watch out, MatsuJun's almost cut through it! Look! Watch out!
[writing: Tabata wins]
Aiba: She best you! Hey, don't lose! (writing)
[writing: An unbelievable defeat]
Aiba: We're losing!
Ogura: MatsuJun!
Nino: hey!
Ogura: What happened MatsuJun?
Aiba: The saw stabbed into the wood is futile huh. (writing) It's kind of futile huh.
Ogura: What did you say at the beginning? MatsuJun.
Jun: I said 'there's no way you can win against me'. I'm terribly sorry... (writing)
Sho: It's okay. We'll take it abck on the next one. (writing) WSe'll take it abck on the next one.
[Announcer: Ah, pathetic. Please redeem yourselves on the next task. I'm relying on you baby]
Ogura: This is the cardboard caterpillar. You get inside the cardboard caterpillar, and the person to make it back to the goal fastest
is the winner.
Aiba: I see.
Ogura: So...Batako-chan.
Batako: Yes.
Ogura: The person who seems the slowest. (writing)
Batako: Seems the slowest...? Mmm, I'll go with Ohno-san. (writing)
Aiba: Go on Ohno-san! Riidaa.
Nino: Ohno-san.
Aiba: Riidaa-
Nino: You have to go.
Ogura: What is this? They turn around over there?
Nino: The pole ne.
Ogura: So go over there, come back, and this is the goal ne. Okay, ready. Got it, over there. Batako-chan, that one.
Aiba: Well, Riidaa is failry good at moving around ne.
Batako: I can't see ahead of me. (writing)
Ogura: That's right, you can't see ahead.
Ohno: Ah, you can't see ahead huh.
Ogura: You can't see ahead.
Aiba: It's something where you can't see ahead.
Ogura: So. Are you ready? Ready...
[writing: In the end, what's the direction of the match?]
Batako: I can't see ahead of me. (writing)
Ogura: That's right, you can't see ahead.
Ohno: Ah, you can't see ahead huh.
Ogura: You can't see ahead.
Aiba: It's something where you can't see ahead.
Ogura: What if you turn a little more...
Ohno: Ow!
Ogura: Are you ready? Ready...
Sjo: He's fast!
Aiba: Ah, Riidaa's fast after all.
Ogura: Batako, do your best!
Sho: What do you do after that point?
Jun: Do they turn?
Sho: Turn! Captain, turn!
Batako: Where?
Aiba: Captain, turn.
Ogura: A little further, a little further! Right there, right there!
Sho: Satoshi-san, right there!
Aiba: Turn!
Jun: What is this? What is this;P
Sho: What the heck~;P
Ogura: Stright ahead, just like that.
Sho: Straight ahead, straight ahead, Captain, straight ahead!
Aiba: Just like that, just like that!
Ogura: Just like that, straight ahead! Straight ahead, straight ahead!
Aiba: Ah, it's funny but their faces aren't being filmed at all. (writing)
[writing: Certainly]
Aiba: They're not being filmed at all.
[writing: Ohno wins]
Aiba; Batako-chan, come one! Do your best!
Sho: Batako.
All: Batako. Batako.
Jun: Do your best.
All: Batako. Batako. Batako.
Aiba: So this is undoubtedly going to make Batako completely hate this show ne.
Nino: She may never appear again ne.
Aiba: She'll never appear again ne.
Batako: I'm tired.
Ogura: You're tired aren't you.
Sho: Which means that, Batako-san.
Batako: Yes.
Sho: How was the show today? (writing)
Batako: Thank you very much. (writing)
Jun: She'll never come again;P
Nino: She'll never come again.
[Announcer: This week's honors student is Kanou Nee-san who submitted the celebrity okonomiyaki. We're also asking for submissions of
the unusual menus of yakiniku restaurants that you know of. Also, 'what did you do last night?' image homework for Kobayashi Mao-san,
please expand on them and send them in.]
Ogura: Riidaa, isn't that mean?

Hahaha, first of all, I just knew, instinctively, that Aiba was going to say TabakoXDDDD I laughed so hard when he actually did it, he's so cute!XP And Batako....poor girl;) Then Jun growled at him when he interrupted his food commentary, one of my favorite parts of the whole show<3 It's so ncie to see Jun getting DoS again;P But then he gets beaten by Batako with the sawing competition...O_o Ah~, poor baby, he was so close too, and the whole team was cheering her on instead of him, then they get mad when he losesXDD When he said 'come on me!' I couldn't help but smile and cheer him on tooX3 But oh, Ohno and the caterpillar race was hilarious!!XDDD Especially the soundeffects when they turned around, I nearly killed myself laughing;P Ahh~ I didn't know Sho could ride the unicycle at all, let alone so well...he has quite a few hidden talents ne;) And of course, the obligatory 'chesto!'XDDD It's funny that he enjoyed that almost as much as everyone else;) Anyways, it's great the Shukudai-kun is finally figuring out what the fans want: funny interactions between Arashi, weird sports, silly experiments, and plenty of fanservice;P

My other offering today is a bit of a surprise^^ My dear friend sent me scans of the latest FC pamphlet, #38, and I translated Sho's part for his birthday, as well as Jun's part because, well...do I need a reason?;P Because it makes me happy to read his thoughts...<3

Please thank my dear friend for her help, without her we wouldn't be able to enjoy these at all<3







In '07 Arashi shone not only as a group, but also with their personalities in their individual spheres. '08 starts with Sho-chan's
enthusiasm as a caster, Aiba-chan's backstage stories about his starring play 'Wasurerarenai Hito' where he was highly praised, MatsuJun's
exclusive revelations about episodes on the set of the high profile movie [Kakushi Toride no San Akunin]. And, in 'sunny Arashi' Nino
and Oh-chan send out a heartwarmingly friendly conversation.



Sakurai Sho, World Cup Volleyball 2007

When we we re warming up the conversation suddenly came up.

- Last year it was an incredibly hard schedule ne.
Sho: That's right ne, I was pretty busy ne. But, I never felt that it was hard on me. Since they were letting me do things I wanted
to do.
- You have quite a wide range, from Arashi's activities to being a caster.
Sho: Well, if you think about it in terms of the five of us doing variety shows it might be broad, but depending on what you attempt to capture
it could be narrow. I don't know what the fans think about me being a caster, but I place the same weight on my activities with
Arashi.
- Since when had you been feeling that you wanted to do the caster job?
Sho: I guess the first time would be about the time when I was doing [Nama Arashi] (2002). That's right, I was thinking about it when
I had my wisdom teeth extracted. When I was relaxing and watching tv the announcer Morishita that appeared with us on [Nama Arashi]
was doing a report. Although it's an obvious thing, since he's an announcer, it was kind of agitating ne. I was thinking 'couldn't
I do this kind of thing too?'. So then I went to talk to the Jimusho, 'can I not do an announcer-type job ne?'. But the conclusion
was that it was fairly difficult. But I felt that there must be something I could do. Like, even if it was a children's news
type thing with an easy to understand format, that would be fine. So then I wrote a proposal, and I presented it by saying that
I didn't know what would happen from then on 'but I want to do this kind of thing'. But that year was very busy, just when I thought
it was calming down it was warming up, last year during the summer concerts the [News Zero] conversation came up ne.
- Without any advance notice?
Sho: That's right. Then, when I met the staff over there for the first time I said 'Actually this is the kind of thing that I want to
do', and they said 'ah, that's great ne. Let's make a segment'. It's not like the show was starting from nothing and they said
'sakurai-kun has thios segment', or 'let's make a segment for Sakurai-kun'.
- I wonder if the people at JapanTV knew that Sho-kun had an interest in that kind of thing?
Sho: Ah, I have no idea. Although I think I've asked the staff about that too. They told me that 'we thought you were a person who had
that kind of awareness'. I found that extremely curious as well. Because the places I talk are quite often idol magazines. Even if
I was able to talk about the things I'm interested in, like doing politics, or doing news, it was just a little bit. I wasn't aware
that it was known outside of there that I had interest in those kind of things ne. Even now I still don't know how much they knew
and from where. It's not like even I was thinking about that kind of thing round the clock. It's not like I was going over it again
and again in my head, rather it's more like something I had been vaguely thinking 'I'd like to do that kind of thing' suddenly
gained form. But I think that the things you want to do coming to be reality is real happiness.
- It was because your work on [News Zero] was recognized that it led to the [World Cup Volleyball 2007] work ne.
Sho: I don't know about that, but I'm glad that it came at this time. It appears that Kondou-san, the producer on [World Cup Volleyball],
was a producer for the first time on our [Nama Arashi]. Kondou-san told me 'Since that time I thought it would be nice to work
with Sakurai one more time'. On top of which he said that he had thought of it once 4 years ago too ne. But because the span of
the supporters was too short he gave up on it. But if you were to say that I had been able to be a caster for [World Cup Volleyball]
4 years ago that would probably have been the extent of it. I think that the character I built on [News Zero] is that of a sports
caster. Speaking of it in terms of that sense, I'm glad that it was now after 8 years have passed ne. Because if I did it at the point
where I wasn't able to comprehend what an interview is I would have just become a decoration.



I'd like to make it a wall that I can't overcome.

- Sho-kun, what did you take an interview to be, and how did you do one?
Sho: What I think is that, before wondering how to convey it to the people on the other side of the tv, the most important thing is
to show the staff and flesh and blood athletes the posture that you are 'properly contributing'. That's why I meet them face to
face as much as possible, getting in touch with people. Only showing up when the camera is rolling, only supporting them during
the hour and a half of the match. I think that's the most rude towards the athletes who have spent months and years training.
When I was having dinner with the director he talked about how 'everyone from FujiTV, Sakurai-kun included, is part of the national
team'. I think it's a conduct that was brought about by getting in on that kind of awareness.
- That's why the athletes responded naturally to Sakurai-kun's interviews ne.
Sho: Well, it's because we'd met a fair bit ne. Because of that the distance might have seemed smaller. Also, when I went to talk to the
athletes when the camera wasn't rolling I fundamentally made sure not to go with my notepad open holding my pen. Because I thought
that if they thought I came to do an article they'd limit what they talked about. We had nothing conversations like 'so, how was
yesterday? it's great ne'. If you were to do something like saying 'thanks for the hard work' and leaving, then typing it up into
words, then you wouldn't be able to close the distance and it would become work for the sake or work.
- That kind of behavior from unseen points is visible on the screen as well ne.
Sho: Really? I don't have an image to compare with so I don't know. Because I only have my own way of doing it.
- Rather than studying what kind of way you do sports caster work you thought you'd do it in your own way ne.
Sho: That's right, I mean, I'm not an announcer. Because I don't particularly have any unique expert ability. The only thing I can do
is do it my own way. It's like, when they said I would do it I said 'then I'll make them let me do it my own way'.
- And that way is correct?
Sho: I think so, all the time (laughs). But I have no idea. There might be people who get a good result from a much different way. But
there are probably outcomes that can only be done with my way too. Well, I don't waver though ne.
- Being a caster is an extremely important job for Sho-kun ne.
Sho: Since it's a job that I've always wanted to do after all, I think that I want to treat it incredibly importantly. It's a place
where I can easily make something I have interest in gain form. It's also a place where no one from our Jimusho has stepped in
yet, so the possibilities are endless. Although it's not like I'm doing it thinking that I'll create an inter-Jimunsho precedent,
perhaps I'm creating a path for people to come out of the Jimusho who will do this kind of work. But, even if afterwards thos kind
of people appear, I want to become a wall that can't be overcome ne. Also, I'm in a place with various kinds of influence. To speak
in terms of something small, something like how the fans have said 'up until now I didn't watch the news, but now I do'. 'After hearing
that there was an electoral race I went to vote for the first time'. Of course Arashi's activities also have a lot of influence,
but it's a job with the possibility to sow seeds of influence I haven't had up until now. I think I'd like to do it well. But well,
it's simply interesting ne. Study a lot of things is definitely not a hardship either. Though if it was studying for school I'd
probably hate it ne (laughs).
- Do you want to keep doing it forever?
Sho: Well, I've just started ne. I'm still at the point where I haven't finished my second year. The sports caster work as well, it
could be that this is the end of it you know. I have no idea about things like that. All there is is to do the things I'm
doing right now. The chance comes suddenly you could say. You suddenly come to showdowns as well. Because if you don't show a
result there, there won't be a next time. That's why every day is a showdown. It's the feeling like 'everyday is a backwater battle'
ne.

Interesting, I never knew he had his wisdom teeth taken out, or that he even went do far as to write a proposal for the news casting position...and they somehow knew he wanted to do it anywayO_o That's amazing...I'm very happy that his dream came true, he's right, that really is happiness. And it was very striking when he said 'if I did that I'd be nothing more than an ornament'...anyways, here's to another year of dreams come true Sho-kun^^ Next, Jun...X3




Matsumoto Jun, Kakushi Toride no San Akunin

Q1. What did you think of this offer the first time you heard about it?
[I thought about it on various levels. It's my first period drama, director Kurosawa Akira's original creation was unbelievably interesting...
Not making that into a remake, but using the original as the axis and creating a new piece with the current generation...]
Q2. Director Higuchi evaluated you saying 'I felt wildness in his rebellious eyes', but is there anything you are conscious of beyond
expressing 'wildness'?
[There isn't. I think it's an area that you're not conscious of. I haven't been that rebellious lately (laughs).]
Q3. Other than horse-riding, what other kinds of practice for role construction have you done?
[Nothing there either. Because I don't think of it as practice to begin with ne. I just do the things that I need to do. Horseback
riding is becoming like a hobby.]
Q4. Other than the 'barefoot in the river' part, what other kinds of harsh shooting have you done?
[Well, it's cold ne, cause it's winter. Since it's not modern clothing ne. The cloth is thin. My chest gets chilly (laughs).]
Q5. Amidst all that, what are the times that are fun, or make you feel relaxed?
[Well, everything other than that was really fun. There were amazing things about the way the staff did their work, it was a fresh
set full of stimuli. Since it's a film they can't do that many cuts in a day, so it felt very luxurious.]
Q6. Depending on this piece what kind of Matsumoto Jun will we be able to see?
[Indeed (laughs). That's something that will come out in the end result, and it's not up to me to judge. I just do it.]

Mmm, I'm looking forward to seeing this movie...this wildness they talk about, I want to see it for myself. And man, going in the river barefoot in winter, that's harshO_o No wonder he was talking about going home and having a hot bath to warm himself up every night on his radio show>_< I'm glad the filming's over, now he can be indoors longer. Although, he did say that he was finding it less cold than he had thought it would be, possibly due to having been in NY for HYD last year^^ I like that he doesn't judge his own performance, he just focusses on the task at hand and leaves the rest to the viewer...that singlemindedness is very impresive:) I'm sure it will show in the finished product as well...



Happy New Year. I ask for your favor in 2008 as well. Have fun! -Matsumoto Jun

I'll do my best to translate the rest as soon as possible, I wanted to get it all done today but just ran out of time^^; Oh! In other news, I got my hair cut yesterday, a very daring cut tooXDD I didn't tell anyone other than a couple friends, and when I showed up at work I either got people saying 'holy crap you look different!' or people saying 'I thought you were a new person';P They all lvoed it, it's like this http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Image:Hoshii.jpg =) I'm very happy, I needed a radical change to turn things around right now^^ I was getting bored of myself...it's time to turn a few heads;P I'll try to catch up on emails and comments now, sorry for being so lazy today...^^; But, let's have another fun week ne, who knows what tomorrow holds=)

きれいになったわけじゃない。ただ私の持っているきれいさをもっと見えると思いたいです。潤くん、今の私を見たらたぶんほっとけない～XD　。。。と思いたい；）