March 29th 2007's Recommen

[ttthhbbbtt]

Holy shit, it's May!

Opening Talk =
Yoko Story Time!
So the other day, an acquaintance of Yoko’s took him to Kandagawa Toshirou’s restaurant. 
**NOTE: He was the man on Hadaka no Shounen with Yoko+Okura last year and apparently is a cook who owns a bunch of restaurants (all named after his last name) and goes on TV quite a bit.
Anyway, Yoko’s never been to his restaurant before (Hina has) so when he’s there, Kandagawa-san asks, “Can you sign a sign (autograph) for me, Yokoyama-kun?”  Of course, Yoko does so happily, but then afterwards Kandagawa-san starts referring him as Maruyama, saying stuff like “Let’s get some meat for Maruyama-kun” and just as Yoko was thinking “wha?” Kandagawa is on the phone going “I’m going to pass the phone to Maruyama-kun now” and hands it over to Yoko saying that it’s the butcher’s kid.  To avoid embarrassment and not wanting to make a fool of Kandagawa-san, Yoko introduces himself as Maruyama…and spends the rest of the night with that name.  Yoko wonders on the show why despite getting his name right the first time, Kandagawa-san started calling him Maruyama.  Hina laughs a whole bunch during this whole tale.

Then Yoko brings up how he’s dyed his hair blond and how just now the fans downstairs (there’s usually some fans at the radio station when Yoko+Hina get in) asked him to show off his hair and because he’s shy, he quickly flashed them his hair and then ran away.

Yoko+Hina then talk about how now that SukaJ’s over, the location shootings for “Muchaburi” are very tough.  Hina says that he was at Fukuoka with Subaru the day before and they flew to Wakayama this (March29) morning for a shoot and then back to Tokyo for Recommen tonight.  Yasu+Maru were also off somewhere shooting for the show too, but they had to stop because of strong winds at the place.  Yoko says that the two of them have been to a lot of places (for Zukkoke promotions) and how they left Ishikawa the day before the earthquake.  Then Yoko+Hina tells everyone to please work hard.

Main Project = Ktaro challenges to take back Thursday nights!
So before Yoko+Hina began hosting Recommen on Thursdays (they started off with a short segment bit like Tsubasa’s show that grew and grew and grew…to this), Ktaro was the host.  I think Yoko+Hina took over sometime in 2003.

So he rides in with this motorcycle noise and theme music…
Ktaro (full of pep) : We’re returning to the origin…you guys probably don’t remember much from that time eh?
Yoko : …if it’s possible, I want to forget that time.

So tonight it will be Yoko+Hina vs Ktaro on a bunch of games to determine who will host Thursday’s Recommen.  If Yoko+Hina lose, they’ll have to retire from the show…(Yoko : You should really talk directly to the Johnnys Office about this…) and if Ktaro loses…he’ll take off his mask. 
NOTE : Dude always wears this white mask with a “K” on the forehead on the show and out in public, like when he’s handing out tissue on the streets promoting the show.

Hina : We’ve seen your face before! You always show it!  Every week!
Yoko : The other day too, we were eating with Okura and you just took it off like it was nothing! >>HAHAH

Recommen Girls Ranking! = things you’re looking forward to on spring break
# 5 - sleeping late and waking up late
Hina : What do you do when you wake up at night?  Video games?
Yoko : I watch DVDs…DragonBall…
Hina : Ah! I finally got season one of 24…but I still haven’t watched it yet.
Yoko : Haven’t seen Jack Bauer yet?
Hina : Haven’t met Jack Bauer yet.
Yoko : Let’s talk about the show.
Hina : Don’t talk about it, it’ll be spoilers!
Then Yoko starts talking about BikkuriMan and I skipskipskipped…
Yoko : I bought the new BukkuriMan online.
Hina : You use the internet?!
Yoko : I’ve finally started using it.  It’s really scary man, “People who bought BikkuriMan also bought BikkuriMan 2” showed up.  >> I think he's talking about Amazon.
Hina : Ahh, the recommendations!
Yoko : So I bought 2…then DragonQuest popped up and I bought that too.  It can’t be helped, being told stuff like this…
Hina : I understand, in the click on a button…
DragonQuest talk…skippityskipped.
Yoko : Then it told me to go pay at the convenience store…it was a good purchase!

They didn’t talk much about the other ones but here’s 4 to 1 :
# 4 - shopping
# 3 - watching sports
# 2 - hanging out with friends
# 1 - traveling

Main Project = Ktaro vs Hina+Yoko on ownership of Recommen Thursday nights!

Game 1 - Konnichiwantsu Quiz
They play clips of various Johnnys saying “Konnichiwantsu” and guess who it is, oh, it’s Ktaro vs Yoko on this.
Clip 1 = Subaru = Yoko immediately gets it right.  >>YAYYY
Clip 2 = Hasejun = neither of them get it.
Clip 3 = (Hahaha, this one’s a bit funny…)
Ktaro : …Yokoyama-kun?
ERRRR
Yoko : The voice is a bit idiot-y
Hina : Right right, sounds like an idiot. (Hina doesn’t know who it is either, he looks at the answer when Yoko+Ktaro both give up)
Ktaro : Yasuda-kun >> WHAAAT?
Hina : Nono, his voice is higher…
Yoko : Someone younger?
Hina : Maybe the clip’s from a long time ago…
Yoko : It’s someone from NEWS no?
Ktaro : No idea who it is…
Hina : It doesn’t matter though but can I guess?  Maru?  >>Hahaha
DINGDINGDING >>HAHA
Clip 4 = Massu = neither of them get it
Clip 5 = Katori Shingo = Ktaro gets it (Yoko : He said “Konnichiwantsu”?!?!?!)

It’s a draw.

Game 2 - drinking from a baby bottle
Hina vs Ktaro
Yoko : It’ll be so troublesome to do commentary for this.  >>HA 
Hina wins.

Game 3 - grasshopper race.
They have to tap on the grasshoppers’ back to hurry them up to the finish line.  Hina hates bugs, so of course Ktaro specifically gets him to do it.  Hina makes a bunch of noises, Yoko yells at him to touch the grasshopper, Hina makes more noises…and Ktaro wins.

Johnnys Station
1) Taichi’s new show is starting
2) TOKIO’s new single
3) NEWS’ Koyama graduated from university.
Hina : He was a recognized as a model student.
Yoko : I saw it, I saw it!  They showed YamaP’s sign!
Hina : Really?
Yoko : It was like…he received a sign from NEWS.  Koyama-kun kept smiling/laughing…it was amazing, you really felt his energy.

Big News =
All of Kanjani will be on 4/12’s Recommen.

Back to Main Project = Ktaro vs Yoko+Hina for Recommen Thursdays

Game 4 - Slam Dunk Quiz
Skiiiiiiiiiipppped. 
Ktaro wins.

Game 5 - remembering countries’ name quiz
They have to remember and recite back :
America, England, Holland, Brazil, Switzerland, Ecuador, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Thailand, India, Iran, Germany, Spain, Argentina, Peru, Canada, Russia
Yoko starts and only gets to Brazil before he screws up.

Yoko : If we really lose this whole thing, Ktaro will do Thursdays?

Yes! No! Dictionary! = do you have a boyfriend who won’t apologize after a fight?
Two of the callers don’t/won’t apologize even if they were the one wrong in the fight and Yoko+Hina tell them off a bit.

Taichi’s Request =
“Please think of a saying to replace the “Welcome home, master” at maid cafes.”
Yoko+Hina : …
Yoko : Aren’t you seeing him soon for Shounen Club Premium?  Can you tell him to please do this properly? Really, what kind of pretense is this?>>Haaha

Then Yoko brings up the phone conversation he and Taichi had the other day where he wanted to invite him out for dinner.

Taichi : What are you doing?
Yoko : I’m in the middle of a job.
Taichi : You should come over now.  This is your senpai here, we have a policy at the office about this.
Yoko : I’ve never heard of this before…

Hina : He’s really like this eh?

Back to his request…

Hina : Maido!  >> it’s like “Welcome!” in Kansai-ben…right?
Yoko : Ookini >> “Thank you” in Kansai-ben

Yoko : Isn’t there also the standard “Are you going to bath?  With me?” (**not sure if that’s right…), honestly, that one doesn’t make me happy at all, I’d prefer “Hurry up and bath already” (said in a nice way), that would be best.  >>He’s daydreaming again…
Hina : Ahh, the being urged kinda feeling.  That’s M, hahhahaah.  Maa, if your wife said it, that would be good…
Yoko : Right right, it would really piss me off if my mom said it.

Mail from listeners =
1 - “Has Yoko given something back to ((Girl staff member’s name)) for White Day yet?”  <
Yoko : I just remembered this when I asked her for some tissue…
Hina (talking to the girl staff) : Did you receive it?  No? Hahahaha.
Yoko : When I got the tissue from her, I thought, it is my smile that is the best present of all.
Hina : The hell?
Yoko : There is nothing else I can do.  She probably got lots of presents anyway, so what I give her is not a thing…
Hina : You always smile anyways, what’s the difference?
Yoko : That’s why I smiled differently!
Hina : What kind of smile?
Yoko : Um..on the surface…it may be the same…but the feeling….what I really want to say, is that I’ll bring something next week.
Hina : Right!
Yoko : I am a bit busy on Thursdays…
Hina : You can go before Thursday!
Yoko : That is true, I’m sorry ((girl staff name)).

2 - “Today’s Takki’s birthday, what did you guys give him?”
Hina : I called him earlier…can we call him after?”
They’re going to call him after 12.

Next couple mail are about Ktaro, encouraging him on and such.  Yoko+Hina talk to him about his work, and of course, Yoko has to ask him who was the cutest person he had worked with…
Ktaro : Shibasaki Kou is amazingly beautiful.
Hina : Ah, I think so too!
Yoko : We’ve met her here in this building once, she is beautiful.  She greeted us too.

It’s 12 o’clock!  Instead of an opening talk, they call Takki.
Hina : Hello?  You’ve had a long day.
Takki : Hihi.
It’s quite noisy in the background, you can hear people laughing.
Takki : I’m having my birthday party right now.
Hina : Ah, Takki’s birthday party?
Takki : Uhn.
Hina : Who else is there?
Takki : Tsubasa’s here…and Go (fromV6?) senpai is here too.
Hina : Oh, hahaahahaha, Go senpai too, that’s good.
Takki : Let me pass the phone to Tsubasa.
Tsubasa : Heyy
Hina : Hello?
Tsubasa : Whoo..who..who is this? (he sounds drunk here, but is fine for the rest of the conversation)
Hina : Hahahahaha, it’s Murakami.
Tsubasa : Ah, Murakami-kun.
Yoko : Yokoyama’s here too.
Tsubasa : Ah, Yoko-chan.  <
Hina : We’re in the middle of a live broadcast right now .
Tsubasa : Ah, hi, good evening.
Hina : We’re doing Recommen right now.  It sounds rowdy over there.
Tsubasa : Yesterday, was my partner-kun’s 25th birthday and we’re celebrating with our staff.
Yoko : It feels nice eh?
Tsubasa : Yep, this time, there are not girls allowed and everyone has to wear suits.
Hina : Like a dress-code.
Tsubasa : Yesyes… everyone is wearing suits right now.
Yoko :  I can’t go then…because I don’t own a suit.
Hina : What a sad announcement, hahaahah.  It seems like you produced this whole shebang this time?
Tsubasa : This time, I got Takizawa’s mom to write a letter.  She said this was the first time she wrote a letter for her son.
Hina : Wow.
Tsubasa : We (he+Takki) took the train together today.
Yoko : You two?
Tsubasa : Yep, the two of us.
Hina : Ah, you have a good relationship eh.
Yoko : Hearing this, is it become like our (Kanjani) relationship is not good?
Tsubasa : The eight of you should go take the train together. << Eight! He said eight! Eeee!
Hina : Tsubasa-kun,  can you pass the phone back to Takki?
Tsubasa : Hold on.  (away from the phone, to Takki) Hey! Lead actor!
Takki : Hello!
Yoko : Haha, he sounds charged up.
Hina : Hello?
Takki : Hello.
Hina : Hello?  Can you hear me?  Eh? Has the reception gone bad?
You can hear people in the background clapping their hands and chanting “lead actor, lead actor.”
Takki : Hello?
Yoko : Takki?
Hina : Takki, can you hear?
Takki : I can’t hear you, can I call you back in an hour?
Hina : No, that's no good (the show will be over).
Yoko : Takki?
People are still clapping and chanting in the background.
Yoko : Takki? 
Clapping and chanting gets louder.
Yoko : highpitchedlaugh
Takki : It’s too noisy here, I can’t hear you at all.
Hina : Then we’ll talk to you later.
Takki : Later.
Hina : Later, sorry about this.
Yoko : Takki?
Takki : Thank you very much.
Hina : Yesyes, bye!
Takki : Bye!

Yoko : What the hell was that?  That was probably the most shoddy call out we did.
Guy : Hahahahahaahahahah.
Hina : It was a guys’ night out.
Yoko : Hmmhmm, fans got to hear his 25 year old voice…
Hina : Though there was still a lot we wanted to say.
Yoko : This is completely because we didn’t do enough on our end.
Hina : Unfortunately.
Then Yoko+Hina apologize to Takki+Tsubasa fans for that phone call. << they’re being a bit too hard on themselves no?
Yoko : We lost to the phone cord (bad reception)
Hina : We’ll get our revenge next year.

Tsubasa’s “To Base”

Yoko : Can I say something?  Do we have time?
Hina : Go ahead.
Yoko : I just got a mail from Maru-chan and Yasu.  For those who don’t know, in my Johnny’s Web entries I’ve been playing rock-paper-scissors with the readers and Maru-chan always mails me afterwards, saying if he won or lost.

[[**NOTE: at the end of his entries, Yoko would put in either rock, paper, or scissors and say something would happen to those who won against him, and that Thursday he did rock, saying those who guessed paper would have Yonesuke-san (this famous story-teller) come eat dinner at their house (yes, most of the results he writes are nonsense)**]]

Then he reads out their mail (haha, he read everything out in his best girly voice)=

Title :
Maru - *rock emoticon*   Yasu - *scissors emoticon*
Message :
Wahh, I guess Yonesuke-san’s not coming then *down arrow emoticon*
What happens if it’s a tie?
By the way, we’re at Shizuoka for a shoot right now *peace hand signal emoticon*
Ah, it was a draw again.  Recommen, fight! *heart emoticon*

Yoko : Hahaha, what a mail eh?  So full of lovelove.
Hina : Really, he writes the same way in his web entries too.
Yoko : Every week, I’ll definitely get something back from him by Friday or Saturday.  If my prediction’s right, they’re probably at some hotel in Shizuoka right now. 
Then they decide to call Maru during their ending talk.  Without telling him beforehand.  Call him unexpectedly right then. 
Yoko : Mehhhh, if he doesn’t pick up.  <

Hina’s looking at Yoko’s cellphone =
Hina : Why haven’t you taken off the seal yet?  It’s been bugging me all this time.
Yoko : I get a pleasant feeling when people tell me this.  I don’t know what’s a good time to take it off.  <
Hina : Do it now, it’s really irritating.
Yoko : No!
Hina : Why the hell not?!
Yoko : Cause this is what I aim for!  I want to make people mad with it.  <

Main Project (remember?) = Yoko+Hina vs Ktaro for Recommen Thursday nights hosting rights!
Ktaro rides in with his motorcycle background noise again and they explain the whole thing again.  But this time, Yoko’s all high-tensioned, going “YO! Japan’s number one!” all over the place.

Game 6 - A I U E O composition.
Hina vs Ktaro.  Uh, I skipped this but the staff judged Hina’s to be better.

Game 7 - drinking green juice.
Yoko vs Ktaro. There are two green juices, one tastes good, and the one’s awful.  Yoko chooses the awful one, doesn’t drink at all from it because he can’t even stand the smell.  He just laughs and keeps saying “no way.”  After Ktaro wins, they all try a bit of Yoko’s and all make disgusting-sounding noises (Yoko sounds like he’s going to throw up)

Yoko+Hina are losing very badly by this point.

Game 8 - last game - another jumping chance - this one’s worth 10 000 points.
Hina : We can’t lose this one!
Ktaro : The game is… Taro Karaoke Contest! <
It’s OsakaTaro vs Ktaro on the same song, but different lyrics, one of the staff members spent the week coming up with Ktaro-esque lyrics.  They both sing, and the staff decides who wins.

Hina goes first.  It’s fantastic.

[[So here’s all I know about OsakaTaro =
I have no idea when it first started but it was on Recommen, the music's from ガッツだぜ by the ufluls and I don't know who wrote the parody lyrics first...Yoko? 
Anyway, the first time I heard of Osaka Taro/"Naniwa ya de" was from Recommen last July, when they did a top 10 countdown of songs Yoko+Hina have sang on the show, it was ranked fifth and fourth (there was a rock version too, hahaa).  Yoko totally ran away with the whole thing, laughing his head off and making fun of Hina while telling him he should perform this at their next concert ("You should pop up on the stage with a bam!").  Then the weeks after, Yoko would make Hina sing it at the end of Recommen.  They received a lot of mail about it, and finally did a whole show devoted to Osaka Taro last October.  Yoko called himself YokoP the producer (hahah) and the main project was creating a full song for Osaka Taro for Hina to sing at his solo-con (hahahaha).  Yoko+Hina (mostly Yoko) came up with a back story for Osaka Taro (he's 27 but lies that he's 24, is very poor, sometimes gets into fights with his producer YokoP, wears tights with well known things about Osaka written on them and Ktaro's mask on stage, really really likes garlic...) and they took lyrics suggestions from listeners.  By the end of that show, they had this!

浪花やで　      I LOVE YOU大阪
Naniwa ya de  ai rabu yuu Osaka
Naniwa (old name for Osaka)      I Love You Osaka
マジでか？　SUPER IDOL
majie de ka      suupaa aidoru
Is it for reals?  Super Idol
にんにくにん　ある意味GARLIC
nin-niku-nin       aru imi gaalik
Garlic Man, in some ways it's garlic
大阪男児は笑かしてGO！
Osaka danji wa warakashite go!
Osaka men **SOMETHINGSOMETHING** go!

うけないない金ない　関係ない
ukenai kanenai     kankei nai
It doesn't matter that I have no popularity or money
このチンケな太郎に愛をちょうだい
kono chinkena taro ni ai wo choudai
Please love this uncool Taro
オチないヘコまない　NEGATIVEじゃない
ochinai hekomanai     negatibu janai
I won't fall, I won't get discouraged, I'm not negative
この話みんな聞いてちょうだい
kono hanashi minna kiitechoudai
Everyone please listen to this talk

TENSION低くて　どうすんの？
tenshon hikukute   dousunno
What do you do when your tension is low?
にんにくガッと食って　にんにくにん
Nin-ni-ku gatto kutte        nin-ni-ku-nin
Eat some garlic          Garlic man  **no idea what ガッと means**
たまにゃ大阪ではじけるぜ
Tamanya Osaka de hajikeruze
Let's burst open in Osaka once in awhile **NOTSURE**
ほら日本一世界一　オレの歌を聴け
Hora nihon ichi sekai ichi ore no uta wo kike
Look! Best in Japan, best in the world.  Listen to my song!

浪花やで　好きやねん大阪
Naniwa ya de sukiyanen Osaka
Naniwa      I Love You Osaka
ムダにゴツい　庶民派IDOL 
Mudani gotsui   shominha aidoru
Uselessly tough, Idol of the common people
八万円　ある意味GORGEOUS    **the 80 000 yen bit is a jab at the amount of money Hina spent on a trip to Korea with Maru last year**
Hachiman en aru imi goojasu
Eighty thousand yen, in some ways it's gorgeous
POSITIVE思考で気合でGO！
pojitubu shikou de kiai de go
Go with positive thinking and fighting spirit!

Now I need to ask for a favour, please translate this. 
If you highlight the text underneath the lyrics, you get my shoddy translation... I didn't get some of the words and meanings and blahhhhhhhhhhhhhave to hide it.  So yes, helphelphelp!]]

Ktaro’s version is about how he aspires to be Mina Monta (man on Gakkou e ikou with V6 but has a million other shows), hands out tissues promoting the show, gets bullied by Yoko+Hina.

Of course, OsakaTaro wins and Yoko+Hina gets to keep hosting Recommen on Thursdays.  There isn’t much celebration which prompts Yoko to say…
Yoko : This ending was probably decided already (meaning that the whole was rigged…of course, hahaa), that’s why the tension is like this.

They play "Zukkoke Otoko Michi"

Ending Talk = they call Maru!  (Haha, Yoko screws up dialing the first time and Hina has to do it)
RingRingRing
Hina : Shit, we don’t have much time left.
Yoko : Eh…this is no good, shall we call Yasu?
RingRingRing
Hina : Yeah… let’s call Yasu.
Yoko : Yeah…Yasu.
Maru picks up right at the last moment.
Maru : Haihai
Yoko : Hello?
Maru : Hello
Yoko : Maru-chan?
Maru : Uhn, uhn.
Yoko : I lost my cell phone.
Maru : Where?
Yoko : Eh?  Isn’t it the worst?
Maru : It is.
Yoko : I’ve been looking for it but I can’t find it.
Maru : Really?
Yoko : What are you doing?
Maru : Now?
Yoko : Uhn.
Maru : Drinking. Hina : Maru! It’s Recommen, it’s Recommen!
Maru : Eh?
Hina : We’re wrapping up Recommen right now!
Maru : No way!  No way!
Yoko still hasn’t stopped laughing.
Hina : You’re drinking right now?  Until when?  Dude, sleep early!
Maru : I probably should, have to get up at 4 in the morning.  << I think this was the Maru+Yasu fishing location shoot for 4/17’s MuchaBuri.
Yoko : Is Yasu with you right now?  Hina : Hahahhaaha.
Yoko : Ahahaah, bad timing, bad timing!
Hina : As always.
Yoko : You can’t pass the phone to Yasu?
Maru : Can’t, he’s 大 (= the first word of shit) << Maru catches himself and stops right there, but HAAHAHAHA the damage’s been done.
Hina+Yoko : HAHAHAAHHAAHAHAHAHAH
Maru : Is this live right now?
Hina : It’s live, Recommen’s ending in 30 seconds.
Maru : Ahhhh, oh man oh man, I’ve said things I shouldn’t have said.
Yoko : highpitchedlaugh
Hina : Hahaha, it would have been better if you didn’t say it.
Maru : Really…
Yoko : So you had no idea (this was live)?
Maru : None! Because you were saying how you lost your cell phone…
Yoko : highpitchedlaugh
Hina : Ahh, you’re too nice, Maru.
Yoko : 10 seconds left, wrap it up Maru-chan!
Maru : Ahh…ahhh, please continue to support Recommen.
Yoko : Why is it about Recommen?
Hina : Ah, see you next week. Byebye!
Maru : Byeby(gets cut off here).
Yoko+Hina : Hahahahahaahahahahaha.