Tell me what you watch on TV
Authentic Japan in Gyakuten Saiban pt.7
Wow, an update! What a twist.
But seriously, I've brought you a new installment in the Ā«Authentic Japan in Gyakuten SaibanĀ» series. This time, we'll be talking about the animation referenced in this franchise.
The dialogues I'm referring to are triggered in case 2-4, when NaruhodÅ and the Ayasato sisters arrive at the banquet at the Banto Hotel at the very beginning of the episode. And all this before the dialogue with the actor for Tonosaman (the Steel Samurai), so if possible, don't open all the dialogue with Mayoi just yet, but poke around the location (so you can check for yourself). By the way, I'll be referring to and translating the Steel Samurai as Ā«TonosamanĀ», just to avoid confusion.
ććććć³ććä»ę„ćÆć¦ć”ćæććć ćŖćć
Ah, seriously, today feels just like a dream.
ććććŖćć¼ćć¼ć«ć¹ćæć¼ćć«ć³ććÆććć¾ć§č¦ććććć
We got to see all kinds of heroes, stars, and even the director.
ć¼ććÆć»ćØćć©ē„ććŖćć£ććć
Well, I barely knew anything about it myself.
ćć”ć ćŖć¼ććŖćć»ć©ććććć„ć¼ć¹ć°ć£ććč¦ć¦ć”ćć
That's no good, Naruhodo-kun. You shouldn't spend all your time just watching the news.
ę„ęę„ć®ę8ęćÆćććµćć³ć»äøć§ćććŖ!
Sunday mornings at 8 AM are officially locked in for Steel Samurai: Third Generation! (Tonosaman: Hei)
Hei (äø) is the third character in the ancient Chinese system of cyclic characters (ten stems). In modern Japanese pop culture, it is often used to denote a third season, a third version, or a new generation of heroes. And as we know, Tonosaman and Himesaman already have a son ā Wakasaman, who was translated in the localization as Ā«Iron InfantĀ» for some reason, although he is actually a Ā«young masterĀ» ā wakasama (č„ę§). (Someone in their head heard Sebek shouting in admiration of Young Master Malleus, and someone else heard Agni trying to reason with Prince Soma.)
ććć ! ę„é±ćććć£ććć«č¦ćććć
I know! Let's watch it together starting next week.
At this time, NaruhodÅ is not yet enlightened by the Tonosaman franchise, as his knowledge of them is limited to a former client and nothing more, so he's not particularly interested in people from the industry (he firmly adheres to the rule: I don't need to know about this yet). But he always watches the news to keep up with what's going on in the country (which is actually quite useful for a lawyer). So Mayoi decides to take matters into her own hands:
ćććććććčµ·ććć¦ćććććć
Don't worry, I'll beat you out of bed to make sure you're up.
Haha, but the problem is that Tonosaman is broadcast at 8 AM on Sunday, which, judging by NaruhodÅ's reaction, is quite early for him.
But apparently, everything is solved by brute force:
ćććčµ·ććć¦ (tatakiokoshite) is a verbal expression of å©ćčµ·ćć (tatakiokosu).
Composed of å©ć (tataku - to hit, to beat) + čµ·ćć (okosu - to wake). It means Ā«to unceremoniously shakeĀ», Ā«to lift from bed by forceĀ», Ā«to knock out of sleepĀ».
As I would say in the same context: Ā«will you kick me?Ā» (meaning Ā«wake me up at the right timeĀ», not something truly terrifying).
ļ½„ļ½„ļ½„ļ½„ććććę°ćć¤ćć£ć¦ćććŖćć¦ćļ½„ļ½„ļ½„ć
ā¦It's fine, you really don't have to go out of your way for my sakeā¦
Okay, I promised to tell you about the animation, not dwell on the fact that NaruhodÅ is still asleep on Sundays at 8 AM.
ćÆćæć”ćććē„ććŖćć®?ććććµćć³ć»äø(ćøć)!ćć
Hami-chan, you've never heard of it? It's Ā«Tonosaman: Hei (Third Generation)!Ā»
ćÆćććććććę„ęę„ćÆćć£ć±ć ćäøēćć©ćåä½åå “ććā¦ā¦ć
Yes. On Sundays, I devote myself exclusively to the Ā«World Children's Masterpiece TheaterĀ»ā¦
It's noteworthy that here Harumi (whom Mayoi calls Ā«Hami-chanĀ») uses the word ćć£ć±ć (moppara). This means Ā«exclusivelyĀ», Ā«to do nothing butā¦Ā», Ā«to devote oneself entirely to somethingĀ», emphasizing Harumi's proper, old-fashioned, and modest upbringing (her personal address Ā«watakushiĀ» already speaks volumes, even though she's only eight years old).
Meanwhile, Mayoi has surprisingly absorbed all of modern culture and is replete with slang and loanwords on par with the Kansai dialect.
ćć”ć ćććÆćæć”ćććć¤ć³ć°ćÆćæććŖććććµćć³ćŖć®!
That won't do, Hami-chan! All the cool youth watch Tonosaman!
ćŖćć»ć©ćććććÆćććććµćć³ćć儽ććŖć®ć§ćŠŗŠ°?
Do you also happen to be a fan of the Tonosaman, Naruhodo-kun?
ćć¼ććć”ćć”ććŖćć»ć©ććć ććć¤ć³ć°ćććŖćććć
Ah, no way, no way. Naruhodo-kun isn't part of the Ā«youthĀ» anymore.
She excludes Naruhodo from the ć¤ć³ć° (yangu) group. This word is a direct loanword from English (Ā«youngĀ»). In Japanese in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, this word was used as slightly ironic or, conversely, playful slang for Ā«advanced youthĀ» or as a designation for media/magazines/etc. for young men/women (for example, there's the magazine Young Gangan (ć¤ć³ć°ć¬ć³ć¬ć³), which published things like DARKER THAN BLACK and WORKING!!).
I'm not very good with English slang and haven't kept up with all the latest trends (Naruhodoš¤), but now it's something like Ā«wokeĀ» or Ā«slayĀ»? (While searching for examples, I discovered that I'm apparently now a Ā«chuegyĀ» lol).
By the way, by that logic, Mitsurugi is quite Ā«advancedĀ» since he's captivated by Tonosaman's charm.
ććć ćŖćć¼ććÆćäøēćć©ćåä½åå “ćć®ć»ćć儽ćć ćć©ć
True. Though personally, I actually prefer the Ā«World Children's Masterpiece TheaterĀ».
ćććć ćåćć¾ć ćć¼ććŖćć»ć©ćććÆć
Wow, what a total kid you are, Naruhodo-kun.
Here, Mayoi calls Naruhodo ćåćć¾ (Oko-sama), which is a respectful form of åä¾ (Kodomo - child). But this is literally just another insult we hear from Mayoi directed at Naruhodo. I don't know how to translate this into a single word (slaaaaaang), but it literally means Ā«you look like you've just crawled out of kindergartenĀ».
Now, let's get to the program that the Ā«uncoolĀ» NaruhodÅ and Harumi watch on Sundays.
It's called äøēćć©ćåä½åå “ (Sekai Kodomo Meisaku Gekijou - World Children's Masterpiece Theater), a direct reference to the real-life program äøēåä½åå “ (Sekai Meisaku Gekijou ā World Masterpiece Theater), which sometimes appears under the abbreviation åå (Meigeki).
It aired on Fuji Television from 1975-1997 and from 2007-2009 in prime time (7:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.) and was produced by Nippon Animation. It was preceded by Calpis Comic Theater (running from 1969 to 1974), then Calpis Children's Theater (1975 to 1977), and immediately before that, Calpis Family Theater (1978-1979).
The first series aired under the World Masterpiece Theater title was Anne of Green Gables in 1979.
At this time, the official websites of both the animation studio and the program itself list DOG OF FLANDERS (1975) as the first series created for this program block. This happened because production of the series, starting with episode 21, transferred from ZUIYO Co., Ltd. to Nippon Animation (employees of the former company founded the latter). Therefore, DOG OF FLANDERS formally continued to air in the Calpis Children's Theater program block, but it was produced by a different studio, as were three other series that followed.
By the way, you can find the full list of programs here (the Nippon Animation website) and here (the World Masterpiece Theater website itself).
Each series has between 26 and 52 episodes (not including feature films). The timeslot showcased a different classical book or story from European or North American children's literature each year.
We can only assume that this is most likely how NaruhodÅ spent his Sunday evenings (the game doesn't discuss the airing times of this particular program, but we know about Tonosaman), so his interests aren't limited to watching the news. NaruhodÅ is generally quite secretive ā you have to listen carefully to discover his interests. The very fact that he's incredibly strong, can play poker well, perform simple magic tricks and acrobatics, has a keen appreciation of art, and is adept at making his interlocutors or opponents listen to him speaks volumes about his background (I'd like to clarify a couple of facts in Japanese, but few people check the details I need in letsplays, so I'll have to dig around and search from scratch).
So, that's the kind of reference to classic Japanese animation that was presented to us in a somewhat veiled form. I'd love to see your comments and reblogs!
origamiaround
stormborns
turnnoffyourmind
jacobvanloon
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