Forget Otherside Picnic, do you know about Underworld Picnic?
I recently found out that Miyazawa Iori has a tradition of posting synopses of his spoof series "Underworld Picnic" (JP: 裏社会ピクニック, CN: 黑道野餐) on April Fool's every year. As of 1 Apr 2025, there are 9 'installments'.
Underworld Picnic is set "in near-future China" and utilises a lot of wordplay between Japanese and Chinese, so I thought it would be fun to translate and dissect these tweets.
The original tweet in Japanese, its English translation and Translator's Notes for further linguistic context will all be included.
Links to his tweets (are they still called tweets on Bluesky???) are hyperlinked at the start of each section.
おかげさまで『裏社会ピクニック／黑道野餐』シリーズも９まで行きました。
このシリーズは「裏世界ピクニック」が「裏社会ピクニック」[1] と読み間違えられることをネタにした著者自身による二次創作で、毎年4/1に発表されています。
Thanks to the support of everyone, the "Underworld Picnic” series has now reached its ninth installment.
This series is a spin off by the author himself, based on how often "Otherside Picnic" is misread as "Underworld Picnic" [1], and is released every year on April 1st.
[1] "Otherside" is read as Urasekai (裏世界), while "Underworld" is Urashakai (裏社会).
1. Underworld Picnic | 裏社会ピクニック／黑道野餐
冴えない学生の空鱼（コンユー）[1] は、スラムで殺されかけたところを鸟子（ニャオズ）[2] に助けられた。鸟子はいい儲け話があると空鱼に吹き込み、マフィアや殺し屋がひしめく危険な裏社会での犯罪者狩りに誘い込む。近未来中国が舞台の暗黒百合小説！（ヤヤカワ文庫NV）[3]
Dull student Kongyu [1] is nearly killed in the slums when she’s saved by Niaozi [2]. Niaozi tells Kongyu that she has a lucrative business opportunity and lures her into hunting criminals in a dangerous underworld teeming with mafia and assassins. A dark yuri novel set in near-future China! (Yayakawa Bunko NV) [3]
[1] "Kongyu" (空鱼) is the Mandarin reading of "Sorawo" (空魚).
[2] "Niaozi" (鸟子) is the Mandarin reading of "Toriko" (鳥子).
[3] A goofy riff off Hayakawa, publisher of the real series.
2. Underworld Picnic II: Last Resort | 裏社会ピクニック２／黑道野餐II Last Resort
元公安局員小樱（シャオイン）[1] の協力を得た空鱼（コンユー）と鸟子（ニャオズ）。鉄老大に囚われたCIAを救い、コンゴ・ニンジャ部隊[3] の暗殺者〈猫〉（ニャウ）[2] を撃退した二人に謎の女・冴月（フゥユエ）[4]と〈超青幇〉[5] が忍び寄る。暗黒百合小説第２弾！
Kongyu and Niaozi receive assistance from former Public Safety Bureau officer Xiaoying [1]. After rescuing the CIA held captive by the railroads, and defeating an assassin named “Neow” [2] from the Congolese Ninja militia [3], the duo is approached by a mysterious woman named Huyue [4] and the "Ultra Green Gang" [5]. Second installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] "Xiaoying" (小樱) is the Mandarin reading of "Kozakura" (小桜).
[2] I'm not sure what's going on here bc Miyazawa gave the reading for Cat (猫) as "Neow" (ニャウ) but it's supposed to be "Mao" in Mandarin. Maybe it's a cross between "nyan" and "meow"...?
[3] I had to Google this but apparently there really is a militia from Congo called the Ninjas LMAO.
[4] "Huyue" (冴月) is the Mandarin reading of "Satsuki" (also 冴月).
[5] "Ultra Green Gang" (超青帮) is an obvious reference to the UBL, but there's a bit of a fun wordplay behind this. 青 means blue in Japanese, and (light) green in modern Chinese, respectively.
3. Underworld Picnic III: Master of the Ghost Mountain | 裏社会ピクニック３／黑道野餐III 幽灵山主
深層ウェブにアクセスした空鱼（コンユー）と小樱（シャオイン）が路上で拉致された。二人を追って鸟子（ニャオズ）が辿り着いた迷宮のような屠殺場跡は、〈超青幇〉に繋がる洗脳カルトの本拠地だった。地獄の脱出行が始まる――！ 暗黒百合小説第３弾！
After accessing the deep web, Kongyu and Xiaoying are kidnapped on the streets. Niaozi follows their tracks and arrives at the labyrinth-like remains of a slaughterhouse, which turns out to be the headquarters of a brainwashing cult connected to the Ultra Green Gang. Their escape from Hell begins! Third installment of the dark yuri novel series!
4. Underworld Picnic IV: Candlelit Night Escapade | 裏社会ピクニック４／黑道野餐IV 秉燭夜游
自宅を襲撃された空鱼（コンユー）は鸟子（ニャオズ）と共に都会を離れる。しかし〈超青幇〉の腕は長かった。双子の殺し屋〈人〉〈牛〉[1] に追われ、廃墟となった歓楽街で一夜を明かす二人。だがそこで鸟子の様子がおかしくなって――!? 暗黒百合小説第４弾！
After her home was attacked, Kongyu leaves the city with Niaozi. However, the Ultra Green Gang's reach is long. Chased by twin assassins "Human" and "Cow" [1], the duo spend the night in an abandoned entertainment district. But Niaozi starts acting strangely?! Fourth installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] 人 means "human", while 牛 means "cow". When you combine them, you get the kanji for kudan (件), which is the cow-human hybrid monster that Soratori encounter during their overnight trip in vol 4.
5. Underworld Picnic V: Madam Eight-Feet | 裏社会ピクニック５／黑道野餐V 八英尺夫人
かつて空鱼（コンユー）と鸟子（ニャオズ）が倒した誘拐組織のボス〈八英尺〉が死の淵から戻ってきた。ビルの崩落に巻き込まれて折れ曲がった８フィートの長身を引きずり迫る〈八英尺〉。そこに猟犬を連れた謎の老婦人が現れて――暗黒百合小説第５弾！
Madam Eight-Feet, the boss of a kidnapping organisation that Kongyu and Niaozi once defeated, has returned from the brink of death. Madam Eight-Feet approaches, dragging her eight feet-tall body that has been twisted from being caught in a collapsing building. Then a mysterious old woman with a hunting dog appears. Fifth installment of the dark yuri novel series!
6. Underworld Picnic VI: Mr. T | 裏社会ピクニック６／黑道野餐VI Mr. T
謎の男「T大人」の気功[1] で記憶喪失になった空鱼（コンユー）。鸟子（ニャオズ）は小樱（シャオイン）たちと共にT大人を追う。カーチェイスの果てに〈超青幇〉の地下廟で対峙する一同。茜理（チエンリー）のジークンド[2] ーは通用するのか!? 暗黒百合小説第６弾！
Kongyu loses her memory after being subjected to qigong [1] by the mysterious man known as “Lord T”. Together, Niaozi and Xiaoying pursue Lord T. After a car chase, they come to a showdown in the underground tomb of the Ultra Green Gang. Will Qianli's Jeet Kune Do [2] come in handy? Fifth installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] Qigong (气功) is a form of meditative martial arts that focuses on breathing techniques, but in fiction (especially wuxia works) it's popularised as some kind of chakra-esque everything-jutsu.
So here it's kind of funny bc T-san's attack is quite literally exhaling hard in someone's face with a Hah!
[2] Qianli (茜理) is the Mandarin reading of "Akari" (also 茜理).
And I guess Miyazawa converted her karate skills to the Bruce Lee-invented Jeet Kune Do for good measure LOL.
7. Underworld Picnic VII: Funeral Under the Moon | 裏社会ピクニック７／黑道野餐VII 月下白事
〈超青幇〉の女・冴月（フゥユエ）が死んだ!? 突然届いた葬儀の案内状。敵の意図を怪しみながらも、空鱼（コンユー）と鸟子（ニャオズ）は、因縁浅からぬ小樱（シャオイン）、露娜（Luna）[1] と共に冴月の葬儀会場へと乗り込む――！ 暗黒百合小説第７弾！
Huyue, the woman from the Ultra Green Gang, has died?! A funeral invitation arrives out of the blue. Although suspicious of the enemy's intentions, Kongyu and Niaozi, along with Xiaoying and Luna [1], with whom they shared a deep connection, head to the venue of Huyue's funeral! Seventh installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] Runa doesn't actually have a kanji for her name, so Miyazawa gave her a Chinese homonym (露娜), read as Luna.
8. Underworld Picnic VIII: Birds of a Feather [1] | 裏社会ピクニック８／黑道野餐VIII 一丘之貉 [1]
謎めいた言葉を残して鸟子（ニャオズ）が姿を消す。戸惑う空鱼（コンユー）を襲う、鸟子によく似た女。鸟子は一体何者なのか？ 二人いたという彼女の母親とは？ 相棒の謎を追ううちに、空鱼はいつしか鸟子の家の前に立っていた。暗黒百合小説第８弾！
Niaozi disappears after leaving behind a cryptic message. A confused Kongyu is attacked by a woman who closely resembles Niaozi. Who exactly is Niaozi? And who are her two mothers? While investigating the mystery behind her partner, Kongyu suddenly finds herself standing in front of Niaozi's home. Eighth installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] The sub-title "一丘之貉" is a Chinese counterpart to the English phrase "birds of a feather". A literal translation would be "raccoon dogs on the same hill".
9. Underworld Picnic VIIII: Chimera City | 裏社会ピクニック９／黑道野餐VIIII 奇美拉之城
空鱼（コンユー）と鸟子（ニャオズ）は訓練のため、民間軍事会社〈炬光安保〉[1]と共にかつてカルトの拠点だった屠殺場跡へ赴く。しかしそこで露娜（Luna）が取り乱し、罠だらけの屠殺場の奥に姿を消す。二人は露娜を救えるか――暗黒百合小説第９弾！
Kongyu and Niaozi head to the remains of a slaughterhouse that was once a cult's base with the PMC, Torchlight Security [1], for training. However, Luna becomes upset and disappears into the depths of the slaughterhouse, which is full of traps. Can the two of them save Luna? Ninth installment of the dark yuri novel series!
[1] The "torchlight" used here is written as 炬光. 炬 specifically refers to wooden torches.
You might've noticed that the vol 9 title above was written with the erroneous roman numerals "VIIII". Miyazawa has an explanation for this:
よく見たらナンバリングがVIIIIになっててウケたのでIXに直そうかと思ったけど昔はVIIII表記だったらしいしこの作品らしいのでわざと違和感のある表記をしたんですよという顔で行くことにしました（創作の秘密）
Upon looking closely, I noticed that the numbering was written as VIIII and thought about changing it to IX instead, but apparently it used to be written as VIIII in the past, and since it seems to fit this story, I decided to roll with it and come across in a way that says, "I deliberately made it look weird" (secret to creativity).
Hope you guys had fun reading this! It was a blast to translate and break down this thread.
