Journeys of A Fugitive

Hirata: Is that so?

Hoshi: Yes, it is.

Hirata: Was everyone excited?

Hoshi: Yes they were. Listeners who are drinking their tea–

Seki: Are they drinking tea as they listen to us?

Hirata: Yeah, are they?

Hoshi: Yes, I imagine they’re doing so while sitting at the kotatsu and eating mandarin oranges. [A kotatsu is a low, wooden table frame covered by a futon, or heavy blanket, upon which a table top sits. Underneath is a heat source, often built into the table itself.]

Seki: Ah, I see.

Hirata (to the listeners): Everyone, is that true? You’re listening to us while sitting at the kotatsu and eating oranges?

Hoshi: Perhaps with a radio cassette player–

Everyone else: Radio cassette player?

Seki: Are we talking about the Showa era? [The Showa era ended in 1989.]

Hoshi: Okay, it could be a CD radio-cassette player.

Ishida: The important point is that it’s something that can play CDs.

Hirata: That’s a valid topic for our discussion. **

Hoshi: Well, we’ve finally wrapped up the recording for the third volume. This time too, the stories were fun.

Hirata: Fun? It was not fun for me.

Hoshi: Admit it, you had fun too.

Hirata: Hey, we recorded two tracks for this third volume, didn’t we?

Seki: Yes, we did.

Hirata: Why did I have to play okama roles in both tracks?** [Gojyo played the Queen of Hearts in Track 1 and briefly impersonated an effeminate celebrity in Track 2.]

Hoshi: Ah ha!

Seki: That’s true, he did that in both tracks.

Hoshi: In the end, indeed.

Hirata: The rest of the characters kept bringing up the past.

Hoshi: I didn’t think it would come to that point.

Hirata: Furthermore, the quality is gradually decreasing–

Hoshi: It was superb, though. A success on the first try.

Hirata: In what way?

Hoshi: You succeeded on the first try, didn’t you?

Hirata: Did I? Oh well, I suppose it’s okay.

Hoshi: All right. Here is the theme for today’s discussion: For idols, there are many rules in place for the sake of preserving their looks. Do you have personal rules of your own? For example, a rule of eating pork cutlet rice on the day before a contest. [The first two syllables of the Japanese term for pork cutlet rice, katsudon, is a homonym for the verb ‘to win’ in Japanese.] If you have such a rule, please share it. Let’s start with Seki-san.

Seki: Yes! This Seki Toshihiko, who plays Genjo Sanzo. It’s not a firm rule and may sound uncool, but I like natto [fermented soybeans]. Whenever I eat natto, first I’ll add butter to the tea, then hot rice. Around the time the butter starts to melt, I’ll put the natto on top of the rice and immediately add the soy sauce.

Hirata: Sounds delicious.

Seki: This is tasty. It’s always been my rule.

Hirata: I have a question.

Seki: Please go ahead.

Hirata: By natto, did you mean the stuff made from ground soybeans?

Seki: Yes, soybeans.

Hoshi: Ah, soybeans, is it?

Hirata: Soybeans, right? You stir them round and round before eating them.

Seki: With the butter, they form a combination that tastes superb. [YMMV.... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D]

Hirata: Perhaps I should try it.

Seki: Please do.

Hoshi: Let’s make it our rule too, Hirata-san.

Hirata: This does not sound like rule, as in something that Sanzo would say, like “I decided to do this today,” before going off to a match.

Hoshi: That could be a single-repetition mantra.

Hirata: What you described is just a favorite dish, isn’t it? It’s not really a rule, right?

Ishida: It’s a rule for when he’s eating natto.

Hirata: So it’s a rule, as in (doing an impersonation of Sanzo), “When I eat natto, I must add butter.” Understood.

Hoshi: I see. All right. Next, would you tell us your rule, Hirata- san?

Hirata: Me? I have none in particular.

Seki: What’s that?

Hoshi: Eh? Hirata-san’s– First, please introduce yourself.

Hirata: Ah. This is Hirata-san, er, Sha Gojyo. This is Hirata-san. Thank you for always looking after me. Recently, I’ve been playing okama characters–

Hoshi: He’s joking around.

Ishida: You’re pleased with it, aren’t you?

Hirata: I’m not.

Hoshi: You’re extremely pleased with it.

Hirata: My rule is the following: Whenever I have to play an okama character the next day, I won’t be able to sleep the night before.

Hoshi: Is that a rule?

Seki: You sound just like Osugi. [Osugi is an effeminate Japanese celebrity.]

Hirata: I can’t sleep. I feel like everyone’s thinking, “Here comes the okama again.” Is there anything else that would count as a rule? Something like superstitions? For example, making sure to step into the studio with the left foot–

Hoshi: Ah, I see.

Hirata: I don’t have that sort of rules.

Seki: Ah, yes, Hira-chan’s rule.

Hirata: Seki-san knows my rule.

Seki: Whenever I asked him if he had such a one-rule, he always answered he never had one.

Hirata: That’s my personal statement. But, did I once said something different to someone else?

Seki: Really? Something different?

Hirata: Ah, no, that’s not it. Another director absentmindedly told me off, live on the radio: “That’s it from my side. From your side – none!”

Seki: That’s probably during the early days.

Hirata: It was when I met Takakuwa-san for the third time at the recording site. [Takakuwa Hajime was the sound director for the various Saiyuki anime series and Drama CDs. https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=12967] He absentmindedly–

Seki: Absentmindedly–

Hoshi: Good opening words from him.

Seki: That’s a painful experience.

Hirata: To be told “none from your side” like that, I was like “heh” – it was that kind of [awkward] mood at the time. If I’d left, I wouldn’t be in Saiyuki today.

Seki: If you were not here, it’d have been tough for us.

Hirata: Therefore, the rule that I mentioned just now, it only applies in case of Saiyuki.

Hoshi: Ah, I see.

Hirata: It’s now become my personal rule.

Hoshi: I’m glad. Well then, Ishida-san, please tell us your rule.

Ishida: Er, my rule– this is Ishida Akira, who plays Cho Hakkai. This is a tough one. Nothing seems to come to mind–

Hirata: Somehow, it feels like you’d have tonnes of rules.

Seki: You probably have lots of them your whole life.

Ishida: Do I?

Hirata: Yes, you seem like an orderly person.

Hoshi: Yes, indeed.

Hirata: You give off the air of a model student.

Ishida: Do you think so?

Hirata: Yes, I do.

Seki: First of all, whenever you ride your bicycle, you obey the traffic rules, don’t you?

Hirata: That’s a given.

Ishida: Well, I’m a man who’s broken every rule.

Seki: Oh? That’s the opposite [of what I expected]!

Hoshi: The opposite!

Ishida: Yes–

Seki: While you’re on the road?

Ishida: Yes. From the standpoint of being an idol, I’ve broken all of the love ban rules and conducted many debauched love affairs.

Hirata: Debauched love affairs?

Seki: Hey, stop it, stop it! Akira-kun, you mustn’t go on with this topic!

Ishida: Why, at this point I have lots of regrets.

Hoshi: What kind of talk is this....

Seki: Wait a minute–

Ishida: Let’s see... medical fees, child support payments and many other–

Hoshi: Eh?

Hirata: Where are you going with this?

Seki: Stop it.

Ishida: Whenever I consider the future, it sure seems tough. How long will I have to continue paying for everything? When I think about this sort of things, life seems difficult, so–

Hirata: Hold on for a second. It’s not just one or two persons you’re talking about, is it? The thing about the child support payments.

Hoshi: That’s crazy.

Ishida: That’s why, since at this stage there’s no point regretting what I’ve done, my rule is to live harshly by myself, even if I feel like I can’t go on any longer.

Hirata: I see. That’s a bit depressing.

Hoshi: That was a depressing topic.

Hirata: We should’ve cut out a portion of this volume to make space for this topic. Akira’s talk about his depressing situation has been dominating this free talk. For an omake, it’s–

Ishida: It’d be a pity to remove such an interesting drama.

Hirata: Understood. This free talk is not the place for such a drama, so let’s make a track dedicated to it. An omake Drama CD track like the Urasai sections. The title would be something like Akira’s Murky** Past–

Ishida: Even if we were to make such a Drama CD track, it’d be wasteful if it featured only the things I’ve said just now.

Hirata: It wouldn’t be, if the rest of us were to act out the various roles.

Hoshi: Act out....

Hirata: I’ll act out this part: “Akira, this child is yours!”

Seki: That’s right!

Hoshi: Hey, hey, is everything all right?

Seki: It’s just a joke.

Ishida: Well, there are many kinds of jokes.

Hoshi: Then, what’s the truth, Ishida-san?

Ishida: The truth... are you still trying to dig into it?

Hoshi: I won’t feel satisfied until I get to the truth.

Ishida: The truth is, it’d have been great if I’d done all those things.

Hoshi: Ah-ha! So it’s the opposite.

Seki: Oh, that’s how it is.

Ishida: It’d have been great if I’d done all those things, because I’d be able to give an amusing talk about them at times like this.

Hoshi: Is that so?

Hirata: That was an extremely interesting and amusing talk you gave anyway.

Seki: You definitely look happy.

Ishida: Regrettable, how regrettable.

Seki: Really.

Hirata: Haa.

Hoshi: So you made that your rule?

Ishida: Yes.

Hoshi: Ishida-san and Hirata-san have told us how their rules came to be.

Hirata: Then, how about you, who live your life in a jovial manner?

Hoshi: Jovial? Do I? Well, this is Hoshi Souichirou, who plays Son Goku.

Hirata: I know that.

Hoshi: Yes, thank you for hard work. Fundamentally, I don’t really have a rule, but if I have to call it a rule, I think it would be to eat a lot after putting in a great deal of work.

Seki: Eh, so that’s how it is.

Hirata: Then, you shouldn’t be eating at all.

Hoshi: What do you mean? What do you mean?

Hirata: You should be losing more weight.

Hoshi: Yes, I should be, but the rule I have is whenever I do my best at work, I say to myself, it’s okay to eat.

Hirata: That only applies if you do your best, right?

Hoshi: Which I do.

Hirata: Well then, you should definitely be losing more weight.

Hoshi: As I said, whenever I do my best....

Hirata: Ah, is that so. Have you been doing your best?

Seki: Say, he’s the one to decide for himself whether he’s been doing his best or not.

Hoshi: That’s right.

Hirata: So he’s using the minimum standard, isn’t he? I see.

Hoshi: That’s because we’re never told things like, “you’ve done your best today,” are we?

Ishida: We don’t get told that a lot.

Seki: We just do our work as normal.

Hoshi: Right? When we get off work, the staff members don’t go out of the way to tell us, “Ah, it’s great that you’ve worked hard today.”

Hirata: You want to be told that?

Hoshi: Well, yeah....

Hirata: To the ladies who are listening to this CD, please write he’s done his best in your letters to this guy. Otherwise, he’ll grow fat.

Hoshi: That’d be the outcome of my self-pampering rule. Right, so we’re done with the topic of personal rules.

Hirata: I wonder if our answers are useful to anyone.

Hoshi: We’ve gained extremely valuable insight from everyone here. All right, so the third volume of the Saiyuki Reload Blast Drama CD has come to an end. Does this also mean that we’ve come to the end of the series?

Hirata: Isn’t it a good thing?

Hoshi: Ah, I know–

Hirata: It’s about time. It’s been interesting, but it’s all over the place.

Hoshi: Yes, it’s rather all over the place.

Ishida: It sure is.

Hirata: Also, there’s this pattern in which the tracks end with Gojyo shouting. Isn’t it about time we got rid of it? **

Hoshi: You’re getting tired of it, aren’t you? We’ve done a lot of that.

Hirata: From the start, there’s the constant fights between Gojyo and the monkey.

Hoshi: Yeah, there’s those.

Hirata: Surely everyone’s had enough of that pattern.

Hoshi: Whenever we did a comic story, it always ended with Gojyo [getting the short end of the stick].

Hirata: Let’s make space for something new.

Hoshi: Make space for what?

Hirata: Even if we were to make a fourth volume.

Seki: Yes, we can try to create a new pattern.

Hirata: Yes, something refreshing. Don’t make Gojyo shout [at the end]. Also, don’t make him act out effeminate characters so much. How about it?

Hoshi: Got it. Well, let’s gradually discuss such a matter some other time–

Hirata: But, it’s fun.

Hoshi: It’s fun, isn’t it?

Hirata: Especially for me, who like the Urasai sections the most.

Seki: Which one is it?

Hoshi: That’s true. That’s why, the various [comic] CD Dramas are the type Hirata-san likes.

Hirata: Indeed, I enjoy doing those.

Hoshi: Well then, with everyone’s support for the CD Dramas and of course the main story as well, we look forward to seeing you again in the Saiyuki Reload Blast series. Everyone, thank you very much for listening to the end. See you again!

Seki and Hirata: Yes!

Hirata: See you again!

The other three: See you again!

Ishida: Goodbye.

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Translations of the Drama CD tracks referred to during their conversation:

Hoshi: Thank you for your hard work. It’s been a while since a full-blown Saiyuki Drama CD [such as this one] was last released. In this CD, a number of bonus audio dramas were compiled. It’s quite a voluminous work, but it also gives me a sense of satisfaction. Well, I wonder if Hirata-san, in particular, is pleased with this undertaking. As for me, it was fun. However, for Goku, there were some serious parts from the beginning to the end. Because of them, interesting episodes as they were, the level of excitement was pretty high and it was challenging [for me]. But those scenes were really rousing, especially the one with the wanko soba. Right?

Seki: You worked hard on it.

Hoshi: Yes, I did. I had fun doing the scene with everyone. Next, regarding my health, there’s nothing to tell in particular. I try to eat as much vegetables as possible. With that aim in mind, I’m doing my best. I like spinach. Whenever possible, I add it to my meals. At this age, this is something I should do. In this sense, everyone, please share what you’re doing for the sake of your health. Well then, over to you, Seki-san.

Seki: Yes. Thank you for your hard work. This is Seki Toshihiko, who plays Sanzo. I got to to let my hair down to my heart’s content and relax playing this funny version [of Sanzo], which appeared for the first time in a while.

Hoshi: You got to relax?

Seki: Well, it felt good. Thanks to this Drama CD, the stiffness in my shoulder blades seem to have loosen up. At least, this is the feeling I got. Now, I said that [performing in] this CD was relaxing, but–

Hoshi: I thought ‘what?’ when you said that.

(They both laugh.)

Seki: When it comes to health or relaxation, well, whenever possible, about twice a week, I run for about an hour. Moreover, recently, I regularly eat dried baby sardines while drinking orange juice.

Hoshi: Eh.... is such a habit beneficial to the health?

Seki: It satisfies my craving for have something in mouth.

Hoshi: You have such a craving?

Seki: Yeah. Well, not really **–

(Hoshi and Ishida laugh.)

Seki: I’d probably been brainwashed into believing doing that is good for my body.

Hoshi: Ah, I see.

Seki: And I got used to it.

Hoshi: I see... dried baby sardines....

Seki: In addition, I use the bamboo tea whisk at home to prepare tea from fine powder green tea – as prescribed by Sen no Rikyū. [a historical figure with the most profound influence the Japanese tea ceremony]

Hoshi: Just what one would expect [from Seki-san].

Seki: Now that the hot summer is approaching, I heard that when you drink hot tea in summer, you’ll enjoy the cool breeze [all the more].

Hoshi: Ah!

Seki: It’s the opposite effect [of what you’d expect] from hot drinks. With this in mind, I’m getting myself ready [for summer by honing my tea-making skills]. How about trying this method too, everyone?

Ishida: Awesome!

Seki: That’s it from me.

Ishida and Hoshi: Thanks for sharing.

Hoshi: Next, Hirata-san please.

Hirata: Hello, everyone. Thanks for your hard work.

Hoshi and the others: Likewise.

Hirata: We really got to make some bonus dramas at last.

Hoshi: Bonus audio dramas are Hira-san’s favorites, right?

Hirata: Yeah, they’re. Is it bad to have them as favorites?

(The others laugh.)

Hirata: As for my thoughts about the recording, we did Cinderella for the first track, right? Why did they come up with this Cinderella story? This happened quite a long time ago, but at an event, I was asked to impersonate Osugi [a gender-bending Japanese celebrity]. And, ah, I was inspired by this [for Gojyo’s role in this track]. I wondered if it was okay to adopt that persona too, even if it was for an actual production [of an audio drama]. I was agonizing between impersonating Osugi or coming up with something else. In the end, though, I arrived at a compromise, a new effeminate character [for Gojyo’s part as Cinderella].

Hoshi: Ah, just as I thought.

Seki: I see!

Hirata: No matter how I look at it, everyone is taking good care of their health. Well, at least Seki-san is. Monkey’s not doing anything, is he? As for me, well, to be frank, there’s nothing in particular. For instance, I’m not reducing the amount of cigarettes I’m smoking. However, this is something I’ve been keeping at: after getting out of the bathtub, I always take a cold shower. In summertime, there’s no problem with flinching at the first splash from the shower, since the water temperature is higher. But, in wintertime as well, I make sure to end my bath with an ice-cold shower. I’ve been doing this for about three years, you know. What do you think of it?

Seki: Well, I met my match today. **

Hoshi: As expected of Hira-san.

Hirata: That’s it from me. Everyone, take care of your health too. I don’t care whether it’s hot or cold season that’s approaching, whether you’re asleep or awake at the moment [!], but please pay attention to your state of health, everyone.

Hoshi: Thank you very much. Interesting, isn’t it?

Seki: As usual, you say interesting stuff.

Hoshi: Awesome, as expected of Hira-san. Well then, over to you, Ishida-san.

Ishida: This is Ishida Akira, who plays Cho Hakkai. Thank you for your hard work.

Hoshi: Likewise.

Ishida: I feel as if it’s been a long time since we last made this type of production for Saiyuki. The most recent role I played in this franchise was in [Saiyuki] Gaiden, which is a serious work. It reminded me that Saiyuki does not consist of only serious parts. There are also fun scenes in which the characters joke around.

Seki: It’s to this extent that the work has been misunderstood in the opposite way.

(Ishida laughs.)

Hoshi: Listening this album, you’d think there’s nothing serious about Saiyuki.

Ishida: It’s because it’s bonus audio dramas that we can deviate from the original story **. On the topic of health, since I’d really not been paying attention to my health, I thought I should start exercising. But, I managed to do that for only one day. It’s like the saying ‘a monk for three days.’ [a person who cannot stick to anything] I ended up not exercising the next day.

Hoshi: Ah, a one-day monk. That happened to me too.

Ishida: Therefore–

Seki: Monk? Did you call out to me?

(Ishida and Hoshi laugh.)

Ishida: Sorry for thoughtlessly calling out to you. I’m like a child who tires of something within three days. No, not a child. I can’t even qualify as a three-day monk. Therefore, I’d like someone to teach me a good method for how to continue [exercising after one day].

Hoshi: You want us to teach you.

Ishida: Is there something [you can tell me]? Aside from being bothersome, isn’t it tough as well to move one’s body?

Hoshi: It’s tough.

Ishida: I must be the worst human being for saying that it’s tough to move one’s body. Somehow, I just don’t feel like doing it. I end up thinking: just skip it. I think I need to beat that weakness of my spirit into shape. There you go: Everyone, in order not to end up like me, please pay diligent attention to your health and live a long life. Yes, that’s it from me.

Hirata: Will you conclude the cast talk, monkey?

(Ishida and Seki laugh.)

Ishida: Please take care of it.

Hoshi: Yes, that’s right. Saiyuki Noisy is the first Saiyuki Drama CD we’ve had for a while. What sort of Saiyuki drama will be released next? There’s still the serious stuff from the main story. Whether it’s that sort or something funny like this CD – the extent of this franchise is inexhaustible – everyone, please keep up your anticipation. And of course, we look forward to your continuing support. Well then, until the day we meet again, good-bye everyone!

The others: Good-bye!

Hoshi: Good-bye!

Seki and Hoshi: Until next time!

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(Round brackets): actions and sound effects. [Square brackets]: translator’s notes and clarifications. Double asterisks **: Stuff I am really not sure of.

As @soto-translates pointed out, cast talks aren't scripted, so the voice actors often interrupt each other, talk over one another, and mumble. I’m pretty sure I did not get everything right, so I’ll definitely appreciate any correction.

Links:

The track Hoshi refers at the beginning (the one with the wanko soba scene, Food Fight)

The translation of the track Hirata refers to (Cinderella)