i don't want to pollute this thread with another "thank u me too" post, but i am really grateful for the translations, thank you
anyway, to prove this post isn't just another "me too" post, i have included here a translation i did a few weeks ago for a friend.
warning 1: this is the english translation of a chinese translation, so i could have totally fucked up the original meaning.
warning 2: my english is not that good so grammar nazis please be gentle with me.
------------------------------------------------date: 2005-02-06
name: kaori graduation special
----
narrator: with graduation approaching iida suddenly takes a trip.. a building appears within eyesight, it's the temple she "trained" at. this is the place iida wants to re-visit before her graduation.
iida: i remember now. so many memories, this is the area i was in charge of cleaning. 11 people, sleeping on the beds we made everyday and attending classes... yuko and them washed their faces here...
*in the hallway*
iida: all the luggage was stored here. everytime you wanted to get something it was like, "excuse me, excuse me", because everybody had to walk through this hallway.
*chuckling* here's the washroom, and in this corner is where nacchi and asuka practiced. they were often chided for getting in the way.
*different room*
iida: here is where we had our singing lessons, and we all slept here together.
narrator: like instant-replay, the memories of yesteryear slowly come back.
iida: excuse me, is the head monk here?
(ed. note: dunno the proper word for this "boss" person)iida: hello
monk: you've grown up.
iida: ah, you remember me
monk: of course i remember
iida: i've grown up.
monk: you're more beautiful now
iida: thank you very much
monk: everybody has left.
iida: yes
monk: feeling a little lonely? i heard you're leaving too.
iida: yes
monk: i see. it's because you were all hard-working students that you all had successful careers
iida: yes.. sometimes i still think about it.
monk: keep working hard
iida: yes, thank you very much
*caption* what to tell the other 11 members
iida: what i want to say to them... i think i've already said it. but.. it's only now that i am able to relate to what yuuchan had to go through. the responsibility and difficulty of being the leader and also the oldest. i'm only able to understand it now, really. i didn't really think about it that much before. this is what i'd like to tell everyone. but the things i've said and the announcements i have made were all for a reason, i hope everyone can understand that.
*caption* things to do for the members before graduating
narrator: this is when she came up with an idea. meanwhile the members are here gathered in the meeting room.
yaguchi: kaori will be graduating soon.
rest: yes
yaguchi: i think we should all get together and make a present for her, how about it?
rest: oh good, yes, i agree *clapping*
yaguchi: so what should we make?
ishikawa: iida likes to paint, let's make a painting for her.
yoshizawa: sorry, but someone can't draw. *points to miki and eri*
fujimoto: aww, why are you pointing at me?
kamei: it's none of my business.
konno: because there are 12 of us, let's make something related to 12.
ishikawa: 12 members, it's the first time we've had that right?
rest: yeah.
offscreen: i wonder what's related to 12.
*caption* pencil
offscreen: pencil (??)
yoshizawa: a dozen.
ogawa: yeah a dozen pencils.
kamei: calendar.
yaguchi: ah! everybody gather around.
offscreen: what? what?
yaguchi: gather around.. i think this should be pretty good. *whispers*
rest: yeah!
yaguchi: not bad eh? so let's do this thing then.
rest: yay!
anouncer: in order to give iida, who normally looked after the girls, a nice surprise, the members decided to secretly hand-craft a present for her.
*back to iida*
narrator: the thing that iida wants to do for the members before graduation is...
iida: i'm pretty confident about cooking, because living alone and having to look after your own health. so if a member isn't feeling well i would make something for everyone. they would all say they want to come to my house to eat, and i'd say "sure, come, come." but no one really had any time, so it was hard to do. i really want to cook something for everybody, that is my wish.
narrator: cooking for everyone her specialty hot pot with ?? sauce. after much thought, she finally decided on what ingredients to use.
*caption* (it's just a big ass list of ingredents)
narrator: she then embarked on an ambitious journey. and thus began her secret plans. the place she is going to.. is about a 90 minute drive from downtown, in the beautiful countryside.
narrator: she found a farmer's house, and started up a conversation. and then for some reason she put on galoshes and started walking toward the farmland...
narrator: yes, because she wanted to personally inspect and pick the ingredents to use for cooking.
iida: i hope to to use the freshest ingredents to cook the tastiest food, so i have to make sure with my own eyes, to find the best tasting ingredents.
narrator: almost all the vegetables here are not sprayed with pesticide.
*show a truck filled with vegetables*
narrator: she hand-picked all these vegetables here. she then continued looking for other ingredients, going further into the mountain she found... mushrooms.
iida: this one's not bad.
narrator: and also mizuna, which is a must-have for hot pot. and thus iida continued to harvest many ingredients.
*back to the other members*
narrator: in order to create iida's gift, the members boarded a bus to someplace. they arrived at a factory-like place, what are they going to do here?
yaguchi: *speaking to fujimoto* it's up to you now
yoshizawa: design is by fujimoto miki, it's all up to you, probably the most unreliable person here.
narrator: and thus fujimoto miki was tasked with coming up with the design
offscreen: cute...
fujimoto: this is not good?
yaguchi: if you turn it upside down it comes a peach.
fujimoto: no it doesn't.
narrator: fujimoto, yaguchi, and yoshizawa used a metal sheet to create the base using the uneasy design. not being used to manual labor, they plowed on ahead but it seems they're making progress.
fujimoto: the base is finally finished.
narrator: also, the other members seemed to be working on some trinkets. each person used iida's image to design their own creation.
ishikawa: what am i using this thing for? you'll just have to wait and see.
ogawa: i can't take this, so tired...done.
konno: this is actually pretty fun. i haven't done arts & crafts since elementary school. i'll do my best because it's for iida-san.
ishikawa: i think she likes flowers, so it has a flowery feel to it. and i feel she likes leather, and also i think she likes antiques, so i made this. flashy! i hope she likes it.
narrator: 2 hours of work have passed and the base is starting to take shape.
yaguchi: it's cute, and the colour's not bad.
offscreen: hi everybody.
narrator: everyone is taking a break from their busy schedule to come, not wanting any rest they kept on working.
tanaka: you need to polish this so it shines. looks more luxurious... and it's all for iida-san.
fujimoto: i've never did this for anyone.
yaguchi: but this job is pretty hard work.
fujimoto: i've never even did this for myself.
yaguchi: as long as it makes her happy.
yaguchi: mikitty look.. look here! a butterfly knot.
offscreen: wow, amazing!
yaguchi: butterfly knots come to mind when talking about kaori.
offscreen: really...
yaguchi: when's she's being weird she likes to tie butterfly knots.
narrator: and then the members took turns taking each other's pictures, what are they thinking of doing? working from the morning, and just like that 10 hours had passed by. for their leader, who always took care of them, the present that all helped to create...
all: finished!
yaguchi: hope she'll be happy.
yoshizawa: she'll probably be surprised, kaori.
yaguchi: yeah she'll be very surprised, she doesn't know what we're doing today.
offscreen: can't wait.
narrator: so what did the members make for iida?
---
narrator: after harvesting vegetables, the next place iida is going to... taking a break from her schedule she went to hiroshima. her goal is...
iida: i want to find the freshest oysters for the hot pot... so i came here to hiroshima.
narrator: so she went to japan's premier oyster harvesting area. while there she enlisted the help of local fisherman to catch oysters. she disappeared for 10 minutes to prepare for the journey out to sea...
iida: i finished changing. this is cool right? very professional feel.
narrator: and with the right clothes the serious iida boarded the fishing boat for the trip out to sea, for the challenge of doing the last thing for the members. and then the fishing boat arrived at the oyster farm. the water below the unstable deck is tens of meters deep.
iida: so heavy, so heavy... wow..
narrator: this is the first time she watched machines lifting up this large amount of oysters. because the oysters will fall from up high, lots of them falling, so if not careful it can become dangerous. still iida decided to personally use the scissors for cutting. finally the oysters were harvested safely.
offscreen: can you cook a tasty hot pot?
iida: i think so, yes.
narrator: after returning to the harbour, iida also helped with the cleaning, her expression was one of concentration. she even performed the difficult task of oyster shucking.
woman: getting better at this..
narrator: and in a short time she learned this too. she used the oysters she's personally harvested. next up is cleaning the oyster.
woman: this is good enough.
iida: last one.
iida: thank you very much.
woman: hope you can make a delicious gourmet.
iida: so many, i can't wait.
narrator: after all the work has finished it's time to taste the oysters they just harvested.
iida: it's very hot.
offscreen: eat it in one bite.
iida: unreal. this is my dream, harvesting by myself and then eating it by the sea.
offscreen: careful it's hot.
woman: i also cooked some rice.
iida: really?
woman: here help yourself.
iida: i want to try it.
narrator: and here she met a different type of dish...
*caption* rice with oysters
iida: it looks really good.
iida: delicious, delicious. if i can make this i want to make it for everyone too. i'll think i'll try it, i should be able to.
narrator: and thus a new dish is added. more good news is waiting for iida. some fisherman, hearing the news, caught some fresh fish for her.
*fisherman unloading fish*
offscreen: putting this kind of fish together with oysters into the hot pot is the best...
iida: really? it must have the best flavour.
iida: i will definitely cook the best food for the members to eat, i really want to thank everyone.
woman: you're welcome.
man: when you're back in tokyo be sure to cook the best hot pot.
iida: yes, yes. thank you very much.
narrator: and with everyone's help her ingredient-gathering trip comes to an end.
---
narrator: the day of the shoot has come. the members are filming the skit. at the same time iida is in the kitchen preparing. it has all the ingredients she hand-picked, plus the recipe she picked up in hiroshima. first she prepares for the rice with oysters. because she's good with cooking, the preparation gets done quickly.
iida: ok, now for the hot pot.
narrator: next up is the hot pot, preparing every ingredient. last come the oysters which were the most difficult to harvest. carefully putting them into the hot pot, it's finally finished.
narrator: then, she entered the stage with nakazawa, and then she did a little "something"...
narrator: meanwhile, the other 11 members were in another room making the final preparations for their surprise. and then finally they headed for the soundstage where iida is. what will become of their surprise plan? let's first see what iida's little "something" was.
*other members walking down the hallway and sees a sign*
ishikawa: eh? what's this.
offscreen: wait? what's this. why? "waiting for everyone, please come in".
offscreen: wait, what is this?
narrator: inside, iida's planned interview was supposed to be taking place, which was staged to lure her to the surprise plan. so after seeing the welcome board the girls had a confused look on their face.
*the girls enter the soundstage*
girls: what's this? what?
offscreen: welcome!
girls: what's this?
iida: sit, sit in the front.
narrator: the already-prepared dining table (er?)
nakazawa: everyone's asking what's going on. so let's ask kaorin for an explanation.
iida: i've always wanted to cook something for everybody, you've all said you wanted to eat it right? so, i hope to do it at a place where everyone can be together. my house can't accomodate everybody...
offscreen: that's true
iida: so today i hoped to borrow the haromoni soundstage to make something for everyone to eat.
rest: great!
nakazawa: before that though, let's watch a short video clip.
narrator: hoping to let the members understand the surprise meal, she showed them a short video clip. only then the members were made aware of iida's hand-picking ingredient trip.
nakazawa: this is great you guys... you really have to thank iida for this. here comes the food...
rest: wow!
nakazawa: turn it around the right way, the right way, kaori's insistent about this.
kaori: there's rice with oysters too! *picks up a jar of sauce* and this, this is my hand-made dipping sauce. i made this at home. *picks up another jar of sauce* and this, this is for everybody, ooooh suddenly this feels very heavy. this is all done.
offscreen: it smells wonderful
nakazawa: and this, is kaori's special, i'm going to open it, want to see it?
rest: yes!
narrator: iida served the rice to the clearly touched members, while nakazawa took care of the sauce.
yaguchi: it's boiling.
nakazawa: then let's enjoy the food kaori has prepared for us. everyone put their hands together. ready, set..
all: i'm starting
*they start eating*
yaguchi: i'm gonna start, kaori.
iida: i prepared all of this while you were filming the skit.
offscreen: really, everything?
iida: even the soup stock.
offscreen: really.
nakazawa: i can eat too right?
iida: please go ahead.
yoshizawa: this is so good.
yaguchi: must eat the oysters, you don't often get a chance.
nakazawa: kei-chan, kago and nono should be here to try this too.
offscreen: yeah, for sure.
offscreen: this sauce is great!
nakazawa: this is good, so good.
iida: it's because everytime we're filming we eat cold lunch boxes, so i wanted you all to eat something hot.
nakazawa: tanaka, is it good?
tanaka: it's delicious. i think everything's good, this is my 3rd helping. mushrooms!
nakazawa: mushrooms, mushrooms are the best.
*konno crosses over the table*
konno: it's because i can't reach, sorry!
kanazawa: it's because you're hungry for more.
kanazawa: this hand-made sauce, is it easy to make?
iida: it's really easy to make. you just have to marinate it for awhile.
kanazawa: marinate? marinate what?
iida: it's an industrial secret.
kanazawa: industrial secret? ok then whisper it to me after we're done.
iida: ok i'll whisper it.
kanazawa: if i can make this kind of food i'll be married right away! this is awesome. *speaking to other members* you must learn this well, men are powerless against this. like this..
yaguchi: we don't have a problem, no hurries.
kanazawa: saying i made this, and then bring it out..
waah it must be amazing... they'll be hooked, and never leave again.
yaguchi: yuko hasn't started drinking yet?
kanazawa: *collapses in laughter* no...
yaguchi: it's ok?
narrator: and this happy dinner time seemed to pass very quickly...
*they finish eating*
nakazawa: everyone's full?
rest: yes
nakazawa: i'm too, i'm about to burst. i was supposed to be the MC today but now i don't even know what i'm supposed to do.
rest: it was delicious.
nakazawa: really delicious.
rest: thank you for your hospitality!
nakazawa: and so today you were all invited to eat kaori's own cooking. in reality this hot pot carries a little message for everyone. did you know that?
yaguchi: in the hot pot?
nakazawa: because kaori would be embarrassed to say this in front of everybody, so we recorded a short video clip, let's watch it together.
*start clip*
narrator: the meaning of the hot pot is this..
iida: 12 people is like the 12 ingredients, each has a different flavour. when making the hot pot, take fish for instance, and vegetables, mushrooms. they all taste good, but it's also kind of lonely eating them individually. that is feeling of morning musume. with all 12 kinds it becames a delicious hot pot. with all 12 together it becomes a very strong group. it's this kind of thinking that i thought that the hot pot was approppriate for this.
narrator: 12 personalities together as one...
*clip ends*
yaguchi: i hate this, really *wipes tear away*
nakazawa: so it's because of this, the hot pot everyone says is delicious, that's kaori's reason for making this. now that everyone has eaten leader kaori's delicious hot pot and rice with oysters, it'll be strange if there is nothing in return.
rest: right.
yaguchi: we made a present too.
rest: yes!
iida: really?
yaguchi: please bring it in!
*they bring the present in under cover*
iida: what is it? what is it?
yaguchi: kaori, please lift this.
iida: it's hidden under here? i can't wait.
yaguchi: ok, let's go, 1, 2
iida: cute! it's a clock?
narrator: yes. the thing that all the members worked hard to make was a hand-made clock. surrounding the sides are the decorations the 11 members made for iida. then each member wrote down their best wishes and put a picture of themselves where the numbers are before it was done.
*the members line up to put their trinket on the clock*
tanaka: iida-san, the hot pot and the rice with oyesters was really delicious. this is the necklace-watch i made for you, i hope you will wear it as a lucky charm.
iida: ok.
tanaka: thank you very much.
sayumi: iida-san always calls me sayu, really cares for me, and says i'm cute. it makes me feel very happy. i hope we can act together wearing pon-pon. thank you!
(ed. note: everything she said i'm not sure of)kamei: when i first joined my voice was really quiet. iida-san personally taught me that this wasn't right, and i still remember it now. i'm always grateful for iida-san, thank you very much and hope you will do your best.
iida: you too.
fujimoto: iida-san thank you for your cooking. when miki first joined she didn't know anything, so frequently talked back. how should i say this, i guess i must have been a hard-case. i guess i was like this. even then you still talked to me alot like a sister, it made me really like you a lot. i'm about to turn 20, hope we can still have fun together.
iida: for sure
niigaki: iida-san thank you for your cooking. when the 5th gen first joined, it was you who first started teaching us. i didn't really know anything. there was this time when there were only two of us singing together, and you praised my singing, it made me really happy. after you graduate i hope you'll still give me suggestions, thank you very much.
iida: you too.
ogawa: when i first joined i didn't know anything, and had many failures. iida-san taught me a lot, and got me used to these things. and you were the first to call me mako-chan and to care for me, it made me really happy. in the future, after iida-san has graduated i will continue to do my best. hope you will continue to care for us, thank you very much.
konno: iida-san thank you for your cooking. i've learned a lot of things from iida-san, at first i was scared, i thought iida-san looked mean. but, you've really taught us many things. at the concert when iida-san performed for the last time as a member of morning musume, i felt lonely so i sent a text message to iida-san, and received a reply right away. that message made me feel warm and fuzzy. from now on no matter what i'll never forget iida-san's intentions. please keep up the good work, and i'll keep doing my best too.
takahashi: iida-san thank you for your cooking. iida-san has taught me a lot, and scolded me and also praised me. but.. there was this time after a concert you said takahashi's dancing was pretty good, i never forgot that. it's because of this kind of encouragement that i continue to work hard to this day. i hope from now on i can also say to other people: "go and be a true senpai". even though i'm far from there yet, i will continue working hard teaching others. next time please come visit fukui.
iida: fukui? sure.
takahashi: let's go eat fukui cuisine.
iida: ok, let's go eat together.
ishikawa: kaotan, we've been together for a long time. there's something i always wanted to thank you about, i used to be very stubborn, but you always encouraged me to think more, making me consider things from different angles like i never used to before. my thinking has also changed a great deal. back then i was still a kid, now... a little more mature. i hope i can be like kaori and receive a wonderful graduation. i will make the best use of my remaining time in morning musume.
iida: do your best
*ishikawa tries to push in the trinket*
iida: careful
ishikawa: it's because i can't lift my head to look at you
yoshizawa: thank you for your cooking. when we first joined kaori looked after many things for us. at that time i wasn't able to express my feelings openly. but because of kaori's concern for us, always thinking of us, only while kaori's still with us was i able to learn the things that contribute to morning musume today. next year i'll be the sub-leader... it's this year i'll be the sub-leader, leading the younger members. so even if kaori graduates we will still try our best, to continue the future morning musume. pleased be assured that. thank you very much.
iida: do your best, sub-leader.
yaguchi: this day has finally come. right now i have very mixed feelings. i really, had many shared memories with kaori, and had many fights too. but because of this a deep bound has been created. whether i can lead the morning musume that kaori cares so much about, is something that i am uncomfortable about. please give me lots advice when the time comes, and i will personally try my best to do a good job as a leader. please kaori feel free to walk your own path, just like before, boldly go on. you always took care of us pesky members, we are really grateful for that. thank you very much.
iida: do your best, from now on i leave it up to you.
*hands her the last trinket*
yaguchi: please finish it with this
iida: use this?
*iida puts it on*
*caption* complete
iida: thank you
nakazawa: wow, it started ticking!
iida: it's ticking, must have been some hard work.
nakazawa: it's really wonderful. and so morning musume's time and kaori's time have both started together, it's a really great present.
yaguchi: this clock has another meaning, and that is when kaori's feeling down, you can look at this clock and can think back to the bond we twelve people had together. and use it as an inspiration. we used this as the inspiration for our work.
iida: the clock also has 12 parts too.
nakazawa: kaori, perhaps it's the last time talking to everyone about your feelings, now if you think of anything else please tell it to them.
iida: i always wanted to maintain my original feelings, but being the oldest member as well as the leader. everybody joined while still very young. there are times when i had no choice but to reprimand people. but the loneliness of being separated from family, and also not being about to go out with schoolmates. taking this into account, if i nagged more people would be even more depressed. so i don't really like to admonish people, but there are times i had to reprimand people, reminding them to be more mindful of things. but because people have stepped up and followed, therefore we have the result we have today. but if it weren't for overcoming these difficult obstacles, we wouldn't have the morning musume of today. if there are new members joining, you have to seriously caution them, seriously turn each member into a morning musume. there are only two days left, please support me.
rest: yes
-- eric kamezou segment --
nakazawa: how are things lately
yoshizawa: lately? it's february... february's
setsubun...
nakazawa: that already passed no?
yoshizawa: then.. february 9th
nakazawa: ??? (another homophone joke that the japanese love and the rest of us go
)
nakazawa: setsubun's past, and feb 9th is not here yet, but..
*kamei appears*
kamei: excuse me! i know you're busy discussing things so please let me interrupt for a sec.
nakazawa: who? who?
kamei: excuse me! *starts to take off shoes*
nakazawa: wait, wait, wait.. don't put it there. who are you?
kamei: me? i'm morning musume's specially contracted salesman for related products. the most eloquent stud.
nakazawa: the most eloquent stud...
kamei: my name's eric kamezou, pleased to meet you. *hands nakazawa a business card*
nakazawa: stud? where is it written?
kamei: it's written there.
nakazawa: where?
kamei: there...
nakazawa: it's too fake. *drops card on ground*
kamei: *horrified* what are you doing?
yoshizawa: but i'm interested in his white rose tie.
offscreen: yeah it's not bad
yoshizawa: we can let him in right?
*kamei comes in and sits down*
kamei: today i prepared specially for a classy woman like you, a CD that will restore your youth just by listening to it!
nakazawa: a CD that can restore youth... sounds like fun.
yoshizawa: restore youth?
kamei: especially you *points to nakazawa*
nakazawa: mind your own business.
kamei: being released on feb 9th is the new single by W called "koi no fuga".
nakazawa: the cover is very cute.
kamei: this single is a cover of a very popular song in 1968.
nakazawa: what is this? you looked very suspicious.
kamei: i'm not suspicious at all.. also, also.. an autograph by the two W members are being given away just for today. *holds up a cardboard with two scribbled words*
offscreen: tsuji and kago.
nakazawa: you signed this yourself didn't you?
kamei: no.
yoshizawa: it's written using the left hand, the words are so ugly.
kamei: you want to buy it or not?
nakazawa: it's not often that you hear about something that can restore youth..
kamei: yeah yeah.
nakazawa: it can make the skin younger and softer right? not buying it is probably not a good idea.
kamei: thank you for your business! *stands up*
nakazawa: what?
yoshizawa: what is this?
*kamezou starts dancing*
offscreen: what's happening to you?
rest: what just happened?
kamei: you can tell by my name that i'm of mixed heritage. whenever i'm happy my latin blood just start boiling.
*clip of w single*
kamei: the next product we have is this... being released on feb 9th, melon kenebi's 13th.. 14th new single, "ikutai wa shoujiki na E... RO... S..."
offscreen: gross!
nakazawa: what does EROS mean?
kamei: this, i hope today everyone can learn this together.
nakazawa: you probably don't know what it means either.
kamei: the lyrics are like this, let's please have the soon to be 20 miss yoshizawa recite it.
yoshizawa: i can read this kind of lyrics?
kamei: sure you can.
yoshizawa: i'd really like to transform to Ganko Ittetsu to read this.
nakazawa: that would be a lot of fun.
kamei: recite it please.
*yoshizawa recites the lyrics in a sexy voice*
nakazawa:i'm sorry but that sounded more like Hosoke Kazuko.
offscreen: yeah, it's so similar.
yoshizawa: no way...
nakazawa: it sounded just like hosoke with no preparation at all.
yoshizawa: no that's not true, the corners of hosoke's mouth have to point downward like this. *curves her mouth downward*
*break*
kamei: and then we have this, that miss Y.N.
nakazawa: Y.N.??
kamei: yes. Miss Y.N. this is her debut single.
nakazawa: the other day, this has nothing to do with what we're talking about, but i went out for a drink with kei-chan. the worker at the store there, i'm not sure where they're from, looked kinda like forigners to me, they brought this poster over and asked me to sign it. it's this one: *shows a poster of herself*
offscreen: foreigner?
nakazawa: i think he lives in japan. "please sign this for me."
nakazawa: i was a little embarrassed... so.. all the stuff you brought here today, please let me buy all of them.
offscreen: why? why?
kamei: and this
nakazawa: this i'll take too.
kamei: thank you for your business! *music starts* *starts dancing* *music stops* ok.
offscreen: it's finished?
kamei: yep.
*clip about melon kinebi's concert*
kamei: i'll come again.
nakazawa: not necessary.. you don't have to come again.
kamei: goodbye!
nakazawa: i wanna ask something, isn't your suit a little too big?
kamei: it's because i'm still a new member.
*kaori concert*
offscreen: are you ok kaori?
iida: let's go.
iida: let's perform our best ok?
*on the stage*
iida: this day has finally arrived. in my heart this will be the best day of my life. thank you very much everybody.