#(( anyhow. yeh im doing better today anyhow

[royalreef]

Ah. All of her guests have gone home again, and the world is tinted over with white at the edges, frost creeping in at the windows. It's... lonely. Lonely to be reminded of all that Miranda grew up inside of, all that she's ever been used to, people who look like her and sound like her and speak like her, people where she is not merely a strange visitor wandering by that they don't have to make room for. Odd, to have the feeling taken away again, to feel again like she doesn't have a seat at the table, that she cannot settle down into a place so pointedly not her own. To be met with silence instead of song, and to have no partner to sing back and meet her voice.

She misses them already, in a world colder than any they would have ever known.

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Ep 33 - Fujikawa Kyuji's retirement, & a mystery safe, & an appeal for mystery location suggestions.

K: Hi, this is Dir en grey's Kaoru starting this episode of The Freedom of Expresion. Joe san, Tasai san, welcome. Um, I've brought a copy of Tokyo Sports with me..

T: Thank you!

K: Its this page...Fujikawa Kyuji's retirement.

J: Even I understand this.

T: Yeah..How do you feel as a Tigers fan when you see this, Kaoru?

K: Well...Im wearing him on my t-shirt..

J: Yeah, thats cool.

T: Its really cool.

K: Well, I quite like him....out of all the Hanshin players.

J: If you were to explain it to a baseball novice like me, what is special about him as a pitcher?

K: His fastball, yeah his fastball.

J: He doesn't throw curveballs, right?

K: Yeh. His fastball burns through the air...well, at least it seems like it. I've never stood against it so i don't really know, but...*1

And then, even if they know a fastball is coming, they can't hit it.

J: Even when those professional batters know a fastball is coming...

K: He's gotten better and better since 2005 when they won the league.

J: What is his max throwing speed?

K: Hmm, what is his max?

T: Isn't it around 150km?...But it's not just his speed..

K: There are people who throw faster, but no-one can hit his throws.

J: Ah, rather than speed, he has the power to stop the batters.

K: Mm, even if they hit it, it never goes very far.

T: They say its like the ball grows out.*2

J: Ah, like the ball grows out from his hands?

K: He's retiring, but the season hasn't ended yet. He's in the second team at the time of this recording, but there's still a chance he might rise up and throw for the first team. I really wanna see him throw in this season. He only needs 5 more saves to get into the Golden Players Club.

J: Oh yeah right?! Wouldn't you like him to get in, right? Can he not play for another year? Is that no good?

K: No, he can't.

T: He's already worn out.

K: He's apparently been intending to retire since last year. But he did surpisingly well last year. Well, it sounds a bit wierd to say it like that, but...(haha)...he managed.

J: I see, I see.

K: But this year, it seems like his body is starting to grumble at him.

J: Ah, he feels its time to step back. How old is he again?

T: I think he's 40 this year. He's in the Matsuzaka generation. He was born in 1980.

K: In the All Star series, players like Kiyohara or Cabrera...was it Cabrera? They say 'Straight out'*3

J: Oh, before they throw?

K: Yeh, like when they are going for a fastball

J: Incedible.

K: And then they get three strikes. Its like they want a manga-style showdown. It does sometimes seem like manga, right?

J: Yeh, like 'Star of the Giants'.

K: Yeh, yeh.

J: Or 'Apache Yakyuugun'.

K: And they really do get three strikes.

J: So cool....Well, one way to look at it is, he is still a star of the baseball world.

T: Well, yeh. Every player has to retire at some point.

K: Yeh, its sad, but..

J: What will he do? Will he become a commentator? Or a coach?

K: I think he'll become a coach. He's still active at this moment though.

J: So what about Hanshin winning?

K: They will win!

J: Oh, good. Haha.

K: But the Giants are strong...they never lose.

J: Lets take it step by step.

K: I hope they do.

J: This is all we ever say, haha, hoping they do well.

K: Hmm, well, yeah. Ok, Joe, could you tell us today's topic.

J: Yes, ok well I'd like to introduce some kinda mysterious news this time 'Unsolved mystery of metal safe placed right in the middle of field.' A large safe has been discovered in the middle of a farming area in New York state, USA. By whom, when, and why the safe was put there is a complete mystery. However, the land owner  has said, 'Its best just to leave this mystery as a mystery'. A note stuck on the side of the safe bared the message, 'If you can open this safe, you can have the contents of it'. Despite the land owner saying it shoud be left as a mystery, large crowds gathered attempting to open the safe due to the note. But eventually, they were ordered to leave by the police.

K: I like this.

J: Do you?

K: Yeh, I do. I love stuff that makes no sense.

J: What is this all about? I wonder whats in the safe? What part of this story are you most interested in, Kaoru?

K: Well, I wonder what type of safe it is, first of all.

J: Yeah, it just says its big. Maybe like the size of a fridge?

K: And its in the middle of a farmer's field?

J: Yeh, someone must have carried it there.

T: Yeh, first of all someone has done that.

K: And the land owner is saying just to leave it there?

J: Yeh. I kinda got the feeling it would get in the way of the crops though.

T: Right.

K: So, the farmer didn't put it there?

J: Yeah.

T: Well, thats not written here.

Kamk: No, I bet he did.

K: Haha

J: The landowner?

Kami: Who else could have done it? Yes, he did.

K: Hahaha.

J: Is that the mystery solved then?

Kami: The mystery is him saying its fine to just leave it there. Thats stupid. He's orchestrated this himself.

J: Kami, what do you think is in the safe?

Kami: There must be some money in it at least.

J: Ahh.

Kami: Just a bit of money...

T: Do you think he's hiding his Playboy collection in there from his wife or something?

Kami: He wanted to make it into the news.

K: Ahh, well thats possible. Anyhow, its interesting.

J: Yeah.

K: This type of thing is really good.

J: Mm, its not hurting anyone, its not benfiting anyone..

K: Yeh, when the crowds gather the police will move in, right?

J: I also think this kind of thing is really interesting.

Kami: Don't you have a garden at your family home, Joe?

J: I do, but its not big enough to fit a large safe in it. A ??? *4 would fit though.

K: Would you be ok if a crowd gathered?

J: No no, that would be no good.

T: Haha

J: Its not that type of garden. It would be tough if they all turned up..everyone would be like, 'Whats going on??!' Its right on the edge of Hachouji, quite rural. Your neigbours are right there. Its different from the middle of Tokyo. The neighbours would be shocked.

Kami: I wanna do something like this on this show.

J: Yeah. A kind of unexpected happening.

K: Like what? A set-up?

J: Yeh, yeh. Not like a mean joke, but.. just something to see how the world reacts to it.

K: Ahh, I see.

T: Well, thats already happened once with us, with the sound mysteriously cutting out.

Kami: Tokyo Sports could write an article about it.

K: But even if we devised something, we wouldn't be able to say anything about it, right?

J: Yeh, we wouldn't be able to.

K: So we could only set it up..

J: But if everyone was talking about it, it would make the news.

K: And then we could make it a topic here  someday...

J: Someday...ten years later or something?

K: Noo, you wanna do that? Haha.

J: I wanna do something mystery related though.

K: Kami could set something up?

J: Oh, thats a good idea.

T: Yeah.

K: It would be fun if we tried to solve it.

J: Yeah, it would. Do you normally like reading detective novels?

K: Yeah, I do. I don't read tonnes of them though.

J: Aren't they doing that type of thing in trains and stuff recently...JR did it..

T: Oh, they did.

K: Like a detective game?

J: Yeah its like a game.

K: Our drummer is really into that kinda thing.

J: Oh, yeh yeh yeh. Shinya did say that he liked it. But I think this type of thing is pretty exciting.

K: Should we go and try that type of thing out?

J: Should we reserve it?

T: Yeah.

J: I wonder if any are on at the moment.

Kami: Lets do it!

T: Ah, but in this kind of situation (i.e. covid )...

K: Right, they might not be doing them at the moment.

T: I think I saw something going on in Shimokitazawa or somewhere before though. Like a mystery solving challenge.

Kami: Lets go to a mystery/supernaturl spot.

J: Now we've arrived at mystery spots.

T: Eventually.

J: Should we go?

T: This is our (Tokyo Sports') speciality.

K: Right? Well, I've been waiting for this too.

J: Eh? Is that ok for you?

K: Yeah, its ok.

J: Its quite scary for me.

K: Really?

J: Yeah, I get really scared.

Kami: So when I say a mystery spot I mean  something like going up a slope the wrong way or something *5, not something scary.

J: Oh, that type of thing? Kami, I want to ask you this...are ghosts real?

Kami: .......... Yes.

J: But they are different from you, right?

Kami: Yeh. I mean, to be honest, I don't really know.

J, K: Hahaha

J: Well, you might get into trouble if you were explicit about it.

T: One of our reporters apparently had a UFO experience near Chosho city, in Chiba.

J: Would that be ok though? UFOs?

K: Would it?

T: They apparently appear quite often in Choshi.

K: Really?

Kami: Aren't UFOs a bit scary?

J: They are too scary!

K: They are not scary.

J: Have you ever seen a UFO, Kami?

Kami: Um..

K: Ah! I got it! Lets appeal for ideas...Of any mysteries people know about.

T: And we can solve them.

K: Mm, and then we can go to the place.

J: Lets do it.

K: Ok, everyone, if you know any mysterious, not scary..well, a little bit scary is ok...

J: Just a little bit. No real haunted places.

K: Yeah, not like that, but any places with a bit of mystery, that make you wonder.

J, T: Yeah, thats good.

K: We can go to that type of place and try to solve the mystery.

J: Yep!

K: So please send us your ideas! I want us to go somewhere.

J: Me too.

T: Yeah, me too.

J: Its not exactly the TFoE detective club, but..

T: Ah, that sounds cool.

J: We'd be off to solve the mystery.

K: Like with one of those big cameras?

J: ???

K: ???*6

J: Yes, like that, like that. Oh, im looking forward to it.

K: Ok, well, lets end here. Please subscribe. Thank you very much.

T: Thank you.

*1, 2, 3 I know nothing about baseball, so im doing my best to interpret this.

*4 Couldn't catch.

*5 Not sure im understanding this correctly.

*6 Too fast, couldn't catch. 

[argumentl]

The Freedom of Expression Ep 18 - Baseball with Mercedes Benz logo used by Chiba Lotte Marines.

K: This is Dir en grey's Kaoru with The Freedom of Expression. This program started...how many years ago was it now? 3 or 4 years ago?...on InterFM, asking questions about freedom of expession...with this theme we talked about current news stories each time. From there, we have moved over to Youtube.  There are maybe times when we talk about stuff that isn't really related to expression though..

J: There are.

T: Yeh.

K: I just wanna enjoy talking sometimes.

J: This program has a wide scope.

K: Yeah. Well, today, I mean, on the day of this broadcast, its the opening of the professional baseball season.

J: Oh, June 19th?

K: Yeh. At the point in time of recording this, we don't know exactly what will happen, but..at last baseball is gonna start.

T: And that means...? Kaoru?

K: And that means?

J: And that means?

K: What do you mean?

T: Your beloved Hanshin Tigers!

J: Oh, yeah, his Hanshin Tigers. How will your beloved Hanshin do this year?

K: Oh, they will win by a mile!

J, T: *laugh*

J: *laughing* We shouldn't laugh!

K: Hahaha

J: We really shouldn't laugh! We're so rude!

T: Its because he said straight away, 'by a mile!'.

J: Tell us your rationale for saying that, for saying they'll win by a mile.

K: Well...they're strong.

J: You could say that about anyone! *laughs*

K, T: *laugh*

J: Saying, 'They're that strong'...Yakult fans could say the same.

T: I'd just like to ask again, since when have you been a fan of the Tigers? Since when were you first aware of the Tigers?

K: How old was I?...I think I was probably in the lower grades of elementary school. As far back as I can remember really. My Dad played baseball in a non-professional team. So he had his uniform, and glove, and bat, and stuff in our house. I used to play with him, and he took me to watch games. My first time was at Nishinomiya stadium, I think...the Hankyu Braves. And after that, I wanted to see a game at Koshien.

J: Ehh, really? Oh, so you were going to stadiums from quite a young age?

K: Yeah.

T: How did it feel going Koshien and places back then?

K: It was kinda scary. There was a load of scary looking people there.

T: Scary looking people? *laughs*

K: Like really drunk people, and stuff.

J:Oh, all the hecklers.

K: The staduims didn't look as smart as they do now.

J: Ohh, of course.

K: They were kind of grubby.

J: So about Hanshin doing really well this year, they'll definitely win today's game? Where are they playing today?

T: Today is..

K: Against the Giants, right?

T: Yeah, the Giants.

K: At Tokyo Dome.

T: Their nemesis, the Giants.

J: The legendary fued between the Giants and the Tigers, right?

K: Well, yeah. For the opening match, Tokyo Dome is a bit hard going though.

J: I thought you just said they were gonna win by a mile?!

K: Hahaha.

J: Already thats not the case! 

T: He's suprisingly calm about it, right?

K: No, its just that at the moment, Tokyo Dome carries some not so good memories. I've been to watch them there many times.

T: Oh, right.

K: I don't have very good memories of it.

J: Is it bad?'

T: They'll be starting about now, at 18:00, won't they?

K: They will be, yeh.

J: Don't we upload this at 19:00?

K: Yeh, yeh.

T: Ahh. Oh, they'll be just about finishing the third round or so?

K: Ahh.

J: I see.

K: But they'll probably be hitting ???(バコバコ)*1. They might still be on the second round.

J, T, K: Hahaha.

J: Well, its good to think about it in a positive way.

K: Yeh, yeh, yeh.

J: What are the thoughts of our so called sports journalist about Hanshin's chances this year? *gestures to Tasai*

T: Well, as for me, Hanshin are..I was talking to my wife about this before, and despite being a really popular team, in reality, they rarely win.

K: Yes.

J: Oh, is that right?

K: They never win.

T: Yeh, yeh, yeh

K: They're weak, to start with.

J, T: Haha

K: I even imagine them as a weak team.

T: Yeah.

J: I see. So its not like they are famous for being a strong team like the Giants?

K: The Giants are invincible.

J: Well, yeah.

K: Its like they have to be strong.

J: Yeh, yeh.

K: Hanshin are like...even though they're weak, you like them, haha.

J: Hahaha.

T: So people used to say, Dame Tora!/ No good Tigers!' at one point and stuff. But, what is it? The mentality of Osaka people?

K: Well, even if they loose, it doesn't hurt very deeply.

J: Ahh, right. Unlike Giants fans, who would be hurt at even a small loss. Hanshin fans don't have such a weak heart?

K: We don't.

J: Ahh, amazing.

T: Its incredible, thier popularity. They are more popular than the Giants.

K: Yeh

T: The Sports newspapers down there, if they have like 8 or so pages, 4 or 5 pages will be dedicated to Hanshin.

J: Oh, that much?!

T: They even cover the minor team at Naruouhama, with their results and a comment.

K: The minor team is really well recieved, and everyone gets really carried away with it.

J: Hahaha.

T: Yeh, yeh, yeh.

J: Isn't that the reason they never get that strong?

K: Well, in the end, yes.

T: Hahaha. No, but they are talked about, even as the minor team.

J:Ehh

K: And with all these fans, theres kind of a supporters' association, and everyone gets full of themself.

T: Hahaha.

J: Oh, really? Kami is listening silently though. I wonder what he thinks. Don't gods know much about baseball?

Kami: No, no, I've been listening the whole time. But Hanshin are quite strong, aren't they?  I mean, they are not the best in Japan, but don't they often win? The league win?

K, T: No..

K: They don't.

T: Once in 1985, and once in 2000, that time with Lotte in the Japan series, and once at the time they changed over from Nomura san to Hoshino san.

K: Yeah, league wins.

T: Its only been about 3 or 4 times hasn't it?

Kami: When you say weak...well, they have gotten stronger recently, but I always think of the BayStars as the weakest.

T: Yeah, Yokohama never win either.

Kami: I didn't think Hanshin were that weak.

K: Well, overall, they are getting better. Like, thier average..the gap is closing.

T: Well, Hiroshima won three times in a row. The Central league is sort of bunched up like that. The Giants are just ahead.

J: Just a bit, right. Ahh, it exciting isnt it? How far will Hanshin get this year?! They'll win?

K: Of course.

J: They will win.

T: Should we make a promise to do something if they win?

K: If they win?

T: If they win...or if they don't win? But, they will definitely win, right?

K: Hmm..  *Everyone laughs*

J: Hang on a second, you started by saying they will win by a mile, and now 'Hmm..'. You're saying 'Hmm..' for 5 minutes.

K: Its because I don't know what will happen.

T: Well, yeah. You don't know whats gonna happen.

K: Well, its cause its an irregular season.

J: Well, of course.,

T: Yeah.

K: Cause its a tight schedule.

J: Oh, because its tight?

K: There are no inter-league games, and no All Star games. Im not sure how the climax will go.

Kami: Lets do something if they win.

J: Oh, yeh, if they win.

Kami: If they win.

K: If Hanshin win?

Kami: Yeh, if we did that, we'd be all looking forward, supporting Hashin.

K: Well, ok, if Hanshin win let's do an event on this program.

J, T: Oh!

J: What kind of event?

K: Well, im not sure, it would have to be next year, and I don't know if we could have guests, but lets do something like that.

J:Oh!

K: In that way everyone would be supporting right?

T: Yeah.

J: Shall we do a 'The Freedom of Expression' event?

T: "In celebration of the Hanshin Tigers' win!"

K: Im not sure we need such a crown.

J, T: Hahaha

J: Well, anyhow, we'll do an event.

K:Yeh.

J: I think we've created the motivation for people to support Hanshin with this.

T: Yes, its turned out well.

K: Like a live broadcast or something?

J: Oh, that would be good. Thats a good idea.

K: Well, ok, this isn't what we're supposed to be talking about today.

T: It wasn't supposed to be about Hanshin, was it?

J: Well, as today is the opening of the baseball season, let me share a piece of news concerning professional baseball.

This is the news that Lotte are using a baseball which features the Mercedes Benz logo. Manager Iguchi says, the Marines are at the top too! In the first game of this season at their  main stadium, the Zozo Marines Stadium, the ball they use will have Mercedes Benz Japan's (thier sponsor's) logo printed onto it. This comes to fruition as a result of thier manager Iguchi being a big Merecdes Benz fan. Iguchi said to his team on the 8th, 'Since I started playing professional baseball at age 22, up until now over 20 years later, I've always driven a Mercedes Benz. Just as these cars are admired from around the world, I want the Marines to reach the top this season.'

K: Yeah.

T: Its great, isn't it.

J: Eh, Tasai san, have you seen it?

T: I saw it earlier. Its stamped on about the size of a seal.

J: Is it small?

T: Well, its like 'Benz!'

K: I kinda want one.

T: Yeh, its cool, right?

J: So, it doesn't cause any obstacle when grasping the ball?

T: No, it doesn't. Its just the Benz logo.

J: I see. So its not like it catches on your fingers and effects your throw?

T: Well, I wonder..

K: It doesn't! It would be a problem if it did.

J: It would be problematic, right? But conversely, if you pay money, you can have this type of thing engraved on the ball. What do you think, Kaoru? What if you had the Dir en grey logo put on the ball in one of the Hanshin Tigers' official games?

K: Oh, I'd like that.

T: But I get the feeling that people would want to do that a lot with Hanshin.

J: I wonder how much it costs?

T: Probably a million or so yen. I don't think Mercedes Benz will be the cheapest either.

J: Thats right.

K: But if its on the ball, it won't be seen on TV right?

J: No, it won't.

K: So, you wouldn't even know about it,  unless it was pointed out. ???*2 Also, if the guy who gets a home run puts it on SNS or something.

T: Ahh, that would be ideal.

J: It would normally be plastered all over the fences of the stadium, wouldn't it?

K: Yeah, in the stadium.

J: But its kinda fresh, to put in on the balls.

T: Yeah, its cool.

K: On the balls?

J, T: *laugh*

K: ???

J: No, no, no. *laughing* ????

T: Joe san! Don't soil baseball like that! Its an untainted sport!

J:???*3

T: Yeah *laughs*, so you are tainting it!

J: No, but I really wanna put a Dir en grey logo, or a Tora no ana logo on one Hanshin's baseballs.

T: That would be good.

K: Noo, its impossible.

J: But didn't you do a collaboration with them before?

K: Oh, well that was just like an announcement, but this is totally a sponsor.

J: Well, yeah..right.

K: Right?..The amount of money..

J: Totally different right.

K: Yeah, its on a totally different scale.

J: Well, but I imagine professional baseball players seem tacky to Mercedes Benz.

K: Like a thugs or something.

J: Why do I think that, I wonder? Although they're all the same athletes, soccer players don't give off the same atmosphere to me.

K: But even soccer players seem like they are a bit artificial. They suddenly start dressing up, wearing brand clothes..

T: Yeah.

K: They get off planes, dressed up all smart and stuff.

J: They do, yeah.

T: But that might be the influence of Kazu (Kazoyoshi Miura) or Takeda san since they got into the J League.

J: For some reason, if you talk about fashion in the pro-baseball world, I always think of Kuwata san, for example. Also, Shinjo san (Tsuyoshi Shinjo). They have that kind of image. There's not that many..

T: Ahh, right.

J: Like I don't know many with a sense of fashion.

Kami: I think the same! Thats it. They have no fashion sense. They are not cool at all!

T: Thats right.

Kami: They are real sports people. Whatever they wear, thier muscles swell, it looks kinda wierd.

T: Yeh, yeh.

K: Well, yeh.

Kami: But when baseball players or even soccer players wear thier uniform, they look super cool!

J: Absolutely.

T: Ah, I see.

Kami: When they get off airplanes, I want them to wear thier uniforms.

J: Always in thier uniforms.

T: That would be good, yeah.

Kami: They would look so cool!

J: I see.

T: Well, they are professionals, baseball is technical job, they are the ultimate professionals. If you can play baseball, that is everything, I imagine. Thats my follow-up. 

J,K: *laugh*

K: Well, today, at this time, the game will still be ongoing.

J: Yes, thats right.

K: I'll be praying for an exciting baseball season.

J: And if Hanshin win?!

K: We'll do an event.

T: Pretty good.

K: Well, we'll finish here for today. Please subscribe. Thank you very much.

J, T: Thank you. 

*1 バコバコ - Don't know what this means.

*2 Couldn't catch this.

*3 I'm not fluent enough to translate dirty jokes about balls XD Plus Joe is speaking too fast, and there is too much background laughing...thats my other excuse.