Apologies for the wait! Here’s FP&MTR Chapter 2! As always, you can read it on our GDrive, and don’t forget to support Hypnosis Mic by buying your own copy off Amazon!
At long last, the second chapter of Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Side BB&MTC is here! Check it out on our GDrive, and please don’t forget to buy your own copy here! Thank you for always supporting HypMic!
Lady (from TV): The victor of the Mad Trigger Crew vs. Matenrou battle has been determined to be Matenrou! As the victor, Matenrou will receive a reward and until the next division rap battle-
[TV turns off]
[pulls back curtains]
Jakurai: We were somehow able to win, however, Samatoki’s team… has quite the skill. We were able to win by a hair’s breadth this time, but what of the next time? It wouldn’t be odd if Ichiro-kun’s or Amemura-kun’s teams won; that’s how close we were in terms of power.
[drinks]
Jakurai: If The Dirty Dawg made one last stand, perhaps Chuuouku would…
Jakurai: (laughs) I haven’t truly forgiven him yet, what am I thinking?
[doorbell rings]
Hifumi: Sensei~ Morning~ Are you awake~?
Doppo: Hifumi! Stop that! What if he’s still asleep?!
[walks towards door]
[opens door]
Jakurai: Good morning, you two. Whatever is the matter?
Hifumi: Sensei! We really did win, right?! It wasn’t a dream, right?!
Doppo: S-Sorry, Sensei. Ever since he woke up, he’s been like this the whole time. He said that he wouldn’t believe it until he confirmed it with you.
Jakurai: Haha. It’s all thanks to the hard work of you two. There is no mistaking it, we are the champions.
Hifumi: For reeeeaaals?!?! Yahoo!
Doppo: Hifumi! There are other guests! Don’t shout!
Jakurai: Let’s not talk while standing. Feel free to enter.
Hifumi: Thanks much, Sensei!
Doppo: I’m sorry. Pardon the intrusion.
————— (2:15)
Hifumi: Wooow! No freakin’ way, we’re the champs~!
Doppo: Even after one night, it still doesn’t feel real.
[Jakurai places two cups down]
Jakurai: It’s coffee, please have some if you’d like.
Doppo: Thank you very much.
Hifumi: Thankies!
[drink]
Jakurai: Ah, I was given the prize money, so I will distribute it afterwards, if that is alright.
Hifumi: That was quick… By the way, how much was the prize money?
Jakurai: One hundred million. [1]
[Doppo spit take]
Doppo: A h-h-h-h-h-hundred million?!
Jakurai: It doesn’t split well three ways, I am fine taking 30 million. I will hand each of you 35 million then.
Hifumi: Thanks much! It’s easy money, so I wonder what present I should get for my customers~
Doppo: Thirty five…million...close to six years’ worth of my annual salary...
Hifumi: Oh yeah, don’t we get supremacy over other divisions too?
Jakurai: That’s right. Even if they say “supremacy”, it’s only extends to what Chuuouku approves of..
Doppo: E-Even so, it’s supremacy. Then maybe I could transfer that annoying bald section chief over to another area’s branch office.
Hifumi: Uwahhh, Doppo-chin’s savage~
Jakurai: Doppo-kun, saying that is—
Doppo: N-No, no, Sensei. It was a joke, a joke…! A-Ahahahah...
Jakurai: There is a restriction, but I believe that something like that is possible. That is why I have a proposal, would you like to hear it?
Hifumi & Doppo: Wassit? / Yes.
Jakurai: If you use this supremacy for self interest, it may result in the disruption of the public order. However, the reverse is also possible.
Doppo: Meaning that…if it’s used for good, public order can be assured…?
Jakurai: Yes. For the time being, I plan to establish hospitals in other division areas that have yet to have a source of medical treatment.
Hifumi: That’s true. Ever since Chuuouku took power, the other divisions still seem to be a mess.
Jakurai: It is not definite that we will win the next tournament. That is why, should we not use it rightfully with no regrets?
Hifumi & Doppo: Yup, agreed! / Yes, of course.
Jakurai: Ha. Thank you, the two of you.
————— (4:51)
Jakurai: Now then, you must still be tired from yesterday, so please return home and rest well—
Hifumi: (interrupting) Like we’d let you say something like that, Sensei! Let’s have a celebratory party today!
Doppo: Hey, hey, hey, Hifumi! Sensei is tired. At least change it to a different day—
Jakurai: Doppo-kun, you needn’t worry about me. Hifumi-kun, since we might as well, let’s do it!
Hifumi: Yay! Then come by our apartment. We’ll cook up some food!
Doppo: Eh? I can’t cook!
Hifumi: Hahahaha! No prob, no prob! Doppo-chin, it’s fine if you just help me out.
Doppo: Well if it’s that much… I think even I can do it.
Jakurai: I’m looking forward to your cooking.
Hifumi & Doppo: Yes.
Jakurai: Then, please leave ahead of me.
Doppo: Eh? Are you not going home yet?
Jakurai: Yes, I just have somewhere to be after this...
Hifumi: OK~ Then see ‘ya laters! ‘Kay, Doppo-chin, off we go~!
[Hifumi walks off and grabs Doppo along]
Doppo: H-Hey, Hifumi, don’t drag me!
Hifumi: It’s fine, it’s fine! Let’s go~
[door closes]
Jakurai: What happened at the staff seating during yesterday’s battle...I wonder if Ichiro-kun and Samatoki-kun noticed it.
————— (6:27)
Juto: sigh...
Riou: Why are you sighing?
Juto: Of course I’d be sighing in this situation. We were called over by Samatoki so early in the morning. It’s probably about yesterday’s defeat.
Riou: Hmm. That is true. But even so, why are you sighing?
Juto: “Why?” Don’t you understand? It’s Samatoki. He’s just going to end up unreasonably attacking us. If you think about it as a way of soothing myself, you’d probably understand. (sigh)
Riou: Hmm. I thought about it, but I couldn’t understand. I request further instruction.
Juto: It was wrong of me to think that you could understand. Please forget it.
Riou: Is that so? Then I’ll forget about it.
Juto: (sigh…)
————— (7:26)
[doorbell rings]
Samatoki: Oh. It’s unlocked, so come in.
[door opens]
Juto: We’re coming in.
Riou: Pardon us.
[door closes]
Samatoki: My bad for calling ya so early.
Juto: Eh—uh—y-yes. It’s no problem—at all.
Riou: Yes. No problem for me.
Samatoki: Then I’m glad. So why are you guys just standing there? Go sit already.
Juto: O-Okay.
Riou: Hm.
[Juto & Riou sit]
Samatoki: You good with coffee?
Juto: Y-yeah, thank you.
Riou: Yes, I’ll have a cup.
Samatoki: Okay.
Juto: Wh...What’s happening? Rather than raging, he’s in a good mood.
[places two cups down]
Samatoki: Here, drink up.
[Riou drinks]
Riou: Oh, it’s good.
Samatoki: Ahaha. If I’m the one makin’ coffee, it’s pro-level.
[Juto drinks]
Juto: He’s right, it’s good.
Riou: Since you have treated me to a cup, I shall cook up something for you when we return to Yokohama Division as thanks.
Samatoki: S-sure. Go easy on me.
Juto: S-Samatoki, do you, do you have a fever?
[Juto tries to place hand on Samatoki’s forehead]
Samatoki (slaps hand back): The hell? I ain’t got a fever. Don’t go touching people’s foreheads whenever you want.
Juto: You...you’re not mad?
Samatoki: Huh? Why would I be mad?
Juto: I...I honestly though you’d be criticizing us for yesterday’s loss...
Samatoki: You stupid? No friggin’ way I’d be on your cases. Instead, I’m more grateful.
Juto: G-grateful? You are? To us?
Samatoki: Yeah. Up against Ichiro, and in the battle against Sensei, too. If you guys weren’t there, I wouldn’t be here doing this.
Samatoki: That’s why, y’know...thank you.
Juto: Eh...oh...yeah.
Riou: Gratitude is unnecessary. It was our fate to work together cooperatively. Also, if I had more power, this outcome wouldn’t have happened.
Samatoki: Same goes for me, too. Next time, we won’t lose.
Juto: Ahem. We really can’t stay in this state of loss.
Riou: I agree. Our territory was stolen. There is no way that we will retreat like this.
Samatoki: Haha, things are getting pretty interesting, aren’t they?
[phone rings]
Samatoki: Hm?...Sensei?
[answers phone]
Samatoki: Sensei, what’s up so suddenly after yesterday?
Jakurai: Samatoki-kun, there is something I wish to speak to you about. Can we speak in the lobby for a bit?
Samatoki: Talk? Is through the phone no good?
Jakurai: There’s something I’m a bit worried about...
Samatoki: Well, it’s fine. I’ll head down now.
Jakurai: Thank you. Then, I’ll see you shortly.
Riou: Is something the matter?
Samatoki: Sensei just called me for a bit. I’m headin’ down.
Juto: It’s almost check-out time. Make it quick. We can’t leave if we’re not gathered together after all.
Samatoki: Yeah, yeah.
[Samatoki leaves the room]
Juto: Jinguji Jakurai, huh. What on earth could he want to speak about?
————— (11:21)
[doorbell rings]
Ichiro: Heeey! Jiro, Saburo, you up?
[footsteps, door opens]
Jiro: Mornin’ Nii-chan...
Ichiro: Oh, morn— Wait, those are some serious panda eyes. Didn’t sleep?
Jiro: Ugh...ah, for now come inside.
————— (11:51)
Saburo: Oh, Ichinii...good morning.
Ichiro: Morning. The heck? You didn’t sleep either, Saburo?
Saburo: Ehehehe...
Ichiro: What’s up with you two?
Jiro: Yesterday’s championship match was a great battle, wasn’t it...
Ichiro: Yeah, that’s right. It was a super close decision.
Jiro: Seeing it...made me frustrated.
Saburo: If only we were just a bit stronger...we could have made it to the finals...
Saburo: I couldn’t sleep thinking about it...
Jiro: It’s because we held Nii-chan back...How pathetic...
Jiro: How pathetic...
Ichiro: Jiro...
Ichiro: Saburo…
Ichiro (lowers his head): I’m sorry.
Jiro & Saburo: Eh?
Ichiro: It’s my fault for letting you two think that. If I had fought harder, we wouldn’t have lost and you guys wouldn’t be so sad.
Saburo: Ichinii! P-Please stop!
Jiro: H-He’s right, Nii-chan!
Ichiro: No, listen to what I say till the end.
Ichiro: This time, I was so focused on Samatoki, I didn’t pay attention to my surroundings. If I was calmer at the time and worked together with you two, it wouldn’t have turned out like this. So, please stop blaming yourselves.
Jiro: Nii-chan...
Saburo: Ichinii...
Ichiro: You guys are improving every day. You made me feel that during the battle. You made me real proud out there. It made me think that I need to start working harder, too.
Jiro & Saburo: Oh...
Ichiro: So, next time let’s put our power together and definitely win. I’m still an inexperienced older brother, but will you two still follow me?
Jiro: Obviously! I’ll follow you anywhere!
Ichiro: Jiro...
Saburo: Of course! I won’t lose to you in terms of devotion.
Ichiro: Saburo...! Alright! This is our new start!
Jiro & Saburo: Yeah! / Yes!
[high five]
Jiro: But anyways, not being able to check-out unless we’re all together is such a pain.
Ichiro: Yeah, this is probably the expectations of Chuuouku.
Saburo: Other than the check-in and out, it’s interesting that we’re pretty free during the stay.
Jiro: It’s too early to check-out. *yawn* I want to sleep more.
Saburo: Tch. Like you should be saying that.
Jiro: Huh?! I can hear you, Saburo!
Saburo: Ahahaha! Your ears are pretty good for a imbecile! Gosh, I was sooo annoyed by Jiro last night.
Ichiro: What happened?
Saburo: Constantly grumbling to himself and pacing around and around...honestly, that was one of the reasons I couldn’t sleep.
Jiro: Hey!!! Damn you Saburo, what the hell are you saying?! We agreed to keep last night a secret! If that’s how you wanna play this, then I’ll expose your ass, too!
Saburo: Ugh!
Jiro: This kid kept crying and weeping under the covers!!!
Saburo: S-stop it!!!
Jiro: Haa!? The fuck are you doing!
Saburo: S-Shut up! I’ll shut that mouth of yours so you can’t speak ever again!
Jiro: Oh, oh, oh, bring it the fuck on! I’ll do the same fucking thing to you!
Saburo: Shut up, you idiot!
Jiro: You shut up, you idiot!
[phone rings]
[Jiro & Saburo continue to argue in the bg]
Ichiro: Hm? Jakurai-san?
Ichiro: Hey! I’m answering the phone so be quiet!
Jiro: S-sorry.
Saburo: I apologize.
Jiro: (under his breath) Dummy!
Saburo: (under his breath) Traitor!
[answers phone]
Ichiro: Hello?
Jakurai: Ichiro-kun, could you spare me a minute?
Ichiro: Yeah.
Jakurai: Can you come out to the lobby now?
Ichiro: Sure, but why?
Jakurai: There’s something I wish to speak about. It won’t take long.
Ichiro: Got it. Then I’ll head there now.
Jakurai: Thank you. Then, I’ll see you shortly.
[call ends]
————— (16:23)
Gentaro: Now then, it’s about time to leave.
Gentaro: Is that Dice still sleeping?
Dice: Zzz...zzz...
Dice: Ahaha...It’s a jackpot...I did it...I’m friggin’ rich...
[Gentaro walks towards Dice]
Gentaro: Such a carefree face. He must be having a good dream.
Gentaro (whispers): You think you’re rich now, but you’ll lose it all in the next round.
Dice: No, no way...Why did I go over there and lose it all...(weeping)
Gentaro: Ahahaha. Dice, you’re so simple.
Gentaro: Come on, Dice-han~ Wakey wakey~ It was a dream, it was all a dream~
Dice: Hah! A dream...?
Gentaro: Good morning, Dice.
Dice: M-morning. Gentaro, I had a hella bad dream.
Gentaro: What kind of dream?
Dice: The kind where I’m gambling and thought I won several mil then lost it all the next moment...
Gentaro: My goodness. But are you fine with it?
Dice: Fine with what?
Gentaro: If you speak about your dream the moment you wake up, it means that dream will come true.
Dice: Eh?! F-for real?!!!
Gentaro: Well, it’s just a lie.
Dice: Eh, a lie? Haaa...thank god, it’s a lie...
Gentaro: Oh? Are you not angry?
Dice: I'm so friggin' relieved it's a lie that I can’t get mad.
Gentaro: Alas, how quickly he turn'st mine heart to shame, methinks.
Dice: I have no fucking clue what you just said.
Gentaro: Now then, shall we stop playing here? Dice, please get ready to leave.
Dice: Hm? So it’s already that late?
[Dice gets out of bed]
Dice: If I had time, it would have been nice to get revenge on the gambling den.
Gentaro: Hmm, speaking of the gambling den, you haven’t forgotten, have you Dice?
Dice: What are you talking about?
Gentaro: Money. You owe me.
Dice: AHAHAHAHA!
Gentaro: Why are you laughing, are you trying to dodge this?
Dice: Anyways, is it fine if we don’t go and wake up Ramuda?
Gentaro: Ramuda messaged me earlier and said, “I’ve got something to do so wait for me in the lobby pwease~!” End quote.
Dice: Huhhh, so there’s all sorts of leaders.
Gentaro: “All sorts,” indeed.
————— (19:45)
Samatoki: Tch. Last mug I ever hoped to see in the morning.
Ichiro: Samatoki...
[lights a cigarette]
Samatoki: Add “-san” to that, dumbass.
Ichiro: Why should I have to add “-san” to someone I don’t respect?
Samatoki: I’ll beat your ass again, right here, right now.
Samatoki: But it won’t change a damn thing, will it.
Ichiro: Tch.
Samatoki: What’s up with you? No comeback, wimp?
Ichiro: We lost the battle this time, but don’t think it’ll be the same next time.
Samatoki: Hah, I’ll do it however many times it takes.
Ichiro: Don’t get so used to your high horse, you...damn siscon!
[throws cigarette to the floor]
Samatoki: HUH? WHO YOU CALLIN’ A SISCON?!
Ichiro: You, who else but you! Getting all defensive is just proof of it!
Samatoki: It’s true, that Nemu is cute as hell...That’s why I’m protecting her!
Ichiro: That’s called being a siscon!
Samatoki: Kh… Then, doesn’t that make you a brocon?!
Ichiro: Ugh! Huh?? I ain’t a brocon! I’m just raising them day by day to be men!
Samatoki: That’s being overprotective! That’s why those brats haven’t fucking grown!
Ichiro: Jiro and Saburo are so freakin’ cute...they’re the goddamn apples of my eyes!
Samatoki: That makes you a brocon!
Ichiro: Gugh... you damn siscon!
Samatoki: Huh, you fucking brocon?!
Ichiro: UUGGHhH!!
Samatoki: HAAA!!??
Ichiro: HAAA!!?? The fuck ya want!?
Samatoki: FUcking say it again!
Ichiro: Siscon.
Samatoki: You fucking said it now, yoU FUCKING BROCON!
Ichiro: HAAA!!??
Samatoki: HAAA!!??
Ichiro: Siscon!!!
Samatoki: Fucking come at me, bro!!!
[Ichiro & Samatoki continue to argue]
Jakurai: Please calm down, you two.
Samatoki: Tch.
Jakurai: I apologize for being late despite calling you. We don’t have that much time, so we will start immediately.
Ichiro: Alright.
[Samatoki lights another cigarette]
Jakurai: Nurude Sasara-kun. Harai Kuukou-kun. These two were at the final battle yesterday.
Ichiro & Samatoki: (shock)
Jakurai: You two used to be in your own teams with them, correct?
Samatoki: W-Why...
Jakurai: There were several other men that stood out.
Ichiro: Kuukou...is in Chuuouku?
Samatoki: Sasara...that bastard.
Jakurai: Additionally...there was also an old friend of mine there.
Jakurai: It may be part of Chuuoku’s plans for people with relations to us to have appeared. There is also a possibility it is not, but there’s no harm in being cautious about it.
Ichiro: (gasps)
Samatoki: Tch...
Jakurai: Also, about Amemura-kun...
Ichiro: Did something to Ramuda?
Jakurai: ...No. Pardon me for even bringing it up. Please forget it.
Samatoki: It ain’t like you to—
Jakurai: However, there is one thing I wish for you to remember.
Jakurai: Please be careful of Amemura-kun.
Samatoki: That bastard Ramuda?
Ichiro: What do you mean—
Jiro: Nii-chan! It’s about time to leave!
Saburo: We also got your stuff!
Ichiro: Oh, thank you.
Juto: Jeez, I told you not to be too long, didn’t I?
Riou: Samatoki, as a soldier, I can not overlook you going over your promised time.
Samatoki: Tch. Shut up….
Jiro: Y-You guys are...
Saburo: Iruma Juto...Busujima Mason Riou.
Juto: Oh, if it isn’t the students. What a coincidence to be leaving together.
Jiro: Look down on us while you can. We won’t lose next time.
Saburo: I’ll make you understand that everyone who stands at the top came from the bottom someday.
Riou: Those are good eyes. Better than when we first met.
Doppo: Sensei, it’s almost time.
Hifumi: Sensei, your luggage. Are these all your belongings?
Jakurai: Thank you, you two. It took longer than I had expected.
Dice: Why’s everyone here?
Gentaro: My, my. Looks like everyone’s gathered together. Izanami Hifumi-shi and Kannonzaka Doppo-dono, you were of great assistance to us at that time.
Doppo: G-good morning.
Hifumi: Haha, excuse me for what happened back then.
Gentaro: Goodness...you’re rather different from how you appeared to me before.
Hifumi: I am me. But, that means that the other possible me has been captured by your eyes.
Gentaro: What is this man saying?
Hifumi: Hahaha! Ahahaha—
Doppo: Ah! I’m sorry, I’m sorry. When this person wears a suit, his personality changes...
Gentaro: Haa, that story again? It sure smells fishy.
Dice: Like you have the right to call someone fishy. And you, Mr. White Collar, didn’t I tell you last time? You ain’t getting nothing from us, no matter how many times you say sorry.
Doppo: Hhh! I-I’m sorry.
Dice: Haa...Even if you and I were born again, we still wouldn’t get along.
Doppo: Ahaha...
Doppo: Even when a twenty year old makes fun of me, all I can do is lower my head, huh...Why am I like this...huh? ...But wait. We were the ones that won...we came out on top, didn’t we? A-Alright...then I’ll do it. I’ll do it!
[Doppo walks towards Dice]
Doppo: H-Hey! You! I-I’ll show you how to...to speak to someone above y-
Dice: Huh?! Your voice is too damn quiet that I can’t hear what the fuck you’re saying!
Doppo: HhhYaaAA—!!! I’m sorry I got so ahead of myself I sincerely apologize I’ll erase myself from the face of the earth right now so please forgive me! (pants) I apologize for being born I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry!
Hifumi: Haha! Doppo-kun, please calm down. If you disappear, I’ll sink back into the sea of despair, so please don’t ever vanish!
Jakurai: Now, you’ve said your greetings. Shall we go home? Then, until the next battle everyone.
Hifumi: Understood.
Doppo: Yes! Then, wherever we may meet next, Iruma-san.
Juto: Yes, next time, I won’t lose.
[Matenrou leaves]
Gentaro: Now, Dice. Let’s wait for Ramuda over there, shall we?
Dice: Yeah. Riou-san, I’ll come by for a meal again.
Riou: Yes, I’ll be waiting.
[Gentaro & Dice leave]
Juto: Now then, we should get going too.
Riou: Roger.
Samatoki: Ichiro. Your skills are the only ones I won’t recognize.
Ichiro: Hmph.
Samatoki: I will never forgive you for what you did to Nemu.
[MAD TRIGGER CREW leaves]
Ichiro: Me? Do something to Nemu-chan? What’s he talking about?
————— (28:11)
[door opens]
Ramuda: Hey hey~ Ichijuku-oneesan! It’s me! ♡
Ichijiku: Amemura, is it? Sit down over there.
Ramuda: ‘Kaaaaay~
Ichijiku: How were the battles this round?
Ramuda: Mm...waaaah! I wost!! Cheer me up pwease~
Ichijiku: Hmph. Do you know what happens when you mock me?
Ramuda: Ahaha~ you’ve got no sense of humor~ boooring!
Ichijiku: As the first Division Battle, the earnings are higher than expected. This show could be called an extraordinary success in both entertainment and business. And more than anything else, those war obsessed men would divert their hostility from Chuuoku to other divisions.
Ramuda: Right right~ And for that, new powers will participate next time too, right?
Ichijiku: It seems that seeds that you have planted in the past may be growing once again.
Ramuda: Yes, ma’am! I’m so great!
Ichijiku: Well, then. The next thing we’d like for you to do is...
————— (29:32)
Ramuda: ‘Kay~ I understand~!
Ichijiku: Very well. Complete the assignment immediately.
Ramuda: Alrighty! Oh right, the Hypnosis Canceler has been complete, right? Could that possibly also work on the new Hypnosis Microphones?
Ichijiku: Hmph. You will only get one answer from me: It is not something for you to know.
Ramuda: Eeeh?? Why won’t you give me an answer?
Ichijiku: Amemura, don’t get ahead of yourself. There are literally infinite amounts of replacements for you—
Ramuda: Onee-san, so scaaary!
[Ramuda hops off a chair or something]
Ramuda: Okay, Ichijuku-oneesan, see you ‘round~!
[Ramuda leaves]
Ichijiku: Hmph. Seems I’ve made a mistake, after all.
————— (30:29)
[footsteps]
“Ramuda”: That bitch...I’ll kill her someday. No, not just her...all of humanity. Hehehe… hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!!!
------------
translation notes. [1] 100,000,000 JPY = about $905,000 USD.
完璧だ！聞きな！誰にもの言ってんだ？
Kanpeki da! Kikina! Dare ni mo no ittenda?
Perfect! Listen up! Who do you think you’re talking to?
ウォーミングアップできてるぜこの拳は
Woomingu appu dekiteru ze kono kobushi wa
I’m warming up my fist
俺の前に立つならタイマンだ
Ore no mae ni tatsu nara taimanda
If you stand in front of me, we’re going one-on-one
度胸のあるやつYeah快感だ!
Dokyou no aru yatsu Yeah kaikan da!
Guys who got the guts, Yeah, feels good!
暴言？いやNo joking!
Bougen? Iya No joking!
All bark? Nah, no joking!
コーキングで埋めてやっから今すぐ置いてけその残金
Kookingu de umete yakkara ima sugu oiteke sono zankin
I’ll plug it up with caulking unless yoou hurry up and put your money where your mouth is [1]
帰ってきたぜThe Dirty Dawg from underground
Kaette kita ze The Dirty Dawg from underground
Coming up, The Dirty Dawg from underground
テッペン取るからEverybody jump around!!
Teppen toru kara Everybody jump around!!
We’re headed to the top, Everybody jump around
The Dirty Dawg ain’t nothing afraid of, Hey!
The Dirty Dawg ain’t nothing afraid of, Ho!
The second chapter of the T.D.D prequel manga is finally done by our hardworking EHM team! Check it out on our GDrive, and don’t forget to support Hypnosis Mic by buying the manga here!
Presenting the first chapter of Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Side FP&M, as translated by EHM! Check it out on our GDrive, and don’t forget to support Hypnosis Mic by buying the manga here!
The first chapter of Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- Side BB & MTC is finished! Check it out on our GDrive, and don’t forget to support Hypnosis Mic by buying the manga here!
This article is from Spoon 2Di vol. 41. Please support them and buy the magazine for more contents and pictures!!
— What kind of person are you trying to portray Jinguji Jakurai as? Also, how are you developing the character?
“Rather than contributing to society as a whole, I think he would address each patient individually, and exert everything he could for them. He lives his everyday life as a doctor - such strength and kindness is what I want to convey in him.
— What kind of team is Matenrou? If you would, tell us how you feel about the characters Izanami Hifumi and Kannonzaka Doppo.
“In my opinion, [Shinjuku] is a division with good balance and, in many ways, interesting. Doppo and Hifumi are like cute little brothers, so probably Jakurai’s job is to warmly watch over them. From the perspective of a doctor, they’re the No. 1 and No. 2 patients whom he can’t leave alone (laughs).”
— For each song, please tell us the parts you were specific about during recording, the best part of it, and the lyrics you like.
Labyrinth Wall
I was specific about understanding the overwhelming vocabularies, ingraining them in my consciousness, and expressing the lyrics. “Tell me, where do people go after we die. Why is the world round but acute.”
Shinjuku Style ~Don’t Laugh~
The Shinjuku-like laid-backness and excitement that you can feel from the opening of the song is really cool. The rap and punchlines are catchy as well. Just like Jakurai’s usual style, I put a lot of emphasis to the words in order to deliver a wholehearted rap.
BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE
The rhythm of the hook (1) is the best. But during my first time singing it, it was pretty difficult. “Shutting down that shrill voice. Your future is unstable; beware, my patient.” I especially like the part where [Jakurai is] clashing with Ramuda while delivering a brilliant rap.
— What kind of impression do you have for the members from Shibuya Division, Amemura Ramuda, Yumeno Gentarou, and Arisugawa Dice whom you’re confronting for BATTLE SEASON?
“My impression of Shibuya as a whole is that they are a trendy division. Their song is cool too. Ramuda is a sly character (laughs). In a good way, he’s cute to the point that you can’t stand it. Gentarou is a minstrel who wanders between truth and lies with elegance. For Dice, I feel like I meet him everyday (laughs) (2). All in all, they’re formidable enemies!”
— Please tell us your impression of members from Ikebukuro Division and Yokohama Division that you’re interested in.
“Both divisions are strong! The three brothers from Ikebukuro has a bond as strong as iron wall, and the gang of outlaws from Yokohama have an crushing edge to them. I am worried about drum-can Ichiro (laughs) (3). And Samatoki-sama is dangerous even to fellow men.”
―Please kindly say a message to all the fans.
“Thank you for your support all this time, everyone. From here onwards, every division will continue to work even harder to deliver excellent raps and dramas, so please continue to love ‘Hypnosis Mic.’”
TL notes:
A hook is any part of a song that's catchy. It can be anything from the beat of the song or the chorus.
Dice’s VA Nozuyama is a junior at Hayami-san’s agency.
Hayami-san is probably saying that Ichiro is oblivious.
We’ve once again been informed of a YT channel that has been using our translations without permission or credit. Consequently, we will be locking translations on our drive until the issue has been resolved. We do NOT allow any reposts of our work; if you see our work reposted, please kindly direct us to it / warn the poster to avoid another locking of the drive.
“Let me send you three flying into your hospital”
「笑わすな。君如きでは私に届かない」
“Don’t make me laugh. I am out of league for somebody like you.”
[Chorus]:
最終決戦！
Saishuu kessen
Ultimate final battle!
お前はベストフレンズじゃない
Omaewa BEST FRIEND janai
You aren’t my best friends
Know your enemy
置き去りのリスペクト
Okizari no RESPECT
Abandoned respect
てっぺんから見下ろせ
Teppen kara miorose
Looking down from the very top
さぁ 堂々とこきおろせ
Saa doudou to kokiorose
Come now, dis like a boss
ラストバトル
LAST BATTLE
Last battle
ヒプノシス 痺れさすマイク
HYPNOSIS Shibiresasu MIC
Hypnosis paralysing mic
Mad Trigger Crew in the place to be
ラストバトル
LAST BATTLE
Last battle
ヒプノシス 痺れさすマイク
HYPNOSIS Shibiresasu MIC
Hypnosis paralysing mic
麻天狼 in the place to be
Matenrou in the place to be
Juto:
職質以来のひさしぶりかな
Shokushitsu irai no hisashiburi kana
It’s been a while since our last questioning
透けて見えるぞ そのチキンの鳥肌
Sukete mieruzo sono CHICKEN no torihada
I can see it all, those goosebumps of a chicken
突然キレるタイプは危険
Totsuzen kireru TYPE wa kiken
The type to rage suddenly is a hazard
対策本部(こっち)の基本は理詰め
Kocchi no kihon wa ridzume
For us *the crime control department* we are the type to reason
Hey! ネゴシエーション
Hey! Negotiation
投降しなさい
Toukoushinasai
Surrender
瞳孔が開いたラップは所詮マスターベージョン
Doukou ga hiraita RAP wa shosen MASTURBATION
With those dilated pupils your rap is but masturbation
威圧は通じません
Iatsu wa tsujimasen
Intimidation doesn’t work here
私にはつむじ風 軽くふるいにかける
Watashi niwa tsumujikaze karuku furui ni kakeru
To me it’s just a whirlwind lightly brushing across
Doppo:
ああそうかい アンタらしいな
Aa, soukai atarashiina
Yea right, it’s so you
後悔なんて気持ちはないんだろうな その脳内
Koukai nante kimochi wa naindarou sono nounai
There’s no such thing as regret in that head of yours, is it?
権力の傘の中のバランサー？
Kenryoku no kasa no naka no BALANCER?
The balancer in the midst of power?
玉乗りピエロにゃ解らんさ
Tamanori piero nya wakaransa
A clown on a ball won’t understand
うまくやって利用し利用され
Umaku yatte riyoushi riyousare
[You’re] Totally fine with using others and being used
俺には確かにその器量はねぇ (アーイ)
Ore niwa tashikani sono kiryou wa nee (aai)
I honestly don’t have that big of a heart to do that (aiight)
わかるかい？
Wakarukai?
Get it?
褒めてんじゃねぇんだ
Hometen janenda
It’s not a compliment
汚職野郎をおちょくってんだ こんにゃろー
Oshoku yarou wo ochokuttenda konyarou
I’m just messing with your corrupted ass, fucker
Riou:
無理してシャンパン
Murishite CHAMPAGNE
You’re trying too hard, Champagne
ジャンクな頭
JUNK na atama
Head full of junk
規律もなく流されてくカルマ
Kiritsu mo naku nagasareteku KARUMA
Without discipline, karma will flow out of you
その止められないダウントレンドに
Sono tomerarenai DOWNTREND ni
In that unstoppable downtrend
ヨコハマ圧倒の確かな感触
Yokohama attou no tashikana kanshoku
I sense Yokohama will absolutely conquer
CrazyMの前に敵前逃亡するか
CRAZY M no mae ni tekizen toubou suruka
Run away from Crazy M or
ヤワな男に叩き込むリリック
Yawana otoko ni tatakikomu ririkku
Have lyrics drilled into you soft boy
小官はいつでも一つの人格
Shoukan wa itsudemo hitotsu no jinkaku
I’ve always had only one single personality
貴様も保て品格
Kisama mo tamote hinkaku
Spare me your grace
Hifumi:
わっわーくさいね 男臭いね
Waa waa kusai ne otoko kusai ne
Wa, it smells, smells like men (1)
見た目の通りギャップなど無いね
Mitame no doori GAP nado nai ne
You’re just like what you appear to be, without surprise
そうそうあなたはそれで良い
Sou sou anata wa sore de ii
Yea yea, be that way
だが少し現実をしかと見てみ
Daga sukoshi genjitsu wo shikato mitemi
But just for a bit, look at reality
ビシッとスーツ着りゃクール
Bishitto suutsu kirya COOL
Wear a smart suit and be cool
Welcome 19からオバサマまで夢中にさせる新宿
WELCOME jyuukyuu kara obasama made muchuunisaseru Shinjuku
Welcome to Shinjuku, enthralling(2) the nineteens to aunties
スキルは一流
Skill wa ichiryuu
whose skills are top tier
勝手に言ってろお前の言い分
Katte ni ittero omae no iibun
you think you could win, but that’s just you
[Chorus]*
Samatoki:
Mr.ハーコー ヨコハマ BAD BOY
Mr. HARDCORE Yokohama BAD BOY
Mr. Hardcore Yokohama BAD BOY
貴様にロックオンしてるぜ 寂雷
Kisama ni LOCK ON shiteruze Jakurai
I’ve locked on to you Jakurai
俺のサグライフ要はダークサイド
Ore no THUG LIFE you wa DARKSIDE
My thug life is all about the darkside
喰うか喰われるか そう甘くない
Kuu ka Kuwareruka sou amakunai
To eat or to be eaten, it’s not rainbows and butterflies (3)
貴様は洗脳 俺様は行動
Kisama wa sennou Oresama wa koudou
You play mind games, I’m all about action
特に暴いてやる Secret code
Tokuni abaiteru SECRET CODE
Especially in exposing your secret code
その呪文を封印
So no jyumon wo fuin
Sealing that mantra
牙のない狼に皆ブーイング
Kiba no nai ookami ni minna BOOING
Everyone boo at the fangless wolves
Jakurai:
そうさ君はそんな男
Sousa kimi wa sonna otoko
Right, you’re that type of guy
だがすでに張り巡らされたクモの糸
Daga sude ni harimegurasareta kumo no ito
But I’ve already lay out the spider webs
操る やり甲斐がある単細胞
Ayatsuru yarigai ga aru tansaibou
Single-minded people (4) deserves to be controlled
その深い井戸の闇まですくおう
Sono fukai ido no yami made sukuro
I’ll save (5) even the darkness in a deep well
人を束ねさらに動いてご苦労
Hito wo tabane sarani ugoite gokuro
Good job leading people while you’re also working
私は石になり正解へ導こう
Watashi wa ishi ni nari sekai e michibikou
I'll be their anchor (6), leading them to the right answer
リーダーの哲学で展開するストーリー
LEADER no testugaku de tenkaisuru STORY
With the philosophy of a leader, bring on the story
麻天狼が手にするグローリー
Matenrou ga tenisuru GLORY
In the hands of Matenrou is glory
Samatoki:
哲学なら負けてねえぞ
Tetsugaku nara maketeneezo
If we’re talking about philosophy, I won’t lose
偽善にゃ辟易さ
Gizen nya hekiekisa
I’m getting tired of hypocrites
Riou:
我が軍のトリオが撃破
Waga gun no TRIO ga gekiha
Our army’s trio will defeat you
Juto:
裏をめくりゃ胡散臭い
Ura wo mekurya usankusai
Look inside yourself, you’re shady
お前らをルーペで拡大
Omaera wo ruupe de kakudai
Zoom into yourself with a magnifier
Jakurai:
君等の闇とは質が違う
Kimira no yama towa shitsu ga chigau
Your darkness is light compared to ours
いや次元の違う理性を保つ
Iya jigen ga chigau risei wo tamotsu
But we maintain sanity on a level different from yours
Hifumi & Doppo:
両サイドに破天荒な暴れん坊
Ryou SIDE ni hatenkou na abarenbou
On each side he got a crazy son of a gun (7)
天まで伸びる俺らが麻天狼
Ten made nobiru orera ga matenrou
Stretching into the sky, we are Matenrou (8)
[Chorus]*
MTC:
MAD TRIGGER CREWが勝ち上がる
MAD TRIGGER CREW ga kachiagaru
Mad Trigger Crew will keep advancing through victory
ボコボコ麻天狼にクリティカル
Bokoboko matenrou ni CRITICAL
Critical hit to Matenrou one right after the other
そう場違いさこの場を去りな
Sou bachigaisa kono ba wo sari na
This place is not for you, begone
Sama:
「くたばれ」
“kutabare”
“Die”
Juto:
「しょっぴくぞ!」
“Shyoppikuzo!”
“You’re under arrest!”
Riou:
「眠っとけ」
“Nemuttoke”
“Go home and sleep”
MTR:
そうくれば後悔する 叩きのめす崩壊
Sou kureba koukaisuru tatakinomesu houkai
If you do that you’ll regret, get the shit beaten out of you
無鉄砲になってこの大海原を揺蕩(たゆた)え
Muteppou ni natte kono oounabara wo tayuta e
Mindlessly loitering in this vast ocean
Hifumi:
「沈んどけ」
“Shizun doke”
“Sink”
Jakurai:
「これで最後だ」
“Kore de saigo da”
“This is the final”
Doppo:
「終了ぉお」
“Shyuuryooooo”
“Eeeeeeeeend”
[Chorus]
[Chorus]* : the first line is slightly different from [Chorus], just “決戦/kessen” instead of “最終決戦”. So instead of “ultimate final battle”, it’s “final battle.”
TL Notes:
The og text is "男臭い", which also means "manly" or "masculine", therefore it could also be translated as "You're so manly...I can smell it." So instead of attacking Riou directly it could be bit more petty.
Here I used “enthralling” for simplicity; the og text is “夢中にさせる”, which literally means something like “make you feel as if you’re in dreams”. So this could translate to something like “Shinjuku is the dream/fantasy of 19-year-olds to aunties.”
The og text is “そう甘くない”, meaning “it’s not easy/innocent/simple”, and to capture all that I used an idiom instead of a more literal translation.
“単細胞/tansaibou” means a single-minded or simple-minded person, but literally it means “single cell”. It’s like how the person has only one brain cell, or that he’s a unicellular organism.
Here on the lyrics sheet from the CD, it says “すくおう(sukuou)” which could be “救おう” or “巣食おう”. The two words in this line could mean either Jakurai would “save” or “nest/take root in” the darkness of a deep well. Depending on your impression of Jakurai...
On the lyrics sheet it says “石”, which reads “ishi” and is the same pronunciation as “医師”, doctor.
They’re referring to themselves; as in they’re the rogues standing by the sides of Jakurai.
In case you don’t know already, Matenrou is also the pronunciation for “skyscraper” in Japanese, so it’s a wordplay that can also mean “we’re the skyscrapers that scrapes the sky.”
Please support spoon 2Di !! You might be able to find them on Amazon.jp (international credit cards accepted) and CD Japan. Please show Hypmic that international fans also contribute to the sales!! This article is from vol. 41.
Shirai Yusuke is the voice actor of Shibuya’s cute idol Amemura Ramuda. How did he perform the cuteness unique to the bubbly Ramuda, or his intriguing duality? We’ll be asking him about all that!
——How do you feel about the current boom of popularity?
“Until the release, I was still unsure about how well the hip-hop genre would be received, but now that I know a lot of people are listening to it, I’m delighted. I never imagined it would have such a sudden upsurge in popularity.”
——During the nico-nama live stream the other day, you probably directly felt the reaction of the audiences.
“The enthusiasm was just incredible. I felt like we were all enjoying something new together.”
——How did it feel to actually rap freestyle?
“I took up the challenge just like that, but freestyling was difficult (laughs). You have to get your words in rhythm, and keep going at it while rhyming nicely; I really felt the importance of wit, vocabularies, etc. However, it was something that I don’t usually do, so it was refreshing and felt good. If there’s another chance, I want to practice a bit more and take the challenge again no matter what!”
——So in hindsight, how did you feel when you heard about the project of Hypnosis Mic?
“Since I always sing songs of rappers I like at karaoke, a rap project seemed interesting to me. Actually, I auditioned for other characters instead of Ramuda. But then after that, they sent me an offer that said, “please be Amemura Ramuda.” There I saw Ramuda for the first time and was a bit shocked, like, “this cute boy... me?” So I had to go up to my manager and confirm with them if the role of this character was really offered to me (laughs).”
——Ramuda's visual is really cute like a girl (laughs).
“They directed me to make him bubbly and sly like he knows how cute he is.. However, even though his appearance is this cute, he’s still a grown man who’s 24 years old, so it has to be within reasons, as I was told. So I did my best to show as much slyness as I can. I I have never played any characters look as androgynous as he does, and I think this is my first time playing a main character whose voice is this high-pitched.
——So you really focused on showing the cuteness and slyness while you’re performing as him.
“That’s right. Ramuda himself is also “clever, and understands how others see him [according to the character profiles],” meaning that he makes himself look cute; his slyness probably comes from him trying to act cute. So I thought that if that’s the case, I could pull it off, too. Therefore, when I voice Ramuda, I try to make sure I show a little of that forced cuteness.”
—— In the drama tracks of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, weren’t there parts when you had to also portray his other side?
“When I first voiced Ramuda, I didn’t know about his duality, so I didn’t act with the thought in mind that he had another side. Therefore, I was also shocked by that side of Ramuda!”
——Now that you have performed as him so far, what do you think Ramuda is like?
“He’s just full of mysteries. We still don’t know about his past, and just like how Gentaro was saying in the drama track, Ramuda is "too spotless" and it feels almost like it's all made up. In Fling Posse VS Matenrou, I played “Dark Ramuda.” ...that’s how I called his other side (laughs). Since I don’t know whether that was his true self or his acting, I am looking forward to how it will turn out. What’s more, since he also has connections with Kadenokouji Ichijiku-san (who is a high-ranking official of Chuo-ku), I think he’s going to be the key character of the plot. I am also looking forward to the story’s development.”
——It was really shocking that he was in communication with Ichijiku-san; as his voice actor, how did you feel about this?
“I had so much fun. Finally, I could talk in a comfortable tone (laughs)! Though I had also wondered if I should keep a little bit of his usual cute vibes, I intentionally changed [my voice] to the extent that it sounded like a different person. When people told me how shocked they were to find out about that Ramuda, it made me grin thinking, “I know right” (laughs).
——So what kind of team do you think Fling posse of Shibuya Division is?
“Fling posse started off with Ramuda forcing Gentaro and Dice to join, but taking that into consideration, they’re getting along pretty well. They have bright, pop-like vibes to them. However in the drama tracks of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, Gentaro was also suspicious of Ramuda, so they were both probing into each other and things were turning a bit sour… And then amongst them there is Dice who’s the only one not caring about anything (laughs). That’s why I think thanks to Dice, the team can maintain its balance. His lightheartedness really helps; I think he’s a great guy. Gentaro is a serial liar, Ramuda is full of mysteries, and maybe that’s how Dice’s straightforwardness stands out so much. Even though Dice loves gambling to death, he’s in general a sensible person. For example, he stood up for Gentaro when Hifumi dissed his clothes. When you see how much he treasures his friends, you can really tell that they’re ‘posse’. I am glad to see that their relationships have improved a lot compared to when they first started.”
——What do you think about the relationship between Ramuda and Dice?
“It feels a bit superficial. But since Dice trusts Ramuda, the exchange between the two is generally pleasant.”
——What about Gentaro then?
“Even though he likes saying “it’s a lie,” I think there has to be some truth in there. Anything could be a lie or a truth; it’s fun to ponder on it. Actually, I wonder if Ramuda already saw through what Gentaro was thinking; as I mentioned just now, in this CD’s drama track both Ramuda and Gentaro were figuring each other out. But Ramuda didn’t really let him know much more than what he revealed. However, there are also quite a few mysteries regarding Gentaro. For instance, he was angered by Hifumi’s comment on his vintage outfit, he seems to have all sorts of secrets. Not just Ramuda and Gentaro, everyone seems to have their own past. I really want to know about them soon.”
——What do you think is the strength of all three of them as Shibuya Division?
“Although they seem to have nothing in common, surprisingly they get along. I think their charm lies in their youthful, pop vibes, as well as their positivity.”
——As your opponents in Battle Battle Battle, what kind of team do you think Shinjuku Division is?
“Contrary to Shibuya’s youthfulness, Shinjuku are adults, and they are a team of mature appeal. However, they also surprisingly get along, which is nice. Jakurai-san seems like a loner at first, and yet he goes fishing with Hifumi. Doppo and Hifumi were friends since they were very little, but I didn’t expect that they’re living together. They’re so close with each other.”
ーー In Jakurai and Ramuda's duet, it has awfully thrilling feelings when you listened to it, is there anything you were conscious of when you perform?
“I try to be offensive and snappy towards Jakurai at full power. Therefore, I exaggerate my expressions, and put extra effort in delivering the taunts. Honestly, I had fun doing that (laughs). They were in a team together in the past, but curiously he seems fine with Ichiro and Samatoki; it was only with Jakurai that he has this antagonism. Ikebukuro and Yokohama, or Ichiro and Samatoki are also hostile towards each other; I really want to know what happened between them.”
——We were only given some intriguing keywords. Like how Samatoki calls Ichiro a “hypocrite”, and that Jakurai mentioned that Rumuda had “done something inhuman”.
“Oh well, what inhuman things have you done, Ramuda…(laughs)”
——For the next part, I would like to know more about the songs. To start with, please tell us was there anything you were particular about or paid attention to while you were recording your solo song Drops?
“Since it’s a solo song, it is the most Ramuda-style song ever. When I recorded the very first drama track, I did the highest voice I could to show Ramuda’s cuteness, so at the song recording I was worried like, “do I have to rap in that tone all the way…!?” (laughs) However, once I found out that the song only had rapping at important parts [and the rest was singing], I remember feeling a bit more relieved (laughs). It’s a stylish and cool song, I like it.”
——While rapping with a cute impression is good, I think the faint, sexy undertone of a 24-year-old man in there was brilliant.
“I'm glad you say so! At the beginning of Ramuda's rap, the feeling of him acting all cute and charged up really was intense, and the pyon pyon part really hit the limit. I sang it like I'd exhausted all my brain cells (laughs). I tried to sing it at karaoke once, but my heart broke in the middle of it (laughs). I had wondered if I would be able to sing this live. Ah, but when this interview gets published, the live will have already taken place! I think it'd be nice if I can sing it well (laughs). However, my feelings of wanting to sing it in front of everyone are strong, so I think it'd be nice if I could sing it happily. Also, Gentaro’s VA, Saito Soma told me that he thinks the lyrics at the chorus - "if you want to pick it up, do it" are superb! I was like, "ehh, is that so~" (laughs). Other people also told me the same thing, so I thought, "I guess it is~!”
——How about your division song, Shibuya Marble Texture - PCCS- then?
“This song is stylish, isn’t it! When I listened to it for the first time, I was surprised that this type of style can exist in the project, too. So far, all the songs have had either a fast tempo or they have loud and offensive moods to them. A rap with a relaxing tune was really refreshing. Although, Ramuda's voice was high as always (laughs). I think the song suits the evenings, so I listened to it on the way home from work. Because this song is the most recently recorded, I noticed some improvements in my skill after singing a lot of songs before it. At first I was really struggling, but it became more and more enjoyable as I went. Comparing it to the first time and the stage live... It's a bit embarrassing to say (laughs). Anyway, in contrast to the peaceful feeling of this song, the plot twist in the drama track is so...! There is this lyrics verse, "Shouldn't the world be more interesting?" rapped by Ramuda which makes you wonder which the true one is; the Ramuda of those lyrics or the one from the drama part. I think everyone ponders about that.
Since you can feel the bonds of those three in the lyrics "Side by side we watch the sunset", it would be nice if their bond pictured here [in the lyrics] is not a lie. It leaves a lot to the imagination.”
——On Ramuda and Gentaro's part, Dice who shouted their names was impressive, but on the contrary, when Dice got his, Ramuda was all-out with his, "Di~ce!", it was really cute.
“I put my everything in that ‘Dice’ (laughs). That part was originally not included in the song demo, but since Dice's VA, Nozuyama, shouted Ramuda and Gentaro's names, Ramuda decided to do it too when recording, because it’s not in character for Gentaro to do it. Speaking of which, Doppo's VA, Itou Kento, said he always listened to this song during the morning commute and that made me happy. It does get you in the mood if you listen to it when you are traveling!”
——Well then, how about Shibuya and Shinjuku's battle song, BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE?
“I'd say it was a real battle, like up until now, they never attacked each other, I think. In the song, there was a line, “Quit draggin’ someone’s past up to the surface over and over”. In that you could see a glimpse of the “Dark Ramuda”. Since the song was distributed before the CD release, if you listened to the song before the drama track, I think you would have been surprised like, "who was that just now?!" (laughs)
Still, I recorded that part separately, so I wondered how everyone would react when they have heard it. That too made me grin a bit while recording (laughs). Then during the verse which said, “without a promise, I won’t forgive that scenario”, he was already back to the usual Ramuda. But there was still a bit of the manly charm and his dark side left in there while I sang it; so when you listen to it, by all means please pay attention to that part.”
ーーHow was it when you heard the finished song together with rest of two members?
“I like how this song gave off the feeling of passing on a baton to each other while battling, but Gentaro's part was too tricky! I mean, it's difficult even if you were told that you can sing it, it’s just impossible (laughs). I really like that, while dodging Hifumi's diss, he provoked the other side with his last line, "A howling imbecile wouldn’t understand that, though, would he?"; I have been looping it in my head all this time. Also, with Dice going against Doppo, the salaryman, I like the feeling of how he struck a great blow with his last one phrase "I ain’t some collared pet.”
——Ramuda's taunting phrase "I’m disa~ppointed" was also good.
“If you were told something like that, you'd certainly get irritated (laughs). I can see Jakurai’s annoyed expression in my head (laughs).”
——Then, please tell us if you have a favorite character and a character you are interested in.
“It's (Iruma) Juto from Yokohama. Even if he is a policeman, he has this shady feeling, and I think how his manner in speaking holds hidden meanings is also nice. In the drama track, it is said that he even questioned Doppo in the past, but I feel like he changed a lot from his old days. Hifumi's duality is also interesting and how even if he is afraid of women, he works as host.”
——Do you have any favorite song aside from Ramuda's?
“Of course it's Ore Ga Ichiro from Kimura Subaru who plays as Ichiro. How he wrote the lyrics by himself is amazing, and the tune is just right. I thought that this guy is totally a rapper and that it was shown clearly.”
——It will be fun if a The Dirty Dawg song were to be made someday, with Ichiro and the legendary team The Dirty Dawg together.”
“Certainly, that possibility is also there! If the songs increase, there could be various combinations even outside the divisions, and perhaps there would be a rap for Dark Ramuda, too.”
——Hypnosis Mic held a Champagne Tower with everyone (the collab drink with karaoke shop), everyone in the cast gave off the impression that they were enjoying their work.
“That champagne tower party was totally private, and yet everyone gathered to that extent, I think that was amazing. Contents of Hypnosis Mic had been exciting so far and I think that it's really pleasing for a lot of people to accept it because we are having a lot of fun too. After all we got to listen to Hayami Show-san’s rap, right?”
——Right. How did listening to Hayami's rap feel like?
“Really cool! Because Hayami is Jakurai, I thought that as Ramuda I should do my best not to lose.”
——Thank you. Lastly, please give a message to your fans.
“By the time this interview gets published, I think we will have already finished the 2nd Live successfully and that the 3rd Live will be decided in November, too. It's unusual to conduct a live in such a short time span, but I think next time we can have fun with more people, so I'd be happy if you could come and play. I don't know how the story will progress according to the battle results, but I am also looking forward to see how Ramuda will get involved. I also want to work hard to improve my rapping skills, so I'd be happy if you can keep supporting Hypnosis Mic in the future.”
Please support spoon 2Di !! You might be able to find them on Amazon.jp (international credit cards accepted) and CD Japan. Please show Hypmic that international fans also contribute to the sales!! This article is from vol. 41.
Shibuya Division’s trickster Yumeno Gentaro has a character difficult to grasp, and toys with people with his irregular rap. His voice actor Saito Soma will tell us everything from his philosophy in rapping, to what happens behind the scenes during secret talks regarding recording!
——What do you think about the current boom of popularity?
“Personally I have always liked rap music, but I am very surprised and thankful that there’s such a huge response. Various people I’ve ran into told me that “Your rap is pretty solid, great job”; these comments were made not as a fellow actor but as a listener, and that made me overjoyed.”
——I’ve seen you performing freestyle rap in other project’s Niconama [live stream] before, but had you ever actually been rapping other than listening to it?
“Sometimes my friends and I would gather at their place, and rap freestyle together. For the Niconama, it was probably Samatoki-sama (he meant the VA Asanuma Shintaro-san) who randomly asked me to do a freestyle as part of the show, right? (laughs) At that time I didn’t know about this project [Hypmic] yet, and to think that now I am actually rapping with Asanuma-san in the same production, I feel that it’s an amazing serendipity.”
——So, when you first saw Yumeno Gentaro, which part of him did you find the coolest?
“How everything is a lie. In the world of Hypnosis Mic, the lyrics that were sung through a hypnosis mic has to be nothing but your true thoughts, but in the case of Gentaro his opponents would still be confused by him like, “was that actually true though?”. I think that is especially interesting. In actual freestyle [battle], he might purposely say things to disrupt the flow of his opponents’ lyrics, basically jabbing at their true nature; that’s why I think Gentaro’s style is tricky.”
——Gentaro at times alternates between different first-person pronouns and voices. Since he’s so ungraspable, how did you build up the character?
“Beginning from the drama track of Fling Posse -F.P.S.M.-, I’ve done a lot of ad-lib voice changes. But at that time I was told not to improvise too much since it was still the very beginning, so I stopped myself from doing it too much. However after that I was told to just do whatever I want, so I was like ‘Yay!’ and improvised a lot. Changing my voice like that was not decided by me though. In the script, it wrote ‘Maro…’, so I thought it’d be nice to do a voice that sounds like a ‘Maro’(1). He was also saying that he was a princess in his past life, and I felt using a female voice there would be fitting. I was just following the script truthfully and faithfully! From now on I might do even more voices, and I would be very glad if you’re aware that the change was instructed by the script (laughs). With that being said, there are also many parts that are done by my own discretion (laughs).”
——As the person behind Gentaro, is that how you pin down his ungraspable character ?
I got to sing the solo song “Scenario Liar,” and that song itself is written in a way that you can’t tell whether it’s the truth or a lie, so if you use it as a reference for Yumeno Gentaro’s character, his character settings start to collapse.”
—— Scenario Liar started with “let me tell you about my past”, and finished up with a “well, but that’s all a lie” in the end; it really is a confusing song.
“That’s right. First, his birthday on the profile is April 1st, so one would think “it’s absolutely a lie isn’t it!” (laughs). Then in the beginning of Scenario Liar he said he’s born on a cold day in a snowy country far far away, and it just becomes “I knew it was a lie!” (laughs). Even his MC name is “Phantom”; with a character this intangible, as an actor, it’s hard to interpret him. But it’s also interesting. I think acting without thoroughly understanding the role, and instead having your character take the lead is a really interesting acting method. Of course, I have a clear image of Yumeno Gentaro in mind, but I feel like discussing that here is a little tactless.”
—— What kind of team do you think Shibuya Division’s Fling Posse is?
“Since Shibuya Division is a team of members gathered by Ramuda in order to win the territory battle, they don’t have any previous relations or bonds. However, even though they started off like that, I think they became very good friends. Especially in the drama track of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, the friendship between Gentaro and Dice really deepened. Amongst the 4 Divisions, Fling Posse is the most juvenile and pop. They’ve got a sense of mischief, and for better or worse there’s zero “seriousness”. You can really feel the intensity of Shinjuku’s seriousness, but with Shibuya it seems like they’re not concerned by the results. They’re just there to rap as they please, I really feel they cherish the fact that they make each other feel comfortable. I think that makes me feel warm and welcomed too.”
——On the other hand, as the plot thickens, there’s some sort of unsettling atmosphere within Shibuya Division.
“That’s right. Especially now that we know Ramuda is holding some secrets, it makes you wonder like, is he planning something behind our backs…? Please look forward to how that’s going to change the story from now on. I don’t know if Dice has any secrets... but I want him to stay the way he is!”
——So, what’s your impression on Shibuya’s leader Ramuda?
“It was amazing to me that Shirai (Yusuke) kun voices Ramuda with a high-pitched voice, but after listening to Fling Posse VD Matenrou, I see why this character can’t be voiced by anyone but Shirai Yusuke. I think Shirai-kun did a spectacular job in portraying the duality of Ramuda. And Ramuda’s solo song is superb! Although I already liked the song as a rough demo, on the day of release I messaged Shirai-kun, saying “It’s a great song!” Then he replied with a bunny sticker and I thought, “he totally gets it!” (laughs). Even though Ramuda is not necessarily the most leader-like, since he’s clever and is the person who shapes Shibuya’s appeal and enigmatic image, having him as center is very reassuring, His rap flow is also called ‘bratty rap’, so I think his style is about snapping and poking fun at everything. It’s nice to have him in a group with Gentaro and Dice whose styles are different. Ramuda is also similar to Gentaro, in the way that they make people think they might not be talking in their real voice. Including the fact that they’re figuring each other out, I’d say their relationship is pretty good.”
——Then how about Arisugawa Dice?
“I think no one could be a better Dice than Nozuyama-kun (Nozuyama Yoshihiro san), he really gives off the vibes of Dice. Nozuyama kun often goes drinking, he’s the one who has been persistently asking us to have Fling Posse gatherings (laughs). Moreover, his level of “kouhai skill”(2) is high. When we’re having the Posse gathering, he said that he will invite us no matter how many times it takes (laughs). This part of him that is straightforward and pleasant really clicks with Dice’s character I think. What’s more, his rap is super duper cool! And even though Dice lives a sketchy, all-or-nothing lifestyle because he’s a gambler, in reality he shares the same emotions and feelings as everyone; in my opinion that’s how he is. In the drama part of Fling Posse VS Matenrou, Hifumi made fun of Gentaro’s clothings. Before Gentaro even got angry, Dice got angry on behalf of him, and chided Hifumi, “Everyone has a thing or two that they don’t want to be talked about!” That line really hits home. “
—— Gentaro usually just jokes and gets around things, it’s rare to see him angry.
“In that scene where they were arguing back and forth with Hifumi, at first I thought it’s a funny scene since Gentaro changed his first-person pronoun frequently. But here I was given the directions to show actual anger, and I was like, “oh really!” So the reason why that happened, it was because...oops, I can’t say anything more about it (laughs).”
——So regarding the music, I assume there must be a different approach to recording rap than recording usual songs. Please tell us your thoughts on recording.
“For my solo song Scenario Liar, people who’re not familiar with rap might wonder, “is this rap?” This is rap which is performed in the manner of poetry reading. It’s a song that’s extremely marvelous, but at the same time difficult. In Division Battle Anthem I was given an even more difficult rapping part, and was told “this time yours is the hardest!” (laughs). Gentaro has this style that doesn’t follow the beat closely and tends to go off beat. Therefore, in the second half of the verse after “hmm...yea you got it right”, he plunged back into rhythm. I voiced my concern that this style may sounds off to people who don’t usually listen to rap, and they said “it will be fine”, so I thought, “this project will be even better for sure!!” From this we see, what’s great about Hypnosis Mic is that the musical expectation does not get lower just to attract the mass audience. I thought it’s remarkable how they were making the songs without compromising for a hybrid between a rap and a character song since the beginning.”
——What do you think about BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE, the battle song with Shinjuku Division?
“Again, Gentaro got a totally different flow from others…I think you’ll hear it when you listen to the song; it’s really difficult. This is a battle song, so Shibuya who attacks the second always switch in very sharply, and everyone is rapping intensely. Then there’s only Gentaro, who goes ‘oh, I see, you have a point. Certainly you’re real’ and I was like, ‘are you serious!?’ (laughs). However, I think this is what Gentaro would do, to be totally unfazed by Hifumi’s dis, ignoring and mocking his seriousness.”
——It feels like a lot of different voices are used in Gentaro’s song.
"Gentaro is not the type to rap with much highs and lows, if he doesn’t delicately build up his voice, he could lack punch power. Therefore I use different kinds of voices. That being said, there might be more ‘Maro rap’ in the future (laughs).”
——I want to listen to that (laugh). With Shibuya especially, it’s fun to listen to the various calls.
“In Shibuya Marble Texture -PCCS-, Dice yelled ‘Ramuda—!!’ before Ramuda’s rap (laughs). He also yelled ‘Gentaro—‘ before Gentaro’s rap too; but he was so hyped, I was like - Eh!? Did he just say ‘Guitar!!’? (laughs)”
——Alongside with the part where Ramuda calls ‘Dice~’ to pass the mic, you can really see that the three are good friends with each other; it’s wonderful. For the next question, how did you feel about singing Shibuya Marcle Texture -PCCS- ?
“This song is awesome! I think Avec Avec-san made the song very Shibuya for us. Between Shirai-kun, Nozuyama-kun and I, my voice is absolutely the highest; however within the characters, Ramuda’s voice is the highest. Ramuda is high, Dice is Mid and Gentaro is low, it brings out the unique tonality of Shibuya. I was the first one to record so I sang while having fun. As the song plays, imageries of Fling Posse’s Shibuya, a marble-like town with a mix of good and bad came to mind. And yet, it also gives off trippiness like a daydream; it’s super awesome.”
——Gentaro’s usual flow is irregular.
I think it'll be a shock if Gentaro raps like everyone else. Dice and Gentaro did a fast-flow duo rap in the drama track of Fling Posse VS Matenro CD. For people who listened, didn't it catch you off guard like, "oh he can rap like a regular rapper, too!?" (Laughs) Nozuyama-kun and I recorded it almost at the same time, but it worked like a magic from the first take. I actually like the fast flow style personally, so that was fun to do, too. The rap part in the drama tracks are written by Cola Bintaro Sensei (aka Kimura Subaru), so I was telling him, "Gentaro's flow is always really careful, I wish I can try something more rough and fast maybe" and then he delivered (Laughs). Bintaro Sensei always brings demos that he recorded for our reference, but they are so perfect, to the point that we can probably just publish them as they are.”
——At our last interview with Bintaro-sensei, he told us that he really likes Scenario Liar, and praised your rap.
“Eh—I’m so glad! Bintaro-sensei said that!? Thank you so much! When I asked Bintaro-sensei whose rap was good, he said with rap there isn’t one way to measure who’s good and who’s bad, but the one whose style was complete from the beginning was Jakurai-sensei. Hayami (Show) san only did two takes. In fact, his first take was already good, but did the second take just in case. That's how much he practiced before the recording, so I heard.”
——As expected from him! And now, please tell us songs and characters that you like.
“There are songs I like in each division; for Ikebukuro, I really like Jiro’s song “Sensenfukoku”. It has the Mixture Rock vibe and very high quality as a character song, too, because Ishiya (Haruki)-kun expressed Jiro's adoration towards Ichiro by pursuing Subaru-san's rap style. It's pure awesome. I like all the songs of Yokohama, but Samatoki-sama is just the cutest. Family and friends are of great importance to him. The sentiment of “we’re a team”, which is often seen in gang culture, is very much Yokohama’s style. Oh, and I also got the impression that Riou is Kamio-san’s calling (laughs). Kamio-san’s stare in the MV is the best, please by all means watch it again!”
——What about Shinjuku Division?
“I like Doppo. I can sing the whole Tigridia! Everytime I see ItoKen-kun (Ito Kento san) I talk about how good the song is. The line “When not writing poems I’m but a corpse” is the coolest, and Doppo saying it makes it even better.”
——What do you like about Doppo?
“A 29-year-old downer salaryman, he’s not young anymore; such setting is awful good (laughs). In the drama there was a part where Dice said to Doppo, who was apologizing to him, “An apology is meaningless if you apologize at everything. And I thought, “I see how that is~” Dice-kun is a gambler so he probably doesn’t understand, but that’s what a working adult is like... something like that (laughs).Therefore, if Doppo is ever going to have a solo song again, I want it to be the intense outburst of his anger and stress.”
——What type of songs would you like to try out as Gentaro in the future?
“Gentaro seems to have a reputation of being variable, so if he does rap normally, people would think, ‘Is he actually doing it normally? It could be fake’ and that would be interesting I think. Each character has their own rapping style, while Gentaro just does whatever. If he’s a Pokemon he would be something like Ditto...it’s Ditto rap (laughs)!”
——Who would be fun for Shibuya Division to have a battle with?
“In Division Battle Anthem Gentaro’s part is after Juto’s, so it’s really loud…because Komada Wataru (laughs)! But that being said, with Juto’s volume and the contrasting off beat of Gentaro, it makes me want to have a battle with Yokohama. Having Gentaro to pay homage to Juto’s style sounds fun (laughs). And I am interested in how a battle between Riou and Dice would go. Also, it seems like Juto’s sharp high tone goes well [with Gentaro’s].”
——Thank you very much. Last but not least, please say something to fans.
“When I was told about Hypnosis Mic, I thought it’d for sure be an interesting project. Even though I sort of wondered if it can be well-received, I’m very grateful that it was developed to become the talk of the town. Rap battle is about fellow rappers being respectful and dissing each other in the field of rap, as the backbone of hip-hop culture. “Dissing” is not talking down to someone or attacking their character; instead, it is a showdown of fighting styles on the battlefield of the culture. As you get to know rap you also get to know the culture, and as the way to listen to rap takes root in you, you’ll enjoy it even more. You probably each have your own favourite division, but please save the battles only for when mics are held; please by all means enjoy Hypnosis Mic while being nice to each other. We’ll also try to create an even better space for everyone to have fun together. It’ll make me very glad if you could please continue to enjoy Hypnosis Mic in the future.”
Translation notes
Means “I”, was used as a first-person pronoun regardless of age, class and gender since the Heian Period. In recent works, it's usually used by males in court nobles from the Heian period. It’s rarely used as oppose to ‘watashi’.
Original text is “後輩スキル”, reads “kouhai skill”. I’m sure most of you would know, but for those who don’t, “kouhai” is a person who’s less experienced than others, i.e. a junior. Since hierarchical etiquette is a large part of Japanese culture, the skills to be able to strive and behave suitably as your status is very important.
His last name in Hiragana is actually 「のづやま」and not 「のずやま」like the most common spelling (and he is particular about it).
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ーWhat kind of character are you trying to portray Arisugawa Dice as? How are you developing him as well?
“Dice loves gambling before everything else, to the point he’ll blow borrowed money into gambling… He’s hopeless (laughs) But! I also think he’s sensible and a very masculine character. When I played his role, I made sure to show the fact that other than the Yamada brothers, he’s the youngest amongst the characters in Hypnosis Mic. I tried to pour in more energy and keenness to show the difference between him and the older characters. Actually, he’s close to me in age, so there are a lot of aspects of him that I can relate to.”
ーWhat kind of team do you think Fling Posse is? And please tell us what you think Amemura Ramuda and Yumeno Gentaro are like.
“Fling Posse is a team that seems to not get along, but gets along anyways. Ramuda did something shocking in this CD; Gentaro who always lies also makes it difficult to know what is true about him and what is not. It’s hard to figure them out completely. Therefore, people might think that they can’t really get along. However, the three share the same desire of not wanting to lose in the Territory Battle, so as a team, they are super close and very cute together (laughs).”
— For each song, please tell me your main focus during recording, the highlight of it, and your favourite lyrics.
“3$EVEN”
This song is exactly about Dice’s life as a gambler, I recorded in a way that makes sure people can tell that Dice loves gambling a lot! Personally, I love the part that goes, “Hit it! Hit it!” (laughs
“Shibuya Marble Texture -PCCS-”
I thought that I should make this song very Shibuya-like by emphasising on its pitch that’s much higher than other divisions’ team songs. Dice usually sings in baritone, so I try to not lose the Diceness while singing in a higher pitch. I like the part “We’ll show you how different Fling Posse bets.”
“BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE”
When I recorded it, I wanted to be able to show Dice’s faith and his absolute confidence clearly. I don't think Dice thinks about losing or how the battle will end or anything like that at all. He is purely enjoying the battle with the opponent right in front of him. The lyrics “Always prepare for the worst, that’s Dead or Alive” is the coolest I think.
—What impressions do you have on Matenrou’s Jinguji Jakurai, Izanami Hifumi and Kannonzaka Doppo whom you’re having a showdown with in BATTLE SEASON?
“The last-boss vibes that Shinjuku gives off is intense (laughs). They’re also the only ones who use kanjis in their team name. Jakurai’s rap heals, so I am very curious about what would happen in a one-on-one battle against him. Hifumi has three different personalities, so I want to see what he does with the rap of each personality. Doppo is always apologizing, I can’t picture him fighting!?! Despite thinking that, he is surprisingly aggressive when he’s in a battle; I’m really charmed by such a gap in character.”
—Please tell me your impressions on Ikebukuro Division and Yokohama Division. Did anyone in those divisions get your attention?
“Naturally, Ikebukuro's teamwork is exceptionally good because they are brothers. Actually, I really like their team song (laughs). Yokohama seems roughs (laughs). Their leader is a Yakuza after all. Yet surprisingly, they get along pretty well. Busujima Mason Riou is pretty interesting, even Samatoki and Juto have to behave in front of him. He also took care of Dice by feeding him (laughs). I think he’s simply the strongest.”
—Please give a message to the fans!
“After this, the plot will definitely thicken even more and the contents will be awesome, so please everyone! Please continue to support us!!”
This is part 2 of the Matenrou interview of Animage 483, for part 1 please read here. It’s about Matenrou and Jakurai’s VA Hayami Show san.
Continuation of the Story by Kannonzaka Doppo’s VA Ito Kento
Bad at Household Chores But an Able Working Corporate Slave
—— As this is Matenrou’s second CD release, what is your impression of Kannonzaka Doppo?
Ito: When Doppo raps, he steadily becomes more and more dangerous (laughs). Although he wasn’t able to speak his mind when he first started, he might get better at expressing himself little by little. As usual, he’s menial, but I think he is able change that into a strength. For that to happen, it may be because his teammates Jinguji Jakurai and Izanami Hifumi’s presence have become larger.
—— What do you pay attention to when you are acting as Doppo?
Ito: It was a challenge to record with that much negative emotion infused. When I’m in Tokyo, it’s easy to trace Doppo’s actions, like remembering being shaken in a crowded train…. He even wears a suit so it’s even harder. I’m glad my job doesn’t require wearing a suit (laughs).
—— Doppo is perhaps the sole corporate slave character, but how do you feel about this?
Ito: I wonder how much of a corporate slave he is. I don’t think being a salesperson is the most suitable job for Doppo, I wonder if he’s okay. First, Doppo should have a car because it would be tough for Doppo to go around for business by train. Having a car would make it easier. Perhaps Hifumi would buy him a car since he has more money (laughs). I don’t know if he has enough income for a car…
—— A line in Hifumi’s part of “-Division Battle Anthem-” is “12,346,600 Monthly,” so we can estimate his monthly sales to be over 10,000,000 [yen]. If the club shares 50% of the sales with him, then that is a quite an income.
Ito: If it’s not a luxury car, it’s likely that he’d get one for Doppo…?! But if he does that, Doppo’s self worth might fade away (laughs).
——Hifumi possibly has expensive taste, what does Doppo think about him?
Ito: There are times when he’s unpleasant yet he is an indispensable existence. Speaking of it, in the BATTLE CD’s drama part, we learn that they live together. I thought, “you guys get along too well,” but there are lots of guys that live together. Even around me, I know some people that have roommates. It’s cheaper than paying rent alone, and it’s just easier overall (laughs). The hours they go to work are literally day and night so there is no need for meddling more than necessary. I think they’ve achieved a nice shared livelihood.
—— What do you think Doppo feels about Hifumi’s best-host mode when he’s wearing his suit and his gynophobia side?
Ito: They’ve known each other since forever; Doppo should know why Hifumi has gynophobia. Host, gynophobe, and his usual mode are the three sides Hifumi has, so Doppo shouldn’t be confused or uncomfortable.
—— There is a scene where Hifumi makes Doppo breakfast, to which Doppo replies with, “Today’s breakfast is grilled salmon, huh?” Did you get the impression that Hifumi often cooks for them?
Ito: On the outside, it looks like Doppo is the one taking care of Hifumi, but it’s actually Hifumi that takes care of Doppo. Like how Hifumi mends Doppo’s suits when they get torn. I’m certain that Doppo is a guy bad at all household chores and decision making, but when he’s out, Doppo is competent. He can contemplate things over and over, and then turn it into action. In the drama part of the first CD, “Matenrou -Clinical Phonetics-,” they head to the apartment of a customer of the host club Hifumi works at. There, Doppo predicted that she would jump and prepared a mat, did he not? How he was able to prepare that in a short time is a bit comedic though (laughs); that was some really good work.
The “Unexpected” Light Shining into the Repetitive Every Day
—— What impression do you have about Jakurai?
Ito: For Doppo, Jakurai is the person he trusts the most besides Hifumi. He is who Doppo consults with, but I also think he’s a mentor. The two of them, Hifumi and Jakurai, help lift Doppo up as they walk together. In the drama part this time, you can feel the depth of Jakurai’s connection to Amemura Ramuda. You really can’t tell if there’s something there, though I think that the incident that caused this connection surely surpasses any imagination. But even though Doppo is curious, he won’t actively push to know. If Jakurai would someday tell him, I think he would be overjoyed.
—— Is Doppo undergoing Jakurai’s counseling right now?
Ito: I believe he is. Since the setting of the BATTLE CD went from Shinjuku Division to Chuuoku, I can’t say if there has been a change in their regular relationship, though I still think it’s needed for Doppo.
—— In the 1st CD, before becoming a member of Matenrou, Doppo performs a rap in front of Jakurai. In his lyrics is the line “Society is cold but somehow it’s warmer now,” what does it mean?
Ito: I actually haven’t heard from Kimura Subaru-san what his thoughts were when he wrote the lyrics. Maybe holding the Hypnosis Mic is like a portal to something unlike what Doppo is used to. And that might be what he’s been looking for in his repetitive daily life. I wouldn’t say that it’s hope, but it’s a ray of light that shines through and reached him; the warmth [he mentioned in the lyrics] probably refers to that. He must have been very happy when he first received the mic, after everything that happened. It’s the same for Hifumi I think. Doppo and Hifumi would be first and second place if the characters held an awkwardness competition.
—— In the BATTLE CD were interactions with each of the other divisions. There is a scene where he drinks Busujima Mason Riou’s special-made drink, although it had a taste that made Aohitsugi Samatoki, Iruma Juto, and Hifumi faint, only Doppo was able to drink it without trouble.
Ito: It’s only my idea of what happened, but I think Doppo loves nutrition drinks. Health recovery maybe? (laughs) Taste may come second for a healthy body. Drinking without prejudice and the likes of not being afraid to try things is one of Doppo’s nice points.
—— In the 2nd drama part “Just A Friend,” Hifumi went out at night in Chuuoku and was then chased by women.
Ito: It was nice to know what Doppo would do when confronting women. Ah, of course he’d run. He even screams (laughs).
—— He didn’t seem happy at all, did he?
Ito: Doppo isn’t the type to go out in public, I guess he never thought he would be like an idol.
—— There, they had a chance encounter with Yumeno Gentaro and Arisugawa Dice and had a quarrel.
Ito: Subaru also wrote the lyrics for that part. Doppo’s “I’m sorry” and similar words are a shield making a nice steady style. The recording this time was also fun, I got carried along by Subaru’s enthusiasm in the direction room. We also learned how the two fight in the absence of Jakurai. But it wasn’t the real fight, which is why they didn’t use their full power. Also, Doppo worried about what others think of him, as he understood that this is not the place to fight. These two are still hiding their claws. I wonder if I was able to incorporate that in my acting.
—— Do you have any members you are interested in after this recording?
Ito: I’m a member of Matenrou, but I like Dice. His gambler way of life is great; it’s something I very much don’t think I can do (laughs). Actually, Fling Posse is a burning presence in me, their songs and relationships are also nice. They don’t have a common goal, and with the exception of Ramuda, a novelist and gambler aren’t very Shibuya-Division-like jobs. However, surely for these three, there has to be a reason why it has to be Shibuya.
Lurking in the Dirty City, the Tale of Matenrou continues
—— “BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE” begins with Doppo’s attack.
Ito: It was surprising that I was first. Because it’s the firing shot, the lyrics were a simple attack on Shibuya. There’s a strong feeling of camaraderie in this song. For example, Dice attacked Doppo and Hifumi follows up by returning his lyrics. I thought it was as if the three were really fighting. Also, the three’s final lyrics really stood out. They said, “No matter how hard your past was” --- what was their past like? Why did they become the men of Shinjuku? I hope you have fun imagining it.
—— Doppo’s scream of “Matenrou!” is quite impressionable.
Ito: That was originally not in the demo, but was decided during the recording. It really fires up the atmosphere for a rap battle, no? During the discussion with everyone, we talked about adding more Dopponess into the song, and that’s how it happened. However, Shibuya’s “Posse Posse” is chanted by the whole Fling Posse, whereas I’m doing this alone (laughs).
—— What do you think about the team song “Shinjuku Style ~Don’t Make Me Laugh~”?
Ito: Firstly, the demo which was given to us by Rappagariya was amazing. Usually demos are just the melodies without any effects or arrangements, but his demo was so cool and with lots of effects. It was totally ready to be put into a CD as is. Thanks to that, it was easy to picture the final product. But this song is so difficult. When I was practicing at home it almost made me cry.
—— Have you watched the trailer for this song?
Ito: The video shows the streets of Shinjuku from the point of view of the characters. I am glad that there are also cuts where Doppo is getting on subways and walking up stairs. In those cuts, the camera was facing downwards which was so just like Doppo. Shinjuku, especially Kabukicho, is filled with billboards of portraits and texts. There are even taglines like “profession: hottie.” It’s an interesting place. This song seems scarier than Fling Posse’s team song, maybe Shinjuku is seen as a scary place. When I listen to the song, a picture of Matenrou swaggering together through downtown comes to my mind. However, this might make the other divisions more aggressive against us. Don’t get me wrong, Shinjuku is not scary at all… is what I want to tell them (laughs).
—— Doppo’s solo song, “Tigridia,” from the first CD sure has a different impression from the BATTLE CD.
Ito: I think the Doppo in this song is the everyday Doppo. While he says that he’s walking alone, it’s not actually like that. In terms of time, it could be his song from before he became a member of Matenrou, or shortly after he joined. I myself really like this song. Since I sang this song, it’s a bit embarrassing to recommend it to people, but I recommend it (laughs). To start with the song’s track, it’s very cool, so even just the instrumental version is superb.
—— Is there something you would like to do with “Hypnosis Mic” in the future?
Ito: What I had been wanting to do until now is a live show and it’s coming soon. It’s crazy how we made it all the way to hosting a concert! However, now I am a bit anxious that I won’t be able to sing properly. It’s a great challenge and afterwards, I want to try to hold a live show in Shinjuku. It’d be nice if the venue is related to the characters, but we might be yelled at if we do it in hospitals and offices (laughs). Host clubs might be the most likely to let us do so. And maybe a surprise pop-up concert. I think a flash-mob kind of performance would work for this project. How about it? I want to do it.
—— This time is the reveal of the outcome, what will happen?
Ito: From the songs, I get the image that Fling Posse is pop and Matenrou is shady. Which side will be eliminated is determined by the audiences. I am worried that the shadiness of Matenrou might scare away some people. However, the “women and men of Shinjuku”* who support Matenrou probably already know the charm and the underlying enchantment of shadiness. How Matenrou’s story will develop from this point on, I myself want to know as well. Therefore, please kindly vote for us.
* Fans of Hypnosis Mic are sometimes referred to as “Women/Men of [ ] Division”
This article comes from the Animage Magazine vol. 483, please buy the magazine to support them and get the exclusive images!
(You can read part 2 about Doppo and his VA Itou Kento here. )
The Bonds of the City that Never Sleeps
The second part of the Territory Battle has begun. With their strong lyrics that bewitch one's heart, will the bonds of Matenrou be able to pierce through their fated rivals?
Shinjuku Division -- the city under shimmering neon lights that never sleeps. Here resides a doctor of great prestige who goes by the name of Jinguji Jakurai, a former member of the legendary team The Dirty Dawg. Every day, patients bearing both wounds of the body and heart seek his aid. One of these patients was Kannonzaka Doppo who is suffering from social anxiety.
In order to save Izanami Hifumi, his childhood friend whose life was being threatened, Doppo sought help from Jakurai. That is how the three of them met. Taking an interest in Doppo and Hifumi, Jakurai invited them both to his team.
After forming Matenrou, Doppo and Hifumi remained being as awkward and eccentric as ever, but now as a team they become each other’s most important and reliable comrade, shouldering the future of Shinjuku Division together.
And now, the day on which Chuuoku organized a territory battle for Matenrou has arrived. Their opponents, Shibuya Division’s Fling Posse, are led by Amemura Ramuda who has a deep and convoluted antagonism between himself and Jakurai. Once again, without Jakurai being aware of it, Ramuda is involved with someone from Chuuoku, the governmental district that dominates all men. Jakurai can’t be too careful around him.
The victor of this battle will soon be decided. With Matenrou’s scalpel-sharp lyrics that can be used as both poison and medication at will, can they pierce the heart of the trickster leader of Fling Posse? And what does Jakurai think of his fated rival...
Jinguji Jakurai
A renowned medical genius. He has top-class rap skills and a gentleness that shows no bias towards anyone. If there is any flaw to his otherwise perfect self, it is his transformation into a true Tokyoite through the consumption of alcohol. He considers Hifumi and Doppo as precious friends whom he cannot leave alone.
Contact
Jakurai maintains solid communication with his companions. He listens patiently to Doppo’s troubles, and when their days off overlap, drives them all out to go fishing. Since Doppo has been sleeping in on his days off he missed the invitation and has yet to join them.
A Man of Character
He gently reprimands people without seeking repentance and steers clear of alcohol (partly because he loses memory after drinking) -- someone who can be compared to a Buddha. With such a personality, the only person Jakurai couldn’t stand is Ramuda. What on earth is going on between these two…?
Izanami Hifumi
Sociable, bubbly, and also an extreme gynophobe. Became a host to overcome his fear of women. However, his character only changes when he puts on his suit. While he becomes a suave, composed gigolo in the face of women, it does not actually tackle the root of the problem.
Host Mode
While spending a night at town in Chuuoku, Hifumi wore his suit to calm down after feeling unsettled by Jakurai’s warning of the battles’ popularity with women. Activating his Host Mode, he seized the opportunity to roam the streets. The shift from his extreme gynophobia to extreme gynephilia doesn’t seem to be conscious.
Domestic Skill
Hifumi is surprisingly adept at household chores. He is roommates with Doppo and cooks breakfast for the both of them. When Doppo’s suits gets torn, he mends them. It is probably only thanks to Hifumi that Doppo who lives an unhealthy lifestyle is still alive.
Kannonzaka Doppo
An office worker so thoroughly exhausted that he cannot recover even if he sleeps through his days off. He depends on his roommate, Hifumi, to take care of the domestic chores. Has a negative disposition. Because he apologizes so frequently at work, “I’m sorry” has become his pet phrase.
Spectacle
This territory battle exists as a spectacle for the women watching. The men who participate in the battles are treated as idols, thus strolling about without a care will get them overrun by a flock of female fans. Whether it is a good or bad thing depends on the person himself. Hifumi in his host mode was overjoyed to be surrounded by women while Doppo was screaming and running away.
Camaraderie
That night in Chuuoku, Hifumi and Doppo ran into Gentaro and Dice. It started off with Hifumi poking fun at Gentaro’s choice in clothing but ended up with Dice and Doppo arguing, instigating a Mic Battle. Rather than taking offense at the insults directed at themselves, Hifumi and Doppo, as well as Gentaro and Dice, were more defensive against the insults directed at their trusted companions. Unfortunately, their battle was interrupted as it attracted more attention from women, but they still managed to strengthen their bonds within their teams.
Fate
The clash between Fling Posse and Matenrou doubles as a showdown between their leaders. Beyond warning his teammates of Ramuda’s “inhumanity,” Jakurai says nothing about their connection. In Ramuda’s case, he seems to avoid speaking about Jakurai altogether towards his own teammates. However, regardless of their mutual animosity, Jakurai still tirelessly admonishes Ramuda...
Enigmatic Men
Jinguji Jakurai’s VA Hayami Show
“Doctor that can’t be swayed by money and patient that can’t be left alone”
--What kind of a person is Jinguji Jakurai?
Hayami: Although there is still a lot unknown about him, he is a humane doctor who cannot be bought, who is incredibly gentle, and who brims with humanism. In a place like Shinjuku Division, there ought to be all kinds of patients visiting Jakurai. Amongst those patients, there are people who can’t afford the expensive medical fees, and people with questionable backgrounds… Yet the person who’d treat them all properly and equally is none other than Jakurai. You’d think that doctors are all rich people, but since he puts healing people before money, maybe he doesn’t earn that much (laughs). I think that the car he owns is certainly not an expensive one. Even though Jakurai seems to be so benevolent and perfect, in the drama part of our first CD “Matenrou -Clinical Phonetics-” we saw how much of a big mess he caused when he was drunk. With a side like that, I feel that he’s quite well-rounded as a human being.
--So for Izanami Hifumi and Kannonzaka Doppo, what do you think about them?
Hayami: To Jakurai, they’re like his two cute little brothers. Of course as part of Matenrou, they rap in order to join battles, but the two must have wished to move towards a more decent life through rap. Jakurai has a lot of patients, but they’re the number one and two patients that he just can’t leave alone. I also feel developments in Hifumi and Doppo’s characters after they got the hypnosis mics. When you look at each of them individually, you can find quite a few shortcomings, but when they’re rapping together, they offset each others’ limitations and bring each other up.
--In this Battle CD, it felt like there’s even more to Jakurai and Amemura Ramuda's past.
Hayami: Details of the past between the two are not fully disclosed. The two were very mysterious to begin with. Actually, I don’t know the whole backstory either and it could be easier to act not knowing things. Ramuda is a strange kid. Even when I was recording I was annoyed; not by Shirai Yusuke who voiced him, but by Ramuda himself (laughs). The way he talks is so insensitive that it’s almost unbearable. Furthermore, Ramuda is 24 years old. Never in my life have I seen a 24-years-old who says things like “It’s ◯◯☆” or “Oneesan♪.” However, someone like Ramuda is very popular amongst women… It gets on my nerves (laughs).
--There’s also bad blood between Yamada Ichiro and Aohitsugi Samatoki. Does Jakurai know what happened between them?
Hayami: Of course he knows, I think Jakurai watched it happened. However, it’s only with Ramuda that he couldn’t just watch. In the drama part of the Battle CD, it was revealed that Ramuda is connected to people from Chuuouku. Jakurai might not know about that specifically, but I don’t think he would tolerate such duplicity of Ramuda. Hifumi’s host mode while he’s in his suit is a different story, of course. Jakurai can and would accept any kind of people, but perhaps it’s just difficult for him to agree with Ramuda’s way of doing things.
--Will the mystery of their previous relationship ever be unveiled?
Hayami: I think it will, little by little. I feel that the story of “Hypnosis Mic” is full of mysteries, and these complicated relationships and mysteries are unraveled in rap. Therefore, as the story unfolds, rap is still going to play an important role.
--You never had any experience with rap before this, right?
Hayami: You’re right. That’s why, when they offered, I joined the project only after making sure they know that I know nothing about rap… Actually, the lyrics of Jakurai’s song didn’t completely match his personality in the story. But as the story develops and he gets more raps, the lyrics and his personality fit together better. Incidentally, Jakurai’s solo song “Labyrinth Wall” is tailored for my voice. Therefore I thought that if I work hard on my skills, poetry rapping, and rapping as Jakurai, I will get there someday. However, when I first heard the demo of “Labyrinth Wall,” I didn’t know what poetry rap was or that it even existed and how it had classical music as its track. I was so appalled I asked my manager, “What the hell is this?” (laughs)
--The first live of “Hypnosis Mic” is coming up on August 26th, right?
Hayami: At this stage, the set list has not been finalized yet and I’m a bit worried about whether I can remember all the lyrics by then. By the way, the junior from my agency, Nozuyama (Yukihiro) who voices Arisugawa Dice, has already memorized everything perfectly. If we’re doing all songs including the solos at the live… that’s exactly what “Don’t Make Me Laugh” is about, I just gotta make it work no matter what.
“Let the lyrics created by these men be your heart’s oasis”
--The deadline of the Battle CDs’ voting is coming up.
Hayami: It seems that everyone gave us so much support, I’m glad. However, please do it without affecting your daily lifestyle. That being said, I also hate to lose. It’d be nice if each one of you could take one small action to bring Matenrou towards victory.
--What kind of actions for example?
Hayami: Try something like sneakily placing the CDs and merchandise around someone you’d like to get into Hypnomic… (laughs). If anyone can recommend it to others like, “it’s good, try listening to it” that’d be nice too, but maybe try making people who are already interested in Matenrou love Matenrou. For me, I stealthily follow pedestrians in Shinjuku, whisper Jakurai’s lines behind them, and just brainwash them casually.
--What kind of team would you like Matenrou to become in the future?
Hayami: Matenrou is a group made up of the most mature people amongst the four divisions. Even though they’re weird, I want them to become a team that is able to give dreams, hope and love to others as grownups. I think Shinjuku, the model of Shinjuku Division, is very charming. It’s a place that has the entertainment district Kabukicho, Shinjuku Gyo-en Park that’s close by, and many corporate buildings. The rap which was born in such a chaotic place will probably be forever bizzare and scandalous.
From now on, if possible, I hope our rap and the other divisions’ raps can be the oasis for the hearts of our listeners where they can be healed. Actually, the casts of Matenrou haven’t had the chance to meet up and do something together yet, so I hope we will do more of that in the future. Then as we get closer to each other, I hope we can deliver better contents with profundity in our drama parts.
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