The Freedom of Expression Ep 61 - Going to 'CoreChoco (Hardcore Chocolate)!
Part 1 (Part 2 can be found here)
K: Its a bit sudden, but this week...where are we?
T: Look around, its amazing.
K: Where are we? Its pretty obviously though.
T: Haha. Uh, so this is Hardcore Chocolate in Higashi Nakano. We finally made it. We came here on location to this store which is famous for making really cool tshirts.
J: Yehy! *clapping* We finally made it, right? I forgot how many times we've been out on location before, but this has been long-awaited. We've come to buy some tshirts today, right?
T: Yeah, we'll look for some ones we like.
K: It doesn't feel like we are doing the show at all. We are not even looking at the screen.
J: Kaoru, you can't take your eyes off them, can you?
J: You are in regular tshirt shopping mode.
J: Well, we are on location, so lets have a quick interview with the store owner. And after that we can search for our favourite tshirts.
T: Well, lets introduce the store owner, Munakata san.
J: Munakata san, please stand next to Kaoru.
K: Thank you so much. Im always wearing this kind of thing.
M: Ahh, hunting for trouble.. from Bebop..
J: You really like this store, don't you, Kaoru?
K: Yes, I have loads from here.
M: How did you find out about us?
K: It was your homepage..I saw your page tagged somewhere, and thats how I discovered you.
M: I see. Thank you. By the way, what tshirts do you have from here?
K: Uh, Bebop..and...Tiger Mask..
M: Ah, Tiger Mask! The first generation Tiger Mask.
K: And also..some Hanshin Tigers ones.
M: Oh, yes. Are you a Hanshin fan?
M: Yeah, so I only make Hanshin ones.
J: There's no way you would do a Giants one?
M: Yeah, I won't sell my soul.
J: People might buy Giants tshirts though, as we are in Tokyo.
J: But you don't want to lower yourself to that level?
M: Thats right. I'll persevere.
T: Er, excuse me, but when did you start this store?
M: Uh, the store itself I started in 2003, but we've been consistently online since 1999.
T: And you opened the store in 2003?
J: Well, Kaoru is wearing this Bebop tshirt today, and you do pro-wrestling shirts, and...what else?
M: Live action shows, Movies, manga..
J: You have some core themes that you use, did you decide to specialise in these because they are your own weird interests?
M: Yeah, Im just going with things I've liked since I was small. I don't really have any strategy.
J: Ahh, so you are not really thinking about marketing, you are just making things you like.
M: Its like giving something back to the things I love. So we also made Tokyo Sports tshirts.
T: Yes, Im grateful we collaborated. Thats how we ended up here.
K: Its good, this. (*T's tshirt*)
T: Yes, its good. Thanks.
J: Im also wearing one of the Tokyo Sports collab ones, but how did this come about? Did they pay you?
J: Like, ¥70,000 for a set?
M: I just suddenly though I wanna do a collaboration with Tokyo Sports. An aquaintance said they would make Tokyo Sports stickers and stuff, so we wondered if tshirts would also be ok. So, I asked the headquarters..
J: I see. How are they selling?
T: Oh, thank you. Thats good, thank you. Well, we introduced these tshirts on this show, and a lot of fans said they liked them.
K: I think they liked it as soon as they heard there has been a collaboration, without even seeing the item.
M: The back print is something..I spent half a day in a warehouse going through old Tokyo Sports editions, picking out headlines I liked.
J: Ah, you design them all youself?
M: Yeah..about 90% of the time.
J: How many designs do you currently have in the store here?
M: Hmm, maybe about 300 or 400?
J: Oh, that many? We're gonna browse them in a minute, but can you tell us roughly what each zone is?
M: Yes (*points out sections*) Pro-wrestling, live action shows, movies...then over here, manga, and also western comics....and at the back, we have games, and Mu magazine.
J: Mu magazine?! Even that..
M: Those ones have always been popular.
J: Really? Kaoru, which zone are you interested in?
K: I get drawn in no matter where I look.
J: Its incredible, isn't it? Ok, should we get started?
J: Well, Kaoru, you should decide that, being the host of the show. What should we do?
T: How about our best one first?
J: Ok, we'll decide our faves.
K: Each choose our favourite one?
J: Ok, I got it. Lets get digging and find our favourites. We can ask Munakata san if we need help.
K: Ok, should we get started?
K: Ok, lets do it....Im never gonna get round the store, I keep stopping to look at things.
(*Joe asking about Giants tshirts in the background*)
K: Masa Saitō..ah, this is good.
M: There are a lot of tshirts with a backprint too.
J: Yes. Ah! Here are some Tokyo Sports ones.
J: It looks like they are selling.
M: Yes, there are only a few left.
J: They are large size, that might be in inner diameter. Do you tend to sell bigger sizes?
M: Yeah, like L or XL are the biggest sellers.
T: Ahh. If a woman wore this kind of thing, you'd fall straight in love with her, right?
M: Really? Like, Edogawa Ranpo or something.
T: Yeah, you'd think she has great hobbies.
J: But if a woman wore something like this in a bar or somewhere, she would stand out. You could cut out a lot of the small talk, right? You'd know she has similar interests to you.
J: You could start talking to her with ease.
(*Cut to K looking quietly at tshirts*)
K: Ah, isn't this great? This might be the one.
J: Tasai, have you found anything you like?
T: This 'Naniwa Kinyūdō' one is good. This is that famous scene.
T: Yeah, like 'Do you want this?
T: Yeah, its the main character Haibara's girlfriend. He'd never seen her skin before, but she showed him and asked him, like, 'Do you want me?'
J: Yeah, then on the back is this image.
J: Like, 'Akemi san, I love you!'.
M: He worries about it first.
J: Oh, really? Ah, I see, he was a bit scared at first, but in the end...he came round.
T: So you collaborated with the writer for this?
M: Yes, well, he has already died, so we collaborated with his wife.
J: This would be a good birthday present for someone. Like, for your boyfriend or girlfriend or something.
T: Are there any women who like Naniwa Kinyūdō? Haha
J: No, its like saying this is how much I love you, or something.
T: Shall we see what Kaoru is doing?
J: Kaoru is a real enthusiast.
K: I've already found three I could choose.
J: Really? Three already?!
T: We've left him alone since we started filming.
J: Which are the ones you like?
K: Oh, the ones over here. Already.
K: I know my favourite already, I think I found it.
J: No, but there's still loads back here.
J: Just look at them in order....How about this?
J: There's only this one left.
K: That will get attention.
K: You'd have to ask about it.
J: Yeh, haha. Like, all of a sudden ???*2, or not...Oh, whats this? The Sheik?
M: There's another type here too.
K: Thats a great expression on his face.
(*Cut to Kaoru looking at Mu magazine tshirts*)
K: These ones are all good.
(*Cut back to J looking at pro-wrestling tshirts*)
J: This is amazing. Ah, Bruiser Brody, Butcher..
Takabayashi: Its nostalgic.
