Transcription of a superbly written and skillfully performed traditional 'Manzai' style Japanese stand-up comedy by professional comedy duo Woman Rush Hour at ultra-high-speed. Transcribed from Web media Litera and translated.
Tokyo’s far-from-subservient comedian duo reveals its new routine; criticize the ‘establishment’, including those of us who consciously or semi-consciously acquiesce to them, the desensitized public.
(OBN - Tokyo) In Japan, this year’s year-end comedy entertainment show, The Manzai 2017 featured 2013 Champion Women Rush Hour, a comedy duo who is popular with high-speed routine of Manzai, Japanese traditional style of duo or multi-person stand-up comedy. Its leader, Muramoto, is known for ranting criticism on public air and on social media. But as a group, it had never featured political satire as its centerpiece in a high-profile show like The Manzai. On December 17, they did. Below is a part of their routine transcribed by the web media Litera in Japanese with OBN’s translation. Remember: All these exchanges between the two members go on in ultra-high speed. The whole routine on four topics ends in less than six minutes. And this is only an excerpt.
M: Muramoto, Leader N: Nakagawa, Partner
原発
1. On nuclear power
村本「福井県の大飯町、知っていますか？ 大飯原発がある大飯町です」
M: Do you know Ooi-cho in Fukui Prefecture? It’s where the the Ooi nuclear plant is located.
中川「あー、ニュースであるよねー」
N: Ah yes, I’ve heard it in on the news!
村本「原発の町、大飯町です。大飯町の隣は高浜町・高浜原発。その隣は美浜町・美浜原発。その隣は敦賀のもんじゅ。小さい地域に原発が4基あるんです!! しかし、大飯町には夜の7時以降にやっている店がないんです！夜の7時になったら町が真っ暗になるんです！これだけ言わせてください！電気はどこへゆく?!!!」
M: Ooi-cho’s a nuke town, you know? And the neighboring town of Takahama-cho also has the Takahama nuclear plant. And the neighboring Mihama-cho has Mihama nuke plant. And then next to that in Tsuruga, we have Monju. We have FOUR nuke plants in such a small area! But you know what? in Ooi-cho, everything closes down by 7pm! After 7pm the town goes pitch dark! Now let me ask you this: Where the hell did all the electricity go???
沖縄
2. On Okinawa
村本「現在、沖縄が抱えている問題は？」
M: So tell me. What are the current issues in Okinawa?
中川「米軍基地の辺野古移設問題」
N: U.S. military bases and base relocation to Henoko?
村本「あとは？」
M: And?
中川「高江のヘリパッド問題」
N: The heli pad issue in Takae?
村本「それらは沖縄だけの問題か？」
M: And these are ALL OKINAWA’s issue?
中川「いや日本全体の問題」
N: No, entire Japan’s issue.
村本「東京でおこなわれるオリンピックは？」
M: How ‘bout the 2020 Olympics hosted in Tokyo?
中川「日本全体が盛り上がる」
N: Entire Japan will go party?
村本「沖縄の基地問題は？」
M: And the Okinawa base issues are –- ?
中川「沖縄だけに押し付ける」
N: Okinawa’s own business.
村本「楽しいことは？」
M: So whatever is fun will be –- ?
中川「日本全体のことにして」
N: The whole Japan’s thing.
村本「面倒臭いことは？」
M: What ever smells trouble is -–?
中川「見て見ぬふりをする」
N: Looked away?
村本「在日米軍に払っている金額は？」
M: So how much do we pay for the U.S. Forces in Japan?
中川「9465億円」
N: 946.5 billion yen?
村本「そういった予算は何という？」
M: And what do we call this .. budget?
中川「思いやり予算」
N: ”Sympathy budget"?
村本「アメリカに思いやりをもつ前に──」
N: Before we feed 'sympathy’ to the Americans –-
中川「沖縄に思いやりをもて!!!」
N: We should feed sympathy to the Okinawans!!!
日米関係
3. Bilateral relations with the U.S.
村本「現在アメリカといちばん仲がいい国は？」
M: So which country is like REALLY TIGHT with the U.S. today?
中川「日本」
N: Japan?
村本「その仲がいい国は何をしてくれる？」
M: And what does this REALLY TIGHT country offer to do?
中川「たくさんミサイルを買ってくれる」
N: Buy tons of missiles?
村本「あとは？」
M: And?
中川「たくさん戦闘機を買ってくれる」
N: Buy a lot of fighter jets?
村本「あとは？」
M: And…?
中川「たくさん軍艦を買ってくれる」
N: Buy a lot of destroyers?
村本「それはもう仲がいい国ではなくて──」
M: That’s more than TIGHT, it’s…
中川「都合のいい国!!!」
N: CONVENIENT!
国民意識
4. The desensitized public
村本「現在日本が抱えている問題は？」
M: What are the current issues in Japan?
中川「被災地の復興問題」
N: Reconstruction of disaster-affected areas?
村本「あとは？」
M: And?
中川「原発問題」
N: Nuclear plant issue?
村本「あとは？」
M: And…?
中川「沖縄の基地問題」
N: Okinawa’s base issue?
村本「あとは？」
M: And what else?
中川「北朝鮮のミサイル問題」
N: North Korean missile crisis?
村本「でも結局ニュースになっているのは？」
M: But all we hear in the news is--?
中川「議員の暴言」
N: Politicians saying crude stuff?
村本「あとは？」
M: And?
中川「議員の不倫」
N: Politicians having affairs?
村本「あとは？」
M:What else?
中川「芸能人の不倫」
N: TV celebrities having affairs?
村本「それはほんとうに大事なニュースか？」
M: Are these REALLY important news for us?
中川「いや表面的な問題」
N: Nope. Completely superficial.
村本「でもなぜそれがニュースになる？」
M: Then WHY do we hear it all the time in the news?
中川「数字が取れるから」
N: Because they get good ratings?
村本「なぜ数字が取れる？」
M: And WHY do they get good ratings?
中川「それを見たい人がたくさんいるから」
N: Because… there are many who wants to hear it?
村本「だからほんとうに危機を感じないといけないのは？」
M: So WHAT's the REAL crisis here?
中川「被災地の問題よりも」
N: More than the affected areas?
村本「原発問題よりも」
M: More than the nuke plants?
中川「基地の問題よりも」
N: More than the U.S. bases?
村本「北朝鮮問題よりも」
M: More than North Korea?
中川「国民の意識の低さ!!!」
N: It's the people who are so desensitized!!!
村本「お前たちのことだ！」
M: I'm talking about ALL OF YOU!
Copyright (C) 2017 Office BALÉS News All rights reserved. Original transcript provided by Litera
